VAN HORN — Most folks admire mule deer. Now, deer aficionados can learn to appreciate them even more by attending the first-ever Texas Cooperative Extension-sponsored “Mule Deer Appreciation Day.” The program is set for Oct. 3 in Van Horn’s Civic Center.
The program begins at 8:30 a.m. Two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units (CEUs) will be offered.
“We started the appreciation’ theme about seven years ago with predators,” said Dr. Dale Rollins, San Angelo-based Extension wildlife specialist and the originator of the appreciation-theme program series. “Since then we’ve appreciated’ quail, deer, feral hogs, and even brush. The definition of appreciation ranges from to value or admire highly’ to to be cautiously or sensitively aware of.’ Both contexts are appropriate for mule deer.
“We’ve held several white-tailed deer appreciation days across Texas since we started the deer series in 2000, but this is our inaugural Mule Deer Appreciation Day. These programs are all very timely and we’ve received high marks for past efforts. A unique agenda item included in all the deer programs is a necropsy of a deer done to learn more about the animals from the inside out’.
“The goal of this program is to pique folks’ curiosity about deer and their management and to instill in them a hunger to learn more about these magnificent game animals.
“As the value of deer and deer hunting continues to escalate in rural Texas, it behooves landowners and managers to stay on the cutting edge of deer management. These workshops are a great place to start.”
Topics covered during the program include basic deer biology, deer diet and nutrition, mule deer population trends, predator management, chronic wasting disease, aging, and Extension’s Buckskin Brigade youth camp.
The program also includes a three-stop tour featuring habitat enhancement, plant identification, water development, predator trend assessment, and remote camera use in mule deer management.
Adjournment is set for 4:30 p.m.
Sponsoring counties include Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Brewster, Pecos, Presidio, and Reeves. Co-sponsors include Extension’s Texas Brigades youth leadership camps, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Wildlife Association, Texas Wildlife Damage Management Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Pre-registration is $10 per person until Oct. 1. Registration later and at the door is $15 per person.
For further information contact the Extension offices in any of the participating counties or call Rollins at (915) 653-4576 or e-mail him at d-rollins@tamu.edu.
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