Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Table of Contents:
Part I: Introduction
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Property Owner Information
Property Description
Target Species
Goals and Objectives
3
3
3
3
Species Requirements
Proposed Target Areas
Recommendations
Markets
Management Constraints
Final Statement
7
7
Part V: Appendix
10
Part I: Introduction
Executive Summary: will be completed later
Property Owner:
Freeman Ranch is a 4200 acre ranch in Hays County, TX about 4 miles west of San
Marcos. The ranch is held in a trust at Frost Bank and the sole trustee is Texas State
University. The ranch was bequeathed by Harold and Joe Freeman of San Antonio for
the purposes of teaching, research, and outreach. Part of the ranch budget is supported
by maintaining approximately 80 cows in a commercial cow/calf operation. The cattle are
also used for teaching and research purposes.
Property Description:
The ranch lies on the eastern boundary of the Edwards Plateau ecoregion. This area is
known as the Hill Country or Balcones Canyonlands sub region, characterized by jagged
hills eroded by water flowing towards the Gulf of Mexico off of the Edwards Plateau. This
type of karst topography is found throughout the ranch, with hills going from rolling to
near canyon like in some of the creeks where erosion has shaped the limestone. The
abundant subterranean limestone in the area has also allowed the formation of the
Edwards Aquifer and deeper aquifers in the area. The entire ranch occurs on top of the
Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, making it of heightened ecological importance
management strategies implemented on the ranch can benefit the aquifer. As
development has increased in the area, very few large properties positioned over the
recharge zone have been left intact which has caused a lower recharge rate. Combined
with the prolonged drought in the region, water resources have been severely overused
and protected recharge areas are extremely important.
Passing through the ranch is a massive drainage for the surrounding area; Sink Creek.
Sink Creek flows subsurface through an area west of San Marcos before passing
through the ranch on its way to Spring Lake where several small springs have created
the slough of the lake. Sink Creek creates a fabulous opportunity for wildlife
management because it divides the landscape into different habitat types, however;
frequent flood events do occur. The subterranean connection to spring lake provides an
opportunity to further conserve a valuable resource so that positive management
impacts may be felt downstream.
The area was inhabited by pre-Columbian settlers rather extensively due to abundant
water sources at nearby San Marcos Springs. Since European settlement, the ranch has
been used for ranching enterprises including cattle, sheep, and goats. At some point in
history, the ranch was overgrazed. This is evident by the lack of native grasses found on
the ranch. A previous ranch manager, Rufus Alexander, stated that the Freeman
brothers refused to let pastures rest and reseed, claiming the grass would be wasted
(Texas State University Interview). Unfortunately many ranchers at the time were
ignorant to many of the range management practices commonly found in use today.
Overgrazing along with fire suppression have led to the invasion of woody species in
many areas that were historically savanna. Historical riparian plant communities were
the sugarberry elm series. Upland plant communities included savanna with oak and
mesquite components, as well as oak juniper woodlands. The invasion of woody species
into upland sites has caused loss of intergrade between habitats making them less
distinct from one another. This decreases edge effect and has caused less habitat
heterogeneity, which may be affecting species richness on the property negatively.
Common woody species in the riparian areas include Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia),
Texas Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata), Winged Elm (Ulmus alata), Green Briar (Smilax
rotundifolia), Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), and Texas Oak (Quercus buckleyi).
Upland woody species include Honey Mesquite, Plateau Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis),
Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei), Mexican Persimmon (Diosporos texana), Huisache
(Acacia farnesiana), and Agarita (Berberis trifoliolata). Common grass species found on
the ranch include Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon), King Ranch Bluestem
(Bothriochloa ischaemum), Side-oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), Little Bluestem
(Schizachyrium scoparium), Purple threeawn (Aristrida purpurea), and Buffalo Grass
(Bouteloua dactyloides). There are many forb species present depending on seasonality.
Two dominant forbs that are pervasive throughout the ranch are Perennial Broomweed
(Gutierrezia sarothrae) and Croton (Croton fruticulosis). Several species of cacti are
found throughout the ranch, including both Texas and Plains prickly pear varieties
(Opuntia lindheimeri, O. macrorhiza) and Tassajillo (Cylindropuntia leptocaulis).
There are five different soil associations or complexes found throughout the ranch. The
dominant soil types are the Comfort-Rock outcrop complex and the Rumple-Comfort
association. Each of these soil types covers close to 50% of the ranch. The
Comfort-Rock outcrop complex consists of comfort soils and rock outcrops.
