DOVE Texas’ most abundant game birds, the white-winged dove and mourning dove, should see production at or above last year’s level, according to Shaun Oldenburger, TPWD dove program leader. Storms during the early nesting season likely resulted in some downed nests, he says, but since doves are prolific at re- Click for dove nesting and summer seasons and conditions should regulations remain favorable statewide, additional production should overshadow any early-season losses. “Age-ratios (juveniles versus adults) in the harvest indicated very strong production in mourning doves across Texas last year; we expect similar or slightly increased production this year with the improved habitat conditions across nearly all of Texas,” says Oldenburger. “However, improved habitat conditions equal more food and water on the landscape, which means hunters may need to spend more time patterning mourning doves prior to opening day in their area.” PHOTOS © RUSSELL GRAVES QUAIL AND PHEASANT Bobwhite quail could provide the best indicator of how timely rainfall has benefited wildlife in Texas this year. The combination of spring and summer rainfall and lower-than-average temperatures across most of the summer has resulted in a flush of vegetation and insects and an extended window of opportunity for nesting, a combination for Click for quail success that quail seasons and have not enjoyed regulations for many years. Reports from South Texas sound the most dramatic, according to Robert Perez, TPWD’s quail authority, with broods being observed all summer long, 18 O HUNTING 2015 multiple age classes and large brood size (good chick survival). “Some are predicting a real boom year in some parts of South Texas,” he says. “The Rolling Plains have been hit hardest over the last several years with periods of extended drought, but the needle appears to be moving in the right direction. Lots of broods have been observed there as well, and we expect to see a good bump in numbers in the region, but overall it’s still in recovery and could really use another good year of weather to continue recovery.” The Official App for Texas Hunters! Get the free Outdoor Annual - Texas Hunting and Fishing Regulations mobile app. Download now >> outdoorannual.com/app Get the 2015-16 Outdoor Annual anywhere licenses are sold, or online at OutdoorAnnual.com Perez notes the Gulf Coast is not as tied to rainfall as the arid rangelands, so production can actually be hampered by excessive rains. Early reports of good production in the remnant prairies of the Gulf Coast are a good indication that numbers will likely remain high, as they have been the past couple of years. Pheasant populations in the Panhandle have been at extremely low levels the past few years. Conditions this past fall and reinforcing rains will increase nesting habitat, brood rearing cover and food Click for production necessary pheasant for pheasant numbers seasons and to continue to increase regulations for the next fall. Improving numbers and conditions are expected for game birds such as dove, quail and pheasant. Eyes are on South Texas to see if quail experience a boom year there.