For the first time in several years everything at the Ranch is GREEN. We have had over 9 inches of rain since the last week of May. I know this might not sound like that much for some Gulf Coast residents but here that can be the entire amount for a year! The volume of the rain that has fallen from the end of May to date on my acreage exceeds 123 million gallons. That is over 1 billion pounds of water which weighs about the same as a large cruise ship or a WWII Battle ship.

The mesquites have the heaviest thickest foliage I have ever seen in my 62 years. As a result wild pig sightings have tapered off since they do not have to roam large areas to find food stuffs or water. You can bet that they are still here though.

All cattle and fish ponds are full which is very good for the catfish which usually struggle with inadequate oxygen supply due to algae bloom each summer. This year the influx of new water has postponed this annual occurrence.  Turtle populations are booming. Quail populations remain low due to hail storms during nesting season this Spring. Cotton Tail and Jack Rabbit populations are low as well due to excessive predator populations (mainly coyote). Mosquito populations remain surprisingly low considering the environment is ripe for their hatching. I suspect that the swallows and dragonfly’s are a controlling factor keeping the mosquito’s in check.

The temperatures this summer have also been 10 to 15 degrees below the normal 100 plus degrees we usually experience for days on end during this time. It is a nice time at the ranch indeed as the LORD has blessed us greatly this year.

Usually fire danger is quite high at this time of year but not this summer so far although some ripening summer grasses do present a slight danger for fire.

Unfortunately due to the rain I am not getting to shoot as much as some summers as most of my time is being spent on the tractor shredding the fields to control emerging mesquites. Mechanical elimination of smaller and bushier mesquites is much more cost effective and responsible than use of chemical herbicide for this purpose. The cattle have finally fattened up after the Valentines day bovine massacre due to the polar vortex visiting Texas during that week. The older cows just could not stand the stress of that kind of cold weather.

All Wednesday’s, Saturdays and Sundays for the month of July and half of August are not available for booking a hunt but all other days are available.

We are now listed in the hunting section of Airgun Nation as an AGN approved hunting “outfitter”. Why not drop in for a visit if you are ever out this way?