Dr. Dale on Quail

Are coyotes a rangeland icon or pariah? How big a threat are they to quail. Join Dr. Dale and his special guest Dr. John Tomecek as they delve into recent research that may just surprise you.

Join Dr. Dale and his special guest Dr. James Martin as they dissect "Population Dynamics for Dummies." Martin is a Professor with the University of Georgia and an avid quail hunter. Topics include "old standbys" like age ratios and more challenging integrated population modeling.

Join Dr. Dale and his guest Tyler Hamilton as they delve into a search for the holy grail in quail management: success on small acreages. Hamilton is a pilot for Southwest Airlines and offers some insightful perspectives based on his property in Dickens County. He's also a graduate of the 2022 QuailMasters class. For previous sessions, see www.quailresearch.org/resources. Thanks to Gary Joiner at Texas Farm Bureau, Jonathan Vail (Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation) for his technical expertise, Jeffrey Sorelle with RPQRF for logistical assistance, and Gordy & Sons of Houston for funding. If you have a suggestion for an interesting interviewee, please e-mail Dr. Rollins (drollins@quailresearch.org).

Greg Dix earned Top Student award in the 2024 QuailMasters class. Dix resides in Missouri and has a ravenous appetite for anything/everything about bobwhites. Join Greg and Dr. Dale for an interesting perspective on what it means (and takes) to be a “Student of Quail.” The next QuailMastersclass musters in March 2026.

“Brush sculpting” is the planned, selective control of brush to enhance wildlife habitat. Think of it as applied landscaping or feng shui. Join Dr. Dale and his special guest Rory Burroughs of Comprehensive Land Management as they provide an overview of the concept, and how to increase “useable space” for quails (and other wildlife) on your property.

“Where have all the quail gone?” is a common lament, especially as one progresses east of the 99th meridian (essentially US 283). The rather acute decline in quail abundance in the eastern Rolling Plains (i.e., from Clay County southward to Coleman County) over the past 20 years is a head-scratcher. Predators, parasites, habitat change, and others are often cited as culprits. Join Dr. Dale and Justin as they dissect the situation.

Ronnie Howard has been an institution in the quail world in south Texas for over 30 years. Most of that time he was managing the San Tomas lease on the King Ranch. Join Ronnie and Dr. Dale as they retrace quail happenings in South Texas through a manager's eyes and other wisdom gleaned from Ronnie's “San Tomas College of Knowledge.

Join Dr. Dale and his guest Dr. Michael Conover from Utah State University this month as they unravel perhaps the most romantic, and mysterious, aspect of hunting with pointing dogs, i.e., their ability to find, and point, game birds via olfaction. Dr. Conover recently published “Predator-Prey Dynamics: the Role of Olfaction” which is a thorough treatise of the origins of scent, and how wind currents, turbulence, and structures on the landscape interact to affect scenting conditions. You won't want to miss this one!

"Patternology" is defined as "the scientific study of patterns." Join Dr. Dale and his guest Dr. Dan Foley as they discuss and dissect various patterns as they relate to quail management and quail hunting. Digest these ideas and weigh them against your own experiences afield.

Ever submitted a blood or urine sample to your doctor to assess your well-being? Join Dr. Dale and his guest Dr. Brad Kubecka as they discuss certain reproductive parameters that play important roles in annual production. Using a 15-year data set from RPQRR, they will evaluate RPQRR's “performance.” They'll also discuss some “sensitivity analyses” that tease out which variables are most important if bobwhite populations are to increase.

It's been a long and winding road, but the first medicated feed for wild birds in the U.S. is now available. Join Dr. Dale and his special guests Dr. Ron Kendall, RPQRF's past-resident Joe Crafton, and Dr. Ryan O'Shaughnessy as they share the research and development that resulted in the FDA's labeling of QuailGuard™ for treating eyeworms and cecal worms in wild quail. QuailGuard is currently being stocked at feed stores across much of Texas. You won't want to miss this one!

Join Dr. Dale and his guest Reggie Thackston from Thackston Wildlife Consulting LLC from the great state of Georgia. Thackston has been an inveterate “Student of Quail” for the past 40 years and has served state game agencies in Georgia, South Carolina, and Oklahoma, in addition to serving on the Board of Trustees for Tall Timbers Research Station in Florida. He is also a long-in-the-tooth quail hunter—his passion for the art and science of quail management is palpable. This episode airs July 20.

Odds are you've sat through a meeting on various Farm Bill programs that began to sound like “acronym soup”—EQIP, CRP, GRIP, WHIP, LIP, and the list goes on. Undoubtedly dollars for conservation abound within the Farm Bill (and other incentive programs), but are you getting your fair share therefrom? Join Dr. Dale and RPQRR's new ranch manager Mitchell Riggs as Riggs describes strategies for making the Farm Bill “all it can be” for Texans interested in quail management.

Join Dr. Dale this month and three special guests as they discuss how quail habitat (and abundance) are impacted by wildfires like those that raged in the Panhandle in late-February. His special guests include Becky Ruzicka (formerly with RPQRF), Chip Ruthven (TPW Project Leader for several WMAs in the Panhandle), and Jeff Bonner (retired TPW biologist stationed in Pampa). They discuss historical contexts and relevant management practices for lessening the impacts of wildfires. Join us on May 20 for this episode.

We often speak of “Leopold's toolbox” and speak often of “axe, plow, cow, and fire,” and how these tools are the basis of our attempts at habitat management. But we should be reminded that these tools are not “one size fits all” and as managers we seek to use them as adjustable (ala “Crescent” wrenches) given various environmental constraints (e.g., rainfall). Join Dr. Dale and his guest Jesse Wood as they discuss the management of scaled (“blue”) quail in the Permian Basin region of west Texas and how we adjust Leopold's tools for a desert habitat. Wood is the Director of Ecology and Sustainable Development for the Permian Basin and works for ConocoPhillips. He's also a graduate of QuailMasters (class of 2017) and an avid quail hunter.

This month's guests are brothers Ty and Marc Bartoskewitz. Both are well-grounded in quail management in TX and currently manage ranches in Stephens and Shackelford counties, respectively. Given their interest, acumen, and budgets, I often refer to them as the “Great (Bob)White Hopes” for the eastern Rolling Plains. Join us on March 20 on how they approach various habitat concerns, and what they see as catalysts for the return of the bobwhite to their former haunts.

This month's guest is Dr. Abe Woodard with the East Foundation. Our topic is a “Quail 303” discussion of “sustained yield” of bobwhites in South Texas. We'll discuss topics along the “hunter X covey interface” including hunting efficiency and crippling loss. Join us on February 20.

This month's guest is Tyler Sladen of Albuquerque, NM. Tyler is a serious falconer who specializes in hunting quail with his Tiercel goshawk “Jimmy Dean.” Tag along with Tyler and Dr. Dale as they discuss the sport of falconry, and specifically hunting the quails of North America with raptors and bird dogs. Sladen, Jimmy Dean, and his corps of Setters have combined to take over 100 quail across nine states in 2023. As a Student of Quail, you can learn a lot from seeing how quail react when pursued by a hawk, and what kind of “storm shelters” serve to foil a hawk's attempts. Join us on January 20; you're going to enjoy this one.

One of the patterns I've noticed over the years is that ranchers with bird dogs are more often astute quail managers. No secret really, they ascribe to what I call “vocation and avocation.” Join us this month as I talk “cows and quail” with Charley Christensen of San Angelo. With bona fides in quail, cattle, and range management Christensen is well qualified to discuss trade-offs between cows and quail, and “where's the beef?”

Perhaps you've never noticed a key herbivore that may be impacting your quail habitat. They're desert termites, and odds are, there are millions beneath your feet . . . literally! Let's just say they're the “graziers down below.” Join me this month as my former colleague Dr. Darrell Ueckert and I get down and dirty on these arthropods. Ueckert, a rangeland entomologist and Professor Emeritus with TAMU, spent years studying these voracious insects. Join us Nov 20 for this trip to the rhizosphere.

