The area where I release my ringnecks is 2 old 8-15 acre farm fields. They do hay in part of the 15 acre one. But its only about 1/4 of the field. The rest is tall grasses and wild flowers. With bushes and tree lines. My ringnecks seem to do insanley well. And Im hoping to see hens with chicks next year from the birds I released this year. I just saw 4-5 birds the other night in the tall grass in the middle of the field. The rooster chicks are starting to get the red around the eye. Really makes me feel good to see my birds are still alive and thriving. But just a little ways up the trail I saw a skunk....note to self put a trap there this fall. And you are absoultely right about not bush hoggin or hay raking any fields that the birds are nesting. That along with predators has to be the top 2 reasons the gamebird populations are low anymore. Because back in the old days they used sycths and those gave the bird a chance to fly and the nest would be saved. Now even deer arent safe from harvest time.