Encouraged by small game sightings

Mike Noles aka conman

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I've been on the tractors a lot over the past couple of weeks, and I'm probably as encouraged about our small game population as I've been in a while :D. Rabbit population seems to have exploded and I've seen more young quail (peepers) coveys than I've seen in 10 years. Still lots of quail pairs running the roads edge and paths, so there may be even one more hatch for the summer. Y'all know my passion for predators, so I'm hoping that the management of them and increased habitat management has something to do with this.
 

Newsome Road

Ten Pointer
This seems to be a common theme in a lot of places. I think it has less to do with human manipulation, and more to do with Mother Nature. I know of several areas that have not seen any predator hunting, and coyote sightings are down and small game numbers are up. I think some people panicked unnecessarily a few years ago when the coyote population really boomed. Hopefully they will remember this when the populations cycle back around.
 

bshobbs

Old Mossy Horns
I heard some quail the other day by my house. I haven't heard them for a few years, use to be every year. Haven't seen as many rabbits this year, but they could be there and not seen.
 

Mike Noles aka conman

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
This seems to be a common theme in a lot of places. I think it has less to do with human manipulation, and more to do with Mother Nature. I know of several areas that have not seen any predator hunting, and coyote sightings are down and small game numbers are up. I think some people panicked unnecessarily a few years ago when the coyote population really boomed. Hopefully they will remember this when the populations cycle back around.

Coyotes are not a significant predator of quail. Possums, coons and turkeys do more damage than a coyote. They are tough on rabbits, though. Small game is truly cyclic, but not on a 10+ year swing. Habitat management is a key for small game, in my opinion.
 

Jett

Ten Pointer
Mike,

I agree with what you are seeing in our area with the small game populations. Getting rid of the USFWS coywoofs on my farm had almost an immediate impact. Deer, turkey, quail and rabbit populations have steadily risen as the canine predators have been removed.

Now if USFWS (Howard Phillips) would stop flooding our refuge, we would likely see the small game populations that were so abundant in this region in the '90s.
 
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bradman

Spike
I've seen more rabbits this year than ever in my life. Around the edges of Soybean fields, in my yard, in thickets, just about everywhere. I've heard quail more than I ever have as well. People have really started killing coyotes whenever they see them. Looks like it's making a difference. Killing foxes, during the season of course is a plus also. We could stand to thin out the hawk population in my area as well. I guess that time will tell if our little critters have a fighting chance or not.
 

odie408

Ten Pointer
I've seen a comeback since USFWS stopped releasing their K-9s near me. I took about 25 off my land one year and started seeing fawns and poults again the next spring.
 
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