• by Brandt Buchanan •

Soon after the first frost in fall, students at Sul Ross in Alpine may notice big desert mule deer bucks (Odocoileus hemionus crooki) emerge and begin roaming the campus.  On any given fall or winter afternoon, these bucks can trickle off Hancock Hill to enjoy a buffet of Alpine’s still-tender lawns and gardens.

Having immediate access to nature and the chance to view plentiful wildlife like mule deer are just two of the shining features that make the Sul Ross experience so unique.

“It’s also what makes being a student at Sul Ross fun and exciting,” says Chelby Hinds, a graduate student in the wildlife management program.

Hinds, like other Sul Ross students, is afforded a special opportunity to serve on the forefront of wildlife conservation in one of the most unique ecoregions in the state of Texas.  It’s an opportunity she has come to appreciate.

“It’s so much fun being able to go out into the field and get hands–on experience with certain wildlife species in my different classes,” she said, adding that those one–on–one experiences with wildlife influenced her decision to pursue a career as a wildlife biologist.

Hinds is studying the seasonal movements of urban mule deer in Alpine with the goal of gathering data to help wildlife management agencies better manage urban mule deer populations.  Her research is being done in conjunction with the Borderlands Research Institute, another unique Sul Ross feature.

Located in the Turner Range & Animal Science Building, BRI was established in 2007 to provide both graduate and undergraduate students a venue to pursue their passions in wildlife and natural resource management studies.  Though it’s not a hard sell, BRI isn’t shy about bragging on the Big Bend’s natural advantages for students like Hinds.

“The Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands offer some of the most scenic outdoor classrooms available worldwide,” states the BRI website.

The Institute believes lessons learned on the side of a mountain are lessons not easily forgotten, and that students can play an important role in achieving the goal of “providing land managers with the most current scientific information.”  Students also receive marketable experience in the process, ultimately giving them more bang for their tuition buck.

While Lobos not studying wildlife or natural resource management don’t generally take a lot of classes at RAS, that won’t prevent them from experiencing the natural wonders of the Big Bend.  For starters, several student organizations offer different ways to explore the region’s landscape and the diversity of critters that call it home.  General science courses are another good place to start for those who are more than “kinda-interested” in learning about the intricacies of nature.

Not everyone at SRSU considers herself or himself a “nature-person,” but its difficult to go a week, let alone an entire semester, without witnessing and appreciating the grandeur of a Far West Texas sunrise or sunset.  And I’d bet nearly every Sul Ross student has ventured up Hancock Hill on at least one occasion—for whatever reason—and enjoyed it.

For me, the campus setting and surroundings are comfortable largely due to the fact that I’ve spent most of my time thus far outdoors and on rangeland.  Being able to wander the University’s pastures and trails and see wildlife everyday makes for a lovely transition into “town-living”—as my pursuit of higher education eventually takes me to an urban environment.  Even with the occasional car sounds and train whistles, the town of Alpine makes for a genuine juncture of “wildland” and town—able to entrance just about anyone, student or not, who stays too long.

• by Timsan Wilkie •

In the vast desert of Far West Texas, there lies a little town called Alpine, home to Sul Ross State University and two cowboys named Dennis Yadon and Colby Smith.

Yadon, 69, who graduated from Sul Ross in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in range and animal science, has been a cowboy his entire adult life, travelling all over Texas to work for several ranches.  Yadon is also a farrier or horseshoer—someone who maintains and protects horses’ hooves with iron shoes.  The horseshoeing trade is physically taxing and very hard work, but worthwhile to Yadon.  

Smith, 28, came to Alpine to attend Sul Ross in 2011.  Previously, he came from back East to attend Mesalands Community College (Tucumcari, NM) for their renowned farrier program.  Smith has always been involved in rodeo, and continued to rodeo after coming to Sul Ross.  In 2013 he added an SRSU Bachelor of Fine Arts degree to his horseshoeing certificate from Mesalands.

Yadon and Smith, though many years apart in age, have developed a very close friendship.  The two met in 2012 when Yadon was volunteering to help out the rodeo team at Sul Ross.

Always around the team and helping where he could, when Yadon needed some help on the ranch and with his shoeing it was natural to ask a rodeo team member.  Smith accepted the offer and went to work full-time for Yadon in 2012.  Through Yadon’s tutelage, Smith refined his shoeing skills and also learned how to cowboy.  

