Anyone know what really Happened to Missouri Birds (Quail)?

I can’t tell you the last time I seen a quail in MO but I bet it's been 5 years. Where we deer hunt we actually started by bird hunting that area. It’s just East of St. Joseph. 20 years ago it was loaded and we even would get pheasants fairly often. When we started deer hunting up there covey’s of quail would walk under our stands, you could hear them coming. Heck they would give you a heart attack waking to your stand in the morning before sunrise! We hunted from the Stockton area all they way to the Iowa border but not any longer.

We’ve always had a Britany to hunt and as a pet. The current one we got specifically got as a pet because there are no birds around to hunt. I take her on lots of walks all over Smithville and sometimes where we hunt and in over two years have not seen one quail.

I'd post in the Ask a Biologist or Conservation Agent Forum but not sure there is anyone that ever responds to those Forums any longer and they probably should just go away.

Turkey are going down the same path as the other birds. We would see flocks of 25 to 30 Turkey all the time bow hunting, this year I seen 1. Seems real strange and man I miss it.

I used to quale/pheasant hunt in Gentry County over there in NW Mo some 30 years ago, was very good hunting, and a blast. we have a small farm in Jonesburg which is pretty open and usually have a couple of small coveys, but we baby them and do not hunt them. I wonder if MDC could re stock or if they even care? maybe to worried about the bears and elk

The elk, otters, and wolves take up all the money and mdc interest. Us used to be bird hunters providing money chasing birds do not have their interest.

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Originally Posted by ripnlips

The elk, otters, and wolves take up all the money and mdc interest. Us used to be bird hunters providing money chasing birds do not have their interest.

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Or the beautiful MO Hellbender? We all know how many people look forward to the Hellbender Sporting Season! Anyone breed Hellbender dogs? :Rofl

How A Conservation Project Has Saved Missouri'''s Hellbenders For Another Generation | STLPR

A big reason is trapping in Missouri is going down. Trapping helps control the nest raiders like coons, opossums, and fox, coyote. Plus loss of suitable habitat! That could be the Biggest problem!

hellbender sounds like a bass lure to me, just saying

Wish I could tell you. Been on a few properties in Mississippi that once held a few coveys but have seen a dramatic decrease in population.

I’ve said for years the decrease in turkeys in my area have a lot to do with the price of fur. One could argue the same. Plus a lot of land has been changed by human hands either by field work, land clearing, or otherwise.


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My dad has said when he farmed in Mississippi back in the 80’s he’d work ground at night and would stop to let the quail run out after they’d run along in the lights. Not near as many around as there used to be. I’ve heard it’s because there isn’t as much native grass.
Maybe the wild hog population or coyotes have something to do with it here.


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I’m not that old but we used to let a some gentlemen quail hunt our farms. They never killed many but had fun doing it. Used to hear them out the back door time to time calling in the early morning or late evenings. Don’t see the rabbits we used to either.
I think it’s due to tree lines being cleared for land improvements and subdivisions moving out into the country side. Also now that every farmer is using herbicides to control weeds ditch banks and tree lines don’t grow up like they used to.


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Fescue/cattle/no trappers, but down here we have several quail, several land owners lease out their land to private hunt clubs, I seen a covey of 8 going to stockton couple weeks ago. hear a few calling in the spring up at the lake, Not on my place or anywhere around me, My neighbor turned 300 loose 4 years ago, hear nothing from them, but he has 3600 acres so hard to know.

I’ve had a couple of coveys behind the house between a brushy creek bank and a corn field. We have a LOT of foxes and coyotes back there as well. I think they are keeping the quail cleaned out


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Originally Posted by ripnlips

The elk, otters, and wolves take up all the money and mdc interest. Us used to be bird hunters providing money chasing birds do not have their interest.

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Left off Hawks, we had 2 coveys here around the house. Darn red hawk picked them off, persistent sucker. I do not look good in orange or would have delt with him.

Loss of habitat I suspect. Guys that run cattle bulldoze the fencerows and plant fescue.

I hear them more than I see them, there's a few around this area but not many.

I have heard the same talking to guys that used to hunt the area many years ago. Deer and turkey were scarce, but there was plenty of birds.

Aren't all these things (cattle, hawks, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, possum, development, trapping) also issues in other states? Or...other parts of Missouri?

We got to talking about it at the barbershop just yesterday with a bunch of hunters and they acted like, yeah, they see them quite frequently but it was always "over on the Kansas/Nebraska border" or "down in Oklahoma". But not around here so much?!

I would like to think it is habitat loss but even properties that have the same cover and crops have lost the quail. We don’t shoot hawks/owls or trap predators. I also think turkey’s have an effect on the young quail. I would guess they would eat them just like grasshoppers.


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Around here Quail numbers are down but I think the biggest reason is mature timber stands, as Quail do better in new growth. They need ground cover and old growth does not have that, as I have noticed in our woods.

Already mentioned hides are worth nothing so no one hunts or traps predator's around here any more. When us and the neighbors finally get fed up with the Coyotes we start pounding them pretty hard which lowers there numbers for a few years, it saves the heck out of local fawn crops.

Hunted central Missouri 50 years ago, enough quail to be interesting but numbers declined steadily in the 70s and early 80s in that area. Most hunters that I know stopped quail hunting and keeping bird dogs. Think I’ve heard every theory there is, no idea of how credible they are but MDC seems to opine its loss of suitable habitat. I see and and hear a breeding pair and a rare small covey every once in awhile on COE property surrounding Truman Lake. Feel sorry for anyone that’s never heard the rush of a covey rising up over a good bird dog.

The MDC must think there are still quail in MO, a couple of pics in this months Missouri Conservationist magazine. What is this? it was quail tracks in the snow and the other was a very small blurb that they are working on habitat. Pics were probably taken in some other state. :dono

Not much but they sure are proud of the eagles, bears and elk!

I believe that habitat is one of the biggest issues, in Northern Wisconsin they do mostly clear cutting 10 to 20 acre plots now if you want Quail. Once it starts to regrow we call them slashings can`t hardly walk thru it and the Quail move in and take over.

Hey Keefer / everyone else,
Yes I am one of the many who kept/ trained bird dogs many years . Foot hunted quite a few years then had a good friend get me involved with horseback field trialing /dog training. Enjoyed the stew out of bird dogging.
Yes there are a few birds around just about anywhere you go but the population is radically reduced compared to the 60’s, 70’s, and even the 80’s.
Quail population declines are the million dollar question biologists in every state in the nation have pursued for many years. The blame has been pointed in many different directions and yes many factors have contributed to the decline. Fescue, predators, herbicides, land management, and more and more.
Birds need small weed seeds for food, roosting cover from predators at night, overhead daytime cover for avian predation protection during daylight. Young birds need protective cover not too thick and not to thin for feeding.
Yes , every predator on the planet wants to eat a poor old bird.
Birds need edge. The transitions between fairly open and thick cover . Every farmer around wants to maximize his crop production so edge cover has been cleared about everywhere .

One heck of a lot of money has been spent in every state trying to help out poor old Bob. A multitude of approaches have been made with varying success. Unfortunately none have found a 100% way to help the quail population.

Count yourself very lucky to hear a bird morning or evening. Saver the times you actually get to flush a covey.

Having a good dog locked up on point is a pleasure everyone should experience during their lifetime.


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