Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Dale Rollins, 325-653-4576, d-rollins@tamu.edu
GLEN ROSE – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will conduct their annual Texas Deer Study Group April 18-19 at Glen Rose.
The first day’s classroom-style program will be in the Somervell County Expo and Texas Amphitheatre, 202 Bo Gibbs Blvd. Activities start at 7:30 a.m. with registration and last until 8:45 p.m. with breaks scheduled during the day for lunch and dinner. A tour of the Quail Ridge Ranch the second day will convene at 8 a.m.
“This year’s theme is Navigating the Deer Management Continuum, which reflects the spectrum of deer management intensity and technologies,” said Dr. Dale Rollins, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist at San Angelo and steering committee member. “A growing trend towards more intensive deer management, including deer breeding, illustrates some managers’ goals, while others believe such intensive management diminishes the overall value of deer in the eyes of the hunter and the public.
“The slate of speakers assembled for this year’s meeting is a who’s who among deer biologists. Topics will range from biology to ethics. Several veterinarians will lead the group in a hands-on deer dissection which will help set the stage for the other presentations. The hands-on teaching method will continue during the second day’s tour of the Quail Ridge Ranch where participants will be trained on proper habitat management.”
The Texas Deer Study Group was initially known as The West Texas Deer Study Group when it first began in 1997. The name changed a decade later to better serve deer managers across the entire state. Rollins said its original purpose of serving as a forum for information exchange among like-minded deer professionals remains the same.
“Since its inception, the program has been a collaboration among AgriLife Extension, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Texas Wildlife Association and Wildlife Systems,” Rollins said.
“The teamwork developed among these partners not only brings a multifaceted approach to an educational meeting, but other spin-offs, like the Buckskin Brigade Wildlife Leadership Camp for youth for example, have helped raise awareness on deer management to audiences of all ages.”
Individual registration is $75 before April 10 and $100 thereafter. Registration is available online at www.texas-wildlife.org.
For more information on the study group, email Helen Holdsworth at hholdsworth@texas-wildlife.org.
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