Bob White.

[Slow Hand]

We hear the Bob Whites at my hunting partner's farm on a regular basis, if not daily it's close. That's in SW Owen Co, north of Linton. I had a conversation with a couple back during turkey season.


I've never heard a pheasant crow in Indiana but I did see a wild pheasant outside of Hebron probably 25 years ago. It flushed straight away from me and my shot was blocked by another hunter. I was just excited to see one. I wish Indiana had better pheasant hunting, there's almost nothing better than hunting over a couple of well trained pointers. I've been fortunate to hunt them in Kansas and Iowa and it's on my top five list of most pleasurable activities. I heard a ton of them one year up in Michigan but it wasn't season.

We hunt quail out around d Linton area. So t see a ton but we have a few spots to hit down there. Goose pond has been pretty good too. But it’s a limited draw hint so they don’t lose too many to hunters.

 

[ParkerBoy]

In 1972 the USF&WS put all raptors(hawks and owls) under Federal protection instead of state control. That may be a portion of the reason for your decrease in game bird populations. Not that habitat destruction isn't a factor, too. I'm not in Ind., I'm in MN. Our Ruffed Grouse populations are not anywhere what they used to be. I used to hear drumming in the spring every year from my backyard......I haven't heard a drummer for well over 20 years and I haven't seen a grouse on my land in over 5 years. BUT I can go our any night in FEB. and hear multiple Great Horned Owls doing their mating calls.

 

[two70]

no-till gives an arrowhead hunter no place to look as well. I'd love to see some bottom plowed fields.

That's probably better than most arguments I've heard against no-till, I doubt that is a compelling enough reason for most farmers to destroy their soil with recreational tillage.

 

[DragonGunner]

In 1972 the USF&WS put all raptors(hawks and owls) under Federal protection instead of state control. That may be a portion of the reason for your decrease in game bird populations. Not that habitat destruction isn't a factor, too. I'm not in Ind., I'm in MN. Our Ruffed Grouse populations are not anywhere what they used to be. I used to hear drumming in the spring every year from my backyard......I haven't heard a drummer for well over 20 years and I haven't seen a grouse on my land in over 5 years. BUT I can go our any night in FEB. and hear multiple Great Horned Owls doing their mating calls.

I have thought about this also. Never saw as many hawks and owls as a kid in the 60's as I do these past decades. My much older brother tells me the time my dad shot every owl and hawk he saw, even from the car. Dad was big on rabbit and quail hunting......maybe he knew something. My dad grew up in the Great Depression also and hunting game as a kid was serious business if you wanted to eat. I imagine he was taught and saw to kill other predators taking any food off the table. Last week I saw a big rabbit at dusk go across the back yard to a field, the next day rabbit fur all over yard by a spruce tree....haven't seen the rabbit since but see hawks or owls all the time. It may be literally months and months before I see the next rabbit around....thy don't seem to populate very fast.

 

[Hkindiana]

That's probably better than most arguments I've heard against no-till, I doubt that is a compelling enough reason for most farmers to destroy their soil with recreational tillage.

If their land is level, how does deep plowing “destroy their soil”?

 

[two70]

If their land is level, how does deep plowing “destroy their soil”?

Tillage does significant damage to microbes and the soil biology making erosion more likely even on level ground and reducing the water holding capacity. Tillage also reduces organic matter in the soil and causes compaction.

 

[PappyD]

I'm 66. My Dad had cousins that farmed near Bloomfield. As a kid, I remember rabbit hunting down there. Several times we would get rabbits as well as quail, a grouse or 2, and even a stray woodcock sometimes if we hunted down in the "bottoms" as Dad would say. (my uncle would call them "timberdoodles" - I thought they looked like giant robins with long beaks!)

About the quail - I remember Dad saying "let's leave that covey alone so we'll have them next year!

Good times for sure.

PS. I agree with DragonGunners comment about hawks and owls. I think coyotes are involved as well. My parents were born in 1921 and 22 and experienced being poor. Rabbits and squirrels were part of the diet. Dad's mom could fry up some gray squirrels with onion and potatoes. Let 'em simmer on the stove for awhile. Mmm good!

 

[trimman83]

I spent an evening fishing Hillenbrand F & W area, Down around Jasonville. I heard the call of the Bobwhite. Never saw them, but calling all around. They also seem to have a robust rabbit population. I think those two critters go hand in hand. Lots of good ground cover and habitat on that property.

 

[phylodog]

Coincidentally we have at least one Bob White sounding off behind my house this morning. I’m pretty sure we haven’t heard them here before.