Quail-Hoorah for Oklahoma!

O

oldandnew

Active member
I just saw a column on bobwhite quail in Shooting Sportsman issue#18. Despite the fact that many quail states have "thrown in the towel", on the species, Oklahoma is on the ball. This is a pitched battle, across the country. We need traction, rather than retreating, field by a field. It's been declared a focus of the Oklahoma wildlife department, with a "how to" book, to show you how, free upon the asking. When I grew up talking about a "bird", it was a quail. That's the only bird which counted. It's as american as apple pie. I want to see 10 coveys a day, of course pointed and backe Thanks, to the effort and foresight of Oklahoma, we may be on the way up!
 
Great post O&N!
Your right on target about traction and field by field efforts....
If the habitat is good on in a specific area or just on 1 farm......then the problems will continue for gentleman bob.
Here in Kentucky the KDFWR is doing a good job re-focusing on small game habitat and bring back the bob white. I was lucky enough to grow up on the prairies of Nebraska during then 70's and 80's......and birds were plentiful and 10+ covey days were the norm......bird numbers can rebound if proper detail to habitat and conservation are practiced. I sure hope birds rebound in OK as that was a Mecca for years......as was Kansas, MO and Nebraska....
I think this season will be pretty good in Kentucky, where good cover still exists....like the CREP. Last year we had several good days afield moving 4-6 coveys per hunt....on private land.
Please PM me for details and I would be glad to swap hunts in KS, MO or OK....
 
Well I can honesty say that we could be seeing a good rebound this year in our numbers. Education on habitat has been on a project that ODWC has done a good job in the past few years. Every little bit of habitat improvement helps, but in the end Mother Nature controls the biggest portion of sucessful recovery of the bobwhite quail.

Lets pray for two more years of good nesting conditions and I would bet there would be more out of state hunters looking hard at coming to Oklahoma for upland hunting.
 
I agree that it can be done with education. The place I hunt is all native post oak habitat with rolling hills and managed grazing. I have hunted it for 10 years now. There have been days that I have moved 6-8 coveys/day. They will respond to habitat. I have seen it. Obviously, it has been a rough few years, but if we can get two or three summers like this and mild winters, I'll be very happy.
 
We have some land in the family out around the Fay - Thomas area that used to have tons of quail in the 80's. Might have to make a road trip and do a Land Inspection with the dogs.
 
It really is amazing how they just seem to appear during the summer. I had three or four different males whistling at daylight this morning. I heard no whistling the last two summers.
 
Good news from okie. Glad to hear it. I hope you all have a great season this year and more in the future.:thumbsup:
 
I have seen quail a couple of different places on my way to the office in the last month. Maybe not scientific proof of a comeback but it's giving me a reason to hope.
 
I came down to OK this week due to some illness that came on suddenly in both my Aunt and Uncle.

Had to bring the dogs, but they are not getting much attention.
So I took them for a run yesterday afternoon at a WMA.

With the kind of cover that is in this area, there should be quail all over.
We did find one small group, which was good to see. I ran them for about 1.5 hours.
 
SetterNut said:
I came down to OK this week due to some illness that came on suddenly in both my Aunt and Uncle.

Had to bring the dogs, but they are not getting much attention.
So I took them for a run yesterday afternoon at a WMA.

With the kind of cover that is in this area, there should be quail all over.
We did find one small group, which was good to see. I ran them for about 1.5 hours.
Click to expand...

The NW did not get the timed rains like other parts of the State
 
Have not had a chance to get out yet. Usually don't get out much until around Christmas. Rancher still seeing lots of birds and I have a new pup to break in. Birds were whistling at my house this morning. Heard two different coveys sounding off. Can't say that I've heard that in a few years.
 
akp said:
I agree that it can be done with education. The place I hunt is all native post oak habitat with rolling hills and managed grazing. I have hunted it for 10 years now. There have been days that I have moved 6-8 coveys/day. They will respond to habitat. I have seen it. Obviously, it has been a rough few years, but if we can get two or three summers like this and mild winters, I'll be very happy.
Click to expand...

How many birds would be in those coveys? Usually?
 
only a pointer said:
How many birds would be in those coveys? Usually?
Click to expand...

That's simple, in Oklahoma when you have to take your boots off in order to count the number of Birds you saw fly off; then and only then, is it considered a Covey.
 
12+ Have seen smaller coveys and have seen several with well over 20 birds. I would say average around a dozen. Not sure about this year. Haven't been out yet.
 
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