Pronghorn Lessons in the Trans-Pecos

Approximately 130 participants attended the Pronghorn Symposium at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas August 15-17 to learn about the history, biology, and management of the unique pronghorn in far West Texas.

“This symposium was a great forum to get a combination of Texas Parks and Wildlife, the NRCS, landowners and hunters all together to discuss pronghorns,” said Dan McBride, veterinarian from Burnet, Texas. “There was a broadening of knowledge that came from getting those four groups together.

“That is the most important thing we can take from this,” he continued. “We can all go forward from here.”

McBride has spent many years hunting and studying pronghorns, as well as helping landowners and wildlife specialists learn more about the animals and develop their habitat.

The Pronghorn's scientific name, Antilocapra americana, means "American antelope goat." The pronghorn is the only animal in the world with branched or pronged horns, hence the name. They are also the only animal in the world to shed its horns each year, as if they were antlers.

Found only in North America, pronghorns occupy relatively arid climates, such as that found in the Trans-Pecos area. Some of the best places to see pronghorn are just south of Marfa, Texas, and between Alpine and Fort Davis, Texas. They can often be seen grazing alongside cattle on the plains north of Alpine.

However, current pronghorn populations are just a fraction of their historic numbers. Symposium attendees learned that primary causes for population and distribution declines include loss of habitat, artificial barriers (fences and highways), isolation from other populations, predators, and natural climatic fluctuations (drought).
Symposium presentations were delivered by professionals from USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Cooperative Extension, Sul Ross State University, The Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona State University, and New Mexico State University. Topics included historical perspectives on pronghorns, life history and behavior, feeding habits, habitat requirements, habitat management, permits and harvesting, and current population status.

The impacts of habitat fragmentation, predation, grazing management, and riparian and grassland restoration on pronghorn were also discussed. An important habitat characteristic that impacts pronghorn health and productivity is the freedom to make occasionally long-distance movements to locate quality forage, water, and shelter. The ability to move about freely is especially important in times of drought.

One large factor that affects pronghorn herds in West Texas are net-wire fences that once managed sheep herds. Pronghorn do not normally leap fences, like deer can do, so fenced rangeland has hampered their migration and survival in the past century. The unrestricted movement of the pronghorns during all seasons is a key factor in maintaining a healthy and productive herd.

“Modification of net-wire fences to allow greater access to forage will help maintain an adequate food supply for the pronghorns,” stated Steve Nelle, NRCS wildlife biologist. “Maintaining access to good water is also important.”

Local landowners and managers participated in discussion panels and shared how they include pronghorn management in their operations. Pronghorns prefer the grasslands, but access to brush is also important. The diet of pronghorns consists almost entirely of forbs (non-woody flowering plants) and brush. Grass makes up a very small part of the diet, making them very compatible with cattle. Pronghorns do not fit very well with sheep or goats, since their food habits are somewhat similar.

“On most ranges in the Trans Pecos, the most feasible method for maintaining an adequate supply of perennial forbs is to practice conservative stocking rates and pasture rotation,” Nelle advised.

Pronghorns can make significant use of browse (shrubs) when forbs become less available, even eating cholla and prickly pear when necessary to survive. Pronghorn have the unique ability to eat plants that are poisonous to livestock, such as paperflower, groundsel, broom snakeweed, and goat head.

Predation has been identified as one of the factors which affect pronghorn population levels. They typically graze in open prairies, making them vulnerable to predators such as coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and golden eagles. Fawns are especially vulnerable, making fawning cover an important aspect of their habitat. Increasing pronghorn populations is dependent upon fawn survival, making interspersion of shrubs or other hiding cover (10”-22” high) within grasslands an important factor in pronghorn survival.

The second day was held in the field on a local ranch, where comparative necropsies were conducted on a pronghorn and heifer. The thorough examination of the body design and digestive system illustrated the influence of morphological differences on feeding strategy and behavior. Samples were taken from the rumen of both animals, and the contents were analyzed and discussed. The rumen of the heifer contained nearly 100 percent grass, while the rumen of the pronghorn contained nearly 100 percent forbs which confirmed what the speakers had said the previous day about feeding habits and the compatibility of cattle and pronghorn. The crowd then divided into smaller groups led by NRCS and TPWD personnel and looked at examples of habitat and plants important to pronghorn.

Partners and Sponsors of the Pronghorn Symposium include: USDA-NRCS, Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Chihuahuan Desert RC&D, Texas Wildlife Association, Sul Ross State University, Renewable Resources Extension Act, University of Texas Lands, Dallas Safari Club, and the West Texas Chapter of the Safari Club International.

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