Missouri Bobwhite Quail Hunting
Missouri Bobwhite Quail Region
Missouri's better Bobwhite Quail region is the northern and central western agricultural region where brush and grass waterways and crop field edge provides the right mix of cover and food.
A day when everything was just right.
Missouri Bobwhite Quail hunting is for those upland bird hunters seeking higher quail than pheasant populations frequently in most areas exclusive to Bobwhite Quail and free of pheasants. The Missouri quail hunter is far more likely to enjoy a mixed waterfowl and quail hunt on the same day or trip than a mixed quail and pheasant hunt.
Missouri's season begins November first and runs through January 15. Eight birds per day. This compares to Kansas with a later closing season the third week of January. Iowa quail season runs through the end of January.
The attraction of Missouri wild quail hunting in addition to finding a good number of coveys is the small to large crop field soft edge Missouri wild quail habitat. This is miles upon miles of edge habitat that allows for much eyes on the dog and singles action after the covey flush.
Those with good down wind edge running dogs will find much dog work with mid to long range direct observation. Good sight check back enhances the hunt. having a dog that will run small field circle edges and long running drainage's to include branches will save much hunter walking.
2010 Missouri Hunting Land
Posted is the Missouri County and private hunting land in that county available for Mid-America Hunting Association hunters.
All the best quail hunting is within the agricultural region of Missouri where 45 - 55% of the land use is farming. For our quail hunts that farming is mostly on row crop fields of soybean and corn. Wheat and milo may be found on the south west acreage.
Upland bird hunters will find an occasional pheasant in North Missouri above highway 36 and rarely towards the south towards highway 70. When it comes to Missouri it is about quail hunting. So much so we have some Association hunters that hunt only Missouri quail and forego all but the occasional trip to Kansas and then it's for quail hunting as well. Regions in Kansas have equaled Missouri's quail counts are a good number of years.
The north central and north west portions of Missouri have had the best recent covey numbers with the south west having good covey counts in isolated areas. Our upland bird forecast from year to year tracking year round population indicators will be a good first step to deciding where to hunt.
There is no such thing as the perfect world and while Missouri quail hunts come close while avoiding cactus, snakes, alligators, hash northern cold and intense humid southern heat there are other distractions. One distraction is that Missouri does have turkey and plenty of them. Any good bird dog not disciplined from these monster birds may find them highly attractive and giving of much scent.
The Missouri quail hunting terrain is largely smaller fields (as compared to Kansas) compartmentalized into crop areas and pastures separated by many wooded streams, overgrown fence lines and wooded tracts. Southern regions have more wooded areas than up north. In both regions the land gently rolls over small hills and valleys. These areas require a bit more reconnaissance as wood lines often hide that next good field just beyond.
Wood edge habitat also makes shooting a significant challenge. In some of these areas a hunter may find plenty of coveys in a day and few bobwhite in the bag due to the difficult to shoot cover. These can be the days that test one's sense of humor.
As a whole Missouri is good Bobwhite Quail country and easier hunting. The difference between the northern and southern regions are that higher pheasant densities exist in north than the south. So deciding between these two locations depends on what value is placed on working the dogs on pheasants while finding wild quail coveys. We will assist the first year member with where to hunt. Typically, after that first season, most develop favored regions and call us again when wanting recommendations of where to explore new areas.
Late Season Quail Hunt
"...early January hunt. I and my dog averaged six birds each day in the bag between pheasant and quail...weather was good the entire trip...roads fair to poor to impassable...not another hunter..."
For the rest of us this hunter is known to a good handful of other members most over 10 years of membership and they all share where they have hunted and what they have seen although few actually hunt together. To meet him in the field is to have a good conversation and perhaps a shared meal that evening.
Our self guided quail hunters have a "unit" of lease land reserved for each day's hunt.
Each unit has more ground to hunt than any quail hunter can cover in a day. Units are used to distribute pressure. No one unit is hunted consistently and no one hunter is permitted to overly hunt any one unit. The result is a good field day for everyone. This point typifies how we are a business and not a hunting club. Our management is for quality hunts as a means for membership renewal.
We will not oversell of Bobwhite Quail hunts and purposefully show less than limit pictures so as never to imply all that quail hunt will have the dog power, willingness to walk or shooting ability to harvest a limit each or any day of the hunt.