# Need a hunter for Wild Quail January 3rd



## mecicon (Dec 22, 2008)

Wild Birds (Quail) I have at least one opening for an additional hunter January 3, 2009, only experienced quail hunters need apply (lots of walking), 7:10 AM start time with valid Georgia Hunting license.

My most recent excursion December 20, 2008 netted 22 birds in five hours (two hunters with two dogs).

Reply to the thread,  or email: mecicon@earthlink.net

This is hunting wild birds not a preserve or put and take plantation your biggest investment will be your time.


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## jmharris23 (Dec 22, 2008)

What county you hunting in?


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## mecicon (Dec 22, 2008)

January 3 will be Thomas County


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## Warrick (Dec 22, 2008)

I might be interested.   I have a 7 yr old Brit and a puppy that I am breaking in on a check cord.   I usually walk 5 or 6 miles when I hunt.


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## mecicon (Dec 22, 2008)

Does your Brit flush?  Does he/she retrieve? I will have at least two Vizslas that are steady to wing and shot. My female is not 100% on the retrieve, but will hunt dead birds so we don't leave any cripples.


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## Warrick (Dec 22, 2008)

He's been hunted almost exclusively on wild birds.  Quail, pheasant, grouse and woodcock.  I follow the Ben O. Williams philosophy of birdbird dogs.  If the bird relocates I want the dog too as well.  Some hunters don't like this but since pheasant (and sometimes wild quail) run more than they hold it works for me.  Otherwise he hold very well.


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## mecicon (Dec 22, 2008)

Check your schedule, lets talk on Saturday, I am going out of town for Christmas and will be available to confirm plans etc.


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## wranglerjoe1968 (Dec 24, 2008)

Can I get some more info on this hunt?


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## Luke0927 (Dec 24, 2008)

Its a longs ways down from me i have to work Sunday morning or i would love to jump on this.... it would be fun i have a few dogs that are green broke there young but doing well.... steady to wing i allow them to break on the shot since were not running trials....if you can do another hunt before the season over Please let me know i would like to go and run a dog don't even care to shoot.


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## mecicon (Dec 24, 2008)

I understand, about three weeks ago I was working my dogs with a new hunter, it is all about the dogs.


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## Luke0927 (Dec 25, 2008)

will you hunt the property again before the season is over?  I turned out 7 birds today with the dog in my avatar....killed 4 had to let 1 go cause he moved on the flush...the other 2 went of to the clear cut and the rain was coming in so i didn't pursue them to much.....let me know if you have an opening later


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## mecicon (Dec 27, 2008)

Possibly the following Saturday 1/10


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## Luke0927 (Dec 27, 2008)

i can probably make the 10th check your PM.


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## mecicon (Dec 27, 2008)

Thanks for the weather conditions


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## mecicon (Dec 28, 2008)

Weather looks good for Saturday


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## mecicon (Dec 30, 2008)

Weather still looking great.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/golf/tenday/31792?from=36hr_topnav_golf


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## mecicon (Dec 30, 2008)

Will post pictures later.

MEC


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## Rebel's Dad (Jan 5, 2009)

How'd the hunt go?  Exciting to see somebody finding wild birds in Georgia.

Post pics if you got 'em!


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## wranglerjoe1968 (Jan 5, 2009)

So how did you do?


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## birddog#11 (Jan 5, 2009)

let me know if you are going again.  Have dogs, will travel.


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## Lane Morrell (Jan 6, 2009)

Was this hunt on the WMA in Thomas County?


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## gspbrad (Jan 6, 2009)

wranglerjoe1968 said:


> So how did you do?



What he said


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## mecicon (Jan 6, 2009)

It was supposed to be but two friends and three different GON  forum guys were unavailable, so Providence seemed to be indicating that it was not time to go. The next is scheduled for Feb 23. I found wild birds in November in Screven and Burke county.


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## bankwalker (Jan 16, 2009)

You found and killed 22 wild birds in Georgia?   That sounds awesome.  How many coveys did that involve?


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## Ol' 30-30 (Jan 16, 2009)

Were they wild birds or early release birds?


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## mecicon (Jan 17, 2009)

The DNR ranger said they were wild, I tend to think they were liberated.

We had three singles about four or five doubles and a few fives. Toward the end of the day we had pressured all the birds (unbeknownst to us) near a barn, the last flush, to our surprise, was 10 birds.


