[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ed Godfrey, Cathleen Mackay. Cathleen Mackay said: Still more about quail: All this baiting has proliferated the feral hog and raccoon population, both of which ar… http://bit.ly/fxcwCC [...]

In regards to the “speculation” about aflatoxins in feeder corn affecting the quail populations, according to Fred Guthery, Dept of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at OSU and Bollenbach Chair in Wildlife Ecology:
“There’s not much to worry about here, really. For example, wild turkeys eat deer corn more than quail do and they’re doing well nearly everywhere, including Texas, which has more of ‘em than any state in the Union.” There is not a biological study I am aware of that supports the “theory” of aflatoxins affecting quail populations. I sure wish hunters would quit trying to speculate on a “scapegoat” for our dwindling quail population. It’s habitat, period. Provide and improve habitat, get lucky with the weather (out of our control, unlike habitat), and quail will survive. With proper habitat, quail don’t need to eat feeder corn, they can escape from predators, can build nests in suitable places that protect their young, and have proper shelter. Invasion of Eastern Red Cedar, poor land management and over grazing practices are all too common and detrimental to quail habitat. Build it, they will come…………

I like that these Texans are thinking outside the box and these Oklahoma biologists keep disagreeing with them… arguing habitat and weather. I’m pretty sure the weather and cover the last two seasons has been favorable for good quail production… atleast that’s what the Wildlife Department’s forecasts have said. And there are several people, including the Wildlife Department, who “build” habitat for quail. Are quail numbers improving on their places? Not that I’ve heard or that I can tell. BTW… he studied the effects of aflotoxins on QUAIL, not turkeys. Since quail are not turkeys, they might react differently to feeder corn. Like Cox said, the corn is likely increasing some species numbers, but perhaps their increase is part of the reason for the huge decrease in quail numbers. Texas biologists = on the right track; Oklahoma biologists = not so much.

Hogs, coons and coyotes , prevent any comeback of BW in E Central Ok. Of course with the drought and despicable fertilizer cost ranchers are leasing more land per cow and destroying deer and quail habitat permanently in the process. When you can lease land at 20 bucks per acre and it costs 100 bucks per acre most just go for the cheap. While most ranchers are economically savvy, they just do not crunch the numbers to see if they really benefit. Every situation is different and we choose to fertilize with commercial fertilizer and maintain some native grasses which are quail habitat and require less fertilizer.
I agree that habitat for quail is at the top of the list but without predator control , still will not have a comeback. Animal rights activists have succeeded in making pelts worthless so raccoons are at densities of greater than 50 per sq. mile here and still growing. This year it seems the coyote population may have slowed growing due to the coons out competing them. Raccoons scavenge 12 hours per night and w/50 per sq. mile, no nest remains unturned. I watched a covey of 10 birds (5 male/5 female)produce three small hatches this year (6-7 per hatch). With normal predation, by November there will be few of them left. It is the predators folks. The hogs are eliminating turkey in all areas where they become established with no change in habitat. Hog hunters get a few but they also poach deer and tear up everything they touch including fences. The so called experts that use “hog dogs” not only tear up fences and scatter the hogs to new areas, they run out all whitetail for miles around and can ruin your deer season if they invade your turf. I have photos of yearling buck shot in August 2011 by hog hunters in muskogee county. There has been so much emphasis on killing does , poachers are multiplying as fast as raccoons are.

Had a typo or two above. The 100 bucks per acre is for fertilizer. Also many are using chicken litter which when used properly is good fertilizer but will contain diseases that will affect quail. Same as trying to raise Bobwhites in pens which I did for many years and they are susceptible to many of the same diseases as chickens just more mortality in young chicks. Cover the ground with chicken poop and they will contract any diseases present and will probably eat the chicken litter. Just bad all around for bobwhites. The biggest problem is still the coons and no answers there except to kill them when it is legal.

It IS more than just habitat and weather. I’m pretty sure those managing large reserves can attest to the predator problem and I’m certain none of them would use chicken litter on the range/ranchland.

I did put together a lot of different research by others and recommend a Year ’round program to grow bigger deer, but nest predators are the biggest suppressor to quail here for now including weather. For deer managers, the corn feeders give a good chance to catch and eliminate a lot of the coons (during season of course) and that will save deer feed and help the quail a lot. In addition to native grasses, to grow deer you MUST have summer food plots in this area, so planting some quail friendly plants in the foodplots or allowing some ragweeds and wild food plants will help and isn’t any more work.
The dog hunters for coyotes usually don’t hurt anything unless you get some crazy ones and they do take lots of coyotes which will help quail and deer.
Excessive doe harvests are the biggest hurt for deer in my local area although I know there are some areas (less than are commonly known) where they are warranted.

Those stories about feeding deer corn and it harming quail seems unlikely. Every place I hunt feed the deer corn. When I hunt http://www.peartreegameranch.com I notice quail there too. I am sorry some places are having bad quail seasons. Better luck next year.