Chaparral WMA Adds More Public Quail Hunting Opportunity

Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.texas.gov

News Image Share on Facebook Share Release URL

Note: This item is more than 16 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.

AUSTIN, Texas — Due to improving resource conditions on the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area near Cotulla, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is providing 11 additional days of public quail hunting opportunity at the WMA.

Public hunting for quail will now be available on the Chaparral WMA Nov. 26-29 and Jan. 12-20, 2008. There is a $15 daily use permit fee, which is waived for hunters having a current Annual Public Hunting Permit.

"We’re seeing large coveys this year," reports David Synatzske, Chaparral WMA area manager. "Our census counts showed 4.5 birds per mile, compared to just .06 birds per mile last year. The drought the last two years resulted in very low reproduction, but the quail did the best they could do this year considering starting the reproductive year with extremely low brood stock."

Hunters interested in chasing quail on the Chaparral must first register on site at the check station, which will be open at 5:30 a.m. on hunt days. Hunters may access the 15,000-acre WMA by vehicle, but may not hunt from a vehicle. ATVs are not permitted on the area.

Synatzske reminds hunters that while there are plenty of birds on the area, finding them could be challenging. "We’ve gotten 50 inches of rain since September 2006, so this place is a jungle," he says. "We’ve got about 200 miles of roads on the site, so getting around is not a problem, though." He also reminds hunters they must check in and out at the check station located at the WMA entrance."

For more information about quail hunting on the Chaparral WMA, call the WMA at (830) 676-3413.

———
On the Net: