TK14 Ranch Report by Steve Schooley - October 2011

     I caught myself aimlessly staring into the sky the other day.  Amazement filled every corner of my soul as I gazed at the pure beauty of the cloudless clear blue.  A strange feeling overtook my thoughts as reality began to creep upon me.  Most of the cedar had turned brown, the algerita wilting, cactus leaves curling a pale green with little color at all; even the mesquite was beginning to dry.  The drought was beginning to take its toll on the land.  I had noticed the wildlife acting strangely in the past several months; the fear of humans had been slowly diminishing with the growing threat of starvation increasing daily.  The fox and coyotes were even becoming reckless; abandoning their nocturnal habits and searching for food and water during the heat of the days.  Even with the ranch seemingly burning before my eyes, the beauty was breathtaking.
     My thoughts have began to stray in the past several weeks to the “what ifs”.  What if it never rains again, what if the animals begin to die, what am I going to do?  I have been managing the TK14 for the past three years.  The first year was dry, but the rains came during the fall and brought life to the lifeless country.  The second year was easy; it was a record year for rainfall.  This year has broken all of the records; lowest rainfall, highest days over 100 degrees and the least number of cattle in Mason county since the Great Depression.  It is the first time in 100 years some ranches across the county have been without cattle.  The harsh conditions made the perfect scenario for wild fires, which had began to destroy an acre here and there; seemingly taking my little corner of the Texas Hill Country and turning it a dismal grayish black.
     October is now upon us and the first hunters will be arriving in just a few short weeks.  The feeders are filled, the bow blinds re-covered and the deer are in the best health they could be in under such harsh conditions.  With only a few last minute chores, the hunting season will be underway.  I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones in the coming months.
     LET’S HUNT!!