texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed, Trappernewt, casyoo
71987 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,413
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,764
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics536,986
Posts9,719,146
Members86,987
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? #7264847 08/23/18 01:41 AM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,284
S
scalebuster Offline OP
THF Trophy Hunter
OP Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
S
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,284
Is it just me or do you feel if CWD ran rampant through Texas it would be much easier to find a cheap year round Quail lease? It’s nothing I hope for and would hurt the economy, but a lot of places that had no deer 20 years ago would come back into play for the Quail hunters. Just a thought I’ve been having...

Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: scalebuster] #7264862 08/23/18 01:49 AM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown Offline
kind of a big deal
Offline
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
Originally Posted By: scalebuster
Is it just me or do you feel if CWD ran rampant through Texas it would be much easier to find a cheap year round Quail lease? It’s nothing I hope for and would hurt the economy, but a lot of places that had no deer 20 years ago would come back into play for the Quail hunters. Just a thought I’ve been having...


A lot of places that had quail 20 years ago don’t anymore. Be better off wishing for arial predator set back..


Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/gtgoh/mobile
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265024 08/23/18 04:57 AM
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,010
W
Western Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
W
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,010
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: scalebuster
Is it just me or do you feel if CWD ran rampant through Texas it would be much easier to find a cheap year round Quail lease? It’s nothing I hope for and would hurt the economy, but a lot of places that had no deer 20 years ago would come back into play for the Quail hunters. Just a thought I’ve been having...


A lot of places that had quail 20 years ago don’t anymore. Be better off wishing for arial predator set back..


Or better land/range management and less fire ants

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_1025.pdf


If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..

"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln

Dennis

Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: scalebuster] #7265047 08/23/18 08:39 AM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 27,091
N
Nogalus Prairie Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
N
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 27,091
Or good rains every year. Quail numbers made a comeback many (including me) thought was impossible a few years back - the only variable that changed was rainfall.

As for the OP’s question, who can really say? If deer went away, quail leases might simply rise in price in response to increased demand from erstwhile deer hunters who would then have to turn to other types of hunting.

Hopefully we will never have to find out.


Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: scalebuster] #7265128 08/23/18 12:48 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown Offline
kind of a big deal
Offline
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
Originally Posted By: Western
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: scalebuster
Is it just me or do you feel if CWD ran rampant through Texas it would be much easier to find a cheap year round Quail lease? It’s nothing I hope for and would hurt the economy, but a lot of places that had no deer 20 years ago would come back into play for the Quail hunters. Just a thought I’ve been having...


A lot of places that had quail 20 years ago don’t anymore. Be better off wishing for arial predator set back..


Or better land/range management and less fire ants

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_1025.pdf


We don’t have fire ants. Our quail populations have fallen off the charts. I can tell you that my quail and pheasant counts have gone down over last 30 years via hay/wheat/Milo/barely harvest, and aerial predators have sky rocketed. Combine predation with drought cycles and it’s a losing combo. I use to see an occasional hawk, last year I counted 32 on a quarter section of cut wheat.

Traditionally most great quail areas that were void of deer are heavier ag and higher desert locations.

The places still thriving with quail, have thick heavy cactus cover or thick canopy etc. two years ago I counted up to 20coveys(blues and bobs) on a 6 mile loop in Stx. Quail are thriving, that’s with heavy cattle stalking rates

Even plantations I’ve hunted in the Deep South. Excluding supplementation the Aerial predator was minimal due to grass and tree cover.

Just my thoughts. Habitat is huge but some traditional areas the habitat hasn’t really changed in last 30 years.


Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/gtgoh/mobile
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: scalebuster] #7265146 08/23/18 01:03 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
R
redchevy Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
So is it a predator problem or a habitat problem when the quail appear to all be getting picked of in a freshly harvested field?


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265255 08/23/18 02:57 PM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110,788
dogcatcher Online Content
THF Celebrity
Online Content
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110,788
The boll weevil eradication program was the culprit in our area. We always had a lot of quail until they started aerial spraying for boll weevils. Now that the massive spraying program has been discontinued, we are seeing an increase in the quail population along with the comeback of horny toads.


