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Iowa wild Bobwhite Quail hunting is an upland bird choice not well known amongst quail hunters with Iowa pheasant hunting overwhelming that of its quail.

While our Iowa quail hunts are not comparable to the vast area of quail distribution to be found in Kansas or Missouri, there is a concentration of quail in the south-central and southwest portion of Iowa. This combined with an earlier quail season opener than that of Kansas or Missouri gives the quail hunter one more week of field time.

A second advantage is the earlier to arrive colder winter temperatures of this northern of all Association lease land allowing for earlier in the season endurance dog work by avoiding heat fatigue. However, perhaps the better advantage of this season is the ease of fitting the hunt into the busy work life many hunters must accommodate.

With the Association's approach to managed self guided hunts allowing the hunter to set his own schedule, Iowa's season brings a bit more flexibility to that schedule both on the calendar and in terms of weather.

Good quail hunting is based on good habitat. That is constant from season to season and that good quail habitat is more accurately described as nesting cover that extends to heavier winter cover and always near a food source. With this combination the covey renews itself each year. Take a more detailed look at the habitat that provides the best Iowa quail hunting.

Grass and brush line along a fallow corner of a row crop farm. No cactus or snakes and cool all day long dog running weather.

A long time trainer of dogs and strictly a Bobwhite Quail hunter that acknowledges it takes a dog that can work the habitat to find the birds. Quail hunting dog power is often a discussion amongst our hunters traveling from multiple states and bird hunting backgrounds. These varied opinions from plains and woods grouse hunters, flushing, retrieving and pointing breed owners, individual dog and brace dog hunters and so on have given us greater insight as to what works, what works best and far more than we could learn from our own limited direct observation and hunt style.

Drainage Cover & Crop Habitat

Iowa Bobwhite Quail hunts are along the shallow drains of the upper fringe of the Grand River watershed and its feeder tributaries. These drains have infrequent woody cover from brush to the tallest of trees to be found and include much weeds and prairie grass. This combination of quail cover variety with its many irregularities make it necessary to walk every mile of it to find the many spots that may appear no different to the hunter than the previous dozen but to the quail are the ideal loafing spot.

These quail hot spots once found may number from one to many on the same farm. If it is a covey, single quail or a pheasant it will always be a mystery up to the flush and in each case the Iowa quail hunter can never anticipate which for if he does the bird more frequently than not will make him a liar.

For those upland bird hunters that seek a pure pheasant or Bobwhite Quail hunt experience, Iowa is not your state of choice. For while the quail are present in good numbers, that very same habitat will hold the rooster as well.

The quail hunting only hunter that distains the pheasant is better off in Missouri or Kansas. The upland bird hunter that enjoys the unexpected nature of this habitat will enjoy a mixed bag pheasant and quail hunt equal to that which may be found in Kansas.

What better proof than that of a picture from long time self guided Iowa quail hunting member of over 20 years with his latest dog, Belle. Jerry and Bell start the year Iowa quail hunting and continue through Iowa's January quail only upland bird season.

 

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Quail Habitat