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Circle Ranch in West Texas

Experience From the High Deserts of Texas to the Rocky Mountain West.

For 20 years, our family owned and managed Circle Ranch, 32,000 acres of high desert located in the Sierra Diablo Mountains of far-West Texas. Our goal? Leaving the land more diverse, and therefore healthier, than we found it.

Our Philosophy

Wildlife and habitat only prosper when their ecosystem is in balance.

A pronghorn herd in desert grasslands of West Texas

Our Resources

The objective of biodiversity conservation is to maintain viable native animal and plant populations of all kind.

a native Elk roaming the desert grasslands of West Texas

Elk Removals Featured

Are Elk Native to Texas--Historical and Archaeological Evidence for the Natural Occurence of Elk in Texas

This paper began as an effort to persuade Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to cease its efforts to eradicate elk on the state lands which it manages in far-West Texas. Our assumption was that TPWD was acting out of a sincere misunderstanding of science, which could be corrected.

The Long-Term Plan for American Ranchers

cattle ranchers

The Long-Term Plan for American Ranchers

"The President hears them, he has to address both of these problems—for the ranchers, but also for the American consumer. He promised to lower costs, and that's what he's committed to doing."

Why This Cattle Farmer Moves His Cows Every Day

Why This Cattle Farmer Moves His Cows Every Day

Methane emissions from cattle contribute to climate change – but Will Harris says he has a solution.

Special Report: New World Screwworm

Special Report: New World Screwworm

In light of the imminent threat of New World screwworm looming along the Texas-Mexico border, Borderlands Research Institute has pulled together the following information and resources to help guide ranchers and farmers.

They Put Beavers On Dead Land With No Trees — What Happened Next Is Unreal

They Put Beavers On Dead Land With No Trees — What Happened Next Is Unreal

The remarkable saga of beaver dam restoration, the fight against beaver dam extinction, and the hidden story behind beaver dam locations extinction that once threatened entire landscapes.

“Conserving” Wild Bison?

"Conserving" Wild Bison?

Decades of experience with wildlife and forestry management show that state agencies generally produce better results than federal agencies.

Five Iconic Animals of Yellowstone

Five Iconic Animals of Yellowstone

Learn about wolves, elk, grizzly bears, bison, and river otters that call Yellowstone home.

America’s Ambitious Plan to Restore the Wild West

America’s Ambitious Plan to Restore the Wild West

By reintroducing iconic species like bison and pronghorns, we’re helping them reclaim their rightful place on the plains.

They Released Hundreds of Bisons Into a Dying Forest and After 10 Years, Result Was Insane

They Released Hundreds of Bisons Into a Dying Forest and After 10 Years, Result Was Insane

Once nearly extinct, the European bison is making a powerful return to the wild.

Watch This Wolf Go Fishing

Watch This Wolf Go Fishing

Wolves are thought of as red-meat eaters, but a team of biologists in northern Minnesota, near Voyageurs National Park, has documented a pack that often enjoys a meal of fish.

Polar Bears Have Settled in An Abandoned Weather Station

Polar Bears Have Settled in An Abandoned Weather Station

Novosibirsk photographer Vadim Makhorov showed a family of polar bears who have taken over the houses of an abandoned weather station on Koluchin Island in the Chukchi Sea. The footage was captured using a drone, which the predators tried to catch with their paws and teeth.

The Hunt For Earth’s Most Mysterious Creatures Is Turning Up Extraordinary Results

The Hunt For Earth’s Most Mysterious Creatures Is Turning Up Extraordinary Results

Scientists are looking for the "dark matter" of the animal kingdom — and it's revealing how little we know about life on our planet.

Rangeland Restoration: Subsoil Contour Plowing at Circle Ranch, in far-West Texas

Rangeland Restoration: Subsoil Contour Plowing at Circle Ranch, in far-West Texas

Subsoil contour plowing is an excellent way to increase water absorption in the desert grasslands of far-West Texas and Southern New Mexico. The effectiveness of the practice is shown in these before-and-after comparisons. NOTE: this post was originally published to this site on October 9, 2017, and again on March

I Planted a Forest Four Years Ago

I Planted a Forest Four Years Ago

An excellent example of nature's resiliency.... From the videographer: FOREST UPDATE 2025: In 2021 I planted a tree a minute, for 24 hours, on my mates farm. It was freakin hard work, but also one of the coolest, most rewarding days I’ve ever had. I made a

Scientists Spent 6 Years Tracking Yellowstone's Great Bison Migration. What They Found is Remarkable

Yellowstone Bison

Scientists Spent 6 Years Tracking Yellowstone's Great Bison Migration. What They Found is Remarkable

New research from the US national park shows migrating bison enrich grasslands – boosting plant nutrition, soil health and biodiversity.

Navajo Nation Game Surveys

Navajo Nation Game Surveys

Flying Elk and Deer Surveys for the Navajo Nation 2016