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The Habits and Habitat of Texas Quail
Two species of quail are found in Texas, the Bob White, and the Blue. Both are great to eat, live in coveys, and are a lot of fun to hunt.
Quail Population in Texas
The quail of Texas had long been on the decline, largely due to the fire ant. Gladly there are still areas unaffected by the ant, and in others the fire ant is in the decline.
Also adding to the strong quail populations in recent years have been good rains. The quail season of 2009 looks to be one of the better ones of recent years due to these culminating factors.
The Covey
Quail live in what is called a covey, or a group of quail. Unlike dove, which generally due not walk far, quail scurry across the ground surprisingly quickly. For these reason, it's easy to get quail on the run and not see them.
Dogs and Quail
Because of the ease of not seeing the quail, dogs are often used in quail hunting because they can smell the quail, find them, and point them. When a bird dog goes on point, the covey of quail has been located, and then is flushed into the air. A good dog will bring your birds back, as well, though some like to mouth the birds and this is not a good thing.