Hippocratic Management

First, be wary of the word "improved", as in "improved pastures." Such pastures usually involve various bermudagrass, bahiagrass, or old world bluestem varieties. Improved for cattle perhaps, but they likely offer poor habitat for quail. Keep in mind that one can have cattle and quail at the same time, but they cannot be maximized on the same property at the same time. Understand and appreciate the trade-offs. Native species of grasses have lower potential for producing beef, but provide more suitable habitat for quail.

Second, consider the impacts of supplemental feeding for deer. Would you agree that feeding deer has increased exponentially over the past decade? How many "sling" feeders or free-choice feeders grace your land? Surely quail get some of the corn from a sling feeder, so feeding has to be at least neutral, correct? Consider two possible side effects of feeding to quail. In a direct sense, feeding increases the risk of aflatoxicosis (sickness from eating aflatoxin-tainted corn). And indirectly, what impact does the supplementation have on the litter size of raccoons and feral hogs, both of which are noted nest predators? I encourage you to set up a remote-camera at your feeder to get an idea of just "who’s coming for dinner." Research at Uvalde documented that the survival of simulated quail and turkey nests increased as the distance from a feeder increased.

Third, think about the proliferation of farm ponds on the landscape in your area. How many were there 40 years ago? Do farm ponds benefit bobwhites or raccoons more? I submit the abundance of farm ponds may serve as a form of "habitat fragmentation" on a heretofore rather dry landscape. I remind you that quail may use standing water for drinking, but rarely would lack of access to a farm pond be considered a weak link in one’s quail plans.

My penultimate comment, on the role of predator control, may be the most contentious. If a quail’s every living, breathing moment is dictated by the threat of predation (which I submit it is), how can predator control be anything but beneficial? Compare quail and coyote abundance on three areas of Texas: Rolling Plains, Edwards Plateau, and South Texas Plains. On which of those regions are quail, and coyote, numbers the highest? Rolling Plains and South Texas Plains. The lowest? The Edwards Plateau. How does coyote abundance jibe with quail abundance? Pretty much the same areas, eh? Now which area likely has the more feral cats, grey foxes, and raccoons? The Edwards Plateau. Some think that the low number of the coyotes in the Edwards Plateau has fostered a "mesomammal release" (i.e., increase in smaller predators like foxes). That’s a great trade-off if you're in the sheep and goat business, or to fast-forward deer abundance, but could it be counterproductive for quail? Predation issues are extremely complex, and other factors may be (probably are) at play here, but the patterns are intriguing.

Finally, consider the impacts of emergency feed programs that are often enacted during droughts. While such programs benefit one's livestock, and possibly one's profitability, what impact do they have on the range? Does the ability to delay or forego destocking impact quail nesting habitat? I suspect it does.

Quail face an array of threats in today’s environment. Some of those are "natural" (e.g., predators), others are man-made (habitat change). Some are seen clearly, others are more cryptic. Sometimes you're danged if you do, and darned if you don't. I offer these relationships not to preach what's right, but to illustrate what my Preacher Paul often says.

"You’re free to choose your actions, but you're not free to choose the consequences."

Sometimes an ounce of prevention can truly be worth a pound of cure.