Thursday, February 24, 2011

A Craven Plea for Eyeballs


Recently my plan for world conservation non-profit blogging domination commenced with the introduction of my new blog on the Quail Forever website. Since birds, ducks and fish are where my primary conservation interests lie these days (sorry turkeys and big game, you've already got plenty of advocates) I will now turn my attention toward infiltrating DU or Delta, then perhaps the Ruffed Grouse Society (when I learn how to hunt ruffed grouse) and Trout Unlimited (when I finally learn how to flyfish. Correctly).

However, until those monopolistic goals come to fruition you'll have to make do with my thus-far meager and somewhat hesitant offering on the QF website. Every new blog stumbles around a bit until it finds its stride and voice (except this one, which stumbles by design) and the QF blog is no different. But I have high hopes for it, because I believe wholeheartedly in what Pheasants Forever is trying to do with QF.

As much as I am deeply divided between my love for upland hunting and waterfowl, the bobwhite quail is and always will be my totemic bird (ironic, I know, for a guy who didn't get his first pointer until after he got his first chessie). I've been in love with the little rockets ever since the day I kicked my first covey out of a shinnery thicket when I was ten years old. Or maybe nine. Hell, I can't remember. All I know for sure is that I missed. And possibly wet myself.

So anything I can do to help increase awareness of the bobwhite quail's intrinsic worth - as well as its plight - I will gladly do, including shamelessly plugging the Quail Forever website and blog at every opportunity.

So give it a read. Or even better, give it a read and then give me suggestions for making it better or more interesting or more relevant or more whatever. I'd love to hear what you have to say...

4 comments:

  1. Hi Chad, Where would be a good place to go hunt quail in Oklahoma ?

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  2. This year, probably Kansas...

    But generally, I'd say western or NW OK has the best remaining habitat and a number of decent public hunting areas.

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  3. I'm probably the wrong guy to ask about subject matter for a bird hunting blog of any sort 'cause I'll read it all. Keep posting stuff that's interesting and a just a bit different and people will come to it. Amazing how the web works that way. Nice shot of you and the pup, too.

    The biggest challenge facing the quail restoration effort is gaining that critical mass on a nationwide scale. It's almost a chicken/egg proposition with the question being can you reach a critical mass of hunters and supporters without first reaching some critical mass of wild birds?

    I've been scratching my head about how best to accomplish this in my little corner of the world. Biologists tell me that with the right amt of $$, and we're not talking trillions here, we can make very noticeable strides in wild bird populations, both on public and private land. So we either gotta get a lot of people to give a little or a few people to give a bit more. I could make a case for either being more feasible but haven't managed to make a lot of headway on either...yet.

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  4. Thanks for joining the Quail Forever conservation cause. We are thrilled to have you & all your Mallard readers follow you over to QF.

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