Quail Hunters?

[Dennis1209]

In the five years I've lived here in NW Tennessee, I've only seen two quail? Think this is a local / regional problem and do you have a population of quail in your areas?

 

I'm thinking about buying and raising a bunch of them and let them go on my property in anticipation that they won't stray far. But, there has to be a problem why they are not around here so it's probably a waste of time and money. I thought about contacting the TN. DNR and asking them, maybe I will.

 

Today the wife and I saw at least 75 turkey's in the field the other side of the road. Seems to me if it was a predator, environmental or cover problem, the turkey would also be affected?

 

We have coyotes around here like everyone else and a few stray domestic cats. Could it be house cats maybe?

[DaveS]

Stray cats, Bobcats and Coyotes wreck havok on the quail population. Also, poor habitat goes hand in hand in their demise. Check with your region TWRA office, as it is against law to release any animal into the wild. Check for a special permit.

 

Dave S

Edited February 7, 2013 by DaveS

[wipfel]

I've always heard fire ants kill out the quail and other ground bird populations as well.  Can't vouch for the truth in that, but it makes sense.

[DaveS]

Keep in mind also that feral hogs LOVE the eggs of ground nesting birds. Ducks, Goose, Quail and Turkey nests are destroyed by hogs eating the eggs and baby chicks. Not a good thing!

 

Dave S

[10-Ring]

Another problem is the loss of farmland and the maximization of use of remaining farmland.  Quail like places like fence rows and there are not as many fence rows as there used to be, plus we farm as close to the fence rows as we can.  Another big problem is there are a lot more birds of prey such as hawks than there used to be and they will kill out quail populations in quick order.  A friend of mine owned a quail hunting preserve and I've watched the hawks destroy his populations.  As in swoop down on a covey in cover and kill every bird in the covey, it's frustrating to watch.  It also seems there are more predators than there used to be.  It's sad, it's been years since I've jumped a covey while squirrel or rabbit hunting, used to occur pretty regular.

[ShaunM]

Turkeys will sometimes eat quail eggs.

[Randall53]

45 years ago quail were plentiful. I hunted them with my dad for several years. I remember beginning to see coyotes in the early 80s. Before long they were everywhere and quail became harder to find. Then the housing developments began buying up every piece of land they could. Now, every field and old home place my dad and I hunted are now subdivisions. I haven't seen or heard a quail in years now. I'm sure their is still some hunting, but nothing to what it was.

Kinda like the John Prine song Paradise.....ya know? Edited February 13, 2013 by Randall53

[ShaunM]

Yeah habitat loss is the biggest cause.

[Peace]

Hunted quail all over West TN growing up - with my grandad and dad.  It would be great to see TWRA have a plan to try to bolster quail in WMAs and rural areas again.  Anybody have any pull there to find out if they deem that feasible?

[owejia]

I live in the NE corner of Weakley county, about .5 mile from Henry county. I mow crp in both counties and see quite a few coveys and a few rabbits in the late summer but they seem to disappear by the winter. No longer have a bird dog, so don't hunt them anymore.

[EastHipster]

I heard/saw a few this morning while calling Crow.

They were over the woods and I didn't want to shoot and lose them in the brush (no dog).

 

Going back tomorrow.