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EXOTIC hunting texas
TOP LAND MANAGEMENT ISSUES FOR TEXAS RANCH OWNERS
Texas ranchers face ongoing challenges with land management, including fencing upkeep, predator threats, soil erosion, invasive species and water conservation. There are practical solutions, like rotational grazing, secure boundary control, and sustainable pasture management to preserve land and livestock.
These problems can be solved with expert installation of durable fencing, custom gates and property-specific solutions tailored to Texas terrain. From predator-proof barriers to water-source protection and boundary enforcement, our team delivers long-lasting infrastructure that supports both productivity and conservation.
Whether improving livestock containment or preventing trespassing, Fred Nuncio Fencing, based in Brady, provides the experience and craftsmanship needed to safeguard your investment and maintain your ranch’s long-term value. Let us help you build a better, more secure ranch.
NEW
Lone Star outdoor newS
HB 135, the “tax bill,” has passed the Texas House, the Texas Senate and has been signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott, to be effective immediately.
Leadership from the Exotic Wildlife Assciation was informed in a 2024 meeting with the Texas Comptroller’s office, that the sale of exotic animals was not exempt from state sales tax, even though it had never been collected. At that time the comptroller was auditing an EWA member and expected to collect the tax going back 7 years.
The application of sales tax would have sent ripples through the exotics industry, especially if sales taxes were applied to past years.
EWA leadership sought a legislative solution. HB 125, introduced by Rep. Angie Chen Button (R-Richardson), amended the existing tax law to exempt the sale of exotics from state sales tax.
THE BEST SOCKS, GLOVES FROM THE AMERICAN BISON
The American plains bison survives in some tough conditions, from blazing heat to minus 60-degree cold.
How do they do it? It’s all about the undercoat in the animals’ fur.
“Mother Nature has given them the perfect clothing to keep them comfortable year-round in all kinds of conditions,” said The Buffalo Wool Company owner Ron Miskin. “It’s because of the “down” or fine soft undercoat they grow out in winter and shed out in spring.”
Each huge bison only has 6-8 ounces of the undercoat.
“That’s all it takes to keep the bison completely comfortable,” Miskin said. “The downy fiber has a natural crimp to it that helps it trap more dead air than any other fiber. Dead air is a fantastic insulator and provides a great buffer against the cold.”
Most people have seen photos of bison completely crusted over with ice and snow, and their body heat doesn’t escape through the amazing insulation.
But what about the Texas heat, especially for those with sweaty feet?
Bison undercoat is also an ideal material when it comes to keeping your feet cool, as the fine, itchfree fibers act better than wool, keeping your feet dry.
Ron Miskin and his wife, Theresa, developed socks, gloves and much more from the bison
undercoat, along with the difficult task of locating enough to produce in larger quantities, a decadelong process.
“Our supply chain brings together bison ranchers, small independent mills and local manufacturers, Miskin said. “We work with ranchers all over the U.S. to get their hair. You only get a few pair of socks off of one bison.”
It only takes a few wears to realize these are the best socks and gloves made.
“Bison wool is soft enough to wrap a baby in, and tough enough to keep a mountain man warm in a blizzard,” Miskin said. “The fiber has a micron count of about 15, comparable to a good cashmere.”
Each pair is warm, lightweight and super-tough. Iditarod mushers who used to pack up to 25 pairs for the long journey, pack just five pair of Buffalo Wool socks.
“The socks wick stronger,” Miskin said. “They keep you comfortable at real cold temps, and when it’s hot, they are better than cotton socks.”
The Miskin family has been raising bison for decades. The styles of products and by-products of many ranchers raising bison for meat have a greater purpose.
“We believe that by working together, we can preserve America’s national mammal,” Miskin said.
Red stag, exotics in the perfect setting
Do you dream of hunting a big red stag? At the Reserve Ranch, you can achieve your dreams right here in Texas.
According to owner John Ed Stepan, mature red stags are a key focus at the ranch.
“I started breeding them with New Zealand genetics, and we have some outstanding trophies to offer,” Stepan said. “A large, multi-tined stag is a sight to behold.”
Through a strategic relationship and years of breeding from some of the top bloodlines in the world, Reserve Ranch offers world-class red deer hunting at the expansive ranch north of La Pryor, about an hour and a half from the San Antonio International Airport, where you’ll see stags ranging from 300 to 500-plus inches.
Stepan, a lifelong hunter who also operates Ranch Investments, began guiding exotic game hunts in the early 1980s in the Texas Hill Country, and purchased his first hunting ranch in 1993, building it from the ground up. In 2000, he purchased 3,300 acres in South Texas, and added another 3,800 acres two years later, all of which he managed for big game.
Fatherhood eventually took priority in Stepan’s life, leading him to sell the ranches to focus on his growing children.
However, a decade later when his children were off to college, the Reserve Ranch property became available once again. Stepan, with his avid hunting wife, Debra, purchased the ranch with the goal of turning it into the premier hunting ranch in Texas. The Reserve Ranch encompasses 5 square miles
of some of the best habitat in South Texas and is bordered by 2 1/2 miles of one of the best stretches on the Nueces River.
In addition to white-tailed deer, more than 20 species of exotics are managed on the ranch, and dove and upland bird hunting is available, too.
“Our dedication is to the preservation of big game animals through the funds generated by hunting,” Stepan said. “This is a proven method of game management utilized by governments and private nature reserves around the world.”
