Originally Posted By: gobbler
Originally Posted By: RonBuck
I'm not referring to quail , I'm referring to deer just using quail as an example that evolution changes things and sometimes right before our eyes . I was taking with my dad earlier about these things dad is getting up in age now , but back in the day he rabbit hunted a lot . Had his pic on the from page of GON one time for some prize trail beagles he had .. Small game use to be the thing . People didn't use to care to much about deer hubting from what I ubderstand ?


Cause there weren't any! Not technically evolution and overharvest has nothing to do with it. The southeast was clearcut in the early decades of the 1900's. In that open environment, subsistence hunters (farmers) killing for their families and for sale to the big cities, killed all the deer and turkeys (in addition to all the coons, possums, snakes and hawks) and ate them all! There were MORE people living across rural landscapes then than now - WAY more and they farmed small patches, and not very well - very weedy. That regrowing environment is the same one that allowed quail and rabbits to flourish, which they did through the 1960's and 70's. It was an incredible ARTIFICIAL high! Perfect combination of factors. Its a deer/turkey environment now grin


Makes sense, habitate loss was probably over 50% of the reason they nearly vanished . Predators hunting and other factors made up the rest I guess .

Last edited by RonBuck; 11/10/15 03:32 PM.