“I worked for Dennis, and I looked after the equine barn at the college, and had my own shoein’ gig on the side,” recalled Smith.  “Dennis gave me confidence.  I was still wet behind the ears, even after my years at Mesalands.”

When asked how Alpine’s cowboys have changed over the years, Yadon replied, “I think the goals are different.  I think maybe it was just me, but I was raised on ranches and I had a general concept of cowboying and operating ranches.  Now, the cowboys don’t have as much desire to know the operating end of the industry as much as they do the business and money end.”  

Both Smith and Yadon agreed that true cowboys are becoming a rare breed, along with the horseshoers.

“There’s a lot more horses to shoe in Alpine than there used to be, but there’s a lot less horseshoers,” said Smith.  “All the old-timers know how to shoe, but seems like nobody wants to do it anymore.” 

Yadon noted that horseshoeing has changed significantly since “old-timers” like him first learned how to shoe.

“There’s a lot more technology these days for treating different kinds of lameness.  Corrective shoeing has really advanced, and there’s a lot more availability of new techniques.  Most of the stuff I learned was trial and error.

“While Colby got to go through a program with really good teachers, and had a little more access to some of that (recent technology), most of the guys I learned from had just taught themselves.  I got to work under some polo horse and hunter jumper shoers, which is a little different than ranch ponies, which is what I’ve mainly done.”

In addition to decades worth of technical changes in horshoeing, Yadon has also witnessed significant changes in both the local agricultural economy and cowboy culture.

“Here in Alpine, we shoe different than in other parts of Texas—because of the terrain.  When I came here in ’67, there were a few places still loadin’ cattle on the train to ship.  It was an ag community.  And it’s still an ag community now, but not as ag-oriented as it used to be.  There’s a lot more pleasure horses to shoe here, and more ranch ponies, too.  Used to, all the ranch horses were shod by their own riders since they couldn’t afford to pay us,” he said, chuckling, with eyes gleaming at the memory.  

Both Smith and Yadon, though from completely different parts of the country, and generations apart, are carrying on a rare and almost lost trade.  They know the same town, the same school, and the same people, and as a result have an absolutely wonderful friendship.  They are doing their best to keep the heritage of the West, and the cowboy, alive and breathing.  Every kid’s hero is a cowboy, and as long as there is one man riding a horse to look after his cattle, the spirit of the West—exemplified in the horshoeing of Smith and Yadon—will never die.

• by Cody Kalinowski •

The 2018 SRSU Football Team did not perform up to expectations.  Both coaches and players like myself are looking back on the disappointing season of 1 win and 9 losses and asking ourselves, “What went wrong?”  Frustration and doubt surround our young team, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel—even if most fans and players can’t see it.

The Lobo season began with a long trip to Arizona for an appointment against Arizona Christian, a top 20 NAIA team.  The resulting 42-20 loss produced many moments best described as the Lobos “shooting themselves in the foot.”  The long, tedious drive home would become somewhat of a symbol for the rest of the season.  Things would not be getting easier.

The following week, the Lobos faced American Southwest Conference competitor, and the No. 2 team in the nation, Mary Hardin-Baylor.  Sul Ross suffered a 68-7 defeat at home, falling hard to 0-2.

Next was another ASC matchup, this time against McMurry in Abilene’s Wilford Moore Stadium.  Final score: McMurry 35, Sul Ross 24.

At the end of September, Louisiana College came to Alpine and promptly handed the home team a fourth straight loss.  Final score: Louisiana College 49, Sul Ross 16.

Then it was Southwestern’s turn.  The Pirates ransacked the Lobos at Jackson Field.  Final score: Southwestern 55, Sul Ross 7.

With the tough losses snowballing, Sully football got back on the bus and headed to Abilene to face more conference competition and the nation’s No. 11 team, Hardin-Simmons.  In this matchup, the young team from Alpine finally unleashed its talent, shocking the Cowboys by going into the half only down by one, 13-12.

“Our guys really impressed me in that game,” recalled Sul Ross Head Football Coach John Pearce.  “I think it exemplified the true potential that this team possesses.”

