Back in October I had the honor of speaking at an event at the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area dedicating the education and visitors center to long time TWA Director, David Synatzske. David passed away last year and the event provided an opportunity for about 90 friends, family and colleagues to gather and remember the large impact he had on our state’s wildlife resources during his long career with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and his years of volunteer leadership at TWA.
David was the manager at the Chap for 29 years and worked for most of that time to get the educational facility built for WMA visitors. What many TWA members may not know is that it was David who developed and championed the concept of the Texas Big Game Awards (TBGA) back in the late 1980s. His vision and determination led to the creation of the program in 1991. Next season we will celebrate the 35th anniversary of TBGA with over 40,000 hunters and landowners having been recognized for their contributions to our state’s strong hunting heritage and the habitat management that keep our diverse wildlife species thriving around the state.
As you and your families make the rounds this hunting season, please remember to enter your animals into TBGA. This is a great way to recognize hunters and ranches for exceptional big game animals harvested during the season and also a great way to reinforce a positive experience in the field for young and new hunters through our youth and first harvest categories. As a reminder, it’s not only giant deer that qualify for TBGA. Any youth hunter who harvests a native big game animal in Texas is eligible for entry which comes with a certificate and a free ticket to one of the summer banquets. A hunter who harvests their first big game animal in Texas is also eligible for recognition no matter the age of the hunter. I have had the pleasure of presenting first harvest certificates to 7 year-olds and 70 year-olds and the joy on their face is identical!
Be sure to get involved in TBGA this season and if you are in the Cotulla area any time soon, be sure to stop by the Chaparral WMA and check out the David R. Synatzske Conservation Education Center.
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.
Dr. Louis Harveson, Second Vice President for Programs, Alpine Spencer Lewis, Treasurer, San Antonio 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
Denell Jackson, Controller
Becky Alizadeh, Office Manager
OUTREACH & MEMBER SERVICES
Sean Hoffmann, Director of Communications
Karly Bridges, Membership Manager
CONSERVATION LEGACY AND HUNTING HERITAGE PROGRAMS
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
Megan Pineda, Conservation Education Specialist
Lisa Allen, Conservation Educator
Kay Bell, 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
Marla Wolf, Curriculum Specialist
Noelle Brooks, CL Program Assistant
Matthew Hughes, Ph.D. Director of Hunting Heritage
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
Jim Wentrcek, Adult Learn to Hunt Program Coordinator
Western Big Game Hunting Workshop, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., TWA Headquarters, 6644 FM 1102, New Braunfels, 78132. https://secure.qgiv.com/for/ tyhp/event/thm-hc/
January 30-February 1
Alpine Wildlife Weekend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine. Registration details forthcoming.
FEBRUARY
February 1
Kids Gone Wild at Ft. Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.
February 11
Water in the Desert Conference, Sul Ross State University, Alpine. Registration details forthcoming.
MARCH
March 2-7
Houston Rodeo Ranching & Wildlife Expo, Houston.
March 20
Women of the Land Workshop, Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area, Mason. Registration details forthcoming.
March 27
Women of the Land Workshop, East Foundation El Sauz Ranch, Port Mansfield. Registration details forthcoming.
JULY
July 10-12
41st Annual TWA Convention, J.W. Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio.
FOR INFORMATION ON HUNTING SEASONS, call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at (800) 792-1112, consult the 2023-2024 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual, or visit the TPWD website at: tpwd.state.tx.us.
TWA MEMBER PHOTO CONTEST
TWA Member Photo Contest: Email us your best photos, TWA! We’ll accept them from current members through Dec. 31, 2025 and publish the best ones in upcoming issues to Texas Wildlife Extra. One entry per member per category, must be a current TWA member when photo is entered. Categories are landscape, wildlife, humor and game camera. Also, an open youth division for photographers who are 17 and under. Photos must be taken in Texas! Email your high resolution, unedited and unenhanced picture to TWA@texas-wildlife.org
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PHOTO BY KRISTIN PARMA
The Rodney Dangerfield of Texas Big Game Gets A Little Well-deserved Respect
Javelina recognition and research efforts are underway
ARTICLE BY SEAN HOFFMANN, TWA COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Brush rats. Corn vacuums. Stink pigs. The collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), more commonly known as javelina, is also known by several other monikers in Texas. Most aren’t fit to include in a family publication.
Yet since the Boone and Crockett Club’s Dec. 11, 2024 announcement that javelina will be a new addition to their big game record books, this native species is now more valuable as a resource from a management perspective to Texas private landowners, managers and hunters alike.
“The decision to add javelina as a trophy species was years in the making and reflects not only the growing appre-
ciation for the species among hunters and wildlife managers, but can bring conservation benefits to javelina and the places it lives,” said Mike Opitz, chair of the Club’s Big Game Records Committee.
TWA, along with Texas Parks and Wildlife, Arizona Game & Fish Department, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and Mexico’s State of Coahuila Wildlife Department collaborated to propose the initiative in the summer of 2024, stating:
“Collared peccary are an important big game animal in the southwestern United States and Mexico. They are managed
alongside other big game species, including requirements that hunters follow all regulations in pursuit of the animal across all jurisdictions. This is the first step in taking an animal under the “fair chase” ethic; a concept that originated with the Boone and Crockett Club. This ethic demands an elevated level of respect for the unique and diverse species of big game on the landscape. We propose the creation of a new javelina category in the Records of North American Big Game, building upon the growing interest in javelina hunting and recognizing this unique North American big game species.”
Fast forward to August 14, 2025. The Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young clubs, having completed scoring guidelines, officially announced that they are accepting javelina entries for their record books.
“The Boone and Crockett Club established our records program well over a century ago as a way to measure conservation successes that helped to recover and sustain North American big game species. The record book is a way to honor exceptional animals that are maintained on the landscape due to professional wildlife conservation and management,” Opitz, said. “It has been 27 years since a new species category has been added to our record book, and we are excited that including collared peccary in our records program will increase hunter excitement as well as increase support for their conservation.”
Here in Texas, where javelina thrive primarily in arid West Texas, the western fringes of the Edwards Plateau, much of South Texas and a pocket in north central Texas, their value as a game animal has been acknowledged by the TWA Texas
PHOTO BY KRISTIN PARMA
PHOTO BY JEFF PARKER
BY JONATHAN VAIL
PHOTO
Big Game Awards (TBGA) for years. The species is one of five scorable native Texas big game animals—including white-tailed and mule deer, pronghorn and bighorn sheep—included in the annual awards program, now in its 35th year.
TBGA, Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young score javelina based upon the greatest combined length and width of skull measurements. While these measurements are simple compared to deer or pronghorn, all hide, flesh and membrane must be removed from the skull prior to taking measurements. Additionally, Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young require a 60-day drying period prior to scoring.
A minimum score of 13 4/16 inches can qualify a javelina for a TBGA.
The minimum score for Boone and Crockett is 14 5/16 inches while a Pope and Young qualifier is 13 14/16 inches. Both organizations accept javelina skull measurements from animals harvested prior to the establishment of the category in August.
Lists of official scorers can be found at texasbiggameawards.org.
JAVELINA HOMELAND
As if Boone and Crockett recognition wasn’t enough good news for the javelina, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is spearheading a study specifically designed to increase the knowledge base about this Texas icon.
The study began in the fall of 2023. The five-year project is overseen by Whitney Gann, Ph.D., wildlife management area facilities coordinator with TPWD.
“Ultimately we want to bring attention to javelina and hopefully more support and interest to the species,” Gann said.
Gann previously served as area manager of the 15,200 acre Chaparral Wildlife Management Area near Cotulla. She knows firsthand the value of the information such a study can provide. At Chaparral, one of her duties was to make annual harvest recommendations for public hunts on the WMA. “While research-based models were comparatively easy to design for white-tailed deer, I struggled to confidently do so with javelina because those resources did not—and currently don’t—exist. Plus, javelina can be difficult to survey because they
PHOTO BY IVAN
Javelina map courtesy of Kevin Skow, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute
travel in large family units and they all basically look the same,” she said.
Stephen Webb, Ph.D., project lead and Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute research assistant professor in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, notes that researchers intend to glean information about javelina growth rates, movement, health and population dynamics through the aid of technology.
“We will assess how best to count javelina using survey methods like helicopter, camera, and road surveys. Using GPS collars, we will track their movement to learn about social interaction within and among squadrons, home range size, and habitat use. All of this information on space use can be applied to on-the-ground management targeted at creating and maintaining appropriate habitat,” Webb said.
“We also are working to create online resources to enter, manage, and set harvest quotas. Now that javelina are part of the B&C record book, many landowners will need more information for managing this species. I suspect that landowners will see more interest in hunting javelina with their new status of finally being recognized as a big game trophy,” he added.
The javelina research study is taking place on 250,000 acres across southern Texas, including Chaparral, James Daughtrey and Las Palomas wildlife management areas, La Copita Demonstration Ranch and Research Area, East Foundation holdings and in cooperation with multiple private landowners.
Additional project researchers include Jacob Dykes, Ph.D., assistant professor and extension wildlife specialist in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University; Marcus Blum, Ph.D., assistant professor and extension wildlife specialist with Texas
A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management; and Walter Cook, Ph.D., DVM, clinical professor in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
The study results should prove invaluable to landowners who want to better manage their range for javelina as the species will likely see an uptick in interest, especially from a stewardship and hunting standpoint.
Based upon all of this positive news, it seems that the javelina has already earned a modicum of well deserved respect in the Lone Star State.
JAVELINA FACTS
Ninety-nine Texas counties have javelina seasons. The bag limit is two per license year.
Javelina is Spanish for javelin or spear in reference to their sharp tusks.
While they resemble pigs, javelina belong to the peccary family (Tayassuidae). Javelina and pigs have been separated by nearly 40 million years of evolution.
A group of javelinas is called a squadron.
Newborn javelinas are called reds based on their hair color when young.
A scent gland at the top of their rump helps javelina mark their territory and identify squadron members.
The light-colored band of hair around their neck gives them a collared look, hence collared peccary.
While omnivorous, javelina favor prickly pear fruit (tunas) and pads.
Contrary to popular belief, javelina do not chase down prey or specifically target snakes.
When startled, javelina chomp their jaws together, making a clicking sound with their teeth.
David Synatzske Education Center
Dedicated at The Chap
ARTICLE BY SEAN HOFFMANN, TWA COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
PHOTOS BY
LORI MASSEY, TPWD
Chaparral Wildlife Management Area spans 15,200 acres southwest of Cotulla. The property is one of the premier wildlife management areas in the state for several reasons—exceptional habitat, biodiversity, wildlife research projects, public hunting opportunities and its population of white-tailed bucks with large antlers.
One reason for The Chap’s notoriety can be credited to its project leader of 29 years, David Synatzske. David retired from his 39-year career with TPWD in 2012. The majority of his career was spent serving as a researcher, educator and advocate for South Texas wildlife and the unique habitat that supports it.
TPWD staff unveiled the naming of the David R. Synatzske Conservation Education Center during a dedication ceremony on Oct. 10, 2025 at Chaparral WMA.
It is only fitting that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officially dedicate a meeting room/classroom at the WMA as the David R. Synatzske Conservation Education Center during a ceremony held on a warm October 10, 2025. Nearly 100 attendees, including TWA CEO Justin Driebelbis, were on hand for the event to support the lasting legacy that David, who passed away in October 2024, left across South Texas.
“While David gave a lot of his time and talent to TWA over the years, his claim to fame was that he provided the initial concept for the Texas Big Game Awards back in 1987. As we all know, TBGA is not just another deer contest. It is a partnership between TWA and TPWD to celebrate our state’s proud hunting heritage through the recognition of hunters, landowners and our diverse Texas wildlife species with the message that Hunting Equals Habitat. If there were ever a tag line for David’s approach to big game management, Hunting Equals Habitat fits the bill. David served as the TPWD co-chair for TBGA (1991-2012) and continued to serve as co-chair of TPWD’s Scoring Committee long after his retirement in 2012. I think he would be proud to know that we will celebrate TBGA’s 35th anniversary next year,” Dreibelbis said.
In 2017, David was recognized by TWA with the prestigious Sam Beasom Conservation Leader Award. This award is given to a member of the professional conservation community who has made an outstanding contribution to the conservation of Texas wildlife and shares the philosophies of TWA.
David was also played an instrumental role in a Texas collaborative that petitioned the Boone & Crockett Club to accept the javelina as an official big game animal.
“David left a big mark on Texas wildlife and the dedication of this facility is a great way to ensure that his legacy of land stewardship and wildlife conservation lives on forever,” Dreibelbis added.
Justin Dreibelbis, TWA CEO, shares how David Synatzske made major impacts as a conservationist as a TPWD employee and TWA member during a dedication ceremony at Chaparral WMA near Cotulla.
White-tailed Deer Research Benefits Students, Land Managers, Wildlife
Data collection project gives students hands-on field experience, new insights into deer behavior, health
ARTICLE BY SARAH FULLER
PHOTO BY COURTNEY
Anew research project at the Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management Ecology and Natural Resources Teaching Area will contribute to a greater understanding of white-tailed deer biology and ecology while providing students with vital experience in field-based data collection and analysis.
The project launched in the fall of 2024 as part of the department’s Large Mammal Management curriculum taught by Marcus Blum, Ph.D., assistant professor and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service statewide wildlife specialist.
Over the coming years, trained undergraduate and graduate students will use drop nets to capture whitetailed deer and collect biological and morphological data. All captured deer will be marked with ear tags, and some will be equipped with GPS collars before being released back into the wild.
With this information, researchers will be able to assess the property’s white-tailed deer population, develop management plans to sustain the population, track habitat use, evaluate nutrition and health, and much more.
“Our goal is to collect as much data as we can while minimizing stress to the animal,” said Blum. “This data will then be made available to student researchers to analyze and gain a greater understanding of deer behavior and landscape preferences. In the long run, it will benefit students, deer populations and land managers.”
An ongoing course project led by experts in the Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries
Management will provide researchers with key data to assess populations, evaluate nutrition and develop management plans for white-tailed deer at the Texas A&M Ecology and Natural Resources Teaching Area.
RESEARCH FINDINGS EXTEND BEYOND CAMPUS DEER POPULATIONS
While the study area is focused on the 945-acre lowfenced biological field station located near campus, the information collected has a far greater reach.
Blum said the data and subsequent research findings will apply to white-tailed deer conservation and management across the Post Oak Savannah ecoregion.
“Although movement-based studies are beneficial to proper management of white-tailed deer habitat, few have occurred within the Post Oak Savannah,” Blum said. “The data and analyses produced by this course will provide valuable insight for landowners and biologists managing white-tailed deer within the ecoregion.”
TRAINING NEXT-GENERATION NATURAL RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS
In addition to augmenting existing scientific data on whitetailed deer, Blum said the course’s field-based focus is part of the department’s concerted effort to provide relevant and immersive learning opportunities in course curricula.
Like the department’s campus squirrel project, this course will engage undergraduate and graduate students across
A group of students weigh a deer by lifting it in a canvas tarp.
PHOTO BY
multiple classes and college departments, including the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
“Direct, hands-on involvement with wildlife management and research is typically only available to students through extracurricular activities or special occasions involving internal and external research projects,” Blum said. “The fact that we are actively incorporating it into our curricula is a testament to our department’s commitment to producing the best natural resource professionals possible.”
Blum said this specific project is made possible through support from the department as well as grants from the Houston Safari Club Foundation.
The white-tailed deer research project is a component of the Large Mammal Management curriculum taught by Marcus Blum, Ph.D., assistant professor and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service statewide wildlife specialist. The project will engage undergraduate and graduate students across multiple college departments, providing critical hands-on experiences in field work, data collection and data analysis.
CONNECTING THE CLASSROOM TO THE FIELD
Faith Ash ’25 was part of the course’s first cohort with the project. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in rangeland, wildlife and fisheries management and said the course was one of the most beneficial experiences of her academic career.
