Forked Deer River Quail Forever Chapter

01/30/2026

01/28/2026

Since planting season is upon us, let’s talk about seed drill calibration!

When planting anything, especially native plants, it is crucial to calibrate your seed drill! Planting at a lower seeding rate than required can result in thin stands and higher competition. Comparatively, higher seeding rates could result in better establishment, however, this doesn’t always lead to higher yields and cost efficiency decreases. Some native plant seeds are fluffy or slick, which then impacts the flow of seed through the tubes of the drill. Calibration aids in this seed flow by adjusting the machine to what’s being planted.

There are many things to consider when calibrating a seed drill, including: ground speed, seed size and shape, density, weight, and purity. It’s important to calibrate your drill under field conditions when possible to ensure a higher success rate.

Ultimately, we recommend that you calibrate your drill every time you plant, whether it be the same seed variety or not, because seed lots are ever-changing.

If you are gearing up to plant and need assistance calibrating your drill, contact your local Farm Bill Biologist, or drop us a comment below! 🌼🌾

01/23/2026

❄COVER FOR YOUR COVEY❄

Bobwhites may not be buying all the milk, bread, and eggs, but they are preparing all the same for the winter weather this weekend!

In winter, a covey will forage in woody vegetation such as plum, blackberry, or sumac thickets. At night, they will form a tight circle under light cover with their heads facing outwards, allowing them to remain vigilant and warm.

Winter weather can be detrimental to quail, as cold temperatures and lack of access to food can have deadly consequences.

Cover is crucial in providing bobwhites shelter from the elements such as cold temperatures, wind, rain, and snow. Good thermal cover is typically comprised of thick woody vegetation, native shrubs, native grasses, and native forbs that allow for openness at the ground level while providing overhead protection.

In addition, bobwhites become more opportunistic in the winter time. Mostly feeding on the seeds of native forbs, however, they will also feed on leftover herbaceous material and snails, slugs, and other insects. Managing for a wide variety of species that provide a year-round food source is crucial for bobwhite survival and energetic needs to survive the winter!

If you have any questions about implementing these practices on your property, now is the time to get started! Planting native plants during the dormant season aids in successful establishment because the seeds are able to go through natural freeze and thaw cycles to germinate!

Contact your local Farm Bill Biologist or drop a comment below for more details!

01/20/2026

🌿HOW'S IT GROWING?🌿

We are kicking off the new year ready to GROW!

Whether you are planting native plants or watching them naturally regenerate, you may be wondering, what is the process they go through to become the lush wildlife habitat we know and love come summertime?

The process begins with a clean seed bed (if you're planting) or the seedbank (if naturally regenerating) in the months between December and March, ideally.

If you are planting, it is important that you have seed to soil contact and seeds are either broadcasted or drilled no greater than a quarter inch into the soil. For already established native stands, this process occurs naturally when dormant plants shed their seeds.

Once this occurs, these seeds go through natural freeze and thaw cycles. These cycles aid in germination by eliminating the protective seed coats in a process called scarification.

Come spring, you will begin to see basal rosettes, or an arrangement of leaves growing flat or close to the ground radiating from the base of the stem. At this time, most of the plant's energy is focused on establishing an extensive root system which aids in many native species' ability to prevent erosion and tolerate drought.

Finally, these plants will fully establish over the course of late spring and early summer to provide habitat for a myriad of wildlife species, including our personal favorite, the bobwhite quail!

If you are interested in enhancing or restoring wildlife habitat on your property, be sure to contact your local Farm Bill Biologist or USDA Service Center!

12/08/2025

11/24/2025

📣IMPORTANT PROGRAM UPDATE📣

Due to the federal government shutdown, the application deadline for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) AND the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) has been extended until JANUARY 15TH!

Curious about these two programs?

The Conservation Stewardship Program involves a biologist working 1-on-1 with producers to develop a conservation plan that outlines and enhances existing efforts, using new conservation practices or activities, based on management objectives for your operation. Producers implement practices and activities in their conservation plan that expands on the benefits of cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving their agricultural operations.

