| Window | Dates | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Season | 15 NOV 2026 – 15 FEB 2027 | 93d |
As publishedNov 15, 2026 – Feb 15, 2027
Regulated jointly with Gambel's, Bobwhite and Montezuma quail under a single statewide season and shared aggregate bag limit. No zones. HIP not required.
Scaled quail is New Mexico's most widely distributed quail species, but far from evenly so. New Mexico Partners in Flight's own species account gives a precise, primary directional claim (most common on the eastern plains, rare in the northwest and north-central), and independent hunting-press sourcing corroborates and sharpens this with named BLM-land localities in the central/southeastern part of the state plus a secondary concentration near Deming in the southwestern bootheel.
Provisional: NMDGF hasn't published its own 2026 quail survey results. Quail Forever's 2026 forecast expects an average scaled quail season. Unlike Gambel's and Mearns, scaled quail are coming off a slightly better year: 2025 harvest was slightly better than 2024, averaging 9.1 birds per hunter, mostly in the eastern part of the state. NMDGF's own resident game bird biologist reports good adult carryover from 2025 and fair habitat conditions for reproduction in eastern New Mexico, and a retired BLM wildlife biologist reported good numbers of scaled quail in the southeast corner last year. The southeast corner got near-normal precipitation this year, while much of the state was abnormally dry or in moderate drought as of August. Heat, with many days over 100 degrees, was the main risk to broods. Scaled quail occur in nearly every county. Focus on the east and southeast, and key in on areas with good forb and shrub diversity.
Good adult carryover and fair habitat in eastern New Mexico, per NMDGF's own biologist, after a slightly better 2025 harvest.
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