Registration


NEW THIS YEAR!

Exhibitors and Sponsors will register through their own portal (see link below).

Exhibitor & Sponsor Portal          Exhibitor/Sponsor Instructions (step-by step with screenshots)

Need to register a group but you aren’t an exhibitor?  We have you covered there too!  Click below for group registration.

Attendee Registration 

Group Registration   (Group registration portal allows for a company admin to register a group of people at one time)

Click for how to pay with a Purchase Order

Register online at one of the links above and select payment with Purchase Order.  Send your Purchase Order to treasurer, Jon Purvis. Once you receive your invoice (confirming your registration has been processed), please send the invoice with check or money order made payable to “Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society” and mail to: TCTWS, 5796 Liberty Road, Jefferson, TX 75657. When sending purchase orders for group registrants, please specify the name of the individuals included.

Click for how to pay with two different payment methods

Register online at link above.  Select all registration items that need to be paid with the first payment method and proceed to checkout/payment.  After completing payment with the first method, revisit your registration and add any additional registration items that need to be paid with a different payment type.  Proceed with checkout a second time.  You will only be invoiced for the unpaid balance of your registration.

For example, your agency allows you to register for the annual meeting with your state credit card, but will not cover Southwest Section dues or workshop fees.  Go through the registration process the first time and only select your meeting registration.  Complete payment with your state credit card.  Revisit your registration and add any workshops or dues.  Complete second payment with your personal credit card.  Do not remove the previously paid registration items before payment with your personal card.  You will only be charged for the unpaid items.

Still having trouble?  Contact the IT Chair.


Workshops for the 2024 Meeting (click event name for details):

Nature Reinvented: The Ecological and Cultural Restoration of Houston’s Memorial Park

Workshop Contact: Activities@tctws.org

Description:  

OFF SITE, NEARBY EVENT
Since 2011, Houston’s Memorial Park and embedded Houston Arboretum & Nature Center have been extensively restored to a vibrant mix of prairies, savannas, wetlands, and riparian forests. This has reinvented one of Houston’s signature parks and has served as national model for planning, engineering, and ecological restoration. Attendees will visit keystone features in the park including restored ecosystems and visitor’s center at the Houston Arboretum and the landmark Memorial Park Land Bridge and Prairie Project and Eastern Glades.
*This workshop and meeting will be hosted at the beautiful Houston Arboretum located approximately 2.2 miles offsite from the TCTWS host hotel. You will be responsible for transportation to and from the workshop. Parking is available at the Arboretum, and carpooling is encouraged and appreciated. Additionally, there will be a $7 pay-to-park fee when traveling from the arboretum to memorial park. 

Date: 2/21/2024

Schedule: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Number of participants: 30

Prerequisite: none

Cost: $10

Trapping Matters

Workshop Contact: Activities@tctws.org

Description:  

The topic of regulated trapping can be among the most contentious and least understood subjects within wildlife management programs. Many wildlife professionals are unfamiliar with trapping and may not feel comfortable engaging in trapping-related discussions with their peers and the public because of their lack of knowledge. Yet, it is essential that wildlife professionals understand the diverse ways that trapping provides environmental, wildlife management, social, and economic benefits. This workshop helps participants understand and better communicate the benefits of regulated trapping and the many ways in which it contributes to wildlife management programs. The primary tools and techniques of trapping will be presented with hands-on demonstrations. We will also discuss the development of trapping Best Management Practices (the largest scientific study of trapping ever conducted), review public opinion data, and focus group and human dimensions studies on the topic of trapping. We will also teach effective communication measures to use when discussing this topic among varied audiences. Participants will leave with a basic knowledge of trapping, scientifically sound information on trapping, and be trained in skills that will make them effective communicators on this subject.
Lunch will be provided.

Date: 2/21/2024

Schedule: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Number of participants: 45

Prerequisite: none

Cost: $5

Survey123 for Busy Biologists hosted by TeachMeGIS

Workshop Contact: Activities@tctws.org

Description:

This workshop will teach attendees the steps to create their own Survey123 forms, collect data on the app, and QA/QC results. Course will consist of lectures and hands-on exercises, including collecting data on the conference grounds. Attendees will be required to bring a laptop and to have a phone with the Survey123 app (free to download) already installed. No software is required, everything we will cover can be done via the ArcGIS Online portal with web maps and online data. TeachMeGIS will provide the required software license and a workbook. All techniques shown will be possible to do under an ArcGIS for Personal Use license or higher. Course is suitable for beginners and up.

