Texas Landowner Magazine - Spring2014 by Texas Landowners Association

Texas

Landowner Official Publication of the Texas Landowners Association

Magazine ISSUE NO. 3

Controlled Burning

Perpetual Drought

Advice from the Experts

Protect Your Pasture from Overgrazing

Strawberries in the High Plains

Star S Ranch

A Look at Small-acreage Crops

$6.95 USA

SPRING 2014

Superior Genetics for Native and Non-native Species

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FERTILITY • PROFITABILITY • LONGEVITY INCREASED WEANING & YEARLING WEIGHTS TENDERNESS • CARCASS QUALITY MATERNAL EXCELLENCE • CALVING EASE ADAPTABILITY • FEED & FORAGE EFFICIENT

www.GoBrangus.com • 210.696.8231 landassociation.org

President From the Desk of the

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the Texas Landowner Magazine, the official publication of the Texas Landowners Association. As an organization dedicated to helping landowners in Texas, the Texas Landowners Association uses this p ublication as one of several instruments to get useful and concise information into the hands of landowners.

Meet the Team

Ashley Morrow VP of Operations amorrow@landassociation.org

Michael Morrow

mmorrow@landassociation.org

We are an organization dedicated to helping landowners accomplish their personal goals for their property by providing them i nformation that many don’t even know they need. With that simple goal in mind, we will provide unique articles both in print and online, access to our Industry Experts in more than 10 fields of expertise, insider access to large ranching operations, information on current private land projects, and the chance to learn from other landowners who have done many of the same projects as you. Since starting TLA six months ago, our members own more than 1,000,000 acres of land in Texas and we are continuing to grow daily. I want to be the first to welcome you to the fastest growing organization for landowners in Texas! We are your partner in land stewardship. If there is anything you need, please feel free to contact us directly or access your many online resources at www.LandAssociation.org.

Jaclyn Driskell Sales Manager jdriskell@landassociation.org

Luke Murray Jr. Editor lmurray@landassociation.org

Sincerely,

Michael Morrow President landassociation.org

Ryan Tebeest Managing Partner rtebeest@landassociation.org

Did You Know? Food Plot Facts!........................................................4 by Michael Morrow

Brangus Genetics...................................................................................7 by Tommy Perkins, PhD & Jason Bates

The Perfect Pond.................................................................................13 by Bob Lusk

Small-Farm Strawberry Production................................................17 by Russ Wallace, PhD

Landowner Cooperatives: Maximizing Your Wildlife Management Efforts............................................................20 by Mark Tyson & Tim Siegmund

Beefmaster: Rebuild Your Herd.......................................................25 by Jeralyn Stephens

Property Highlight: Star S Ranch.....................................................31 by Luke Murray

Burn Baby, Burn!.................................................................................36 by Jim Stockie

Driving, Casting, & Shooting for a Greater Cause.......................41 by Luke Murray

Texas Wine: Pedernales Cellars........................................................46 by Luke Murray

Managing Cattle During Drought...................................................51 by Blake Alldredge & Megan Clayton, PhD

Texas Treasure: Big Bend National Park........................................57 by Luke Murray

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In This Issue

Qtr. Feature Stories

Did You Know?

Food Plot Facts! By: Michael Morrow Texas Landowners Association

lanting a food plot on your property is one of the most economical methods for providing supplemental food for wildlife. For this reason, there are a ton of food plot articles out there. Depending where you look, you may find articles written by seed companies describing why their mix or product is superior others or you may find a â&#x20AC;&#x153;how toâ&#x20AC;? article describing how to proceed with planting a food plot. Each type of article has value in that they cover some recommendations that you may currently be unaware of. The object of this article however, is to briefly describe the value food plots to white-tail deer. We also listed a few tips/facts. Many hunters and ranch managers plant winter food plots; however, a very small percentage plant warm season food plots. This is partially because cool season food plots are used to draw white-tail closer to hunting area. Cool season food plots are actively growing during the time of year that hunters spend the largest amount of time on their property so they are considered much more often. Many forget that one of the hardest times of the year for white-tail is summer. Warm season food plots can be of great assistance this time of year. They provide supplemental forage for bucks trying to grow antlers and provide much needed nutrition to lactating females. Now is the time of year to begin thinking about your warm season food plots. On the next page are a few tips to help you along the way. We will have a much more comprehensive article for you in our fall issue.

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Photos provided by Dan Verrips Photography

Here is a list of tips and facts all about food plots! •According to Dr. Billy Higganbotham, a Texas A&M Extension Specialist, for each 1% of the land base of a deer lease planted in food plots, the value of the hunting lease could be increased from $0.80 to $1.20 / acre •Food plots should be fenced from livestock. •If possible, warm season food plots should be fenced from deer until they are established

the species that perform •In order to know how the best •Plant in a variety of armuch of the food plot is eas. Choose areas that being consumed, place a lend themselves to tilling. grazing exclosure inside the food plot which perma- Remember, food plots are nently prohibits grazing. “mini” farms. Plant Uplands and Lowlands, don’t This can be done by tying restrict the food plots to the ends of a cattle panel only bottomlands together and staking it in the ground. Over time •3-5% of your property you’ll see a big difference should be planted in annubetween the inside and outside of the exclosure. al/perennial food plots •Plant multiple species and see which species do best in each food plot, next year you can save money by planting only

•Avoid planting your fence lines as this can bring unsolicited attention from poachers

The following table was provided by the Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University - Kingsville

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Brangus Genetics

Offer Heterosis for Rebuilding the Nation’s Cowherd By: Tommy Perkins, Ph.D., Executive Vice President; & Jason Bates, Director of Field Services and Commercial Marketing, International Brangus Breeders Association

he Brangus breed, a 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus composite, was developed to utilize the superior traits of Angus and Brahman cattle. This two breed combination resulted in a breed that unites the traits of two highly successful parent breeds. The Brahman, through rigorous natural selection, developed disease resistance, overall hardiness and outstanding maternal instincts. Angus cattle, known for their superior carcass qualities, are also extremely functional females that excel in both fertility and milking ability. This unique integration of two breeds has created advantages in fertility, longevity, adaptability and mothering ability, which Brangus females possess. Data suggest the United States beef cow population is at its lowest since 1952 because of the prolonged drought across the nation, high feed costs, and oth-

er factors impacting the beef industry. Luckily, the drought has subsided in most portions of the U.S., corn prices have fallen, global beef demand has improved, and domestic beef demand is good. More specifically, Brangus cattle will be part of the nation’s herd rebuilding that is beginning to occur. “Brangus offers a plethora of opportunity for commercial cattle producers to increase profitability,” said Tommy Perkins, Executive Vice President for the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA). “The strong maternal attributes, in conjunction with the added heterosis, allow cattlemen to capture more dollars in the market place by using Brangus genetics. Additionally, the feeder calf byproduct will excel in the feedyard as well as yield and grade with the best in the industry for maximizing post weaning profitability.” The Brangus sired feeder calf has many traits of value to the commercial beef producer, especially out of English cows such as Hereford and Angus. U.S. Meat

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nimal Research Center (USA MARC) data show Brangus x English cross calves have tremendous growth potential, feed efficiency, and increased yield while obtaining carcass quality that is equal to or greater than those sired by Continental breeds. Perkins further states, “Brangus females are outstanding mothers which provide added heterosis over a Bos taurus X Bos taurus cross in terms of efficiency, animal health, and longevity. Likewise, Brangus beef carcasses are accepted in many premium product lines such as Certified Angus Beef and Nolan Ryan All Natural Beef.” “We continue to develop programs that increase demand for Brangus genetics. The Brangus Gold program, for example, defines the popularity of Brangus sired females,” said Jason Bates, IBBA Director of Field Services and Commercial Marketing. “The Brangus association is committed to adding marketing opportunities for commercial cattlemen using our genetics as we seek strategic partnerships and alliances with industry partners to improve marketability of Brangus sired feeder calves.”

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Like Angus, Brangus cattle may be black or red in color and are polled. Although Brangus cattle are known best for their ability to perform well in extremely hot, humid climates, they also thrive in cold climates. Louisiana research suggests that Brangus cows increased body weight during the summer months while Angus cows lost weight. Brangus appeared to be more adapted to the coastal climate which is indicative of their Bos indicus influence. From a carcass standpoint, Texas A&M University research confirmed the ability of Brangus steers to produce exceptionally high quality carcasses. The test included 330 animals sired by 17 Brangus bulls and 32 animals sired by two high marbling, high accuracy EPD bulls. All 19 sires were randomly mated to mostly Brangus females. All the cattle were managed, fed and harvested the same. Warner-Bratzler analysis indicated that 97 percent of the Brangus steaks were scored “tender” or better whereas only 94 percent of the Angus steaks scored tender.

