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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Richardson B. Gill, Christopher Gill, Reeda |
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Peel, and Javier Vasquez have undertaken an important study on the |
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natural history of elk herds in the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, A co-owner of Circle Ranch in the Sierra Diablo |
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mountains, Chris Gill is committed to restoring native wildlife and |
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habitat; he wanted to examine the question of whether elk were |
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indigenous to areas of Texas beyond the Guadalupe Mountains, and to |
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that end, he joined forces with his brother Richardson Gill, an |
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anthropologist, and archeologists Reeda Peel and Javier Vasquez; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The team evaluated a variety of evidence, including |
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geographic clues in the form of place names; through radiocarbon |
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dating, they traced elk bones, antlers, and fossilized dung to the |
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dawn of the 17th century; they delved into historical accounts, |
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finding that the earliest documented sighting of elk in Texas |
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occurred in 1601; in addition, they examined the visual record left |
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by artists, who depicted elk on cave and canyon walls some 2,000 to |
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4,000 years ago; in their report, titled "Are Elk Native to Texas?" |
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the group detailed its findings, which document the widespread |
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presence of elk in Texas centuries ago, from the Panhandle to the |
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Rio Grande; and |
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WHEREAS, Through their extensive research, these |
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investigators have established that the majestic elk, now confined |
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to mountain ranges in the Trans-Pecos, once ranged across much of |
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what would become the Lone Star State; their work makes a valuable |
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contribution to scientific knowledge and provides information that |
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is important to the future management of this valuable species; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Dr. Richardson B. Gill, Christopher |
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Gill, Reeda Peel, and Javier Vasquez for their research on the |
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natural history of elk in Texas and extend to them sincere |
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appreciation for their dedication to wildlife stewardship; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
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for the researchers as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |