It's October, which means quail hunting season will soon be here (starting on Halloween this year!). Until then, we've got some recommendations for quail research institutions you should follow, as well as a new live video series focusing on Aldo Leopold's wildlife habitat management tools.
What's new with RQDI?
Leopold Live launches! This new web series, hosted by TAMU NRI, explores Aldo Leopold's 5 tools of wildlife management. The first two episodes focus on "axe" and "cow," and you can catch episode 3 live this week! (See Events below).
As September ends, data collection for the final year of the Texas Quail Index draws to a close. We'll be hard at work analyzing the numbers sent to us by our cooperators in the field and will let you know when results are published in the coming months.
Resources for Students of Quail
"Quail Research Institutions"
You may recall in our last newsletter our announcement that RQDI will be coming to an end in December. While we're sad to say farewell, we also know you're still passionate about quail, so we're committed to showcasing other organizations you may be interested in following. For quail research in Texas, check out newsletters from the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch and Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute.
We will also continue to cover quail (in addition to numerous other wildlife and land stewardship topics) within the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, which puts out the Conservation Matters newsletter.
"Outdoor Annual and Hunting Forecast"
If you're a hunter, you probably already know about Texas Parks and Wildlife's Outdoor Annual--the online version not only has season dates and bag limits, but links to hunter education options as well. Whether you're a quail hunter or not, you'll also want to hear Dr. Dale's Quail Hunting Forecast, which is based on this year's population data.
Quail season starts October 31!
Video of the Month
If you're going to be bagging birds this season, see if you can age them! Keeping track of juveniles vs adults is a good way to gauge how successful the breeding season was (lots of juveniles now means lots of chicks were produced in spring).
Upcoming Events
Hunting Season
Quail hunting season runs from Oct. 31, 2020 - Feb. 28, 2021. You'll need an Upland Gamebird Stamp in order to participate.
Leopold Live: Plow
This Wednesday @10 AM, you can tune into Facebook for the third entry in this new web series, covering the use of the plow as a tool for wildlife management. RQDI will be there to answer questions in real time!
Thank you all for your continued support! If you want the most up-to-date quail news, check out our social media accounts below.
