first exotic on the ranch, not thrilled

I realize there are lots of folks that think it's a great thing, but for many reasons we are less than thrilled about seeing an exotic animal roaming our South Texas ranch. The good news is it's dead. The bad news is, based on what I'm seeing around us, it's probably the first of many. I'm assuming there may be places in Texas where there are similarly minded landowners that have placed a standing kill order on all exotics. That's our plan. It's been awhile since I've looked at the relevant statutes, but I seem to recall that exotics are to be treated like lost livestock and that simply shooting them isn't necessarily the proper protocol. I know we have to have some experts on this subject around here.

What kind of exotic is it?

Exotics are open season. However, if you know where it came from it will go a long way on neighborly relations to give them a call first.

Exotics are open season, if you don't like them, kill them. It's your call, IMO, if they can't keep their animals on their ranch it's their bad and it's more meat for you.

What kind of exotics...I'll come help with the eradication....

You have cattle on your ranch? They are an exotic also

There was a law passed years ago about exotics that have gotten out of a ranch. Seems like there is a time frame for it though. Have to Google it.

The only thing that I could find is a statement that said to shoot an exotic, you have to have "permission from the owner or the property owner where the animal is located." Sounds like that once something escapes, it then belongs to the property owner. Common sense says if an animal has an ear tag or other marking then it would be polite to try to locate the owner. If there are free-ranging exotics in the area, though, there would be no reason not to take it.

Well, what in the heck was it? If it's an axis I would be glad to have it since they are great eating. If it's a blackbuck antelope then I'd kill every one you see like you plan to do.

Found this on tpwd site


Frequently Asked Questions

Hunting

Are exotic animals that happen to show up on my property fair game?
It depends! If an exotic animal has a visible tag, brand, or other identifying mark, a person should contact the local sheriff's office and report the exotic animal. Texas estray laws apply to marked exotic animals and the local sheriff is responsible for their enforcement. Exotic animals that are not marked and are free ranging that have wandered onto private property may be hunted with a hunting license, provided the owner of the property allows hunting. However, if an exotic animal appears on your property and you know that it is privately owned, then the ethical approach is to contact the owner.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/land/habitats/faq/law_enforcement/hunt16.phtml

Add me to the list that wants to know what it was

Suspense...

I guess so. Sounds ignorant to me it then again I don't have to worry about them.

Warthog?

https://www.facebook.com/ChaparralWMA

I saw this just now. i guess warthogs are in South Texas. I'd like to know what kind of person thought it would be a good idea to bring warthogs into the state.

Someone with visions of grandeur and these in his eyes $$

My guess is the exotic was of the rare and tagged kind. The kind of value.

what exotic

It was, in fact, a cow of sorts. And if it were up to me, the cattle would be dead too.

WATUSI

That's consistent with what I remembered reading a few years back. In this case, it was not a tagged or branded animal. It was actually a red stag cow that a guest shot early in the morning thinking he'd shot the biggest mutant whitetail doe of all time. This was unexpected to say the least. I'm not sure what to make of the last sentence from the TPWD webpage. If I encounter an exotic on our property, even if I have a good idea where it came from, I think I would be inclined to kill it. Not so much because I want to shoot someone else's "privately owned" animal, but more because I don't want nonindigenous animals taking up residence, competing with the native game (and effing hogs), and reproducing.

Well you done with public with your announcement on here...soo

shouldn't you be hunting

I am looking for an Elk...cow that got away from my neighbor....

ok, so was it a cow, as in beef cow or something else??? If it's an exotic, talk to the land owner and if he gives permission fire away!!!!!
South Texas is good cattle country and as long as they are not overgrazing the place, they actually benefit the land for deer, just have to protect your feeders if they like corn-de-la-crème!!!

cows are the devil.

So let me get this straight, we are supposed to first inspect the animal for visible markings, then once identified, contact our neighbors, the ones who moved in decades after we had been managing the area for native game and essentially killed the deer movement in several of our pastures by high fencing and creating a zoo, to come romp around our property and corral their purportedly "wild" animal?

Got it.

You might want to check the laws on this. Just saying. Posting on a public forum about this "exotic cow" and eminent death would have been the last thing I would have done. Just saying. SSS......

"Exotic Cow"

Believe it was edited to specify the "cow", red stag cow.

Wasn't me, and I wasn't there so I don't GAF. But give me a break, get your zoo animals off my ranch.

Might want to read back and compare the handles genius.

Well that got ugly.

If you happen to shoot an animal that is protected and the wrong people find out you might regret the SSS approach.

The reason you SSS is so that no one finds out. I have inherited a white Fallow doe in the last couple of weeks. Hopefully one of my hunters that are coming will remove her from my property.

What is SSS?

Shoot- Shovel and Shut up.

It is interesting that TPWD says that you "should" and not that you are required to contact the sheriff.
My daughter worked as a dispatcher for a small town, their sheriff's office would not even go to a call about a loose exotic animal.

Couldnt be more on your side. If one of those zoo animals comes on my place you better believe I'll be

My eyes aren't what they used to be, so I'd have to shoot it to be able to read the ear tag. That does not apply to cows or donkeys, though there are days when I have to struggle with that.

Nooooo..