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(cows moo)
(whistling at cows)
>> MY NAME IS STEELE O'CONNOR
AND THIS IS OUR FAMILY RANCH.
(yelling at cows)
IT WAS STARTED BACK IN THE 1870S
BY MY GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT
GRANDFATHER THOMAS O'CONNOR.
(whistling at cows)
THE MAN ON THE HORSE IS
KAI BUCKERT.
HE STARTED WORKING HERE WHEN HE
WASN'T MUCH OLDER THAN ME.
(cow's moo)
MR. KAI AND MY GRANDMOTHER
HAVE RUN THE RANCH SINCE I
WAS A BABY, AFTER MY UNCLE
PASSED AWAY.
(whistling at cows)
I'VE KNOWN HIM ALL MY LIFE.
TO ME, HE'S A FRIEND, A TEACHER,
AND PART OF THE FAMILY.
(whistling at cows)
US GRANDKIDS WILL SOMEDAY BE
RUNNING THINGS, BUT NOT 'TIL
MR. KAI AND MY GRANDMOTHER
SAY WE'RE READY.
(music)
>> GRAB A BAG OF CORN AND, AH,
LET'S GET THIS BARREL FILLED UP.
>> THE GUY IN THE BROWN SHIRT
IS MY BROTHER MILES.
>> THEY NEARLY GOT ALL OF IT
LAST NIGHT.
>> CHRISTIAN IS CARRYING THE
CORN, AND THAT'S ME
IN THE WHITE CAP.
>> MILES, LET'S GET THAT
UNWRAPPED.
(corn pouring into barrel)
WE ALWAYS HAVE A LIST
OF JOBS TO DO.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE PUTTING OUT
BAIT FOR THE FERAL HOGS.
>> IT'LL TAKE THEM A FEW DAYS
TO GET USED TO IT.
>> THE BARREL IS MR. KAI'S OWN
INVENTION.
>> THEY'RE REALLY HELPFUL.
CAUSE, ALL THEY DO IS STAY HERE.
KEEPS THEM BUSY WHILE WE JUST
SNEAK UP.
(barrel drops on ground)
>> SEE, THEY'LL COME AND KNOCK
IT DOWN AND THEN THEY'LL
START ROOTING IT.
AND SEE, IT JUST DROPPED
THAT CORN.
WITH THOSE HOLES THEY'LL GET A
LITTLE TREAT, 15 TO 20 KERNELS
EVERY TIME THEY ROLL IT AROUND.
(Steele grunts)
>> HE TRIES TO MAKE IT FUN BY
CALLING THE STUFF WE DO
"COWBOY CAMP."
>> YEA, COME ON IN.
>> BUT IN REALITY, IT'S MOSTLY
HARD WORK AND A LOT OF LEARNING.
>> THERE YOU GO.
NOW COME TO ME
AND CUT THIS BIGGER ONE.
(branches clipped)
>> HE CUT THE BRANCH THIS WAY
SO IF THE HOG GOES OFF THAT WAY,
HE CAN GET A GOOD RUNNING SHOT.
(feral hog squeals)
TO RANCHERS, THESE WILD HOGS
ARE BAD NEWS.
THEY ROOT UP THE GROUND
AND REALLY TEAR UP THE LAND.
IT'S BASICALLY JUST REALLY BAD.
>> WE CAN PUT THE
SMACK DOWN ON EM.
>> YEA.
>> PORK CHOPS.
(laughter)
(feral hogs squeal)
(gun shots)
WE STARTED DOING SOMETHING,
MRS. O'CONNOR AND I,
TWO YEARS AGO?
(music)
>> BREAK IT OFF, YOU CAN ALWAYS
IDENTIFY THIS PLANT
BY ITS SMELL.
>> IT SMELLS LIKE AN ORANGE.
>> DURING COWBOY CAMP, WE WENT
AROUND TO SHOW THEM WHAT IT
TAKES TO OPERATE THE RANCHES
AND THE HUNTING OPERATION.
>> IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU
DON'T UNDERSTAND, JUST ASK ME
AND WE'LL COVER IT AGAIN.
>> THE IMMEDIATE LIFE THREAT IN
THAT SORT OF SITUATION IS THE
BLEEDING, CAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO DIE OF THE BROKEN BONE.
>> THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST
PLANTS YOU CAN HAVE IN
THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
TRY IT.
>> IT SMELLS SOMETHING WEIRD
LIKE PLEDGE.
(spits out leaf)
>> IF YOU BECOME LOST IN THE
OUTDOORS AS DARKNESS NEARS,
THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO
IS ADMIT THAT YOU'RE LOST
AND STAY WHERE YOU'RE AT.
