Quail hunters and conservationists in Missouri’s Greater Springfield area have formed the state’s 21st chapter of Quail Forever. The James River Chapter of Quail Forever is committed to creating and improving habitat for bobwhite quail and other wildlife in the state’s southwest region, as well as introducing another generation of youth to Missouri’s long, rich history of bobwhite quail hunting.
“The James River Chapter of Quail Forever is comprised of a dedicated group of quail hunters who are passionate about restoring Missouri’s most iconic game species,” stated John Wallace, regional representative for Quail Forever in Missouri. “Springfield represents a strategic location for establishing a Quail Forever chapter in regards to partners, landscape level habitat opportunities, and the longtime traditions of quail hunting in Missouri. Saying we’re thrilled to have an enthusiastic new group of volunteers in Springfield would be an understatement, and I’m excited to help grow this chapter further in the coming years.”
In its early stages, The James River Chapter of Quail Forever has already reached out to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to offer their support for bobwhite quail habitat improvement projects in their region. Of particular note, the Bois D’Arc Conservation Area – a 3,172-acre property managed by MDC – is enrolled and actively managed as one of the state’s 21
Quail Emphasis Areas and may serve as a collaborative project for the James River Chapter of Quail Forever. Likewise, working with private landowners to impact quail management efforts will be a top priority for the new local committee.
“We’re in our fourth year of a five year study to evaluate quail production on traditionally managed areas for quail versus grassland managed sites,” stated Kyle Hedges, a southwest region biologist for MDC. “At this point, grassland sites are outpacing our traditionally managed areas in terms of overall production and will help guide quail management efforts in the future.” Moving forward, the James River Chapter of Quail Forever could play a pivotal role in helping fund habitat improvements for bobwhite quail production as an important partner of the Department, and private landowners, in Missouri’s southwest corner.
James River Chapter of Quail Forever
- The James River Chapter of Quail Forever has elected Zeke Sayre of Fair Play as president, Kelly Parson of Bolivar as treasurer, Caleb Small of Clever as vice president, Jeff Elliott of Springfield as habitat chair, and Matt Stander of Fair Grove as youth/education chair.
- The chapter will hold its next meeting on Monday, September 18th, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the MDC Southwest Regional Office (2360 North Mayfair – Springfield, MO 65803). Hunters and conservationists interested in joining the chapter as volunteers are encouraged to attend – please RSVP with Zeke Sayre.
- For more information about the chapter or to become involved, contact chapter president, Zeke Sayre, at (417) 380-4933 or zsayre_7@live.com.
For more information about starting a chapter of Quail Forever in Missouri or becoming a volunteer within an existing chapter, contact regional representative, John Wallace, at (937) 459-8085 or
jwallace@quailforever.org.
About Quail Forever
Quail Forever is a leading organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation efforts for the United States’ native quail species. Since its creation in 2005, Quail Forever has conducted more than 8,500 habitat projects across the nation benefitting quail and other wildlife. Along with its affiliate organization Pheasants Forever, it has committed more than $708 million to improve more than 15.8 million acres of wildlife habitat. Quail Forever has more than 16,000 members and 165 local chapters across the country. Both Quail Forever and Pheasants Forever are part of Pheasants Forever, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
(651) 209-4953
jwiklund@pheasantsforever.or