When looking for land to build a forever home, might we suggest choosing one with forever views? It’s a small detail, but it’s one we know you’ll enjoy. And to help you get everything else you want, Capital Farm Credit is here for you. We’ll help you navigate the process of financing rural property, because rural lending is what we do. You could say we know the value of every acre out there — on land or in the night sky. To learn more, visit CapitalFarmCredit.com.
September is one of the most exciting times of the year for a hunter as we dust off our shotguns to usher in a new Texas hunting season. As we start that new season here at TWA, we are excited to share our newly designed Texas Wildlife magazine with members. Along with a number of new design features, you will see some new content that we are pretty excited about including a new Texas history series, steady wild game cooking content and of course, lots of land management and hunting articles. Along with the quarterly hard copy magazine and the annual report members received in July, the digital news magazines will include several of the same quality articles our members have come to expect along with timely stories from our staff program leads highlighting hot topics in natural resource management and regular updates on program impacts.
One of the things we will cover often in these staff articles is our organizational refocus on regional development. Regional development is a concept that has long been important to our volunteer leadership, but it has a slightly different meaning to everyone you ask. To me, it means building regional teams of passionate TWA volunteers and providing those members with opportunities to bring TWA programs to their community to introduce their friends and neighbors to the mission of TWA. I personally saw this at work the last weekend of June when long time members, Chuck and Brenda Greco, hosted 30 of their friends and neighbors on their ranch near Junction. It was a wonderful evening of fellowship that resulted in several new landowners and hunters joining the TWA family. We are excited about these new members and look forward to many more regional development events like this over the next year. If you are interested in hosting a similar event in your community, please give us a call at the office and we will help you get the ball rolling.
Here’s to a safe and successful 2024-25 hunting season for you and your family.
Thanks for being a member of TWA.
Texas Wildlife Association
MISSION STATEMENT
Serving Texas wildlife and its habitat, while protecting property rights, hunting heritage, and the conservation efforts of those who value and steward wildlife resources.
OFFICERS
Jonathan Letz, President, Comfort
Nyle Maxwell, Vice President, Georgetown
Dr. Louis Harveson, Second Vice President for Programs, Alpine Parley Dixon, Treasurer, Austin
For a complete list of TWA Directors, go to www.texas-wildlife.org
PROFESSIONAL STAFF/CONTRACT ASSOCIATES
ADMINISTRATION & OPERATION
Justin Dreibelbis, Chief Executive Officer
TJ Goodpasture, Director of Development & Operations
Kassi Scheffer-Geeslin, Director of Youth Education
Andrew Earl, Director of Conservation
Amber Brown, Conservation Education Specialist
Gene Cooper, Conservation Education Specialist
Sarah Hixon Miller, Conservation Education Specialist
Jared Schlottman, Conservation Education Specialist
Kay Bell, Conservation Educator
Taylor Cabler, Conservation Educator
Denise Correll, Conservation Educator
Christine Foley, Conservation Educator
Yvonne Keranen, Conservation Educator
Terri McNutt, Conservation Educator
Jeanette Reames, Conservation Educator
Louise Smyth, Conservation Educator
Jennifer Wade, Conservation Educator
Marla Wolf, Curriculum Specialist
Noelle Brooks, CL Program Assistant
Matthew Hughes, Ph.D. Director of Hunting Heritage
COL(R) Chris Mitchell, Texas Youth Hunting Program Director
Bob Barnette, TYHP Field Operations Coordinator
Taylor Heard, TYHP Field Operations Coordinator
Briana Nicklow, TYHP Field Operations Coordinator
Kim Hodges, TYHP Program Coordinator
Kristin Parma, Hunting Heritage Program Specialist
TEXAS WILDLIFE ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION
Justin Dreibelbis, Chief Executive Officer
TJ Goodpasture, Director of Development & Operations
Denell Jackson, Development Associate
ADVOCACY
Joey Park, Legislative Program Coordinator
MAGAZINE CORPS
Sean Hoffmann, Managing Editor
Lorie A. Woodward, Special Projects Editor
Publication Printers Corp., Printing, Denver, CO
Texas Wildlife Association
Texas Wildlife
Matt Buckingham
SEPTEMBER
September 13
19th Annual South Texas Wildlife Conference, Pleasanton Civic Center. For information and tickets visit https://www.texas-wildlife.org/stwc/
OCTOBER
October 10
James Green Wildlife & Conservation Initiative Fundraising Event, Fort Worth. For more information, contact djackson@texas-wildlife.org or twafoundation.org
October 16
Texas Outdoorsman of the Year honoring Blair Fitzsimons, San Antonio Country Club. For information, contact djackson@texas-wildlife.org or www.twafoundation.org
OCTOBER
October 31
8th Annual Houston Sporting Clays Tournament & Fundraiser, Greater Houston Sports Club. For more information, contact TJ Goodpasture at tjgoodpasture@texas-wildlife.org
JULY,
2025
July 10-13, 2025
WildLife 2025, TWA’s 40th Annual Convention, J.W. Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio. Mark you calendar, more information to follow!
FOR INFORMATION ON HUNTING SEASONS, call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at (800) 792-1112, consult the 2024-2025 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual, or visit the TPWD website at: tpwd.state.tx.us.
Register today at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/twengeve/event/2024twasportingclays/
A pronghorn buck in a vast expanse of West Texas prairie.
An American
Texas Born to Run
Antelope in
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY MATT BUCKINGHAM
Two centuries past, when westward expansion began gripping our young nation, the American frontier was not defined by the towering mountains and rugged desert that exemplify the term today, but rather endless expanses of prairie inhabited by millions of American bison, pronghorn, elk, wolves, grizzly bears and diverse native cultures. As countless wagons wore ruts into the earth, black-tailed prairie dogs kept a watchful eye for badgers and black-footed ferrets, and a chorus of thriving grassland songbird populations filled the air. The majority of the Lone Star State was part of this magnificent expanse
of grass. From the tallgrass prairies that lined the Gulf Coast to the Blackland and Cross Timber woodlands interspersed with meadows; and from the semi-arid grasslands of the Trans-Pecos to the Llano Estacado and the shortgrass prairies of the Panhandle Plains, Texas is a prairie state. And while the plains bison is perhaps the most well recognized symbol of the Great Plains and its plight, the pronghorn deserves a role right beside it as a true prairie icon.
Antilocapra americana, commonly known as the pronghorn, antelope, pronghorn antelope, speed goat, prairie antelope and other colloquial names, is one of North America’s most
unique species. It is an animal that is at the same time beautiful, bizarre, graceful and gangly. They are supremely adapted for life on the prairie, and for speed and endurance. Adaptations like enlarged lungs, windpipes, and hearts, interlocking grooves in their joints that allow for a unilateral line of travel and an enhanced circulatory system make them the second fastest sprinters, and the fastest sustained runners on the planet. Other adaptations for life on the open plains include a pelage that is versatile with hairs that can draw in toward the skin to defend against the bitter cold of prairie winters, where air within their hollow structure adds additional insulation. Their hair can also stand erect to allow air to pass against the skin during the blistering heat of summer. Their eyes are huge, larger even than those of a horse, and afford them a field of vision greater than 300 degrees – an important trait to survey vast treeless expanses. And while they primarily perceive their world through their eyes, their sense of smell is keen as well, and it has been said by many a prairie old-timer that pronghorn can “smell” rain from many miles away, making significant movements to seek out water and fresh forage.
Their name originates from the pronghorn’s unique horns. They’re not quite antlers, which are carried by most members of the deer family (Cervidae), are comprised of solid
cheetahs, which would have been a major predator of their habitats. Today there are no predators that can come close to matching an adult pronghorn’s speed or endurance in open country, and their enlarged eyes and exceptional field of vision allows them to spot a potential threat two miles away and ensure that a potential predator would rarely get the chance to test this theory.
The pronghorn’s conservation history begins like so many other species of American wildlife. When Europeans first visited the West, there were an estimated 35 million pronghorn roaming the plains. By the turn of the 20th century, it is estimated there were barely 10,000 left. That’s a population decline of over 99.999%. Like the American bison, the open country that the pronghorn called home made them easy targets for hunters. As the prairies became tamed by the hand of man, the conversion of native grassland to pasture and agriculture further impacted pronghorn populations. Texas was not spared the onslaught. There were historically two subspecies of pronghorn in Texas. Antilocapra americana americana, the common, or American pronghorn ranged across the Panhandle and Rolling Plains, Cross Timbers, Grand and Fort Worth Prairies, and into the Blacklands. Antilocapra americana mexicana, the Mexican, or Chihuahuan pronghorn occurred
Despite commonly being referred to as antelope, pronghorn are not closely related to true antelope, which are restricted to the Old World.
bone, and are typically shed each year. Nor are they quite like true horns, which are comprised of keratin, typically unbranched and carried throughout the year. Instead, they lie somewhere in between. The skulls of pronghorn bucks have bony protrusions that serve as the horns’ “cores.” Around them, pronged keratinous sheaths grow, and are shed each year. As with most deer, their headgear grows larger with age, though factors such as diet and genetics also play a role. The primary purpose of these horns is to communicate a male’s fitness to potential rivals and mates, and to engage in combat during the rut. It is believed by some that the “prong” is designed to catch a rivals horn and keep it from damaging the eye, as pronghorn depend so heavily on their supreme eyesight.
Despite commonly being referred to as antelope, pronghorn are not closely related to true antelope, which are restricted to the Old World. They are the only surviving member of the family Antilocapridae, a once diverse group which evolved in North America during the Miocene. Early Antilocaprids included Merriamoceros, which had horns shaped like fans or palm fronds, Ilingoceros, which had spiral horns, and Tetrameryx and Hayoceros, which bore four horns instead of two. The pronghorn’s closest living relatives are not deer, antelope, or goats, but are giraffes and okapis. The pronghorn’s extreme speed and endurance is believed to have evolved as a defense against extinct American
in the Trans-Pecos and South Texas, with a likely contact zone that included the Edwards Plateau and other portions of central Texas. According to Pronghorn: Portrait of the American Antelope by Gary Turbak, there are only subtle differences between the subspecies, which include horn color, skull measurements, and the generally smaller size of the Mexican subspecies.
Early accounts note that pronghorn were encountered as far east as Falls and Milam counties. In 1845, in Narrative of an Expedition Across the Great Southwestern Prairies, from Texas to Santa Fé, pioneer and journalist George Wilkins Kendall described pronghorn as being common on the Upper Brazos. George Bernard Erath, another 19th century pioneer and early Texas politician noted pronghorn were also abundant in McLennan County, near his Waco home. In Texas with Particular Reference to German Immigration and the Physical Appearance of the Country, published by German born geologist and naturalist Ferdinand von Roemer in 1849, Roemer states that he observed pronghorn in the region where the Blackland Prairies meet the Lampasas Cut Plain. As the herds began to disappear, the pronghorn of South Texas held on a little longer than most other portions of the state. In their landmark 1905 work, Biological Survey of Texas, Vernon Bailey and Clinton Hart Merriam recount reports from early Anglo Texans that paint a picture of what once was. They provide an account from 1854 where
A young pronghorn buck encounters an impassable barrier near Fort Davis.
Born
historian John Russell Bartlett describes seeing “thousands of deer and antelope” scattered about the prairie between Rio Grande City and Corpus Christi. At the turn of the twentieth century a few remnant herds were spotted in south Texas around the towns of Alice and San Diego, but as European settlement worked its way across the states, populations were diminished until a few scattered herds remained in the Panhandle and the Trans Pecos. A state population that was once estimated to contain a million individuals or more dwindled to only a couple of thousand by the time Bailey and Merriam published their biological survey in the early 1900s.
