Brood Rearing Cover

Annual food plots, irregular shaped and interspersed throughout the farm, provide additional semi-bare ground areas for young broods to seek protection from avian predators, as well as an additional bugging area. He plants a 50/50 mixture of milo and forage sorghum and, adjacent to that, strips of soybeans.

Loafing/Escape Cover

Engaged in a long-term project to provide three plots, approximately 1,500 square feet each, of quail friendly shrubs to serve as "covey headquarters" on each five-acre tract of the farm.

n Northwest Missouri, Jay Shewmaker and his family have been working for many years on conservation concerns and habitat management on their farm. Jay grew up on the farm and was fortunate enough to grow up during the 60s and 70s when quail and other small game are very abundant. Lots of changes have taken place in the landscape since then. Fencerows have been removed or are grown up, field sizes were much larger than ever before (a 20-acre field was a large field in those days) and many brushy draws have been removed for more efficient farming practices.

In 1998, Jay realized that the management activities on the farm over the years had allowed quail and other small game to diminish to very low levels and that he had been as guilty as the next guy for these practices. Sure they had more deer and turkey than before, but the quail and small game were almost nonexistent. He then began working on habitat management with small game in mind by first evaluating his farm and then by implementing habitat practices that would benefit small game. As the habitat had progressed to later successional habitat to benefit deer and turkey, the crucial early successional habitat needed for quail and other small game survival was lacking.

Jay began working with the local Heartland Chapter out of St. Joseph, Missouri, and the Missouri Department of Conservation Private Land Conservationist, Jeff Powelson, in 2000. Through various programs such as CP33, CRP and EQIP, he began working on habitat management practices throughout his farm, trying to address the crucial habitat needs of the bobwhite quail—nesting, brood rearing and escape cover, covey headquarters and food—all in a relatively small area, thus providing all the elements that quail and other small game would need to flourish again on his farm. One thing Jay has noticed since beginning the habitat work is that the number of coveys has more than doubled and that the covey size on the farm has increased from 10 birds to 16 birds in a covey. He attributes that to the edge feathering which provides more escape cover and plenty of food in close proximity to that cover.

Some of the other practices contributing to these increases include native warm season grasses and forb plantings, fescue eradication and conversion to NWSG, disturbance through light discing and prescribed burning, CRP management on cool season grasses to make them more wildlife friendly, edge feathering along several miles of field edges and the annual planting of food plots.

"I have evolved over the years from simply being an avid hunter to being a conservationist first, hunter second," Jay stated. "My goal is to prove that agriculture and wildlife can coexist with both thriving while also providing for future generations. This property was homesteaded back in the 1840s and nothing would make me happier than to think my great, great, great grandfather would be pleased with the way that the farm is being managed today!!"

As you can see, with hard work and continuous habitat management, a farm can be restored to the native habitat required for bobwhite quail and other wildlife to thrive and flourish on. On behalf of the Great Plains Region of Quail Unlimited, we would like to thank the Shewmaker family for their efforts and wish them continued success with their habitat management program for many years to come.

Midwest Region
Promise Land Farms • Scottsville, Kentucky

n 2000, John C. Sawyers had an opportunity to expand his 118-acre land holding by acquiring a 625-acre tract in south central Kentucky. Despite the property's poor small game numbers and an extensive area in fescue, John felt confident that by implementing appropriate wildlife habitat management practices he could restore small game numbers on that land. For him it would be a dream come true, as he had always enjoyed working outside, watching things grow and fooling around with his beagles and bird dogs. Also, as a retired conservation officer with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), he was aware of farm bill conservation programs he could apply on his new property and which resource professionals he needed to contact for assistance.

It hasn't been a quick process, but through a lot of hard work, Sawyers' Allen County property, Promise Land Farms, has become a showplace in small game restoration and early successional habitat management.

By implementing a plan that has focused on fescue conversion using prescribed burning and herbicide spraying, planting native grasses and forbs, legume seedings and grain plots and shrub plantings on CP22 riparian buffers, improved food and cover conditions have resulted in a tremendous increase in quail and rabbit numbers.

Additionally, John has conducted various experimental plots for native grass/forb establishment and different herbicide treatments for the control of fescue in clover/legume plots and for tree and shrub plantings. According to Danny Hughes, NRCS Liaison with the KDFWR, the information gained from herbicide test plots on John Sawyers' property are now incorporated in Kentucky USDA-NRCS practice standards for the establishment of native grasses, legume seedings and shrub plantings.