“Directly working with the animals and collecting data was an amazing experience,” Ash said. “It was also good to observe how fellow students worked in the field, communicated and strategized to make the process efficient.”
Trained undergraduate and graduate students use drop nets to capture white-tailed deer and collect biological and morphological data. All captured deer will be marked with ear tags, and some will be equipped with GPS collars before being released back into the wild.
Ash said her time in the field allowed her to apply what she learned in the classroom.
“Each time we went out, I learned something new and gained practical skills,” she said. “From plant identification to vegetation surveys, it makes a huge difference to be able to take what you learn in class to the field.”
This experience and newly acquired field-based skills also broadened Ash’s peer network and fostered confidence in her own abilities, leading her to pursue additional opportunities to grow as a wildlife professional.
“I feel like this course opened a lot of doors for me personally and professionally,” she said. “Thanks to new relationships, I was able to help a graduate student conduct javelina captures in South Texas, and I attended the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society meeting.”
EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES WITH A FOCUS ON THE LAND-GRANT MISSION
Looking forward, Blum said he would like to expand the research to benefit students, land managers and wildlife in perpetuity.
“Providing experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for their careers is key to achieving the land-grant mission,” Blum said. “Overall, our goal for this project is to connect the theories and concepts taught in the classroom with on-theground application.”
White-tailed deer captures provide multiple management and research opportunities for students in the Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management.
PHOTO BY C OURTNEY SACCO, TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE
Weather, Forage, and Wild Pig
Trapping in Texas Timing is Everything
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY PLATEAU LAND & WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
A YEAR OF EXTREMES
Texas has lived through weather whiplash in 2025. Despite drought still gripping much of the state, generous spring and early summer rains briefly transformed landscapes. From April into July, timely rainfall improved soil moisture and fueled vigorous growth of native grasses and forbs, and oaks responded with a strong acorn crop across much of the state. For wild pigs, this meant a buffet of natural food. For trappers, it meant corn, the traditional “gold standard” bait, suddenly had little drawing power. With mast and lush forage readily available, pigs were less inclined to visit bait sites, and trapping success slowed.
FALL INTO EARLY WINTER: FORAGE OVERLOAD
Wild pigs are opportunistic omnivores that adjust their diets with resource availability. In years when acorns are abundant, they concentrate in oak-dominated areas and exploit mast as a major food source. Corn’s nutritional profile is very similar to this natural forage. Both are high in carbohydrates and relatively low in protein, which means corn offers little incentive when pigs are already surrounded by similar foods. This is why common modifications such as souring corn, adding strawberry flavoring, or fermenting mixtures rarely improve results during high-mast years. These methods
may change the smell but not the nutrition, and pigs remain focused on what the landscape is already providing. For trappers, the lesson is clear: success depends on shifting strategies rather than relying on bait that blends in with natural foods.
One option is to experiment with alternative baits that emphasize protein or fat, such as commercial pellets, peanuts, or mixtures incorporating protein supplements. Research and field experience suggest that pigs will actively seek out foods that fill a nutritional gap, particularly when protein is limited in their diet.
Another strategy is to adjust trap placement to align with pig movement. Positioning traps near travel corridors between feeding areas and water, or along rooting sites where pigs search for invertebrates, can increase encounters when the presence of bait alone does not alter their movement patterns. But don’t be too aggressive with trap placement. Setting a trap in the pigs’ bedroom can have detrimental effects. It is usually best to place traps along corridors between where they sleep and where they eat.
THE LA NIÑA SHIFT AHEAD
Conditions will not stay the same. Forecasts call for a developing La Niña winter, which usually brings warmer
and drier weather to Texas. As winter progresses, forage will decline, mast will be exhausted, and water sources will become less reliable. This shift has real implications for wild pig behavior.
Wild pig reproduction occurs year-round, but in many regions of Texas, farrowing peaks in the winter months. Nursing sows face some of the highest nutritional demands of the year, requiring both energy and protein to support milk production. When the quality of forage declines and mast disappears, these sows experience nutritional stress that makes them more willing to investigate baited sites.
At the same time, water becomes a limiting factor. Stock tanks, streams, and springs that benefited from spring rains will begin to shrink under La Niña conditions. Reliable water sources become focal points for pig activity. Traps placed strategically near water can therefore take advantage of these shifting patterns, increasing the likelihood of success as pigs adjust their movements.
When resources are ample, as they were in the fall and still are across much of the state, pigs tend to reduce their home range and stay in smaller groups, with little overlap in range and resource use. So, not only will you see pigs less frequently, but you will also likely see fewer pigs altogether. As resource availability decreases this winter, home ranges begin to expand as pigs seek reliable resources of food and water. During this time, sounders that were previously independent often assimilate into larger groups, and multiple sounders may be seen feeding at the same bait site.
Monitoring bait sites with game cameras is always good practice, but it becomes critical in these times. Trappers should aspire to catch entire sounders, or multiple sounders visiting the same site in a single trapping event, to avoid educating un-trapped pigs. Educated pigs become difficult or impossible to trap at a later date. You must know how many pigs you are targeting to be confident of complete removal. Be sure to use a trap with a continuous trap mechanism, such as a rooter door or a 360-degree access net trap. If you are using a “smart trap,” be sure not to drop the gate until 100% of your target audience is present.
STRATEGY AND OUTLOOK
For landowners and managers, success comes from matching trapping efforts to the conditions on the ground. In mast-heavy years, pigs have more natural food than they can use, so protein-rich baits and longer pre-baiting can help establish a site as worthwhile. As winter progresses under La Niña, declining forage and shrinking water will shift pig movement toward bait sites, particularly those near reliable water sources.
The past few months have made trapping difficult, but change is underway. By understanding climate, range conditions, and pig behavior, trappers can be ready when the advantage returns. And, of course, don’t forget that patience is a virtue.
I Wanna Javelina for Christmas
ARTICLE BY LARRY WEISHUHN
PHOTOS BY LARRY WEISHUHN OUTDOORS
Larry took his Christmas javelina with the Winchester Model 1895 in .30Govt06 pictured in this photo.
“Senor Colorado, podria dispararme una javelina, por favor? Es na tradicion familiar tener tamales de javelina el dia de Navidad,” asked Juan Diego de Duarte, the ranch’s caretaker, as he helped me carry gear and groceries into the hunting camp. He spoke perfect English, but I had asked him to speak to me only in Spanish while I was on the ranch.
“Juan Diego, seria un honor para mi hacerio!” I replied.
Actually, I had planned to shoot a javelina for an article about hunting the Brush Country’s collared peccary and had hoped Juan Diego would want the meat, as it is not one of my favorites. Being asked to shoot one to continue the tradition of javelina Christmas tamales was the answer to a prayer.
The December whitetail deer rut was under way. Bucks were coming to rattling horns. I hoped to rattle in a regally bedecked mature buck and also shoot a couple of does for my family’s larder.
I had brought three guns; my .270 Winchester bolt-action, my .44 Rem Mag revolver and a vintage Winchester Model 1895 .30Govt06 lever-action I had borrowed from a friend. All were sighted in with Hornady ammo.
I planned to hunt deer with my .270 and .44 Mag and use the lever action to take a javelina. Why the Model 1895? Back in April 1892, Theodore Roosevelt was on official business in Uvalde. While there he hunted javelina southeast of town between the Frio and Nueces Rivers. He had shot two with a lever action rifle. Based on subsequent writings, he enjoyed the hunt but was later quoted saying using a spear would have been a better way to hunt them.
One of Roosevelt’s favorite rifles was the Winchester Model 1895, his “go to” rifle. At the time of his Texas javelina hunt the rifle had not yet been introduced. He used his 1895 chambered in .405 Winchester on African dangerous game. I strongly believe had the iconic lever-action with its “stacked magazine” as opposed a “tubular magazine, been available at the time of his hunt, that is the rifle he would have used to hunt javelina as well.
The first afternoon at camp I walked to an area that held at least two herds of javelina. I carried the Winchester lever gun, my knife, binos, 10 extra rounds and my Burnham C-3 Long Range Predator call. I had learned by then that I could quite regularly call in javelina with that mouth-blown call.