Fortunately, in the early 1900s efforts began to protect and restore both the species and its habitat. In Texas a temporary ban on hunting was enacted in 1903 to allow populations to recover. Restocking efforts in Texas began as early as 1939. Animals from nuisance and surplus populations from Texas, Colorado and Wyoming were released in an effort to repopulate the historic range of pronghorn in Texas. Between 1939 and 1982, nearly 6,000 individuals were transplanted.
in 1924 to over 17,000. At the time, West Texas contained the majority of the state’s population. What followed were 20 years of population fluctuations, until by 2008 just a few thousand individuals remained in the Trans-Pecos. A variety of factors were cited as possible causes. A significant drought in the late 1990s caused a dip, followed by a gradual increase until extended drought and a late season hard freeze in 2008 dipped the regional population to near record lows. This was followed by two years of very low fawn production. The stress from these events may have made the pronghorn more susceptible to parasites such as barber’s pole worms (Haemonchus spp.), which affect the stomach.
A 2009 study found that animals in the Trans-Pecos had higher occurrence of these worms than herds elsewhere.
Recognizing the dire situation, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) enacted a plan to capture 200 animals from the Panhandle, where populations have been increasing in recent decades, and translocate them to the Trans-Pecos. They put their plan into action in 2011, unaware that a
Populations in the Panhandle and Trans-Pecos gradually began to recover and in October 1944 a hunting season was held. It opened with some fanfare as the then Governor Coke Stevenson took a buck at a ranch near Alpine. It was the first of nearly 300 animals that would be taken in what was largely considered a huge success.
Following that fateful October day in 1944, pronghorn populations in Texas steadily continued to recover. By 1987, the Trans-Pecos herd recovered from a low of 692 animals
historic drought loomed just around the corner. Nearly 80 percent of radio-tracked animals that were released perished. Undeterred, TPWD resumed translocation efforts in 2013 once the drought eased, and since that date have released hundreds of Panhandle pronghorn in the TransPecos. Though these efforts have helped gradually increase numbers in West Texas, the population remains tenuous. Of the approximately 20,500 pronghorn estimated to occur as of 2020, roughly 4,500 reside in the Trans-Pecos.
A group of pronghorn does. Like bucks, they grow and shed horns each year, albeit the horns are much smaller.
Translocation efforts can help increase genetic diversity within a population. This certainly has its benefits, however it can also dilute distinctive gene pools. In the case of TransPecos pronghorn, it is likely that few, if any pure Mexican pronghorn, remain, as translocated Panhandle animals introduced genes from the American subspecies into the population. In Pronghorn: Portrait of the American Antelope, published in 1995, author Gary Turbak suggests that a small genetically pure population of Mexican pronghorn remained near the town of Marathon. Since that time, numerous Panhandle animals were introduced to the Marathon Basin, and this herd is likely no longer purely comprised of Mexican pronghorn genetics. This can lead to an interesting debate – sacrifice the occurrence of the subspecies in the state, or risk losing pronghorn from the Trans-Pecos. This conundrum is not unique to pronghorn in Texas and is often brought up when wildlife reintroductions are discussed. At the end of the day, making every effort to ensure that this prairie icon remains in our west Texas prairies won out, and that’s probably for the best.
The main contemporary threat to pronghorn across Texas is a synergy of factors that reduces the pronghorn’s ability to tolerate certain environmental factors. Studies have shown that roads and fences form barriers to movement. This may create barriers to gene flow which could reduce
A trio of young pronghorn bucks in the Marfa grasslands.
A pronghorn buck in a sea of grass.
the genetic diversity at a regional scale. These barriers may also prevent pronghorn from seeking out important food and water resources during periods of extreme drought. Where in unrestricted conditions, a pronghorn might travel up to 100 miles or more to find water or suitable forage, these barriers restrict their room to roam to what’s available on their side of the fence, so to speak. Fences may also make adult pronghorn more susceptible to predators, and there are reports of individuals being cornered by coyotes at 90-degree angles in fencelines. Research into the effects of barriers like roads is ongoing, but the presence of barriers no doubt contributed to the Trans-Pecos declines of the 2000s.
Today efforts are being made to address the impacts of these barriers. Groups like TPWD, Borderlands Research Institute, and the Texas Department of Transportation are working on the science to potentially implement wildlife crossings in areas with large pronghorn populations. Additionally, TPWD and various conservation organizations also work with private and public landowners to improve the landscape for pronghorn. They have worked to make hundreds of miles of Texas fence lines “pronghorn friendly,” connecting hundreds of thousands of acres of pronghorn habitat. Pronghorn famously avoid jumping over fences, but do not hesitate to crawl under them. Unfortunately, many traditional wire fences have bottom wires that are too low to allow pronghorn movement, and are adorned with sharp barbs. According to TPWD’s A Landowner’s Guide to Pronghorn-friendly Fences, landowners can improve their fences by raising the bottom wire or net-wire to a minimum of 18 inches off the ground for at least 20 yards for every half
mile of fence, replacing bottom strands of barbed-wire fence with smooth wire, modifying corners to allow escape routes for pronghorn that might be cornered by predators, and remove any old or unused fence segments, including posts and stays. Better yet, if possible, landowners should remove their fences to allow these icons to roam unimpeded as they did for millennia prior the arrival of European settlers.
Nationwide, pronghorn populations have recovered from around 15,000 individuals in 1915 to an estimated one million plus today. Regulated hunting seasons, reintroduction efforts and habitat enhancement has fueled a tremendous recovery, though there are still many portions of their historic range that can no longer support healthy pronghorn populations.
Pronghorn strongholds in Texas today include the semiarid grasslands of the Trans-Pecos, including the Marfa and Marathon grasslands. They can readily be seen around the towns of Alpine, Fort Davis and Valentine, and in the prairies between the Guadalupe Mountains and El Paso. They are common in many areas of the Panhandle, with the Rita Blanca National Grasslands and the vicinity of the community of Pampa being good places to glimpse one. There are also small herds south of Midland/Odessa, and between Big Lake and San Angelo.
Like the American bison, America’s “antelope” is a prairie icon that has come back from the brink. The populations of the Trans-Pecos of Texas, however, continue to face obstacles to recovery. If you are a landowner, or know a landowner in pronghorn country, please consider ensuring that your fencelines are “pronghorn friendly” so that this special hooved Texan can roam the plains unimpeded once more.
A pronghorn buck eyes a doe as the rut draws near. The rut usually begins in early fall in Texas.
Surf fishing is a good way to introduce novices and youngsters to saltwater fishing. Lobbing a bait out and sticking a surf rod into a plastic rod holder is certainly a low-impact way to pursue some of Texas’ most notable saltwater species.
Surf Fishing
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY WILL LESCHPER
The Texas coast is an amazing ecosystem unlike any other in the Lone Star State.
The distinctive habitat spanning hundreds of miles from Sabine Pass near the Louisiana state line to South Padre Island near the Mexican border offers the prime vacation locale for countless numbers of Texans during the spring and summer.
The draw of cool winds and shimmering waves is obvious for the out-of-town crowds, but if you’re a local like me (a Corpus Christi resident), you know firsthand just how bountiful and productive our Gulf of Mexico waters are in terms of a prime draw all year long: surf fishing.
Fall months bring about thoughts of hunting seasons for more than a million Texas residents and nonresidents, according to license sale figures from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (1,236,677 to be exact in 2023). While those plans typically revolve around white-tailed deer, doves, ducks and a host of other wildlife, there also are big-game opportunities for those willing to make a trip down to where the glistening sandy dunes meet the vast, salty expanse.
With that in mind, here’s a glimpse into surf fishing during fall and winter months that won’t disappoint anglers of any age and skill level.
SURF FISHING TARGETS
The big three for inshore saltwater anglers – dubbed a “Texas slam” if you catch a keeper of all species in an outing – are speckled trout, redfish and flounder. While you also can catch those fish on the Gulf side, including at jetty systems, there are countless other species that can be had not far from the beach whether you’re fishing from land or from a boat.
From sharks, jack crevalle and tarpon to pompano, whiting and mackerel, there are plenty of options to target, especially if bait fish are running or are schooled up in tight concentrations. These “bait balls” are known to bring in numerous different species that are simply keying on gorging themselves.
The redfish (red drum) run is among the most amazing sights in saltwater angling, and they are in full force along
“Working the birds” is a concept used by inshore anglers to locate schooling trout and redfish. It’s also applicable when targeting fish in Texas’ surf zones as birds will congregate around bait fish activity.
Gulf beaches, jetties and piers during fall months. The Texas state record was plucked from the Gulf in January 2000 and weighed 59.5 pounds.
As these fish mature, they move out into the Gulf where they spend much of their lives. That’s a great thing for surf, jetty and pier anglers, and these brawny battlers will take a number of offerings, including cracked crabs, shrimp and bait fish of all sizes. They’ll readily slam live and dead bait, but anglers toting artificial lures should always remember to pack heavy spoons, swim baits and other variations that mimic mullet or croaker.
The daily bag on redfish is three in a slot limit of 20 to 28 inches, though you may keep one over 28 as long as it’s affixed with the oversized red drum tag from your saltwater fishing license. During the fall run, it’s not uncommon for anglers to find nothing but “bull reds,” fish that are well above the slot, and not be able to keep them, which sounds like a good problem to have!
A cousin of the redfish is also another fall and winter staple on the Texas coast. The state record black drum is an 81 pound fish caught in summer 1988 from the Gulf of Mexico, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still brutes
skulking around in the winter. These fish will gang up before the spawn that occurs into the spring and it’s not uncommon to see scores of anglers frequenting beach areas near passes and other manmade flows targeting fish with a variety of natural baits.
Dead shrimp and cracked crabs are among the notable black drum baits that always produce for anglers looking to take home some great eating fillets. The best surf tactic is to pin the offering to the bottom using heavier weights than most inshore anglers will ever try. Even “butterfly” drum, those that are within the slot, can peel drag with the best of the saltwater species, and having heavier tackle can be handy, especially if the bull drum are in.
Anglers may keep five black drum per day in a slot limit between 14 and 30 inches, and drum that exceed that limit quickly become less desirable as their flesh gets more coarse and less edible, and can feature small worms, which look scary, but aren’t harmful to humans.
Pompano, also known as cobblerfish, are a common find along Gulf beaches and pass areas. They frequent sandy areas where they pick off sand fleas and other critters that find themselves unlucky enough to be near the bottom. Pompano don’t get large – the average fish is anywhere from 2 to 4 pounds – but the state record is 6.25 pounds and even small ones are superb at the dinner table. There’s also no size or bag limit on pompano, and if you find hungry fish schooled up, you could find yourself in for a long day of fish cleaning.
Anglers targeting “pomps” typically use rigs fished near the bottom featuring small hooks baited with bits of shrimp. Live bait also will produce when you’ve located a school of hungry pompano, and the fish will hit small spoons, jigs and mullet-looking artificials. Beginning south of Corpus Christi on the beaches of the Padre Island National Seashore, there are miles of suitable fishing locales for anglers targeting pompano, and the farther south you head, the better the fishing typically gets when it cools off.
Whiting don’t grow to the same size as other surf dwellers, but they nonetheless put up a good fight when weighing upward of 2 pounds, especially on light tackle. The ticket to filling up on fillets – there’s also no bag or length limit on whiting – is using natural baits including shrimp and cut bait. They usually are found in schools cruising near the bottom and using enough weight to keep your presentation there is key, especially if the current picks up. Some surf anglers also will use whiting as cut bait for other species, including sharks.
Jack crevalle aren’t fit for eating but can reach 20 or 30 pounds with ease, and a fish that size has almost no equal when it comes to a fight. They also run in schools, targeting bait fish such as mullet, and if you find them, hang on. Cut bait is among your best options for jacks since they always are opportunistic feeders.
When it comes to true big game hunting at the beach, there’s an old saying that if you saw what was past the second gut in the Gulf you may never go swimming again. Numerous varieties of sharks are much closer than you may think, and they almost always are prowling beaches up and down the coast looking for an easy meal in the fall.
