Texas wildlife is facing more pressure than ever—from disease outbreaks to changing land ownership and management challenges across the state.

In this episode of Landowner Insider, Kasey Mock sits down with veteran wildlife biologist Macy Ledbetter to break down the biggest challenges impacting Texas landowners, hunters, and wildlife managers right now.

While New World Screwworm has recently been confirmed in Texas, this conversation goes much deeper—covering the broader landscape of wildlife health, disease, and land management across the state.

You'll hear: - What the recent screwworm case means in the bigger picture - Why fawning season adds additional pressure to wildlife populations - The latest on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Texas - What landowners need to know about EHD and anthrax - How wildlife diseases are impacting deer, livestock, and native species - The effects of habitat fragmentation and changing land ownership - The future of high-fence ranching and exotic game management

With more than 30 years of experience, Macy shares practical insights from working with hundreds of Texas ranches and landowners. This episode offers a clear, grounded perspective on the challenges shaping the future of Texas wildlife and land stewardship.

If you own land, manage wildlife, hunt, or ranch in Texas, this is a conversation worth paying attention to.

Follow Landowner Insider for more conversations about Texas land, wildlife, water, and the future of the state.

In the 1950s-1960 Screwworms killed 80% of whitetail deer in Texas. New World Screwworms have now been confirmed in Texas again, and the threat to our wildlife and livestock is real.

In this episode of Landowner Insider, Kasey Mock sits down with leading wildlife biologist Macy Ledbetter of Spring Creek Outdoors, LLC to break down what the return of New World screwworm means specifically for Texas wildlife.

Just days after the first confirmed case in a calf in Zavala County, Kasey and Macy dive into the realities of how screwworm impacts deer, exotics, and free-ranging wildlife populations—and why this may present a greater long-term risk than many landowners realize.

This is a timely, focused conversation pulled directly from a longer 2.5-hour interview to bring you the most relevant and urgent information without delay.

In this episode, you'll hear: - What the confirmed screwworm case in South Texas means right now - Why wildlife presents a unique challenge compared to livestock - How screwworm spreads and why early awareness matters - What landowners and wildlife managers should be watching for - The broader implications for Texas land, hunting, and management

If you own land, manage wildlife, or operate in agriculture, this is a conversation you need to be paying attention to.

For additional context on the livestock side of screwworm, go back and listen to our recent episode "The New World Screwworm Threat with Texas Animal Health Commission," from April 6th, 2026. with Dr. T.R. Lansford of the Texas Animal Health Commission.

The full 2.5-hour conversation with Macy Ledbetter, including discussions on CWD, EHD, anthrax, and more, will be released next week.

Follow Landowner Insider for more conversations covering the issues shaping Texas land, wildlife, and agriculture.

The cowboy who almost lost the family ranch is a true story that will inspire you and change the way you do ranching.

In this episode of Landowner Insider, Kasey Mock sits down with longtime friend Rusty Phillips for a conversation that is equal parts humorous, gritty, and deeply personal.

Rusty shares what it was really like cowboying across Arizona, Montana, and New Mexico, from sleeping in freezing boxcars and living out of a bedroll to working cattle on horseback across large western ranches. Beneath the stories is a deeper theme that runs throughout the conversation: legacy.

After losing two generations of family leadership in a short period of time, Rusty and his family faced significant estate tax pressure that forced them to sell part of their Texas family ranch in order to hold onto the rest.

In this episode, they also discuss how Kasey and Rusty first met, stories from remote ranches near the Mexican border, why cowboy culture still matters today, and the realities of family ranch succession. They cover how past market cycles, including 2008 and rising interest rates, have impacted land ownership, along with why ranch life is often misunderstood by those outside of it.

Kasey and Rusty also share lighter moments from calving camp and life on the wagon, while reflecting on how perspectives around wealth and ownership change over time.

If you are interested in Texas ranches, cowboy culture, western storytelling, land ownership, or meaningful conversations about legacy and stewardship, this episode offers a unique and honest perspective.

Follow Landowner Insider for more conversations about Texas land, ranching, wildlife, water, legacy, and the future of the American West.

