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skeet skeet cattle rustler

Bozo_Casanova

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Cajun

Cajun 11766

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Here’s Hallie’s gato teminado…

ACCC6C45-069B-48B5-8232-EA6A2DAA3D69.jpeg
 

First time Lat22met her he said to me, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but your great grandmother is the toughest man I’ve ever met”.

Stiil kills me every time I think about it.

Edited by Cajun
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Lat22

Lat22 4053

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She was so awesome.  Cajun and I had been out there for a few days and a buddy was driving in from Austin to meet up with us.  We told him to go to the Stillwell Store.  After that 7 or 8 hour drive, Rue pulls up to the store.  He walks up to Hallie and asks about us.  She told him she'd never heard of us.  She made Rue sweat for probably 10 minutes before finally conceding that we were inside.  

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Cajun

Cajun 11766

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From the article ---

Quote

“He’s had free reign for the entire time since he’s been the judge,” said Skeet Jones’ nephew, Constable Brandon Jones, who was elected in 2016. “That’s given him a sense of power and impunity that he can do whatever he wants whenever he wants. Even the feeling of self-righteousness. That he can do no wrong.”

Boy, that sure describes a shit-load of Texas judges to a T.  So many losers with robes and undeserved power in this state.

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 105692

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Posted
6 minutes ago, Cajun said:

From the article ---

Boy, that sure describes a shit-load of Texas judges to a T.  So many losers with robes and undeserved power in this state.

Well, understand that he's not a judge -- he's the "County Judge," which is a specific position in county government that really corresponds to mayor for a city.  County Judge is to county as Mayor is to city.  It's an incredibly powerful position.  And, in a rural county where someone can hold the job for damn near life.....the analog to Boss Hogg of Hazzard County ain't far off.

MV5BMTIxOTQ2NzY1NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNzIw

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 105692

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Posted
2 minutes ago, Cajun said:

@BrisketexanYeah, my comment was aimed mainly at County Judges.  I should have been more specific.

That said, there are plenty of other judges out there who suffer from the same ego trips as this guy,  just with varying degrees of loserdom.

Well, that follows for anyone with any position of power -- from gov't officials to the head of your local church ladies flower guild.  County Judges get away with some serious shit, though, because (as demonstrated some in this thread), most people don't even know what they are or what they do.

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davidg

davidg 4041

Posted
Posted (edited)
27 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Well, understand that he's not a judge -- he's the "County Judge," which is a specific position in county government that really corresponds to mayor for a city.  County Judge is to county as Mayor is to city.  It's an incredibly powerful position.  And, in a rural county where someone can hold the job for damn near life.....the analog to Boss Hogg of Hazzard County ain't far off.

 

But do some county judges preside over a local misdemeanor level court?  Not talking about a JP court but I have a relative in jail in a county where we have family property.  He recently plea'd out a couple of CL B misdemeanor offenses and a felony one.  Searching on the county district clerk website you can bring up all the charged offenses and convictions for a person. The county judge is listed as the judicial officer on the misdemeanor and the state district judge is the j. o. on the felony.   He made the plea on all of them at the trial date for one of the misdemeanors.  Don't know who was presiding.  Do state district courts hear Cl A & B misdemeanor cases?

 

ETA:  Searching a but more on the county website I see there is a separate county court of law with a judge that works concurrently with the local district court.  I guess the since the county judge is the highest county official he is the county judicial officer.

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 105692

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Posted
6 minutes ago, davidg said:

But do some county judges preside over a local misdemeanor level court?  Not talking about a JP court but I have a relative in jail in a county where we have family property.  He recently plea'd out a couple of CL B misdemeanor offenses and a felony one.  Searching on the county district clerk website you can bring up all the charged offenses and convictions for a person. The county judge is listed as the judicial officer on the misdemeanor and the state district judge is the j. o. on the felony.   He made the plea on all of them at the trial date for one of the misdemeanors.  Don't know who was presiding.  Do state district courts hear Cl A & B misdemeanor cases?

