Preservation
In that regard, Jesse has worked tirelessly to create a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere at Chitwood Farms.
“The biggest threat to our wild quail population isn’t hunting or even predators like bobcats, hawks or coyotes, but rather the land (or the loss of it) to development and the invasive plant species that were introduced to the area via farming or other reasons. The Bobwhite Quail need very specific habitat and natural cover to survive and thrive.”
In this endeavor, Jesse has enlisted the help of wildlife biologists and conservationists from the United States Department of Agriculture, The Bobwhite Quail Initiative Program, and the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative to aid in making Chitwood Farms a viable quail habitat.
“Right now, preserve hunting for released birds is what we can offer to our clients, but we would like to see more wild coveys and sustained growth here in the future. It’s very hard work, but it’s has been my passion and vision for a long time.”
Since the early 1960’s, the number of reported quail hunters in the state of Georgia has seen a rapid decline with an annual revenue loss estimated at $45 million, according to a recent study from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources GA Bobwhite Quail Initiative from 2013-2023. This loss in revenue means a lack of funds for research and preservation of wild quail habitat.
It is often counterintuitive when people realize that hunters are the largest conservationists in the United States. The Federal Wildlife and Restoration Act of 1937, more commonly known as the Pittman-Robertson Act, is proof of this. An excise tax on hunting gear and state and federal hunting licenses allocates funds for wildlife research. It goes to securing habitat for a number of wild game species that were at the brink of extinction towards the middle of the 1900’s.
Organizations like Ducks Unlimited, The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership have contributed billions of dollars protecting the public and private land. The aforementioned BQI has the same goal for quail habitat in the state of Georgia.
We spent the rest of the afternoon picking up small groups of quail. Long open fields planted in rows of Egyptian wheat gave way to thinned out pine and hardwood forests made for challenging shots for even the most seasoned bird hunter. With the dogs happy but exhausted from their relentless searching and the sun starting its final descent, we decided to call it a day. We met up around a campfire where Jesse and his family and friends had a pot of homemade chili and cold beverages for the tired but happy hunters.