Some notable surf anglers will target jacks specifically to use as shark cut bait, but other species work as well, including large mullet. Stout tackle is a necessity if you’re
The redfish run is among the most amazing sights in saltwater angling, and they are in full force along Gulf beaches, jetties and piers during fall months.
targeting razor-toothed critters, including wire leaders and a full complement of heavy line. Many anglers who target sharks will employ a kayak to drop their baits out farther than they can cast and then paddle in and put their rods in a holder to play the waiting game.
Bob Hall Pier, before it was destroyed by Hurricane Hanna in 2020, was among the prime fishing spots for anglers looking to reel in sharks and other big game fish. Located on Padre Island, it was not an uncommon feat for anglers to hook large tiger sharks exceeding 10 feet less than a football field from shore and within a short distance from swimmers and surfers who may not have known creatures that big weren’t that far away.
Some sharks such as blacktips are fit to eat, however, a number of shark species may not be retained. Check TPWD’s Outdoor Annual for a full rundown of the rules and regulations regarding shark fishing.
SURF FISHING TACTICS
First and foremost, surf fishing brings about its own challenges and safety hazards. While some portions of Gulf beaches are maintained by local entities, the majority of sand isn’t, which can make the going treacherous unless you’ve got a high-centered four-wheel drive. The late Billy Sandifer, Texas’ most well-known surf fishing guide and
Above: The fall redfish run brings many hefty fish near Gulf of Mexico beaches and passes. Many fishing guides will run up and down the beach near shore looking for bait fish activity, which will give away the position of hungry predators.
Right: Texas surf fishing can be done in numerous ways including from a boat, which offers access to numerous “guts” in between sandbars.
personality, drove older-model, lifted Suburbans that could likely navigate up a tree, if necessary. If you’re going to be driving upward of 20 miles one way in search of fish (common among fishing guides), make sure you can get there and back, bring extra supplies across the board, and always leave a plan behind including when you intend to return home.
When discussing tackle for the surf, the options abound depending on what your approach will be. If you’re wading the surf and expect to make multiple casts in succession, you can use the same rod and reel you would if you were traversing a shallow flat knee-deep in search of tailing redfish. Many of the same inshore artificials also work well in the surf. If you had to pick only a single lure to use until the end of time, the venerable gold spoon in differing sizes is surely hard to beat and is my personal preference.
If you’re planning to go for distance on your casts, look into toting a longer, stiffer “surf rod.” There are numerous iterations of these types of rods nowadays, with some being able to cast a heavy lure or large bait roughly the length of a football field. These types of rods also are good if you hook into a true monster of the deep and need a little extra backbone for the ensuing fight.
When it comes to picking a location, the tough part of fishing from the beach quickly materializes: the miles and miles of sandy angling spots all look about the same. However, you can stack the deck in your favor by following the first rule in fishing: fish where the fish are.
Veteran fishing guides and others who put in quality time in the surf can always rely on one certainty that’s appropriate for inshore angling, too – find the bait and you’ll find the bigger fish. There’s nothing wrong with simply finding a section of Texas beach, lobbing out multiple natural baits and putting them in a rod holder pushed into the sand. It may take some time, but more often than not, your patience will be rewarded by something big on the end of the line.
However, if you prefer to stay mobile, following other local wildlife is one way you can drive right up to feeding fish. “Working the birds” has long been a way to locate game fish of any kind, no matter the body of water. I’ve seen it happen numerous times on Lake Texoma in the spring as gulls circled huge schools of shad, diving into the water from above as big striped bass and smaller white bass circled below in a feeding frenzy. I’ve also seen it happen regularly in Aransas Bay, again with gulls circling above and a massive school of speckled trout looming below. If the action goes on long enough, even the porpoises will join in, running off everything in an area.
Working the birds from the beach is much easier than in other fishing exercises simply because you need only drive in one direction long enough to spot feathered friends of differing shapes and sizes hovering in an area or sitting on top of incoming waves. If the birds are there, so are the bait fish, which translates to hungry game fish, too.
As you can see, fall and winter provide some of the liveliest angling opportunities for anglers willing to spend a day at the beach for Texas saltwater fishing pursuits. Most outdoorsmen are thinking about big bucks and lots of ducks right now, but if you’re seeking new big game to hunt, look no further than the surf.
It’s the perfect time to head to the beach.
The beaches near South Padre Island hold many sought-after species including redfish, tarpon and sharks. Fishing the surf from a boat is the best way to stay mobile and on bait fish.
ARTICLE BY HON. KEN WISE
In 1528, Spanish Explorer Álvar Nuńez Cabeza de Vaca washed ashore somewhere on or near Galveston Island. Shipwrecked and starving, he would eventually walk a large swath of what would become Texas. Along the way, he encountered the strangest looking beasts. They were large bovines with enormous hair-covered heads. Their horns were short and thick. A very large hump behind the shoulders distinguished these animals from anything he had ever seen. Cabeza de Vaca described them as “hunchbacked cows.” He had discovered the bison, sometimes called the American buffalo.
What the explorer could not know was how prolific these odd beasts were. Some estimate there were as many as 60 million bison on the North American continent. They ranged from the Arctic Circle to as far south as Mexico. They existed as far east as the Appalachian Mountains and as far west as Nevada’s Great Basin. Massive herds containing millions of bison dominated the North American landscape.
Bison are indeed unique animals. They are the largest mammals in North America. Male bison (bulls) may stand as tall as six feet, and females (cows) as high as 5 feet. A large bull may weigh 2,000 pounds. Despite their size and lumbering appearance, they can run up to 35 miles an hour. They forage on plants and grass for up to 11 hours each day.
Native Americans depended on the bison for many different needs. They ate the meat and used the hide for shelter and clothing. The bison’s sinews strung the Indian bows, and bison bones made tools for the camp. Almost no part of the animal went unused. Plains Indians in Texas would hunt the animals from horseback or run large numbers of them off of cliffs, referred to as “buffalo jumps.”
wages working on a ranch, this proved an irresistible lure to the buffalo hunting trade.
Commercial bison hunting began in earnest during the 1870s, mainly in Kansas and eastern Colorado. Around 1873, hunting started in the Texas Panhandle. From there, it moved south into the rolling plains country north of Abilene. A bison hunting party typically consisted of a hunter, some skinners, a teamster, and a cook. The hunter would set up where he could see the edge of the herd. From there, he would begin killing both males and females, but preferring the larger males. Bison didn’t run away at either the sound of gunfire or the dropping of their herd mates, making it easy to kill large numbers in one outing. Hunters were so effective at their craft that the bison population was reduced from millions to fewer than 500 animals by 1890.
Enter Charles Goodnight. Goodnight moved with his family to Texas at age nine, riding his horse the 800 miles from Illinois to Milam County. Early in his life, he learned to hunt and track from Caddo Jake, a local Indian. He worked as a jockey racing horses and as a teamster driving oxen. He entered the cattle business at 17 and trailed his first herd to north Texas when he was 21. Goodnight partnered with rancher Oliver Loving to trail cattle to mining camps in the Rocky Mountains in the late 1850s.
It was (Goodnight’s) wife Molly, by all accounts a very persuasive woman, who encouraged the effort because of her dismay with the commercial slaughter of the species
As American settlement moved westward, new markets for bison products evolved. People prized robes made from the bison’s thick, hair-covered winter hide. Factories in England and Germany developed new methods of tanning bison hide, which made the hide especially suited for boot soles and industrial belts for machinery. In the 1870s, the price of a hide was between two and three dollars, and a productive hunter could bring in several thousand hides a year. Compared to relatively low
Goodnight also put his frontier skills to work as a Texas Ranger, serving as a scout and guide under Captain Jack Cureton when Indian raids made life in the western Cross Timbers of Texas almost impossibly dangerous. It was Goodnight who located Comanche Chief Peta Nocona. He later guided Ranger Captain Lawrence Sullivan Ross to the camp. He took part in the famous attack that resulted in the return of the captive Cynthia Ann Parker to her family. Later in his life, Goodnight would befriend the son she had with Peta Nocona, the last chief of the Comanches, Quanah Parker.
Goodnight became one of the most famous cattlemen in the West. He always sought innovative and efficient ways to improve his cattle and ranches. Goodnight ranched in the Palo Duro Canyon as a partner with John Adair. Their JA ranch is the oldest privately owned ranching operation in the Texas Panhandle.
The famous Goodnight-Loving trail took Goodnight and Oliver Loving’s longhorns north into Wyoming. That trail would become one of the West’s most well-known and wellused cattle trails.
Goodnight’s extensive experience on the frontier gave him a deep understanding and appreciation for the bison. He recalled to his biographer, J. Evetts Haley, that the southern herd of bison, with which he had spent significant time, probably averaged “…a hundred and twenty-five to a hundred and fifty miles long and twenty-five miles wide.” Goodnight observed that they stood as close together as possible while grazing “…and left not a particle of grass behind them.”
Goodnight and others also knew commercial hunting would likely wipe out the entire species if conservation was not prioritized. However, this was only partially altruistic because the idea of domesticating and raising bison was familiar. In 1866, Goodnight decided to try and start a commercial bison herd. Goodnight had observed that if he could get some cows and calves running from his horse at a moderate speed, he could cut between the fleeing cows and tiring calves, causing the calves to follow his horse rather than their mothers. This peculiar phenomenon allowed Goodnight to capture and pen six calves and place them with regular cows from his cattle herd. He entrusted an acquaintance in Parker County with the care of the calves and continued his ranching and trailing activities. This first endeavor didn’t work out because the man he trusted to raise the calves ended up selling them and absconding with the money.
Approximately 10 years later, when commercial buffalo hunting was at its peak, Goodnight tried again. This time it was his wife Molly, by all accounts a very persuasive woman, who encouraged the effort because of her dismay with the commercial slaughter of the species. Goodnight
Bison are well adapted to the rugged landscape of Caprock Canyons State Park southeast of Amarillo.
While Charles Goodnight is known as a legendary cattleman who partnered with Oliver Loving to form the Goodnight-Loving Cattle trail that spanned the Texas Panhandle to Wyoming, his conservation efforts were instrumental in saving the American bison from possible extinction.
Today, there are an estimated 25,000 wild bison in North America, with another approximately 500,000 in private herds.
These Texas Panhandle bison are descendants of Charles Goodnight’s southern herd that now call Caprock Canyons State Park home.
PHOTO
This small herd of bison were photographed around 1900 on the Colbert Ranch near present day Stamford in Jones County.
Unregulated
one
Bison hides dry in the sun at a market hunters’ camp outside of Fort Phantom Hill in this undated photo.
Market hunters skin a bison in Texas.
marked hunting was
factor that nearly drove bison to extinction during the turn of the late 1800s.
PHOTO
roped two buffalo calves in the Palo Duro Canyon and took them back to his headquarters. Soon, seven more animals joined the small herd, including a yearling and a two-yearold from a neighboring ranch.
The older animals required the services of Goodnight’s bell steer Old Blue. Old Blue had walked thousands of miles leading cattle herds all over the West and did not tolerate rude behavior. The young adult bison were attached to Old Blue with as close a tie as possible. The cowboys turned Old Blue loose, and the lesson began. Old Blue knocked the yearling down and ran those two bison for about three miles, stopping only upon reaching the Canadian River. The two older bison were docile from then on.
Goodnight’s first bison bull was named Old Sikes. Old Sikes “…knew not the meaning of barbed wire…”
nearby creek. They finally retrieved Old Sikes, but not until that summer’s roundup. By then, Goodnight had built a separate pasture that, hopefully, his growing buffalo herd wouldn’t want to escape.
Old Sikes did earn his keep, however. Charles Goodnight was keenly interested in improving his cattle through selective breeding. He bred Old Sikes to some of his domestic cows, creating what Goodnight called the cattalo. While Goodnight’s cattalo seemed immune to certain diseases and exhibited a rapid growth rate, the calving success rate was only about 25 percent. That rate did not support the commercial success of the experiment.
