Bobwhite hunting

[Rudy507]

Here in SC, we don't have many wild birds left, so we still try & have a little fun with the pen raised birds. My dad has a new setter pup, probably about 9 months old now. She's doing great. If I had pictures I'd post 'em but I don't have any.

Unfortunately, we don't have much land to hunt on. We do the best we can though. Tomorrow is looking like rain, but I'm looking forward to getting out possibly Saturday for a few hours.

I'm actually in college right now home on break, so getting out in the fields is nice every once in a while, since I don't get a chance to go when I'm at school (no where to go, no where to keep dogs, and not much time).

At any rate, it's fun watching this new setter get better and better after every hunt.

[gspsonny03]

Rudy, of you get a chance take some pics and post them. We would like to see them. Have fun and be safe out there.

[drummer]

If you don't mind, please describe your hunting area:acreage, adjacent property, what you do with it etc. I'll tell you why when you tell me what you have.

[Nulle]

I have heard the wild population is down all over the South and there seems to be many contributing factors.
Pen birds work well with new dogs and when released at the right age they provide good hunting as well.

[drummer]

Numbers are way down for myriad reasons: slick farming, commercial and developments, etc.
In the south, I'm convinced that you need to establish a "Hell hole" so to speak.You need for or five acres of cover so nasty that you almost hate to go into it.That makes a good sanctuary ,adjacent to a grass or weed field and/or some grain. Iv'e been piddling with quail cover for a few years. I helped some friends of mine establish some habitat and they have a pretty good seasonal survival rate on their released birds, however, I can ususally tell the difference between released birds and wild ones.

[skeet]

I feel there are 2 factors involved in the numbers of quail in the east. In Md the birds started going down when the government promoted taking out the hedgerows and losing the cover by edge to edge tillage. ...along with the sprays that seemed to really knock the birds down even farther. The sprays that kill the bugs is the worst for the birds as the young'uns need the bugs to grow. The next biggest problem is the numbers of predators. Trapping is way down because the prices are so bad...because the dogooders scream about wearing FUR. I killed predators(sorry to say..illegally) on my place. The darn foxes wanted to live in my barn. I trapped coons just to reduce their numbers and also caught a LOT of possums. The thing that I think really hurts in the predator lines is the winged ones. I do remember when the hunting mags had advertising promoting the killing of hawks and owls. I actually had a redtail hawk catch a quail on a covey rise one day...but owls seem to be the worst. I won't admit to killing hawks and owls but the quail population on my little farm back east was doing fine. I also had some ground in CReP and planted food patches for them. Also did no spraying with the crop land. Cultivating is an older way to take care of weeds. Had 3 coveys on 40 acres which is quite a few birds for such a small area. BUT what I did worked

[Nulle]

Habitat is the key to the whole story and when it is gone the rest will follow. Way back in the Soil Bank days we had tons of preditors and tons of birds also and now we are dependant on the CRP programs which is working well to a lesser extent.
Yotes are somewhat a problem but that little fox will eat Everything that moves and had to tell the damage the coons and crows do to the nests.
When you have one little spot of cover ALL the animals and birds head for it and the predators come out ahead. When you have acres of cover the other animals have a better chance of making it and getting away from the fox ect.

[popplecop]

Nulle, you're showing your age when you talk about soil bank. It probably was the best program Ag. ever had for wildlife. CRP is better than none that's for sure.

[drummer]

Technically the Soil bank program and Conservation Reserve Program are the same program. The original CRP was a provision of the Soil Bank act of 1956-1960.

In the 1970s farm commodities rose and in the farm subsidies have been cut, leading to the return of intense agriculture (in order to keep the farm.) Alot of these farms are now either part of a slick farm conglomerate or a suburban housing developments.Iv'e learned that as a sportsman, there are other issues to look at besides gun control.

Anyway the farm bill of 1984 brought back the CRP program.

One of the flaws with CRP was intially planting cool season grasses and caucasian bluestem, which are not good for birds. Native warm season grasses are pushed heavily, but I think they are a little bit overrated, when good old weeds are just as good for cover an better food sources. But think about it. Which would you think was better:some nasty old weeds that daddy and grandaddy always tried to get rid of? or some fancy rare prairie grass that costs $200 per bag and takes alot of time and energy to establish? Knowing human nature I'm betting the grass wins 4 out of 5 times.

It will no doubt surprise you that I still think free roaming domestic housecats are the #1 predator on quail and that anyone that owns an outside cat shouldn't be allowed to quail hunt.

Rudy, if you like to read quail hunting stories from Old South Carolina, I highly recommend "My Health is Better in November" by Havilah Babcock.

[Rudy507]

I've never read My Health is Better in November , but I know that it is sitting on the bookshelf at home. I've heard that it is good.

Wow, this thread got some action recently.

You guys have all said everything that I've heard to be true regarding the habitat. It's quite a shame. Modern farming practices in general have contributed the most, in my opinion, to the decline of birds in the south. The cotton industry has wrecked havoc.

Drummer, if you're wondering what the land is like for the reason I'm thinking, we're both on the same page, and I think we'd both agree: Habitat development is key in building a wild quail population.

We (my parents) don't own any land (except for our house, of course, in a neighborhood), and dad has a very limited amount of available hunting land. He's been able to get some good off-an-on guiding jobs though.

1st week of March, during my spring break, we are driving to south Georgia where some good friends of ours own hundreds of acres of land with 4 ponds, a ranch house and a shack. My brother, dad and I will have the place to ourselves to quail hunt (it is registered as a preserve) and fish. I'm looking forward to it.

We go down almost every year. It is beautiful land.

The good thing about this year is that there's a group of about 12 people who will be down there for two days before we arrive, and they are planning on releasing about a hundred birds. I get the feeling these guys aren't VERY experienced, and thus I'm looking forward to mopping it up.

[drummer]

The good thing about this year is that there's a group of about 12 people who will be down there for two days before we arrive, and they are planning on releasing about a hundred birds. I get the feeling these guys aren't VERY experienced, and thus I'm looking forward to mopping it up.

Going to dish out a heavy dose of PWNage are you?

Anyway, if you ever get a piece of land all to yourself, I can give you a few tips.

[Nulle]

yup lets us know and we can give you plenty of Free advise lol
I see they got a deal on the market now where you can stock your land with quail and it only costs about three grand lol