That Quail Place Forum
Hunting Gamebirds => Shooting Preserve Management => Topic started by: Calif. Hunter on December 17, 2009, 02:26:18 PM
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My club has land near Maricopa/New Cuyama/Ventucopa in southern/central California. Dry land, non-irrigated. Is there anything we can plant in the winter that will benefit the local Valley Quail population? We had planted a mixture of grain a couple years ago, but I don't know how much it really benefitted the quail or dove. So mainly looking for a dry land seed mix that might help. We have some field-like areas surrounded by scrub brush hills, and several guzzlers. We have a fair population of quail but want to maximize them if possible.
Also - do pen-raised valley quail adapt well to be ing released to augment the naitve population? Not looking to plant the birds and shoot them immediately.
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Well, 16 views an dno replies, so I guess a lot of other people have the same questions.... dk2
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You might try planting some milo ,Don't know if it will work are not
It can take the heat and dry spell pretty good
You might try and do research ,
Hope that will help you out
,,,,,Jay
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I've tried Quail Unlimited and various internet searches. Unfortunately, there is very little out there about CA Vor Valley Quail. Right now, it looks like we will try a 3-grain mixture (barley, oats and milo?) that is recommended by one of the local ranchers. We used a mixture that is used for pasture (oats, wheat, milo and I am not sure what else a few years ago and were not happy with it.
I thought when I found this site that there might be someone with some experience that could save us some trouble - I found this website via trying to do research via the internet.
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It may take more than two days for people to see your topic.
It will also depend on if anyone here knows the laws about your State.
Which may have a factor in your wish to release, and plant what may be a non native species of plant.
Give it time.....
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Buckwheat does very well in dry climates. Also you may want to look into a sorghum or brown top millet type of plant with a deep tap root. Crown vetch is one of the best you will find for quail habitat and it is drought tolerant. One more is chicory. It has a massive tap root. It is not so much what you are looking for as it is not a huge seed producer. But a wonderful bug plant with a descent fall seed quantity once established.