Bobwhite quail were a common upland game species in the mid 20th century, yet today they seem to be on the path of the carrier pigeon. As a boy growing up in the mid-Atlantic, flushing a dozen covies of wild birds in a day was common, yet today the iconic “Bob Bob White” whistle is rarely heard. Whether the precipitous decline of the species is due to changed farming practices, disease, lack of predator control, or habitat change (probably all of the above), Quail Unlimited is taking action to improve the plight of quail across the country, as reported by The Outdoor Wire.
Motivated by a desire to improve quail habitat across the country, a record number of members now belong to Quail Forever. For the first time since the organization’s launch in 2005, Quail Forever’s membership has topped the 15,000 mark. Quail Forever currently claims 151 active chapter affiliates in 27 states.
Quail Forever chapters utilize the organization’s unique model of empowering chapters with 100 percent control of their locally-raised funds to complete habitat and youth education projects in the their own communities. In 2014 alone, volunteers put this model to work producing 1,805 wildlife habitat projects improving habitat for quail and other wildlife on 202,630 acres. These are important efforts considering the massive loss of habitat suitable for quail and the decline of many species of the bird. The bobwhite quail in particular has experienced a dramatic population plunge in the last three decades with an 80 percent decline.