I was only a few yards from where I planned to call javelina when I spotted a lone boar, based on his size. He was up-wind, feeding on prickly pear pads, their primary diet. I stalked to within twenty yards and found a convenient mesquite rest for my open-sight rifle. Because of the dense stand of prickly pear I wanted to drop the javelina in his tracks, rather than track him through a myriad of cactus spines. I aimed for a high shoulder shot, pulled the trigger, and the javelina dropped in his tracks. It then started popping his teeth making a loud “clacking” sound. I stayed where I was, rifle reloaded. I caught sight of something coming rapidly through the mesquites--a nice whitetail buck. To my left I saw another buck charging toward where the javelina was continuing to make a “clack, clack, clack” sound, not unlike two bucks fighting. I heard noise behind me and yet another buck was coming to the sound. Catching more movement, I looked to the left and watched two more bucks charge in. I stood statue-still.
During the next two minutes, the javelina continuing to making “clacking” sounds with his teeth, I watched a total of eight bucks respond to the sound he was making! I could hardly believe what was happening. The bucks circled the javelina, drooling, hair standing on end.
Two of those bucks were mature and seriously tempted me. Had I not been hunting an extremely wide and massive 10-point that lived on the other side of the 14,000-acre ranch, I would have shot the bigger of those two.
Finally, the javelina expired, putting an end to the “clacking” sound. The bucks lost interest and left. Once they did, I retrieved the javelina and dragged him where I could load him in my pickup to take him to camp
It was dark by the time I got to camp. Juan Diego had the campfire lit and was waiting for me, having heard my shot.
Taking care of the Christmas javelina I told him about what I had seen. He listened intently. “Senor Colorado me diste un regalo de Navidad. La javelina tambien te proporiono una experiencia Navidad unica!
Indeed, Juan Diego’s javelina would provide his family with Christmas tamales, but it had also provided for me a most unique and unusual Christmas time experience, one I would never forget.
As we head toward Christmas, may your outdoor experiences be many and unique creating unforgettable memories. Merriest of Christmases to you and your family!
The trophy bull elk above was photographed in October during the fall rut within Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park, Colorado.
Wildlife Photography Creates Conservation
ARTICLE BY BRIAN LOFLIN
Photography in American national park was trailblazed thanks to a portfolio of photographs by William Henry Jackson. Photographer Jackson became a vital element of the 1870 party of U.S. geologist Ferdinand V. Hayden which explored and surveyed the Yellowstone region of the Wyoming Territory. Jackson produced many photographs and paintings of the astonishing and unknown landscapes and geothermal features of the region.
Returning east in early October 1871, Hayden and Jackson joined a lobbying effort and presented the portfolio to U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. Grant helped convince congress to set aside, preserve and protect this land for the public. Subsequently, this became Yellowstone National Park and the U.S National Park system was born in 1872.
Aldo Leopold, father of wildlife ecology and modern conservation in America, wrote that the axe, plow, cow, fire and
Photography supports wildlife research in the field including this team at an aerial nilgai capture in South Texas.
A student in the Wildlife Photography program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville completes a photography project in the lab.
Photographer William Henry Jackson c 1870. U.S. Geological Survey photo.
gun were destructive tools. He also ob served that the careful and creative use of the same five tools are instrumental to restore habitat, revitalize land and wildlife, and conserve the environment for the future.
Today, in addition to Leopold’s five tools, the camera has become one of the greatest tools of wildlife conservation. Human retention of information is a re sult of 10% of what they hear, 20% of what they read and surprisingly, 80% of what they see! Nothing stirs emotions, motivates action, or promotes under standing like a picture. These impacts make photography a powerful medium when used to support wildlife conser vation. Photography provides that im portant visual medium.
Throughout the years we have been blessed by exciting, high-technology and educational programming on tele vision. Early programming, including Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and Marty Stouffer’s Wild America led the way into our homes and hearts. These were followed by more recent envi ronmental productions featuring Sir David Attenborough and Texas’ own Ben Masters.
Because of these shows, we take for granted the ease of photographing the environment and the interactions of species. Many people falsely believe that wildlife photography is a walk through the woods with a good camera. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Effective photographic stories re quire significant preparation and or ganizing elements behind the scenes to bring the project together. Success greatly depends upon knowing the biology of the subject matter and understanding its habitat, lifestyle and behavior. Placing the right equipment in the right place at the right time is paramount. Photographers must get close to their subject to produce good photographs. This requires mastery of many skills, tools and techniques.
The role and responsibility of the wildlife photographer is to create photographic documentation of the world’s wildlife and the habitat with images that are true-to-life for documentation, educational and informational purposes. In doing so, the photographer can tell the wildlife story, including animal relationships and dynamics within their environment in support of understanding and conserving the
Javelina, or collared peccary, are South Texas specialties and the mascot of Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Many television programs, such as Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, brought amazing wildlife scenes into our homes and lives.
ecosystem. Photographers also support wildlife researchers with imagery to document and communicate their work in the field and in the lab.
In addition to photographic competence, the photographer must maintain the highest ethical standards in photographic image quality and in the handling, husbandry and photography of wildlife subjects. Finally, the photographer has a responsibility to create and maintain an archive of digital assets that meet standards for retrieval, distribution and publication for oneself and other professionals.
So, what does the future of wildlife photography hold? New digital photographic equipment and technology enables photographers to illustrate subjects and events that were not possible just a few years ago.
But sadly, many names of great wildlife programs are gone. Marlin Perkins, Jack Hanna and other personalities have gone. At 99, even the remarkable Sir David Attenborough, as well as many others won’t be with us much longer.
So where is the source of the new blood? The burden is upon us. We in the educational community must train professional talent to enter the ranks of these specialty production teams. These teams need scientists to research and to
explain, writers to script and photographers to illustrate through pictures and video the world’s great natural wonders.
In addition to research and science education, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMU-K) now offers a curriculum in Wildlife Photography. Designed for students from any major, undergraduates and graduate students can now enroll in this multi-year program, leaving with a professional degree in their selected discipline and armed with a certificate or minor in Wildlife Photography.
The six semester classes include the art and design of photographs combined with composition and the camera skills to excel. Advanced classes explore lighting, color, digital technology, computer production and publication of images vital to a student’s academic area.
The program is led by Brian Loflin, an award-winning professional wildlife and biological photographer. A biologist by education and author of several books, Brian has decades of ex-
Photography students support research activities on the Kingsville campus and in the field.
Wildlife photography is much more than a hike through the woods with a camera and long lens.
perience producing images and materials for publications and other media.
This program began through a sizeable donation from a private charitable trust, funding the purchase of professional camera and computer equipment, and bolstering the success of the program by providing operational expenses.
The Wildlife Photography students learn to photograph landscapes, a variety of still life subjects, and many species from birds and mammals to reptiles and amphibians. Additionally, students support research programs such as deer captures and other field activities, participate in photography in the labs, and produce exhibits for the campus museum.
The mission of the Wildlife Photography program is to
Reptiles and amphibians are an important part of the ecosystem.
In celebration of Texas Wildlife Association’s 40th Anniversary, Texas artist Noelle M Brooks presents The Look of the Land a breathtaking original oil painting capturing the wild heart of our state
Chasing the Jaguar
ARTICLE BY THE HON. KEN WISE
Looking at a photograph of Sam Houston from the mid-19th century, one is drawn to the flashy spotted vest under his traditional black coat. Houston liked to refer to it as a leopard vest, no doubt a nod to his famous quote, “A leopard never changes its spots.” But the vest is actually made from the pelt of a jaguar, a native cat of North America. Houston’s vest was unique because the jaguar started disappearing from the Texas in the 19th century.
