Rolling Plains Quail Research

Our Mission Statement

To provide land managers, and other stakeholders, with timely, relevant technology and management schemes for enhancing quail populations in the Rolling Plains of Texas. To sustain Texas' wild quail hunting heritage for this and future generations

Thoughts from the Director, Dr. Dale Rollins

I often exhort fellow students of quail to watch the movie Forrest Gump --I submit there are numerous quail-related nuggets therein. I often say that the little white feather that floated through Gump's life, in my case, was a bobwhite's feather! Well, last year that feather landed 12 miles west of Roby at the now-hatched Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch.

Thanks to the generosity of The Conservation Fund, the RPQRR is now reality, and I've been blessed to have the opportunity to be at the helm during its maiden voyage. Our first year was a great start. First, it rained! During a visit to the Ranch last May, I photographed 48 species of wildflowers -- a real bonanza for a red bed soil!

Second, the Ranch has been a recipient of some incredible generosity. Mr. W.A. "Tex" Moncrief's gift of $1 million kicked off our endowment fund in great fashion. Several other private donors and Quail Unlimited chapters have stepped up big time!

Much of our work this past year was gathering benchmark data on the Ranch's flora and fauna. Now we're set to better evaluate changes in both as we begin to pull ecological strings here and there.

Our quail odyssey has begun.

-Dale Rollins