Mutton Creek 10-20

[Walcrabass]

Lowe,

  You are exactly right about shooting late in the afternoon, especially when it is cold. There are some states that do not allow game bird ( I am thinking Pheasants etc.) hunting after 1:00 P.M. in the afternoon.

When I was young I hunted with a very wise older Quail Hunter. We never hunted late in the afternoon. You hear all this stuff about Dogs are not supposed to eat chocolate? He gave his a Snickers candy bar every time we went. The dog lived to be way up in his teens. Chocolate must have finally got him huh?

Wally

 

[LoweSTX175]

I grew up with German Shorthaired Pointers...we had one when I was in college who loved to drink beer.  Birddogs will eat and get into anything.  Chocolate isn't going to hurt a birddog.

[denjac]

I noticed the quail population declined at the same time the turkey was restocked in missouri in the late 70s early 80s. The experts say no way but I have my doupts. 

[tho1mas]

I noticed the quail population declined at the same time the turkey was restocked in missouri in the late 70s early 80s. The experts say no way but I have my doubts.

A lot of farmers say the same thing.

[Hammer time]

As I drive to both Stockton and the Rock to many different ramps I take in the scenery. Sadly I notice maybe 5-10 % of the land that could possibly hold birds. Fescue fields galore, hardly any fence rows and virtually no native grasses. Dad always taught me quail need 3 things to survive feed cover and water. With cover the most important. 

   It's sad that most of thier cover is gone thus very very few birds.

     So bad that the last 4 years after the season I go to hunting preserve and pay 100 bucks to have 10 single scattered in a 40 acres field just so my dog can have a great hunt.

  The days of getting up a covey and watching them spread out in a sage grass field and watching your dog work the singles is long gone. To me there is nothing better than watching a good birddog work and that magical moment when they lock up. 

[trapshot25]

Your right Hammer time watching the dogs work be it quail or a good beagle runnung a rabbit is always worth it. Get to see and hear few quail on girlfriends place in ash flat ar. Some day we would like to manage it more for the birds. 

[lundone]

We as tax payers are footing the bill for the Dept of Ag to subsidize the type of farming that has destroyed the quail and we foot the bill for the MDC and KDC and other state wildlife agencies that try to increase the quail population.  The only thing being accomplished is the fleecing of the tax payer and we put these politicians in office and pay them until they die so they can do this to us.  Doesn't say much for the intelligence of the majority of the voters of this country.  I believe that quail populations as we used to know them are not going to happen again.

 

[LoweSTX175]

All this talk has me sort of fired up.  I'm only a Ducks Unlimited member at the moment.  Only thing I know to do for me is to join Quail Unlimited or Quail Forever today.  Anyone have thoughts on which one is better?  Or should I just do both?

[Hammer time]

I believe that quail populations as we used to know them are not going to happen again.

 

I agree completely with all the changes of farming, loss of habitat it will never be as it was. 

  I feel blessed that enjoyed many years of tremendous hunting and have many great memories with my dad bird hunting.

MDC has done a lot for the birds. Statewide there is lots of places that are now called "quail emphasis areas " were thier main goal is manage the property for quail. I hunt these areas and have seen progress, more birds!

   The birds are smart because they are bumped by deer, turkey and rabbit hunters a lot but they are there.

   I personally wrote MDC a letter and thanked them because without their help I would simply take my birddog for a nature walk.

[waterpossum]

Why is the conservation land around Stockton not holding any quail?  I have witnessed the depleted numbers of quail on Bushwhacker which comprises nearly 5,000 acres. There used to be a decent number of prairie chickens, they even had a special site where you could watch them boom, but that has even been abandoned. Buffalo wallow on the west side of 71 highway close to Nevada which comprised nearly a section had a few quail and an unbelievable maintained habitat. Last year for some unknown reason the whole place was bulldozed, why I haven't got a clue. Numerous farmers with big spreads in Kansas to the man will tell you that their wild turkey populations have exploded and it's their opinion that simultaneously the quail starting disappearing. When I was young trapping was done by a lot of folks, but there is definitely not as many trappers now. On a recent trip driving around Bushwhacker I counted 47 hawks on this vole haven. I am no biologist and can only relate an observation that on good habitat I still don't see quail crossing the road, singing in the spring or reports other than" we used to have some." A perplexing scenario. Herbicide and pesticide use surely is also a big contributor. Where I have trouble digesting the habitat loss theory is on good habitat there still are no numbers of quail.