BRD11 I've been searching this forum for other quail/pheasant hunters from MO (for now). I have had an idea to bring more quail to more quail hunters for some time and would like to share these thoughts with this fold of members.
I have been a former member of QU & QF and quit because of the lack of participation I saw within the chapters. These are great organizations if you are trying to raise money, but was not as impressed with the results of putting more quail in the field for ,US, the quail hunting public that must rely on hunting public lands to hunt and find birds. MO has 21 quail emphasis areas - I will refer to as QEA (public conservation areas with an emphasis in quail and quail habitat). I have hunted numerous QEA I have experienced pretty much the same thing in all these areas - lots of walking with few quail sightings/encounters. The habitat looks like it should hold more birds, but few are found.
I propose that we obtain the permission from the Missouri Dept of Conservation (MDC) to have a trail period of say 5 years to introduce pen raised birds a single QEA. The idea is to see what reaction we can get as far as participation from quail hunters to hunt these QEA with some degree of finding quail. I'm from SW MO so Bois d Arc conservation area (CA) would be a likely candidate. We would need to create a chapter much like QU or QF to raise money to buy quail to be released at this CA. This chapter could hopefully assist the MDC with other habitat projects on this CA site. Bois d Arc could stand to have much more ground disturbed by row crops, plum thickets, warm season grasses, etc - diversity. The internet says that 1 quail per 1 to 2 acres is good quail density. As a chapter I would like to see the 1 bird per acre being implemented. Bois d Arc CA has approx 3200 acres. Let's say they have 2000 acres in quail habitat. We would target the release of 2000 quail on the CA over the 10 week season or 200 quail per week each week. The birds would be banded (different band for each group of 200 quail) so by the end of the season one would know if the bird they shot was from week one or week 5, 7 or 10. We would also learn whether quail from week 1 would covey up with quail from week 3, 7 or other - study the survival skills from these pen raised bird.
Quail hunters hunting this CA would have special restrictions such as parties of 4 max, number of shells per hunter allowed, check-in and out to gather the data from their hunt, etc. The end result being whether or not this is a viable way to pursue quail and quail hunting of the future, provide a quality quail hunting experience to the quail and/or pheasant hunting public. Pheasants could be introduced as well for I am an Iowa native and have experienced great hunting in southern Iowa and KS in the 60s and 70s and 80s where I have encountered both quail and pheasants. I believe we could generate a real destination for hunters that would not have to travel to SD or Montana or the likes to enjoy pheasant and quail hunting locally. If this is popular enough the other CAs could follow the same recipe in their areas.
I have hunted South Dakota (SD) and had an awesome couple days of hunting - on leased ground. Our group of 13 hunters limited out in approx 2 to 3 hours. The birds were as wild as any I have ever hunted, but I was dumbfounded as to how the land owner was able to obtain this quantity/quality of these birds? I have also hunted Walk-in-Hunting ground (WIH) in KS and SD. Again you will walk miles for a single covey or pheasant siting. I'm no spring chicken anymore - just can't walk the miles I used to, but still vividly remember hunting pheasants and quail in Iowa and KS and bagging 57 roosters with 20 guys near West Union, IA in the 70s. Our group of 10 limited out by 9:00am and came upon another group of 10 guys hunting full sections of corn and beans. They needed more hunters and we joined them for one of the most awesome pheasant hunts of my life.
Southern IA in the 60s and 70s were similar in the sense that as a youngster with my single shot .410 bagged I bagged my first quail only because I had no shortage of opportunities to see LOTS of quail and we didn't even hunt with a dog.
I would love to bring these opportunities to others by starting a chapter with like minded pheasant/quail hunters to CA within our state. What would the economic impact be for the state if each CA in the state could offer this hunting experience? These CA already have the habitat (could be better with some tweeks) - all they need are the birds!
I'm sure if the MDC were to read this they would have a cow. They have already shown us that habitat by itself is not the answer. How are there trout to catch in all the springs? Hatcheries. Hatcheries also raise pheasants and quail. Let's create a chapter that is truly for putting quail and pheasants for the PUBLIC to hunt.
Just looking for feedback from you and like minded hunters.
