The golden age of small game here in the East coincided with "dirty" farming and lots of "predator" control. Here in NC it was the small share cropper farms, the field seperating hedge rows, grandma shooting the "chicken hawks" to protect her egg money, the killing of 'coons and 'possums and fox for fur and/or food, and the shooting of any poisonous snake. The very best comment I've ever read on the issue came out several years ago from the Tall Timber Research folks in Florida, "WE will never have good numbers of quail(small game) again until we start managing them as an economic commodity". Now the challenge/question is how do we mobilize our numbers into a viable political force? We must become the "squeaky wheel" just like the turkey, deer, bear, big game folks. Otherwise were just "preachin' to the choir". Best, DR. BILL