![]() Gambel’s coveys in good years can be giant, with legitimate 100-bird coveys possible. Speaking of coveys, that’s the second challenge about Gambel’s quail. Much like scaled quail, single Gambel’s do tend to hold a little better. So if you’ve never hunted Gambel’s, be prepared for some quick walking, and consider letting the dogs bust up a covey, then go hunt singles. But Gambel’s quail are at least the equal to a scalie for sheer ground speed. Western bobs run more than most people think they do, and scaled quail are notorious runners. The first time I encountered Gambel’s quail while hunting in Arizona, I expected an upland gamebird, not a feathered comet. Much like the scaled quail, and the very similar-looking valley or California quail, Gambel’s quail are runners. These are fantastic little gamebirds, but they do offer some unique challenges to the first-time Gambel’s hunter, and that list doesn’t even include the obvious ones of terrain and temperature.įirst, there’s the running. Coyote country) is a popular gamebird across its range, which covers parts of New Mexico, western Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona and far West Texas. This denizen of our arid southwestern environs (think roadrunner and Wile E. If you were to ask a dozen quail hunters what pops into their head when you say “desert quail,” for most it would likely be the fleet-footed, top-knotted Gambel’s quail, the quintessential desert quail of the Southwest. Jess McGuire is Science Coordinator - Grasslands & Savannas Framework for Quail Forever. The fate of the northern bobwhite, in addition to other upland species, is squarely in the hands of those that sit at the table and take to the field to fight for, and create and improve, habitat.ĭr. Those central states mentioned are a good bet look to well-managed public lands, and walk-in access areas. Hunter feedback has been positive, which ultimately motivates for better management. However, many “quail focal areas” (including those on National Forests) in Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama are reporting increasing numbers of wild quail. The southeastern states rarely make the lists these days for hunting. Success stories are usually associated with the areas that have an emphasis on quail and have a prescribed fire program, intense brush management, and generously thinned forests with early successional openings scattered throughout. Its burrow has been referred to by some as an “air raid shelter” for quail, offering protection from aerial predators and an escape from fire.Ī number of state wildlife agencies have dedicated significant resources on public lands to create quail focal areas. The gopher tortoise also calls the longleaf floor home. ![]() More than 80 bird species utilize longleaf communities. Which is why such a fantastic suite of species call it home. The diversity of the forest floor in the longleaf pine ecosystem rivals the rainforest. Open weedy fields, overgrown hedgerows and field borders are typical havens for a quail covey, which often means these are good places to run the dog.įor a unique experience, the longleaf pine savanna ecosystem is a favored habitat of bobwhites in the southeastern United States. Morning covey calls can help you tune in success for the day. Habitat structure is key to hunting success. We hunt coveys, and appropriate winter cover and food sources are the keys to carrying those coveys into winter. One easy solution is to put the mower away before nesting season so the birds have a chance to safely head into the breeding season, nest and rear young.īobwhites are social, and covey formation is critical to quail surviving throughout the fall and winter. Landowners and land managers with goals for increasing bobwhite populations should have an even mix of weeds and legumes, shrubby cover and native warm-season clump grasses. ![]() Quail Forever works to bring quail habitat back. This type of landscape is quickly vanishing throughout the bobwhite range. Quail habitat must have three components to thrive throughout the year: nesting cover, loafing and escape cover, and brood cover with plenty of insects. The central states of Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma are still a stronghold and perhaps the best bet for a traveling hunter.īobwhite quail rely on mosaics of vegetative cover and habitat connectivity. What was once an easy bag to fill is becoming rarer and rarer as grasslands, old fields and wooded savannas decline. The northern bobwhite range spans the eastern and central United States, historically north to Minnesota and south to Florida and Texas. This six-ounce bird is the catalyst for careers, the reason for long-standing family traditions, and the best reason to spend time with a four-legged best friend. Their call floods the mind with nostalgia of that first hunt. ![]() Nothing gets your heart pumping quite like the flush of a northern bobwhite quail.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |