Mo bird forecast is out
- Thread starter Zeepo
- Start date
http://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/resources/2010/03/quailpheasantstatus2012.pdf
Does not look too bad.
Will go opening weekend then decided from there.
But I am glad I am going to South Dakota twice this year.
Does not look too bad.
Will go opening weekend then decided from there.
But I am glad I am going to South Dakota twice this year.
Cobblestone
New member
Frpm what I could see on the forecast is that they are calling it good and putting a positive spin on it because the populatons didn't drop anymore than it has in the recent past.
Using an "emphasis acreage" is going to be disappointing I would think. There might be a higher percentage of quail there, but any decent private property will have the same. Having quail in a Conservation Tract, a lot of emphasis is the escape cover, birds get hammered daily, they come and feed at daylight and about 10 minutes before dark, and holed up in some hell hole of a swamp, or in a tangle of blackberries which have grown up in the edge covering. So having birds is a long way from seeing birds, further from actually harvesting a bird here or there. Frankly I just don't believe the quail emphasis area is effective getting quail numbers. This program has a goal of 1/2 bird per acre, many acres are not normal quail habitat, forested acres surrounded by acres of crop fields, with fescue waterways. we have been hammered by the littany of the conservation folk, that it's habitat and cold spring rains. No we have a drought year, warm early season nesting, and we still don't have any birds. Some areas lost birds! I really don't think that the professionals have a clue. I will assure you, that most conservation areas, the land is landscaped for deer and turkey! Any theory of trading of deer and turkey habitat for quail habitat, won't have a china's chance in hell of getting approval. You see the Missouri Department loves deer and turkey. We manage on an "all wildlife mantra", meaning skunks are as valuable as quail. On the other hand deer and turkey, are more valuable and easier to manage for. It's their signature conservation effort, it raises money, and profile, though they don't need either, unlike a lot of other state conservation programs. If you do get a non-resident lisence, and go, I would like to hear your thoughts. I spend my money on out of state lisences in order to get away from here! We find now that quail require an area of around a township of fairly solid quail habitat to sustain them, 32 sections of ground continously. If this is true, aside from some change in agricultural practices, our best days quail hunting are gone in Missouri.
Ok, I am not from Missouri but moved here about a year ago so I have a completely different spin on the bird situation. First of all I have lived in three other states and the Missouri Conservation Department blow the rest out of the water. I mean it seems far superior. I've been to a few of the "quail emphasis areas" and I couldn't believe how much work was done towards quail and dove crops. That being said, I was dissappointed with the dove numbers. I have called a few of these quail emphasis areas the last week and they seemed optimistic about the quail numbers, both places I called said they are up this year. This is they actually did whistle counts and flushed those coveys. So atleast I know there are some birds out there, I have also flushed a few singles while dove hunting so I know they are out there.
I also think its nice that you can get a daily small game license in Missouri for $11. You can't really beat that, however every other state rips you off when you go there to hunt. Just my 2 cents, I'll be out there for the quail opener and give it a whirl, I've been skunked enough times to not let it hurt my feelings to much
I hope you all have a great year though wherever you choose to hunt and that the numbers will be better than they say and better in the future.
I also think its nice that you can get a daily small game license in Missouri for $11. You can't really beat that, however every other state rips you off when you go there to hunt. Just my 2 cents, I'll be out there for the quail opener and give it a whirl, I've been skunked enough times to not let it hurt my feelings to much
I hope you all have a great year though wherever you choose to hunt and that the numbers will be better than they say and better in the future.
setterbud
New member
You should have hunted these areas before the conservation so called quail experts took over but never mine I don't want to get started let's put it this way they have done more harm than good
They started messing with them in the late 80's early 90's and these areas went from excellant t to fair in a couple of years see Now I am ranting Now I just go to Kansas
Where I say the difference bet a Crp field in kansas and the one in mo is that the one in Kansas will have birds
Ok i have to stop now
Now the good news so far I am finding birds on ca ground so maybe it won't be as bad as last year
There I gave a half way complment
They started messing with them in the late 80's early 90's and these areas went from excellant t to fair in a couple of years see Now I am ranting Now I just go to Kansas
Where I say the difference bet a Crp field in kansas and the one in mo is that the one in Kansas will have birds
Ok i have to stop now
Now the good news so far I am finding birds on ca ground so maybe it won't be as bad as last year
There I gave a half way complment
Cobblestone
New member
They always try and put a positive spin on these reports. From looking at the data, I'd say the populations are stable from last year. Increases in some areas, decreases in others. I'm heading to Ks. as well. Hope to make it two trips this year.
