Has anyone has any luck with quail in WMAs, specifically Hollins or Cahaba? Hollins has some great looking habitat for it but have never scouted. Looking ahead to this fall, I’m looking for some closer-to-Birmingham opportunities and am curious if anyone’s had luck. Thanks!

Used to be some in Mulberry but haven’t seen or heard them in years now

I haven't owned a dog in decades and haven't ever tried to quail hunt on either of those WMAs. However, I live in Central Alabama and have observed that when a tract is clearcut, there is usually a couple of years when it holds quail. I have mostly heard them whistling in the summer, but I occasionally see a small covey in the winter. I tried to walk up a covey on my place one January, but never could locate them without a dog.

Once the trees get up and growing about the third year, the quail are gone. If you can find some land in the right stage of growth after a cutover, I think there would be a few quail on both of those places. If I had a dog, I would surely give it a try.

I think the loss of our quail was nothing more than a loss of habitat. My theory is that quail need a lot more land of proper habitat than turkeys do. You can grow turkeys on a relatively small tract of land if it has everything they need, but quail need thousands of acres of proper habitat to thrive. The places that have that big habitat still have them, but most places don't. Good luck finding them! I would say to let us know if you are successful, but you would be smarter to keep it to yourself.

When I was still playing golf, Robert Trent Jones course up here had great grassland habitat. You could hear quail just about everywhere on the course. I heard several the other day in some 10-15 ft pines. Kinda surprised me as that was Al there as around except for some hardwood drains. Wouldn’t be any hunting for them in those pines.

Knew some guys that hunted Hollins last year and never saw a bird. Cahaba used to have some but the huntable numbers have been long gone as has habitat. The ones that control the forests just care about deer hunting

Never hunted them, haven't heard any since I was a kid but it seems like they will scare the crap out of me a couple times per year on Cahaba when I walk up on a 1/2 dozen and they all take off at once.

They're on Oakmulgee and Mulberry Fork, but I wouldn't try it unless I had horses and a rotation of three or four pointers that will cover a whole lotta ground. Since its illegal to have horses on WMA's with out a HorseCheck privilege license, it ain't worth it in my opinion.

Back in the 80’s the autauga WMA had birds. We hunted them quite often. Also has lots of paper company land too. I know a 40 year old scouting report ain’t no help but maybe the habitat is changed over to be able to hold some quail.

Blue Spring used to have a few.

Speaking of quail, I was in western NC in the mountains a few weeks ago and heard Mr. Bob one morning while I was out on Bear Creek Lake. I was surprised. He was getting after it.

Had a bunch when I hunted over there.