and endorsed by the F&G Council. Hopefully it will be approved and it is successfully implemented.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2010/njquailplan.pdf
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2010/njquailplan.pdf
NJ Northern Bobwhite Action Plan published
- Thread starter 46er
- Start date
Yah, I remember reading that in the DF&W mag last year. Hey 46er, someone told me earlier this year they read they might stop stocking quail in Greenwood and Peaslee fields. You have any info on this? Im certainly hoping its not true. Thanks for any feedback.
The action plan in that link details exactly why it is not a good idea to stock quail. Besides the sound biological reasons given, put-and-take hunting has conditioned several generations of hunters to come to believe that shooting birds that were living in cage until a day or two before is real hunting. They might as well just release some much meatier Purdue oven stuffers and not go through the role playing act that pretends that wild game is being harvested. This plan finally is attempting to bring back real wild quail. I hope it meets with success.
Holding tight 
I am pretty sure Quail hunting is closed for the foreseeable future on non-WMA's in the southern Quail zone(south of RT33), but is allowed in Greenwood and Peaslee WMA's. I forget the details, but I can't see any hunting there without stocking. I suspect they will also be putting out Pheasants there as they did a couple years back as well, should be a real zoo. For me, I'm done Quail hunting in NJ and never cared for Pheasant. I retired the dog after last season, so we'll spend our time laying on the couch. Been thinking of a fall trip to VT or Maine though for Ruffed's
or maybe to one of those southern plantation outfits.....
Found the article;
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/12/nj_sees_steep_drop_in_bobwhite.html
I am pretty sure Quail hunting is closed for the foreseeable future on non-WMA's in the southern Quail zone(south of RT33), but is allowed in Greenwood and Peaslee WMA's. I forget the details, but I can't see any hunting there without stocking. I suspect they will also be putting out Pheasants there as they did a couple years back as well, should be a real zoo. For me, I'm done Quail hunting in NJ and never cared for Pheasant. I retired the dog after last season, so we'll spend our time laying on the couch. Been thinking of a fall trip to VT or Maine though for Ruffed's
or maybe to one of those southern plantation outfits.....Found the article;
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/12/nj_sees_steep_drop_in_bobwhite.html
That all depends on how its done and the type of Quail. Northwestern states have had very good results restoring their Quail populations with the useof some stocking.
I’m all for restoring populations by releasing birds from wild stock, in addition to habitat management. But that is usually referred to as reintroduction as opposed to stocking, which normally consists of releasing birds with little expectation of long term survival or reproduction. A minor matter of semantics.
I was always more of a fan of grouse hunting than pheasant and quail. I knew every grouse I took was a truly wild bird. I sure had to work hard for each one though. No following the tire tracks of the quail stocking truck!
I was always more of a fan of grouse hunting than pheasant and quail. I knew every grouse I took was a truly wild bird. I sure had to work hard for each one though. No following the tire tracks of the quail stocking truck!
I agree grouse is a great hunt, but you have to travel for them these days. Not many left in our area, as opposed to up at our place in the Adirondacks. Its usually like WWIII at most pheasant fields come November. Quail gives my dog some room to work and I rarely see many others out there. Im all for supporting the comeback of quail in NJ, but also keeping a few areas open for hunting. The quail they stock on WMAs is payed for by hunting licenses and the additional stamp.. not cheap by my standards, so if Im paying, Im hunting. I walk my dog in the Greenwood fields during the off seasons too and he always finds some coveys and Im sure some of them naturally reproduce as well. Coyotes and birds dont pick them all off, even if they get a good amount. Still hear some by the house sometimes too. Glad they're not closing it everywhere.
I never hunted grouse down here but chased them all the time before I left Passaic County in the early 80s. When I go back and hunt my favorite spots from back then I walk all day and not get a single flush, where I flushed a dozen a day back in the late 70s. I haven’t heard what I consider great explanations for their decline. Those same forests do not seem any more mature to me, so I do not believe it is forest succession hurting them. Coyotes, maybe, but contrary to older beliefs, recent wildlife ecology principles claim that prey control predator populations, not the other way around. Competition from the increasing turkey population maybe? Whatever it is, I sure to miss them!