Habitat & Conservation  |  01/31/2025

The Softball Method 


fa1ae655-b64b-4600-8aa0-10669856c0fb

A simple way to illustrate the habitat needs of bobwhite quail

By Gilbert Randolph

For a high-res version of this blog post's title image click here.  

Determining the quality of upland habitat is one of the first steps in making better management decisions. One of the simplest ways to accomplish this is with the Softball Habitat Evaluation Technique (SHET) method. Simply put, it’s using a softball to mimic how quail use the landscape.  

WATCH: The Softball Method in Brushy Cover

This method was developed by Dale Rollins of the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation and is a simple way to illustrate the habitat needs of bobwhite quail. “As biologists, we’re always looking for better ways to illustrate these ideas,” says Jess McGuire, Senior Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) Bobwhite Program Manager. “The softball method is something anyone can understand. Either you have good quail habitat, or you don’t.” 

Nesting Habitat and Cover

Evaluating cover with the SHET method is simple. The goal is to be able to throw a softball, mimicking a flushing quail, and have it land in cover where it can hide from predators. The cover can take the form of a sumac thicket, downed woody material or similar structure which offers enough open ground below that the quail can run and enough space for them to flush out of the cover if necessary.  

After throwing the ball, it’s ideal for the ball to be able to roll around a foot or more. If it sticks in the ground cover then it is likely too thick. High quality nesting cover should have bunch grass clumps about the size of a softball plate, where the quail can hide without being seen. According to the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation, “Quail need a high density of bunchgrasses (> 250 clumps/acre) to provide nesting cover.” This can visualized as having 25-30 nesting sites in a space equal to the infield of a softball field.  

Prescribed fire, selective spraying, and strip disking are management techniques to be considered if the SHET method reveals an area of habitat is too thick for quality nesting cover.  

Brooding Cover

Similar to testing ground cover density for adults, the SHET method uses golf balls to simulate the movement of quail chicks. If the golf balls can be kicked around and move through ground over, it’s sufficiently open for them to escape predators and catch insects. If the golf balls stick, however, it’s too thick. Encouraging a diversity of native grasses and forbs will not only create structure that benefits quail chicks, but also creates productive areas for insect growth, without which the chicks will not survive into adulthood. As mentioned previously, management practices such as prescribed fire, selective spraying and strip disking can help to open up ground cover so quail chicks have room to roam.  

The Bigger Picture 

The best-case scenario for quail is to have all three of these habitat features in close proximity. The specifics of how an area is managed will vary based on region, but the SHET method provides a starting point for landowners to identify what’s working for quail on their property and what needs improvement.