I want to improve my habitat

D

duckn66

Well-known member
What kind of bushes etc can I plant on my 20 acres of pasture ground to provide cover and nesting habitat for the quail? My land is 1/2 mile deep so its narrow. I'd be doing this in the far back on about 10 acres. I'd like to put in two lines of bushy/brushy rows about 200 yards long each at least. Don't want anything to get real tall. Probably plant a couple of cedars in it for winter as well. Is there some type of bush that has berries that the quail would eat?

I'm hoping to plant about an acre food plot as well. Or at least disc it up and let it go to weeds. Not sure which would be better.

I have quail on the place now but just want better habitat for them. When we first moved here pheasant were thick around the area but have since disappeared with the human encroachement I guess. There may be a few around but haven't heard any crow in the spring for several years now.
 
Ounce you start planting bushes, the end is near. You have to maintain them as well. Use clump bushes of 1500 sq ft, ( like a house floorplan), it is easier to maintain. I would stay away from cedars, the are to optomistic, and will become the dominant species. Lots of good berry plants to use, blackberries, service berries, even the dreaded multiflora is much sought after by quail, but are illegal in many states, including Kansas. Your grass nesting cover will do more good, open clumping grass will provide what quail need most. On a small acreage you will have a start of a good habitat for one covey, assuming there is adjacent property to provide some habitat requirements. If you can use it to act like a "classroom", and convince the other neighbors to do small improvements, you will have something. small efforts do a lot of good, there is evidence on the Missouri Department of Conservation site on these sort of programs. Good luck and let us know.
 
Thanks for the reply sir. I know it's not much but I figure if I can at least provide some good nesting habitat and maybe some cover and a little food it's better than nothing.

What do you mean by clumping grass?
 
duckn66 said:
Thanks for the reply sir. I know it's not much but I figure if I can at least provide some good nesting habitat and maybe some cover and a little food it's better than nothing.

What do you mean by clumping grass?
Click to expand...

Native grasses, are clump, try to avoid Fescue, brome, bluegrass is o.k. but short stemmed and low, doesn't like warm weather. The bluestems, indian grass, switchgrass, gamma grass, are best.
 
duckn66 said:
Thanks for the reply sir. I know it's not much but I figure if I can at least provide some good nesting habitat and maybe some cover and a little food it's better than nothing.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter the size of the area.;) It all adds up. Small, med, large. It all plays a part in linking habitats. Pheasants, quail, and other game birds need to move. A very large field by itself can only do so much by itself. Even a small 1/2 acre patch can save a bird from a hawk or other predators as it's feeding or moving about.

Thanks for your efforts and keep up the good work:cheers:
 
ok I understand clump grasses now. My entire pasture is native prairie. I'm thinking I will plant the perimeter of the area in the bushes that oldandnew suggested and let the middle, which will be the native praire grow. Do a food plot of some sort on one end and the other end just disc up and let the weeds take it. By having each end disced up it will assist in a controlled burn each spring early maybe as well. I don't think I want the middle part growing cedars and other undesireables.

It may not be much but maybe, just maybe I can get some pheasants back into the area. Maybe not as many as we used to have but at least some! And also perhaps grow the covey that is there now.
 
Spraying fence lines have hurt quail were I live. Fences used to grow up with grass, bushes, trees, before long you couldn't even see a fence. Quail would nest and travel safely along them. I'm really thinking of trying to suplement our quail population and am going to make these types of corridors all over our property.
 
I found this information to be very useful, and the seedlings are quite reasonable. Place your order in December or January (whenever they start taking orders) to make sure you get what you want.

http://www.kansasforests.org/conservation/speciality/easternpq.shtml


http://www.kansasforests.org/conservation/PDFs/quailbundle.pdf

I planted some other shrubs and trees on my land the last two years, but the survival rate was only average due to the drought. I bought the root slurry that helps hold moisture in the roots. Without it, I am confident that I would have lost it all.

I also called down there and asked some questions. They sent a forester over to my land to look it over with me and give me suggestions about what and where to cut trees and how to improve the wildlife value of the land. I think he came out for free, but I can't remember for sure. They can also get you contact info for PF and QF, who can also help answer questions and give you some tips.

WTG doing something for the birds!!:thumbsup:
 
Toad thanks for the link! Had no idea that was out there! I'm gonna be ordering for sure. Need to find a disc for the tractor now.
 
Have you talked with PF out of Topeka? They will send a biologist out to take a look and make recommendations. Sometimes they even help pay for it. PM me for the PF guy names and number in Topeka. I just talked with him last week about my place in Jeff Co.

