Bob White Quail Habitat Restoration Project

[Ranch Dog]

The work started today on my Bobwhite quail habitat restoration project today. I have two pastures that are a mix of native and regrowth brush but the understory is coastal bermuda grass, a non-native species. That grass has been a real problem for the bobwhite quail in post oak savannah of Texas, my home. As this species of grass has spread, through planting and wind blown seed, the native savannah has disappeared and so have the quail.

Texas Parks & Wildlife is taking a very logical approach to the quail situation and rather than just restock birds, they have targeted properties that have remaining populations of quail and are getting straight to the root of the issue, the grass. My land management practices have always been wildlife based so my property fit the qualifications so I will see technical assistance and financial support in my efforts now. I making short videos to support my land's wildlife exemption and also to form a record of what happened and where for my ranch records.

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The target pastures will be cut into a checkerboard pattern with blocks of the brush remaining. The brush is ideal for bedding & cover but the savannah (open areas) are needed for bunch grass seed production. I'm not a bird hunter but I really enjoy the quail. I also see this as a benefit for all the native wildlife, including the whitetail deer. Everything can eat and benefit from the native grass species.

[Archer]

I always got a kick out of seeing quail growing up in the south.
Little buggers do seem to want to dive straight into the side of your car though.

[akuser47]

Love it, I'll be watching

[Ohio3Wheels]

Great thing you're doing there. I suspect getting rid of the grass is a real hassle up here our major battle is "bull honey suckle". I think the stuff would survive a Mark-25 Make smoke,

[mr surveyor]

RD

I have to ask .... are you sure coastal Bermuda regenerates from "seed"? All that I planted in the hay fields back in the 70's was "sprigged". Just asking.


jd

[Ranch Dog]

Everyone here uses seed. Our Coop has all the varieties suitable for our area of South Texas. The seed is so fine that it is best to be planted with a drill rather than a broadcast spreader. The grass I really dislike is bahia, is spreads like crazy, I'm not really sure what eats it, and it is tough to mow and kill.

[mr surveyor]

I wish I could give you all the Bahia in my yard

We did have one 20-30 acre bottom land pasture on the college farm in Bahia. I generally kept the Santa Gertrudis stock there as they seem to thrive on it. The Angus/Brangus did fairly well in it, the Herford and Charlois not so well. I'm glad you mentioned the Bahia grass though as it made me remember that pasture as the only place on our little 500 acre demonstration farm that DID seem to attract the quail. I was always careful to avoid working around their nests, and Momma quail was always luring me away from the nests.

Just my experience up here in the Great Northeast (of Texas), Bahia is a good sturdy, drought resistant grass that will survive in the poorest of soil conditions. Our experience was that it's fine for grazing, but not the best candidate for bailing when there's generally other varieties more suitable.

Another grass we experimented with (and it was not very friendly to brushhogs, hay mowers, rakes, bailers) was Love grass. The only way our spoiled cattle would eat it is if we kept in mowed so the vegetation would be tender. When it gets up knee high and above, it seemed to be as tough as sawgrass.

I've probably forgotten most of what I learned in those years about the grasses, other than what certain cattle breeds preferred and what some of the wildlife preferred. I wasn't a rocket surgeon in the first place.


jd

[Ranch Dog]

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[pepperpete]

Great work you are doing Ranch. Invasion by unwanted species is a big problem in our part of the world as well. Having been involved with pasture and crop development for many years before I retired I have noted that many of the good productive grasses we used to establish improved pastures for livestock production do not always suit our wildlife. We have all learned a lot since the early days of land clearing and many of our progressive farmers are now re-establishing wildlife corridors to give the native critters a place to breed and move through. Seems to help improve the production side of things as well in many cases.

[Ranch Dog]

The dozer finished up today. I've been burning brush piles for three days and had 18 fires going continuously! I have grapple claws for my front end loader so it is easy to keep the fires stacked and stoked. Going to add six more fires tomorrow. Really nice how not one stick leaves the clearing, everything is reduced to ash and disced right back into the soil.