by Mitchell Riggs
Our fall covey counts this year remained consistent with 2024, averaging 7.9 coveys per stop. Surveys were conducted throughout October at 13 listening stations across the ranch. Call counts continue to be one of our most reliable tools for tracking year-to-year population trends, and they also help identify high-density covey hotspots that hunters may find especially productive.
It’s clear that our quail population at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch has largely plateaued compared to last year. While we didn’t experience the notable bump in numbers seen in some other regions of the state, our overall population remains strong and stable—putting us in a solid position heading into the hunting season.
