Nashville, Tenn. – Volunteer quail conservationists are alive and well in Tennessee, as evidenced by the formation of two new Quail Forever chapters. The Nashville area is home to the Music City Quail Forever Chapter, while Shelby County calls the Mid-South Quail Forever Chapter its own.
A nationally recognized name in wildlife habitat conservation, Quail Forever builds a connection in local areas because of its grassroots approach. Like only its Pheasants Forever counterpart, Quail Forever provides local Quail Forever chapters the ability to decide how 100 percent of their fundraised dollars are spent. This local control gives chapters, including the new Tennessee chapters, the ability to make things happen for wildlife in their communities, while belonging to a national organization advocating for wildlife and conservation in policy discussions in Washington, D.C.
Music City Quail Forever
Nearly 40 Nashville area conservationists, many with 20+ years of involvement with quail restoration and wildlife habitat improvement projects and hunter education, banded together to form Music City Quail Forever. The chapter figures to soon have more than 100 members, and has committed to holding five events in its first year of operation, including a youth hunt, sporting clay shoot, bird dog field trial, fish fry and a dove hunt – all in addition to the chapter’s annual fundraising banquet, for which the date has yet to be determined.
- Music City Quail Forever chapter leaders include Don Purdy, president, from Nashville; Bob Qualman, treasurer, from Nashville; Butch Bice, banquet chair, from Nashville; and Herbert Sanderlin, youth/education chair, from Gallatin.
- The chapter’s next meeting will take place on Thursday, June 10, at 6:30 PM at the Ellington Agriculture Center’s Regions II building in Nashville.
- For more information on Music City Quail Forever, contact Don Purdy at (615) 415-2035 or via email at don.purdy@belmont.edu.
Mid-South Quail Forever
Shelby County’s Quail Forever chapter is led by chapter president Walker Morris, Jr. His dedication to quail conservation is evidenced by his 250-acre farm on which he works to improve bobwhite quail habitat. ” I’ve been chasing the little birds for 56 years, ever since I shot my first at age 11 with a single barrel .410 shotgun.” Morris said, “All my forefathers were avid about quail, and it’s a tradition I’ve always strived to carry on.”
- Mid-South Quail Forever chapter leaders include John “Jurey” Howard, treasurer, from Memphis; John Campbell, co-banquet chair, from Germantown; and Terry Baskin, co-banquet chair, from Millington.
- The chapter will meet the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm at the Collierville Animal Clinic, with the next meeting on Tuesday, June 15th.
- Mid-South Quail Forever will host a sporting clays event on Saturday, September 25th beginning at 9AM at “The Willows” in Tunica, Mississippi (Harrah’s Casino).
- For more information about Mid-South Quail Forever, contact Walker Morris at (901) 218-3542 and morrishome2@bellsouth.net.
- For more information about Quail Forever in Tennessee, contact Tim Caughran, Quail Forever Regional Wildlife Biologist, at 618-791-3909 and TCaughran@quailforever.org.
Quail Forever is the quail division of Pheasants Forever. Quail Forever is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of quail, pheasant and other upland wildlife through habitat improvement, public awareness, education and advocacy for sound land management policy. For additional information please visit www.QuailForever.org.
