Effort to restore bobwhite quail

The U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Region has joined with the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative in efforts to restore wild bobwhite quail at the landscape level. The new memorandum of understanding formalizes existing efforts on five national forests in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Mississippi.

“The Forest Service is already working with us — and five state agencies — to create bobwhite focal areas,” NBCI Director Don McKenzie said in a news release. “Every project on behalf of bobwhites on national forests creates another source population for adjacent lands and allows the public and landowners to observe bobwhites and see what it takes to return them to America’s landscape.”

The new agreement also provides a path for additional efforts at other national forests in the region, as well as on private lands whose owners are engaged with the federal agency in management activities. In conjunction with the respective states, NBCI will serve as a consultant on grasslands habitat design and development, and assessment of project progress.

Beginners corner

Make certain you pattern your shotgun with the same shells you will use on spring gobblers. This can be critical if your gun has sights on it that can be moved such as in its being dropped. Too, this season several manufacturers will offer new shells, and their impact location may vary from your previous ammunition.