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John N. Felsher's Quail Hunting Adventures
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'King Bob' under multiple stresses
in many areas of the country
in many areas of the country
After the frost whitened the fields, gentlemen sportsmen adorned in
their best shooting jackets followed enthusiastic dogs in pursuit of King
Bob, the most majestic of all native North American game birds.
Not many years ago, bobwhite quail ranked among the most popular
game species. Hunts become top social events, but these majestic fowl
suffered setbacks in the past few decades. Beset by numerous onslaughts,
quail populations plummeted in most of the 38 states where bobwhites exist.
“Quail populations have been declining in much of North America since
the early 1900s due to a variety of reasons,” said Wes Burger, a quail
expert at Mississippi State University. “From 1966 to today, quail
populations declined an average of four percent per year or about a 70-
percent decline of bobwhites over the past four decades.”
Bobwhites occur in varied habitats from tall grass prairies and the
brushy rangeland of the lower Great Plains to pine savannahs of the
Southeast. Bobwhites prefer grasslands and “successional” plant species,
those that emerge after something disturbs the soil to create an opening.
They don’t do well in thick forests with little undergrowth, but thrive in some
crop fields, as long as they can find edge cover from weeds and grass
clumps, briers or woody thickets.
Bobwhites pair up after coveys break apart in late winter or early
spring. Males use their familiar namesake whistle each spring to attract
females and signal the start of the breeding season. Quail build ground
nests in high grass or other cover. Each female lays an egg per day until
she produces about 12 to 15 eggs. She might lay three or four clutches
during a breeding season, which generally lasts until September or October.
Quail must lay many eggs because predators, diseases, accidents,
natural or manmade disasters and other factors destroy between 50 to 70
percent of all bobwhite nests. In about 25 percent of those cases, adult
birds also die. Sometimes a female must make three nests just to ensure
that one clutch survives.
“The biggest cause of nest failure is predation,” Burger explained.
“Many animals like to eat quail or quail eggs. The list includes skunks,
raccoons, foxes, feral cats, bobcats, opossums and snakes. When adults
are on the nest, they are also vulnerable to mammalian or avian predators.
Only about 50 percent of the chicks survive their first three weeks. After
that, the survival rate goes way up.”
Quail reach adulthood in about 150 days, Burger said. Biologically,
quail can reproduce in their first fall, but quail breed seasonally. Young
adults generally wait until their first spring to breed. By late October, quail
congregate in coveys for mutual protection. Although bobwhites may live
up to seven years, few wild quail die of old age. Only about 15 to 25
percent of adults survive from one year to the next.
Ironically, one much maligned predator actually helps quail
populations. People blame coyotes for eating too many birds and
destroying nests, but song dogs actually eat few quail, Burger said. They
frequently eat feral domestic cats, among the most vicious predators of
small birds. They also chase foxes away from quail habitat.
“Quail show many adaptations to deal with predators,” Burger said.
“They are a very prolific species because they are vulnerable to predators.
As a species, they are adapted to predation. The reason quail populations
have declined is because of a loss of habitat.”
In the 20th century, agricultural practices changed from small family
farms separated by hedgerows or other transitional areas to giant
agricultural corporations. To maximize profits, companies combined fields,
eliminated fencerows and plowed every inch of available ground. Land that
once supported thriving bobwhite populations remained devoid of quail for
years.
Besides predators and habitat loss, quail in the southern United States
must also fight a merciless enemy for which they can muster little defense.
With no natural predators in the United States, fire ants arrived on the Gulf
Coast in the 1930s aboard ships and spread throughout most of the
Southeast. The vicious swarming insects destroy many eggs and eat
chicks.
Following a brace of dogs in anticipation of a covey rise still thrills
sportsmen in the right place. However, few public properties offer excellent
shooting. Even on the best habitat, sportsmen might struggle to find
enough birds for a good hunt. Some people manage their own land to
support quail populations by manipulating vegetation or building feeders.
Others release pen-raised birds for a day of shooting. Pen-raised birds
sometimes join with native coveys and “go wild.”
their best shooting jackets followed enthusiastic dogs in pursuit of King
Bob, the most majestic of all native North American game birds.
