Hunter's Journal Fall 2022

Hunter’s Journal Fall 2022

PHOTO BY BOB SHACKLEFORD

HOW TO BUY A PUBLIC HUNTING PERMIT

Uvalde County offers a plethora of hunting oppor tunities, from deer to dove and exotics, but a majority of those spots are on pri vate lands, which is why the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers hunters an affordable alternative.

Hunters may access over 180 hunting areas in Texas with a $48 permit, or utilize public hunt dates at state parks.

At Garner State Park, public hunting days are scheduled throughout the winter. Garner State Park is a 1,774-acre area located 31 miles north of Uvalde and 10 miles south of Leakey on U.S. 83 to Ranch Road 1050.

Hunters can sign up for the opportunity to gun or archery hunt, and also uti lize park shelters for camp

ing. During the public hunt, the park is closed to visitors. Public hunting dates are offered in December, Janu ary and February.

Reservations are required to participate in the hunts. Hunters must apply for per mits, and TPWD offers three separate sign-up periods for exotic, archery, and youth only gun deer, either sex cat egories.

The application period to

archery hunt exotic mam mals is open through Nov. 1, and TPWD allows for one to four people per application, for hunting dates Jan. 10 through Jan. 12, and Jan. 12 through Jan. 14, for unlim ited feral hogs, and unlim ited exotic mammals, either sex, and a limit one for forkantlered buck.

The application deadline for hunting with center fire rifles for unlimited axis deer, either sex; with a limit one fork antlered buck and unlimited feral hogs was Sept. 1, but standbys may be available. Gun hunting dates are Jan. 4 through Jan. 6, and Jan. 6 through Jan. 8, 2023.

Hunters are responsible for the reasonable care of their game after harvest, and there are not any facilities

for deer storage available at Garner. Hunters may apply online at twpd.texas.gov.

PUBLIC HUNT AREAS

The $48 permit boasts full privileges which includes hunting, fishing and camp ing. To purchase an annual public hunt permit, individu als must hold or purchase a hunting license.

For those interested in rec reational activities besides hunting, TPWD also offers a limited public use permit for $12. Public hunting land areas, facilities, maps, legal game and schedules are available online at tpwd. texas.gov.

There are no public lands within Uvalde County, but options are available in nearby Frio and Bexar coun ties.

ROUNDUP SETS SCENE FOR SEASON

The Uvalde Area Cham ber of Commerce will pres ent Hunter’s Roundup, rife with vendor booths and prize drawings, on a Saturday this year instead of a Friday night. In other changes, admission is free for every one, not just licensed hunt ers, and there will be a $15 wild game dinner.

“This is the first year we’ll have the Roundup on a Sat urday,” said Mario Miller, the director of marketing for the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce, about the Nov. 5 event. “Because Homecom ing is on Friday, Nov. 4, we wanted to be able to support the Coyotes, so we moved the date.

“Admission is free this year. We’d like to have a bigger group of people attend, so we invited every body to come and buy wild game tickets and enjoy them selves,” said Miller.

Proceeds from the wild game dinner will benefit Uvalde County 4-H.

Start time for Roundup, hosted by the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce, is 5 p.m. at the Uvalde County Fairplex, 215 Veterans Lane. What will remain the same are vendor booths and exhib

its and live music. There will also be prize drawings for hunting rifles, deer blinds and the list is being added to to daily.

The event will take place in the rodeo arena.

Tickets may be purchased at the Uvalde Chamber of Commerce, 300 E. Main St., open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Jae Thompson

Vice President

Hayley Brewer

Clayton Parker

Officer

A current fishing license is required for anyone wishing to fish in the public waters of Texas, but one is not required to fish in state parks.

Game fish may be taken only by pole and line.

It is unlawful to take, kill, or disturb endangered fish such as paddlefish, shovel-nose sturgeon and sawfish.

FISH ABOUND HERE

Fishing is a fun option for spending time outdoors, and options abound for finding a fishing spot in the Uvalde area with Nueces, Frio and Sabinal rivers nearby.

Fish that can be found in Uvalde County’s rivers include black bass, Rio Grande cichlid, spotted gar, and carp.

MELISSA FEDERSPILL|LEADER-NEWS

The Nueces River at Wes Cooksey Park

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department predicts that this year’s deer hunting season will be “moderate” due to the extreme drought conditions Texas experienced over the summer.

“Overall, 2022 year is expected to be good in terms of harvest numbers and opportunities, so don’t let the chance to spend time afield with family, friends and fellow hunt ers pass you by,” said Alan Cain, White-Tailed Deer Pro gram Leader for TPWD. “Texas has one of the longest deer seasons in the nation, so take some time this fall and winter and enjoy one of the best deer herds in the country right here in your home state.”

Deer hunting kicked off with archery season on Oct. 1 across most of the state. Cain noted that while harvest numbers may look good, drought impacts on deer habitats mean hunters should generally expect average to below average antler quality and body weight this fall.

Temperatures in the early summer months frequently soared above 100 degrees across most of the state, and lack of significant rainfall limited the spring production of important food sources like forbs (weeds) and woody shrubs for deer, according to the TPWD.

“Woody plants are critical in times like these because these deep-rooted plants are often the only abundant supply of green groceries for deer, but even these browse plants are showing some signs of stress,” said Cain.

“Mesquites appear to be on track to produce an abun dance of beans this year and were critical sources of natu ral forage for deer in late summer in the central, south and western portions of the state.”

Wildfires have plagued large areas of the state as well, causing significant habitat loss and damage, but Cain said nature finds a way to rejuvenate the landscape.

“Where fires have occurred, there’s been new grass and weed growth providing some much-needed nutrition and cover for deer,” Cain said. “Although habitat conditions have improved immensely with recent rains, the timing was a bit late to have any meaningful influence on antler quality. ”

The general hunt season runs from Nov. 5 through Jan. 15, 2023 south of U.S. Highway 90 in the South Zone and Nov. 5 through Jan. 1 north of U.S. Highway 90 in the North Zone. A youth-only season is set Oct. 29-30 and Jan. 2-15, 2023.

PHOTO BY BOB ZAIGLIN

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Hunters and sportsmen alike have long argued over the names of the sexes and young of Texas game ani mals, game birds, furbearers and wildlife. The following information, taken from the Texas Wildlife Identification Guide, offers some help with the correct male, female, youth, and group names for Texas wildlife.

ANTELOPE BUCK, DOE, FAWN, HERD BADGER

BOARS, SOWS, CUBS, CETE/CLAN BEAR

BOAR, SOW, CUB, SLEUTH

BEAVER MALE, FEMALE, KITS, COLONIES COYOTE DOG, BITCH, WHELP, PACK/BAND DEER BUCK, DOE, FAWN, HERD/BUNCH/ MOB/PARCEL/RANGALE

DUCK DRAKE, HEN, DUCKLING, RAFT FOX DOG, VIXEN, KIT, SKULK JAVELINA

MALE, FEMALE, REDS, SQUADRONS

MUSKRAT BUCK, DOE, KITTEN/NESTLING/ PINKIE/PUP, COLONY/HORDE/PACK/ PLAGUE/SWARM NUTRIA

MALE, FEMALE, KIT/PUP, COLONY OTTER

BOARS, SOWS, PUPS/KITTENS, ROMP QUAIL COCK, HEN, POULTS, CHICK, FLOCK/ COVEY/BEVY RABBIT

BUCK, DOE, KITTEN, COLONY/WARREN

RACCOON BOAR, SOW, KITS, NURSERY SHEEP RAM, EWE, LAMB, FLOCK SKUNK BUCK, DOE, KIT, SURFEIT/STENCH SQUIRREL

BOARS, SOWS, KITS, SCURRY SWAN COB, PEN, CYGNET, WEDGE TURKEY GOBBLERS, HENS, CHICKS/JENNIES, GANG/POSSSE/RAFTER

CURIOUS RACOON PHOTO BY BOB SHACKLEFORD

TEXAS HUNTING, FISHING LICENSES ON SALE

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reminds hunt ers and anglers to purchase their new licenses for 202223. Licenses for the 2022-23 season went on sale Aug. 15.

Annually, Texans purchase more than 2.7 million hunt ing and fishing licenses and directly fund a multitude of conservation efforts and rec reational opportunities. Proj ects made possible by license sales include fish stocking, wildlife management, habitat restoration, public hunting leases, river fishing access and Texas Game Wardens.

Outdoorsmen and women can purchase a variety of licenses online through the official TPWD website, by phone at 1-800-895-4248 during regular business hours or in person at more than 1,800 retailers across the state.

New for this year, Texas residents can purchase a digital Super Combo license (Items 111, 117 and 990) that will authorize digital tagging of harvested deer, turkey and oversized red drum. The digital license option is avail able through online purchase only. A digital license holder will not receive a printed license or tags but must keep their digital license available while in the field. The license can be viewed through the TPWD Outdoor Annual and My Texas Hunt Harvest mobile apps.