>> WHAT ARE THEY TEACHING
THESE BOYS?
>> SMELLS LIKE LEMON.
>> THE THIRD STAGE IS HEAT
STROKE, AND THAT'S VERY SERIOUS
BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET TO
THAT STAGE, YOUR BODY IS
NO LONGER SWEATING.
>> THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT
KEY IS TO COMMUNICATE.
IF YOU DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER,
THAT'S WHEN ACCIDENTS
CAN HAPPEN.
(thud)
>> WE'RE JUST SHOWING THEM A
LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING
AND THAT'S COOL BECAUSE THIS ONE
IS MORE EXCITED ABOUT COUNTING
BEANS THAN THE OTHER ONE IS
MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE RANCH.
WHICH IS JUST WHAT WE WANTED.
>> IT'S GOT A LOT OF PROTEIN.
LIKE, THE COWS LIKE TO EAT THIS
AND SO DO THE DEER.
AND FEEL IT.
IT'S LIKE SANDPAPER.
YEA.
YOU WOULDN'T THINK THEY'D
WANT TO EAT THAT, DO YOU.
>> OK.
YOU READY TO GO EAT, BOYS?
>> YES, SIR.
THERE'S MANY PARTS TO THIS
WHOLE FAMILY THAT NEED TO BE
OPERATED BY A FAMILY MEMBER.
IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
IN THE WORLD.
THEY MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS
THAN A NON-FAMILY MEMBER.
(music)
>> THE RANCH HAS GONE
THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES
THROUGH THE YEARS.
WE USED TO HAVE FULL-TIME
COWBOYS, AND COOKS...
EVEN A CAMP HOUSE.
CATTLE WAS KING,
AND TIMES WERE GOOD.
BACK IN THE 1870S,
THE RANCH HAD OVER A
HUNDRED THOUSAND HEAD OF CATTLE.
BUT THE ECONOMICS OF THE
RANCHING INDUSTRY HAVE CHANGED.
FOR MOST RANCHERS,
CATTLE IS NO LONGER A CASH COW.
PROFIT MARGINS ARE CLOSE TO
ZERO, AND IT'S A REAL CHALLENGE
TO MAKE A RANCH WORK
FINANCIALLY.
SO, WE'VE HAD TO ADAPT.
THAT'S WHY A FEW YEARS AGO,
KAI AND MY GRANDMOTHER DECIDED
TO DIVERSIFY AND OPEN
THE RANCH TO HUNTING.
AND IN SOME YEARS, IT'S THE
INCOME WE GET FROM HUNTING THAT
DETERMINES WHETHER THE RANCH
MAKES A PROFIT OR A LOSS.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, HUNTING HAS
MADE US LOOK AT LAND STEWARDSHIP
IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
>> NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING SOME
RAINFALL, IT'S REALLY STARTING
TO SHOW UP WITH ALL THE
BRUSHWORK WE DID LAST YEAR.
THE LIP CONTRACT WE DID...
>> AND THIS RANCH OWNER HERE
HAS DONE OUTSTANDING WORK
MAINTAINING NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS,
MAINTAINING WILDLIFE
POPULATIONS, SHOWING GOOD
STEWARDSHIP FOR MAINTAINING
THE LAND.
>> WELL, BOYS, I HAD TOLD YOU
ALL ABOUT THE DUCK POND THAT WE
WERE GOING TO BUILD AND WE GOT
STARTED LAST WEEK ON IT.
(tractor engine)
ONCE WE GET IT ALL BUILT
AND FLOODED, THEN I'LL COME BACK
AND BUILD SOME DUCK BLINDS
AROUND WHEREVER WE NEED THEM.
AND SEE, THIS WILL BE BIG ENOUGH
TO WHERE YOU CAN HAVE TWO
OR THREE GROUPS HUNTING
ON THIS SIDE AND A COUPLE OF
GROUPS HUNTING ON THAT SIDE
AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
SHOOTING EACH OTHER.
>> THAT TRUCK IS A LITTLE
RIDICULOUS.
>> I THINK THAT'S PRETTY COOL.
THAT'S A CUMMINS ENGINE.
THOSE ARE STRAIGHT SIX DIESELS.
THAT TRUCK WOULD OUTRUN
MY TRUCK.
>> STEELE,
CHRISTIAN,
AND MILES.
>> NICE TO MEET YOU.
(tractor engine)
>> BOYS, YOU ALL KEEP IN MIND
THAT BOY IS 19 YEARS OLD
AND DID ALL THAT WORK HIMSELF
AND RUNS THAT BIG TRACTOR.
