Quail Decline Theory

Thanks to Gareth Cook and Ed Small for forwarding this important article. (Please say it's not so!)

Disease may play role in quail decline

November 23, 2009
Writer(s):Steve Byrns, Dr. Dale Rollins of Texas A&M.

SAN ANGELO – Disease may be playing a role in the demise of Texas quail, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert.

“Quail season has been disappointing,” said Dr. Dale Rollins, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist at San Angelo. “By Texas standards, wild quail hunting has been sub-par since 2006, and I’m wondering if disease might not be part of the puzzle. Certainly, it’s probably not the key reason, but I’m starting to suspect it may be a contributing factor.”

Rollins said coccidiosis (malady caused by parasitic protozoans of the digestive system) is often blamed, but exactly what disease might be behind the drop in quail populations, or even if there is a disease contributing to the problem, is currently unknown. He said there are other potential threats, including West Nile Virus, avian influenza, avian cholera and avian tuberculosis that may be factors.

Sick quail don’t last long before something eats them, so disease surveillance in wild quail is a tough proposition, according to Rollins.

“I’ve always been intrigued by the possible role disease plays in quail dynamics,” Rollins said. “When you think about it, the birds offer a perfect biological fuse for disease spread among the population. They are social birds, and when a covey dwindles to less than about six birds, they go join another covey.

“Blue quail used to be common over areas as far east as Throckmorton, but they disappeared over much of their range in 1988; December 1988 to be exact in my opinion. While hunting in Crockett County that December, I dressed several birds with spotted livers, but didn’t think much of it. I just took some photographs and discarded the birds. Within months, blue quail had vanished as far west as the Pecos River. I can’t explain such a die-off except by some mystery disease. Suffice it to say my antennae are up for sick quail now.”

Rollins asks quail hunters to be on the lookout for sick quail this season. If birds taken are too light for their size or if a green discharge from the vent is spotted, he said it would be worth noting. He said to pay special attention to whether the liver has white or yellow nodules in it which are signs of a bacterial infection.

If disease is suspected, Rollins asks hunters to place the bird in a plastic zipper-type bag, refrigerate it and call him as soon as possible at 325-653-4576 or 325-776-2615.

Rollins is also the director of the 4,700-acre Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch at Roby. He said they are currently live-trapping quail at the ranch for leg-banding to support a radio telemetry project. At the same time, they also are collecting samples for disease and parasite testing.

“We’ll submit about 200 samples for screening of viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases,” he said. “These data will help us better understand whether various diseases really are a factor.

“A separate research project on eye worms and intestinal parasites was started in September in collaboration with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. Preliminary testing from quail collected on the research ranch last winter showed parasite infestation in the eyes, which may be noteworthy. When you’re a bobwhite, you live on the edge as it is; any debilitating factor like worms under your eyelids can’t be good.

“At the research ranch, we’re seeking to unravel just what’s happened to bobwhites and blue quail across much of the Rolling Plains,” he said. “We’ve adopted a philosophy of ‘leave no stone unturned.’ So, we’re investigating some heretofore overlooked agents, namely disease and parasites to see if they possibly are playing a more than minor role in the demise of Texas quail.”

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"sit" -- 'yes dad'!

I've often opined to friends that I would probably have been a better parent had I spent more time reading dog training books 'before' my sons were born. Unfortunately, they were in their teens by the time I started training my Brittanys and began compulsively reading everything written by Robert Wehle, Delmar Smith, and later by training beside Pete Thuman, Steven Harwood and a host of other talented people.

Each time I have made that observation, I get a strange look from people who then lecture me on the complexities of child rearing and my blatent insensitivity to the obvious differences between a dog and a child! Finally, I gave up on the idea and by the time my grandchildren came along, I had given up on suggestions of any sort.

Flash Forward to November 22, 2009 and an article in the New York Times has finally validated the potential brilliance of my long-forgotten suggestion.

The article, "Becoming the Alpha Dog in Your Own Home!" by Alex Williams suggests how simply watching TV's "Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan has, for many, replaced a shelf full of books on how to tame an unruly child. It's all the same simple concept: how to be the pack leader in your own house..." A later quote from author Allison Pearson describes the obvious to every one of us who have witnessed the maturity and pride of a year old Brittany or Pointer or Lab when they get it right ... "Unlike modern parents, dog trainers don’t think discipline equals being mean. They understand that dogs are happiest when they know their position in the hierarchy.” The article also clearly discusses the differences and boundaries, but did point out "when you're wishy-washy with your dogs, they take advantage --- kids think the same way!"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/fashion/22dog.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=print

Change in Recommendation!

On the left side of this blog site, I have recommendations for resources I have used successfully for years. I am changing the resource for "dog boots" as of this posting.

In South Texas and many areas of the country, grass burrs (commonly known as 'stickers'), are a major problem for hunting dogs. A multitude of solutions have been used, from "duct tape" to "bicycle inner-tubes". Setter legend Joe Coleman was the first to introduce me to Cordura, an awning material that he used to design boots for his winning dogs. Dale Bush from College Station, a friend of Joe's, actually marketed the boots for awhile as the Coleman Dog Boot .

When Dick Nelson and I purchased Dos Jefes Ranch, south of Falfurias, we encountered major sticker problems. Early on, we purchased a Cordura awning material and had a professional seamstress custom make our own using velcro as the way to keep them on the dog's foot. They worked, to a point. The downside was that we frequently lost a few each hunt, leaving the dog unprotected on the exposed foot. We also had issuses with various types of 'threads' that eventually cut through the material, leaving the boots to 'flop' around freely.


NOT ANYMORE! Gareth Cook discovered www.dogbooties.com and all is well! The company is located in Duluth, MN--a long way from South Texas quail country -- but their boots, developed for large and competition dogs in the north country, have found a new life among an increasing number of Quail hunters!

The material is still Cordura, but it comes in a variety of strengths, and the sizes run from XXXS to XL. It's just that in Montana, a 'small' dog is not the same as 'our' small dogs!

The trick is ordering correctly. For my Brittanys, the 'extra small' size is perfect. Large Pointers might need a 'small". I advise ordering a couple of options and size them before placing a large order.

They also come with three 'closure wrap' options. I like the Velstrech Brand Fastener (these actually have a degree of stretch that I suspect is kinder to the dog's feet.) They also sell 'repair tape' and materials to make your own boots if you so desire.

The lightest material is the 330 Denier Cordura Booties and they come in many different colors, even pink (I still prefer the bright orange, easier to see if lost). The South Texas grass stickers did slightly penetrate this material, however they did not become lodged in the material. The 500 Denier boot, which comes in black only, is probably the better choice if you plan on more than one or two hunts a year! To the touch, the 330 and 500 feel the same, but our trip south two weeks ago sold me on the product so I'm ordering the 500, even though it makes less of a fashion statement!!!

Incidentally, this is not a paid endorsement....I just love this product!

Have fun!