Refining The Hunting Zone Of Hunter-Covey Interface Models, 2017 University of Georgia
Refining The Hunting Zone Of Hunter-Covey Interface Models, James A. Martin, Diana J. Mcgrath, Seth Wood, Theron M. Terhune Ii
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Regulating harvest is important to sustain northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations. Direct measures to control harvest such as setting fixed proportions (i.e., percent of fall population) are not typically feasible, thus, indirect measures (e.g., managing access, season length) are more commonly used. However, these measures are predicated on relationships between hunter effort and kill rate (K) which is a function of several parameters including: the probability of encountering a covey (p), where p is a function of the effective area hunted (a) divided by that available (A). Thus, a, …
Evaluating Hunting Success Of Pen-Reared And Wild Northern Bobwhite In A Reclaimed Kentucky Mineland, 2017 Oklahoma State University
Evaluating Hunting Success Of Pen-Reared And Wild Northern Bobwhite In A Reclaimed Kentucky Mineland, Jeremy P. Orange, John M. Yeiser, Danna L. Baxley, John J. Morgan, Ben A. Robinson
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) have experienced severe population declines across their distribution. In order to address population declines and to continue providing hunting opportunities, multi-state efforts have been undertaken to stabilize and restore bobwhite populations. Ongoing efforts using the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative’s quail focus area approach have so far demonstrated success throughout Kentucky. However, population increases in the Peabody Bobwhite Focal Area, in western Kentucky, have not been correlated to increases in perceived hunter success. Consequently, some sportsmen question the effectiveness of focal area conservation. In response to hunter concerns, we tested dog hunting ability with wild …
Factors Influencing Northern Bobwhite Hunter Success On A Public Wildlife Management Area In Kentucky, 2017 Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Factors Influencing Northern Bobwhite Hunter Success On A Public Wildlife Management Area In Kentucky, Jarred M. Brooke, John J. Morgan, Danna L. Baxley, Craig Harper, Pat Keyser
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Hunter success is a critical measure of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) restoration. Understanding the factors influencing hunter success can guide wildlife agencies in efforts to improve success and satisfaction and sustain hunter support of conservation initiatives. We compared use of vegetation types by radiomarked bobwhite (n = 30 coveys) and hunting dogs (n = 241) equipped with Global Positioning System collars during the 2014–2015 quail hunting season on Peabody Wildlife Management Area in western Kentucky. We surveyed hunting parties (n = 252) immediately after their hunt to determine success (flushed bobwhite) and gather hunt-party characteristics. …
Hunter-Covey Interactions Using Pointing Bird Dogs, 2017 Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy
Hunter-Covey Interactions Using Pointing Bird Dogs, Theron M. Terhune Ii, Diana J. Mcgrath, Seth Wood, James A. Martin
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Hunting northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) with pointing dogs is a long-standing tradition in the Southeastern United States. Despite this rich hunting legacy, a paucity of empirical, behavioral information exists on the interaction between bobwhite coveys, pointing dogs and humans. As such, the efficiency of using pointing dogs to locate bobwhite coveys or an individual covey’s behavioral response to hunting is poorly understood. During 2013 – 2015, we conducted hunts (n = 192) by mode of foot on Tall Timbers Research Station (TTRS, ~1,570 ha) in Leon County, Florida and horseback on a private property (2,023 ha) in …
Distance Sampling To Assess Post-Grazing Northern Bobwhite Recovery In South Texas, 2017 Texas A&M University, Kingsville
Distance Sampling To Assess Post-Grazing Northern Bobwhite Recovery In South Texas, Rachel A. Smith, Leonard A. Brennan, Fidel Hernández, Humberto L. Perotto-Baldivieso