A spotted pelt is where the similarity between the leopard and jaguar ends. The jaguar is distinct from its larger cousins, having a relatively compact, muscular build designed for an ambush-style attack rather than prolonged stalking or chasing. The muscles in its head and jaw give the jaguar an extreme amount of bite force relative to its size. They typically deliver one powerful killing bite to their prey. Jaguars can even swim and have been known to hunt
The Goldthwaite jaguar took out one dog and injured several others, and also killed a horse, before being shot after an long hunt in 1903.
turtles and fish or drown other prey in water. They easily adapt to a variety of habitats, from wetlands and riverine areas to dry forests or grasslands. Their ability to adapt to such varied geography made Texas a natural place for the jaguar to occupy.
Spanish explorers recorded encounters with the cats. On Coronado’s famed expedition through the American Southwest in 1541, he wrote the viceroy of encounters with jaguars in what is now New Mexico, referring to them as tigre. A priest named Ribas recorded the big cats in Sonora, Mexico, in the early 1600s. Then, in 1709, Fray Isidro de Espinosa led an expedition from the San Juan Bautista mission on the Rio Grande near present-day Guerrero, Mexico, into the central Texas area. Espinosa recorded seeing Jaguars south of present-day Austin between there and what would likely be the area around present-day
La Grange. Espinosa moved west from San Antonio toward the Frio River and recorded additional jaguar encounters.
When John James Audubon visited Texas in 1837, he visited President Sam in his residence at Houston, then the capital of the Republic. Houston told tales of seeing jaguars at multiple locations near the Rio Grande, Guadalupe and San Jacinto rivers.
More modern accounts of jaguar encounters are recorded as occurring over a vast swatch of the state. Around the turn of the century, there were tales of jaguars as far east as Jasper, Beaumont and Conroe. Around the same time, there were reports of jaguars killed near Comstock and Carrizo Springs.
A lady named Eliza Johnson recalled an 1856 incident near Fort Mason in which what she describes as a “tiger cat” was spooked from the brush by a man practicing archery. San Antonio resident Gustave Duerler recalled seeing a jaguar in a tree near San Pedro springs in the 1860s. He called to his father, who killed the animal in what is now an area of San Antonio near downtown!
In 1903, a jaguar was taken near Center City, east of Goldthwaite, in the central part of the state. According to first-hand accounts, a group of men with hunting dogs set out at dusk to hunt a jaguar reported to be about
A brief mention of a jaguar trapped near Ozona was published in the May 18, 1915 edition of the Victoria Daily Advocate.
Weighing in at 140 pounds and measuring over 6 feet long, the skull and hide of the Goldthwaite jaguar now reside in the Smithsonian.
three miles from town. The dogs picked up the scent and gave chase, treeing the animal in a small oak. One of the hunters then shot the animal once with what he described as a “Colt .45.” The animal fell from the tree and took off running.
The dogs gave chase and bayed the animal. At this point, one of the hunters had to return 3 miles or so to Center City “for guns and ammunition.” There is no explanation for why the party set out after the state’s largest, perhaps the most dangerous, cat without adequate armaments and sufficient ammunition. After an hour and a half, the hunters were ready to set the dogs on the jaguar.
The hunters had to ride into the “shinnery” or oak brush to attempt to root out the big cat. Out it came. The hunters began their effort with 10 hunting dogs. By the time they killed the animal around midnight, there were only three dogs still in the fight, and one of those was wounded. The jaguar killed one dog and severely injured several others. Notably, the jaguar delivered a bite to one of the horses so severe that the horse later died of its wound. Ultimately, the jaguar measured over 6 feet long and weighed 140 pounds. Today, this jaguar’s skin and skull are in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History collection under catalog number 123527, should the reader desire to see it.
In 1909, another jaguar was killed near London, Texas. In that incident, two young boys took three hunting dogs to see if they could determine what had been causing the
In 1909 two young boys and their three hounds came across a jaguar near present-day Red Creek Cemetery Rd. and Hwy. 377 in Kimble County.
The last jaguar in Texas was killed near Kingsville in 1948 on the Ferguson Dairy Farm. One of the Ferguson boys posed with the big cat in a Kingsville neighborhood.
occasional sheep to go missing from the family ranch. While playing in some boulders on the side of a hill, the dogs began going crazy. It turns out the dogs had found a jaguar in a shallow cave. There was one significant problem—neither boy carried a gun.
The boys fled down the mountain to get help, which came in the form of an older boy named Dan and a double-barreled shotgun. Back up the mountain they went to confront the big cat. Doing their best under the circumstances, the younger boys took out their pocket knives to prepare for a wounded jaguar. Dan, no doubt nervous himself, let loose with both barrels into the cave—and missed.
The jaguar shot up the mountain, trailed by the three dogs, who managed to circle the cat back into the cave. This effort was not without incident when the jaguar swatted one dog so powerfully that it broke the dog’s hip. At that point, the boys decided to go in search of more firepower and enlisted the help of a neighbor who dispatched the cat with a .22 rifle. The cat’s hide was nailed to the side of a barn to dry, but the hunting dogs would have the last say. They shredded the hide of the jaguar overnight.
One of the more well-known jaguar encounters happened in Kingsville in 1948. On the Ferguson dairy farm, near presentday Dick Kleberg Park, ranch hand Reyes Cuevos went rabbit hunting with his .410 in the brush near the ranch house. He spotted a jaguar crouched on the ground behind a cactus. Perhaps not fully considering the situation, he fired with
However, when aerial deer surveys typically only reveal a fraction of an actual deer population, it might pay to keep your eyes peeled for any spotted “tiger cats.” It might also pay to carry a bigger gun.
his .410. The small shot may have blinded the cat because it started running in circles before seeing and taking advantage of the relative safety of a small tree nearby. In what seems to be a theme with these encounters, Cuevos went to fetch a larger gun and finished off his quarry. The biologist from the King Ranch, Val Lehman, inspected the animal, which measured over 5 feet, 10 inches long. When asked why he shot the jaguar with only the .410 he carried, Cuevos reportedly, “figured he could outrun the animal.” Fortunately for Cuevos, he didn’t have to learn a potentially harsh lesson.
That 1948 Kingsville cat is widely considered the last jaguar in Texas. Many varieties of felines still inhabit the state, including the smaller jaguarundi, ocelot, and the more prolific bobcat. However, when aerial deer surveys typically only reveal a fraction of an actual deer population, it might pay to keep your eyes peeled for any spotted “tiger cats.” It might also pay to carry a bigger gun.
Breaking Barriers
Javelina Earn Boone & Crockett Recognition and Continue Inspiring New Hunters in Texas
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY KRISTIN PARMA
For decades, the javelina, or collared peccary, has been one of Texas’ most misunderstood big game animals. Often mistaken for a wild hog, the javelina is a native species that has long held a special place in the state’s wild landscapes. This year, the Boone and Crockett Club officially recognized the javelina as an accepted big game species for record keeping. This marks a major milestone for hunters and conservationists who have championed this cause for years.
For me, this news comes with a sense of pride and nostalgia. My own appreciation for javelina began years ago with a memorable hunt in Live Oak County — one that not only deepened my respect for the species but also launched a mission to help others experience it as well. I have grown to love hunting javelina and I have found equal joy in observing their behaviors. From rubbing scent on one
another, stretching after a midday nap, to watching their little football size babies (reds) scurry around mom — all captured through the lens of my camera. That mission now takes shape each winter in Eagle Pass, where we host our annual Texas Youth Hunting Program Mother/Daughter Javelina Hunt, now celebrating its eighth year.
What began as a small idea has grown into one of my favorite hunts of the season. Each year, mothers and daughters, many brand new to hunting, join us to learn about the outdoors and the incredible wildlife that call South Texas home. Guided by an all-women mentor team, participants experience far more than just the pursuit of game. Together, we dive into javelina biology and behavior, plant identification and even painting the landscape, connecting modern hunters to the rich ecological and beauty of the region.
During the weekend, we do our best to demonstrate to participants how to prepare and cook wild game, so that they can be inspired to turn their harvest into delicious dishes that honor the animal and the effort that went into the hunt.
Of course, no hunt would be complete without a good meal, and the “eat more javelina” mantra has earned a rightful place at my table for some time now. Nothing makes me happier than surprising people with how flavorful and versatile the meat can be when properly cared for in the field.
