Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk AL Wingshooters Quail

What kind of numbers is everyone seeing this year? For the past five years or so, I have seen a steady increase in population. I hope that with all the habitat work and burning going on nowadays, we will see an improvement.

I have really good habitat and have for past 3 years and have a good population. It’s nice to see and hear them almost every time go to the land.

I have a few that I flush every so often. Never more than 2 at a time. I think it’s a couple different groups based on where I see them on the property. I’m trying to improve the habitat as quickly as I can. I’d love to have 2-3 big coveys.

We’ve been seeing a steady increase in population since we started burning and planting Long Leafs about 10 years ago. I haven’t been out there enough this year yet but did flush a single male riding around an old ag field. Made my day.

I wish I could find a place around here to see if my GSP will do anything with them. He hasn’t had any training, but points around the chicken pen. lol

I like to hear that y'all are seeing them! I am in between Andalusia and Evergreen off Highway 84. My habitat is pretty good, but my real advantage is my neighbor. He has a large acreage buffalo ranch and leaves a lot of the habitat in early succession. He doesn't burn much, but he uses a roller chopper pulled behind a skidder to reset everything and the quail seem to love it.

Not seen any n Fayette/Lamar/Marion this year. I grew up hinting them w dogs in TX/OK. I used to love it. Doubt I ever get back into it. Deer n turkey hunting has filled the void.

I jumped ONE on my place the other day, and heard a couple. When I was a kid they were everywhere.

He is ready for some action! My next dog will probably be a GSP. Have a lot of friends that have them and they are full of personality!

Them quail, will scare yo butt, in the mornings or evenings, leaving a deer stand! Been there done that! Lmao 🤣

I burn here at my house on a rotation, I’ve cleared a few more acres and let a hay field go for a couple years. I can sit on my porch just about every evening and hear a few whistles. I had this one come out in the yard this evening while the wife and I were sitting there enjoying the sunset.

Heck yea! I’d like to have a hunt able population but hearing a good covey is a just as rewarding

I’m hearing a lot of quail this year. Fayette, Marion, Lamar and Walker primarily. Heard a few in Greene co. We have been managing several properties with frequent fire and they’re plentiful on those properties.

Saw two coveys at our place in S Montgomery County last Sunday. We hear them most every time we are there. We are on a 2-3 year burn rotation.

What part of Walker are you mostly working around?

Next time you see or hear them calling, if they are reasonably close within shouting distance, open this link on your phone, scroll to the bottom where the wave file sounds are, turn up the volume, click play and enjoy the show. You’ll have them in your lap before you know it.

I did this to one I heard across the fence last year. He closed from 75 yards into my screen porch in about 5 seconds. He started imitating the calls and banty roostering back and forth. I don’t know if he was ready to fight or make love, but he was worked up for sure.

Audubon Quail call sounds

Just finished taking the dog for a walk around the property and jumped a few and now we are sitting on the back porch listening to them whistle. Life is good if you let it be

I learn a few things watching quail year round for years and some hunting. It seem small Hawks we use to call "killi hawks", maybe some folks call Coopers hawks, along with the next size hawks seem to be in quail areas all the time. Too many hawk of a certain size could harm the quail population. These predators of the sky seem to know where the good white meat hangs out. When I chased quail I would always try to keep one of the largest rabbit hawks I ever seen around, not sure if he chased quail or not. The other hawks numbers may need contotrolled in your area. House cats probably like roaming the thick areas where they bed at night, making places near homes not ideal for quail. With their keen sense of smell and being nightime creatures, quail really don't stand a chance. Seem almost every farm want cats to kill mice, probably in those areas quail won't make it. Add in trapping and the decrease of small farms over the years, quail just seem to have a hard time finding the right habitat to thrive. Farming areas managed for quail and having some growed up windrows for cover, seem to help quail. Very seldom did I see many in large woodland areas, seems they like they like edges or borders. Some like the garden areas planted in early summer that are left to grow up in short grasses and are left through the winter. Those areas make both good bedding areas, daytime cover, and feeding areas. I found out researching years later they may have been eating the seed of beggarweed that dries out in the winter, other weed seed, or grass seed. Never knew what kind of short weeds or grass these where, but they seem to prefer these areas. Beggarweed seed on your clothes is a sign you have a good food source of food for quail. They like small seed from garden crops, but it has to be shelled or fall out of the pod, which someimes doesn't happen. Natural or planted grass or weeds they make seed left through the winter may be a better choice, providing both cover and food. They do like shelled corn. Until the number increase, folks just need to remember to let the coveys go some years until the population builds back up.

Barbour County - We have about 7 coveys on our place and have for years. I have different stages of pines and do block burning every two years. Also have food plots, pasture and some hay fields. Not uncommon to sit on the back porch in the afternoon in May sipping on a cold drink and hear five or six quail calling. Never hunted them. If I did, I think getting one or two would be considered a huge success.

Not much better than sitting on the back porch sipping a cold one and listening to them whistle! I walk the dogs around the property every morning and evening and we always jump a couple. My golden has become really interested in them!