 

ETA:  Searching a but more on the county website I see there is a separate county court of law with a judge that works concurrently with the local district court.  I guess the since the county judge is the highest county official he is the county judicial officer.

Beats me.  I only commit misdemeanors, I don't represent clients charged with them.  The County Judge does control the budget and administration (to some degree) of county courts at law, so that may be the deal there.

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CHIEF

CHIEF 5104

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Posted

Also from the article, the county population is at 57:

Word of the arrests spread faster than a prairie fire with a tailwind through this West Texas county, population 57 as of the last U.S. Census Bureau estimate. Spread over 671 square miles of mesquite-studded desert, Loving County has no school, no church, no grocery store and no bank. The few children who live there board the bus in the only town, Mentone (population 22), and travel about 35 miles each morning and afternoon to attend school.

 

The 117 population remark had me wondering, who the fuck is moving to Loving county.

CHIEF

 

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CycleTex87

CycleTex87 2991

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Posted (edited)

This is straight off of the Google search for Loving Co.:

Loving County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. With a population of 64 per the 2020 census, it is the least-populous county in the contiguous United States. Its county seat and only community is Mentone. The county was originally created in 1887, and after being disorganized in 1897, was reorganized in 1931. Wikipedia
Area: 677 mi²
Founded: 1931
Population: 117 (2020)
Unemployment rate: 0.8% (Mar 2022)
 
Maybe they're also counting dogs, cats, & horses in the census out there.
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Jerry Callo

Jerry Callo 8848

Posted
Posted

Some counties in Texas have a County Court at Law or multiple Count Courts at Law which are created by the Texas legislature.  In those counties, the County Judge is basically the presiding officer of the County Commissioner's Court.   Some counties do not have statutory county courts at law - in those counties, the County Judge actually adjudicates misdemeanors, some civil disputes, probates, and appeals from the JP courts. 

 

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Ghost of LL

Ghost of LL 15606

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So according to the Census, the population of Loving County as of 2020 is 64.  That's down from 82 in 2010.  That's a pretty goddamned big decrease in just 10 years.

But here's the bigger thing--it's down to 57 as of 2021.  The county lost more than 10% of its population in just one year.  Hard to imagine that such a population loss in a single year can be ascribed to anything other than Covid.

And here's the wild thing about Loving County--not a single person in the entire county has a bachelor's degree.

 

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17897

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

So according to the Census, the population of Loving County as of 2020 is 64.  That's down from 82 in 2010.  That's a pretty goddamned big decrease in just 10 years.

But here's the bigger thing--it's down to 57 as of 2021.  The county lost more than 10% of its population in just one year.  Hard to imagine that such a population loss in a single year can be ascribed to anything other than Covid.

And here's the wild thing about Loving County--not a single person in the entire county has a bachelor's degree.

 

Folks who get gone, stay gone!

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ABSR

ABSR 5329

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

So according to the Census, the population of Loving County as of 2020 is 64.  That's down from 82 in 2010.  That's a pretty goddamned big decrease in just 10 years.

But here's the bigger thing--it's down to 57 as of 2021.  The county lost more than 10% of its population in just one year.  Hard to imagine that such a population loss in a single year can be ascribed to anything other than Covid.

And here's the wild thing about Loving County--not a single person in the entire county has a bachelor's degree.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/texas-covid-cases.html

Loving County TX:  Total cases all time 204 and total deaths all time 1.

The 204 cases based on total county population seems high, so maybe they have a clinic or something that draws in some people living in a different county.  Vaccination rate is 22% for 5 year and up, so likely people getting sick several times and popping COVID positive, but not seriously ill. 

But the population decline seems to not be COVID driven.

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NeverMarryAStripper

NeverMarryAStripper 22054

Posted
Posted
17 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I don’t understand the cattle business. I’m just a casual observer with a few friends that breed cattle as a hobby. 
 

