[The Driver.]

Casa del Lodge update.

After nearly 4 months of weather delays. We finally were able to get the slab poured sat 6/12/04.
The building should be delivered out to the job site next week. Then a couple of weeks to erect it. "Thats if we do not get anymore rain"

I am shooting for the end of Sept, to have constrution completed.

Web site name has been reserved. I will try to have it on line after the building is erected.

The acreage that I have for the lodge is next door to Capt Bill Pustejovsky place and we have been blessed with an abundance of quail & dove.

What would be a good combo mixture of feed for dove and quail?

We cannot use ground feeders due to hog infestation!

Will more than likely go with a tripod feeder.

I was thinking of a cracked corn & milo mixture, or maybe something like a hen scratch that we can purchase at a feed store.

Open to suggestions?

 

[TexasDux]

Milo is good but there is another good feed out there also. Can't remember the name but it's available at most Feed Stores. Just tell them what you want to feed. Take a look at these feeders http://www.mummesinc.com/wildlife/products/quail_feeders.html

 

[Freshwaterman]

For a cheap idea a friend used a 55 gallon drum with smaller type holes cut out around the bottom so the grain would find it's way out as the quail ate it. Then around the drum he put up a fence to keep the larger animals out. As far as feed he was using milo.

Don't know if you could keep the pigs out but every one that we hunted held dove in the near by trees.

 

[alston4252]

feeder help

The easiest barricade for hogs is to chop sections of hog panel in half length-wise (or even cattle panel--less rigid but just needs more support). Stick the barbs into the ground and wire to t-posts. This panel comes in several lengths and is fairly cheap. This will provide about a 3 ft high deterant. Works great in South Texas.
Remember----It is illegal to harvest migratory game birds over bait. You are in the clear with the quail, but you better get the dove in the evening on the way to the water hole with no grain spead in your immediate hunting area.
alston4252

 

[The Driver.]

We wont be hunting these birds. This is going to be used for bird watching!

Has anyone ever seen doves eating out of quail feeders?

 

[alston4252]

Doves will feed at quail feeders depending on the type of feeder (esp. broadcast feeders). The commotion of the quail and songbirds will get the attention of the doves and mother nature did not create too many creatures that will pass on a high quality free meal.
alston4252

 

[Trouthunter]

Be real careful about feeding your quail and turkey with feeders. We stopped doing that in South Texas a long time ago due to aflatoxins.

Here's some information for you.
"Many species of birds, fish, and mammals can be affected by aflatoxins. Susceptibility to aflatoxins varies among species, and birds appear to be more susceptible than mammals. Toxicosis in wildlife is probably minimal unless animals have access to large amounts of heavily contaminated grain. Recent research, however, indicates small amounts of grain and low levels of contamination may cause mortality of birds such as bobwhite quail. Documentation shows waterfowl and white-tailed deer mortality data associated with consumption of contaminated waste grains; mortality of many others species is suspected.

With the increased interest in feeding wildlife, aflatoxicosis is of greater concern than ever before. Corn contaminated during maturation or storage may cause mortality in wildlife even if the corn is placed in a covered, raised feeder. If feed is disbursed through many of the popular motorized sling feeders, considerable grain may pile up on the ground, where soil contact and/or rain is very likely to provide the right conditions for development of aflatoxin-producing fungi.
It is difficult to document the extent to which wildlife species are affected because wild animals are free roaming and elusive. In many cases, predators and/or scavengers may consume dead or dying animals before the dead animals are found by humans.

Clinical signs of aflatoxicosis vary according to the dose received, the time period of exposure, and species of animal. Toxic effects can be divided into acute, subacute, and chronic categories.

Acute effects reflect severe liver disease. Animals may be anemic and may exhibit difficulty in breathing and convulsions. Sudden death with no clinical signs may occur.

Subacute effects may allow animals to live for a longer period of time. These animals have yellowed eyes, mucous membranes, or yellowed skin along with abnormalities in blood clotting. Bruising, nosebleeds, and hemorrhaging may be observed.

Chronic effects are generally related to impaired liver function. Long-term, low-level consumption of aflatoxins may result in reduced feed efficiency, weight loss, lack of appetite, and increased receptivity to secondary infectious diseases. Lesions may occur on the liver and other organs and fluid may accumulate in the body cavity.

Diagnosis is normally made by measuring aflatoxin levels in grain, body tissues, or fluids. The measurements are taken at a diagnostic laboratory. Handling carcasses of wildlife dying from aflatoxin is not considered a human health risk; however, do not eat these animals or other found dead or dying.

Feeding corn or other grains to wildlife is not recommended. In addition, the risk of spreading diseases or parasites associated with contaminated grain or concentrations of wildlife may be greater than observed. If you feed wildlife for watching or to supplement their nutrition, use clean, USDA-certified feed grains and place them in covered, raised feeders than eliminate moisture and soil contact. Rotate feeder locations and clean feeders frequently to avoid spread of disease and parasites through the fecal matter normally found in large amounts around these areas."

In any case on the lease that I was on we noticed a problem and stopped doing it.

TH

 

[InfamousJ]

**** TH. Makes me not want to corn feed those big bucks up to my stand. Do croakers get aflatoxins in them? LOL

 

[The Driver.]

Decided to go with a Lehman H feeder model QFVH.

http://www.lehmanhfeeders.com/quailfeeders.htm

Instead of using the pole, we are going to mount the feeder on a 4x4 raised platform about a foot off the ground. That way the doves can walk in and feed.

Once we get it installed,I will try to get some pics.

Thanks for the heads up on the aflatoxins Trouthunter! The feeeder will be set up about 80-100ft from the lodge. Keeping the feeder and the area clean wont be a problem.

Thanks for the comments everyone.