Tag: wildlife habitat

Planting Native Grass for Wildlife Habitat

Creating better habitat for wildlife has become more important as natural lands have been lost or converted for other uses. Of course, habitat is always relative to the animal we are discussing — because quail habitat is not the same as duck habitat. Native grasslands have been one of the hardest hit plant communities in the United States, so animals that use this area have been highly impacted. But, native grass can be planted and re-established for grassland-using wildlife species.

When it comes to good-for-wildlife grasses, native grasses are of course the only way to go. Good grasses over much of the Great Plains would be species such as big bluestem, little bluestem, Indiangrass, sideoats grama, and switchgrass. Switchgrass really works good in drainages and wetter areas within grasslands. Also, if you want the cream of the crop grass try some eastern gamagrass. Continue reading Planting Native Grass for Wildlife Habitat

Habitat Management: Springs in Texas are Healthy

Springs have social, wildlife, habitat, and economic values. It has long been thought that natural springs have declined in the Texas Hill Country, but a new study by Texas AgriLife Research scientists finds we have it all wrong! And that is good news because water is quickly becoming an increasingly important commodity. Contrary to widespread perceptions, springs in the Edwards Plateau, which provide much of the stream flows, have not been declining as a result of increased encroachment of woody plants. In fact, spring flows are twice as high as they were prior to 1950.

The research found that the landscape and associated habitat is actually recovering from intensive livestock grazing in Texas that dates back to the late 1800s. Large numbers of cattle, sheep and goats continuously grazing rangelands led to widespread soil degradation, partly hindering the amount of water recharging springs and groundwater, said Dr. Bradford Wilcox, a professor in the Department of Ecosystems Science and Management at Texas A&M University. Continue reading Habitat Management: Springs in Texas are Healthy

Milam County Game Warden Catches Dumpers

Milam County, Texas

The Temple newspaper recently reported that five people caught on hidden camera dumping everything from furniture to dead animals, auto parts, and colostomy bags over the past three years into a creek ravine east of Gause, Texas, have been charged with misdemeanors and are headed for Milam County court.

The paper said Precinct 3 Constable Herbie Vaughan and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden Mike Mitchell have been attempting to catch the perpetrators of the remote, rural dump ground for three years, before finally deciding to buy motion-activated wildlife surveillance equipment and stake out the site via hidden cameras. And that’s how you catch criminals now days!

Game Warden Locates Illegal Dump in Lampasas County

Texas Game Warden badge

It doesn’t pay to litter! In October 2006 a Lampasas County, Texas, game warden located an illegal dumpsite while responding to a poaching call. Later that month, game wardens in a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department helicopter took photographs showing the magnitude of the dumpsite during a GPS mapping tour of deer camps. The game warden contacted the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and an investigation was launched.

A search warrant was executed in April 2007, and soil samples along with other evidence were gathered at the property. A grand jury indicted the suspect on a third degree felony relating to the handling of used oil and a state jail felony charge of illegal dumping. A jury deliberated last month just 10 minutes before returning convictions.