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## Luke0927 (Jan 17, 2009)

maker4life said:


> If you were at River Creek I'd believe them to be wild birds . That was part of the Kauka's plantation and holds some of the last remaing true long leaf pine forests left . It also doen't hurt to be bordered by Greenwood Plantation .
> 
> All that land has been managed for quail for years and years and is heavily influenced by Tall Timbers . According to them porperly managed lands in our area are seeing very high numbers of quail right now .




I know serveral people who are friends with big land owners in south Ga if you have enough land and lay it out right and manage it for birds they have a lot of wild quail....im just not lucky enough to go with any of them....you better be real close to some one to go hunt wild quail on their property....

I did however hit a wild covey of about 20 birds last Sunday in middle GA


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## Rebel's Dad (Jan 18, 2009)

I'd agree with Maker4life that if you were at River Creek they were wild birds.  I was drawn last year and while we did not find any birds the habitat looks pretty good.

We ran into the DNR guy and he said that that was how it was going on the hunts.  One party would zero and another might find 1-3 coveys.  I had higher hopes for the hunt.

The guy we ran into (I forget his name) and the regional biologist I talked to told me that the Kaukas had not managed the property specifically for quail, but for deer.  Both said that they were lobbying for more dollars to do more quail habitat work.  The way things are now those dollars are going to be hard to come by.  It'd be interesting to know how much quail habitat management the Kaukas did.

I read a Tall Timbers study that gave a dollar figure per bird for the cost of management.  I forget the number but it was staggeringly high.

Finding small pockets of birds during the day would not be unusual--finding the larger covey at the end of the hunt makes sense as they start to group back up towards the end of the day.  The DNR guy we saw said that there was a resident covey around the barns and equipment sheds.

The quota system is good in that it limits pressure on the birds.  I think they should also lower the bag limit on the hunts.  It's not that big an area.


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## Luke0927 (Jan 18, 2009)

Here's what i think would help and if we could do it....we need a large amount of public land...that we could start managing for birds....burning,cutting and planting....it would need to be quota hunted out and the limit should be dropped from 12 birds on wild birds...some WMA's and maybe some of the quota hunts do i have never looked into any of these qutoa's but i think i will for next season...i think some places do 3 birds per person or 12 per group.


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## Rebel's Dad (Jan 18, 2009)

The guys I talked to last year sounded like they would really like to do more quail work there.  The limiting factor is money and that is not going to get any better in the near future.

Public land quail hunting in Georgia is always going to be tough.  There is an opportunity at River Creek do do something good but it will take money and the willingness to apply some common sense management restrictions.

Most hunters I know would accept a bag restriction--they would be thrilled just to get their dogs in wild birds.  Most I know self limit anyway when they are lucky enough to find birds.

I don't hold out a lot of hope, however.  The DNR would rather put money into deer and turkey than any small game.  The simple fact is that the the ROI is much higher with big game.  Making a few bird hunters and their dogs happy is not high on the list of priorities because it generates very little revenue.

Other than the short woodcock season, Georgia is not much of a place to be if you want to hunt wild birds.  Grouse are getting scarcer every year even though fixing that is a much easier thing than quail--simply start cutting again on the national forest.  But given the "environmental" groups and their ignorance and the Forest Service's lack of stones that's not likely any time soon if at all.

Thank goodness for the interstate highway system and places like Oklahoma, Kansas, Michigan, etc.


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## Luke0927 (Jan 18, 2009)

Rebel's Dad said:


> The guys I talked to last year sounded like they would really like to do more quail work there.  The limiting factor is money and that is not going to get any better in the near future.
> 
> Public land quail hunting in Georgia is always going to be tough.  There is an opportunity at River Creek do do something good but it will take money and the willingness to apply some common sense management restrictions.
> 
> ...



i agree the best bet would to be work on grouse habitat cut and burn in the mountains and we could have a lot of good habitat...too many "enviornmentalist" that do not understand land management and the forestry services gives into the....so i guess i'll just keep taking trips out of GA and use planted birds for training here.


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## Rebel's Dad (Jan 19, 2009)

Luke0927 said:


> i agree the best bet would to be work on grouse habitat cut and burn in the mountains and we could have a lot of good habitat...too many "enviornmentalist" that do not understand land management and the forestry services gives into the....so i guess i'll just keep taking trips out of GA and use planted birds for training here.



That's about the size of it, unfortunately.  Good luck hunting!


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## mecicon (Jan 21, 2009)

Re: Grouse hunting, We are at the very end of the Appalachians and the tree huggers prevent any reasonable forestry management practices. We have more trees now than when the continent was originally settled. Lightning strikes allowed nature to run it's course and caused secessional growth opportunities. 

