My little attempt

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Had a 2 acre section by the house that I’m dedicating to quail. Sprayed it a couple times this spring and disced it. I then prepped two strips to plant in millet. Went through and spot sprayed today. Lespedeza, persimmon, sumac and sycamore seem to my problem children. It’s fun to mess with. Saw a momma and 6-7 chicks today.

 

[SwampCat]

That is great. Havent seen a wild quail in the twenty years I have owned my land

 

[omicron1792]

Love the idea my man.

I find quail like bare ground around the grass clumps.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Think I should bushhog the millet in September to get the seed down or leave it for structure and let it fall throughout the fall/winter?

 

[omicron1792]

I left mine standing in my grass and forb plantings last year and have a good bit coming in volunteer this year. I love the idea of drilling or broadcasting some in every few years.

You can see some in the foreground here.

I also planted some rows of Milo in my food plots with the deer vetch and Alyce clover. Can see it coming in the background.

 

[SwampCat]

Browntop will most likely collapse to the ground by itself late summer

 

[Kdog]

Quail will use your lespedeza. We used to plant bi-color and VA-70 for them, but they will also use common/slender.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Quail will use your lespedeza. We used to plant bi-color and VA-70 for them, but they will also use common/slender.

Yeah this is the bad stuff, sericea. If I don’t knock it back some it will take over.

 

[omicron1792]

Yeah this is the bad stuff, sericea. If I don’t knock it back some it will take over.

Most of that was originally planted as quail food. Ha. I think it’s ok to have some, just not let it take over.

I do throw our lespedeza bush seeds around my plot.

 

[omicron1792]

Yeah this is the bad stuff, sericea. If I don’t knock it back some it will take over.

2quarts/acre of triclopyr 4 and 4 oz/acre of imazapic to those area will do wonders. This area was a brambled mess last year (see the right edge of pic where is the limit of my spray). I sprayed it in March with exact mix. Now the deer use it as much as the field.

 

[b116757]

I planted 12 acres of native grass about 15 years ago haven’t seen a quail yet on that spot. I do have a covey or two on the one farm with some regularity wish I knew the magic that draws them to that farm. I don’t even hunt them just like seeing them around.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

From what I've read, native grasses alone may be too dense, especially if the switch is too concentrated.

Seems like the quail I come across in MO are either on the blacktop or in bare soil. I'm enrolling about 5 acres in an EQIP program for quails. Neighbors in the same program and what I've seen on the nearby managed conservation land seems to really benefit their numbers.

 

[Native Hunter]

Good luck to you. I also suggest calling Roundstone Native Seeds and talking to them about Partridge Pea. It’s excellent quail cover and feed. It is aggressive for an annual and comes back every year with minimal effort on your part.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Good luck to you. I also suggest calling Roundstone Native Seeds and talking to them about Partridge Pea. It’s excellent quail cover and feed. It is aggressive for an annual and comes back every year with minimal effort on your part.

Thanks, I actually noticed some partridge pea coming up which was nice.

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks, I actually noticed some partridge pea coming up which was nice.

Check out the seed pods when they mature. The tiny little seed are the perfect size for quail.

 

[omicron1792]

When I find a good price I just buy partridge pea seeds and throw them in the fall. Did that around plots last fall and have a good bit coming up this year.