September 12 FINAL 1 |
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1 Your Side of the Your Side of the Fen Fceen •c Sep •r Finagll 2012 Fall 2012 A Publication of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Volume 12, Number 3 Your Side of the fence Prior to the mid- November quail hunting season opener, sportsmen are busy with time-honored preparations. Pointers and setters get out for conditioning and newly accessed lands are scouted. One’s hunting season outlook is typically based on the number of birds seen during these scouting trips, but the number of coveys often remains unknown. To get a better idea of the quail population on your property or favorite hunting spot, consider adding DIY (do it yourself) covey counts to your pre-season ritual this fall. Good Morning or “Koi-lee” Coveys call in early morning; most likely to let neighboring coveys know where they will be located for the day. This “wake-up” call can be heard 30 minutes before sunrise until dawn. The clear “koi-lee” whistle is brief — averaging 30 seconds — and the daily greeting is given by a majority of the coveys within a few minutes. Calling is seasonal; beginning in September and continuing into November with a noticeable peak in mid- October. Clear mornings with low Gear up for Quail Season: DIY fall covey counts By Jena Donnell, Quail Habitat Biologist winds are the best time to hear calls. Passing cold fronts that bring high cloud cover, wind, and lower barometric pressure often lead to a decrease in calling. Counting Quail The survey is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Step One: Establish listening stations at least 1,100 yards from each other. This ensures coveys are not counted more than once, since most calls are not audible beyond 550 yards. Mark these listening stations on your property map so you survey the same area year after year. Step Two: Arrive at your listening station 45 minutes before sunrise and listen for each covey’s morning greeting until sunrise. Mark the approximate location of the covey on your map, along with the time of the call. Often, multiple birds will call from the same covey while facing different directions. This can give the impression of multiple coveys, so be conservative in the number of individual coveys you record. Once the survey is complete, you might attempt to walk up to the coveys to verify multiple coveys, gauge distances and obtain a count of individual birds. Only one listening station can be surveyed per morning because the calling session is so short. If other hunters are conducting surveys during the same time on adjacent points,
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Title | September 12 FINAL 1 |
Full text | 1 Your Side of the Your Side of the Fen Fceen •c Sep •r Finagll 2012 Fall 2012 A Publication of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Volume 12, Number 3 Your Side of the fence Prior to the mid- November quail hunting season opener, sportsmen are busy with time-honored preparations. Pointers and setters get out for conditioning and newly accessed lands are scouted. One’s hunting season outlook is typically based on the number of birds seen during these scouting trips, but the number of coveys often remains unknown. To get a better idea of the quail population on your property or favorite hunting spot, consider adding DIY (do it yourself) covey counts to your pre-season ritual this fall. Good Morning or “Koi-lee” Coveys call in early morning; most likely to let neighboring coveys know where they will be located for the day. This “wake-up” call can be heard 30 minutes before sunrise until dawn. The clear “koi-lee” whistle is brief — averaging 30 seconds — and the daily greeting is given by a majority of the coveys within a few minutes. Calling is seasonal; beginning in September and continuing into November with a noticeable peak in mid- October. Clear mornings with low Gear up for Quail Season: DIY fall covey counts By Jena Donnell, Quail Habitat Biologist winds are the best time to hear calls. Passing cold fronts that bring high cloud cover, wind, and lower barometric pressure often lead to a decrease in calling. Counting Quail The survey is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Step One: Establish listening stations at least 1,100 yards from each other. This ensures coveys are not counted more than once, since most calls are not audible beyond 550 yards. Mark these listening stations on your property map so you survey the same area year after year. Step Two: Arrive at your listening station 45 minutes before sunrise and listen for each covey’s morning greeting until sunrise. Mark the approximate location of the covey on your map, along with the time of the call. Often, multiple birds will call from the same covey while facing different directions. This can give the impression of multiple coveys, so be conservative in the number of individual coveys you record. Once the survey is complete, you might attempt to walk up to the coveys to verify multiple coveys, gauge distances and obtain a count of individual birds. Only one listening station can be surveyed per morning because the calling session is so short. If other hunters are conducting surveys during the same time on adjacent points, |
Date created | 2012-09-25 |
Date modified | 2012-09-25 |