WILD quail hunting

**0fer2** · 10-10-2016, 01:58 PM

I am an average schmo from Minnesota who is wondering if its worth the drive to Indiana to hunt wild quail. Back in the late 80s had a chance to hunt it, a friend who grew up in Indiana but was working in MN had the chance to take over the family farm. He got bored and planned to move back to MN. He did, however, groom parts of the farm for quail and it was a fun hunt. I believe the farm was in the Columbus area? Cummins diesel plant in the area?

And then, my gosh his wife cooked up the quail squirrel and cottontails we shot. The quail are the best eating game bird I've ever had.

So is it worth it, is it possible to hunt private lands, and of course I don't really have a clue what to look for as far as habitat. I mostly hunt the prairie for pheasants now although did a lot of ruffed grouse hunting over the years.

Thanks

Dan

**odenney** · 10-10-2016, 02:38 PM

I live just a few minutes north of Columbus and there are no quail here worth driving to from MN. When I was a kid we had quite a few birds but I have not heard a quail in a long time, it is actually hard to find a good rabbit spot these days. I do quite a bit of hiking, hunting and general walk about stuff and I hardly ever see a rabbit. Coyotes, fox, and hawks keep most of the game down, a lot of coyotes are shot by deer hunters. Our party of 5 (10 if you count the dogs) are heading to Iowa for pheasant, at the end of the month, then I am going to northern Florida for quail in Jan.

**AtTheMurph** · 10-10-2016, 04:03 PM

I wouldn't drive from MN to hunt quail in Indiana either. I do hunt them in that area however but if we see one covey it's a good day and a great day is three or maybe 4 but that is very rare.

Someday's we see zero.

I hunt just N and NE of Columbus. SE IN and SW Indiana are the two best areas to quail hunt but unless you know your getting on some honey holes you'd be better off hunting grouse in your area. I think they are better than quail although quail are mighty tasty.

**Birdhuntr1** · 10-12-2016, 04:37 AM

A friend lives a half hour or so south of Richmond, IN. We have access to many different private lands. Started hunting quail there in early 2000's, and it was pretty good. We could find birds on most places. We don't overhunt, just a couple of days a year, and don't follow up on singles. Over the years the number of coveys and the number of birds per covey have steadily declined. We scout and add property, but the bird numbers are just in decline. I live in Michigan and host my friend for grouse, and although I'll continue to go down for the quail opener, we are actively looking for out of state places to go for quail in the future.

If I were making a trip only to hunt quail, and without a local contact, Indiana wouldn't be a high priority destination.

**BO, BOLT & JEWELL** · 10-20-2016, 08:52 AM

I have to spend about a week a month in sourthern Indiana. Are there any wild upland birds to hunt in Indiana?

**Pointing lab** · 10-21-2016, 10:10 AM

I would not drive from Minnesota to Indiana to hunt quail. Are there quail to hunt? Yes if you put the time in but you drive by far better states on the way. I would go to Kansas long before Indiana.

**odenney** · 10-21-2016, 10:30 AM

I agree with Pointing Lab, 50 years ago you may have had a case, but for the drive and scouting time you would have had a limit, saved lots of gas money and been home before you could have uncased a gun for a big covey of 3 birds here in Indiana.

**Seawolftoo** · 11-08-2016, 02:50 PM

Agricultural practices have a lot more to do with Quail than predators according to the research. Burning off fields and ditches rather than mowing them would go a long way to restoring quail habitat.

Google an organization called "tall timbers" in Florida. They do a lot od restoration and research and its fun reading if you like hunting and biology