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Texas

A collection of 11 posts

‘Home on the Range’: The Mystery and Adventure Surrounding Origin Story of Cowboy Work Song

"Texas History"

‘Home on the Range’: The Mystery and Adventure Surrounding Origin Story of Cowboy Work Song

In 1934, New York attorney Samuel Moanfeldt set out on a three-month journey to find out who originally wrote the song “Home on the Range.”

big bend national park

Energy Development in West Texas that Collaborates with Nature and People

“Thinking holistically about energy development in far-West Texas. NOTE: this article was originally published to RespectBigBend.org in May 2021. It was titled “Thinking Differently About Energy Development: A Balanced Approach” A Report from Respect Big Bend & Texas’ Tri-County Stakeholder Engagement Group Respect Big Bend (RBB) is a project

scary tall and thin black trees in blue background

Book Review: ‘I Know What I Saw’

Seriously weird wildlife. NOTE: this article was originally published to WSJ.com on August 2, 2019. It was written by Tom Shippey. A collection of ﬁrsthand sightings of mythical and mysterious creatures in the U.S., from the Oglala Deer Woman to the Texas Lobo Girl. Farmers on the Mediterranean

gas plant with colorful cloud sky

Net Zero Natural Gas Plant -- The Game Changer

Instead of subsidizing the feel-good mirages of solar and wind, those who want clean, cheap energy should devote these funds to making fossil fuels cleaner. The method described below would transform carbon emissions. Similar methods could work with coal. NOTE: this article was originally published to Forbes on July 31,

Acornseekers Brings Jamón Ibérico to Texas

Acornseekers Brings Jamón Ibérico to Texas

Free-range Spanish pigs, living on natural forage including acorns, produce pork that is celebrated by gourmets around the world. In Texas, anti-competitive regulations and bureaucratic red tape effectively prevent Texans from marketing free-range “feral” pigs, many of which occupy ranges that are similar to those of Spain. NOTE: this article

Bounty Program Looks to Help Control Texas’ Feral Hog Problem

Bounty Program Looks to Help Control Texas' Feral Hog Problem

For thousands of years, wild and domestic animals have been sold as food. Because this “bounty” works so well, stopping market hunting is the first thing we do to protect the wild species. Human civilization was made possible in large part by free-ranging, foraging pigs that converted natural feed and

pronghorn_running_texas

Understanding the Effectiveness of Aerial Wildlife Surveys

This article makes very good points about the limitations of aerial surveys of wild animal populations. An unmentioned limiting factor in aerial survey accuracy is that helicopters are routinely used to kill ‘exotic’ animals and predators – often while counting game. This terrifies wildlife. Years of doing this – as in the

Bird Deaths a Setback in Texas Feral Hog Poison Testing

It turns out Texas’ latest wonder poison was a Pig in a Poke. Times Record News reports: “Field testing of a new feral hog control method experienced a major setback recently after nearly 200 birds were found dead. Justin Foster, Texas Parks and Wildlife Research Coordinator for Region 2, said

drought_west_texas_may_2018

Farmers Across High Plains Brace for Hard Times as Drought Bears Down

On the Southern Great Plains dry spells are normal. Although farmers and ranchers can’t make it rain, they can keep soil healthy, to make the most of what rain they get. Any home gardener knows that plant beds without mulch cover or plenty of soil organics need more water,

Discovery of Ancient Spearpoints in Texas Has Some Archaeologists Questioning the History of Early Americas

Ancient Spearpoints

Discovery of Ancient Spearpoints in Texas Has Some Archaeologists Questioning the History of Early Americas

It seems as if every month brings fresh archaeological evidence to push back the dates of human arrival in North America. NOTE: this article was originally published to Gizmodo.com on October 24, 2018. It was written byGeorge Dvorsky. Archaeologists have discovered two previously unknown forms of spearpoint technology at

TPWD Habitat Survey at Circle Ranch

"Invasion Biology"

TPWD Habitat Survey at Circle Ranch

In late fall of 2010 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department conducted a habitat survey at Circle Ranch, to see if our many cattle and other species including so called “exotics” were harming habitat through “competition”. As confirmed by this report, TPWD biologists found the opposite to be true. It turns