Heartland Bobs

From our January/February 2025 issue

Pursuing wild coveys across the Midwest

There I sat with my pair of dogs, a setter and a Labrador, atop a hill in the Czech Alps of eastern Nebraska as the wind began to clear the clouds and reveal warm rays of sunshine. The sweet smell of the remaining winter plants wafted through the cool air and mixed with the soft sounds of swaying grasses, creating a perfect Midwest symphony. I reached into my vest and pulled out a trio of bobwhite quail, each bird signifying one of the three coveys that had been pointed by my setter that morning. The landscape before me was a beautiful tapestry of grassland pastures, agricultural fields and farmsteads combining to create ideal quail habitat.

The colloquially named Czech Alps are famous for the large concentration of descendants, like me, of the Czech immigrants who homesteaded throughout the rolling hills and fertile river bottoms that mirrored their homeland. When the first settlers arrived, they encountered the Pawnee, who taught them how to cultivate crops, respect prairie fire and hunt the wooded areas for game, including bobwhite quail. Although it may lack the pageantry of hunting in the South, there is a storied tradition of quail hunting across the Midwest—and there are still plenty of wild coveys for those who know where to look.

The author prefers using a big-running pointing dog in combination with a flushing dog, so that he can get into position for the covey rise.

Bobwhite quail have long existed across the Great Plains, with many prairie tribes having shown special reverence for the birds. Native Americans appreciated bobwhites living in harmonious communities (coveys), their ability to withstand prairie fire, and their beautiful whistling songs that signified the arrival of spring. At a time when bison were roaming the expansive grasslands, bobwhite quail were thriving along the wooded banks of the river systems that cut through the prairies. The ever-changing landscape—due to flooding, fire and extreme weather—helped quail spread across the prairie. Initially, the pioneers’ farming practices with plows, cropfields and fencerows were catalysts for the species, but in recent decades specialized farming techniques along with urban development have negatively impacted quail numbers. These days, while it may be quite a feat to encounter more than 10 coveys in a day, the still-healthy quail population can make for many successful outings once a hunter learns the birds’ habitat needs.

I was raised in Nebraska, lived in Chicago for almost a decade and now live in Kansas City, Kansas; the Midwest has always been my home. I have spent most of my life chasing upland birds across America’s Heartland, with most of my success being west of the Mississippi River. The five-state region that I call the “Heartland of Quail”—Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma—is filled with cropland, waterways and vast grasslands, but traveling from point to point can present a drastic change in regional environments. Generally, as one moves away from the major river systems, the landscape becomes more barren and desert-like and finding quail becomes increasingly difficult. Thankfully the region is blessed with quite a few federal wildlife refuges and reservoirs, state wildlife areas and public walk-in tracts, so access is not a problem if one follows the regulations.

When it comes to firearms for quail hunting, while I prefer a break-action double, there is no shame in using a semi-auto. The latter is especially the case when hunting near a Waterfowl Production Area (WPA); just make sure you are shooting nontoxic shot when hunting within the boundaries of a WPA.

There is a storied tradition of hunting quail in the Midwest, and there are still plenty of wild coveys to be found. Photo by Steve Oehlenschlager/steveoehlenschlager.com.

There is an assortment of dog breeds that you will see searching the cover. I prefer a big-running pointing dog in combination with a flusher, so I can get in a comfortable position to watch the covey rise. If you are hunting a field edge with tree cover, the quail tend to fly to the open side, so position yourself near the treeline to get a clear shot.

In terms of dressing for success, a good pair of hunting boots and layers of clothing should serve well. Midwest weather tends to change sporadically throughout the winter, so cool mornings can lead to warm afternoons and vice versa, with the inevitable cold front always on the horizon.

As they have from the beginning, quail populations fluctuate with severe drought, flooding and prairie fire. Recently there have been concerted efforts from conservation groups, wildlife agencies and landowners to increase quail production, which I believe has led to the current surge in numbers. As quail forecasts and roadside surveys were predicting, this season should be one of the best for quail in recent memory. With millions of acres of federal, state and public walk-in-access areas, the Midwest should be an excellent destination for bobwhite hunting.

Forecasts and surveys have presented optimistic predictions for quail numbers this year. Photo by Gary Kramer/garykramer.net.

In the early part of the season, if it remains warm, quail may be near creek beds, drainage ditches or any sort of stream as they seek water and shade. Most cropfields can be productive, but as you travel from north to south corn and beans become wheat, milo and sorghum and then cotton and peanuts as you move into Oklahoma. The highest chances of success begin with finding field edges and sending dogs down them. I like to wait at least an hour after sunrise, so that moisture and scent have had time to fill the air when the birds leave the roost to feed. By mid-December quail will have moved to their wintering grounds. The shrubs, forbs and weeds of the nesting period will be in the brown phase, and the birds will be near the woody canopy cover and crop edges. The recipe for success remains the same: Hit those field edges. Once winter begins settling in, make sure to key on plum thickets, bramble patches, felled hardwoods and shinnery motts. However, if you enjoy walking through scenic prairie, quail likely will be in the wooded draws, beneath cedar trees or near creek beds. Each state in the Heartland of Quail has its own quail-focused areas; targeting those regions will give you the best chances at finding a covey or two.