Characteristics of this soil include 1-8% slopes and extremely stony clay in the upper soil
horizon. Restrictive limestone bedrock occurs as low as 33 cm. The Rumple-Comfort
association is very similar to Comfort-Rock outcrop complex in that the soil is
characterized as clay with karst origins. The Rumple-Comfort association is a deeper
soil, with depths as much as 71 cm. before hitting bedrock. The soil also has abundant
limestone gravel in the first 33 cm.
The third most prevalent soil type makes up less than 3 % of the ranch and is known as
an Orif soil. This soil can be found in the Posey pasture below the large flood control
dam found on the ranch. Built in the early 80s to prevent devastating floods in San
Marcos caused by flash flooding of Sink Creek, the dam has vastly increased the size of
the floodplain on the ranchs southern half. Frequent flooding of Sink Creek is something
that should be taken into account in the management of the ranch. The soil is found
slopes of 1-3% and is derived from alluvial limestone with a depth of 160+ cm. to
bedrock.
The Medlin-Eckrant association is deep clay with 1-8% slopes. This soil is found on a
small area on the southeast corner of the ranch. The Tarpley clay is a soil found on 1-3%
slopes and also characterized by deep clay layers. This soil is found around the
compound of the ranch and makes up a very small percentage of area. Both of these
soil types are formed from parent limestone (NRCS Web Soil Survey).
Owing to its large size and variety of habitats types (from Riparian/mesic to upland xeric
sites), there is abundant wildlife at the ranch. Common species include White-tailed deer
(Odocoileus virginiana), Northern raccoon (Procyon lotor), Ringtail (Bassariscus
astutus), feral pig (Sus scrofa), Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), Eastern
Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridianus), Rio-Grande Turkey, Bobwhite Quail, Red-tailed Hawk,
Northern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Mockingbird, Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
(Crotalus atrox), and Western Coachwhip (Masticopus flagellum). This is by no means
an exhaustive list of animals on the ranch, however you could expect to encounter a
number of these species if spending any time on the ranch.
Target Species:
White-tailed deer
Bobwhite Quail
Neo-tropical Migrants
Native Grasses
Goals And Objectives:
1. Re-establish native mid-grass savanna in areas where woody plants have
encroached and overgrazing has occurred.
2. Provide suitable nesting and foraging habitat for neotropical migrants
3. Expand and connect areas where suitable quail habitat occurs so the population
is not disjunct throughout the ranch
4. Continue to manage white-tailed deer through harvest. Adequate brush should
remain after brush removal as not to disrupt the carrying capacity of the land for
this species due to its economic importance in ranch operation.
5. Implement prescribed fire as a management technique, which has been absent
from the ranch for many years.
6. Establish a rotational grazing system on the ranch.
environments (Rollins et al. 1988). Overpopulation can degrade both the species and the
environment due to the deers tendency to over browse preferred plants species and
reduce the ability of the environment to support the population (Bozzo et al. 1992;
Pollock et al. 1994). Deer in overpopulated sites often exhibit signs of this degradation
as lower body weight than normal, increased fawn die-off, and reduced antler
development (Thomas et al. 1964). Overpopulation can also push deer in developed
areas in pursuit of nutrition and become hazards for many drivers. The best response to
overpopulation is reducing the population to a more stable size and establishing regular
hunting of the deer to prevent dramatic population growth. Continued population
monitoring and prescribed harvest will be used to keep the population in balance in the
absence of natural predators.
Prior to European settlement, the Edwards plateau region was mostly savanna outside
of riparian forests, but fire suppression and livestock grazing reduced the grass fires that
maintained the savanna allowing the spread of Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) (Fowler
and Dunlap 1986). Overgrazing has had tremendous negative effect on native grasses
causing removal of grasses faster than they can grow, leaving them unable to compete
with exotic grasses or woody shrubs like juniper (Alofs and Fowler 2010; Reardon and
Merrill 1976). Currently native grasses are replaced in two ways, either the savanna is
turned in to woodlands by the spread of Ashe juniper, or they being displaced by
introduced grasses (Fowler and Simmons 2009). Two such grasses can be found on
Freeman ranch include King Ranch (KR) bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) and
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon). KR bluestem was used by ranchers to replant
rangeland overgrazed by cattle and the Texas Department of Transportation to reduce
erosion on recent road construction; now KR bluestem has become widespread in Texas
and occupies habitat that once belonged to native grasses (Alofs and Fowler 2013).
