{"id":{"repo_id":"texas-state","oai_identifier":"oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/3142"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/texas-state/oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/3142","repository":{"repo_id":"texas-state","name":"Texas State University","base_url":"https://digital.library.txst.edu/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Effectiveness of Surrogators As A Propagation Tool for Northern Bobwhites In South-Central Texas","abstract":"Attempts to restore populations of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) using game-farm quail have been documented since the early 1900s. Low restoration success rates are likely to the result of low post-release survival rates (8-15 days) and long distance dispersal from release sites averaging 2.33 km. Claims have been made that Surrogators®, a quail propagation tool, has increased success rates in both these areas. Following steps outlined in the Wildlife Management Technologies 2009 Surrogator System Guide, I tested the effectiveness of surrogators on bobwhite survival, dispersal, and habitat selection. I accomplished this by raising 1,000 bobwhites in two surrogators and conducting two trials per year in 2009 and 2010 on a 990-ha ranch in Wilson County, TX. Twenty bobwhites from each surrogator were fitted with transmitters 12 h before release. I attempted to locate each bobwhite daily for 3 weeks, followed by a reduced effort of three times per week until mortality reached 100%. Transmitter attachment techniques used during 2009 failed; thus no data were recorded on mortality and dispersal. Bart and Robson’s Maximum Likelihood Estimators of daily survival rates calculated for bobwhites released from surrogators A and B during the first trial 2010 were low (0.87 and 0.96, respectively). Daily survival rates of bobwhites calculated for surrogators A and B in the second trial of 2010 were also low (0.83 and 0.87, respectively). Mean distances traveled by bobwhites post-release during the first trial of 2010 were 401 m and 1,416 m for surrogators A and B, respectively. Dispersal statistics were not calculated for the second trial of 2010 because of small sample size (n < 2). There was no difference in habitat use. My results do not support the use of surrogators as an effective means of restoring wild populations of northern bobwhites in southern Texas.","abstract_html":"Attempts to restore populations of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) using game-farm quail have been documented since the early 1900s. Low restoration success rates are likely to the result of low post-release survival rates (8-15 days) and long distance dispersal from release sites averaging 2.33 km. Claims have been made that Surrogators®, a quail propagation tool, has increased success rates in both these areas. Following steps outlined in the Wildlife Management Technologies 2009 Surrogator System Guide, I tested the effectiveness of surrogators on bobwhite survival, dispersal, and habitat selection. I accomplished this by raising 1,000 bobwhites in two surrogators and conducting two trials per year in 2009 and 2010 on a 990-ha ranch in Wilson County, TX. Twenty bobwhites from each surrogator were fitted with transmitters 12 h before release. I attempted to locate each bobwhite daily for 3 weeks, followed by a reduced effort of three times per week until mortality reached 100%. Transmitter attachment techniques used during 2009 failed; thus no data were recorded on mortality and dispersal. Bart and Robson’s Maximum Likelihood Estimators of daily survival rates calculated for bobwhites released from surrogators A and B during the first trial 2010 were low (0.87 and 0.96, respectively). Daily survival rates of bobwhites calculated for surrogators A and B in the second trial of 2010 were also low (0.83 and 0.87, respectively). Mean distances traveled by bobwhites post-release during the first trial of 2010 were 401 m and 1,416 m for surrogators A and B, respectively. Dispersal statistics were not calculated for the second trial of 2010 because of small sample size (n &lt; 2). There was no difference in habitat use. My results do not support the use of surrogators as an effective means of restoring wild populations of northern bobwhites in southern Texas.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kinsey, John C."],"institution":"Texas State University-San Marcos","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Baccus, John T."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Simpson, Thomas R.","Small, Michael F.","Perez, Robert M."],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-08","date_published":"2011-08","updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:22:35Z","subjects":["quail","surrogator","dispersal","survival","pen-reared quail","propagation","habitats"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10877/3142","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Baccus, John T."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Simpson, Thomas R.","Small, Michael F.","Perez, Robert M."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kinsey, John C."