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.”
10,804 responses to “Emu on the run”
Heya i’m for the primary time here. I came across this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out a lot.
I hope to offer something again and aid others like you helped me.
I was able to find good info from your blog posts.
Thanks for your article. It is unfortunate that over the last ten years, the travel industry has had to take on terrorism, SARS, tsunamis, flu virus, swine flu, as well as the first ever true global recession. Through it the industry has proven to be sturdy, resilient as well as dynamic, discovering new solutions to deal with misfortune. There are continually fresh complications and opportunities to which the business must again adapt and react.
Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon everyday. It’s always helpful to read content from other authors and use something from their sites.
I used to be able to find good information from your blog posts.
I want to to thank you for this excellent read!! I definitely loved every little bit of it. I have got you book marked to check out new stuff you post…
Hello to every one, the contents present at this web site are genuinely awesome for people knowledge, well, keep
up the nice work fellows.
Excellent beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog website? The account aided me a applicable deal. I have been a little bit familiar of this your broadcast provided brilliant clear concept
I’m amazed, I must say. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both educative and amusing, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head. The problem is an issue that not enough people are speaking intelligently about. Now i’m very happy that I found this in my hunt for something concerning this.
sapphire clinic
Hey very interesting blog!
After going over a handful of the blog articles on your web site, I really appreciate your technique of blogging. I saved as a favorite it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Take a look at my web site too and let me know what you think.
doktor kbb
dr güncel
dr güncel
dr kandulu
dr ?aban
There is definately a lot to know about this issue. I like all the points you made.
May I just say what a comfort to find an individual who really understands what they are talking about on the web. You certainly know how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More and more people should check this out and understand this side of your story. I was surprised you’re not more popular since you surely have the gift.
Good blog you have here.. It’s hard to find excellent writing like yours nowadays. I honestly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Its such as you learn my thoughts! You appear to understand a lot approximately this,
like you wrote the e-book in it or something. I think that you could do with a few % to power the message house a little bit, but instead of that, this is wonderful blog.
A fantastic read. I’ll definitely be back.
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive learn anything like this before. So nice to find any person with some unique ideas on this subject. realy thank you for beginning this up. this web site is something that is wanted on the web, someone with slightly originality. helpful job for bringing something new to the internet!
I was more than happy to uncover this site. I need to to thank you for ones time just for this wonderful read!! I definitely appreciated every little bit of it and I have you saved as a favorite to look at new information on your web site.
Thanks for this article. I would also like to state that it can often be hard when you are in school and merely starting out to create a long credit history. There are many college students who are simply just trying to make it through and have long or favourable credit history can be a difficult thing to have.
Incredible quest there. What occurred after? Thanks!
I am really impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see a great blog like this one these days..
Thanks for the posting. My partner and i have often seen that a majority of people are desperate to lose weight when they wish to look slim and also attractive. Even so, they do not usually realize that there are additional benefits to losing weight in addition. Doctors claim that overweight people experience a variety of conditions that can be perfectely attributed to their particular excess weight. The good news is that people who’re overweight as well as suffering from several diseases can reduce the severity of their illnesses by losing weight. It is easy to see a steady but marked improvement in health whenever even a negligible amount of weight-loss is reached.
Howdy would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with?
I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a
tough time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique.
P.S My apologies for being off-topic but I had to
ask!
Pretty section of content. I simply stumbled upon your website and in accession capital
to say that I acquire in fact loved account your weblog posts.
Any way I will be subscribing for your augment or even I success
you access consistently fast.
?á Gà Thomo 88 H??ng d?n ch?n ?á gà tr?c ti?p Thomo BJ88 phù
h?p v?i m?c ?ích cá c??c c?a b?n Chúng tôi s? cung c?p thông tin chi ti?t v? cách xem ?á gà
tr?c ti?p, cách ??t c??c và c? h?i ?? giành chi?n th?ng l?n. Hãy
cùng chúng tôi khám phá.
Good write-up. I certainly love this site. Keep it up!
You’ve made some good points there. I checked on the internet for additional information about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this website.
I blog quite often and I seriously appreciate your content. This article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to take a note of your website and keep checking for new information about once per week. I subscribed to your Feed too.
I blog often and I genuinely appreciate your information. Your
article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to book mark your website and keep checking for
new details about once a week. I opted in for
your RSS feed as well.
This site was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something which helped me. Thanks a lot.
A fascinating discussion is definitely worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you should write more on this subject, it might not be a taboo matter but usually folks don’t speak about such issues. To the next! Many thanks.
What’s up to every one, the contents present at
this web page are genuinely remarkable for people experience, well, keep up the nice
work fellows.
I seriously love your blog.. Great colors & theme. Did you create this web site yourself? Please reply back as I’m looking to create my own personal website and would like to find out where you got this from or just what the theme is named. Thanks.
Hi everyone, it’s my first go to see at this web page, and article is truly
fruitful designed for me, keep up posting these types of articles or reviews.
Hi! I could have sworn I’ve visited your blog before but after going through a few of the
posts I realized it’s new to me. Regardless, I’m certainly pleased I discovered it and I’ll be
bookmarking it and checking back often!
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your web site provided us with valuable information to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our entire community will
be thankful to you.
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
Greetings! I know this is kinda off topic nevertheless I’d figured I’d ask.
Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest writing a blog post or vice-versa?
My blog discusses a lot of the same topics as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit
from each other. If you are interested feel free to send me an email.
I look forward to hearing from you! Superb blog by the
way!
Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back often!
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something.
I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit,
but other than that, this is excellent blog. An excellent read.
I will certainly be back.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about IntesaHelvi Pro scam or legit.
Regards
Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Finding the time and actual effort to
produce a very good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and don’t seem to get nearly anything done.
Magnificent goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to
and you’re just too wonderful. I actually like what you have acquired
here, really like what you’re stating and the way
in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still care for to keep it smart.
I can’t wait to read much more from you. This is really a terrific website.
Great post! We will be linking to this great post on our website.
Keep up the good writing.
I’ve learned a number of important things as a result of your post. I would also like to convey that there may be situation in which you will have a loan and don’t need a cosigner such as a Federal Student Aid Loan. However, if you are getting a borrowing arrangement through a conventional bank or investment company then you need to be willing to have a co-signer ready to make it easier for you. The lenders will certainly base any decision over a few components but the most significant will be your credit score. There are some creditors that will additionally look at your job history and come to a decision based on that but in many cases it will depend on your scores.