Life on the Front Lines of the Texas Border | Dr. Mike Vickers

In this episode of The Texas Campfire Podcast, Mark Hubbard sits down with Dr. Mike Vickers, a South Texas veterinarian and rancher from the Falfurrias area, to talk about life on the front lines of private ranch country near the border.Dr. Vickers shares what landowners, ranchers, and law enforcement have dealt with for decades across Brooks County and the South Texas brush country, from damaged fences and broken water systems to cartel smuggling routes, abandoned people, private land security, and the humanitarian tragedies that happen far from the headlines.Mark and Dr. Vickers also discuss the Texas Border Volunteers, how the organization was formed, how they work alongside Border Patrol, DPS, Texas Rangers, sheriffs, and private landowners, and why local knowledge matters so much in this part of Texas.Later in the conversation, the episode shifts to another major threat facing Texas ranchers and wildlife: New World Screwworm.As a veterinarian who treated screwworm cases firsthand in the 1970s, Dr. Vickers explains why this parasite is such a serious concern for cattle, deer, horses, exotic wildlife, pets, and even people. He shares what ranchers need to know, why reporting suspected cases matters, and why Texas needs every available tool to protect livestock and wildlife if screwworms return.This is a conversation about border reality, ranch life, public-private cooperation, veterinary experience, and the people working to protect South Texas.Life is always better when there’s dirt under your feet.