• Help Support TNDeer:

Quail

I've got several pairs scattered around our place in Wayne Co. Two weeks ago I pulled into a clover plot to mow the weeds & saw the grass moving in front of tractor. First thought was baby turkeys but then I saw it was a covey of quail. I mean a full blown covey of 15-18 birds! Up until then the most I've seen in past 20 years has been 5-6 birds in a covey. The past five years we've had hundreds of acres of pines thinned & fifth rowed, making prime bird habitat. Hope expansion continues.
 
mike52 said:
Saw something I haven't seen in a while, A quail ran across the road in front of me this am. Was high stepping and gone in about 3 seconds but I was glad to see it.
Click to expand...
A quail flew into my truck yesterday while driving north of Bruceton, in Carroll County. A flock of 6 - 8 birds then flew away from the road. I was sad to see the quail killed, but tickled to see a covey within a mile of my house. I haven't seen or heard quail in a two years.
 
Last edited:
Seems quail in TN are making a small bit of a comeback in some areas of Middle & East TN.

My theory this is in part due to an increase in clear-cutting, which helps to bring back more native grasses.

Interestingly, in the agricultural areas of West TN, where quail were once most numerous, quail populations continue to be near extinction in many areas.

I have a friend with a 200-acre farm in Obion County that typically had 4 or 5 coveys residing on it for decades, until the late 70's, when every year or two, there seemed to be a covey less, until finally, none at all. Over the past couple decades, he significantly improved the habitat on his farm specifically for quail, and the surrounding area remains mostly agricultural fields and woods. So he "built it", but the quail have not come back there.
 
Back in the 70's there were very few deer and even fewer turkeys but the quail were numerous. Now just the opposite but the trend seems to be changing back toward fewer deer and turkeys but the quail are slowly coming back. I believe and science could prove that wildlife populations ebb and flow over decades and even centuries for reasons we don't completely understand. Man is only one of the many complicated and interrelated causes. Like climate change, we may be the least of the reasons.
 
I've always seen studies about the poor results when releasing pen raised birds and never really tried it until this year. I have trapped my property hard and improved the habitat tremendously and to my surprise, I have a covey of 13 birds that are still alive after I released them mid March. I released 2 dozen, so I am tickled to death that half are still alive. I have noticed that when I flush them, they no longer fly like they did when they were first released and actually fly decently long distances; not to mention, they are extremely weary now.
 
How much land do you need to support a couple of decent coveys? I have always heard 150-200 to actually get resident birds to stick. I have 50 and would love to get some qual everything around me is plowed fields so I don't think they would make it. I put up a couple of decent coveys in Kyker Bottoms WMA about 10 years ago not sure if they are still there or not.
 
casjoker said:
How much land do you need to support a couple of decent coveys? I have always heard 150-200 to actually get resident birds to stick. I have 50 and would love to get some qual everything around me is plowed fields so I don't think they would make it. I put up a couple of decent coveys in Kyker Bottoms WMA about 10 years ago not sure if they are still there or not.
Click to expand...
So much depends on other things, and I strongly suspect much of that is predator numbers. The fact no one hunts quail and quail egg predators anymore (raccoons, possums, bobcat, and possibly even coyote), and for some, like hawks, it is illegal, is the major reason for the quail decline. I've seen large clubs produce thousands of acres of good quail habitat and not be able to hold a wild population. They subsist purely on put-and-take pen-raised birds, which have a terrible survival rate out at a year.
 
fairchaser said:
Back in the 70's there were very few deer and even fewer turkeys but the quail were numerous. Now just the opposite but the trend seems to be changing back toward fewer deer and turkeys but the quail are slowly coming back. I believe and science could prove that wildlife populations ebb and flow over decades and even centuries for reasons we don't completely understand. Man is only one of the many complicated and interrelated causes. Like climate change, we may be the least of the reasons.
Click to expand...
Not sure where the deer are declining, it sure isn't middle Tennessee. Deer are everywhere. I see deer almost every single day.
 
BSK said:
So much depends on other things, and I strongly suspect much of that is predator numbers. The fact no one hunts quail and quail egg predators anymore (raccoons, possums, bobcat, and possibly even coyote), and for some, like hawks, it is illegal, is the major reason for the quail decline. I've seen large clubs produce thousands of acres of good quail habitat and not be able to hold a wild population. They subsist purely on put-and-take pen-raised birds, which have a terrible survival rate out at a year.
Click to expand...
Raccoons, in my observed opinion, are a major impact on turkeys and quail. I used to run chickens free range and gave it up because of coons.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top