Oral presentations will be presented live and in person at the conference.

• Total presentation time: 15 minutes
  • 12 minutes presentation
  • 3 minutes questions

Presentations reporting completed wildlife field investigations, analyses, and reviews of topics of interest to Texas wildlife students and professionals are encouraged. Oral presentations should present results or outcomes. Abstracts reporting preliminary findings or lacking data should be submitted as posters.

tudents with outstanding completed research are encouraged to submit abstracts for consideration for the Clarence Cottam Award. This is the most prestigious student award presented by the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society.

Selected participants will present to the full membership during the annual conference. Winners receive recognition, a scholarship, and become part of the award’s more than 30-year history.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

• Students affiliated with a Texas college or university during the research.
• Students from non-Texas institutions whose research was conducted in Texas.
• Students who graduated since the previous annual meeting and are current TCTWS members.

Submission Requirements

Participants must submit:

1. An abbreviated abstract
2. An extended abstract

The extended abstract:

• Must be 3 pages or less
• Must follow Journal of Wildlife Management (JWM) style
• Should include:
  • Objectives
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Conclusions and inferences

Do not include:

• Tables
• Appendices
• Literature cited section

Abstracts not selected for the Cottam session will be considered for regular oral presentations.

• Total presentation time: 20 minutes
  • 15 minutes presentation
  • 5 minutes questions

Presentations are judged on:

• Originality
• Scientific approach
• Quality of presentation
• Accuracy of conclusions
• Responses to judges

More information:
https://tctws.org/student-menu/scholarship-opportunities/clarence-cottam-award/

Questions may be directed to:
cottam.awards@tctws.org

Poster abstracts may be submitted by students or professionals.

Students may enter a judged competition in undergraduate, M.S., or Ph.D. categories. Professionals and students not wishing to compete may submit in the noncompetitive category.

Judging criteria include:

• Significance of research
• Scientific rigor
• Abstract quality
• Poster quality
• Clarity of results
• Accuracy of conclusions
• Responses to judges

Students with incomplete studies or proposals may submit posters but are not eligible for competition.

Poster Requirements

Presenters must bring a printed poster for display at the conference.

Presenters are also encouraged to upload a PDF version for viewing through the conference mobile app and website.

Maximum poster size: 4 ft wide × 3 ft tall

The submission site will guide you through the process.

Submission Deadline: Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Late submissions will not be considered.

During submission, indicate:

• Preferred presentation format:
  • Oral
  • Poster
• Preferred session:
  • General Session
  • Clarence Cottam Award
  • Student Poster Competition

Important: Only one poster per student may be judged, although students may present multiple posters.

Abstract Formatting

Abstracts:

• Must be 250 words or fewer
• Must follow Journal of Wildlife Management formatting
• Should include:
  • Problem statement
  • Methods/experimental design
  • Results
  • Management implications

For statistical significance, report P-values only.

Do not include scientific names in the title when submitting through the website. Scientific names may be used within the body of the abstract.

Submit Abstracts

https://www.xcdsystem.com/tctws/member/index.cfm

Sample Abstract Title

LANDSCAPE EFFECTS ON GENE FLOW AND GENETIC STRUCTURE OF NORTHERN BOBWHITE IN TEXAS AND THE GREAT PLAINS

Authors

Katherine S. Miller
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA

Leonard A. Brennan
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA

Randy DeYoung
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA

Fidel Hernández
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA

X. Ben Wu
Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2138, USA

Abstract

Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations have declined due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Northern bobwhite have been considered poor dispersers, so biologists expect moderate population structure and low genetic diversity in fragmented areas. Our goal was to determine how landscape affects the genetic structure of northern bobwhite in Texas and the Great Plains.

We collected tissues from 641 northern bobwhites in 23 populations and amplified 13 microsatellite loci. We determined population structure (FST) and genetic distance between populations (Dest). We used a land cover map from the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative to develop a landscape resistance matrix. We compared Dest to geographic distance and resistance using Mantel and partial Mantel tests.

Populations showed low levels of structure (FST = 0.025). We found moderate correlations with geographic distance (r = 0.542, P < 0.001) and landscape resistance (r = 0.416, P = 0.001). There was a significant correlation between Dest and geographic distance after accounting for resistance (r = 0.388, P < 0.001), but no significant relationship between Dest and resistance after accounting for geographic distance.

Low genetic structure and moderate genetic diversity may suggest that northern bobwhite disperse farther than previously believed. Other possible explanations include the species’ fall covey shuffle, boom-and-bust population cycles, and stochastic events. Understanding habitat effects on gene flow can help wildlife managers better conserve northern bobwhite populations.

Abstract Evaluation

Abstracts will be evaluated based on:

• Technical merit
• Contribution to scientific knowledge
• Relevance to the field
• Creativity and study design
• Validity of results and conclusions
• Adherence to formatting guidelines

Because presentation space is limited, acceptance will depend on abstract review scores. If submissions exceed available space, not all abstracts will be accepted.

Notification of Decisions: Around January 15, 2026, via email.

The Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society holds its annual meeting each year around the third week of February. The location rotates throughout Texas so that members from all regions have opportunities to attend.

The meeting typically begins with workshops and training sessions. The opening evening includes student poster presentations and the plenary session.

Day 2 includes:

• General membership meeting
• Clarence Cottam presentations
• Technical sessions

Day 3 includes:

• Additional technical sessions
• Committee meetings
• Student leadership meeting
• Student Awards program

The conference concludes on the evening of the third day.

Typical Attendance

A typical annual meeting includes:

• 500-700 attendees
• 10-15 exhibitors
• Approximately 90 presentations
• Approximately 10 technical sessions
• Approximately 90 posters

Additional activities include:

• Silent auction
• Raffle
• Awards reception
• Subject-specific workshops and training sessions

A social event is held on the first evening, providing opportunities for students to network with professionals.