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Small game and upland birds
Bobwhite Quail Hunting in Wisconsin
Bobwhite quail season opens at 9 a.m. on Oct 17, 2026 and closes Dec 9, 2026, a shorter run than the pheasant season that opens the same morning. In one place: the quail calendar, limits, licenses, legal weapons and public land.
Photo: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0)
The daily bag is five, with three times that in possession. Only a small game license is needed; there is no quail stamp. Few public properties list quail among their game, so the land list below also shows the pheasant ground, marked as such.
The DNR summary for bobwhite quail
- Methods and dates: Oct. 17 (9 a.m.)-Dec. 9.
- Limit in short: 5 daily.
DNR regulations page, checked October 19, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
Bobwhite Quail calendar, fall 2026 to spring 2027
1 dated row for bobwhite quail from the DNR Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations; the strip shows them on one axis from September to June.
| Season | Applies in | How | From | Through | Days | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobwhite quail | Statewide | Shotgun, bow, crossbow, falconry | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | 54 |
Bobwhite Quail row notes
- Opens 9 a.m. Oct. 17; daily bag 5.
From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations and the season dates page, checked October 19, 2026.
Bobwhite Quail take, and what to buy
Bag limits first, then the paperwork for bobwhite quail.
Bobwhite quail
5 daily; possession 3x daily.
Paperwork for bobwhite quail
| What to buy | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Small game license | $18.00 | $90.00 |
DNR regulations, Go Wild resident list and nonresident list, checked October 19, 2026. Wisconsin hunting license guide.
Harvest leaders and public ground for bobwhite quail
Bobwhite quail are rarely named on their own in property game lists, so the 136 with pheasant are shown.
| Property | Type | Counties | Size, acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle Moraine State Forest | State Forest | Sheboygan, Waukesha, Fond du Lac… | 55,890 |
| Lower Wisconsin State Riverway | State Riverway / Wild River / Scenic Waters Area | Grant, Iowa, Crawford… | 47,603 |
| Horicon National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Dodge, Fond du Lac | 22,000 |
| Navarino Wildlife Area | State Wildlife Area | Shawano, Waupaca | 14,518 |
| Leopold Wetland Management District | Wetland Management District | Columbia, Winnebago, Dane… | 13,500 |
| Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program Lands 13,458 ac | Voluntary Public Access Program | Rock, Sauk, Marathon… | 13,458 |
| White River Marsh Wildlife Area 12,692 ac | State Wildlife Area | Green Lake, Marquette | 12,692 |
| Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area | State Wildlife Area | Dodge | 11,172 |
| Glacial Habitat Restoration Areas | State Habitat Area | Fond du Lac, Winnebago | 9,514 |
| Waterloo Wildlife Area | State Wildlife Area | Dodge, Jefferson | 9,306 |
| Kickapoo Valley Reserve | State/Tribal Reserve | Vernon | 8,569 |
| St. Croix Wetland Management District 7,980 ac | Wetland Management District | St. Croix, Polk, Dunn | 7,980 |
| Grand River Marsh Wildlife Area 7,641 ac | State Wildlife Area | Green Lake, Marquette | 7,641 |
| Killsnake Wildlife Area | State Wildlife Area | Calumet, Manitowoc | 7,002 |
| Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Trempealeau, Buffalo | 6,446 |
The rest of the quail list, by acreage
Eldorado Wildlife Area · McMillan Marsh Wildlife Area · Theresa Marsh Wildlife Area · Pine Island Wildlife Area · Kickapoo River Wildlife Area – Wauzeka Unit · Brillion Wildlife Area · Richard Bong State Recreation Area · Yellowstone Wildlife Area · Dunnville Wildlife Area · Vernon Wildlife Area · Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area · Collins Marsh Wildlife Area · Princes Point Wildlife Area · Muddy Creek Wildlife Area · French Creek Wildlife Area · Wildcat Mountain State Park · Lower Wolf River Bottomlands Natural Resource Area · Peter Helland Wildlife Area · Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area · Jefferson Marsh Wildlife Area · Loon Lake Wildlife Area · DNR Statewide Wildlife Habitat Program Lands · Lima Marsh-Storrs Lake Wildlife Area · Brooklyn Wildlife Area · Cylon Wildlife Area · C.D. Besadny Fish and Wildlife Area · Lake Mills Wildlife Area · Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area · Goose Lake Wildlife Area · Mud Lake Wildlife Area · Rome Pond Wildlife Area · Tom Lawin Wildlife Area · Mud Lake Wildlife Area · Mullet Creek Wildlife Area · Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area · Scuppernong River Habitat Area · Albany Wildlife Area · Mack Wildlife Area · Paradise Valley Wildlife Area · Glacial Habitat Restoration Areas · Deansville Wildlife Area · Kickapoo River Wildlife Area – Bell Center Unit · Tichigan Wildlife Area · Paradise Marsh Wildlife Area · New Munster Wildlife Area
Properties and their game lists from DNR property pages, the DNR managed lands layer and federal managers, retrieved 2026-10-19. Wisconsin public land directory · County guides.
