Survival Success of Released Bobwhite Quail?

[Wildlife Biologist]

I am just wondering what experiences members have had with survival rates of released pen raised quail? I have been interested in this for years. I have banded every quail I have released on certain properties. I use different color leg bands and rotate the bands each year to a different leg. I have visually observed and have used trail cameras to monitor them. I have especially been interested in the ones that have survived to nest. The main and almost exclusive issue is predation. They don't have the learned predator avoidance that wild birds do. The dumber ones go fast and they are all dumb. To lessen the impact of this issue I learned early to release them near wild coveys in hopes that they would join the covey and thus stand a better chance of survival. I had experienced that pen raised birds tended to walk around and frequent open areas. Hawks and other predators learned to frequent these areas and feasted on them. Extensive predator control helped with this issue. After I learned to release them near wild coveys I began to see more surviving. I monitored the killed birds on subsequent hunts and saw that they indeed joined the wild coveys. It seems the wild birds stay mostly in thicker cover and learned predator avoidance and thus have a better survival rate. At least that was my theory. With the wild birds joining these wild coveys more and more have survived to nest. What are your experiences?

Also I would like to know how you go about releasing birds? I learned a technique from a old-timer quail plantation owner that I was advising. He would place 6-10 birds (covey size) from the flight pen into each burlap bag. The burlap bags containing the birds would then be quickly transported to the release point. He would then take a burlap bag containing the quail and spin it very fast around and around his head rapidly for about 30 seconds then drop the bag to the ground and open it dumping the birds out. They were so dizzy that they would not fly off. Over a period of several minutes they would be okay and start walking around as a covey but stay together. The clients would then be brought in for the hunt within a couple hours.

I learned from this same man a proven method to better flight train the pen raised birds. Early each morning we would flush about half or more of the birds from the flight pens into the area adjacent to the pens. The young pups and dogs in their early training would then individually be brought in on a long check cord to hunt and learn. We would then train the dogs on the released birds. As they would point we would flush the birds and fire a blank pistol into the air while throwing a dead bird out for the puppy to retrieve. When finished training, he would turn a Brittany Spaniel that he would muzzle and place on a long check cord into the birds. The dog would chase and flush but could not catch them. We would also walk around and flush the birds. The flight pens were built like a recall trap. Most but not all of the birds would recall back into the flight pen during the day. It is important to conduct these activities early in the morning in order to give the birds time to recall. Electric fences were placed around the flight pen area to help with predators. Extensive predator control was conducted around the flight pens and especially around the electric fence. The predators would roam the electric fence in an effort to gain entrance and would be caught. Each morning prior to training, the traps would be sprung and then reset afterwards. Predators of all kinds came for a free meal. This technique worked well. I was advising different quail hunting plantations and could readily notice the difference in the flight of quail released. I was convinced of the effectiveness and adopted the method.

I soaked up all the knowledge I could from him and other old-timers. These were eye opening experiences that I cherished.

 

[old keeper]

Many years ago I reared about fifty Bobwhites to release on a shoot I was keepering. Someone told me that you had to control them on release otherwise they would be gone in an instant. I got hold of about four large cardboard boxes in the first one I cut a hole in, the next a hole in each end, and so on. The idea was that the quail would be put in the first box and would eventually find their way through the others and eventually gently filter out. It was a lovely summer day and a mate and I sat and watched and waited to see them emerge. After about half an hour I quietly went up and listened. Nothing could be heard so I very gently moved one of the boxes, then another and so on. No sign of a quail anywhere!.
We never saw them again and none were shot, although someone in the village actually saw a couple a few weeks later. I never bothered again!

