Theron M. Terhune
Outreach Coordinator

Ph.D., Forestry and Natural Resources, 2008, University of Georgia
M.S. Wildlife Science, 2004, Auburn University
B.S. Wildlife Science, 1998, Auburn University

Curriculum Vitae

I am interested in individual-, population-, and landscape-level ecological processes, particularly among upland game birds and other early-succession habitat obligates. My interests, more specifically, deal with pragmatic habitat management: the effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, and the influences of habitat structure and modification on demographic, both deterministic and stochastic, processes. Much of my research, to date, has been evaluating the efficacy of translocation to restore and/or bolster bobwhite populations as related to recent habitat restoration and, as such, I continue to have a dedicated interest in refining translocation and related release-system techniques.

I also have a keen interest in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and quantitative (e.g. computation and statistical) modeling. As such, I believe strongly in interdisciplinary research and aim to integrate these techniques to accomplish future research objectives, such as developing habitat conservation models to facilitate conservation of avian species among fragmented systems.

I have been involved with the National Bobwhite Technical Committee (NBTC) and Dr. Bill Palmer in revising the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI), a national strategic plan for recovering bobwhites and grassland songbirds range-wide. I am also part of a cooperative team with the University of Tennessee and the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University drafting an Action Plan for recovery of Golden-winged Warblers. Currently, I serve as the co-Chair on the NBTC Research sub-Committee, participate in the East Gulf Coastal Plan Grassland Bird Working group and the Gulf Coastal Plain and Ozarks Geomatics Working group.

I enjoy upland bird hunting and, more recently, training my bird dog, Gerti.  I am passionate about traditional (longbows and recurve bows) bow hunting and enjoy crafting my own wooden arrows to take the elusive white-tailed deer.  When hunting season has been exhausted, I take respite in fly-fishing, fly-tying, and fly-rod building. I also enjoy spending time with my wife leisurely bird watching, backpacking, hiking, and camping as well as a exploring novel waters by canoe in N. Florida and beyond. 

Aside from wildlife-related ventures, I enjoy training for triathlon in particular the Olympic and Half-Ironman (70.3) distances. At the top of my bucket list is competing in and completing a full Ironman.