Charles Goodnight eventually owned a herd of between 200 and 250 bison. These animals represented the last of the southern herd of the American buffalo and the last of what came to be
Old Sikes went where he wanted when he wanted, and the Goodnight ranch cowboys rode miles to bring him home. He also had a habit of wallowing right in the middle of a cattle roundup, which, of course, scattered the herd and scared all the horses, turning the roundup into an impromptu rodeo.
In the spring of 1886, Old Sikes also taught the cowboys a lesson about bison athleticism. After being chased and brought back to the ranch yet again, the cowboys put Old Sikes in a corral with a six-foot fence. The following day found Old Sikes gone again. He had jumped the fence. He proceeded to jump every fence between the ranch and a not-so-
known as the Southern Plains bison, a genetically distinct subspecies from other North American bison. The herd eventually went under the care of what would become the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. It formed the basis for the current Texas State Bison Herd, which lives in Caprock Canyons State Park.
Others saw the value of saving the remaining bison. South Dakotan James “Scotty” Phillip, the Smithsonian Institution, the American Bison Society, and others took the initiative to preserve this uniquely North American species. Today, there are an estimated 25,000 wild bison in North America, with another approximately 500,000 in
private herds. In 2016, The bison became the national mammal of the United States. These magnificent animals symbolize America and the West and deserve to be protected. Charles and Molly Goodnight saw that need and rose up in true Texas fashion to meet the challenge. For that, all Texans, indeed all Americans, can be grateful.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
Pronghorn on the Horizon
ARTICLE BY LARRY WEISHUHN
PHOTOS BY LARRY WEISHUHN OUTDOORS
Due to their light tan and white coat, pronghorn are generally easy to spot they can generally be hunted throughout the day.
“Sir, pronghorn antelope are not ‘speed goats!’ They’re antelope and only found in North America. They are the only antelope species that has forked horns, and, the only true horned animal that annually sheds their outer sheath. From the core that remains they grows new horns each year. They are not ‘goats!’ Calling them such is disrespectful and a personal pet peeve!”
Takes a lot to rile me, calling pronghorns “goats” does!
Texas is blessed with a decent pronghorn population. These days they are restricted to the Panhandle, lower Panhandle, western edge of the Hill Country and the TransPecos. Years ago their range stretched into the lower Rio Grande, but no more. Subsequent restocking efforts in the area failed.
Years ago pronghorn numbers were dangerously low. Today, thanks to hunter dollars and concerned landowners, pronghorn populations have recovered and are thriving--one of America’s greatest wildlife conservation success stories.
one of the most difficult to procure because of the limited number of permits issued annually.
I am uncertain if I will get to hunt pronghorn this fall. Usually 41 of our 254 counties have a pronghorn hunting season. Permits are issued to landowners based on the number of pronghorn on their property. They in turn issue those permits to hunters.
I have taken pronghorn with muzzleloaders, revolvers and break-open/single-shot handguns, and a variety of rifles (single-shot, lever action and bolt action), chambered in a myriad of calibers and rounds. With the exception of the muzzleloaders and and revolvers, I have used mostly relatively flat shooting rounds such as .22-250, .243, .257, .264 (6.5mm), .270, 7mm, and a variety of .30 caliber rounds. These were sighted in, before the advent of adjustable turret scopes, to shoot dead-on at 200-yards. Sighted in, those rounds had a point blank range of about 300 or so yards.
Point blank range is not real close shooting (as the term is far too often referred to in movies, the media and the like).
Because of their acute eyesight, which some equate to that of a human aided by an 8-power binocular, pronghorn seldom miss or fail to spot danger. When they do, they run. And run they can, in excess of 50 mph.
When running, their mouths are wide open to take in as much air as possible. To aid this, their trachea, or wind pipe, is considerably larger than other animals their size. They also have a specialized “screen” in the anterior of their lungs which filters out bits of grass, seeds and the like.
I learned many years ago hitting a pronghorn running full out is nearly impossible. Years ago I lead one by at least two and a half body lengths and still shot a body length behind him. Lesson learned! Do not shoot at running pronghorns.
The pronghorn, our one true prairie big game animals, is a member of our Texas Big Game Slam which also includes javelina, white-tailed and mule deer. A Texas pronghorn is
It is the maximum range or distance at which a bullet will neither rise above 3 inches, nor drop below 3 inches, of the line of sight.
A proper pronghorn gun is one that is flat shooting and highly accurate while producing sufficient down-range velocity to expand the bullet upon impact and quickly and humanely harvest the animal.
I recently put together my “new perfect pronghorn rifle,” which will be my go to deer rifle as well. It is a 7mm PRC Mossberg Patriot Predator action connected to an Avient heat reduction barrel system, topped with a Stealth Vision Extreme SVX 5-3x56 scope and shooting Hornady 175-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter ammunition. With this combination (more about Avient and Stealth Vision in the future), I can shoot 3-inch groups at 800 yards. In spite of long range accuracy my goal will always be to crawl as close as possible to the animal before shooting.
Larry approaches a nice pronghorn he took in the Texas Trans-Pecos with Wildlife Systems, Inc.
Crossing La Entrada Highways,
Fences and Habitat Connectivity in a Restored Pronghorn Population
ARTICLE BY JUSTIN T. FRENCH, CALEB L. HUGHES, SUZANNE WALSH (TPWD), SHAWN S. GRAY (TPWD), & LOUIS A. HARVESON
Pronghorn restoration efforts in the Trans-Pecos have met with success over the last decade and a half.
Following many projects to enhance habitat quality and connectivity, and six translocations from healthy populations in the northwest and northeast Panhandle area, pronghorn numbers in the Trans-Pecos rose from a historic low of 1,200 individuals in 2012 to 6,865 today (2023). Many of these animals were fit with satellite tracking collars
that allowed researchers to monitor their survival and movements after release. The data these collars produced showed managers and researchers many things, but perhaps the most striking of these was the importance of habitat connectivity for pronghorn survival.
To understand this, we must know a little about how pronghorn make a living. Unlike deer, pronghorn do not rely on shrubs or browse resources. Instead, they fuel their
PHOTO BY PAUL SLOCUMB
high-energy lifestyle on highly nutritious, but equally ephemeral forbs. This class of forage includes many species of the fleshy flowering plants that are first to sprout when temperatures warm or after a rain. However, they are shortlived and their abundance on the landscape changes rapidly with the scattered nature of West Texas rainfall. This means pronghorn must move over large areas to keep up with changing resources.
Almost immediately after the first release of translocated animals in 2011, the impact of restrictive fences was clear. Pronghorn locations clearly reflected pasture boundaries in areas with net-wire or low-stranded barbed-wire fences, and few animals were able to disperse across otherwise ideal habitat (Figure 1). Then came the intensifying effects of drought. While efforts to modify fences had begun in response to what the collar data showed us, movement barriers still exacerbated the effects of the state’s worst recorded drought, and pronghorn mortality was high. Though not the conservation success story we had hoped for in our first year of restoration, the lesson was clear. Ranchers, managers, biologists, and researchers began modifying or replacing restrictive fences across the Marfa Plateau and beyond and postponed translocations until range conditions improved.
In 2013, the value of better range conditions and fence modifications and replacement were made apparent, with a successful release into the Marathon Basin. These animals were able to move freely throughout the restoration area, survival was high, and the population grew quickly over the subsequent two years. This was followed by another success in 2014 when, after tremendous fence modification efforts,
2: Overall importance of two-mile highway segments across all sets of habitat conditions for pronghorn habitat connectivity on the Marfa Plateau. Higher priority segments have lower ranks (i.e., a rank of 1 implies the most important segment). We identified four key areas, one in each direction from Marfa, that were consistently important for pronghorn (circled in red).
1: GPS data from pronghorn collared in 2011 which shows the impact of restrictive fencing on pronghorn movement. These early data motivated massive efforts to modify existing fences or replace them with pronghorn-friendly fencing.
pronghorn were able to spread across hundreds of thousands of acres on the Marfa Plateau. Connectivity was a major key.
Over the next 10 years, fence modification and replacement work continued, the restoration expanded, and pronghorn numbers steadily grew. For most of that time, connectivity concerns mostly focused on fences, but we did know that it was rare for pronghorn to cross major highways, and it was time to start addressing this issue. Therefore, in 2022, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD), and the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) partnered to examine highway effects on habitat connectivity. Motivated by the successes of wildlife crossing structures in western states, TxDOT and TPWD were interested in identifying how beneficial these would be to pronghorn and where they might be the most effective, particularly on the Marfa Plateau.
The emphasis on the Marfa Plateau was no accident. The area is split into four quadrants by US-90, US-67, and TX-17 (Figure 2). In addition, US-67 is designated to be expanded as part of La Entrada al Pacifico Trade Corridor to connect the Permian Basin to Mexican ports with access to the Pacific Ocean. It also splits the southeastern quadrant of the Marfa Plateau from the other three. If highway infrastructure carried barrier effects in a high-priority pronghorn restoration area, TxDOT and TPWD wanted to plan how to offset the impact during these efforts.
In situations like this, the value of tracking collar data is difficult to overstate. By monitoring translocated pronghorn with this technology, we accumulated one of the largest data sets of pronghorn movements ever, reflecting 370 individuals over nine years of fluctuating habitat conditions. We paired these data with satellite imagery that captures how resources change on the landscape, as well as fence lines, transportation infrastructure, and topographic information. Then we fit statistical models describing how each pronghorn moved in response to dynamic habitat conditions on the Marfa Plateau. From these models, we were able to create simulated “digital pronghorn” that moved across different landscape conditions recorded across the area by satellites. We then recorded how many times
Figure
Figure
our “digital pronghorn” crossed each two-mile highway segment under each set of conditions, which allowed us to determine which highway segments were most consistently important for connectivity, which might be important under specific conditions, and which were less likely to be crossed. We found that highways were a dramatically more impactful barrier than the average fence on the Marfa Plateau. This is partially good news, as it reflects the increased passability of fences after extensive modification and replacement, which now present only a slight barrier to movement on average. A pronghorn was eight times less likely to cross a highway than the average fence, with all other habitat conditions being equal. However, in certain places or under certain circumstances, the quality of habitat was sufficient to tempt our “digital pronghorn” across the road.
We identified four key areas where pronghorn were consistently most likely to cross major highways, one in each direction from Marfa (Figure 2). Each revealed additional considerations for connectivity beyond what our models could capture. For example, we found that rightof-way fencing was still commonly old net-wire, as fences along roadways are not included in many of the costshare programs that facilitate landowners switching to pronghorn-friendly fencing. In addition, habitat conditions can vary dramatically along a two-mile highway segment, and placement of any wildlife crossing structures should consider the suitability of habitat on both sides of the road when deciding where within a highway segment to place it. Finally, in some areas, particularly north of Marfa along TX17, the habitat is relatively consistent. This means animals are equally likely to cross anywhere along several highway segments, rather than a specific area. While most biologists think of wildlife overpasses to facilitate highway crossings, these are most effective when crossings are concentrated in a particular area. When animals are equally likely to cross anywhere along a long stretch of highway, wider fence set-backs from the roadway and pronghorn-friendly fencing would allow animals more room and a quicker exit from the highway right-of-way (Figure 3). No fence is perfect when it comes to wildlife, and restrictive fencing often keeps wildlife on the road when vehicles approach, rather than allowing them a safe path off of it. More room and easily passable fences would reduce the risk to both pronghorn and motorists and facilitate connectivity among the quadrants of the Marfa Plateau.
By leveraging the information gained from long-term monitoring, agencies like TPWD and TxDOT are able to anticipate both challenges and opportunities created by expanding transportation infrastructure. When transportation projects come along, wildlife and transportation agencies can leverage this information during the planning process to target where wildlife crossings are most needed to enhance wildlife habitat connectivity and minimize the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions.