 

[shakey jake]

not legal to release them now

 

[Wildlife Biologist]

Many years ago I reared about fifty Bobwhites to release on a shoot I was keepering. Someone told me that you had to control them on release otherwise they would be gone in an instant. I got hold of about four large cardboard boxes in the first one I cut a hole in, the next a hole in each end, and so on. The idea was that the quail would be put in the first box and would eventually find their way through the others and eventually gently filter out. It was a lovely summer day and a mate and I sat and watched and waited to see them emerge. After about half an hour I quietly went up and listened. Nothing could be heard so I very gently moved one of the boxes, then another and so on. No sign of a quail anywhere!.
We never saw them again and none were shot, although someone in the village actually saw a couple a few weeks later. I never bothered again!

Ha! That was a bummer! Sound s like my kind of adventure. They will fly off if released like that. Generally they will not fly far. I have that merit badge.

 

[Wildlife Biologist]

I have had good luck releasing other game birds using the aforementioned method from the original post. I generally release larger species of upland game birds individually or stuff them under some grass or weeds to keep them from flying off. Just spin the bird and drop the bag and reach in the bag and remove the bird. Tuck it under some grass or weeds. I have seen people tuck the bird's head under a wing and spin the bird around and around to dizzy it. This is okay for individual birds. I prefer the burlap bag though. It seems to work better and the bird(s) will be more disoriented and dizzy. They tend to stay in place and not flush.

 

[Ratel]

Did exactly the same as Old Keeper. They stayed about until the season. Flushed them over the guns on the first day and nobody shot because they thought it was a bunch of starlings. Never saw them again.

 

[Wildlife Biologist]

Did exactly the same as Old Keeper. They stayed about until the season. Flushed them over the guns on the first day and nobody shot because they thought it was a bunch of starlings. Never saw them again.

Well sounds like a bunch of us have that merit badge.

 

[Wildlife Biologist]

Seriously if you release upland game birds for hunting you better have a good predator control program.

 

[Wildlife Biologist]

I even had major predator issues while raising quail and other upland game birds. I mean every predator and his brother showed up. I even had issues with white oak snakes (rat snakes). Those things are prolific climbers. The quail would flush and break their necks. I could control the mammal predators with an electric fence and trapping but the snakes were a constant issue. Free ranging house cats were another issue. Owls and hawks would occasional light on top of the pens. Fire ants were another issue. I found a way around that by placing water barriers filled with motor oil around the pen legs. Rat trapping was a must!

 

[A Guy Out West]

I have never done any game bird raising or releasing. I have though read a lot about it regarding pheasants. The state of South Dakota has lots of free information on the web for your reading pleasure. They even show you how to manage your farmland in order to keep birds there and to protect them from the weather. I always thought that winter kill was caused by the cold. Not exactly so, during the winter snows, the birds have to face into the wind to keep warm. When they do this, snow covers their nostrils in their sleep and they suffocate. According to the state of SD, only 3% of stocked birds will survive a year in the wild. If the ones that survive reproduce, any hatchlings will be inferior to wild birds. Here in Oregon, the season on stocked pheasant is in September because the pen raised birds can’t survive the rains that come in October and November. I would imagine that stocked bobwhites would have even a less than 3% survival rate, especially if there are numbers of foxes in your area.

 

[Wildlife Biologist]

Thanks for the information. We don't have the snow issue here. Predators are the biggest issue. Survival rate here mainly depends on the extent of predator control and habitat management. I also looked for quail nest in known areas. When I located them I would often place trail cameras on them to monitor nest predation. The pen raised birds would set and hatch the eggs.

It is amazing that anything nesting on the ground will survive. Rabbits and quail have been on the decline ever since coyotes and armadillos migrated into Alabama. Armadillos along with a host of indigenous predators eat quail eggs. That was not the only issue, just one of the issues. There are many factors with changing farming practices that when coupled with the arrival of the coyotes and armadillos collectively resulted in habitat loss and the decline of both quail and cottontail rabbits. Fields that were once fallow were taken into crop rotation at times but mostly were planted with pines resulting in habitat loss. Fence rows that were once overgrown with weeds and a haven for quail and rabbits have now been cleaned off resulting in habitat loss. Field edges are being bush hogged during nesting seasons resulting in lost of nest or available nesting habitat. Also more land has been taken out of agricultural crop rotation and planted with pines. Bobwhite quail and cottontail rabbits drastically declined for these and other reasons.