Use of genetic evaluation technologies, performance and pedigree tracking software as well as genomics has continued to move Brangus cattle to the forefront of the beef industry. “Incorporation of Total Herd Reporting (THR) has empowered the Brangus database and ultimately our genetic evaluation,” Perkins said. “IBBA has always been a leader in genetic evaluation technology, and its recent adoption of multi-breed EPD methodology is no different. These genetic selection tools offer producers necessary information for making sound genetic decisions while hitting marketing goals.” As a commercial bull buyer, consider what the Brangus breed can do for your bottom line. It is IBBA’s belief that producers making the best genetic decisions today will see the most opportunities for profit in the next decade. Please do not hesitate to call 210-696-8231 or go to IBBA’s website at www.GoBrangus.com for additional information.

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The Perfect Pond By: Bob Lusk

Rule 1:

ook there, just down that hill. The most scenic, pristine-looking pond you’ve ever seen sits peacefully next to a small forest, adjacent to a meadow. Gorgeous, rippling blue water nestled in a pastoral valley, luring you down for a closer look. Gentle breeze, big fish roiling the surface of water so clear you can see the pond bottom. There’s a wooden row boat pulled ashore, a picturesque setting worthy of a magazine cover. Looks like that little boat you remember from camp, years ago when you were a kid.

This may be the most perfect pond you’ve ever seen…ever. How did it get that way? Too many ponds we see are the same color as chocolate milk or maybe so overloaded with underwater greenery it looks like the Sunday salad bar at Golden Corral. Or, maybe your pond suffers from an all too common malady…it leaks like a twisted bucket. What must come together for a pond to be perfect? There are a few fundamental rules to always remember.

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Water exits. That’s an absolute truth worth pondering. That’s what water does. It comes and goes. It might come in torrents and leave in droplets, but you can bet water in your pond is destined to be on the go. It seeks the path of least resistance. That might be through leaky soils and a poorly constructed dam. It might be through a vein of gravel at the bottom of the pond. It might be through the bladder of a deer. Or, it might be through the magic of evaporation. Heaven knows, we’ve seen some evaporation during the last several years. To date, at least 28 states in “severe” to “extreme” drought understand the concept of evaporation.

Rule 2:

See Rule 1 and plan accordingly. That gorgeous pond down in that pretty valley was built well, good slopes, plenty of depth and diverse habitat. Plan your pond way before a single spade of dirt is turned. It will pay dividends for years to come.

Rule 3:

There’s always more to building a pond than you expect. Heck, thirty years ago all you had to do was pop in at the coffee shop about two hours before daylight, find the guy with bib overalls and fresh mud on his boots and ask if he’d build you a pond. You’d be on his list and a few weeks later, he’d roll up in a big truck, unload that giant yellow machine with the big silver blade and go to work. Several days of earthmoving and few rain dances later, you had a pond. It ain’t like that now, folks. Ponds are built with different purposes. Heck, on our little 12 acre homestead in north Texas, we have eight ponds…yes, eight ponds…each with a different reason to exist. One was built for swimming. But, there wasn’t enough dirt to build the dam at the site, so we moved good clay from a few hundred feet away. The holes excavated for the clay were turned into ponds, too. We got four ponds for the price of one. The ¾ acre swimming pond sits just upstream from an acre pond where we raise channel

catfish for fun and food. The other two ponds sit upstream and are used as hatchery ponds where we grow fish for sale to stock local ponds. One pond is an experimental pond where we test fish feeds and another is just for fun trying to grow a variety of fish. Two others still haven’t figured out who they are, yet. Here’s the point: Know your goals and expectations. Design the pond, but understand there will be a lot more homework than you might think. The pond needs to fit the watershed. If the watershed is too small for the pond size you want, don’t expect it to fill without the help of a well…if that’s even possible. If the watershed is too big, your dam can blow out with the first big rain. Size the pond to the watershed. Know your soils. Nothing hurts worse than to listen to your better half snicker as you mow the grass in the bottom of a pond that doesn’t hold water. Oh, and we won’t even talk about the underwater bells and whistles commonly known as “habitat”. Structure, cover, rocks, and channels…stuff a happy angler puts in landassociation.org

the pond bottom to support his favorite fishes. Think about all this before you start the project.

Rule 4:

Pick the right contractor. Check references. Look at past work. An email crossed our path last week from an anxious pondmeister who had used three different contractors to build a half-acre fishing hole. The first one started with a tractor and box blade, figured out it was more than he could do as a part-time after-hours gig, so he told the landowner to find someone else. After a few panicky phone calls to friends of a friend of his neighbors, a newbie in the earthmoving business pulled in with a big smile and a used bulldozer dripping hydraulic oil all over the place. Three days later, deep in the hole that was supposed to be a pond, the dozer gave up with a final burst of fluid. With a repair bill and several delays, the second contractor was given his walking papers. Enter contractor number three who cleaned up the

mess as best he could. Not only did the planning phase of this project not hold water, neither does the pond. Poor planning and poor execution. With a good plan and understanding the type of equipment needed for the job and a contractor who has “been there, done that”, your result can be much more pleasant. Know your needs and wants and make sure you choose the best contractor for the job. Notice the word “best”…not necessarily cheapest.

Rule 5:

Hold your contractor accountable, but work with his/her talents. You may not need to be on site every day, but at least get a regular report. Talk about the issues and be involved. Once the contractor does what they do, they leave. You stay behind and live with it.

Rule 6:

Timing is huge. Don’t move dirt when it’s raining. Build your dock before the pond fills with water. This whole pond-building thing is a step-by-step process. As your plan comes together, think about your timeline, start to finish. Oh, by the way, the guy who mows his pond bottom has a really cool dock where his wife perches herself and sips mimosas while

spent good money. Stock it properly. Don’t cut corners. Have a good stocking program and then follow the plan. Work with a professional fisheries biologist or a hatchery that will work to meet your goals. Then, five years down the road you won’t be calling me, wondering why your largemouth bass aren’t any bigger than your daughter’s big toe.

Rule 9: watching him mow below. Timing… ‘er, make sure the pond will hold water.

Rule 7:

As you visualize the pond, think about the amenities. Boat ramp, beach, hiking trail, pergola, fire pit, fish structure, zip line, picnic area, dock…there’s so much to think about, be sure to know how you intend to use your perfect pond.

Rule 8:

Stock the pond properly. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard this statement, “Well, Fish Man, we went over budget building the pond so we have to cut back on the fish stocking.” Baloney. You built the pond,

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Enjoy the journey. When properly planned and executed, building the pond or lake of your dreams is huge fun. Don’t let those dreams turn to nightmares. Keep in mind that the decisions you make will impact your land for generations to come. The choices you make will completely alter that ecosystem and create a new, wet one with at least a fifty year lifespan, maybe longer. So, seize the opportunity and enjoy it as you go. In the end, you stand a great chance to have that perfect pond. Bob Lusk is a 35 year veteran private fisheries biologist and lake consultant, traveling the nation helping people design, build, stock and manage private fishing waters. He is also editor of Pond Boss magazine, the nation’s leading journal on pond management. He can be reached at info@pondboss.com.

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From the website you can access our Facebook page and also our Flickr page to see the photos Dan has taken. Available as a hunting consultant, call Dan at 210-415-2701

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Figure 1. Commercial Âstrawberries are often grown Âusing an open-field production strategy similar to this field in Atascosa County, TX.

Small-Farm Strawberry Production: By: Russ Wallace, PhD Associate Professor & Extension Horticulturist Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Lubbock exas has a large number of growers engaged in small farm agriculture. The majority of these have $25,000 or less in annual sales (2007 USDA Census of Agriculture). With the expected statewide economic and population growth expected to increase over the next decade, both small and large farm producers are looking for alternatives to increase their income potential. Strawberries are a high-value crop with high profit potential. However, whether you currently have land or are interested in investing land for production, the decision to grow strawberries (or any vegetable or fruit crop for that matter) must first be investigated thoroughly. Information on specific crop production can be obtained by visiting http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/.

Considerations for Landowners in Texas

Currently, information on Texas strawberry production is limited, but continues to increase due to Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension efforts through the 2013 National Strawberry Sustainability Initiative with funds administered by the University of Arkansas and sponsored by The Walmart Foundation. Through this statewide collaboration, a Texas strawberry production guide will be published June 2014. Before planting strawberries, the most important question to ask should be: Is there a market for me to sell strawberries? According to Dr. Marco Palma, Extension Economist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, strawberry growers have numerous alternatives for marketing and each alternative has characteristics that make them more advantageous for different producers. The volume of berries landassociation.org

grown, land location and distance from customers, labor at critical times, marketing needs, and potential berry quality (customer expectations) are just a few factors for consideration. Growers should develop marketing strategies prior to spending even one dollar on strawberry production. Strawberry marketing alternatives can be classified using direct or non-direct markets. Direct-markets involve growers interacting with customers on a one-on-one basis and include pick-yourown operations, roadside stands, community supported agriculture (customer participation and subscription farms), and farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; markets. Non-direct markets involve growers interacting with market intermediaries like terminal market firms, shipping point firms, processors, grower cooperatives, brokers, and retail outlets.