I've met some interesting characters as I've traveled over west Texas for the past 40 years, but none more interesting than this month's guest: Bob Richardson of Aspermont, aka “Barefoot Bob.” I usually refer to Bob as “the closest thing Texas has to Crocodile Dundee.” You won't want to miss this opportunity to hear of Barefoot's accomplishments and acumen. In addition to being an authority on feral hogs, rattlesnakes, and porcupines he's also been guiding quail hunters since he was 8 years old. Join us on October 20.

Predator control is always a contentious topic. Dr. Dale's guest this month is Mr. John Palarski with Tall Timbers Research Station. Join us as we delve into the “second line of defense” for dealing with predators, i.e., “beyond habitat.” Palarski recently completed his M.S. research at Tarleton State University and confronted predator control “up close and personal” at his study site in Erath County. Their conversation drills down on control techniques. Join us September` 20.

There's a new sheriff in town! Join Dr. Dale this month with his guest Dr. Ryan O'Shaughnessy. Ryan took over as Executive Director this past May and has been busy as a brooding bobwhite hen since that time. He will discuss his passion for quail and quail hunting and speak to what's on the horizon for the Foundation. And you'll discover some skills that he possesses that will set him apart from most quail hunters in Texas (aside from his accent!).

Join Dr. Dale this month with his guest Horace Gore. Gore is a familiar name in Texas wildlife management circles. While many folks know him from his tenure as White-tailed Deer Program Leader for TPWD in the 1990s, or for his service as editor of the Journal of Texas Trophy Hunters Magazine for the past 15 years, his initial entrée into wildlife management was focused on bobwhites! And his adolescence carrying a Model 12 shotgun fueled many observations and stories. You won't want to miss this one! Available July 20

Join Dr. Dale and his guest Brian Hays as they discuss the why's and wherefore's of establishing Native Warm Season Grasses. These grasses can be used to enhance nesting cover. Hays is a consultant for Bamert Seed Company and helps landowners across several states.

oin us as we visit with retired Texas Parks & Wildlife State Game Wardens Jack Burrus and Gary Self. Both were stationed at Childress, Texas and served Childress and Hall Counties. Burrus started in 1961 and when he retired Self moved to Childress. Between them, they served that area for over 50 years and have witnessed a lot of changes in hunting regulations, hunting trends, habitat changes and law enforcement. Join us on May 20.

Say what? Yep, appreciate as in “to judge with heightened awareness” or “be cautiously or sensitively aware of.” My guest this month is Dr. Clint Boal, a professor and raptor specialist from Texas Tech University. Dr. Boal appreciates raptors as in “to value or admire highly.” Suum cuique. We'll discuss the commonly observed raptors in west Texas and which constitute a “quail threat.” We'll also recap some of the recent research that Dr. Boal and his student Becky Perkins conducted on the ranch about 10 years ago. Join us on April 20.

Dana Wright is the newest member of our team here at RPQRF. She just retired from a stellar 30-year career with TPWD stationed in Paducah. Ask anyone who knows Dana and they'll confirm she's a “go-getter”—we're excited to have her on board! In this podcast Dana shares her experiences with landowners and trends she's observed over her career. She also discusses how she plans to spread the word about quail conservation for all “Students of Quail.”

“When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.” – African proverb Take a trip back through time this month as Dr. Rollins hits the rewind button on quail happenings in Cottle County dating back to the 1930s. Mr. Joe Don Brooks of Paducah will soon turn 90 years old, but his recall of quail happenings in the 1950s are quite vivid. We share stories about A.S. Jackson, a renowned quail biologist and naturalist and landscape level changes that have had repercussions for bobwhites. Join us for some reminiscing on February 20.

This month's guest is Gene T. Miller of Amarillo. Gene's career was largely with TPWD as a Technical Guidance Biologist. We'll discuss the “form and function” of shelterbelts as true wildlife oases on the Great Plains.