 

[A Guy Out West]

Thanks for the information. We don't have the snow issue here. Predators are the biggest issue. Survival rate here mainly depends on the extent of predator control and habitat management. I also looked for quail nest in known areas. When I located them I would often place trail cameras on them to monitor nest predation. The pen raised birds would set and hatch the eggs.

It is amazing that anything nesting on the ground will survive. Rabbits and quail have been on the decline ever since coyotes and armadillos migrated into Alabama. Armadillos along with a host of indigenous predators eat quail eggs. That was not the only issue, just one of the issues. There are many factors with changing farming practices that when coupled with the arrival of the coyotes and armadillos collectively resulted in habitat loss and the decline of both quail and cottontail rabbits. Fields that were once fallow were taken into crop rotation at times but mostly were planted with pines resulting in habitat loss. Fence rows that were once overgrown with weeds and a haven for quail and rabbits have now been cleaned off resulting in habitat loss. Field edges are being bush hogged during nesting seasons resulting in lost of nest or available nesting habitat. Also more land has been taken out of agricultural crop rotation and planted with pines. Bobwhite quail and cottontail rabbits drastically declined for these and other reasons.

I spent almost 2 years at Ft. Rucker and the surrounding area. I did not see or hear a single quail in my entire time there. The crops were mainly cotton, peanuts, and pines as you mentioned. There were some areas that looked suitable for quail, but nada. If farmers could only understand the money they could make by managing for quail hunting, I think it would be a different story. Give something value and watch out, it gets taken very good care of. We had lots of yotes and armadillos in Texas where I lived, the quail seemed to do well, fire ants were a big problem as I remember. Hunting bobwhites, or any quail species for that matter with a pointing dog is about as good as it gets.

 

[Wildlife Biologist]

Yep cotton and peanuts are the main crops. Those are just about the only crops in rotation. Years ago in addition to peanuts and cotton there used to be a lot of corn. soybeans, sorghum, millet and other grain crops grown. The switching of the crops being grown is another factor.

Coyotes and armadillos are only a small part of the problem. More on that later.

Now the Paul Harvey of the declining bobwhite quail population:

Let's don't forget the proliferation of feral hogs which destroy nests. Regardless of the direct impact of wild hogs on quail species, every effort should be made to reduce populations of this feral or exotic invader. Wild hog abatement efforts will benefit all native wildlife, including quail. Studies have found that nest depredation rates attributed to wild hogs ranged between10-30% of all instances of nest depredation. That is very significant.

It was thought by some that turkeys were eating a large number of quail eggs. Although wild turkeys do feed opportunistically, no studies have shown evidence that they consume quail, their eggs, or their chicks. Couple this with the fact that quail populations have decreased even in areas where wild turkeys are not even present. I will not go into details of the studies but the antidote rumors were dis-proven from examination of stomach contents of harvested wild turkeys during hunts.

Fire ants destroy a large number of nests.

On a side note...One measure of rabbit decline is road kills. Road killed rabbits are a rare sighting now days. I may only see 2-3 in an entire year. The sad truth is cottontail rabbits and quail are on a decline throughout the southern states. Their fate is tied in with bobwhite quail because they share many of the same habitat requirements.

Harvest, predation by native and non-native species, disease agricultural, forestry practices and habitat loss can all affect the mortality rates of local quail populations.

Wild turkey populations have increased across much of their range during the same time that quail have declined. This is for a variety of reasons I will not cover here.

Recent studies have indicated that parasitic worms are unlikely to be the driving force behind the quail decline. However, quail with high parasite loads may be more susceptible to predation or less capable of coping with environmental extremes. In habitat that lacks sufficient protection from predators and natural disturbances, parasites may have a stronger negative impact on quail populations. Preliminary research on the prevalence of AIV and other bacterial and viral diseases in wild quail has indicated that disease is not a significant concern in most wild bobwhite quail populations.

