I've got a covey of Gambels living under the deck.
 

The chicks just hatched. I haven't been able to count them yet because they keep scattering all over the garden and the parents are constantly running around trying to round them up. :D

Get a cat.

Hey, they're too cute! Besides, my dog hangs out under there, too. He ignores birds for some reason and they ignore him. He hasn't been under there since the chicks were born, though. Heck, he hasn't been outside much since we went over 100°. :D

Pat

????

They're quail! Good eating! There's dozens of them around my house in the burbs and enough feral cats to ensure they don't live long.

Kill all the feral cats! (Not good eating)

Come on you're a chef. You can whip-up (concoct?) a tasty cat casserole!

Those are just the cutest things ever! Would you mind dropping me a line when they're all grown up?

Them things cook up Gooood;)

That dog ain't going to hunt.........

Last year we had 3 full coveys of Scaled, 36 chicks. These are the first Gambles we've had (8 chicks) and they are acting, almost, domesticated. The Scaled haul ass when I walk outside, but the Gambles just keep their distance...well, poppa Gambel keeps flying into the fence. :D

Nobody hunts here, so I don't mind allowing my herd to grow a little for now. I've not seen an increase in predators, though I did see a Kestrel looking around yesterday.

Pat

:D:D Nor PSM^^^

Oh, but I will. We're surrounded by thousands of acres of BLM land that I'd like to see populated with these tasty little critters. Just thinking ahead. ;)

Pat

Get bags of bird seed. It worked for Wile. :D

Brings in mice and rattlers. BTDT. ;)

Funny thing is that the Scaled quail hang out where we have our shotgun "range". You'd think getting hit in the head with unbroken clays would deter them. :confused:

Pat

When the covey gets up to about 50-75, trap some of them and release them a few miles away near a water source or you can put in a drinker. in a few years, you should have a sustainable, healthy population.

I wrap 'em in bacon, roast them then cover them with a cream sauce, served on a bed of wild rice with mushrooms.

We're just a little over a mile from the San Pedro River. We've been here just shy of 5 years. The first year we had no quail. The second year we had 1 covey of scaled. Each of the next two years we increased 1 covey of scaled per year. This is the first year that we've had the Gambel's. I think that they are all coming from the river to our garden but they are not particularly destructive of it. Jack rabbits are also increasing in population. The deer, not so much. The coyotes haven't been seen in about 9 months or so.

Pat

Made me hungry just reading that........;)

PSM- Quail populations are cyclical, depending on rain/feed each year. The less food and water, the more profound the annual change. With good food and water, a double hatch can occur. If that happens, get to Walmart, they sell 4 packs of shotgun shells for $20.00... And call me, most important, call me.

Roger, copy! :D

Pat

In Ireland last fall, I ordered an appetizer. It was pan-fried quail (which I ate a lot as a kid). The restaurant had seasoned the quail with some sort of Indian spice. It was fantastic. Not grandma's quail, biscuits and gravy for breakfast, but still fantastic.

Craigpo- If you ever get out here to hunt quail, bring your track shoes. Gamble's quail are track stars and if you get a shot under 40 yards, they were sleeping. Scaled quail are even faster.... I use #6 shot on them both. Valley quail will hold a little better, I use #7 1/2 shot on them. Mountain quail are very wary, I use # 4's on them...