Combat Infantryman, the ultimate hunter where the prey shoots back.
_____________"Illegitimus non carborundum est"_______________

[Linked Image]
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: dogcatcher] #7265297 08/23/18 03:27 PM
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 13,591
1
1860.colt Online Content
emoji colt.45
Online Content
emoji colt.45
1
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 13,591
Originally Posted By: dogcatcher
The boll weevil eradication program was the culprit in our area. We always had a lot of quail until they started aerial spraying for boll weevils. Now that the massive spraying program has been discontinued, we are seeing an increase in the quail population along with the comeback of horny toads.

cheers Farmland here, they do tons of spraying. Does it affect d wildlife ? Call me a snowflake.
Pappy said it best :

Quote:
"Man does play a roll in global warming & wildlife."


just my 2cents
flag



i'm postaddic
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265332 08/23/18 04:05 PM
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,010
W
Western Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
W
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,010
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: Western
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: scalebuster
Is it just me or do you feel if CWD ran rampant through Texas it would be much easier to find a cheap year round Quail lease? It’s nothing I hope for and would hurt the economy, but a lot of places that had no deer 20 years ago would come back into play for the Quail hunters. Just a thought I’ve been having...


A lot of places that had quail 20 years ago don’t anymore. Be better off wishing for arial predator set back..


Or better land/range management and less fire ants

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_1025.pdf


We don’t have fire ants. Our quail populations have fallen off the charts. I can tell you that my quail and pheasant counts have gone down over last 30 years via hay/wheat/Milo/barely harvest, and aerial predators have sky rocketed. Combine predation with drought cycles and it’s a losing combo. I use to see an occasional hawk, last year I counted 32 on a quarter section of cut wheat.

Traditionally most great quail areas that were void of deer are heavier ag and higher desert locations.

The places still thriving with quail, have thick heavy cactus cover or thick canopy etc. two years ago I counted up to 20coveys(blues and bobs) on a 6 mile loop in Stx. Quail are thriving, that’s with heavy cattle stalking rates

Even plantations I’ve hunted in the Deep South. Excluding supplementation the Aerial predator was minimal due to grass and tree cover.

Just my thoughts. Habitat is huge but some traditional areas the habitat hasn’t really changed in last 30 years.


Can't say that can be a problem, but that cycle has gone on since time began, I have seen the same thing when baling hay, almost looks like seagulls behind the tractor for the hawks, but have never seen one get a quail, the quail usually bust out in front of the tractor and fly to a covered edge/fence line.

Where you open minded enough to read the link I posted above? I agree with the premise that land use change, management along with many other natural conditions probably effect quail. Take land management by us out of the equation and you end up with rouge fires cleaning and rejuvenating the landscape, natural rise and fall of predated and predator numbers. Now add the loss of many small farms being worked state wide. Just seems like a bad cocktail for quail from many angles imo.

Around 15 years ago, I hunted a lease in Sterling Co, more blues than I have ever seen and tons of BW, like you said, there where thick pockets of cactus, few trees that where in pockets and this rancher ran cows and sheep, so it had it's fair share of pressure. He rotated religiously tho, supplemented with cotton bales along with tons of oil pads. He also made ground water troughs for birds at all the windmill stations kept full by the overflow tank and cattle troughs. Had awesome deer and some antelope as well, about 40k acres iirc.


If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..

"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln

Dennis

Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: scalebuster] #7265494 08/23/18 07:22 PM
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,156
S
Smokey Bear Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
S
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,156
Habitat loss is the biggest culprit. Followed by weather and eye mites. A lot of native grass has been converted to improved pasture that is too thick for a quail to navigate. Add to that a tougher economy prompting many to spray fence lines and clean up isolated patches of feral cover to support as many animals per acre as feasible. I was amazed though to see the quail flourish in areas with suitable habitat with a couple years of wet weather. Eternally hopeful for another cycle of above average rainfall through the spring and summer....


Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: redchevy] #7265532 08/23/18 08:11 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown Offline
kind of a big deal
Offline
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
Originally Posted By: redchevy
So is it a predator problem or a habitat problem when the quail appear to all be getting picked of in a freshly harvested field?