Despite the best efforts of many quail enthusiasts and plantation managers, introducing pen-raised quail has not been successful for increasing quail numbers. A variety of release methods attempted. without extensive predator control attempts have failed. All studies have concluded that pen-reared quail simply do not survive long in the wild, and even routine stocking is not a viable method for augmenting wild quail populations. For a population to persist over time, the seasonal survival of bobwhites should be no lower than 43%, but best-case seasonal survival of pen-raised quail is just 14-18% without extensive continued predator control. With better habitat management and persistent predator control this could conceivable be higher. Realistically this will not happen. Read on for more details. Releasing pen-raised quail can actually potentially cause quail decline and thus be detrimental to wild bobwhites due to the potential or disease transfer, negative social interactions, and attraction/concentrating of predators. Furthermore, for these reasons bobwhites should be released shortly before each scheduled hunt and the number released should match the anticipated hunting pressure. Therefore there is plenty of controversy surrounding releasing pen raised birds into the wild. A few survive to breed and rise a brood. However the brood is highly susceptible to predation because of the poor predator avoidance skills of the hen or rooster. Consequently few survive. For those that don't know, I willl note here that someimes a rooster will set the eggs instead of the hen.

Where legal supplemental feed via traditional barrel feeders is very controversial. Quail are attracted to supplemental food, so they will concentrate in an area where food is provided. Natural predators of quail do not typically reduce year-to-year quail population levels, but predators can quickly learn to associate quail feeders with an easy meal. The risk of over harvesting from hunting may also increase because high concentrations of birds around feeders can give managers a false estimation of higher population numbers. Another risk of supplemental feeding is exposure to aflatoxin, which is a toxin produced by fungi that can grow on feed and suppress the immune systems of quail. Another method of providing supplemental food is known as broadcast feeding. Although somewhat better. It still concentrates predators that are drawn to the birds like a magnet. Planting a food plot is a third method for providing supplemental food for quail. Any manner of supplemental feeding should not be viewed as a stand-alone management practice and is controversial. Even in an area where food is limiting, supplemental feed is not a substitute for good habitat No amount of food will make up for insufficient habitat including nesting cover. Furthermore, supplemental food does not increase chick survival, because the diet of quail chicks consists almost entirely of insects (protein). As stated before this is the issue of increased use of pesticides around fields and on agricultural crops. The pesticides kill the very insects that the bobwhite quail chicks require for their diet and survival.

Quail adults, chicks, and eggs fall prey to coyotes, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, skunks, opossums, hawks, eagles, armadillos, hogs, rat snakes, fire ants, feral cats, free ranging cats, and other animals as well as raptors. Given that quail are potential prey for so many animals, predator management may seem like a logical fix to increase quail populations. The effectiveness of predator management can vary depending on local conditions, but most research has indicated that predator control has little or no effect on quail populations, while also being very costly and labor intensive. One major issue with predator management is that the predators that are easiest to control may not be the same as those eating the most quail. Hawks are a primary predator of quail. All hawks and other birds of prey are protected from lethal removal by state and federal law. so, their control is off the table. Snakes are a predator of quail that can legally be killed but removing enough snakes to benefit quail populations is impractical on most properties. Even if predator control might be effective in a local area, reducing the population of one predator can have a variety of unintended consequences. Relationships between predators and prey, and relationships among different species of predators, are complex and not entirely understood. For example, coyotes occasionally predate quail, but coyotes also reduce the number of smaller predators that commonly raid quail nests. Perhaps the strongest argument against predator management is that predators and quail have co-existed on the landscape for thousands of years. Some of the same behaviors that quail have developed to avoid predators—such as fast, explosive flight—are the same behaviors that we cherish in them as game birds. In good-quality habitat, physiological and behavioral adaptations of quail allow them to maintain healthy populations despite the presence of predators. That is why quail thrived in the 1920s-1960s despite a relative high predator population. Rather than spending resources on predator control, a land manager or wildlife manager's time and effort would be better spent on habitat improvements and limited targeted predator control. One study in the south of bobwhite populations suggested that quail populations may increase by 55% with predator control but decrease by 75% if suitable nest clumps were lacking. Managing to improve nesting habitat is almost always a better investment than predator control. To attain any benefits from predator control, this management technique should be considered only once good habitat is established. Cooper's hawks are the main predators of quail and all birds of prey are protected by state and federal laws. Similarly, nest predation by snakes and other non-mammalian predators may increase when mid-sized mammalian predators are removed, such that the total nest mortality remains the same. These interwoven relationships warrant careful evaluation of whether predator control is a viable tool for managing local quail populations. Therefore predator control by itself is not the answer and some of the main predators can't be controlled. Prey and predator relationships and their effect on other species are not always clear.

