Support for Quail in Oklahoma Continues with New Quail Forever Chapter in Lawton

Wichita Mountains Quail Forever chapter to focus on habitat and youth outdoor participation

Dedicated conservationists and hunters recently formed a new Quail Forever chapter in southwestern Oklahoma. The new chapter covers Comanche, Cotton, Stephens, Tillman, Grady and Caddo counties. Known as the Wichita Mountains Quail Forever chapter, the group will focus its attention on upland habitat improvements that benefit bobwhite and scaled quail.

“I’m excited to see folks coming together for their passion and love for quail and future generations of conservationists and hunters,” says Laura McIver, Quail Forever’s regional representative for Oklahoma. “People here in Oklahoma care very much about quail and other upland species; it’s great to be able to bring them together for one united purpose—helping our quail survive for future generations.” Specifically, the chapter intends to conduct habitat projects on public and private lands. The Wichita Mountains Quail Forever chapter also looks to become active at encouraging youth participation in the outdoors and plans on working with local youth shooting sports teams to encourage interest in upland hunting and conservation.

Quail Forever is dedicated to the conservation of quail, pheasants, and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education, and land management policies and programs. Quail Forever chapters promote local, state, and federal conservation programs, which help landowners protect environmentally sensitive acres for quail and other wildlife. Quail Forever also employs a unique model of empowering local chapters with 100 percent control of the chapters’ locally-raised funds to complete habitat and youth education projects in the chapters’ own communities.

Wichita Mountains Quail Forever Chapter

• The Wichita Mountains Quail Forever chapter has elected Lou Bressman of Lawton as president and Tony Johnson of Fletcher as treasurer. The chapter is planning to elect its youth/education chair, habitat chair and banquet chair at its upcoming meeting.
• The chapter will hold its next meeting on Monday, August 25, at 6 p.m. at the Pizza Hut (meeting room) located at 2311 NW Cache Rd, Lawton, OK 73505.
• For more information about the chapter, contact chapter president Lou Bressman at (580) 357-6274.

Contact:

Anthony Hauck (651) 209-4972

Quail Forever

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.