Quail relocation trap

Z

Zego

New member
Hello everyone,

I would be very grateful if there is someone who can share pictures and dimensions of bobwhite quail relocation traps, or traps for trapping wild bobwhites for research purposes. I am especially interested in the funnel system and dimensions aswell as dimensions of the whole trap. Of course also all the tips regarding trapping wild bobwhites for relocating purpose are really appreciated.

Thank you in advance and all the best,
 
Don't do it! Mortality rate won't be good. If you must, do not approach the trap until nightfall. They will kill their self-trying to get out. Don't ask me how I know.
 
birddude said:
Don't do it! Mortality rate won't be good. If you must, do not approach the trap until nightfall. They will kill their self-trying to get out. Don't ask me how I know.
Click to expand...
I have to do it. First bobwhites are 80 miles away and between them and my territory there is no appropriate land for them . They won't migrate on my land anytime soon, it's impossible. On my terittory there is prime habitat for them though, I just have to get them on that habitat.
Completely understand regarding the nightfall approach, they will damage their heads and kill themselves by jumping/fyling vertically if approached during daylight. Can you share some more info regarding the traps? Thank you.
 
Yes, we have them in Slovenia and they are also found in very nice numbers in Croatia and they are classified as a hunting bird. They were released 30-40 years ago by hunters on the Slovenia/Croatia border on the territory marked with the blue arrow and box on the picture down below. They are now found in very nice numbers in those parts, it's just that they do not migrate/spread because they are surrounded with not so optimal habitat so they have stayed mostly on the same territory for approx 30 years. On the picture down below I have marked with the red arrow where I live.

Bobwhite-location.jpg
 
I believe here where I live I have prime habitat for bobwhites. Please check video down below, there are small scale farmes who are doing rotational grazing with low intesity, so that the terrain is not destroyed/grazed to the soil. There are many small bushes and blackberry for cover, lots of different grasses and weeds which attract many insects, those grasses and weeds are not to dense for the chicks to move around, there are tons of different small seeds which will serve as a winter food. I am reagularly hunting predators so the numbers of predators are pretty low. I really believe that if I can get approx 40-50 wild quail on my ground, that they will survive and breed in the future and form new populations.



 
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Thank you, I have checked the PDF and their project. Unfortunately there is no info regarding traps and funnel dimensions used to successfuly trap wild bobwhites. Any picture of the traps and their dimensions are greatly appreciated :)
 
I’ve seen them trap on a you tube video, I think it was trapping for radio telemetry… I’ll see if I can hunt it up
 
Wow I had no idea. Looks good over there. I couldn't open Quai nerd's pdf. I learned this from an old timer that trapped them when he was a kid for food during the depression. Dig a trench 4-6 inches wide and about 18 inches long. Sloped it from down to about 7-8 inches deep. At the deep end place a piece of bord over the trench, leaving about a 3-inch hole. Place the trap over the deep end and stake it down. Use cracked corn for bait. Put some on the ground and make a trail down the trench and plenty in the cage. The birds will go down the trench and enter the cage but will not re-enter the hole straight down. You will need to check the trap frequently or a critter will get them all. Even an opossum will get them. I don't really remember the exact dimensions, but I think that's close. Remember, that if you or anything else approaches the cage, they'll kill themselves. So you will need to figure that out.
 
I've built similar traps for tame birds many times for years, we call them call back traps because you put a bird in it to call the rest to it. Never caught a wild bird in them.
 
Thank you all for the ideas and help, really appreaciated! I 've seen these cage recovery traps on the web, I just have some doubts that the wild quail would get in. Who knows, I will have to try and see.
 
Take an 8’ piece of hog or horse panel, cut it into 12”strips or convenient stay wire. Bend it into a circle and cover the circumference and top with 3/8” hardware cloth ( you may need some support on the top use a piece of the panel) build a door on the top near the edge of the circumference, leave bottom uncovered.
Dig a 4” by 4” about 3’ long trench in the area where you have a covey hanging out. Place a piece of plywood over the trench leaving each end open page enough for a quail to enter. Place the open bottom round trap over the plywood so that the opening inside the trap is near the center of the trap….

Sprinkle some grain around the trap and in the bottom of the trench leading to center of trap and make sure to sprinkle some inside the trap perimeter inside.

The quail will peck around the trap until they find your tunnel, enter come out in the center to the edges and will never go back to the center as they peck around the perimeter.

You may want to stake down the edges if you have hogs or predators around.

Haven’t built one in about 40 years but I’m sure the quail haven’t evolved too much since then😀
Make it t lower if your concerned about them hurting themselves so they can’t get airborne.

Just catch em through your top door and put em your transport boxes and transplant to your desired location.
 
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