They don’t get picked off in a harvested field, they don’t remain. You can count them taking flight as you cut. They fly over to range or CRP. It’s simpley a food rich source that’s good at concentrating birds for counts.

As with any kind of vegetation disturbance, the same fields are a good place to get aerial predator counts because they concentrate on all the combine and swather kills/revealing of mice, rats, snakes, Darwin Award birds.

Any other questions?


Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/gtgoh/mobile
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265538 08/23/18 08:19 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
S
stxranchman Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: Western
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: scalebuster
Is it just me or do you feel if CWD ran rampant through Texas it would be much easier to find a cheap year round Quail lease? It’s nothing I hope for and would hurt the economy, but a lot of places that had no deer 20 years ago would come back into play for the Quail hunters. Just a thought I’ve been having...


A lot of places that had quail 20 years ago don’t anymore. Be better off wishing for arial predator set back..


Or better land/range management and less fire ants

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_1025.pdf


We don’t have fire ants. Our quail populations have fallen off the charts. I can tell you that my quail and pheasant counts have gone down over last 30 years via hay/wheat/Milo/barely harvest, and aerial predators have sky rocketed. Combine predation with drought cycles and it’s a losing combo. I use to see an occasional hawk, last year I counted 32 on a quarter section of cut wheat.

Traditionally most great quail areas that were void of deer are heavier ag and higher desert locations.

The places still thriving with quail, have thick heavy cactus cover or thick canopy etc. two years ago I counted up to 20coveys(blues and bobs) on a 6 mile loop in Stx. Quail are thriving, that’s with heavy cattle stalking rates

Even plantations I’ve hunted in the Deep South. Excluding supplementation the Aerial predator was minimal due to grass and tree cover.

Just my thoughts. Habitat is huge but some traditional areas the habitat hasn’t really changed in last 30 years.

Look at how your farming practices have changed today from years before you time. There has been a change in farming practices to a more efficient and profitable way of farming over the past 40 yrs now. Crops took a bit longer to mature back then and the fields were not sprayed or plowed under as quickly. A cultivator was used vs. a spray rig. Lot of weeds and grasses made it to maturity to produce seeds. Lot of field edges were either old growth fencelines or drainages, both habitat and cover. In my areas of South Texas those were all bulldozed and rootplowed for extra acreage to plant or the worst drainages put into improved grasses...aka waterways. The habitat, like posted above has changed in South Texas for Bobwhites in that there is more KR Bluestem and introduced grasses than 50 yrs ago. Timely rainfall trumps a lot of issues that man created. The Blue Quail population in South Texas has flourished, IMO due to several things. Water has increased but not nearly as much as no grazing and the addition of year round feeders. Just look at the number of protein feeders and then number of corn feeders that run year round. Throw in road feeding for deer from Sept till end of Feb. and quail are supplemented year round. Add in mast crops from growth of browse plants due to grazing practices in the past 30 yrs and you have a buffet of food sources for Blue Quail. On ranches that use mechanical habitat practices you see a return of grasses and weeds, you then see a jump in numbers of Bobwhite Quail in those areas. Bobwhites will use the feeders and water sources also but not as much as the Blue Quail. This all is just my opinion, right or wrong.


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265542 08/23/18 08:21 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
S
stxranchman Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: redchevy
So is it a predator problem or a habitat problem when the quail appear to all be getting picked of in a freshly harvested field?


They don’t get picked off in a harvested field, they don’t remain. You can count them taking flight as you cut. They fly over to range or CRP. It’s simpley a food rich source that’s good at concentrating birds for counts.

As with any kind of vegetation disturbance, the same fields are a good place to get aerial predator counts because they concentrate on all the combine and swather kills/revealing of mice, rats, snakes, Darwin Award birds.

Any other questions?

Why then were there more aerial predators in the 50 and 60's than today? popcorn


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: Western] #7265545 08/23/18 08:26 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown Offline
kind of a big deal
Offline
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
Originally Posted By: western




Or better land/range management and less fire ants

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000

Can't say that can be a problem, but that cycle has gone on since time began, I have seen the same thing when baling hay, almost looks like seagulls behind the tractor for the hawks, but have never seen one get a quail, the quail usually bust out in front of the tractor and fly to a covered edge/fence line.