Customers can access their past and current licenses in several ways: (1) an electronic photo of your license, (2) an emailed receipt of your pur chase; (3) your account in the online license sales system; (4) via License Lookup in the Outdoor Annual app or in the

My Texas Hunt Harvest app. Hunting and fishing regula tions for the 2022-23 season are available online at out doorannual.com, on the Out door Annual mobile app.

The mobile app is free, and once downloaded, it works without internet connectiv ity which makes it easy for hunters and anglers to view regulations in even the most remote locations.

Other features include license lookup, locationbased functionality such as “Hunting Seasons and Regu lations by Location,” “Where to Fish,” and more.

The My Texas Hunt Har vest app enables electronic submission of mandatory harvest reports, includ ing alligator gar harvest reporting, and new this year, supports digital tagging of harvested deer, turkey, and oversized red drum for cer tain license holders. The app also allows hunters to com plete their on-site registra tion for many TPWD public hunting lands.

License buyers can also add a donation of $1, $5, $10 or $20 to help support the Hunters for the Hungry program or the Fund for Veterans Assis tance.

Donations to the Hunters for the Hungry program pro vide hunters with a way to donate legally harvested deer to participating processors. The processed meat goes to local food banks to feed Texas families in need. Donations to the Fund for Veterans Assistance program provide grants to veteran service organizations and nonprofit charitable institutions, assist ing veterans throughout Texas.

The Uvalde Leader-News has a set of guidelines for the 2022-2023 hunting season photo submission for print.

To qualify for free publica tion, photos must meet the following requirements:

– All animals pictured must be legally-harvested following all Texas regula tions;

– Either the animal or the hunter must be from Uvalde County;

– Only the hunter who shot the deer may appear in the photo with the animal – no exceptions;

– Hunter should be identi fied by first and last name and place of residence;

– Each hunter may submit no more than one photo per season – no exceptions;

– The animals entire car cass must be present and attached to the head. (No caped out or head-only/ antler-only photos will be accepted.);

– Pictures of does or spikes will not be accepted.

Digital submissions should be 300 pixels per inch or higher in resolution. Pic tures of low resolution or otherwise poor quality in regard to lighting, framing

SUCCESS?

and sharpness, will not be accepted.

Complete and include the following information with the photo:

1. First and last name of the hunter and the city in which they live;

2. If the hunter is a youth, include his/her age, par ents’ names and their cities of residence, if this was the hunter’s first buck and who was accompanying the youth while hunting;

3. Daytime contact phone number;

4. Specific location the deer was harvested (i.e. property or ranch name and general location in the county);

5. Time and date of kill;

6. Number of points on the buck (Newspaper staff will not be responsible for count ing points, so that number must be provided before pub lication will take place.);

7. Measurements of the antlers, including width and height, and, if applicable a Boone & Crockett score;

8. Field-dressed weight of the deer, if available.

Submit a photos and infor mation to: mgarcia@ulnnow. com.

Bruce Ede, 6, shows off his first deer, an eight-point deer weighing approximately 140 pounds, that he harvested at a private ranch south of Uvalde. Bruce used a .222 rifle when he went hunting with his aunt, Bethany Speer, on Jan. 16, 2022. The son of Nan and Paul Ede, he was a kindergarten student at the Dual Language Academy at the time of the hunt.

There is no better way to celebrate the bounty from

hunt than with

meal, whether it’s

stew, roast, chops or

The Uvalde Leader-News is sharing some easy veni

compiled by our friends at the Fredericks

Standard-Radio Post.

cloves garlic

onion, sliced

tablespoons shortening

pounds venison

can tomato sauce

cup water

green peppers, chopped

potatoes, quartered

carrots, halved

bay leaves

medium onions

Salt and pepper to

DEER MEAT MAKES EXCELLENT MEALS

Fry sliced onion and garlic in shortening; add the meat and brown. Cover with tomato sauce and one cup water; simmer 1 hour. Remove garlic, add carrots, peppers, potatoes and whole onions. Add additional water, if necessary, season ings and cook approximately 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Serves 6.

VENISON POT ROAST WITH VEGETABLES

(Shoulder, Rump, Round)

3 to 4 pounds of venison

6 whole carrots

¼ to ½ cup water

6 whole small potatoes

6 whole onions

Turnips and celery, optional

Dredge meat with flour, salt and pepper and brown in fat. Add water and cover tightly. Cook over low heat 2-3 hours.

