Supplemental Feed for Quail


By James Cash, Texas A&M WFSC ‘17

Some people may see supplemental feed as their go-to fix for low quail populations. This is usually not the best strategy, especially if it is the only management technique being utilized. Quail populations, like all wildlife, are limited by a set of factors, of which one is most severe and is considered the limiting factor. These factors are water, food, cover, and space. In order to significantly improve a population, you must improve the factor that is most limiting. More information about limiting factors can be found in the blog post "Limiting Factors." In quail populations the limiting factor is usually cover, not food. If that is the case on your property then providing supplemental feed will have little positive benefits. A habitat appraisal conducted by a wildlife professional can determine what the limiting factor on your property is. If your property turns out to have great cover but is lacking in food sources then you have several options for providing supplemental feed. These include quail feeders, planted food plots, and strip disking.

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http://wild-wonderings.blogspot.com/2014/12/supplemental-feed-for-quail.html

Nice post and very good information.

I would encourage you to review the www.Quail-Tech.org website and its' supplemental feeding studies going back from the present to almost 5 years worth of data. Feed, but not feeders, is essential to healthy coveys especially during the mating/laying season. The covey counts also increase because of feed.

Bingo.

Problem with feeders, they attract predators also.