Where you open minded enough to read the link I posted above? I agree with the premise that land use change, management along with many other natural conditions probably effect quail. Take land management by us out of the equation and you end up with rouge fires cleaning and rejuvenating the landscape, natural rise and fall of predated and predator numbers. Now add the loss of many small farms being worked state wide. Just seems like a bad cocktail for quail from many angles imo.

Around 15 years ago, I hunted a lease in Sterling Co, more blues than I have ever seen and tons of BW, like you said, there where thick pockets of cactus, few trees that where in pockets and this rancher ran cows and sheep, so it had it's fair share of pressure. He rotated religiously tho, supplemented with cotton bales along with tons of oil pads. He also made ground water troughs for birds at all the windmill stations kept full by the overflow tank and cattle troughs. Had awesome deer and some antelope as well, about 40k acres iirc.

[/quote]
Habitat change is “a” cause with out a doubt, Bermuda ain’t cool, neither are carpet type stocking rates. With that said I can tell you that in 30 plus years the habitat hasn’t changed on our place. Same native grasses, same old homesteads, fence rows, and same rotational planting schedules. The single biggest thing I have seen is the exponential increase in aerial predators. I also don’t see the same amount of snakes or rabbits as I use to either.








Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/gtgoh/mobile
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: stxranchman] #7265548 08/23/18 08:31 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown Offline
kind of a big deal
Offline
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: redchevy
So is it a predator problem or a habitat problem when the quail appear to all be getting picked of in a freshly harvested field?


They don’t get picked off in a harvested field, they don’t remain. You can count them taking flight as you cut. They fly over to range or CRP. It’s simpley a food rich source that’s good at concentrating birds for counts.

As with any kind of vegetation disturbance, the same fields are a good place to get aerial predator counts because they concentrate on all the combine and swather kills/revealing of mice, rats, snakes, Darwin Award birds.

Any other questions?

Why then were there more aerial predators in the 50 and 60's than today? popcorn


I don’t have a 50’s recollection, but from verbal stories our area of the high plains didn’t have much a tolerance there for populations where then. Same place that didn’t tolerate deer much either.


Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/gtgoh/mobile
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265560 08/23/18 08:42 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
S
stxranchman Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: western




Or better land/range management and less fire ants

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000

Can't say that can be a problem, but that cycle has gone on since time began, I have seen the same thing when baling hay, almost looks like seagulls behind the tractor for the hawks, but have never seen one get a quail, the quail usually bust out in front of the tractor and fly to a covered edge/fence line.

Where you open minded enough to read the link I posted above? I agree with the premise that land use change, management along with many other natural conditions probably effect quail. Take land management by us out of the equation and you end up with rouge fires cleaning and rejuvenating the landscape, natural rise and fall of predated and predator numbers. Now add the loss of many small farms being worked state wide. Just seems like a bad cocktail for quail from many angles imo.

Around 15 years ago, I hunted a lease in Sterling Co, more blues than I have ever seen and tons of BW, like you said, there where thick pockets of cactus, few trees that where in pockets and this rancher ran cows and sheep, so it had it's fair share of pressure. He rotated religiously tho, supplemented with cotton bales along with tons of oil pads. He also made ground water troughs for birds at all the windmill stations kept full by the overflow tank and cattle troughs. Had awesome deer and some antelope as well, about 40k acres iirc.


Habitat change is “a” cause with out a doubt, Bermuda ain’t cool, neither are carpet type stocking rates. With that said I can tell you that in 30 plus years the habitat hasn’t changed on our place. Same native grasses, same old homesteads, fence rows, and same rotational planting schedules. The single biggest thing I have seen is the exponential increase in aerial predators. I also don’t see the same amount of snakes or rabbits as I use to either.






