I don't recommend releasing pen-raised quail. They have poor survival and likely will not re-populate your lease. There are additional concerns with pen-raised birds such as the potential spread of disease to wild birds and poor genetic quality. Pen-raised birds typically are not familiar with predators and get eaten quickly. Plus they generally are not good fliers (due to pen) or are reluctant to fly when approached and therefore, they are not like hunting wild quail.

Quail populations go through boom and bust cycles largely related to rainfall. If you had a poor rainfall year or did not get rainfall during critical times of the year then likely your quail population had a poor production year (bust).  Not much you can do about it other than continue to improve the habitat and pray for timely rain next year. Good luck.

I agree with Shawn. You would be better served buying setting up some rain troughs to catch and hold water than wasting time and money on pen raised birds.

Keep yer eyes peeled!

Shawn hit the nail on the head here.  Releasing pen raised birds is only advisable if they are going to be hunted shortly after they are released.  Releasing pen birds will not help quail numbers long term.  However it might help increase the coyote and bobcat population on the ranch.

Another thing: how is your predator control? A friend of mine has 2200 acres in mills county and at one time was covered with wild quail. His grandfather had snarred quite a few foxes and bobcats and we opened them up to see what they had been eating. Quail was they're main diet and soon after we did nothing but varmint hunt. Of course this is only one of your problems with quail population as you know..

We do have a predator problem. We are trying to get their numbers down, but not during deer season, although we will shoot them if we see them. We plan to hunt them after season, and we have a high number of bob cat and faral cats as well.

Bobcats are really tough on quail populations - they kill even when not hungry.