Northern Bobwhite Response to Management

The South Texas Sand Sheet is a hotspot for bobwhites and quail management is a major economic driver due to recreational interests. Throughout the region, historic overgrazing has negatively impacted native rangelands and corresponding quail habitat. This has led some quail-focused landowners to remove cattle from their land, which often leads to unintended negative consequences, such as the spread of invasive grasses.

East Foundation aims to demonstrate relationships among cattle management, harvest management, and bobwhite productivity through science. Foundation lands, including the Coloraditas Grazing Research Area and Buena Vista Ranch, function as quail laboratories to address critical questions, such as:

• Does cattle stocking density impact bobwhite abundance?
• Are quail numbers impacted by grazing method (e.g., continuous versus deferred rotation)?
• What effect does rainfall have on bobwhite productivity?
• Are bobwhite harvest rates logistically feasible?
• Is a 20% harvest rate sustainable over the long-term?
• Does hunting impact bobwhite distributions and habitat preferences?

East Foundation is committed to conducting research that makes a difference. This research will provide data on bobwhite abundance and management at an operational scale and inform future quail management.

For more information or questions about this project contact Andrea Montalvo at amontalvo@eastfoundation.net.