http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/9/pdf/pub014.pdf
"Bobwhite quail are a forest edge species. They are found in rural Ohio where there is a mix of brushy woodlot edges, fence rows, old fields, pastures, meadows, and small crop fields. While quail prefer some overhead cover, the vegetation must be open enough for this small bird to run on the ground and flush out when being pursued by predators."
"Ohio’s quail were at the northern fringes of this game bird’s regional distribution. Thus, severe winter weather had the potential to reduce populations and limit distribution. Unfortunately, the winters of 1976-77 and 1977-78 were particularly devastating to Ohio’s bobwhite population."
"Subsequent changes in agriculture also adversely affected the habitats relied upon by bobwhite. Removal of brushy fencerows and elimination of woodlots to increase crop field sizes degraded habitat quality"
"Quail numbers improved enough in southern Ohio to open a limited quail hunting season in 1984. However, increasing fragmentation of existing quail habitat as a result of development across Ohio’s rural landscape and intensive agriculture continue to degrade habitat quality and make dispersal from the few remaining healthy populations very unlikely without wildlife management intervention."
In summary, quail are susceptible to extreme cold and require cover to survive. Farmers need to leave fence rows between their fields.
