Elk Removals - Pitchstone Waters (Page 4)

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Elk Removals

Elk were once common in West Texas, across the state, and from coast to coast. Today TPWD and ranchers eradicate native elk because managers believe they "compete" with Desert Bighhorn Sheep and Mule Deer. We've written extensively on the topic. See below.

circle_ranch_jardineros_restoring_grassland

"Invasion Biology"

Animal Impact Made Easy #1

Join a a “pasture walk” at Circle Ranch in far-West Texas to observe how we use cattle to restore grasslands in our high-desert mountains. Animal Impact Made Easy #1 from Christopher Gill on Vimeo.

ircle_ranch_big_bend_fire_burros

"Invasion Biology"

Wildfire Danger Grows on Destocked Public Lands in Far-West Texas

When animals are removed, wildfire risk is increased. Cattle, burros, aoudad and elk will reduce this risk, and help deer, pronghorn and sheep in the process. NOTE: Post initially appeared on SAExpressNews.com on February 3, 2016 Big Bend National Park Still Burning Firefighters continue to battle a brush fire

circle_ranch_book_review_feature

"Invasion Biology"

Book Review: The Pseudoscience of Invasive Species "Biology"

“Competitive” or cooperative? Bighorn and aoudad sharing range and water at Circle Ranch. No science supports the claim that aoudad harm wild animals and plants. “When native species drop mulch, fix nitrogen, attract new pollinators, or create shade, it’s called beneficial. When an exotic does exactly the same, it’

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

"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

Circle Ranch Game Cameras: Using Biodiversity to Restore Desert Grasslands

"Invasion Biology"

Circle Ranch Game Cameras: Using Biodiversity to Restore Desert Grasslands

Many wildlife “managers” try to eliminate most of the species pictured below to increase bighorn, or some other favored species like deer or pronghorn. Their actions harm the animals they intend to help because biodiversity is necessary for healthy wild animals and habitat. Until our practices are based on this

federal_lands_west_texas

"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

sa_express_news_deer_wasting_lavaca

"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

circle_ranch_west_texas_ram_feature

"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

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Response Highlights Texas’ Claim to Own Deer, Even Captive Ones

"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

A Lesson for Wildlife "Management”: The Rise of the Medical Bureaucrat and Centralized Health Care

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

state_of_texas_culls_35_deer

"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

They Brought Wolves to Yellowstone But Had No Idea This Would Be The Result

"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

circle_ranch_game_cameras_west_texas

"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

circle_ranch_cats_feature

"Invasion Biology"

2.7 Million Creatures Killed Last Year in U.S.'s Secretive War on Animals

Publicly-funded wildlife eradications are a big surprise to many people. NOTE:orginially appeared on TheDodo.com Nearly 7,400 wild animals were slaughtered every single day on average across the U.S. last year — not by hunters or poachers, but by a government agency whose stated mission is “to resolve

Wildlife Numbers Drop by Half Since 1970, Report Says

"Invasion Biology"

Wildlife Numbers Drop by Half Since 1970, Report Says

Biodiversity loss in our Southwestern deserts is part of a larger global trend. Wildlife “management” is making this worse. NOTE: Originally appeared on WSJ.com September 30, 2014. It was written by Gautam Naik. Analysis by WWF and Others Was Based on Thousands of Species in Rivers, on Land and

Restoring Desert Grasslands. EARTH A New Wild – Episode 2 – Plains

"Invasion Biology"

Restoring Desert Grasslands. EARTH A New Wild - Episode 2 - Plains

EARTH: A New Wild takes a fresh look at humankind’s relationship to the planet’s wildest places and most fascinating species. Produced by National Geographic Studios in association with Passion Planet, the series is hosted by Dr. M. Sanjayan, leading conservation scientist, who takes viewers on a stunning visual

circle-ranch-texas-grasslands-not-badlands

"Invasion Biology"

Restoring Desert Grasslands or Creating Desert Badlands?

For 60 years, this National Park Service land has been “protected” from cattle, unintentionally accelerating its desertification. Here is a typical Big Wildlife program being pursued at Big Bend National Park to “protect” degrading habitat. (ABOVE PDF can be viewed here -> ) I don’t doubt the sincerity or

Restoring Desert Grasslands: A New Book by Allan Savory

"Invasion Biology"

Restoring Desert Grasslands: A New Book by Allan Savory

It is hard to believe that the common sense contained in this little book has generated such anger and controversy. Holistic planned grazing uses domestic animals as replacements for the great wild herds that once roamed our grasslands. Beginning with a simple explanation of the physiological need of grasslands for

Invasive Species Eradications: "The Rest of the Story"

"Invasion Biology"

Invasive Species Eradications: "The Rest of the Story"

If you have bought into Big Wildlife’s ‘invasive species crisis,’ and believe that eradicating and poisoning of ‘invasive’ species of plants and wild animals are based on science, or benefit ecosystems including wildlife and habitat, you need to hear “The Rest of the Story.” David I. Theodoropoulos directs the

Circle Ranch Game Cameras: May 2014

"Invasion Biology"

Circle Ranch Game Cameras: May 2014

“Competition” or Cooperation? Here are links to some great pictures of many species sharing water and habitat at the Circle Ranch. Several of the species photographed such as the aoudad and bighorn pictured above, are said by game ‘managers’ to be incompatible. ‘Exotics’, these ‘experts’ say, harm bighorn, deer, pronghorn,

circle_ranch_education_grades_f_feature

"Invasion Biology"

Bad News for Range and Wildlife Science: An “F” Grade for America’s Elite Colleges

American Council of Trustees and Alumni vice president of policy Michael Poliakoff on the state of the country’s most prestigious liberal arts colleges. NOTE: this originally appeared on WSJ Live Online on 1/28/2014 America’s Colleges Flunk Out If we wonder why our wildlife management practices have

Petition Targets ‘Rogue’ Killings by Wildlife Services

"Invasion Biology"

Petition Targets ‘Rogue’ Killings by Wildlife Services

NOTE: Article initially appeared in the Washington Post on December 15th, 2013. Darryl Fears They say U.S. critter assassins work in secret, quietly laying traps, lacing food with poison, sniping at targets from helicopters. Few people know exactly how the hits go down; the methods are largely hidden. What’

Aoudad, The Bogus Boogeyman

"Invasion Biology"

Aoudad, The Bogus Boogeyman

Eradication Science or Eradication Snake Oil? This piece asks common sense questions about the increasing use of wild animal eradication as a primary conservation tool, and about the foundations on which these practices rest: Why have eradications become so prevalent? Do eradications advance conservation? Are eradications based on science or

Creosote Bush: An Unassuming But Ancient Form of Life All Around Us

"Invasion Biology"

Creosote Bush: An Unassuming But Ancient Form of Life All Around Us

Though sometimes regarded as a nuisance by residents of the arid Southwest, the creosote bush is a complex and fascinating plant – and creosote colonies constitute some of the oldest organisms known to inhabit the planet. The shrub-like plant’s scientific name is Larrea tridentata, and it is known by many

Trans-Pecos Mule Deer Population Declines 40 Percent - Mule Deer Hunting Season is Lengthened

Trans-Pecos Mule Deer Population Declines 40 Percent - Mule Deer Hunting Season is Lengthened

Far-West Texas: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has extended the mule deer season through the last Sunday in January for those properties operating under Managed Land Deer Permits (MLDP). West Texas mule deer population trends remain alarming. According to the report posted above, the TPWD count “raw data” of