Recent weather events drive home the importance of knowing the signs that show whether the extreme icy weather has been detrimental to quail. Habitat and weather play huge roles in bobwhite survivability and function.
During cold, wet and icy winters, one very important habitat component landowners can have on the property is thermal cover. Ideally, this would be in the form of shrubs. Species such as sand plum, shinnery oak, sand sagebrush, wild rose, blackberry and sumac, and shelter belts are all used by bobwhites to escape the cold and ice. The cover also provides a refuge from predators and extreme weather events. Research has shown that bobwhites will use these cover types to conserve energy and avoid depredation.
Field reports after last week's ice storm have contained negatives and positives, but as far as detriments to quail, pheasants and prairie-chickens, it is too early to tell. Researchers at Packsaddle and Beaver wildlife management areas will be assessing the ice storm's effects, if any, on quail and pheasants. However, field reports from biologists and quail hunters are filtering in.
Beaver WMA - Weston Storer, biologist, reported there was one-half to three-fourths of an inch of ice on the ground last Friday, but it was melting slowly with temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, to slightly above. He said pheasant and quail hunters need to proceed with caution in those areas until temperatures get better throughout this week. However, reports from biologists driving around are seeing movement of birds to areas close to roads, fencelines with weeds, and areas that are melting.
Packsaddle WMA - Scott Parry, biologist, reported one-half to three-quarters of an inch of ice on the ground last Friday. Melting has occurred since. Additional reports from this area indicate quail are being seen moving around to roads, open areas, and around cover that is open, predominately on the southern side of the area.
Cooper and Fort Supply WMAs - Eddie Wilson, biologist, reported about three-fourths of an inch of ice Friday and slowly melting. Hunters need to use caution in those areas, he said.
Canton and Drummond Flats WMAs - Thad Potts, biologist, that Canton had about three-fourths of an inch of ice on trees and about 1 inch of ice and sleet on the ground last Friday. He said roads on both Canton and Drummond Flats are very muddy and saturated.
Kaw WMA - Joey McAllister, biologist, reported about one-fourth of an inch of ice for about 36 hours, but it had melted by Sunday. Conditions will be very muddy, he said.
Hackberry Flat WMA - Kelvin Schoonover, biologist, reported about one-fourth of the inch of ice on the ground had melted by Saturday night, and he didn't think the ice had any effect on the quail.
Sandy Sanders WMA - Ron Smith, biologist, reported about one-half of an inch of ice from Friday through Saturday, but the ice had melted by Sunday.
Additional reports from hunters and landowners from Roger Mills and Ellis counties indicate that quail are moving around in open areas such as roads, shelter belts, and on the southern sides of shrub cover. The area was hit hard by the ice storm late last week. Others have reported the ice accumulations were greater in areas north of Interstate 40. A hunter in Strong City reported that the towns of Durham, Crawford, Reydon, Roll, Cheyenne and Hammon received 1 to 1.5 inches of ice, and some bigger trees that died during the drought were hit the hardest from the ice and falling to the ground in various areas throughout Roger Mills County.
Scott Cox, senior upland game biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, said western Oklahoma had several major snow and ice storms in the 1990s. Normally at this time of year, food and cover are at maximum. Insects will be at a minimum until temperatures rebound in the coming days.
Cox said he thinks more quail will be lost to aerial predators at this time than to the ice storm. Only time will tell as researchers at Packsaddle and Beaver WMAs get an assessment on the radio-collared birds.
Cox advised hunters with caution while going to their favorite hunting areas and to forward any reports to the Wildlife Department. Things to look for are any birds found whole and frozen, lots of feather piles, or any other pertinent information.
Send reports to Cox at (405) 301-9945 or e-mail scott.cox@odwc.ok.gov or to Kyle Johnson, quail enhancement biologist, at (405) 684-1929 or e-mail kyle.johnson@odwc.ok.gov. For more information about maintaining thermal cover as well as providing other habitat needs for quail in Oklahoma, check out the Oklahoma Quail Habitat Guide at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation website, wildlifedepartment.com.
The mission of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is the management of Oklahoma's wildlife resources and habitat to provide scientific, educational, aesthetic, economic and recreational benefits for present and future generations of hunters, anglers and others who appreciate wildlife.
News Contacts:
Don P. Brown, donald.brown@odwc.ok.gov
Micah Holmes, micah.holmes@odwc.ok.gov
Website: wildlifedepartment.com
Telephone: (405) 521-4632
