What a Quail Hunt

[BIG NORM]

Me and 3 others went to my place Quail hunting in a drenching downpour today and manged to get 21 birds. Mind you that this would not be unusual but these were wild quail, not those domesticated pen raised birds which made it that much more awesome. Our place is loaded with them and we killed these in about 5 hrs hunting time and the dogs worked great and even made some great retrieves on dead birds. We got into five different coveys that we know of. Hope to try again before the season closes.

[judge jb]

Norm, you are bringing back alot of good memories...the decline of quail has gotten beyond serious and long range outlook ain't good either.... be thankful for your day out....Priceless........

i dedicated 51 acres last spring solely for small game {if they like it, deer and turkey will benifit also} planted a variety from sorgram to chufa.. the results have been good for wildlife of all kinds... this land is situated in the middle of 600 acres of pines which has provided protection for the young birds.... i love the sound of a covey rise..... maybe one day i can experience a hunt like yours....

judge jb

[SCOOTER]

I remember my dad coming home with a coat full, during the 70's he killed a lot of birds, the 80's was so-so. i havent seen a coat full of wild birds in 10 years. the days of the big coveys around dads house is slim, we went a couple times only the kill a couple each time. i told him there still up north and quail unlimted is feeding them chops.

[judge jb]

the 70's were great... would go on a rabbit hunt and always bring home quail to boot..... i think the success was that we had alot more hedge rows and grown up fields.... no coyotes or fire ants then either.....

judge jb

[chance]

Way back in the sixties the quail hunting was our number one hunting sport. My family had several farms to hunt, even in the delta. My uncle had a place near Pleasant Grove Miss. that held ten coveys. The quail decline really bgan in earnest in the early seventies and it got very hard to find birds. The ones you find would get up way in front of the dogs and the singles seemed to light in trees so finding them were difficult.
The deer population began its explosion during the seventies and most everybody got away from having good bird dogs and quail hunting. It was truly a gentlemans sport.
It is refreshing to hear someone still has a huntable quantity of quail. Good dog work and the rushing sound of dozens of quail taking flight during a covey rise---fond memories!

[hillhunter]

i think that the quail are making a small comeback. we used to kill them pretty regular in the eighties, but the past ten years you would be lucky to find a covey all year. we have three coveys of about 15 birds apiece this year and thats more than i've seen in years. it would cut my deer hunting in half if they came back. theres nothing like the thrill of a covey rise under your feet.

[Delta Duck]

Sound like a great time, I do allot of small things that make a big difference with the Quail #s here in West Dundee. I've got enough Quail to go and have a couple of good hunts. I would rather buy and set birds than kill the wild coveys I have. I would guess I've got about 250-300 birds on 2400 acres. Last Feb. I counted about 500 in an old cotton field that still had the stalks standing.

It so is fun to hunt them birds

[goosebruce]

Welp, we kilt a buttload of quail this weekend too... Of course, ours where relased birds in an upland hunt test... But it was still a kick ass quail hunt in the rain. Was wishing that snow we had last night wudda been 2 or 3 inches this morning, cause that wudda been awesome. travis (who ain't far off from building a flight pen and a recall pen!)

[Anatidae]

I've got a 'call-back' pen I'll GIVE you.......and food trays and water jug, too. Call-back needs a little sprucin' up.......'haven't used it in over 10 years. 'Won't be needin' it, again......all my Brittanies are gone, now.....along with the quail. But boy do I have some good memories!

[gadwall2]

Judge, sounds like you got a good place for feeding them. Take it an extra step and keep the fireants killed. Fireants and snakes are the biggest killers of quail.

Most places just don't have enough food to maintain a good quail population. All you have to do is plant a little something to help feed them.

Then at least two or three times a month go over your fence rows and hedges and check them for fireant beds. Poison the crap out of them. Take a gun with you and shoot any snake, armadillo, skunk, and yote you run upon.

[judge jb]

egg eatin predators are my main concern...... have a good relocating program for them at this time........ if i could only find a way to relocate HAWKS......and OWLS..........{legaly}


judge jb

[Delta Duck]

Judge,
all you have to do is tell a couple of 17 year old boys do not under any circumstance do you shoot a sign, hawk or owl. Well the next thing you know thier will be no hawks and the signs will be shot all up

[goosebruce]

Kewl. I'll take it. Have no ideal when I'll be around to come get it... but someday i will. Heck, if you've had it for 10 years wifout use... figger you aint in hurry to be shed of it!

Brittaines... man you don't need nothing like that for quail. A lab does fine... But wait, I forgot... Nevermind. travis

[Anatidae]

Alright, I'll hold it for you. 'Don't guess you're gonna make the shoot/cookout on the 15th, huh? We'll hook-up, sometime.

[goosebruce]

Not this go around. Spring grand is last week of april... Nothing but wet noses and black dogs till after that. travis