Pdf squarespace by sqsp-cc

e M w o h S s g n i n e p p Ha

January 2014

In this issue: 2015 MO State Convention! P.1 THE HABITAT ORGANIZATION

MO Biologist Habitat Article P.2 Biologist Biography P .3

Go afield with a good

Forever Shooting Sports P .4

attitude, with respect

Fresh Fundraising Idea P.5

for the wildlife you hunt

Upcoming QF/PF Events P.6

and for the forest and fields in which you walk. Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person. ~Fred Bear

Meet Hank Shaw

Meet the MO Team P.7

2015 Missouri QF & PF State Habitat Convention! This year’s convention is now being presented by MidwayUSA right here in Columbia and we are looking forward to having them there! They offer “Just About Everything® for Shooting, Reloading, Gunsmithing and Hunting”. Their website is easy to navigate and their customer service is outstanding! Thank you to Mrs. & Mrs. Potterfield and everyone at MidwayUSA for their support of PF and QF! We are currently working on an exciting agenda, full of topics and guest speakers for many different interests. Whether it be habitat management, youth events, fundraising tips and tricks for your next banquet, pollinators, and much more! PF/QF President & CEO, Howard Vincent is back again this year! He is very much looking forward to getting back to MO! One special guest speaker, Hank Shaw, a wild game cookbook author and chef will be presenting at this year’s convention. Read more about Hank in the side column to the left and also check out his website, Honest-food.net. *Chapter Leaders, you have until February 20th to register for rooms at the Courtyard at the discounted PF/QF rate. **RSVP before Feb 23rd and receive $10 off registration when attending both the meeting and the evening reception!

A member of QF and PF, Hank Shaw is a former restaurant cook and newspaper journalist who is also the author of two wild game cookbooks, Hunt, Gather, Cook and Duck, Duck, Goose. He runs the James Beard Award-winning website Hunter Angler Gardener Cook (honest-food.net) where you can find hundreds of recipes for everything from quail to venison to catfish, morels and other wild foods. He hunts, fishes and forages in Northern California.

Buy your 2015 State Habitat Convention tickets ONLINE today!

P.2

Light at the End of the Season

Andrew White - NW MO FBWB

Did you know…

As the end of pheasant and quail season is fast approaching, I find myself relishing in how great this season has treated me and my pup, Chief. How has it favored you? Some people live and breathe deer, turkey, or waterfowl. Not me. I prefer to hunt and eat fast food. No, not McDonald’s. I am talking birds. You know, those eight-ouncers and their distant cousins with the long tails. As a quail biologist, adversity is a daily occurrence, as is negativity. Constantly I hear, “There are no more quail” or “You’re crazy to hunt quail, there aren’t enough around anymore.” But, I am here to tell you, THERE ARE! A person might ask where. I’ll let you in on a little secret, just find the right habitat.

Photo credit: MDC

It seems like Chief and I have covered just about every square inch of quail territory in Missouri this year. By the time you read this, we will be down in the Missouri Bootheel to try Photo credit: A. White and get one last hunt in. Wherever we hunt, we are after quail, but occasionally we bag a bonus pheasant or two. We hunt both private and public lands and we look for those main habitat components (food and cover) indicative of QUAILity winter habitat. As the hunt draws on from daybreak, we move from (apparent) roosting areas to food sources as the winged beasts head to feed and anywhere in between that looks like it would hold birds. Hunting by this method has always produced a covey rise or flushing rooster, usually multiples of each. Then, by late-morning to mid-day, we are hunting the brushy areas as the quail move into loafing cover. Harvest just depends on how my shooting is that day. Luckily my shooting has been spot on this year, yielding three personal limits. How can this be though? I thought there weren’t any quail? Which leads me to my next point. It’s all about that habitat! Working for “The Habitat Organization” has created opportunities that I normally wouldn’t experience. One instance of this is my involvement with the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) Bobwhite Quail and Grassland Songbird Monitoring Survey. During this 10-year survey, we are looking at the effect intense habitat management has directly on our state’s gamebird and their grassland friends. The control area in the study offers roughly 6,000 acres of private land with little to no management being performed. In the focus area, we are looking at the same amount of private land. The only difference between the two is that the focus area is being managed specifically for, you guessed it, quail. You can tell the proof is in the pudding when you look at the population of each species in the adjacent bar graph. Nearly two times more quail were found in the focus area than in the control. This area is so successful due to the cooperation between conservation-minded landowners and their local private land biologists. Even in the ever-increasing agricultural world, these landowners saw the dire need for wildlife habitat and stepped up and offered land up for wildlife. I am oftentimes told, it’s because they can remember seeing birds everywhere as a child. They were raised as a conservationist. I, as well as my three brothers, were raised to maintain that conservationist state of mind and be respectful to the natural resources around us. As a result, we grew up to become ethical hunters while out in the field chasing our favorite game. In my ripe, old age of 26, biology has gotten the best of me. I often put myself in a quail’s feathers while afield. As the season progresses, the frigid cold and scarcity of food impacts all wildlife. To me, it doesn’t make sense to hunt quail past mid-afternoon as the late season approaches. We know that quail populations decline when above-average snowfall occurs. This causes a food shortage, so Bob and his buddies rely a little more on their reserves for energy. Busting a covey that has set up to roost in the late afternoon imposes imminent doom on the unsuspecting birds when bad weather conditions are taking place. It takes up to an hour for a covey to regroup after being flushed. Even with the most legendary habitat, the snow and sub-zero temperatures we see in the Midwest during winter can be hard on quail. Pair those temperatures with poor habitat quality and you will be seeing a lot more of the picture to the left; worse yet, no birds at all. The bobwhite quail was once seen statewide, but has since been reduced to regional populations. An island of great habitat surrounded by a sea of inhospitable habitat may not yield that response from quail you want to see. Instead, we all need to be taking more of a landscape approach and create habitat partnerships with our neighbors and manage each property as one. Conservation belongs on every farm. Quail Forever Biologists and MDC Private Land Conservationists are here to provide landowners sound advice and assistance in habitat improvements and educate Missourians about quail populations in this fine state so that they too, may see the light at the end of the season. Photo credit: MDC

There are 6 different species of quail: Bobwhite Quail, California Quail, Mountain Quail, Gambel's Quail, Scaled Quail, and Mearn's Quail. Two are pictured here in our logo. Do you know each species?

The average annual home range size is 40 acres. Some quail's home range is up to 200 acres de-pending on conditions. The major factors leading to the decreasing numbers of bobwhite quail are habitat loss, intensive agricultural practices, and harsh winters.

Pollinator Corner Many of the country’s crops would not exist without the honey bee at bloom time. Honey bees contribute over $14 billion to the value of U.S. crop production.

P.3

Biologist Biography!

By Mary Crowell - SE MO FBWB

Our Missouri team is lucky enough to have not just one Scott, but two! Back in October, the spotlight was on Scott Engelman, but now we turn to our earlier hired Scott, Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist Scott James! Growing up in the Quad City area, Scott James hails from Rock Island, IL which is about four hours north of St. Louis, MO. Thanks to his father and plenty of other outdoor loving relatives, Scott was raised with an appreciation for wildlife and outdoor sports. His favorite outdoor haven is Side Lake in northern Minnesota, where the clear water and fresh air are only enhanced by the company of family and good fishing.

Habitat Tip of the Month Plant Native! Native warm season grasses provide a form of winter thermal cover. The stiff upright stems don't collapse under snow very easily and provide a warm, open area at ground level. In many circumstances, snow-free bare ground with seeds provide a safe resting and feeding area. After the snow melts, the grasses can even stiffen

Scott graduated college in 2010 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Zoology from Southern Illinois University CarbonScott and Janie ready to hit the dale. His choice to pursue a zoology degree and wildlife training fields! career was not fueled solely on his enjoyment of hunting, but also from the value outdoor recreation has had to his family and the importance conservation management is to keeping wildlife and the ecosystems they live in thriving. During college, Scott worked at a fish farm and sorting duck wings for the Fish and Wildlife Service Wing Bee. After college, Scott went on a peacekeeping mission in Egypt with the Army National Guard. His interest in waterfowl served him well as he worked on grad student projects, one in North Dakota studying duck nest success and the other in Arkansas and the Bootheel examining waterfowl and shorebird usage in wetlands. Counting ducks every day at work can be pretty useful information for a duck hunter when he’s off the clock.

back up!

Switchgrass stand with snow on top of it after a 3'' snow event.

