DIY planted bird hunts

anyone in the north texas area offer a DIY planted bird hunt? Quail, pheasant, chukar?

wanting to keep the cost down and get a new bird dog some training/experience.

Just kinda looking for a place to buy some birds, has a small section of land i can go out and plant them in and then get the dog out and have some fun for a few hours.

no need for a guide, no need for a in field lunch, or any frills like that.

tia

https://www.uplandbird.com/

http://poetryshootingclub.com/

Buy birds and take them out to the LBJ Grasslands
As long as you are not on the designated Birddog Training Area, and you do not shoot more than a legal daily limit, you should be good to go.

Sent you a PM

Wondering if it's legal to release birds on public land.? Not sure I would go that route, wouldn't be legal on federal land up here.

Come see us. We are exactly what you are looking for.

We are the working mans place to smack quail.

Walter 214-728-2755

Look at pecan ridge outdoor training center and give ross a call over there.

Its like 125 a year for dog training access. It is considered a game preserve and ross will usually leave birds in a box waiting for your pickup.

Let me know if you decide to join I can meet you out there one day. There are a few of us who train out there.

Thanks for all the replies and PM's. Yall have been very helpful!

Anyone ever considered NSTRA?

Lots of misinformation here.
You cannot release pen raised birds on public land legally period. State or national.
You must have a TPWD private shooting preserve permit.
You must buy your birds from a TPWD approved producer.
All birds you release must have a band on them with your private preserve number on the band.
You must have a TPWD shooting preserve sign at every gate on a public road on your property.

I have a friend that is going through this now. He also thought you just went and bought some chukars and quail and put them out. Not so.

I kept pen raised quail in my Johnny house for training for over 20. I released them in the late spring. Some went feral. Had one clutch. This is one from my Johnny house. I never shot any. They were too previous after they learned to recall.

Well, that all sounds very informative and is correct...if you want to shoot quail year-round and with disregard to bag limits. That is what the Shooting Preserve regulations are all about.

When it comes to the LBJ\Caddo National Grasslands, there are hundreds of pen raised quail released at every AKC Hunt Test held at The Grasslands. I can assure you that none of the birds I have handled from these events have been banded.

The Grasslands Bird Dog Training Area is not a Shooting Preserve...The National Grasslands, including the Bird Dog Training Area, is not and cannot be registered as a shooting preserve by TPWD, because the regulations apply only privately owned land. (One of the dog clubs inquired about registering a section of the Grasslands, so they could train, with shooting, year round.) The Hunt Tests occur with the full knowledge and consent of the local superintendent's office (they have the events on their schedule and do the reservations for the group use facility) .

It is only legal to shoot bobwhites in the designated "Bird Dog Training Area" during a registered event (state law), but dog trainers and bird dog clubs routinely release and shoot birds on other sections for dog training, As long as it is during quail season, and bag limits are observed, this seems to be permitted on the grasslands and I have never heard of anyone being fine, or even scolded for it. I personally called the the Grasslands field office a couple of years ago to make sure I understood which areas were included in the Bird Dog Training Area (There are metal signs on each gate that designate the Bird Dog Training Area). I was not told of any restriction for what we wanted to do, other than the NO Killing Quail restriction for the Bird Dog Training Area itself.

There is lots of confusing stuff out there about release/trapping/moving quail in Texas. This is one of the best documents I have seen on the subject........ Releasing and moving upland birds in Texas

In Texas it is legal to purchase live game birds from a breeder to release on private property for various purposes, including for training bird dogs and to attempt to establish a new population. A private bird hunting area license is not required under these circumstances. The moment the birds are released onto the property they are legally considered wild and fall under all the applicable game laws (hunting regs, possession).... there are quite a few permits involved with quail hunting and management activities in Texas. Each has specific terms that need to be followed, so it is always a good idea to reach out to your local biologist or Game Warden to make sure you are complying with the permit. In the end, each serves a unique purpose and helps ensure that all quail species are effectively conserved and managed for present and future Texans.


As always...this info is worth what you paid for it. I recommend you contact your local game warden and the superintendent/resident biologist for any public lands and get your information directly from them.

Texas Parks and Wildlife managed lands are a different story. I have personally discussed releasing pen raised birds with Chip out at Matador. That is a no-no at Matador, regardless of the facility the birds come from, due to the risk of introducing disease/parasites into their native population. My guess is that anywhere with native populations have similar restrictions, but Matador is the only Texas WMA I have inquired about.

Yeah I didn't think you were able to release birds on public land - I've been told that's a good way to get you in trouble.