Take the survey and have your voices heard



https://dmz-iissql.tpwd.state.tx.us/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=ml0Hln9

Thanks Ray B, Done

Done! Took me 8 minutes.

Done.

Done.

Done. Let's let our voices be heard and hope these guys help make a difference.

Done. A good survey with plenty of space to include your opinion.

I think we've discussed it on this forum before, but the survey seems slanted toward a February closing of quail season. I'd rather them skip November, and keep it open through February. We were still seeing half grown birds in November, and the cover was too thick to hunt.

^^^^This^^^^

I like this idea. I'm sure most deer hunters would too.

In the last comment I posted my concerns about a lose of February hunting, where my lease is it would only give me two weeks

I did an editorial on the final "other comment" question myself around the conservation mindset of the vast majority of quail hunters in this country and how we have gone to single shells and one shooter on the ground on leases over the past several years and birds are disappearing etc. The bar is so high to get into quail hunting seriously...its vastly different from a dude going to Wal-mart, buying a .270, and now he is a deer hunter. I also think you start shortening the season, you potentially chase more people off that would be buyers of the upland stamp (e.g. research dollars) and it accelerates the spiral down we are in. I don't think shortening the season is any part of the underlying solution to our problem.

Done

X2

If shortening season is worthy of consideration (big if) looks to me like it needs to come off the front rather than the back.
I would be willing to bet more quail are killed around corn feeders by deer hunters in November and December than are by bird hunters over pointing dogs in February.

Good point!! Pun intended!

Several things come to mind; restart the CRP program (lotsa o luck), shorten the season, as someone said use less shells, and shoot only on covey rises; but there is nothing to compare with a dog trailing and finally slamming a single that was a runner. I would like to see the results of this survey when done.

I hunt Collingsworth county. It used to open December 1. That seemed to work well. Killing frosts by then and late hatch birds more mature and usually cooler hunts for dogs and hunters. I think counties actually set the opening date. I think it worked well even though we would get antsy waiting for it to open.

I still say there is something out there. Old timers speak of a line moving west, hope their wrong. My experience as a non resident quail hunter for 26 years couldn't say they're wrong . Always had good and bad years, but not like the last six. Pastures didn't change that much over the years. To hard headed to quit, so the only option is to keep going. Can't look at the money it cost or would have stopped long ago. Just to much fun and enjoyment

I well remember when the counties set their own date. I had a lease with no accommodations near Kenedy in the late 70s. So, we stayed in a motel downtown. I invited my friend Ron to come down from Dallas. He got there early, and the motel manager told him there were a few coveys in the pasture behind the motel. He went back there and shot 3 birds. We continued to hunt my lease for the remainder of the weekend. We were in and out of the local eating establishments in our quail hunting gear. I got back home and checked the regulations for that county. Season had closed the week before.

We have land in 2 counties and used to hunt in one county till it closed. Then moved to and open county to finish out the last 15 days of season.
Season bag and days were set by county commissioners with TPWD approval

Came by to see if this was up here and I see it is. Good job Ray.

Personally I think the season needs to be bobbed on both ends.

You cant honestly say you want to help and then say but not here or there because it affects me.

I think everyone was giving their best educated opinions, and not their greedy opinions. You can run bird dogs all year, and that's what most of us have done, even where we had birds.

I personally think shortening the season is a stab in the dark. I don't believe there are enough people involved in hunting wild bobwhite quail in Texas to make a difference. For example, just note how many people follow what is going on in this forum discussion vs. how many are visiting the deer hunting forum discussions at any given time. It has become, over the years, a game for the wealthy...not the general population anymore.

So what has changed (according to ole' Gary) to put our favored game in such dire shape?? How about virtually no predator control...hawks, owls, coyotes, skunks, cats, coons, dogs galore! They don't respect game laws, and hunt and eat
24/7. Probably not a popular hypothesis, but tell me I am wrong.

BTW: I did take the survey. Thanks, Ray B

Not pointing fingers but ...

And I have read that same statement several time by several other folks. All I was saying.

And in decent years, I have found several coveys of bumble bee sized quail on the Chap opening weekend. I let em go, but I know every one dont. And I am pretty sure when they see what they shot, they stay where they fell.

One thing for sure, there is no answer or potential solution they can come up with that will satisfy every one.