“Winter was relatively mild in 2016-17, which certainly supports increased quail numbers,” reports Roger D. Applegate, Small Game Coordinator with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
“The nesting season has seen sufficient moisture to help provide good nesting habitat,” he adds. “Temperatures s have been warm enough to make insect populations abundant. I would anticipate a good hatch.”
“Counts are just being completed on our four quail focus areas,” says Applegate. “What I have seen or heard so far is positive and indicates that numbers are higher or at minimum the same as last year.” Quail Forever’s Fall Hunt Forecast, due out in September, will utilize count data.
“Typically, middle Tennessee is one of the more productive areas for quail,” says Applegate. “West Tennessee can be good, but the more mountainous areas are less productive.”
“Tennessee is at an important point in quail restoration,” says Applegate, “in that we will be revamping our existing quail plan and working toward stronger implementation of the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative.
Click here to see the report out of
Virginia.
Tom Carpenter is Digital Content Manager at Quail Forever.