Mississippi DWFP and MSU to Host Gamebird Workshops

The MDWFP and Mississippi State University (MSU) will host two workshops to teach participants how to better manage their land for bobwhite quail and wild turkeys. The one-day workshops will be held March 1, 2013 at Thompson Hall on the MSU Campus and March 8, 2013 at the Forrest County Extension Office in Hattiesburg. Topics to be covered include turkey and quail biology, habitat management, and the incorporation of wildlife management into profitable forestry and agricultural practices. Landowners will also learn about the impacts of predation on gamebird populations as well as the answers to commonly asked questions about pen-raised quail, supplemental feeding, food plots, and state laws that pertain to feeding.

Cost for the workshops is $30, which covers registration, materials, and lunch. Continuing education credits are available for registered foresters (5.5 Category 1-CF hours), loggers (5 Category 1 CLE hours), and wildlife biologists (6 Category 1 Contact hours). Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the programs run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

These workshops are offered through the MSU College of Forest Resources, the MSU Extension Service and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. To register or for more information, visit www.cfr.msstate.edu/workshops/turkey/.

Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP), formerly known as the Mississippi Game & Fish Commission, is an agency of the government of the U.S. state ofMississippi responsible for programs protecting Mississippi fish and wildlife resources and their habitats, as well as administering all state parks; it has its headquarters in Jackson. The agency issues hunting and fishing licenses, advises on habitat protection, and sponsors public education programs. It is also responsible for enforcement of Mississippi's fish and game laws. It is separate from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, which is the governing body for the state's natural salt-water resources and law enforcement thereof (i.e. Gulf of Mexico, ocean-going vessels, etc.).