I haven't posted here in a long time. But, of late I've been noticing something out in our west Tennessee farming country that I think's interesting.

We lost our wild quail quite a while back. Totally gone. They hung on longer on the place where I hunt than in the surrounding immediate area. But, east Arkansas and north Mississippi already lost their birds. And even the Ames Plantation, home of the Grand Nat'l Field Trials, had to resort to pen raised birds (they're just a few miles away).

Anyway, last year we were driving around on the farm and what crosses the dirt road in front of us but a whole convey. Looked like some young birds too. And just the last weekend we saw a few more. And we haven't even been looking.

Also last weekend I saw four cottontails in broad daylight on just a short stretch of gravel road on the place. That may not sound remarkable, but it is if you've gone for ten years roughly with almost no rabbits in sight anywhere.

I think there must be a connection between the sightings for one thing, and much more importantly, it raises the question - could it be possible, just possible, that something important's going on???

I'm guessing the heat won't help whatever comeback they might be making.

Yes, 103 today with 108 heat index. And no rain in sight.

But if it's tough on the quail, it's got to be the same for whatever predators too.

It may not be the answer, but I think in the last few years more corn and milo have been left behind on the ground. I remember when we used to find conveys out in cut cornfields.

Dear Shack:

That is way cool on the quail and rabbit sightings.

We have dozens of rabbits here in town, but almost none on state game lands.

I haven't even seen a quail in SE Pennsylvania since 1979. Can you send a few up here, if you become overstocked?

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Yale - I also live in SE PA. I don't think we'll ever see wild quail or pheasants again in our area. The only rabbits I ever see are in my backyard. The quail went first then the pheasants. I often reminisce about the pheasants I shot when I drive by housing developments built on land I used to hunt. I really miss those birds.

I still shoot a bunch of wild pheasants every year, but I have to travel to N. Dakota for the hunt.

Other than ruffs and timberdoodle we have no wild game birds left in NH. Pheasants are stocked and quail are non-existent.....I guess NH lacks the food crop they require since our weather isn't much different than the Dakotas. I mentioned the heat being an issue for quail but on second thought it doesn't seem to bother the AZ species a bit.