History

• Wild hogs are not native to West Texas. Hogs were introduced to the United States when settlers allowed domestic hogs to run wild, and they quickly turned feral. The hogs found great habitat, food and water and saw a tremendous population growth.
  
  

Significance

• Quail and hog hunting are important for different reasons. Hogs can be destructive to habitat and waterways and carry diseases. Hunting serves to reduce the population. Quail hunting, on the other hand, requires that hunters purchase a hunting license from the Texas Parks and Wildlife department, which provides revenue for the state and stimulates the economy.
  
  

Regulations

• Hog hunting in Texas has very few regulations. You don't need a license, the season is open year-round, there are no bag or possession limits and no size requirements. Using a spotlight at night is also allowed.
  
  Quail, however, are regulated by the state and require that hunters carry a valid hunting license. Shooting hours are from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. The daily bag limit is 15 with a possession limit of 45. If you are hunting on public land, you must wear at least 400 square inches of florescent orange.
  
  

Methods

• Common hog hunting methods include stands, blinds or spot-and-stalk. The stands or blinds are positioned near fields, feeders or trails. Spot-and-stalk involves the hunter walking until a hog is spotted and then stalking into position to make a shot.
  
  Quail habitat exists in open terrain with weeds or brush. Hunting methods include walking to weedy patches, causing the quail to flush from the roost. Dogs are commonly used to help locate, point and flush a covey of quail.
  
  

Quail Season

• The quail season, for the 2009-2010 hunting season, opened on Oct. 31 and closed Feb. 28. Travel to West Texas during January, February or March before the weather gets too hot to hunt quail and hogs during the same trip.