Gambel's Quail
Callipepla gambelii
- Upland Game Bird
- huntable
About Gambel's Quail
Gambel's quail carry the name of 19th-century naturalist William Gambel, and males wear the bird's signature feature well — a black plume curling forward over the forehead, set above a black face and black belly patch on an otherwise bluish-gray body. Females are duller and skip the black markings entirely. Outside the breeding season, Gambel's quail bunch into coveys dozens strong and mostly stay put rather than migrate, feeding heavily on plant material, especially legumes. How well they breed each year comes down almost entirely to rainfall — more rain means more green growth, and more green growth means more chicks.
Where you can hunt it (33 properties, 60 hunt windows)
| Property | County | Season | Dates | Bag | Who |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94 Trust | Floyd County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Askew CRP | Lynn County | huntinglisted as Quail | Each day of Quail season for Lynn County (dates follow the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual). | — | Adult |
| Big Bend Ranch SP | Presidio County | huntinglisted as Quail | Dec 7 – Dec 10 | Daily Quail Statewide bag and possession limits apply.The limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult |
| Big Timber | Hemphill County | huntinglisted as Quail | through Feb 25 · Season opens the day after the end of mule deer season as established for Hemphill County; ends on Feb. 25. (The opening date follows the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual.) | — | Adult |
| Bindweed | Floyd County | huntinglisted as Quail | Each day of Quail season for Floyd County (dates follow the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual). | — | Adult |
| Black Gap WMA | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Nov 14 | — | Adult |
| Black Gap WMA, continued | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 21 – Nov 24 | — | Adult |
| Black Gap WMA, continued | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Dec 14 – Dec 24 | — | Adult |
| Black Gap WMA, continued | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 2 – Jan 7 | — | Adult |
| Black Gap WMA, continued | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 11 – Feb 4 | — | Adult |
| Black Gap WMA, continued | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Feb 8 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Bluestem | Floyd County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Jan 31 | — | Adult |
| Chaparral Wildlife Management Area | Dimmit County, La Salle County | huntinglisted as Quail | Oct 31 – Nov 1 | 15 daily / 45 in possessionThe limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult/Youth |
| Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, continued | Dimmit County, La Salle County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 7 – Nov 8 | 15 daily / 45 in possessionThe limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult |
| Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, continued | Dimmit County, La Salle County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 2 – Jan 3 | 15 daily / 45 in possessionThe limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult |
| Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, continued | Dimmit County, La Salle County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 19 – Jan 20 | 15 daily / 45 in possessionThe limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult |
| Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, continued | Dimmit County, La Salle County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 26 – Jan 27 | 15 daily / 45 in possessionThe limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult |
| Circle Tree | Floyd County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Jan 31 | — | Adult |
| Cobb Farms | Swisher County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Elephant Mountain WMA | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Nov 2 | — | Adult |
| Elephant Mountain WMA, continued | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 7 – Nov 25 | — | Adult |
| Elephant Mountain WMA, continued | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Dec 14 – Jan 4 | — | Adult |
| Elephant Mountain WMA, continued | Brewster County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 9 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Francis-Dunlap | Floyd County | huntinglisted as Quail | Each day of Quail season for Floyd County (dates follow the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual). | — | Adult |
| Gene Howe WMA | Hemphill County, Lipscomb County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Jan 31 | — | Adult |
| Gene Howe WMA, continuedW.A. (Pat) Murphy | Hemphill County, Lipscomb County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Jan 31 | — | Adult |
| Horse Creek | Hemphill County | huntinglisted as Quail | through Feb 25 · Season opens the day after the end of mule deer season as established for Hemphill County; ends on Feb. 25. (The opening date follows the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual.) | — | Adult |
| Huddleston | Dawson County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| James E. Daughtrey WMA | Live Oak County, McMullen County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 16 – Nov 29 | — | Adult |
| James E. Daughtrey WMA, continued | Live Oak County, McMullen County | huntinglisted as Quail | Dec 11 – Dec 20 | — | Adult |
| James E. Daughtrey WMA, continued | Live Oak County, McMullen County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 9 – Jan 17 | — | Adult |
| Las Palomas WMAAnacua Unit | Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr County, Willacy County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Las Palomas WMA, continuedArroyo Colorado Unit | Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr County, Willacy County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Las Palomas WMA, continuedBaird Unit | Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr County, Willacy County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Las Palomas WMA, continuedCarricitos Unit | Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr County, Willacy County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Las Palomas WMA, continuedChapote Unit | Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr County, Willacy County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Las Palomas WMA, continuedEbony Unit | Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr County, Willacy County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Las Palomas WMA, continuedLongoria Unit | Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr County, Willacy County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Las Palomas WMA, continuedTaormina Unit | Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr County, Willacy County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Las Palomas WMA, continuedTucker Unit | Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Starr County, Willacy County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Luminant Texas | Robertson County | huntinglisted as Quail | Dates not published | — | Adult |
| Margolies | Floyd County | huntinglisted as Quail | Each day of Quail season for Floyd County (dates follow the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual). | — | Adult |
| Matador WMA | Cottle County | huntinglisted as Quail | Oct 24 – Oct 25 | — | Adult/Youth |
| Matador WMA, continued | Cottle County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Jan 31 | — | Adult |
| Millhollon Trust | Scurry County | huntinglisted as Quail | Each day of Quail season for Scurry County (dates follow the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual). | — | Adult |
| Noble Playa | Lynn County | huntinglisted as Quail | Each day of the Quail season for Lynn County (dates follow the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual). | — | Adult |
| Playa Lakes WMATaylor Lakes Unit | Castro County, Donley County | huntinglisted as Quail | Dec 5 – Dec 6 | Daily Quail Statewide bag and possession limits apply.The limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult/Youth |
| Playa Lakes WMA, continuedTaylor Lakes Unit, continued | Castro County, Donley County | huntinglisted as Quail | Dec 19 – Dec 20 | Daily Quail Statewide bag and possession limits apply.The limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult/Youth |
| Playa Lakes WMA, continuedTaylor Lakes Unit, continued | Castro County, Donley County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 2 – Jan 3 | Daily Quail Statewide bag and possession limits apply.The limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult/Youth |
| Pride Cemetery | Lynn County, Terry County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Ramsey Place | Lubbock County | huntinglisted as Quail | Each day of Quail season for Lubbock County (dates follow the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual). | — | Adult |
| Ray Roberts PHL | Cooke County, Denton County, Grayson County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| San Angelo SP | Tom Green County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 4 – Jan 11 | — | Adult |
| San Angelo SP, continued | Tom Green County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 15 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Sandy Half | Martin County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Stafford CRP | Dawson County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Jan 31 | — | Adult |
| Teacup Mountain WMA | Foard County | huntinglisted as Quail | Nov 1 – Feb 28 | — | Adult |
| Twin Buttes PHL | Tom Green County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 1 – Feb 21 | — | Adult |
| Warrick | Lynn County | huntinglisted as Quail | Each day of Quail season for Lynn County (dates follow the county listings in the TPWD Outdoor Annual). | — | Adult |
| Yoakum Dunes WMA | Cochran County, Terry County, Yoakum County | huntinglisted as Quail | Jan 9 – Jan 10 | Daily Quail Statewide bag and possession limits apply. Blue and/or Bobwhite quail only.The limit is one combined total for the Quail group — every species in it together, not each on its own. | Adult |
Season dates and bag limits change. Always check the current Texas Parks & Wildlife regulations before you hunt.