Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 23, 1995 TAG: 9510230093
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Fies is the small game research biologist for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, which means he heads quail management and research in Virginia.
Times have been tough for quail, and quail biologists. Bird hunters have seen one dismal season follow another. With every new season has come the chant, ``It's got to get better.'' But it hasn't.
``I've learned the hard way not to make predictions based on wishful thinking,'' said Fies. ``Wishful thinking doesn't put more quail in the game pouch at the end of the day.''
So when you see enthusiasm bubbling from Fies about the coming season, you've got to take notice.
``It's a lot easier to be pessimistic, especially if you want to avoid disappointment later on,'' Fies said. ``But this year, I'm having a hard time containing my enthusiasm.''
Fies is telling bird hunters to get their dogs in shape and to do a little practice of their own.
``You might want to invest in a few extra boxes of shells and practice your shooting skills at a local sporting clays range,'' he said.
The coming season should be the best in five years, Fies said. A recent survey showed quail numbers up 34 percent.''
To be certain, there has been nothing like a return to ``the good old days.''
``We have to remember what we are comparing the increase to,'' Fies said.
Last year, hunters spent a little more than four hours afield for every covey flushed.
``This year, I think hunters will will see a noticeable improvement. I think it is going to be halfway decent,'' he said.
Quail populations can bounce back rapidly with a good nesting year. And this was a good one, Fies said.
``Abundant rainfall during the spring and early summer created lush nesting conditions and produced plenty of insects for young chicks to feed on,'' he said. ``Although we had a pronounced dry spell during July and August, reproductive success did not appear to be significantly impacted.''
Quail population have a better than 70 percent annual turnover, so when you have production you have birds, he said.
Birds not only should be more abundant, but they likely will be easier to locate, Fies predicted. The mast crop is down from the past two seasons, a fact that should move birds out of the woods and into the fields.
``For the past several years, acorns and other wild fruits have been abundant, causing quail to frequent habitats that are not usually hunted,'' he said. ``This year, quail will be most likely to be found in your planted food patches and in other areas where you would normally expect to find them.''
Hunters will be afield under a week shorter and later starting season. Expressing concern over the quail population, the game department shortened the season by one week. The Nov. 27-Jan. 31 hunting dates begin two weeks later than last year. The daily limit is six.
by CNB