I was at the Rockpile, my small place south of Castroville the other day to check on the “rental cows”, cows that belong to a friend but spend the summer at my place just to keep the grass down and the taxes low and noticed this guy laying in the left rut. Sights such as […]
Still Too Early to Shred
Saw this guy dart across the road on the Rockpile and drop into the first cover he hit. Still very young and, as you can see, still in the “freezing” mode. I drove up at took this pic leaning out the window and he never budged. So I ask my readers to hold off another […]
Spot Check of Habitat Conditions
In my travels this week, I have been from Castroville to Encino, down to Pearsall, back to Falfurrias, then out to D’hanis and of course to my small place south of Castroville. Key indicators I look for are native sunflower and croton. Overall conditions are very good and remain green although there are some dry […]
Early Return of Cows to the Rockpile
Last summer I had the ‘guest cows’ removed early due to a lack of rain. Of course, it started raining soon thereafter and it was a wet winter. Ponds are still going around and there is a surplus of cured forage going to waste. What I hope to achieve is a reduction of surplus that […]
Ch. 2-3. Managing Vegetation.
I’m sure you’ve heard it said that nothing is constant in Nature. Your piece of Nature is no exception and is constantly changing, even though day to day it may appear to be the same. Some changes are relatively rapid, such as grass growing. Others are slower, such as the filling of a pond […]
Managing Wildlife in South Texas on a Budget
You cannot help but to notice that the economy is in the news. On every talk show, in every paper, and leading off most newscasts is a gloomy report on the economy. If you have not been affected, that’s great; hopefully it won’t be too bad in Texas. If it does strike home, and you […]
Finding, Buying, and Developing a Ranch in South Texas, Chapter 1
Buying a ranch is often the greatest investment a buyer will make in his or her lifetime and should not be undertaken lightly. Admittedly, while ranches are simply toys for some people, land ownership and the transfer of ownership is serious business. Unlike a car, you cannot just “take it back” if you find something […]