Bermuda grass is tough, fast growing, and recovers quickly after damage; all traits that
led to its popularity as turf for sports fields and lawns. Unfortunately, Bermuda grass
spreads quickly, crowds out other species, and is difficult to remove, making it a pest for
native grasses. In order to protect and re-establish native grasses on the ranch,
management strategies such as deferred grazing, mechanical brush removal, prescribed
fire, and re-seeding will be implemented.
One of the species that will be managed for is bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus). The
bobwhite quail is a species that generally prefers a diverse habitat that includes cover for
nesting, escape, and a myriad of other uses (Parmalee 1953). As such, it benefits from
habitat that has a lot of edge with ecotones between grasslands and woodlands being
the most sought after (Parmalee 1953). Therefore, we aim to manage for areas of
pasture and fields as well as ones comprised of brush thickets and stands of various
trees. The quail generally use the fields for feeding purposes (Parmalee 1953). Areas
like these can be managed for by disking and root plowing which in turn can result in
aiding in the growth for certain weeds that the quail can use as a potential food source
(Parmalee 1953). Another method for greater grass cover in pastures and fields is the
use of rotational grazing (Campbell-Kissock et al. 1984). As for canopy cover a range of
10-30% is considered acceptable for quail populations (Demaso et al. 2014). Burns can
be used for the management of brush thickets and other stands every other year during
the growing and dormant seasons (Johnson et al. 2014). When looking at the soil,
moist clay loam is considered optimal (Campbell-Kissock et al. 1984). Predator activity
and hunting should also be taken into account. Nest predation should be especially
looked at since nest losses caused by predators accounts for 37-76% (Rader et al. 2011;
Rader et al. 2006). However, it should be noted that predator removal has been shown
to have little effect (Rader et al. 2011).
The various Neotropical migrants that are present in the ranch such as Golden-cheeked
warblers, Carolina wrens, Green tailed Towhee, Painted bunting, as well as the other
song birds mentioned earlier are also some of our key targets for management.
Neotropical migrants are associated with and have preferences for landscape features
which differ from those of non-migratory or temperate migratory birds (Flather et al.
1996). Most of the migrants benefit from areas that possess edge. Many of the same
management techniques used to measure for game birds such as bobwhite quail are
also effective for managing migrants and vice versa (Gruver et al. 1986; Kroll 1980).
Migrants that are granivores benefited from strips of land that had been disked since
seed-producing forbs became more readily available as a food source. Nest parasitism
by brown headed cowbirds is also a concern for these species since these birds are also
found in the edge habitats that migrants use. Trapping and/or shooting are the
techniques generally used for management of brown-headed cowbirds. However, they
both have their merits and flaws. Trapping is usually more cost effective but is
non-selective leading to migrants and other birds being caught (Summers et al. 2006).
Shooting is considered more efficient since it is selective, however it generally costs
more than trapping (Summers et al. 2006).
Proposed Target Areas:
Will be completed later.
Recommendations:
Will be completed later, but brush removal, prescribed fire, re-seeding, deer harvest,
deferred crazing will be primary strategies used.
Markets:
Will be completed later, but likely up into the millions.I will send the bill to president
Trauth when I get ready to start :)
Reardon, P. O., and L. B. Merrill. 1976. Vegetative response under various grazing
Management systems in the Edwards plateau of Texas. Journal of Range
Management 29:195-198.
Rollins, D., F. C. Bryant, D. D. Waid, and L. C. Bradley. 1988. Deer response to brush
management in central Texas. Wildlife Society Bulletin 16:277-284.
Summers, S. G., R. M. Kostecke, and G. L. Norman. 2006. Efficacy of trapping and
shooting in removing breeding brown-headed cowbirds. Wildlife Society Bulletin
34(4): 1107-1112
Thomas, J. W., J. G. Teer, and E. A. Walker. 1964. Mobility and home range of
white-tailed deer on the Edwards plateau in Texas. The Journal of Wildlife
Management 28:463-472.
Part V: Appendix
Soil Map of Freeman Ranch with accompanying Soil Data Table. Please note
that acreages are of each type are not exact but the percentages of soils present
should be close to the true percentages.
10
11