Texas land is changing quickly. Ranches are getting smaller, development pressure is increasing, and landowners are being asked to balance conservation, production, recreation, and long-term stewardship in new ways.

In this episode of Landowner Insider, Kasey Mock sits down with Shane Kiefer, CEO of Plateau Land & Wildlife Management, to discuss what the future of Texas land management looks like and how landowners can adapt.

This conversation goes beyond traditional wildlife tax valuations and explores how land stewardship has evolved across the state. Kasey and Shane discuss the growing demand for comprehensive land management, the challenges of smaller properties, and the pressures created by development and population growth.

They also cover how landowners are approaching habitat management, grazing, invasive species control, and long-term planning, along with the role private land plays in supporting wildlife across Texas.

Kasey and Shane provide practical, experience-based insight into what it takes to manage land effectively in today's environment.

If you own land or are considering it, this episode offers a clearer understanding of how Texas land is changing and what it means for long-term ownership and stewardship.

https://plateauwildlife.com/

Most landowners don't fully realize what they've signed up for after buying a ranch.

It's not just ownership. It's ongoing oversight, management, and responsibility. When a property sits unattended, small issues can quickly turn into expensive problems.

In this episode of Landowner Insider, Kasey Mock sits down with Adam Greene of Rafter Land and Ranch Solutions to break down what actually happens when land is left without consistent management.

From water systems and livestock to fencing, roads, and general maintenance, they walk through the real challenges landowners face when no one is regularly on the property.

This conversation also explores why hiring a single ranch hand often falls short, what effective management looks like behind the scenes, and how many landowners end up trading time and energy for frustration instead of the freedom they expected.

In this episode, we cover common mistakes landowners make after purchasing a ranch, how lack of visibility leads to compounding issues, the role of infrastructure in maintaining property value, and what it takes to protect and manage a long-term land investment.

Kasey and Adam share practical, experience-driven insight into what it really takes to maintain and protect a ranch over time.

If you own land, or are considering buying it, this episode will give you a clearer understanding of the responsibilities that come with it and how to approach ownership more effectively.

Kasey Mock has spent years working with landowners across Texas, and one thing continues to stand out. Many are overpaying in taxes without realizing it, year after year.

They focus on generating income from their land, but often overlook one of the most significant opportunities available to them.

In this episode of Landowner Insider, Kasey sits down with Kyla Dodson, land consultant, legacy strategist, and speaker, to break down a lesser-known tax strategy that is changing how landowners think about wealth.

The tax code is designed to reward certain behaviors. Some landowners are learning how to unlock additional value from their property and use it to reduce tax liability while reinvesting into future opportunities.

This conversation goes beyond tax savings. It focuses on understanding the system and making more informed decisions around land ownership and long-term wealth.

In this episode, we cover what the Legacy Nutrient Deduction is in simple terms, why many professionals are not yet discussing it, who may qualify, how some landowners are approaching deductions on a per-acre basis, and the difference between saving money and strengthening a balance sheet.

Kasey and Kyla bring practical, real-world perspective to a complex topic, making it easier to understand and apply.

If you own land or are considering it, this episode will give you a new way to think about taxes, ownership, and long-term strategy.

https://boasafraag.com/rp-landowner/?rid=kyla%40kyladodson.com&utm_source=partner&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=referral-2025&utm_content=kyla-dodson-wdu&utm_term=KDODSWDU

Kasey Mock has spent years studying and observing the Texas land market. He has seen buyers succeed and others make costly mistakes they never saw coming.

In today's shifting market, land is one of the most talked-about investments, but most people do not fully understand what they are buying into.

In this episode of Landowner Insider, Kasey sits down with ranch expert Josh Deal to break down what is really happening in the Texas land market. They cover rising prices, hidden costs, and why land continues to hold value even when other assets feel uncertain.

This conversation goes beyond real estate. It explores legacy, stewardship, and the decisions that impact landowners for generations.

In this episode, we cover why land behaves differently from traditional investments, the hidden costs many landowners underestimate, where current opportunities exist in North Texas, what separates a productive property from one that is simply aesthetic, how experienced buyers approach long-term ownership, and the realities of market cycles, timing, and decision-making.

