Quail Fact Friday! Have you ever heard of masked bobwhite quail? They are a subspecies of northern bobwhites and are some of the rarest quail in North America. Their striking black facial mask and rich chestnut breast differentiate them from other bobwhite subspecies. Once abundant in the desert grasslands of Arizona and Mexico, their numbers have plummeted due to habitat loss and overgrazing. Today, masked bobwhites survive in the northern Mexican state of Sonora as well as a reintroduced population on the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arizona. To learn more about masked bobwhites head to the link below or check out “In the Shadows of Mesquite” from the Summer 2024 issue of Quail Forever Journal. https://bit.ly/3XU55h0 #quailforever #quail #quailfactfriday

NEW ON THE WING PODCAST This week’s episode highlights the expansion of our Public Access to Habitat (PATH) program to a national scale. With more than 69,000 acres already open in two states, this initiative is primed to take off with the incredible support of partners like onX Hunt. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://bit.ly/3DEvuIX

BREAKING NEWS FROM NATIONAL PHEASANT FEST & QUAIL CLASSIC! Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever were joined on the public lands stage by onX Hunt this morning to announce the expansion of its Public Access to Habitat (PATH) program to a national scale. Piloted in South Dakota and Nebraska, PATH has already established over 65,000 acres of brand new public access, and will now take that success across the country in the years to come. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/4kyzcnR

The countdown is on! The annual Bird Dog Parade will kick-off the 2025 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic on Friday, March 7th at 11am. With more than 100 dogs representing over 40 different sporting dog breeds, it's the perfect way to kick off the festivities from Kansas City. Click on the link below for all the details on the nation's largest upland event of the year. https://pheasantfest.org

National Volunteer of the Year Finalist: Jeff Novak A retired veterinarian works to restore habitat in California. https://bit.ly/43hwFs6

National Volunteer of the Year Finalist: Katy Hulsey Quail Forever Team member helps found a local Women on the Wing Chapter.

This time next week we'll be flocking to Kansas City and National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic will be underway. If you're planning on attending, make sure to check out the Quail Stage that is stacked with great quail content all weekend long! Read more at the link below, we hope to see you there! https://bit.ly/41nsTuQ #quailforever #quail #pheasantfest #quailclassic