The following schedule is from the 72nd Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies which was held October 21-24, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama.
AUTHORS: Don Buchanan, Arlo H. Kane, Jeff Pierce, Jennifer Goff – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
ABSTRACT: Morning covey call counts to index Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus viginianus) populations are a common methodology used by biologists throughout the southeastern United States. Staff attempted to survey a single county using call counts adjacent to private lands to determine the feasibility of indexing bobwhite populations on private lands statewide. Initial attempts to locate bobwhite coveys were unsuccessful. We then decided to first determine the current statewide distribution on private lands to guide further surveys in Florida. For efficiency, we elected to create a bobwhite quail sightings page on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) website and ask the public to record where they have seen or heard wild bobwhites on private lands. FWC’s Office of Information Technology created an interactive webpage that allows landowners to enter locations on a Google map, with their name, organization, email, and comments. In the first three months, 351 sightings on private lands were added to the website. Comments on the webpage were overwhelmingly positive toward the project and revealed the high level of interest in restoring bobwhites in Florida. Data from the website are now being used to evaluate locations for future workshops, surveys, and federal cost-share program boundaries. The project provided an innovative way to connect landowners interested in improving wildlife habitat with private lands biologists that provide technical or financial assistance. Other southeastern state agencies are now looking at using Florida’s web page to collect data for their state and a multi-state project is being considered.
