2015 Mills County
HUNTING
A Special Publication of
The Goldthwaite Eagle
& OUTDOORS 180 B&C BUCK ON 55 ACRES? MUST HAVE MILLS COUNTY GEAR GUIDE
THE STORY OF THIS COVER PHOTO BUCK! DOVE, DEER, HOGS PREDATORS AND MORE
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Meet the new RTV X-Series: Redefined. Rugged. Ready. 2014 Mills County Hunting Guide - 7
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6 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
The 2015 Hunting Season Is Here! By Steven Bridges When deer season ended last year, I thought the 2015 season was so very far away. It seemed the new season would never get here. Now that the season is upon us, I can’t help but get excited.
Gear Up Locally
Now is the time to gear up and get going on preparations for the hunting season. Goldthwaite offers many places to get feed, seed, deer stands, guns, camo and ammo. These businesses are featured throughout the pages of the 2015 Edition of the Mills County Hunting Guide. Hunters are encouraged to shop locally for their hunting supplies. You’ll get great prices, selection and personalized service that only
our small town merchants can offer.
Mills County is THE PLACE FOR HUNTING!
Dove, deer, hogs, turkey and small game are all in abundance in Mills County. Hunters from across Texas and farther descend on Mills County each fall to chase various game. Hunting is vital to our local economy, as well as our outdoor way of life in Mills County.
Best Special Section AGAIN!
This is the 14th year The Goldthwaite Eagle has printed a Mills County Hunting Guide. Our 2014 Mills County Hunting Guide won
Special Section of the Year at the West Texas Press Association and South Texas Press Association. Our 2013 edition racked up just as many awards and more that year! We are honored to be recognized by our peers in the industry. However, we are just proud of the exposure we are able to provide to our local advertisers. And even more proud of the thousands who read the Hunting Guide. It is music to my ears when a camo-clad hunter sticks his head in the door of The Eagle and asks me, “What day is IT coming out this year?” No award can replace that feeling. In my humble opinion, the 2015 Edition of our Hunting Guide is the best Hunting Guide to date. We upgraded the cover to a heavy, slick cover and upgraded the inside pages to a heavier weight also.
Submit Your Trophy Photos and Stories to:
PO Box 249, 1002 Fisher Street Goldthwaite, Texas 76844 goldnews@centex.net • GoldthwaiteEagle.com
325-648-2244
Upgrading the cover and pages will add years to the shelf life of the magazine. That way, hunters can read the Hunting Guide over and over at hunting camp or at home.
What is Inside this Edition
You will find the pages of this publication filled with trophy game animals harvested in Mills County by local hunters. You will also find wonderful stories written by local writers of hunts that took place right here in Mills County. Of course, local advertisements are also featured throughout the Hunting Guide. Please shop with our local advertisers. I’d like to thank all those who advertised and submitted photos and articles for this year’s Hunting Guide.
Trophy Room
I encourage everyone to mail, email or bring pictures and stories of locally harvested deer and other wild game by for The Eagle to publish in the newspaper’s Trophy Room that is featured every week of the season. The best of these photos and stories are chosen to be included in next year’s Mills County Hunting Guide.
Special Thanks!
A special thanks goes out to our loyal advertisers who make this edition possible. Without our local advertisers, none of this would be possible.
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8 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Mayor McMahan Welcomes Hunters, Visitors By Mayor Mike McMahan I want to wish all our visitors a big Texas Hill Country welcome and I know you will enjoy your visit to Goldthwaite, the Gateway to the Hill Country. Goldthwaite is conveniently located in the center of Texas and stands at the entrance to what Texans call the “Hill Country.” Goldthwaite, with a population of 1,878, is the county seat for Mills County and our newly-restored courthouse stands proudly on the town square. It is a lasting reminder of our industrious community and “can do” spirit. Our rural roots run deep and now have grown to include many family-owned businesses. Our business community takes pride in offering you competitive goods and services, many unique to Goldthwaite and the surrounding Hill Country area. A good starting point when you visit Goldthwaite would be to stop at the new Welcome Center. It is the new home to the Chamber of Commerce and has numerous informational and historic resources. While you are there, you can tour the Texas Botanical Gardens Mayor Mike McMahan Recreational opportunities abound for those seeking to get out of the hustle and bustle of the “big city.” You can tour area attractions, hunt, fish, hike, bird watch, horseback ride or just enjoy the views along the scenic Colorado River. A trip to Goldthwaite would not be complete without spending some time at our Mills County Historical Museum, tour the Texas Botanical Gardens, or crossing over the Regency Swinging Bridge. We also offer other recreational activities including golf at our local municipal course located just outside of town on Highway 16 South. The city swimming pool provides welcome relief from the summer heat and is conveniently located in the Goldth-
