The demise of bobwhite quail. What can we do?
What ever happened to the good ole days, you know, the days where most of the southern states had bobwhite quail? I dunno either. I’ve read the studies that attribute it to this and to that but somehow I believe unless change is legislated, it just ain’t gonna improve. I’m a bit perplexed as to it all, God knows if I could do something, I WOULD! It’s like everything else in this life, those who have the power, the money and the land hold our sport in the balance.
Out here in Texas, a good portion of western and southern quail hunting spots are still intact. I would however, like to go back to some of the deep south honey holes … of yesteryear and find quail like I did as a young man. Those days are long gone I’m afraid.
With what I know about quail and what I’ve read of scientific studies, I should be rich and the land owner of large tracts of land so that I could manage it for quail. I mean, I WOULD do something! I would do what is recommended and if that didn’t work, I’d try something else. If I was in charge, I would offer incentives to bring back the small farmer. The broken landscape created by small farmers is what helped quail flourish in the early 20th century.
The small folks, me and you, we can’t do anything. So what do we do? We belong to organizations that are trying to do something but it always seems that they are doing it for someone else, a place we will never get to hunt.
So what do we do? Nothing? Pray that those in power WILL do something? We have to educate our public leaders. Educate land owners. As those who age, that enjoyed quail hunting in their youth, begin to depart, there will be less and less folks with money and power to effect change that benefits the bobwhite. The CRP program was a good start, that program MUST stay in effect. Make sure it does stay intact by contacting your congressmen/women.
Yeah, I sound a bit apathetic about the situation. What else is there to do? With so few public lands, they are hunted hard so it is hard to know what effect management is having. So what to do? I don’t know. Be a good steward of the land and promote your sport. Hunt land with ample wild quail populations and do a bit more than hope things get better before you and I die. You may not have the money, power, or land but you can preach the gospel of quail to those who will listen and even to those who don’t seem to listen.
Treat our heritage with respect, mentor our youth and do more than just pray.
Dave.
1 comment
Dave,
I’m not a wealthy landowner that has 1,000’s of acres of prime hunting land at my disposal. I’m just a working guy who loves dogs and the great outdoors that feels blessed every time I get to be around them.
. I grew up hunting small farms that were loaded with quail. I took it all for granted. I figured they’d be there forever. A bunch of first time bird dog buyers have found out real quick how low the #’s are and get very discouraged.
The only way to solve this is to go after the issue proactively. In my state, quail have finally made it to the list of topics at wildlife dept meetings after exhaustive pushing by a few concerned bird hunters. I attend all I can. I encourage everyone I come in contact with to join a local chapter of some quail group, although some old timers are burnt out on organizations around here. They are tired of seeing their hard work in raising $ go to other states. I chose QF because all $ raised by local chapters are spent by that chapter. I’ve found a land trust group that has plenty of dollars ear marked to purchase land to set it aside for conservation and hunting purpose. I’m working on getting some big parcels (1,000 acres plus) purchased and managed for quail that would be open to the public.
I visit and promote quail conservation with gun store owners as well as outlets that sell hunting/dog related items. We’re all in this together.
You are doing quail a great favor by just hosting your website. Several of the forum users and I have become great friends and they attend functions to help the cause.
I know we need to constantly stay on our fish and wildlife people. They constantly complain about declining licence sales for both hunting and fishing licenses. It is unbelievable how many tags, stamps, hunter safety, etc; a kid has to have to just give hunting a one time try. If this great sport has any chance at all in moving forward, the kids coming on have to be exposed.
I think every person that hunts has the responsibility to “Take a Kid Hunting”. I’m all for youth hunts. I’ll hang in there with kids all day till they get some success in harvesting a bird. A forward thinking bird preserve owner will donate birds for youth hunts.
I want everyone to share ideas and success stories of things they do or have done that work.
Please everyone hang in there and never give up.
Bob
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