Forecast: According to Illinois Department of Natural Resources estimates, the number of quail in Illinois and the annual harvest continue to decline. The number of birds per route recorded during the 2016 Upland Surveys continued the slow negative trend that has been observed for some time, according to the department’s agriculture and grassland program manager Stan McTaggart. Statewide harvest and the number of quail hunters in the 2015-16 season were also estimated to be lower. This year, number of quail heard statewide per route was down 13 percent from 2015 surveys.
Nesting and brood-rearing conditions in areas with suitable habitat were favorable in much of the state until July, which turned out to be the third wettest month in Illinois history and included above-average temperatures. August weather brought above-average rainfall and temperatures with some areas experiencing record-setting 24-hour rainfall events over 5 inches. “Many of these heavy rainfall events were relatively isolated, but were likely detrimental to newly hatched broods and birds in the path of the heavy runoff from these storms,” McTaggart said.
Another concern in Illinois is the expiration of 94,000 acres of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in 2016 and another 96,000 acres in 2017. “As we approach the national CRP acreage cap, re-enrollment of these acres may not be possible and this would result in a significant loss of quail habitat across Illinois,” McTaggart said.
“I expect quail hunting to be spotty across the state,” McTaggart said. “Areas with good habitat will still have birds, but many areas that have had severe weather and degradation of habitat quality will not have good quail numbers.”
The central part of Illinois (a narrow band from Interstate 70 to Interstate 72) seemed to fare better over the last two years compared to the traditional quail stronghold of southern Illinois. There has also been a lot of landowner interest in the Conservation Reserve Program’s Pollinator Habitat (CP-42) practice. Illinois has enrolled over 50,000 acres of Pollinator Habitat (second most acres enrolled in the country) and most of these plantings are relatively new and providing some areas of excellent habitat.
Season Dates: Area 1 (North): November 5, 2016 through January 8, 2017; Area 2 (South): November 5, 2016 through January 15, 2017
Daily Bag Limit: 8
Possession Limit: 20 for first day of season, and 16 for remainder of season
Helpful Links: