ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 5, 1996 TAG: 9602050050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries says it is serious - this time - about doing something for quail. The agency has unveiled a draft of a five-year bobwhite quail management plan that would cost $4.1 million.
The goal, according to Steve Capel, the department's habitat coordinator, is ``to stop the decline in Virginia bobwhite quail numbers and increase populations for the recreational enjoyment of all Virginia citizens.''
Once known as the ``king of game birds'' in Virginia, quail have declined in numbers at an alarming rate. Gone with them are multitudes of bird hunters and hard-running pointing dogs. The number of quail hunters declined more than 60 percent from 1970 to 1990, Capel said.
``A lot of the people have switched to deer hunting and going to UVa or Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoons to watch football,'' Capel said.
And there is more than lost afternoons of following stylish dogs across rural landscapes to savor the booming flush of a covey of birds. There is a $36 million annual loss in revenue to rural communities, he said.
The 1995-96 quail season, which ended Wednesday, will be remembered as one of the poorest ever. Populations were so low that state wildlife officials gave consideration to closing the season through an emergency regulation in January when heavy snow fell across the state.
Board members of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, several of them newly appointed by Gov. George Allen, called for the management plan and have pledged to back wildlife biologists in its implementation.
``We have solved the deer problem. We have solved the turkey problem. The quail problem is next,'' said Charles McDaniel, the board chairman from Fredericksburg. ``If there is any criticism of this plan, it is the fact that it is going too slowly.''
McDaniel instructed the department's wildlife biologists not to be overly concerned about where the plan's funding will come from; rather, determine what is necessary to get the job done. The board will find ways to pay the bills, he said.
The program, which would vary in cost from $761,000 to $876,000 annually, includes six additional staff positions, most of them for biologists.
The concern over Virginia's quail population isn't anything new. In 1988, the Virginia Legislature recognized the plight of this popular bird and established a joint subcommittee to study the problem.
``A great deal has been accomplished since 1988, but quail populations have continued to decline,'' Capel said.
The decline of the bobwhite hasn't been restricted to Virginia, he said. Populations have plummeted 62 percent across the Southeast. Some Roanoke Valley bird hunters now travel to Texas to locate quail. Others hunt on shooting preserves, where pen-raised birds are released.
Virginia has done as much to enhance quail as any state, with the exception of Missouri, Capel said.
``I don't think we take a back seat to anybody, but there are some areas we need to put more emphasis on,'' he said.
Suitable quail habitat has been pushed into fragmented islands of less desirable habitat, making birds more vulnerable to predation, weather and hunting pressure, he said.
The plan states that agriculture and quail are intertwined. It attributes quail habitat loss to a variety of factors, ranging from clean farming to dense pine plantings to an increased reliance on the culture of fescue for livestock forage. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is criticized for failure to consider wildlife needs in its policy and programs. The plan would provide landowners with training, incentives and equipment to manage their property with quail in mind.
The incentive aspect is important, said Hudson Reece, a Hanover County farmer and past board member of the game department.
``Why should I spend extra money to switch [from fescue] to warm-season grasses if I am not a hunter or don't have an interest in wildlife? '' he asked.
While the plan would be paid for by hunters, it would involve cooperation from a number of agencies and organizations. Those mentioned range from the Audubon Society to timber companies such as Westvaco. Quail Unlimited, which has a new chapter in the Roanoke Valley, also would be involved.
Written comments on the plan will be accepted through March 1 (Send them to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 4010 West Broad Street, Richmond, 23230). Copies of the plan are available from the department, 804-598-3706.) A final hearing is scheduled April 25 in Richmond.
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Quail. Graphic: Chart: Strategies to turn quailby CNBpopulation around. color.