There are wild birds in Georgia...BUT, some hunters think hunting is like a Nintendo game and prefer "Put and Take/Plantation" hunting. Some of the best days I have had were when I was 'hunting for a place to hunt' searching for the right habitat and asking for permission to hunt on private property. Otherwise, in the not to distant future, our sport will be limited to the 'landed gentry'.

Most of us don't hunt for the "limit" but for the sport and most likely the "dogs".


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## Lane Morrell (Jan 21, 2009)

Rebel's Dad said:


> I'd agree with Maker4life that if you were at River Creek they were wild birds.  I was drawn last year and while we did not find any birds the habitat looks pretty good.
> 
> We ran into the DNR guy and he said that that was how it was going on the hunts.  One party would zero and another might find 1-3 coveys.  I had higher hopes for the hunt.
> 
> ...



My friend was drawn last year also.  We hunted for 5 hours, and found nothing.  The land is beautiful, but was managed for deer as you say.  I know the last plantation manager that worked for the Kaukas.  He was more into deer hunting, so that is what they planted for.  The Kaukas owned more than one plantation, so that is why River Creek was for the deer.  Also, Mr. Kauka shoot a B/C buck off of the place if I'm not mistaken.  It could have been on Chincaupin, but I think it was River Creek.


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## BirdNut (Jan 21, 2009)

Pardon the long reply but...

We were lucky enough to get drawn several years ago (2005) on the first hunt allowed by the state.  We found one covey in some nice pines about 9am.  Then  we proceeded to go to our next spots just behind another group drawn to hunt (out of 3 total).  We were either getting there right before they started or right after they finished up in the spot.  Seems like we had the same ideas about where the birds were.  By lunch they had moved 4 coveys and we had just the one.  I know my dogs can find wild birds, and my partners dogs are nothing short of fantastic birds dogs.  We always had a pair of fresh dogs on the ground.  A lot of river creek was too thick for quail (as others have mentioned it was managed for deer by the previous owners).  However there were some spots that just looked fantastic and our "twins" we kept following were finding birds in the spots we had collectively thought were pretty good.  By 10AM it had gotten pretty warm, and stayed that way till late in the afternoon.  All in all, the first year, the birds were there.

Interestingly, one of the birds we shot was so young it just about still had the egg shell stuck to him.  his tailfeathers were not fully fledged and for those that have bought young quail, we thought it was maybe a 5 or 6 week old bird.  The ranger we saw concurred, thinking it might have hatched in October.

The next year we were lucky enough to get drawn again, but this time for the end of January, 2006.  Unfortunately the weather was not ideal, being pretty warm again.  I think we were seeing 80's all day long and pretty dry-not ideal scent conditions.  I summary we hunted all day long.  The habitat had not changed-the thick areas were still thick. One area had been clearcut, but was too clean for quail at this point.  We hunted hard all day long, found not one roost, not a bird, not even a false point.  The dogs got birdy at one point but I suspect it could have been turkeys.  

A strange things happened.  We found an "X" in the woods, with dirt cleared out and the spines of the X were made of tin half buried in the dirt.  In the middle of the X was an area for a quail size trap.  After hunting all day we half-joked that the quail must have been trapped and removed.  We knew of the location of 5 coveys from the previous year's experience, but not a feather this trip-A little frustrating.

As a side note, since by now you may be doubting that my dogs can't find birds, we hunted a small plot of cutover on private land bordered by a major highway on one side, side roads on 2 sides and a huge center pivot irrigation field planted that year in cotton, already harvested.  We found 3 large wild coveys in 2 hours of hunting.

I have talked to the state biologists, the BQI people, etc. for years.  They claim its too much fescue (I agree), or lack of landscape level management (I disagree), supplemntal feeding and predator control seem to be taboo subjects, and pre-release quail don't surivive (HOGWASH!).  but my whole point to this long diatribe is that your are handed a plantation, albeit managed for deer, in the middle of quail country, and cannot produce coveys.  I should say, we went there again this year, and got one point and a SINGLE bird flushed.  The ground we covered should have garnered us a minimum of four coveys and more like 8-12.  There are less quail there now than there were in year 1.  granted there's public access there now, but also its quota only.  I cant for the life of me figure out why a couple of people with 5-6 good dogs cant raise a covey there.


