Missouri Bobwhite Quail Hunting & Habitat
Ranking examples of Missouri quail hunting and the combination protective cover and food source habitat.
These pictures were taken in late October (Iowa upland bird opener) as a means of showing better the variety of cover that exists. This is opposed to posting more of the common during season brown drab photos to be found throughout this web site. All is an attempt to show as well as we can where coveys will be found.
Low Quality Quail Hunting Spot
Low quality during hunting season cover and food habitat. The value of this picture illustrates just how large our leases are and how a long edge running dog with reasonable check back will do well. This picture is of the same lease as the next two pictures. This happens to be what we would consider the least productive portion of this farm. It still deserves a hunt by the dogs, but would be the last effort on this farm.
Better Quail Hunting Spot
Another spot on the same lease shows better food and edge cover. Many consider beans less valuable to quail than milo or corn. However that does not mean to pass on a bean field. With row crop rotation it is more a matter of degrees rather than absolutes in terms of which grains enhance the better dog on quail action. Missouri is strong on beans and corn and weak on forage such as alfalfa and dry land grains of wheat. Most Bobwhite hunters will agree a bean field is superior to that of wheat or alfalfa.
The Best Quail Covey Spot On This Farm
The best combination of cover and food habitat on this farm. This would be the first spot to hunt on this lease and it is well inside of the farm fence. This picture may not look like much in terms of habitat. It is a covey plus farm. Our private land farms cannot be compared to plantation video hunts. Plantations groomed to satisfy the eye and capture released birds is far from the reality of wild Bobwhite hunting.
Wild Upland Bird Hunting Trilogy and Purpose For Being Behind Dogs
For the first year member that seeks the best hunts it must be remembered the willingness to walk part of the upland bird hunter trilogy inclusive of shooting ability and dog power. That willingness to walk is well illustrated by this lease. The covey could be anywhere on this farm. These pictures offer where to look as an approach to dog work.
The self guided hunter must decipher that pattern. If that is viewed as part of the adventure of the hunt then that is the right attitude. If the member/hunter wants us to identify the exact tree line where the coveys will be found that is beyond our mission as a do it yourself hunter organization. Our mission ends at leasing the right habitat within the right region of the state that has a history of good reproduction. Once we get a hunter to where he parks his truck and puts his dogs down the rest is up to the hunter.
Those upland bird hunters that enjoy their dog more than birds in the bag will have a good hunt. Those that measure a good day by limits do not get as many as others.
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