“The overall goal of Hunting Heritage is educating Texans about wildlife and the role that hunting plays in conservation through wildlife and habitat management,” said David Brimager, TWA’s Director of Public Relations and a Certified Wildlife Biologist®. “Through our new initiative H2, we’re combining our existing long-term programs with several new ones into one focused, integrated effort to educate Texans across the board and help funnel them into the field through mentored hunting opportunities.”
Category
Owning Land
Tips and resources for the land owner and property improvement, plus advice and information about wildlife and habitat management, property taxes and more
Is Your Land Orchard-Ready? (Plus: Thanksgiving Cider Suggestions!)
Virginia’s Foggy Ridge Cider founder Diane Flynt pioneered the hard-cidery craft in the region over 20 years ago. Here, we talk to her about her favorite ciders and the steps you need to consider to turn your land into a producing apple orchard.
Small Acreage, Big Impact for Wildlife
“From the agency’s perspective, size doesn’t matter when it comes to technical guidance or cost-share programs,” Siegmund said. “All landowners receive our best information for managing their properties, and cost-share money is awarded on the merit of the project, not on the size of the acreage.”
Wildlife Partners LLC: The Business of Conservation
Through his San Antonio-based company Wildlife Partners LLC, Brian Gilroy is in the business of non-native wildlife conservation.
First Impressions
Property entrances hold functional and aesthetic appeal for landowners. Gates are as much a part of Texas’ rural landscape as bluebonnets and wide-open spaces. But when it comes to design, tastes in the Lone Star State are as varied as the terrain.
COVID-19 Challenges & Silver Linings
Domestically, there are no hunting operations in the U.S. that are fully immune to the impacts of C-19 and a hammered economy. One could surmise that things could have been worse if this C-19 crisis would have hit during the Fall hunting seasons, but none the less, there are some hunting operations that had a large volume of business on their calendar for March, April and May. My business, Wildlife Systems, Inc. (WSI), had roughly 100 hunters scheduled on various hunts from March 15–May 1, and I spent the better part of three weeks sorting out contingency plans with those clients.
Landowner Liability, A Real but Manageable Threat
The threat of liability exists anytime landowners open their property to anyone, including family and friends.
New Opportunity for Forest Landowners
The Opportunity Zone Program, part of the new tax law, offers tax incentives that could impact forest landowners.
Chris Miller, American Forest Management, Inc - April 10, 2020
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Seeking the Balanced Ranch
While states at lower elevations may have self-contained cattle operations, where all ranching operations occur on the same property, Colorado is a different story, with multiple properties necessary to form a “balanced” ranch.
Gary Hubbell, ALC - April 10, 2020
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Agriculture & Wildlife Tax Appraisal in Texas
If you’re a Texas landowner, you’re in good company; 97 percent of our state is privately owned and managed. Accompanying the thrill of owning property in Texas, though, is that all-too-familiar sting of the state’s high property taxes, which begs the question—how can landowners maximize the use of their property?
Michal Ann Morrison for Fredericksburg Realty - March 26, 2020
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Just Add Water to Increase Your Land Value
In Texas, nothing attracts wildlife and birds to your property—and keeps them coming back—like water. And few property improvements are as likely to increase your land value as a pond, lake or stock tank.
Wildlife Management 101
I’m extremely fortunate to own, manage and control a respectable tract of leased and deeded ground in the Pacific Northwest. Taken with a laugh, my personal experience hasn’t been learned easily, nor done inexpensively via traditional venues. Private land wildlife management practices are commonly dominated by whitetail deer, a little waterfowl and an occasional fish or upland bird topic.
Garrett Zoller, ALC - December 19, 2019
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Concerning Cannabis
Cannabis reform is sweeping the nation. Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have passed laws broadly legalizing marijuana in some form. This movement will continue, and the Federal Government will catch up or be forced to approve and adapt in time as reform states lead the way.
Kirk Goble, ALC - December 18, 2019
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Chasing Blues Through the Texas Chaparral
Blue quail do not observe the finer gamebird principles as bobwhites; rather, they are more rogue and prone to run like members of a gang
who are scattering from law dogs.
8 Tools & Accessories That Every Farmer Needs When Working in Harsh Weather Conditions
Preparing for severe weather sooner than later will pay off in spades. To boost productivity and safety, anyone working in the agricultural industry should have the following farm tools and accessories.
Natalie Bucsko - October 15, 2019
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Farmers’ Guide to Preparing for & Enduring Winter Weather
When Old Man Winter hits, farmers must take certain precautions during the cold season. From sporting the right cold weather gear in subzero temperatures to ensuring that crops and livestock are able to withstand the brutal cold, a little preparation can make all the difference to your safety, productivity, and crop yield.
Natalie Bucsko - October 1, 2019
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“Mi Casa Es Su Casa”: 5 Keys to Managing Wildlife in Backyard Habitats
When we think of wildlife management in Texas, we tend to think of large areas, such as ranches and state parks, generally involving charismatic game species such as whitetails, wild turkey, bobwhites and mule deer. However, for those folks who live in the concrete jungles of urban Texas, and even for those who have homes in the more open landscapes of rural Texas, managing wildlife on a micro-scale basis in the backyard of a house can yield amazing and rewarding results, with the principal beneficiaries often being non-game wildlife.
Looking Out For Our Fine-Feathered Flyers
Every August, Nancy and John Merrill flood a hay field on their ranch so that flocks of Rocky Mountain Greater Sandhill cranes can eat and rest during their staging season.
Karen Deger McChesney - July 2, 2019
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The Wild Side of Business: Cross-Pollinating Ranches & Recreation
The ranching community has been forced to adapt to changing market pressures in recent years, often creating a blend between traditional livestock and farming practices and fee-based wildlife programs.
Black Beauty
“When I look at the mount of Black Beauty on the wall, I see all the hard work we’ve put into the ranch and all the ways we have improved
the habitat for wildlife.”
George Bowe Blitch, MapMyRanch.com - May 19, 2019
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