Southwest Indiana Quail Forever Chapter Begins Bobwhite Quail Restoration
Quail Forever 01.16.13
Chapter dedicated to bringing back quail and other wildlife through habitat
Bobwhite quail enthusiasts in Indiana have formed the nation’s newest Quail Forever chapter. Named Southwest Indiana Quail Forever, hunters and conservationists created the Vanderburgh County-based group to be an active force in reestablishing quail habitat in the region.
“I like Quail Forever’s habitat mission, and I believe it will help get wildlife back in Indiana,” said Larry Broerman, the chapter’s newly elected president and an Indiana native. “Within the next three to five years our chapter plans to start seeing improvement in bobwhite quail populations through habitat work. In addition to quail, we are looking forward to seeing an increase in other wildlife like rabbits, deer, and songbirds that also come from quail habitat restoration.”
Broerman, who lives in Vanderburgh County, started hunting rabbits approximately 50 years ago at the age of ten with his cousin, Carl Schillinger, who is the Southwest Indiana Quail Forever chapter’s vice-president. “Back then, you would always run into quail while rabbit hunting,” Broerman noted. He and Schillinger eventually graduated to hunting behind bird dogs (Broerman – English setter, Schillinger – German shorthaired pointer) for Indiana quail and have continued hunting in Indiana throughout their life. Broerman has been a member of multiple conservation organizations, including Pheasants Forever, for many years because of his belief in habitat. No stranger to fundraising and volunteering his time, Broerman has helped raise over $1,000,000 for youth sports in his community.
“Local knowledge leads to local results and with the Southwest Indiana Quail Forever officers’ knowledge of their community, I am confident we will accomplish habitat projects that will benefit all wildlife in southwest Indiana,” says Brian Nentrup, Quail Forever regional representative.
The chapter plans to focus habitat restoration efforts on both public and private lands. The chapter also hopes to work on reclaimed coal mines with the goal of incorporating upland habitat on the landscape throughout southwest Indiana. “The work we are doing is for the next generation and the generation after that,” noted Broerman.
The Southwest Indiana Quail Forever chapter
- The Southwest Indiana Quail Forever chapter has also elected William Gowin as banquet chair, Tim Hambidge as secretary and Ole J. Olsen, Jr., as treasurer.
- The chapter’s next meeting will be held at the Nisbet Inn on January 30, 6:00pm.
- The chapter also covers Vanderburgh, Posey, Warrick, Spencer, Pike, and Gibson Counties.
- For more information on the Southwest Indiana Quail Forever chapter, please contact Larry Broerman at (812) 455-6993 / email Larry.
Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. Bobwhite population losses over the last 25 years range from 60 to 90 percent across the country. The reason for the quail population plunge is simple - massive losses of habitat suitable for quail. There are five major factors leading to the losses of quail habitat; intensified farming and forestry practices, succession of grassland ecosystems to forests, overwhelming presence of exotic grasses like fescue that choke out wildlife, and urban sprawl.
