Poaching and Exotics on the Loose

[LMiz]

Next to my families LF ranch is a HF place that I assume is a breeding operation for exotics. His place is about 40ac with multiple pens for Rams, Blackbuck, Fallow, Axis, Oryx, I've even seen a cape buffalo.

Well over the weekend someone cut a few holes in his fences and killed a $40k Ram and a few other animals got out.

He told our ranch manager that if we see any of his animals to give him a call so they can try to re-capture the animal.

Has anyone ever been successful in re-capturing lost exotics?

This is in East Texas so very few HF places but lots of trigger happy hunters.

Would you shoot an exotic if you saw it or call the neighbor?

[DRettele]

Knowing everything you listed (knowing where it most likely came from, the exotics are lose because some jackass cut holes in his fence, and being a neighbor), I would call to let them know you've located an escaped animal.

[160class]

It happened to a big time guy in Kerrville one time, he got majority of them caught and back on his place

I guess technically speaking they’re livestock and he owns them, but I think he’d have to have them eat tagged to prove it

[TxSon1836]

if i knew there was a HF operation in the area i would for sure try to reach out. at the end of the day those animals are those peoples means of bread bringing for their families. now if i have zero knowledge of any HF ranch or breeding operation in my area then arrows are flying at an exoctic.

[hogslayer78]

If I knew they were his and that he had some get out, I would absolutely call him to come recover his animals. What would you want him to do if they were your animals?

[Burnadell]

You do the right thing and call your neighbor if you see an exotic.

[rtjh]

I'm curious what a $40k ram looks like.

[Backwoods101]

Knowing everything you listed (knowing where it most likely came from, the exotics are lose because some jackass cut holes in his fence, and being a neighbor), I would call to let them know you've located an escaped animal.

X2.
And the only way a ram is worth 40k is if the double wide trailer in the front of the pasture comes with it

[LMiz]

I'm curious what a $40k ram looks like.

I am too.

I have always been told to shoot one if you see it because catching them again is next to impossible but after hearing about others success stories my mind is changed.

[LMiz]

If I knew they were his and that he had some get out, I would absolutely call him to come recover his animals. What would you want him to do if they were your animals?

There isn't another HF super close to us so it would most likely be his.

If they were mine I would absolutely want them back, if it was possible to recapture. But it sounds like recapturing them isn't as impossible as I thought.

[Backwoods101]

On a side note...my cousin just got burned this summer. He contacted the owner of a well known HF ranch closes to his place about a Red deer that got out. Owner came out, darted him, put him in his HF and told him thanks. Then word got back to my cousin that the HF owner was later bragging in town that he never even had Red deer in his place...that will be his last phone call

[Calrob]

Helicopter and a net cannon is how they catch them to sell around here.

[Txhuntr2]

Based on your location and proximity to the hf, you have a really good idea whose animal it is if you see it. But in much of SW Texas (and other places), there are all sorts of free ranging exotics. They could have escaped a hf the day before or been feral all their life.

[RattlesnakeDan]

I would suspect Libs cut the fence to free the critters, could be wrong but it happens.
If someone does not know the exotic came from a local hf they will shoot whatever they see. If they get the word out to the local community it will change some minds but not all.
I built traps and one was to allow those animals to come back to the hole in the fence to the area they felt secure in and knew where the food was. You just can't fix the hole.

[coop2564]

$40k ram must a be 4 door 4x4 loaded!