Add the vegetables onehalf hour before the meat is done. Make a gravy of the liquid in the pan and pour over the meat and vegeta bles. Serves 6.

BROILED STEAKS OR CHOPS

Preheat the broiler. Place meat on cold broiling grid and place in broiler com partment with top surface 3 inches below the source of heat. Close or leave broiler

door open, according to instructions on use of range. For a 1-inch steak, broil 5-7 minutes for each side. When nicely browned, season with salt, pepper and butter or margarine.

Marsha

TOP OFF EXCITING HUNT WITH MEAL

VENISON SAUSAGE

30 pounds venison, cut 20 pounds fat pork, about 50-60 percent lean, cut

1 pound salt

3 ounces black pepper

2 ounces sage, optional

1 ounce red pepper, optional

Sprinkle seasonings over meat. Grind through coarse chili plate. Regrind through sausage plate. If sausage is to be frozen, season only half the total amount. Wrap sausage, in sizes needed for a meal, in moisture-vaporproof paper. Thaw and cook seasoned sausage. Thaw and season unseasoned sausage just before using. Unsea soned sausage will keep fresh 5 or 6 months while seasoned sausage will turn flat and rancid after 3 months.

½ gallon cooked kidney beans, optional

2½ pounds ground venison

1 tablespoon chili powder

1½ teaspoons pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1½ pounds bacon

1 quart onions

½ gallon tomatoes or 4 No. 303 cans

½ teaspoon cumino seed

Cut bacon into small pieces; brown to a crisp. Add venison and brown.

Combine rest of ingredi ents in large utensil.

Add the browned meat and enough water to cover. Simmer 2 hours.

Serves about 20.

VENISON SWISS STEAK

1½ pounds round steak

3 large onions

1 medium stalk celery

1 cup tomatoes

2 tablespoons Worcester shire sauce

Salt and pepper

Steak should be about 1½ inches thick.

Dredge with flour and season with salt and pepper; brown in fat on both sides. Add the other ingredients. Cover tightly and cook at 350 degrees F. or over low heat on top of range until tender (about 1¼ hours).

Remove meat to platter and make a gravy from drippings in the pan.

Serves 4.

VENISON CHILI

SUNRISE, SUNSET TIMES GOOD TO KNOW

The times listed here are the general times of sunrise and sunset for Uvalde County, for the general hunting season in the South and North zones.

The general hunt season runs from Nov. 5 through Jan. 15, 2023 south of U.S. Highway 90 in the South Zone and Nov. 5 through Jan. 1 north of U.S. Highway 90 in the North Zone.

Texas is in the Central Standard Time Zone.

NOVEMBER 2022

Day • Sunrise • Sunset

1 • 7:52 a.m. • 6:53 p.m.

2 • 7:52 a.m. • 6:52 p.m.

3 • 7:53 a.m. • 6:51 p.m.

4 • 7:54 a.m. • 6:50 p.m.

5 • 7:55 a.m. • 6:50 p.m.

6 • 6:55 a.m. • 5:49 p.m.

7 • 6:56 a.m. • 5:48 p.m.

8 • 6:57 a.m. • 5:48 p.m.

• 6:58 a.m. • 5:47 p.m.

10 • 6:58 a.m.

6:59 a.m.

7 p.m.

5:46 p.m.

5:46 p.m.

5:45 p.m.

7:01 p.m.

7:02 a.m.

7:02 a.m.

7:03 a.m.

7:04 a.m.

7:05 a.m.

7:06 a.m.

7:06 a.m.

7:07 a.m.

7:08 a.m.

7:09 a.m.

7:10 a.m.

5:45 p.m.

5:44 p.m.

5:44 p.m.

5:43 p.m.

5:43 p.m.

5:43 p.m.

5:42 p.m.

5:42 p.m.

5:42 p.m.

5:41 p.m.

5:41 p.m.

5:41 p.m.

7:10 a.m. • 5:41 p.m.

7:11 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

7:12 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

7:13 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

7:14 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

• 7:14 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS

SUNDAY, NOV 6, 2022 AT 2 A .M .

DECEMBER 2022

Day • Sunrise • Sunset

1 • 7:15 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

2 • 7:16 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

3 • 7:17 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

4 • 7:18 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

5 • 7:18 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

6 • 7:19 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

7 • 7:20 a.m. • 5:40 p.m.

8 • 7:20 a.m. • 5:41 p.m.

9 • 7:21 a.m. • 5:41 p.m.

10 • 7:22 a.m. • 5:41 p.m.

11 • 7:23 a.m. • 5:41 p.m.

