Quail Habitat (Quail Unlimted project)

RiverRat213 · Jun 10, 2014

Fire breaks cut √
20 tons of lime spread √
Will be setting fire to it come January. Once burned down numerous NWSG's will be drilled and over 7 varieties of hedges will be planted in 20' wide patterns to create hedgerows within the planted zone
Will not be any updates till 2015, but will be worth checking back into. As I plan to monitor the progress of success. We currently have 4 covey of quail and hope to double those numbers within the next 5 years. Also hope to help increase the turkey numbers in my area as they appear to be down succinctly from the past 2 years. I also threw another photo in of a oak stand of 5 year old oaks that I started thinning back in January and dressing under them with oats for cover and ladino for the long haul.

TheLBLman · Jun 11, 2014

Very nice, and "yes", this should greatly benefit your turkey poult survival as well.

You have 4 coveys of quail on how many acres?

Boll Weevil · Jun 11, 2014

What is a quail's home range? I always heard that a quail can thrive and live their entire life within just 20 acres of sufficient habitat. True?

RiverRat213 · Jun 11, 2014

Wes Parrish said:
Very nice, and "yes", this should greatly benefit your turkey poult survival as well.

You have 4 coveys of quail on how many acres?

393
Diverse habitat from open fielded creek bottom to hardwood covered ridges and clear cut in between.

RiverRat213 · Jun 11, 2014

Boll Weevil said:
What is a quail's home range? I always heard that a quail can thrive and live their entire life within just 20 acres of sufficient habitat. True?

Home range on average is 40 acres. However if habitat is right this can be narrowed down to as little as 10. Yes its true habitat along with predator control.

Boll Weevil · Jun 11, 2014

Thanks Rat.

I've finally got a few birds back on the farm and it's so nice to just hear them whistle again...been way too long. I've learned how narrowly focused habitat tweaks need to be for quail with just little tiny changes can have great impact (for good or for ill). I've begun to pick areas...20-30-40 acres at a time and try to intensively improve that SPOT. Have a little success...move on to the next.

One spot now has 3 breeding pairs; took almost 4 years. It's not hard or expensive, or labor intensive, just real real slow.

treefarmer · Jun 12, 2014

Great job! Quail forever is a good organization. Keep us posted on the progress.

Hunter 257W · Jun 14, 2014

It's good to see people taking interest in Quail again. I never was a serious Quail hunter as I had no dogs but have hunted them a little over other people's dogs. I mainly just miss hearing them around the farm. It sounds like you are definitely on the right path here with the hedgerows with natural plants between them. Fencerows are one feature that is rapidly disappearing from farmland and as Boll Weevil said, it doesn't take ANY work to just leave the fencerow alone and let it provide cover.