Whichever marketing strategy you decide is best, one must also develop a production strategy for their strawberries. Many first-time growers have learned through costly mistakes by not developing an appropriate farm strategy. Contact an Extension Risk Management Specialist for assistance if needed. The first strategy for strawberry production includes growing in the open field, or planting directly into the soil without any crop protection. This strategy is cheapest for beginners, but crops are also susceptible to climate extremes (hail, wind and untimely rains). Strawberries grow best in soils with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0, but successful production can be achieved even at higher pH levels. Alkaline or saline soils and heavy clay soils should be avoided. Labor costs can be high, especially with weed control. Open field growers may choose to include plastic mulches with drip irrigation to increase yields, increase water use efficiency, and suppress weeds (Figure 1). This will increase production costs as well. With limited land resources, high tunnel production may be

an option for some growers. High tunnels (also known as hoop houses) are not new technology, but growers in Texas have recently expanded their in use. High tunnels are typically plastic-covFigure 3. High tunnel-grown strawberries harvested on December ered metal 23, 2013 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center in frames Lubbock, TX. where crops are planted Extension publications HT-016 directly into the soil with no supand HT-029. plemental heating (Figure 2). High tunnel sizes range from High tunnel production gensmall (6’ x 15’) to large (30’ x 96’), erally includes the use of plastic and depending on the model and mulch and drip irrigation. Howev- construction materials can range er, tunnels are great for increasing in costs from $600 (homemade) yields and quality through season to $10,000 or more (commercialextension (planting earlier or later) ly-available models). The high and for berry protection against tunnel model you choose should adverse weather (wind, hail, freez- depend on your available funds, es, and unexpected heavy rains). as well as land space and water In colder regions of the state, high availability. tunnels allow for year-round crop High tunnel strawberry reproduction. For more informasearch at the Texas A&M AgriLife tion, visit the AgriLife Bookstore Research & Extension Center in (http://www.agrilifebookstore.org), Lubbock, and with collaborating

Figure 2. A typical 30’ x 96’ x 13’ high tunnel where strawberries are grown at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center in Lubbock, TX. High tunnels are best used for season extension and climate protection.

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growers from surrounding counties has shown the potential for successful production and marketing even in stressful climates like the High Plains. In 2013, strawberries in Lubbock were produced off-season and marketed by growers to high-end restaurants for a significant profit (Figure 3). In fact, local strawberries were preferred by chefs over berries purchased from the local retail stores. Over the past two years, qualified Texas growers have received

cost-sharing funds through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to alleviate the initial startup costs associated with high tunnels. For more information on cost-sharing opportunities visit: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs or call your local NRCS office. A third but much more expensive strategy is to grow strawberries in hydrostackers or using hydroponic technology. This production strategy has very high initial set-up costs, but is excellent for growers with very limited land resources. Strawberry yields are increased significantly by using a vertical approach to production instead planting horizontally on the ground (Figure 4). The number of plants grown using hydrostackers and/or hydroponic technology can be10 to 20 times higher than that of traditional plantings; which is a more efficient use of production space. Strawberry plants grown using these technologies are generally produced inside high tunnels or greenhouses, but in some locations can also be grown in the open field. Another advantage of these technologies is that there is little bending required during harvest, thereby reducing labor issues. Whichever market and produc-

tion strategies are selected, landowners contemplating strawberries should also carefully consider their plans for irrigating, fertilizing, as well as insect and disease management Figure 4. Strawberries growing on hydrostackers at Blessington of the crop. The Farms in Simonton, TX will increase production potential and equipment needed Âprofits by producing plants vertically and more efficiently with limited land space. to shape strawberry beds and lay the required for successful production. drip tape and plastic mulches may While high profits are possible be expensive or difficult to find, even on relatively small acreage, and thus contractors may be need- the high labor requirement and ed the first several years. initial expenses needed annually to Strawberries have somewhat successfully produce and market high requirements for water strawberries should be carefully (especially during peak harvests), considered. Many large acreage and do not do well in water-logged growers and ranchers may find soils. Good, clean water applied the added distraction to produce uniformly throughout the season strawberries, even on a small scale, is essential. Strawberries are also not worth the time and inputs susceptible to deer-feeding and required. bird or varmint damage, so appropriate exclusionary control meaFor more information, sures should be taken. contact Dr. Russ Wallace at rwwallace@ag.tamu.edu.

Finally, the decision whether to use your land for strawberries or not depends largely on your willingness to put in the hours

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Landowner Cooperatives:

Photos provided by Mark Tyson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Maximize Your Wildlife Management Efforts By: Mark Tyson, M.S., Extension Associate, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

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Tim Siegmund, Regulatory Biologist, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.

andowners face a multitude of challenges as they work to improve the quality of their land for wildlife. Among these are differing management objectives between neighboring properties, problematic exotic or invasive species and land fragmentation. While no single landowner can implement a sufficient number of practices to address these challenges, a collective group of landowners with a unifying objective should experience greater success. Joining together with your neighbors to form a landowner cooperative is a powerful tool that can maximize wildlife management efforts and forge strong relationships that are beneficial to all involved. Landowner cooperatives can be formed to address both short and long-term management objectives. Short-term objectives may include habitat improvement projects such as native grass restoration, brush sculpting, shredding, developing prescribed grazing programs, or prescribed burning. Long-term objectives can include invasive species management, deer herd monitoring and management, or restoring bobwhite quail populations. Regardless of the objective, there is power in numbers when management activities are implemented across multiple properties. A simple collaboration between a few landowners can be effective in addressing short-term objectives. While this grouping may be informal, it is important to remember that preparation is often more important than operation. Planning is the first and most important step in accomplishing any objective effectively. An in-depth plan will help to overcome any adversities that will be encountered

along the way. In planning, think logistics: acquisition, distribution, maintenance and replacement for both materials and people. Other factors to consider are: goals, objectives and outcomes, budget, timelines, who is responsible for what, and internal communication. Creating an outline is a great way to keep all your “ducks in a row”. This outline should include all essential decisions/activities in a time sequential order from the beginning to the end. Plan to have a plan or plan to miss the mark. A great example of a short-term collaborative effort among landowners and state and federal agencies is the Statewide Feral Hog Abatement Pilot Project, 20062007 as reported in Higginbotham et al. (2008). Wildlife Services technicians provided direct control of feral hogs to 48 cooperators who owned or controlled 230,017 acres in the post oak savannah/ piney-woods, black-lands prairie and coastal prairie regions of Texas. The landowner’s initial damage and expenditure estimates directly attributed to feral hogs was calculated at $2,228,076. Over the course of two years, Wildlife Services personnel removed a total of 3,799 feral hogs using various legal population reduction techniques. These direct control efforts resulted in a $1,480,491 estimated decline in feral hog damage. During the project, feral hog related educational outreach and technical assistance (indirect control) was provided by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. In total, 5,197 landowners attended landassociation.org

67 educational events or one-onone contacts. Through these programming efforts, a total of 2,281 landowners voluntarily completed feral hog program surveys. Results from these surveys indicated that programming efforts resulting in knowledge gained was valued at $2,978,821 by landowners, based on a comparison of previous year’s damage estimates ($6,252,044) versus the upcoming year’s damage estimates ($3,273,223). In total, the Feral Hog Abatement Pilot Project saved landowners $4,459,312 in just two years (Higginbotham et al. 2008). Some long-term objectives require larger areas of land, intense management efforts and longer periods of time to accomplish. These objectives are best accomplished by joining a local Wildlife Management Association (WMA). These WMAs are facilitated through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and consist of landowners with properties lying within a specific geographic region. A prime example of a WMA with a long-term goal of restoring

