Forecast: While the 2015 whistling males survey results indicate a very slight increase (from 0.015 in 2013 to 0.016 in 2015), the overall trend in the bobwhite quail population still shows a significant decline throughout southern and western Wisconsin, according to assistant upland wildlife ecologist Krista Pham with the state’s Department of Natural Resources.
Most of the Wisconsin winter was above average for temperature and below average for snow fall during 2015-16. Spring weather was above average in regard to temperature and precipitation with the reduced snowfall causing an early spring green up. Brood-rearing conditions in Wisconsin in 2016 were above average for temperature with much of the state seeing temperatures 1 to 2 degrees above average for the months of June through August. Precipitation was also above average for much of the state for June through August.
“There were several large rain events in the middle and latter half of the brood-rearing season, and while these were not prolonged, or followed by below-average temperatures, they were rather severe and may have led to the loss of chicks where they occurred,” Pham said. Wisconsin overall appeared to have average conditions for game bird breeding, but a below average brood-rearing season in 2016.
Due to a long-term loss of appropriate habitat, coupled with occasional severe winter weather during the past several years, quail are unevenly distributed at very low densities across their former range in Wisconsin. Pham suggested hunters interested in pursuing quail should focus on areas with significant grassland interspersed with dense winter cover.
Season Dates: October 15 through December 7, 2016
Daily Bag Limit: 5
Possession Limit: Three times the bag limit
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