anyone know how to get my quail to come back????

[thechickenguy]

there bobwhites... about 15 escaped a while back(4 weeks) and i know there still around because i still hear them. i heard them yesterday and i know there still here. i have 5 in the cage left and they call back to the ones when ever they hear the escaped ones calling but the escaped ones never come out of the woods. ??? is there a way to get them to come back up to the cage so i can try to catch them??

 

[Kwartel]

You could try getting a recall cage, the one with the funnel that they can get into but not out of, and put it out where you hear them with a quail inside to call them.

 

[()relics]

make a recall cage with a funnel trap. Put one of the males that you still have in the trap. If any of your escaped birds are near and/or still alive he will call to them and they will gather and filter into the trap. Put the trap in a brushy area with available cover, so the escaped birds can fly/walk in and feel safe while the male contiunes to call them. You are using their natural instinct to covey with familiar birds. You may recall some of them depending how long they have been gone and how thick the predators are in your area. If you don't have any males left, you are out of luck unless you have a good bird dog.

 

[thechickenguy]

i hear them calling way down in the woods and in the brushy horse field.i herd them last nite. and the day before. i think i have 1 male in my cage now but no recall cage. how do i make one of them?

 

[wpalmisano]

Its simply a cage with a funnel slightly smaller than your bOBS. They can get in but not out. They can't back up. You place another quail in there to call them( "call bird")

 

[Kwartel]

http://www.gundogsupply.com/click-for-quail-call-back-cage.html

This is a pretty simple design that you could probably build yourself. It looks like there is just a small flap at the end of the funnel to let them in and not out. If you don't already have cage bands and pliers, they sell them at stores like Atwoods or TSC. You can also build the majority of it out of wood, if you prefer; the important part is the funnel.

 

[()relics]

a reacll cage doesn't have to be anything fancy. You can just use some chicken wire to make some sort of rough cage, doesn't even need a bottom, but anchor it down. Wrap some chicken wire into a large funnel, the outside maybe 2 feet in diameter while the inside of the funnel just slightly smaller than a bird standing upright and about 2-3 feet in length. The Male in the cage will call the others, they enter the funnel and duck into the cage to covey with the male. They cant, get back out because the hole is slightly smaller than they are....you have to have a male in the cage, and only 1 bird. The quail you hear in the distance are the escapees trying to call the rest of their covey, out of your cages. Take the most vocal male bird you have left, only him and put him into the trap. If you put more than 1 bird he won't call as long or loud because he won't be as lonely. The Escaped birds should start to answer him right away and start to head in towards him. I would check the trap early in the morning because it will not only call your escaped quail but also predators and they could get inside the trap as well. Good place to hang a few snares.