C.Killmaster
Georgia Deer Biologist
I think ants play a big part in all ground bearing animals .
I’ve put out ant poison around the house on ant mounts & see more rabbits and quail now.
The science is on NCHillbilly's side. Everyone wants a face on the culprit like coyotes or fireants, but the biggest issue is landscape level habitat change. When so much of the southeast was cleared for agriculture and farming practices were less commercialized and clean, we had a sea of habitat for quail and rabbits. All the topsoil washed away and most sloping land was converted to pine stands and pasture.