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## redneck_billcollector (Feb 9, 2009)

I know this is an older thread, but I felt compelled to write something.  I had the distinct honor of knowing both Rolf, when he was alive, and Alexandra (a beautiful,intelligent and one heck of an outdoors person) on both a professional and personal level. I also have been a visitor to "Chiquapin" plantation to hunt and fish.  Rolf fancied himself an old school "yeagermeister" and managed primarily for trophy deer, of which he produced some monsters.  It was strange hunting deer there, he knew just about every deer on the property and would tell you exactly which one you could harvest (if you ever said "kill" when refering to hunting he would imediately correct you).  He did hunt quail but it was an afterthought on his part, he was all about the deer and Alexandra was into  turkey hunting,( he also duck hunted).  If you ever had the chance to go to their house (kinda spanish colonial with mideval furnishings and a fireplace you could hold a banquet in) the first thing you would notice were what looked like little spike antlers by the entrance way, they were his prized trophies, roe-buck antlers that he informed me were really nice trophies.  Then you saw the antlers of a truely impressive whitetail and then you saw his truely massive, if my memory serves me, around bnc 200 point non-typical that he harvested back in the 90's on one of his places (the only head mount he had on display at the time). This was in his later years. He was also an interesting person to talk to and he would tell stories about wwII (he was in the german army on the russian front) that were amazing. They had a kennel with bird dogs (all german breeds, if I remember mainly weims). He told me they would use them for deer tracking also.   Everyone that knew them (Alexandra is still alive) could not help but be  taken aback by their generosity and kindness to everyone who came into contact with them.  If you did any little thing for them they would give you a gift which was always expensive and very classy.  Thomas county lost its best transplanted citizens when Rolff died and Alexandra left. One other interesting thing about him, he had two alligators in one of his ponds that would come when he called them and he would feed them white bread.  he would call their names (german names of dragons from myths) they would come to him so fast it looked like they would go on plane like a speed boat.


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## mha (Feb 11, 2009)

My father and i got drown for the last hunt at River Creek this year and were the only group that showed up. We hunted hard for about 4.5 hours and never saw a bird. As has been said the place was managed for deer and not quail so we only found a few pockets of what seemed to be good habitat. We only had two dogs with one being a 6 month old, but I still feel like we should have been able to at least get a wild flush considering the amount of ground we covered. All of the "wildlife openings" were covered in bermuda grass which is just not going to support quail. Most of the timber was to thick to allow for good cover to grow underneath, but they had been doing alot of burning that hopefully will be helpful. The overall impression was that if the state was inclined to put some effort into the place it could be an outstanding piece of property. But as we all know resources are scarce at the state level these days. Hopefully in the long run they'll be able to make some changes that will result in better habitat and more birds.


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## mecicon (Feb 11, 2009)

Di Lane is the only WMA that is "aggressively" managed for quail and they only have 1.5 flushes per hour, if it is actually hunted hard.

River Creek will in time become good habitat, if the state does not cut funding too much, a conservation organization should/could make a huge impact. The state will allow those type of organizations  to make a difference.


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## mha (Feb 11, 2009)

I have hunted Di Lane as well. They have some of the best habitat I have ever seen. It is a beautiful place for sure. I just wish we had more places like it.


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## redneck_billcollector (Feb 12, 2009)

At one time they were supposed to start managing the uplands at Chickasawhatchee for quail.  I have had luck there at times finding a covey or two.  I dont know if they are gonna do what they were planning to do now with the lack of funds.


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## preston (Feb 12, 2009)

*quail improvements on public land*

i read all this and listen to lack of funds etc. makes you wonder where in the heck the orgs are that supposedly work so hard to restore quail?  you are talking about really nice large land  holdings that could be managed and plenty of labor available. sportsman would gladly limit there take in effort to see restored popualitons of wild birds. come QU and Q forever.....do something we can see!


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## BirdNut (Feb 12, 2009)

All,

I have some very strong opinions on state WMA for quail.  At one time, Charlie Elliot/Clybel had a respectable number of coveys on it.  Enough in fact that a neophyte birdhunter with very little idea of what to do and a new Brittany pup could stumble around and find them.  Then the state started planting pines in all the open fields, at very high stocking rates.  This wasn't too bird in the very early years, but as everyone knows, heavily stocked pine plantations become wildlife deserts after about year 5.  Deer bed in them and travel through them, but thats about it.  So I started calling the state.  I finally got up pretty high in the Biologist food chain.  I have to say the gentleman was very kind to spend so much time talking, but it was a lot of negativity.  Here is a summary:
1.  There's too much fescue-to which I replied that there are plenty of places that could have been managed (WMA) that were not fescue
2.  There's too much concrete-yes in Metro Atlanta, but there are tons of areas of the state that are not urbanized
3.  There are too many pine plantations-yes, and a lot of them are on WMAs
4.  Lease and landowner and state restrictions require us to plant pines on WMAs - I didn't know what to say to this one
4.  Quail are expensive to manage-yes, but quail are a byproduct of farm practices...subsidize famers by offering them WMA land at less than market field lease rates..eg. if soybeans can be planted at say $50 an acre then lease to a farmer at $25 an acre, but make them leave edge, etc.
5.  Quail really require landscape level management (thousands of contiguous acres, read Quail Plantation)

