Gun Dog Forum

Predators
Farming Practices
Land Development
Over-Hunting
Other

IMO the decrease in our area is in large part because of the CRP land. What used to be crop fields with brush wind rows is now thick grasses and weeds. This IMO while may have helped some on our pheasant numbers has killed our quail numbers. The CRP is too thick for the Quail and is home to a growing number of predators that call the CRP home. Fox, snakes, wild cats, coons, possum, coyote.....you get the picture. CRP is a hideaway for predators that did'nt have anywhere to hide, esp. in winter, when there were crops in those fields. So more predators = less game! In fact ole peter cotton tail's numbers are not what they used to be.

JHumes wrote:Predators
Farming Practices
Land Development
Other

All of these...

all of these as coop said, But i would include ag chemicals .

The nature in which quail disappeared almost range wide here in the east, all at nearly the same time points to some widespread reason. Ag Chemicals fits that bill.

I have been able to locate some quail recently and they are in places ag doesn't exist.

Winter feed and cover
Nesting cover

So what we should be looking at is what has affected these. Probably will come up with the same answers.

Cleaner harvesting plus fall plowing has depleted the winter feed

Chemicals have eliminated most of the weeds needed for winter feed and cover.

Change in the crops grown has reduced the amount of land suitable for nesting and winter cover.

Larger fields and less livestock has reduced the fence rows which were the hangout spots between the fields.

When these things go then predators have a better chance and that just increases the drop in numbers quicker.

Ezzy

Apathy.

Cajun Casey wrote:Apathy.

By who?

Ezzy

ezzy333 wrote:

Cajun Casey wrote:Apathy.

By who?

Ezzy

Galliformes are the invisible order of birds. They are seldom noticed until they are gone. Anyone who hunts, field trials, or watches nature should belong to a bird conservation organization, in my opinion. Audubon is actually the organization that pushed Colinus virginianus into the national spotlight when they made it the number one species in decline a few years ago. 80% loss over the documented period.

Cajun Casey wrote:

ezzy333 wrote:

Cajun Casey wrote:Apathy.

By who?

Ezzy

Galliformes are the invisible order of birds. They are seldom noticed until they are gone. Anyone who hunts, field trials, or watches nature should belong to a bird conservation organization, in my opinion. Audubon is actually the organization that pushed Colinus virginianus into the national spotlight when they made it the number one species in decline a few years ago. 80% loss over the documented period.

Go back to what I posted above yours and tell me how apathy enters into the loss of habitat due to our changing environment. I understand what you are saying though it could have been stated much clearer but don't see how it would change the environment.

Ezzy

There are always going to be those who prefer to freeze in the dark rather than put forth the effort to light a fire.

Cajun Casey wrote:There are always going to be those who prefer to freeze in the dark rather than put forth the effort to light a fire.

And there will be a lot that will sit back and complain about those people but do nothing either. And in some cases there just maybe isn't anything you can do.

Ezzy

Talking about this very subject opening weekend at the farm. We had some friends very high up in some seed companies out after the hunt. They claim Iowa State is doing some extensive studies on round up and pheasant populations. With the chicks getting their water from dew off of plants contaminated by roundup. This should be interesting to see how it pans out. The timing of roundup ready products really goes along with the decrease in pheasants populations in Iowa around the mid 90's....

Although I dont believe this is the single problem this could have a lot to do with it. With SD large having less % in Roundup ready products (No wheat yet, which makes a large portion of SD farms) this could have something to do with it.

I live in MN and hunt in SD and I haven't seen the drop in population around here that people are talking about. Close to me its about 95% tillable acres and everyone uses round-up ready. I don't think I would trust a study by a company that has such close ties in the industry, however its nice to know they are looking at the possibilities. I do think the snowfall this year will have an effect on the pheasants in my region.

nikegundog wrote:I live in MN and hunt in SD and I haven't seen the drop in population around here that people are talking about. Close to me its about 95% tillable acres and everyone uses round-up ready. I don't think I would trust a study by a company that has such close ties in the industry, however its nice to know they are looking at the possibilities. I do think the snowfall this year will have an effect on the pheasants in my region.

This is a study being conducted at Iowa State University, my friends who work for a company (and farm 5000+ acres) that sells roundup-ready products are very concerned what this study might show.

Sorry, I misread I thought that the seed corn manufacturer was doing the study.

ACooper wrote:

JHumes wrote:Predators
Farming Practices
Land Development
Other

All of these...

yep.I would agree with that.

In Texas (my region anyway), a lot of the decrease can be placed on climate. Quail, like most other wildlife, are sooo dependent on water (good forage, good reproduction, adequate shelter all depend on precip) and I'm in a failry arid region so moisture really makes us or breaks us each and every year. Sometimes, even with decent rains, severe events like widespread large hail will knock down the numbers of birds again in spite of other conditions being good for them. Pathogens (an internal parasite specifically) are hitting our quail too.

Pheasants, however, are plentiful as always. They're tasty beautiful birds, but could very easily be considered an invasive species! I'm sure other areas of the US are different, but in my neck of the woods pheasants are not in short supply.

Ezzy[/quote]
Galliformes are the invisible order of birds. They are seldom noticed until they are gone. Anyone who hunts, field trials, or watches nature should belong to a bird conservation organization, in my opinion. Audubon is actually the organization that pushed Colinus virginianus into the national spotlight when they made it the number one species in decline a few years ago. 80% loss over the documented period.[/quote]
Go back to what I posted above yours and tell me how apathy enters into the loss of habitat due to our changing environment. I understand what you are saying though it could have been stated much clearer but don't see how it would change the environment.

Ezzy[/quote]
It's pretty clear to me how apathy results in habitat loss and environmental change. Though likely not associated with the (unfortunately) minority of people who hunt, fish, backpack, or otherwise value and somewhat understand nature and wildlife, apathy is very much the attitude taken by a growing number of folks who never step outside, fire a shotgun at a goose or grouse, catch a lizard, or roll over a decaying log just to see what's there. The reality is that in our country people just "don't get" wildlife or nature- I've had students that didn't even know that ducks flew! A coworker was under the impression that turtles- animals just like you, me and our dogs- don't eat...ANYTHING! Lack of knowledge > lack of interest > perceived lack of value for wildlife and habitat > NO MORE WILDLIFE OR HABITAT.