New Jersey's Public Hunting Lands

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
Small game opens this Saturday, the dog is already in the back of the truck. Now if only there were some native birds around..... :(
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
4,944
3,080
Pestletown, N.J.
Small game opens this Saturday, the dog is already in the back of the truck. Now if only there were some native birds around..... :(

I have had springers for over 20 years but I gave up on native birds around 1991.
Haven't seen a quail down here since 1991 and grouse are gone too.
I refuse to hunt pen raised birds in a WMA with the Orange Army.
At least springers are great all around companions in the woods.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
There are some quail around, mostly on private land and the refuges. The quail they have been stocking lately aren;t too bad, a lot better than the ones the division raised in Forked River, at least they can fly. I hunt the off days during stocking time and prefer after January rolls around, rarely see much orange. Grouse are virtually non-existent, I've bumped only a couple in the last 5 years. Never cared for pheasant. So that leaves Tmberdoodles :) We used to breed Brittanies, down to one dog now and he's pushing 11. I think once he's gone I'll call it quits.

http://www.pbase.com/46er/image/105573590/medium.jpg
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
For those that are interested, this is a worthwhile organization.
http://www.njquailproject.org/
Y-Buc Bill from this site is involved. The state is getting involved as well.

I'm glad to see some emphasis being placed on the quail project. Joe Matter was pretty much carrying it all at one time. There is some evidence from the northwest that rebuilding wild quail stocks can work. Again, it was one person that started it all, got permits to trap wild birds and release them in his state and was very successful at it. Lost the links but I think it was in either Washington or Oregon. But bobwhites here are a whole different issue.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
Quail, specifically Northern Bobwhite Quail, are in decline in all of their home range. Lots of opinions why, no studies that I am aware of that have nailed down the reason. Most popular is loss of habitat here in NJ. NJ Audubon conducts surveys that have documentedthe decline. As it regards hunting, quail and pheasant are pretty much a put and take affair with little hold over. I would like to see an effort made to stock the birds in the early spring, prior to breeding season, and study whether their numbers might increase, but that has a slim to none chance of happening.

The last 22 years of hunter harvest surveys. Some of the decline is due to a reduction in hunter participation the past several years.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/small_gameharv_summary.pdf
 

MartGBC

Scout
Sep 10, 2008
79
0
Glendora
There is a decline because there are fewer places to hunt. Many of the farms and fields hunted in the past now have houses on them. Every where my dad would take me now have developements.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,181
There is a decline because there are fewer places to hunt. Many of the farms and fields hunted in the past now have houses on them. Every where my dad would take me now have developements.

Well said!

Guy
 

Y-BUC-BILL

Explorer
Mar 9, 2007
129
26
There is a group of us headed by Chairman Joe Matter that is moving forward with restoring the wild Quail in our State.The Audubon Society,Ducks Unlimited,Waste Management,Quail Unlimited ,the Division of Fish and Wildlife and various Farmers our working with us.We have a general meeting each month which is open to everyone interested in our Quail Project.The next meeting will be held at the Square Circle Sportsmens Club in Gibbsboro at 7:30 pm.Nov.17
 
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