However, the second half saw the Lobos quickly fall behind, and they ultimately lost by another wide margin, 48-27. 

With the arrival of Homecoming, and still looking for their first win of the season, Sul Ross took on Howard Payne at Jackson Field.  A tough fought game ended with the Lobos edging the Yellow Jackets, 28-27.

Sadly, the team could not capitalize on any momentum from the win, going on to suffer losses at East Texas Baptist (60-14) and Texas Lutheran (63-20) before ending the season with a gut-wrenching 8-0 home defeat at the hands of Belhaven.

Coach Pearce reflected on the season over a phone interview with me, contemplating what he thought hurt the team the most.

“There were a lot of changes this past season.  We hired a new defensive coordinator, a new defensive line coach later in the season, and a full-time strength coach for the entire athletic program.  There was also a big changing of the guard on the field with many starters not having much college-level playing experience.  With so many 2017 seniors graduated and gone, the younger guys had it rough—freshmen were being tossed into the fire way before they were ready.”

When asked about changes he wants to see in 2019, Coach Pearce noted that “discipline and leadership need to improve from freshman to senior, and the general athletic culture at the school also needs to improve.  As a University, our athletic program has already improved immensely.  Hiring our first ever full-time trainer is direct evidence of the steps we are taking as an athletic program to truly bring Sul Ross Athletics to the next level.  But as a football program, only time and effort can help us reach the potential that we showed flashes of during 2018.”

Recruiting can be a challenge for many Division III schools, especially smaller state universities like Sul Ross, since lower budgets and rural campuses make it difficult to compete for players from recruiting hotspots like Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. When asked about the current and future status of Lobo football recruiting, Coach Pearce stated that he was going to focus on the quality of recruits over quantity, just like he has in the past; however, he does see room for improvement.

“I really took a lot of our football players’ feedback to heart—which happened to mention a fair amount on our recruiting.  I want to find quality guys who want to get a degree and stay in the program for four years,” he said.  “And I can’t wait to compete next season.  If things go according to our game plan, I think we can beat both purple and gold teams in our conference.”

Mary Hardin-Baylor (purple) is currently ranked No. 1 nationally.  Hardin-Simmons (gold) is currently ranked No. 7.

Sul Ross Lobo Football competition begins next season with a bang as we travel to Kingsville to play the Div. II Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas in non-conference play.

Cody Kalinowski is a junior linebacker at Sul Ross.

• by Haley Gillespie •

Sul Ross State University’s Residential Living staff plays an important part in our students’ lives on campus.  Resident Assistants, in particular, are key to providing a healthy living arrangement on each residence hall floor, always ready to answer any questions a student may have.  After interviewing a current resident assistant, I discovered the ins and outs of the job: how to become an RA, the requirements you must meet, responsibilities the job gives you, procedures that must be followed, the perks, and what the job teaches you overall. 

To become an RA, you must first submit an application on the Sul Ross PeopleAdmin website.  After your application is reviewed and approved, a three-step interview process begins.  The first step is a question-based interview that also explains what the RA job is about.  Step two is a group interview where applicants go through mock scenarios of dealing with residents.  The final step is meeting with the director of residential living who determines whether or not you are hired. 

The requirements that must be met in order to keep this job are: maintaining a grade point average above a 2.0, be good at dealing with people, work six office hours a week, be on call 3-4 times a month, and host four programs a semester.  As an RA you have a responsibility to work with residents on your floor, helping them around campus and making sure they are adjusting to college life.  You’re also required to deal with lockouts and make three rounds during your on-call nights.  Monthly health and safety checks mean changing air filters and smoke detector batteries on your floor while making sure nothing is broken.

Perks of the job include free housing, a 25 percent discount on your meal plan, and $200 a month in pay.

“This job teaches you a lot of patience, a strong work ethic, time management, and leadership skills,” said former RA and recent Sul Ross grad Rachel Hamilton, adding that the experience also looks very good on a resume.

Becoming a resident assistant isn’t for everyone, but if you are good with a small work load and dealing with difficult situations then this is the job for you.

• by George Graff •

When Thanksgiving break finally arrived, I was ready for a full week of Texas Hill Country hunting.  Anticipation of the hunt had left me sleepless the night before—a certain axis buck occupying my thoughts.  This buck wasn’t the biggest, but being old and clever presented him as a Trophy in my eyes.

