Deputies probe alleged quail theft

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Authorities are investigating the theft of about 1,500 quail from the Cortland area.

 The Gage County Sheriff’s Office and the state Game and Parks Commission believe the quail rustling occurred with small numbers of birds taken over two months.

Chris Boesiger of Firth raises quail and sells them for dog training or for re-populating land with low quail numbers.

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A common quail

A common quail

Seen any birds?

Anyone with information about the quail theft is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers in Gage County at (402) 228-4343 or the sheriff’s office at (402) 223-5222.

Boesiger told investigators he counted the quail, which are kept in pens, Aug. 28 and came up about 1,500 shy of the 5,000 quail he expected to find.

“He doesn’t count them very often,” Gage County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Shepardson said. “Obviously, they’re hard to count.”

Shepardson followed leads for over a month before turning to the public to try and find the quail, and whoever took them. He guesses whoever took them plans to sell them, or maybe already has.

The quail sell for about $4 each.

Total loss is estimated at about $6,000.

No one has been arrested, although authorities have looked into several leads.

“I’ve never encountered anything like this before,” Shepardson said.

Coyotes and other predators were ruled out.

To deter future thefts, Shepardson advised Boesiger to install motion sensors around his place.