Meet Bob, the bobwhite quail who loves historic preservation! The

Tallahassee Trust is undergoing some exciting changes to our look, and

Bob is our new ambassador for preservation. Learn more about why!

We chose the bobwhite quail in this history from Shane Wellendorf of Tall Timbers Research Station. A handsome, gregarious, sporty, little six-ounce bird, the Northern Bobwhite Quail has enamored people of the Red Hills for generations. Over the last century, people have traveled to the region for the pleasant winters and excellent wild quail hunting. Their passions have run deep over the regal hunting experience with open pine forests, mule-drawn wagons, well-trained pointing dogs, and the thrill of the covey rise. Starting in the late 1800’s many prominent individuals from places like Ohio and New York began assembling large plantation estates for their favorite wintertime pursuits. Eventually, much of the lands between Tallahassee and Thomasville, GA, were being managed for wild quail and quail hunting. These new landowners knew that expert guidance was critical for keeping healthy quail populations, and in the early 1920’s they recruited Herbert Stoddard to advise them on land management. Stoddard introduced the plantations to frequent prescribed fire and sustainable forestry practices to maintain the open pinewoods and diverse plant understory, which was excellent quail habitat. These management principles also benefitted a whole suite of wildlife and many of our local ecosystems. Many of these historic hunting plantations are still in existence and are actively using frequent prescribed fire, which has maintained some of the best remaining examples of longleaf pine and open pine forests in the Southeast. The passion for quail hunting has helped to conserve the amazing Red Hills Region.