| unting of quail – which are also called | | | | not venture too far from their feeding grounds, |
| bobwhite quail because they have a birdsong that | | | | however, so if you find a place where they eat it |
| sounds like they are saying “Bob | | | | will usually be near a wooded section. They sleep |
| White” is one of the most popular kinds of | | | | at night in weedy areas, not in the forest. They |
| bird hunting. One of the biggest challenges for the | | | | will sleep in the same kind of terrain where they |
| quail hunter is to find suitable quail habitat. Quails | | | | feed, in other words, and then eat where they |
| like fields near wooded areas, so farmland is | | | | wake up before heading into the woods to enjoy |
| usually excellent terrain for finding quail. Because | | | | their siesta time. |
| farmland is shrinking, the Conversation | | | | Look for places where the fields meet the woods |
| Department reports that the number of quail | | | | and for places where there are small clumps of |
| hunters has also diminished. So part of the | | | | brush or fences and fence posts, and you will |
| challenge to hunting quail is to find places where | | | | likely find quail. They especially like fields that have |
| they live. | | | | some briar patches, because the bottom of the |
| Open pastures that have diverse vegetation, such | | | | briars is open – allowing them space to |
| as a mix of weeds and grasses, provide the quail | | | | walk around – but the top is covered with |
| with seeds to eat all year around, but fields that | | | | sharp briars to protect them from predators. |
| have really thick grasses are weeds are not | | | | Hunters should wear pants that are thick enough |
| conducive to quail. The birds need to be able to | | | | to protect them from sharp briars, because |
| move around, walking on the ground, so if the | | | | tracking quail sometimes means walking through |
| land is muddy, swampy, or too thick with | | | | lots of briars. Fields may also get muddy after a |
| vegetation then it is probably not a good place to | | | | rain, so hunters of quail should wear boots. |
| hunt for quail. Generally speaking, if the hunter can | | | | The best gun for hunting quail is the shotgun, and |
| walk through the field without difficulty then it is | | | | shotguns can be used with a variety of different |
| suitable for quail. At the same time, quail want to | | | | ammo. The type of ammo designated for game |
| feel safe and protected. So they will seek out | | | | birds is ideal for shooting quail. The pellets are |
| fields that are not heavily grazed but instead have | | | | relatively small but the force of the shot is |
| pretty long weeds and other ground cover | | | | sufficient to kill the quail. Hunters use various |
| vegetation. | | | | gauges or sizes of shotgun to hunt quail, with the |
| After locating a good quail hunting area, it is | | | | most popular gauge being a 12-gauge. But 16 and |
| important to understand their habits. Quail will rise | | | | 20 gauges – which are not quite as |
| early in the morning and sing for a short while. If | | | | powerful as the 12 – are also excellent bird |
| you are already in the habitat when that happens, | | | | guns. |
| and listen carefully, you can locate the quail. Then | | | | If you have access to a trained bird dog that |
| they spend most of the morning eating seeds | | | | knows how to hunt quail that can be a big asset |
| that grow in the fields. But as the sun rises in the | | | | for quail hunting. The bird dog can find the quail, |
| sky they get tired and usually retire into the | | | | flush them out, and then go and retrieve the |
| nearby woods by mid-morning to rest through | | | | downed prey after you shoot it out of the sky. |
| the afternoon and digest their breakfast. Quail will | | | | |