CattleCon is an industry-leading event bringing together the brightest minds, breakthrough innovations, and unparalleled networking in one dynamic space. Early registration guarantees your choice of sessions and accommodations. Join peers and industry pioneers for conversations that will shape the future of our field - we'll see you there!

Connect with hundreds of wildlife professionals and students at The Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society's dynamic annual conference, where you'll experience cutting-edge research presentations, valuable networking opportunities, engaging workshops, and student competitions – all while connecting with colleagues from across Texas in a different exciting location each February!

Join us for South Texas's premier conservation celebration - the Harvey Weil Dinner. This cherished tradition bridges generations, paying tribute to our rich heritage while advancing our commitment to tomorrow's legacy. Reserve your place at an evening where lasting friendships, meaningful conservation, and the spirit of Harvey Weil come together for an unforgettable South Texas evening. 

This article documents an observation of pyric-carnivory, where a Crested Caracara preyed on a Texas Tortoise following a prescribed fire in southern Texas, illustrating how fire can temporarily increase prey vulnerability by removing protective cover. The incident highlights the complex relationship between fire management, predator-prey dynamics, and species conservation, emphasizing the need for further research on the short-term and long-term ecological impacts of prescribed fires on species like the Texas Tortoise.

Northern bobwhite population estimates have been crucial for wildlife management in Texas, where the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute has spent over 30 years developing estimation techniques, including a 2010 method for converting helicopter survey counts to density estimates. Building upon the 2010 work, recent research from 2014-2019 has led to an updated conversion factor that accounts for survey conditions like weather, time of day, and brush cover, providing more accurate population estimates for this important gamebird species.

From 2015 to 2019, researchers captured and analyzed blood samples from 364 mule deer across Texas's Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions to establish the first comprehensive hematologic and biochemical reference intervals for the species. This groundbreaking study, which included testing for diseases like bluetongue virus and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus, provides wildlife managers with vital baseline health parameters to guide future mule deer conservation and restoration efforts.