Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist
Texas Agrilife Extension Service and
Executive Director
Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch
San Angelo, TX 76901
(325) 653-4576
e-mail: d-rollins@tamu.edu
Education:
- B.S., Biology, Southwestern Okla. St. Univ. 1977
- M.S., Wildlife Ecology, Okla. St. Univ., 1980
- Ph.D., Range Management, Texas Tech Univ., 1983
Experience:
- Executive Director, Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, 2007-present
- Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist, Texas Agrilife Extension Service, San Angelo, 1987-present
- Assistant Professor and Extension Range Specialist, Okla. Coop. Ext. Serv., Stillwater, 1983 – 1987
- Current Appointment: 75% Texas Agrilife Extension Service; 25% Agrilife Research
Professional Honors and Awards:
- Outstanding Field Biology Student, SWOSU, 1975
- Competent Toastmaster Award, Toastmasters Int’l., 1985
- Outstanding State Specialist Award, Okla. Coop. Ext. Serv., 1987
- Unit Award for Superior Service, TAEX, 1991
- Outstanding Publication Award (Newsletter), Tx. Chapter, The Wildlife Soc., 1989
- Outstanding Young Range Professional, Soc. Range Management, 1991
- Outstanding Video Production, Tx. Chapter, The Wildlife Soc., 1992 & 1993
- Excellence in Animal Damage Control (Communications), Berryman Institute, 1994
- Vice-Chancellor’s Award in Excellence – Extension Specialist, TAMU, 1995
- Conservation Educator of the Year, Sportsmens Conservationists of Texas, 1995
- Outstanding Achievement Award, SE Section, The Wildlife Soc., 1995
- Special Award, Texas Sect., Soc. Range Management, 1995
- Technical and Popular Writing Awards, Tx. Chapter, The Wildlife Soc., 1996, 2004, 2007
- President, Texas Chapter, The Wildlife Society, 1997-98
- Conservationist of the Year, Texas Outdoor Writers Assn., 1998
- Group Achievement Award, The Wildlife Society, 1998
- Specialist of the Year, Ag Workers Auto Mutual Assn., 1999
- 1st Place, National Quail Calling Championship, Quail Unlimited, 2002
- Sam Beasom Leader in Conservation Award, Texas Wildlife Assn., 2002
- Educator of the Year, Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society, 2003
- Volunteer of the Year, Quail Unlimited and Budweiser, 2005
- Superior Service Award – Team Category, Texas Cooperative Extension, 2006
- Outstanding Achievement Award – Conservation Education, The Wildlife Society, 2007
- Hero of Conservation, Field & Stream Magazine, 2008
Selected Productions:
- Coyotes: A Matter of Perspective (23-min. video; earned national award)
- Deer Hunting: Focus on Ethics (19-min. video)
- Deer Response to Different Intensities of Brush Removal in Central Texas, Wildl. Soc. Bull. 16: 277-284.
- Key Seed Producing Plants for Quail (color poster)
- On the Wild Side (award winning bi-monthly newsletter)
- The Bobwhite Brigade (youth education program; rec’d Nat’l. Youth in Conservation Award, 1994, 1996 from Quail Unlimited); has since been cloned to include Buckskin Brigade and Bass Brigade; now in 4 states
- Predators in the Classroom school enrichment curriculum
Branded Programs:
- “Texas Brigades Wildlife Leadership Camps” (www.texasbrigades.org)
- “_____ Appreciation Days” (including Quail, Deer, Predator, Plants, and Feral Hog)
- “Brush Sculpting” (as a wildlife-friendly approach to brush management)
- “QuailMasters”
- Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch
Research Emphases (25% TAES appointment since 1998):
- Role of Nest Predation in Quail Irruptions
- Quail Decline in Texas (garnered Quail Decline Initiative from legislature in 2002)
- Brush Sculpting to Enhance Wildlife Habitability
- Sustainable Wildlife Production in Semi-arid Landscapes
- Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch (founded in 2007)
Selected Publications (last 5 years):
Refereed
- Rollins, D., and K. A. Cearley. 2004. Integrating wildlife concerns into brush management. Pages 239-258 in Wayne T. Hamilton and Allan McGinty, editors. Brush management: past, present, future. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, USA.
- Rollins, D. 2006. Rolling Plains. Chapter 7 in L. A. Brennan (ed), Texas Quails: ecology and management. Texas A&M University Press, College Station. In press.
- Silvy, N. J., D. Rollins, and S. G. Whisenant. 2006. Scaled quail. Chapter 4 in L. A. Brennan (eds), Texas Quails: ecology and management. Texas A&M University Press, College Station.
Book chapters
- Rollins, D., and K. A. Cearley. 2004. Integrating wildlife concerns into brush management. Pages 239-258 in Wayne T. Hamilton and Allan McGinty, editors. Brush management: past, present, future. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, USA.
- Rollins, D. 2006. Rolling Plains. Chapter 7 in L. A. Brennan (ed), Texas Quails: ecology and management. Texas A&M University Press, College Station. In press.
- Silvy, N. J., D. Rollins, and S. G. Whisenant. 2006. Scaled quail. Chapter 4 in L. A. Brennan (eds), Texas Quails: ecology and management. Texas A&M University Press, College Station.
Extension
- Rollins, D., J. Brooks, R. Eldridge, M. Mapston, J. Allen, R. Kott, M. McDougall, R. B. Taylor, K. Cearley, D. Brandenberger, A. Gilliat. 2004. Predator control as a tool in wildlife management. Texas Cooperative Extension publication B-6146. 29 pp.
- Brown, C. G., and D. Rollins. 2005. Fire a as a tool for managing wildlife habitats in Texas. Symposium proceedings. Texas Cooperative Extension, 14-16 September 2005, Kerrville.
- Cantu, R. L., D. Rollins, and S. A. Lerich. 2006. Scaled quail in Texas: their biology and management. Booklet 7000-1183. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Austin.
Popular articles
- 590 published since 1995
- Weekly column in Livestock Weekly since 1996
- Monthly column in Farmer-Stockman Magazine since 1995
- Monthly column in Quail Unlimited Magazine since 2001
Graduate students mentored:
- Chaired 12 MS candidates
- Chaired 3 PhD candidates
Grantsmanship (major grants with DR as PI):
- $125,000/biennium, 2002, Exceptional Legislative Appropriation, Quail Decline Initiative
- $3.8 million, 2007, Richard King Mellon Foundation, to purchase Quail Research Ranch
- $302,000, 2007, Richard King Mellon Foundation, start-up research funds
- $550,000, 2008, Park Cities Quail Unlimited, operating funds for quail research ranch
- $132,000, 2008, USDA-NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant
- $328,000, 2009, Park Cities Quail Unlimited, operating funds for quail research ranch