Upland Bird Hunts
| When it comes to wild quail hunting there does not exist within the central mid-west any such thing as a wild quail lease as we often hear described as existing in Texas. This distinction of our quail hunting from that of Texas is largely geographic and cultural. We frequently hear of Texas ranches composed of 12, 15, 20 and to date 42 sections being the largest. In most cases this is contiguous acreage where the land has been developed in cover and water to support large numbers of quail in a relatively small area. Within the central mid-west the most frequently bought and sold unit of land is the quarter section and farmers often speak in terms of how may quarters they own or farm rather than total acres. What one Texas hunter told us about comparing Missouri and Texas farm land is that one quarter in Missouri is worth several sections in Texas when comparing farm production. The central mid-west does have preserve hunt operations in Iowa and Missouri and the same thing sometimes called controlled shooting areas in Kansas. These are largely pen raised/release bird hunting operations offering a variety of species and frequently along with a lodge for an accompanying social affair. In any case when it comes to wild quail hunting our habitat supports large wild quail coveys, however the concentration of those coveys is far less than the frequently read about on a Texas quail hunt encountering 15 coveys in one day an off day. The limitation that drives our daily covey count is that for every four quarters hunted if each quarter takes 2 hours and if every quarter has a covey the hunter typically runs out of daylight during his daily hunt. The new to the central mid-west hunter is not likely to find four coveys in four quarters. While most quail hunters will have the opportunity for many dog - quail points from the coveys found on the typical four quarters hunted per day most will often not harvest a limit each day. The lack of limit harvest will come down to an element or more within the upland bird hunting trilogy of willingness to walk, shooting ability and dog power that combine to determine the number of coveys found and shot opportunities. Those with recurring trips to our lease land will find that as a self guided hunter he may return to the more productive quarters on each trip as well as develop more covey holding quarters each quail hunting day.
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