DARRELL N. UECKERT, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, San Angelo 76901. Abstract: Brush Busters was developed in 1995 as a cooperative program of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and the Texas Agricultural Extension Service at San Angelo to expedite the adoption by landowners of “select” individual plant treatments for controlling brush. The program stresses the ecological and economic benefits of controlling brush before it matures, thickens and causes a debilitation of the forage resource and soil loss. The Brush Busters’ technical guides are designed to be “layman friendly” so… Read More →

Allan McGinty and Darrell Ueckert Introduction Livestock producers and landowners throughout most of Texas and the Southwest are facing a major dilemma dealing with brush infestations in their rangelands and pastures: Brush is invading, reproducing, thickening, and growing in grasslands at an alarming rate. Costs for many conventional brush management practices have escalated beyond the realm of economic feasibility. Few herbicides are available. There are more restrictions on herbicide use. There is growing concern about pesticides in the environment. Many factors constrain or prohibit use of conventional brush… Read More →

Brush Control Program Brush Busters is a cooperative program of the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Service to expedite the adoption of Tactical Brush Management Systems (TBMS) technology. Brush Busters methods are easily understood, even by those with little or no previous experience in brush control. We recommend only “select” treatments capable of killing at least 7 out of 10 of the plants treated. Brush Busters methods make every attempt to keep equipment costs and complexity to a minimum, and whenever possible, to use non-restricted herbicides. One-page pamphlets… Read More →

Applied Landscaping for Multiple Use Management of Texas Rangelands What is applied landscaping? “…to arrange and modify the effects of natural scenery over tracts of land so as to produce the best aesthetic effect with regard to the use to which the tract is to be put.” Webster’s 3rd International dictionary What are some of the uses for Texas rangeland? What is involved in Brush Sculpting? Partnerships with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and National Resource Conservation Service will help you to be considerate of your goals for… Read More →

J. F. CADENHEAD, III. Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Vernon, TX Spraying the stem bases of individual plants can be a very effective and economical way to acquire selective control of various brush species. This method permits treatment throughout the year and is not as “weather-dependent” nor as “growth stage-dependent” as is foliar application. Fair to good results have been obtained from applications throughout the year, however, best and most consistent results have come from spring/summer growing season applications. Best results are also realized when applications are limited to… Read More →

GIL HODGE, BARRY WILCOX, AND JOE BONNER, Flying G Ranch – Cometa Division, Cometa, Texas MIKE GIBBS, Rawhide Cattle Co., La Pryor, Texas The mission statement of the Flying G Ranch is to use brush management techniques to convert dense areas of South Texas Brush into productive habitat primarily for quail and the hunting of them, secondly, for white-tailed deer and third, to establish areas for cattle grazing. Project background The Flying G Ranch-Cometa Division contains 4,200 acres, divided into four pastures. The improved target area is a… Read More →

DALE ROLLINS, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, San Angelo, TX 76901 Abstract: The arrangement of woody plants on the landscape impacts biological and aesthetic functions and should be considered when planning brush control treatments. Factors to consider when planning landscape modifications include the owner’s management objectives, topography, plant communities, target species of wildlife, treatment options and the spatial arrangement of properties relative to the neighbors’. To facilitate implementation, clearing treatments should be sketched out on an aerial photograph, then those patterns demarcated clearly on the ground. By applying a… Read More →

R. J. ANSLEY, B.A. KRAMP, J.A. HUDDLE and T.R. TUNNELL, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Vernon, TX 76384 Abstract:We are only beginning to understand the potential of fire to sculpt brush. This paper summarizes the current knowledge on sculpting honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) with fire. Fire can be used to sculpt mesquite growth form. Hot, intense fires will likely topkill mesquite and stimulate resprouting. Low intensity fires kill some lower canopy foliage and stems to create what appears to be browse line. The reduced canopy foliage will increase visibility… Read More →

Proceedings of a Conference Foreword Table of Contents Sculpting Illustrations Sponsored by Texas Agricultural Extension Service Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Renewable Resources Extension Act August 21-22, 1997 Uvalde, TX September 17-18, 1997 Abilene, TX TAMU Agricultural Research & Extension Center 7887 US HWY 87 North, San Angelo, TX 76901 Edited by Dale Rollins Darrell N. Ueckert Cristy G. Brown Foreword For most Texas ranchers, “brush” is a four-letter word. Coping with excessive tree and brush cover has been a major, costly and often futile activity of Texas ranchers… Read More →

Works Best: When you wish to control mesquite and yucca with the same treatment and at the same time. When to Apply: This method works best if used during the spring and summer. 1. Prepare Equipment The herbicide spray can be applied with a pump-up garden sprayer, backpack sprayer, or sprayer mounted on a 4-wheel all-terrain vehicle (ATV). The spray gun should be tipped with a ConeJet™ 5500-X1 adjustable cone nozzle. To reduce clogging and dripping, place a 100-mesh screen/check valve behind the nozzle. 2. Mix the Herbicide… Read More →