A good flushing dog will not only put bobs into the air but also ensure that hit birds are retrieved.

Quail in the Cornhusker State

When traveling to Nebraska for bobwhites, the primary areas to visit are the southeast and south-central parts of the state—everything around the Platte River and south to the Kansas border. The fertile river valley is full of cropland and pastures for grazing cattle, with a handful of tributaries creating abundant quail habitat. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission manages several wildlife areas across southern Nebraska for quail, and bobs can be found on public walk-in OFW (Open Fields and Waters) areas if you target the right habitat. Nebraska is known for its mixed bags, so don’t be surprised if you find pheasants near a covey of quail. And if you are really lucky, a flock of prairie chickens might get up at your feet.

Finding Hawkeye Coveys

Although Iowa is the land of giant whitetails, quail populations are on the rise in the southern half of the state, with the southwestern region having the highest density. As in Nebraska, quail can be found in grassy cover and wooded areas adjacent to ag fields. The best opportunities are on IHAP (Iowa Habitat and Access Program) lands, which are privately owned but managed in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to produce ideal hunting habitat. (Note that these parcels are quite a distance from one another, so plan your route.) Iowa is known for its healthy pheasant population, so IHAP properties are likely to hold plenty of the big birds as well. Across the southern portion of the state there are also federal reservoirs and state wildlife areas that hold quite a few quail and also pheasants.

High Times for Quail in the Sunflower State

Kansas is the premier state for bobwhites. Moving from east to west, wooded draws are replaced by grassy knolls that hold quail in shrubby areas. While the Flint Hills have healthy populations of bobs, I have found that the Smoky Hills have the greatest number of publicly accessible lands and quail. Here, too, hunters are likely to run into pheasants, and in the central part of the state there is a good chance of finding prairie chickens. Areas around federal reservoirs seem to hold more pheasants and waterfowl, but state wildlife areas are more selectively managed for quail. That said, the best bet is to hit the WIHA (Walk In Hunting Access) areas that are a mixture of ag land and grasses. While these areas are usually productive, their quality can change year to year.

“Show Me” Quail

Quail hunting in Missouri is a lesson in working edges. The bobs here are more entrenched among the trees than out in the grassy landscape and are regularly hundreds of yards from cropfields. A dog must learn to run the treelines looking for scent before darting into the woods. There can be some tight shots through the trees, resembling those in the Southeastern US, so be prepared to swing into branches. Your focus should be primarily on the Quail Restoration Areas (QRA), managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation, with the most productive located in the central corridor of the state. These public areas can be large, so it could take a few attempts to find birds; but always look for that mixture of tree cover, grasses and crops, if possible. Missouri tends to have more flooded waterways, so the cover can get thick in some areas. If the cover is too thick to walk in comfortably, it’s too thick for quail. Aside from the QRAs, Missouri has MRAP (Missouri Outdoor Recreational Access Program) properties that allow walk-in access. These are usually smaller than the QRAs, but they still should hold a covey or two for hunters who can pinpoint the right habitat.

Hunters who learn quail’s habitat needs will be rewarded with straps full of wild birds.

A Quail Revival in Sooner Country

Oklahoma has long been synonymous with quail hunting, even though recent years have seen sharp declines in the population. A history of famed dog handlers, prestigious lines of field-trial dogs and some of the great quail literature have been spawned from the preeminent hunting offered by the Sooner State. Although the prime spots for quail are in the northwest and southwest, Oklahoma has a variety of ecoregions, including swamps, grasslands and hardwood forests, that provide opportunities. Oklahoma’s habitat can be unforgiving to hunters, with its catclaw, shinnery mott, cactus and dry dirt all having appetites for flesh. While I have enjoyed success on the WMAs that are managed with an emphasis on quail habitat by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, a growing number of OLAP (Oklahoma Land Access Program) properties continue to offer opportunities across the state. Being a Cornhusker, I have a love-hate relationship with Oklahoma, but I always respect the challenge of hunting those iconic lands and visiting with some of the finest dogmen in the country.

Optimism for Quail Across the Midwest

Overall, statewide quail forecasts and roadside surveys have presented optimistic predictions for improved quail numbers this year. And with seasons running from late October to mid-February, hunters have plenty of opportunities to pursue bobs well into the new year. While my preference has always been for hunting Nebraska, the best chances to find birds will be in Kansas and the most rewarding coveys will be in Oklahoma. Iowa and Missouri present unique opportunities as well. Turn your dog loose into the wind and enjoy the wild coveys that exist across the landscape. This is my favorite time of year.

Douglas Spale is an attorney for the US Army Corps of Engineers. He grew up in Nebraska, spent a few years practicing law in Chicago, but has returned to the prairies and lives in Kansas City with his wife, son and three dogs. Each year Spale enjoys traveling across the country in search of new adventures and landscapes and chasing waterfowl and upland birds with his Labrador and English setter.