Effects of short-term predator control on nesting success and survival of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus)

Predation of quail at all stages in their life cycle, including depredation of nests, has an impact on quail populations. I evaluated the efficacy of short-term mesomammal control on nesting success and survival of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). I also compared survival of wild versus pen-reared bobwhites during the breeding season. The study was conducted over 3 years on 4 sites in Parker and Coleman Counties, Texas. Each site consisted of a trapped and nontrapped area that comprised approximately 250 ha each with wild and pen-reared bobwhites (19 wild, 65 pen-reared in 1999; 13 wild, 80 pen-reared in 2000; 2 wild, 66 pen-reared in 2001). All quail were fitted with neck-loop radio transmitters and survival was monitored from May–August. Trapping of predators was conducted from mid-May through mid-June at a trap density of 1 trap/20 ha. Scent station surveys were conducted before and after trapping to assess impacts on predator abundance. Following trapping efforts, simulated nest transects were constructed to estimate nest survival. Relative mesomammal abundance was similar before and after trapping. Trapping at the scale and duration implemented in this study did not reduce mesomammal abundance, nor did it improve nesting success. Survival of pen-reared quail was not increased by mesomammal trapping in this study, and survival of wild quail was significantly higher than that of pen-reared quail.