Dr. Dale on Quail

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 ([email protected]).

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 ([email protected]).

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.