At this point I was thoroughly frustrated with the piont/counterpoint style of our conversation.  Rather than offering solutions it seemed our state-employed biologist was more intent on telling me all the reasons quail management would fail in the state WMA system...


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## BirdNut (Feb 12, 2009)

River Creek needs a good all-over burn.  The road system is there for firebreaks, it wouldn't be too hard to get it done.

Di-Lane is one of the most beautiful and well-managed WMA's in the state.  A lot of credit goes to John Bearden who does all the work on it.  Every time we get drawn there or talk to the office in Thompson that oversees it, we put in good words for John.  He is one of the hardest working state employees and it shows.

One of Bearden's proteges went down to work at River Creek.  I was very optimistic but this was 2 years ago and River Creek looks about the same as it did then, mostly too thick.


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## Luke0927 (Feb 12, 2009)

Exactly Bird nut......people should be slapped for planting fescue, fescue and pine tree's its been the death of our birds....all the old crop fields were planted with fescue treeline to treeline and cows eat it down....birds don't eat fescue and pine needles.


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## mecicon (Feb 12, 2009)

preston said:


> i read all this and listen to lack of funds etc. makes you wonder where in the heck the orgs are that supposedly work so hard to restore quail?  you are talking about really nice large land  holdings that could be managed and plenty of labor available. sportsman would gladly limit there take in effort to see restored popualitons of wild birds. come QU and Q forever.....do something we can see!



Being involved with both organizations (I don't want to reveal my level of participation or membership in each), there are people committed, with blood, sweat and money. Just not enough to make a visible difference to the casual observer.

It is truly the perfect example of the "80/20 rule." 80% of the people do 20% of the work and 20% of the people do 80% of the work. I believe it is more like 90/10.

One organization in it's first banquet with 60 attendees raised over $6000 (NET) for habitat restoration.

What does $6000 get the DNR? A disc and some_ "Round Up"_, a prescribed burn that will be fought by some tree-hugger. 

How much land can the org buy?

Preston, I am not "calling you out" but metaphorically, which organization(s) do you belong to? 

What organization(s) does anyone reading this post belong to? I am not just talking about "I pay dues."

But , involved, go to the monthly meetings raise money, contact sponsors, ask for donors to give, donate time at the banquet or event.

As to large land holdings, the state of GA will cut the only department that is self sufficient. 

Example: How much did you pay your license this year? 
Millions of dollars are generated each year by hunters and anglers, more dollars than their expense and yet it is and will be the first and deepest cut in this years budget shortfall.

What do we do? We complain with no compunction.

We don't join Camo Coalition, QU, QF, DU, NWTF, BASS or anything. 

Some don't even vote.

Unless and until individuals are willing to get/be involved nothing will change and nothing will get done.

I did not mean to ramble but the organizations are there, they are only as good as their members.


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## Beagle Stace (Feb 12, 2009)

Luke and Birdnut,

 I am with you both. The solution is not easy but I have found enough birds this yr. to believe that things could turn around. Not easily but possible. I wish we could somehow get a quail stamp etablished that could generate funding for habitat. I like most of you don't want to be able to kill limits of birds. I am happy to shoot two birds on a outing. Just would like to see them come back. Kudos for DiLane and John. Also, for the work at Clark Hill and Oconee WMA. As for BQI, when are any of the benefits of it ever going to be realized by the COMMON man. There is DNR personnel that love the birds as much as us and other non bird hunters also. I am going to speak up at my QF chapter meeting for sure.


