Growing up in the country, there were sights and sounds I became accustomed to never thinking these would ever fade from the landscape. There were birds we took for granted, birds that have seemed to fade away over the years.
One is the shrike, or butcher-bird as we called them. They’re colored a lot like our
mockingbirds but have totally different habits. Mockingbirds feed on insects, seeds and berries.
Shrike feed on lizards, frogs and small rodents they catch with their hooked beaks and sometimes hang what they catch on the barbs of a fence to enjoy later. I have not seen one of these birds in years.
Another is the meadow lark, a bird we knew as field lark. They sported a coat of mottled brown with a distinct golden chest marked by a black vee over the gold. They spend their time feeding on insects in fields and like to sit on fence posts with their distinctive whistle call. Again, this is another bird that has escaped my sight for the past several years.
Another bird has all but disappeared. I’d love to be able to see a shrike or a meadow lark but I’d be super thrilled if I was out for a walk and heard the distinctive clear ringing “Bob WHITE” of a bobwhite quail.
These game birds enjoyed decades of popularity as species to hunt and provide some of the best eating of any wild game. Folks fed their pointers and setters all year long for the chance to see these special dogs work for a month when their noses were filled with scent of a covey of quail. Few sights in the outdoors can rival a bird dog running, sniffing the air and then suddenly come to a complete halt, frozen in one position where the covey is located. Nothing is more thrilling than to walk up behind the dogs on point, step forward and the covey explodes from underfoot, causing heart palpitations to increase and giving you about two seconds to find one in your shotgun sight.
I mentioned quail problems on my Facebook page as my topic for my radio program this week and the responses from those who read it were instantaneous. So many comments were like mine; they had not heard or seen a quail in years and sorely missed hearing and seeing them. Others pointed toward loss of habitat, predators and fire ants as being the source of the problem.
Austin Klais is Conservation Delivery Coordinator for the Mississippi Valley Joint
Venture with the focus on enlisting property owner’s involvement in attempting to bring back quail to areas where they formerly lived.
“Quail have been hit by so many different directions. Predators and fire ants are problems for sure but the main thing that will help their numbers increase is habitat management,” said Klais.
“The purpose of our Arkansas-Louisiana Open Pine Landscape Restoration program is to enlist property owners to enroll in the program to enhance habitat and as a result to help quail have everything they need to survive.”
Property owners who enlist in the program will be involved in putting in fire breaks, have controlled burns to remove undergrowth and undesirable trees such as sweet gum and elm.
We asked Klais how long after enlisting in the program and following guidelines before positive results can be expected.
“Usually after thinning and the first burn, we have been successful in quail showing up
on the property. We’ve seen quail show up we didn’t know were there,” he said.
To learn more and to enlist your property in the program, contact your local National
Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) office. The office in Ruston is located at 1412 Celebrity Drive. Phone number is 319/255-3136. Deadline for signing up is February 16.
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE – Heavy rains have not had so much effect on Caney and some really nice bass are being caught on deep diving crank baits and soft plastics in the creeks and channels. Some yellow bass are being caught on jigging spoons. Crappie have been best around the deeper tops on shiners or jigs and they have moved to deep water out from the dam. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BLACK BAYOU – The water is rising and a few crappie are showing up around the trees on shiners and jigs. No report on bass. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Heavy rains have created rising and muddy water. Few fishermen have been out this week. . For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Water is rising and muddy with too much current. Fishing is slow. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE –The water is rising and the gates are open. There s lots of current and off-colored water and most folks are waiting until things settle down a bit. Crappie should be starting to improve in deeper water. Bass are slow to fair with best catches made deep on soft plastic. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – The lake has been down but is rising and is around the five foot low level. Some reports of crappie being caught on shiners in deep water out from the dam. Not many bass fishermen have been out but fishing should improve once things settle down a bit. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Crappie fishing has improved in deeper water around the trees on shiners and jigs. Catfishing is fair to good. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – After being so low for weeks, the river is rising and the lake is now nearly full. Few fishermen have been out but fishing should improve unless the water rises too much. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.