I recently wrote a book; it started off as a buyer’s guide to buying ranches and we’re going to have it on the website eventually, but it turned into about a twentyfive page, type written, of things that people need to know about buying a ranch. That’s why I highly suggest someone to find a realtor that’s knowledgeable. To start with, I think a good team to have is a very good realtor, a very good either real estate or oil and gas attorney (in the background). I think you really need to understand the mineral issues and also the water issues associated withiswhat’s goNorthern Bobwhite the Western ing on withBobwhite a piece ofRestoration property. Navarro Outside of that there are easement Initiative (WNBRI) in Navarro County. This group landowners issues and other thingsofthat can has banded together to conduct affect the property, restrictions; habitat you needmanagement to just really practices study thesuch as native grassland restoration, property you finally target as the mesquite control, prescribed one you want. Give and yourself some burning. They then followed time; have the feasibility periodthese in actions with monitoring efforts your contract that gives you time to determine the influence these to fully evaluate all aspects. actions had over time on the previously dwindling quail population When your “Buyer’s in the area.will Over time trends can Guide to Buying Ranches” be discovered, and various practicguide be available? es that produce consistent results have it ready to go canWe be should used with greater frequency. in thirty days on our website. Furthermore, the concentrated You canby sign up;landowners provide your effort these has email address as a way to giveaway led to numerous partners such as National Wild Turkey Fedforthe contact information. eration, USDA Natural Resource

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better to let everybody work on a to include about 30,000 acres in property. Inorganization our case we enters don’t work total as the its on anything other than exclusive 8th year! listings, we know Whetherbecause you arethen interested in and understand that property, we repshort-term or long-term objecresent that seller. It’sjoining a better way. tives for your land, with There’s too much confusion when other landowners and developing they put that listing of that piece a cooperative will lead to positive results. Creating and implementing of property with about four or five a plan ofand action not only improves brokers let them all market wildlife habitat, yields itimportit. They can’t everbut present to the ant information in regards to theit buying public in the same form; future of and your neigh-from always hasyour misrepresentation bor’s lands. Collaborative efforts one to the other. Somebody might Ruple Properties website: www. between neighbors magnify the SouthTexasRanches.com be accurate in that advertising, but impact of management practices more than likely the other four adopted and in the end leads to What are Service, some things wrong, or there are differences Conservation Texasthat Parks are enhanced wildlife habitat that can people selling land don’t throughout that whole marketing and most Wildlife Department, Trinity be enjoyed by future generations. know butAudubon need to know? campaign. It’s out better to have one Waters, Texas, and othYou can find more informaers to cost-share assistance guy Onprovide the selling side, getting understands and knows tionthat on local Wildlife it Management for equipment, labor, and seed for back to that realtor approach, how to get it out into thethe market Associations by visiting Texas future work. place. we havehabitat provenimprovement year-after-year If there’s one piece of advice Organization of Wildlife ManageThewe organizational put forth Iment that can help thateffort sale bring would give is – kind of like the Associations at www.towma. by this group has led to benefits more value to the closing table, buyer a really good realtor org or–byfind contacting your local not only for quail restoration, but Texas Parks andmarketing Wildlife Biologist. than if the seller goes out and just that has a good plan or also for associated wildlife depenput a “For Sale” sign up or runs an program and understands what dent upon grasslands. In recogni- Literature Cited Advertisement on a website. Also, they’re doing. tion of these efforts, this area was Higginbotham, B., G. Clary, L. I think sellers need to know too is selected for a Rio Grande Wild Hysmith and it’s always good to have that cushKind of M. likeBodenchuck. Ruple ProperTurkey stocking in 2009. A total 2008. Statewide feral ion between and a from buyerthe that ties? [laughs] hog abateof 131 birds them were taken ment pilot can take the heat for certain things [Laughs] Well, we’ll certainly Childress/Pampa area and then re- project, 2006-2007. Wildlife Damand understand how to manage a interview people, but there are leased in Western Navarro County age Management, Internet Center buyer and the process and a lot of good realtors out there. to supplement/expand themake turkey for National Conference on Feral the process smooth. I would population within the WMAsay area. Hogs http://digitalcommons.unl. that one of the biggest things see Do you focus more on people Each active landowner withinI this edu/feralhog/9. benefits the others, inorganization a seller’s market is they think it’s who buy land or on people and their cooperation has spread

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FOR ORDERING INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: JAMIE DRISKELL (903) 681-4263 or jamie.driskell@malakoffisd.org DANNY DRISKELL (966) 546-4930 or dannyray05@hotmail.com DUSTY DRISKELL (936) 465-0781 or mdriskell@txfb-ins.com

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BEEFMASTER Rebuild Your Cowherd with Time-Tested and Improved Beefmaster Females By: Jeralyn Stephens, Beefmaster Breeders United Communications t is clear that the US beef cow population is as low as ever. The prolonged drought across the nation, high feed costs and other competition for the land use has certainly changed the dynamics of the beef industry as we once knew it to be. The traditional ten year beef market cycle may be challenged moving forward. These interesting dynamics lead me to believe that there is a tremendous opportunity awaiting us in the beef cattle industry. More specifically,

Beefmaster cattle should be part of the upcoming herd rebuilding that is bound to occur sooner than later. USDA data suggests that cattle (ranch) owners are an aging group with over one third of them being 65 years of age or older. Additionally, more than fifty percent of them are age 55 or older which is even more reason to use Beefmaster cattle in the rebuilding phase. Beefmaster cattle have been selectlandassociation.org

ed for docility for more than sixty years and you can rest assured that they will make working cattle more pleasurable because of their superior temperament. Data clearly shows that selecting for calm, docile cattle simultaneously improves feedlot gain, health and ultimate carcass performance. Beefmaster cattle optimize traits necessary to rebuild the cow herd because they excel in fertility, calving ease and longevity.

足 ommercial cattlemen understand C the economic advantages that improvements in these traits offer a beef operation. These include, but are not limited to, higher conception rates, more weaned calf per cow and reduced replacement heifer development costs. You will appreciate the high quality females that Beefmaster bulls produce as they will excel in the hot, humid environments of the South to the wet, cool climates up north and everywhere in between.

less feed per pound of gain. Use of Beefmaster influenced cattle allows you to be a low-cost producer with reduced input levels in the cow/ calf enterprise. These cost cutting measures have been built into the Beefmaster influenced female and will be necessary for cow/calf operators to survive in the developing beef industry.

Efficiency is also a strong attribute of the Beefmaster breed. In a recent all-breeds performance test in Texas, yearling Beefmaster bulls were the highest average daily gain (ADG) on test as well as the lowest residual feed intake (RFI) on test. Beefmaster cattle not only have high daily gains, they also consume

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Docility, fertility, efficiency, and longevity are just a few of the traits that Beefmaster cattle offer as you will also appreciate the early growth of these calves. Your weaned calves will have heavy weights at the market place and will have added value in the feedlot segment of the beef industry. For example, feed out data from

Mississippi shows that Beefmaster sired calves made $201 more per head than Angus sired calves. All of the calves were born on the same ranch, in the same season, weaned and backgrounded together and all fed in the same Kansas feedlot. The Beefmaster calves harvested with an average yield grade of 2.7, high select quality grade and 1361 pound live weight whereas the Angus calves averaged a yield grade 2.5, high choice and weighed 1112 pounds. The Angus calves may have had a higher quality grade but the combination of increased weight and efficiency of gain improved the bottom line for the Beefmaster sired calves.

Beefmaster History

The Beefmaster breed gained popularity in the 1970s, however the Beefmaster breed dates back to the 1930s when Tom Lasater, the breedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founder, developed Beefmasters from a systematic crossing of Hereford, Shorthorn and Brahman cattle. His purpose was to develop cattle that were more productive than existing breeds; cattle that would produce and make money during economically hard times in the harsh environment of South Texas.

Milk Production, Fertility, Hardiness and Disposition. These essentials became the economic strength of Beefmasters and have made them favorites with those who depend on cattle for a living. Beefmasters are the only beef breed specifically developed to excel in these important economic traits. While brownish-red is the most common color, the breed has no color standards. Beefmasters were recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a pure breed in 1954.

The new breed was developed on what has become known as the Six Essentials - Weight, Conformation,

Since the early 1970s, when the breed began rapid expansion from its South Texas birthplace,

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eefmasters have survived several B wrecks in the cattle market without adversely affecting their growth and demand. From 1974 to 1998, membership in Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) grew from 300 to nearly 7,000. BBU, which was founded in 1961, is one of the top five largest beef breed registry in the United States in membership and top ten in registrations. Responding to change and tough challenges are part of the Beefmaster heritage. Today, like yesterday, Beefmasters and the cattlemen and cattlewomen who raise them are ready to handle the ever changing beef cattle industry. With this ever changing industry, cattle producers have several aspects that need to be focused on and Beefmasters can make these tasks a little easier.

Beef cattle producers can focus on rebuilding their herds with strong and fertile Beefmaster females and focus on genetic performance improvements with Beefmaster bulls. While heifer selection plays an important role in herd improvement, Dr. Kent Anderson, Zoetis associate director of animal genetics, says that bull selection is a primary driver of genetic improvement in a herd. The Beefmaster bull is making a name for himself in the cattle industry because he is “The Best of Both Worlds”. Commercial cattlemen and women have witnessed that a Beefmaster bull will produce extremely fertile, functional and docile females to rebuild America’s cowherds, as well as produce profitable and efficient feeder calves that deliver results in the current market place.