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## mecicon (Feb 12, 2009)

Beagle Stace said:


> Luke and Birdnut,
> 
> I am with you both. The solution is not easy but I have found enough birds this yr. to believe that things could turn around. Not easily but possible. I wish we could somehow get a quail stamp etablished that could generate funding for habitat. I like most of you don't want to be able to kill limits of birds. I am happy to shoot two birds on a outing. Just would like to see them come back. Kudos for DiLane and John. Also, for the work at Clark Hill and Oconee WMA. As for BQI, when are any of the benefits of it ever going to be realized by the COMMON man. There is DNR personnel that love the birds as much as us and other non bird hunters also. I am going to speak up at my QF chapter meeting for sure.



Beagle, congrats on being involved in QF.


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## preston (Feb 12, 2009)

*support the effort*

those are great points and i certainly don't want to argue with someone that is compasionate on preserving the heritage.  there are some very good efforts under way with tall timbers and Aurburn for example that are really trying new ideas and thinking out of the box. i just get really disapointed at how little encouragment i here for the fellow that is trying to keep the sport alive. i was in a gun store the other day and a fellow who is about 75 came in and when he left the owner said that he was last of the old bird hunters.... really sad to hear that.    please join whatever org you feel the need to be involved with.... at least it is a effort. i would just say that if i could see some action every now and then it would go along ways to getting my spirits up. heck the last time i looked at the qu website it was pretty lame but ok i will renew a long past expired qu membership.


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## mecicon (Feb 12, 2009)

I also suspect that my grandfather who died in 1971 thought he was the last of the birdhunters as well. 

I am guessing that before him any hunter who drove a truck to the field was not a true hunter, and at one point even those with guns are not hunters as only falconers were the true hunters. Go figure.


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## mha (Feb 12, 2009)

I'm not sure what the answer is, but I do know that the birds will respond to habitat management if it can be implemented. The DNR in its current state just isn't able to get the job done. I'm just glad to see that there are others like me that believe it can be done and are willing to put in some effort. While the DNR will have to be part of the equation, any success will come directly from involved individuals.


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## BirdNut (Feb 13, 2009)

Luke0927 said:


> Exactly Bird nut......people should be slapped for planting fescue, fescue and pine tree's its been the death of our birds....all the old crop fields were planted with fescue treeline to treeline and cows eat it down....birds don't eat fescue and pine needles.



This is what has me so hot...the state game biologist  in charge of BQI will tell you its pine trees and fescue and bermuda that has killed off the quail habitat yet when you go to one that had quail habitat the state takes it and ruins it!  When questioned, the hands are tied, etc. etc. I have to follow x y z rules etc.  Who owns the land-we do.  We should be able to influence the policy somehow to make our WMAs showcases in the southeast.

Georgia was once called the quail capital of the world, but i have friends from Texas who think its a lot of hot air, and if a Texan thinks you're bragging, you're must be up to your eyeballs in it.


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## BirdNut (Feb 13, 2009)

Winter disking, burning, how much of that do you see on state WMA?

I am an engineer by training, but fairly ignorant of agriculture.  How much does it cost per hour to run a tractor and how much does it cost to burn 100 acres?

I can drive my F250 400 miles on about $50 of diesel.  400 miles is a lot of winter disking.  I realize a tractor costs to operate, but how much?


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## BirdNut (Feb 13, 2009)

I just thought that perhaps we can find out the budget for Di-Lane since it is a state facility...records have to be public info...duplicate that across a dozen more WMAs in the state and you'll have some happy bird hunters.


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## mecicon (Feb 13, 2009)

BirdNut said:


> Winter disking, burning, how much of that do you see on state WMA?
> 
> I am an engineer by training, but fairly ignorant of agriculture.  *How much does it cost per hour to run a tractor and how much does it cost to burn 100 acres?*
> 
> I can drive my F250 400 miles on about $50 of diesel.  400 miles is a lot of winter disking.  I realize a tractor costs to operate, but how much?



I will do it just for grins and giggles, I burn areas on my property each year.


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## mecicon (Feb 13, 2009)

BirdNut said:


> I just thought that perhaps we can find out the budget for Di-Lane since it is a state facility...records have to be public info...duplicate that across a dozen more WMAs in the state and you'll have some happy bird hunters.



I was at Di Lane a few months ago and spoke for an hour+ to the DNR Conservation Ranger in charge of the entire region (I have forgotten his name I will probably remember when I finish this) he gave me the names of others WMA's that would be quail friendly. Even if the budget were duplicated as long as they (DNR) refuse to any predation control, it will be an uphill battle.


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## BirdNut (Feb 13, 2009)

Mecicon-if it was Di-Lane it was probably John Bearden...He knows how to make quail.  

I agree on the predators.  In Mexico where I hunt, egg eaters and other predators wind up in a pot, just like they did here years ago.

