Florida – Good Carryover, But Drought Halts Management Practices

Forecast: Lucky for Florida‘s hunters, the state’s temperate winter weather really didn’t affect adult survival or mortality. In areas with reasonable quail densities, abundance in the 2010-11 season was slightly above average, but less than the 2009-10 season. Regarding the breeding season, many areas had a good winter carryover of birds from the fall, so it positioned Florida quail well for the spring and summer nesting season. However, drought conditions impacted habitat management activities such as prescribed burning. This management action is the key to quality quail habitat, including good summer brood conditions. Mid/late summer rain provided some relief and habitat recovery, according to Chuck McKelvy, small game program coordinator for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Florida quail hunters should find improved numbers in the northern part of the state. Elsewhere, habitat restoration projects are showing signs of improvement. This will soon be boosted, as Florida looks to create 2,800 acres of habitat for the northern bobwhite quail in 21 Florida counties as part of Conservation Practice 33 (bobwhite buffers).

Season Dates: November 12 through March 4, 2012
Daily Bag Limit: 12
Possession Limit: 24
Field Notes: Florida has several state and national forests along with public Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) where quail are featured and management has been accelerated. Bird numbers on these properties have shown a favorable response to these active management actions. Properties that are managed for bobwhites include: Blackwater State Forest, Apalachicola National Forest, Apalachee WMA and the Blue Spring Unit of Twin Rivers State Forest are likely to provide good hunting opportunities in the Panhandle. Jennings State Forest in Northeast Florida and Three Lakes WMA in central Florida would also be good choices for the 2011-2012 quail hunting season. Also, in 2010, The United States Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency introduced a new conservation practice under the continuous Conservation Reserve Program intended to create 2,800 acres of habitat for the northern bobwhite quail in 21 Florida counties. Find out more here

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