went hunting this morning. The dogs were running well in a location that is known to have birds but we found none, not a one. Whats happening to all the birds? Seems that its harder to find them anymore.

Well the weather has been quite different all over the southeast this year if that could possibly be a factor. Coyote populations are soaring. If that is the case then perhaps trapping will become a more rewarding hobby than quailing. I love coyotes. Gives me something new to trap. :)

Now that you mention it last night I heard Three seperate packs in the field behind the house and today out at the farm the dogs came across a tail that was all that was left of what best I could determine a coyote.

Here ( west central Georgia) I feel it is loss of habitat and increase of predators.

I have not even heard a quail in years.

The Eastern coyote is definetely beginning to grow in numbers enough for us to notice them more often. I am not a bird hunter so I have not noticed a decrease in game yet. I am a trapper and I am learning their habits as they apply to these areas. There are many differences in them from their western brothers. Some here think they are causing a decrease in deer. Yeah right! I will believe it when it really shows! I just think it is easier for them to eat so many other animals...hmmm you know...like Quail!!!! :) Oh yeah and feral cats. This is good!
Don't listen to all the hype that they are going to kill off all our game though. They have actually been here a longer time than most folks have noticed. The first one here I saw was 12 years ago and I have heard of sightings before that. We should just enjoy having something else to hunt! We get to hunt them all year! No bag limits! They are worth a little bit on the fur market so you can possibly get back some of your gas money. A coyote is no match for dogs so that is another way to enjoy hunting.
I am sure the quail will recover. I remember when it seemed you couldn't find a rabbit in the places that were very heavily hunted and they recovered even though the hunting pressure increased. It seems to cycle. Here is something too to think about. Any bird that nests on the ground will lose its eggs to the worst predator of all.....The RACCOON! There is an abundance of them and until the coyote came along his only natural enemies were the bobcat and our cars! So before we condemn the coyote he can also be our friend and your quail's friend!

Here in Louisiana the fire ants have taken a tremendous toll on the game bird population. Nasty little critters that take over and are dang near impossible to get rid of.

Here in Louisiana the fire ants have taken a tremendous toll on the game bird population. Nasty little critters that take over and are dang near impossible to get rid of.


THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can believe the coyote population is hurting them. I think the late April freeze could have possibly had an effect on the population. I see some quail around here, but not near as many as I usually see. On the radio, mom said she geard that there are a lot of pets disappearing and people think it is because of coyotes. Neighbors are also spotting them closer to their barnyards and homes. I guess we are going to have to start carrying our guns with us.

SHONEYS ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET IN MANNING, SC ON WEDNESDAYS.

THEY COME FRYED, BROILED OR BBQ

Just a Little humor fellows. But true and man are they good.

loss of habitat and predators most certainly .. hasnt been good quail hunting here in years ..

Loss of habitat and increase in Hawks, gottem by the droves.

I believe "habitate environment" is one of the biggest factor that effect quail populations. I have a place in the southwest that has some CRP acrerage in "wet lands" and "bluestem" grasses planted over 20 years ago. It now holds many sizeable covey's of quail. It took a while for them to come back after we had "protected" flocks of hawks on every fence post, as well as many other predators, and too many turkey in the area. (Most wildlife people claim turkeys would not effect the quail population and that the wild turkey would absolutely not distroy quail eqqs; however, the turkey is such a dominant bird it seemed the quail population did not like to live with them in close proximity.) Anyway, fact or not, when the turkey population went to the river valleys; the coyote population was thinned, hawk populations decreased (???), and the "cover" (weeds) increased, the quail reappeared dramatically. And, this occurred at a time in which the region was devastated by "unseasonable" floods and ice. Quail growth seems to be "tied" to so many factors of "nature" that claiming any one reason for their "demise" or growth as being "numero uno" is improbable. I, for one, am glad they are back. "Gentleman Bob" is a most welcome guest in the neighborhood, as well as in the "pan".