Bobwhite Quail

Jason Hardin, Upland Game Bird Specialist with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, will be the presenter for Second Saturday at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, on December 13, at 10 am. 

Hardin's topic will be "The Bobwhite Quail".

Hardin, who earned his undergraduate in Forest Wildlife Management at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, and master’s degree in Range and Wildlife Management at Texas A&M University – Kingsville, has also worked as Coordinator for the Audubon Texas Quail and Grassland Birds Initiative.  His graduate work focused on empirical testing of Dr. Fred Guthery’s “Hunter-Covey Interface Theory”, and he served as Coordinator of the Quail Associates Program for the first two years of the project.   

According to state biologists, the Bobwhite Quail population has decreased 75% over the past 30 years, due to disappearing grasslands across Texas.  Last year Texas lawmakers earmarked funds for restoring prime quail habitat, and expanding research and education about the species.  Hardin will address the present status of quail and restoration efforts in his talk.

Second Saturday programs are open to the public, free of charge, and are held in the Visitor Center Meeting Room.  Hagerman NWR is located at 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, 75092.  For more information, contact the Refuge, 903 786 2826, or see friendsofhagerman.com/.