The cattle business has pretty low margins. I can’t imagine rustling being very lucrative, and they’ll throw the book at you in Texas. The risk/reward doesn’t compute. 

The margins go up considerably if the cattle you sell are free and you have no cost to maintain them

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Cajun

Cajun 11766

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Posted
10 hours ago, CHIEF said:

Also from the article, the county population is at 57:

Word of the arrests spread faster than a prairie fire with a tailwind through this West Texas county, population 57 as of the last U.S. Census Bureau estimate. Spread over 671 square miles of mesquite-studded desert, Loving County has no school, no church, no grocery store and no bank. The few children who live there board the bus in the only town, Mentone (population 22), and travel about 35 miles each morning and afternoon to attend school.

 

The 117 population remark had me wondering, who the fuck is moving to Loving county.

CHIEF

 

It’s been awhile since I had any loving, so I’m thinking about moving there.

sue me!!!

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Cajun

Cajun 11766

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Posted
2 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I don’t understand the cattle business. I’m just a casual observer with a few friends that breed cattle as a hobby. 
 

The cattle business has pretty low margins. I can’t imagine rustling being very lucrative, and they’ll throw the book at you in Texas. The risk/reward doesn’t compute. 

Low margins?

In that kind of country they’re….

E57F4E1F-34EF-4073-A032-D0AD34094DA9.jpeg

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Gatorubet

Gatorubet 30437

Posted
Posted
Also from the article, the county population is at 57:

Word of the arrests spread faster than a prairie fire with a tailwind through this West Texas county, population 57 as of the last U.S. Census Bureau estimate. Spread over 671 square miles of mesquite-studded desert, Loving County has no school, no church, no grocery store and no bank. The few children who live there board the bus in the only town, Mentone (population 22), and travel about 35 miles each morning and afternoon to attend school.

 

The 117 population remark had me wondering, who the fuck is moving to Loving county. CHIEF
 

Only 58 Surly residents and Muledick, Texas will have its birth.
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Gatorubet

Gatorubet 30437

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Posted
Well, understand that he's not a judge -- he's the "County Judge," which is a specific position in county government that really corresponds to mayor for a city.  County Judge is to county as Mayor is to city.  It's an incredibly powerful position.  And, in a rural county where someone can hold the job for damn near life.....the analog to Boss Hogg of Hazzard County ain't far off.



So - he will hold a grudge?
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cactusflinthead

cactusflinthead 27615

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Posted
13 hours ago, ABSR said:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/texas-covid-cases.html

Loving County TX:  Total cases all time 204 and total deaths all time 1.

The 204 cases based on total county population seems high, so maybe they have a clinic or something that draws in some people living in a different county.  Vaccination rate is 22% for 5 year and up, so likely people getting sick several times and popping COVID positive, but not seriously ill. 

But the population decline seems to not be COVID driven.

What about other causes of death? Or did they die in another county and it was reported there? 

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SquishMitten

SquishMitten 10466

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The margins go up considerably if the cattle you sell are free and you have no cost to maintain them


While this is true, the profits of 3 cattle, split between 4 people, makes it truly mind boggling. I guess at some point they felt they’d become truly untouchable and didn’t see any risk at all. Then again, maybe the rangers only bothered to build a case for 3 easy proven thefts. Don’t need to prove hundreds when theft of one essentially puts an old man away for life.
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CHIEF

CHIEF 5104

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I don’t understand the cattle business. I’m just a casual observer with a few friends that breed cattle as a hobby. 
 

The cattle business has pretty low margins. I can’t imagine rustling being very lucrative, and they’ll throw the book at you in Texas. The risk/reward doesn’t compute. 

It has really good margins, if you inherit it from your parents or grandparents, and it's the right kind of land. If you have irrigated coastal, buy cow/calf pairs with the mother already bred back, the margins are probably close to 30%.  Enough to pay off the momma after two years. Your cost is only electricity for the well pump, medications, diesel, fertilizer, and baling.

