Answering the call of the wild: with the first two-year program of its kind, Southwest Texas Junior College is introducing students to the field of wildlife management.

As the first cool front of the year arrived in the brush country of South Texas, a young college student ensconced in an elevated deer blind was living his dream. With the sudden drop in temperature, a surge in deer activity occurred as the older, larger-racked bucks began to appear in the semi-open chaparral. The student estimated each deer's age and antler size in inches and jotted notes for later reference.

After glassing (viewing through binoculars) several mature bucks exhibiting 10 or more points and scoring in excess of 150 inches, the young man's adrenalin level escalated in anticipation of seeing one of the old monarchs known to frequent the area As the sun dipped below the pastel, orange-colored evening horizon, a buck appeared 100 yards from his position.

The large, dark-bodied buck with jet-black, damp hocks appeared then rapidly disappeared back into the sea of brush, but not before the young man could distinguish 16 points on massive, wide-sweeping beams. A rack of this magnitude does not require much time to critique before a decision to shoot is made, but the young man was not hunting. He was scouting the area for a client who would be arriving in a few days.

The harvest of a predetermined segment of the standing crop--in this case, deer--is one of the most fascinating phases of wildlife management. The student was working on the ranch as a wildlife intern. It was a vital part of his learning experience, which would eventually lead to a career in wildlife management.

His field activities included much more than scouting. He was involved with food plot development, estimating vegetation abundance and its utilization by deer, and identification of the species making up the vegetative component of the ranch. He also participated in habitat manipulation practices employing techniques such as prescribed burning, surveying wildlife populations, data collection and, of course, participating in the most exciting part of the program--hunting--all of which he studied in the classroom at Southwest Texas Junior College (SWTJC) in Uvalde.

Guided by Knowledge

Guiding an individual to a deer is not difficult, particularly in Texas where an estimated 4,000,000 deer exist. But to harvest the correct animal takes patience and, above all, skill. The guide must not only know how to locate the particular animal, but be proficient at estimating its age and antler size--a skill that requires practice.

On intensively managed lands, the harvest is composed of only those bucks satisfying predetermined criteria. At one time, sportsmen would shoot the first nice buck observed, but that is changing. Sportsmen have become discretionary as to what they shoot. Therefore, the biologist must have knowledge of overall herd quality and composition and know what deer can be removed. This requirement is satisfied by obtaining a good estimate of the mature buck component.

For example, if 100 bucks are observed on a survey, and 20 percent of them are five to six years old, no more than 20 mature bucks should be removed. If the harvest exceeds the recommended quota, younger bucks are subject to removal prior to maturity--"their optimal antler-growing years."

In some cases, managers recommend harvesting only 50 percent of the mature trophy-racked bucks. In this case, only 10 trophy bucks would be harvested, with the remainder consisting of mature bucks demonstrating undesirable phenotypic (visible) characteristics.

Based on these criteria, the student's scouting activity becomes even more important, because there is little room for error. A professional guide's objective is to satisfy hunter and harvest criteria simultaneously.

Biologists depend on data collected on population surveys in conjunction with harvest statistics such as age, weight and gross score of the antlers in inches, if male, of the animals removed. The consolidation and analysis of this information ensures the manager of making the correct decision.

Hunting for a Career

Scouting and harvesting the appropriate buck is one of the most enjoyable aspects of deer management, but in order to become a professional wildlife manager, much more is involved. Individuals with the goal to gain employment in this arena must make several choices in order to reach their objectives.

The first choice is to select a college that has a wildlife management program in place. Texas colleges offering degree programs in wildlife include Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Sul Ross University and Texas State University. All of these are four-year programs leading to a bachelor of science degree with an option to become a certified wildlife biologist by The Wildlife Society.

For those interested in a two-year technical program, SWTJC now offers an applied science degree in wildlife management. The program began in the fall of 2005, representing the first and only technical two-year wildlife management program offered in the state.

Uvalde is one of the most unique locations in the state to study wildlife. It represents the crossroads separating the oak-laden, river-rich Balcones escarpment to the north, with the low-lying buck-rich brush country to the south, and the Chihuahuan desert to the west.

With species ranging from whitetail, mule deer and antelope to the rare golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo, SWTJC provides students with a rich diversity of wildlife to study. The region is as attractive to naturalists in search of rare birds, amphibians and plants as it is to sportsmen searching for a trophy buck. A variety of exotic occupants, such as axis deer, blackbuck antelope, scimitar-horned oryx, zebra and even cape buffalo, afford students a unique opportunity to observe and study exotic animals, some of which are rare or even endangered in their homelands.

Tracking the Course

As the range and wildlife management coordinator at SWTJC, I afford students practical management skills that I have acquired over the last 30 years as a certified wildlife biologist in private land management.

Courses include introduction to wildlife management, range and wildlife ecology, wildlife conservation, and wildlife management techniques, all of which can transfer to Texas A&M-Kingsville toward a four-year bachelor's degree.

Additional courses include wildlife identification, wildlife outdoor recreation and management, wildlife preserve management, and wildlife propagation, handling and management. Courses were designed to meet the challenges presented to future wildlife technicians by the consolidated effort of professionals.

Wildlife identification is a course dedicated to the field identification of animals, birds and insects, and their importance to the ecosystem. In the wildlife outdoor recreation and management course, students are introduced to techniques applicable to the outdoor recreation industry, such as booking clients, entertaining guests, liability, safety concerns and communication skills. Ethical standards concerning the use of natural resources are an important part of the course.

The course in wildlife preserve management covers both conventional and nonconventional wildlife management techniques such as, but not limited to, deer management on open range and high-fenced operations. Topics include determining and conducting harvest, identification of vegetation preferred by wildlife, identification of common parasites and diseases, acquisition of legal permits required for particular harvest objectives, and a thorough knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of game deterrent fences.

Students also learn how to collect, analyze and consolidate data into an annual report. Mapping habitats with state-of-the-art geographic information system equipment is also practiced. The wildlife propagation and handling course provides students with the necessary skills for raising both big game and game birds.

Coursework is complemented by field trips to recognized wildlife management areas to observe the theory studied in the classroom as applied in real-life situations. Students are able to participate in some of the most exciting techniques employed in the profession. These may include capturing deer with the aid of helicopters, bottle raising fawns in deer husbandry operations, and prescribed fire. Two courses require students to work with private and state wildlife professionals in the field to obtain hands-on practical experience.

The wildlife management program at SWTJC provides a practical hands-on experience in the field of wildlife management. The objective is to provide well-trained wildlife technicians capable of satisfying the demand for an increasing number of technical wildlife management positions throughout the state.

The first and only junior college in the state offering a two-year technical degree in wildlife management, SWTJC may be just the place for those who want to begin a challenging and rewarding career in wildlife management, or for those who simply want to enrich their outdoor experience through a better understanding or our unique wild surroundings.

Robert Zaiglin is the range and wildlife management coordinator at Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, Texas. He can be contacted at rzaiglin@swtjc. cc.tx.us.