Animal Growth

A collection of 84 posts

Animal Development

Where Cow Pies Really Matter

Grass fed livestock works better for the land because plants need animals as much as animals need plants. NOTE: This post initially appeared on SAExpressNews.com on June 11, 2016 Proponents of grass-fed cattle, such as the ones here on Doug Havemann’s Mesquite Field Farm, say their cattle don’

"Invasion Biology"

Killing Bighorn to Save Bighorn?

It‘s hard to name a modern wildlife “management” practice that does not involve killing some plant or animal to “help” other plants or animals to the unintended detriment of all. The idea that humans can improve on nature would be laughable but for the damage being done to wild

Animal Development

Mid-Summer 2016 Game Cameras

Do most of the species pictured below—and all of the predators—“compete” with each other and harm bighorn, mule deer, pronghorn and ecosystem health as the wildlife agencies say? Or do they complement each other? Is biodiversity good or bad for our deserts? Recent studies of the Serengeti shed

Animal Development

Too Many Deer on the Road? Let Cougars Return, Study Says

Predator removals are the most unnatural of all our wildlife “management” perversions. Restoring predators is the cheapest and quickest way to deal with excess deer and feral pigs, thereby rebalancing wildlife populations. Predators also do the best job of removing sick animals, protecting healthy deer, elk and bighorn from animal

"Invasion Biology"

Wildlife, Habitat Flourishing in High Desert Mountains of Far West Texas

Gary Joiner and I became friends when he was Executive Director of Texas Wildlife Association, and I was on his board.  He has a weekly radio show on wildlife, for which I gave this short interview. For more Texas Wildlife Radio Show / Texas Farm Bureau reports visit: http://texasfarmbureau.org/

"Invasion Biology"

Biodiversity Benefiting Wildlife, Plants on Circle Ranch

Wildlife population, habitat flourish in far West Texas Note: This originally appeared in Texas Wildlife Radio Show / Texas Farm Bureau reports Circle Ranch is a 32,000-acre high-desert mountain ranch located in the Sierra Diablo (Devil Mountains) of Hudspeth County in far West Texas. Range and wildlife habitat conditions right

"Invasion Biology"

Spring 2016 Game Cameras

Biodiversity is Good, not Bad Because plants need animals as much as animals need plants, a biodiverse plant community requires a biodiverse animal community. Conventional wildlife “management” and “conservation” theory says that most of the animals, and especially the predators pictured below harm “native” plants and animals, through “competition”, and

Animal Development

Game Cameras - Early Summer 2016

Update and photos from our guide and camera manager, Jerad: Hello Mr. Gill, Quite the lamb crop this year. I don’t remember seeing this many in years past. I have seen a couple of groups with 10 lambs and lots with 4-8 as seen in the pictures! Also thought

"Invasion Biology"

Game Cameras - February 2016

In far-West Texas, a coalition of government agencies, agricultural universities and conservation organizations has decreed that on public lands more than half of the species pictured below should be severely reduced or removed altogether to help bighorn, pronghorn and deer. The coalition claims that all “exotics” and many “natives” including

"Invasion Biology"

Cows and Elk - A Symbiotic Relationship

When grazed properly, cattle can be very beneficial for elk. Cattle are similar in their grazing impact to bison; bison and elk were mutually dependent for many thousands of years in North America. NOTE: originally published in HMI In Practice Newsletter May June 2013

"Invasion Biology"

Winter 2016 Game Photos

A basic disagreement between Big Wildlife and holistic thinkers like Aldo Leopold is whether multiple species compete with each other or compliment each other. Another is whether predators like wolves, lions, coyotes & bobcats harm prey species, or, as Aldo Leopold observed, benefit them by getting rid of sick animals

"Invasion Biology"

Parks and Wildlife Begins Reducing Deer Population at Texas Mountain Ranch

CWD and high-fenced deer go hand in hand. Chronic Wasting Disease was created in a government-funded, high-fenced experimental wildlife facility near Fort Collins, Colorado. They won’t say what was being done to these confined animals, but instead spin the story to imply CWD appeared spontaneously. The same agencies that

"Invasion Biology"

Circle Ranch Game Cameras - Winter 2015

Below you will see many wildlife photos showing our mixed species sharing range and water. Note the areas frequented by different species. Elk do well everywhere, particularly in the desert, which means elk are potential rescue species for empty deserts. Bulls would be worth $10,000 – $15,000 if allowed

Animal Development

Winter Grazing Report at Circle Ranch

Guy Glosson helps us with grazing planning and monitoring.  He is a rancher, HMI Certified Educator, and HMI Director.   Grazing Report, February 2015 I arrived late Tuesday afternoon and did not have time to look at much of the country. I went with David on Wednsday to feed the herd

"Invasion Biology"

Restoring Grasslands with Planned Grazing: Soil Carbon Curious

Adaptive Multi-Paddock grazing (AMP grazing) is regenerating soils around the world, producing healthy grass-finished beef. But the science on AMP grazing is sparse, to say the least. Now, a group of leading soil, rangeland, bug and social scientists are setting out to fill the science gap. Led by Dr. Richard

Animal Development

Forget Whole Foods. Go Whole Hog.

The obvious solution to the feral pig “problem” is to put free-range pigs back in the human food chain where they belong, and would be, but for government red tape which benefits the big companies at the expense of the public and wildlife. NOTE: article was originally published on WSJ.

Animal Development

Is Feedlot Beef Bad for the Environment?

Although this debate contains statistical data that may be accurate, it is missing holistic thinking, including the fact that our grasslands are in decline as a result of animal removals. This fact has profound implications for our society.   NOTE: post originally appeared on WSJ.com · July 12, 2015   Feedlots play

"Invasion Biology"

Biodiversity Helps High Desert Grasslands: Circle Ranch Game Cameras, Fall 2015.

Because plants need animals as much as animals need plants, a biodiverse plant community requires a biodiverse animal community. Conventional wildlife “management” and “conservation” theory is based on invasive species biology, which is an ideology not a science. Invasive species biology maintains that most of the animals, including the predators

"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

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

"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"

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