Having made the long trip from Alpine and Sul Ross to the big town of Hondo, I needed a nice home-cooked meal.  A big steak soon filled my belly, and it was time to hit the hay.  The next day would be a long one.  

Morning came quick—as did a son’s call to duty.  Before heading out to hunt, I would first have to help my parents build a greenhouse for mom’s winter plants.   

Shortly past lunch, it was time to head to the blind.  Pulling through pasture, I saw a few axis does which got me excited—the deer were moving.  Then I found the feeder and bit of bad luck—no feed.

When the feeder goes empty, the animals know, and I quickly lost confidence in the day’s hunt.  Fortunately, I happened to have about half a bag of corn.  And just as I spread it out, a small axis doe appeared and began to dine.

At the very back of the meadow, I could see movement in the brush.  A small herd of axis deer, unaware of the freshly spread corn.

And then I saw him.  Five feet away, the Trophy stepped out and began grazing.  It would have been an easy shot, but I wanted a closer look.  I waited.   

The herd never came in.  And about the time I reached for my gun, another deer walked behind the Trophy, so the shot would not have been ethical.  Before long the group wandered off with only the lone doe remaining behind.  Soon it was dark. 

The next day was spent putting the last few pieces of greenhouse together.  Mom was happy.  After a late lunch, I went to the ranch to fill the feeders and got to the blind late.  But in less than five minutes, I spotted a young white-tailed doe trotting out.  Not far behind her was a nice ten-point, symmetrical and young, about three and a half years of age.  Sitting in a blind can be boring without animals to watch.  And watching is learning.  Watching this doe, I knew she was about to leave because something in the brush had startled her.  The Trophy?  But before the doe could walk away, darkness arrived.  I quietly packed my stuff and snuck out

The next day I woke up and had to go to work.  My boss at Whoopy’s Welding needed help building a 22-foot cattle guard.  I told him I needed off early to hunt, and he assured me it wouldn’t be a problem.  After a long day of cutting and welding pipe, it was time to head for the blind.   

Once again pulling through pasture, I sensed change.  The first deer I saw was that same young ten point.  He came trotting in like he owned the place.  Minutes later, an axis buck approached the feeder.  I watched him for a long time.  I was hesitant because this was not the Trophy I was after.  But after 40 minutes of sitting, I decided this was the animal I would take.  I reached for my gun and brought it up to the window.  Then I paused.  Through the scope, I watched him for five minutes.  I was calming my nerves.  I remained hesitant.  This wasn’t the Trophy.  

One loud shot and a magnificent animal took his last breath of cold evening air.  Only when reaching him on foot did I realize his beauty.  He was a middle-aged axis with plenty of potential to reach trophy size.  But since this was the last day I could hunt, I had taken advantage of the opportunity given.

While I felt blessed for the hunt, and knew I would not waste the deer, I also felt regret for ending the potential.   Country boy.  Maybe.  Soft heart.  Yes.

The regret was also in taking a younger deer when I knew that old stud was still out there.  And probably going to die within a year or two.

For now, that Trophy will continue to live in Hill Country meadows and this smile on my face.

• by Katie Garwood •

How hard will it be to start at a new university hundreds of miles away from home as an upperclassman?

Will the classes be different from what I’m used to?

Will this new school be a place I can make friends easily?

These are some of the questions that can run through every transfer student’s mind because transferring to a new school—even a small distance away—is a big change socially, emotionally, and sometimes academically.

Ace Sanchez came to the Sul Ross Alpine campus from Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde.  For Sanchez, the biggest impact of moving four hours away from his home to finish his degree was the sad realization he couldn’t make it home to every family event.

“My whole family is extremely close,” he said.  “And coming from a large family I knew right away that it was going to be impossible for me to come home for everything.  Between having school work as well as making that long drive, it just wasn’t possible for me to make trips home all the time.”

This first experience with homesickness proved to be a difficult feeling for Sanchez to overcome.

“Personally, I’m a very social person in general.  I like to stay busy with friends, if it can’t be with family.  So after moving up to Alpine and being away from the people I’m close to, the homesickness occurred right away.