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) require habitat structure with substantial grass cover for nesting, predator avoidance, and thermal refuge. During the past 2 decades, many land managers have reduced or completely eliminated livestock across South Texas rangelands with the goal of improving bobwhite habitat. How bobwhites respond to post-grazing habitat recovery is unknown. Our objective is to investigate how bobwhites respond to the vegetative changes following removal of grazing. Our study is being conducted on a private ranch in Jim Hogg County, Texas and involves 3 different areas of post-grazing habitat recovery: a 1,246 ha area rested from grazing …
The Efficacy Of Gopro Cameras To Account For Northern Bobwhites Flushed, But Undetected During Aerial Surveys, 2017 Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation
The Efficacy Of Gopro Cameras To Account For Northern Bobwhites Flushed, But Undetected During Aerial Surveys, Andrea Bruno, Leonard A. Brennan, Andrew N. Tri, Habin Su
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Estimating density and abundance is central to wildlife conservation for planning and decision-making purposes. Development of model-based techniques, such as distance sampling, allows researchers to estimate density with the inclusion of detection probabilities. However, the reliability of estimates obtained through this method are dependent upon the satisfaction of underlying assumptions, the most critical being that objects at zero distance from the observer be detected with 100% certainty. Conventional distance sampling, where line transects are traversed from an aerial platform, is a commonly used method to estimate northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) density over large, open areas. The restricted observer …
Comparison Of Dog Surveys And Fall Covey Surveys In Estimating Fall Population Trends Of Northern Bobwhite, 2017 Oklahoma State University
Comparison Of Dog Surveys And Fall Covey Surveys In Estimating Fall Population Trends Of Northern Bobwhite, Evan P. Tanner, R. Dwayne Elmore, David K. Dahlgren, Craig A. Davis, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
The use of fall covey surveys to monitor population trends for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter bobwhite) have been widely used in bobwhite research. Estimates of relative abundance from this monitoring technique are often important in assessing population responses to management practices or annual variation. However, conducting covey call surveys is labor intensive and typically can only be conducted during a narrow time frame. The use of dogs as a research tool may offer an efficient alternative to monitor bobwhite population trends. While dogs have been used in research for many other gallinaceous species, their application for bobwhite …
Retention And Efficacy Of Citizen Scientist Volunteers Of The Texas Quail Index, 2017 University of North Texas
Retention And Efficacy Of Citizen Scientist Volunteers Of The Texas Quail Index, Kelly S. Reyna, Dale Rollins
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
The Texas Quail Index (TQI) was a 5-year, science-based project that utilized citizen scientists to collect data in the field, including 5 indices of bobwhite abundance in the spring, and 3 indices of bobwhite abundance in the fall. Over the course of the study, 84% of all volunteers dropped out of the program and <8% of all data sets were complete. Accordingly, we surveyed the volunteers by mail to determine the rate and cause of participation decline and to identify characteristics of a reliable volunteer. Results indicated that annual volunteer participation rate declined more rapidly as time and labor requirements increased. Similarly, 74.3% of survey respondents who dropped out of the study reported leaving because the project required too much time and work. Motives may have contributed to the volunteer attrition as 72% of volunteers joined the program to learn more about quail management; however 71% of those that left the program reported not gaining knowledge in that area. We recommend that project designs, for citizen-science projects, should incorporate the motives of volunteers and recruit those whose motives best align with project goals. We also recommend that citizen-science coordinators keep volunteer tasks short and within the interest of the volunteer, to increase retention. Finally, we recommend stipends for volunteers on large-scale, laborious projects.
