Sandhills Wildlife Appreciation Day set for May 16 in Winkler County

Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu

Contacts: Caleb Eaton, 432-943-2682, cleaton@ag.tamu.edu

Amanda Necessary, 432-524-1421, amanda.necessary@ag.tamu.edu

Dena Floyd, 432-586-2593, dena.floyd@ag.tamu.edu

KERMIT – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will conduct the multi-county Sandhills Wildlife Appreciation Day from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 16 on the YT Ranch near Kermit.

Caleb Eaton, AgriLife Extension agent in Ward County and one of the coordinators, said the ranch is between Kermit and Andrews off of U.S. Highway 115.

The event is open to all ranchers, landowners, hunters and wildlife enthusiasts, Eaton said. The program will be conducted by the AgriLife Extension offices in Ward, Winkler and Andrews counties.

Individual registration is $10 due upon arrival and includes a chuck wagon lunch courtesy of the YT Ranch. An RSVP is requested by May 8. To RSVP and for detailed directions to the field day site, call the AgriLife Extension office in Winkler County at 432-586-2593.

“The purpose of this field day is to educate folks on the unique ecosystem of the Sandhills and the work done by private landowners to manage it,” Eaton said. “Fred Wight and family of the YT Ranch have managed this property for both cattle and wildlife for years. We are very excited to partner with the Wights on this event.”

Eaton said when most people think of Texas wildlife, it’s usually of white-tailed deer and bobwhite quail, but in the Sandhills of West Texas, it’s mule deer and blue quail. Both species, along with dove, will be the focus of the field day.

Speakers will include Dr. Dale Rollins, retired AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist at San Angelo and current executive director of the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch at Roby, and Annaliese Scoggin, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department technical guidance biologist at Midland.

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