Not many years ago, bobwhite quail ranked among the most popular
game species. Hunts become top social events, but these majestic fowl
suffered setbacks in the past few decades. Beset by numerous onslaughts,
quail populations plummeted in most of the 38 states where bobwhites exist.
“Quail populations have been declining in much of North America since
the early 1900s due to a variety of reasons,” said Wes Burger, a quail
expert at Mississippi State University. “From 1966 to today, quail
populations declined an average of four percent per year or about a 70-
percent decline of bobwhites over the past four decades.”
Bobwhites occur in varied habitats from tall grass prairies and the
brushy rangeland of the lower Great Plains to pine savannahs of the
Southeast. Bobwhites prefer grasslands and “successional” plant species,
those that emerge after something disturbs the soil to create an opening.
They don’t do well in thick forests with little undergrowth, but thrive in some
crop fields, as long as they can find edge cover from weeds and grass
clumps, briers or woody thickets.
Bobwhites pair up after coveys break apart in late winter or early
spring. Males use their familiar namesake whistle each spring to attract
females and signal the start of the breeding season. Quail build ground
nests in high grass or other cover. Each female lays an egg per day until
she produces about 12 to 15 eggs. She might lay three or four clutches
during a breeding season, which generally lasts until September or October.
Quail must lay many eggs because predators, diseases, accidents,
natural or manmade disasters and other factors destroy between 50 to 70
percent of all bobwhite nests. In about 25 percent of those cases, adult
birds also die. Sometimes a female must make three nests just to ensure
that one clutch survives.
“The biggest cause of nest failure is predation,” Burger explained.
“Many animals like to eat quail or quail eggs. The list includes skunks,
raccoons, foxes, feral cats, bobcats, opossums and snakes. When adults
are on the nest, they are also vulnerable to mammalian or avian predators.
Only about 50 percent of the chicks survive their first three weeks. After
that, the survival rate goes way up.”
Quail reach adulthood in about 150 days, Burger said. Biologically,
quail can reproduce in their first fall, but quail breed seasonally. Young
adults generally wait until their first spring to breed. By late October, quail
congregate in coveys for mutual protection. Although bobwhites may live
up to seven years, few wild quail die of old age. Only about 15 to 25
percent of adults survive from one year to the next.
Ironically, one much maligned predator actually helps quail
populations. People blame coyotes for eating too many birds and
destroying nests, but song dogs actually eat few quail, Burger said. They
frequently eat feral domestic cats, among the most vicious predators of
small birds. They also chase foxes away from quail habitat.
“Quail show many adaptations to deal with predators,” Burger said.
“They are a very prolific species because they are vulnerable to predators.
As a species, they are adapted to predation. The reason quail populations
have declined is because of a loss of habitat.”
In the 20th century, agricultural practices changed from small family
farms separated by hedgerows or other transitional areas to giant
agricultural corporations. To maximize profits, companies combined fields,
eliminated fencerows and plowed every inch of available ground. Land that
once supported thriving bobwhite populations remained devoid of quail for
years.
Besides predators and habitat loss, quail in the southern United States
must also fight a merciless enemy for which they can muster little defense.
With no natural predators in the United States, fire ants arrived on the Gulf
Coast in the 1930s aboard ships and spread throughout most of the
Southeast. The vicious swarming insects destroy many eggs and eat
chicks.
Following a brace of dogs in anticipation of a covey rise still thrills
sportsmen in the right place. However, few public properties offer excellent
shooting. Even on the best habitat, sportsmen might struggle to find
enough birds for a good hunt. Some people manage their own land to
support quail populations by manipulating vegetation or building feeders.
Others release pen-raised birds for a day of shooting. Pen-raised birds
sometimes join with native coveys and “go wild.”
TOP: Wild
bobwhite quail
face an uphill fight
due to pressure
from predators,
habitat loss, fire
ants and many
other factors that
diminish the quail
population.
RIGHT: John
Martin of Setter
Ridge Hunt Farms
in Chillicothe,
Mo., rewards his
dog for retrieving a
bobwhite quail he
shot during a hunt.
bobwhite quail
face an uphill fight
due to pressure
from predators,
habitat loss, fire
ants and many
other factors that
diminish the quail
population.
RIGHT: John
Martin of Setter
Ridge Hunt Farms
in Chillicothe,
Mo., rewards his
dog for retrieving a
bobwhite quail he
shot during a hunt.
