Local bobwhite quail

[BowEd]

I always like this time of year.Kind of a pre-curser to fall coming.A pair of quail joined later by another male this morning.I heard them whistling earlier locating each other.They've come out of the damp tall grass to dry off a little from the dew.Usually there will be a whole hatch[a dozen or so] with a pair like this,this time of year like I've seen before in previous years.They may have had some back luck this year.These I spotted and Robin got a few pics of 20 yards from the house.She's learning how to stay quiet and motionless to get these type pics.

[Pat B]

They are beautiful birds. We don't see many quail or grouse around here any more. 

[Danzn Bar]

Great pic's...
The next feather backed bow I'm doing, if I have enough feathers, will be Bobwhite Quail.  Boy there small and will need a lot to do the whole bow.
DBar

[Hawkdancer]

Neat pictures!  I remember flushing coveys in Missouri, a real surprise if you just walked up on them!
Hawkdancer

[Zuma]

A Robin should be able to get real close to quail
Like Pat, they used to walk right down my driveway
They are all gone now, near twenty years.
I am thinking birds of pray. Of course the freekin
cats and loose dogs don't help.
Thanks for the memories.
Zuma

[Chippintuff]

I grew up hearing and seeing them all the time, but it has been close to 20 years since I have seen one, and that time was the first in several years. People tell me that the fire ants are wiping out everything that nests on the ground. It's too bad the fire ants can't stop the hogs.

WA

[BowEd]

They are a pretty innocent & shy occupant of this area.Fun to see.Lot of things out there to get them that's for sure.I think maybe because of the diverse enviornment here they are able to maintain.Out in the country here neighbors and me kind of keep a tab on these little fellas.
Bill.....You'll have to start naming them type bows....lol.Have you seen Gun Docs' bow in the build-a-long thread with a pheasant feather backing?Think he just used tru oil to cover them all if I'm not mistaken.

[Danzn Bar]

Bill.....You'll have to start naming them type bows....lol.Have you seen Gun Docs' bow in the build-a-long thread with a pheasant feather backing?Think he just used tru oil to cover them all if I'm not mistaken.

Yes Ed,  I saw it in person at the Classic a few years ago.  Josh did a very good job on that one. Along with the breast feathers he used some pheasant tail feathers if I remember correctly.  To keep that under glass look and the finish as thin as possible, you do not want to use much of the quill of the feather.  I use the very end/tip of the feather to keep the finish thin.  I have some pheasant feathers too and have thought about using all three birds (turkey, quail & pheasant) on one bow.  Maybe call it the "Upland" Bow   
DBar

[BowEd]

That sounds appropriate.

[upstatenybowyer]

Those are some beauties! All the grouse and quail disappeared from around here many moons ago.

[bjrogg]

Robin takes some very nice pictures Ed. They remind me a lot of a pheasant. It's kinda strange how many animals we have now that we didn't have when I was a youngster. We really have a lot of wildlife here and most of it has adapted well and figuring out how to coexist with each other. Even the Red Fox and coyotes. The pheasants just really haven't come anywhere near a decent comeback. I can't think of any animal in this area that people have tried harder to reintroduce. I miss them. Their still around but not in the numbers they were when I was a child. Not many humans hunt them here anymore. A lot of coyotes, fox, hawks and other birds of prey do though. Also coons and such rob the nest.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Jeff.....The disappearance of certain wildlife can happen to areas and does.Habitat management is the determining factor.Ebbs and flows are normal but disappearance completely over a long period is not good IMO.That's why it's so important for those with the means and power to pay attention to it's status.It's a responsibility of treasures for others to enjoy it.

[BowEd]

Seems we were both typing at the same time BJ.Robin is a pip that's for sure.Her first cousin is soooo crazy about those snakes he's lost part of a thumb to a rattlesnake bite/been in the hospital from a copperhead bite/and been bit by many non venomous snakes.I've been bit by most everything here myself but not venomous snakes yet....No thank you!!! I say.
Predators are part of the landscape.Animals will adapt if given a chance but habitat and management monitoring is still the key.Pheasant numbers are low here in southern Iowa IMO too but into NW Iowa numbers are still high,but no quail to speak of.A lot harsher winters up there I think.Some things are impossible to overseee.Weather is one of them but habitat can relieve that some too.

[BowEd]

Many on here maybe don't realize I did'nt get married till I was 45 years old.Prior to that from my early twenties to 45 I pursued my hobbies of coon hunting/buckskinning to a point of it being a life style with 0 responsibilities to anything else except farming so many nights away from home.Exploring in depth facets of primitive skills and living.Anyone can take it to any degree they prefer,but do enjoy seeing it happen with others to any degree.
While coon hunting all over the country for close to 30 years year round I noticed this area I live now was overrun with wildlife but still in my home state.In this county alone 12 people per square mile is the population density.Very low.An appreciation of my play ground is something I will always have.

[bjrogg]

Ed I agree with you about the loss of habitat but it really seems to me it's not the whole problem with our local pheasant population. We personally have a couple fairly good sized switch grass plots bordering creeks and drainage systems. There are also thousands of acres of state land that seem perfect habitat for pheasants. Several times people have tried to reintroduce birds in our switch grass with what I'd call very limited success. We also have a few farms where the original native birds are still there. Granted they aren't what I'd call great numbers but they seem to stay pretty stable numbers. One really strange thing is that these farms aren't what I'd think of as perfect habitat. The only thing I see in common with them is that they are all very sandy fields. In fact many times over the years we've joked that at least the pheasants are making a living off them. I'm certainly no expert but I get the feeling these original birds are part of the answer. I'm not sure if it's genetics or maybe just as simple as being raised from chicks in the wild. At any rate I don't have the answer and consider it one of life and natures great mysterys. I would sure gladly trade half our turkey population for the same amount of pheasants. I do miss them.
Bjrogg
PS I do feel certain farming practices are now helping with our habitat problem. We have a very good amount of cover crops and have planted many miles of windbeak trees. Most of the money that goes to farm programs go to food programs. Next is CRP and habitat restoration. Very little goes to what truly is a farm program. That's fine with me to . I just wish people understood that. It hasn't always been the case. I still remember "farming these government programs " I certainly hope to not have to do it again.