I know several 2nd or 3rd generation ranchers that are millionaires, or multi-millionaires. They hit the inheritance jackpot. They have hands that take care of the ranch, while they travel around the World, and go to the sale barn and eat chicken fried steaks once a week. It's an envious life.

CHIEF

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Cajun

Cajun 11766

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Posted
9 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

They have hands that take care of the ranch, while they travel around the World, and go to the sale barn and eat chicken fried steaks once a week. It's an envious life.

CHIEF

Only once a week?

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fattyflattie

fattyflattie 4639

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Posted
4 hours ago, CHIEF said:

It has really good margins, if you inherit it from your parents or grandparents, and it's the right kind of land. If you have irrigated coastal, buy cow/calf pairs with the mother already bred back, the margins are probably close to 30%.  Enough to pay off the momma after two years. Your cost is only electricity for the well pump, medications, diesel, fertilizer, and baling.

I know several 2nd or 3rd generation ranchers that are millionaires, or multi-millionaires. They hit the inheritance jackpot. They have hands that take care of the ranch, while they travel around the World, and go to the sale barn and eat chicken fried steaks once a week. It's an envious life.

CHIEF

This is correct.   

Now if you had to start off by purchasing a few million in land, the numbers can get funky. 

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CHIEF

CHIEF 5104

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2 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

This is correct.   

Now if you had to start off by purchasing a few million in land, the numbers can get funky. 

The numbers quit working about a decade ago with rising land prices. There is absolutely no ranching land available anymore that can pay for itself. Even out in desolate places like Benjamin, the land is $1000-1500/acre. But it takes 40 acres to run one head.

I missed out on a place in 2006, that I was going to buy instead of building my house. It was 320 acres (half section) just south of Cisco, with 319 acres of it in Coastal, it was beautiful, and only $1750/acre. The place had a few old plugged oil wells on it. I was going to drill out the plugs and replug below the water table, and use those wells for irrigation. It already had irrigation pipe, all I would have needed to do was buy compatible pumps. Dad put his pencil to it, said I could probably clear $75k/year. I told him if I spent that money on pumps and fertilizer, instead of cattle, and could cut hay every 28 days, and could get six cuttings at $50/bale, I could pay off the place in a little over three years. It was a drought that year, and hay was going for $150/bale. I could have probably paid it off in less than two years.

I called the realtor, he said the place had just sold, but he had another like it. He sent me pictures, it was solid brush. Would have taken a couple of thousand an acre to clear it, and probably $500 to sprig it, and years before you could cut hay off of it.

CHIEF

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fattyflattie

fattyflattie 4639

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Posted
2 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

The numbers quit working about a decade ago with rising land prices. There is absolutely no ranching land available anymore that can pay for itself. Even out in desolate places like Benjamin, the land is $1000-1500/acre. But it takes 40 acres to run one head.

I missed out on a place in 2006, that I was going to buy instead of building my house. It was 320 acres (half section) just south of Cisco, with 319 acres of it in Coastal, it was beautiful, and only $1750/acre. The place had a few old plugged oil wells on it. I was going to drill out the plugs and replug below the water table, and use those wells for irrigation. It already had irrigation pipe, all I would have needed to do was buy compatible pumps. Dad put his pencil to it, said I could probably clear $75k/year. I told him if I spent that money on pumps and fertilizer, instead of cattle, and could cut hay every 28 days, and could get six cuttings at $50/bale, I could pay off the place in a little over three years. It was a drought that year, and hay was going for $150/bale. I could have probably paid it off in less than two years.

I called the realtor, he said the place had just sold, but he had another like it. He sent me pictures, it was solid brush. Would have taken a couple of thousand an acre to clear it, and probably $500 to sprig it, and years before you could cut hay off of it.

CHIEF

I missed a 100 ac coastal hay patch in Alvin area like that. 1250/ac.  First year out of college. I thought it would be better to get a handle and pay down my student loans.  Fuck me that was the wrong choice.   
 

