New World screwworm and chronic wasting disease will be part of a comprehensive look at white- tailed deer management practices throughout the Coastal Bend region during a symposium on Aug. 29 in Robstown.
The event is hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
The Coastal Bend Whitetailed Deer Symposium will be held from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Richard M. Borchard Fairgrounds, 1213 Terry Shamsie Blvd. Registration, which includes lunch, is $50. Preregistration is requested by calling the AgriLife Extension office in Nueces County at 361-767-5248. Door prizes and an extensive vendor exhibition will be part of the day’s activities.
Three continuing education units will be offered — two general and one integrated pest management.
Comprehensive program Organizers anticipate a large turnout and encourage early registration.
“This event has previously attracted several hundred participants throughout South Texas, and we’ve put together a symposium that will cover many different aspects of production management, integration of deer and livestock as well as feral hog and predator control,” said Philip Shackelford, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension southeast regional program leader, Bryan-College Station. “We are anticipating a high turnout and request preregistration in advance, although we will accept registration at the door.”
Vendors and door prizes will also be featured throughout the day as part of the program.
“This symposium is designed to provide landowners with a comprehensive overview of critical aspects of whitetailed deer management that will lead to quality herd management,” said Marcus Blum, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist, Bryan-College Station. “Essential topics covered include nutrition, habitat management, population data collection, feral hog and predator management, and managing livestock and white- tailed deer concurrently. These foundational topics will set landowners up for success in their deer management programs and lead to stronger habitats for many species.”
Topics and speakers
The following are topics and speakers:
■ Nutrition – Karl Harborth, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension livestock specialist and assistant professor, Texas A&M Department of Animal Science, Corpus Christi.
■ Habitat Management – Stacy Hines, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension rangeland habitat specialist and assistant professor, Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Corpus Christi.
■ Biology and Deer Herd Dynamics – Matt Reidy, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, TPWD, biologist, Devine.
■ Food Plots and Supplemental Feeding – Dustin Windsor, TPWD biologist, Corpus Christi.
■ Pre- and Post-Harvest Data – Daniel Kunz, TPWD biologist, Castroville.
■ Chronic Wasting Disease – Ben Olsen, TPWD health specialist, New Braunfels.
■ New World Screwworm Implications for Wildlife – Blaise Korzekwa, TPWD biologist, Floresville.
■ Feral Hog Management, Predator Management – Liz Tidwell, AgriLife Extension small acreage wildlife program specialist, Uvalde, and Jay Long, postdoctoral student, both with the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.
■ Wildlife Tax Valuation – Dusty Alexander, property tax consultant, Texas Land Conservation Network, Austin.