Providing good habitat is the best way to keep quail numbers steady. Quail require two types of cover. First, they need dense brush to protect them from predators and to afford shelter during severe weather. Blackberry thickets, fencerows, wild grape tangles, and fields overgrown with greenbrier or scrubby pines are good for this. Second, quail need open grass or weedy areas for nesting.
Farmers can manage their land with an eye toward quail protection and propagation.
Sorghum and grape thickets provide both food and cover during severe weather. Also, portions of grain crops can be left unharvested. Light disking and controlled burning disturb the soil, stimulate weed growth, and provide seed food. Disking and burning should be completed in late winter, before nesting begins. Persons interested in improving land for wildlife can contact Game Commission for more detailed information.