Now that whitetail deer season is over, quail hunting will be very different than it used to be, but hunters will once again turn their attention to smaller game such as rabbits, squirrels and brown quail.
Small farm and home garden fences crisscrossed Alabama and the Southeast, and bobwhites flourished. Since large-scale farming became the norm and many families moved to cities and suburbs, quail habitat has declined significantly, and the number of wild bobwhites has also declined.
“Unfortunately, we can't turn back the clock to landscape-level habitats before 1970,” said Stephen Mitchell of the Alabama Department of Conservation's Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. “There are some private lands that manage wild bobwhites, but we need to intensively manage wild quail year-round. They have the resources to do it, and there are good populations there. When I say good population, I'm talking about points (dogs) per hour. Depending on the location, you might find 4-5 covey per hour. It's the old southern style of hunting with a wagon. So they're moving, and they have a few big running dogs. That way you can find the numbers per hunting hour. It can be done.
“However, in order to support this large number of wild birds, they have also put effort into improving their habitat.”
Mitchell, who recently replaced Brandon Earls as upland game bird coordinator, said WFF is working to improve quail habitat wherever possible in ADCNR wildlife management areas across the state.
“It's difficult to manage public areas just for quail,” Mitchell said. “While we have to manage multiple species, there are some areas that we consider “quail focus” areas where we manage with a focus on improving quail habitat. We continue to identify and expand our focus areas wherever possible. Although bobwhite densities remain low, some positive responses have been seen.
“We still have people who are very interested in quail hunting. Quail hunters are still finding a few birds on the WMA. Some people report finding them. Successful hunters attribute their success to weather and scent conditions. Colder days are better because quail movement increases to meet a high metabolic rate when temperatures are low. It has been reported that cool, humid days are also perfect for dogs to spot the scent of birds.”
One area of focus is the Boggy Hollow WMA in the Konek National Forest, which is jointly managed by WFF and the U.S. Forest Service. This area of the Konek National Forest is being converted to bobwhite habitat through selective thinning of timber and more frequent, smaller-scale prescribed burns. Thinning wood increases sunlight reaching the ground and encourages the growth of native grasses and wildflowers that provide food and nesting habitat for quail. Quail harvest at Boggy Hollow is limited, with a daily bag limit of four birds, and the season ended on February 10th, but private land quail season continues through February 29th.
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“We continue to work with the U.S. Forest Service regarding Boggy Hollow,” Mitchell said. “We're working to manipulate habitat management plans there to benefit quail. We've had some success, but quail densities are still low. Boggy Hollow Habitat has been improved through timber thinning, prescribed fire, and the establishment of wildlife entry points and early successional habitat.”
Mitchell went back to how the landscape of the Southeast has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. These changes are making it difficult for wild bobwhites to adapt.
“Small farms, rows of overgrown fences, and unproductive land left fallow defined the landscape at the time,” Mitchell says. “It was a different type of farming because it had rows of old fences and crude equipment compared to what we have today. It was patchwork farming, and it was everywhere. Those old fence rows, hedgerows, little fields. provided quail nesting, egg incubation, and refuge. It was an ideal habitat for quail. Clean farming changes everything. Fence rows become cleaner and farming goes from tree row to tree row. That's one of the reasons why quail habitat is declining throughout their range.
“Timber management has also changed over time to more short-term rotations. Closed-canopy pine forests do not provide habitat for quail. After planting, they provide some beneficial habitat. However, the canopy closes after a few years and provides shade as the trees grow vertically. It takes many more years before the first thinning occurs, which allows sunlight to reach the ground and supports quail growth. The environment improves. But once that canopy closes, the cover decreases again until the next thinning.”
The attitude of some landowners has also shifted from managing huntable quail populations to providing sufficient habitat for at least the sound of the coringa's distinctive call.
“We've gotten a few of those calls,” Mitchell said. “Some people from different places say, 'I haven't heard a quail here since I bought this place.' What can I do?' We provide a service that recommends what landowners should do. That doesn't mean they should keep quail, but we can help guide them in trying to improve the habitat.
“Typically, wood density is the starting point for most properties. Quail cover cannot grow without sunlight on the ground, so you need to open up that canopy. Quails spend their entire lives on the ground and their survival depends on having adequate ground cover available year-round. Quail cover terms include escape or wandering, nesting, and Includes nursery cover. We don't often touch on cover-type weeds, but the habitat component that is usually missing the most on the properties we visit is nursery cover. This is where adult quail grow. is the weedy area in which the chicks are raised. The brood cover provides overhead protection from predators and provides bare ground underneath, allowing the quail chicks to easily move in search of insects.”
Another important management practice is the use of fire to control burns, which improves habitat for a variety of birds and wildlife.
“You need proper burn planning,” Mitchell said. “Quails are called firebirds. Fire is the cheapest and most efficient tool for creating and maintaining quail habitat.”
The good news is that hunters can find numerous quail farms scattered throughout the state, with the greatest concentration in the Alabama Blackbelt region.visit www.alabamaquailtrail.com Check out our list of farms and lodges that offer fly-flight and pen-raised quail hunting.
For the 2022-2023 season, the total number of quail hunters in Alabama was 9,427. Of these, he hunted 2,700 wild quail and harvested just over 27,000. In all, hunters captured more than 370,000 birds, including quail farms with caged quail.
“For people who want to do a lot of shooting, hunting pen-raised birds is the path they have to go,” Mitchell said. “Wild birds can still be found in most of his WMAs, but be prepared to do a lot more foot work than gun work.”
For those who want to help monitor Alabama's quail population by reporting quail calls, Quail Forever and its partners have developed a “Bobscapes” mobile app that allows users to report hearing quail calls. Did. This app is then entered into a national database.
“Private landowners and public land users can play a leading role in future conservation efforts by helping to define the population distribution and abundance of brown quail across its range.” said Jessica McGuire, quail program manager at Quail Forever Wildlife Works. “It's an app (bobscapes.org) on your phone so that when you hear Bobwhite's voice, you can record it and it will be sent to us. The app asks citizens if they would like more information. If yes, it will connect us with them. A biologist may contact you if further information is needed, but your information will be kept private. ”
David Reiner is an award-winning author who has spent 25 years covering Alabama's great outdoors.Former outdoor eddieThor in mobile press registrationhe writes for Outdoor Alabama, the Alabama Department of State website. conservation and natural resources.
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