TV is the downfall.  As soon as folks realized that no one else ate coons and possum, the predator fight was uphill.


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## shotgun (Feb 13, 2009)

The reason Di-lane is a quail WMA if you want to call it that is beacuse of the work done by the orginal owner not the State!
Mr Henry Berol, President of Berol Pencil Co out of New York is responsible for all the quail food resources and habitat that is on Di-lane.
Di-lane was named after his two daughters Diane and Elaine. He was a quail enthusanist and loved his birdogs and horses. He had a cemetary for all his dogs right acrossd ffrom the main house where the headquarter is today.That was and still is the home of The Georgia Field trail.
This goes back to the early 60's when he bought the place from Mr Rogers a prominent farmer and quarter horse breeder in Burke county.
I have seen them find as many as 25-30 covies in a day
on the place. But it wasn't the state that made Di-lane the quail plantation it is and today is noting like it was back in the day.


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## coveyrise90 (Feb 13, 2009)

Unfortunately the DNR hasn't the funds necessary to manage Di-Lane, or any other public land for that matter, to its fullest potential. 

A couple weeks ago I hunted at the Apalachee WMA on Lake Seminole in Jackson County FL. The place had good habitat but not the best it could be. It has a fair amount of open fields but it needs more. The piney woods provide better habitat with fields (managed for brood cover and food) in the mix. The problem is that they manage for timber and they don't want to take too much land out of production. This applies to any public land. They don't don't do fall strip disking. They don't have brood plots. They don't conduct supplemental feeding. They don't control predators. They don't burn as often as they should (most public land is on a 3 year cycle). 

In South Central AL at the Conecuh National Forest, The Conecuh Quail Forever Chapter works on the forest to build better habitat... But they are VERY limited to what they can do because of all the regulations from the Forest Services. They can't even disk because it takes away the native wiregrass cover!

That's government for ya.

Adam


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## redneck_billcollector (Feb 13, 2009)

lA little management will go a long way with birds.  The state and the nature conservancy purchased chickasawhatchee from st. joe's.  There were plans to restore longleaf pine/wiregrass savannas there and burn.  Maybe since one of the salamanders was listed as endangered yesterday or today (one of the flatwoods ones native to down here) they will have to, cause they need regular burns, etc...to survive, they cant deal with alot of pine straw and a woody understory.  Heck, I have a tractor and a disc harrow I would volunteer  to use out there for some weekends. They have been harvesting wiregrass seed at doerun lately to start growing wiregrass at seminole wma, maybe they will do it at chickasawhatchee too.  I have been fortunate to hunt on many occassions some of the larger private wildbird only plantations in the albany area and I promise, if the land is managed birds will be everywhere. I do have a gripe with some folks that hunt quail on wmas, they use 12g autos or pumps and will try to hunt down singles after they shoot a covey.  We always used 20g or smaller o/u or sxs and never hunted singles on the big private plantations you are only allowed those types of guns nor are you allowed to hunt singles.  We have to restrain ourselves if we ever want to have many quail on wmas and make sure all the coveys are hit lightly.  Were I in charge, I would require 20g or smaller and doubles or single shots only on quail wma hunts for one thing. I have seen folks braggin about taking 5 or 6 birds on one rise shooting 9 shot through open bore 12 autos  Cause if all the coveys are hunted with big guns by folks goin' after all the singles, all the habitat management in the world aint gonna help the quail.  JHMO.


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## mecicon (Feb 13, 2009)

redneck_billcollector said:


> lA little management will go a long way with birds.   I do have a gripe with some folks that hunt quail on wmas, they use 12g autos or pumps and will try to hunt down singles after they shoot a covey.  We always used 20g or smaller o/u or sxs and never hunted singles on the big private plantations you are only allowed those types of guns nor are you allowed to hunt singles.  We have to restrain ourselves if we ever want to have many quail on wmas and make sure all the coveys are hit lightly.  Were I in charge, I would require 20g or smaller and doubles or single shots only on quail wma hunts for one thing. I have seen folks braggin about taking 5 or 6 birds on one rise shooting 9 shot through open bore 12 autos  Cause if all the coveys are hunted with big guns by folks goin' after all the singles, all the habitat management in the world aint gonna help the quail.  JHMO.



I like the way you think.


Unless you are hunting ducks or geese you don't need anything larger than a 16 gauge.

I hunt wild pheasant in SD with a 20 GA and take down just as many as those with a 12 GA.

On WMA's the plug is supposed to be inserted only allowing three shots.