“It was a hard mood to break from.  I wanted to be out of school and just go home, but I couldn’t.  I had to work to change my mindset and stay busy, so that’s exactly what I did.  That decision had an overall positive impact on my stay up here.”

Sanchez believes students shouldn’t be afraid of transferring to a far away school, but that it’s important to understand the transition will take time.  He also thinks transfer students should realize that dealing with new degrees of freedom and responsibility is a part of the college experience.

“At first I regretted transferring and being away from home, but I waited it out a couple months and found a really good group of friends,” he said.  “Now, two years later, as a senior graduating in December, I’m glad I made the change and grew to become more of an independent person.”

Rain Cafe

• by Lee Estepp •

And when sitting

at a table

without guide,

without beverage;

And I saw her walk past,

down the April thoroughfare;

How soon

Again

I felt the need of sunshine

and left my table

to walk in the rain…

Concierto en el Catedral de Cuernavaca

• by Domingo F. Vargas •

Golden dome, arching above

the Christ hanging,

floating in the air.

Musical hands, skillfully

touching ivory keys, (El Puerto).

Echoes bouncing

from wall to wall,

the saints are still deaf

to life.

The faithful listen to artistic

hands.  What of their mind?

Tourists gawk from behind sunglasses,

reflecting darkness.

The night has stars,

what about the mind?

The Wall of Fear

• by Domingo F. Vargas •

Mountains in storms

Disappear behind the wall

Of rain; they are transformed

Into the edge of a crack, that

If we climb at the right

Time through this opening, we

Shall find clear pools of water,

Reflecting life’s beauty, known

Only to those innocent enough to

Climb the wall of fear.

Thoughts Inspired

• by Sandy Ashley •

The summer forest is dim

with the heavy thicket

of pines and sweet gums,

while the sounds of

birds calling lend their

sweetness to the delicate

ferns, softly lit by an

intermittent shaft

of sunlight.

• by Kirk Macon, Editor • from the Thursday Oct. 7, 1982 Skyline •

The Sul Ross Business Department has a word processor that is the “computer of today,” according to Mazie Will, instructor of business administration.

The Business Department’s Wang Word Processor is primarily used for the business course, Word Processing Principles and Applications, which is offered every spring semester and taught by Mrs. Will.  It is a required course for some business majors and minors, and an option for others.

“Normally there is a heavy demand for the course,” she said.

According to Mrs. Will, the primary reason for the popularity of word processors in today’s business world is efficiency.

“Word processors increase productivity and efficiency in the office because time is valuable to business persons, and word processors help to better use that time.”

The word processor has a standard typewriter keyboard with some special keys.  As typing is done, the person can read on the electronic screen as he or she types; editing can be done as you go, before the print-out is made.  The document is then stored on magnet disks for future use.

Uses for the word processor vary according to profession and needs of the business, but the most common use is for the personalization of letters.

“Personally addressed letters,” Mrs. Will said, “look better and have the appearance of being personally typed.  It creates a clean, error-free, attractive personal document.”

“A person who has learned the computer has better chances of getting employment, a higher salary, and a chance at promotion,” she said.

Mrs. Will said that although there are literally hundreds of brands of word processors, one who is trained on one particular brand can make the transition from one brand to another.

• story by William D. Howden • from the 1970 Sage Literary Magazine •

Night.  As the ship throbs and hisses through the boiling Philippine Sea, and the ship’s clocks tick, and my berth feels like a tiny, tight-shut, wave-tossed trunk; then, when I can’t stand the mid-summer, rubber-cement heat another minute, I arise, throw the whole mess, mattress and sheets and all, over my head and wearily trudge out on deck, seeking a cool breeze and sleep.  Up the deckhouse ladder, ghostly like the sailing southern moon, sheet-enfolded; across the still scorching metal deck; finally, behind the black smokestack, I throw my pallet down and catching the ship’s roll, hurl myself down too, to stare up at the cross-cutting stars.

With the ching-slap-ching of the flapping rigging and the twisting plunge of the ship, my heart beats.  Blood swooshes in my ears.  Must be past midnight.

