El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-04
THE ~BoB WHITE" QUAIL.

=
The writer, as the result of trip
down the valley and a natural interest
in the following subject, feels that
there may be quite number OF land
owners and residents Of the city who
may find interest along the same line.
While not positive of such being the
case, 1 have been Informed that some
residents of the Toyah crek valley
several years ago brought in there and
turned loose a few Bob White quail
and my informant further stated that
the birds were thriving.
Whether this is true or not is there
any reason why the cover, mild winters,
and the crops raised along the Rio
Grande would not make possible the
ACCOMPLISHMENT of having within a
few years a substantial stock Of these
grand little friends of the farmer with
US?
The Bob White or Virginia quail are
the finest birds breeding in an agrlcul-
tural district, they are insecuvorous
and keep in good condition upon the
grain dropped on the fields when the
crops are gathered. Their clear sweet
calls in the fall bring cheer to the
heart of the farmer, his family, and
particularly the small boy who ire
quently mimics him receiving answer
after answer.
In cold rough weather in the more
northern climate I have seen covers
of these beauties come up to the barns
and feed with the. poultry when the
SHOWS have made it impossible Tor
them to forage successfully afieid as
is their custom.
In the spring and summer they PICK
up many an insect and thus 1uliy re-
paw the land owner for any little grain
they gather, while as a game bird they
have no equal from either the view
point of cunning for them with gooo
setter or pointer or the contemplation
of the plump juicy little fellows served
on toast after a pleasant days sport
The imm ediately foregoing remarks
may suggest a niger in the wood
pile" but / wish to promptly prove
that the woodpile is unoccupied-
For 20 years up to a few years ago
I have been gunner but I have prac-
tically given up the sport; 1t has been
my pleasure to successfully hunt bear,
deer. wild turkey, ruffed grouse and
the Bob White quail, but during the
latter 10 years of my cunning and while
in good physical trim 1 have preferred
a, good days sport at the latter men
toned game TO killing the biggest buck
which ever jumped.
There has sprung up friction be-
tween the farmer and the gunner IN
some localities which can be eliminat-
ed by the formation of an organization
along proper lines and made up OF
members of both classes. part OF the
obligation of the cunning membership
being to at all times assist In bring
ing to book any rascal who IN any
manner destroys property OF the farm
er. The miscreants are generally those
who are out for a day caring not what
bad mark they leave for the true
sportsman.
The writer was a few years ago
president of a game protective associa-
tom in one of the northern states
working hand in hand with the game
commissioner of the state; and through
such cooperation and conscientious
work much i'll feeling was done away
with, all members making it point
to stand by the land owner against
the illegal gunner and the transient
fellow with a gum
Having lived much in a country
where 1t was necessary to restock
every several years as the result Of
freezing out of the birds, to put out
feed for them placing it in spots where
snow was swept away to receive 1T.
and making long trips building snow
shelters for the little fellows here
and there, the thought occurred to me
that conditions here are almost ideal
for the successful propagation OF MI
Bob White.
The coon, hawk and fox are enemies
of the bird, the long rainy spells OF
weather during Matching season. also
the time when heavy SHOWS come and
cover the birds and freeze them to
death in some fence corner where they
have huddled for shelter from the
wind and where after the melting Of
the snow weeks later, one finds their
carcasses
Here we have neither of the latter
elements to deal with but I have Won
dered if the irrigating would not catch
many a nest of eggs and render fruit
less the work of the little brown
mother.
If there is the material in this sec
ton for the successful formation of an
association whose idea would be to work
along the line suggested. there is lit
tie expense attached to the PROPOSE
ton. The Carolinas have plenty OF
the birds and they can be purchased
dheaply for such purposes by arrang-
ing through proper channels.
Have you ever heard the call of Bob
White on a crisp fall morning?
E. E. Morrow.