LONG........video but very interesting.

Clearly onto something.

Their podcast's wouldn't be so long if Steve didn't need to have to say something about everything.

Does his son have a website? Was Unclear.

Yes, it's his son who runs the website.

Cliff notes?

They blame a parasite for the decline in population and have created an FDA approved feed that helps kill the parasite thus resulting in healthier populations…feed is available at feed stores and takes a few years to make a difference.

While I agree parasites have taken a toll, I also blame farmers like me. The only natural enemy of the fire ant is the red ant. Red ant mounds could be huge and cut into hay production. We used to see red ant mounds ten feet across. We started effectively killing red ants in the mid to late 70's. You can track the northward march of the fire ant step by step with our attempted eradication of the red ant. That same time line coincides with quail decline. Probably just a coincidence. What do I know?

Hey all, I blame the fire ant problems here in central texas, Yes some red ants, but seldom
see those anymore, Is it pesticides or what? who knows. We used to have several covies of quail
around the Brenham TX area, not anymore.

Those memories were great when i was younger!

There are fire ants in South Texas. And it is also the quail Mecca of North America.

My son has had several around his has the past few years in Erath County. I don`t know if they were pen raised that were turned loose or what. I do know that they have survived for 2 years tough. I saw times 3 times last summer. I live 6 miles west of him and I`ve even seen a few pairs near us and heard them a few times.

Nice!

I haven't seen a quail in five years at my Coleman County farm, also haven't seen a turkey...

I have a breeding pair down here in Val Verde county. No chemicals used on my place, but that covey started with 8 chicks and the last time I saw them they were down to 4. We do put out feed for them too, but they are vastly outnumbered by other birds that get most of what we feed.

I have been seeing / hearing a few singles and a covey on the Real / Edwards county line. Shocked the hell out of me.

Gone from my place.

Always heard it was fire ants.

Last week I hunted a property that’s midway between Ozona and Pandale.
It held large coveys of bobs, and smaller ones of blues.
Some years there’s not hardly any quail there, but the last 2 years have been good.
The birds shot had been eating small acorns. The only oak trees on the place are in the very bottom.

BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

During 2000-2003, I worked for TPWD in District 7 (Coastal Prairie), and we trapped quail from Matagorda County for restocking efforts up around Brenham. I don't recall how many quail we caught, but plenty, less than 100. The ranch we trapped on, which I don't know the name of and wouldn't share if I did, you could have hopped from one side of that property to the other while your feet hit nothing but fire ant mounds. You would have flushed several coveys along the way.