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• blueyed-goof Senior Member Posts: 187 Deckhand

  March 2021 #2

  You might be able to hunt the management areas that have QEAs....just don't hunt the QEA portion of the WMA.  Check the small game dates for those WMAs.  
  
  Can't help you on specific WMAs in the central FL areas.  For next quail season...if you turkey hunt, keep an ear out for bobwhiting in the mornings.  I know of several WMAs that have quail and know the general locations to start looking for quail in just because I listen for bobwhiting during turkey season. 
   

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• ANUMBER1 Senior Member Ozello Fl.Posts: 13,083 AG

  March 2021 #3

  Most in my area closed last weekend 

  I am glad to only be a bird hunter with bird dogs...being a shooter or dog handler or whatever other niche exists to separate appears to generate far too much about which to worry.

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• 1FSM Senior Member Posts: 147 Deckhand

  March 2021 #4

  My father and I have hunted quails on my property every weekend from opening day to the closing day for past 12 years and this year was among the worst season. In truth it has been getting worse every year at our property.  This year we never got more than 11 birds in one day...but we still enjoy being out there together with his dog.         

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• needtohuntmore MelbournePosts: 512 Officer

  March 2021 #5

  Invest in a surrogator 

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• swampdog Central FloridaPosts: 4,906 Captain

  March 2021 #6

   Not sure how big your property is but 11 birds a day sounds great! 

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• 1FSM Senior Member Posts: 147 Deckhand

  March 2021 edited March 2021 #7

  swampdog said:

   Not sure how big your property is but 11 birds a day sounds great! 
  
  I said we never got more than 11 birds in one day and that between two of us.
  On most days we averaged 4-6 birds between us.  
  Our family (dad's) property is not a huge property but it's a lot larger than my place.  It's decent size and allows us to hunt deer, turkey, dove, tree rats, and quail during season and hogs and coyote all year long.
  
  

  
  

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• swampdog Central FloridaPosts: 4,906 Captain

  March 2021 #8

  1FSM that’s still darn good. Quail hunting of wild birds has really gone by the way in much of the south. Treasure what you and your dad have.

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• needtohuntmore MelbournePosts: 512 Officer

  March 2021 edited March 2021 #9

  You can get a decent amount of home grown birds to survive with a Surrogator.  Buy the hatched chicks and then use the Surrogator.  It can really bolster your populations.
  
  https://wildlifemanagementtechnologies.com/products/traditional-surrogator
  
  Get the predator funnel, worth every penny.  Put out some foot holds and live traps within 100 yards around the Surrogator.  That will clean up the predators.
  
  It's a two fold, you get rid of predators and increase your bird population.
  
  I think there is a place down by Miami that FWC buys their quail from.  Supposed to be native genetics.
  
  Finally, in open grass areas and fence lines where quail run, put out ant killer thick!  
  
  
  

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• micci_man Senior Member Somewhere in FLPosts: 15,001 AG

  March 2021 #10

  1FSM said:

  My father and I have hunted quails on my property every weekend from opening day to the closing day for past 12 years and this year was among the worst season. In truth it has been getting worse every year at our property.  This year we never got more than 11 birds in one day...but we still enjoy being out there together with his dog.         

  
  Sounds like management is in order. I'm blessed to live in the middle of a wild managed, working quail plantation. I have them in my yard chasing and fighting this time of year. It's nothing to have a covey rise of 18-23 in a hunt. That's covey's not total quail.

  Common Sense can't be bought, taught or gifted, yet it is one of the few things in life that is free, and most refuse to even attempt to possess it. - Miguel Cervantes

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• joelunchbucket Posts: 2,450 Captain

  March 2021 #11

  The amount of money the plantation owners spend per acre to produce those wild quail can’t be duplicated at scale on public land. 

  
  

  Would be nice, but not practical. 

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• needtohuntmore MelbournePosts: 512 Officer

  March 2021 edited March 2021 #12

  For about 200 quail it would be $10,000 the first year afterwards just the price of chicks and feed.  Maybe $2000 a year.  I am not sure what their budget is like, but 10k seems low to me.  This includes labor and fuel for a public job.  If it's private you can do the whole thing for about $1500 the first year and $200 each year after.

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• micci_man Senior Member Somewhere in FLPosts: 15,001 AG

  March 2021 #13

  needtohuntmore said:

  For about 200 quail it would be $10,000 the first year afterwards just the price of chicks and feed.  Maybe $2000 a year.  I am not sure what their budget is like, but 10k seems low to me.  This includes labor and fuel for a public job.  If it's private you can do the whole thing for about $1500 the first year and $200 each year after.

  
  $1500 will cover what if it's private land?

  Common Sense can't be bought, taught or gifted, yet it is one of the few things in life that is free, and most refuse to even attempt to possess it. - Miguel Cervantes

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• needtohuntmore MelbournePosts: 512 Officer

  March 2021 edited March 2021 #14

  $1500 covers making a incubator/surrogator, traps, food, and some ant killer.  I like to combine the incubator/surrogator in a home build model since the eggs are cheaper.  You can usually get chicks under $0.50 a piece whereas an adult bird is $5-$10 and the adult birds usually don't survive a season.

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• 1FSM Senior Member Posts: 147 Deckhand

  March 2021 #15

  We had a neighbor release 100 adult birds at his place couple years ago...just to see what would happen.
  I bet 90% those birds were taken by predators within few weeks.  He had happy bobcats and owls around his for a while.
  
    
  
  

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• Jonsredfishin Senior Member Posts: 3,015 Captain

  March 2021 #16

  we need bullfrog to create us a Quail/Cracker Junglefowl bird. 

  One president put a man on the moon.
  Another president put a man in the Lady's bathroom.

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• needtohuntmore MelbournePosts: 512 Officer

  March 2021 #17

  The surrogator does a good job of training the birds to survive in the wild.  It gives them a place to hide when they are most vulnerable.

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• Turner River Terror Senior Member Real close to the Fakahachee StrandPosts: 11,607 AG

  March 2021 #18

  Jonsredfishin said:

  we need bullfrog to create us a Quail/Cracker Junglefowl bird. 

  And they need to be about as big as a Pheasant...

  Killin and Grillin :grin

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• harbison Senior Member Posts: 5,674 Admiral

  April 2021 #19

  Will never forget hunting quail on the grounds that are now the University of South Florida. 
  That was many decades ago. The hunting was fantastic.
  Probably not a good idea to try that now.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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