Quail are not the "best" public land bird. They are far too susceptible to every type of predation (human included) that the population can really be hurt locally by hunting pressure. Sure, many birds get smart and are more jumpy that others, but the immobility of bobwhites leaves them constantly being moved. More movement means more exposure. I think what the folks here are saying is that, too often, folks coming from out-of-state are on a limited calendar and often take the position that, "if I don't kill them someone else will" when they find a covey. As a result, they harvest numbers that don't give the covey the respect they deserve or the chance to survive that they would have had otherwise. I don't stray far from my own area of management, but each area has it's own challenges and limitations. The federal areas can be harder to manage as both the COE and Bureau of Reclamation have rules that limit our management. On many areas they control the prescribed burning, prohibit grazing and disking. As a result, our management is significantly choked down. Also, many of these areas were "designed" by wildlife managers under old designs that we have now found not as productive for bobwhite and sometimes pheasants. Changing that now may well not be possible. So too, many of these areas are surrounded by housing developments that also restrict our management. A million dollar house just downwind of a large expanse of grass makes that prescribed burn a lot more technical. Some of our managers in both the NE and SE regions have turned over recently. Some of them more than once. This change in managers sets back accomplishments as new employees take some time getting to know the area and the broad expanse of responsibilities that come with it. If you honestly have opinions about the management on an area, I would recommend you call and make an appointment to talk with the manager about what he/she is doing in that line of management and if there is anywhere you might aid in that effort. I rarely get volunteers contacting me. There are dozens of simple tasks that get put off because they don't outrank other projects. Further, be prepared to offer up praise with the concerns as every manager is getting some things done. I recently put a kayak/canoe launch in on my lake when I found out how hard it was to get my layout boat across the rip rap and into the lake. Have yet to hear any compliment on it though it is being used regularly. I guarantee you that there is no way for any manager to keep up with everything that needs done on his/her area. We are under staffed, under funded, and over obligated. As for funding, within the wildlife/fisheries realm, we are controlled by federal law where our funding may be spent. Somewhere I may have gotten off topic, but feel free to jump in. Hope I haven't stolen this thread.