[/quote]
But your farming practices have changed in the last 30 yrs. You are now no-tilling a lot of ground and using chemicals to kill weeds in crops. Over 30 yrs ago that was not the common practice. A lot of crops are planted later and harvest sooner with new seed varities. In Kansas, I hunted with a guy for whitetail who was big in the Pheasants Forever in NW Kansas. He told of how when he grew up that the farming practices were much different up his area back then than today. He said that for the most part there are no old "fence rows between field edges...just plowed ground. Corn prices a few years ago saw acres and acres of CRP and highly erodable habitat plowed under to plant corn...I saw this first hand while I hunted there for 4 yrs. He listed several practices that had changed in the past and now the quail have gone with it. A lot of it has to do with lack of rain and the lack of any dryland crops due to that I will agree. There is still a lot of CRP but it is not burned when it is needed. Some is so thick and tall I could not walk it.


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: scalebuster] #7265566 08/23/18 08:48 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown Offline
kind of a big deal
Offline
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Look at how your farming practices have changed today from years before you time. There has been a change in farming practices to a more efficient and profitable way of farming over the past 40 yrs now. Crops took a bit longer to mature back then and the fields were not sprayed or plowed under as quickly. A cultivator was used vs. a spray rig. Lot of weeds and grasses made it to maturity to produce seeds. Lot of field edges were either old growth fencelines or drainages, both habitat and cover. In my areas of South Texas those were all bulldozed and rootplowed for extra acreage to plant or the worst drainages put into improved grasses...aka waterways. The habitat, like posted above has changed in South Texas for Bobwhites in that there is more KR Bluestem and introduced grasses than 50 yrs ago. Timely rainfall trumps a lot of issues that man created. The Blue Quail population in South Texas has flourished, IMO due to several things. Water has increased but not nearly as much as no grazing and the addition of year round feeders. Just look at the number of protein feeders and then number of corn feeders that run year round. Throw in road feeding for deer from Sept till end of Feb. and quail are supplemented year round. Add in mast crops from growth of browse plants due to grazing practices in the past 30 yrs and you have a buffet of food sources for Blue Quail. On ranches that use mechanical habitat practices you see a return of grasses and weeds, you then see a jump in numbers of Bobwhite Quail in those areas. Bobwhites will use the feeders and water sources also but not as much as the Blue Quail. This all is just my opinion, right or wrong.


Farming practices change more on efficiency of output, more so then habitat. Up until two years ago most crop circles had thier corners in CRP,

You go swath the grassed roll chopped areas of STX, and keep it short, and continue or increase supplementing and I bet populations drop due to aerial predator efficiency

Buddies ranch in Mason is another perfect example, habitat hasn’t change on that ranch(no cedar). best thing for that quail habitat was drought because it lowered cattle stocking rates next year. Grass height exploded and so did quail numbers.

I personally believe aerial predators are a major issue. In turn when you toss in habitat changes you just increase thier efficiency


Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/gtgoh/mobile
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265572 08/23/18 08:54 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
S
stxranchman Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: redchevy
So is it a predator problem or a habitat problem when the quail appear to all be getting picked of in a freshly harvested field?


They don’t get picked off in a harvested field, they don’t remain. You can count them taking flight as you cut. They fly over to range or CRP. It’s simpley a food rich source that’s good at concentrating birds for counts.

As with any kind of vegetation disturbance, the same fields are a good place to get aerial predator counts because they concentrate on all the combine and swather kills/revealing of mice, rats, snakes, Darwin Award birds.

Any other questions?

Why then were there more aerial predators in the 50 and 60's than today? popcorn


I don’t have a 50’s recollection, but from verbal stories our area of the high plains didn’t have much a tolerance there for populations where then. Same place that didn’t tolerate deer much either.


This places was shredded annually and stock with cattle lightly to allow the native grasses to thrive. Cattle numbers were kept in check so they did not ever have to buy hay. Drought and to high cattle numbers caused the brush to explode in the last 20 yrs on my place here I live on. I am letting mine turn back to dense cover but still have hunt-able quail numbers. In years of timely rains the quail numbers are even higher than in the off years. My place in Live Oak county is in area that had tremendous Bobwhite numbers and even Blue Quail numbers up until the early 90's. Really unbelievable numbers in the 60's. What changed from the late 60's to early 90's? A population of older farmers and years of drought left them to turn farmland into coastal pastures. Root plowing and coastal was the rage back then. Fencelines and drainages were were bulldozed, planted in coastal and new fences went up. Fencelines and grass pastures were sprayed annually to keep brush/weeds down. Grazing was king. The aerial predators were very high into the 80's when I still hunted that area yearly for quail. There are less avian predators today there than here on my land in Goliad County than back then in Live Oak. Both now have the same amount of cover but the difference is here is the type of grasses are different. Less KR Bluestem here and more bunch grasses. Nesting cover here and not much in Live Oak. More fire ants here also but they are in Live Oak County. Hogs numbers on both places but I work on them more here since I live here. I work on coons on both places. 2cents