Kick'em Up.
 
Would they even be interested in looking at such a small area? I wouldn't expect for them to pay for a small area like I am doing. But a biologist coming out making recommendations would be great.
 
I think they would be interested. They offered to come see my little 40 ac patch. I know the biologist for my area is based out of Oskalossa. I believe his name is Randy Whittaker. He is a good guy and will at least point you in the right direction. We have planted about 1500 trees and shrubs on my buddies farm after talking with him. :eek:
 
kick them up said:
I think they would be interested. They offered to come see my little 40 ac patch. I know the biologist for my area is based out of Oskalossa. I believe his name is Randy Whittaker. He is a good guy and will at least point you in the right direction. We have planted about 1500 trees and shrubs on my buddies farm after talking with him. :eek:
Click to expand...

Do you know if his territory reaches all the way to Manhattan? At the time I started my projects, PF was in the process of adding people, and I didn't get any help from them. But also, I was pretty content with the advice I got from the KSU forester as a place to start.

At some point though, I would love to have somebody from PF look around and give me some suggestions.
 
Duckn66, please post some pics of the work you do with updates from time to time. Seeing other people's success stories helps motivate the rest of us to get off our butts and do something positive.

I know that I, personally, could use a boost after watching my trees and shrubs struggle under the relentless heat and drought the last two summers.

It takes a lot of time and effort, but in the end your project will be a source of great pride and satisfaction, I'm sure.
 
Toad I will do that. I'll see if I can take some pics of what is there now and post them or maybe I can text them to you???

I have some brush piles I was going to burn but not sure if I should leave them or not. I have an idea of what I would like to do and would like to be able to use like microsoft paint or something to post it on here but not sure how.

Right now it's basically all pasture with two small draws on it. Behind the pond dam is some weedy stuff and a thicket and this is where the big brush pile is.

I was thinking if I could make two long rows of thickets and berries 100 yrds long each and about 40 yrds apart and then leave the grass in the center grow up. Then maybe put a few small brush piles in the thickets for them to nest in?? Food plot on each end. Controlled burn through the center each spring to keep scrub brush out.
 
That would be cool. I need to go cut some firewood at the farm soon. I'll check on some of my shrubs and maybe post a pic if it isn't too depressing. :laugh:

Your plan sounds great. You'll have that pet covey of yours livin' high on the hog!

If you have a couple trees to hinge cut, the forester told me the quail really take to them. Might give you some "instant cover" until your plantings fill out.
 
Last edited:
Some Universities have biologists that will help with improving your land. I hunted a place in SD where the biologist from SD State came to the property and spent a day with the owner explaining what to do and not to do. Then came back the following year to review progress. PF and QF would be great resources too. Every little bit of land counts these days and it is great to see people working to protect the birds!!:10sign:
 
Toad said:
Do you know if his territory reaches all the way to Manhattan? At the time I started my projects, PF was in the process of adding people, and I didn't get any help from them. But also, I was pretty content with the advice I got from the KSU forester as a place to start.

At some point though, I would love to have somebody from PF look around and give me some suggestions.
Click to expand...

Do you know a Chris Susag? He's from Manhatten and I served with him around 25 years ago.
 
Duckn, you do need brush in your grassland for it to support quail in any significant numbers. The important aspects you need to be considering are: what species should I plant, and in what pattern. The normal axiom of brush management concerning quail is that quail should never be more than 50 yards from a brush clump 50 feet in diameter. Now this is a "best" design situation and may never be your ultimate goal. However, it should show you how important escape cover is to quail. You should choose native species of shrubs that are fire tolerant. These can be purchased from KSU forestry as bare root seedlings. Do stay away from tall species (trees) and also from invasive species like eastern redcedar. Sandhill plums and fragrant sumac are the backbone species. Rows are ok, but don't provide the density necessary for maximum predator protection.

Don't get so ingrossed in your brush planting and let your grass degrade in the progress. You have to keep significant bare ground exposed and manage the thatch. In your part of the state you should aim to burn on a 3 year rotation. This can be best accomplished by dividing your 20 acres into 3 units and burn 1 per year. You can plan your brush plantings within the fire breaks possibly and protect susceptible species from frequent fire. Your local wildlife biologist will be happy to come help you with your plan. I'm not sure where you're at, but I think Brad Rueschoff might be in your area and he's a very intelligent biologist that would do you a lot of benefit.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top