Hunt_News
09-29-05, 11:17
Morgan County, Illinois Becomes State's Third Quail Forever Chapter in Organization's First Month
St. Paul, Minn. - September 28, 2005 - Quail hunters from Morgan County, Illinois gathered on Monday night at the Jacksonville VFW. Led by lifelong Morgan County resident, Mike English, the group formed the state's third Quail Forever (QF) chapter. Illinois's Marion and Macoupin counties have also formed QF chapters during the organization's first month of existence.
"I've been hunting bobwhites in Morgan County my entire life and I've watched the bird numbers fall nearly every year," explained English, who was elected the chapter's first president. "I believe the Quail Forever model of keeping 100% of the dollars here in Morgan County will make a difference to reverse the declining bobwhite population. We're eager to get started with habitat projects and landowner information forums."
The Marion County QF chapter will hold its first official meeting on Wednesday evening, October 19th. The meeting will start at 7 PM and will be held at the VFW in Jacksonville. The public and media are invited to attend and learn more about the new chapter and organization.
English reported that the new chapter will focus its efforts on habitat projects, specifically the conversion of exotic grasses to native grasses that serve as better quail habitat. "There is a lot of worthless fescue and Bermuda grass out there," said English. "Through mid-contract management of CRP [Conservation Reserve Program] lands, we can have a big impact on quail habitat. We're also hoping Illinois will receive additional CP-33 acres; and if that happens, we'll be ready to help landowners enroll in the program."
Illinois is one of the only states that have maximized enrollment for their allotted CP-33 acres. CP-33, also known as the bobwhite buffers practice of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was created last fall. Illinois landowners signed up their entire state's 20,000-acre allotment within the first months of the program.
"It's an exciting time to be a quail hunter in Illinois," reported Tom Schwartz, QF's director of conservation programs for Illinois. "There is definitely a surge of momentum around quail habitat conservation in the state. You look at our successful CP-33 sign-up and the demand for Quail Forever chapters within the state's quail range and it's not hard to be hopeful for the future of bobwhites in Illinois."
To learn more about starting a Quail Forever chapter in your area, please contact the Quail Forever national office toll free at (866)457-8245 or contact Jim Wooley at (641)774-2238 or via email at jwooley@quailforever.org. To learn more about the Morgan County QF Chapter, contact Mike English at (217)415-6110.
Media Contact:
Bob St.Pierre
(866)457-8245
St. Paul, Minn. - September 28, 2005 - Quail hunters from Morgan County, Illinois gathered on Monday night at the Jacksonville VFW. Led by lifelong Morgan County resident, Mike English, the group formed the state's third Quail Forever (QF) chapter. Illinois's Marion and Macoupin counties have also formed QF chapters during the organization's first month of existence.
"I've been hunting bobwhites in Morgan County my entire life and I've watched the bird numbers fall nearly every year," explained English, who was elected the chapter's first president. "I believe the Quail Forever model of keeping 100% of the dollars here in Morgan County will make a difference to reverse the declining bobwhite population. We're eager to get started with habitat projects and landowner information forums."
The Marion County QF chapter will hold its first official meeting on Wednesday evening, October 19th. The meeting will start at 7 PM and will be held at the VFW in Jacksonville. The public and media are invited to attend and learn more about the new chapter and organization.
English reported that the new chapter will focus its efforts on habitat projects, specifically the conversion of exotic grasses to native grasses that serve as better quail habitat. "There is a lot of worthless fescue and Bermuda grass out there," said English. "Through mid-contract management of CRP [Conservation Reserve Program] lands, we can have a big impact on quail habitat. We're also hoping Illinois will receive additional CP-33 acres; and if that happens, we'll be ready to help landowners enroll in the program."
Illinois is one of the only states that have maximized enrollment for their allotted CP-33 acres. CP-33, also known as the bobwhite buffers practice of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was created last fall. Illinois landowners signed up their entire state's 20,000-acre allotment within the first months of the program.
"It's an exciting time to be a quail hunter in Illinois," reported Tom Schwartz, QF's director of conservation programs for Illinois. "There is definitely a surge of momentum around quail habitat conservation in the state. You look at our successful CP-33 sign-up and the demand for Quail Forever chapters within the state's quail range and it's not hard to be hopeful for the future of bobwhites in Illinois."
To learn more about starting a Quail Forever chapter in your area, please contact the Quail Forever national office toll free at (866)457-8245 or contact Jim Wooley at (641)774-2238 or via email at jwooley@quailforever.org. To learn more about the Morgan County QF Chapter, contact Mike English at (217)415-6110.
Media Contact:
Bob St.Pierre
(866)457-8245