Episode 113: The Travis County Dog Wars

[@DocShred]

Just found your channel; love it. I've chopped a little cedar in my time. I'm a born and raised Texas boy. I've spent many seasons clearing land in various parts of Texas; very hot and many bugs...not for the faint of heart or the physically weak. Westlake is now yuppyville. I found it comforting listening to your voice and the knowledge you are sharing. I now live on Maui; left Austin 9 years ago because everyone and their...dogs...are moving there. You have a new fan... Mahalos (thank you kindly).

[@jenharpen]

Thank you for sharing this. I’m a proud descendant of the Bee Cave Cedar Choppers. 🤍

[@thehorseman8271]

Great show My father's family were some of these hard drinking hard fighting cedar choppers in this time and location. However they drifted with a truckload of kids seasonally to chop and pick cotton as well. Then the oilfeid starting hiring day labor

[@jerryfaglie1123]

My dad was born in a tent in a Cedar break right where Lakeline Mall is now they were from the bull creek clan I still live in cedar park cedar Choppers are still here we never went nowhere

[@monicafelan531]

Just a few cedar choppers left, a few sheep shearers & cow pokes. Most are from California.

[@JohnGreen-s9m]

Back in 1982 I move to the Lake Travis area and worked on RM 620 east of 183. At lunch we went to a small convenience store and then drove off the road to a small area in the woods. It was next to a small graveyard with no fence . It had maybe 30 graves there which half of them had headstones made out of limestone. About half were in the shape of cedar logs or stumps. None of us realized then that it was a cedar choppers cemetery. I don’t know what happened to the cemetery because it’s all houses and neighborhoods now.

[@rodkrischke9154]

As I grew up in Texas but left in 1987 and now live in Wyoming, I really enjoy your utube offerings. You do a great service keeping our Texas heritage alive.

[@markwolfshohl6562]

Love your narration and the content! Keep ‘em coming.

[@Travis-jv4mv]

Great Texas history.. ty sir

[@gunboom]

Thomas Jefferson Chambers was one of my Great Great Grandfather's. My family still have many items from his estate.

[@mvblitzyo]

Really appreciate the history. I’m viewing it in August 2024. I’m in arborist so no air-conditioning. 😉

[@mannygarza-l3d]

1st time seeing/hearing your podcast about Texas, I am now a subscriber..Your delivery is very down to earth! Being a native Texan for 75 years i have always been interested in Texas history especially here in San Antonio. My ancestors were some of the original families that came to Texas from the Canary Islands in 1731, I'm wandering if there are any episodes about that? My niece did a complete research back to then..Thank You...Manny

[@markwolfshohl6562]

Awesome podcasts.. thank you

[@AVToth]

I don't know about stove wood. Kindling, sure but my Großmutter cooked on a woodstove and cedar as stovewood was a no-no. It burns to hot & will burn out your stove. It's fine for starting a fire in a fireplace but small pieces at first only. It's resin pops like the devil and will burn your floor.

[@tkntx902]

Just came across this, great history!

[@fishinged413]

Actually there were 2 or 3 counties I think they were all in east Texas where you could still hunt deer with dogs around 30 years ago. I did it when I was young and it was an exciting experience. About 10 years ago hunting in Alabama we had deer hunting dogs come on our property and we called the game wardens and they knew who the people were hunting with dogs. It was legal as long as the dogs didn't leave your property. Thanks for your videos. People in the hill country think the cedar is invasive and it needs to be destroyed..Sucking up all the water..This is all just a myth. The cedar is beautiful.

[@danielgc1970]

Grew up in Austin. Lived there from '75 - '07. It got so far out of wack, I moved away. Sad. But still consider it home. Hook 'em 🤘

[@theblondeone8426]

someone should turn this into a documentary

[@beeptone]

God Bless Texas🎉

[@richardkirk5098]

Amen

[@BH-qs7vo]

Great, thanks!

[@AVToth]

The smell of cedar on a hot summer day, makes me tired. It smells like work.

[@Cappyfrags]

Great work! I moved to Austin in 2021 - so cool to learn more about the area, thank you! Sub earned 👍🏻

[@chadparker8198]

I heard there was a sub group to the cedar choppers. The charcoal burners…? True story. My friend and I were deep in the woods of the hill country in the early 80s. My buddies dog got shot at. We never got a look at his face. The local police called them lake snakes. This was in or around Jonestown.

[@rasbhangi]

In east Austin in the '50s and '60s, there were the cedar choppers (white) and meskins (mexican american).