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265574 08/23/18 08:56 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
S
stxranchman Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Look at how your farming practices have changed today from years before you time. There has been a change in farming practices to a more efficient and profitable way of farming over the past 40 yrs now. Crops took a bit longer to mature back then and the fields were not sprayed or plowed under as quickly. A cultivator was used vs. a spray rig. Lot of weeds and grasses made it to maturity to produce seeds. Lot of field edges were either old growth fencelines or drainages, both habitat and cover. In my areas of South Texas those were all bulldozed and rootplowed for extra acreage to plant or the worst drainages put into improved grasses...aka waterways. The habitat, like posted above has changed in South Texas for Bobwhites in that there is more KR Bluestem and introduced grasses than 50 yrs ago. Timely rainfall trumps a lot of issues that man created. The Blue Quail population in South Texas has flourished, IMO due to several things. Water has increased but not nearly as much as no grazing and the addition of year round feeders. Just look at the number of protein feeders and then number of corn feeders that run year round. Throw in road feeding for deer from Sept till end of Feb. and quail are supplemented year round. Add in mast crops from growth of browse plants due to grazing practices in the past 30 yrs and you have a buffet of food sources for Blue Quail. On ranches that use mechanical habitat practices you see a return of grasses and weeds, you then see a jump in numbers of Bobwhite Quail in those areas. Bobwhites will use the feeders and water sources also but not as much as the Blue Quail. This all is just my opinion, right or wrong.


Farming practices change more on efficiency of output, more so then habitat. Up until two years ago most crop circles had thier corners in CRP,

You go swath the grassed roll chopped areas of STX, and keep it short, and continue or increase supplementing and I bet populations drop due to aerial predator efficiency

Buddies ranch in Mason is another perfect example, habitat hasn’t change on that ranch(no cedar). best thing for that quail habitat was drought because it lowered cattle stocking rates next year. Grass height exploded and so did quail numbers.

I personally believe aerial predators are a major issue. In turn when you toss in habitat changes you just increase thier efficiency

There in lies your answer for the most part. Chemicals and shorter growing seasons have made them more efficient. Those are changes in the habitat....if you think about it.


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: scalebuster] #7265576 08/23/18 09:04 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
S
stxranchman Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
IMO CWD would not devastate a deer population, but it probably would pull the numbers down in select areas enough to cause deer quality to increase for a while. That alone would cause deer lease values to go higher IMO. Fewer hunters will pay more to hunt a quality place. That has been proven over the past 35 yrs now. CWD has not devastated deer numbers any areas where it has been found, some stated devastated the deer population much more than CWD did. IMO, I think the deer that survive CWD or any other disease will only build a stronger deer herd over time. Lack of management practices to control deer numbers probably does more to help populations decline in bad winters or droughts. Deer populations in many states and areas are higher today than they have ever been. A deer population can recover quickly when conditions are good. 2cents


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: stxranchman] #7265590 08/23/18 09:14 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown Offline
kind of a big deal
Offline
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
But your farming practices have changed in the last 30 yrs. You are now no-tilling a lot of ground and using chemicals to kill weeds in crops. Over 30 yrs ago that was not the common practice. A lot of crops are planted later and harvest sooner with new seed varities. In Kansas, I hunted with a guy for whitetail who was big in the Pheasants Forever in NW Kansas. He told of how when he grew up that the farming practices were much different up his area back then than today. He said that for the most part there are no old "fence rows between field edges...just plowed ground. Corn prices a few years ago saw acres and acres of CRP and highly erodable habitat plowed under to plant corn...I saw this first hand while I hunted there for 4 yrs. He listed several practices that had changed in the past and now the quail have gone with it. A lot of it has to do with lack of rain and the lack of any dryland crops due to that I will agree. There is still a lot of CRP but it is not burned when it is needed. Some is so thick and tall I could not walk it.


