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372 Sources of Information and Technical Assistance for Quail Managers Dale Rollins Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you’re a thousand miles from the cornfield. Dwight D. Eisenhower The recent quail population declines in Texas have stimulated interest in quail management among landowners, hunters, and other stakeholders . Brennan (1991a) recognized the importance of education in helping stem the decline of bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). Historically, such interests have focused on management practices such as what to plant in food plots (Ramsey and Shult 1984) and the basic habitat requirements of bobwhites (Gore and Wilson 1987). Fortunately, landowners are becoming interested in looking beyond simply planting food plots for quail management. They want to know how to apply landscape-scale conservation practices that will benefit quails along with other species of wildlife. Prior to 1970, quail management literature applicable to Texas was quite common (Lay 1954; Jackson 1969). The next 30 years saw few efforts toward enhancing the libraries of quail managers. Two key books, The Bobwhite in the Rio Grande Plain of Texas (Lehmann 1984) and Beef, Brush, and Bobwhites (Guthery 1986), are important compilations for quail managers in South Texas. Texas’ other quail species, such as scaled quail (Callipepla squamata), garnered little attention until the last few years (Rollins 2000). Recently, national and statewide quail symposia (Cearley 1999; De Maso, Peterson, et al. 2002; DeMaso, Kuvlesky , et al. 2002), short courses (Cohen 1993, 1996), quail appreciation days (Rollins 2002), and related tours have become popular. The Internet clearinghouse for quail-related information from Texas is http:// teamquail.tamu.edu. This chapter lists and describes various types of technical assistance that are available—and mostly free—to quail managers in Texas. Sufficient information and expertise exist so that lack of advice about what people can do to enhance quail populations and habitat should not be a limiting factor. Technical Advice Technical advice on quail management is available from a variety of sources within Texas (table 22.1). Some provide on-site assistance, whereas others provide pamphlets or other publications. The more common sources of information for quail managers in Texas fall into five categories: agencies, universities, foundations, nongovernmental conservation organizations, and private industry (including consultants). Finally, local landowners who are successful quail managers should not be overlooked as sources of information and advice. State agencies that provide technical assistance to quail managers include Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Cooperative Extension (hereafter Extension). Other state agencies that have 22 Table 22.1. Sources for TechnicalAssistance on Quail Management in Texas Types of assistance offered Entity Technical assistance Information Cost share Web site Agencies: State Texas Parks and Wildlife X X X www.tpwd.state.tx.us Department 512-389-4800 Texas Cooperative Extension X X http://texasextension.tamu.edu 979-845-7800 Texas Agricultural Experiment Station X http://agresearch.tamu.edu 979-862-4384 Texas Forest Service X X http://txforestservice.tamu.edu 979-458-6650 Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board X http://www.tsswcb.state.tx.us 800-792-3485 Texas Wildlife Damage Management Service X X http://wls.tamu.edu/ 210-472-5451 Agencies: Federal Farm Service Agency X http://www.fsa.usda.gov/tx 979-680-5150 Natural Resources Conservation Service X X X www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov 254-742-9800 U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service X X X http://arlingtontexas.fws.gov/ 817-277-1100 pfw.htm Universities Angelo State University X http://www.angelo.edu 325-942-2211 Texas State University X http://www.txstate.edu/ 512-245-2111 Stephen F.Austin State University X http://www.sfasu.edu 936-468-2011 Sul Ross State University X http://www.sulross.edu 432-837-8011 Tarleton State University X http://www.tarleton.edu 888-214-4636 Texas A&M University Xa X http://wfscnet.tamu.edu 979-845-5777 Texas A&M University–Kingsville X http://www.tamuk.edu 361-593-2111 Texas Tech University X http://www.ttu.edu 806-742-2011 Foundations and institutes Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute X http://ckwri.tamuk.edu 361-595-3922 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation X www.nfwf.org 202-857-0166 Noble Foundation Xb X www.noble.org 580-223-5810 Welder Wildlife Foundation 361-364-2643 X http://hometown.aol.com/ welderwf/welderweb.html Conservation organizations Quail Unlimited X www.qu.org 620-443-5834 Society for Range Management X www.tssrm.org (Texas Section) 979-845-5579 Texas Audubon Society 512-306-0225 X http://www.audubon...

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