Masters Theses

Date of Award

3-1978

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Major Professor

Ralph W. Dimmick

Committee Members

Boyd L. Dearden, James L. Byford

Abstract

Research was conducted on the 3,035 ha Napier Game Farm, Lewis County, Tennessee. A total of 7,960 pen-reared bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) were banded and released as juveniles during the summer of 1975 and 7,400 during the summer of 1976. An additional 600 were released during December 1976. More than 50 percent of summer stocked quail were not available for harvest in October during both years. Population levels continued to decline rapidly during the early part of the hunting season but appeared to stabilize during late winter despite continued hunting pressure. Post-hunting season trends suggested almost a total loss of quail for both years. Breeding season population estimates were 88 birds in 1976 and 200 in 1977 for the 171 ha Reed Road Study area. These estimates were higher than those for March of 1976 and 1977. Pen-reared quail dispersed widely from initial release points. Band numbers indicated that coveys consisted of birds from several different release sites. Fall coveys were also composed of birds released throughout the summer. Movements from release to October, release to harvest, release to March and release to breeding season averaged 0.37, 0.40, 0.40 and 1.40 km respectively. Analysis of 532 quail crops indicated bicolor lespedeza (52.8 percent volume) and milo (28.3 percent volume) were the most important fall and winter foods during the 2-year period. Native foods were not abundant during the study period and unimportant in the total fall and winter diet. A total of 1,979 pen-reared quail was harvested on Napier during 136 party hunts. The harvest rate was 12.6 percent in 1975-76 and 11.3 percent in 1976-77. Release date and release method had no effect on recovery rates. However, release location, stocking density, heredity and environment may influence recovery rates. Midseason releases did not increase the number of birds encountered by hunters suggesting that midseason releases merely replaced quail already on the area. However, midseason releases did increase harvest rates, indicating these birds were more vulnerable to harvest than summer released birds. Wild-reared quail comprised less than 2 percent of the fall 1975 population, and no wild quail were in a sample of 154 quail captured in October 1976. The proportion of wild quail increased to 9.1 percent of the March estimate in 1977 and comprised 43 and 25 percent of the breeding season populations in 1976 and 1977. Wild-reared quail comprised 11.1 and 3.4 percent of the harvest in 1975-76 and 1976-77. This discrepancy suggests wild quail were not proportionally represented during sampling procedures.

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