Some time in the field

bauerline

bauerline

Well-known member
Today (Sunday) I took the dogs out for a little run since it was nice out. They were glad to get out and stretch their legs a bit. They were able to get on a small group of 4 quail that have been out of the johnny house for a while. We also got a pair of hen pheasants up that have been on their own for quite a few months. I have been seeing a good number of hawks in the area but the birds seem to be doing well. In six months I know that only one quail got taken by some kind of predator. I'm suprised they are doing as well as they are. My wife also saw a rooster and hen in the morning next to a recently cut corn field. Here are a couple of pics I was able to take:
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Nittany on quail

I got a chance to use the new camera I got my wife for Christmas and used it on some of the quail:

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Getting the dogs out on these birds is the best I can do on a regular basis this time of year. I think I enjoy seeing the quail the most even though they are from a pen.
 
You are pretty lucky to have birds available that close to home, a great way to keep your dogs sharp.

That was a good idea to get your wife a new camera for Christmas...maybe next year you can get her a new shotgun!:laugh: LOL!
 
FCSpringer said:
Are these wild birds? Hard to believe they woud sit there like that and let you photograph them in the open.:coolpics:
Click to expand...

No, they are not wild. They have been in a johnny house since July and I let some out 1-2 times per week. I enlarged the pictures of the quail to get a better look at them. But they are doing well.

FLDBRED- My wife already wants a shotgun. She will shoot some clays over the summer and hunts at times when I go to a preserve. She always uses my Citori White Lightening and wants one of her own. But I'm not spending that much money on a gun she won't use a lot.
It is nice to have a place close to home to run the dogs with a chance to get on some birds even if I can't hunt in the late season. It's only a half mile from home.
 
The johnny house is in the middle of an almost 20 acre CREP field. It has switch grass and some food plots. Although the food plots got taken over but we are trying to get that taken care of. There is also sections of woods with some of that being a bit swampy. There is also a pond close by that you can see in the picture of Nittany. The area is surrounded by farm land that is mostly soy and corn. Those crops have been harvested so there is a lot of bare ground now. Here are some pictures of the area from the summer:
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Brian,

I am assuming the Johny House is on club property? How many acres? Do you think any of the adjoining farms would be receptive to the C.R.E.P. ?

You did a good job on those quail, they look real healthy!
 
Yes, the JH is on land that the club owns. About a year and a half ago the club bought some more land, around 65 acres. They now own about 160 acres. They lease around 60 acres of the new land to a farmer who had corn in this year. I think the plan is to lease to the farmer until they get the rest of the land paid off. It shouldn't be too much longer until it gets paid off. After that I think they are planning on doing something with the land. I'm not sure if they would enroll it in CREP or what. I think they want to see if there are any other options. The surrounding land is farmed for corn and soy. I don't think any of the farmers or land owners are interested in CREP. Some of the land is leased to a farmer and the rest is farmed by the land owner.

The quail are doing well. I hope a good number make it to spring. I'll let them all go, close up the JH and see what happens. It would be nice if they nest but I'm realistic about it and don't expect much.

FLDBRED- Have you been able to run your dogs lately? Do you know how the pheasants are holding up on your special areas?
 
I've only been able to do some yard work, there really isn't to much open land right by my house.

Those pheasants are doing real well with this mild weather so far, let's hope it continues and we get a good spring.
 
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