Ugh, Prickly Pear cactus

Texas Red, your land looks a lot like land around my area that has been sitting unused for many years. Mesquites & cactus will totally consume the place given enough time. They are the Texas equivalent to Kudzu. BTW, I'm in Bastrop County, just to the East of Austin. Congrats on your upcoming move and welcome to Texas.

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In one hand bread, the other a stone, the hunter enters the forest.

Thanks for the Texas welcome. I can't wait to be there already! It's been in the plans or a very long time.

Heck SquonkHunter, you aren't far from my place either. I'm in southern Runnels county. Seems to be lots of folks around here that are scattered through Central Texas. I simply love the area.

Boy do I believe you - those Mesquite and Prickly Pear will consume the land over time. It is happening to my land as I write. Even though the place has been leased for grazing and ag for the last 35 years, nobody (including me) has been dealing with the mesquite & cactus, obviously.

Look forward to learning and sharing with all of you folks.

[QUOTE=TexasRed;7447612

Question: Since I'm out in the country, will I need a permit for burning? I realize this may vary from county to county, but I'm a newbie at all this. Any other burning tips, I certainly don't want to burn down the entire ranch. [/QUOTE]
If we are burning anything besides what we fit in a 55 gal drum we call the sheriffs office . That way if someone sees the smoke and calls it in we wont have unwanted visitors. Its good for burning now in cent tx. But a couple weeks of hot and dry and the burn bans could go into effect.

Out of control fire is not the best way to meet the neighbors.

Our neighbor makes really good jelly. While we lived in Alaska we made a raspberry liquoer. Tried the recipe with prickly pear. Tasted a lot like beets not a hit at cocktail time. But was able to use it as bloody mary mix.
When burning the pear make sure to get the little fuzz. Its actually stickers and are buggers to pull.

Alaska -

I see you aren't located all that far from me either. The funny saying in the nearest town to me "We are 200 miles from everywhere". I looked at the map and it is true. About that distance from any major city. I like it that way - so tired of living in a big city.

LOL about the pp liqueur not being a hit for cocktails. Tastes like beets, eew - too funny! I am excited about trying my hand at some pp jelly. Lord knows I'll be ble to mass produce it. HaHa

Thanks for the burning tips. Great idea to contact the sheriff ... and possibly fire dept. My property is 6 miles from the nearest town. It scares me to think "what if".... There aren't too many neighbors that still live on their property out there, but I sure wouldn't want to clear their land for them! I would need a hundred 55 gallon drums just to get started. lol The cactus are really abundant. We have got to deal with this problem first and foremost.

Hoping to get back down there in June. Move date set for September - October.

I will have SO MANY more questions in the coming months. I whole heartedly appreciate the willingness to help by everyone here.

Not too many animals' eat cactus, of course wood rats will eat prickly pear, but then you'd have another problem. . .

Haha!

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Sincerely,

Shin

Inspirational Quotes from the Saints, Books & Floral Calendar

Not too many animals' eat cactus, of course wood rats will eat prickly pear, but then you'd have another problem. . .

Shin - that's not funny! LOL Actually during the recent visit my Uncle mentioned there were wood rats around the place. If they will eat PP, they ARE NOT doing their job.

Don't know a thing about wood rats....now I've got more research to do.
((sigh))

ETA: I think I'm covered on the rats since I have a healthy herd of rattlesnakes.

.

I build rattle snake traps. They work real well around the house for the little ones. We have a shitload here.
Been bit once...thats enuf.

Well now TexasRed, I think from what you've said we've figured out you need to get rid of those Prickly Pear Cacti..

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Sincerely,

Shin

Inspirational Quotes from the Saints, Books & Floral Calendar

LoL those lessons really STICK with ya !

Welcome. Fun thread and pictures.

Bret - thanks for the warm welcome. I have pictures of areas on the property that are beautiful, evoke peace & tranquility - and others that make me cry (cactus).

