When conducted properly, as it is at the Lazy CK Ranch in the Texas hill country, hunting can have a positive impact on both the local ecosystem and the environment as a whole. Here’s how.
Smart Hunting vs. Over-hunting
All true, honest hunters know that over-hunting — or hunting an animal to extinction — is more than reprehensible. It is also counter-productive. Hunters need animals to hunt. No animals, no hunt, no hunters. While there is a sport to the hunt, the roots of the practice reach as deep as the satisfaction of our most basic material needs: for food, tools and items with which to protect ourselves from the elements. From this perspective, to hunt is to acknowledge the interdependence of all living things.
Smart, controlled hunting is an approved, humane and government-backed method of reducing the over-abundance of specific animal species, especially in areas which cannot support such numbers.
Hunting Keeps Animal Populations Healthy
All wild animals need food, and if there is not enough, many will go hungry, become weak, fall ill or simply die of starvation. Hunters who hunt properly and follow the rules can help regulate the number of animals in an area, and thus work hand-in-hand with nature to restore balance to an over-stressed ecosystem.
Sport Hunting as Environmental Management
When it comes to the hard work of environmental management, hunting plays a crucial role. Local, state and even the federal government wildlife and game authorities set limits on what types and how many animals can be harvested by hunters. They also restrict such hunts by the kinds of weapons allowed as well as the length of the season in which specific animals may be hunted.
Lazy CK Ranch not only abides by all government regulations but also manages its property and herds according to the even more stringent Level 3 Provisions of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Managed Deer Lands Permit Program. In addition, Lazy CK Ranch also holds itself to the highest standards of humane and scientific animal management. Our team members take every measure to ensure that the herds on our property are plentiful, healthy, well-fed and kept well within the bounds of what is environmentally right and proper for this area of the Texas Hill Country.
Protecting the Environment through Boar Hunting, Deer Hunting and Other Texas Hunts
Without sport hunting, the wild boar and wild deer populations in the Texas Hill Country would quickly become nuisances. These populations would not only grow but also grow exponentially. Allowed to proliferate without regulation, certain species soon represent a danger to themselves, other animals and people. For example, when herds of whitetail deer grow too large, they encroach on farms and grazing land, which can cost farmers and herdsmen dearly. They also wander onto highways and into populated areas, where they increase the risk of traffic accidents and may become a danger to domestic animals and people.
Feral hogs and boar, in particular, are an invasive and destructive threat to Texas, where they do nearly half a billion dollars in damages annually. They ruin recreational areas, terrorize tourists and hikers on public lands — such as state parks — and are highly destructive to the environment. Voracious omnivores, boar will dig up roots as deep as three feet down, destroying the vegetation that would otherwise prevent soil erosion. They also prey on other animals, including deer and farm animals and pets. For these and many other good reasons, Texas encourages, supports and manages boar hunting.
Hunting License Fees Fund Wildlife Programs
Hunting, when conducted the right way, is one of the most cost-effective methods of preventing such problems. The funds raised from issuing licenses, for example, help fund wildlife management programs, and the hundreds of thousands (and in some cases even millions) of pounds of venison, boar and other meat harvested in hunts across Texas alone supplement the diets of families all over the state.
In short, incorporating hunting into environmental management efforts keeps animal populations healthy and under control, and balances and often saves entire ecosystems. And, of course, there are the added benefits of building bonds among hunters and the enjoyment hunters get from the sheer adventure of hunting — and Texas hunting in particular — especially as it can be experienced here at Lazy CK Ranch.
Sport Hunting brings people together
Sport hunting, like that conducted on the 7,000 acres of the Lazy CK Ranch in West Kerr County, Texas, is meant to be just that — a fun and thrilling adventure which provides the kind of experiences that make memories and promote bonding.
So book a stay at Lazy CK Ranch to enjoy Texas trophy hunting and whitetail hunting at their best — and at their most environmentally responsible. We’re well-equipped and highly experienced at hosting corporate hunting retreats and group hunting trips, as well as family, friend and individual trophy hunting outings. Our highly trained, dedicated and knowledgeable staff will do everything they can to ensure that, whatever adventure you and your hunting party embark on, it will be one you’ll remember for years to come.
