Some Common Brush and Weed Management Mistakes Made By Rangeland Owners and Managers Risk Management for Texans Series RLEM No. 3 August 1999 Allan McGinty, Larry D. White and Lindi Clayton Professors and Extension Range Specialists and Extension Graduate Assistant Texas AgriLife Extension Service Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management Introduction Texas rangelands support many species of brush and weeds. The continual increase over years in the number and distribution of brush and weed species is primarily the result of natural succession, suppression of wildfires, and overgrazing by… Read More →

Common Herbicides Herbicide common name Product name Active ingredient or acid equivalent Clopyralid Reclaim 3 lbs./gal. 2, 4-D several Variable Dicamba Banvel 3 lbs./gal. Dicamba:2, 4-D (1:4) Weedmaster 4 lbs./gal. Hexazinone Velpar L 2 lbs./gal. Metsulfuron Ally or Escort 60% Picloram Grazon PC 2 lbs./gal. Picloram:2, 4-D (1:2.87) Grazon P+D 2.5 lbs./gal. Tebuthiuron Spike 20P 20% Triclopyr Remedy 4 lbs./gal. Triclopyr:2, 4-D (1:2) Crossbow 3 lbs./gal. Calibration of Boomless/Clusterjet Nozzle Sprayers: Fill spray tank with water to a marked level Drive in a straight line for 660 feet,… 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 →

GENE T. MILLER,Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Canyon, Texas A strategy to improve rangeland for wildlife in selected locations throughout the High Plains and Rolling Plains is native brush establishment through transplanting fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens). This native shrub is excellent deer/pronghorn browse, quail cover, attractive to songbirds, very drought hardy, reserve cattle feed (14% protein), and adaptable to a wide range of soil types. A key feature is that during the spring, it is not so palatable that cattle will choose it ahead of grasses when they… Read More →

ROBERT K. LYONS, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Uvalde, TX 78802-1849 Leaf sprays can be as effective as any other individual plant treatment for brush control and are more efficient in some cases. Generally, expected control is 76% or greater when individual brush species suited to leaf sprays are targeted. Lower control occur in mixed brush situations. Leaf sprays can be applied either with backpack sprayers or with 4-wheel all-terrain vehicles. Spray guns should be equipped with a nozzle capable of delivering a course spray (large droplets). A fantype… 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 →

ALAN HEIRMAN, District Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Albany, Texas ROCKY VINSON, County Extension Agent, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Albany, Texas Many of you in the audience today are familiar with the Fort Griffin Fandangle which is held each year at Albany. You are probably wondering by now what this has to do with our topic of brush management. A passage that has been used in each of the15 Fandangles since 1982 states “Not so long ago in the lost time before the Indian, the prairie was a… Read More →

PAUL MELTON, Melton Ranch, Roby, Texas The Melton Ranch, located in Fisher County, comprises 3,000 acres of native rangeland. The ranch was acquired in the late-1980s and has had various brush management practices conducted since that time. Mesquite is the major brush species on the ranch, with lesser amounts of lotebush, chittam and catclaw mimosa. My goals for the ranch have been to (a) enhance the livestock carrying capacity for the ranch while (b) improving the land for wildlife, especially bobwhite quail. The wildlife goal has become increasingly… 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 →

PAT REARDON, Chaparrosa Ranch, La Pryor, Texas Brush eradication, control, management and/or sculpting began on the Chaparrosa Ranch nearly 50 years ago. The word Chaparrosa actually means “brushy area” so this has been an ideal place to try out all types of brush treatment. The first large scale project was to chain about 50,000 acres. I did not see it, but I can imagine that all the trees except those along the major creek bottoms were knocked down. What a site that must have been? Was it the… Read More →