Ultimately, regardless other factors, quail cannot thrive without sufficient suitable habitat. Therein lies the problem with various agricultural farming and forestry practices leading to the reduction of suitable quail habitat. Some parcels have retained good habitat, but lack sufficient connectivity to allow for diffusion and relocation across the landscape. Populations subjected to habitat fragmentation are not as resilient to changes. Urbanization (municipalities expanding) and non-agricultural uses have also caused loss of habitat. Agricultural lands have been planted in pines resulting on loss and change of habitat. I think you see where I am going with this. LOSS OF SUITABLE HABITAT.

The bottom line is quail have not been adaptable to loss of habitat and introduction of additional predators. Quail require abundant, habitat high-quality resources available within a relatively small radius (150-200 yards) and arranged in a “patchwork” fashion with Interspersion of resources allow quail to meet all of their survival needs without traveling far. This habitat has steadily been declining for over 60 years.

All managers and research wildlife biologist are limited by resources such as time and money. There will be no quick fix to the quail population decline. Sad but there it is!

Hopes this helps.

Wildlife Biologist


.

 

[Wildlife Biologist]

I spent almost 2 years at Ft. Rucker and the surrounding area. I did not see or hear a single quail in my entire time there. The crops were mainly cotton, peanuts, and pines as you mentioned. There were some areas that looked suitable for quail, but nada. If farmers could only understand the money they could make by managing for quail hunting, I think it would be a different story. Give something value and watch out, it gets taken very good care of. We had lots of yotes and armadillos in Texas where I lived, the quail seemed to do well, fire ants were a big problem as I remember. Hunting bobwhites, or any quail species for that matter with a pointing dog is about as good as it gets.

Yes it is so amazing to watch well training English pointers hunt bobwhite quail. I enjoy that experience immensely. Their skills are unmatched. I really never have to fire a round. I may take 1-2 birds just as a reward to the dogs. Watching the dogs do their thing and enjoying nature is where it is at. Training and watching puppies hone their instinctive skills will warm your heart. They are just born to quail hunt and simply know from birth. Even before they are weaned they will point a feather on the end of a fishing pole.

 

[Wildlife Biologist]

I can conclusively say that a major issue with any type of habitat manipulation by a wildlife biologist is beyond their control. The reason is almost all the property is individually/privately owned and not publicly owned. Biologist can't mandate habitat manipulation on these private properties and certainly can't control loss of habitat on these properties. So the quail population decline will sadly continue because of this. Biologists can only hope to control habitat management on State or Federal land. Even with that said politics gets involved and becomes a hindrance. The elected officials control all decisions concerning the State and Federal lands as well as the wildlife agencies in charge with administering them. The elected officials oten base wildlife legislation decisions on the dollar bill and support of deep pocket business people. The wildlife biologists and public plays second fiddle to these decisions. Sad! State wildlife officials are left with only educational programs that are really only a drop in the bucket and thus ineffective.

Okay I will get down off my stump now!