Rangelands in the 21st Century: Broad Demographics, New Ownerships, Innovative Research

*Registration closes October 8 with no on-site registration*

No matter your brand or mission, chances are you will find your audience at The Wildlife Society’s Annual Conference. They regularly have attendees from all 50 U.S. states, several Canadian provinces, sovereign tribes, and beyond. Their attendees are researchers, executives, technicians, professors, land managers, decision-makers, policy analysts, statisticians, students, and more.

Don’t miss the opportunity to attend the 84th Annual Meeting of Texas Soil and Water Conservation District Directors - a beneficial conservation meeting in Texas. You'll enjoy great speakers, breakout sessions, and the advantage of networking with other local Conservation District Directors, SWCD employees, NRCS personnel, and state staff. Additionally, an extensive tradeshow will feature numerous agencies, including East Foundation.

Western U.S. rangelands are home to six quail species, inhabiting diverse ecosystems from grasslands to mountain woodlands. These ecologically significant gamebirds, known for their weather-dependent populations, are of great interest to researchers and conservationists, with some species showing concerning population declines according to recent surveys.

In this issue you can read about the history of water systems in South Texas, a 2024 weather report, how we work together with Texas Brigades, and our bobwhite quail harvest research.

Researchers studied semen quality in wild ocelots and bobcats in southern Texas to assess genetic health and reproductive potential. They compared two semen collection methods: urethral catheterization (UC) and electroejaculation (EEJ). While UC was effective for both species, EEJ produced higher-quality samples in ocelots. The study revealed potentially reduced semen quality in wild ocelots compared to zoo-managed populations, possibly due to decreased genetic diversity.