Where have the quail gone?

Jakeismydog2 said:
We had the same experience on opening day. We found quail... but they were not in the usual areas we find them.

BTW went to hunt Fort Riley yesterday for the first time. That place is huge, I did not see a bird. Talked to a few hunters no one was having any luck either. We hunted draws and plum thickets to no avail.
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You need to be really careful hunting with a dog on Fort Riley. There is a fair amount of Concertina wire left out in the training areas.

It will cut a dog to pieces.
 
In tough birds years like this (summer 2011) where cities like Amarillo, Oklahoma City, Dodge City and Wichita all had all time high temps. this summer, close to or over 114 degrees and many many days well over the 100 degree mark.

What we need is a non-lethal "stun-gun" so to speak for the quail and pheasants. Follow me on this, Bass fisherman spend a great deal of money on boating and fishing equipment just to throw the nice fish back into the water. They throw the fish back into the water so they can fish another day.

This gun could send out some type of strong electron beam that knocks the quail or pheasant down to the ground unconscious for 5 minutes or so (train the dog to have a soft mouth) take photos etc..
And the bird wakes up from the unconscious state, flies off and lives to reproduce another day.

Yes I know, I am dreaming and this is all science friction but 30 years ago we did not have GPS.
 
SetterNut said:
You need to be really careful hunting with a dog on Fort Riley. There is a fair amount of Concertina wire left out in the training areas.

It will cut a dog to pieces.
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I can attest to that. Riley took 35 stitches in his leg. I've never seen a cleaner cut. Sliced him down to the bone.
 
In tough birds years like this (summer 2011) where cities like Amarillo, Oklahoma City, Dodge City and Wichita all had all time high temps. this summer, close to or over 114 degrees and many many days well over the 100 degree mark.

What we need is a non-lethal "stun-gun" so to speak for the quail and pheasants. Follow me on this, Bass fisherman spend a great deal of money on boating and fishing equipment just to throw the nice fish back into the water. They throw the fish back into the water so they can fish another day.

This gun could send out some type of strong electron beam that knocks the quail or pheasant down to the ground unconscious for 5 minutes or so (train the dog to have a soft mouth) take photos etc..
And the bird wakes up from the unconscious state, flies off and lives to reproduce another day.

Yes I know, I am dreaming and this is all science friction but 30 years ago we did not have GPS.
 
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westksbowhunter said:
That does not make 90% of the people right. I actually used to live down there so I do know the area. So I do know more about that area than you do. It is in a serious drought. Those birds need all the help they can get. Quail have been quite fragile for a long time. More so in that area than anywhere else in the state. I will actually be traveling through Wichita in a couple of weeks if you would like to discuss this in person. I would love too.

Oh, I did not lecture. Just asked a question. You made it about the money.
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I know were you hail from. I never have hunted " around Shields " , WIHA , Private, irrigated , non-irrigated nothing. I'm 45 years removed from Ness County, have family in Dighton, Ness City, Bazine, Alexander, etc. I understand the current conditions. They are the same across the state. If we don't want to affect the population , sell the dogs , sell the guns , and park it on the couch. Anytime you move birds, whether it be 10 or 2 you expose those birds to risks. Predation, exposure etc. I have yet to join the moral minority, but I do sleep at night.
 
SetterNut said:
The quail are in the areas somewhere. But I normally find them in the draws and plum thickets. They just are not there.

I am wondering if they have moved into some of the taller trees, I don't know where else they could have gone within 1/4 mile.
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Setter Nut,

A few years back down here in Oklahoma the Quail moved from traditional areas such as plum thickets and draws. They moved into heavier timber cover and bordering creek beds. One could easily suggest an increase in Predator pressure on these birds, but I do know that the drastic increase in the local Feral Hog population contributed to some of these movements. Feral Hogs love plum thickets which has been the Motel 6 for Quail for many years. I hope that he feral hogs have not made it up your way to the extent of what we saw here in Oklahoma. I’m sure Prairie Drifter could elaborate on some of the changes.
 
BrownDogsCan2 said:
I know were you hail from. I never have hunted " around Shields " , WIHA , Private, irrigated , non-irrigated nothing. I'm 45 years removed from Ness County, have family in Dighton, Ness City, Bazine, Alexander, etc. I understand the current conditions. They are the same across the state. If we don't want to affect the population , sell the dogs , sell the guns , and park it on the couch. Anytime you move birds, whether it be 10 or 2 you expose those birds to risks. Predation, exposure etc. I have yet to join the moral minority, but I do sleep at night.
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Not the same across the state. The NW corner had a ton of moisture. Much more than the average. Have had 8 inches of snow already and several rains in October and November. We had a period this summer of 10 straight days of rain.
 
