How did the Texas exotics animals fare in the Arctic blast

[Rider717]

Just wondering if anyone in the industry has an idea on the scope of the losses? I heard about one ranch that lost a hundred or more blue wildebeest. Gizmo, how did your critters make out?

 

[chashardy]

there are quite a few articles if you just google "exotic game die in Texas record freeze".
My friend with a ranch near Stephenville lost a lot of his scimitar oryx, wildebeest, aoudad, etc. from his herd.

 

[Rider717]

there are quite a few articles if you just google "exotic game die in Texas record freeze".
My friend with a ranch near Stephenville lost a lot of his scimitar oryx, wildebeest, aoudad, etc. from his herd.

Thanks. I had only seen a couple of articles. Strange how some ranches lost dozens of animals while some lost hardly any.

 

[Inline6]

One ranch near San Antonio lost 2000 Axis, several guides I know said they lost a good amount of Nalgai and Black Buck. Definitely hard on the animals.

 

[Rafter JK]

All said, we came through the freeze pretty good. Although we were definitely in the deep freeze along with everyone else in the state, we had a couple of things working for us. Being much further North than most folks involved with exotics in Texas, our animals are more acclimated to the cold than some. We were fortunate enough that the snow that did fall was a very dry powdery snow that animals could shake off and stay dry. The ranches further south were fighting on a couple of different fronts. They aren’t used to that kind of weather and nether is their livestock. On top of that as the front was moving in, they got a lot more moisture than we did. Their stock got wet and then the bottom fell out. If they can’t get dry the problem just compounds itself. I don’t know a rancher one who doesn’t feel a tremendous responsibility for their livestock and during these kind of situations, it just make you sick to your stomach when you can’t work hard enough to save them. It is gut wrenching to work yourself half to death fighting snow, ice and mud to get hay/feed out, break ice, fix frozen water lines, work around the clock for days on end and still be devastated by massive death loss. If you know anyone in the industry that was hit hard, I promise you a quick word of encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wlambert]

I've seen pictures of blackbuck, axis, etc. in piles. Tough situation for sure.

 

[Muskox]

We got a lot of snow and a lot of cold weather here this winter in New Mexico. I work on White Sands Missile Range and have yet to see a dead gemsbok anywhere.

I have yet to see a live or dead javelina since we got pounded by snow. But it is rare to see them anyway.

 

[Rider717]

I was particularly concerned with the dama gazelle, addax and scimitar horns. Seems that Texas currently has the largest sustainable populations of them. Also wondering how things like bongo and other warmer climate antelope made out.