12 • 7:23 a.m. • 5:42 p.m.

13 • 7:24 a.m. • 5:42 p.m.

14 • 7:25 a.m. • 5:42 p.m.

15 • 7:25 a.m. • 5:43 p.m.

16 • 7:26 a.m. • 5:43 p.m.

17 • 7:26 a.m. • 5:43 p.m.

18 • 7:27 a.m. • 5:44 p.m.

19 • 7:27 a.m. • 5:44 p.m.

20 • 7:28 a.m. • 5:45 p.m.

21 • 7:29 a.m. • 5:45 p.m.

22 • 7:29 a.m. • 5:46 p.m.

23 • 7:29 a.m. • 5:46 p.m.

24 • 7:30 a.m. • 5:47 p.m.

25 • 7:30 a.m. • 5:47 p.m.

26 • 7:31 a.m. • 5:48 p.m.

27 • 7:31 a.m. • 5:48 p.m.

28 • 7:32 a.m. • 5:49 p.m.

29 • 7:32 a.m. • 5:50 p.m.

30 • 7:32 a.m. • 5:50 p.m.

31 • 7:32 a.m. • 5:51 p.m.

JANUARY 2023

1 • 7:33 a.m. • 5:52 p.m.

2 • 7:33 a.m. • 5:52 p.m.

3 • 7:33 a.m. • 5:53 p.m.

4 • 7:33 a.m. • 5:54 p.m.

5 • 7:34 a.m. • 5:55 p.m.

6 • 7:34 a.m. • 5:55 p.m.

7 • 7:34 a.m. • 5:56 p.m.

8 • 7:34 a.m. • 5:57 p.m.

9 • 7:34 a.m. • 5:58 p.m.

10 • 7:34 a.m. • 5:59 p.m.

11 • 7:34 a.m. • 5:59 p.m.

12 • 7:34 a.m. • 6 p.m.

13 • 7:34 a.m. • 6:01 p.m.

14 • 7:34 a.m. • 6:02 p.m.

15 • 7:34 a.m. • 6:03 p.m.

PHOTO BY BOB ZAIGLIN

PHOTO OF

DEER HERD BY BOB SHACKLEFORD

HUNTING OFFERS INCOME FOR RANCHERS

It may have been the severe drought of the 1950s that changed the landscape of game hunting as ranching, like farming, depends on adequate rainfall. Con sequently, ranching in Southwest Texas has always been a financially hazardous way of life. Cattle prices have long been cyclical, each high point followed by a sharp slide. Ranchers, for the most part, expected live stock to survive on native vegetation.

Then there are predators to deal with, especially if you are a goat or sheep rancher. Seems like the destructive downturns began in the early 1970s and continued for the next three decades. Many ranches that had been in family hands for generations slid into bankruptcy.

Predators seemed to sur vive the drought, as did wild game. Suddenly the rancher realized he didn’t have to wake up each morning and wonder if it would rain, or ride the range and count the number of animals lost to predators. The wild game

Today, deer leases in South west Texas fetch from $10 to $20 per acre for year-round leases, less if it’s a seasonal arrangement. Many factors influence the price: location, acreage, types of animals on the property, whether the lease is improved or primi tive, and the quality of ani mals available.

seemed to be making it on their own, and lo and behold there was a market.

That market turned out to be deer lease-seeking hunt ers. It opened up the doors for survival for some land owners. It has also benefited other businesses.

The problem for hunt ers is that most landowners who wanted to lease have already entered into longterm arrangements. Some landowners lease their prop erty to outfitters who in turn provide packaged hunts to outdoorsmen looking for a day, weekend or week-long experience.

The price to hunt with an outfitter depends entirely on the kind of game being sought. Dove hunts are the least expensive, fetching around $100 per day for a trip to the field. Deer hunts are at the high end of the price

range and can be up to $10,000 or more.

by the class of deer management buck might be had for trophy bucks can cost as much as $30,000.

Most outfitters

Most outfitters charge sought. An eight-point around $1,500 while offer a sliding scale based on Boone &

Crockett or Safari Club International scores.

Exotic wildlife ani mals are priced accord ing to scarcity and size.

A trophy axis might go for

$3,500 while a trophy elk could exceed $28,000.

Then there are predators to deal with, especially if you are a goat or sheep rancher.

PHOTO OF JAVELINA AND HER RED BY BOB SHACKLEFORD

Bob Shackleford is well known in Uvalde for his fantastic photos of a vari ety of colorful birds, which he shares with a multitude of Facebook friends and followers. Occasion ally, though, he presents a surprise series of a coyote feasting on a meal, bobcat quietly crossing his path, rattlesnake sneaking

across the plain, and other unexpected delights. Here are a few of our favorites.

