Tennessee Quail?

[Guest BEARMAN]

Since alot of trappers quit trapping for the hides when the bottom fell out of the fur market, predator populations have exploded. So, not only do you have Coyotes, you also have bobcats and foxes taking their share of the pickings too.

Raccoons will also raid and eat the quail and turkey eggs and not to mention owls, and the aforementioned hawks.

If not for hunting of these four legged critters of prey, we would have virtually no small game, such as rabbits and quail.

The TWRA is no help either, by putting more restrictions on the hunting of these predators. FWIW.

[Oh Shoot]

Quail Forever says it is loss of habitat, plain and simple. Not confined to TN either.

- OS

[DaveS]

How do you explain "loss of habitat" on wildlife refuges and WMAs where there is plenty of habitat. All I know is, is that something is going on!

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Another thing is that Quail and Turkey and Grouse pretty much eat the same fodder.. Turkey reproduce every year.. the others don't .. Also, I have been told that one of the best areas in the country to hunt quail is in Blue Mountain, MS.

[Oh Shoot]

How do you explain "loss of habitat" on wildlife refuges and WMAs where there is plenty of habitat. All I know is, is that something is going on!

I don't usually think of WMA's as open grassland country ...

Which ones were previously known for having large quail populations?

- OS

[Guest BEARMAN]

Quail Forever says it is loss of habitat, plain and simple. Not confined to TN either.

- OS

No loss of "habitat" where I live OS...In fact, here, theres more woods and fallow fields than ever before, since tobacco farmers gave it up.

I'm with wd, something else is going on.

[Oh Shoot]

No loss of "habitat" where I live OS...In fact, here, theres more woods and fallow fields than ever before, since tobacco farmers gave it up.

I'm with wd, something else is going on.

Well, unlike turkey, quail don't care much about woods.

I'm only quoting what Quail Forever, which seems to be a pretty respected org fostered by the pretty respected Pheasants Forever, says.

I haven't hunted in years, but yeah , growing up seemed like you'd flush a covey all the time just walking around scrub land, even around the suburbs, but no more.

- OS

[StPatrick]

I played a round of golf at Greystone CC in Dickson, TN, last year, and the quail were calling quite a bit. I can't recall hearing them anywhere else, but if you've ever been there, you'd know it's not good predator / hog / turkey / deer land - there's not much at all in terms of adjacent forest, while there's plenty of high grass and open area. This is only one observation, but it supports what others have mentioned about quail being outcompeted for resources.

[ShaunM]

You may all be right maybe due to habitat lose maybe the birds and predators are being pushed into smaller areas creating more chances for the predators to kill them. This may not be the answer in all areas but i'm sure it could be possible.

[Sidewinder]

I hope the TWRA, or someone gets it figured out before there are none to hunt at all. I would like to see an extensive study done in Tennessee on our quail situation. I'm sure most quail hunters would do pretty much what it takes to bring them back... whatever the problem.

[Oh Shoot]

You may all be right maybe due to habitat lose maybe the birds and predators are being pushed into smaller areas creating more chances for the predators to kill them. This may not be the answer in all areas but i'm sure it could be possible.

Yeah, loss of habitat doesn't mean there should actually be birds in all suitable habitats that remain.

When species over-populate in general, they often don't simply self limit to previous sustainable levels, but tend to really crash far beyond those levels.

It's a fairly complicated issue, and I seriously doubt that one simple factor like "too many wild hogs" is the cause.

Since there are always more people, but same finite land area for them to populate, that's likely the first aspect to investigate.

Many of the places I used to hunt in my youth have houses on them now, so that's sort of irrefutable right there -- loss of habitat indeed.

- OS