A wayward emu is on the loose in Harrison County after spooking a rancher’s livestock for two weeks. Brad Martin said his son and nephew were heading to the family fishing hole on a summer afternoon when they spotted the unwelcome guest.
“They came running up to the house, yelling, ‘Daddy, there’s a prehistoric animal at the pond!’ ” Martin said.
When Martin investigated, he found an emu: a shaggy, flightless bird of Australian origin. Emus had been the objects of a farming fad that faded in the 1990s. The birds are none too bright, he added.
“It was real gentle, just dumb as a rock, though,” he said. “You wouldn’t believe how dumb they are. The gate was open, and he’d just run back and forth. The dogs would get after him, and he wouldn’t take off down the pasture to get away from them. He’d jump up and down and do all kinds of crazy stuff.”
Martin could not find the owner. He thought about giving away the emu, but he didn’t have a trailer to transport it, and even if he did, he said he wouldn’t have known how to load the seven-foot-tall bird.
Meanwhile, the emu was “rampaging” on his property. “It wasn’t afraid of nothing,” Martin said. “It was just scaring the horses and the cows and dogs to death because they’re not used to nothing like that. It would get out there beside the fence and run up and down the fence. The cows wouldn’t eat, the horses wouldn’t eat, the dogs kept barking, and finally we let the gate open and let it go.”
Martin shooed the emu away from his property on Dehart Road, east of Diana. If any neighbors come across the wandering bird, they may report it to their county sheriff.
Kenneth “Al” Howe, the president of the Texas Emu Association, was pretty miffed when he heard that Martin had turned out the emu. He said Martin should have alerted the emu association or animal control authorities to remove the bird. He said when the market for emu meat failed to materialize in the ’90s, many speculators around East Texas and elsewhere released their flocks. Some are still laying eggs in the wild.
“Most that haven’t been hit by cars or killed by predators are pretty well hidden,” said Howe, who lives in Central Texas. “A lot of people who have big farms know they’ve got them, but they don’t bother them.”
An emu processing plant once operated in Longview but closed in the late 1990s. Emu oil is still used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, and Howe predicts that demand will increase in the next couple of years.
In Diana, Martin said the emu had his Red Brangus cows scattering in every direction.
“Talk about fast, when it decides to go it’s going,” Martin said. “It was a pretty wild little old experience.”
The rancher figures he hasn’t seen the last of the errant emu. “I’m sure it’s around here somewhere,” he said. “I bet it ain’t gone too far down the line.”
AN UPDATE
The day after the story about the emu appeared in the local newspaper, a Diana woman named Anita Davis called in. She thinks it’s her bird. His name is Bud. He’s 16 years old, and he’s been on his own for quite some time.
“Everybody knew my emu had gotten out, but it’s been out for six months and I just assumed it was dead,” she said.
If this emu is indeed Bud, he hasn’t wandered far in the past half-year. The Martin place is less than a mile from Davis’s spread.
“I just really feel like this is my emu,” she said.
According to Davis, Martin’s description of Bud — gentle but dumb as rocks — was pretty accurate. “He’s tame,” she said. “He was a pet when I had him, but he got out through the gate, and we couldn’t catch him.”
Davis and her husband have one emu left, Bud’s father. At one time, the Davises owned 101 emus, but they gave away almost all of the others when a market for emu meat didn’t materialize.
While some emu enthusiasts swear by the birds’ lean flesh, Davis said she doesn’t partake. “If I was starving I could probably have eaten it, but I can’t eat something I’ve given a name to,” she said.
If anybody finds Bud, Davis requests that they give her a call. Don’t try to catch him, she added.
“The males are very friendly, and that’s why they can pet him,” she said. However, “you have to know how to handle an emu or they can get hurt really bad.”
Since the newspaper story came out, Davis said her husband has heard from other neighbors who have seen Bud. “He may not want to come home,” she joked. “It sounds like he’s having a good time.”
5,651 responses to “Emu on the run”
This is a topic that’s close to my heart… Take care! Exactly where are your contact details though?
An intriguing discussion is worth comment. I do think that you need to write more on this subject, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people do not talk about these subjects. To the next! All the best!
Good information. Lucky me I found your site by chance (stumbleupon). I have book-marked it for later!
Excellent blog you have here.. It’s difficult to find good quality writing like yours these days. I seriously appreciate people like you! Take care!!
I truly love your site.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you build this website yourself? Please reply back as I’m wanting to create my own site and would love to learn where you got this from or exactly what the theme is named. Appreciate it.
Pretty! This has been an extremely wonderful post. Thank you for supplying this info.
This is a really good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Simple but very precise info… Thank you for sharing this one. A must read post.