Figure 3: An example of a wide fence set-back along the roadway with pronghorn-friendly fencing. This situation would allow animals to more easily clear the roadway when vehicles approach. The bottom wire of the pronghorn-friendly fencing is 18-20 inches from the ground, allowing pronghorn to pass easily underneath.
with Chase Brooke Small Acreage & Wildlife Management
ARTICLE BY BRITTANY WEGNER & ABIGAIL HOLMES
The Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI) podcast crew, Brittany Wegner and Abigail Holmes, recently had an opportunity to sit down with Chase Brooke, an AgriLife Extension Small Acreage and Wildlife Management Specialist, to shed some light on the little bit of grit and luck it takes to steward your slice of Texas and the wildlife we’re fortunate to come across.
Chase earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in rangeland, wildlife and fisheries management here at A&M. In his role, he conducts programs for both new and small acreage landowners all over Texas to help them define the best strategies for stewarding their land and then he connects them with the resources and the expertise that
they need based on their goals, including their economic bottom line.
BW: You’re partnering with the next generation of land and wildlife managers to help them become subject matter experts on small acreage challenges and the resources out there.
CB: Yeah, I like helping people connect the dots, and especially in ways that it directly impacts their lives. Being able to help them connect to ideas and then be able to do something better, do something in the “right way, better way” and then see their success is so cool.
At the end of the day, especially when we look at who small acreage and new landowners are and their time commitments, they tend to work in town. They have a fulltime job. Oftentimes, they’re non-resident landowners, and they only get to their property on the weekends or intermittently. Some people really like reading research papers, don’t get me wrong. But they go to these extension publications the students are developing as the short form bulletin of what we know.
my expertise in the same way that the wildlife management was a part of my upbringing. Part of recognizing where I am well-read and understand the information I have and where the science is, etc., it’s also just as important to acknowledge that I am not the right person for some things. There are other people who are.
BW: Right. Being able to connect the people who are standing in front of you with the right expertise and resources is a huge part of your role, for Extension especially.
CB: Yes, and broadly speaking, how we talk to people to effectively share our message about conservation is critical. It’s not just how we present science in a way that’s understandable, but it’s how we present it so that it’s relatable and applicable. Makes me think of this lovely couple I used to work with when I was a county agent that had a lavender farm on five acres. Smelled wonderful.
BW: I was about to say, that kind of sounds amazing.
CB: It was so cool. One of the challenges they had was that their production mentor was based out of Washington. Great
“Any amount of effort towards conservation benefits the broader community and, beyond that, the broader state of Texas.”
BW: We’ve talked about carving out your own direction and a little bit about how you spend your time. Do you want to talk about your background? I know you’re a die-hard Texas A&M degree guy, so when did you start?
CB: Well, I’m going to make a short story long. We’re pretty good at that in Extension.
Fun fact—I’m an eighth generation Texan. I come by my disposition honestly, I guess. We have a family ranch down in Coryell County near a little community called Pearl. We’ve managed that property for coming on 25 years. Really, through my high school years, that’s where I cut my teeth on land management. Our goal with it is to try to restore that property into a native rangeland ecosystem. Trying to shift it back to a grass-dominated system, we’ve been burning it since 2014 regularly and trying to integrate a lot of these conservation practices back onto the land. To get there, we use the Aldo Leopold “axe, cow, plow, fire, gun.”
You know, when we’ve got thatch build up in pastures, we patch burn it; if we have brush piles, how do we safely dispose of those? And so, that wildlife management mentality, that conservation experience, was really built in through my formative years. It’s been a very fun dynamic moving into my role with Extension and then suddenly having some of the family recognize the expertise and experience that can come with that.
BW: Having that piece of land, being involved and being brought into that process even 25 years ago, do you think that shaped the way you made decisions about your future?
CB: I think that experience has helped ground me in what management looks like. I will also be the first to tell you that I didn’t grow up with livestock production and it’s not
advice, great information, but translating how to practice in Washington State versus North Texas, is tricky.
You talk with students about how different generations interact with the land, and it brought me back to a quote from one of my old board members on one of the county farm bureaus I served on. He told me one day, “You know when I was a kid we were embarrassed to be from the land in the country because it meant you were poor. Nowadays, it’s a point of pride because it means you have the means to own and manage land.” I mean, that is a monumental shift in cultural perspective. He was probably 82 years old at the time. I think that’s one of the reasons I like working with small acreage and new landowners.
New landowners being generally less than 10 years on their property, 100 acres or less by the practical realities of land management—it depends on where you are, right? If you’re right outside of Georgetown, Texas, and you have 20 acres, you’ve got a “ranch.” If you’re outside of Alpine and you’ve got less than a section, you’ve got small acreage, right?
BW: Geographical context is always good.
CB: And oftentimes they’re very conflated. I think the overlap on that Venn diagram is much closer than you’d think between new landowners and those who have been around for a while. And I think that when we look at how we engage with these landowners, one of the biggest things to keep in mind is that on the land management side and on the professional side, sometimes, you get caught up in just the nitty-gritty of the questions –
BW: The technicalities.
CB: – the technicalities, the things that take up time. But I always like to remind folks that the people who are buying
this land, the people who are buying land today, at the price that land is, this is the realization of their life dream. This is the point they have worked 30–40 years toward. To be connected to nature, to be able to have either agricultural activity or a conservation connection, whatever that may be. So, when we engage with these people, we realize, you know… you signed on the dotted line at the mortgage office, or you leave the farm credit bank, you get on the property, the gate closes behind you, and you stand there like, “Wow, what do I do now?”
My teaching philosophy is that I can take people who are passionate and make them knowledgeable. I cannot make a knowledgeable person passionate.
I’m here to help you figure out how to do it in a way that supports the resilience of your property. That helps you as a landowner, as an operator, be able to do it in a way that is sustainable, that you’re passionate about, and that meets your goals. Because at the end of the day, if you like what you do, if your property meets those goals that you set for it,
I would say to find your joy, find your meaning, do what you love.
when things are good, you’re rocking and rolling. And when things are bad, you’re going to stick with it. The challenges arise when we have a mismatch and people aren’t very well connected or enjoying what they’re doing. Then, suddenly, you have a year like 2022 come in and you have no water, and people lose the dream.
BW: How many landowners do you think that you see and work to support over the course of a month?
CB: It depends on where I’m going and where I’m presenting, who I’m interacting with, and what I’m doing. For example, I’ve been working with a team of other folks in the Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management department and with AgriLife Extension doing a lot of new landowner education and conservation practitioner trainings. We’re working to get to know these new, especially the ex-urban, landowners. On a workshop like that, we might pull on about 30 people. I have a conference I host every summer, the Small Acreage New Landowner conference in Farmersville, that will bring about 100 folks in. It just depends on the community.
BW: So, you become this critical puzzle piece for a lot of different parts of Extension, land ownership and wildlife management.
CB: Really, if it’s my wheelhouse, I can support. If it’s not, I’ll connect them with the right contact. But the thing I always do is loop in the county agent, because you never know if the landowner reaching out might find an immense benefit from that local office. It also helps the local agent know that there are landowners in the county that are active, have questions
and can show up to programs. That county agent is going to know way more about that county than I ever could.
BW: What resources are those new and small acreage landowners asking for the most? What do you feel like is one of the biggest challenges that they have in getting started?
CB: That’s a good question. It comes down to three broad categories: 1) Where do I go for information? 2) What do I do with my land? 3) How do I do what I want to do on my land?
If you’re a new landowner, I’m working on a resource list right now that has some of the basic contacts to get started. I mean, it’s about as exciting as I can make a laundry list of contact info. You know, but that’s one of the first question marks: who do I talk to for what?
I’m also a believer in expectation-setting. You can’t rush biology. There’s no amount of money in the world that is going to make little bluestem grow faster. There’s no amount of labor you can put in that will make soil settle better or make your pond fill more quickly. Strategic patience is something that is also more traditional. For example, in the wintertime, you take your time, do the books, and the activities for downtime. You take the time to identify what’s coming next, look at options, read ideas and literature. And that’s where Extension really comes in strong. We probably have what you’re looking for.
BW: When you talk about conservation ethic, there are these theoretical models that show ethics at the heart of this sense of identity as a landowner. It’s a part of who you are, and it has defined how you make decisions. I know there are other specialists that understand that all of this is to benefit people for generations to come. And when you can just take that moment to have the conversation with someone to get strategic and figure out what’s important and what you can continue to be passionate about, it changes everything.
CB: There’s an almost primal level of satisfaction and contentment that comes from stewardship, you know? When you can find that and you can understand that you are working with the ecological context of your region, there’s just nothing like it.
I say take the wins where we get them. We will always have the opportunity to do better. We may have the quantitative value of ecosystem services, but let’s not lose sight of the qualitative ones. Let’s not lose sight of the things that motivate people. Some are motivated by the dollar signs and the digits, some by the spiritual connection, whatever you want to call it, but most people are probably somewhere right in the middle.
BW: If you could provide one piece of advice for the land stewards, what would you say?
CB: Ooh, all right, one piece of advice. I would say to find your joy, find your meaning, do what you love. I’m not going to say that if you find it, you’ll never work a day in your life. That’s bull. You’re going to work like the dickens, and, in Texas, you’ll sweat your butt off for nine months out of the year doing it. But find that joy because it’s easy to get lost in the pessimism. We have to be optimistic because in the jobs we work, in the roles we’re in, if we were not optimistic that we could do better, we would not be working in conservation.
BW: That is a good note to end on—find what brings you joy in land and wildlife stewardship. Thank you for your insight, and for reinforcing some of the ideas we have at the Institute.
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$5,750,000 | Runaway Bay, TX | 750± acres Productive ranch with rolling topography, consisting of 750± acres. Oak and Mesquite trees surround improved pastures, along with seven ponds and wildlife. Easy access, paved frontage, and a short drive to DFW.
Long Term Hunters Wanted!
• Rancho Rio Grande - Del Rio, TX MLD 3, $15.50/ac, Hwy 277 Frontage, water, electric.
– 26,000 ac, will divide into 11,300 ac & 14,700 ac
ο Axis, Whitetail, Duck & Quail
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– 1,850 ac, SW Intersection 693 & 277, runs south along 277.
A Family and Friends Affair
Fall Dove Hunting
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY DAVE RICHARDS
As I picked up the whitewing dove and started back to my dad many thoughts and emotions were racing through me as I remembered so many dove hunts over my lifetime that we shared with my brothers, friends, and now my own sons.
As I placed the whitewing in his hand he was smiling. I loaded another shell in his shotgun as we both watched another wave of whitewings fly over. Our roles had flipped,
and life had come full circle. I was so thankful to get to share another dove opener with the man who had shared his lifetime hunting and fishing with me. I handed him back his gun and explained he was loaded and ready if he decided to shoot again. I walked over to my boys to see if they needed any shells and asked how close they were to their limits. As we were visiting another big wave of whitewings flew over within range and our shotguns barked, and multiple
This image represents lifelong friendships and multiple generations of family like so many across the Lone Star State that get together to hunt dove, rekindle old friendships and share a good time!
doves fell. As I walked to pick up my bird, I heard dad’s shotgun fire and looked up to see another whitewing falling. Dad was 85 years old that year and shot close to his limit by the end of that evening. He was tired but couldn’t have been happier. The final half hour he enjoyed just watching his grandsons hunt and the continuous flocks flying over. It had been an incredible afternoon like so many dove hunts we had shared over the past 45 years. On any given fall day during the dove season on dove fields across Texas, hunters can enjoy incredible wing shooting with family and friends, making dove hunting cherished by so many. Great dove hunting memories are not the exception but the rule here.