John is always available to show other folks the results of his habitat management efforts, and he annually welcomes several tours and individuals to check out his successful management activities or possibly join him for a quail or rabbit hunt. He also remains active with his local Mammoth Cave Chapter, securing various types of seed and helping coordinate its distribution.

"I saw small game almost disappear from this area, and now I'm pleased to help show folks what it takes to bring it back," said John, one of the 2008 QU Adopt-A-Covey Regional winners.

Texas Region
V-Ranch • Dallas, Texas

ickey and Ruth Wardlaw, who are members of the Park Cities Chapter, have adopted a long- range management plan to enhance the bobwhite populations on their working cattle ranch. Mickey, who is an avid student of quail, talks excitedly about the work they have done to increase usable space plant communities that benefit quail and other ground-nesting birds.

West Texas has its share of droughty conditions, and one of the priorities was to increase nesting cover by reducing the cattle stocking rate by an average of 33 percent over the entire ranch. This was done initially by using the Rolling Plains Quail Deferment program administered through the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Brush management consisted of the removal of mesquite overgrowth with heavy equipment in a 1,870-acre pasture, creating strips of approximately 400 acres spaced throughout the pasture.

Ponds were cleaned of silt to maintain an adequate water level during west Texas droughts. A riparian buffer was established with nine miles of fencing to enclose and protect the riparian area from cattle. Practices in other pastures included discing to enhance native forb growth. Some aerial spraying was done in strips to control regrowth mesquites.

Mickey and Ruth have seen a corresponding increase in bobwhite numbers throughout the ranch as practices have been implemented. The folks that hunt the V-Ranch reported an average of 15 to 16 coveys in 2006-2007. Mickey is a graduate of the 2007 Quail Masters (QM) class. He uses the skills (dummy nest transects, scent stations) he learned in QM to make management decisions regarding predator control and harvest management based on index lines to monitor quail populations in the spring and fall.

Mickey attributes much of the success to the good folks at NRCS and the educational opportunities provided by the QM program.

Mid-Atlantic Region
Harleigh Farms • Oxford, Maryland

ho says lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place? Don't try and convince the folks at Harleigh Farms just south of Easton, Maryland, of that. They swept first place honors for the second straight year in the Mid-Atlantic Region's Adopt-A Covey competition. Last year Harleigh Farms simply ran away with the honors. This year the competition was much stronger with several other properties making a very strong showing. There were 23 entries in the Mid-Atlantic Region and hats off to all. This just shows that there is a lot of good, basic conservation work ongoing in the region. Lots of folks are working hard to make their property more quail friendly, and they are proud of their accomplishments. Harleigh Farms has set a very high standard for others to match, and that can only mean good things for quail and other species their conservation work affects. They finished very strong in the national competition, and I know they are making a strong effort to win the national competition next year.

The owner of Harleigh Farms, John E. "Chip" Akridge, III, and his wildlife manager, Clay Robinson, continue to use a combination of government CRP programs, crop manipulations and help from Maryland's Department of Natural Resources to establish and enhance a mixture of native warm season grasses, tree and shrub hedgerows and food plots. Prime consideration has been given to winter cover and nesting and brood cover. Harleigh Farms addressed this critical issue by planting buffer strips next to existing woods. These strips consisted of such grasses as little bluestem, common Virginia wild rye, partridge pea, black-eyed Susan and tick weed. Crops of soybeans,corn and wheat were left unharvested along field edges. Over 70 percent of Harleigh Farms' 1,200 acres are being intensively managed for quail and other wildlife. As much as 500 plus acres are enrolled in CRP programs. The result of these programs and hard work by the field staff have been nothing short of phenomenal. Mr. Akridge summed it up when he responded to the following question, "As a result of the management that you have incorporated on your property, do you feel like you have experienced a positive result?" His reply, "We have definitely experienced positive results from our efforts to enhance habitat on the property."

"Five years ago, when we began initiating these habitat practices, it was extremely rare to see a quail or hear a whistle anywhere on the property. Two years ago we began hearing whistles and confirmed at least five coveys. Last summer and in the early fall, we saw five broods that hatched out in the wild, which was a first in the 25 years we have lived here. We also located 10 different coveys. This spring (2008) you can't go anywhere on the property and not hear birds whistling. We feel we may have finally turned the corner in respect to having a self-sustaining quail population. In addition to the amazing response by the quail, we have seen tremendous increases in the number of songbirds, turkeys, small game and waterfowl on the property," added Akridge.