Now as for singles, I am not defending, but we all have to admit we are HUNTERS and hunters hunt. The prey drive kicks in and it is on.

I look at it as the "law of diminishing return" I am not going to chase a single. Chances are it is going to run and I (my dog) will find it when I come back. If it is shot that is another situation altogether than we "hunt dead."


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## Beagle Stace (Feb 13, 2009)

I don't have a problem with hunters using twelves. I mostly shoot 16 or 20 gauge. Repeaters are not a problem either. People just have to learn to be able to self limit on a covey. Most people rarely find singles cosistantly on wild coveys any way. Rarely in some of the rough areas I find coveys would you ever fire that third shot any way. Just my opinion.


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## preston (Feb 13, 2009)

great ideas and suggestions.


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## redneck_billcollector (Feb 14, 2009)

I hear yall, it is just on the private properties I hunt, that is the rules, no if ands or buts. It makes for alot of quail and 20 covey days are the norm, not the exception.  I realize it is a little bit elitist, but the folks who put together these plantations were the elite and if you want mucho wild coveys, those plantations are the only place you will find them in Georgia.  Pineland, Bluesprings, Nilo, Senah, etc... all have those rules. They do not supliment the birds with releases, and they are hunted alot during the season, much more than the most hit wma in ga and the birds are there.  The main problem with wma's and quail in Georgia is, and we have to face it, for every one of us who hunts birds, there are 100 deer hunters.  Now there is one thing we could do....If most every quail hunter out there got together, and purchased a few thousand acres and managed it exclusively for quail and imposed plantation rules and intensly manage for ol' Bob....you never know.  There is literally thousands of acres of pine plantations over in southeast Ga. the could be had....I know it is a pipe dream, but it is a thought. If a sizable holding is properly managed for quail, it can handle a good bit of hunting presure as long as only coveys are hunted, and smaller doubles are used. That would be a good use for the quail stamp (make it 150)  that yall are talking about in the other thread. Heck they could even have a drawing for trappers to have access to the land.........


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## coveyrise90 (Feb 14, 2009)

Redneck, I agree with all your statements except for the one about the gauges. I don't kill anymore birds when I use my 12ga than I do with my 20 or 28ga. The action type is more important. If you do shoot an auto or pump, limit yourself to 2 shots. 

People hunting public land have this mentality that they have to kill every bird they can... kinda like "If I don't kill them, someone else will". If a hunter on public land finds a small covey (less than 6-8 birds), they should reframe from shooting but they don't... they kill whatever they can. You can't do that to any covey not matter how good the habitat.

Adam


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## redneck_billcollector (Feb 14, 2009)

One of the reasons for the smaller gauges from what I have been told is it keeps folks from "covey shooting" and you actually have less wounded birds, at least that is what I was told.  You know the old hunters back when I was a youngun would shoot 12guage autos   i.c. or open with 9 shot and would take more than one bird with a shot.  I have seen folks take 5 birds with 3 shots doing that. Oh, I was over at the field trials in Arabi this morning, ZZFarms "Chevy" a weim took overall yesterday, beat out pointers, setters and GSPs (he is who I was rootin' for I just got one of his puppies). Just thought I would throw that in for yall.


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## Luke0927 (Feb 14, 2009)

its not the gun its the ethics...i hunt everything with my 12G SBEII and will be going tomorrow where i have flushed birds on WMA...I don't care about killing birds i would rather flush and have some good dog work....if i kill just 1 or 2 birds im fine with that....I'll even shoot a blank gun cause i care more about dog work...The limit just needs to be cut down on public land don't tell me what gauge to hunt with.....


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## Jim P (Feb 14, 2009)

Let me ask this, when was the last time any of you shot your limit on wild birds, I'll be honest with you it's been a long-long time for me, what I'm saying is everybody talks about lowering the limit, I don't see that as the solution for more birds, they need habitat and food.


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## redneck_billcollector (Feb 14, 2009)

Last time I shot a limit of wild birds was the last time I hunted on Bluesprings Plantation, limits aint hard on private plantations, it is getting to hunt on the private plantations that is hard.  I am not trying to start a debate on shotgun gauges, I am just saying all the places that wild birds abound, the land owners limit the gauge to 20 or smaller, I only know of one occassion that they will wave that rule, that is the QU celeb. hunt where people bid on a hunt to hunt with someone famous and those hunts aint cheap.  I know one owner that only hunts .410 and he strongly encourages that on his property if you are fortunate enough to get an invite.


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