Corn ethanol was a very short window in grand scheme of things. No till doesn’t change habit, you are rolling over 5” wheat stub or cut 8” corn stalks. From an aerial predator stand point stubble doesn’t hide birds, snakes or mice... cultivation is a good source.

The mordern farm technology is more the effectiveness in new combine heads, seed varieties output, etc

Now if you want to talk about CRP management practices you would have some what of a point, but that’s in certain areas.

With that said per new CRP management regulations of cutting or grazing, we should see a exponential explosion in Quail...


Don’t compare quail to pheasants, pheasants are much hardier.


Short grass means more efficient aerial predators


Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/gtgoh/mobile
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: stxranchman] #7265600 08/23/18 09:19 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown Offline
kind of a big deal
Offline
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Look at how your farming practices have changed today from years before you time. There has been a change in farming practices to a more efficient and profitable way of farming over the past 40 yrs now. Crops took a bit longer to mature back then and the fields were not sprayed or plowed under as quickly. A cultivator was used vs. a spray rig. Lot of weeds and grasses made it to maturity to produce seeds. Lot of field edges were either old growth fencelines or drainages, both habitat and cover. In my areas of South Texas those were all bulldozed and rootplowed for extra acreage to plant or the worst drainages put into improved grasses...aka waterways. The habitat, like posted above has changed in South Texas for Bobwhites in that there is more KR Bluestem and introduced grasses than 50 yrs ago. Timely rainfall trumps a lot of issues that man created. The Blue Quail population in South Texas has flourished, IMO due to several things. Water has increased but not nearly as much as no grazing and the addition of year round feeders. Just look at the number of protein feeders and then number of corn feeders that run year round. Throw in road feeding for deer from Sept till end of Feb. and quail are supplemented year round. Add in mast crops from growth of browse plants due to grazing practices in the past 30 yrs and you have a buffet of food sources for Blue Quail. On ranches that use mechanical habitat practices you see a return of grasses and weeds, you then see a jump in numbers of Bobwhite Quail in those areas. Bobwhites will use the feeders and water sources also but not as much as the Blue Quail. This all is just my opinion, right or wrong.


Farming practices change more on efficiency of output, more so then habitat. Up until two years ago most crop circles had thier corners in CRP,

You go swath the grassed roll chopped areas of STX, and keep it short, and continue or increase supplementing and I bet populations drop due to aerial predator efficiency

Buddies ranch in Mason is another perfect example, habitat hasn’t change on that ranch(no cedar). best thing for that quail habitat was drought because it lowered cattle stocking rates next year. Grass height exploded and so did quail numbers.

I personally believe aerial predators are a major issue. In turn when you toss in habitat changes you just increase thier efficiency

There in lies your answer for the most part. Chemicals and shorter growing seasons have made them more efficient. Those are changes in the habitat....if you think about it.


No, essentially tilled acreage is the same, growing season is the same. the increase output is from efficiency in collecting, and seed varieties. I Don’t care how great John Deere claims those heads are they will always leave more grain on the ground then what can be consumed by gamebirds

Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: stxranchman] #7265615 08/23/18 09:28 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
BOBO the Clown Offline
kind of a big deal
Offline
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,262
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
IMO CWD would not devastate a deer population, but it probably would pull the numbers down in select areas enough to cause deer quality to increase for a while. That alone would cause deer lease values to go higher IMO. Fewer hunters will pay more to hunt a quality place. That has been proven over the past 35 yrs now. CWD has not devastated deer numbers any areas where it has been found, some stated devastated the deer population much more than CWD did. IMO, I think the deer that survive CWD or any other disease will only build a stronger deer herd over time. Lack of management practices to control deer numbers probably does more to help populations decline in bad winters or droughts. Deer populations in many states and areas are higher today than they have ever been. A deer population can recover quickly when conditions are good. 2cents