For an instant there’s a breeze.  Now it’s gone—leaving only the salt smell of the sea and redolence of the rotting, green-splattered land somewhere over the horizon.  By the color of the day’s black back and the hour, I know it’s night at sea.  And by the ship’s unending throb and my own naked, deck-sprawled, sleeplessness pounding; I’m not sure whether the gold-hammered sun will ever rise again.  Long, sweating night, and still no sleep.

In the bright morning I awaken suddenly.  The wind has shifted.  Lying behind the smoke stack, I’m covered with peppers of diesel soot.  Little black grains like burned out stars fallen in the night.

• by Alexandria Lee • from the 2011 Sage Literary Magazine •

The giant mahogany desk in front of two small chairs.  The woman, her hair perfectly coiffed, staring at my brother and me.  The air of expectation hanging in the room.  The closed door, hiding any possibilities of escape.  And, finally, my heart beating out a rhythmic tune of worry in my chest.  This moment would decide the rest of my life.  I chose Mom.  When I was two years old, my world apparently changed in a way I don’t recall.  My parents had decided that they were better off not married to each other.  With this decision came the disappearance of my father from my life.  I wondered why he wasn’t there when I was growing up, but it never really affected me negatively to have only a mom.  I never asked about him and rarely thought about him at all.  He seemed some figment of my imagination.  I used to wonder what he was like but was afraid to ask my mom for fear that she would become angry with me or think that I didn’t want to be with her anymore.  I would make up stories about how my father and I would meet and hit it off instantly and do all the father-daughter things that are seen in movies.  Unfortunately, the first time he was ever verbally brought to my attention from my family is when I was two weeks away from my thirteenth birthday.  My mom had apparently been going through a custody battle.  I remember the first time I heard about it.  I laughed out loud and said, “No way.”  It was inconceivable to me that he would want us after all these years of not even knowing who we were as people.  My mom just gave me a sad look and said, “I’m sorry, but they said you’re going to have to choose.”  It boggled my mind as to what she was even talking about.  Choose what?  Why?  Apparently, I was to spend a few weeks with my dad and then choose which parent I wanted to live with.  The first week with him was amazing.  He lives in California and he took us to Disneyland. We got so many new toys and clothes.  It was like Christmas had come a million times over.  We never really had that much when we were younger, and I was surprised we could have this much.  He was so nice and never got annoyed if we were too loud.

The second week was mostly dedicated to stuff that my brother would find amazing, like learning to shoot and learning to surf.  I was left home with Pam, my dad’s wife.  All we did was clean up the house and make dinner—for when the boys came home.  It was horrible always being told what to do.  I wasn’t really allowed to watch television unless the guys were watching, and I just joined in.  Women had their place in my father’s house.  The last day I was there was just like the first week.  My dad spent it alone with me so we could talk about my future.  He assumed that I was going to choose him, and, even with all the rules, I seriously thought about it.  I cried when he took us to the airport to go home.  I held his hand the whole way.  When we left, he walked us to the terminal and hugged my brother—who then talked the whole way home about how awesome his dad was.  All I could think about was how I didn’t even get a hug goodbye.  When we got home, our mom was waiting to pick us up.  She cried when she saw us and hugged us both so hard.  It was the first time I had ever seen her cry.  I knew at that moment who I was going to choose. When we arrived at the courthouse on the day of my birthday—two weeks after our first visit—my brother and I were escorted to an office.  I could tell that my brother was excited.  I knew whom he was going to choose, and I knew that we were going to be separated.  I was reluctant to talk when the judge came in; I knew what was coming.  When she did finally ask the question, my brother answered quickly.  I stared at him for a few moments before I answered her.  I quietly whispered, “Mom.”  I could feel my brother look at me questioningly.  I wouldn’t look back. I think the judge knew that I was uncomfortable around my brother at that moment because she asked to speak to me alone.  When my brother left the room, the judge looked at me.  She then asked me to explain why it was I chose my mom and not my dad.  I could only think of one answer: “Because my mom is my parent and my dad is my friend.”  I don’t know what my brother told her, but she must have been satisfied with his answer because when he walked out of the room, he left with my dad.  That was the second time that I had seen my mom cry.  I still remember the last thing that my dad said to me that day: “I respect your decision.  Bye now, sweetie.”

Although that was the worst birthday of my life, I still don’t regret my choice, and I don’t think I ever will.

This work was awarded first place in a freshman essay contest.