By Blake Jackson
Healthy habitats are vital for native wildlife, and Missouri landowners play an important role in maintaining them. For years, Tom Karl and Christopher Donze, co-owner of Devils Den Falls LLC, have partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to improve habitat on their properties. Recently, their long-term efforts led to an exciting and unexpected outcome.
Karl contacted MDC staff in the Southeast Region after hearing a rare and familiar sound near his home—the call of a northern bobwhite quail, something he had not experienced in decades.
“I was working outside near the house one evening when I heard a bobwhite call for the first time in decades,” Karl said. “Living out in the country, you get used to hearing birds and wildlife all the time, but when that bobwhite singled off. It stopped me in my tracks! I listened for a while, then went inside to get my wife so she could hear it, too. It was a real thrill.”
For more than a decade, Karl and Donze have participated in MDC’s Landowner Cost-Share Assistance Program. Through this initiative, they have received both technical guidance and financial support to implement conservation practices such as planting native vegetation, controlling invasive species, and improving overall habitat conditions. These efforts have helped restore an environment suitable for northern bobwhite quail and other native wildlife.
Although Donze did not hear the quail himself, he has observed increased wildlife activity on the land, including sightings of American woodcock. These improvements highlight the effectiveness of consistent habitat management.
Regular visits and support from MDC Private Land Conservationists have helped keep their projects on track while providing valuable knowledge. This collaboration continues to strengthen conservation outcomes, demonstrating how teamwork between landowners and conservation professionals can successfully benefit native wildlife.
Healthy habitats are vital for native wildlife, and Missouri landowners play an important role in maintaining them. For years, Tom Karl and Christopher Donze, co-owner of Devils Den Falls LLC, have partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to improve habitat on their properties. Recently, their long-term efforts led to an exciting and unexpected outcome.
Karl contacted MDC staff in the Southeast Region after hearing a rare and familiar sound near his home—the call of a northern bobwhite quail, something he had not experienced in decades.
“I was working outside near the house one evening when I heard a bobwhite call for the first time in decades,” Karl said. “Living out in the country, you get used to hearing birds and wildlife all the time, but when that bobwhite singled off. It stopped me in my tracks! I listened for a while, then went inside to get my wife so she could hear it, too. It was a real thrill.”
For more than a decade, Karl and Donze have participated in MDC’s Landowner Cost-Share Assistance Program. Through this initiative, they have received both technical guidance and financial support to implement conservation practices such as planting native vegetation, controlling invasive species, and improving overall habitat conditions. These efforts have helped restore an environment suitable for northern bobwhite quail and other native wildlife.
Although Donze did not hear the quail himself, he has observed increased wildlife activity on the land, including sightings of American woodcock. These improvements highlight the effectiveness of consistent habitat management.
Regular visits and support from MDC Private Land Conservationists have helped keep their projects on track while providing valuable knowledge. This collaboration continues to strengthen conservation outcomes, demonstrating how teamwork between landowners and conservation professionals can successfully benefit native wildlife.
Photo Credit: missouri-department-of-conservation
Categories: Missouri, Rural Lifestyle, Farm Safety