Texas Parks & Wildlife, Volume 46, Number 11, November 1988 Page: 2
48 p. : col. ill.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
.CANYON
MULEYSheavy-antlered mule deer
buck is an animal many hunt-
ers look up to, literally.
In Texas, hunters traditionally look
for desert mules up in the Van Horn
Mountains, the Glass Mountains and
other rocky ranges of the Trans-Pecos
region. That high country bias, how-
ever, has led hunters to overlook
prime mule deer habitat that is right
beneath their feet in a great hole
called Palo Duro Canyon.
While the Trans-Pecos region may
have most of the state's mule deer, the
Panhandle's Palo Duro Canyon may
have some of the best, according to
hunters who have quietly discovered
the trophy quality of the canyon herd.
These sportsmen include O.J. Barnes
of San Antonio and Tom Watson of
Hve who saw and hunted the canyon
for the first time last November as
guests on the Harrell Ranch southeast
of Amarillo. Their first impression on
arriving at the rim of the canyon was
the typical one: astonishment. The flat,
treeless and wind-swept vastness of
the High Plains does not prepare the
traveler for stumbling suddenly on an
awesome chasm sometimes called the
"Grand Canyon of Texas."Carved by the Prairie Dog Town
Fork of the Red River, Palo Duro Can-
von is 120 miles long, up to 800 feet
deep and 20 miles wide.
After the shock of discovery, the
first-time visitor is struck by the beauty
of the rugged canyon walls, which ap-
pear in shades of red, orange, purple,
brown and white. In places, the ero-
sion pattern on the multi-colored
layers of clay and rock create forma-
tions called Spanish Skirts because of
the resemblance to the folds and ruf-
fles of a Spanish dancer's dress.
When the scrutinizing eve of the
hunter shifts from the panoramic gran-
deur to a closer inspection of the ter-
rain, the canyon appears as a verdant
oasis in a waterless sea of grassy
plains. Feeder canyons, finger ridges
and mesas drop from Palo Duro's tree-
less rim to the canyon floor, where the
Prairie Dog Town Fork and its feeder
creeks flow among tall cottonwoods.
The ridges, side canyons and mesas
themselves are thickly vegetated with
shin oak, mountain mahogany, cedar,
hackberry, cactus and a wealth of grass
and weeds that comprise a rich habitat
for wildlife. This is how it must have
appeared to the bands of Folsom andby Buddy Gough
2
T,
7~ 7:
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas. Parks and Wildlife Department. Texas Parks & Wildlife, Volume 46, Number 11, November 1988, periodical, November 1988; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1568693/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.