Missouri Adds Quail Forever Chapters in Texas and Macon Counties
MDC Biologists Volunteering as QF Chapter Leaders
Source: Quail Forever
Published: Sep. 21, 2006
WESTPHALIA, MO - Quail enthusiasts from Texas and Macon Counties have formed two new Missouri chapters of Quail Forever (QF). The Piney River Covey Chapter of QF will be based in Texas County, while the Busted Covey Chapter of QF will be homed in Macon County.
Both groups are blessed with chapter volunteers that also work as biologists for the Missouri Department of Conservation. Those Department employees include; Lesly Holt, a private lands biologist in Licking; Ted Seiler, a private lands biologist in Macon; and Jamie Barton, the biologist in charge of the Atlanta Wildlife Management Area.
In March, Doug Rainey, a retired private lands biologist with the Department, was also elected as the Knox County Chapter's habitat chairman. "I am absolutely thrilled to have some of my old colleagues with the Missouri Department of Conservation joining Quail Forever as I start my new role with Quail Forever in Missouri," reported Elsa Gallagher, QF's regional wildlife biologist for Missouri. Gallagher spent the last six years with the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Most recently, Gallagher served as the Department's upland wildlife coordinator and quail program leader. "There is a lot of habitat work ahead. But, I know the Department and its staff of quail biologists are committed to bringing back Missouri's bobwhite quail numbers," added Gallagher.
Like the rest of the bobwhite quail range, Missouri's quail population has plummeted in the last 4 decades. That population drop is evident in the quail hunting harvest.
In 1969, Missouri hunters bagged over 3.9 million bobwhites. The harvest was cut in half by 1987 when 1.9 million birds were taken.
In 1996, the harvest fell under a million and it dropped to under half a million in 2000. State biologist Tom Dailey reports that 2005's harvest was "well under half a million birds." Dailey points to exotic fescue grass across the state as the single biggest culprit to the decades long quail decline in Missouri.
Pheasants Forever (PF) launched QF on August 10, 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. Unlike all other national conservation organizations, QF and PF empower local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds will be spent.
This local control allows members to see the fruits of their chapter efforts in their own communities, while belonging to a national organization with a voice on federal conservation policy in Washington D.C. In the first year of existence, 69 QF chapters have formed in 23 different states.
There are now eight of those new QF chapters based in Missouri. Piney River Covey Chapter of QF The Piney River Covey Chapter leaders include Bill Yoder of Licking as president, Leann Green of Licking as treasurer, Cody Nickels of Raymondville as secretary, and Lesley Holt of Licking as president elect.
According to QF biologist Elsa Gallagher, chapter leaders are focused on promoting youth conservation education and improving quail habitat through conversion of monoculture grasses to a better mix of native grass species.
"I grew up on a farm in west central Missouri at a time when quail were abundant and have been dismayed by the decline in their population in the state for a number of years. I feel the interest and enthusiasm expressed by the attendees at the Piney River Covey Chapter's organizational meeting bodes well not only for the bobwhite in this area but for future generations of hunters as well," reported Yoder.
The Piney River Covey Chapter's next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 19th at USDA Service Center located on Highway 63 South, Houston, Missouri.
The meeting will begin at 7PM. For more information about the new chapter, please contact Yoder at (573)674-2288 or via email at yoderw@train.missouri.org. Busted Covey Chapter of Quail Forever The new Busted Covey Chapter is led by Gerald Mohn of Atlanta as president, Sandy Timpe of Macon as treasurer, Ted Seiler of Macon as habitat chair, Danny Miller of Macon as youth/education chair, and Jamie Barton of Macon as secretary.
The group plans to focus their efforts on engaging Macon County youth in the outdoors through conservation education and youth mentor quail hunts. "My dad got a bird dog when I was about 12 years old and I've been hooked on quail hunting ever since. Recently, I retired, so I am in a good situation to both pass along our quail hunting heritage to the next generation and help improve the habitat for the birds in Macon County," explained Mohn.
The new Busted Covey Chapter of QF plans to hold their next meeting on Tuesday, October 10th at the Macon Area Chamber of Commerce beginning at 7PM. All future meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of each month at the Gary Room of Samaritan Hospital in Macon at 7PM.
Mohn also reports that the chapter's first event will be a "fun" dog trial to be held on Saturday, October 21st. For more information about the new Busted Covey Chapter or dog trial event, please contact Mohn at (660) 239-4989 or via email at mohn@cvalley.net.
Looking for More Conservation Leaders
It's time for all of us to stand up and be leaders in conservation. Quail Forever is looking for people interested in making a difference for quail in their local community.
If you are interested in learning more about starting a QF chapter in Missouri, or helping your local chapter, please contact QF regional wildlife biologist Elsa Gallagher at (573)680-7115 or via email at egallagher@quailforever.org.
Quail Forever is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of quail and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. Such efforts benefit landowners and wildlife alike.
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