PHOTOGRAPHER’S CORNER

BOB SHACKLEFORD

VIRGINIA WOOD DAVIS ARCHIVES|EL PROGRESO MEMORIAL LIBRARY

Two young girls in Montell prop rifles while standing in front of numerous pelts topped with a utility belt outfitted with ammunition and a hunting knife.

CAROLYN BEVIS|VIRGINIA W. DAVIS ARCHIVES

In this circa-1920s or 1930s photo, Banks Meacham (far right) and two other men show off hunting spoils in front of the Meacham home, which was located west of Uvalde close to the Nueces River.

Jimmy Beavers, circa mid-1930s

VIRGINIA WOOD DAVIS ARCHIVES| EL PROGRESO MEMORIAL LIBRARY

In this retouched photo, a young Dolph Briscoe of Uvalde – who would go on to become Texas Governor – poses for a photo with his gun and first deer.

WHAT

STANDING DOWNWIND, MINIMIZ

ing movement and staying away from skylines is the best way to stalk prey when hunting, camou flage can help give a hunter that

edge.

WITH HUNDREDS OF TYPES OF CAMOUflage to choose from, even the most experienced hunter can have a hard time choosing which is right for their area and hunting style.

SOME CAMOUFLAGE PATTERNS LOOK like the environment they are intended to blend in with, sport ing tree branches and leaf patterns, while others are more abstract, blending various shades of greens, browns and whites.

¾ IF PARTICIPATING IN OPEN-COUNTRY big-game hunting, orange cam ouflage may be a requirement,

IS

because it is highly visible to other hunters in all types of weather conditions. Check individual state hunting regulations for guidelines.

¾ ACCORDING TO VARIOUS HUNTING supply retailers, camouflage comes in two main varieties: all-purpose, meant to blend in sufficiently under a wide range of conditions and situ ations, and specialized, meant to closely match certain specific envi ronments.

¾ A POOR CHOICE OF CAMOUFLAGE IS POS sible and can ruin a hunter’s chance of success, especially if hunting fowl, as fowl can distin guish between colors from a decent distance.

¾ ONE CAMOUFLAGE GUIDE EXPLAINS IT this way: “While a snow-camo pat tern is great for hunting in snowy

conditions, it would stick out like a sore thumb in a southern duck marsh, where a pattern includ ing light colored grasses and reeds would be a far better choice for hiding from the suspicious eyes of wary mallards.

¾ “SIMILARLY, AND THIS IS A MISTAKE that many hunters make, wearing a camo pattern that is predominantly brown for hunting turkeys in late spring or bowhunting for whitetails during the early archery season are mis-matches that can easily be avoided. Look around and you will see an abundance of green sur rounding you at these times. Save the brown camo for when there are no leaves on the trees and instead wear a pattern with lots of greens and shadows.”

UVALDE HAS CWD CHECK STATION

Chronic Wasting Disease is a fatal disease that has been discovered in white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and red deer in localized portions of Texas. To detect and manage this disease, the department has designated CWD Zones. Uvalde County is located in the South Central Zone, with a check station in Uvalde at Speer Ag, 3333 E. Main St. The station will be open from Oct. 1 to Feb. 28, and will close on Nov. 24 for the Thanksgiving holiday and at

noon on Dec. 24. The station will also close on Christ mas Day, and at noon on New Years Eve. The selfserve drop box is available 24 hours.

Hunters who harvest mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, or other exotic CWD-suscep tible species within the CWD Zones are required to bring their animals to a Texas Parks and Wildlife check sta tion within 48 hours of har vest. For more information, call 830-399-5838.

FUN EVENTS DOWNTOWN

¾ FOUR SQUARE FRIDAY: DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS stay open from 6-9 p.m. on the second Friday of each month

¾ PARTY ON THE PLAZA: VENDORS CONGREGATE at the downtown plaza for a block partylike setting on the last Friday of the month.

ROUGH AND TUMBLE

¾ THE MONTHS OF MARCH (SOMETIMES APRIL) AND MAY BRING THE Sabinal Lions Club's Wild Hog Festival and the Cactus Jack Foundation's bull riding event. Both designed as fundraisers for non-profit groups, fans love to watch children and adults clamber after wily hogs in Sabinal and see the best cowboys try to outfox angry bulls in American freestyle bullfighting or outlast them in professional bull riding. Check out the Leader-News in early 2023 for info on next year’s events.