The DNR rulebook for bobwhite quail
The quail rules below come from the registration, hours, orange and baiting pages of the regulations.
Check it in
No GameReg entry is listed for bobwhite quail.
Daily hours
Bobwhite quail share the deer, bear, elk and small game hours, sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 20. Day one opens at 9 a.m.
Blaze orange or pink
The orange rule is not species-based: during any firearm deer season, quail hunters need 50% blaze orange or pink above the waist. Overlap this season: gun deer (9-day) (Nov 21 to Nov 29), metro sub-unit gun (Nov 21 to Dec 9) and muzzleloader (Nov 30 to Dec 9).
Hunting over bait
Leave the bait at home for bobwhite quail: small game baiting is illegal.
Sunday status
Sundays are open for bobwhite quail like any other day of the season.
Legal light for the quail dates
| Date | Segment | North (Zone A) | South (Zone A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 9, 2026 | Bobwhite quail closes | 6:49 a.m. to 4:26 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Bobwhite quail opens | 6:39 a.m. to 6:21 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. |
From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations: registration, blaze orange, baiting, shooting hours tables, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours by county · Wisconsin hunting laws.
Legal equipment and methods for bobwhite quail
Read the weapons rows with the season table: the legal method depends on the segment.
| Season | Legal weapons | Off limits |
|---|---|---|
| Upland birds and small game | Shotgun (game birds: multi-projectile shells only), rifle/handgun for small game mammals, airgun, bow, crossbow, falconry. | Single projectiles for game birds; lead shot on WPAs; baiting small game. |
Bobwhite Quail: what the methods pages say
Roads
No hunting within 50 ft of a roadway's center; no shooting from or across a highway or within 50 ft of center (exceptions for disabled permits and small game/turkey with fine shot from dirt/gravel roads).
Taking of game
Kill game immediately and count it; no possessing game of another afield unless accompanied; retrieve all game; no gifting afield; proof (registration number, name/address) to possess another's game.
Shooting from vehicles
No loading (except handguns) or discharging firearms/airguns from vehicles except Class A/B disabled permit holders.
Wisconsin hunting regulations weapons and methods pages, Wis. Stat. ch. 29 and NR 10, checked October 19, 2026.
Bobwhite Quail questions, answered from the regulations
When does quail season end in Wisconsin?
Dec 9, 2026. It opened at 9 a.m. on Oct 17, 2026.
Is blaze orange or pink required for bobwhite quail in Wisconsin?
The orange rule is not species-based: during any firearm deer season, quail hunters need 50% blaze orange or pink above the waist. Overlap this season: gun deer (9-day) (Nov 21 to Nov 29), metro sub-unit gun (Nov 21 to Dec 9) and muzzleloader (Nov 30 to Dec 9).
What hours does the DNR table give for bobwhite quail?
Bobwhite quail share the deer, bear, elk and small game hours, sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 20. Day one opens at 9 a.m.
Must bobwhite quail be registered?
No GameReg entry is listed for bobwhite quail.
What does Wisconsin law say about bait and bobwhite quail?
Leave the bait at home for bobwhite quail: small game baiting is illegal.
What is the legal equipment list for bobwhite quail?
Upland birds and small game: Shotgun (game birds: multi-projectile shells only), rifle/handgun for small game mammals, airgun, bow, crossbow, falconry.
Is Sunday a legal day for bobwhite quail?
Sundays are open for bobwhite quail like any other day of the season.
What bag limit does Wisconsin put on bobwhite quail?
5 daily; possession 3x daily.
How long is the Wisconsin quail season in 2026-27?
The quail dates are bobwhite quail Oct 17 to Dec 9, 2026.
Is there state land open for bobwhite quail?
136 properties in the land records qualify; the largest are Kettle Moraine State Forest, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway and Horicon National Wildlife Refuge. Some are matched by game group.
What paperwork covers bobwhite quail in Wisconsin?
Quail hunters need (resident price): Small game license ($18.00).
Before the quail trip
The DNR regulations are the final word on bobwhite quail; this page was checked against them on October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain-Prairie (CC BY 2.0); ilouque (CC BY 2.0); Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0); AcrylicArtist (CC BY 2.0).