Pheasant fest and MDC

[Cobblestone]

Anyone come up with any new insights to our woeful quail conditions from the "wonderful" seminars our MDC put on at Phez. Fest.?

[oldandnew]

Numerous conversations with MDC, even though I missed pheasant fest.
Short answer is" it's all about habitat, we don't have any, did we tell you about all the deer, turkey, and now elk we have?";)

[Cobblestone]

I was hoping for something "new" not just the same old rehashed line of crap.

[oldandnew]

I was hoping for something "new" not just the same old rehashed line of crap.

I did get them to admit that the weather since 2007 has been lousy for quail, two wicked winters in a row, 2010, 2009, with a long run of cold wet springs had a bigger impact than expected, even on the focus areas. Did you see the post on parasite worms and related research in Texas and Oklahoma? We have their armadllo's why not their worms?

[Cobblestone]

Seems like everything is stacked against them.

[oldandnew]

I am fairly confident in saying that there are quite a few areas in the western border of Missouri, that I am familiar with, and other areas statewide where quail are effectively extinct. A combination of habitat limitations, weather, and now who knows what else. The comparative few of us who care, are up against an avalanche. So far at least a mild winter, now if we could get a warm, drier spring, with no cold rains, at least we could get a decent picture of where we are and if any of this management theory is actually workable and worthwhile. I am terrified by the research from Auburn that indicates quail need approximately 3200 Acres contigously and 800 birds minimum, to sustain a population.

[OKIEGunner]

Old & New
Can you post a link to the Auborn Study. I think you did once before, but I cannot seem to find it. Thanks

[oldandnew]

I found the link originally through CoveyRise Magazine. I just found a link in Oklahoma's own Noble foundation which discusses the issue. www.noble.org/ag/wildlife/quailmngt/index.htm