I'm for pinin' um up. What I used to do (notice past tense
) was to get a few of the old fashioned milk bottles. Put them in the ground at about a 75% angle. Put a little grain in the bottles and springle around on the ground. The quail will crawl into the bottles to eat he grain. They can't climb out again because the glass is to slick. Can't fly out because the glass keeps them from opening their wings.
After they are caught in this manner they are no longer wild birds but domesticated. As anyone who lives on a farm can tell you any annimal that can't earn his keep is food.
On a side note, once had a lab who used to chase a covey of quail down a squarrel hole and then place his paw over the hole to keep them from getting out. When I was ready I would shout Pull and the dog would lift his paw just long enough to let one out....
Richard
P.S. Hope everyone was wearin their boots...