Texas Quail Hunters Get Some Good News Ahead of the 2026 Season

If you're a quail hunter in Lubbock or anywhere else in West Texas, you might want to start getting your shotgun and bird dogs ready.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has released its annual quail population survey, and the outlook for the upcoming season is pretty encouraging.

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In fact, biologists say Texas could be looking at another quality quail hunting season, with good bird numbers reported across much of the state.

And while some areas look better than others, there's reason for optimism here in West Texas.

a man holding a gun

Texas Quail Season Opens November 1

Texas quail season officially begins Sunday, November 1st, 2026, and wildlife biologists have spent the summer trying to determine what hunters can expect.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, biologists traveled more than 3,300 miles of Texas roads during August, counting quail and evaluating population trends.

Patrick Schutz, TPWD's Upland Game Bird Program Leader, says the results were encouraging.

Overall, the numbers were once again in good shape in this year's surveys, and we anticipate a good season for hunters especially in the South Texas and Trans Pecos regions where populations have traditionally been the strongest.

The combination of timely rainfall and favorable habitat conditions helped both bobwhite and scaled quail reproduce successfully.

And anybody who's spent much time in West Texas knows just how much difference a little rain can make.

blue and white bird on brown wooden stick during daytime

What About Quail Hunting Around Lubbock?

For hunters in Lubbock and the surrounding South Plains, the most relevant information comes from the Rolling Plains region.

According to TPWD, bobwhite quail numbers in the Rolling Plains were slightly lower than last year, but the region is still expected to offer solid hunting opportunities.

That's encouraging news, especially considering the hot, dry weather much of Texas experienced this summer.

Schutz says biologists were concerned about the potential impact of those conditions.

TPWD biologists anticipated bobwhite populations to be impacted by the hot and dry weather we experienced this summer. However, we were pleased with this year's survey results statewide.

The department also reports that most Texas regions had above-average bobwhite sightings compared with their 15-year averages.

Of course, that doesn't mean every pasture around Lubbock will be full of birds.

Quail populations can vary dramatically from one property to another depending on rainfall, vegetation and habitat conditions.

a man holding a rifle while standing in a field

Scaled Quail Are Doing Particularly Well in West Texas

Here's another interesting development.

Scaled quail populations continued their upward trend in 2026, with sightings exceeding the 15-year average in most regions surveyed.

Scaled quail, sometimes called blue quail, are especially familiar to hunters in the drier parts of West Texas.

The biggest improvement was reported in the Edwards Plateau, where biologists counted an average of 29.88 scaled quail per survey route.

That's more than double last year's average of 14 birds per route and well above the region's 15-year average of 8.38.

Late spring rains and favorable nesting conditions also helped scaled quail populations in the Trans-Pecos.

For hunters willing to travel farther west, that could mean some particularly good opportunities this season.

man looking at his dog

Where Can Texans Hunt Quail on Public Land?

Not everybody has access to a private ranch, but Texas does offer public hunting opportunities.

For hunters in the northern part of the state, TPWD identifies several wildlife management areas worth considering, including:

• Matador Wildlife Management Area
• Gene Howe Wildlife Management Area
• Teacup Mountain Wildlife Management Area

Teacup Mountain is a relatively new 11,091-acre wildlife management area where habitat is actively managed for several wildlife species, including bobwhite quail.

Hunters using Texas public hunting lands generally need an Annual Public Hunting Permit and should check the regulations for each specific property before heading out.

More information is available through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Don't Expect Every Field to Be Full of Quail

One important thing to remember about these surveys is that they measure regional trends.

They don't guarantee you'll find birds on any particular property.

TPWD has conducted statewide quail surveys since 1978, giving biologists decades of information to compare population changes.

And while this year's results are promising, local hunting conditions will still depend on the quality of habitat and the weather.

For a more specific outlook, hunters can contact their local TPWD wildlife biologist.

brown and white bird on ground during daytime

A Promising Start to Quail Season in West Texas

For those of us who grew up around hunting in West Texas, there's something pretty special about watching a covey of quail explode out of the grass.

And if you've ever been caught completely off guard by one, you know it'll get your heart pumping in a hurry.

Schutz is encouraging experienced hunters to introduce somebody new to the sport this season.

I encourage taking first time quail hunters out to experience the thrill of a covey rise!

With quail season opening November 1st and encouraging population reports coming out of Texas Parks and Wildlife, hunters around Lubbock have a good reason to look forward to the next few months.

Now we just need the weather, the birds and the dogs to cooperate.

And as any experienced quail hunter will tell you, getting all three to cooperate on the same day is sometimes the hardest part.