John Wilton - MacDougall Ranch Properties, LLC

Ran across a Texas State Law Library guide discussing easements and landlocked property issues in Texas.

Source: Texas State Law Library — “Easements – Neighbor Law” https://guides.sll.texas.gov/neighbor-law/easements

A few things discussed in the guide:

• The guide outlines different types of easements, including private, public, and utility easements
• Easement maintenance responsibilities are often addressed in the written easement language
• The guide discusses access easements and situations involving landlocked property
• The page notes that landlocked property owners may need to obtain an easement to legally access their property

Thought this was worth sharing for Texas ranch and rural property owners reviewing access and roadway issues tied to rural land ownership.

USDA-APHIS — “Current Status of New World Screwworm” https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animals/animal-health/livestock-and-poultry-disease/current-status?page=1

Ran across a Texas A&M Forest Service article discussing wildfire preparedness for Texas farms and ranches.

Source: “Prepare your farm or ranch for wildfires”
https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/wildfire-and-other-disasters/farm-ranch-prevention-and-preparedness/prepare-your-ranch-for-wildfire/

A few things discussed in the article:

• Creating defensible space around homes, barns, and other structures
• Maintaining access routes for emergency vehicles
• Coordinating with local fire departments before an emergency occurs
• Livestock relocation planning and identifying water sources for preparedness

Thought this was worth sharing for Texas ranch and rural property owners reviewing wildfire preparedness ahead of hotter and drier conditions.

Some properties are bought and sold. Others are stewarded across generations.

Established in 1856, Younger Ranch represents a rare opportunity to acquire 265.82 acres of North Texas land rooted in nearly 170 years of Younger family history.

Just one hour northwest of Fort Worth, the ranch offers a combination of rolling pasture, mature post oak hardwoods, seasonal Turkey Creek frontage, and the kind of privacy that has become increasingly difficult to find within easy reach of the Metroplex.

That kind of land doesn't come around often.

Shown by appointment. Qualified buyers only.

(link in comments)

Ran across a Texas Water Development Board resource discussing private water well sampling and testing for rural property owners.

Source: Texas Water Development Board — “Sampling a Private Water Well” http://www.twdb.texas.gov/groundwater/data/privwwsamp.asp

A few things covered on the page:

• Information on private well sample collection procedures
• Guidance on using certified laboratories for water testing
• General cost ranges associated with well sampling
• Handling and shipping considerations for water samples

Thought this was worth sharing for Texas ranch and rural property owners with private wells on their property.

Ran across an article discussing the scale of transmission line expansion being proposed across parts of rural Texas.

Source: E&E News — “$33B transmission build-out leaves Texas ranchers fuming” https://www.eenews.net/articles/33b-transmission-build-out-leaves-texas-ranchers-fuming/

A few things discussed in the article:
• The article discusses transmission projects crossing portions of Texas ranch country
• Some landowners raised concerns about routing, compensation, and long-term land impacts
• The article references landowner notice timelines and regulatory review processes
• Energy corridor and transmission discussions continue affecting parts of rural Texas

Thought this was worth sharing for Texas ranch and rural property owners.

Texas A&M AgriLife released a second edition of their free guide — Five Strands: A Landowner's Guide to Fence Law in Texas.
Written by Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, AgriLife's agricultural law specialist, along with two Texas attorneys.
Free PDF download on the page.

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife — Five Strands: A Landowner's Guide to Fence Law in Texas (2nd Edition) https://agrilife.org/texasaglaw/2022/06/20/second-edition-five-strands-a-landowners-guide-to-fence-law-in-texas/
• Texas defaults to open range law — livestock owners are generally not required to fence in their animals. A neighboring landowner who wants to keep livestock out is responsible for building the fence.
• That default can be changed by local stock laws, which are adopted county by county. The guide recommends confirming your county's status with the county sheriff or county clerk.
• Along U.S. and state highways, Texas law requires livestock owners to prevent animals from entering the roadway — regardless of open or closed range status.
• A landowner has no legal obligation to share the cost of a fence built by a neighbor on the property line unless it's agreed to in writing.

Ran across a Texas Parks and Wildlife page discussing how listed species issues intersect with private land ownership in Texas.

Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — “Private Landowners and Listed Species” https://tpwd.texas.gov/wildlife/wildlife-diversity/nongame/listed-species/private-landowners-and-listed-species/

A few things covered on the page:

• TPWD notes that much of the habitat for listed species in Texas occurs on private land
• The page discusses voluntary conservation tools available to landowners
• Habitat Conservation Plans, Safe Harbor Agreements, and Candidate Conservation Agreements are referenced as conservation approaches
• The page also discusses balancing wildlife conservation with continued private land use and management activities

Thought this was worth sharing for Texas ranch and rural property owners interested in land stewardship and habitat management.

Memorial Day.

Ran across updated USDA and Texas A&M AgriLife information regarding New World screwworm awareness and monitoring efforts.

Sources:

USDA-APHIS — “Current Status of New World Screwworm” https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/stop-screwworm/current-status?page=1

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — “New World Screwworm” https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/new-world-screwworm/

A few things discussed in the sources:

• USDA-APHIS states that New World screwworm is not currently present in the United States
• The USDA page tracks detections and updates in Mexico and Central America
• Texas A&M AgriLife explains how the pest spreads and why livestock inspections remain important
• AgriLife also discusses the importance of promptly reporting suspicious cases and staying informed through trusted sources

Thought this was worth sharing for Texas ranch and rural property owners involved in livestock operations.