BEEFMASTERS The Best of Both Worlds

Extremely fertile, functional and docile females to rebuild America’s cowherds. Profitable and efficient feeder calves that deliver results in the current market place.

210-732-3132 www.beefmasters.org

Beefmaster Breeders United

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If you are looking for solid colored (red, black or dun), muscular, fertile, and easy calving cattle don’t hesitate to call 210-732-3132 or go to our website at www.beefmasters. org for additional information. BBU works for its members by offering adult and junior memberships. The association encourages Beefmaster enthusiasts to learn more about BBU programs, which include whole herd reporting, genetic evaluation, marketing efforts, The Beefmaster Cowman, field days, seminars and satellite organizations. Stay connected to the Beefmaster breed and BBU through Facebook, follow us on Instagram, view our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and Pinterest, as well as receive our news updates through joining our mailing list.

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Property Highlight By: Luke Murray Texas Landowners Association

Photos provided by Eric White & Star S Ranch

he 14,000 acre Star S Ranch in Mason, TX was originally a part of the James River Ranch. Captain Schreiner, owner of the famous YO Ranch, first owned the James River Ranch and would use it to assemble herds of cattle in preparation for cattle drives to Dodge City, Kansas. At that time, the ranch consisted of about 40,000 acres and served as his headquarters. The ranch is currently owned by Will Scott and his family, who all have an unbridled passion for wildlife. After falling in love with

hunting at a very young age—coincidentally on a cull buck hunt at the YO—Will and his brother Jim (now commissioner of TPWD) sought out to attain property with their father. Over time, the Star S Ranch has been built by adding

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to the o riginal purchase of 1,000 acres. The ranch is now a compilation of five contiguous ranches. The ranches were combined to make a hunting ranch unlike any other in the region. With five miles of the James River running through it, Monument Mountain on the west side, and 28 miles of perimeter, the property envelopes a vast landscape that contains many habitat features for a large number of species. The Star S Ranch also has more than 50 Miles of interior roads, and 14 miles of creek bottoms with massive cliff faces throughout.

The ranch possesses several types of terrain throughout its massive acreage. The bottomlands contain a rich, heavy live oak and boulder strewn flood plain. As you move away from the river, the land rises in elevation, becoming rocky through creek bottoms. As you move west, the land begins to pick up some typical hill country red in the sandy soil with mesquite and old growth hardwoods including maples, scattered with numerous oak species. The iron-heavy red soil turns to a sandy loam pasture. On the western end of the ranch there are two thousand acres of the Blue Mountains—consisting of primarily oak species, this rugged limestone country has heavy black soil. The Monument Mountain valleys are thick with live oak and cedar elms. These four distinct types of terrain over the 10 mile east-west lay of the ranch make for a varied habitat to support the many species that live on the Star S Ranch. This allows the many species on the ranch to live in the terrain that is most similar to their home range.

Top: Nathan Fuchs with his 228 B&C Whitetail—10/4/2013 Bottom: Jason Aldean with his Axis buck—6/26/2013

The altering terrains make for uniquely challenging hunting in a hill country setting, where hunting becomes a task, rather than shooting fish in a barrel. Strong and superior genetics coupled with a supplemental protein and mineral feeding program allow Star S to harvest worldclass deer right in Mason County. Star S Ranch is also suited well for a wide variety of African species. While not enough rain exists to grow crops, the grass still comes in richer than many of these species experience in their native lands. “Strategically, we look at what we like,” said Eric White, Star S Ranch business manager. “A lot of our emphasis is on Africa, and we’re making an emphasis towards Eastern Africa because it’s going away. It’s so expensive to hunt Eastern Africa, they just shut down Botswana, but if you go out to Tanzania to hunt—you can’t go there on a safari hunt for less than $75,000 to $100,000.” Due to a lack of conservation efforts, safari game in Eastern Africa are becoming scarcer. This is sending hunters elsewhere to look for trophy game. “They’re also having a lot of problems out there with poaching now,” White said. “If you talk to people who have been going to Tanzania over the years, they’ll tell you that there are a lot fewer animals than there were, and I don’t see anything to change that trend. So we emphasize on those species that we believe will do well in the wild here.”

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Top: World Record Alpine Ibex with a Crossbow—4/15/2013 Bottom: Jack Saunders with his Dama Gazelle—6/29/2013

Surveying Techniques • Helicopter Surveys • Spotlight Surveys for Whitetail

tent • Then they add a nugget product that’s about 30% fat

Feeding Methods • Food plots in the Pasture – 250 acres of wheat and oats • Protein pellets next to water in the pasture to be effective

Live Sales • Primarily female production for now • Usually groups of three to four females and one male to go with them • Star S tries to maximize the number of females sold and minimize number of males sold • Over the next few years, Star S plans to cover all operational costs on live sales alone • “By doing both, you vertically integrate your operation, which helps you from a profitability standpoint,” White said.

Protein Feeders (in breeder pens only) • For whitetail backs, 3 feeders to a 2 ½ acre area plus tray feeders for 25 bucks—allows all to feed simultaneously without aggression or dominance taking a toll • All other species, Kudu and Sable included, get one feeder per pen Protein amounts • 3% of body weight per day • Whitetail have a hard time getting enough fat from protein alone. Star S will supplement a textured feed that is about 8 – 10% fat con-

Challenges • Regulations remain to be the biggest challenge for almost any kind of ranching, according to White, the swipe of a pen can

complete overturn your business model—and they have no sympathy for that. • The financial hurdle for the Scott family has been tough, they’ve had to wait a long time for their investment to really turnover. The Future • Their plan for the future is to continue in ethical land stewardship—maintaining the quality of the land, not abusing it, not letting it get overgrazed. They will continue to strive to produce animals that you have to hunt, not just shoot like a fish in a barrel, and that they will be worldclass animals that are as good, or better, than in their native countries. All while ethically working to conserve the array of species that they work with, aiding in the fight against their extinction by practicing superior genetic and breeding methods. FOR ORDERING INFORMATION, CONTACT: Jamie Driskell (903) 681-4263 jamie.driskell@malakoffisd.org

Danny Driskell (966) 546-4930

dannyray05@hotmail.com

100% Natural

Dusty Driskell (936) 465-0781

mdriskell@txfb-ins.com

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Species Numbers Whitetail – 450 (in breeding pens only, excludes those turned out for hunting) Kudu – more than 100 Gemsbock – 75 Dama Gazelle – 20 – 30 Impala – 15 -20 Nyala - 15 – 20 Sitatunga – 10 – 15 Sable – more than 100 Bongo – more than 30 Nubian Ibex - Approx. 50 Alpine Ibex - Approx. 30 Markhor – 35 – 40 Mufflon – 50 Red Sheep – 20 – 30 Blesbok – 25 Scimitar Horned Oryx – 45 Other species without totals include: Axis Blackbuck Bison Zebra Fallow Audad Eland Wildebeest Turkey more

“The one really unique thing that I associate with Star S Ranch and the Scott family is the passion behind the business, hoping that the world is a little better place when you leave it because of the way you did things,” –Eric White, Star S Ranch, Business Manager For more information about Star S Ranch or booking information, Contact: Eric White 325-347-5039 ssranch@tgsgroup.com

Top: Mike Hackley with his Fallow buck—10/5/2013 Bottom: Pall Moss with his Scimitar Horned Oryx—9/16/2013

*All species totals are estimates given by Eric White, business manager

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Doing something on your property? Tell us about your project! We highlight unique projects on private property in Texas. Email us about your project and we’ll share with other landowners. What kind of projects do our members want to see? • Conservation Projects • Lake Construction • Fence Construction • Clearing • Federally Funded Projects • Prescribed Burns

info@landassociation.org landassociation.org

Burn Baby, Burn!