The Hacienda
The Stepans had a vision to create a destination in South Texas that embraces both the roots of the Spanish culture along with the dreams exemplified by so many Texans. Styled after the Historic Mission at Goliad, the Hacienda, with its inviting colonnade, courtyards and fountains takes you to another place in time — Texas in the 1800s. Massive, ancient pecan trees draw you toward the lawn, flanked by the swimming pool and veranda before entering one of the 10 private guest rooms. Also, off the colonnade sits an expansive trophy room displaying more than 250 species from around the globe, a card room and 25-seat theater. The dining hall seats 30, and sports a grand, vaulted ceiling and bar, welcoming guests to a gourmet meal coupled with a “Texas flair” after a day in the field, followed by a relaxing evening by the fire pit to share tales of the hunts. Serving individuals, families and corporate groups.
Polaris® Ranger Crew XD 1500 Nor thStar Ultimate
JOINING THE EXOTICS MOVEMENT
By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS
Two kinds of owners dominate the exotics industry — those who breed animals, and a growing number of landowners who want to have them on their property for personal or commercial purposes.
Sales of animals vary widely, depending on whether the buyer is looking for top genetics to produce trophy animals, or good representative animals to have on their ranch, hoping to develop a small herd and hunt the mature bulls or bucks eventually.
Exotics have advantages. You can hunt them year-round. They add enjoyment in wildlife viewing. For most, there are fewer regulations, which many landowners and former deer breeders are seeking to avoid. You can help save animal species from extinction. Finally, they can help your ranch’s bottom line.
At the Y.O. Ranch Spring Exotic Game Sale, held on April 25, sales prices ranged widely. At the sale, most animals weren’t billed as having super genetics, just good animals for your ranch.
Most sales of the hundreds of animals ranged between $1,000 and $6,000 for animals such as scimitar-horned oryx, kudu, blackbuck, axis, fallow deer, addax, dama gazelle and sable.
The list expanded to species less abundant in Texas, like blesbok, impala, red lechwe, waterbuck, zebra and even peacocks and kangaroos.
Hunt prices help show the demand for a long list of exotic species, ranging from as low as $1,000 for an axis doe to more than $20,000 for a roan, sable or black wildebeest.
A few examples of hunt prices and live purchase prices for trophy-sized animals are as follows:
G2 Ranch Hunting Price Live Purchase Price Statewide
Addax
Axis
Blackbuck
Bongo
Eland
Gemsbok
Kudu
Nyala
Sable
Scimitar-horned oryx
Waterbuck
$10,900
$7,400
$5,800
$48,000
$11,500
$10,900
$23,000
$16,500
$24,900
$9,500
$10,800
$3,000 bull / $3,500 cow
$3,000 buck / $600 doe
$2,500 buck / $600 doe
$20,000 bull / $90,000 cow
$4,500 bull / $3,700 cow
$4,500 bull / $6,000 cow
$10,000 bull / $31,000 cow
$5,000 bull / $25,000 cow
$10,000 bull / $35,000 cow
$2,500 bull / $2,500 cow
$4,000 bull / $3,500 cow
*Prices are volatile and change daily
The Exotic Wildlife Association, North America’s oldest and most successful organization of nonnative wildlife breeders and managers, represents both breeders and owners of exotic animals and promotes a “Conservation through Commerce” model, whereby the value of the animals help save species.
The process has worked in saving species already extinct or near-extinct in their native ranges, like the scimitar-horned oryx, dama gazelle and addax. These species are now thriving in Texas.
Even investment groups have been getting involved. WildLife Partners, based in Boerne, says it marries the desire to do good for exotic species with economic incentives and has helped with breeding, development and sales of hundreds of millions of dollars for oftenendangered exotic species.
“When it is accentuated by for-profit motives, outsiders that would otherwise not participate, join the fight to save species from extinction,” Wildlife Partners said.
Dave Richards
GROW YOUR OPERATION WITH DROPTINE STUDIOS
At Droptine Studios, we live and breathe the outdoor lifestyle. Our team comes from the same world you do: whitetails, exotics and everything in between. We’re not just another marketing company. We’re a group of creatives who know the industry because we’ve worked in it, managed operations and built our own brands from the ground up. That’s what sets us apart.
We understand your day-to-day and what it takes to make a name for yourself in this space.
With more than a decade of experience and more than 40 years of combined knowledge in the exotics and whitetail sectors, we bring a deep understanding of your market, your challenges, and your audience. Whether you’re running a high-fence hunting operation, managing a breeding program, or launching a new ranch, we’re here to help you tell your story in a way that resonates and delivers results.
We’ve worked with more than 200 clients across the country, including more than 150 ranches, and have helped them stand out with powerful visuals, branding that speaks volumes, and websites that drive real engagement. Our services are tailored to ranches and rural
From logo design and brand identity to web design, photography, and video production, we offer everything under one roof. We also handle custom printing and marketing collateral, so your brand stays consistent from the gate sign to your business card.
What makes us different is how hands-on we are. We come out to your property, get to know your operation, and capture content that reflects the quality of what you’ve built. Our photos and videos don’t just look good. They connect with the people you’re trying to reach, whether it’s buyers, breeders, hunters, or landowners.
We’re not here to sell you a package and walk away. We build long-term relationships with our clients and serve as an extension of your team. We care about your success just as much as you do, and it shows in the work we produce. When you partner with Droptine Studios, you’re getting more than media. You’re getting a team that’s invested in your legacy.
If you’re ready to grow your operation and make your brand stand out in a crowded market, we’re ready to get to work. Let’s tell your story the way it deserves to be told.
ADMIN@DROPTINESTUDIOS.COM DROPTINESTUDIOS.COM
Ken Moody Safaris
THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE HUNTING RIFLE
The Ruger American ® Rifle Generation II is an update to the American-made rifle that has been the benchmark for accuracy, durability, and performance in bolt-action rifles for over a decade. Designed with customer feedback in mind, the Ruger American Rifle Generation II is available in a variety of calibers and is sure to become the first choice for hunters and firearms enthusiasts.