Dove hunting has been an annual event in my family for generations just as it is for many Texans. Whether its mourning dove or whitewings, thousands of Texans head to ranches and farms every fall with friends and family to make new memories connecting to the outdoors and one another with a shotgun in hand. Friendships and family ties are often formed or strengthened over barbecue in the early afternoon before the hunt, visiting under a mesquite tree while watching for the next speedy dove or while enjoying stories around the campfire with a bacon wrapped dove jalapeno popper in hand at the end of the day. These are just a few of the joys that intrigue approximately 300,000 hunters annually to pursue dove across our state. However, it’s the doves varying flight speed and aerial acrobatics that make dove one of Texas’ most loved game birds by both young and old wing shooters. Hunter success is usually high if birds are present in good numbers but there are several steps that can help your odds in reaching your limit.
Talk to dove outfitters and ranchers ahead of any hunt to find out if they have a good population of birds. A good outfitter will let you know if he does or doesn’t. Dove may move around due to wet fronts but if the weather has been stable an outfitter knows if he has birds. They will have been scouting the area and know what time in the afternoon the birds start flying and where.
Dove can be hunted with shotguns of all types and gauges. Most sporting goods stores carry a variety of semiautomatic, pump, over unders and side by side shotguns that will make excellent dove guns. Depending on the hunting situation and the hunter’s shooting ability they can choose 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauges, plus .410 bores to hunt doves. If I’m hunting mourning doves or opening weekend whitewings when birds are flying low and less erratic, I enjoy my semiautomatic Weatherby 18i 20 gauge with a modified choke due to the lighter recoil, lighter gun and lighter shell bag around my waist. If I’m hunting whitewings or mourning dove after the opener the birds will often be flying much higher, faster and erratic and I enjoy my Weatherby 12 gauge semi-auto with a modified choke. When purchasing shells, buy 7 ½ or 8 shot heavy dove loads. They may cost more than lighter loads but you will bag your birds more efficiently and shoot your limit quicker saving you shells and money.
The more comfortable and well-equipped hunters are in the field, the more attentive they will be watching for incoming birds. A comfortable dove chair is well worth the effort to carry into the field and it keeps your profile lower if birds are wary. Set it in the shade and you have guaranteed yourself a more enjoyable hunt. A shell bag or dove vest to hold your shells and birds makes keeping up with both easier
Whether it’s mourning dove or whitewings, thousands of Texans head to ranches and farms every fall with friends and family to make new memories...
Setting up next to a dead tree at the edge of a stock tank can yield some excellent shooting opportunities as dove tend to land in these locations throughout the day.
Observing where the dove are flying and landing before entering a field will help pinpoint a prime spot to set up and hunt.
and your eyes will be on the skies where birds are flying. Sunglasses, sunscreen, a water bottle and a wide brimmed hat are all vital on those hot and sunny afternoons.
Wearing earth-toned pants and a camouflage shirt isn’t just for fashion. Both allow a hunter to take shorter shots and this becomes vital as the season progresses and birds become wary. Buy the highest quality camouflage shirt in a moisture wicking material you can afford. Kings XKG shirts in XK7 or desert shadow patterns blend in well in Texas dove fields and will keep you much cooler and dryer than cotton and other blends. Flaring dove are difficult to hit so wearing camouflage and keeping your movements to a minimum will greatly improve your opportunities for high percentage shots.
Once in the dove field, hunting safety has to be a hunter’s constant focus. Dove hunters typically sit alone while hunting but dove hunting often puts hunters in close proximity throughout the hunt so paying attention to where your barrel is pointed at all times is critical. A hunter’s gun barrel can never cross another hunter’s body, head, legs, or feet, ever. You are either a safe hunter or an unwelcome
hunter. One shooting accident and everyone’s life and love of hunting is changed forever. Eye protection and hearing protection are also a must. Dove season is typically too hot for electronic earmuffs, so I prefer safety earbuds by AKT1 or Safarilands Pro Impulse.
When driving into the dove field look for dove on the powerlines, fence lines and in dead trees. Those spots are where birds gather before flying into the field and are good locations to sit. Look for other spots where dove are flying into the field and don’t be hesitant to move there. The key is being where the birds are flying into and across a field so you aren’t sitting in a no-fly zone. Also look where birds are landing to feed, water, or pick up grit. Stock tanks are great spots to hunt dove in the evenings. If hunters are observant, they can increase their odds quickly by moving to the flight path of where dove want to be.
In mid-June I spoke with Texas Parks & Wildlife Webless Migratory Game Bird Program Leader, Owen Fitzsimmons, about the upcoming season. He and his staff were just wrapping up spring surveys, so it was too early for all the data to be in. However, he said, “Mourning dove numbers were up 44% last year so we should have a lot more birds nesting. Whitewings were up substantially as well. With the wet spring we are experiencing across much of the state we are in pretty good shape. These birds will continue nesting as long as the conditions remain favorable. Three to four nests are normal,
The smiles on these young hunters as they talk about their successful hunt expresses better than words ever will the enjoyment of dove hunting with friends and family.
and they have been recorded nesting as many as six times in a summer so the outlook is promising at the moment.”
Texas dove season is a hunting tradition that evokes fond memories of fast shooting, cooler autumn temperatures, good dogs, fine friends and family. It culminates around the dinner table with families enjoying their favorite dove recipe and nutritious, high protein meat that family and friends helped harvest, clean, prepare and cook. So, join hundreds of thousands of fellow Texans this fall outdoors in one of hunting’s most anticipated and rewarding seasons! Hunt safe friends!
Wearing camouflage and utilizing the available cover like sunflowers greatly enhances one’s opportunity for shots at unalarmed dove. These are much easier targets than dove that are flaring, dipping, or diving because they’re spooked.
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The Economic Value of Open-Space
ARTICLE BY SHANE KIEFER, CEO, PLATEAU LAND & WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
Here’s an early assignment: when your property tax bill arrives this October, and if you own land in agriculture, timber, or wildlife management valuation, take a moment to appreciate the personal economic benefit of having that special valuation in place. While the size of that benefit varies based on your property’s location, size, and other factors, it is most certainly always welcome, and you shouldn’t take it for granted.
In fast growing Williamson County, taxes on land in openspace valuation are less than 1% of market value. Even way out in Dallam County where market values are lower, taxes on agricultural land result in a savings of over 90% from market value levels. Regardless of location, it is significant to the landowner and critical to helping keep land open and productive for wildlife and agriculture.
The open-space property tax valuation program is the most significant and widespread conservation program in Texas, impacting over 140 million acres statewide.1,2 That’s over 80% of the land in Texas. No matter how much you dislike property taxes, this cost-effective and popular program is only possible because of them.
Aside from the community tax benefits, which I’ll outline later, one direct return on investment is the value of the ecosystem services working lands provide. The services include water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, food and fiber production, soil protection, and air quality, among others. Texas A&M’s Natural Resources Institute estimates the value of these services to average $629/acre/ year statewide.3 Using Texas State Comptroller data (average
savings and total land in open-space) I estimate an average incentive of $50/acre/year in property tax relief for openspace lands statewide. That’s a 12.5-fold return, which is a worthy investment in any situation.
Despite this, when the legislature is in session, we often hear concerns from landowners about the longterm security of wildlife and agricultural valuations. As a reminder the legislature goes into session in 2025 and that is often a time you’ll see newspaper articles about how some landowners are getting tax “exemptions” for having a few cows or some wildlife on their property and thus not paying their fair share.
Having already reviewed the personal financial benefit of open-space lands (tax savings for you!) and the numerous community benefits provided via ecosystem services (food, fiber, clean water and air for all!), let’s go through the (often unrecognized) community benefit to local government coffers.
It is a flawed premise that landowners enjoying the benefits of wildlife, agricultural, and timber valuations are not paying their fair share. To start, these are not tax “exemptions;” they are special valuations intended to tax land on its productive capacity instead of its market value. The truth is that owners of open-space land are helping compensate for deficits in delivering services to residential property. According to a compilation of studies from across the country by the American Farmland Trust, the median cost to provide government services to working and open-space lands is only $0.37 for every $1 raised in tax revenue from those lands.4
This number is also known as the Cost of Community Services (COCS) ratio. The open-space land ratio is comparable to the ratio for commercial lands ($0.29/$1.00), which also provide a net gain. In contrast, providing services to land used for residential purposes costs $1.19 for every $1 raised. That means it costs more to provide services to all those people and houses than they pay in property taxes.
Texas lands are no different. Three counties in Texas had ratios ranging from $0.18/$1.00-$0.33/$1.00, which means that Texas open-space land is even more cost-efficient than the national median. And these numbers include the fact that open-space land is taxed on its productivity rather than market value!
Despite the substantially higher revenues that residential use brings in over open-space land with those special valuations on it, the infrastructure and service needs for all that open-space land are much lower. To quote David Langford, “cows don’t go to school, songbirds don’t call 9-1-1, and crops don’t require the ‘jaws of life’ or Medivac helicopters after Saturday night smashups on the freeway.”
And remember, open-space landowners still pay market value on all the structures (if any are present) and the associated residential land on their property. The only land receiving the special valuation is that used for wildlife or agricultural purposes and that land requires virtually no government services.
All of this is critical to keep in mind when discussing open-space valuations with people that may not own working lands. If your only experience with property taxes is your home or business, then the concept of taxing working lands differently may certainly seem strange or unfair without an understanding of the original intent and the current costs and benefits.
The good news is that there is a strong protection built into the way the open-space law is structured. The laws that allow for a special valuation on open-space agricultural and wildlife lands are required by the Texas Constitution Article 8, Sec. 1-d-1, which says that the legislature “SHALL provide by general law for taxation of open-space land devoted to farm, ranch, or wildlife management purposes on the basis of its productive capacity…” (emphasis added).
This means that the legislature cannot simply pass a law to eliminate these special valuations. They can change the rules and requirements, for better or worse, but they cannot end open-space valuations without amending the state constitution – and only the people of Texas can do that.
Texas is known for property taxes, and it’s our collective right to groan and complain about them. This state is also known for its vast open spaces, incredible plant and animal diversity, and dedication to private property rights. We’ve found a way to leverage something we normally disdain to the benefit and pride of every Texan. Property taxes and conservation seem strange bedfellows; and how do you honor private property rights at the same time? Incentivize the people that own that land to maintain, protect, and conserve it while continuing to use it for their own personal gain and enjoyment through agriculture, hunting, and recreation.
While we are not the only state with property tax incentives like this, we are the biggest, and the significance of property taxes, to our wallets as well as our local governments and schools, means the incentive is strong.
Even more brilliant, to call back the range of personal incentives from the beginning (Dallam to Williamson counties), the incentive for conservation is strongest where the pressures for land conversion are highest.
The Edwards Plateau is a shining example of the importance of adding wildlife management valuation to the open-space mix in the 1990s. Agricultural productivity is lower than many other ecoregions, demand and land values are high (it’s a beautiful place to live), and ecological values are high and easily degraded. The last step in the land conversion process are incentives to subdivide or sell2, and the Hill Country is a perfect storm of these incentives. It just so happens that the incentive to keep an open-space valuation is higher here than almost anywhere else in the state, right where we need it most.
There are other valuable and impactful tools to help achieve these ends – conservation easements, cost-share programs and technical guidance for implementation of on-the-ground practices, and even the innate desire of most landowners to protect the land that they love. As any tinkerer knows, you need a box full of tools, and they all have their use. Much like a good pocketknife, we often take for granted the tools that are always at hand, until we cannot find them.
The intent of the people of Texas and these laws is right there in the constitution as well: “To promote the preservation of open-space land…”. It is a simple, but powerful goal, and the foresight of the legislators and stakeholders that envisioned open-space valuations in the late 1970s and wildlife management valuation in the 1990s seems superhuman in hindsight, considering the growth and pressures on our open-space lands that exist today.