This shows a spot in

Being a duck hunter and an upland game hunter, what better breed of dog to own than a Labrador Retriever! Scott already loved labs thanks to his family’s black lab, Sally; and he got his very own yellow lab puppy, Janie, this year from a Missouri Department of Conservation employee, Lee Metcalf. Janie comes from a great lineage of hunting labs and is sure to be a wonderful companion for years to come. Scott joined Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever in February of 2012 working out of Scott and Stoddard counties. Using Farm Bill programs, Scott is able to help landowners through conservation plans that will create or manage wildlife habitat in an exciting area of the state. The remnant alluvial ecosystems of the Bootheel provide Scott with unique resource concerns that the rest of Missouri doesn’t face. There are several rare and declining animal and plant species including swamp rabbits, dusky hognose snakes, and brown bog sedges. Water quality is also a big issue since the area’s natural wetland filtering system has been replaced by agricultural land.

the middle, at ground level. Notice the bare ground. Very important.

Shows the same stand (same location) taken a week after the snow melted, (switchgrass

While not hard at work promoting wildlife habitat, Scott enjoys grilling out and drinking a good beer. He is an active committee member of the Bootheel Bobwhite QF chapter. His interest in travelling has taken him to every continent except South America and Antarctica. One day he hopes to travel to Africa for a big game hunt. Until then, you can find him and Janie chasing ducks in the Bootheel wetlands or along the Cache River in Arkansas. Scott with a beautiful Wyoming Antelope buck this past fall.

upright again!)

Contact a QF Biologist in your area today to discuss planting native grasses on your farm!

P.4

Forever Shooting Sports

John Wallace - Regional Field Rep $1,000 Level

Missouri Forever Shooting Sports (FSS) Supporters FY15

Committee Recruitment Ask a friend or relative to come to your next chapter meeting. Fresh bodies can provide a much needed recharge for your committee!

$1,000 Level Gateway QF #3001 $500 Level 2 C QF #3095 Four Rivers QF #3096 Mark Twain QF #3145 Missouri River Valley

Pictured : Mid Mo Young Guns QF banquet planning meeting

QF #3152

Anyone Hungry?

Missouri Bird Dog

Italian â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beefâ&#x20AC;? Sandwich MO QF Biologist Scott James!

Classic PF #910 Shortgrass QF #3094 Ozark Hills QF #3084 St. Louis QF #3155

Because of chapter contributions to the Forever Shooting Sports Endowment, we now have a FSS trailer, fully equipped to host youth shooting events. This trailer is available to any Missouri PF or QF chapter!

(Pictured: Missouri Bird Dog Classic PF youth shooting event back in October)

Thank You for Supporting Youth Shooting Sports! If your chapter would like to support FSS, contact John Wallace for more details.

Marinade a deer, antelope, or elk roast up to 24 hr in Italian dressing, then throw it in crock pot with 1 can of French onion soup, one packet of 0.6 oz. dry zesty Italian dressing, 1/4 packet of 0.6 oz. dry zesty ranch dressing or dip mix, a 16 oz. jar of Marzaretti mild pepper rings, and a tablespoon of water. Cook on low for approx. 7 hours. Place on a good hoagie roll with provolone cheese.

P.5

Fresh Fundraising Idea For Your Upcoming Banquet! FEED THE BREED/GOT POINT RAFFLE Option 1: Have a Pointer bucket, a Shorthair bucket, and Setter Bucket out for people to support that breed’s “campaign”. Have the Hat/Shirt sitting with each bucket. After each person makes their contribution for their breed (s) of choice, they receive 1 ticket for every $10 contributed, 6 tickets for $50, 20 tickets for $100! Have someone there to collecting the contributions to the breeds and designate how much goes to each bucket. Patrons can use cash and committees can also use a charge sheet. Right before the LIVE auction starts, the buckets will be totaled and a winner would be drawn from each bucket to claim their shirt/hat. The winning breed bucket with the most dollars in it, would then have bragging rights for the rest of the year AND also a 50/50 split of all 3 buckets! Treat it like a 50/50 raffle! Option 2: Have each package (pointer, shorthair, or setter) as an individual LIVE auction item and let them know that the package that brings highest bid wins the BIRD DOG WHISKEY PACKAGE! (including a bottle of BDW always helps!) Or maybe a quail hunt!! (Make sure the quail hunt has been DONATED) Option 3: You could make up a similar concept so spice up the silent auction! Highest bid between each of the individual packages wins the BIRD DOG WHISKEY PACKAGE! (include a bottle of BDW if possible!) Put the 3 packages up against each other and see who comes out victorious!!

Mark your Calendars:

Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic Feb. 20-22nd 2015

Des Moines, IA Mark your calendars and adjust banquet date accordingly if needed.

************** 2nd ANNUAL STATE HABITAT CONVENTION March 6th-7th, 2015

Book your hotel rooms early as rooms are limited!