Hun

noun

1. The activity of hunting wild

or game, while enjoying one of our

of Tree City Tea.

"They talked about going hunTEAing."

POSSUM-PLAYING BUCK OUT FOR BLOOD

The buck was supposed to be dead. My longtime-friend and hunting lease partner had drilled him through the shoulder with his .270 and the animal had humped up, charged a short distance through the brush and then collapsed.

At least that was the way Mike Moore described it to me when he called on a Sunday evening to ask if I could help him locate the big 10-pointer the following day.

I was happy to oblige and on the way to our lease just north of Batesville, Mike recounted the events that led up to the

impending search.

HORNED

He had shot the animal late in the evening and, believ ing it to be lying near the point of impact, walked into the pasture to find it. As he got close, however, the buck scrambled to its feet and began running. Mike fired again, not knowing whether he had hit the deer, and then gave chase.

He didn’t have to travel far. The animal lay in a small clearing. Mike, who has been hunting since he was big enough to climb into his dad’s vehicle (and has forgot ten more about white-tailed deer than I will ever know), approached the trophy cau tiously, and if I remember correctly, even poked it with the muzzle of his gun.

Finding the white-tail unresponsive, he slung

his rifle over his shoulder and reached down to pick up a horn. As he turned to begin dragging the buck to the road, the horn slipped from his hand. Mike turned, expecting to reach back for the antlers, but instead found himself face-to-face with a very much alive and mutually frightened animal.

Mike said that as he swung his rifle around, the buck bolted, and he fired from the hip. Nothing. The deer kept running and now with the light failing, the hunter decided to call it quits.

Walking back to his truck, he felt something squishy in his boot. When he bent over to examine the source of the liquid, he discovered that the buck, in getting back on its feet, had gored him in the back of the calf.

Needless to say, Mike very much wanted to find his nemesis. And when we arrived on the scene the fol lowing day, the search did not take long. We spread out about 50 yards and begin walking the same ground.

After a couple of hundred yards, I walked up on Mike’s buck crumpled in the shade of a mesquite.

He had not suffered the typical ground shrinkage but was indeed a handsome animal. Of course, the meat was spoiled because of high temperatures over night, but the head and horns were intact.

I think Mike was going to have a European mount done for the horns. If so, I hope they have a patch of denim attached to the lon gest tine.

Acco Deer pellets and Blocks

CRAIG GARNETT

AVOID COLLISIONS WITH WILDLIFE

Drivers struck an esti mated 2.1 million animals on U.S. roads between July 2020 and June 2021, accord ing to an analysis by State Farm Insurance.

Deer accounted for 1.4 million accidents, more than half the total. They were followed by rodents (110,976), dogs (92,924), and raccoons (58,020.) In nearly 190,000 cases, about 9% of the total, the drivers were not able to identify the animal they had hit.

Texas was third on the list for the sheer number of collisions with animals on roadways. See graphic for the top five states for claims of car/animal collision.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offered advice to drivers in Texas for avoiding white

tailed deer collisions.

“You have to maintain your course and if you hit the deer, you hit the deer, but the affects are going to be more severe if you try to swerve or completely slam on the brakes because

of the other factors that come into play when you do that (hitting other cars, weather, losing control of the vehicle). My suggestion is maintain your speed and direction. But sometimes it

sengers, did not get injured in the accident and contact law enforcement to report the crash.

Depending on the esti mated amount of the damage, the officer

is just an unavoidable acci dent,” said Game Warden Capt. Scott Haney in Fort Worth.

If a motorist does hit a deer with their vehicle, the motorist should check that they, along with any pas

responding will issue a form to be filled out and filed with an insurance company.

After the collision, it is illegal for anyone to tag the deer, remove the antlers or take possession of the deer.

Electrician Service

Joe A. Trevino

• Joe A. Trevino, Jr.

Commercial • Industrial • Residential • Design

#17995

111 West South St. • Uvalde, Texas 78801

E-mail: joe_electricianser@sbcglobal.net Office Fax Mobile 830-278-9602

830-278-9601

830-591-7868

“Wiring Texas Since 1979”

In nearly 190,000 cases, about 9% of the total, the drivers were not able to identify the animal they had hit.

TIPS TO AVOID

¾ THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE for Highway Safety sug gested the following defen sive driving tips to avoid hitting a deer:

¾ DRIVE CAREFULLY IN AREAS known to have high deer populations. Places where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland are particularly dangerous.