OKIEGunner said:
Setter Nut,

A few years back down here in Oklahoma the Quail moved from traditional areas such as plum thickets and draws. They moved into heavier timber cover and bordering creek beds. One could easily suggest an increase in Predator pressure on these birds, but I do know that the drastic increase in the local Feral Hog population contributed to some of these movements. Feral Hogs love plum thickets which has been the Motel 6 for Quail for many years. I hope that he feral hogs have not made it up your way to the extent of what we saw here in Oklahoma. I’m sure Prairie Drifter could elaborate on some of the changes.
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OKIEGunner - Off subject a bit, but I noticed that you were from Meers (I've had a Meers Burger a time or two) and noted that you mentioned hogs. Since you are from that area, I was curious to know if the hogs have had any impact on the refuge?
 
OKIEGunner said:
Setter Nut,

A few years back down here in Oklahoma the Quail moved from traditional areas such as plum thickets and draws. They moved into heavier timber cover and bordering creek beds. One could easily suggest an increase in Predator pressure on these birds, but I do know that the drastic increase in the local Feral Hog population contributed to some of these movements. Feral Hogs love plum thickets which has been the Motel 6 for Quail for many years. I hope that he feral hogs have not made it up your way to the extent of what we saw here in Oklahoma. I’m sure Prairie Drifter could elaborate on some of the changes.
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We don't have any hogs yet, but I did see an out of state truck with a Washington RedSkins bumper sticker, those may be worse :rolleyes:

I will find the little buggers, just like to narrow the search area.
 
Preston1 said:
What we need is a non-lethal "stun-gun" so to speak for the quail and pheasants. Follow me on this, Bass fisherman spend a great deal of money on boating and fishing equipment just to throw the nice fish back into the water. They throw the fish back into the water so they can fish another day.

This gun could send out some type of strong electron beam that knocks the quail or pheasant down to the ground unconscious for 5 minutes or so (train the dog to have a soft mouth) take photos etc..
And the bird wakes up from the unconscious state, flies off and lives to reproduce another day.

Yes I know, I am dreaming and this is all science friction but 30 years ago we did not have GPS.
Click to expand...

OR.... continue to harvest birds for the table when the population will allow it, and let them fly off unmolested when you hunt a large area and only move one small covey.

I would prefer having a picture of my dog on point. I hope the idea of stunning birds for photographs doesn't catch on.:cheers:
 
I am satisfied with a point now. Back in the 70's and 80's the quail hunting in SEK was second to none. I can remember alot of 10 and 12 covey days. No need for me to shoot them anymore. I will just enjoy seeing them flush.
 
OKIEGunner said:
Setter Nut,

A few years back down here in Oklahoma the Quail moved from traditional areas such as plum thickets and draws. They moved into heavier timber cover and bordering creek beds. One could easily suggest an increase in Predator pressure on these birds, but I do know that the drastic increase in the local Feral Hog population contributed to some of these movements. Feral Hogs love plum thickets which has been the Motel 6 for Quail for many years. I hope that he feral hogs have not made it up your way to the extent of what we saw here in Oklahoma. I’m sure Prairie Drifter could elaborate on some of the changes.
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Exactly and well said Sir. When I was a growing up in Muskogee, I could just walk through almost any field within 15 - 20 miles of my house and jump at least 2 or 3 pretty big coveys. Now they are gone. I live in Broken Arrow now, and wouldn't even waste my time trying to find a spot close to home, because they just aren't there. Okie, the more I read the more I realize exactly how important the habitat is. I used to find them in the thickets and draws, but I really beive that since they have moved into the trees, and just really thick stuff, that the ambush predators really have the advantage. You guys in KS will again experience high quail numbers because it seems EVERYONE there is committed to habitat. I wish it were like that here.
 
I hunted a couple of spots here in the Flint Hills that had been producing the past couple years. I usually visit each of these spots once/yr and see 3 or 4 coveys. We saw 1 covey of 15 birds. We experimented with V-John's "no-shoot" tactic and enjoyed it as much as we would've had we been shooting. I've never seen this land produce so few quail and I've walked those fields since I was 10 years old. Cattle were introduced in one of the locations. No significant changes have been made to the other area and it is large.
 
Got out for a short hunt with friends today. Only found 1 covey, in a place were we found 5 this time last season. :eek:
 
We put in a pretty full day of quail hunting again today. Ace put down 20 miles in some tough cover.

We found 1 covey, in a spot that I normally find 5-6. Then we went to one of my other best spots and found 4 quail spread out like they were feeding.

Man has this been tough. I was seeing birds here this summer, but they sure don't seem to be there now. :confused:
 
SetterNut,

I feel your pain:mad:
 
westksbowhunter said:
That does not make 90% of the people right. I actually used to live down there so I do know the area. So I do know more about that area than you do. It is in a serious drought. Those birds need all the help they can get. Quail have been quite fragile for a long time. More so in that area than anywhere else in the state. I will actually be traveling through Wichita in a couple of weeks if you would like to discuss this in person. I would love too.

Oh, I did not lecture. Just asked a question. You made it about the money.
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Thanks for the welcome into this newly found forum for me. I can see that this too is full of some asses that ride awfully tall on their horses. I apologize for shooting at your precious birds. I'll be sure to only post when I come home empty handed. :(
 
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