You build your own traps - you are skilled and brave. What do you do with the ones you catch? Sorry one got you. How long was it before you were completely over it? Just curious. DH stepped on a big one during our recent visit. Yes, it bit him. Today is 6 weeks out. Still having weird skin issues and the swelling persists. Have been told it takes MONTHS.

I sure hope I don't have to deal with rattlesnakes in the yard - on top of everything else. I'm up to my eyeballs in things that poke - don't need biting nusince too! HaHaHa

I have a guy from the area that traps the rattlers who have taken up residence under the house. He has blocked all ingress points in the foundation and set up a trap at one southern side exit point. He has been doing so for years, gets LOTS of them. Hauls them away alive and I don't even care what he does with them.

Rattlers don't care very much for people, so once you have moved in with cats and dogs, most of the snakes will head elsewhere. You'll have to still be careful, but you probably won't see many of them after a few months. If you have a den under the house, then you'll probably need to gas them out, but your rattlesnake guy should know how to do that.

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I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it. Attributed to Voltaire

It is BECAUSE the land was leased for grazing for 35 years that you have a problem.

...............Sweetwater , Tx just had their Rattlesnake roundup back in March ! They collect thousands of snake's every year and never seem to run out . , fordy

The traps are simple. i will search for pics and post. Im getting ready to build a half dozen. 9 out of 10 times i check the traps they are already dead.
we built 60 ft from a den. After gassing a couple dozen out I went to work with the backhoe. We have def knocked the numbers down. When we work around the ranch we almost always carry a sidearm with snake loads. Hate to miss an opp to kill one of the demons.
After my bite took a helio flight to San Antonio. 3 Days 10+ viles of anti venom. two weeks at home on my back.
Air Evac insurance. If you dont have it get it. $18,000 paid no ?

Jeez, I'm starting to feel like a newbie deluxe.

ogend - thanks for the comment. Can you expand on it.

My grandfather had stock on the ranch for 40 years and the property never looked like it does now. He also had more head of cattle than my uncle does. I don't see the difference between grazing then and now....

Please help me understand?

I think it is a combination of drought and burden by grazing stock that has created your problem. The best thing to do is let the place "relax" without any pressure. At the same time you should actively be clearing the cacti.

I appreciate the info. I had presumed this was the case as I don't recall there ever being an issue around the house or barns when I was growing up. My sister and I were allowed to freely explore the place and never encountered a snake in all those years. Seems like we were pretty lucky.

Knowing my intent to live on the property, my uncle mentioned gassing the den under the house. Pretty sure he said our snake trapper would do it. The den must be extensive after all these years and all the bounty he has collected.

I appologize everyone, I seem to have hijacked my own thread! LOL.

I am going to start a new thread... "From Prickly Pears to Rattlesnakes" so the snake info doesn't get buried in the cactus

ETA: Hope it is okay that I copy and post some of the rattlesnake replies from this thread to that one. (Have I mentioned I'm a bit OCD?!). I promise I'm a real person & member here. Nothing hinky going on like in recent weeks.

Thank you for explaining ognend. Correct me if I'm wrong - do you mean by "relax", you are saying to graze very little or not at all?

My uncle is healthy and active, but elderly now (82). On my visit in March his sheep flock was down to about 17 and perhaps 26 head of cattle. Is that an acceptable amount of grazers on property this size? He plants hay grazer on about 45-50 acres for the cows, in addition to "free ranging" them. He is good about rotating among various pastures. At this stage I am most interested in rehabbing the land, but I would prefer to not upset his 35 year routine - think it keeps him young. Besides, it does pay the taxes and put a little change in the bank for future projects & repairs.

Can a deer population be adding to the problem? I don't see a ton of them, but know we do have some on the land. My family has never been big hunters and the "bait and shoot" method of hunting in this area rubs me the wrong way.

Any further thoughts are appreciated.