| Upland Bird Articles |
John N. Felsher's Quail Hunting Adventures
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Articles and photos on this website are for the viewing pleasure of patrons of this site. All articles and photos on this site are protected by the copyright laws of the United States. Any unauthorized usage is strictly prohibited. If you wish to purchase an article or photo, contact John N. Felsher as listed in the contact section. |
| Articles and photos on this website are free for your viewing pleasure, but it takes money to keep this site up and running. If you would care to help keep this site up and running for the use of all outdoors patrons, you can make a cash contribution. If you care to donate, contact John N. Felsher as listed in the contact section. |
| Protected by Copyright |
| How you can help keep this site operating |
Baker Quail Plantation returns
sportsmen to glory days of hunting
sportsmen to glory days of hunting
About 15 feathered rockets exploded into our faces as the English
pointer jumped into entangling cover.
Dodging birds that almost hit us, my son and I bagged two while missing
others before the covey sailed into a thick bramble patch where neither dog
nor human cared to follow. Where once common wild birds largely
disappeared, the Baker Quail Plantation near Mcclenny, Fla., about 35
miles west of Jacksonville, tries to recreate the glory days of quail hunting in
northern Florida.
“When I was growing up in the 1950s, we didn’t need a dog to hunt
quail,” remembered Allen Whitson. “The fields were full of birds. We just
walked them up along the fencerows. Now, not many wild birds are left.”
The plantation staff enhanced drainage and built roads on 634 acres of
pine forests, scrub and creek bottoms. They burned fields to increase
native plant growth, planted milo as food and planted cover vegetation so
birds could hide from predators. To augment the native population, the
plantation releases quail every October. They usually hunt from November
through March. Periodically throughout the season, they release more
birds, averaging about 6,000 to 8,000 per year.
Some commercial operations release birds only minutes before the
guests arrive. The disoriented birds don’t fly very well. Sometimes, the
guide must prod them into flying or even toss them into the air. As much as
possible, the Baker Quail Plantation tries to duplicate the challenge of wild
bird hunting. Released birds mingle with wild quail and learn to survive – or
die.
“As much as we could, we want to create a hunting experience that was
like the way wild bird hunting used to be,” said Wayne Helton, plantation
manager. “After we release birds, we don’t disturb them for two weeks. We
want them to find homes and join up with wild birds. Then, we bump them
around with the dogs before the season starts to give the dogs some work
and make birds wilder. Quail quickly learn to fly for cover. Predators get
some quail, but we weigh out the losses from predators with the birds
superior flight qualities. By the time we start hunting them, the ones that
survived the predators are pretty wary and strong fliers. We’d rather have
fewer birds that fly like wild birds than just a bunch of birds on a put-and-
take operation.”
The Baker Quail Plantation also tries to recreate Old South hunting
traditions, albeit with a modern twist. While plantation sportsmen used to
ride mule-drawn wagons to reach their hunting fields in the old days, Helton
drives a gasoline-powered “mule,” a jeep-like all-terrain vehicle, pulling a
wagon carrying hunters, dogs, supplies and refreshments. The wagon can
accommodate up to six hunters, but Helton only allows two shooters off the
wagon per point for safety reasons.
The lodge can accommodate up to 16 people in four suites equipped
with bunk beds, living rooms and bathrooms. A common area provides a full
kitchen, big screen satellite TV and other amenities. Most groups arrive on
the evening before a hunt where they exchange lies around a roaring
campfire while the staff prepares steak, pork chops, barbecue or other old
favorites.
Before hunting the next morning, guests eat a traditional Southern
breakfast. They return for lunch, often featuring fried quail harvested that
morning coupled with delicious fried cornbread, pork, grits and other Deep
South staples. Throughout the day, camp staff picks up bagged birds to
clean them so that guests don’t need to worry about anything except
enjoying themselves.
After lunch, guests might shoot a round of skeet or hunt in a different
area or habitat type. Hunting parties rotate through various areas to avoid
overstressing birds. Quail seldom fly far from their home territories. If the
bird population drops too low in one area, Helton releases more birds in
that area and leaves it alone for a while until birds acclimate to their new
homes.
Such hunting preserves actually increase bird populations in an entire
area. Some quail inevitably survive hunting pressure and predators to
breed. Every spring, they make their namesake breeding calls. A highly
prolific species, a single female quail lays an egg each day until she
produces about 12 to 15 eggs. She might lay three or four clutches during
a breeding season, which may last until early fall. As the population
increases, birds spread into adjacent lands with suitable habitat, high, dry
land with abundant food and cover.
For booking trips, call 904-334-4323 or 904-259-2410 or visit www.
bakerquailplantation.com.
pointer jumped into entangling cover.
Dodging birds that almost hit us, my son and I bagged two while missing
others before the covey sailed into a thick bramble patch where neither dog
nor human cared to follow. Where once common wild birds largely
disappeared, the Baker Quail Plantation near Mcclenny, Fla., about 35
miles west of Jacksonville, tries to recreate the glory days of quail hunting in
northern Florida.
“When I was growing up in the 1950s, we didn’t need a dog to hunt
quail,” remembered Allen Whitson. “The fields were full of birds. We just
walked them up along the fencerows. Now, not many wild birds are left.”
The plantation staff enhanced drainage and built roads on 634 acres of
pine forests, scrub and creek bottoms. They burned fields to increase
native plant growth, planted milo as food and planted cover vegetation so
birds could hide from predators. To augment the native population, the
plantation releases quail every October. They usually hunt from November
through March. Periodically throughout the season, they release more
birds, averaging about 6,000 to 8,000 per year.
Some commercial operations release birds only minutes before the
guests arrive. The disoriented birds don’t fly very well. Sometimes, the
guide must prod them into flying or even toss them into the air. As much as
possible, the Baker Quail Plantation tries to duplicate the challenge of wild
bird hunting. Released birds mingle with wild quail and learn to survive – or
die.
“As much as we could, we want to create a hunting experience that was
like the way wild bird hunting used to be,” said Wayne Helton, plantation
manager. “After we release birds, we don’t disturb them for two weeks. We
want them to find homes and join up with wild birds. Then, we bump them
around with the dogs before the season starts to give the dogs some work
and make birds wilder. Quail quickly learn to fly for cover. Predators get
some quail, but we weigh out the losses from predators with the birds
superior flight qualities. By the time we start hunting them, the ones that
survived the predators are pretty wary and strong fliers. We’d rather have
fewer birds that fly like wild birds than just a bunch of birds on a put-and-
take operation.”
The Baker Quail Plantation also tries to recreate Old South hunting
traditions, albeit with a modern twist. While plantation sportsmen used to
ride mule-drawn wagons to reach their hunting fields in the old days, Helton
drives a gasoline-powered “mule,” a jeep-like all-terrain vehicle, pulling a
wagon carrying hunters, dogs, supplies and refreshments. The wagon can
accommodate up to six hunters, but Helton only allows two shooters off the
wagon per point for safety reasons.
The lodge can accommodate up to 16 people in four suites equipped
with bunk beds, living rooms and bathrooms. A common area provides a full
kitchen, big screen satellite TV and other amenities. Most groups arrive on
the evening before a hunt where they exchange lies around a roaring
campfire while the staff prepares steak, pork chops, barbecue or other old
favorites.
Before hunting the next morning, guests eat a traditional Southern
breakfast. They return for lunch, often featuring fried quail harvested that
morning coupled with delicious fried cornbread, pork, grits and other Deep
South staples. Throughout the day, camp staff picks up bagged birds to
clean them so that guests don’t need to worry about anything except
enjoying themselves.
After lunch, guests might shoot a round of skeet or hunt in a different
area or habitat type. Hunting parties rotate through various areas to avoid
overstressing birds. Quail seldom fly far from their home territories. If the
bird population drops too low in one area, Helton releases more birds in
that area and leaves it alone for a while until birds acclimate to their new
homes.
Such hunting preserves actually increase bird populations in an entire
area. Some quail inevitably survive hunting pressure and predators to
breed. Every spring, they make their namesake breeding calls. A highly
prolific species, a single female quail lays an egg each day until she
produces about 12 to 15 eggs. She might lay three or four clutches during
a breeding season, which may last until early fall. As the population
increases, birds spread into adjacent lands with suitable habitat, high, dry
land with abundant food and cover.
For booking trips, call 904-334-4323 or 904-259-2410 or visit www.
bakerquailplantation.com.
TOP: Wayne Helton,
manager of the
Baker Quail
Plantation near
Mcclenny, Fla., and
Steven Felsher
admire some quail
Steven shot during a
hunt at the
plantation.
RIGHT: Steven
Felsher admires a
quail he bagged
during a hunt at the
Baker Quail
Plantation near
Mcclenny, Fla.
manager of the
Baker Quail
Plantation near
Mcclenny, Fla., and
Steven Felsher
admire some quail
Steven shot during a
hunt at the
plantation.
RIGHT: Steven
Felsher admires a
quail he bagged
during a hunt at the
Baker Quail
Plantation near
Mcclenny, Fla.