Episode 44: Roy Wilson- 40 Years of Outfitting Quail Hunts in West Texas by Dr. Dale Rollins

Carter Smith has served as Executive Director for TPWD for the past 15 years and retires at the end of this year. He is one of the most engaging guests you'll ever encounter. See for yourself as he joins me on November 20 to address the future of quail hunting in Texas. Smith earned wildlife degrees from Texas Tech and Yale. If you missed the podcast he did with Steve Rinella of MeatEater a couple of years ago you need to look it up and listen to it—he was as nimble navigating the questioning as an experienced Setter hustling through a patch of prickly pear. The RPQRR hosted Smith and colleague Clayton Wolf for a special quail hunt in February 2017; catch the play-by-play from Smith showing how a great quail hunt (55 coveys!) can miraculously cure a bad case of plantar fasciitis!

How do quail and quail management affect rural land values? Is the “bird dog's tail” wagging the “livestock dog” relative to land prices? These will be the topics of Dr. Rollins and his guest Sam Middleton for the October podcast. Middleton has likely handled more “quail-land” transactions than any realtor in the state. His “trophy wall” of recent sales include the W. T. Waggoner, the Four Sixes, the Matador, and Mesa Vista ranches. He'll share his perspectives on what's hot and what's not.

Odds are if you have a hunting dog (defined broadly), you've done business with Gun Dog Supply's Steve Snell. I first met Snell in 2008 and have shared quail leases with him several times since then. Believe me, there's no one you'd rather have on your lease than Steve as he can troubleshoot your e-collar or GPS collar! Steve has served as a director for RPQRF since 2017. Join Dr. Dale, Dr. Brad Kubecka, and Steve as they discuss technologies useful in the bird dog world.

Last February outdoor TV mogul Chris Dorsey visited the RPQRR. I'd heard Dorsey's name but hadn't kept up with his accomplishments—this dog will hunt! Labeled as “The Brandfather” of outdoor TV, Dorsey has launched a total of 45 outdoor series in addition to his prowess in the print media. Less than a week after his visit, there was an article in Forbes magazine (see the article at: https://www.forbes.com/covering (in detail) his visit to RPQRR and his quail hunting experience the day after on the Snipes Ranch. I found him an excellent wordsmith and a genuinely effective spokesperson for our sport. Catch his interview on August 20 with Dr. Rollins as they discover and share their common DNA when one's vocation and avocation are indeed a double-helix.

Dr. Brad Kubecka succeeded Dr. Rollins as Executive Director in June 2021. Join us this month as Drs. Rollins and Kubecka elaborate on new research projects and outreach efforts at RPQRF. Kubecka did his doctoral research at Tall Timbers Research Station and the Martin Game Bird Lab at the University of Georgia. His experiences and research at TTRS influenced his strategies on supplemental feeding, chick ecology, and predator management. Will these practices be as effective here on the western range of the bobwhite?

Training is usually a prerequisite for good bird dogs. This month's special guest is Mr. Ronnie Smith, Jr. with Ronnie Smith Kennels in Pawhuska, OK. The name “Smith” is synonymous with well-trained birddogs ala Delmar, Rick, and Ronnie Smith. Ronnie (Delmar's nephew) has been training pointing dogs since 1982. Here Smith addresses common behaviors that can (and should) be corrected with proper training. You're going to enjoy this one!

Most of the quail hunting opportunities in Texas are found on privately-owned lands. But several TPWD Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are popular destinations too. This month's guest is Mr. Chip Ruthven who oversees several WMAs in the Panhandle of Texas. Chip and I discuss the status of quail management efforts at the Matador WMA (probably the most popular WMA in Texas for both resident and non-resident quail hunters). Ruthven earned his B.S. at Texas Tech University and his M.S. at Texas A&M-Kingsville. In addition to our quail discussions, he will also highlight some rattlesnake research he conducted while at the Chaparral WMA.

My guest this month is Dr. Scott Henke with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Henke has been involved with much of the research done on the risks to wildlife from aflatoxins in deer corn over the past 20 years. Join us for a fact-filled discussion on the controversy.