¾ IF A DRIVER SPOTS A DEER, the driver should slow down. Other deer are prob ably nearby.

¾ USE HIGH-BEAM HEADLIGHTS when there is no oncom ing traffic. The high beams will reflect off deer’s eyes to warn of their presence.

¾ IF A DEER IS IN THE LANE OF travel, a driver should brake firmly but stay in the lane. When drivers swerve, the most serious crashes occur.

¾ DRIVERS SHOULD NOT RELY ON deer whistles, deer fences or reflectors to deter deer.

¾ IF A DRIVER STRIKES A DEER, they should not touch the animal. If the deer is blocking the highway, call the local game warden.

Pasta,

PHOTO BY BOB ZAIGLIN

BBQ team members from San Juan, Texas, prepare their barbecue rib entry for judging during the 13th-annual Briscoe Ranch BBQ Cook-Off at the Crossroads held Dec. 1011, 2021. There were approximately 123 barbecue teams competing to earn the title of making the best chicken, ribs, pork, brisket and ribeye steak. Want to compete in 2022? Make plans to head to the Uvalde County Fairplex on Dec. 9-10, 2022. Check out www.facebook.com/uvaldebbq. The contest is put on by the Uvalde Festival and Events Association.

RATTLESNAKES DON’T MAKE GOOD FRIENDS...

Spring arrives annually and with it the awakening of the one reptile that can make me drop whatever I am doing to run screaming to the near est gate, fence, tree or human form and climb as tall as I can while hysterically screaming, “snake!”

STRIKING

SEAN JOHNSTON

I was 3 when I had my first close encounter with a rattlesnake. I was walk ing the halfmile down the caliche hill between my grandmoth er’s house and our house. My 10-yearold sister, Dabney, was in front of me, and I squat ted down to pick some purple verbenas to give my mother.

When I heard the cas tanet cadences of the snake’s rattles, I knew of his presence before I saw his tongue flicker in my direction. As it began lifting its head towards the sky from its tightly coiled body two feet from my face, I was running past Dabney in a splitsecond, heading straight toward my big brother, Dee, working in the pens. Always with a gun closeat-hand, he found the snake right where I said it was and killed it. He stretched its body from a forked branch of a mes quite tree to the ground where it measured six feet in length. Since then, I’ve seen my sisters blow snakes away in the front yard and

PHOTO OF RATTLESNAKE BY BOB SHACKLEFORD, WHO SHOOTS RATTLESNAKES ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY WITH A CAMERA, UNLESS THEY POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT.

...THIS DOG LEARNED THE HARD WAY

DISTANCE

backyard of the house and even witnessed my mother driving back and forth over the body of a rattlesnake crossing the road. The pres ence of rattlers subsided though, after we caught a blue indigo that my father put in the crawl space under the house where it could enjoy feasting on mice and live a long life of procreation and unfettered hunting.

When I was 18, I moved away to college and for the next several decades lived a city existence where traffic and crowds garnered my cau tionary awareness instead of rattlesnakes. Approach ing retirement, my husband and I decided to move back home to Sabinal and live on the family ranch where I grew up. Before we moved back permanently, we built a

small cabin on my part of the ranch and improved on the property on weekends when we would visit.

One such spring weekend, our city dog Vizladore (yes, dog lovers, half Vizla, half Labrador) wandered out in the unfenced yard, snoop ing here and there amidst

the blooming wildflowers. I saw her snap her head back and bolt to me standing at the screen. Immediately, the twin dots of blood rose on her nose. Fortunately they were in the cartilage. She hung her head in shame as her neck started swelling into the shape of a yellow lab-fur inner-tube. The vet gave her a strong dose of antihistamine and some antibiotics to take, and we took our puppy home where she began her twoweek recuperation.

Being a very dogly woman, I began a vendetta to find the culprit snake when I returned home from the visit to the vet. I hunted in concen tric circles. Finally, at about 4 in the afternoon, I found the guilty party. It was sleeping in a den in the side of the dry creek-bed 100 feet behind our

cabin. Being a terrible shot myself, I called my brother Dee on my cell phone to come and kill it. He arrived within five minutes and shot the offending snake in the head while he slept.

A year later the same dog was bitten again by a rat tlesnake, but this time she barely had a reaction. She was still terribly embar rassed by her social gaffe, but the vet had instructed us to administer liquid Benadryl in the event that it happened again. She just slept more than normal for a couple of days.

Dee still fusses at me to become a better shot, and practice regularly because, “You can’t kill a snake with a cell phone.”

I do think, however, that is precisely what I did.

Vizladore