A Welcome Surprise

First time we’ve ever seen any quail, let alone a covey in 15 years on the ranch. Can’t think of any neighbor on the side this was taken that would have released any birds for a hunt but they had to come from somewhere.

Picking gravel on an edge of a 90acre pasture that we grubbed and converted from dense mesquite to a native blend from Turner Seed. 3rd year of growth and it has done incredible, planning on burning next year and every 3 years after. If wild birds and survive, hope they like it and stick around. Probably 6-8 in the covey.

A few years ago occasionally out west of Lake Bport on the Wise/Jack line Id see an occasional pair

I never busted a covey, just a few pairs

That was 5-6 years ago, off FM 2210 area

Awesome !

When we first got our place in northern Jack county about 18 years ago we had a couple coveys. They disappeared a couple years later and we haven’t seen any since. We never shot any of the btw.

cool little birds. Hopefully they hang around

Nice

20 years ago we released birds a couple times to supplement the existing birds we saw on our property in that area but like you said never saw a covey just two or three occasionally.

Pure greatness. They are few and far nowadays.

When we bought our place we were covered up, even in camp. Once, walking to a stand to deer hunt, I jumped a 'covey' of over 50-60 birds. It was the most incredible thing I've seen. Within 2 years of drought and chitty range conditions we were down to ZERO. They've never recovered, unfortunately. Same thing has happened to all the turkeys we used to have.

Awesome thing to see. I saw a lone male here in Palo Pinto County last year. First one I have seen since the early 2000's. Hopefully they are making a comeback.

4 year drought killed them off on my place South of Bowie. And, it also got my horney toads.

That’s awesome! With some rain and good luck who knows? Love those little birds!