Poor quail-hunting season forecast holds true

A sight quail hunters like to see. (Submitted photo)

The quail-season ending Jan. 15, proved what many bird hunters had feared ---- not many quail.

Gene Franklin and Clay Long, Columbia, hunted on some of the best looking quail fields in the state, but only flushed one covey and it was small. Long said, "In what we used to call a normal season we would have flushed three or four big coveys in the area we covered." Franklin added that things are different this time around.

Long had his two brittney's Mark and Shorty, both with a range typical of brittney's, while Long's pointer, Rainier, had a range three times as large. So the area was well covered.

Before opening-day back in November, hunters forecasted a poor season for quail. The reasons were many, including: a lack of good habitat, and too many predators like fox and coyotes. On this hunt, a hunter couldn't have ask for a better setup. This choice area supports the ideal habitat needed for impressive quail population ---- hills with numerous brushy draws, surrounding fertile bottom land where corn and soybeans had been harvested, a little frost on the ground and three good bird dogs that should have made for a good late season hunt. By mid afternoon, three dogs and two hunters were ready to take a break after walking several miles without pocketing a feather. It had been a long time since they had never fired a shot while bird hunting in such a likely-looking quail hot spot.

Both hunters had hunted the same area years before with great success, but this season, like the past few, hunting has been down as well as other places they had hunted.

Phil Harper, Chillicothe, is another Missouri quail hunter that had a tough season. Harper said, "This was one of the poorest season in memory. I hunted in places where I used to find plenty of birds, but saw fewer birds than I ever have. I don't know what happened to them, but I hope they make a another comeback as they have in the past. Usually you find late season birds by pinpointing prime habitat, but this season that wasn't the case."

Harper, hunting with Dave Butler, had a veteran pointer, "Butch" a seven year old quail finding machine that has pointed hundreds of coveys, but during last week only found two coveys. Harper said, " If Butch can't find them, they just aren't there. Its enough to make me think about going to a hunting preserve or some place where they guarantee you birds.

Speaking of hunting preserves or clubs, now is the time many hunters expand their season by visiting one of these clubs in the state. Most of the hunting clubs offer hunting for quail, pheasants and chu`cker. Hunters who have their own dogs are invited to use them, but most offer a dog if needed for a fee.

Last year, Ben Jackson, Blue Springs, took his teenage son and daughter to a hunting club and was pleased with the results. He said, " I knew we would have some action, I could make sure the kids practiced safety. We all had a great time, it was a hunt they will remember."

It will be a long time before November 2016 when the quail season will open again and hunting clubs stay open until April so hunters can expand the season at one of the clubs in the state.

Several bird hunters in southwest Missouri had fair success including Gene Roberts and Dale Hawkins. Hunting on Corp of Engineers land as well as several state conservation areas, the pair of hunters were able to get some bobwhites. Roberts, a native of Warsaw, said, "Most hunters think that public land isn't productive, but we have found that late in the season it can be better than most private areas. A lot of hunters have given up on public land this late in the season, but there is still birds out there for hunters willing to work it out. We have seen a decline in the number of quail over the past , but we still are able to find enough birds to make a hunt worthwhile late in the season."

Quail Forever as well as state conservation groups are working hard to bring back the numbers of bobwhites. Quail Forever is dedicated to the conservation of quail, pheasants and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education and land management policies and programs. This group is an unique model and at the heart of Quail Forever is its unique grass roots system of fund raising and project development that allows members to see direct results of their contributions. Quail Forever empowers county and local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their local raised conservation funds will be spent. It is the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grass roots structure. As a result, chapters volunteers are able to see the fruits of their efforts locally while belonging to a larger national organization with a voice on federal and state conservation policy.

Quail Forever was launched by Pheasants Forever back in 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and substantial quail population decline. Bobwhite population losses over the past 25 years range from 60 to 90 percent over the country. The reason for the population plunge is simple: massive loss of habitat suitable for quail, intensified farming practices, overwhelming presence of exotic grasses like fescue that choke out wildlife and urban sprawl.

Quail Forever members are a diverse group of hunters, non hunters, farmers, conservation enthusiasts and wildlife officials. Quail Forever is for those who want to make a difference for wildlife be creating habitat, restoring wetlands and protecting prairies.

Quail Forever and Pheasants Forever have more than 140,000 members and more than 700 chapters. They have spent $577 million on nearly 500,000 habitat projects that benefit more than 12 million acres nationwide.

This year, Quail Forever will hold their annual convention next month in Kansas City. The event by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever will be held Feb. 19-21 at the Kansas City Convention Center. Quail Forever is urging members to take part at the event to have a voice for their quail conservation efforts.