Ted's a big fan of quail hunting and has pumped tons of money into habitat and conservation. Just announced, he will recieve the Boone Pickens award at the Park Cities Quail banquet in Dallas on March 9th 2012.

Not a huge Ted Turner fan myself. Glad to hear he has fun with it though.

He is also field trialing a couple of shooting dogs. He could be a big help in the future of our pastime.

He lost my vote for life when he married HANOI JANE !!!

Not a big Ted Turner fan since he started trying to sell that whole Buffalo Commons idea. He has been buying up an insane amount of land back home and whatever he gets goes to crap pretty quick.

Billy-

I have to side with Bluesman and Catchrcall.

Personally, "Barbarella" is his prize catch, and I think she should have been stripped of her U.S. citizenship and not allowed back into this country.

Additionally, T.Bone Pick-up straddles the fence when it comes to animal rights vs. animal welfare. His little trophy wife tugs on his manhood at the right time, and he writes the check to support the animal rights movement.

I don't know if you know this or not, but he and his wife hosted a gala in Dallas where proceeds went to the Humane Society of the United States.

And as far as his field trialing a couple of dogs...it's more that likely a tax write off. Field trialing is only a minute part of the eqauation when it comes to producing top quality bird dogs.

Y'all don't get blinded by the bright lights of Ted and T-Bone.

Charles "Buster" Smith
Rio Grande Valley Chairman
Responsible Pet Owner's Alliance

A+

"And as far as his field trialing a couple of dogs...it's more that likely a tax write off. Field trialing is only a minute part of the eqauation when it comes to producing top quality bird dogs."

Not sure what you mean by blinded but you seem to have something obstructing your vision. Field trialing is the reason we have the dogs we have today. Anyone who doesn't have field trial dogs in their pedigree is the exception to the rule (and good luck trying to find one). Not liking Ted is one thing, but glossing over the importance of competition in the current day blood lines is entirely another. I didn't say you have to like Ted, just that he supports a passtime we all love.

Chet-

Field trials came into existence, in some cases, centuries after the origin of a breed.

In short, some good old boys got together to let their charges strut their stuff so they could all see what the other one had. The deciphering started as to what to breed to what and the sport was subsequently founded.

What I meant by not being blinded is...don't get caught up and influenced by the Ted Turner's and T.Boone Picken's of the world. Just remember, they put their pants on one leg at the time.

And I am not glossing over the importance of competition. I retired from the conformation ring back in the 80s after exhibiting German Shepherds, American Cockers, Brittanys, and Minature and Standard Poodles. I still love the sport and am currently coaching a young lady that has taken a Brittany from a litter she bred to his Grand Championship in less that two years and then to Westminster. My Brittany hunting string comes from solid field trial lines (AKC & FDSB) and dual titled dogs...I look for AKC conformation and the strong desire to hunt.

Furthermore, we have offered challenges to field trialers on a ranch that we guide hunts for; wild birds, one hour braces, walking behind the dogs, one box of ammo that we provide, all guns choked the same, guns have to be 12 ga., rules will be AKC hunt test as established for master hunter title, 10 braces only, $100 per brace. Prizes will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place cash pot split 55%, 30%, and 20%. We've had no takers. We made this offer three years straight and abandoned it last year.

And dont' get me wrong, we will take all of Turner's and Picken's money they want to dole out.

