Quail in Mariposa County
Sierra Sun Times file photo

September 21, 2025 - Get your boots and bird dogs ready. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) expects above-average abundance of quail and chukar for the 2025-26 hunting season.

California has three native species of quail – mountain, California, and Gambel’s quail. At least one quail species can be found in every part of the state, offering close-to-home hunting opportunities for Californians no matter where they live.

California also hosts introduced chukar partridge populations that are native to the steppe regions of Asia and the Middle East. Chukar were introduced into California beginning in the 1930s and took hold in areas that most closely resembled their native lands – the steep, rocky terrain in the Modoc Plateau south into the Mojave Desert and Death Valley.

California is divided into three quail hunt zones (PDF)(opens in new tab). For the general hunt seasons, Zone 1 opened for mountain quail Sept.13. Zone 2 opens for both mountain and California quail on Sept. 27. On Saturday, Oct. 18, all quail species and chukar are open to hunting statewide. The season runs through Jan. 25, 2026. Hunters may take up to 10 quail per day in any species combination. Chukar harvest is limited to six birds a day. The possession limit is triple the daily bag limit for both quail and chukar.

Rainfall is important for quail and chukar populations: It supports the insect populations critical for chicks and the growth of lupine, clover, chickweed, filaree and fiddleneck, plants common in quail and chukar diets. The winter of 2024-25 was drier than normal but followed two wet winters so quail and chukar should have experienced an above-average nesting season this year.

CDFW will again deploy wing collection barrels on select public hunting lands in prime quail habitat throughout the state. At these locations, CDFW encourages hunters to donate a wing from each bird harvested. From these wing samples, CDFW can determine age ratios that inform quail and chukar productivity.

During the 2024-25 season, CDFW deployed wing barrels at 10 sites and collected 555 California quail wings, 31 Gambel’s quail wings and six chukar wings from 194 hunters. California quail productivity varied across the state. For Gambel’s quail, the sample size was too small to properly evaluate productivity.

The spring and summer of 2025 have been drier than normal, and the risk of wildfire remains high. Wildfires can benefit quail by setting back the plant succession and creating a mosaic of vegetation types that support quail habitat. Larger wildfires are less beneficial to quail populations. Hunters are reminded to check their favorite hunting areas ahead of time for wildfire-related closures.

In addition to a valid California hunting license, an Upland Game Bird Validation is required for hunting quail and chukar in California. No Upland Game Bird Validation is needed for youth with a Junior Hunting License. The money generated from the sale of upland game bird validations/stamps is dedicated to upland game bird-related conservation projects, education, hunting opportunities and outreach.

In addition to public hunting opportunities available on many CDFW wildlife areas and some ecological reserves, CDFW offers a number of special quail and chukar hunts throughout the season along with private land opportunities through the SHARE Program.

For more information on hunting seasons and other regulations, visit CDFW’s Upland Game Bird Hunting (ca.gov) webpage. As a reminder, only non-lead ammunition may be used when hunting quail, chukar or any other species with a firearm in California.

Source: CDFW