I can’t fully explain the feeling of watching mothers and daughters unplug from their phones year after year and truly reconnect with one another. The joy, the laughter, and even the tears that surface over the course of the weekend are beyond words. It’s in these moments that I’m reminded
that being able to facilitate providing this experience is so much more than hunting. It’s about relationships, growth, and shared memories that last a lifetime.
This annual event would not be possible without the private landowners who open their gates and the incredible team of volunteers who share their time, skills, and passion for conservation. These women all bring their own experiences and talents to the weekend. Whether guiding, teaching, or simply being there to facilitate the experience, I like to think we create an environment that welcomes and empowers new women hunters. I am endlessly grateful for their dedication and the example they help set for the next generation of outdoorswomen.
JAVELINA MOLE POBLANO ENCHILADAS: A WILD TWIST ON A MEXICAN CLASSIC
Whether it’s javelina, aoudad, or any other game species that sometimes gets a bad rap for being “inedible,” I’m often asked the same question: What’s the best way to cook it?
With experience my answers have changed over the years, but my approach remains the same. When I’m curious about a particular ingredient or game species, I look no further than its origins to guide me. The land where an animal lives often holds the key to how it should be prepared.
Mole and javelina share more than a plate; they share a landscape. Javelina is native to the same arid regions where traditional moles were born. The mild, lean flavors of javelina harmonize beautifully with mole’s deep, complex blend of roasted chiles, seeds, nuts and warm spices. It’s a match that feels almost inevitable, rooted in the land and culture of the Southwest. Since learning how to make mole, it has become a season staple in my culinary rotation. Every time I make it, I always try something different (for example, I like to substitute raisins for sugar) – and that’s the beauty of it. Mole isn’t a single recipe; it’s more of a category of sauces, with each region of Mexico having its own version.
SLOW COOKED JAVELINA CARNITAS:
1-2 shoulder/hams depending on the size of the javelina
1 cup orange juice
Water
Salt
Slow Cooker or Dutch Oven
METHOD:
1. In a slow cooker or dutch oven place the javelina and season with salt. Cover completely with orange juice and water.
2. Cook on low for up to 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the meat is tender and falls off the bone. Shred or dice.
MOLE SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
1 ounce sesame seeds
1 ounce cumin seeds
1 ounce coriander seeds
2 ounces almonds
2 bay leaves
Zest of one orange
2 pounds tomatoes – I love to use Kumato
2 cinnamon sticks
3 ounces raisins, no added sugar
4-5 poblano peppers (discard seeds)
6 dried guajillo chiles (discard seeds)
4 ancho chilies (discard seeds)
1 white onion – large dice
5 cloves garlic – diced
6 ounces chicken stock
3 each bread slices
Salt to taste
Olive oil as needed
METHOD:
1. Heat a large, dry skillet over medium heat.
2. Add sesame seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns. Toast gently, stirring frequently until fragrant and lightly golden (about 2–3 minutes).
3. Add almonds and continue to toast until they’re lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4. In the same skillet add the tomatoes, orange zest, cinnamon sticks and raisins. Roast for two minutes or so, stirring frequently. Remove and set aside.
5. Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil and lightly toast poblano, guajillo, and ancho chiles in the same skillet over medium heat, until charred. Set aside to cool.
6. In the same skillet, add more olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock.
7. Add all the previous ingredients back into the skillet. If more liquid is needed add water or more stock.
8. Place bread into a food processor and pulse. Add bread to the skillet and allow the ingredients to simmer uncovered until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
9. In a high-speed blender or food processor, puree the mole thoroughly until the sauce is nappe (coats the back of a spoon). Season with salt to taste.
ASSEMBLE THE ENCHILADAS
INGREDIENTS:
Cooked javelina, shredded or chopped (see carnitas recipe)
1. Warm your tortillas gently over a skillet with a dab of oil.This makes them pliable and easier to roll without tearing.
2. Take one tortilla and place a small amount of shredded javelina in the center.
3. Add a small handful of Oaxaca cheese on top of the meat.
4. Roll the tortilla snugly to enclose the filling. Place it seam-side down in a baking dish or skillet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
5. Pour mole sauce generously over the rolled enchiladas, making sure they’re fully coated.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for 20-40 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.
7. Garnish with fresh cilantro, diced onions, sesame seeds, or avocado if desired.
The Art of the Helicopter Survey
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY STEVE NELLE
The helicopter has been used to survey deer populations in Texas for over 60 years and has become the primary survey method on many ranches engaged in progressive deer management. Each year there are thousands of surveys flown on millions of acres and those surveys are used to guide deer management.
The helicopter is nothing more than a mobile observation platform that can go just about anywhere on a ranch making it an ideal way to observe deer and other species. The technique was first used in 1964 by Al Brothers, who is regarded as the father of modern deer management. Murphy Ray, TWA co-founder, was also an early pioneer in the use of the helicopter, and since that time, biologists and wildlife managers have adopted the method for whitetailed, mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, elk and exotics. The helicopter is also used to monitor populations of quail, turkey, predators and feral pigs and to get a good look at overall range and habitat conditions.
This article reflects the experience of four seasoned deer biologists. Macy Ledbetter, Ruben Cantu, Greg Simons and I have over 140 years of combined experience in assisting landowners using helicopter surveys. I appreciate these colleagues sharing their insights.
SURVEY, NOT CENSUS
When properly done, the helicopter survey provides good deer herd information, but it is not a “census.” It usually provides a conservative estimate of deer numbers, and a reliable estimate of fawn crop, sex ratio and buck age structure. The greatest weakness of the helicopter is that it usually undercounts the number of deer. However, this weakness also provides the benefit of a built-in buffer that helps insure that bucks are not over harvested.
In Al Brothers’ Rules of Thumb for Deer Management, Texas Wildlife, November 2020, he warns against adjusting a helicopter survey due to undercounting. Most biologists do
not adjust or apply a fudge factor to the survey to account for deer not seen since no one knows what percentage of deer is actually seen on any given survey. On ranches where the cover is more open, the great majority of deer are observed, while in thick brush, more deer will be missed. There is simply no way to provide an accurate correction factor, so the best advice in most cases is to use the numbers actually observed.
There are exceptions to the usual undercounting of deer. On smaller high fenced ranches with high deer numbers, it is easy to double count deer unless you are very careful. When you encounter a large group of deer, all running different directions, it increases the chance of accidentally counting some deer again on the next pass. Likewise in open country, such as West Texas, deer move further after being flushed and it is not uncommon to see the same deer on two or more successive transects. The biologist and pilot have to be attentive and careful to reduce the likelihood of double counting.
THE BASIC TECHNIQUE
There is a basic technique for doing a helicopter survey, but it is not rigid or methodical. The right way varies from ranch to ranch and pasture to pasture and varies according to weather conditions and season of year. It is as much an art as it is a scientific method. In the words of pilot Jeff Hill,
On smaller high fenced ranches with high deer numbers, it is easy to double count deer unless you are very careful. When you encounter a large group of deer, all running different directions, it increases the chance of accidentally counting some deer again on the next pass.
of Concho Aviation, “on each survey we are literally ‘hunting the deer.” Like actual hunting, the specific tactics change with weather, terrain, brush cover and season.
Good surveys are conducted by an experienced pilotbiologist team who has worked together many times. If either is new to it, the results will be compromised. The very best surveys are conducted by a team that has developed a chemistry, where both the pilot and biologist knows what each other is thinking and what adjustments need to be made to get the best results possible.
On most ranches except small ones, it is best to conduct the survey on a pasture by pasture basis. This takes longer but it gives you a better survey and reveals population differences between pasture. It is common for there to be a two or three-fold difference in deer density in adjacent or nearby pastures. Another reason to fly each pasture separately is to reduce transect length. The longer the transects are, the less likely observers are to remember certain deer groups to avoid double counting. The most desirable transect length is one to two miles.
As transects are flown back and forth across a pasture, deer will often drift ahead of the direction of flight, out of sight of the observers, and this drifting is an important part of the survey technique. As deer drift in response to the helicopter, they flush other deer which results in better detection. Deer will often drift this way for several passes, especially in more open terrain and toward the last few transects in a pasture it is common to observe a buildup of deer.