This month's podcast features a “rags to riches” story about RPQRF Director Russell Gordy of Houston. Russell's love of shotguns has transported him from the Sears & Roebuck catalog of his youth to the pinnacle of a “gun shop” at Gordy & Sons of Houston—it's a fascinating odyssey that I know you'll enjoy. If you're a connoisseur of fine guns, you'll appreciate Gordy's description of his gun collection as “functional art.” And we thank Gordy and Sons for their sponsorship of the Dr. Dale on Quail podcast The Dr. Dale on Quail podcast series was initiated three years ago, and it's been really well received. Co-host Gary Joiner (Communications Director for Texas Farm Bureau) serves as a great color commentator. The monthly podcast lasts 30-40 minutes and addresses various quail-related topics. For previous sessions, see www.quailresearch.org/resources. Thanks to Jonathan Vail (Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation) for his technical expertise, Jeffrey Sorelle with RPQRF for logistical assistance, and Gordy & Sons of Houston for funding the effort. If you have a suggestion for an interesting interviewee, please e-mail Dr. Rollins (drollins@quailresearch.org).

The most “photographed photograph” at RPQRR is one of my four “Betters” sitting atop the high seat in a Lannom Ranch Buggy. This month's guest is John Lannom who designs and custom-builds the buggies in Ft. Stockton. If you've spent much time hunting in the Permian Basin or Trans-Pecos ecoregions, chances are you've seen (or hunted from) a Lannom Ranch Buggy. I was introduced to them in 1994 on a mule deer hunt in Culberson County, but got really intrigued by them after some quail hunts in Pecos County in 1999. Tune in on February 20 as we discuss the form and function of these unique vehicles. The Dr. Dale on Quail podcast series was initiated three year ago, and it's been really well received. Co-host Gary Joiner (Communications Director for Texas Farm Bureau) serves as a great color commentator. The monthly podcast lasts 30-40 minutes and addresses various quail-related topics. For previous sessions, see www.quailresearch.org/resources. Thanks to Jonathan Vail (Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation) for his technical expertise, Jeffrey Sorelle with RPQRF for logistical assistance, and Gordy & Sons of Houston for funding the effort. If you have a suggestion for an interesting interviewee, please e-mail Dr. Rollins (drollins@quailresearch.org).

Pete Delkus has been the Chief Meteorologist at WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas since 2005. He has over two and half decades of meteorology experience which includes extensive work in severe weather, hurricane forecasting, wind analysis and winter storm prediction. Pete has won 16 Emmy Awards for weather anchoring and special show hosting. Delkus holds a Bachelor's of Science from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) and is board certified by the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association. Pete's love for the outdoors began when he was a very young boy hunting alongside his father in the Midwest. Whether it was waterfowl, big game or upland birds, his fondest memories are of quail hunting, which is why he is so passionate about passing this legacy onto his son and others. In 2005, Pete and his wife, Jacque, along with their kids, Emily and Peter, moved to Dallas and have loved everything about the great state of Texas. Pete serves as a Trustee at Dallas Baptist University, is a Director of Park Cities Quail Coalition and a Life Member of Quail Coalition.

This month's guest is Mr. Clay Sisson from Albany, GA. Clay's name is often quoted in quail management circles via his work with the Albany Quail Project and more recently with Tall Timbers Research Station. I first met Clay at a Quail Unlimited convention in Houston way back in 1989, and have grown to appreciate his contributions to practical, meaningful management strategies for quail-folk. Since that time I've had the opportunity to hunt quail with Clay in west Texas and have found we seem to have been "cut from the same cloth."

