Netting to keep birds of prey out.

[Silentweapon338]

I have several wild covey of quail.

We are gonna experiment turning out some pen birds on other properties, away from our wild birds. We don't want to endanger the wild birds.

I figure the birds if they stay alive the first 72 hours may have a chance.

I'm open to suggestions.

Full disclosure I'm a deer farmer and dove field manager.

I managed to take a few wild birds and turn them into 5 healthy covey of 8-15 birds in each, just by our planting schedule for deer.

I am no quail guy. I'm open to help and want to learn as much as possible.

My idea is to take and turn 250 birds loose but in groups of 10.

I will turn them loose on several properties no more than 1/2 mile apart.

Where I turn them loose I want to build some feeding stations.

I would like to set up some drive by feeding stations in order to keep the birds fed for a few weeks while the birds acclimate.

We have some thick pine areas every where we are releasing the birds.

In between the release areas I plan on setting some actual feeders with food in those on timers.

Bu the drive by areas will be nothing more than a food plot for birds of prey if I don't do something.

My idea is to take and make 12x12 areas 4' off the ground of netting.

I can drive by hoop the food out and go on to the next spot!

Will this work?

If so where can I find some netting. My first thoughts were something like a batting cage but I struck out there.

My next thought is something like a trolling net.

What says the brain trust?

[cajunwannabe]

I'd think the netting would catch the birds of prey when they get tangled up in it trying to get the quail.

Memphis net and twine would have all the netting you'd ever need tho.

[SCswampCAT]

I'd think the netting would catch the birds of prey when they get tangled up in it trying to get the quail.

Perfect..

[CurLee]

String it up tight. I've had quail and chickens both killed by owls through the netting while they were roosted high just below the net.

[nitro5x6's]

Studies have proven flight raised quail have a real short life span. A man can go broke fast putting out quail.

Raptors ?? only one way to limit their impact on quail. Some of the finest places I have hunted with strong wild bird populations have one thing in common. The know how to control birds of prey and don't advertise the method.

[2thDoc]

covey coop

[MolliesMaster]

Have you looked at building Johnny houses? Would provide the birds with supplemental feeding and shelter each night. Doesn't take them long to figure out where to go as long as there is a call bird left in the house.

[Silentweapon338]

Tell me more about these.

[Chuck the Duck Slayer]

Johnny houses are the way to go.

My brother is using two at the moment. I may have some photos on my phone

[MolliesMaster]

[MC]

Are you trying to have birds to shoot this year, or are you trying to restore a quail population?

The Johnny houses will accomplish what you are referring to on the predators for release birds.

Restoring a quail population is a whole different animal.

https://bringbackbobwhites.org/ - Under the library there is plenty of reading from current efforts throughout the range to improve habitat and build on existing populations.

[wskinner]

Recently, I’ve been doing some research on managing quail, as there are a few wild birds on one of the properties I hunt. I was interested to learn that quail don’t travel more than 40 acres from their hatching site. This is from DNR and is pretty helpful.

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/education/pdf/quailhabitat.pdf

[Palmetto Bug]

If you're going to use Johnny houses, you need to read up on the laws so you don't get cited for trapping quail. Unless you have a preserve permit, the instant you turn a bird loose, it's the state's to regulate. You can't shoot over the legal wild bird limit either.

Pen raised birds are pretty dumb and unfamiliar with wild food sources. Birds that have never seen a cricket might pin themselves to the side of the cage the first time you throw one in with them. They don't know to eat bugs or seeds. I've heard of letting a bantam hen raise quail chicks to teach them how to forage. A dog trainer in Aiken told me he had the best success with turning loose 6 week old birds that had been raised on crickets.

[rp]

Johnny houses are for released birds.

[rp]

DNR has certain areas in the state that they are actively working to increase the quail population. So far it is working with some success. This project is not old at all so some success is good.

The person to contact at DNR is Mike Hook. He is in charge of the small game. and he will put you in touch with the particular person in your particular area.

MC has posted above the program that SCDNR is a participant in.

Call Mike.

[Palmetto Bug]

Johnny houses are for released birds.

Reread my post. You can't catch even released birds in a Johnny house without a preserve permit.

[Griffin]

Quail farming 101. Kill every raptor and predator within 50 miles. The end

[wskinner]

I get that predator control is part of it, but there have always been predators even when quail populations flourished. There has to be more to it than that.

[Griffin]

I get that predator control is part of it, but there have always been predators even when quail populations flourished. There has to be more to it than that.

Modern agricultural practices

[fuzzy]

I get that predator control is part of it, but there have always been predators even when quail populations flourished. There has to be more to it than that.

My dad was really into quail hunting years ago. There are several factors that he attributes to the decline of quail in our area. Land management practices, agriculture practices, and fire ants.

With land management, it is the type of woods, and burning. There were more hardwoods back then, and people burned woods every 2 -3 years. Next, as Griffin stated, is agricultural practices. Farmers didn't disc a field as soon as it was harvested. Most farmers had some type of livestock, be it cows or hogs, that were put in the fields to feed on wasted crops. That meant that the fields were fenced in, which essentially gave a hedgerow for birds to have additional cover in. Last is fire ants. He says that if you don't believe him about the ants, then throw a piece of meat on the ground in the woods. Chances are, it will be covered with ants in a short period of time. Those are factors that he attributes to the decline of quail in our area. How accurate he is, I have no idea. I can definitely see the issues with land management, and agricultural practices. I question the validity of the ants, because we have seen turkeys re-populated in the same areas that once held good numbers of quail. I would also attribute some pesticides to the decline.