Want to know if you qualify?https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-05/nrcs-csp-right-for-me-factsheet-012025.pdf

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program involves a biologist working 1-on-1 with producers to develop a conservation plan that outlines conservation practices and activities to help solve on-farm resource issues. Producers implement practices and activities in their conservation plan that can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving their agricultural operations. EQIP helps producers make conservation work for them.

Want to know if you qualify?https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/nrcs-eqip-factsheet-2025-print-only.pdf

If you are interested in applying for either of these programs, contact your local Farm Bill Biologist OR visit your local USDA Service Center today! 🌿

11/21/2025

COVEY CONNECTION | Management Strategies that Benefit Quail & other Grassland Species

𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘳 - 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘘𝘶𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵.

If you are managing your property for grassland species, it is important to remember the annual needs of the wildlife and/or pollinator species you want to provide habitat for.

Do you have nesting cover? Do you have brood rearing cover? Do you have ample food resources? Do you have escape cover? Do you have overwintering cover?

For any grassland habitat to thrive, you need sunlight, native vegetation, an abundance of native wildflowers and grasses, and regular disturbance (i.e., prescribed fire).

If you are missing the native vegetation component, you may need to plant native seed. It is important to always select seed that is native to your area and/or ecoregion. Before starting the planting process, please contact your local biologist.

🔍Find your local Quail Forever Farm Bill Biologist 👉 https://quailforever.org/findabiologist

This graphic is not exhaustive. Please let us know how you have improved grassland habitat on your property in the comment section below. 👇

10/20/2025

🍁MANAGEMENT MONDAY🍁

In late summer to early fall, birds from different broods begin to intermix and form coveys looking for long-term food sources and cover (covey headquarters).

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁?
🍂 Genetic Mixing = Healthy Populations
🍂 Form Coveys = Increased Survival
🍂 Explore New Habitats = Discover New Food Sources and Cover

The intermixing of broods has become increasingly difficult due to habitat fragmentation across the landscape. The lack of habitat connectivity can result in smaller, isolated groups that are more vulnerable to predation, disease, and harsh weather conditions.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽?
Conservation efforts that focus on restoring and/or managing suitable habitat such as prescribed burning, planting native wildflowers and grasses, and/or establishing shrubby thickets is critical for Northern Bobwhite especially during this period of their lifecycle.

Still have questions, please reach out to your local private lands biologist!
https://quailforever.org/findabiologist

10/13/2025

🌿MANAGEMENT MONDAY🌼

Usable Northern Bobwhite habitat will have four basic components interspersed throughout their range 👇

1️⃣Native Shrubs
2️⃣Bare Ground
3️⃣Native Wildflowers
4️⃣Native Bunchgrasses

Each component is important for their survival and reproduction. With their annual lifecycle in mind, you can clearly see why each component is necessary.

𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝘂𝗯𝘀 👉 provide protection from predators, severe weather events and conditions (snow and heat) and offer additional food resources (hard or soft mast).

𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 👉 is crucial for maneuverability. Adults and chicks need to be able to quickly and safely move throughout their range. Northern Bobwhite prefer to walk and/or run on the ground instead of flying. Even though chicks are able to move independently shortly after hatching, they are unable to fly for the first few weeks of their life.

𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳: 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳.

𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 👉 provide cover, attract an abundance of soft bodied insects = food, and produce an abundance of seeds = food.

𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 👉provide cover, nesting cover, and their seeds can be a food source.

If you are wanting to manage your property for Northern Bobwhite, do you have these four basic habitat components on your property? If not, please comment or send us a message! We would love to connect you with a local Private Lands Biologist.

"In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught." - Baba Dioum, 1968

10/09/2025

Location Update: Henry County Extension Office!

Chapter Meeting Oct 15th! Location to be determined - reach out to our President Nicole Hulsey if you are interested in attended and we will make sure you have the location once it is secured!

Goals: Plan our 2026 Membership Drive & identify team members!! ✨