By: Jim Stockie Fire Management Officer U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Anahuac, Texas

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urn Baby Burn! That’s what most of the landscapes in Texas were designed to do. Traditionally, fire was an important element in the evolution of many of the pre-European settlement landscapes in Texas. The western grasslands, hill country, east Texas piney woods and coastal marshes were all shaped by the regular occurrence of fire. The vegetation and animal life that make their living on these landscapes were selected and shaped by each specie’s ability to adapt and take advantage of regular fire occurrence. The effect of fire on the landscape can be seen in the vegetation. The frequency (how often) and seasonality (time of year) of fire determines the balance between woody species and grasses. Fire favors thick barked pines over thinner barked hardwoods. Fire invigorates grasslands by clearing old, rank vegetation. It recycles nutrients to the soil and opens up grassland and forested canopies to allow life-giving sunlight to the ground. Fire pushes back woody shrubs, favoring animals like turkey, quail and deer which prefer a mosaic of open grasslands and woodlands. Historically, fire favors grazers such as buffalo, antelope, cattle, deer, geese and the predators (including humans) that depend on them. It revitalizes and protects our coastal marshlands by keeping dominate marsh grass communities vigorous and healthy. Prescribed fire is man’s effort to mimic this natural force. It is a land manager’s tool to attempt to shape the landscape and favor the plants and animals that are important to us. Our use of fire was learned from Native Americans. The Plains Indians knew that buffalo were drawn to fresh grass on recently burned prairies. Eastern tribes knew that deer and turkey favored

Marsh grass prescribed burn on Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Chambers County, Texas, Sept. 2007. open, recently burnt forest floors. The first coastal Texans intentionally congregated thousands of migratory geese on freshly burned marshlands in the fall and winter. As Europeans moved west most thought this practice wasteful and dangerous. But slowly, over time and tragedy (degraded landscapes and destructive wildfires) we relearned the value of this tool. Today a well planned and executed prescribed fire is recognized as one of the most valuable techniques in a land manager’s toolbox. What can prescribed fire do for

the Texas landowner in the 21st century? On the proper landscapes prescribed fire can: • Protect your home and property from unwanted wildfire by removing excess and rank vegetation. • Enhance your grasslands for grazing by invigorating native grasses and pushing back woody shrub incursion. • Protect your pine woodlands from catastrophic wildfire by removing accumulated natural fuels. • Enhance wildlife habitat (many of our preferred species favor lands that are burned regularly).

• Protect and enhance water quality by supporting healthy natural vegetation that is more resilient to hurricanes and seasonal flooding. • Build durable landscapes that recover more quickly from natural disaster by restoring an important natural process. Federal, state land management and conservation agencies have used prescribed fire for decades to meet many of the above objectives. My agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service first started utilizing prescribed fire in the 1930’s in

Contruction & Renovation of Private Waters Clearing & Brush Sculpting

Clint Steffens President

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P.O. Box 1070 Sealy, Texas 77474 ph: 832-731-1513 web: www.lakebuilder.net

Pine understory prescribed burn at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Harrison County, Texas, February 2013 support of longleaf pine and quail management. Most of the National Wildlife Refuges in Texas use prescribed fire as a habitat management tool. The National Forest of Texas and Big Thicket National Preserve have active prescribed burning programs for hazard reduction and wildlife management. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department actively use prescribed burns as a management tool on your state wildlife management areas and parks. Each of these state and federal practitioners are required by their agencies to develop a certain level of training and experience to become proficient with this tool. What is required of the private landowner who wishes to have this valuable land management tool in their kit? First, prescribed burning in Texas is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

(TCEQ). The regulations governing prescribed fire can be found in TCEQ document RG-049, pg. 8, Outdoor Burning in Texas (http:// www.tceq.state.tx.us/publications/ rg/rg-049.html). This publication defines what burning is permissible in Texas and some broad parameters for burning. The regulations for coastal Texas counties are more restrictive and are defined in this document. Education and support for landowners interested in prescribe burning in Texas can be obtained from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). The TDA’s prescribed burning program is managed by its Prescribed Burn Board (PBB). The PBB offers basic prescribed burning courses in each of its five prescribed burning regions. It also offers a training, experience and certification pathway to become a Certified and Insured Prescribed Burn Manager (CIPBM). The TDA website (http://www.texasagriculture.gov/ landassociation.org

Home/ProductionAgriculture/PrescribedBurnProgram.aspx) offers links to find Certified Commercial Burn Managers and Certified Commercial Burn Instructors. This website can be an important first step in learning if prescribed burning is the right tool for you and your property. Texas landowners can also get information and support from the Prescribed Burn Alliance of Texas (http://pbatexas.org). The Alliance is comprised of “more than eleven Prescribed Burn Associations (PBA’s) composed of educated and trained individuals in 121 Texas counties. The members work together as neighbors helping neighbors to reintroduce fire into the landscape to reduce hazardous fuel loads for public safety and to restore the ecological integrity of our natural lands.” (from the PBAT Brochure). The PBAT and its associations works with multiple state and federal agencies such as:

Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas A&M Forest Service and the US Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service. They also work with many non-profit organizations like: the South Texanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Property Rights Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers, Texas Forestry Association and the Wild Turkey Federation. Their website has links to their mission, prescribed burning training opportunities as well as prescribed burning planning recommendations. Contacting your local Prescribed Burn Association would be an excellent resource for learning about the benefits of prescribed fire in your area.

Prescribe burning is an incredibly valuable land management tool. If applied appropriately, it can help you meet many of your land management goals. However, it takes education and experience to safely apply this tool to the landscape. Many of the Texas public land management agencies demonstrate yearly successful prescribed burning practices. Landowners in Texas are fortunate to have The Texas Department of Agriculture, Prescribed Burn Board and the Prescribed Burn Alliance of Texas to help educate and guide them in the use of this tool.

About the author: Jim Stockie graduated from Texas A & M University 1979. Jim is career U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee. Since 1991 he has been responsible for managing prescribed fire and fire suppression operations on multiple National Wildlife Refuges. He has used fire as a management tool on thousands of acres in 8 southern states from North Carolina, across the gulf to Texas. Currently he is responsible for managing prescribed burning and wildfire suppression operations on 135,000 acres located on five national wildlife refuges along the upper Texas coast and east Texas.

Burn professionals using drip-torches to conduct a field burn.

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The OHH Spring Sporting Clay Tournament has become one of the premier charity shooting events in the Houston area. Come out and enjoy a great day of competition, fun and camaraderie, all benefiting the Texas oilfield community families in crisis. Friday, April 11 Westside Sporting Grounds Brookshire, Texas For details on how you can participate or support us, visit oilfieldhelpinghands.org for more information.

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Driving, Casting, & Shooting for a Greater Cause Interview with Oilfield Helping Hands President, Gary Brooks

By: Luke Murray Texas Landowners Association

ilfield Helping Hands (OHH) got its start in 2003 when several employees from Halliburton Baroid organized a sporting clay tournament to benefit a fellow employee whose family was facing financial hardships due to extensive medical bills. OHH continues today, raising money through donations, corporate memberships and fundraising events each year. They also have sponsors for each event that donate money, services, and other means to keep expenses for the events as low as possible. The funds raised by OHH are given based on need to members of the oilfield family. We sat down with Gary Brooks, President of OHH, to discuss the organization, opportunities to help out, and what to expect from OHH in the future.

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: Houston was the origination of the first OHH chapter, where all have you expanded to since 2003? : The Houston chapter covers the eight surrounding counties. Then, in 2007, we moved into Oklahoma. Two years ago we formed the Acadiana Chapter, covering 22 parishes in south Louisiana. Now, as of February, we have a brand new Rocky Mountain Chapter, head-quartered in Denver, and covering Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.

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: How does your chapter Âsystem work? : We have one governing board, with each chapter having their own officers and committees, and holding events. The funds raised at these events stays with the chapter and is used to help oilfield families in the area covered by the chapter. : So, each chapter is responsible for its own separate events? : The Texas Chapter has four events each year: a golf tournament, a fishing tournament, and two clay shoots. Oklahoma has held a golf tournament the last couple of years, and this year they will try to expand to have a clay tournament. Louisiana has a fishing tournament and clay shoot. Houston hosts all four of the events each year. The Rocky Mountain Chapter has not yet set their events for 2014 but would like to have two. : How did the organization decide on these select events as the best ways to bring in support? : We simply looked at what the oilfield workers were do-

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ing for fun, and how we could play to those areas to bring in the most money. : What goes into the event planning? : The event planning involves multiple meetings, we get W3â&#x20AC;&#x201D;our marketing groupâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;involved at the first of it to draw up

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the brochures and work with the different committees on designs and tailor-making each event so that we can know who is in charge of what at each event. Then we go out and solicit the sponsorships. Then the teams are sold online and registration is done online as well.