Use Of Spring Whistle Counts To Predict Northern Bobwhite Relative Abundance, 2017 Albany Quail Project & Dixie Plantation Research
Use Of Spring Whistle Counts To Predict Northern Bobwhite Relative Abundance, D. Clay Sisson, Theron M. Terhune Ii
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Spring whistle counts are commonly used to index northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) breeding populations and make inference about relative autumn abundance. They are relatively cheap and easy to implement and provide the advantage of surveying bobwhite populations from multiple points daily and early in the year. This could prove useful on properties available for potential lease, purchase, or as translocation sites; as well as to monitor population trends. Our objective was to determine whether spring whistle counts reliably forecast autumn covey numbers on a wide range of sites, years, and densities on 6 properties in southwestern Georgia from …
Statistical Population Reconstruction Using Wings From Harvested Northern Bobwhites Can Inform Management, 2017 Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy
Statistical Population Reconstruction Using Wings From Harvested Northern Bobwhites Can Inform Management, Theron M. Terhune Ii, Kristen M. Malone, D. Clay Sisson, James A. Martin
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Despite the widespread collection wings from harvested northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) by state wildlife agencies and private entities, age-at-harvest information has been largely underutilized for guiding management decisions for this species. Statistical population reconstruction (SPR) techniques can use age-at-harvest information and provide a valuable tool for monitoring trends and the status of bobwhite (and other game bird) populations. However, SPR has not been applied to bobwhite. We evaluated the utility of statistical population reconstruction models, which have been applied successfully to other species (e.g., elk, Cervus elaphus; blacktailed deer, Odocoilues hemonius; and greater sage-grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus …
Evaluation Of Land Restoration Practices On Northern Bobwhite Productivity In North-Central Texas: Preliminary Results, 2017 Tarleton State University
Evaluation Of Land Restoration Practices On Northern Bobwhite Productivity In North-Central Texas: Preliminary Results, Danielle Belleny, Heather Mathewson, Jeff Breeden, John Tomeček, T. Wayne Schwertner, James Giocomo
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
The decades long decline in grassland avian populations is ultimately attributed to changing land use throughout the United States. Due to their economic importance and status as a healthy grassland indicator species, attention focused towards land management for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) benefits other grassland vertebrate and invertebrate species. Land restoration practices offer opportunities to mitigate the declines in northern bobwhite populations. While several studies focus on restoring land for northern bobwhite, this study addressed the effectiveness of such restoration practices. We radio-marked female bobwhite from April to July 2016 and located the birds every three to five …
An Analysis Of The Interactions Between Weather And Land Use On Midwestern Gamebird Populations Using Historical Data: A Preliminary Report, 2017 University of Nebraska, Lincoln
An Analysis Of The Interactions Between Weather And Land Use On Midwestern Gamebird Populations Using Historical Data: A Preliminary Report, Amanda R. Lipinski, Joseph J. Fontaine
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Concern surrounding species’ abilities to cope with a changing climate and variable land use presents opportunities to look forward toward solutions while investigating historical trends to assess the interaction of land use and weather. Uncertainty surrounding population responses to increased severity and frequency of severe weather associated with climate change presents challenges for making informed management decisions for a suite of already declining bird populations, including huntable populations of socially and economically important game birds, such as northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). Historical data are a rich resource for developing a priori hypotheses and models predicting species’ responses to …
Triple Brood Production By Northern Bobwhites, 2017 Albany Quail Project & Dixie Plantation Research
Triple Brood Production By Northern Bobwhites, D. Clay Sisson
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Most aspects of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) life history are well understood and well documented, including their ability to ‘‘double brood’’ (defined as the same hen successfully hatching 2 broods during a single nesting season). Less understood are the ability and/or prevalence of ‘‘triple broods’’ in the life history of bobwhites. Occasional citing in the literature of triple brooding is often unclear as to whether reference is being made to the attempt at hatching 3 broods in a season or actually doing so. This confusion stems from the interchanging use of the words brood and clutch. While Webster …
Influence Of Northern Bobwhite Nest Site Selection On Nest Survival In An Agricultural Landscape, 2017 North Carolina State University
Influence Of Northern Bobwhite Nest Site Selection On Nest Survival In An Agricultural Landscape, Andy D. Richardson, Christopher E. Moorman, Craig Harper, Mark D. Jones, Benjy M. Strope
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Working farms provide excellent potential for conserving northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) habitat in agricultural landscapes. Managing for areas of early successional vegetation can increase bobwhite abundance with little reduction in crop production on working farms, but the mechanisms behind the increase is not well known. Our objective was to determine nest site characteristics that may predict nest initiation and survival on agricultural lands to inform future management activities. We radio-collared 241 wild bobwhite on 1 farm with and 2 farms without bobwhite habitat management in southeastern North Carolina. Study sites consisted of a 1,740-ha farm with 9% of …
