PUBLIC DOCUMENT No. 25. 47 



stock of quail more difficult than that of the grouse and 

 pheasants. We refer to the rigors of winter. History shows 

 that so long as we have mild winters quail will increase despite 

 shooting. Then, all of a sudden, comes a period of severe 

 weather, and the flocks are so decimated that the work must 

 start all over again. This combined with the ravages of the 

 horde of hunting house cats, to say nothing of the other natural 

 enemies, presents the problem with this ground-nesting and 

 roosting bird. We venture to say that if the losses due to 

 severe weather and vermin can be substantially eliminated, 

 even larger opportunities to hunt the birds might be provided, 

 and still the birds would rapidly increase. 



Quail can stand colder than zero weather, provided they have 

 food and grit, and can roost in a place free from the danger of 

 being covered by heavy falls of snow which by the formation of 

 crust imprisons and starves them. 



Feeding stations must be maintained steadily at certain 

 favorable places where the birds will easily find them. These 

 localities must be protected especially from vermin and poach- 

 ing. In addition, an increasing number of acres must annually 

 be planted with such grains as wheat', buckwheat, rye, kaffir 

 corn and sunflowers, to be left for the birds in the fall and 

 winter. The difficulty is to obtain a kind which will not be 

 beaten down and covered up with deep snow. For this reason 

 experiments should be carried on with various seed-bearing 

 shrubs. 



To establish a feeding station clear away the snow to the 

 ground. Place grain and grit (which may be coarse sand) in hay 

 chaff, barn sweepings or straw. Build rough shelters of boughs 

 so that good-sized areas will be left free of snow. Leave plenty 

 of open space so that the birds may get out easily when attacked 

 by vermin. Here scatter the feed. A simple shelter can be made 

 by piling brush against a stone wall or fence with large openings 

 at either end. 



These are simple instructions which can be carried out by 

 even the busiest sportsman or bird lover. Or, if too engaged, 

 the owner of the land on which you hunt will, in most h 

 stances, be willing to do it for a small sum. It's up to 

 Mr. Sportsman. You can have the birds if you will kee^ 