: I understand that OHH is expanding, other than your new Rocky Mountain chapter—what areas are seeing the most growth? : We are looking to expand on our corporate sponsorship system, depending on what level they get will reflect on the number of teams they get for each event during the year. We now have it where corporate sponsors can now sponsor any employee within their company—it used to be limited to certain areas—we’ve now taken it to a national level. : Now that you have the Rocky Mountain chapter up and running, what plans do you have for future chapters? : We’re looking to expand down into the Corpus Christi area, we’ve been talking to a few operators down there. We’ve been talking

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about moving into the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We would like to have one out in the Midland/Odessa area as well. We have also been talking about expanding Louisiana to where they would cover the Ark-La-Tex area as well. : What has been like for you since stepping in as the president of OHH? : It’s been a challenge already, especially with changing up the format. I have some different ideas than my predecessors did. I believe more in tailor-making our efforts toward the individuals that we help and getting our longtime volunteers to share their stories in order to bring more people in. : What has been the biggest obstacle for the organization? : The biggest obstacle is getting new chapters up and running,

Testimonials

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UPCOMING OHH EVENTS

“I lost my job after 27 years in the industry. Because of OHH, I was able to keep my home while looking for work. Words will never be able to express my gratitude.” —Martha Villareal

HOUSTON CHAPTER 11th Annual Spring Sporting Clays – April 11 10th Annual Saltwater Fishing Tournament – August 7-8 9th Annual Golf Tournament – September 22 9th Annual Fall Sporting Clays – October 10 ACADIANA CHAPTER 3rd Annual Sporting Clays – May 30 2nd Annual Redfish Tournament – October 17-18 OKLAHOMA CHAPTER 4th Annual Golf Tournament – May 19 Inaugural Fall Sporting Clays – September 12 landassociation.org

“We didn’t know how we were going to pay for my wife’s cancer treatments. But OHH was there for us.” —Todd Cotten

thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always been the hardest thing. Along with finding a core group of individuals to take time out of their busy schedules to enhance OHH and what the organization stands for. : Where would you like to see the organization in five years? : In 5 years I would like to see chapters around Corpus, Dallas/Fort Worth, and hopefully out in the West Texas area. : How can landowners help the organization and its cause? : Landowners can help by putting people on our committees to comprehend the purpose of OHH. By participating in our events to raise more money, we can also help more families in need.

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: What can you tell someone who wants to get involved but might not know how? : They can go online and sign up as a member on our website-oilfieldhelpinghands.org. by filling out the form. There are no

OHH Contributions numbers as of January 2014

Year # of Recipients Total Dollars 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

3 9 9 28 22 15 26 29 24 40

As of February 28, 2014:

2014

Total

214

49,500 89,987 87,164 294,550 213,500 138,316 172,545 382,234 362,553 494.124 75,398 $2,364,871

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dues. Finally, they can come out and volunteer at any of our events; moreover members and guests are encouraged to attend our regular meetings.

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Texas Wine By: Luke Murray Texas Landowners Association

Pedernales Cellars is a family-owned and operated boutique winery, specializing in fine, hand-crafted Texas wines, including award-winning Tempranillos and Viogniers. They are dedicated to the creation of world-class wines and sustainable practices, with a focus on varietals that can be grown with exceptional quality in Texas Hill Country. Pedernales Cellars maintains vineyards in the Hill Country and Texas High Plains – including the original vineyard started by the Kuhlken family in the 1990s, where the story of turning Texas grapes into praiseworthy wines began.

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or those who have never experienced it, Texas-made wine seems like a farfetched idea. Tunnel-vision to the concept of Napa Valley or European countryside being the only places to grow quality wine grapes seems to flood the unexperienced palate with skepticism. The fact of the matter is that the Texas Hill Country and the High Plains of the panhandle possess ideal climates and soil composition to grow several delectable varieties of grapes. Pedernales Cellars, just east of Fredericksburg in Stonewall, Texas, does fantastic things with Tempranillos and Viogniers—two varieties that excel in arid climates and rocky soils. We visited Pedernales Cellars and met with Dr. Julie Kuhlken, who

showed us the facility and gave us a breakdown on what makes their craft stand apart from the rest. The wine industry in Texas got its resurgence in the 1970’s after a long dormancy due to prohibition. However, it wasn’t until the 1990’s—after the hard recession of a decade earlier—that steady growth fell onto Texas wines. “In the 90’s—even my parents did this—everyone in Texas was trying to copy California, said Dr. Kuhlken. “So they were planting Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, because those were the ones that had been the most successful out there. You can grow them here, we’ve done Merlots for years, but we quickly found that—the Chardonnay for instance—did not thrive here. We still have some Cabernet Sauvignon in the estate vineyard, but most everything got pulled

•Pedernales Cellars is an all hand-harvest operation. •Their facility has everything from a bright, open tasting room to the largest underground cellar in the state with a geothermal system to keep the wine barrels cool.

out very early. When we planted again, we chose Tempranillo. It’s a Spanish grape, it takes the heat and loves it out there. It does well with attaining the blend of acidity and sugar at the right time, it’s just made for a hotter climate. Almost all of our red wines have a Tempranillo backbone, and it takes oak flavors very well. You get interesting flavors like rich cherries in the front of your palate and things like dark chocolate or leather in the back—it’s interesting.” Despite being an award-winning winery with high accolades, Pedernales Cellars faces many of the same struggles as any vineyard or other agricultural entity will— particularly with diseases. Pierce’s disease (PD) is a threat a big threat to vineyards and citrus crops in Texas. PD is a bacteria-based infection, and when a vine becomes infected, the bacterium causes a gel to form in the tissue of the vine. This prevents water from being drawn through the vine. Leaves on vines with PD will turn yellow and brown, and eventually drop off the vine and shoots will also die. After one to five years, the vine itself will die completely.

•Approximately 40% of their yearly output comes the estate vineyard alone—that’s around 4,000 cases! •Being that Pedernales Cellars gets grapes from all over the state, late freezes and bad years for various crops won’t keep them from producing high-quality wines. •Grapes grown in the hill country get a strong mineral composition in the wine, a quality that the grapes will pick up from the rocky soils of central Texas. •Pedernales Cellars ages their wine, primarily in French and American Oak barrels. landassociation.org

Pedernales Cellars’ Contributing Vineyards KUHLKEN VINEYARDS

“There is a treatment that essentially slows the disease down, and we apply that to our vines. We have issues with our Cabernet Sauvignon, because it can actually be a carrier—meaning that it can have the disease but not be killed by it. This endangers our other plants that might be exposed without our knowing. Glassy-winged sharpshooters are also an issue, as they are a carrier of PD, so we have to go out with a pesticide to eradicate their threat as well.” As for soil composition in grape production, the amount of clay and minerals in the soil will lead to remarkably different flavors—even from the same grape— just as aging in a different variety of barrel will alter the wine’s composition. “We have Tempranillo in both the high plains and the hill country. In the hill country, we get this strong mineral taste in the wine. Whereas, in the high plains, that same grape will produce a much fruitier wine without the heavy mineral presence in the soil.” The perpetual drought in the state of Texas takes its toll on the wine industry as well, forcing all vineyard to use some type of irrigation. “We use drip-irrigation, with the drought conditions of Texas, there is no way of dry-farming here like California can do with their Zinfandel for instance.” While viticulture is a skilled agricultural practice, crafting award-winning wine is an art. Both of which take years of experience along with trial and error to finally create something worth putting a label on. The Kuhlken family has established themselves as one of the premier wine-making ventures in Texas, and will continue to grow as long as the grapes will.

The original 17-acre Kuhlken Estate Vineyard is located north of Fredericksburg along the Llano Highway; this section of the Texas Hill Country enjoys cooler evenings and superior soil, making it one of the most ideal locations in the state for grape growing. Planted varietals include Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Albarino, Monastrell, Garnacha, small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

BINGHAM FAMILY VINEYARDS AND FARM

Located on 75 acres on the Texas High Plains, near the town of Meadow, the Binghams are a family of fourth and fifth-generation farmers, who began planting grapes in 2004. The Binghams specialize in growing. They are part of the Texas High Plains grape grower community, High Plains Wine Growers, and grow Tempranillo, Viognier, Muscat, Mourvedre, and Albariño for Pedernales Cellars.

NEWSOM VINEYARDS

This West Texas vineyard is home to renowned wine growers Neal and Janice Newsom. Started in 1986, the vineyard produces nearly 400 tons of grapes each year, including Tempranillo, Malbec, Albariño, Mourvedre, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes used in Pedernales Cellars wines.

PARR VINEYARDS

Located in the Texas Hill Country, near Kuhlken Vineyards, Parr Vineyards began planting in 2006, and exclusively sells its Tempranillo, Mourverdre, and Touriga Nacional grapes to Pedernales Cellars.

REDDY VINEYARDS

Located in the Texas South Plains, Reddy vineyard grows a variety of grapes that flourish in hot climates and the region’s sandy loam top soil and limestone sub-soil. Pedernales Cellars sources Viognier, and Tempranillo from Reddy Vineyards.

