Whats the word on Montana's quail?

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samson

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I hunt and live in Montana, I live in the Bitterroot valley and I have recently noticed a large amount of quail around. They are not bob whites, I believe they are California quail (Callipepla californica). My question is what is the rules on hunting these species? On montanas FWP website they are listed as a prohibited species http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/species/exotics/prohibited.html
does this mean that they can be hunted? They are not listed in the upland bird regulations and a prohibited species only lists that they may not be possessed, sold, purchased, exchanged, or transported in the state. I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me on what the status of hunting them is?
thanks
samson
 
They are listed as prohibited for precisely this reason - people are releasing them or they are escaping and now there are reproducing populations in the Bitterroot. I think the state bird records committee just updated their status to indicate such. I've seen a few "exotics" around Three Forks as well (both California quail and chukar) that I believe have come from the hunt club that is (was?) located out that way.
 
FWIW, the California Valley Quail in the Bitterroot are protected because they are recognized as a gamebird with no open season. They did use to release them years ago, but those birds have probably died off. There are a great many immigrating from Idaho. I don't think they will ever open a season on them, but there are so many around here. It's no big deal to see a covey with over a hundred birds.
 
Landowners have been releasing them in the Root for a long time. I know at least since the 80's. There are a ton of them around my place. I now see the quail but the Huns have disappeared. Prohibited huh? mtmuley I just read the FWP link. Don't see where it says you can't kill them.
 
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Soo.....my info was about 3 years old, so I just made another call to FWP and it seems that last year they put out a memo about it. Its not in the regs, but are considered an invasive species and they are free to shoot, no limit or season. Just check local areas about where and what you can shoot.

My bad. ;)
 
Live in Roswell, New Mexico, semi desert. I have a covey of Gambil qualils. They are the cute quail with the little question mark on top. New Mexico has bobwhites or blue quail. Someone must have released them.

Would never hunt them, too beautiful. Have 6-8 adults with 2-4 little ones ( they are hard to see and may be more).

I welcome the addition to the neighborhood!!
 
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Even as a hunter, you have to admit they are pretty. The young are adorable. Yes, I have a soft heart!
 
406LIFE said:
FWIW, the California Valley Quail in the Bitterroot are protected because they are recognized as a gamebird with no open season. They did use to release them years ago, but those birds have probably died off. There are a great many immigrating from Idaho. I don't think they will ever open a season on them, but there are so many around here. It's no big deal to see a covey with over a hundred birds.
Click to expand...

Before moving to Alaska, I hunted California quail on the other side of the range (Salmon/Snake River country in Idaho).
Migration over the divide is possible but I think it is more likely that someone raised quail and released them.
I've never seen them in the Selway drainage of Idaho which is a long way to migrate in elevation to the continental divide.

We have bobwhites, chuckars, and pheasants occasionally in Alaska, all legal to shoot as invasive species,
all released from either backyard breeders, or escapees from local field trials.

(Our native upland birds are sharptail, spruce, ruffed, sooty (Blue) grouse and 3 species of ptarmigan)
 
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AlaskaHunter said:
Before moving to Alaska, I hunted California quail on the other side of the range (Salmon/Snake River country in Idaho).
Migration over the divide is possible but I think it is more likely that someone raised quail and released them.
I've never seen them in the Selway drainage of Idaho which is a long way to migrate in elevation to the continental divide.

We have bobwhites, chuckars, and pheasants occasionally in Alaska, all legal to shoot as invasive species,
all released from either backyard breeders, or escapees from local field trials.

(Our native upland birds are sharptail, spruce, ruffed, sooty (Blue) grouse and 3 species of ptarmigan)
Click to expand...
Wouldn't have guessed sharptail to be native to AK! Thanks for the lesson.
 
Forgive what I'm certain is a stupid question: You can hunt them, but not transport or possess, so how can you eat them?
 
My problem would be bringing them back home to CA. I'm sure it would go over like a lead balloon " but warden, I shot them all in Montana..." lol. I guess I could freeze them and ship them back home.
 
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