AIAR AIAR Far-West Texas Reunion My brothers and I hosted our high school graduating classes for a far-West Texas reunion. We spent two nights at Circle, two more at Cibolo Creek, one night in the Chisos Mountains and our last night in Fort Davis. Our classmates came from around the world. They could not believe
Bio-Diversity Recent Deer Breeding Survey Results Outlined By QDMA CEO This survey was made before it was known that Chronic Wasting Disease has been introduced into South Texas by deer breeders. By Colleen Schreiber GLEN ROSE — Those attending the recent Deer Study Group meeting heard the results of two surveys focusing on various aspects of the deer breeding industry. To
"Invasion Biology" Can the States Seize Control of Federal Lands? When Texas joined the union, we kept our public lands and almost all of those were sold over the next hundred years. That’s why 97% of Texas is private. This is a major reason for the economic viability of our state. Nevada in contrast is owned 80% by the
"Invasion Biology" Wall Street Journal Versus Germany, Science and Common Sense Germans, who invented environmentalism in the early 1800’s are simply recognizing the current evidence: Roundup causes cancer. Wall Street Journal spins this for their cronies, changing the subject from Roundup to GMO seeds, as if there were a difference. It also says the regulatory rubber-stamping of destructive agribusiness practices
"Invasion Biology" Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Lavaca County Deer; Ranch Quarantined Obvious responses to CWD are blocked by the economic interdependence of universities, agencies, conservation organizations and legislatures with the agricultural and agrochemical giants. Decisions within this coalition of special interests are often based internal politics, turf fights and cronyism. Another block is the crippling dogma of invasive species “biology”, which
Animal Development Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD): Captive Deer Industry Jeopardizing Future of our Natural Resources Government experimentation with captive deer created Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Confinement operations — whether public or private — spread CWD. This fact has nothing to do with liking or disliking deer breeders, political persuasion, property rights, public rights, personal preference, hunting ethics or the motivation of any person or group who might
"Invasion Biology" Animal and Plant Biodiversity Restoring Desert Habitats at Circle Ranch A basic doctrine of wildlife “management” is that nature is under attack by thousands of “invasive” plant and animal species which “compete” with “natives” to “harm ecosystem health.” Analysis of the knowledge supporting this ideology exposes invasive species biology as pseudo-science: biological bigotry, dignified with empirically-hollow buzzwords. Efforts to eradicate
"Invasion Biology" Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Response Highlights Texas’ Claim to Own Deer, Even Captive Ones Texas’ deer policy suffers from a bad case of schizophrenia: deer belong to the public but can be treated like livestock. Small wonder deer breeders think they own “their” deer. In 1975 Al Brothers and Murphy Ray published Producing Quality Whitetails, showing how landowners might selectively harvest deer to produce
Bio-Diversity TPWD's Chronic Wasting Disease Plan Will be Aired Across Texas Like its cousin Mad Cow Disease, CWD was started and spread by the confinement of animals in feedlot conditions, part of the larger body of industrial agriculture practices which are a growing part of wildlife “management”. These include artificial feed and supplements of minerals, hormones, antibiotics and other additives. This
Animal Development How a Wolf Named Romeo Won Hearts in an Alaska Suburb It seems that the question about which animals merit our highest standard of care and consideration—or at least a no-kill approach—often turns on intelligence. The “dumb beast” is clearly least like us. I find what sparks my sense of simpatico, though, is not necessarily sharp intelligence, but basic
Bio-Diversity A Lesson for Wildlife "Management”: The Rise of the Medical Bureaucrat and Centralized Health Care The rise of the medical bureaucracy has harmed health care by reducing the role of doctors in health care decisions. The wildlife parallel is that the ever-expanding role of the agribusiness monopolies, agencies, universities and NGOs, has usurped the historic role of ranchers and farmers, and displaced their traditional methods
"Invasion Biology" State Culls 35 Deer From Area Ranch to Test For Chronic Wasting Disease The dirty little secret of Chronic Wasting Disease is that it was created in a government-funded Colorado wildlife experimental facility: the Front Range Experimental Station in Fort Collins Colorado. While there is collective amnesia about what was being done to these confined animals, there is no doubt this is where
Cattle Should Washington End Agriculture Subsidies? Agricultural subsidies fundamentally disrupt the economics of farming and ranching, making both unprofitable, leading to monopolies and harming the environment. Eliminating them would be the cheapest and quickest environmental & wildlife measure possible. NOTE: post originally appeared on WSJ.com July 12, 2015 The U.S. government has been protecting
"Invasion Biology" They Brought Wolves to Yellowstone But Had No Idea This Would Be The Result Predators including wolves are important to habitat because they influence animal behavior in ways that benefit plants. Predator eradications always harm habitat and the animals the eradications are intended to help. Cattlemen and conservations alike should take note. NOTE: post originally appeared on TheShrug.net on May 19, 2015 After
Animal Development CWD Detected In Captive Deer Breeding Facility Near Medina This was bound to happen as wildlife “management” increasingly copies the confinement methods of industrial agriculture. AUSTIN —(TAHC)— A two year-old white-tailed deer in a Medina County deer breeding facility has been confirmed positive for chronic wasting disease. This is the first case of CWD detected in captive white-tailed deer
"Invasion Biology" Bees' Decline Linked to Poisons When “managing” wildlife and habitat, it is useful to think of plants, animals and soil life as a single organism. Whatever hurts any part of this organism, harms the organism as a whole. NOTE: this article originally appeared on WSJ.com May 26th EU to Revisit Question of Insecticides’ Responsibility
"Invasion Biology" A Sharp Spike in Honeybee Deaths Deepens a Worrisome Trend Yet another example of the damage being done to biodiversity, in this case insects, by the chemicals used in our industrial agriculture. This is germane to wildlife and habitat. NOTE: this article originally appeared on NYTimes.com on May 13th, 2015 A prolonged and mysterious die-off of the nation’s
"Invasion Biology" Cows Can Save the World I write to offer a constructive way forward in the tragic cultural genocide unfolding in America’s wonderful western ranching culture that is embedded in the nation’s culture. I do so knowing the risk of trying to help a lion by operating on a back molar in its jaw.
Conservation Columbia Halts Spraying to Prevent Cancer The World Health Organization: “Roundup Causes Cancer”. EPA: “Roundup is Safe as Aspirin”. The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, like the conglomerates that own them, remain in lockstep with the major US agencies, universities and agrochemical giants in saying that Roundup and the witches’ brew of toxic
"Invasion Biology" Desert Grasslands Restoration: Manejo Holistico in Chihuahua - Las Damas Ranch At Circle Ranch, holistic planned grazing of herds including the one above has been very beneficial to wildlife and habitat. Planned grazing is increasingly used in northern Chihuahua, as described below. NOTE: this post has been re-published with permission of the author and HMI – after originally appearing in HMI’s
Erosion Control Notable & Quotable: John Steinbeck on Dry Years and Wet Years ‘But there were dry years too, and they put a terror on the valley.’ John Steinbeck was of a generation that lived close to the land. Grapes of Wrath, and The Red Pony reveal his farmer’s insight. Writing about California’s Salinas Valley, where he grew up, in the
Bio-Diversity Livestock Management for Coexistence with Large Carnivores, Healthy Land and Productive Ranches Experience is proving that when cattle are run in large herds they are less susceptible to predation, especially from smaller predators like coyotes and Mexican Wolves. LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT FOR COEXISTENCE WITH LARGE CARNIVORES, HEALTHY LAND AND PRODUCTIVE RANCHES A white paper by Matt Barnes, Field Director for Rangeland Stewardship Keystone
Animal Development Returning the Wolf to Texas The Mexican Wolf would be highly beneficial to West Texas wildlife, habitats, and cattle raising. NOTE: Post Originally Appeared on Rick Libello’s site on March 14, 2015 Less than a 100 yards from my office at the El Paso Zoo every day I am reminded of one of the
"Invasion Biology" Desert Habitat Restoration: Opposing Assumptions about Wildlife Biodiversity Pictured below are 10 species of animals photographed in our mountains at Circle Ranch during Spring 2015. Conventional wildlife “management” says six of these species should be removed as they are assumed to “harm” desert bighorn sheep, desert mule deer, pronghorn and their habitat. CLICK HERE FOR 75 PHOTOS: Diablo
