How to Plant Grains for Quails

Upland hunting, or the taking of birds such as pheasant and quail with light-bored shotguns, has been a long-established variety of hunting. Many states have established upland hunting seasons that bring in many dollars both in license fees and tourist visits. Creating conditions that encourage quail to stay in the area and to reproduce is important to their management and ensuring a productive hunting season. Quail are primarily seed eaters, and giving them places where nutritious food is found in abundance encourages their breeding.

pH test
Disker or harrow
Seed

Instructions

- 1
  Search for the proper place to set a food plot. Quail are edge dwellers, living on the margin between open space and deeper woods. If the plot is more than 100 feet from their comfort zone, they will not use it. A good-sized plot is 2 to 5 acres. It is better to have multiple small plots spread over an area than one large plot.
- 2
  Decide on what to plant. The best overall food for quail, according to Professor Greg Yarrow of Clemson University, is corn. Soybeans and other types of small grains are also good. A variety of seeds that ripen from summer through late fall ensures that the quail have a steady diet.
- 3
  Test the soil for a proper pH balance for the crops you are planting. An addition of either lime or sulfur may be needed to bring the soil into proper balance. This is a minimal cost but can make the difference between a poor crop and a good one.
- 4
  Disc or harrow the food plot into lanes with gaps between them. Only about 25 percent of the total open space needs to be cultivated. This allows the quail to move from one food source to another without breaking shelter. Disc or harrow the lane gaps between the crops every few years to prevent overgrowth.
- 5
  Plant on a staggered time basis if you have the ability. Giving several weeks between one planting and another allows the crops to mature at different rates, giving the quail a longer feeding period.

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