Missouri › Species › Northern Bobwhite
Upland birds
Northern bobwhite hunting in Missouri
Seasons, bag limits, permit prices and where to hunt bobwhite quail in 2026-27.
Photo: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren (CC BY 2.0)
Here are the 2026-27 quail rules as MDC prints them, opening Oct 24, 2026, with harvest figures and conservation areas wherever the data has them.
Northern Bobwhite in the MDC summary
- Take: 8 daily, 16 possession.
- How and when: Youth Oct 24-25; regular Nov 1-Jan 15.
MDC source (as of Feb 6, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
Every quail season row
2 rows for bobwhite quail, as the 2026-27 MDC booklets list them; the last column checks each against today.
| Season | Zone or counties | Bag | From | To | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth quail | Statewide | 8 daily, 16 possession | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 2 | |
| Quail | Statewide | 8 daily, 16 possession | Nov 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | 76 |
Northern Bobwhite row details
- Shotguns 10 ga or smaller, 3 shells
- Ages 6-15; mentor may not hunt quail.
- Hunter orange during firearms deer portions.
From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 19, checked October 29, 2026.
Youth season and preserves for bobwhite quail
A youth season on Oct 24-25 comes before the regular quail season.
| Preserve permit | Who | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Hunting Preserve Hunting Permit | both | $13.50 | Permit year |
| Three-Day Licensed Hunting Preserve Hunting Permit | both | $6.50 | 3 consecutive days |
Bobwhite quail on licensed preserves need the preserve permit, $13.50 or $6.50 for three days.
preserve permits, small game seasons, checked October 29, 2026.
Limits and permits for quail hunters
Permit prices for bobwhite quail match the Wildlife Code fee schedule; phone sales add $1 and there is no online surcharge.
| Limit row | Limit |
|---|---|
| Quail | 8 daily, 16 possession. |
What quail permits cost
| Permit | Residency | Who | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Game | resident | Age 16-64 | $11.50 | Permit year |
| Daily Small Game | nonresident | All | $16 | 1 day |
| Small Game | nonresident | Age 16+ | $108.50 | Permit year |
| Small Game and Fishing | resident | All | $22.50 | Permit year |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 15 or younger | $320 | Lifetime |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 16-29 | $465.50 | Lifetime |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 30-39 | $407 | Lifetime |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 40-59 | $349 | Lifetime |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 60+ | $40.50 | Lifetime |
| Preserve | both | All | $13.50 | Permit year |
| 3-Day Preserve | both | All | $6.50 | 3 consecutive days |
From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 11, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 19, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 8 and Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 9, checked October 29, 2026.
Northern Bobwhite on conservation areas and federal land
Public ground for bobwhite quail: 233 listed areas, sorted here by size.
| Area | County | Acres | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fountain Grove Conservation Area | Linn County | 8,122 | Conservation Area |
| Truman Reservoir lands (Deepwater Creek) | Henry County | 5,631 | Corps lake lands |
| Robert E. Talbot CA | Lawrence County | 4,361 | Conservation Area |
| Little Indian Creek CA | Franklin County | 4,205 | Conservation Area |
| Ralph and Martha Perry Memorial CA | Johnson County | 4,134 | Conservation Area |
| Indian Hills Conservation Area | Scotland County | 3,975 | Conservation Area |
| Nodaway Valley Conservation Area | Andrew County | 3,881 | Conservation Area |
| Shawnee Trail Conservation Area | Barton County | 3,635 | Conservation Area |
| Reform Conservation Area | Callaway County | 3,580 | Conservation Area |
| Danville Conservation Area | Montgomery County | 3,136 | Conservation Area |
| Davisdale Conservation Area | Howard County | 2,691 | Conservation Area |
| Linscomb Wildlife Area | St. Clair County | 2,385 | Conservation Area |
| Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area | Shelby County | 1,999 | Conservation Area |
| Bonanza Conservation Area | Caldwell County | 1,948 | Conservation Area |
| Kind of land | Areas |
|---|---|
| Conservation Area | 191 |
| Public Access Area | 19 |
| Corps lake lands | 18 |
| Cooperative Area | 3 |
| Natural Area | 2 |
| MDC region | Areas |
|---|---|
| Kansas City | 48 |
| Northwest | 39 |
| Southwest | 37 |
| Northeast | 30 |
| Ozark | 29 |
| Central | 24 |
| Southeast | 20 |
| St. Louis | 6 |
Area lists from MDC area pages and the MDC places directory; methods from the MDC atlas; checked October 29, 2026.