Sure didnt mean to start a fire, simply tickled as a bird dog lover that we have some big name folks in this country that have the big bucks to spend on quail research, and dont want to see quail hunting die. Our quail future looks real bad right now. The big picture is that folks like Turner and Pickens love what God put into a bird dog, and they share a love for these quail with me and you. Bottom line, they have a lot more money than me and I want them to spend their bucks on our birds, and they are. Am I a fan of Ted Turner? I dont know, I've never met the man. Can I assume that he is way more liberal than me because of his marraige to what I consider a treasonist. (I dont understand why we dont enforce treason in America, it's still on the books.) Yes I can, but you and I share something in common with him. The love of a dog that breaks down all monetary, social and human barriers. It all boils down to you and me and Ted and Boone in a pasture with ol "buddy" pointing a bird. I'm tickled that he's spending his money on research to try and assure my young grand daughter that if she chooses, she'll have a bob for the pup I supply her with to point. A bird that was in trouble, but is again bountiful. And guys, right now our bobs are in trouble. I had the great pleasure to sit with Delmar Smith today for a few hours and just listen to him talk about great dogs, respespected trainers, dog characteristics etc. I asked him about the bird dilema that were in and Delmar pointed out a particular series of years in the 50's where Nat'l trials were cancelled at Ame's plantation because of no birds, (as you guys know, trials were run on wild birds back then) they thought it was over, but the birds came back, for a while. Wild birds are not there now at all. I think were seeing the 1950's Tennessee/Georgia dilema in west TX now.Maybe if we had Boone and Turner concern and backing back then, bob would still live in Tennessee, Georgia etc. Sorry for being so long winded!

Billy-

I have visited the Rolling Plains Quail Research center website, and it's very informative.

Another great source of information is the Cesar Klebery Wildlife
Research Institute at Texas A&M in Kingsville. Dr. Fidel Hernandez is very accessible and is a wealth of knowledge...you can also find some his mini-lectures on Youtube.

A fun and interesting event to attend in south Texas is the Quail Coalition's Annual Banquet. The date is 8/27/11 at the J.K. Northway Coliseum in Kingsville. The fare is generally wild game.



These guys are super passionate about thier quail. There will be managers and ranch owners from some of the largest and most closely managed quail ranches in Texas in attendance.

I attended a QUAD ran by Dale Rollins several years ago on Turner's Armendaris Ranch (350K acres) in Engle, NM. Turner is a serious bird hunter and like Pickens has purchased a considerable chunk of land and then invested even more into overall habitat improvement. He had a military hummer as his quail buggy and a pretty neat set up for the dogs. The ranch had a ton of guzzlers on it and managed grazing to ensure habitat was optimum. During the QUAD, Rollins set up several mock nests; ½ on the Armendaris the other on severely overgrazed BLM land. The Turner property had nearly all the nest in tact. The BLM every one destroyed.

Rollins had one of his grad students (Troy Sparks) working on a radio telemetry study and nesting patterns of blue quail on the Armendaris. A lot of work has been done on bob whites - not so much on blues. I believe it was the 1st of its kind for blues - sponsored by Turner.

Turner has two other large ranches (Ladder 180K+ and Vermejo Park 550K+) that also were managed similarly in terms of conservation and habitat improvement. I had a chance to tour a portion of Vermejo Park with a NM Game and Fish Dir. The elk herd and quality bulls were impressive. The G&F Dir had nothing but glowing reports of Turner and his wildlife management practices.

Turner, like everyone else on this board, is not perfect – at least he has put his money where his mouth is. I guess it’s easy for the Peanut Gallery to criticize him for his choice in spouse (ex now) and to accuse him for only doing things for a tax write off. For those throwing stones – what are your accomplishments? What are your commitments to the conservation – other than to consume the resource and fire off cheap shots?

If Turner was nominated for the Boone Pickens award - I'd say from my own personal experience/eyes - it would be well deserved. I’d be the 1st to shake his hand and say “Thank You”.

There are plenty of folks here that contribute, most of them on their own dollar and I guarantee that a dollar means more to most folks on this board than it does to Turner. Some ranches actually have to turn a profit and can't be just set aside for quail.

Jealous of your tour of that kind of conservation. It shows what collective dollars from guys like us could do.

At this point in the game I think we need all the help we can get, hopefully the recognition/appreciation the award represents will encourage these guys to continue their financial support.

BTW if you guys/gals aren't already aware of Billy's radio program, you should give it a try. Unlike most of the outdoor programs, Billy usually has a good dose of birddogs and bird hunting in the mix.

