Dove / Quail

Dove and quail hunting is one of the most enjoyable hunting sports for the outdoor enthusiast. The hunter does not necessarily have to hide from their prey, as with other types of hunting. While hunting dove and quail, the hunter pursues the birds from the ground aiming towards the birds flying in the sky. Hunters generally use specifically trained hunting dogs to locate and retrieve the birds after they have been shot. Dove hunting season will last from mid-September to early November and then from late December to early January, while Quail hunting season will last from the end of October to late February. Always check the seasons before planning a hunt, as each season is regulated by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Outdoor Annual. 

The hunter uses a range of shotguns when hunting dove and quail, depending on the preference of the hunter. Some of the most ideal dove hunting areas are large, open, cultivated fields near water. However, quail will usually be found in areas that have a vegetative and/or wooded cover.

It is said some of the best times to hunt dove are early in the morning when they are leaving their roost in search of food, and late afternoon when heading back to their roost after they have fed.

When hunting quail, a trained bird dog will find quail by smell in their wooded cover, and point the covey of quail to the hunters by rushing the covey into the air, then allowing the hunter to aim and shoot. Quail feed on seeds in fields in the morning, then rest under cover by mid-day, and in the late afternoon hunters can find quail in the weedy areas of a field.