Releasing bobwhites

[chickensrfood]

If I raise some bob white quails and release them on my property is there much of a chance of them staying withing the general area if I keep some breeders around caged?

I once heard of a guy who kept a pen of them and he released them and they would all return at night to roost. I always thought they would just go wild and wander away.

Any input?

 

[DLS]

they will hang around but all will die

 

[JJMR794]

1.illegal In Most States

2.rare They Come Back--- Bobs Usually Only Free Range Once, They Are Either Gone To The Call Of The Wild Or End Up In A Predators Dung Pile...

3.birds Must Be Raised In A Very Specific Manner And With Appropriate Licensure And Oversight For This To Sucessful If Meant As A Restocking Plan

4.in Doing This You Risk Contaminating And Wiping Out The Wild Quail Population For A Very Long Distance In Any Direction




I Suggest You Contact Your State's Fish And Wildlife Dept--- Check All Your Local Regulations Thouroughly And Decide If This Is Something You Really Want To Try, Then Do Lots Of Research On The Best Way To Make It Sucessful For You And The Birds --- Good Luck With Your Endeavor

 

[deerman]

yes they will return , to were the other birds are. Ohio its legal to do so, other states i would check will DNR.

birds raised and released about 80% do die the first year. Trick is make sure you have the right bobwhites. The smaller northern ,not those jumbo, giants and etc.

Raise them in large flight pens on the ground, with auto feeders and waterers. After a year I have let a few loose in the spring, now have a few wild flocks now.

I have everygreens in the large flights, winter them over the first year. I have even had some go broody,and set eggs.


Have done this with bobwhites and ringneck pheasants


now just caged birds will never make it. they need raised in a large flight pen, just almost like free range, still most will die,but a few will make it, just like the wild bobs do

 

[chickensrfood]

If the losses are that big then I won't bother. I know there are some very minor populations in the area and I wouldn't want to possibly taint their genes with some far then ideal birds so I guess I will not go that route.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Great advice and all true...................... it is a monumental effort to get the results you want, bobwhites in the wild are fragile and very susseptable to habitat changes and weather, mortality rates are high. That's why Fish & wildlife do their roadside Quail surveys every year to determine the local populations and make any corrections if possible.

AL

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
IT ISNT TAINTING THE GENE POOL THATS THE PROBLEM SO MUCH AS CONTAMINATING THE WILD POPULATION WITH COMMON POULTRY DISEASES THAT QUAIL WOULD NOT HAVE ANY IMMUNITY TO...