Just some thoughts from personal experience ...

I have a friend in Caroline County who is an avid hunter and 
environmentalist.   He has spent large sums of money improving over 200 
acres of land for better habitat for the birds and, in particular, bobwhite. 
He has raised over 1200 bobwhite from eggs for release on his property, 
partly for hunting and partly just to improve the population.  (He raised 
the birds in isolation to avoid contact with humans.)  He has worked closely 
with County and state officials to do this.

I have walked his property and testify to hearing the quail and more 
Grasshopper sparrows than I have ever heard in one locale.

After seeing what he has done and reading the literature he has accumulated, 
my personal opinion is that bobwhite are diminishing because of loss of 
habitat.  Farmers do not farm like they used to and homeowners keep moving 
in.

It is also true that raising Bobwhite and releasing them is just putting out 
wonderful one course meals for all of the wildlife that dine on quail. 
Wildness and survival comes from being raised by a wild and surviving 
parent, plus having the proper habitat to live in and hide in.

And if you think "gee, I am gonna' go out and buy quail and raise them and 
release them and try to increase their numbers," you need state permits to 
do so ... if you want to do it legally.  I believe I am correct on this.  If 
not, please correct me if I am wrong.

I hear Bobwhites 2 or 3 times a year where I live and I am always surprised 
and pleased when I hear them.
Turkeys have been successfully reintroduced (I just saw 15 crossing the road 
by my home) but the money may not be there for Bobwhite.
Jim Wilson
Queenstown