Quail have been coming back in certain areas of the US. Texas has been seeing quails slightly on the rise this year and that sentiment has been spreading to other areas.

Quail season opens in Kentucky and expectations are mixed this year. Things have been all right for the last few seasons in Kentucky, but this year the drought throughout the summer really took a tole on the birds especially the young.

Hunters should expect numbers to be down this year or at best similar to last year. The best places to find quail in Kentucky will be any local area that received rain. That task is easier said than done, but if you can find an area that’s lower or at least had some localized rain over the summer you’ll probably find the birds.

Quail and other animals need water to survive and they’ll travel a distance to find it. Moisture was hard to come by throughout the US this summer and that dry weather continued even into the fall season. It’s been a difficult season for the farmers and now it’s been difficult for the hunters.

But while the Kentucky quail hunting might be more difficult there is no reason to write off the season completely. There are still birds available out there and with the hunter count likely down you can probably find some great terrain where you can take a child out hunting to get introduced to the outdoors.

It’s not always about seeing a ton of birds or filling your limit. If you can enjoy the hunt and make a few memories while passing on those hunting life lessons it will be a successful season just like the ones in the past.

Best of luck to all the hunters in Kentucky this year. Report back with your luck from the field.