AND HE STARTED RUNNING THAT WHEN
HE WAS 13 YEARS OLD.
OK.
YEA.
TALENTED.
>> IN THE BEGINNING,
WEXFORD RANCH WAS ALMOST
ONE MILLION ACRES.
BUT WITH EACH GENERATION,
THE RANCH HAS BEEN EITHER
DIVIDED AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS
OR SOLD TO PAY ESTATE TAXES.
WE'RE NOW BATTLING TO
KEEP THE RANCH INTACT.
>> I NOTICED A FEW TURKEY
COMING ON IN.
>> WE'RE TRYING TO HOLD OFF ANY
FURTHER LAND FRAGMENTATION.
>> THIS IS THE LAST OF THE OPEN
PRAIRIE IN THE COASTAL BEND.
BUT THAT ALSO MEANS THAT THAT'S
A BIG RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY
TO KEEP IT TOGETHER.
KEEP ALL THE WILDLIFE GOING IN
BIGGER BLOCKS.
BUT WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THINGS
A LOT DIFFERENTLY NOW.
YOU'RE ALWAYS CHANGING.
I MEAN, THEY'VE CHANGED FOR
GENERATIONS.
IF YOU DON'T, YOU GET LEFT
BEHIND AND YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING
TO END UP LOSING WHAT YOU HAVE.
SO YOU'D BETTER CHANGE
WITH TIMES.
OTHERWISE, YOU'RE JUST GOING
TO GET LEFT OUT.
(music)
>> AND WITH EACH CHANGE, A SMALL
PART OF OUR HERITAGE IS LOST.
ON THIS DAY, ANOTHER WINDMILL
WILL COME DOWN, REPLACED WITH
A SOLAR OR HYDRAULIC PUMP.
>> I WAS PROBABLY 10 YEARS OLD
WHENEVER I STARTED WORKING ON
WINDMILLS, CAUSE IT WAS
MY DAD AND UNCLE.
AND SO THEY WOULD STAY ON THE
GROUND AND WORK THE WRENCHES
AND SO I WOULD GET SENT UP TOP.
IT WAS COOL.
YEARS AGO, WE HAD 65 WINDMILLS
THAT WE WOULD KEEP UP WITH.
>> I'D HATE TO BE UP THERE.
>> I LIKE IT.
>> I HATE HEIGHTS.
>> I LIKE IT.
>> I DON'T KNOW.
SEEMS KINDA, I'M TERRIFIED OF
HEIGHTS SO I DON'T KNOW IF
I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
>> OK, BOYS.
I THINK HE'S ABOUT READY FOR US
TO GIVE HIM A HAND.
DON'T GET UNDER IT, STEELE,
IN CASE IT FALLS.
YOU KNOW, THE WINDMILLS HAVE
BEEN THE ONLY WAY TO GO
FOR 75 YEARS OR MORE.
COME TO ME.
COME TO ME, YEP.
NOW HELP HIM PULL IT AWAY
FROM THE TROTH.
THERE YOU GO.
IT'S KIND OF CHANGING,
THE TIMES, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE DEALS,
THE GOOD OLD DAYS ARE
SLOWLY FADING AWAY.
SO.
I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE WORKED
FOR FOUR GENERATIONS.
AND AH, SO NOW MY BOSSES ARE
MUCH YOUNGER THAN I BUT THAT'S
COOL, TOO, BECAUSE I PUT LOTS OF
RESPONSIBILITY ON THEM, AND MAKE
THEM MAKE SOME DECISIONS.
AND LET THEM KNOW IT'S NOT THE
END OF THE WORLD IF IT'S THE
RIGHT DECISION OR THE WRONG
BECAUSE I'VE MADE MANY OF BOTH.
(music)
>> TO RUN A MODERN-DAY RANCH,
YOU HAVE TO BE SMART.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
A BALANCE SHEET.
BUT MOST IMPORTANT,
YOU HAVE TO BE COURAGEOUS
AND ADAPT TO CHANGE.
>> PERFECT.
WE WANT IT TO BE ON HERE
FOR YEARS TO COME.
>> MR. KAI IS ALL THOSE THINGS
AND MORE.
IT'S INCONCEIVABLE TO THINK OF
THIS PLACE WITHOUT HIM
AND MY GRANDMOTHER.
MY JOB NOW IS TO LEARN
AS MUCH AS I CAN.
I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TO CARRY ON THE FAMILY NAME
AND HONOR THEIR LEGACY.
MY NAME IS STEELE O'CONNOR
AND MY BROTHERS,
COUSINS AND I THANK YOU
FOR WATCHING OUR STORY.