Keep these things in mind, as we enter the next legislative session in January. I hope they remind you of the importance of supporting open-space valuations and the property tax system that enables them. There are many excellent and important conservation incentive programs in the state (federal, state, and local), but none are as wide-reaching, as cost-efficient, or as easily adaptable as the open-space tax valuation. Because the incentive is tied to the land through property taxes, and not the individual owner, the benefits get applied where the incentive is strongest, which is where they are most needed.
1. Personal Communication. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Open Records Request. 2021.
2. Smith, L.A., R.R. Lopez, A.A. Lund, B.N. Wegner, J.C. Cathey, A. Lopez, R.E. Anderson, G.W. Powers, K.L. Skow, M.A. Crawford. 2019. Status Update and Trends of Texas Working Lands. Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI), College Station, TX, USA.
3. Putman, A., R. Lopez, L. Smith, J. Uzquiano, A. Lund, D. Anderson, J. Gan, C. Ellis, J. Roberts, C. Kneuper, L. Ziehr and C. Ross. 2022. Texas ecosystem services: A statewide assessment. Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Research Report Number 20221. College Station, Texas, USA.
4. Freedgood, J., L. Tanner, C. Mailler, A. Andrews, M. Adams. 2002. Cost of Community Services Studies: Making the Case for Conservation. American Farmland Trust, Washington, D.C., USA.
Seeds of Life
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY RICKY LINEX
“Life is the soil, our choices and actions the sun and rain, but our dreams are the seeds.” Richard Paul Evans
Seeds are miraculous in that within a tiny kernel rests the future of that particular plant. In order to produce seeds, flowers must be grown on plants with good vigor. In turn these flowers must be pollinated largely by insects attracted to the nectar or pollen within the flowers. To have pollinators there must be flowers that are present every year during the spring, summer and fall when pollinators are most active. To have flowers, the vast majority of which are native, requires rainfall and purposeful management of the land.
While we can’t control the weather and influence rain, you can manage the application of grazing by livestock and wildlife as well as mechanical and chemical manipulation of the native plants on your property. Whether you are a livestock rancher, a wildlife manager, or a first time rural land owner, you are first a farmer. Think about that grizzled tough-looking sun-bronzed rancher, in reality he or she is really a grass farmer. Your crops may not be the type harvested with a grain combine or cotton picker, but your crops include grasses, broadleaf weeds called forbs or wildflowers, shrubs and trees. You may not plant seeds annually but indirectly your management allows for the production of seeds every year that fall upon the ground. Eventually these seeds become covered with a thin layer of soil and sometime in the future will germinate to replace those plants that came earlier. Seeds have viability that varies by species from just one year to 40 years or more, just lying in the soil waiting for the right opportunity to germinate and blossom. Without pollinators, as maturing plants die there will not be replacements from seed to continue the species.
“Seeds are the currency that birds use.” Dr. Dale Rollins
You might be thinking, what makes a seed desirable for game birds? Birds can readily eat slick, hard seeds from forbs, grasses, or woody plants. Many grasses have fuzzy seeds with long awns which prevent their use by birds. Compare our ability to swallow large items such as a jellybean or large pills from the pharmacy. However, it would be extremely difficult for us to swallow a cotton ball. The same is true for seeds chosen by birds.
NATIVE ANNUAL FORBS
Annual sunflower can be found growing in all vegetative regions of Texas. The seeds are brown with a mottled appearance and are relished by seed eating birds. Exotic deer will often consume the open flower heads of sunflowers.
American basketflower provides a beautiful flower followed by seeds as large as annual sunflower though black in color and shiny with ribs running the length of each seed. Seeds remain in the ripened flower heads throughout the summer and into the early winter months making seeds available over a longer time period.
Annual broomweed is common across most of Texas though rare within the Pineywoods. In the Rolling Plains of Texas this is usually the most commonly seen annual forb in bobwhite crops. Tiny brown seeds are covered with short awns when seen under magnification. Quail and dove can most easily eat these seeds when found washed into a pile in shallow depressions following a hard rain. They can pick up masses of the seeds rather than individual seeds.
Snow on the mountain is found in the western half of Texas while in the eastern half snow on the prairie is more common. Both feature tiny flowers but produce large tan seeds with texture resembling surface of the human brain. Both species
Annual sunflower and American basketflower are similar in size but differ in color.
Annual broomweed and snow on the mountain are different in size but readily eaten by game and song birds.
rapidly expel the ripe seeds from the pods to scatter them and enhance their chances of finding a place to grow.
Prickly poppy is a spiny plant with sharp points upon the leaves, seed pods and stems. The flowers are the only spineless part of the plant. Seeds are black and rounded, dimpled like a golf ball with a narrow tip. The dry, ripened seeds are held upright in loose pods and will rattle when bumped into. This plant has scared more quail hunters walking into dogs on point and brushing against the plant which sounds like a rattlesnake rattling.
Buffalo bur is another spiny plant, much like prickly poppy, that is not eaten by livestock or deer. The seeds of buffalo bur are black, flattened and resemble lava rocks in texture. Buffalo bur is a plant that is often found in disturbed areas such as old cropland or food plot fields and around livestock ponds.
Redroot pigweed is a common weed around cropland fields and can be found across most of Texas. The seeds are found in the long flowering spikes and are very tiny, smooth, shiny and flattened much like the shape of Skittles candy.
Golden crownbeard, also known as cowpen daisy, is the posterchild for the Aristotle quote, “Nature abhors a vacuum.” Any disturbed ground, such as a cow pen or other vacant land, may become quickly covered with golden crownbeard. This native can grow and flower all summer long if the rainfall is adequate. The flattened, winged seeds are tan in color and unusual in shape but readily noticeable when looking at bird crops. It serves as a pollinator plant when in flower.
Devil’s claw is another plant whose seeds may lie in dormancy for years then germinate when drought breaks or the rainfall comes at the favorable time. The large green pods, resembling an okra pod, will split in half and produce curved sharp claws that can wrap around the legs of animals and be transported long distances. The black, flat, and wrinkled seeds can be ⅜ inch in length and ¼ inch in width. Seeds are edible raw for a snack with a nutty taste.
Wooly croton, or dove weed, is a prolific seed producing genus with 26 species found within virtually all regions of Texas. Some species are annuals, some perennials, some prefer sandy soils while others prefer clay soils with several species found only in the Big Bend and South Texas regions. The rounded seeds have similar traits in having a line down the middle of the seed and resembling a fat tick. Some seeds Texas
Prickly poppy and buffalo bur are spiny plants but produce great flowers for pollinators and seeds for birds.
Redroot pigweed and golden crownbeard are truly weeds but produce flowers and seeds for wildlife.
Devil’s claw and wooly croton are reliable seed producers.
Western ragweed is a favorite quail food across Texas while field ragweed is just a pretender.
bullnettle is one of the largest seeds eaten by game birds and showy menodora produces a uniquely shaped seed.
are uniform in tan or brown color while others are mottled in light and dark browns. The seeds in all cases have a projection located where the head of a tick would be. The seeds are readily eaten by game and song birds.
NATIVE PERENNIAL FORBS
Western ragweed is one of the most chosen seeds when available to quail in the fall. The seeds appear with short points looking like a king’s crown, however the kernel within the outer husk is dark brown and shaped like a teardrop. However, the seeds of field ragweed have Velcro-like hooks and have never been documented found within a quail crop. Both spread by seeds and rhizomes and are found in native rangeland as well as old fields. As you walk across your property learn to differentiate between western and field ragweed.
Texas bull-nettle is a plant you will never forget the first time you bump into one. The entire plant bears vicious stinging hairs. The seeds are produced in a three-seeded capsule that when ripened throws the seeds away from the plant to allow the seeds a chance to begin life out from under the shadow of the mature plant. Quail and turkey will eat these seeds and if roasted in the oven are said to taste like chestnuts.
Showy menodora is found within the Edwards Plateau and Trans-Pecos regions. The paired brown seeds are large with an airy appearance.
Buffalo gourd grows from a large taproot and produces vines laying upon the ground that may stretch for 18-20 feet. The large bell shaped flowers are up to four inches across and yellow-orange in color. The gourd fruits contain seeds that birds will eat once the rind of the gourd either is stepped upon by foot or tire to expose the seeds or time and weather exposes the seeds.
Illinois bundleflower grows across much of Texas with the exception of South Texas and the eastern Trans-Pecos regions. The white puffball flowers are visited by pollinators and the light brown flattened seeds are readily eaten by game and song birds.
NATIVE WOODY PLANTS
Prickly pear cactus has many different species but all produce numerous flowers that are visited by many pollinators. When the flower falls away the ovary called a tuna begins to grow and ripens into a maroon color. The
Buffalo gourd and Illinois bundleflower are reliable and perennial producers of seeds.
Prickly pear and prickly ash are two woody plants producing fruits and seeds for wildlife.
Bumelia and honey mesquite produce large quantities of seeds. Inner husk of mesquite shown with the kernels.
Retama and allthorn are plants of South and West Texas producing flowers and seeds.
Plains bristlegrass and johnsongrass seeds are readily eaten when available to birds.
flattened tan seeds always reminded me of a small pancake stacked upon a larger pancake.
Prickly ash is a shrub to small tree that has flattened straight thorns and produces one black rounded seed per husk with numerous husks produced each summer. Three species occur in Texas with a species found only in South Texas called lime prickly ash.
Bumelia, called Coma in South Texas, produces black fruits in October of most years. Inside is a large brown seed, shiny with or without spots. Fruits are readily eaten by game birds and larger song birds.
Honey mesquite seeds are produced in a long bean. The dark brown, flattened oval seeds contain 12-13% crude protein. The beans are eaten by everything in the pasture. When animals digest bean pods, the intact seed kernel passes through the animals and becomes available for birds, especially quail and turkey to scratch from the droppings. For quail and turkey to benefit from mesquite beans, livestock must be present in the pasture.
Retama is a thin plant that grows in the southern half of Texas but it seems to be adapting to moving north. Seeds are brown and rounded oval in shape. Seeds spill out from a slender bean four to six inches in length
Allthorn is found in the dryer areas of southwest Texas from the Trans-Pecos to deep South Texas. The seeds are one to a husk, dark brown in color and curled almost into a circle.
NATIVE & INTRODUCED GRASSES
Plains bristlegrass is common in the western two-thirds of Texas, especially in the sandier soils and where livestock grazing is well managed. There are five other native species of bristlegrass found within Texas that provides seeds for birds. Johnsongrass was first brought to the east coast for livestock forage around 1830 and by 1880 had arrived in Texas. The dark, shiny, and elongated seeds are seen with one or paired “legs” that aid in identification. This grass is extremely aggressive spreading by seeds and underground rhizomes becoming hard to eliminate once established.
Most hunters instinctively open the crop of harvested game birds to determine what the birds were feeding upon. As you go into the dove fields this month, or follow your bird dog of choice for quail or pheasant within those seasons, spill out the content of the crops, and take a quick photo of the seeds. Alternately you can allow the seeds to dry and sort out the seeds to determine which species were most often chosen. If you can identify the seed chosen to be eaten by game birds you can begin to manage for those plants that produced the seeds, sort of reverse engineering the management of the plants. The more you can learn about the food habits of your quarry the better hunter, manager, or land owner you will become. You are making your mark upon the land as you awaken each morning a land steward and a farmer of flowers.
Acknowledging Alligators
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY JOSEPH RICHARDS
Amongst a mass of floating hydrilla and water reeds, I could hear the high-pitched chirps of Texas’ largest living reptile. I frequently visit Brazos Bend State Park on the outskirts of Needville, which harbors one of the highest densities of American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in the state. The park is one the best places for viewing alligators. On almost all of my excursions, I encounter at least one alligator either basking on the bank or lurking motionless in the water.
On this particular outing, I witnessed several new hatchlings all concentrated together on a large mound of decomposing plant matter and soil. The hatchlings were all piled atop each other and basking in the warm sunlight. Only about 10 inches long, alligator hatchlings present a quick and easy meal for wading birds, small carnivores, and other alligators; however, they will grow to recorded lengths of 14 feet and over 800 pounds. Reports of even larger individuals have been made across the alligator’s geographic range.
