Many landowners, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts don't realize the looming deadline. More than 21 million acres of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts will expire over the next five years.
Ever wonder why the opening and closing dates of quail-hunting seasons vary so much from state to state, or why Missouri’s season is always Nov. 1 to Jan. 15?
The past three years have been tough on ground-nesting birds. Wet springs and snowy winters haven't been good for quail, prairie chickens, turkeys, pheasants and grassland birds.
In October 2009, Department biologists will head to the field before sunrise to listen for bobwhites, but not for the familiar “bob-bob-white” whistle we all relish hearing in the spring and summer. What they want to hear is “koi-lee... koi-lee”. NOTE: The Department is not asking for quail covey count volunteers in 2010.
In the good old days, most of Missouri (for that matter the entire bobwhite range) was made up of small farms comprised of small crop fields, brushy draws and diverse grass and legume pastures.
I occasionally receive emails or phone calls from concerned quail hunters and landowners about the decline in bobwhite quail and grassland birds. I always provide them information on what Missouri is doing to restore habitat for bobwhites and grassland birds.