[mou] Northern Bobwhite status, again

[Chu, Philip]

Today I spoke with Todd Bogenschutz, the Iowa DNR's Wildlife Research =
Biologist responsible for upland wildlife.  Regarding the Northern =
Bobwhite in Iowa, Todd told me that there no bobwhites in northwest and =
northcentral Iowa, but that there may be some in northeastern Iowa.

Todd also told me to call Bob Kurtt, the Iowa DNR's Wildlife Management =
Biologist for northeastern Iowa.  Bob is stationed in Decorah, Iowa, =
about 20 miles SSW of Canton, MN.=20

Accordingly, I contacted Bob Kurtt; Bob agreed with Todd's statement =
about the absence of bobwhites in northwest and northcentral Iowa, and =
then went on to discuss bobwhites in northeastern Iowa.  He said that he =
has no quantitative data bearing on the matter.  That said, (1) he =
himself occasionally sees bobwhites, and the ones that he sees act wild; =
(2) he sometimes hears about other people encountering bobwhites; and =
(3) he knows of little bobwhite raising and/or releasing in northeastern =
Iowa.  Given these three things, he believes that there are, in his =
words, "remnant populations" of the Northern Bobwhite in northeastern =
Iowa.

Of course, the foregoing doesn't prove anything about the status of =
those bobwhites in Canton Twp., Fillmore Co., MN, but it does provide an =
additional opinion that may have some bearing on the issue.

Phil Chu
Department of Biology
St. John's University
Collegeville, MN 56321