The hatchlings possess a striking pattern of vertical yellow and black bands. Appearing somewhat conspicuous, they manage to vanish when they move through vegetation cover. Their contrasting yellow stripes fade with age as they become dark gray or black. Without their obsessive chirping, I may not have even noticed them or the female alligator lying by the mound. The hatchling’s calls went unattended as the mother alligator remained in her spot – determined to guard the nest that she carefully built and protected for the last two months. Incubation is a critical time period for the developing embryos of any egg-laying species. For all crocodilians, the temperature of the nest environment will determine the sex of the offspring. Warmer temperatures tend to promote males, while cooler temperatures promote females.
Alligators grow throughout their lives. In their first months, they feed on insects, amphibians, crawfish and small fish. As they grow, they are able to capture largersized birds, turtles, snakes and mammals. Nutria (Myocastor
A large alligator exposes its head and back in the water. The bony scutes adorning the alligator’s back are called osteoderms. Their armored skin is believed to aid in protection and thermoregulation.
coypus), native to South America, were introduced to the southern United States (Louisiana) in the late 1930s to bolster the fur trade. Undoubtingly, they now serve as supplemental protein for alligators throughout their range. Feral pigs (Sus scrofa), another invasive species, are frequent prey for larger alligators; however, feral pigs frequently damage alligator nests and consume eggs.
Once an endangered species, American alligators were decimated by unregulated hunting for their valuable leather hides. Easily one of the most notable conservation success stories today, alligator numbers rebounded following federal protection in 1967 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the precursor legislation to the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Following protected status, intensive management practices and wetland conservation efforts, American alligators have seen the most successful conservation recovery of any crocodilian species. A major hallmark was their removal from the endangered species list in 1987. American alligators officially remain listed as threatened due to their similar appearance to the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). Several states now have legal harvest of alligators. Texas lists the alligator as a protected game animal and is the only state to have two harvest seasons.
Alligators occur in Texas mostly in the south, east and southeast regions from the Red River to the Rio Grande. At the westernmost edge of their range, Texas boasts the third largest estimated population of alligators following Florida and Louisiana. Alligators are highly resilient and seem partial to most bodies of water – everything from inland freshwater wetlands to coastal marshes, as well as taking advantage of man-made reservoirs and impoundments. They are able to survive drought conditions by creating shallow depressions called gator holes in order to retain water. During major freezes, such as the ice storm of 2021, alligators can enter a state of dormancy called brumation where they can survive extended periods without feeding.
The alligator represents a model species for recovery and is valued as a sustainable resource. They are important ecologically as apex predators and ecosystem engineers. Alligators and other crocodilians are also used as an indicator species for environmental quality and change.
Prejudice against cold-blooded reptiles has persisted since early pioneer settlement. Their menacing appearance, large size and ominous bellowing conjure misperceptions of a cautious and elusive animal. As the human population and urban development continues to increase, navigating human-alligator interactions will be a primary goal for continued management of the species.
The American alligator is considered an apex predator and ecosystem engineer for playing an influential role in shaping the plant and animal communities of the ecosystem. Alligators modify habitats that suit the needs of other organisms. One research study conducted in South Carolina identified 81 wildlife species associated with alligator nest mounds including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. In the Everglades, gator holes dug by alligators during intense droughts pool water that provides lifesustaining conditions for wildlife and alter the surrounding vegetation community. Due to their fundamental ecological roles, alligators are used as indicators to monitor environmental quality and restoration efforts.
There is still a great deal we do not know about alligators in Texas, but their numbers are believed to be stable or increasing. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologists monitor the state’s alligators via helicopter surveys to count nests and also perform nighttime spotlight counts. The alligator represents a model species of successful recovery and is today valued as a sustainable resource.
With any luck, the hatchling alligators I observed several years ago should be fulfilling their multiple roles in the wetland ecosystem. They no longer chirp but produce the deep bellows that tremor and assert their primitive presence. Their persistence in places like Brazos Bend State Park allows for the public viewing and appreciation of some of the last surviving megafauna of our state’s wetlands.
Female alligators raise their young alone without any assistance from the male. Hatchlings measure about 10 inches in length and chirp to attract the attention of their mother. The hatchlings may be protected by their mother for up to three years.
Entrusted
BY STEVE NELLE
“We are entrusted with the protection and development through wise use and constructive study of the timber, water, forage, farm, recreative, game, fish, and aesthetic resources of the area under our jurisdiction.”
Leopold had been recently promoted to supervisor of the Carson National Forest in New Mexico and was explaining to his staff what their job entailed and his expectations for their work. While only 26 years old at the time, young Leopold demonstrated a clear understanding of and commitment to what we now call land stewardship.
The major theme of stewardship is that people are entrusted with the care of natural resources. The two primary facets of stewardship listed by Leopold are “protection” and “development,” and these must be in balance. Protection without development is preservation—the non-use and wastage of natural resources. Development without protection can lead to exploitation and depletion. The balance only occurs where resources are simultaneously protected and developed and this is the basis of sound conservation. Development includes the beneficial and productive management of land for wood, water, livestock forage, crops, wildlife habitat, fish, recreation and aesthetic value.
Mankind requires these natural products of the land and they are perpetually renewable when properly managed. These values and benefits are found on private farms, ranches and forestlands, and each owner has the opportunity and responsibility to protect and develop these assets under their care. Although his admonition was directed to government employees who worked on public land, the principles have even greater application to private lands.
On private land, stewardship is voluntary—no one can be forced or mandated to be a good steward. Certain laws may be enacted and certain practices may be incentivized to promote conservation, but for the land steward, these are not the reason why the land is cared for. The motive behind stewardship is internal. Leopold frequently spoke of land ethics that are driven by an ecological conscience and these inner convictions are what drive many of today’s landowners to be responsible stewards.
Two other facets of stewardship mentioned by Leopold are “wise use” and “constructive study” but he listed them in reverse order. The landowner must be engaged in the
perpetual study of the land in order to understand how to wisely use the land.
Each landowner today is entrusted with the care of his or her land. Not all landowners yet understand the magnitude of that obligation, but there is a growing trend toward the attitude of stewardship described by Leopold. The stewards of today often consider themselves to be the custodians and caretakers of the land even more so than the owner. They strive to be the best custodian possible, while at the same time deriving benefit and income from the land and adding ecological value to the land.
Each farm, ranch, or forest tract, as well as countless small properties at the edge of town is made up of a combination of natural assets, namely the soil, water, plants and animals. When these assets are properly understood and wisely managed, good things happen and those benefits accrue to all of society, not just the landowner.
Today, the administrators of public lands must possess the same convictions and values as Leopold communicated to his fellow employees of the Forest Service. While Texas is proudly a private lands state, there are still over three million acres of public land that need the same kind of care and attention as we find on well-managed private land. Regardless of ownership, the land entrusted to us requires a high degree of trustworthiness.
Today a growing number of landowners are working with private land trust organizations to guarantee the perpetual protection of their land from development with conservation easements. This is commendable and demonstrates commitment to long-term conservation. But an equally great effort is being made by families across Texas to become their own “land trust” whereby each new generation is grafted into the land and voluntarily entrusted with its care.
Whether land is public or private, whether it is protected by conservation easement or not, each person is entrusted with the protection, development, study and wise use of the land under their jurisdiction.
ALDO LEOPOLD, 1913
Photo Courtesy of the Aldo Leopold Foundation and University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives
The Texas Dove Hunting and Cooking Experience Fetch and Feast
ARTICLE AND PHOTO BY KRISTIN PARMA
Dove hunting in Texas is more than just bird hunting – although still sweltering hot, it signals to all of us that we have made it through another Texas summer. With that come the hopes of cooler weather along with additional hunting opportunities for other game. Dove hunting in Texas is steeped in tradition and gives everyone a reason to gather and celebrate in the field.
Every September, Adam and I meet up with our friends Whitney and Brandon Klenzendorf at their family farm and ranch in Dilley. South Texas and the Texas Hill Country are renowned hotspots due to the abundance of food sources like sunflower fields and milo. The four of us head into the field, chattering and catching up on how we spent our summers. We spread out on either side of the tank, teasing, and calling back and forth as birds hit the ground – or more often, fly away – from our shots. Our two German Shorthaired
Pointers help us find and retrieve our fallen birds in the scraggly South Texas brush.
You can bet that many Texans will be firing up their grills to make the traditional dove popper – a dove breast wrapped in bacon and jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese and grilled. I alternatively believe that dove can be enjoyed and savored in other ways. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t want you to heckle me next time you see me wolfing down dove poppers at an event – but it’s in my nature to want to let wild game speak for itself in flavor. Wrapping dove in bacon and cream cheese, while delicious, just doesn’t do this little bird that flew for miles justice.
After a long morning and evening of dove hunting, I look for no more than a cold glass of agua fresca and something light and fresh to feed my appetite. Whether you pluck your doves whole or breast them out, for the best results, do not overcook
This past season our youngest German Shorthaired Pointer Rip would often find the fallen dove in the field and hold a perfect point – he is trained to point after all. Meanwhile our older, more experienced dog Ace (his grandfather) would swoop in and fetch the bird with a big smile on his face. If you hunt with bird dogs, you know that often the experience becomes less about you and more about them. Seeing a working dog do his job and the bond between handler and owner is like poetry.
There is an art to making a good salad. The greens, the protein, aspects of sweet, creamy, crunchy, and of course the dressing should all create one harmonious bite. This composed salad is an easy and satisfying way to utilize a small or large number of birds. It can be served as the main course or a side dish for any weeknight or special occasion. Don’t have all the ingredients? Just “wing it!”
dove. Typically dove takes no more than a few minutes on a hot grill or skillet to serve at a perfect medium temperature.
PALOMA SUMMER SALAD AND STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE
A composed salad is built intentionally and attractively using four components – a base, body, garnish and dressing. The base of this summer salad is composed of baby red, butter lettuce, kale and arugula. Its body, comprised of dove breast and butternut squash, creates a main layer for garnishes of Honeycrisp apple, blackberries, walnuts, tomatoes, cranberries and tangy gorgonzola cheese. Lastly, the strawberry vinaigrette is spooned over just before serving to create the perfect bite.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. On a large baking sheet, mix the butternut squash, cumin, paprika, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper with one tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Spread the butternut squash into a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes; stirring and rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the squash is tender and lightly browned. Give it time to cool down before constructing the salad.
3. Season dove lightly with Hardcore Carnivore Black or just salt and pepper.
4. Preheat a grill or cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Grill or sear the doves in a little bit of olive oil on each side. This should take no more than 1-3 minutes on each side, depending on your stove or grill. When cooked, let the dove rest like you would a steak. Slice thin.
5. When ready to serve, place the greens in your favorite serving bowl and add the rest of the ingredients along with the cooled butternut squash. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, before dressing the salad. Enjoy your fresh, flavorful summer salad with dove!
PINEAPPLE & MINT AGUA FRESCA
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Remove the outer skin and core of the pineapple and cut into chunks.
2. Combine ingredients in blender and serve over ice.
PALOMA SUMMER SALAD AND STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE
INGREDIENTS
• 6 doves, whole or breasted out
• 4 cups raw butternut squash, 1-inch cubes
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 4 packed cups of your favorite greens – I used kale, butter, baby red and arugula
• 1 apple, julienned
• 5 oz. ripe blackberries
• ¾ cup roasted pepitas
• ¾ cup candied walnuts or pecans
• ½ cup (3 oz.) gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup dried cherries or cranberries
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Hardcore Carnivore Black seasoning
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
For the vinaigrette: In general, a good vinaigrette consists of three parts oil to one part vinegar. Start by whisking together the vinegar, strawberry preserves, salt and black pepper. Slowly add in the oil, emulsifying the dressing.
