MDC offers quail habitat field day in Livingston County

Chillicothe, Mo. – Bobwhite quail thrive when management practices provide sheltering

vegetation and food. Often those practices dovetail nicely with production agriculture. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and Quail Forever will offer a field day 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, on private lands in the Poosey Quail Focus Area. The field day is free. Lunch and resource materials will be provided.

   Land owners and property managers are invited to learn about habitat management that boost quail populations. Topics will include practices that provide good nesting and brood rearing cover, quail biology, cost share programs for habitat improvements and how to form landowner cooperatives to raise quail numbers within rural neighborhoods. Good quail habitat can also benefit other ground-nesting birds, too. Participants will tour private properties with habitat improvements.

   The field day will begin 10.5 miles west of Chillicothe off Missouri 190 highway. Watch for tour signs.

   Interested land managers are asked to make reservations by Sept. 19. Contact Scott Roy, MDC private lands conservationist, 660-359-5685 ext. 114, james.roy@mdc.mo.gov; or contact Andrew White, Quail Forever biologist, 660-646-6220 ext. 116, awhite@quailforever.org.

   Missouri is a great place to enjoy wildlife and hunt game birds. MDC helps people participate in healthy conservation practices. For information on all programs, http://www.mdc.mo.gov.