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2011-09-28T10:09:18Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2012-02-24T10:09:18Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2011-08"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Texas State University-San Marcos"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["quail","surrogator","dispersal","survival","pen-reared quail","propagation","habitats"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10877/3142"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Attempts to restore populations of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) using game-farm quail have been documented since the early 1900s. Low restoration success rates are likely to the result of low post-release survival rates (8-15 days) and long distance dispersal from release sites averaging 2.33 km. Claims have been made that Surrogators®, a quail propagation tool, has increased success rates in both these areas. Following steps outlined in the Wildlife Management Technologies 2009 Surrogator System Guide, I tested the effectiveness of surrogators on bobwhite survival, dispersal, and habitat selection. I accomplished this by raising 1,000 bobwhites in two surrogators and conducting two trials per year in 2009 and 2010 on a 990-ha ranch in Wilson County, TX. Twenty bobwhites from each surrogator were fitted with transmitters 12 h before release. I attempted to locate each bobwhite daily for 3 weeks, followed by a reduced effort of three times per week until mortality reached 100%. Transmitter attachment techniques used during 2009 failed; thus no data were recorded on mortality and dispersal. Bart and Robson’s Maximum Likelihood Estimators of daily survival rates calculated for bobwhites released from surrogators A and B during the first trial 2010 were low (0.87 and 0.96, respectively). Daily survival rates of bobwhites calculated for surrogators A and B in the second trial of 2010 were also low (0.83 and 0.87, respectively). Mean distances traveled by bobwhites post-release during the first trial of 2010 were 401 m and 1,416 m for surrogators A and B, respectively. Dispersal statistics were not calculated for the second trial of 2010 because of small sample size (n < 2). There was no difference in habitat use. My results do not support the use of surrogators as an effective means of restoring wild populations of northern bobwhites in southern Texas."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["Text"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["1 file (.pdf)"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Effectiveness of Surrogators As A Propagation Tool for Northern Bobwhites In South-Central Texas"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Baccus, John T."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Simpson, Thomas R.","Small, Michael F.","Perez, Robert M."],"dc:creator":["Kinsey, John C."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2011-09-28T10:09:18Z"],"dc:date.available":["2012-02-24T10:09:18Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2011-08"],"dc:description.abstract":["Attempts to restore populations of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) using game-farm quail have been documented since the early 1900s. Low restoration success rates are likely to the result of low post-release survival rates (8-15 days) and long distance dispersal from release sites averaging 2.33 km. Claims have been made that Surrogators®, a quail propagation tool, has increased success rates in both these areas. Following steps outlined in the Wildlife Management Technologies 2009 Surrogator System Guide, I tested the effectiveness of surrogators on bobwhite survival, dispersal, and habitat selection. I accomplished this by raising 1,000 bobwhites in two surrogators and conducting two trials per year in 2009 and 2010 on a 990-ha ranch in Wilson County, TX. Twenty bobwhites from each surrogator were fitted with transmitters 12 h before release. I attempted to locate each bobwhite daily for 3 weeks, followed by a reduced effort of three times per week until mortality reached 100%. Transmitter attachment techniques used during 2009 failed; thus no data were recorded on mortality and dispersal. Bart and Robson’s Maximum Likelihood Estimators of daily survival rates calculated for bobwhites released from surrogators A and B during the first trial 2010 were low (0.87 and 0.96, respectively). Daily survival rates of bobwhites calculated for surrogators A and B in the second trial of 2010 were also low (0.83 and 0.87, respectively). Mean distances traveled by bobwhites post-release during the first trial of 2010 were 401 m and 1,416 m for surrogators A and B, respectively. Dispersal statistics were not calculated for the second trial of 2010 because of small sample size (n < 2). There was no difference in habitat use. My results do not support the use of surrogators as an effective means of restoring wild populations of northern bobwhites in southern Texas."],"dc:format":["Text"],"dc:format.medium":["1 file (.pdf)"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10877/3142"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:subject":["quail","surrogator","dispersal","survival","pen-reared quail","propagation","habitats"],"dc:title":["Effectiveness of Surrogators As A Propagation Tool for Northern Bobwhites In South-Central Texas"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Texas State University-San Marcos"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:22:35Z"}