Congratulations to Mr. Akridge, Clay Robinson and everyone at Harleigh Farms for a job well done. With hard work, a good wildlife plan and a little patience, they have created a wildlife mecca that is a pleasure to experience and a good model for other landowners in the region. Harleigh Farms ensures there is a bright future for quail and wildlife in Talbot County, Maryland.

Midsouth Region
Circle B Kennels and Farm • Somerville, Tennessee

f you were trying to name a place where quail management is practiced, it would be difficult to find a more appropriate place than Circle B Kennels and Farm, the Midsouth regional winner. The owner, Blake Kukar, has his family's home nestled on 650 acres of beautiful countryside near Somerville, Tennessee, in a small town called Dancyville located in Fayette County 50 minutes east of Memphis.

At Circle B Kennels and Farm, they proudly raise, train and field trial English pointers and setters. Selective pups from top quality females are occasionally available for sale. Some of Blake's prize dogs and horses are available for stud to approved females.

Blake also plants around 3,000 acres in corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton. Out of this he devotes 1,600 acres to quail habitat.

Blake is trying to achieve all the necessary elements needed for quail survival: nesting, brood rearing, covey headquarters, food and escape cover with intent to maximize crop production in concert with cost-share programs such as CP33 and CRP contract acres. He has allocated 200 acres for brood habitat and 200 acres for native foods. He has over five miles of planted food plots, several acres of brushy/woody cover, hedgerows and edge development. He has around 50 acres of either woody, vegetative or man-made summer shade or shelter available. There are three ponds on the farm and around 500 yards of natural creek as a water source. He uses crop areas in conjunction with food plots. The 600 acres of CRP and 250 acres of CP33 buffers are being restored to native grasses and forbs. He is doing this by controlled burning on a rotational basis every year, which is contributing to the goal of the removal of nonnative grasses (Bermuda, fescue, etc.) from pastureland previously used for grazing cattle. Blake replanted these areas with NWSG mixes, ragweed, and partridge pea to provide optimum food and cover in open areas and areas that have been timbered. The timber removal also removed raptor perches, which reduces raptor predation. Terrestrial predation is controlled by trapping and hunting, along with fire ant eradication on the entire farm. Existing brush rows are being restored for winter cover. Many of the scrub areas have been enhanced by removing invasive species, such as privet, to enable native vegetation to flourish. He has replanted with bicolor for food and wintertime cover, eventually eliminating any supplemental feeding programs.

Blake attributes his successes to having the opportunity to regularly consult and get advice from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), representatives from Quail Unlimited, the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) and his neighbor who has 80 years of experience.

Western Region
Lewis Ranch • Carmel, California

inning the western regional QU/Budweiser Adopt-a-Covey award was a surprise for William and Nancy Lewis. "We have owned the ranch for 10 years and have always tried to maintain the habitat, but at first there were water limitations and no escape cover," explained William Lewis.

"It was slow and expensive at first, but in 2007 we found some resources. The NRCS and the California DFG helped make things work, and the articles in the Quail Unlimited magazine gave us the techniques," said Lewis.

Luckily, the Lewis Ranch had elk as well as California quail. This opened up some resources for them. Lewis enrolled the ranch in the Private Lands Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Management program (PLM), a five-year program, with a specific goal of increasing the number of quail on the ranch.

The California DFG used the elk as the incentive to do the habitat work. "In California, elk hunting is only by the draw, unless you are enrolled in the PLM program. Then the state offers elk tags for four of the five years of the PLM contract. The harvest strategy is a bull and cow in each of the four eligible years. They offer a package that someone couldn't normally get as an incentive. "

Under the PLM plan we will put in three guzzlers (with drinker boxes) for all of the game and wildlife on the ranch.

They built brush piles (learned about using a pallet base from the magazine) and developed a little larger more substantial base, using screened wooden bases supported on concrete pillars.

The pillars were made out of hardened sacks of concrete. In the winter they cut mistletoe for the deer and added the branches to the brush piles. Plus, they planted two acres of barley for all of the wildlife species. In the first year, with only two guzzlers fully operational, they doubled their quail population by expanding the useable habitat.

William and Nancy work side-by-side setting out owl boxes, digging trenches, setting up drinker boxes and guzzlers and building brush piles. Quail Unlimited and Budweiser are proud to recognize their efforts.

