Seasons – Summer 2025
As the Texas sun hits its stride, so do the many opportunities for landowners to stay engaged and make meaningful progress on their properties. In the summer edition of Seasons’, we’re excited to introduce the newest member of our leadership team, John Kinsey, whose expertise further strengthens our commitment to landowners here in Texas. We also provide reminders about summer activities that can help keep your Wildlife Management tax valuation on track, highlight recent events and partnerships we’ve been proud to be a part of, and offer fresh insights and updates tailored to Texas landowners.
Until next Seasons,
The Plateau Team
Welcome Dr. John Kinsey, Our New Director of Ecological Services
We’re excited to introduce Dr. John Kinsey as the new Director of Ecological Services at Plateau Land & Wildlife Management. A lifelong Texan raised in Lockhart, John’s passion for land stewardship
started early, hunting and fishing with his father on their family property in Caldwell County.
John brings more than 15 years of experience across state agencies, environmental consulting, and private industry. From his time as a Research Biologist with Texas Parks & Wildlife to leading invasive species efforts with Pig Brig Trap Systems, he’s tackled some of Texas’ biggest ecological challenges head-on. His career is grounded in hands-on research, strategic leadership, and a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of conservation professionals.
Most recently, he earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Science while working full-time and teaching at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Whether he’s developing science-based solutions to manage feral swine or helping landowners improve wildlife habitat, John’s expertise and vision will play a vital role in shaping Plateau’s future services and the landscapes we help steward.
Want to learn more about John?
Listen to a recent episode of our podcast, Your Texas Land, as he shares his journey to Plateau and what’s ahead for Texas landowners.
Summer Activities: What You Can Do Now
Summer is an important milestone for landowners in Wildlife Management. By now, you should be well underway with your activities to ensure compliance with your tax valuation. If you haven’t started, now is the time to act. The law requires landowners to complete at least three qualifying wildlife management activities annually, and spacing them out throughout the year, rather than cramming them in at the end, makes for better planning, easier documentation, and often more meaningful results for your land and wildlife.
Several effective management practices are especially timely during the summer. Chemical control is ideal this time of year when vegetation is actively growing and more responsive to treatment. Taking advantage of seasonal windows like these ensures that your work is not only compliant but also impactful. If you’re unsure what activities are best suited for your property right now, our team of wildlife biologists can help guide you in the right direction.
Now is also the perfect time to plan ahead for fall. Booking your next deer survey in the summer helps secure your spot and keeps your management activities on schedule, especially as calendars begin to fill up leading up to hunting season. Our newest service, Thermal Drone Deer Surveys, have revolutionized land management and provide an unparalleled view of your property’s wildlife. Planning now can take one more thing off your to-do list and gives you more flexibility as the year winds down.
Brush management is also top of mind when it comes to planning ahead and while fall will be approaching fast, booking your brush management ahead of when you’ll need it can have a big impact on your success. Heavy machinery and chainsaws can negatively impact wildlife during spring and summer breeding seasons, and some herbicide applications are best applied in fall. Huisache and prickly pear are good fall targets. Cut-stump and basal herbicide treatments of mesquite and exotic woody plants work well during that time of year too.
Finally, don’t overlook your annual report. While it’s not due until early next year, compiling documentation and activity records now can save a lot of stress later. Starting your report early helps ensure you don’t miss anything and gives you time to gather any photos, receipts, or maps needed to submit a complete and accurate record to your County Appraisal District.
If you need help identifying the right activities for your land, scheduling a deer survey, or getting a head start on your annual report, Plateau is here to support you. Our team of expert biologists and land specialists can help you stay compliant and make the most of your Wildlife Management plan, without the year-end scramble.
Reach out today to schedule a consultation or learn more about the services available to keep your valuation on track.
Plateau In the Field
This summer, the Plateau team has been on the road connecting with landowners and conservation partners across Texas. We were proud to attend and sponsor the Texas Wildlife Association Convention, where we shared insights on Wildlife Management strategies and connected with land stewards from every corner of the state. From local workshops to realtor events, we’re always excited to support the landowner community and stay engaged with the people shaping the future of Texas lands.
Texas Wildlife Association Convention: We were proud to sponsor and take part in the TWA’s 40 Annual Convention in San Antonio. The weekend was filled with top-tier programming, conservation networking, and powerful insights for private landowners. Shane Kiefer was honored to speak and deliver an engaging presentation on the importance of wildlife, ag, and timber property tax valuations to conservation in Texas.
