Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1906-12-27
QUAIL INTRODUCED INTO
IDAHO FROM MISSOURI

How many of our readers who
enjoy quail hunting know that an
Emmett man introduced the quail
into Idaho2 And how many know
that it was done from purely phil
anthropic motives at a consider
able outlay of money!
To that grand old man, Henry c.
Riggs, now passing the evening of
his life with his children in this !
city, the people of Idaho are in
debted for that valuable bird, the
quail
On December 20, 1870, the first
shipment was made from Independ-
ence, Missouri, and consisted of two
crates, each containing 38 birds.
They were consigned to MIR.
Riggs, who then lived in Boise.
At that time the terminus of the
Union Pacific was Kelton, Utah,
and express matter was carried by
stage across what is now the Twin
Falls tract. Owing to the severity
of the weather and their exposure
and long confinement many OF the
quail died in transit.
The consignment did not reach
Kelton until January 80 and it was
nearly spring before it reached
Boise. The birds were distributed
in different sections of the state.
Three dozen were given their free
dom on Dry creek, another dozen
at the mouth of Payette, a num-
Der along the Boise river, and the
balance at more remote points of the
state.
Other shipments we're made at
later dates from Missouri, and as
an experiment a dozen of what are
known as the Valley quail were
shipped in from California. These,
however, were too tame and soon
fell prey to cats and wild ami
mails and none survived. The Mis-
souri, quail took kindly to Idaho and
multiplied rapidly, and today the
: descendants of those quail secured
by Mr.. Riggs number probably
over a million and may be found
I scattered throughout this and neigh
boring states
The original receipts given by
the ". S. Express company for the
:, transportation charges of the bird:
are still in the possession of Mr.
:, Riggs. The express charges from
;, Omaha to Kclton were $33.25 fo
four coops, and the total expense
from independence, Missouri, t
Boise was over $500. -Emmet
n Index.
C Deputy State Game Warden Liv
J. ingston is back from Twin Falls
c near where he went to arrange 70
Is trapping of California quail to sup
+, ply portions of the state where tn
: birds are scarce and from whcr
l. have come requests for quail fo
propsgating purposes. Mr.. Living
ston states there are plenty of qua
~ near Twin Falls, but that they car
Y not be trapped yet as there is nc
- enough snow on the ground. Will
l. the ground is bare the birds sea-
9 ter and find plenty to eat b,
&c when snow comes all bits of foo
arc CONC1 GU anu tiiC Adallo al
- forced by hunger to band togeths
nc and eat anything put out for then
II is at these times that the
ed are trapped, and the game Wal
* denis department has adopted
IS device for trapping them and
al ready to put it 20 use when sno
g: comes. The trap which will
IL used is outlined with a ligl
p frame work and is about a 70
ON high, five feet wide and ten fe
wv long. 1t is covered by a scres
with the exception of four doors
each side and two on each en-
IDS On the ground on the inside OF Il
an trap wheat is scattered and wh'
of the birds see this they 60
asst through the doors. Stats in t
as. doors are SO arranged that t
in bird can get only his neck in
lys first, but as his body press
Did against the stats on either side