mwood
Green Horn
Reged: 05/18/08
Posts: 1
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All,
I am brand new to the forum, but have a serious inquiry. I just bought 1300 acres near Menard texas, and would like to improve the quail population and habitat. I have read a few papers on the habitat, and could buy birds as well, but would like to know what the recommendations of the experts on the forum think.
thanks,
MW
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reeltexan
Woodsman
Reged: 01/30/07
Posts: 158
Loc: red oak - TEXAS
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Seems to me that two of the best contacts here would be gr_elliott or cool_hand. Both have helped me with info in the past. I would suggest you PM them with your questions. Hope this helps and best of luck.
dp.
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There are quail, there are bird dogs, there are shotguns. It's too perfect to be random.
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jeh7mmmag
Pro Tracker
Reged: 11/01/04
Posts: 1665
Loc: Colleyville, DFW, TX
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This should help you find some help.
http://tceblogs.tamu.edu/mt/quail/dale-rollins/2005/01/
http://mdc.mo.gov/manag/quail2/quail.html
http://www.quailrestoration.com/
http://teamquail.tamu.edu/publications.htm
http://www.noble.org/Ag/Wildlife/WhereQuail/Index.htm
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http://mypva.org/home.html
CVT-16 USS LEX BLUE GHOST CATS
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kyotee1
Pro Tracker
Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 1686
Loc: Coyotehill, TX
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Contact Gilbert Guzman, Wildlife Biologist at (325) 446-3617...he's your wildlife biologist for Menard County and can recommend what you can do to assist the population and habitat through several management practices.
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Acuna
Light Foot
Reged: 06/29/05
Posts: 44
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Quail are SPOTTY around Mendard. Buddy of mine has a section out by Ft. McKavett. He has quail, but you dont always see them. You will see more deer and turkeys than quail. If you run milo in your deer feeders you will probably have a covey that will come in and hang around the feeder. This is good and bad- Good you are feeding quail (and turkeys) and so you tend to maybe have larger coveys, bad because you are concentrating quail for predators. That being said, do what you normally should do. Habitat work, control predators and if you do get a huntable population don't shoot down your coveys to nothing.
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westtexaswatkins
Tracker
Reged: 05/31/07
Posts: 539
Loc: Anton, TX
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If you have that much land find an area and get some CRP grass. I am surrounded by CRP where I live and have lots of quail. They can hide from just about anything in that stuff. It wouldn't work if you have cows though they seem to like to munch it down to ground level.
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Cool_Hand
Extreme Tracker
Reged: 09/28/05
Posts: 4956
Loc: Coleman, Tx.
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Welcome to the forum. Might I make a couple of suggestions knowing what little I do about your place. Cow are some times the best thing to have for a good quail environment. Seldom do they eat anything down to the ground. Judging from what you've described about the vegetation seems like there hasn't been sufficient rain fall to maintain the habitat which is nearly the whole piece of pie when it come to a fragile quails survival. It takes certain grasses and seeds that they produce for nutrition. If you don't have some of these plants and you want to have "wild quail, you might need to talk to an ag person for advice.
I also might caution you in releasing pen raised quail as they will destroy and breed with what wild quail you have and by that I mean their habits will change and they won't respond like a wild bird! I don't pretend to know everything about quail and you could learn a lot more from others also. It has been our main source of hunting up until the last three years as we have lost our habitat, hence the quail go with it. Get plenty of info before you do anything. My2cents 
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Benny
T X Ranch
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Cool_Hand
Extreme Tracker
Reged: 09/28/05
Posts: 4956
Loc: Coleman, Tx.
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Those are some good sites James. 
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Benny
T X Ranch
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deerfeeder
Tracker
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 748
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Cool_Hand, if you don't mind me asking; What happened to your habitat? Were you hit by one of the fires or was it some sort of natural calamity?
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Cool_Hand
Extreme Tracker
Reged: 09/28/05
Posts: 4956
Loc: Coleman, Tx.
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No sir, don't mind you asking atall! As my memory serves me about three, lets call it seasons , ago here in Coleman county we were in a severe drought which we are still in BTW! TP&WD will concur that if you have little or no habitat, which consists of plantlife and water your species that depend on them will deminish. Quail are very, and I can't stress the word very strong enough, fragile. But Coleman co. is not alone in this situation. But, further west and north conditions are and have been better so the quail population flourished there.
Now, last spring we got a ton of rain and it came at the right times to spawn hatches! And along with the abnormally cool spring weather we had a bumper crop of quail and turkey poults. But when that season opened up for some reason the numbers weren't there. In conclusion to that happening we only saw a lot of adult birds and pairs so ultimately the census was that the chicks and poults drowned in the midst of all the rain fall. Predatory influx on the quail and turkey has also taken its toll. Contrary to somes belief, the fire ant has very dismal effect on the birds. Now we are faced with the loss of the habitat once again because of no moisture. Hope I answered your question. This is not my opinion but the findings of TP&WD and many support groups of our fragile quail. Benny.
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Benny
T X Ranch
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deerfeeder
Tracker
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 748
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Cool_hand, it was somewhat the same here last year. Lots of decent size coveys until the season opened. We were very short on Bobs though.
This year I see lots of pairs, including Bobs, but no babies. We are short of rain, and the bug population for babies is probably way down.
With the lack of rain and corresponding lack of fresh vegetation I'm getting concerned that even the pairs may have a hard time finding shade during the day. We've already had temps around 106 degrees and the heat reflecting off the ground/rocks tends to cook the plants from the bottom as well as direct sunlight burning them from the top.
I haven't seen any turkey polts either, but haven't been looking quite as hard for them. 
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Cool_Hand
Extreme Tracker
Reged: 09/28/05
Posts: 4956
Loc: Coleman, Tx.
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I've benn steadily talking to my outfitter about the upcoming season on quail. He has more bookings this season than he did last season but all the scheduled hunts will more that likely take place further out West from here!! Pray for rain!!!
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Benny
T X Ranch
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deerfeeder
Tracker
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 748
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Quail is a sideline here and hopefully turkey will be too someday. But, I am praying for rain because everything down in this area needs it desperately.
I keep seeing lots of pairs, surprisingly enough on two different ranches, today, about 30 miles apart I saw two pairs of Bobs on each one besides all the blues. Still no babies.
Baby blues running after Momma has got to be one of nature's neatest sights. Like a bunch of little thumbs zig zagging for all their worth.
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Cool_Hand
Extreme Tracker
Reged: 09/28/05
Posts: 4956
Loc: Coleman, Tx.
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By far a beautiful sight. The Lord knew what he was doing didn't He?
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Benny
T X Ranch
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deerfeeder
Tracker
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 748
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The Good Lord had his act together when He created it all, even if we can't quite figure it all out.
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Cool_Hand
Extreme Tracker
Reged: 09/28/05
Posts: 4956
Loc: Coleman, Tx.
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I wonder why everybody doesn't already know this!!!!!  
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Benny
T X Ranch
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deerfeeder
Tracker
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 748
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There are none so blind as those that won't see.
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