On very large ranches, it may not be economically feasible to fly a complete survey of each pasture. In this case, a representative sample of pastures can be flown at the 100% level and the results extrapolated to the pastures not flown. The sample of pastures flown should change every year to insure that all areas of a ranch are being surveyed.
Some biologists advocate a 25% or 50% survey by spacing the transects out accordingly. However, this practice eliminates the drifting of deer and reduces the rate of detection. More deer will be missed using this method which results in a less accurate survey.
A good survey pilot will instinctively vary their height and speed to create optimum conditions for seeing deer. Since the height and density of brush varies continually on nearly every transect, the pilot is changing relative position and speed multiple times on each pass.
HEIGHT, SPEED AND WIDTH
A good survey pilot will instinctively vary their height and speed to create optimum conditions for seeing deer. Since the height and density of brush varies continually on nearly every transect, the pilot is changing relative position and speed multiple times on each pass.
Flying too fast or too high is a cardinal sin. The faster you fly and the higher you fly, the fewer deer you will see and it makes a huge difference in the final outcome. Do not get in a hurry. Focus on flying the right speed for the conditions and for maximum deer detection. Some pilots tend to fly too high out of habit or precaution, but it seriously hurts the quality of the survey. If your pilot continues to fly too fast or too high, stop the survey and reschedule with another pilot. Conversely, flying too slow and too low can also cause problems in maximum sighting of deer, again reinforcing the need for constant awareness and adjustment.
The spacing of transects is an important factor in customizing a survey for best results on any given ranch. The typical spacing for the typical survey is 200 yards apart with the viewing area being 100 yards on each side of the line. But, if the brush is very thick, 200 yards is too wide and the spacing must be narrowed in order to flush and detect most deer. Conversely, in open terrain transect spacing can sometimes be increased to 300 yards and still detect nearly all deer. Deciding best transect spacing is part of the art of the survey.
No matter the transect width, the outer edge is more difficult to view. The farther from the helicopter, the less likely deer are to flush and be seen. If the deer stand still or are lying down, it is much more difficult to see them and they are likely to be missed no matter the eyesight of the
observers. Whenever a likely looking area of good brush is seen, it is a good idea to slow down and perhaps make a loop to better view the area. If a single deer is seen way out near the edge of the transect, it is often a good idea to deviate from the line and make a loop to see if other deer are seen. It is common to see only one deer initially, but then upon a closer view, you may flush several nearby deer that would not have been seen.
On ranches with canyons and steep topography, portions of the survey may need to be flown on the contour rather than in straight transects. It all depends on what pattern is safe and most effective. On ranches with very heavy deciduous tree and brush cover, it is advisable to wait until after the leaves have fallen and to do it the same general time each year for consistency.
Survey consistency over time is crucial for the best results. The survey team, transect spacing, helicopter size, the number and skill of secondary observers, and the season of survey should remain consistent from year to year. The specific technique may evolve for the first few years as you discover the best way to fly a given ranch, but after that, it is important to be consistent.
One way to help increase consistency is to record miles flown and hours flown for each survey and comparing it year after year. The greatest value of helicopter surveys comes with consistent repetition over time, where trends can be observed and with increasing confidence in the numbers as they are viewed year after year.
WEATHER CONDITIONS
Cloud cover, wind and temperature are factors that strongly affect the accuracy of a helicopter survey. Clear sunny skies are extremely important in allowing observers to see the most deer possible. The greater the cloud cover, the fewer deer will be seen. Stronger winds, above 15 mph usually suppress deer movement and can affect the safety of the flight. High temperatures of 90 or above also reduce deer movement since deer will tend to find shade and are less likely to flush. Weather conditions should be documented on the tally sheet for every survey. If conditions are outside of the acceptable range, the survey should be re-scheduled.
AFTER THE SURVEY
Once the survey is complete, a written report is prepared with a customized harvest recommendation in keeping with the specific management objectives of the ranch. There are no rigid formulas for developing a good harvest recommendation. There are principles and guidelines but the recommendation, like the survey itself, is as much an art as a science since each deer herd is different and each ranch has differing objectives.
There is a good reason why so many ranches continue to use the helicopter survey year after year. They trust the pilot and biologist to provide good reliable information and a harvest recommendation that will improve the quality and composition of the deer herd.
contact
membership@texas-wildlife.org
PAST PRESIDENTS II (2009 - 2025)
Reflections of TWA
Through the eyes of its past presidents
ARTICLE BY LORIE WOODWARD
In recognition of TWA’s 40th anniversary, we offer the second feature in a two-part series showcasing the reflections of TWA’s Past Presidents. As former TWA CEO Gary Joiner wrote for the first such article celebrating TWA’s 25th anniversary, “The Texas Wildlife Association has been blessed with a talented group of leaders who have served the organization as president. Each president brought a unique vision and set of skills to the top leadership position.”
Read on to see what each president from 2009 to present consider the defining moments of their time at the helm of TWA.
TINA BUFORD (2009 – 2011)
“During my term as president, I worked to identify and build partnerships with like-minded organizations as there is strength in numbers. We joined forces with TSCRA and Texas Farm Bureau to co-host seven groundwater forums across the state to inform landowners about issues surrounding groundwater.
These seven forums built the momentum necessary for the passage of SB332 that reaffirmed groundwater as a vested interest of the landowner. The way land stewards manage their properties directly influences the quality and quantity of groundwater available to all Texans. Reaffirming those rights best assures conservation and stewardship of all resources, including groundwater.
Challenges were ever-present because they always are, but my brain has chosen to erase the hard stuff and remember the good stuff. For me, the best of the good stuff was the regional membership events we held across the state that, along with my time and involvement in TWA, produced the many friendships that I still enjoy today.”
Tina Buford
GREG SIMONS (2013 – 2015)
“In the run-up to my presidency, the ‘room’ became somewhat divided over where the organization needed to stand on certain issues relating to captive deer breeding. Although it was a bit of a tumultuous process, we addressed some of the issues head-on.
TWA gained clarity and a more focused vision on where we stood on some important issues. I think the outcome was— and still is—one that made the organization stronger.
As far as challenges go, we went through a four-month period in which TWA didn’t have a CEO. To avoid an operational gap, staff and volunteer leaders stepped up to ensure that our team didn’t miss any steps in delivering our programs and fulfilling our mission with excellence. I was proud of our ability to collectively rise to the occasion.
I have so many memories that resonate strongly, but I have often told people that serving in the role of TWA president allowed me to work with many talented, high-capacity people who were contributing in order to move the needle for TWA. I learned a lot from those people, and because of that, I feel that I’m a better person today.”
MARKO BARRETT (2015 – 2017)
“From my perspective, the biggest challenge and the biggest accomplishment during my tenure as president was handling our response to the emergence of CWD and its attendant problems. The first instance of a CWD-positive animal found in a breeder pen in Texas occurred just days before the start of my presidential term.
Navigating the challenges that arose from that discovery, educating ourselves as well the public and lawmakers, and working with various stakeholder groups along with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission to grind out the state’s first framework for testing and animal movement for a Texas with CWD was all-consuming for months.
It’s not surprising that CWD also provided me with my most poignant memory from that time. I will never forget the huge in-person showing that TWA members, likeminded NGOs and other concerned individuals mustered for the TPWD Commission’s vote to adopt the mediated live deer movement rules.
The most satisfying aspect of serving as president was meeting so many people that care about the wildlife of Texas and ravenously obsess about its future.”
J. DAVID ANDERSON (2017 – 2019)
“During my tenure, the biggest challenge continued to be CWD. We made headway, but we were unable to secure permanent ear tags on released deer.
Undoubtedly, the biggest accomplishment during my time as president was obtaining a permanent home for TWA so the organization could stop leasing office space. Many of our members generously contributed to this effort, allowing me to see the beginning of construction of the new headquarters building while I was still in office.
