Texas Wildlife - Saving Texas Ocelots - A Race Against Time - February 2021

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.

As hunting seasons wind down, it’s a chance to reflect on hunting and other outdoor traditions and on the importance of maintaining this heritage for future generations.

Management of Texas fish and wildlife resources is funded largely through a user pay conservation funding system dependent on hunting/fishing license sales and excise taxes on certain sporting goods. Continuation of these highly successful funding streams depends on current participants in these activities and recruitment of the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts. Hunting license sales in Texas have been stable over the years, but finding ways to make natural resource conservation relevant to our rapidly growing population is crucial to the long-term health of our state.

Recognizing this, our Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is kicking off their R3 initiative. R3 stands for “recruitment, retention and reactivation” of hunters, anglers, boaters and recreational shooters. R3 programs are not new in Texas and many such programs already exist. It is, however, a new, more analytical way of planning and evaluating our efforts to ensure resources are being used in the most effective way.

The Texas Wildlife Association is one of the oldest and strongest partners TPWD has in the R3 arena with programs like the Texas Youth Hunting Program and Texas Big Game Awards being prime examples. R3 will focus on whether participants continue to buy licenses after participating in one of these programs. This new, more analytical approach to recruitment and retention should result in better coordination of activities on the front end and more detailed evaluation of results on the back end.

More to come on this initiative. I applaud our TPWD for recognizing this threat and taking bold steps to do something about it. Your Texas Wildlife Association will continue to be right on the front line making sure that our fine outdoor traditions continue far into the future.

Thanks for all you do for the land, water and wildlife of Texas.

OFFICERS

Tom Vandivier, President, Dripping Springs

Sarah Biedenharn, Vice President, San Antonio

Dr. Louis Harveson, Second Vice President for Programs, Alpine

Jonathan Letz, Treasurer, Comfort

For a complete list of TWA Directors, go to www.texas-wildlife.org

PROFESSIONAL STAFF/CONTRACT ASSOCIATES

Administration & Operation

David Yeates, Chief Executive Officer

Quita Hill, Director of Finance and Operations

Outreach & Member Services

David Brimager, CWB®, Director of Public Relations

Kristin Parma, Membership Coordinator

Mimi Sams, Engagement Coordinator

Conservation Legacy and Hunting Heritage Programs

Kassi Scheffer-Geeslin, Director of Youth Education

Elanor Dean, Education Program Specialist

Gwen Eishen, L.A.N.D.S. Educator

Adrienne Paquette, L.A.N.D.S. Educator

Elisa Velador, L.A.N.D.S. Educator

Ali Kuehn, L.A.N.D.S. Educator

Anna SoRelle, L.A.N.D.S. Educator

Brittani Dafft, L.A.N.D.S. Educator & CL Program Assistant

Marla Wolf, Curriculum Writer

Iliana Peña, Director of Conservation Programs

Courtney Brittain, Website Consultant

COL(R)

Chris Mitchell, Texas Youth Hunting Program Director

Bryan Jones, TYHP Field Operations Coordinator

Bob Barnette, TYHP Field Operations Coordinator

Briana Nicklow, TYHP Field Operations Coordinator

Kim Hodges, TYHP Program Coordinator

Sherry Herrington, TYHP Administrative Assistant

Kara Starr, Texas Big Game Awards Program Coordinator

Advocacy

Joey Park, Legislative Program Coordinator 6644 FM 1102

Texas Wildlife Association

(800)

MARCH

MARCH 15

Texas Brigades Application Deadline. Apply online at www.texasbrigades. org/applications.

MARCH 31

Texas Big Game Awards (TBGA) College Scholarship Deadline. Visit www.TexasBigGameAwards.org for more information on how to apply.

MAY

MAY 4-23

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. For more information, visit www.rodeohouston.com.

MAY

MAY 15

FOR INFORMATION ON HUNTING SEASONS, call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at (800) 792-1112, consult the 2019-2020 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual, or visit the TPWD website at tpwd.state.tx.us.

Texas Big Game Awards Regional Banquet, Fiddlers on the Gruene, Gruene. For more information, visit www.TexasBigGameAwards.org.

JUNE

JUNE 5

Texas Big Game Awards Regional Banquet, Brazos County Expo Hall, College Station. For more information, visit www.TexasBigGameAwards.org.

JUNE

JUNE 26

Texas Big Game Awards Regional Banquet, Bass Pro Shops/ Cabela’s, Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.TexasBigGameAwards.org.

JULY

JULY 16-18

WildLife 2021, TWA’s 36th Annual Convention, San Antonio JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. For more information, visit www.wildlife2021.com.

TEXAS WILDLIFE

VIRTUAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS GUIDE

VISIT THE PROGRAM PAGES ONLINE at www.texas-wildlife.org/program-areas/category/youth for specifics and registration information.

WILDLIFE BY DESIGN CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS:

• (Virtual) Wildlife by Design is available for K-8 students in the DFW area, Greater Houston area, South Texas, and West Texas. Have your local teacher visit the website for more information.

• (Virtual) Wildlife by Design Across Texas is for schools outside of the areas served by TWA educators (DFW area, Greater Houston area, South Texas, and West Texas). Programs are offered on a set schedule and registration is required in advance.

YOUTH DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS:

• Youth Videoconferences are live interactive presentations featuring Texas wildlife species. Offered throughout the semester, classes connect via videoconference equipment or Zoom.

• On-demand Webinars are recorded interactive presentations about natural resources and wildlife conservation topics and are available anytime on the TWA website.

Critter Connections are now available in a read-along format. Recordings of past issues are available online and live broadcasts accompany each new issue. All recordings and scheduled live readings can be found online.

by Dave Richards & Al Brothers

Used by wildlife biologists, educators and managers throughout the country, Observing & Evaluating Whitetails is a must-have resource for anyone interested in learning more about North America’s most popular big game animal!

This isn’t a reprint but an updated edition with NEW aging and judging sequences of unique bucks!

• Over 470 color photographs

• 21 buck aging sequences showing their body and antler changes over their life

• 35 judging examples of live bucks with known Boone & Crockett scores

• Why we don’t use antler size as an aging criterion

• Estimating Boone & Crockett score on the hoof

• Whitetail communication and sensory capabilities

• Whitetail antler development and anomalies and much more!

Wild ocelot on The East Foundation’s El Sauz Ranch near Port Mansfield in South Texas. This photo was taken with a remote camera trap, which captured the first known high-quality photos and video footage of wild ocelots in the United States.

Photo by Fin and Fur Films

SAVING TEXAS OCELOTS

A Race Against Time

Article by KATY BALDOCK

The first article I read from Texas Wildlife magazine was a feature on ocelots that was published in the August 2018 issue. In that article, Michael Tewes, Ph.D., claimed that further construction of a border wall along our southern Texas border would not negatively affect ocelot populations in Texas.

“They could build the wall or not built the wall. It won’t make a bit of difference to ocelots on either side of the border,” said Tewes, Regents Professor and Wild Cat Researcher at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. At the time, I was in complete disagreement.

Little did I know then that Tewes was the country’s—if not the world’s—leading expert on ocelots. At that time, I had been

working on a project that explored ocelot issues in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.".

Countless media outlets and nonprofit organizations claimed the border wall would be the nail in the coffin for Texas ocelots— the final barrier that would guarantee their demise. Many of these were trustworthy sources that were saying the Lower Rio Grande Valley was the only hope for the ocelots’ future and that a wildlife corridor along the Rio Grande was the best way to try and save the species. And so, I believed that too.

About a year and a half ago I began working on a different project focused on this mysterious species — a film called American Ocelot — this time alongside Tewes and his colleagues at the East Foundation and Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research

Institute (CKWRI). After spending countless hours tracking ocelots on private lands with camera traps, speaking with biologists who have spent years studying the species, and diving deeper into this issue, my mindset has taken a 180 turn.

I now wholeheartedly agree with Tewes’ previous statement and believe that there is no one better for the job of conserving ocelots than him, his colleagues at the East Foundation and CKWRI, and students at TAMUK working to implement solutions that will directly help save ocelots in the United States. That’ll teach ya’ to listen to the real experts!

THE ISSUE AT HAND

Ocelots are mid-sized wild cats, weighing about 18-25 pounds, that typically eat small mammals and birds and are generally most active at night. Historically they were found throughout central and eastern Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. They are also found in Mexico and Central and South America, where there are still stable populations today.

Trapping, overhunting, loss of habitat, widespread poisoning from human efforts to reduce predators and, more recently, road systems and cars have all contributed to their near extinction in the United States. As land uses changed over the past couple of centuries with the introduction of livestock and conversion of land for agriculture and development, the ocelot’s range has changed drastically. Biologists currently believe there are fewer than 80 ocelots remaining in the United States, making them critically endangered; the two known breeding populations only exist in South Texas. One, the refuge population, lives on Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Cameron County and consists of about 7-14 cats, and the other, the ranch population, on and around the East Foundation’s El Sauz Ranch in Willacy and Kenedy counties and consists of more than 50 ocelots.

The primary threats to these surviving populations are habitat fragmentation and a lack of genetic diversity. Ocelots attempting to disperse to find new habitat to claim as their own face the danger of

crossing roads and being hit by cars. This threat is especially significant to the refuge population because of its close proximity to highly urbanized areas. Because these populations are isolated from each other and from other suitable habitat, they face the effects of inbreeding.

Beginning in the 1980s, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USWFS) began the project of creating a wildlife corridor along the Rio Grande to help a variety of wildlife and restore ocelot habitat to encourage the cats to safely disperse. This process has involved acquiring land along the proposed corridor and restoring it to its native habitat. While a seemingly beneficial effort, this corridor has not actually benefitted ocelot populations.

Jason Lombardi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Research at TAMUK, has spent the past few years focusing his research on ocelots. Lombardi believes the idea of the wildlife corridor saving ocelots is not backed by science.

“You have to look at both sides of the coin, what’s happening in Mexico, not just what’s happening in the U.S.,” Lombardi said. “The idea of a corridor along the Rio Grande or to connect the cats in Cameron County to the Rio Grande is just setting it up for failure.”

Lombardi explained that the last documented ocelot along the Rio Grande was in 1995 at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. The wildlife corridor and Laguna Atascosa NWR are separated by a vast web of urbanization, and the closest population in Mexico is over 100 miles south of the border through land claimed by agriculture and other human development.

Tewes has doubted the wildlife corridor as a solution for ocelots for almost four decades.

“Ocelots are not strong dispersers so it’s just not happening,” Tewes said. “A coastal corridor is great for shorebirds, waterfowl and a variety of beautiful natural ecosystems that occur along the coast. But in many of these places, it’s a dead zone for ocelots.”

Tewes has focused his research on ocelots for more than 37 years. According to him, there are fewer ocelots in Texas

Jason Lombardi and Michael Tewes study a map of the East Foundation’s El Sauz Ranch to determine the best spots to place traps to capture ocelots for research.

Photo by Katy Baldock

now than when he began researching them, despite several millions of dollars spent on land acquisition, habitat recovery, and road crossing structures designed to benefit ocelots.

“It’s very frustrating for me to see the actual biology not really being applied like it should be. The idea that we’re going to create a wildlife corridor into Mexico and then with restoring habitat bring them back, I think just creates an illusion of achievement,” Tewes said. “People think these benefits are going into ocelot recovery when they’re not. Therefore, we become complacent about the recovery of ocelots, when in fact, we should be ramping up ocelot recovery—just in a more effective way.”

Some South Texas biologists, such as Tewes and Lombardi, emphasize the focus needs to shift to working with private landowners and large ranches in order to save ocelots. The East Foundation and CKWRI are working to make that vision a reality.

A RACE AGAINST TIME

The East Foundation, a conservation organization that manages 217,000 acres of native South Texas land and operating cattle ranches, “promotes the advancement of land stewardship through ranching, science, and education.” The East Foundation ranches are living proof that maintaining a strong ranching culture and conserving wildlife species are not mutually exclusive. The staff works with other landowners in the area to encourage land stewardship practices that are productive for both cattle and wildlife.

In partnership with CKWRI and TAMUK, East Foundation scientists conduct research on Texas’ largest ocelot population. Some of this research includes studying location and frequency of road mortalities, determining the size of male and female home ranges, using camera traps to monitor ocelot activity and identify individuals by their unique markings, and frequently setting live traps to capture ocelots to collect data and attach GPS collars to them to monitor their movements.

“That’s what our passion is about,” Tewes said. “Our passion is about understanding the biology of these cats and applying it in a way that will help with the recovery in this increasingly hostile environment.”

The East Foundation, similar to many other South Texas landowners, has thousands of acres of working ranchland and a long history of land stewardship and love for wildlife. In a private lands state, wildlife conservation, in many cases, falls on the landowner.

“Public lands such as wildlife refuges and national parks do a great job in preserving these small gems of ecosystems and small populations,” Tewes said. “In Texas, which is a private land state, dominated by 97 percent private lands, the future of ocelot conservation is based on the landowners and the ranchers. That’s a fundamental understanding that makes us distinct from any other state.”

While private land may be crucial for wildlife conservation, the situation becomes much more complex when an endangered species is involved. The USFWS enforces the Endangered Species Act and the regulations regarding endangered species. One of

Jason Lombardi prepares a trap to be placed in the brush for ocelot captures.

Michael Tewes places a GPS collar on a wild ocelot before releasing it back into the wild so biologists can monitor its movements for further research.

Photo by Katy Baldock

Photo by Katy Baldock

the primary challenges of conducting research of endangered species on private land is a common attitude of distrust between landowners and federal agencies.

“The ocelot is an endangered species, and with that comes a different scrutiny and approaches from different state and federal agencies, to where oftentimes the landowner is in fear of putting his name on environmental issues that have to deal with endangered species,” said Landon Schofield, Range and Wildlife Biologist at the East Foundation.

