Outdoor living 5/25

Over the weekend, I saw something that I hadn't seen in several years…quail running across the road. Today it's more common to see or hear a wild turkey. What used to be a common sight across the state on country roads was seeing a quail or two running across the road or hearing them call along open fields. However, in the past few years not many birds were seen or heard especially in southwest Missouri. In talking with Thomas Dailey, Wildlife Research Biologist for the Conservation Department, he said, "It couldn't be much worse for the quail in southwest areas of the state. Back in 1986 the count was 40 and last year it had dropped to two. We do see signs of improvement with the help of hunters, organizations like Quail Unlimited, farmers and the CRP." The key to good quail populations is and always has been, habitat. Where there is good quail habitat, there are birds. Where the habitat is borderline, so are the birds. Bob Williams, a Vernon County hunter/farmer, said, " I have heard more birds calling this spring than I have heard in years. I have also seen a few in the fields nesting. It's encouraging to know they are making a comeback. I always knew they ran in cycles, but it's been a long time since they have done well, at least in our area." Many hunters all but gave up hunting quail in 1991, when the population of bob whites dropped. Dailey said 1991-92 were very hard times for the quail. A recent symposium in Kansas City, focused on quail and the problems associated with the dwindling population. Quail have many predators and man is just a small part of them. A list of predators that hurt quail include; snakes, raccoons, opossums, stray cats, bobcats, coyotes, crows, hawks, foxes and skunks, to name a few. There are many who think even the wild turkey cuts into the quail population. Dailey said, "Restricting hunting isn't the answer. In Saline County we restricted hunting in some areas, but there wasn't any difference in the quail numbers after the season in both the restricted zone and the other areas." Dave Rogers, Springfield, said, "It would be great if we could once again have the good quail hunting that I grew up with, but just to have a huntable number of birds would make me happy. From all the recent reports of people seeing and hearing more quail in the countryside is encouraging."