Late 80's and early 90's was the beginning of the end for quail. At least it was in KS. Our quail are going extinct. If anyone ever hunted quail here in the 80's will remember long hedgerows, and big coveys of quail. Every field had a covey it seemed. Hedgerows have disappeared along with the quail.
cheesy
Well-known member
I want to know how Missouri DNR ruined the quail hunting where I grew up, on the farms of my youth in southeast Kansas? We had them when dad was a kid, even had enough worth hunting when I was growing up, but none now. About the late 80's, early 90's was the demise there too.....hmmmmmm
All in good fun
I think that the midwest game departments, took quail for granted. There was an change in agriculture. USDA promoted fescue, we had a blight in lespedeza, which killed Missouri and SE Kansas quail, less milo, more beans, and a certain enthusiasm for the glory species of deer and turkey. I wandered all over Crawford County, Ks., and into Barton county, Mo. it was a conversation piece if anybody saw a deer, or turkey, until the 1970's. Now your life is endangered with deer in the night, all over. Conservation agencies did not react to the crisis. Still a very little bit is being done, based on the scale of the damage. Education, Habitat in public areas, all need to be excellerated. I see quail "emphasis areas", which are 50-75 percent mature forest, not thin forest, but mature, mostly bordered by fescue, with fescue waterway, and road easements. What kind of success will we have with that? I will direct you to at least 2, Blind Pony Lake and Bonanza, heavy forested, fescue so dense you hardly walk through it. Also a huge proportion of ground with beans, not milo, we do know milo, oats, corn is better. Doesn't bother the deer and turkey though.
chriswhite22
Active member
I'm new to this site and only been hunting 5 seasons on wild birds (spent an additional 2 years on preserves). I hunt only public land since starting to upland hunt and I've walked my butt off but definitely saw a good number of quail last season. The best year for quail to me was 2009/2010 season (bagged roughly 12 to 15 birds). Last year I was really happy on what I saw. My best season for pheasant was 2011/2012 (if I remember correctly I bagged 5 or 6). Now that's probably 13 to 14 hunts and the corn was taken out late that year. I think I bagged 3 December pheasant. Anyway, I've actually hunted some quail emphasis areas and have had some pretty good success. It's worth your time to give them a try. I agree it does seem MCD loves their deer and turkey, but what do I know. The money theory makes sense. Anyway, I've walked a lot of public land and quail emphasis areas and have had some success. Been skunked too, but enjoy the walking. Looking forward to the upcoming season. Going to give SD a run too.
only a pointer
Banned
I wouldn't say that 66 im hearing that quail are doing pretty good in mo and ks I personally think they are coming back a little bit
only a pointer
Banned
pete I tell you what bilby is probably the best conservation ground I have ever seen that's how a managed area should look like. Now as far as getting pounded I will definitely agree but there are no dought birds there I seen there tracks there last year quail and phez just didn't have much luck
I agree, took my youth hunters there in the season, never saw a hunter, except duck. I walked the dogs, they pointed 4 roosters and a covey of quail last year in the 2 day season. Big area, it's just not enough, and there a lot of areas which are not that good. P.M. me if you want to discuss notes.
only a pointer
Banned
heck ya I will I need all the help I can get there, I am going to kill a rooster there if its the last thing I do lol. Wow I cant believe you had 4 points on roosters I can believe the quail because I think theres quite a few coveys there. What am I doing wrong
pm me with what you know I am planning on going on the opener to fight the zooI wouldn't say that 66 im hearing that quail are doing pretty good in mo and ks I personally think they are coming back a little bit
I agree I do think they are coming back in certain areas of KS anyway. But, the hay day of SEK is long gone at least for now. I have fond memories of hunting my relatives ranch down there as a kid and the quail were everywhere. I just wish we would have realized how fragile they can be and could foresee the populations spiraling down out of control. We would chase singles all day. So much fun but we just didn't know any better.
These days I would let them be and go find another covey.
heck ya I will I need all the help I can get there, I am going to kill a rooster there if its the last thing I do lol. Wow I cant believe you had 4 points on roosters I can believe the quail because I think theres quite a few coveys there. What am I doing wrong
Note that he said during the youth season he saw those birds, gets tougher after the full season opens.
only a pointer
Banned
Ya I don't know about sek but central ks and north west ks is where I would focus and heck even the ne part, I have friends that I work with and they live close to Atchison and he has said he has seen quite a few across the road from his house that im going to knock there ass off come season
as far as mo ive heard good things there as well for quail. phez are just a bonus