Workshop focuses on quail

By Brian Johnson

Over the past few years the state of Missouri has seen a steady growth in the quail population. Because of the growth, many people ranging from landowners to outdoors men are wondering what it will mean. That's why there are people to hear you out.

Tuesday night, the Bowman Building hosted the Quail Management Workshop. A workshop designed to give people the tools on how to handle the increases of quail in the state.

The two-hour workshop helped provide the answers and knowledge to anyone trying to get a quail farm going.

"The answer to increasing quail numbers is not simple," wrote workshop coordinator Mary Reinert. "And quick-fix remedies will have little, if any, long-term benefit. Quail can thrive again in Missouri with effort and cooperation among landowners, farmers, hunters, Missouri Department of natural resources, soil and water conservation districts, U.S. Department of Agriculture and conservation groups."

The workshop played a new conservation video produced by the Missouri Department of Conservation. The star of the video was George Shurvington, a MDC Wildlife management Biologist who has distinct knowledge of quail research and their habitat on public and private land. Since most land in Missouri is privately owned Reinert says it will be up to them to keep the quail population intact.

"It will be up to individual landowners to make a drastic change to bring back the quail habitat." Reinert said. "There is help available from various state, federal and private organizations to make that job easier. One thing that helps is to educate yourself about what you can do to improve the quail habitat."