Date: 2/21/2024

Schedule: 9:00 AM -12:00 PM

Number of participants:  15

Prerequisite:  none

Cost: $5

Fire for Feathers- The Art of Prescribed Burning for At-Risk Avian Species

Workshop Contact: Activities@tctws.org

Description:  

OFF SITE, NEARBY EVENT
This ½ day workshop will blend available science and management for targeted prescribed fire application for a variety of Texas habitats targeting management for the Aplomado Falcon, Attwater’s Prairie Chicken, Eastern Black Rail, Whooping Crane, and Golden-cheeked Warbler. We have a talented line-up of fire and science practitioners who will set your world a-blaze and guide attendees through how to make planning and logistical decisions such as: how to choose areas for application of prescribed fire activity, timing and conditions to apply fire for the most benefit, and what to expect post-fire application.
Following the Rx Fire Workshop, the Texas Prescribed Fire Council (consisting of private landowners, researchers, government and NGO employees, and fire enthusiasts) will be having their annual membership meeting. The meeting will consist of Board Member elections; updates on the various Rx fire E&O efforts, trainings, hurdles/limitations, and success stories in the state; as well as discussions on how the Council can be most additive to the safe and successful implementation of more Rx Fire across our state. No special membership is required to attend this meeting, just a passion and interest in visiting with like-minded individuals working on promoting and increasing the amount of Rx fire across our great state. There will be ample time at the end of the workshop and meeting for attendees to visit with habitat and fire experts, Texas Prescribed Fire Council Members, and land stewardship experts.

Date: 2/21/2024

Schedule: Workshop 8:00 AM‒11:30 AM, Membership Mtg 11:30 AM – 12:30PM

Number of participants:  40

Prerequisite: none

 Cost: $10

Chronic Wasting Disease Information and Updates

Workshop Contact: Activities@tctws.org

Description: 

This workshop is specifically designed for members who do not deal with Chronic Wasting Disease (or CWD) on a regular basis. As biologists, we are often asked about topics that are outside of our area of expertise, so we have developed this workshop to help bridge that gap. During this workshop Alan Cain with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will discuss what causes CWD, current distribution of positive cases in the state of Texas, and current regulations to manage and monitor the disease. Importantly, we will also cover answers to some of the more common questions received and have time for audience questions at the end of the session.

Date: 2/21/2024

Schedule: 9:00 AM-11:00 AM

Number of participants:  40

Prerequisite: None

Cost: $5

Wildlife Photography

Workshop Contact: Activities@tctws.org

Description:

As you progress in your wildlife career, you will witness incredible encounters with wildlife in the field and the essence of wild places. Carrying a camera, documenting your observations, and capturing your story can lead to increased enjoyment and engagement in the wildlife field. Outdoor photography can serve as a vital tool for wildlife communicators and professionals. Wildlife photographers engage in a focused craft and are expected to exercise a level of creativity. In this workshop, Dave and Joseph Richards will discuss the ingredients for composing photography images, how to increase the scientific value of your photographs, and techniques for improving the quality of your images. This course requires no previous experience with photographing wildlife, and all experience levels are encouraged to participate. We hope this course will enhance your skillset and enthusiasm for carrying a camera afield.

Date: 2/21/2024

Schedule: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Number of participants:  40

Prerequisite: none

Cost: $5

The Wildlife Wisdom Exchange Workshop

Workshop Contact: Activities@tctws.org

Description:

The Wildlife Wisdom Exchange Workshop focuses on fostering collaborative learning and professional development in wildlife management. This workshop uniquely caters to varying expertise levels—professionals, graduate, and undergraduate students—by incorporating individuals from each level into our leadership teams.  These leadership teams, comprising five already invited members, have developed lessons that merge practical skills with theoretical knowledge, thereby teaching unique capabilities to workshop participants. As part of the team learning process, participant experiences will also contribute to the group’s learned lessons. Finally, the workshop seeks to serve as dynamic platform for networking, skill exchange, and professional growth for 20 audience workshop participants (members of all experience levels can sign up to be a participant). Audience members will not create any lessons but are asked to bring a positive attitude for a great workshop.   

Date: 2/21/2024

Schedule: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM

Number of participants:  20

Prerequisite: none

Cost: $25

Turning Sound into Discovery

Workshop Contact: Activities@tctws.org

Description:

Biologists all over the world have made the Song Meter platform the standard for bioacoustics recording with over 50,000 recorders deployed in 90 countries. This hands-on workshop will teach participants the features and set up of the Song Meter SM4 and Song Meter Mini recorders to monitor for birds, frogs, and other wildlife. Several case studies will also be presented and discussed. Time permitting, we will also review the free and paid versions of our Kaleidoscope software for efficient analysis of acoustic data. The workshop will be led by staff of Wildlife Acoustics. 

Date: 2/21/2024

Schedule: 9:00 AM-10:30 AM

Number of participants:  40

Prerequisite: none

Cost: Free

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