A trail camera photo from Jim's property in the early 2000's, showing turkeys and quail reaping the benefits of a well written and executed management plan.
Managing a Property for Bobwhite Quail and Eastern Wild Turkeys
By Jackson Martini, QF Louisiana State Coordinator
Photo Credit to Jack Martini
While working on a wild turkey research project in Missouri, I became friends with Jim, one of the supporting landowners. His property was always a favorite of mine, holding plenty of deer, several coveys of quail, and large flocks of turkeys.
Six years passed before we reconnected. Last winter, while planning a road trip, I reached out to catch up. By April, I found myself at Jim's camp, entertained by hunting and fishing stories around the fire. Then an old trail camera photo pinned to a bulletin board caught my eye. It showed turkeys and quail feeding together. I asked Jim how he managed to attract both species when nearby properties struggled to hold either.
“I try to do everything I can with the various Natural Resource Conservation Service programs available,” Jim explained. “EQIP, TSI, CRP, prescribed fire – I want to maximize everything.”
A young oak savanna restoration project with a strong stand of milkweed and various other native species.
In the Southeast, bobwhite quail and eastern wild turkeys are two of the most common species landowners want to manage for. Although their management plans differ, it's possible to benefit both on the same property.
Bobwhite quail, as a shrubby grassland obligate species, require acres of native grasses, wildflowers, legumes, and scattered woody thickets.
A pollinator habitat project with a high diversity of native wildflowers.
Wild turkeys, as forest birds, thrive in mature, closed-canopy forests with a developed mid-story and a relatively open, sparse understory. Turkeys typically avoid wide open grasslands, while quail prefer them over dense woods.
Coneflowers and black-eyed Susans are beautiful prairie blooms. They also provide brood cover and pollinator habitat.
Despite these differences, both species share critical habitat needs during recruitment. During my four years tracking turkeys, I observed countless successful nests and broods on properties that also held healthy bobwhite populations. What these lands had in common were diverse pollinator habitats with shrubs and the use of prescribed fire.
A successfully hatched turkey nest in a diverse stand of wildflowers, legumes, and woody vegetation.
Both quail chicks and turkey poults are precocial – they hatch ready to move, needing insect-rich habitats to thrive. Diverse wildflower and legume stands attract abundant insects, ensuring quick development and good health. As they mature, these birds shift to eating seeds and tender foliage from the same plants. Pollinator habitats also act as protective cover. Tall native species provide umbrella-like shelter from rain and sun, while dense growth hides broods from aerial and ground predators.
Jim is also a bit of a “fire bug,” burning a portion of his property each year. Prescribed fire removes built-up thatch, creates bare ground for foraging, promotes plant diversity, and keeps invasive species at bay.
A milkweed plant full of insects, quail and turkey food.
I never tried to optimize my land for one specific species. I just do the work that I think will benefit everything. You probably have to be a bit crazy, and we've made a lot of mistakes along the way. There are still things we need to fix. But it's working great so far.
- Jim
With healthy forests, shrubby grasslands, pollinator habitats, and prescribed fire in his management plan, the proof is in that photo on Jim's bulletin board. I'd agree with him – it's working great.