2014-2015 LAF Guns Contact: John Wallace to find out more about this $19 Hat/Shirt Combo!

Missouri FY15 Legislative Action Fund (LAF) Supporters

$1,000 Contribution

Stoeger Condor 12 ga. (msrp. $449.00)

Chapter Support of LAF Puts Habitat on The Ground. $5,000 Level Heartland PF #169 $3,000 Level Gateway QF #3001 Ten Rivers PF #753

$3,000 Contribution

Benelli Super Black Eagle II 12 ga. (walnut stock) (msrp. $1,569.00)

$1,000 Level Four Rivers QF #3096 Missouri Bird Dog Classic PF #910 Clark County QF #3142 Bootheel Bobwhites QF #3148 2 C QF #3095 Shortgrass QF #3094 St Louis QF #3155 Ozark Hills QF #3084

Thank You for your Support!

For more information contact

John Wallace (937) 459-8085

P.6

Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendars! Jan. 10th - Mid Mo Young Guns QF Annual Youth Rabbit Hunt Keith Carter 660-651-3811 Macon, MO Jan. 17th - Missouri River Valley QF Youth Quail Hunt Greg Aholt 314-486-2775 Washington, MO Jan. 24th - St. Louis QF Annual Continental Pheasant Shoot Steve Remspecher 314-406-0083 Old Monroe, MO Jan. 26th - NEMO PF Chapter Start Meeting at Keith’s Café John Wallace 937-459-8085 Memphis, MO Jan. 28th - Pike County QF Chapter Start Meeting at Pike Co USDA office John Wallace 937-459-8085 Bowling Green, MO Jan. 31st - NW Missouri Longtails PF 1st Annual Banquet Dennis Sunderman 816-387-7669 St. Joseph, MO Feb. 7th - Four Rivers QF Annual Banquet Kyle Lairmore 573-291-9147 Owensville, MO Feb. 20-22nd - 2015 National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic Des Moines, IA Feb. 21st - 2C QF Annual Banquet Kevin Casner 816-809-2251 Carrollton, MO Feb. 21st - Bootheel Bobwhites QF Annual Banquet Tim Kavan 573-823-6366 Dexter, MO Feb. 21st - Ten Rivers PF Annual Banquet Mike Serbin 573-248-4877 Canton, MO Feb. 27th - Heartland PF 30th Annual Banquet! Al Rohlfing 816-853-6797 Kansas City, MO Feb. 28th - Shortgrass QF Annual Banquet Cory Minnis 660-646-9421 Chillicothe, MO Feb. 28th - Moreau Valley QF Annual Banquet Vic Maurer 573-230-6513 California, MO Mar. 6th-7th - 2015 Annual Missouri PF/QF State Habitat Convention Courtyard by Marriott Columbia, MO Mar. 7th - West Central QF Annual Banquet Glenn Coleman 816-820-4822 Mar. 14th - Missouri River Valley QF Annual Banquet Arvil Kappelmann 636-239-4127 Mar. 20th - Corner Covey QF Annual Banquet Tracey Bernard 660-229-5285 Mar. 21st - Green Hills QF 1st Annual Banquet Tyler Gordon 660-734-1278 Mar. 28th - Ozark Hills QF Annual Banquet Gary Houf 573-578-8301 Apr. 11th - Mid Mo Young Guns QF Annual Banquet Keith Carter 660-651-3811

Missouri Quail Forever & Pheasants Forever www.facebook.com/missouriQF

“LIKE” us on Facebook and send me pictures of your events with a brief description and we can post them!

***NEW*** STATE PF/QF Website!

Sweet Springs, MO

Find commonly used chapter documents, check out the photo galleries, and our upcoming events Calendar!

Brookfield, MO

www.MissouriPFQF.org

Harrisonville, MO Washington, MO

Rolla, MO Macon, MO

You can find more details about these events on our national website at: Missouri Chapter Events Chapter event coming up? Forward details to jwallace@quailforever.org Also check out the Missouri PF/QF Website Calendar.

It is still very much a work in progress. Let us know what you think.

Meet your Missouri PF/QF Team

P.7

John Wallace | Quail Forever MO Regional Representative Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever | 102 Snow Peak Ct | Columbia, MO 65202 m. (937) 459-8085 | jwallace@quailforever.org

The MO FBWB program is a partnership between Quail Forever, Missouri Dept. of Conservation, and Natural Resources Conservation Service