Even in years of sub-par rainfall you can find good shooting on lands west of Fort Worth, especially those with a few quail management practices in place. The author got this fistful of bobs from a spot at which CRP acreage abutted crop fields. Photo by Brandon Ray.

It's an unfortunate but all-too-common situation across the western half of the Lone Star State lately: drought transforming ranchland into parched expanses containing more dust than grass.

In the Panhandle region alone, dry conditions contributed to wildfire burning a record-breaking amount of acreage in early 2006. Below-average rainfall in many of our counties has affected livestock and wildlife alike.

During years in which rain's as rare as gold, life's tough for many critters -- including quail.

QUAIL HUNTING IN THE DRY YEARS
To understand why dry years can be so tough on quail, you first have to understand why wet years can be so good. I asked Ty Bartoskewitz, a biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, to explain.

"What hunters perceive as good quail years usually have generous amounts of rainfall at the proper times," he said. "Too much rain at the wrong time can have negative impacts, too. Winter rains usually will set up conditions in the springtime for good forb (weed) production.

"Continued rainfall in the spring will help with cover, insect production, and nesting structure. An abundance of insects and seeds provides quail with energy and required nutrients to nest, lay eggs, incubate, and successfully raise a clutch.

"Quail chicks feed heavily on insects during the first stages of their life cycle. Rainfall provides ground moisture used for grass and forb growth. This herbaceous layer is important in food, cover, and nesting structure.

"Additionally," he continued, "cover provides an escape from predators and helps to shield against intense summer heat. Wet spring and summer months usually offer a respite from the normal 100-plus degree days.

"Why are dry years hard for quail? The main reason is a loss of the opportunity to nest. Dry years will have fewer forbs available, which reduces seed and insect abundance and overall bird fitness. Dry years do not promote grass growth, which offers cover from predators, nesting structure in the form of bunchgrasses, and the thermal cover from the hot summer days. Dry years generally decrease the number of times a hen will attempt to nest and thereby decrease overall quail numbers.