Please explain how anything Turner does for himself on his private kingdoms helps anyone but himself. When was the last time you or anyone you know got an invite to quail hunt one of his kingdoms. Ever check in on the price of a hunt there? Take a look. Strictly for the rich and famous. It would break the common guys piggy bank.

Nope, I don't see any benefit to quail in general or the common quail hunter from anything Turner does. Just a personal benefit to Turner and the ability to use the public biologists we pay for to better his personal kingdoms.

Personally I see the future of quail hunting as bleak. It will continue to gravitate toward the rich and famous to the point where the common guy can't afford to quail hunt any more. At that point, the anti-hunters will continue to push their anti-hunting agenda, and guess what, the common guys, the voters that the rich and famous need to continue their private hunting kingdoms, will suddenly realize that they can't quail hunt because the rich and famous cut them out. And, they will realize that if they can't quail hunt why should the rich and famous get to. Next thing you know - they are voting to stop hunting. I can certainly see that being my reaction to Mr. Turner and his rich and famous cronies.

Bluesman,

Obviously, you didn't read my post.

Where to start - I'll give you 1st hand knowledge that I have and not something I read on the internet.

Turner sponsored a 2-year study on nesting for blue quail - a 1st of its kind. Part of the scope included determining and documenting if blue quail have multiple hatches - bobs do, blues usually don't. Also, how do blue quail respond to nest predation? It included paying for the grad student, equipment (computers, radio telemetry, cameras, etc), all things habitat related to the study, etc.

In addition, he opened the ranch to the QUAD (Quail Appreciation Day) for ranchers and hunters in the area (somewhere around 250-300 showed up that day - it was free and food included) to see 1st hand the benefits of wildlife mgmt practices and the benefits of blue quail study.

Pickens - he was the primary financial backer to get the Rolling Plains Research Ranch up and running.

Both men have donated considerable money to youth programs. Including programs like Bobwhite Brigade.

All the above is a benefit to all quail hunters - not Turner or Pickens alone. Hard to see through your lens I'm sure - again it sounds like you just want to consume the resource. These guys are helping preserve the resource.

I lived in NM from 2002-2005. I actually hunted the north end of the Armendaris that Turner owns - for free. I called the main office. Had a 5 min conversation. Exchanged emails and I was on my way. I also was allowed to take group of boy scouts on the ranch at a different time as well.

How do voters of common guys empower and enable the rich guys to keep hunting on their kingdoms as you put it? Turner and Pickens both invest more of their own money in habitat improvement and studies than the NM Game and Fish had dedicated to upland birds. Hell, NM G&F didn't even have a dedicated upland biologist in the entire state. Turner did and so did Pickens - on their payroll. These two guys specifically are paying for research that the state level isn't doing and can't afford - TX included.

You stated
You're blind and bitter for whatever reason. I guess the best we can hope for out of you is more diarrhea of the mouth. You have opinions no doubt, too bad you haven't put any effort into developing informed opinions....

That'll preach. It's kind of like turning down a boat load of money because you don't like the person giving it to you.

Bingo! I personally witnessed Boone Pickens donate over $200,000 recently to Quail Tech and RPQRR for research on Texas quail. And thats a drop in the bucket compared to what he has donated to the cause over the past decade. Wherever those birds call home, his ranch, your lease, wma's...no matter where, their future benefits from folks like Boone and Turner. He is just trying to save the birds we love, so is Turner. I thank these men and others like them that GIVE money, in large amounts to the very people trying to save the future of a sport that I love.

+1

I dont have a dog in this fight, as i dont know much about Mr. Turner.

The one thing i have learned by reading this thread is.....i sure would like to be Ted's friend!

I'm in with you JWP! Just turn us loose in a good pasture!

Same here! Heck I'd even shell out for dinner after the evening hunt at a Ted's Montana Grill.