I know what you mean Mims.

My land was homesteaded by my great- and grandparents over a hundred years ago. Every year, I look at the numbers and wonder why I don't just sell out and let somebody else deal with the problems. It would be the smart thing to do.

But, when I watch a new calf struggle to get up and suck the first time, or watch a deer sneak along a creek, or see a covey of quail string out along a cattle track, I know that the "smart" decisions aren't always the best ones.

I'm going to keep it.

Mims is alive and well! Thanks for the concern (that was concern wasn't it?)...and all you deer hunters were right...it is opening weekend of HUNTING in TEXAS. I was at all three of the ranches checking on my hunters and also checking on my mom who is in an assisted living faciltiy there.
The weather was so warm you could hunt in shorts and T shirt. I did not see a rattler but I did see one snake shed that would make you glad you did not encounter the real thing.

The big guy up above has been most kind this year and given us rains when needed to help break a 9+ year drought. To top it off I was able (thanks to my parents trust) to have two excavators going taking out mesquite and cedar trees over hundreds of acres. I have buffalo grass coming back, two springs are now running again after all these years and the deer, turkey and quail are fat and sassy. It looks like a landscape nursery came out and "fixed" my places. I wish my dad was alive to see it and my mom was able to get out and see it....they worked many years to buy it all.
The sad thing is that due to the past drought and the expense of ranching now days the ranches have a $150,000 loss this year alone. A major part of that due to all the excavating. We had to do the excavating as a one time govt. cost share program was in place and we had to take advantage of that or never get a chance to clear brush again.
Hunting leases are all that is keeping ranching alive in Texas. The cost of buying back in livestock to restock the ranches is unreal. We had to sell off during the drought as we had no grass and could not stand to feed them all for how ever long the drought was going to last!
Now the accountants tell me it may be better to sell due to IRS tax codes, inheritance taxes, the cost of buying back breeding stock, the potential future profits, the cost of multiple cowboys, pickups, workmans comp cost, insurance, taxes on the land, etc. etc.
Most of these ranches have been in my family since the early 1900's and it is not fun for me to be the one to decide if it is better to sell or maybe go broke trying to keep something that has small (if any) returns these days.
Most of the ranches being bought in Texas today are for recreational purposes and not for making a living as a rancher. Most owners have income from some other job. Many ranch children (like Ray and me) were educated and moved off the ranches to find other paying jobs. Our children were educated in the big city and never "ranched" thus they are not equipped (nor want to) take over operations of such.
Another problem is that these days you need a very large ranch that is all in one parcel (not in three pcs. like mine) so that you can contain cost of operations.
Even when you inherit them all free and clear like I did it is still hell to keep them and especially if you have a parent(s) who now has large medical care cost that must also be paid from the same funds.
Maybe this will give you an idea of why deer leases in Texas are expensive.
Oh...I turn the computer off when I go away in case of a big storm with lightning. Thus...a full mailbox.
Go out an get a big old buck while you can!
I never took my gun out of the case but I did ride around the ranch on my Kawasaki mule with my foreman, we fixed a float on one of the water troughs, and I did have a drink while watching the deer and quail ease thru the mesquite an cactus. The sunsets were beautiful and all was right with the world.
Better tomorrows!

Yes Harry, it's a shame that it's a dying way of life. I'm "Big hat, no cattle" myself these days and the place which has been in my family since the early 1850's is up for sale.
Hope the hunting leases work out for you. That's what's saving alot of ranchers in RSA now.
Russ

We do have possums here but they are a protected species and a damned nuisance at times. However I did spend a couple days on Kangaroo Island with a farmer who has destruction permits and shot a mightily good number. They were everywhere. Ate steak instead though.

Now talking about these skinny cows. Isn't it good now that beef with fat is so deadly to the system, that marbled beef, now instead of being a premium cut is actually a budget cut. Perfect for the grill.

Ate chicken tonight though but they weren't Texan chickens.

Add to that, that all the big ranches are being split up among the owners children every generation, thus they just get smaller and smaller, the rest have purchased by extremely wealthy foriegn investors, can't whip us but they can sure as hell buy us...This works for some but the long term deal is scary, whos gonna raise our beef, guess we will reach a point where we eat chickens only ....

My Dad, was the smartest rancher I have ever known, he got into the bank on loans that amounted to about 3 million dollars on a million dollar ranch, when the bank said pay or get off he said OK I'll get off, they said oops, just pay the interrest and you can stay...Apparantly once they kicked him off they had to show a 2 million dollar loss...that was good for about 20 years until he passed away, then it all went to hell in a hand basket...

I ranched for years, but had to work for the Government and book hunts to support my ranching habit..When I retired I just went full time hunting and maintain a small acreage, just enough to support my team roping habit...I have not ever given up my Western way of life and I still rope at least once a week and go to jackpot ropings and a few USTRC ropings are in the future this year, but at 70 I can't beat these kids...don't need to, just need to keep going and I'm gratefull that at my age I can still get on a horse, much less rope and hunt, and maintain a way of life that has been so important to me and my family for generations...

God has truly blessed my life..

I really liked the video you sent me.

NitroX,
Jeeez, I have eaten some of that Aussie beef, (you guys would love Opossum!) most I have seen are so thin, they don't leave a shadow on the ground!