Blue quail population?

Our deer hunting property was covered up in blue quail about 10 years ago and then they vanished. The bobwhites are as thick as ever so I'm just wondering if someone had some insight as to what happened. I don't hunt them but still enjoyed their presence.

Was your deer lease more eaten down by cattle back then? Blues dont really like constant thicker grass cover.

Blues seem to have made the westward push quicker than bobs, used to could find them as far easy as western Young County 25 years ago, so not sure if your place is east of Big Spring or not, but maybe another reason?

The cattle grazing hasn't changed any. The landowner rotates his cattle around different pastures. This property is in Knox county. About 10 miles or so from Benjamin.

About two years ago one of the university's released a bunch of blues to try to reestablish them. I think it was university of Colorado. Anyways, I haven't run into one since they did this. They put implants in them I guess because a couple of girls come around every so often in a jeep with a big antenna. They drive around trying to locate them.

I was just curious if someone had insight into why they disappeared. Curious if it was drought related or disease. Like I said the bobwhites seem to be doing great which is nice but wish we could get the blues back.

Seems I hear more and more of blues being sighted further west. I havent seen any myself.