In the 1800s and through the turn of the century, bobwhite quail lived throughout much of the southern half of Minnesota. Older residents remember seeing them often as far north as Wadena county. Now, they are primarily seen and heard in the very southeast corner of the state – mainly in Houston County – and the population is believed to be less than 1,000 - 1,500 birds. The reason for the dramatic decline is the same reason it is for many species, including the ring-necked pheasant. Increasing urban sprawl, loss of rural lands and changing farming practices have eliminated much of the habitat characteristics required by these charming gifts from nature.

Increased efforts by conservation organizations like Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have helped, but we have a long way to go. Our team, and the biologists that support our organization, believe that the greatest impact can be made by education – education for landowners, farmers and anyone living near to open prairie land near to woodland edges and small forests. It doesn’t take a 200 acre farm dedicated to conservation to make a difference. Truly, many small projects in a close community can have a bigger impact than many understand.

That said, we welcome you to our Web site and encourage you to visit often. We promise to make regular improvements and always have material available to help you. We encourage you to also consider a membership in Minnesota Quail Forever. We’re a passionate group of committed and caring people that will go to great lengths to help out whoever wants to learn. We’re a lot of fun and always have events scheduled where you can take part, meet some great folks and learn some ways you can begin your own small habitat project.