NOVEMBER 2018 • NEBRASKAland 29
a Browning Silver 12-gauge shotgun.
NEBRASKAland Magazine wants
hunters to take this a step further – try
to accomplish this feat in two days.
It can be done, but it will take some
work. Start your planning right here.
Four Species
Northern bobwhite quail: Oct. 27,
2018 – Jan. 31, 2019 – Quail are at
their highest populations in decades.
In 2017, harvest was 44 percent higher
than the 5-year average. Bobwhite
quail are considered an "edge species,"
meaning they can be found in areas
where two or more habitats converge.
For example, where grasslands abut
cropland or woodland habitat.
"During fall and winter, bobwhites
don't stray far from woody cover,"
said Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission Upland Habitat and
Access Program Manager John Laux.
"Another important habitat element
is bare ground – many grasslands are
too dense for quail." Many hunters
work their dogs along weedy ditches,
fencelines and other marginal cover
containing native shrub thickets or
downed trees. "Aerial imagery is a
great scouting tool for quail hunters,"
said Laux. "You can locate woody
escape cover along field edges and
really dial in where you need to spend
your time afield." Bobwhite densities
are highest in southeastern Nebraska
and west along the southern border
with Kansas. That being said, quail
populations have expanded into many
other regions of the state (minus
the extreme northwest) in recent
years following several consecutive
mild winters and improved habitat
conditions.
Ring-necked pheasant: Oct. 27,
2018 – Jan. 31, 2019 – Ring-necked
pheasants can be found in a mixture
of habitats – ranging from open
grasslands to wetlands to cropland
fringes. Nebraska's most sought-
Sharp-tailed grouse flush from a Sandhills prairie near Valentine. Photo by Eric Fowler.
