Forecast: Quail numbers down

Quail Forever’s quail hunting forecast doesn’t look good for Illinois.

Indications are quail numbers will be a bit below or equal to last season, according to Michael Wefer, Ag and Grassland Program Manager with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Last year, nearly 17,000 hunters harvested 124,000 quail in the Prairie State.

Despite a cold and snowy winter statewide, snowfall in southern Illinois was only 2” above normal. And despite the second wettest June on record in the state, southern Illinois received near average rain amounts in the June nesting season. This is good news, as the south central and west central regions of the state are the standard premiere quail areas. Despite being in northeast Illinois, the northern parts of Iroquois County are also home to some decent bobwhite numbers.

Season Dates: November 6, 2010 through January 8, 2011 (North) November 6, 2010 through January 15, 2011 (South)
Daily Bag Limit: 8
Possession Limit: 20
Field Notes: Illinois is home to 19 Quail Forever chapters, the second most in the nation behind Missouri (23 Quail Forever chapters).
Helpful Links:

  * Find an Illinois Quail Forever chapter
  * Illinois DNR Regs