The Elick ranch handles its cattle using traditional methods as well as using more modern equipment and techniques.

In Texas, stock raising and cattle handling has much of its tradition, equipment, and methods heavily influenced by its Spanish history. By 1775, Texas was teeming with cattle and horses, which had reproduced by the thousands from stock abandoned or escaped from the six major Spanish entradas into Texas during the 1680’s to1760’s. These military entradas were led by aristocratic Spaniards who possessed extraordinary military and organizational skills with the purpose of exploration, conquest and settlement. They were composed of hundreds of men having the martial skills to deal with exploration of a hostile land along with the skill of a herdsman to handle huge herds of horses and cattle which accompanied them and were necessary to their survival as they passed through Texas from Laredo in the south to Nacogdoches in the east. By 1775, these Spaniards, mostly military officers with families, had settled on ranches, granted to them by the King for their retirement.
Much of the equipment used by the Texas ranch cowboy today has its origins from the Spanish conqueror. The Texas saddle is a direct descendant from the Spanish military saddle adapted by the Spanish ranchero, as are the spurs (espuelas), rope (la riata) chaps (chaparras) and many other articles found today as standard equipment for the Elick cowboys working on the ranch.

In early Texas frontier days, most cattle were wild and running free on the Texas prairies, demanding a fleet horse and a skilled rider if the cattle were to be caught so they could be identified, marked, treated, and sent to market or slaughter. This required that they be driven to a corral (corrida) or in some cases, lassoed (lassear) out on the prairie by a rider on horseback with a rope tied to the saddle horn. The Elick ranch stills handles its cattle in the same way, driving the cattle from the pasture into ranch corrals where the cowboys can ‘work’ the cattle for various purposes. At times, the cowboy finds he must rope a cow from horseback in the pasture when it is inconvenient or impossible to drive the animal to a corral. This requires a well-trained, fast horse to get the cowboy within catching distance of the cow, and one strong enough to hold the cow once the catch is made. Elick ranch horses are American Quarter Horses bred to be fast and strong, and have in them that ‘lot of cow’ mind, which makes them eager to do the work. Good cattle and horse handling skills ensures humane treatment for all livestock on the ranch, which is of paramount importance to everyone on the Elick ranches.

Ownership of stock can only be accomplished by branding the animal with the owner’s distinctive wrought iron brand. The Elicks have two brands, JE and ELK, which are branded on either the left hip and left rib depending on whether the animal will be later retained to go into the cow herd or sold as a yearling for the beef market. In the spring, new calves must be worked, so the cattle are gathered on a convenient holding ground where the calves are roped, dragged to the ground crew, worked, and branded. Cows are inspected for any health problems, worked, culled, and released back into the pasture. In the fall, the pastures are gathered again, so that the calves are weaned off the mothers, sent to the Elick feedlot operation on Prairie Place Ranch, cows are worked, culls are sent to market and any branded calves are worked.