Tewes explained that while some ranchers voice concerns about their operations being negatively impacted, that oftentimes isn’t the result.

“I’ve had ranchers say the same thing I heard 37 years ago— that they are concerned about the possibility of their land being taken over because of an endangered species,” Tewes said. “In reality, that would be extremely rare. I can’t think of any situation where that has happened in the past, but that’s what is believed, and I understand that perspective.”

Seth Willey, Deputy Assistant Regional Director for Ecological Services in the USWFS’ Southwest region, said the agency is building relationships with landowners in South Texas to try and alleviate these concerns.

“I can’t imagine a scenario where we would do anything on private property that would impact anybody’s operation,” Willey said. “It’s certainly not our intention to do that, and so we’re navigating the collection of the research in a way that will provide a stronger assurance that when we say things like, ‘There won’t be an impact,’ there’s a mechanism to help guarantee it.”

Even so , distrust is still prevalent. Some argue that an official agreement is needed in order to guarantee that allowing ocelot research on private land would not affect operations.

“The current policy doesn’t incentivize that sort of interaction between landowners and policymakers and the agencies that are charged with managing that resource,” Schofield said. “And so, by incentivizing or coming to some sort of agreement where both parties can feel satisfied is a round table discussion

that would yield huge dividends moving forward, especially for the ocelot.”

One solution being considered to solve this conflict is the establishment of a Safe Harbor Agreement, which is a voluntary agreement between private property owners and the USFWS on the recovery of an endangered species. The East Foundation is working to spearhead that effort and encourage an agreement between federal, state and private entities.

“A big approach from the East Foundation in terms of ocelot conservation is starting that conversation with the people that have the power to make that change, whether that be directors of the Fish and Wildlife Service, directors of different state and federal agencies,” Schofield said. “Starting that conversation and showing the enthusiasm and the eagerness of landowners down here in South Texas to support, but also be a part of, the solution. To be able to find that common ground for ocelot conservation moving forward.”

If an agreement can be made and more landowners are willing to join the effort, a variety of options may be explored for introducing new genetics for Texas ocelots, including translocations from Central American populations and establishing more ocelot populations on land with suitable habitat. However, these cats can’t afford for these decisions to be debated much longer.

“Time is ticking. The sand of the hourglass is draining fast and we’re not addressing what we should be addressing with this population,” Tewes said. “It’s very frustrating to me after 37 years of working on ocelots, to get towards the end part of my career to think that we still haven’t made major contributions to ocelot recovery at a level that will make a difference.”

Schofield emphasized that the East Foundation doesn’t take their role in ocelot conservation lightly, and they recognize the urgency to reach an agreement on management methods.

“It’s something that none of us wants to see go out under our watch,” Schofield said. “And so, with that, we’re actively committed to the ocelot, to its persistence on the landscape, to better understanding its biology, physiology. But also, to start that conversation of how we can bring it back and to help it thrive once again down here in South Texas.”

FINDING COMMON GROUND

After speaking with multiple biologists, USFWS employees, private landowners and stakeholders in this issue, it’s clear that they can all agree on at least one thing—an agreement needs to be made to advance progress on ocelot conservation.

“Really when it comes down to it, everyone needs to be on the same page. Right now, no one’s on the same page,” Lombardi said. “We should be working together on the same goal for ocelots because we all, ultimately, want the same thing — we want the cats to survive. We want the cats to thrive.”

Not only will establishing a common goal between landowners and federal agencies be crucial in this effort, but also establishing a common goal between landowners themselves.

“Wildlife doesn’t know boundaries in the sense that we understand them,” Schofield said. “Ultimately, it’s a fence line.

Biologists with Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute take measurements from a sedated wild ocelot to gather data for their research.

Photo by Katy Baldock

A lot of times what happens on the other side of the fence could be completely opposite, if not contradictory, to what we’re trying to achieve on this side of the fence. For the sake of endangered species such as the ocelot, it’s critical that both sides of the fence come together and have that common goal so that management practices achieve that.”

Willey makes it clear that the USFWS agrees that private landowners play a critical role here.

“Local landowners are a key part of this partnership,” Willey said. “The big ranch country down there, they’re the reason there are ocelots there, because they’ve managed it well, and they’re critical partners for recovery efforts and a partnership we continue to try to foster as much as we can.”

Even beyond reaching an agreement between all entities involved, altering public opinion and encouraging public action will be an important factor in promoting change as well.

“Many people don’t agree with what I’m saying here,” Tewes said. “Because of the information that’s been given out for decades and their understanding of ocelot biology in the Rio Grande Valley here, is not necessarily compatible with reality.”

As Tewes said this, I had a flashback to my own mindset two years ago. While I regret to admit it, it took a lot of conversations with experts to make me realize the real issue our ocelots face. The illusion that the wildlife corridor was the last hope for ocelots had been ingrained in my mind by countless articles and misleading statistics published by reputable sources. I finally realized that those claims were not using the best science, and a major shift in focus was needed.

But not everyone has the opportunity or time—or even the desire—to spend years focused on a project about this very issue. And I think that highlights the importance of the role the media has in educating the public using information backed by science.

“We can’t recover ocelots by science alone,” Tewes said. “It takes people doing the right thing to make ocelots a success story … It requires the media to really take the time to understand the situation and then report it completely as to what is really happening out there.”

While ocelot conservation has been a complex, heavily debated issue for many decades, Tewes recognizes that biologists have come a long way in what they know about ocelots, and it’s not too late to shift the focus and use the best data available to save the species.

“The refuges are going to provide a lot of benefits for a lot of things—I’ll be the first to also agree with that,” Tewes said. “You have to remember that in the beginning, we knew nothing.”

He’s also hopeful for the future of ocelots in Texas, as am I. There already seems to be a shift in tone from various entities, some progress beginning to be made between private groups and federal agencies, proper information being presented to the public, and a desire from that public to help however they can.

“I’m very optimistic about the future of the ocelot,” Tewes said. “People like Dr. Neal Wilkins, who’s in charge of the East Foundation, and his ability to work with other private landowners increases my confidence that there will be some beneficial things happening for the ocelots. I expect to see a lot of good things happening in the near future.”

Ocelots are critically endangered in the United States, with only two small breeding populations existing in South Texas.

Photo by Katy Baldock

From Skeptic to Advocate

My Changed Perspective on Conservation Easements

Writer’s Note: The following is excerpted from the preface of the forthcoming book Replenishing Our Hills by Brent Evans. The book will be published soon by the Texas A&M University Press.

The Texas Hill Country has left its mark on me and me on it for almost eight decades. My Giles family staked its claim here in 1887. Our ranch, where my grandchildren are part of the sixth generation born to this land, still bears the name of my ancestral home, which is Hillingdon Middlesex England.

I was reared in San Antonio, but spent many of my weekends, most of my holidays and every summer into adulthood on much of the 13,000 or so acres that make up Hillingdon Ranch. While I eagerly anticipated these days in the country, they were not vacations. As a member of a ranching family, we were all expected to do our parts.

One of my earliest jobs centered on the water bucket and dipper my grandparents kept on their kitchen table. In those days, providing water for the family required a trip to a nearby spring with bucket in hand.

Carrying that heavy, water-filled bucket over uneven ground taught me lessons of conservation that I’ve never forgotten. Water is vital to life. Abundant water appears through someone’s work, not magic. Water is too valuable to waste.

An uncle demonstrated to us all that wildlife like native white-tailed deer have a place on a ranch as surely as cattle, sheep and goats. Each successive generation has managed Hillingdon’s native grass, forbs,

Article by DAVID K. LANGFORD

browse and trees so both wild animals and domestic livestock thrive.

The convergence of time, experience and opportunities allowed me to carve out a career as a professional photographer who specialized in livestock, wildlife, ranch landscapes and the western lifestyle. In 1985, the relationships with my clients that I forged and treasured earned me an invitation to an early organizational meeting of the Texas Wildlife Association, a group that was being put together as a voice for landowners with an interest in wildlife. I left the meeting as a member of the executive committee.

Four years later, I left an executive committee meeting with a temporary job serving as Executive Vice President; it lasted 11 years in its first act. I flunked retirement in 2001 and came back for a second act overseeing water policy development and other special projects. My second act lasted eight years.

In 2011, I turned in my business cards, retired for the final time and came back to where I started as a volunteer again serving on the executive committee. My volunteer service continues today.

As TWA’s Executive Vice President, I spent a lot of time in the public policy arena, especially in Austin. In those days, I spent a lot of time standing behind microphones in countless conference rooms in front of a mixed bag of legislators, agency personnel, traditional environmental groups, lobbyists and the general public.

As the 80s bled into the 1990s, Texas, especially its private lands, became a contentious arena. Two little-known bird species, Golden-cheeked Warblers and Black-capped Vireos that nest solely in the

cedar-spotted hills of Central Texas and the Edwards Plateau, found themselves in the headlines. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the auspices of the Endangered Species Act devised a plan to designate portions of 33 Texas counties as critical habitat for the songbirds.

At that time, it appeared as if a “coalition” of environmental groups and land trusts were going to “save” the birds by permanently wrestling control away from private landowners either by taking it or purchasing it at fire sale prices from landowners who found themselves in a financial fix. The tool of choice? A conservation easement. The goal? To manage natural resources by removing virtually all human activity.

The reaction—and rhetoric—was swift and heated. Across the state at microphones in hearing rooms and in reporters’ hands, I and others with like minds decried conservation easements as plots promulgated by landgrabbing Communists.

Against this backdrop, Blair Calvert Fitzsimons, a volunteer landowner advocate who ranched in South Texas with her husband Joseph, and I were invited to a meeting hosted by Texas Parks and Wildlife. As private property proponents, we were in the minority. Most of the invitees represented land trusts, traditional environmental groups and parks at the national, state and local levels.

As the day progressed, speaker after speaker identified the problems that estate taxes created for landowners. Because of their experience and focus, these speakers wore blinders. While they were able to see and showcase the solutions offered by conservation easements and land trusts,

the speakers only saw the application for landowners managing beautifully pristine properties. Most were committed to preserving properties with magazine cover views.

These well-meaning crusaders didn’t understand that farmers, ranchers and family foresters, the people who fed, clothed and sheltered us, faced the same pressures from estate taxes and market forces. In their zeal for pretty places, they didn’t give working lands much thought. Apparently, those of us in production agriculture had managed to hide our challenges as effectively as we’d hidden our conservation.

As these discussions were taking place, the economy of Texas was changing. Through much of the 20th Century, Texas got its wealth from the ground through oil and agriculture. In the late 80s, after

one of the periodic busts that marked the energy industry, state leaders decided to add another leg to the economic stool. They made it clear that Texas was open for business, especially technology. The Lone Star State entered a period of unprecedented growth.

Growth, as we came to learn from studies conducted by the American Farmland Trust between 1990 and 2000, comes with a hidden cost. Initially, leaders in rural counties were ecstatic as developments sprang up, but the jubilation was short-lived. Why? While new residents bring new tax dollars, they also require increased services, which cost money…big money.

According to the American Farmland Trust’s Cost of Community Services surveys, the cost of providing those public services far exceeds the amount of tax

A Q&A WITH TALT CEO CHAD ELLIS

TWA: For people who may not be familiar with TALT, describe your land trust and its goals.

CE: TALT is a land trust founded by three major associations across Texas: the Texas Farm Bureau, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and, of course, the Texas Wildlife Association. As an organization, our land goals are simple: we focus on keeping working lands in Texas working and in the process conserve agriculture, natural resources and wildlife habitat.

TWA: What sets TALT apart from other land trusts in Texas?

CE: We’re the only land trust in Texas that is solely focused on agriculture. We concentrate on partnering with producers, whether they’re ranchers, farmers, foresters or wildlife managers, and help empower them to keep their land working—and productive in perpetuity.

TWA: In its 10-year history, what has TALT accomplished and what is its next steps?

CE: As of today, TALT holds 30 easements, which conserve 236,000 acres across Texas. In the first decade, conservation easements have been our

primary tools for keeping land working, but now we’re developing other tools such as free markets for ecosystem services that can help landowners diversify and keep their operations financially sustainable.

TWA: What is happening in Texas— and across the nation—that makes conservation easements and land trusts important conservation tools?

CE: Just look at Texas. We lost 2.2 million acres of working land between 1997 and 2017; we lost 1.5 million of those acres in the last five years. Texas has the unfortunate distinction of losing more working land than any other state in the nation.

Lay that on top of the state’s growth. Our population increased 48 percent in the same time period. Our current population is 25 million. At the moment, about 1,300 people are moving to Texas every day. The divide between urban and rural Texas is getting wider and deeper.

Ironically, the population growth that is driving much of the land fragmentation is also increasing the demand for natural resources such as clean water and air that come from working lands. We’ve got to come up with practical solutions that keep working lands working so they can

revenue provided by residential taxpayers. On the other hand, agricultural and open space land, even with lower tax valuations generate more tax money than they require in public service costs.

This was an important realization for those who valued open spaces. We spent a lot of windshield time contemplating this and tucked it into our hip pockets for future use.

Fast forward to 2005 when Blair asked me to attend a Partnership of Rangeland Trusts meeting in Billings, Montana. I went because I respect Blair and I like Billings. I still wasn’t particularly fond of land trusts or conservation easements.

As I sat there, though, I quickly figured out these land trust cats understood agriculture from a first-hand perspective.

(Continued on page 16)

continue to produce both food and fiber as well as critical ecosystem services.

TWA: What is the value of TALT to landowners?

CE: TALT is a trusted partner—in perpetuity. Forever is a long time.

As a landowner who is committing to a conservation easement, it is important to have a partner who understands agriculture and working lands and is aligned with your goals. The boots of our board and staff members are grounded in land and ag, so we don’t lose sight of the landowner perspective.

TWA: What is the value of TALT to all Texans?

