Pa wild quail plan

[bauerline]

Here is a link to a draft of a wild quail plan for Pennsylvania.

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal...=977922&mode=2

After looking it over a little it seems similar to the pheasant plan.

[FLDBRED]

Thanks for the link! The last wild quail I saw in Pa. were in Berks County near Kutztown. I was collecting seed and witnessed two different coveys working a hedgerow.The next year I was pattering a big buck and saw one of the coveys again. I haven't seen any since!

[bauerline]

How long ago was that when you saw those quail? I've never seen a wild quail and the last wild pheasant I saw was in the early 80's in Adams county (except the some birds in the WPRA).

After looking over the quail plan it seems that I live right in the middle of one of the high priority areas. I look forward to seeing the plan put into action.

[1pheas4]

Another Pennsylvania project in the right direction. Good luck!

[FLDBRED]

Originally Posted by bauerline

How long ago was that when you saw those quail? I've never seen a wild quail and the last wild pheasant I saw was in the early 80's in Adams county (except the some birds in the WPRA).

After looking over the quail plan it seems that I live right in the middle of one of the high priority areas. I look forward to seeing the plan put into action.

I saw those quail in the mid 90's,there are still some pockets of wild quail in the Southwest part of the state.I own some property in Bradford County and some of the locals swear there are wild quail nearby,but I have never flushed any.We did hear some,but I am not sure if they were "wild".

There is and always have been some pockets of "wild "pheasants in Pa..Despite what you read there are still some areas where you can hunt a wild population.It takes a herculean effort to find these areas and they are very guarded and you can understand why.

[FLDBRED]

Originally Posted by 1pheas4

Another Pennsylvania project in the right direction. Good luck!

Yes, you are correct! Pa. Sportsmen are very lucky to have men like Mr. Jay Delaney working to improve all small game hunting and keep the hunting tradition alive in Pa.!

[oldandnew]

While I applaud any and all efforts to protect and expand quail and pheasant populations anywhere in any state, I am always amazed that we have to duplicate remedial studies of "appropriate habitat needs", survey local populations,( here's a clue, THERE AREN'T ANY, or at least to few to matter), all these sorts of studies have been done repetetively in multiple states, habitat requirements are well established, and have been known for decades. You can find all you need on an internet search. All the time consumming and costly foreplay seems redundant and a waste. Go put some shovels in the ground and create first succession habitat, restore non sod forming grasses,trim back the mature forests to create edge. It's a chainsaw, and fire issue, no mystery.When your 40 years in and making progress, you might have a huntable population, but Pa. is never going to be a "quail" state, it never was, they were bonus birds for pheasant hunters back in the 60's and 70's. It took 40 years to get down this far, it's a long road back to mediocrity.Good news is your pheasant management will support your quail management and vis-versa. I hope I'm wrong and it goes quicker, but that's how it is here in Missouri, once a quail state with a harvest of 2 to 4 million birds a year, over many years in a row. Now 200,000 with about 20,000 quail hunters total.

[HollowWatcher]

I have not been able to read through all of the plan..however from what I have read so far I am very excited! The Pennsylvania Game Commission is hands down one of the best wildlife agencies in the nation! The future of small game hunting in Pa gets brighter and brighter every day!

[FLDBRED]

Originally Posted by bauerline

Here is a link to a draft of a wild quail plan for Pennsylvania.

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal...=977922&mode=2

After looking it over a little it seems similar to the pheasant plan.

Brian,

After trying your hand at raising Game birds,and doing quite well at it judging from the healthy characteristics of your birds, what is your opinion of the Wild Captive Breeding Program as listed in the Wild Quail Program?

[bauerline]

Sorry, I didn't see your post at first.

I think it may be able to work for quail since they don't need as much of a large area like pheasants. The important thing would be to keep contact with people at a minimum. But I guess we'll never know for sure until it is tried.