Sure hope it's a sign that the population is rebounding!
Saw several this weekend around the eufaula area. Thought to myself that it's been a long time since I've seen any quail. Maybe they are starting to make a come-back.
That's great news. Hoping it means they are making a come back.
I've seen more than in the last couple of years. Sorry to to a pessimist on this, but after that drought we have a long way to get back to good quail seasons. Some of our best quail producing areas are still in severe drought conditions.
A few years ago, we bought/built a couple of quail surrogators and put them out. Had to drill a few wells and put solar pumps in for water, and planted way too many acres of milo, millet, and sunflowers on crp/fence rows to not be harvested... but it has paid off for us. We're sustaining enough quail for a thanksgiving hunt and feast every year for a few different families. Just kind of wish we didn't do it in SW OK, it's too dang dry the last three years, and almost too far to drive for tasty quail.
Beyond the surrogator/farm raising them, they just can't be found anymore down where I'm from. We used to catch a six person daily limit on 80 acres, but we walked some old really hot spots two or three years ago (1500+ acres) and didn't find a single covey. Dang deer have brought in the predators, wheat has driven out prime feed, and the rains just won't refill the water sources.
Beyond the surrogator/farm raising them, they just can't be found anymore down where I'm from. We used to catch a six person daily limit on 80 acres, but we walked some old really hot spots two or three years ago (1500+ acres) and didn't find a single covey. Dang deer have brought in the predators, wheat has driven out prime feed, and the rains just won't refill the water sources.
I learned many years ago to not put out quail feeders.
They are magnets for predators.
They are magnets for predators.
I'd like to see quail come back. I still have about three coveys, but I haven't shot a quail in years. They're an endangered species on my little piece of ground. It's legal to shoot a quail in Ignorant Bend, but you better hope I'm not the one to catch you.
The best quail hunting I'd seen was around Ft. Supply..........that was until I hunted with a couple of friend down by Gould, those were incredible. Almost like somebody had gone out and preplanted a couple dozen large coveys. Wasnt like that the last time we went though, about ten years ago.
Near feeders of any type are high on my list of bobcat trap locations, especially if there is heavy cover close to the feeder.
