Week 5:
The week started off with a lovely road trip to East Texas to attend a SARE workshop for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agents, led by Dr. Tomeček and focused on providing resources for agents to assist landowners in managing their property for wildlife, with emphasis on promoting rangeland development that functionally serves agricultural interests as well. We visited numerous sites across three properties, the Gus Engeling WMA, the Richland Creek WMA, and the 77 Ranch, in order to observe and discuss ideal habitat parameters and management methods for target species such as white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail, and turkey, and well as various waterfowl. The trip was highly educational for me, both in terms of insight into the AgriLife Extension structure and the problem-solving and investigative nature of a county agent’s duties, as well as the topic of the workshop itself. The importance of partnerships between Extension agents, local Texas Parks & Wildlife biologists and other regional experts involved in wildlife management and research, and committed landowners such as Mr. and Mrs. Gary Price of the 77 Ranch, was highlighted again and again during the workshop, and it was very clear to me how valuable those relationships can be working within and between the wildlife and agricultural fields. 
Side note: We visited a pitcher plant bog while on the Gus Engeling WMA, and it was an incredibly cool site. I believe the specific species was Sarracenia alata, a carnivorous native plant commonly known as the yellow trumpet or pale pitcher plant.
Wednesday was my first dove trapping day, and it was a success! Two mourning doves were captured in a single trap, so Dr. Tomeček modeled the banding process with the first, and I banded the second under his supervision.* The remainder of the week was a holiday, so I am resuming trapping this week and look forward to further improving my banding skills.
*All animals were handled in accordance with animal care and use procedures in applicable state and federal permits.
Dani Miller
Wildlife Biologist
Stiles Farm Foundation