QDMA to Host Deer Steward Course in Kingsville

Written on: 12/03/2009 by: QDMA        

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Bogart, Ga. -

Look for huge whitetails on a driving tour of the famous King Ranch. Tour the deer-research pens at Texas A&M-Kingsville. Sit down to dinner with the nation’s leading deer management experts. Learn how to create better deer and better deer hunting when you get back home. You will do all of this in one weekend at QDMA’s Deer Steward course in Kingsville, Texas, February 25-28.

QDMA’s Deer Steward Courses teach hunters, landowners and natural resource professionals to better manage white-tailed deer and their habitat. Led by the nation's top experts in the field—wildlife biologists, habitat managers, consultants, scientists, and foresters—the courses are packed with the latest science and techniques. February’s Level One course, a two-and-a-half day event at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, is designed to specifically address the habitat and management issues relevant to Texas and the Southwest.

Joining the lineup of speakers for this course are Dr. Mickey Hellickson, Chief Wildlife Biologist at the King Ranch; Al Brothers, retired wildlife biologist and co-author of Producing Quality Whitetails; Dr. Randy DeYoung, professor at Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Marc Bartoskewitz, assistant area manager of natural resources at the King Ranch; Ryan Foster, property manager at Tecomate Ranch; and Dr. Dave Hewitt, professor at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

The Kingsville course runs from the evening of Thursday, February 25, until the morning of Sunday, February 28, when attendees will have the opportunity to take a half-day field trip to the renowned King Ranch. The charter-bus tour of the 825,000-acre property focuses on the habitat management zones and premier deer areas which are home to world-class trophies.

QDMA’s Deer Steward curriculum offers three levels of potential achievement. The Kingsville event, a Level One course, provides attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the key principles of deer and habitat biology, ecology and management and focuses on the four cornerstones of QDM—herd management, habitat management, hunter management and herd monitoring. During the two-and-a-half day course, participants will take part in nearly 20 presentations by deer management experts. For professionals who attend, the course provides 17.5 Continuing Forestry Education (CFE) credits from the Society of American Foresters (SAF). 

Registration begins January 4, 2010. To register, call 800-209-3337 or visit www.QDMA.com, where you will also find a complete list of speakers and topics for the course. The course is limited to a maximum of 50 participants, so register early. The cost is $750 for QDMA members, $800 for non-members, and includes meals and course materials. Receive a $50 Early Bird discount if you register by February 1.

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About QDMA
Founded in 1988, QDMA is a national nonprofit wildlife conservation organization with more than 50,000 members in all 50 states and Canada, and several foreign countries. Membership in QDMA is open to anyone interested in better deer and better deer hunting, and committed to ethical hunting, sound deer management and the preservation of the deer-hunting heritage. To learn more about QDMA and why it is the future of deer hunting, call (800) 209-3337 or visit www.QDMA.com.