Texas Deer Association Endorses New ‘Texas Model’ for Wildlife
OutdoorHub 10.24.12
The Texas Deer Association (TDA) is proud to announce its endorsement of the newly introduced ‘Texas Model,’ the first wildlife model specifically published for the state’s successful combination of wildlife management needs and private land ownership.
The new 21st Century Landowner Guide Texas Model was a collaborative work by five of the most respected wildlife professionals in Texas — Macy Ledbetter, Robert Zaiglin, Mickey Hellickson, Horace Gore and Dr. James Kroll — who possess more than 170 years of combined professional experience managing wildlife on public and private property in Texas. These authors brought this collective work to a recent TDA Board of Directors meeting and the Board so endorsed the Texas Model.
The 21st Century Landowner Guide Texas Model identifies the important role private landowners have had and continue to have in enhancing the welfare of wildlife for future generations and in providing access to others for the enjoyment of wildlife. The Texas Model also calls for strengthening landowner rights — including trespass and liability laws — and states the rights and privileges of Texas landowners should not be weakened for any purpose.
“We’re very proud to endorse the 21st Century Landowner Guide Texas Model,” says Karl Kinsel, executive director of the Texas Deer Association. “Texas has a strong hunting tradition and private landowners have been instrumental in nurturing that heritage and advancing hunting opportunities for many decades. The Texas Model identifies this unique relationship between the landowner, the state and individual hunters, and it offers a blueprint for others. We whole-heartedly commend the authors of the Texas Model on a job well done.”
Texas Model co-author Bob Zaiglin explains that Texas has achieved a highly successful record in wildlife management primarily because of the dedication and support of private land owners.
“The Texas Model is not a reference or challenge to the North American Model. It’s a reflection on wildlife management and the importance the landowner plays in our state of Texas,” says Bob Zaiglin, a certified wildlife biologist with more than 30 years experience and current department chair and coordinator for the wildlife management program at Southwest Texas Junior College. “The Texas Model demonstrates the importance of the landowner. But we still recognize that Texas Parks & Wildlife as our trustee over all wildlife, and we think their decisions should benefit, whenever possible, the private landowner who seeks to allow individuals to enjoy the sport of hunting. Texas is in excess of 90 percent privately owned, thus we are different than many of our public land states which the North American model adheres to primarily.”
