Wildlife fortunes in southeastern Colorado depend on moisture, and for the past half dozen years, drought has gripped the state. Thankfully, last year’s record snowfall in the mountains and timely rains have broken this drought and rejuvenated wildlife and habitats. Critters that live in the desert or extreme climates have evolved in this boom-or-bust environment, and when it rains or when snowmelt rushes down from the mountains, wildlife populations explode. That’s especially true with gamebirds.
The last time southeast Colorado had appreciable moisture was 7 or 8 years ago. I was fortunate to join Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologist Jonathan Reitz and Pheasants Forever biologist Cody Strong back in 2014 when quail numbers were high. We chased blue quail for a few days, targeted bobwhite quail on another and experienced exceptional sport. The