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. I do think that you ought to write more on this subject, it might not be a taboo subject but typically folks don’t speak about such issues. To the next! Best wishes!
Everything is very open with a clear clarification of the challenges. It was really informative. Your website is useful. Thank you for sharing.
After I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I get 4 emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a means you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks a lot.
You’re so awesome! I don’t suppose I’ve truly read a single thing like that before. So nice to discover somebody with genuine thoughts on this subject matter. Seriously.. thanks for starting this up. This website is something that is required on the internet, someone with a bit of originality.
There are actually a lot of details like that to take into consideration. That is a great point to carry up. I provide the ideas above as basic inspiration however clearly there are questions like the one you carry up the place an important thing shall be working in sincere good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged round things like that, however I am positive that your job is clearly recognized as a fair game. Both girls and boys feel the impact of just a moment?s pleasure, for the rest of their lives.
Very good post. I certainly love this website. Keep writing!
Your style is so unique in comparison to other people I’ve read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this web site.
I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Well written!
This is a topic that’s near to my heart… Best wishes! Where can I find the contact details for questions?
Everyone loves it when individuals come together and share ideas. Great website, stick with it.
Howdy! This post couldn’t be written much better! Going through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept preaching about this. I most certainly will forward this information to him. Fairly certain he’s going to have a great read. Thank you for sharing!
It’s difficult to find well-informed people in this particular topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
It’s difficult to find educated people on this subject, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Saved as a favorite, I love your blog!
Hi! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after browsing through some of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Regardless, I’m definitely delighted I discovered it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back frequently!
An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a co-worker who was conducting a little homework on this. And he actually bought me dinner simply because I found it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending some time to discuss this topic here on your internet site.
I just could not depart your site before suggesting that I actually enjoyed the standard information a person provide for your visitors? Is gonna be back often to check up on new posts
After I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I get four emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a means you are able to remove me from that service? Cheers.
Very nice write-up. I certainly appreciate this site. Stick with it!
Right here is the right site for anyone who wishes to understand this topic. You understand a whole lot its almost hard to argue with you (not that I personally would want to…HaHa). You definitely put a brand new spin on a subject that has been written about for many years. Excellent stuff, just great.
We are a gaggle of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with useful information to work on. You’ve done a formidable activity and our entire neighborhood shall be thankful to you.
Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve visited your blog before but after browsing through some of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m certainly happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!
Highly trusted by the crypto community.
A top resource in the USA.
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I am going to revisit yet again since i have book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.
Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve visited your blog before but after browsing through some of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely delighted I stumbled upon it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly.
The next time I read a blog, Hopefully it doesn’t fail me as much as this one. After all, I know it was my choice to read through, but I really believed you would have something helpful to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something you can fix if you were not too busy seeking attention.
hi!,I like your writing very much! share we keep in touch extra about your article on AOL? I need a specialist in this area to solve my problem. May be that is you! Taking a look ahead to peer you.
It’s difficult to find educated people for this subject, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Great blog you have here.. It’s hard to find high-quality writing like yours these days. I truly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Your style is very unique compared to other folks I have read stuff from. Many thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I’ll just bookmark this web site.
Good blog! I really love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I might be notified when a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick! Have a nice day!
Best crypto resource I’ve found.
Good article. It is extremely unfortunate that over the last ten years, the travel industry has had to handle terrorism, SARS, tsunamis, bird flu, swine flu, along with the first ever entire global downturn. Through it all the industry has proven to be strong, resilient and also dynamic, getting new methods to deal with misfortune. There are always fresh challenges and the possiblility to which the market must once more adapt and respond.
I used to be recommended this website by means of my cousin. I’m no longer positive whether or not this submit is written by way of him as no one else know such distinct approximately my problem. You are incredible! Thank you!
At this time it sounds like Drupal is the best blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
I have recently started a web site, the info you provide on this web site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
These days of austerity in addition to relative anxiety about getting debt, most people balk about the idea of using a credit card to make purchase of merchandise or perhaps pay for a trip, preferring, instead only to rely on a tried in addition to trusted way of making transaction – cash. However, if you possess the cash on hand to make the purchase 100 , then, paradoxically, that is the best time for them to use the card for several motives.
Long-term crypto platform, highly reliable.
I’m very happy to find this great site. I need to to thank you for ones time for this particularly wonderful read!! I definitely savored every part of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new information in your website.
I seriously love your site.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you create this site yourself? Please reply back as I’m attempting to create my own blog and would like to know where you got this from or exactly what the theme is called. Cheers!
It’s difficult to find well-informed people on this subject, but you seem like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
I am curious to find out what blog platform you happen to be utilizing? I’m experiencing some small security problems with my latest blog and I’d like to find something more risk-free. Do you have any solutions?