Quail were once a staple of Texas hunting, with surveys in the late 1970s showing coveys across much of the state and populations in the tens of millions. Since then, numbers have dropped by as much as 85 percent. Parasites, fire ants, weather extremes, and shrinking habitat all play a role. Yet the story isn’t over. In good years with rain and cover, quail still rebound—proof that with the right conditions, the covey call can return.