Kasey and Josh share practical insight from years of experience in the field, discussing both the opportunities and the challenges of land ownership.

If you are thinking about buying land, selling a ranch, or making more informed decisions about your property, this episode will help you approach the market with greater clarity.

You sold your land, now comes one of the biggest financial decisions of your life.

For many landowners, this moment represents years, even generations, of hard work turning into a single major financial outcome. What happens next determines whether that wealth is preserved and grown, or slowly lost over time.

In this episode of the Landowner Insider Podcast, we sit down with Jeff Smitherman, a 30-year Marine Corps veteran and advisor with Trusted Capital Partners, to break down what landowners should do after unlocking significant equity.

This conversation goes beyond tactics. It focuses on understanding the tradeoffs between control, liquidity, and long-term growth, and making decisions that can impact your family for generations.

In this episode, we cover the mistake that can cost landowners a significant portion of their wealth, what happens when you access large amounts of capital, the difference between preserving and losing value after a land sale, how 1031 exchanges work in simple terms, what a Delaware Statutory Trust is and when it may make sense, who these strategies are designed for, and why patient capital often outperforms short-term thinking.

If you are thinking about selling land or currently hold significant equity, this episode will help you approach your next decision with more clarity and confidence.

This communication is for information purposes only and should not be regarded as an offer, solicitation or recommendation to sell or purchase any security or other financial product. Trusted Capital Partners, LLC; Saxony Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC.

www.pbabbate.org

This strategy turned land into a 3.5 million dollar tax deduction, and most landowners are completely missing it. Companies like Bird Dog are helping landowners unlock it.

In this episode of the Landowner Insider Podcast, we sit down with the team behind Bird Dog, a land intelligence platform built to help landowners turn their property into a high-performing financial asset. Kasey Mock breaks down how modern landowners are transforming property from a passive asset into a powerful wealth-building tool.

Most landowners do not realize how many opportunities exist on their land. Bird Dog is changing that by combining technology, data, and relationships to help owners discover new ways to generate income, reduce costs, and optimize long-term value.

In this episode, we cover how Bird Dog helped uncover a strategy that led to a 3.5 million dollar tax deduction, why holding land is costing more people than they realize, multiple ways to monetize land beyond traditional ranching or farming, how Bird Dog connects landowners to income streams like hunting, leasing, and agricultural use, how data and relationships help landowners make smarter decisions, and what separates landowners who profit from those who simply hold.

If you own land or are planning to own acreage, this episode will show you how platforms like Bird Dog are redefining what is possible.

We do not have enough cowboys for what is coming. This screwworm threat could cost ranchers millions.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. T.R. Lansford of the Texas Animal Health Commission to break down the growing risk of the New World screwworm and what it could mean for ranchers, landowners, and the livestock industry.

Screwworms were wiped out in the United States decades ago, but as they move north through Mexico, another outbreak is becoming a real possibility. The question is how long we have.

In this episode, we cover what screwworms are and why they are so dangerous to livestock, the real economic impact on cattle, wildlife, and landowners, how to spot an infestation early before it spreads, what landowners should be doing right now to prepare, and how quarantines and movement restrictions could affect your operation.

If you own land, run cattle, or are involved in agriculture in any way, this is a conversation you need to hear.

Learn more at https://screwwormtx.org and http://screwworm.gov

So many cowboys want a ranch, but nobody talks about how to actually build one without going broke in the process.

In this episode of Landowner Insider, we dive into ranching for profit, smart investing, and why starting with cows might be the biggest mistake beginners make. Whether you are starting a small ranch, investing in land, or trying to turn your operation into a profitable business, this conversation will change how you think about building wealth in agriculture.

We cover the difference between cash flow vs lifestyle ranching, how to turn your money over faster, and why real estate investing and alternative strategies can accelerate your path to owning a ranch. This is real-world experience from building, failing, learning, and scaling.

If you are serious about building a ranch from scratch, avoiding costly beginner mistakes, creating income from land and livestock, and growing wealth through smart investments, this episode is for you.