Tongue River Ranch quail field day focuses on drought, survival research
A quail disease update, new predator control methods and the effectiveness of a supplemental feeding program are among the highlights of an Oct. 1 quail field day at the 89,000-acre Tongue River Ranch near Dumont. The event is hosted by the Quail-Tech Alliance, a partnership between Texas Tech's natural resources management department and Quail First, a Dallas-based non-profit quail conservation organization.
"Because the issues concerning quail are so complex, we'll have speakers examining multiple topics concerning quail," said Brad Dabbert, an associate professor in Tech's Department of Natural Resources Management. Officials note that there's no cost for attending the day's programs, but participants must register for the event prior to Sept. 24.
The field day's morning session begins with Tech graduate student Paul Woods, who'll provide a review on survival and movement of pen-reared birds released on the Circle A Ranch. He'll be followed by Tech graduate student Alicia Andes with an update on the use of a thermal imaging camera to count and capture quail chicks.
Later in the morning, another Tech graduate student, Byron Buckley, will discuss the influence of supplemental feeding and drought on hen survival and nest initiation on the 6666 Ranch, and Andes will talk on the influence of supplemental feeding and drought on chick survival and growth on the 6666 Ranch.
Ron Sosebee, a 40-year expert on battling back the brutal effects of Texas' droughts and a professor emeritus with Tech's Department of Natural Resources Management, will talk about sustaining quail habitat on rangelands during drought. Then Dabbert will provide a disease update and summary of new projects and construction underway. In addition, he'll review the success of an artificial cover source for Northern Bobwhite.
The afternoon portion of the program features an update on Northern Bobwhite survival and nest success on the Tongue River Ranch by Tech graduate student Chadd Malone; followed by a demonstration of an automated trap monitoring system by Sean Yancey, another Tech graduate student.
The program ends with Bill Palmer, the game bird research director of Tallahassee's Tall Timbers Research Station, who'll discuss southeastern style quail management and its application on the Texas Rolling Plains.
Four years ago the National Audubon Society listed the Northern Bobwhite Quail as the No. 1 common bird in decline. From 1967 to 2007, the bird's population decreased from 31 million to 5.5 million. "They're declining everywhere, but quail numbers are higher here in the Rolling Plains than other parts of the country," Dabbert said.
Finding reasons for the overall declining quail population and strategies to reverse the trend was the impetus behind the Quail-Tech Alliance Research Initiative. As part of the project Texas Tech is partnering with some of state's storied ranches and smaller rural properties on the project. Launched in January 2010, it's expected to encompass 22 million acres in a 44-county area in west central and northwest Texas.
Written by Norman Martin
CONTACT: Brad Dabbert, associate professor, Department of Natural Resources Management Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2842 or brad.dabbert@ttu.edu
0920NM10
Editor's Note: For more on the Quail-Tech Alliance project, click http://www.quail-tech.org , or contact Brad Dabbert at (806) 742-2842 or brad.dabbert@ttu.edu
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