Northern Bobwhite: hours, orange and methods
- Legal light: MDC lists no hours for bobwhite quail; what limits night hunting is the light rule (treed furbearers and coyotes only, Jan 1-Apr 19 and May 11-Sept 30, 2026).
- Orange: Orange is required for bobwhite quail during the November portion statewide and the antlerless portions in open counties.
What may be used on bobwhite quail
| Methods | Rule |
|---|---|
| Legal | Pistols, revolvers, rifles (single projectile), air/spring guns (not for game birds except crows), shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells (not required for deer/bear/elk), bows, crossbows, atlatls, slingshots (not bear/deer/elk/turkey). |
| Not legal | Fully automatic firearms; poisons, drugs, explosives. |
shooting hours, hunter orange, methods, checked October 29, 2026.
When legal light starts for bobwhite quail
Use this as a guide for bobwhite quail; the MDC table and the longitude rule give the exact minute for any spot. The Code sets no shooting hours for bobwhite quail, so the table shows sunrise and sunset only.
| Date | County | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 2026 | Jackson County | 7:36 a.m. | 6:27 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | St. Louis County | 7:20 a.m. | 6:11 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Greene County | 7:32 a.m. | 6:23 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Boone County | 7:28 a.m. | 6:19 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 7:17 a.m. | 6:08 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Nodaway County | 7:38 a.m. | 6:29 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Jackson County | 6:45 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:29 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Greene County | 6:41 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Boone County | 6:37 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:26 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Nodaway County | 6:47 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. |
MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Northern Bobwhite questions
How much is a permit for bobwhite quail?
For bobwhite quail, the resident Small Game permit costs $11.50 (Age 16-64). A nonresident hunting bobwhite quail pays $16 for the Daily Small Game permit. There is no online surcharge on quail permits; phone orders add $1.
Can I use a rifle for bobwhite quail?
Pistols, revolvers, rifles (single projectile), air/spring guns (not for game birds except crows), shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells (not required for deer/bear/elk), bows, crossbows, atlatls, slingshots (not bear/deer/elk/turkey). Not legal: Fully automatic firearms; poisons, drugs, explosives.
What is the legal hunting time for bobwhite quail?
MDC lists no hours for bobwhite quail; what limits night hunting is the light rule (treed furbearers and coyotes only, Jan 1-Apr 19 and May 11-Sept 30, 2026).
Must I wear hunter orange for bobwhite quail?
Orange is required for bobwhite quail during the November portion statewide and the antlerless portions in open counties.
Where can I hunt bobwhite quail on public land in Missouri?
233 public areas in this guide list bobwhite quail or the hunting group that covers them; the largest include Rocky Creek Conservation Area, Sunklands Conservation Area and Angeline Conservation Area. Area rules for bobwhite quail differ, so check the area page.
Can bobwhite quail be hunted every day of the week?
Yes. No Missouri rule closes Sundays, so plan quail hunts on any day of the week.
Do kids need a permit for bobwhite quail?
Resident landowners (5+ acres) and household hunt (except bear, deer, elk, turkey) and trap on their land without permits; residents 65+ hunt (not trap) without small game permit; residents 15 and under trap without permit; anyone 15 and under hunts small game without permit if certified or with a mentor. Migratory bird permit, duck stamp and CO permit still required where applicable.
When does quail season open in Missouri?
Youth quail Oct 24 to Oct 25, 2026; Quail Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027.
How many bobwhite quail can I take?
8 daily, 16 possession.