Oregon › Species › California and Mountain Quail
Upland game bird
Oregon California and Mountain Quail Seasons and Limits, 2026-27
Oregon quail: 3 season rows for 2026-27, quail – Western Oregon on September 1 and quail – Eastern Oregon on October 10, with bag limits, licenses and legal methods.
Photo: ilouque (CC BY 2.0)
California and Mountain Quail season snapshot, 2026-27
Opening first is quail – Western Oregon (September 1, 2026); nothing for quail runs past January 31, 2027. ODFW words the quail limit this way: 10 daily, 30 in possession.
From 2026-27 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
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Oregon quail dates, row by row
Sorted by opening day; a row with two date ranges has a break in the middle.
| Season | Zone or units | Type | Date range | Bag | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falconry season | Statewide | Falconry | Sep 1–Mar 31, 2027 | 2 daily, 6 in possession | |
| Quail – Western Oregon | Western Oregon | Validation | Sep 1–Jan 31, 2027 | 10 daily, 30 in possession | |
| Quail – Eastern Oregon | Eastern Oregon | Validation | Oct 10–Jan 31, 2027 | 10 daily (no more than 2 mountain quail), 30 in possession (no more than 6 mountain quail) |
From 2026-27 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Counties on each side of the quail split
Western Oregon = all counties west of the Cascade summit except Klamath and Hood River; Eastern Oregon = all counties east of the summit including all of Klamath and Hood River.
| Side | Counties |
|---|---|
| Western Oregon | |
| Eastern Oregon |
From Western and Eastern Oregon definition (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
California and Mountain Quail bag and possession limits
Below is the exact wording for quail; where Oregon counts by tag, season or lifetime instead of by day, the text says so.
| Limit | ODFW wording |
|---|---|
| Western Oregon | 10 daily, 30 in possession |
| Eastern Oregon | 10 daily (no more than 2 mountain quail), 30 in possession (no more than 6 mountain quail) |
| Statewide | 2 daily, 6 in possession |
From bag limit table and bag limit table (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Legal weapons for quail
What ODFW allows and bans when hunting quail, by season type.
| Group | Legal methods | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Game birds and crows |
|
|
In short, for quail: shotgun 10 gauge or smaller holding no more than three shells, or bow; no slugs; steel shot no larger than F (other shot no larger than BB); falconry allowed. Bobwhite quail may be taken in the quail bag.
From species table, legal weapons and general hunting regulations (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
California and Mountain Quail license prices
Fees below are the 2026 prices; game bird validations run July 1 to June 30.
| License or tag | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Resident | $39.00 |
| Hunting | Nonresident | $193.00 |
| Combination (hunt and angle) | Resident | $86.00 |
| Youth combination (12-17) | Either | $10.00 |
| 3-day bird license (18+) | Nonresident | $36.00 |
| Youth bird license (11 and under) | Either | Free |
| Upland game bird validation (18+) | Resident | $11.00 |
| Youth upland game bird validation (12-17) | Either | $4.00 |
| Nonresident game bird validation (18+) | Nonresident | $50.00 |
Youth 12-17 need a Combination License ($10) or Youth Sports Pac ($75) to hunt big game, enter the draw or buy preference points; 11 and under need no license for game birds, small game or unprotected wildlife (free Youth Game Bird Hunting License available) and may not hunt big game except in the Mentored Youth Hunter Program.
From 2026 license and tag fees and license requirements (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
California and Mountain Quail: tagging, reporting and conduct
These are the Oregon rules most likely to matter on a quail hunt, quoted closely from ODFW.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Bait | Unlawful to hunt game birds by aid of baiting or over a baited area; an area stays baited for 10 days after complete removal of bait (salt, grain or other feed). |
| Evidence | Edible portions of game mammals (except cougar) and game birds must not be wasted; deer, elk, pronghorn, sheep and goat need evidence of sex (head/scalp with antlers or horns, or a reproductive organ attached to meat; option 1 for antler-point hunts); game birds keep the head or a fully feathered wing in transit. |
| Hunter orange | Hunters younger than 18 hunting any game mammal or upland game bird (except wild turkey) with a firearm must wear a hunter orange hat or exterior garment (shirt, jacket, coat, vest or sweater) visible from all directions; hunter orange camouflage is acceptable. No hunter orange requirement for adults. |
| Wildlife crossings | No hunting or taking game mammals within 500 feet of ODOT wildlife crossing structures on US 20 (MP 18-19) and US 97 (MP 149-153) (new for 2026). |
From tagging and reporting and ORS chapter 496 (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
California and Mountain Quail: wildlife areas, forests and refuges
Start with these places for quail; refuges and wildlife areas keep their own days, permits and shot rules.