Post Oak Savannah Landowner Workshops: We had a great time at the first workshop and we’re excited to be at the upcoming events across the region. These in-person workshops are an opportunity for local landowners to connect, learn, and get inspired to take action on their land. Topics include the Lost Pines ecosystem and Post-Oak Savannah restoration, pollinator biology and habitat management, and more!
Click here to register or learn more about the upcoming Post Oak Savannah workshop events.
Ducks Unlimited State Convention: We were honored to attend the recent Ducks Unlimited State Convention, where landowners, conservationists, and organizations came together to celebrate and advance the mission of wetland and wildlife conservation across Texas. As proud participants, we had the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, share our work in land and wildlife management, and explore new ways to support private landowners in protecting and enhancing native habitats.
Upcoming Events: For more information on where Plateau will be this Fall, follow along here for happenings in the next few months.
News for Landowners
New World Screwworm Fact Sheet
Written by Phillip Kauman, Sonja L. Swiger, and Andy Herring for Texas A&M Agrilife Extension
The New World screwworm (NWS, Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a parasitic fly native to the Western Hemisphere. It lays eggs in the living tissue of fresh wounds in warm-blooded animals. The larvae (maggots) feed on the host’s flesh, causing severe wounds and often death if untreated.
The pest was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s. Since then, it occasionally reemerges and has resurfaced in Central America and Mexico. They are controlled only through the release of sterile males, known as the sterile insect technique (SIT). This approach, along with regular active surveillance and livestock inspections, has proven highly successful.
Scientists identify culprit behind biggest ever U.S. honey bee die-off
Written by Joanna Thompson for Science.org
U.S. beekeepers had a disastrous winter. Between June 2024 and January, a full 62% of commercial honey bee colonies in the United States died, according to an extensive survey. It was the largest die-off on record, coming on the heels of a 55% die-off the previous winter.
As soon as scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) caught wind of the record-breaking die-offs, they sprang into action—but their efforts were slowed by a series of federal funding cuts and layoffs by President Donald Trump’s administration. Now, 6 months later, USDA scientists have finally identified a culprit.
Self-Rescue Skills for Unexpected Emergencies
Written by Bob Elling for ECSI
One summer in high school, before I had any official first aid training, I worked as a broiler man at a local restaurant called Ships Inn. I spent my days at Jones Beach and relied on hitchhiking for transportation. One rushed afternoon; I was dropped off a mile from work and had to run barefoot through a suburban neighborhood, stepping directly onto a broken bottle. The pain was intense, but I pulled the glass from my heel and continued to work, leaving a trail of blood. At the restaurant, I rinsed my foot, wrapped it in a towel, and managed to limp through a busy night in the kitchen. I avoided infection and stitches, but missed swimming the next day, choosing to keep the incident from my mom by discarding the bloody towel.
You Can Find the Carnivorous Plant Charles Darwin was Obsessed with in a Texas Park
Written by Joseph Palmer for Texas Monthly
I’d been bent at the hip like a cartoon detective, snooping around the trail’s edges, for over an hour. Covered in streaks of my own blood, courtesy of the recently satiated mosquitoes I swatted off my arms, legs, and neck, I was attempting to track down the carnivorous sundew plant. Despite assurances from multiple amicable park rangers that I would have “no problem” finding it on the Big Thicket National Preserve’s promisingly named Sundew Trail, I found it to be more of a sun-don’t.
Fortunately, experiencing sundews is worth the effort. All you need, I eventually learned, is an eagle eye.
Feral hogs cost U.S. ag over $1.6 billion in annual losses
Written by Emmy Powell for Texas Farm Bureau
Feral hogs continue to run rampant across 13 states, including Texas, causing more than $1.6 billion in annual losses. Data from the National Feral Swine Damage Management Program and the National Wildlife Research Center offers the most comprehensive economic assessment of the economic toll of feral swine. In Texas alone, damages total an estimated $871 million in damage.
“While crop losses often draw the most attention, the data shows that the true financial burden is much broader—influencing planting decisions, degrading pastureland, damaging equipment and infrastructure and consuming labor hours that could otherwise be devoted to production,” American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Economist Daniel Munch said.
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