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Managing Cattle During Drought

“We should think of T exas as being in continual drought broken by periods of rain”

By: Blake Alldredge, Extension Associate, College Station

Dr. Megan Clayton, Extension Range Specialist, Corpus Christi Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

his quote has been especially true in recent years as Texas has been mired by the current drought spell beginning in late 2010 and culminating in 2011 - the driest year on record in Texas. Some areas of the state have steadily emerged from drought conditions, while other areas, such as the Panhandle, have not recovered at all. For our purposes, drought is defined as a deficiency of rainfall for an extended period of time resulting in decreased plant growth. Drought severity is ranked in five categories: abnormally dry, moderate, severe, extreme, and exceptional. Consult the National Weather Service’s interactive webpage (www.srh.noaa.gov) to see where your county currently ranks on the drought scale.

intensity will likely lead to overgrazing. This results in bare ground as aboveground plant production ceases due to the lack of water and loss of photosynthetic material and root systems. This loss of plant cover on the ground leads to a greater potential of valuable topsoil loss, higher soil temperatures and increased evaporation of soil moisture since there is no protective shading from plants. In 2011, Texas lost 50.5 million acre-feet (1 acre-foot equals 325,851 gallons) or 16.5 trillion gallons of water reserves, which is enough to cover the entire state of Texas to a depth of 3.5 inches. Most of the decline, 70 to 80 percent, evaporated from soils, according to a study published in the Geophysical Research Letters journal in 2013.

For livestock producers, staying constantly aware of rainfall patterns and recognizing the warning signs of drought is essential for preventing extensive damage to plants and soil by overgrazing of livestock. This can be done by installing rain gauges on your property and maintaining rainfall records. Once drought conditions begin, allowing livestock to continue grazing at the same

Raindrops hitting bare soil can cause significant damage to the soil much like a miniature bomb. Raindrop impacts can dislodge soil particles, leading to greater erosion or can plug up soil pores that harden the surface thereby reducing infiltration. Either way, there is less rain infiltrating the ground that can benefit plants later in the season or that can replenish groundwater levels.

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Extension publication â&#x20AC;&#x153;Managing Residual Forage for Rangeland Healthâ&#x20AC;? available at the AgriLife Boookstore.)

At the peak of the current drought spell, 85% of Texas was in exceptional drought conditions (maroon color; October 2011).

In the graph on the following page, you can see the management styles of three different cattle producers. The producer on the far left (Producer A) grazed his pastures hard leaving only 100 pounds of forage per acre (essentially bare ground) in January. The producer on the far right (Producer C) maintained 1500 pounds of forage per acre in his pastures in January. The Producer A received 19.9 inches of

rain and grew around 1900 pounds of forage per acre, while the Producer C grew almost 4000 pounds of forage per acre with only 9.7 inches of rain! The amount of forage left ungrazed determines forage production the following year. Maintaining greater forage residue allows greater rainfall capture and soil capture for future plant growth. (Adapted from

How did Producer C do this? By leaving forage residue in the pasture, Producer C was able to capture more rainfall in the soil. Plants were able to take advantage of this moisture since their root structures were intact, and the leaves were able to start photosynthesizing quickly. How much forage residue should you leave? It depends on the type of forage you have, but as a general rule, leave half of the full plant height as stubble. Given approximately 25% of the plants will be trampled or eaten by insects, this leaves 25% of the plant production for livestock use. For tallgrass prairie plants, such as little bluestem, maintain 12-14 inches of residual stubble height. For midgrasses, such as sideoats grama, maintain 6-8 inches of stubble. For

Overgrazing can lead to extensive damage to plants, especially during drought. Photo by Mark Tyson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

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Ecosystem Science and Management and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Extension units have publications and websites that provide detailed information on livestock management and wildlife habitat, and have released a smartphone app to help calculate an appropriate stocking rate for your land. The app, “Stocking Rate Calculator for Grazing Livestock” is now available at the itunes store.

s hortgrasses and introduced grasses such as bermudagrass, maintain 3 inches of stubble. This can be easily measured by taking a yard stick into the pasture and measuring plant heights in a few locations throughout the pasture and taking the average height. Prefer a quick, drive-by method of monitoring how much forage has been used? Exclosure cages can be set up in grazing pastures with simple t-posts and cattle panels measuring 4-foot by 4-foot square. Fencing in these valuable forage grasses before grazing the pasture can allow a quick comparison between plants that have been grazed versus those protected within the exclosure.

Remember that not all plants are created equal! Make sure you know your good forage grasses, those more nutritious and palatable to livestock, and keep a close eye on those since they will likely be the ones selected more heavily for grazing. The number one mistake that landowners make is having too many animals on the land. Matching the number of livestock animals to the forage production of your land is critical to prevent overgrazing. Only consider acreage that is grazeable for livestock. This may exclude land with heavy brush cover, steep slopes, roads, ponds, and buildings. The Texas A&M

With drought conditions expected to persist until 2020, landowners must protect their greatest investment: their land. Nothing else will affect your land’s productivity more than if your topsoil is destroyed or eroded. There are practices you can do to reduce erosion, increase rain infiltration, and increase organic matter: 1. Match the number of grazing animals to the forage production on your land 2. Maintain plant cover to protect soil and hold moisture 3. Rotate cattle to different pastures to allow rest and recovery for plants 4. Increase plant diversity with different grasses and forbs 5. Minimize soil disturbance by

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using reduced or no-till cropping practices 6. Manage brush cover levels to allow more grass and forb growth. Take advantage of the rain you get because, as Gary Price of the 77 Ranch says, “You can’t control how much rain you get, but you can control how much you keep.” Contact your County Extension Agent, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Biologists for help developing grazing and wildlife management plans that accomplish these goals on your property. Ecosystem Science and Management publications http://essmextension.tamu.edu/ publications/index.php

Grazing exclosures can be established to allow the cattle owner to evaluate grazing pressure by comparing forage inside and outside of the exclosure. Photo by Dr. Megan Clayton, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

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Texas Treasure By: Luke Murray Texas Landowners Association Photo provided by National Park Service/ Cookie Ballou—NPS.gov & Dan Verrips Photography

“There is a place in Far West Texas, where night skies are dark as coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. Here, at the end of the road, hundreds of bird species take refuge in a solitary mountain range surrounded by weather-beaten desert. Tenacious cactus bloom in sublime southwestern sun, and diversity of species is the best in the country. This magical place is Big Bend.”—National Park Service

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t the cusp of the Mexican border, more than 800,000 acres along 118 miles of Rio Grande and Rio Bravo bank-line, lies the largest protected area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the U.S.. Big Bend, taking its name from the large river bend that makes up part of the Texas-Mexico border, is home to a rich cultural history and one of the most d iverse ecosystems on the continent. Harboring more than 1,200 s pecies of vegetation, more than 450 s pecies of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals—it’s easy to say that the flora and fauna alone are enough r eason for patrons to flock to the park since its 1944 inception. However, there is far more to see than the park’s native dwellers. The Chisos Mountains offer refuge to much of the aforementioned species as well as b reathtaking scenic views at elevations of more than 7,000 feet (highest point at Emory Peak = 7,832 feet). Big Bend, while being home to such diversity, is a national park after all. It is one of the largest, yet under-visited national parks in the United States with only around

300,000 visitors entering the park annually. With over 100 miles of paved roads, 150 miles of dirt roads, and about 200 miles of hiking trails, the park offers an abundance of opp or tunities for scenic driving, hiking, camping, backpacking, mountain biking, bird watching, wildlife observation. The Rio Grande provides options for floating and even extended excursions by raft, canoe, or kayak.

Photo provided by Dan Verrips

thirty mile loop. Other notable locations include Santa Elena Canyon, Grapevine Hills, and the Mule Ears, two imposing rock towers in the middle of the desert. Professional backpacking guide services provide trips in the park. The park Much of the traffic that comes into administers 118 miles (190 km) of Big Bend is there for its hiking and the Rio Grande for recreational use. backpacking trails. Particularly no- There are professional river outfittable among these are the Chimneys ters that provide tours of the river. Trail, which visits a rock formation in the desert, the Marufo Vega trail, Big Bend has also gained intera loop trail that passes through sce- national recognition as a hotbed nic canyons on the way to and from for stargazing. The International the Rio Grande, and the Outer Dark-Sky Association dubbed Big Mountain Loop trail in the Chisos, Bend an “International Dark Sky which begins in the Chisos Basin, Park” in 2012. Accepted as only climbs into the high mountains, one of ten places to be officially descends into the desert along the certified for dark sky stargazing— Dodson Trail, and then returns also recognizing the park to have to the Chisos Basin, completing a the darkest skies in the lower 48

states. Park visitors come far and wide to catch more than a glimpse of billions of stars and even planets or the Milky Way band as they gaze into the depth of the cosmos. The vast space and rich ecological makeup of the park has made it a bucket list item for a large percentage of Texans and even those not from the Lone Star.

Photo provided by Dan Verrips

In Texas, we value our traditions, and we value or treasures. 58

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