That Quail Place Forum
Hunting Gamebirds => Hunting Gamebirds => Topic started by: jchotz on May 19, 2011, 11:43:58 PM
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I had a successful year last year and completed four full cycles with my surrogator. The first and last cycles turned out to be in poor habitat locations but the second and third cycles did well and my call counts now show about 60 birds in the wild where we had fewer than 3 the previous year. My question is about wild quail feeders (http://raisingwildquail.com/quail-feeders/wild-quail-release-4-and-wild-quail-feeders/). I ran one last year with a dedicated game cam and fed every animal out there except the quail. Surely there is a simple trick I'm missing. Can anyone offer suggestions on what I might be doing wrong?
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From what I've read of others experiences is that feeders are a waste of time and money unless the birds are raised with the same feeders in which are used in the field. They have to become accustomed to them being a/the feed source prior to release.......even then, I'm very skeptical simply because they don't stay in one area, and if they do, the other critters you speak of in your link that are coming to the feeder will soon exterminate any nearby BW's that are hanging/living near feeder. Although, I personally feel that it is futile, but if I were to attempt a feeder in the wild, I would place the feeders under cover in woods edge just off of a field of grains, with the edge of the field mowed up against the woods. Yours appear to be too much out in the open, making them feel vulnerable to predators, therefore never visiting your feeder. The mowed field edges against the woods/brush, whether they have any food crops or not in adjacent fields gives them a place to move around in search of food and also a path in which will/can funnel them past your feeder while providing nesting areas along the woods edges, the tree/tall brush canopy will also provide cover from avian predators. My experience with BW's is that they do not like the wide open sky above their heads, they hunker down in my aviary every time a large bird flies over within their site.
My personal experience was also a waste of time........I put out several feeding stations when I first released BW's and they never touched them at all. They are on the move once released until they find their own space/home......or stomach. :-o
BW's are a byproduct of farming for the most part, especially if they are in abundance......so I suggest duplicating a farming environment, such as fence rows, mowed edges for them to walk (BW's would rather walk/run than fly), food plots, grains, etc., etc. Put your feeders along the edge of woods with edge of fields mowed.
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Great advice - thanks CharlieHorse!