The transfer program didn’t work out in most of the places where birds were placed, mostly because of the recent harsh winters. Quail need heavy cover as protection from snow and ice and they also need winter food sources close to their nests.
With that in mind, the state, after a successful landowner meeting, established Ohio’s first quail focus area. Forty-two landowners attended the meeting, voting to name the 9,930-acre, 10-year focus area the Fallsville Quail Heritage Area. Quail habitat restoration will be the focus of the area, which is located in Highland County, just north of Hillsboro.
Private landowner support was required to establish the focus area, as the area includes roughly 1,760 acres of state-owned public land and 8,170 acres of private land.
“Successful landowner meetings, now and in the future, will be crucial to the success of the Fallsville Quail Heritage Area. We cannot meet our habitat goals for quail restoration on public lands alone,” explained Mark Wiley, wildlife biologist with the Division of Wildlife. “Ultimately, this quail focus area will belong to the local community, and its fate will be in their hands.”
John Kaiser of the Division of Wildlife said the focus of the program is to educate landowners of the few steps they can take to develop and maintain quail habitat. And having proper cover and food sources for the winter is key.
“For example, it will help a lot if farmers leave a couple of rows of crops standing at the edge of a field when they harvest,” he said. “Areas with broadleaf plants and low-lying shrubs also provide protection from predators.”
Free fishing days: If you are a resident of Ohio, you can fish "free" on Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3. They are the state's annual "Free Fishing Days." It means for those two days only there is no need for any Ohio resident to buy a fishing license, regardless of age, for fishing on any of Ohio's public waters. That includes Ohio's portion of Lake Erie and the Ohio River. It's an especially good time to fish on Lake Erie, because the walleyes are biting and the daily bag limit increases from four to six on May 1.
Youth take up: Youth hunters harvested 1,589 wild turkeys during the two-day statewide youth-only season April 18-19. Last year's take was 1,490. The regular spring wild turkey season is open now through May 17.
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