Officers Hope to help Restore Wild Populations to Historic Range
Quail Forever is proud to announce a new chapter in Alabama. The Magic City Bobwhites Chapter is based in and around the city of Birmingham, in the state’s north central region. Alabama was once home to an abundant quail population, and the Magic City Bobwhites will look to help restore a portion of that important southern tradition.
“The core group of the Magic City Bobwhites Chapter is made up of individuals who are passionate hunters and have long track records of supporting and leading conservation efforts in Alabama,” said Michael Acker, Quail Forever’s regional representative in Alabama. “I’m excited to see the impact the chapter will have on the Quail Forever mission.”
Alabama is quickly becoming a key southern state for The Habitat Organization, with membership growing steadily in recent years. There are now over 500 total Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever members statewide. The organization’s habitat work in Alabama is also gaining traction, with three Farm Bill Biologists now working full time to help restore the quail to its historic range across the state.
The new chapter is headed up by longtime conservation advocate Bud Foshee, who has been involved with the National Wild Turkey Federation in his local area for over nearly two decades. Foshee helped found the Magic City Bobwhites chapter alongside fellow conservationist Glenn Sisk, and he hopes to start rebuilding habitat in his community as soon as possible.
“I have at least one good sized wild covey on my own property north of Birmingham, and sitting out there listening to the birds call in the springtime is something I remember hearing as a kid,” Foshee said. “It’s very hard to find that in the southeast these days, and I’m hoping we can bring them back.”
The chapter is planning on holding two banquets this year, one in downtown Birmingham and the other further south in Shelby County. The dates are tentatively set for August 2023.
If interested in joining the Magic City Bobwhites Chapter of Quail Forever, please contact Bud Foshee at (205) 586-0127, or Glenn Sisk at 256-404-2760 or Glenn.Sisk@cvhealth.net.
For more information on Quail Forever in Alabama, contact regional representative Michael Acker at 615-663-0598 or macker@quailforever.org.