Quail appear for Willamette Private Timberlands Law Enforcement Project in ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species), inside Santiam Unit and Stott Mtn Unit.
Quail appear for North Coast TMA-Law Enforcement Project in ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species), inside Saddle Mtn Unit and Scappoose Unit.
Quail appear for Lincoln County Forest Patrol Project in ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species), inside Stott Mtn Unit and Alsea Unit.
Quail appear for Linn County Forest Patrol Project in ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species), inside Santiam Unit and McKenzie Unit.
Quail appear for Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in 50 CFR 32.56 "We allow hunting of …", inside Beatys Butte Unit and Juniper Unit.
Quail appear for Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 50 CFR 32.56 "We allow hunting of …", inside Steens Mtn Unit and Juniper Unit.
Quail appear for Mid Coast Access Area in ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species), inside Trask Unit and Stott Mtn Unit.
Quail appear for Jackson Access & Cooperative Travel Management Area in ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species), inside Dixon Unit and Evans Creek Unit.
From land records and agency page (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Legal hours for Oregon quail
Legal light on the quail dates that matter most.
ODFW prints quail shooting hours in a table by date and zone; the rows here are the quail openers and the shortest day.
| Date | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C | Zone D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | 6:05 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. to 7:40 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. | 5:46 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | 6:55 a.m. to 6:31 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:22 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:12 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 7:15 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 4:33 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:18 p.m. |
Times from the 2026-27 game bird shooting hours table; checked November 8, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Photo: John Atherton (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Photo: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0)
Photo: Charles Gates (CC BY 2.0)
Questions about quail in Oregon
Where can I hunt quail in Oregon?
ODFW does not limit quail by unit; the rows name the whole state or a zone described in words.
What is legal gear for quail hunting?
Shotgun 10 gauge or smaller holding no more than three shells, or bow; no slugs; steel shot no larger than F (other shot no larger than BB); falconry allowed. Bobwhite quail may be taken in the quail bag.
Do I need hunter orange for quail in Oregon?
Hunters younger than 18 hunting any game mammal or upland game bird (except wild turkey) with a firearm must wear a hunter orange hat or exterior garment (shirt, jacket, coat, vest or sweater) visible from all directions; hunter orange camouflage is acceptable. No hunter orange requirement for adults.
What time does quail shooting end?
Game birds only between the times in the 2026-27 shooting hours table (zones A-D), except fee pheasant hunts (end 5 pm at EE Wilson and Fern Ridge, 6 pm at Sauvie Island), youth upland hunts, the Northwest Permit Goose Season and some state or federal areas.
Is baiting legal for quail?
Feed, grain and salt make an area baited for quail until 10 days after complete removal.
How does the quail split work?
Western Oregon = all counties west of the Cascade summit except Klamath and Hood River; Eastern Oregon = all counties east of the summit including all of Klamath and Hood River. Western quail open September 1, eastern quail October 10; the eastern bag allows no more than 2 mountain quail a day.
What is the Oregon quail bag limit?
10 daily, 30 in possession; 10 daily (no more than 2 mountain quail), 30 in possession (no more than 6 mountain quail); 2 daily, 6 in possession.
When can I hunt quail in Oregon?
Quail dates start September 1, 2026 and finish January 31, 2027. Quail – Western Oregon: September 1, 2026; Quail – Eastern Oregon: October 10, 2026. As of today, quail can be hunted under at least one row.
Do I need a tag for quail in Oregon?
A hunting license ($39.00 resident, $193.00 nonresident) and the Upland Game Bird Validation ($11.00; nonresidents use the $50.00 game bird validation).
Other photos on this page: John Atherton (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); Charles Gates (CC BY 2.0).