Southeast Region
Abram Penn Farm • Ft. Mill, South Carolina

everal years ago, Jim purchased Abram Penn Farm, a 95-acre farm nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Patrick County, Virginia. It came with a classic Virginia, 1930s farmhouse and a 1940s barn, both needing improvements. Jim's wife, Debbie, took on the task of refurbishing the house, while Jim and his two sons put into practice the things he had learned and taught for many years. The most important is managing land on a sustainable basis, taking only what the land will give up without pain or destroying it. This is accomplished with either good agricultural practices or from conservation improvements.

The farm is a mix of oak, hickory and maple hardwood forest and soft Virginia pines in poorer soils. The forest had been selectively timbered 15 to 20 years ago, leaving great natural regeneration habitat for a lot of game. The logging had also left the skid roads to use as trails throughout the property. The mix is 65 acres in various stages of timber and 30 acres in various stages of open pasture or fallow field.

Jim's first real plan was developed with a property inventory by Virginia Wildlife Biologist, Dan Lovelace. Dan had to consider what the land and topography were suitable for. Jim wanted the farm to be sustainable for generations to come. Many of the ridges are too steep for anything but timber. Some slopes are suitable for edge and thicket, while the rest of the bottom land is suitable for agricultural disturbance. Dan was very helpful as he discussed all the areas on the farm. He had advice on how to best use the cleared power lines running through timber, how to protect the two streams feeding the two-acre pond and how to utilize the earthen dam and spillway as a covey headquarters along with the riparian areas of the outflowing stream. We also discussed road designs to determine which trails should be used and which to close and restore to native timber. There was a lot of the farm being used by wildlife, but there was also a lot of dead space covered with fescue. While deer are the major mammal, there are also fox, coyotes, raccoons and numerous birds ranging from raptors and owls to ducks and song birds. With a lot of piedmont diversity comes a lot of diverse wildlife. The missing link was the quail, both in sight and song.

The good news came from the back of his mind by way of a conversation with the previous owner. He told Jim he had seen quail after he had cleared the thickets from two pastures for horses. Jim's goal is to restore the land to a suitable state for quail and once again have them as a part of a sustainable landscape.

Arkansas Region
Nees Farm • Garfield, Arkansas

David and Karma Nees purchased the Nees Farm in 1992. The farm consists of 144 acres in the Ozark Hills of Arkansas and also contains almost 3,600 feet of railroad tracks bordering the property, as well as two streams and a pond. Soon after purchasing the property, the Nees' realized that two coveys of quail frequented the habitat along the railroad tracks. They also observed several predators using the property. Some control methods were immediately initiated in hopes of removing a serious threat to the birds.

The Nees' became interested in working toward restoring early successional habitat for quail and other wildlife. They began almost immediately clearing some of the ridge tops of scrub oaks and hickories. They noticed the return of some native species once the shade was removed and some ground disturbance took place. They continued their effort to eliminate undesirable vegetation and encourage the native plant communities. As they realized the successes of their efforts, they intensified their habitat management.

In the fall of 2006, portions of the property were prescribed burned, more clearing was begun and some herbicide treatment was done to kill fescue, Bermuda and Johnson grasses. Since then, their efforts have continued, and in 2007, part of the farm was entered into the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) through the Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS). Since that time, efforts have intensified to remove invasive plants. Also, Arkansas Game and Fish has visited the farm to give their input and ideas.

Clearing is continuing, and with the help of a bulldozer, six acres were cleared and many areas were either seeded or allowed to revert to plants from the natural seed bank, some as a result of increased sunlight and disturbance. The Nees' have also begun a burning program which has brought about some drastic changes in plant life. David said, "My property has never been plowed, we do not run any livestock and after every burn, some sort of native plant shows up." Hairy bush clover, rattlesnake master, white and purple prairie clovers and slender bush clover were some of the plants to come up after the 2008 spring burn. He also says they have wonderful young stands of Indian grass, little bluestem and big bluestem grasses. Some of these stands have been planted and some are a result of the natural seed bank. Plantings of partridge pea, coreopis, big bluestem, little bluestem, bundleflower and other native plants have been over-seeded in various locations.

The Nees' plan to continue their habitat work with more clearing, more conversion to native plants and a regimented burn schedule. David also plans more work along the railroad right-of-ways to complement the natural habitat corridor. This past spring David heard males whistling and believes he has quail once again nesting and rearing broods in the Ozark Hills. He concludes with, "Yes, what we are doing is making a huge difference!"