Owned the tractor but would need the rest. Probably would have worked out even paying someone custom.  Fuck it.  One mistake of many. 

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CHIEF

CHIEF 5104

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Posted
4 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I missed a 100 ac coastal hay patch in Alvin area like that. 1250/ac.  First year out of college. I thought it would be better to get a handle and pay down my student loans.  Fuck me that was the wrong choice.   
 

Owned the tractor but would need the rest. Probably would have worked out even paying someone custom.  Fuck it.  One mistake of many. 

Yep. I consider missing out on that acreage a real turning point in what "could have been". Not a day goes by without it crossing my mind. Could have made $175k-$300k/year for the rest of my life, selling nothing but hay, or raising cattle when hay was plentiful. I know guys that have done it well up into their 90's.

CHIEF

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NotActuallyALonghorn

NotActuallyALonghorn 4980

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, CHIEF said:

The numbers quit working about a decade ago with rising land prices. There is absolutely no ranching land available anymore that can pay for itself. Even out in desolate places like Benjamin, the land is $1000-1500/acre. But it takes 40 acres to run one head.

I missed out on a place in 2006, that I was going to buy instead of building my house. It was 320 acres (half section) just south of Cisco, with 319 acres of it in Coastal, it was beautiful, and only $1750/acre. The place had a few old plugged oil wells on it. I was going to drill out the plugs and replug below the water table, and use those wells for irrigation. It already had irrigation pipe, all I would have needed to do was buy compatible pumps. Dad put his pencil to it, said I could probably clear $75k/year. I told him if I spent that money on pumps and fertilizer, instead of cattle, and could cut hay every 28 days, and could get six cuttings at $50/bale, I could pay off the place in a little over three years. It was a drought that year, and hay was going for $150/bale. I could have probably paid it off in less than two years.

I called the realtor, he said the place had just sold, but he had another like it. He sent me pictures, it was solid brush. Would have taken a couple of thousand an acre to clear it, and probably $500 to sprig it, and years before you could cut hay off of it.

CHIEF

Until this recent madness you could find land in East Texas for under $3000 an acre, and you can carry a lot more head in East Texas than you can farther west. Combine that with a good F2 terminal cross program and smart management and I bet you could make the numbers work, or at least make the land pay for itself and build equity. But prices seem to have more than doubled here lately.

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RPM

RPM 26433

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Posted

I got a little bit of reality to drop on you wannabe hay farmers. It costs a helluva lot more than $500 to sprig. One other thing about selling all that hay for profit. When you make hay, everybody makes hay. It's a lot harder to get rid of.

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NotActuallyALonghorn

NotActuallyALonghorn 4980

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Yeah, agriculture is cyclic. You gotta learn to be a cheap mofo in order to remain solvent in the hard times, especially if you have a small spread. That's why your grandfather seemingly had so much junk around. If it still works, keep using it. If it doesn't work, fix it. If you can't fix it, buy used If the numbers for new don't make sense.

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CHIEF

CHIEF 5104

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Posted
5 hours ago, RPM said:

I got a little bit of reality to drop on you wannabe hay farmers. It costs a helluva lot more than $500 to sprig. One other thing about selling all that hay for profit. When you make hay, everybody makes hay. It's a lot harder to get rid of.

That was 2006 pricing. You throw cattle on when everyone has hay, but you can’t be in love with them. Sell them when it starts getting dry, and switch back to hay farming and sell bales at $100+ to the dumbassses that won’t sell their herd. I also had enough dairies that would have taken all I could have produced. 
CHIEF

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CHIEF

CHIEF 5104

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Posted
24 minutes ago, RPM said:

I priced getting 35 acres sprigged about 5 years ago, it was $1650 per and I had to do the plowing. I planted Giant Bermuda for a whole lot less and got a decent stand. 

Ouch. I had an uncle that had a Coastal field and a sprigger. I never checked with anyone else. Haven’t checked prices since. 
CHIEF

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