CE: Working lands provide immense value to everyone in our state. Agriculture alone brought in $23 billion in cash receipts and an estimated $135.5 billion to the food and fiber sector during 2018. Taxes generated from agricultural inputs and land fund critical infrastructure and other government services that benefit the entire Lone Star State.

We also must look beyond the number of acres conserved. Currently, TALT holds easements covering 236,000 acres, but thanks to that land, Texas has netted 180,000-acre feet of water. That’s enough

water to supply the city of San Antonio for 200 years.

Our value as an organization, like the value of the state’s land stewards, extends far beyond the fencelines.

TWA: What is the difference between a donated conservation easement and the purchase of development rights?

CE: In a donated conservation easement, the landowner donates the value of the land’s development rights in exchange for federal tax benefits. When development rights are purchased, the landowner receives a payment for the full or partial value of the development rights as well as federal tax benefits. Both are real estate transactions that will exist in perpetuity and both can be customized to meet the landowners’ needs.

TWA: In Texas, what resources are available to fund purchase of development rights?

CE: Currently, there are two sources of funding to purchase development rights: The Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program, a state program administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, a federal program administered by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Tellingly, at least for me, production agriculture groups in these western states, where private land butts up against public land, were forming land trusts to conserve their land, their legacy and their way of life.

By the time the folks from the Colorado Cattlemen projected their guiding principles on the big screen, the tectonic plates of my paradigm had shifted. I looked at Blair. She looked at me. We both realized that we’d been angry about the wrong thing. The problem wasn’t the conservation easements, but our perception of how they were being used.

As we came to see, a conservation easement is a tool like any other, so the way it’s used determines whether it’s detrimental or beneficial. Thanks to those westerners, we both flew back to Texas, which by this time was losing open space

TWA: In addition to conservation easements, what other solutions is TALT exploring to help support conservation of open space land?

CE: While conservation easements are valuable conservation tools, they don’t fit every situation. We need other solutions to conserve all the land that needs conserving, which is why it is so important that we identify and develop other income streams that allow landowners to keep their working lands intact. Developing markets for ecosystem services such as water, biodiversity and carbon sequestration makes the public that benefits from these resources partners in the progress.

Aldo Leopold identified the potential of these solutions when he wrote, “Conservation will ultimately boil down to rewarding the private landowner who conserves the public interest.”

TWA: Why is TALT an appropriate organization to facilitate these markets?

CE: TALT is a leading advocate for conservation and landowners. We are often invited to speak with nonprofits, foundations and top decision makers in Austin who want to understand the value of working lands. As advocates, we have the ability to help bridge the gap between landowners and the agricultural goods

agricultural land faster than any other state in the nation, thinking, “This just might work here after all.”

Soon after we got home, we got together with representatives from the Texas Farm Bureau and the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association to talk about the possibility of forming an agricultural land trust in Texas. We agreed that forming an agricultural land trust would help give farmers, ranchers and family foresters access to the tools necessary to combat estate taxes and keep their working lands intact in perpetuity.

While many farms, ranches and forests may not have jaw-dropping views, they have productivity, both tangible as food, fiber and shelter, and environmental as clean water and clean air. Productivity merits its own conservation value as does the lifestyle and livelihoods built on it.

and ecosystem services they provide and the “consumers” who depend on these goods and services and seek to support working lands.

TWA: As the state legislature convenes and Congress goes back into session, how can people help raise the profile of this issue?

CE: The dialogue between landowners and state and federal official boils down to the benefits that extend beyond the fencelines: plentiful, high-quality water, clean air, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, wildlife habitat and scenic vistas that define our country from “sea to shining sea.” The public benefits from private land stewardship, and yet land stewards bear the full burden of responsibility and cost of providing society’s very lifeblood. It is important that we continue to provide tools to support landowners and keep working lands working.

TWA: Why is conserving open space working lands important to all Texans?

CE: Working lands produce our environmental and economic lifeblood. Without working lands, there is no food, no fiber, no water, no air—no sustainable life. It’s not hyperbole. It’s fact.

In 2007, the Texas Agricultural Land Trust was born from our collective efforts. During its first decade, TALT became the second largest land trust in Texas and currently oversees easements on 236,000 acres of working lands across Texas with more in the works.

This land will continue to produce food, fiber and shelter along with a myriad of other benefits such as cleaner air, better quality water, more vibrant river flows, aquifer recharge, the aesthetics of scenic open spaces, and wildlife and pollinator habitat that benefit every Texan in perpetuity. These landowning families will continue to voluntarily steward their own land, footing the bill for its care while paying their taxes and contributing to the health and growth of their local communities.

At the moment, a conservation easement is the only tool available for landowners who want to keep their working lands open forever. This legal document, which requires much thought, commitment and planning, provides a reinforced, retaining wall around a family’s land legacy. Succeeding generations can’t convene at the courthouse to squabble over the land’s destiny and dismantle their heritage a lawsuit at a time. A conservation easement is legally unassailable.

In addition to keeping the land legacy intact, a conservation easement ensures that the best interest of the land is always an essential factor regardless of what is being discussed or what is being considered. When a conservation easement is present, the land has a seat at the table— forever. I would argue that of all the longterm benefits of this conservation tool, this is the most powerful and most lasting.

As I write this, Myrna, our children, and I have finalized a conservation easement that will keep the Laurels

Ranch, our piece of Hillingdon Ranch, open and development-free forever. We have poured ourselves into this process for almost four years; it is exceptionally challenging—and taxing—to predict what will be right forever.

The Texas Agricultural Land Trust is our partner in perpetual conservation. The organization’s guiding principles align with our family’s guiding principles. Ours is a partnership, like all good partnerships, where both sides win. A conservation easement held by TALT is a voluntary solution that works for us.

I’ve unashamedly come full circle. Today, I find myself extolling the benefits of conservation easements to my extended family. As preceding generations died land ownership was spread into more hands. Hillingdon is collectively owned by more than 20 family units with some controlling a few acres and others several hundred.

Until now, the family has relied

last generation to spend summers here is silver-haired now. Succeeding generations are scattered by geography and interests. Without a series of conservation easements, there is no guarantee that the legacy that is Hillingdon Ranch will pass to the seventh generation. I hope the Laurels Ranch conservation easement will serve as template for my extended family and make the monumental task of keeping Hillingdon Ranch intact a little easier.

While our story and struggle are personal, we’re not alone. Conservation easements preserve our past, but they also assure our future. We cannot live without the land and its natural bounty— and we shouldn’t be foolish enough to try. Conservation easements, which preserve open space land and voluntary stewardship by committed landowners forever, are the key to replenishing our beloved hills, our beloved plains and our beloved rivers, lakes and streams, day after day, year after year, generation

TYHP Triggering a Pull to Lifelong Lessons

Article and

by BOB BARNETTE

Hunts in the Texas Youth Hunting Program are by design educational events. There are no guarantees of a shot opportunity or a harvest, or even that game will be seen. But we do, however, assure that our participants will learn, as they are exposed to both direct and indirect educational experiences when in the outdoors with TYHP.

Lessons learned through TYHP can apply to everyday life and last a lifetime. Examples of subjects encountered include: Skill Development: Shooting a rifle, shotgun or bow with skill and accuracy is a very satisfying accomplishment and is vital to hunting ethically—and it is just plain fun. TYHP hunters must meet minimum marksmanship standards to

attend a hunt, but they often increase their skills through shooting instruction at the hunt.

Conservation: Hunting is an important tool for wildlife conservation. Not only do hunters help manage wildlife populations through sustainable harvest, but license fees and taxes on hunting equipment directly pay for the vast majority of conservation efforts in the U.S. TYHP hunters relish the chance to learn about this process and be part of it.

Teamwork: TYHP hunters see teamwork in action as crews of volunteers work together tirelessly to ensure they have a safe, fun and educational experience.

Giving back: TYHP hunters receive priceless gifts as landowners and volunteers contribute opportunity, time,

food, gear and much more to ensure they have a chance to experience and learn about hunting. Seeing such examples of generosity and selflessness motivates youth and adults to find ways they too can give back and pay forward. Many TYHP participants volunteer with us later on.

Sharing: TYHP hunters benefit from the sharing of others and learn more about how to share themselves. They see examples of and learn how to share time, resources, wisdom, humor, food, drink and sometimes even the game they harvest.

Biology: Hunting provides up-close exposure to the wonders of biology and the relationships among plants, animals, birds and ecosystems. The process of field

photo

The splendors of glorious sunrises are a treasured part of time spent outdoors.

dressing and breaking down harvested game for the cooler reveals the marvels of how animals live and the fascinating ways muscles, bones and organs interact.

Patience: Hunting requires patience. Finding the right animal, in the right place, positioned in the right angle for a shot and within the right shooting distance, can take what seems like forever. And often does not happen at all, requiring more patient waiting for the next potential opportunity. Many life lessons here. Patience is definitely a virtue and a skill/attribute taught well by the act of hunting.

Perseverance: Perseverance and patience often go together in the lessons hunting teaches. Be patient for the right opportunity, and keep trying without giving up!

Ethics: TYHP hunters experience real-life situations requiring decisions based on ethics. Some may be questions of compliance with laws or regulations; others are questions surrounding something that might be legal but may not be a good idea.

Hunters learn there are consequences to their choices, and there are endless ways in which choices must be made. TYHP hunters benefit from the coaching of volunteer guides that help them sort out dilemmas and learn from each situation.

Food awareness: Many non-hunters have no idea of where meat comes from or how it ends up in a grocery store or restaurant. Sadly, many don’t care either.

Hunters know exactly where their meat originated, how the animal lived and how it died. They have profound respect for the life they have taken in order to sustain their own, and they care greatly about the welfare of the species they pursue.

Hunters work to ensure that wild animals can thrive in wild places, forever. TYHP hunters learn about their food early in their lives, building a life-long awareness of and appreciation for where they obtain their nutrition.

Like-minded people: On most TYHP hunts, the youths arrive not knowing any of the other participants. Often kids come from all parts of the state. New friendships form very quickly, and soon it seems as if the kids were life-long friends.

TYHP hunts provide unique chances to meet like-minded kids who normally would not cross paths. How else might a youth from a rural Panhandle county bond closely with a kid from Dallas or Houston? It’s very important for kids to know there are others everywhere who share similar interests and values.

Best teachers—the animals: Many of the best educators encountered on TYHP hunts, or any hunt, are the animals themselves. Regardless of how much people think they know, animals will always teach new lessons and sometimes in a painful manner!

Think of all the times you have seen a deer or duck or turkey do something totally unexpected and what it was that made the behavior unexpected. It was probably something normal to the animal, but unusual to you because you already thought you knew everything about them. Smart hunters are always open to the lessons that animals provide.

You can do hard things: Sometimes hunting requires tough choices and tough actions. Dealing with challenges of harsh weather, fatigue, getting lost or a difficult recovery of a harvested animal can be overwhelming.

Hunters learn first-hand that they can solve difficult problems and overcome significant hardships. Again, such lessons are applicable to many areas of life.

Responsibility for actions: TYHP hunters are exposed to the realities of being responsible for one’s actions. There are numerous choices to be made regarding everything from being safe to the consequences of attempting to take the life of the animal you are hunting. Choices matter, and mentored hunts such as those conducted by TYHP provide many opportunities for youth to learn about weighing options and choosing actions wisely.

Helping others is fun: TYHP hunts require tremendous work and effort by volunteers who choose to spend time helping others. These folks have many motivations for their toils, but one of them is definitely that helping others is great fun. Our volunteers provide great examples of selfless, cheerful service, demonstrating that contribution of one’s

skills and resources to a worthy cause has many rewards.

Plans are great, but be able to adapt: Hunting is an activity that lends itself to planning of many details. However, those plans can easily be derailed by weather, illness, commitments to school or work, or any number of unforeseen obstacles. The ability to adapt a plan and regroup is a great life skill, and hunters are taught this lesson with great frequency.

Sunrises and sunsets are treasures: Sunrises and sunsets are often overlooked in our daily lives. When we are outdoors hunting or fishing though, they can hardly be ignored and are usually one of the best things about a given day. TYHP hunters learn to treasure the simple visual splendor of morning and evening skies.

Campfires warm the body and the soul: Whenever possible TYHP hunts include an evening campfire. Opportunities to reflect on the hunt often result in expressions of heartfelt appreciation for the blessings of the weekend and all who were part of it.

I’ve heard amazing testimony from the most unlikely speakers around a hearty campfire. Campfires warm both the body and the soul.

Hunting binds families together and binds hunters to nature: Those of you that hunt with your family members know this truth well— experiences through the ups and downs of hunting build relationships and memories in unique, permanent ways that defy explanation.

The bonds are both strong and significant and just do not occur through other endeavors. We bond with each other while bonding with nature.

The list could go on and on, but you get the idea. TYHP hunts educate in many ways, at many levels and sometimes even in ways not revealed until long after the hunt. TYHP hunts are not about pulling triggers, but rather triggering a pull to the great outdoors and the lessons awaiting there.

If you would like to help us in this mission, contact our office at (210) 930-2177, and we will help you get started.

Article by MEG GUERRA

Aldo Leopold, the father of wildlife ecology, a true conservationist and outdoor enthusiast stated, “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

The Texas Wildlife Association Foundation (TWAF), formed as a 501(c)(3) in 1991, has dedicated its mission to increasing natural resource literacy by promoting conservation and educational programs that connect Texans to the land thereby creating a community of conservationists who will protect the land, water and wildlife of our great state. By supporting TWAF, you help support this community.

There are many ways in which you can make a lasting impact on the future of environmental education through TWAF. The most common forms of support are cash donations, annual gifts, memorials and matching gifts.

Another, and often overlooked, way for you to support TWAF is through planned giving. A planned gift is made in your lifetime or as a bequest in your Last Will and Testament and can include gifts of equity, life insurance, real estate and personal property or cash. It can be beneficial in estate and tax planning.

To celebrate those donors who have included TWAF in a planned gift, they will be inducted into the Texas Wildlife Association Foundation Leopold Society and recognized in a place of honor at TWA Headquarters. Our first inductees into the TWAF Leopold Society are Rae and Richard Hill, who have left TWAF a substantial specific bequest in their estate plan.

Richard and Rae Hill

A CONVERSATION WITH RICHARD HILL

Why did you join TWA in 1993?

I joined TWA in 1993 because it protected and enhanced the things I love to do in the great outdoors.

What lead you to serve on the TWA Executive Committee and as Trustee of the Foundation?

TWA and TWAF missions are something I truly believe in, and the staff, volunteers and board members are some of the finest people I have ever been associated with in any organization. You cannot leave the workload to others only. We all need to pitch in and serve with our time and funds.

Has being a TWA member been a family affair?

Our entire family has been involved over the years with TWA. Rae and I have been to numerous conventions, meetings and other TWA-sponsored events. Our children have been to convention and have been present on some of the youth hunts held at our ranch.

What TWA program(s) are you most passionate about and why?

TYHP hunts are tremendously rewarding. We host two hunts each year and have seen what a positive impact it makes on the youth hunters and their guardians. The hunts also benefit the ranch in game management. Secondly, all the outreach programs to the youth of Texas, such as Conservation Legacy, are inspiring to me.

Why is supporting conservation education in Texas good for private landowners?

With Texas becoming less rural, it is hard to make children and adults aware of the need for wildlife and wildlife habitat conservation and how all Texans can contribute in some way to become responsible land and wildlife stewards. We need to reach the Texas urban populations to create a more natural resource literate citizenry.

What led you to leave a bequest to TWA in your estate plan?

Over the years, I’ve served on boards of various charities with several friends who were very passionate about the cause or charity. Unfortunately, they passed away without a specific bequest, and their spouses and children (with good intent) donated to causes other than those for which the deceased was most passionate. It is important to me that a part of my estate goes to TWAF. By leaving a specific bequest in my Last Will and Testament, I can ensure that my wishes are upheld.

Thank you to the Hills for their leadership in leaving a lasting legacy of conservation.

For more information about how you can support TWA Foundation through Planned Giving, go to www.twafoundation.org .

Wildlife by Design

Interactive Education in a Virtual World

Article by ALI KUEHN and ADRIENNE PAQUETTE

In March 2020, as COVID-19 safety recommendations emerged and a large number of students and parents chose remote learning and working-from-home as precautionary measures, the Texas Wildlife Association’s Conservation Legacy (CL) team considered the possibilities for the future of conservation education. Amid uncertainty, the CL team rallied together to create programs that would continue to provide opportunities for Texas students to learn about native wildlife and natural resources.

After surveying Texas teachers, two new, yet familiar, programs were formed: Virtual Wildlife by Design and Wildlife

by Design

building upon already well-known and popular in-class Wildlife by Design presentations, teachers could continue to bring wildlife to their students even while being socially distant.

Wildlife by Design is a science TEKS-aligned program that has brought wildlife, habitats and natural resources into classrooms across Texas for more than a decade. Through hands-on lessons, students in kindergarten through 8th grade are able to experience bird and mammal adaptations, animal and plant life cycles, aquifers and even soil health on a personal level.

Across Texas. By

Houston area kindergarteners act out what makes up a habitat (food, water, shelter, space) during a Virtual Wildlife by Design.

In mid-March, when schools began to close, parents and educators worried their students would be missing out on vital interactive instruction. The CL team of educators worked fast to find the best ways to reach these students virtually.

By the first week of April, the Virtual Wildlife by Design program began to offer teachers a way to continue to receive a personalized presentation through virtual learning. Then in the fall semester, the Wildlife by Design Across Texas program was launched reaching students across Texas who do not have a regional Texas Wildlife Association educator. The Conservation Legacy team has found an opportunity for growth and learning even under uncertain circumstances.

Immediately after schools began to shut their doors, CL educators put their heads together to figure out how teachers could still receive the benefits of conservation education programs for their students. After surveying teachers across Texas to find out which technologies schools and districts were using, the educators experimented with creating a program that could still be interactive through Zoom, Google Meets and other virtual face-to-face technologies. Using the outline of the already beloved Wildlife by Design program, the educators began to meet with schools virtually within three weeks of schools shutting down.

In fact, between April and December 2020, CL educators met with more than 18,500 students and 800 teachers in over 300 schools across 24 different counties in Texas. The virtual program’s success can be attributed to the team’s hard work maintaining an interactive and hands-on component to all of the lessons.

An unforeseen benefit of teaching students at their homes is that the youths, now in their “home” environments with perhaps more outdoor time, were able to relate these wildlife lessons to those animals they were seeing on a daily basis. Pets and stuffed animals have made appearances on the Zoom meetings to provide helpful discussion on the adaptations of different animals.

“Does your dog have eyes pointing to the front or to the side? Does that mean he

is a predator or a prey?” “How about that bird you can see outside your window— do the brightly-colored feathers mean it’s more likely to be a male or a female?” In a way, these virtual lessons have opened the door to a wider variety of connections than normally used in a classroom.

One elementary teacher from Frisco ISD, north of Dallas, said the Skins & Skulls Virtual Wildlife by Design taught by Gwen Eishen was “a breath of fresh air for our teachers and students...You seamlessly weave what it means to be a good steward to plants and animals into your program which I loved. Also, the focus on Texas plants and animals is awesome because our students may start to notice these as they travel around our great state. I cannot thank you enough or express the value this brought to our students learning! THANK YOU!”

A teacher in East Chambers ISD (in the Houston area) said of Ali Kuehn’s Virtual Wildlife by Design, “I had so many kids contact me afterward about how much fun they had, and how much they learned! I really appreciate you. Your presentation was AWESOME!”

Through their quick actions and creative thinking, Conservation Legacy educators can continue to safely provide exciting, interactive and TEKS-aligned programs to classes across the state.

As the end of summer 2020 neared and it became apparent that CL educators would not be returning to classrooms in person, the Conservation Legacy team began discussing how to expand offerings to reach even more students and schools across the state. Typically, Wildlife by Design program offerings are limited to the areas where there are regional educators: the greater Houston area, the Dallas/Fort Worth area, West Texas and South Texas. However, the potential for expanding beyond those areas using virtual programming quickly came to light and this fueled the development of the Wildlife by Design Across Texas program.

During the fall semester, each of the five Wildlife by Design programs was offered on a rotating schedule via Zoom, with educators taking turns teaching. The programs were available on a registration

Students have learned from TWA programs and educators about the natural resources found in our great state, and now it's time for them to take a step outside, discover what's in their own backyard and community, and become a statewide steward!

TWA Members and outdoor enthusiasts are also welcome to join in our statewide project, observing and documenting Texas' amazing natural resources!

How to Find and Join

TWA on iNaturalist:

On www.inaturalist.org or on the iNaturalist app, search “Statewide Stewards.”

www.inaturalist.org/projects/texaswildlife-associationstatewide-stewards

INTRODUCING DFW L.A.N.D.S. EDUCATOR ANNA SORELLE

Hello! My name is Anna SoRelle, and I am thrilled to be the L.A.N.D.S. Educator for Tarrant, Wise, Denton and Parker counties!

I grew up in rural Georgia and spent many childhood days exploring the woods and getting covered in red mud. I received my bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Georgia, then moved to Texas to pursue a master’s degree in museum science at Texas Tech University. Flat, treeless Lubbock was quite a change from the lush greenery of Georgia, but it wasn’t long until I began to appreciate the plains landscape and the Texas native flora and fauna.

I am incredibly fortunate to have been an educator at a wonderful variety of places, including an archaeology site and nature preserve, science museum and botanical garden. My passion for educating has been informed and strengthened by the experiences I’ve collected along the way, including snake bites, live-water kayak rescues and teaching outdoors in all manner of Texas weather. I’m so grateful to continue teaching and sharing my deep affinity for wildlife and nature conservation as an educator with the Texas Wildlife Association.

MEET CL PROGRAM ASSISTANT AND WEST TEXAS EDUCATOR BRITTANI DAFFT

My name is Brittani Dafft, and I am excited to join the Texas Wildlife Association in a dual role as the Conservation Legacy Program Assistant and as the West Texas L.A.N.D.S. Educator. I will be teaching the importance of land and wildlife stewardship and conservation to young minds throughout 18 counties in the West Texas region.

Growing up in the East Texas pines, I spent more time chasing animals through dropped needles and creeks than I spent indoors. My interest and appreciation for the variety of Texas native plants and animals and the effects of the changing seasons were driving forces in my desire to understand and be a part of sound land stewardship.

I graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology and a minor in geography. During college, I was able to travel and assist with field research in wildlife management areas and state parks across the state, furthering my passion for understanding and sharing knowledge of our state’s natural resources.

If I wasn’t traveling, I was working at a nature park on our mighty Colorado River teaching young and adult minds about Texas’ flora and fauna through interpretive hikes, animal programs and recreation activities. Through these experiences, I came to accept that there would be nothing as fulfilling as spending my time teaching others to value and take care of our habitat and wildlife.

It is an honor to work for TWA which is committed to serving Texas’ land and wildlife while promoting education and conservation of the state’s natural resources. I look forward to educating our next generation of conservation leaders.

basis to classroom and homeschool students across the state and were promoted via email, Facebook and the TWA website.

Because of the potential for multiple classes from different schools joining the same program, security was a larger concern. As a side effect of the increased security, the ability to interact with the students was reduced. To combat the reduced interaction, the poll function on Zoom was utilized to be able to ask students questions throughout the program.

Although initial registration was low, interest has picked up and numbers have increased throughout the semester. From September through December, more than 76 teachers and 1,800 students across the state were involved in the Wildlife by Design Across Texas program. These are students and teachers who otherwise would not have had access to TWA’s Wildlife by Design programming.

Moving forward into spring of 2021, educators plan to continue offering Wildlife by Design Across Texas with a few modifications. In the fall, programs were offered at set times, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., two to three days each week. For the spring, educators will be offering Wildlife Wednesdays, with a different program topic offered each week, and educators

will make themselves available for the entire day.

Teachers will be able to contact that day’s educator to set up a time that

works well for their class, hopefully eliminating scheduling conflicts and issues. Conservation Legacy educators look forward to seeing this program evolve and having the opportunity to educate more students across the state about our native animals, our ecosystem and stewardship.

The unprecedented circumstances during this pandemic have caused difficulties for everyone. However, rather than getting mired in the “we can’ts,” the Conservation Legacy team saw this as an opportunity for creativity and innovation and is proud of what has been created.

While TWA educators hope to return to in-person programs in the near future, lessons will continue to be learned, programs will continue to be developed, TWA will continue to educate—whether in-person or virtual—and natural resources conservation and stewardship will continue to make their way to Texas teachers and students.

L.A.N.D.S. Educator Ali Kuehn demonstrates how much of our world’s water is useable by humans and wildlife during a “Where Is Our Water?” Virtual Wildlife by Design.

Kitten Success Depends on a Good Teacher

Article by MICHAEL TEWES

Photo by FIN AND FUR FILMS

The most important phase in the life of an ocelot, or any wild cat, is its youth.

Kittens are extremely vulnerable. Born altricial with their eyes closed, kittens are totally dependent on their mother for food, warmth and protection. A couple of weeks after birth, their eyes open, but simple movements and coordination still must develop. Any predator or enemy including coyotes, bobcats and Great Horned Owls, could quickly kill the kittens if the mother leaves them exposed.

This is the beginning of a long journey of learning. If the mother lacks the skills and experience to be a good teacher, then the kittens will have little chance to survive, much less excel in meeting the upcoming environmental challenges. Young ocelots must master complex hunting and social skills to thrive as an independent adult in a seasonally changing world.

The recently released film, American Ocelot, provides a visual story showing the close mother-kitten interactions

that are critical to teaching the skills for survival. Filmmaker Ben Masters crafted an extraordinary movie that peeks, for the first time, into this early relationship. You will not be disappointed if you take the time to find and watch this film.

Ocelots are mostly nocturnal, secretive in their ways and occupy the densest brush—three different factors that combined make encounters with humans very rare. To document a mother-young ocelot bond in their natal home is a spectacular cinematographic achievement.

Dozens of additional photographs from remote cameras, and several hours of video that were not included in the film, have provided us with a rich behavioral understanding during this critical phase of life. It represents an ecological treasure of visual nuggets revealing seldom seen behaviors.

Not all mother ocelots are created equal. And the role of the mother is crucial. It begins even before the young are born. Fundamental to success is the level of her experience that is used to identify a valuable territory and how it can be effectively exploited and successfully defended.

The mother must recognize a home range that is large enough to have healthy amounts of the essential elements needed to successfully raise her young. She would prefer an area with little coyote scent and

Sponsored by JOHN AND LAURIE SAUNDERS

thereby few coyotes, multiple quality den sites in the densest cover to move her young between, plenty of escape cover, and perhaps most important, a high abundance of rabbits and rodents. The easier the hunting, the more time she can spend teaching her young. One problem is other mother ocelots are searching for the same high-quality territory.

Consequently, the mother must also have the experience to recognize a territory small enough that she can travel over frequently to spread her scent designating ownership. This important act was frequently shown in the assembled ocelot footage.

She must know how to defend it from other intruding mother ocelots willing to assert claim for a prime territory. The mother’s success with passing her genetics to future generations depends upon a successful territory.

While viewing the film, I frequently noted the smooth integration of mother vigilance with teaching through visual and auditory cues. Often the young ocelot was seen near her mother, or if she was lagging, quickly catching up following staccato meows or calls from mom.

Staying close to the mother as they expand their area of exploration, is an important test to passing the class “Surviving 101.” The kitten must be near the teacher to watch and learn the important life lessons. Interestingly, the mother would often pause, listen and look, to assess the safety of the area she was about to enter with her young. It reduced the chance of the kitten stumbling into a rattlesnake or bobcat.

The best set of life-promoting skills and experiences, passed down from the preceding ocelot generation, can empower a successful mother to teach her kittens. It also takes a kitten which is a good student willing to learn the best response to threats or opportunities. However, these success traits are truly tested when “stuff happens.” For example, an unpredictable major drought can, and does, rapidly reduce both prey abundance and foliar cover from even the best ocelot home range. If a severe drought of one to three years follows the birth of kittens, the young will have little chance to survive.

How the mother and young respond will influence their survival and ability to pass their learned survival skills to the next generation. If a kitten is born during abundant rainfall and a cornucopia of prey, then life can be much easier.

Often cotton rat populations, a favorite prey of ocelot, will dramatically increase during wet periods making hunting trips easy. Unfortunately, neither the mother or young will be tested to learn how to find the few remaining rodents as in a drought.

Many times over the decades, I have had inquiries from people owning pet ocelots who want to release their feline into the wild. I advised against such an action for several reasons, including the probability that the release would be equivalent to a death sentence.

A naive ocelot without a mother’s training on surviving in the wild would likely not live long. The inexperienced ocelot must be able to identify prime prey habitat, select the right distance to rush a rabbit before it escapes into cover, and

a multitude of other learned behaviors. Selecting the best thermal cover during wet windy cold fronts would be another important example of survival training given by the mother.

The inexperienced ocelot would have to navigate a complex social world of enemies and competitors including bobcats and other ocelots. Ocelots compete intensively for good habitat. We have documented at least three times where one ocelot has killed another in these contests. If they survive an aggressive match, then losers are often forced to use marginal or poorquality home ranges where reproduction often fails, and mortality is high.

I am grateful for the information gained from the American Ocelot—it has elevated our appreciation of the importance of the mother’s role in teaching survival skills to her young. Hopefully enough learning is acquired during the early stages of life that enable the young ocelot to thrive at successfully exploiting its territory and defending it at the same time.

How Much Does Brush Control Cost?

Noble Research Institute’s focus is achieving regenerative land stewardship in grazing animal production with producer profitability. Regenerative ranching is the process of restoring degraded or maintaining healthy grazing lands using practices based on ecological principles.

As land managers, we should strive to manage rangelands with natural processes such as grazing, fire and rest from disturbances to ensure we have healthy and functional ecosystems.

Using regenerative land practices frequently to manage brush is more economical compared to doing nothing and eventually needing to use highdisturbance and high-cost inputs such as dozing or herbicides.

AN EXAMPLE OF MESQUITE TAKEOVER

For this article, we will focus on the idea of what would happen to rangeland if mesquite was not managed during a 30-year period, based on

an article written by Richard Teague, Ph.D., Texas A&M University and colleagues. Figure 1, which is from their article, graphically depicts the tradeoff between both carrying capacity and hectares per animal unit (AU) with percent mesquite coverage. This example assumes the area is completely clear of mesquite at the starting point and will support slightly less than 0.12 animal unit year (AUY) per hectare (or slightly more than 21 acres per AUY).

For the first 15 years, mesquite coverage slowly increased to approximately 15 percent and only a minimal decrease in AUY per hectare occurred. However, in years 15 to 30, there is a steady decline in carrying capacity to less than 0.04 AUY per hectare (or more than 62 acres per AUY). Over the course of these 30 years, fewer head of livestock could be supported and fewer pounds of livestock production per acre could be sold, creating a loss in revenue.

COST OF LOST PRODUCTION

We will assume there are 1,000 acres in the operation and 500-pound calves are weaned and sold each October. If the cows weigh 1,100 pounds on average, we can support roughly 41 cows (24 acres per cow). With an 85 percent weaning rate,

Figure 1 - carrying capacity declined due to increasing mesquite cover. (*from Teague et al. 2001)

there would be 35 calves to market each fall. This herd size could be supported for the first 15 years.

We assume the operation can support 33 cows with 28 calves to market at Year 18, then 22 cows and 18 calves at Year 23, 16 cows and 13 calves at Year 28, and finally 14 cows and 11 calves by the time we reach Year 30.

To calculate the loss in revenue, we compare the pounds that would have been marketed if the land was clear to the pounds marketed when the carrying capacity had declined. For example, marketing 11 calves at year 30 instead of 30 calves at Year 1. Using Oklahoma City prices from 2003 to 2019 for 500- to 600-pound steers and heifers, it is estimated that approximately $171,000 in revenue would be lost.

To confound this even more, most producers do not recognize the increase in brush and never reduce their stocking rate, resulting in overgrazing and a largely nonfunctional ecosystem. The resulting common practices are to increase feeding and rely on annual herbicide use.

COSTS TO MANAGE

We estimated the costs of several management methods, including prescribed fire, aerial treatment and individual plant treatment (IPT). These practices can be combined to try to reduce overall costs. For example, aerial spraying can be followed up with prescribed fire to maintain open grazing lands. It was also assumed that these management practices were started in Year 13, just before destocking would have to start taking place, except for prescribed fire, which starts in Year 1 to maintain open grasslands.

As you can see in Table 1, prescribed fire is the cheapest of all options to manage mesquite. Grubbing is the most expensive.

An easy way to reduce costs further is to join a local prescribed burn association so equipment costs are reduced. Also, if a land manager owns a disk and/or mower, costs can be reduced by maintaining fireguards

themselves. They can also use existing features, such as roads, for fireguards. IPT costs can be reduced as well if a land manager is willing to do the work themselves.

CONSIDER PRESCRIBED FIRE

Two of these options, burning and aerial spraying, cost less than losing $171,000 in revenue; however, you must have the cash on hand to implement these practices. Also, just because the practice is economical does not necessarily mean it is regenerative.

Prescribed fire, in addition to being the cheapest option, is the only practice that is considered regenerative, a practice based on ecological principles. We want to get away from relying on herbicides and mechanical control techniques. These practices are reactive and do not use ecological processes to maintain healthy grasslands.

The goal is to work with nature to maintain and promote ecological functioning. The reliance on herbicides and mechanical control techniques is usually a product of poorly functioning ecological systems. These high-input practices can have potential negative consequences by disturbing the soil, which can allow invasive plants to establish and release stored carbon into the atmosphere.

If land managers do not use prescribed fire, then the only three options are to lose significant revenue, incur significant costs to recover grazing lands, or harm the ecosystem with overgrazing. As shown here, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” is still very relevant.

For more information about typical prices charged for custom agricultural services, view the Texas Agricultural Extension Service custom rate sheet at https://agecoext.tamu. edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ TXCustomRatesSurvey2020.pdf.

A Paradigm Shifting Without A Clutch

A Six Year Evaluation of Student Engagement and Degree Pride in The Department of Natural Resources Management

Article by

BLAKE A. GRISHAM, Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University

CADE COLDREN, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Texas Tech University

PHILLIP S. GIPSON, Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University

JAMES D. RAY, Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC, U.S. Department of Energy-National Nuclear Security Administration, Pantex Plant

ROBERT STUBBLEFIELD, Llano River Field Station, Texas Tech University at Junction

WARREN C. CONWAY, Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University

The discipline of natural resources management, including wildlife and range management, are young in context of human society. Wildlife biology and range management were not formalized into any comprehensive text until Aldo Leopold’s classic text, Game Management in 1933, and since Dr. Leopold’s publication, each discipline has maintained a small, but passionate and dedicated number of professionals in the United States. Most professionals with degrees or experiences in natural resource management (NRM) are quickly dichotomized to either park rangers or game wardens by the public, with no real understanding as to what we do or how

Figure 1. Student enrollment in the Department of Natural Resources Management at Texas Tech University. Total undergraduate and graduate students have steadily increased since 2001, with rapid growth experienced between 2016–2020.

the net

we do it. Even family members often label their own children or relatives who are professional wildlife biologists as “tree or animal-huggers” while often erroneously claiming children have grand delusions of becoming the next Jack Hanna, Steve Irwin or Sir David Attenborough. While these claims are mostly driven by a lack of real understanding and perceptions of Hollywood portrayals, misinterpretation of data and even lack of communication, affiliated degrees and careers in wildlife and NRM are legitimate professions that take years of professional training inside and outside of the classroom. Career options for NRM majors are only limited by creativity and passion, and options include traditional roles as biologists, researchers, educators, land managers and law enforcement officers, but also include lawyers, veterinarians, private land consultants and beyond. One commonality among all these career choices is that each requires foundational field and classroom knowledge that starts with the Bachelor of Science degree.

As academicians and professors, with various academic pedigrees and professional ‘tooth length,’ we also work through perception issues from friends and family and university administrators. Granted most of this is centered on perceptions we have ‘cool jobs’ and get to go ‘catch stuff,’ which are highlights of our annual cycles, but our jobs and vocations are centered around three central tenets: research, teaching and service. Some NRM and wildlife professors also have formal extension assignments, and their duties require outreach and service to the public and engaged stakeholders. As with any career, we have job duties we enjoy more than others, and for us, these are usually field, animal and student centric. Faculty are evaluated using academic metrics, and some faculty, and

2)

3)

Figure 3. Students enrolled in NRM: Wildlife Management Techniques take photographs of an adult male Vermillion Flycatcher at the Llano River Field Station. In this exercise, the instructors demonstrate how to successfully set-up and deploy numerous mist nests to capture songbirds, with emphasis on safety for both humans and the animals targeted. After one demonstration, the students are combined into groups of five students and then each group is required to successfully set up and deploy two mist nets 1) before sunrise,

in under five minutes per net, and

in a location that maximizes safe capture of songbirds. (Photo courtesy of Blake Grisham, 2019)

Figure 2. Students enrolled in NRM 3407: Wildlife Management Techniques practice setting up and successfully deploying a magnetic drop-net. Magnetic drop-nets are common tools used to capture wildlife, including white-tailed deer and wild turkeys. In this exercise, the instructors demonstrate how to successfully set-up and deploy the net, with emphasis on safety for both humans and the animals targeted. After one demonstration, the students are required to successfully set up and deploy on campus approximately six successful times without a single failure. After the students pass this phase,

is moved to near-by cooperating private land where the students must successfully set up, capture and successfully release either a white-tailed deer or wild turkeys without harm to themselves or the animals. (Photo courtesy of Blake Grisham, 2019)

certainly all administrators, enjoy citing large impact factors on their publications, extramural funding earned or the most recent college today rankings. Although our annual evaluations and programmatic reviews are important, most NRM-related faculty are driven by their ability to make a difference and engage, educate and train students to become knowledgeable professionals, good ambassadors for our programs, and more importantly, outstanding, kind citizens and good humans.

In 2014, an informal survey sent out to Texas Tech NRM alumni, employers, friends and professors indicated employers and graduate advisors want undergraduates who have technical knowledge of principles and practices of wildlife biology and management, skills in writing that require a minimum of review and editing, skills with Geographic Information Systems and affiliated tools, skills in conducting plant/habitat surveys and data collection, plant and wildlife ID skills, wildlife technique skills (aging, sexing, capturing and handling wildlife), field oriented experiences, and a capstone project

for graduating seniors. These are not unexpected and are the traditional ‘tools’ of any wildlife or range professional. Interestingly, respondents to this survey emphasized the need for more polished ‘soft skills’ as crucial for post-college success for NRM students. For example, students getting field experience, becoming involved with professional societies, assuming leadership roles, pursuing outreach experiences, gaining written and oral communication skills and experiences, and developing critical thinking skills and networking skills ranked equally important as the above technical skills. However, what many of the respondents did not know, is that we are currently mandated to provide a bachelor’s degree with 120 hours at most. Unlike in decades past where NRM degrees may be 135, 145 or more credit hours, the old minimum number of hours for a four-year degree (120) is now the maximum. This is not irrelevant.

Balancing this approach to developing and mentoring ‘quality’ students with the hard and soft skills that are needed (within the constraints of a 120-hour degree) with demands for increasing productivity and

increasing programmatic enrollment has become a common lament for most wildlife academicians in Texas. In 2008, Texas Tech University (hereafter TTU) started the Tier I Initiative with the goal of increasing annual federal research expenditures to more than $50M while simultaneously increasing undergraduate enrollment to 40,000. Twelve years later in fall 2020, TTU announced university enrollment surpassed the 40,000-student goal. Concomitantly, all university colleges, and most departments, experienced growth in student numbers. For example, undergraduate enrollment in the Department of Natural Resources Management (here after DNRM) increased from approximately 135 undergraduates in 2012 (with a 10year average of approximately 120 undergraduates) to approximately 350 undergraduates in 2020 (Figure 1).

Advantages and minor inconveniences associated with exponential student growth exists, especially when the goals of the university administration, colleges and associated departments do not align 100 percent. For example, although TTU’s growth has certainly benefited DNRM

Figure 4. Students enrolled in NRM 3407: Wildlife Management Techniques observe Dr. Bob Dittmar perform a necropsy on a culled white-tailed deer in summer 2017. (Photo courtesy of Blake Grisham, 2019)

through increased revenue via more student classroom credit hours, one major disadvantage of having more students is obtaining the resources to train each effectively and efficiently and still provide those memorable and impactful experiences for our undergraduate students. While it took approximately 50 years for TTU’s enrollment to double and reach 40,000 students, the enrollment in the DNRM doubled in less than 10 years, and the number of faculty have remained static. Combined, this does provide challenges to ensure we deliver the hard and soft skills along with the experiences that our students want and their prospective employers need. We believe we have navigated this qualityquantity-experience trifecta relatively well by reinforcing if not ‘doubling down’ on soft-skills and experiential learning. For example, feedback from end-of-degree evaluations completed by graduating seniors since 2014 indicate DNRM’s above average growth and popularity among potential employers and graduate faculty is attributed to the following criteria:1) engaged, active faculty, 2) handson experience inside and outside the classroom, 3) development of degree pride, and 4) active professional organizations.

We argue that now, during times of rapid student enrollment growth and particularly during the times of Covid, that emphasizing field-based experiential learning opportunities, both formally via classes and informally via collaborative field trips, captures and other experiences, is more important than ever. Abandoning these now is not an option. In fact, we know that the implementation, development and offerings of NRM 1401 (Introduction to Natural Resources Management) and 3407 (Wildlife Management Techniques), both field-based, hands-on wildlife courses, have contributed to DNRM’s growth and subsequent production of students with attractive technical and soft skills. When combined, or at least taken advantage of in one way or another, the classes teach the students technical and soft skills employers find attractive. Challenges with formal field-based courses and student professional societies

Figure 5. Students with the Department of Natural Resources Management pose with a captured mule deer buck as part of a collaborative research program between Texas A&M Kingsville, Texas Tech University, Sul Ross State University and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. (Photo courtesy of Blake Grisham, 2019)

Figure 6. Students with the Department of Natural Resources Management pose with numerous purple martins at Jim Ray’s purple martin colony in Canyon, Texas. Left to Right: Olivia Gray (BS DRM, 2020; Currently MS student at Sul Ross State University), Ayla Ryan (BS DRM, 2018; Currently MS student at Texas Tech University), Meghan Mahurin (BS DRM, 2019; Currently MS student with Texas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit), Ariana Rivera (Currently a BS student in DNRM and studying the effect of microclimate on purple martin nest survival). (Photo courtesy of Warren Conway, 2019)

are numerous, including, costs, obtaining wildlife and landowner permits, liability and insurance issues, keeping students safe, engaging parents about their child’s safety, financial impacts to students, facilities, food, lodging, and social media miscues. Given the number of challenges, we are often asked “why do it, and why go through that much effort?” The answer is simple, at least for us: the experiences are transformational for students (and selfishly, for us too).

The DNRM model for NRM 1401 and NRM 3407 are the same, albeit in different settings. Our goal is to foster degree pride through opportunities that provide important, lasting memories in settings where the technical knowledge delivery is organic. Each opportunity provides field-based techniques and training in traditional technical skills, with emphasis on developing a sense of accomplishment in students while promoting accountability and reliability

in team settings but at different levels of learning. At the core of this model is the Texas Tech Center at Junction, acquired in 1971, which is home to the Llano River Field Station and the Outdoor Learning Center (LRFS). Encompassing more than 400 acres and bisected by the South Llano River, the LRFS is the largest inland field station in Texas. The mission of the LRFS is to encourage, conduct and coordinate basic and applied research projects dealing with water/watersheds, invasive species, range management, natural resources, ecological restoration and environmental education in the Central Texas Hill Country. The LRFS coordinates with DNRM to host NRM 1401 in fall, spring and summer and also hosts NRM 3407 which is an 18-day, intensive, hands-on wildlife techniques course.

NRM 1401 is an introductory, freshmen level class that includes DNRM and non-DNRM majors, as it

is a ‘core lab science class’ in the TTU Curriculum. The class hosts three fieldtrips per semester: two on campus and one off-campus at the Texas Tech Center in Junction. The fieldtrips to Junction are overnight, field-based trips, where students are trained in the basics of natural resources management, often in harsh field conditions with more than 95–100 undergraduate students per field trip. An informal survey conducted in the NRM 3407 majors’ class in 2019 indicated 27 of 30 students in the class either transferred to DNRM or solidified their choice in DNRM after taking NRM 1401 at the LRFS. The students in NRM 3407 range from sophomores to seniors, and each student is required to stay at the Junction Center for the duration of the class. This requirement is to promote cultural identity, community buy-in, teamconcept and to help create a program that is much greater than the sum of individual

Figure 7. Students, faculty and collaborators from Oregon Department Fish and Wildlife pose with three successfully captured greater sandhill cranes at Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area near La Grande, Oregon. Each spring, Dr. Blake Grisham selects four graduate and 10 undergraduate students to make the approximate 1,500-mile trek to Oregon to learn how to successfully and safely capture greater sandhill cranes. The students work with Dr. Grisham and ODFW to capture and deploy satellite transmitters on greater sandhill cranes as part of a long-term research project on the species. To be selected for the trip, students must be in their senior year (for undergraduates), graduates of NRM 1401 and 3407 at the Llano River Field Station, be active members of a student professional organization, and have demonstrated exceptional leadership and professionalism during their tenure in the Department of Natural Resources Management. (Photo courtesy of Blake Grisham, 2019)

success. Each in-field or classroom assignment is designed to engage and welcome responsibility, develop integrity and accept accountability—each student, or group of students, must work to take calculated risks, accept challenges and learn from failures. All under the guidance of trained professionals and while working in field conditions with real animals (Figures 2 and 3).

To the best of our knowledge, NRM 3407 at TTU is the only remaining fieldbased wildlife techniques course in Texas, and students not only benefit from the faculty instructors, but numerous guest lecturers from various organizations. This has been a crucial element of the experience for our NRM 3407 students who have an opportunity to engage in a field-based setting with wildlife professionals from different agencies, universities and walks of life. During the last five years, professionals and friends from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas A&M University Wildlife Extension, the U.S. Geological Survey, Consolidated Nuclear Security, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, retired NRCS alumni, and a host of other professionals have volunteered their time to work with our students in the field during this class. Ranging from learning techniques for trapping mesocarnivores, catching birds of prey, performing deer necropsies (Figure 4) and learning how to apply for TPWD positions, these friends and colleagues have provided invaluable experiences to our students which have been impactful, informational and transformational. Beyond the classroom, the students have time to engage with the guest lecturers to learn more about our guests’ careers and lives, which often leads to additional opportunities beyond NRM 3407 for the students (Figure 5–7).

Degrees are only indicators of capabilities; proof of this capability is demonstrated by future performance of our alumni. Strong natural resource management research and graduate programs feed into meaningful experiential opportunities for undergraduate students. In DNRM, our program is also recursive, where strong undergraduate programs also support

our strong graduate programs and feed employers and other graduate programs. Our undergraduate students are our best ambassadors, our legacy and perhaps our greatest product and contribution to our science and mission. We have learned the development and maintenance of student engagement and degree pride are like a paradigm shifting without a clutch: the process is slow, tedious and a labor of love but becomes positively unstoppable after third gear.

We dedicate this article to the gentle spirit and memory of Dr. Bob

Dittmar, a colleague, friend and one of the best mentors and educators we have had the honor of meeting and learning from. Bob’s annual trek from Kerrville to Junction to do a deer necropsy (in more than 100-degree heat!) and lecture on wildlife diseases to our Texas Tech DNRM students during our NRM 3407 class remains one of the most memorable for all of us. He has inspired a couple generations’ worth of wildlife professionals, and his legacy lives on in many of us.

Snake-eyes

Article by ERIC GRAHMANN, PH.D.

In most dice games, rolling a pair of “snake-eyes,” the lowest possible roll, usually means a loss. But in ocelot habitat and areas surrounding the Rio Grande Valley, snake-eyes is a winner every time.

Snake-eyes (Phaulothamnus spinescens), or Putia as it is locally called, is a shrub found in the mixed thornscrub of deep South Texas (the Rio Grande Valley west to Laredo and then north to the Corpus Christi area) from the extremely dense woodlands where ocelot reside to more open thornscrub savannah. The genus Phaulothamnus is of Greek origin and indicates an unattractive shrub that is unpleasant to handle. But then again, what plant is pleasant to handle in South Texas?

Snake-eyes is a woody species that can grow to about 8 feet tall. The leaves, which can measure up to 1 inch long, are greyish green, smooth to fuzzy, spatulate (teardrop) in shape and originate from the stem as a rosette. The stems are greyish to occasionally sooty-black in coloration with terminal spines on the ends.

Plants are dioicous, meaning there are both male and female plants; both sporting tiny-green flowers of their own make. The unmistakable fruit on female plants is called a drupe, with translucid pulp revealing a single black seed inside which resembles a “googley-eyed snake”.

In most cases, when snake-eyes is found, you know you’ve found a special plant community. The plant disappears in areas that have seen root-plowing or other invasive types of land clearing or degradation. Areas that support snake-eyes are almost always hyper-diverse in their plant community assemblage.

Fruit of snake-eyes is consumed by many species of birds, including Long-billed Thrasher, White-tipped Dove and Plain Chachalaca, while the flowers attract a myriad of pollinators. The foliage of snake-eyes is intermediate in palatability to whitetailed deer and browsing livestock.

Along with many other shrub species in South Texas, the plant is valuable in the cover it provides to both predator and prey alike. So, no need to jump out of fear when you see these snake-eyes in South Texas, instead jump for joy as you’ve just discovered something special.

Photo by John Yochum

The foliage and fruit of snake-eyes. Snake-eyes plants. These are about as large as the the plant grows.

Photo by Eric Grahmann

LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT

A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph, or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him. Babes do not tremble when they are shown a golf ball, but I should not like to own the boy whose hair does not lift his hat when he sees his first deer. ~Aldo Leopold

I’m not in the habit of editing a quote by Leopold, but in this case, I’d swap “stumbles into the flush of a covey of quail” for “sees his first deer.” If I’d been born 40 years later or raised in an area not devoid of deer during my adolescence, perhaps I’d agree with the quote verbatim.

Article by DALE ROLLINS, PH.D.

Photos courtesy of DALE ROLLINS, PH.D.

I reckon deer had as much political panache in Wisconsin in Leopold’s day as they do these days in Texas. But there is a common denominator here, and it involves deer.

I hope you have recollections of stumbling into a covey of bobwhites while en route to your deer blind in the predawn. If your heart didn’t leap into your throat, indeed you are “supercivilized.”

I’ve been quail hunting for the past 57 years. Knock off about those first seven years from age 6 to 13 because most of those hunts were shooting quail from the window of a pickup truck. My daddy could spot a covey of quail or a cottontail’s eye while going 60 mph down a dirt road. Indulge me as I take a trip down memory lane and share some indelible waypoints of quail hunts past.

FIRST BIRD ON THE WING

If I live be a hundred, I will never forget my first bird on the wing. I was riding with my grandpa five miles south of Hollis, Oklahoma. I was hunting with a borrowed Revelation .410 shotgun.

My waypoint for that point is stored forever. A bobwhite hen flushed and veered back to my right. It was a perfect shot indeed, and I picked it up and carried it back to the car with pride. Now it seems as though the bird was flying in slow motion.

FIRST BIRD DOG

My buddy Coondog and I soon had two Brittany pups: Toby and Bambi. It wasn’t long before we were really quail hunting. We had a route through the southwestern part of Harmon County that we made every Saturday morning. We were blessed to have abundant populations of bobwhite and scaled quail, and we cold hunt basically any place we wished to.

MY FIRST SETTER

Bambi got snake bitten in the flank in September 1978. She tried to follow my dad from the vet clinic one day but grew weary about a quarter mile

down the road. A city policeman saw her, thought she’d been run over and shot her.

After that, I was bird dog-less for the next 13 years. Then, in 1991, my brother-in-law told me that he’d acquired six Llewellyn setter pups. As we drove down to the pen where they were being kept, I told him that I didn’t have time for a bird dog. But when he dangled the quail wing and a 7-week-old setter female struck a posture, it stole my heart.

I named her Suzie. I’ve probably written more about her exploits than any other bird dog I’ve ever had. We were mates for life.

MEMORABLE SHOTS

Believe it or not, I think I could identify with GPS precision everywhere I’ve shot a quail. But some are worthy of special mention.

The 2015-2016 quail seasons were the best two seasons I’ve ever seen. I shot my first “blob,” got 3 blues with one shot, and enjoyed a number of 40 covey days.

MEMORABLE HUNTS

I’ve likely introduced more young people to wild quail hunting than anyone; no brag just fact. And if you’re one of my grad students you’ll earn one or more quail hunts.

Today’s students just don’t have the opportunities I had as a youth. They need to be rewarded. Nothing stokes the fire better than having them enjoy a good quail hunt behind great dogs.

Back when I was “mad at quail,” I shot a Remington Model 870 Wingmaster pump. I nicknamed it “KOMA” after the Oklahoma City radio station, 1520 on your AM dial, whose mantra was, “…we keep pumping out those hits.” So did my Wingmaster. Twice, I shot five birds on the covey rise.

LAND CRAFTSMANSHIP Choosing the Right Tool

Article by STEVE NELLE

Land management is a complex hybrid discipline. Like many other crafts, it is both an art and a science and each of these approaches is needed for lasting success. As with other trades, there is a set of tools which are used to accomplish specific tasks and purposes.

Craftsmen in any trade or profession do not just reach into the box and start using the first tool they find; they thoughtfully select the best tool for each step of the process. Because good land management is a complicated endeavor, selecting the right tool is usually not a simple or straightforward decision.

There will usually be multiple tools that can be used for a given situation, but choosing the right tool for the specific application is an important first step and will increase the likelihood of success and cost effectiveness.

BEYOND LEOPOLD’S TOOLS

Aldo Leopold espoused five broad kinds of tools and said that the creative and purposeful use of these tools is the essence of land and wildlife management. He also reminded us that these same tools can cause damage when improperly used.

The most essential "tool" of land management is the knowledge, ingenuity and dedication of the owner as guided by stewardship ethics.

Photo by Steve Nelle

Our tools today are more numerous, more complex and more powerful than in Leopold’s day but the basic principles are the same. Any tool can be used skillfully in the right situation for a beneficial purpose, or it can be used without forethought and skill and result in damage. The more powerful the tool, the more good it can do, and conversely the more harm it can do; skillful application is even more important now than it was in Leopold’s day.

Instead of just the “axe,” we now have dozens of kinds of advanced equipment, a myriad of specialized attachments and numerous effective herbicides to manipulate woody plants. Each has its own particular advantages and disadvantages.

In addition to the basic “plow” for farming and planting, we now have countless tillage implements, aerators, precision planters, no-till drills, cultipackers, keyline plowing techniques and many variations of each.

The “cow” in Leopold’s day represented only the most rudimentary form of grazing management. He could not begin to fathom the sophisticated and creative forms of grazing that are now used to restore ranges and manage habitat.

In Leopold’s generation “fire” was a crude tool; burning by prescription with good weather forecasting and the knowledge of fire behavior was unknown. Thanks to pioneers such as Dr. Henry Wright and others, burning has now become a powerful, predictable and effective tool for land management when used the right way in the right situation.

The “gun” is still a primary tool to manipulate animal numbers (and to generate revenue), but we now have additional methods of population management for both game animals and pests. Hunting is not only about recreation, tradition or bringing home meat—it is also a necessary form of habitat and herd management in many cases.

We should not get into arguments about which tools and methods are best. Each tool is good when properly used, but we must realize that even good tools used in the wrong way result in a bad outcome. Just like any other craft, the hands that guide the tools and the mind that guides the hands are more critical to success than the actual tools.

LAW OF THE HAMMER

In 1868, a London periodical contained this observation: "Give a boy a hammer and chisel and at once he begins to hack away the doorposts, shutters and window frames.” Nearly a century later an American philosopher proposed the law of the hammer: “Give a small boy a hammer, and he will find that everything he encounters needs pounding." Having observed two sons and five grandsons grow up, I can confirm that this law is true.

The modern version of the law varies only slightly: “If your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” The law of the hammer is a cognitive bias that involves an over-reliance on a favorite and familiar tool even when its use is not constructive.

Land managers are sometimes guilty of this error of over-using a favorite tool even where it is not the best choice.

Livestock grazing can be an exceptional wildlife habitat management tool when properly done, and it also generates income.

When properly planned and carried out, prescribed burning can be a good tool to accomplish several beneficial purposes.

Chopping or aerating can be used to renovate browse, improve accessibility or prepare a seedbed.

Photo by Steve Nelle

Photo by Preston Irwin, NRCS

Photo by Preston Irwin, NRCS

For example, some managers have over-emphasized the use of fire, or rotational grazing or brush control as their tool of choice, pushing a given practice beyond its practical limits.

There are no silver bullet practices in land management, and there is no Leatherman type of tool that does everything. There are many tools, techniques and methods, each requiring a set of skills for proficient and successful use.

Closely related to the law of the hammer is the law of professional distortion which is the tendency to look at things only from the point of view of one's own area of expertise rather than from a broader perspective. It is the same thing as tunnel vision.

Confirmation bias is another law of behavior that hinders our use of unfamiliar or new methods and techniques. This is the predisposition to adhere too strongly to what we already believe without acknowledging possible flaws and limitations or acknowledging that there may be better ways. It is the same thing as operating in a rut—what we have always done we will always continue to do.

The application of these three laws is clear: Learn the benefits and proper use of many different tools, not just your favorites; learn to step back and view things with a wide angle, multifaceted perspective; and learn not to trust too strongly in what you have been trained and programmed to believe.

Perhaps the only “tool” that works every time is that combination of knowledge, ingenuity, hard work and perseverance. When guided by responsible stewardship ethics this is the tool that best ensures that true land craftsmanship will take place.

One of the worst mistakes that can be made is to simplify land management into a set of rigid steps and practices. Land management is not a formulistic science or a paint-by-number kind of art. What works for one landowner may or may not work for his neighbor and what works for one set of conditions will not necessarily work well under different conditions.

RESULTS MATTER

With any use of any tool in any trade one of the main things is to monitor the results to determine whether it achieved the

SOME NEWER TOOLS, TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE TO LANDOWNERS

Hydraulic shears

Track hoe excavators

Forestry mulchers

Roller chopper / aerator

Contour and keyline ripping

Selective herbicides

Pre-emergent herbicides

Solar pumps

Plastic pipe

Moist soil management

Slash blankets

Grazing and browsing exclosures

Precision farming

Reduced till farming

Cover crop innovations

Irrigation innovations

High fences

High density planned grazing

Temporary electric fencing

Virtual livestock fencing

Animal impact

Patch-burn grazing

Diagnostic testing

Veterinary advances

Trail cameras

Drones

Helicopter

Advanced satellite imagery

Remote sensing technology

GPS technology

GIS applications

Computers and software applications

Conservation easements

Financial incentive programs

MLDP and TTT permitting

Many newer kinds of tools and equipment are used now that were not available in Leopold's day. (Photo by Preston Irwin, NRCS)

Aerial spraying has become more effective in recent years with the advent of new herbicides and reduced side effects.

Photo by Preston Irwin, NRCS

Photo by eeter Aerial Spraying

stated purpose or whether it needs to be modified or curtailed. Monitoring can be quantifiable and measurable or it can be subjective or a mix of both.

When describing our management, too often we merely cite which practices have been carried out but we do not elaborate on the specific results accomplished. Without some kind of formal or informal monitoring, we will not know if our efforts and expense are accomplishing the desired outcome or if they are a poor use of time and money.

Here are some examples of relevant monitoring: What percentage of root kill was achieved from aerial spraying after two years, and what were the side effects on forbs and desirable shrubs? Did the prescribed burn result in at least a 75 percent reduction in pricklypear, and how long did it take to restore the grass and litter cover? Was the re-seeding effort successful in improving plant diversity, forage production and wildlife habitat, and was it worth the cost? Is the grazing management resulting in greater plant density and less bare ground over time?

Monitoring may reveal that our methods are working and should be continued. Or it may reveal that our management is not working well enough or is not cost effective and should be adjusted. Sometimes the best use of a tool is to know when to lay it aside and select another strategy.

MASTER CRAFTSMEN

Within any guild of craftsmen there are various levels of proficiency and experience. Those who are in the early stages of a new trade are called apprentice. With training, practice and close supervision these beginners learn to do some of the basic things, and they gain confidence and the desire to learn more.

After a successful apprenticeship, they advance to the journeyman stage and gradually gain the ability to carry out most routine tasks on their own and do them well. After some years of proven ability as a journeyman, they are finally certified as a master level craftsman.

The master craftsman has gained not just the technical skills and years of experience, but also the wisdom of the trade—the things not taught in school or learned from a book. These are the true artisans in the world of land and wildlife management who have gained insights and sagacity.

They are highly respected and have earned the trust of others. These are not usually the ones who speak the loudest or who claim to have all the answers—they often possess that rare combination of humility and ability that garners confidence but not arrogance.

Within TWA there are numerous master level land craftsmen as well as many others who are working to enhance their abilities and knowledge of the land. No matter our own level of proficiency, we can each make it our goal to boost our understanding of the land and how to manage it skillfully with the tools available to us. The use of tools does not necessarily make us a land steward, but all good land stewards learn how to use the right tools for the right situation and do it with skill and effectiveness.

High deer populations in many areas require aggressive harvest as a tool for habitat and herd management.

Individual plant treatment has become a popular way to control lighter infestations of brush before they become a problem.

Raking is the preferred way to manage pricklypear for some landowners and can also be used as seedbed preparation.

Photo by Steve Nelle

Photo by Steve Nelle

Photo by Preston Irwin, NRCS

ZOOMAGINATION

A Natural Education

Article by LORIE A. WOODWARD

Animals + people + education x interaction = Zoomagination, a non-profit organization dedicated to introducing Texans of all ages to the natural world through wildlife encounters.

“Our goal is to teach Texans the importance of conserving wildlife and habitat,” said Robert Trejo, who cofounded the mobile outreach program with co-director Jennie Phillips in 2007. “We want people to understand that animals live among us and are an important part of our world that need our respect not our fear.”

The duo, who regularly conduct online classroom presentations as part of Conservation Legacy, care for more than 30 animals from around the world representing 15 different species at their 10-acre facility in Atascosa. Residents include warthogs, crested porcupines, sloths, kinkajous, macaws and reindeer as well as native Texas species such as raccoons, opossums, Peregrine Falcons and Red-tailed Hawks.

“A lot of our animals come to us as pets surrendered by people who realize that

they may have bitten off more than they can chew,” Trejo said.

Other animals come from rescuers and rehabbers. Because of their injuries or their acclimation to humans, the animals can’t be safely returned to the wild. Some are donated by other zoological facilities, which is how Zoomagination acquired its warthogs.

“Warthogs fascinate me,” said Trejo, who fostered several. “When the chance came to adopt a pair of them, I just couldn’t say no.”

In addition to providing the basic necessities of food, shelter and medical attention, the team trains and conditions the animals to serve as ambassadors.

“Our animals are the gateways we use to introduce people to the outside world,” Trejo said. “When our guests see the animals, they get excited and engaged. Once you get people’s attention, it’s a lot easier to educate and inform them.”

Unlike zoos and theme parks where people view the animals from a distance, Zoomagination brings animals and people together. While guests are generally not allowed to touch the

Photos courtesy of ZOOMAGINATION

animals, audience members are able to get up close and personal with the animals.

“Instead of being a pet in someone’s kitchen, our animals have a job to do,” Trejo said. “They teach people—naturally.”

Although the classrooms, resorts, civic centers and fairs where Zoomagination visits are not wilderness habitat, the animals exhibit many of their normal behaviors. Their handlers explain what the guests are seeing to provide context in the broader world.

“During our presentations, our birds chirp and vocalize,” Trejo said. “We describe the hows and whys of what people are seeing, so if they encounter a bird in their neighborhood or at the state park, they’ll know what is going on. People care about the things they understand.”

While almost all of the animals that arrive at Zoomagination have been habituated to humans to some degree, the team conditions them for life in the public eye. As an example, Trejo described the training regimen the team employed to prepare Osa, a four-year-old female sloth.

Initially, the team taught Osa to go in her kennel. With plentiful food, water and tree branches for climbing, the kennel serves as a welcoming, safe space during presentations and travel. Second, the team took her on short trips in the car to get her used to traveling.

“Osa would go to the grocery store with me,” Trejo said. “A volunteer would stay with her in the car. We kept the motor and air conditioning running, so she’d be comfortable.”

Next, they brought her along to presentations but left her in the kennel, so she could get used to the noise and crowds. Then, they taught her to come out of the kennel suspended on a branch that was outfitted with food.

“For her debut, she simply hung on her stick and ate while I talked about her,” Trejo said.

Finally, they began carrying the stick while Osa was hanging out and eating. Eventually, she was calm enough to be carried through the crowd.

“It’s a process that takes place over many months,” Trejo said. “If on the first

day, I’d thrown her in a kennel, shoved her on a stick and paraded her around she wouldn’t have done very well.”

While the Zoomagination team generally relies on a progressive training regimen, each species and even each individual requires different techniques that take into account their behavior and temperament. Predators can be overly stimulated by too much movement; prey can be spooked by movement, shadows and noise. Some animals train well to food, while others must be managed by tweaking their natural behaviors.

“Everybody is different,” Trejo said.

Some animals are less sensitive to loud noises and sudden movements. Others are shy. Some thrive with human interaction. Some don’t.

Trejo shared the tale of two birds. One, a military macaw, loves the interaction with people so much that he frets when it’s his day off. Another bird, a blue-andgold macaw, loves his kennel so much that he refuses to leave it during presentations. When he is working, the team lets him remain in his safe spot and talks about nesting behavior.

“Our animals aren’t forced to ‘perform,’” Trejo said. “We can provide education and insight regardless of what the animals are doing…and keep the animals comfortable in the process. The well-being of our animals and our guests is our top priority.”

Before joining forces to create Zoomagination, Trejo and Phillips both trained animals at Sea World. He worked with marine animals first before becoming a traveling educator for the park who specialized in terrestrial

animals. The duo collectively has worked with animals on a daily basis for more than 25 years.

“Only our staff and volunteers handle our animals,” Trejo said. “They are used to us. They trust us, which helps make their behavior more predictable.”

Along the way, the duo has learned to read the behaviors of the animals in their care the way most people read books. For instance, snakes are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature. As temperatures rise, so does their level of agitation. On Texas summer days when the mercury pushes 90 degrees in the shade, Trejo keeps his ears as well as his eyes open when he’s handling snakes. Their largest snake, a boa constrictor, measures 11 feet and weighs about 60 pounds.

“A snake’s hiss is as telling as a conversation,” Trejo said. “The only way to truly know what will be successful is to work with your animals every day.”

Sometimes the work comes through incidental contact as the team feeds, cleans or provides medical attention. Most days, though, there is intentional training as well.

“Wart hogs don’t load in a trailer if somebody doesn’t teach them how nor do reindeer instinctively wear a halter and lead like horse,” Trejo said. “It takes lots of work—and lots of patience.”

Trejo and Phillips are the only fulltime employees at Zoomagination. Their efforts are supplemented by those of seven part-time volunteers. At Zoomagination, non-presentation days follow a general routine and there is plenty of work to go around.

Trejo, with a cup of coffee in hand and his dog at his side, begins the day before sunrise by walking the grounds to ensure that all of the animals are in their proper enclosures and none have “gone for a joy ride overnight.” Next, working with one group at a time in a set order, he begins feeding, watering and administering medications or medical treatments. Once he’s worked his way through the facility, Trejo then begins cleaning all of the enclosures.

After cleaning, he tackles food prep for the mid-day snack and the evening feeding. Then, Trejo moves on to any specific training that he has identified for the day. After conducting the midday check and feeding, Trejo starts on repairs, maintenance, bookkeeping, client relations, bookings and a myriad of other tasks familiar to non-profit managers and small business owners.

“Of course, when you work with animals, there is nothing routine within your routine,” Trejo said.

There are days when managers awake to find a storm-blown tree laying atop the aviary, so birds have to be rehomed and contractors called. Some days, managers discover their constant companion, a beloved crested porcupine is a kleptomaniac and hoarder.

Trejo recalled the day he was fixing fence and reached for his pliers. He discovered the pliers and the crested porcupine, both there just minutes before, had gone missing. When Trejo made his way to her hutch, he found not only his pliers, but a shoe, a baseball cap and several other treasures.

“With each animal, there is a lifetime of little things that you remember,” Trejo said.

Before COVID-19, the Zoomagination team had up to four presentations scheduled five days a week. Each day, the team selected 5-7 animals to handle that day’s appearances. Every animal at Zoomagination appears at least once a month; some appear more frequently.

The presentations last about 40 minutes. Each animal is out for about five minutes before returning to its kennel, where it stays for the duration of the exhibition and during the time it takes to travel to the next destination. On a day with four presentations, the animals interact with the public for no more than 20 minutes.

“Just like doctors and their patients, our guiding principle with our animals is ‘do no harm,’” Trejo said. “We don’t own these animals, but have the responsibility and privilege of taking care of them.”

With the responsibility and privilege comes joy.

“I’ve made animal advocacy my life,” Trejo said. “I wake up to it. I go to sleep to it, so I’ve never worked a day in my life.

“It is sheer joy to watch as our animals open the door to nature for people who might not otherwise see it. When people look up from their screens and start paying attention to the world around them, then I feel like I’ve done my part as a messenger for nature.”

The Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) is an organization that serves Texas wildlife and its habitat, while protecting property rights, hunting heritage, and the conservation efforts of those who value and steward wildlife resources. We love our great state, and to ensure future generations do as well, your support and membership is needed. We have an obligation to be responsible stewards of Texas; and as members of TWA, we form a dynamic, steadfast force that defends and strengthens the fundamental ideals and rights that Texas was founded on.

The future of our state’s wildlife populations, hunting heritage and private landowner rights rests on us. As a member of Texas Wildlife Association, you will have a voice in an organization that is truly doing the work for Texas and Texans. Please consider joining us as a member of Texas Wildlife Association.

APPRECIATING JAVELINAS

Article by TAMRA BOLTON

What is small, stinky, hairy and can run like a cartoon rabbit? It’s a little understood native Texas mammal…the collared peccary, more commonly known as the javelina.

“They are the Rodney Dangerfield of South Texas,” said David Hewitt, Leroy G. Denman Jr. Endowed Director of Wildlife Research, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. “They get no respect.”

The javelina is somewhat of a curiosity in the natural world— it looks like a pig, but it’s not a pig. Little research is available on these distinctive creatures allowing myths and misconceptions to abound. What we do know is the javelina is an important part of our Texas biodiversity and deserves some attention.

My first encounter with a javelina was in Davis Mountain State Park near Fort Davis. I was enjoying a late afternoon cup of coffee in the sparse shade of my campsite when I saw something dart across the narrow ravine running alongside my camp.

The smallish brown blur streaked by so fast, I wasn’t exactly sure what it was until the inquisitive mystery guest peeked out from the surrounding brush. I watched the bristly body emerge as I sat perfectly still.

Soon I could observe the distinctive white collar and the tiny bright eyes. I was captivated. It sniffed the air and made a grunting noise as if trying to figure out if I was a friend or an enemy.

When an older couple approached on the hiking trail, the spell was broken. My visitor took off like a bullet.

I didn’t realize there were other javelinas in the area until the first one’s hasty departure triggered the entire clan. Soon, javelinas were darting in and out of the brush all around me. Rabbit-sized red blurs—baby javelinas—joined the melee making it quite a comical sight.

I couldn’t help but laugh, which unfortunately drove them to the far reaches of the campground. Since that time, I’ve learned more about the behavior and habits of the javelina and have developed a sincere appreciation for our charming little native.

HISTORY OF THE JAVELINA

Javelinas (collared peccary) range from Argentina to South Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, but they used to be found as far north as the Red River and east to the Brazos. While their range has receded to the South Texas brush country and the western edges of the Trans-Pecos and western Edwards Plateau, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department estimates there are as many as 200,000 javelinas in Texas today.

Over a century ago, those numbers were much higher, but from the 1880s through the late 1930s, countless javelinas were killed for their hides used in making gloves, jackets and other leather goods. In 1939, Texas gave the javelina protected status as a game species, allowing the javelina to slowly recover its numbers.

Today, in places like the sprawling King Ranch south of Kingsville, the javelina thrives in large herds, along with some scattered introduced populations in other parts of the state. With a year-round season and a two-per-year bag limit, javelina hunting is a popular tradition on many South Texas ranches. Javelina-watching is also a growing hobby among photographers and other nature-lovers who enjoy the antics of this lively little mammal.

WILD HOGS VERSUS JAVELINAS

At only 28-55 pounds and standing between 20-21 inches tall fully grown, the javelina is tiny compared to most feral hogs. Often mistaken for wild hogs, the javelina has several outstanding characteristics that will help observers differentiate between the two species:

• When startled, javelinas have a bristly erect ridge that goes from the crown of their head to their rump.

• Javelinas also have a musk gland that gives off a distinctive odor, making their presence known often before you can see them.

• Their most visible identifying mark is the white collar around the neck that gives them their true name— collared peccary.

• Javelinas also have noticeably shorter, practically nonexistent, tails and ears.

With the increasing population of the feral hog in Texas, many express concerns about the effect the hogs might have on the javelina population.

“In West Texas, I doubt the pigs are contributing too much to declines in javelinas,” said Sean P. Graham, Associate Professor

Photo by Russell A. Graves

of Biology, Curator of Vertebrae Collections, Sul Ross State University. “I rarely see wild pigs as they are usually in areas near water, and that means ranches with water features. This species requires more pristine desert and thorn scrub habitats. Feral pigs don’t seem to do as well in West Texas, probably because it’s so dry, so the desert will probably remain a stronghold for the javelina.”

Further, Hewitt co-authored a CKWRI research project on the intake of mast (honey mesquite pods and acorns from both live oak and Shumard oak trees) which found that in high concentrations of mast, wild boars will often displace (discourage) other species from consumption by their presence. White-tailed deer, javelinas and wild turkeys will often retreat from a feeding area when feral hogs approach. This makes the competition for the higher quality mast much stiffer among the more desirable game animals.

While mast is only available at certain times of the year, the javelinas have a definite advantage over the feral hogs, in that their main diet consists of prickly pear and other succulent vegetation. Another thing in the javelinas’ favor is the fact they can survive with little or no surface water and have a much higher heat tolerance than the feral hog, making the brushy semi-arid areas of South and West Texas ideal environments for the javelina to thrive.

The available surface water requirements for both drinking and wallowing of the feral hog naturally limit its range in the drier parts of our state which keeps the javelina and wild hog ranges from overlapping in many areas. This is good news for the native javelina and for those who appreciate the biodiversity of these last wild places.

JAVELINA MISCONCEPTIONS

The javelina is considered “vicious or dangerous” by some, but most of the seemingly aggressive type behavior can be explained

JAVELINA FACTS

• If prickly pear is plentiful, javelinas rarely frequent water holes. They get the water they need from the cacti.

• The javelina is actually a tropical species with molars designed for crushing hard tropical-type nuts.

• A special kidney modification in the javelina allows it to excrete oxalic acid, enabling it to eat large amounts of cacti and other plants not normally tolerated by most mammals.

• You can recognize the thin tough hide of the javelina when it’s used for gloves and other leather items by looking for a hair root pattern of three holes, evenly distributed across the hide.

• Javelinas usually have twin offspring, but litters can range from one to five.

• A common nickname for the javelina is “musk hog.”

• Javelinas travel in groups consisting of a few animals upwards of several dozen. Their somewhat limited home range is usually 180-556 acres. The scent from their musk glands is used to mark the boundaries of their territory.

in two words: poor eyesight. They just can’t see well-enough to judge a real threat from a perceived one. Javelinas have an excellent sense of smell which often makes them bolt when they catch wind of a predator, running in all directions to escape.

Reaching speeds of up to 20 mph, the javelina may run in the direction of the threat instead of the opposite direction, making them seem aggressive and a little scary, but they just need glasses. This also explains why javelinas dislike dogs and will attack in self-defense…they can’t tell the difference between a $1,500-hunting dog and a scruffy coyote, one of their predators.

The best advice is not to put dogs at risk in javelina territory. It’s a good idea to leave Rover at home or in a safe place like your four-by-four or pick-up. Some interactions are inevitable, but caution and being alert for signs of javelinas in the area will go a long way to prevent deadly encounters. Hewitt advises that when hiking, it’s always a good idea to make noise or talk when in javelina territory, and as with any wild animals, never approach or crowd them.

Most people think you can’t eat the meat of javelinas, because of the musky smell, fleas and other deterrents, but Hewitt said he thinks it could be a cultural thing. For years, he taught a big game class and when they were out in the field, he cooked javelina for the students.

Most of them had never tried it and couldn’t believe how tasty it was. Graham said that during his time in Mexico doing research, the locals grilled javelina and it was delicious. The key, according to Hewitt, is to properly skin the javelina.

“The musk gland is just under the skin on the rump about 6-8 inches from the tail; it comes right off with the skin, like a deer,” he said. “You don’t have to touch it or handle it.”

MANAGEMENT

Like any other game species, good sensible range management is the key to helping the javelina thrive in Texas. The javelina likes dense thickets of prickly pear and other succulents, chaparral, mesquite and scrub oak, with prickly pear being its preferred food. This diet helps control certain undesirable cacti which may be problematic for land managers.

Mechanical control of brush does not seem to adversely affect the javelina’s habitat, and the higher densities of prickly pear and other desired foods are more evident in these carefully managed areas than on undisturbed range. Wildlife managers could also increase the value of having javelina on the land by encouraging hunting and other activities that focus on this underappreciated Texas game animal.

CONCLUSION

We are truly blessed here in Texas to have such a range of biodiversity in our state. From the Panhandle to the Gulf Coast, from Big Bend to the Big Thicket, Texas has an incredibly rich natural heritage. Like hundreds of other native species, the javelina is unique and worth preserving.

Hewitt said it best: “Javelinas are part of what makes South and West Texas special. They are scrappy animals that have adapted to tough country. They deserve our respect and appreciation.”

Visit the TWA website for the latest news, statewide and local leadership contacts, calendar of events, Texas Wildlife magazine, membership – join, renew or upgrade – Conservation Legacy, Texas Youth Hunting Program, Texas Big Game Awards and much more.

Texas Wildlife Association Enjoy TWA information and postings, discussion boards, photos, videos and other items of interest using the world’s most popular social network. Communicate with TWA members, supporters and other who share similar interests.

Whooping Cranes

Article by SALLIE LEWIS

Photo by JOHN HUMBERT

Some of my most treasured childhood memories were made in Rockport, catching redfish, trapping blue crabs and shucking oysters under the light of a winter moon.

Winter, as it turns out, is my favorite time to visit the Texas gulf coast, though it was only recently that I came to appreciate one of the season’s biggest draws: The arrival of the Whooping Crane.

Late last year, I visited the sanctuary for the first time. An American alligator peered from a pond as I met Dr. Wade Harrell, a Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Laura Bonneau, the refuge’s Visitor Services Manager. As we departed for the tour, they shared the Whooping Crane’s resounding conservation story.

Back in 1941, there were just 15 Whooping Cranes surviving in the wild; by 1967 they were declared endangered. The latest winter survey estimated the current population at 506, securing this land and the people who protect it as leaders in America’s wildlife conservation movement.

“You don’t think of birds being at the top of the food chain, but they are here at the marsh,” said Harrell. “They’re like the comeback kid.”

Formed in 1937 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge today is comprised of five different land parcels with more than 115,000 acres. Protecting Whooping Crane habitat has been a crucial contributor to their

growing population, as have a handful of new conservation efforts spearheaded by Harrell and his team.

In the past decade, an initiative involving the use of cellular towers, GPS devices and telemetry work to track the cranes movement has proved particularly meaningful.

“Most of the recent science has come out of those efforts,” Harrell said.

Habitat restoration is another focus of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, particularly after Hurricane Harvey, with new breakwaters addressing the issue of shoreline erosion. Furthermore, as the Whooping Crane population continues to grow, so does their territory, as evidenced by the number of cranes seen beyond refuge boundaries.

Harrell works closely with private landowners on conservation easements, which will continue to ensure optimal management.

“Landowners have done a lot of conservation work for cranes,” he said.

As the sun tracked overhead, we stopped by one of the refuge’s most visited landmarks, a 40-foot observation tower that winds through layers of oak woodland before reaching a deck overlooking salt marshes, coastal prairies, oak mottes, and swales. Oyster boats specked the skyline by San Antonio Bay as we glassed the horizon looking for Whooping Cranes. To my surprise, we found a pair far off in the distance, grazing on killifish, clams, blue crabs and marsh snakes.

“When I’m talking to the public, I describe them as winter Texans,” Bonneau said. “They come for the seafood and temperate weather.”

Over the course of the morning, I learned all about these winged winter Texans, who are celebrated annually with a festival in Port Aransas. (This year’s event is scheduled for Feb. 21-24.)

Every year, approximately 60,000 people visit the refuge, lured by Mother Nature’s unspoiled splendor. Though only 5,000 of the refuge’s 115,000 acres are open to the public, there are six miles of hiking trails and a winding 16-mile auto tour that is worth exploring on your next trip.

“I always tell people the best thing you can do is find a spot and stay there,” Bonneau said. “You have to slow down to get that experience.”

At the end of my visit, I did just that and was rewarded as a pair of whoopers flew overhead, slender and regal with their white plumage and red-capped heads. What a gift, I thought, to await this ethereal endangered species every year.

Texas-sized trophies seem even bigger when they’re on your land.

As a cooperative, we share our profits with our customers. Since 2006, Capital Farm Credit’s combined cash returned and allocated equities for members is in excess of $1.75 billion – more than any agricultural lender in the state of Texas. So when you want your perfect piece of the Texas countryside, try a partnership that really pays 877.944.5500 | capitalfarmcredit.com NMLS493828

Together we’re better.