We recognize that most quail hunters understand that nesting cover is the one essential element that sustains the covey's residential characteristic to a general 10 acre home range. We also recognize that all season food sources and all season weather cover are the other two elements that make for residential coveys. What this section on quail habitat and this page on quail nesting cover is intended to accomplish is show the type of quail habitat that is present in the central mid-west and allows for finding the coveys in the same general area hunt after hunt. All pictures are from properties that hold coveys during the hunting season. This hunting lease has several of these grass areas on it that both sustain spring nesting and brooding. These patches separate grain crop fields from wooded creek bottoms and brushed fence lines. In the case of this spot the standing grass is Small Bluestem provides some winter cover. What cannot be seen due to the second wet snowfall of the season are the weeds interspersed through the bluestem that provided the broader leaf insect attracting spring food source.
Moving onto another hunting lease on the same day we find combination year round habitat.
This picture more aptly shows that while the hunting and bird dog work is great, the shooting is hard. The quail, of course are in the trees.
Spring through fall habitat is the field covered with grass and weeds. Com winter's rain and snow the thin areas lay down and the thicker brush filled drains at mid range on this picture provide the over story for year round cover.
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The same lease on the other side of the creek has a long defunct pasture now completely in weeds. While great spring nesting and easily chick traveled brood cover it provides very little winter time weather protection. The wooded creek bottom in the far ground a mixture of cedar and hardwoods fills that gap.
The same field as seen at right with the picture taken 180 degrees from the same spot shows the continuation of the wooded creek bottom and weed field to the grain crop field in the far ground. In these three pictures we have spring through fall habitat, winter habitat and food.
When leasing upland habitat this is prime lease land. A mixture of winter snow tough prairie grass and weeds, cedar and hardwood mixed over story, along cornfields with sufficient cover habitat spread over sufficient area that protects against predation through dispersion.
This lease holds a 20 to 30 bird covey every year to including the down years and on the last trip in spite of several shots fired not one quail was bagged. Some days just go that way. However, the bird dog work was great with two dogs being one too many as we broke a sweat keeping up with the points on both sides of the creek and in the woods.
Combination quail and pheasant habitat that serves as spring time nesting, brooding and year round loafing cover.
What we always like to see, even when we don't find the covey.