100% agree on this


Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/gtgoh/mobile
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265616 08/23/18 09:32 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
S
stxranchman Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Look at how your farming practices have changed today from years before you time. There has been a change in farming practices to a more efficient and profitable way of farming over the past 40 yrs now. Crops took a bit longer to mature back then and the fields were not sprayed or plowed under as quickly. A cultivator was used vs. a spray rig. Lot of weeds and grasses made it to maturity to produce seeds. Lot of field edges were either old growth fencelines or drainages, both habitat and cover. In my areas of South Texas those were all bulldozed and rootplowed for extra acreage to plant or the worst drainages put into improved grasses...aka waterways. The habitat, like posted above has changed in South Texas for Bobwhites in that there is more KR Bluestem and introduced grasses than 50 yrs ago. Timely rainfall trumps a lot of issues that man created. The Blue Quail population in South Texas has flourished, IMO due to several things. Water has increased but not nearly as much as no grazing and the addition of year round feeders. Just look at the number of protein feeders and then number of corn feeders that run year round. Throw in road feeding for deer from Sept till end of Feb. and quail are supplemented year round. Add in mast crops from growth of browse plants due to grazing practices in the past 30 yrs and you have a buffet of food sources for Blue Quail. On ranches that use mechanical habitat practices you see a return of grasses and weeds, you then see a jump in numbers of Bobwhite Quail in those areas. Bobwhites will use the feeders and water sources also but not as much as the Blue Quail. This all is just my opinion, right or wrong.


Farming practices change more on efficiency of output, more so then habitat. Up until two years ago most crop circles had thier corners in CRP,

You go swath the grassed roll chopped areas of STX, and keep it short, and continue or increase supplementing and I bet populations drop due to aerial predator efficiency

Buddies ranch in Mason is another perfect example, habitat hasn’t change on that ranch(no cedar). best thing for that quail habitat was drought because it lowered cattle stocking rates next year. Grass height exploded and so did quail numbers.

I personally believe aerial predators are a major issue. In turn when you toss in habitat changes you just increase thier efficiency

There in lies your answer for the most part. Chemicals and shorter growing seasons have made them more efficient. Those are changes in the habitat....if you think about it.


No, essentially tilled acreage is the same, growing season is the same. the increase output is from efficiency in collecting, and seed varieties. I Don’t care how great John Deere claims those heads are they will always leave more grain on the ground then what can be consumed by gamebirds

But there are no fence rows or grasses/weeds left for the birds to hide in no matter how much grain is left. What happens the first rain after harvest to all that seed on the ground? Things have changed you stubborn German, you keep admitting it... hammer


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Chronic Wasting Disease and Quail Hunting???? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #7265618 08/23/18 09:33 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
S
stxranchman Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
But your farming practices have changed in the last 30 yrs. You are now no-tilling a lot of ground and using chemicals to kill weeds in crops. Over 30 yrs ago that was not the common practice. A lot of crops are planted later and harvest sooner with new seed varities. In Kansas, I hunted with a guy for whitetail who was big in the Pheasants Forever in NW Kansas. He told of how when he grew up that the farming practices were much different up his area back then than today. He said that for the most part there are no old "fence rows between field edges...just plowed ground. Corn prices a few years ago saw acres and acres of CRP and highly erodable habitat plowed under to plant corn...I saw this first hand while I hunted there for 4 yrs. He listed several practices that had changed in the past and now the quail have gone with it. A lot of it has to do with lack of rain and the lack of any dryland crops due to that I will agree. There is still a lot of CRP but it is not burned when it is needed. Some is so thick and tall I could not walk it.


Corn ethanol was a very short window in grand scheme of things. No till doesn’t change habit, you are rolling over 5” wheat stub or cut 8” corn stalks. From an aerial predator stand point stubble doesn’t hide birds, snakes or mice... cultivation is a good source.

The mordern farm technology is more the effectiveness in new combine heads, seed varieties output, etc

Now if you want to talk about CRP management practices you would have some what of a point, but that’s in certain areas.

With that said per new CRP management regulations of cutting or grazing, we should see a exponential explosion in Quail...


Don’t compare quail to pheasants, pheasants are much hardier.


Short grass means more efficient aerial predators

Read what I posted again very slooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwllllllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyy. hammer


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3