This month's guest is Mr. Rob Hailey from Abilene. The Hailey Ranch, located about 10 miles north of Abilene is a one-man show, and Rob is the one man! The Hailey Ranch has been a frequent stop for QuailMasters and related programming; his ranch is always a fan-favorite among the many ranches that QuailMasters have the privilege of visiting. Rob uses “ax, plow, cow, and fire” as well as anyone to promote habitat for bobwhites, mourning doves, and a variety of nongame species. Most of the time he deploys sweat equity and ingenuity over capital outlays. Listen carefully and you'll find out something about Rob that you might never suspect (it was a surprise to me [DR] and makes you respect Mr. Hailey even more). The Dr. Dale on Quail podcast series was initiated three year ago, and it's been really well received. Co-host Gary Joiner (Communications Director for Texas Farm Bureau) serves as a great color commentator. The monthly podcast lasts 30-40 minutes and addresses various quail-related topics. For previous sessions, see www.quailresearch.org/resources. Thanks to Jonathan Vail (Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation) for his technical expertise, Jeffrey Sorelle with RPQRF for logistical assistance, and Gordy & Sons of Houston for funding the effort.

If you're a golfer, a reference to the Augusta National means it just can't get much better. If you're a quail hunter, the same holds true for the Snipes Ranch in Stonewall County. Join us this month as Rick Snipes shares his quail odyssey on a deep sand site near Aspermont. The ingredients for this special property include a foundation on Nobscot soils which was then cultured by Snipes with ecology and innovation. Snipes also served ten years as the President of the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation and recaps the progress made during his tenure.

Quail Research Update from Oklahoma State University Dr. Rollins' guest this month is his colleague Dr. Dwayne Elmore from Oklahoma State University. Join them as they discuss quail happenings north of the Red River. Dr. Elmore is a Professor, Wildlife Extension Specialist, and Bollenbach Chair in Wildlife Biology in the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Oklahoma State University. He earned degrees in wildlife biology from the University of Tennessee-Martin, Mississippi State University, and Utah State University. Dwayne works with various stakeholders including private landowners, state and federal agencies, and private conservation organizations to assist them with wildlife habitat management. His research is primarily focused on upland game birds, and he has worked with 10 different species including northern bobwhite. Dwayne is passionate about all things quail including hunting, bird dogs, research, and land management. He and his wife help manage family property in southern Georgia for bobwhite and gopher tortoises, and he is especially interested in helping other landowners achieve their wildlife management objectives.

“If I have seen further than others it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.” - Sir Isaac Newton Some giants are metaphorical while others fit the physical expectations. A rare few fulfill both dimensions. Ricky Linex is the latter, a giant in every sense of the word, but a “gentle giant” in every situation. I've known Ricky since 1982 when we were classmates at Texas Tech. Over that span of years, I have worked with him on numerous tours, workshops, QuailMasters classes, and Bobwhite Brigades. His passion, patience, and knowledge of plant identification have opened the eyes of so many. And his magnum opus (Rangeland Plants of North-Central Texas) serves as the go-to field guide for plants in the northwestern half of Texas. Thanks, Ricky, for traveling across the state (and beyond!) with the QuailMasters classes; I don't think you'll ever speak to a group of students who appreciated your message any more than they did.

This month's guest is Mr. Pen DeVries, a native of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia). DeVries spent his formative years on a 30,000-acre game reserve in Rhodesia but recently moved to southwestern Oklahoma where he's managing a ranch for bobwhites. Dr. Rollins met up with him during a private consulting venture and was impressed with his commitment towards our beloved bobwhite. DeVries has adapted to his new environment and shares some tips that will benefit any Student of Quail.

June- Dabbert Fire Ants by Dr. Dale Rollins

My guest this month is John McLaughlin, TPWD’s Quail Program coordinator for west Texas. Join us as we discuss TPWD’s role and philosophy on quail management and hunting regulations. We’ll also discuss supplemental feeding—a topic that McLaughlin studied for his Master’s degree at Texas Tech University.

My guest this month is Darcy Turner of Turner Seed Co. in Breckenridge. Darcy holds a B.S. in Agronomy from Texas A&M University. He subsequently returned to the family-owned business in 1982. While Turner Seed markets a variety of seeds for different needs, I suspect they sell more wildlife-targeted species and blends than anyone else. Darcy is my “go to” man when I have a question about food plots for quail. Join us as we discuss Food Plots 101.