As I look back, I am most satisfied knowing that for generations to come TWA will own its own facilities and
Marko Barrett
Greg Simons
save thousands of dollars on rent payments. These savings can be put back into TWA programs to teach more young people and adults about wildlife and land stewardship.”
TOM VANDIVIER (2019 – 2021)
“Looking back at my term, we completed and opened our permanent TWA headquarters, expanded TYHP to include experiences that allowed youth and their significant adults out on the land for experiences such as fishing, camping as well as other adventures, and designed and launched an expanded Conservation Legacy 2.0 that resulted in a $2 million donation for its support by the Spencer Foundation.
The COVID pandemic counts as a challenge and an accomplishment. To protect the health of our staff and members, we opted not to host our traditional convention and instead developed a successful online convention. In the process, we learned how to use online bidding and watch parties to keep members directly involved—and some of what we learned is still used to increase our success today.
It was amazing to witness the way our leadership team and the members pulled together to ensure that TWA survived. Prior to our online auction, I heard people say that they planned to buy an auction item whether they needed it or not just to make sure that TWA did well financially. It was very humbling to see such support when it was needed so badly.”
“The Texas Wildlife Association has been blessed with a talented group of leaders who have served the organization as president. Each president brought a unique vision and set of skills to the top leadership position.”
J. David Anderson
Tom Vandivier
SARAH BIEDENHARN (2021 – 2023)
“CWD had been found in several breeding facilities the spring before I became president and the complicated web of positive cases was only beginning to unravel. While CWD was not a new issue, the number of positive cases popping up around the state proved the existing rules were not enough.
The leadership team and I, along with Justin Dreibelbis, who was only days into the job, testified at many TPWD and TAHC Commission meetings and legislative hearings within the first few months of my term. The resulting rule package included a requirement to test 100% of live animals prior to movement, which was a major part of what TWA was advocating.
One of my most vivid memories is the first time I testified at a TPWD Commission hearing as TWA president. Given the state of CWD at the time, there was a big turnout by all sides.
We had done pre-meeting outreach as had other likeminded groups to get people there. Our support was impressive—members, young and old, those that had been working on the CWD issue since the beginning and those who hadn’t. The rules were just being proposed, so there was no vote, but it felt like a win just seeing the power behind TWA’s membership.”
JONATHAN
LETZ (2023 – 2025)
“As president, I think my biggest accomplishment was traveling around the state, attending meetings, participating in Conservation Legacy field days and just sitting down and visiting with TWA members.
CWD unexpectedly became a major issue again. Over the past 18 months, our entire leadership team spent a lot of time on the issue. Overall, I believe we were successful in moving the regulatory ball to better protect wild deer of Texas through TPWD’s adoption of new rules in January 2025.
The most satisfying aspect of being president was working with the tremendous staff at TWA. Justin (Dreibelbis) and I developed a great rapport and friendship, prompting my wife Karen to laugh and ask on more than one occasion as we were driving somewhere, “My gosh! How often do the two of you need to talk?” The entire staff made my job fun and helped in every way they could.
In addition, I am very satisfied with the broad coalition of our members and other organizations such as TSCRA, TPWD and many others, and many of our legislators that TWA worked with over the past two years. I believe that TWA continues to be the most respected organization in the state that deals with wildlife, private property rights and land stewardship issues. This is something I am very proud of.”
Sarah Biedenharn
Jonathan Letz
Camp James 2025
JURGENSEN PHOTOGRAPHY
The James Green Wildlife & Conservation Initiative, hosted by the Texas Wildlife Association Foundation, was held Oct. 9 in Fort Worth. More that 300 conservation partners of the TWAF were in attendance.
The annual event is dedicated to celebrating the successful impacts of wildlife conservation education in North Texas thanks to the overwhelming generosity of Camp James attendees. Enjoy the photos from the 2025 event!
PHOTOS BY CAROLINE
To find out how you can advertise in Texas Wildlife magazine, contact Sean Hoffmann at (800) 839-9453 for more information.
R E A D Y T O H U N T T H E W E S T ?
WESTERN BIG GAME HUNTING WORKSHOP
Saturday, January 10, 2026
10 AM - 3 PM
TWA Headquarters 6644 FM 1102
New Braunfels, TX 78132
Lunch Included!
$45 TWA Members
$85 Non-Member (includes membership)
Interested in DIY hunting for big game in western states, but don’t know how to get started? Attend this seminar and learn about: Opportunities available for hunting in western states
Learn more and register at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/tyhp/ev ent/thm-hc/
Letter to the Editor
Hayden attended Wildlife 2025 in San Antonio back in July. He shared his appreciation with our very own Kassi Scheffer-Geeslin, director of youth education, for her work toward making the children’s learning events engaging. He even included artwork with his handwritten thank you note.
TWA LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY: Texas Wildlife Association members are encouraged to provide feedback about issues and topics. The CEO and editor will review letters (maximum 400 words) for possible publication. Email letters to shoffmann@ texas-wildlife.org
“Conservation
Slow and Laborious
BY STEVE NELLE
In today’s world, we prefer things to happen quick and easy. When something is slow and laborious, we become impatient and want to fast-forward the outcome and make it easy. Our microwave culture even tells us that instant gratification takes too long. But that mentality does not work in conservation.
People of the land cannot adopt the quick and easy approach. Change on the land is often slow and it usually takes hard work. Shortcuts and easy solutions do not usually work very well and they often backfire with unintended consequences.
If conservation were merely a list of practices to accomplish, it would be easy, but Leopold warned that if we try to make conservation easy, it becomes trivial. Unfortunately, there are still many today who attempt to make conservation easy with a cookbook approach. True conservation is exceedingly difficult because it is exceedingly complex.
Leopold also described conservation as an “unfolding” rather than a sudden revelation. It takes time and happens gradually and progressively, often over a lifetime and usually in proportion to the mental, emotional and physical labor invested.
One of the major themes of Leopold’s life is that conservation is about the relationship between people and the land. Conservation is not simply about doing practices but is more about man’s connection with the land which in turn motivates and inspires them to be responsible custodians and caretakers. This kind of conservation is a “new relationship” as opposed to the old relationship of using the land for our own purposes without considering the big picture.
Our grandfathers and great grandfathers usually had this old relationship to the land. Many of them had to make a living from the land, even if the farm or ranch was not large enough to generate such income. When the income was insufficient, the land was sold. In Leopold’s day land was considered little more than a way to produce commodities
and generate income. Land certainly can and does produce commodities and income, but Leopold insisted that it should be viewed as much more than that.
If the conservation-minded landowner kept track of the hours spent or the dollars invested in taking care of the land, the returns would not seem very lucrative from purely an economic standpoint. But the slow, gradual, laborious work of conservation pays off in other ways that often exceed economic gain and which bring great satisfaction and reward.
It is slow to see real and lasting change on the land. For example, organic matter increases slowly in the soil, even under the best management. Tall grasses, suppressed by decades of heavy grazing are slow to recover and spread. Desirable shrubs and trees such as mountain mahogany, coma, Spanish oak and black cherry are slow to return after prolonged overpopulations of deer or exotics. These and many other aspects of land health are slow to unfold, highlighting the need for patient perseverance. But even slower to change are man’s attitudes toward the land.
Some landowners, especially new landowners, are often over-anxious to “improve the land” and go to extreme effort and expense to carry out the latest recommendations of the experts. But such effort and expense without developing a first-hand knowledge and love of your particular piece of land will not achieve lasting satisfaction. There must first develop a close, abiding relationship between a person and their piece of land. All lasting relationships take time to develop; it is not simply a checklist of things to do or following a plan developed by an outside advisor.
We can measure and quantify change in soil organic matter, the increased cover of tall grasses and the return of certain trees and shrubs. We can measure the changes in songbird abundance or the population of pronghorn or prairie dogs or a hundred other metrics. But, we cannot quantify the relationship between a person and a piece of land. That must be proven and demonstrated by a culture of stewardship as it unfolds and grows over a lifetime.
viewed in its entirety, is the slow and laborious unfolding of a new relationship between people and land.”
ALDO LEOPOLD, 1940
Photo Courtesy of the Aldo Leopold Foundation and University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives
