doing what works Doing What Works: Range Magazine Here is the summary of two years of correspondence with the Mule Deer Working Group, my futile attempt to get them to change the sloppy-science-based range advice which so harms desert habitats and wildlife.
circle ranch Don Frantzen on Predator Removals Don Frantzen is a highly-experienced manager of deer herds. We have been friends for twenty-five years.
Grazing Habitat Guidelines for Mule Deer This document was amended in 2009. It is dated 2006, but contains, for example, references to the Briske, et al. paper published in 2008.
Elk Removals Aoudad at Two Section, August 2009. This is an Aoudad, or Barbary Sheep. 900 of these animals have been shot at Big Bend Park, from helicopters, by members of Texas Parks and Wildlife
Predator Removals Cougar at Two Section, July 2009 The policy to treat these as vermin is a huge mistake.
Predator Removals Eagle at Two Section, July, 2009 This immature Golden Eagle was flying along the east escarpment.
habitat restoration Keyline Concepts for Subsoiling Always plow valleys downwards and ridges upwards. This is the heart of Keyline subsoiling and the major unrecognized aspect of contouring which can actually cause erosion to increase.
Grazing Steve Nelle to Mule Deer Working Group June 2009 Steve Nelle is one of the leading NRCS scientists practicing today.
Dr. David Briske Chris Gill to Dr. David Briske I had already read the Briske paper and realized that it tested Short Duration Grazing systems and not planned grazing.
Chris Gill's Response to the Mule Deer Working Group Chris Gill's Response to the Mule Deer Working Group Regarding Habitat Guidelines for Mule Deer Advice Against Planned Grazing Rather than send a long, separate response, I decided to try an interlined response, dealing with these points one at a time.
Grazing Of Mule Deer and Paradigms I wrote this for Holistic Management International’s semi-monthly publication In Practice, discussing the Mule Deer Working Group’s unwillingness to amend its conclusions which misstated the scientific basis for their advice against planned grazing.
Grazing Mule Deer Working Group Response to Chris Gill This is the response I received from Dr. Heffelfinger on behalf of the Authors and Sponsors of Habitat Guidelines for Mule Deer.
Elk Removals A Study of Elk Movements in The Glass Mountains This recent study shows that elk are very mobile.
Predator Removals Predator Grand Slam, October 2008 Coyote, fox, bobcat and cougar. Middle Well. These look really cool, but guess what was nesting in the trees directly above
Circle Ranch Cave Dwelling This large cave is about 80′ x 80′, head-height, and was used by indians for thousands of years.
Elk Removals Big Bend Ranch State Park Bighorn Sheep Restoration Plan The document below was provided to Circle Ranch by the Texas Department of Wildlife in August, 2008 in response to concerns about the culling of elk in the vicinity of our ranch.
Quail & Wildlife Waterers Sierra Diablo WMA Waterer, June 2008 We advocate water additions. Here is one which will not help quail.
Elk Removals Elephant Mountain WMA Management Plan Elephant Mountain WMA was given to, and accepted by, the Department for the purpose of increasing big game animals which at that time included elk
circle ranch Photos For more pictures please visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/circleranchtx/9285756208/
Quail Blue Quail on Circle Ranch Waterer, August 2007 Many experts say that supplemental water does not help desert quail. We believe it does.
Turkey Turkey in Wood Canyon, December 17, 2006 We conducted three years of releases. These birds were from a small first release conducted in winter 2005.
Erosion Control Flash Flood in 17 Draw, August 31, 2006 In the old West Texas joke, a visitor asks the old cowboy, “How much rain do you get a year?” To which the old boy replies, “Only 11 inches, but you ought to be here on the day it comes!”
Erosion Control Old Roadbeds Cause Erosion When the original settlers came, they took their teams and wagons up the valley bottoms.
