TEXAS WILDLIFE
CAESAR KLEBERG WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE
A Model of Applied Research Article by DAVE HEWITT, CHARLIE DEYOUNG, TIM FULBRIGHT and DON DRAEGER
Tim Fulbright and CWKRI graduate students take detailed measurements of shrubs, some protected from deer browsing by fences, to determine the effect of deer foraging on vegetation.
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n 2003, Dan Friedkin and Donnie Draeger approached Charlie DeYoung with an idea of studying two key questions they had about deer management on the Comanche Ranch near Carrizo Springs. The first question was: “What is the deer density that results in the largest number of trophy bucks without damaging the habitat?” The second was: “What is the effect of supplemental food on productivity of deer and on the habitat? These two questions are relevant to every deer management program in Texas. These questions also delve deep into the
basic ecology of wildlife populations, foraging ecology and the relationship between deer and plants. This research agenda was both simple and complex, exciting and daunting. A hallmark of great science is replicating the study, which means doing the study more than once to determine if the results are repeatable and applicable to more than one place. To meet this goal, Friedkin, Draeger and DeYoung approached Stuart Stedman who understood the value of making the study repeatable and enthusiastically offered the Faith Ranch as a second study site. With this step, the
Sponsored by JOHN AND LAURIE SAUNDERS
26 T E X A S W I L D L I F E
DECEMBER 2020