Effects Of Growing Season Fire On Northern Bobwhite Nest Site Selection And Survival, 2017 North Carolina State University
Effects Of Growing Season Fire On Northern Bobwhite Nest Site Selection And Survival, Sarah B. Rosche, Christopher E. Moorman, Christopher S. Deperno, Jeffrey G. Jones
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Restoration and management of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) communities necessitates frequent prescribed fire. Prior to human colonization of the southeastern United States thousands of years ago, longleaf pine forests burned primarily during the growing-season as a result of lightning-ignited fires. Growing-season prescribed fire may suppress woody vegetation and promote herbaceous groundcover better than dormant-season fire. Despite the potential ecological benefits of growing-season fire, many land managers use only dormant-season prescribed fire to avoid destruction of ground nests, including those from northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). Our objective was to determine bobwhite nest survival and nest-site selection in …
Patch Size And Nest Density Influence Nest Survival, 2017 University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Patch Size And Nest Density Influence Nest Survival, Victoria L. Simonsen, Joseph J. Fontaine
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Nest predation is the primary cause of avian nest failure and therefore an important driver of avian population growth. Studies indicate that landscape context plays an important role in nest success, and although this is widely attributed to changes in nest predator communities, landscape context also influences nest density which affects predator search area and effort. Much debate remains as to whether specifically the size of a habitat patch or the density of nests has the greatest effect on nest predation rates. We explored the interactions between landscape context, predator efficiency, and nest survival. Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus …
Estimates Of Northern Bobwhite Neonate Survival, 2017 Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy
Estimates Of Northern Bobwhite Neonate Survival, Theron M. Terhune Ii, Richard B. Chandler, James A. Martin
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Neonate survival is an important but poorly understood component of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) population dynamics. We used a combination of thermal imagery (forward-looking infrared [FLIR]) and radio-telemetry to estimate survival from time of hatch to fall recruitment. During 2013 – 2015, we tracked bobwhites and captured broods at ~11 days of age using the corral technique. In addition to patagial tagging each neonate captured, we sutured radio-tags (0.76 g) on a subset of neonates (n = 56), and located them 3-4 times daily using radio-telemetry to determine fate and cause of mortality. We modified the Dail-Madsen …
Evaluating Two Trap-And-Release Methods For Bobwhites, 2017 Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy
Evaluating Two Trap-And-Release Methods For Bobwhites, Theron M. Terhune Ii
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Numerous methods exist for capturing northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) including various net configurations and baited, wire-funnel traps. The latter represents the most commonly used technique whereby more than 97% of the studies in the current body of literature report using Stoddard’s (1931) standard quail trap for capturing bobwhites. Some researchers, however, employed multiple methods of capture for the same study. Regardless of the technique used, birds are either worked up directly in the field or held overnight and released the next day. Each of these approaches has their distinct advantages and limitations, and may vary with respect to …
Breeding Season Survival And Nesting Of Northern Bobwhite On Native Prairie Versus Traditionally Managed Conservation Areas In Southwestern Missouri, 2017 Missouri Department of Conservation
Breeding Season Survival And Nesting Of Northern Bobwhite On Native Prairie Versus Traditionally Managed Conservation Areas In Southwestern Missouri, Thomas R. Thompson, Frank L. Loncarich, R. Kyle Hedges
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) management on Missouri Conservation Area lands has traditionally focused on providing an interspersion of grass, crop, old field and woody cover to enhance edge habitat often juxtaposed with disked idle areas and food plots. This traditional approach, or the Intensive Management Model (IMM), is often implemented with the goal of providing all essential habitat components within a 40-acre area. While this model can produce useable quail habitat in agriculture-dominated landscapes it may not be the most effective or efficient approach to producing quail in grassland-dominated landscapes found in southwest Missouri. Conservation area mangers for …
Northern Bobwhite Nest Site Selection In Field Borders, 2017 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Northern Bobwhite Nest Site Selection In Field Borders, Danielle J. Berger, Jessica N. Piispanen, Tim F. Ginnett, Jason D. Riddle
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Field borders are used to supplement early successional habitat critical for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) nesting that is lost to modern intensive agricultural practices. The suitability of field border habitat for nesting may be affected by microhabitat characteristics at the site and patch scale and placement relative to various land-cover types at the landscape scale. We sought to determine whether bobwhite select nest locations at site, patch, and landscape scales. We collected microhabitat data (stem density, percent cover, and ground composition) and distance to land-cover type data (woody edge, crop, ditch, and road) from 26 bobwhite nests and …