How Quail Forever and its partners are helping increase quail populations across the state

Across South Carolina, the sound of a bobwhite whistle is slowly but surely becoming more prevalent. After decades of decline, statewide quail numbers are beginning to move in a positive direction, and much of that momentum is being driven by the growing work of Quail Forever.

For years, quail restoration in South Carolina faced a difficult reality of habitat loss, pushing populations to historic lows, and many people feared the decline was permanent. But in recent years, the combination of strong partnerships, biologists, a habitat team and a rapidly growing network of Quail Forever chapters has begun to change that outlook.

The shift is measurable, according to Michael Hook, small game program coordinator at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). After bottoming out around 2015, statewide whistle counts have gradually increased each year.

“It’s not where we want to be yet, but it’s a lot more pleasant looking at the numbers going up instead of going down, and encouraging to see progress,” Hook said.

Behind those small, but meaningful gains is one clear pattern: quail are responding wherever habitat is being restored. And across South Carolina, Quail Forever’s biologists and habitat team are playing an important role in making that happen.

Jacob McClain, Quail Forever’s South Carolina state coordinator, has spent more than six years working on quail restoration in the state. He says the recent population increases may not be dramatic, but they’re proof the strategy is working.

“The increases we’re seeing are modest, but they matter,” McClain said. “What they tell us is that when you improve habitat, quail populations respond. It shows the work isn’t in vain.”

Much of that work begins with Quail Forever’s biologists, who develop detailed, property-specific habitat plans for private landowners and public land managers. Instead of one-size-fits-all recommendations, those plans are tailored to each property and the specific goals of the landowner, helping landowners understand exactly what needs to happen for quail habitat to thrive.

But the impact doesn’t stop with planning. Quail Forever’s habitat team helps turn those plans into real results on the ground, from prescribed burning and forestry work to brood field plantings and pollinator habitat.

“It’s not just writing a plan and hoping something sticks,” McClain said. “Our biologists provide the roadmap, and the habitat team helps put that plan into action.”

McClain said in a state where the vast majority of land is privately owned, building relationships with landowners has been critical. Much of the progress being made depends on the landowners who are willing to invest their time in habitat work.

In turn, partnerships, such as the one between Quail Forever and SCDNR, have played a major role in expanding quail habitat work across the state, especially on public lands. Quail Forever biologists support SCDNR staff by sharing the workload and dividing the region to ensure projects move forward more quickly and on a larger scale than either organization could accomplish alone.

“Our partnership with Quail Forever has been tremendous,” Hook said. “Here in South Carolina, we didn't have an advocate for quail for a long time, and then all of a sudden, we did, and it was fantastic to have somebody else cheering for quail. Nowadays, we work hand in hand on a lot of our issues across the state, and it's nice having a partner that you can rely on.”

Additionally, collaboration with partners like the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Forest Service, National Wild Turkey Federation and the South Carolina Conservation Bank has been crucial for funding opportunities and creating large, landscape-level habitat restoration.

Quail Forever has also helped spark the rapid growth of landowner-led prescribed fire cooperatives. In just the past few years, these groups have been putting fire back on the landscape, one of the most important tools for restoring early successional habitat that quail depend on.

“If we want long-term success of managing open pine savanna, we have to put fire back in the hands of landowners,” McClain said. “When landowners are leading the effort, that’s when you start to see real momentum.”

While Quail Forever’s professional staff is driving habitat work across the state, volunteers are playing an equally important role. Just six years ago, South Carolina had no active Quail Forever chapters. Today, there are five chapters across the state, with more on the horizon.

Kenny Barker, Quail Forever regional representative for South Carolina chapters, said the growth has been one of the most exciting developments in the state.

“The chapters are a huge part of the success we’re seeing,” Barker said. “They don’t just raise money, they support projects on public land, help spread the word about the work our staff is doing, and really act as a voice for quail conservation in their communities.”

Those chapters have already invested thousands of dollars into habitat work on public lands, funding projects like brood fields, restoration treatments and habitat improvements that directly benefit quail. Just as important, they help connect new people to the mission, building momentum that continues to grow every year.

“They take a lot of pride in knowing exactly where their dollars are going,” Barker said. “They can see the impact they’re making on the landscape.”

That sense of shared purpose is what’s driving the progress happening across the state.

“It's the spirit of collaboration that exists within the state to make things happen,” McClain said. “Conservation rarely happens in a vacuum; it's almost always half a dozen partners and another half a dozen landowners that all came together to make this great thing happen. That's been the real key to success for us.”

Thanks to Almost Heaven Plantation for supplying photos for this story.