waite City Park. You can stop by the Jennie Trent Dew Library, now located in the heart of our business district, and get caught up on your reading or check your e-mail. Goldthwaite is home to a 3,200-foot runway. The Goldthwaite Airport has a beautiful terminal building available for pilots or can be rented for family reunions, weddings, or social gatherings. It also serves as the headquarters for the golf course. New cart sheds and a putting green have been added at the terminal. We have an active Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors family oriented events all year long. Goldthwaite hosts a sanctioned Official Texas State Championship Goat & Barbecue Cook-Off. This event is held the fourth Saturday in April of every year. Cookers compete for the right to be named the Texas Champion and to represent Texas at national competitions. And you won’t want to miss Goldthwaite at Christmas! We are part of the “Trail of Lights” and the annual Christmas Parade of Lights the first Saturday in December. Fireworks on the Fourth of July, an egg hunt at Easter and the annual Hunters Wild Game Supper in November are all events you won’t want to miss. Goldthwaite is a progressive community that seeks a balance between a probusiness environment while preserving our rural land and agricultural heritage. The Economic Development Council focuses on assisting business and job creation for our area. The city does not collect property tax and sells competitivelypriced utility services. Goldthwaite CISD provides a quality-learning environment in a small school setting. Academic and athletic opportunities abound for our students. In addition to FFA, 4-H, Scouting, band, art and UIL academic competitions, Goldthwaite student athletes have achieved a reputation for being winners with a tradition of consistent playoff appearances in both girls’ and boys’ athletics. Earning the 2009 1A State Football Championship, Goldthwaite is now home to four high school state championship football titles. GCISD art projects have also been recognized at the state level, having earned several state awards and titles. Goldthwaite is a great place to hunt, visit, live, work or retire. I know your stay will be enjoyable. Come see us in Goldthwaite, America.
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10 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
A Bird in the Hand...
By Steven Bridges The wind was howling that Spring afternoon as Rodney drove to his ranch ten miles west of Goldthwaite on the Pecan Bayou for a quick turkey hunt. "I knew it was windy, but I decided to give it a try anyway," said Rodney Spies, owner of Mills County General Store and avid outdoorsman. "I ducked out of the store early for a rare afternoon turkey hunt," said Rodney. "Wind or no wind." "Rodney had spotted turkeys moving down a certain draw on the ranch to roost in the evenings in a stand of tall pecan trees. So, Rodney set up turkey decoys at the bottom of the draw right in front of the stand of trees. "If the turkeys came down that draw to roost, they'd have to go right over the top of me," said Rodney. But, after an hour of enduring the 20-30 mile an hour winds, Rodney texted his wife in disgust, " I can barely even hear myself calling," said Rodney. "I'm about done with this hunt." But, just when Rodney was about to quit because of the screaming wind, he spotted two gobblers about 150 yards away coming toward him down the draw. "I started calling with my Chick Magnet Turkey Box Call made by Primos because it produces more volume than any of my other calls," said Rodney. At first, Rodney didn't think the gobblers could hear his calling, but he kept calling anyway. Luckily, the gobblers saw his turkey decoys and started his way. When they got within 100 yards, they started responding to his calling. "I
Rodney’s Mills County gobbler sports a 10-1/2 inch beard with one inch spurs and weighed 18 pounds. The full mount of his gobbler is available for everyone to see at Mills County General Store right next to the guns and ammunition department. Photo by Steven Bridges knew at that point, I had a chance," said Rodney. The lead gobbler was much more vocal and aggressive than the trailing bird. And, as often happens, the bigger gobbler was behind the lead gobbler. "Both gobblers had big beards, but the trailing gobbler's beard was dragging the ground," said Rodney. "As the lead gobbler drew within 40 yards, he began to get fidgety," said Rodney. It was then that the old saying 'a bird in the hand is
worth two in the bush' came to my mind." Rodney settled down behind his Mossberg 12 Gauge Turkey Special shotgun and placed the bead on the lead gobbler's head. "The wind made it difficult to keep the bead on the bird," said Rodney. But, I knew I had plenty of firepower to take down the gobbler at that range." Rodney squeezed the trigger and the Winchester three inch Magnum shot shell loaded with
1-3/4 ounce of #4 shot dropped the bird immediately. "He only flapped twice and that was it," said Rodney. "The trailing gobbler took off away from me. When he tried to fly, the wind made it impossible. So, he ran instead of flew back up the draw." “This gobbler is worth two in the bush to me,” said Rodney. “And, considering how windy it was that day, I can’t believe I got a gobbler at all. “
2015Guide Mills County Hunting Guide - 11 Page 40 - 2012 Mills County Hunting
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12 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
The Names Have Been Changed
By Steven Bridges Eagle Owner In newspapers, magazines and books, names are often changed to protect the lives of innocent people. The names in this article have been changed to protect the huge buck that graces the cover of this year’s Mills County Hunting Guide. I was diligently working on my computer at The Goldthwaite Eagle one day last fall when a woman, lets call her Jane Doe, came in and whispered to me, “We have a huge buck coming to our front porch every evening. If you don’t tell anyone, we’ll let you come over and take photos.” I have known John and Jane Doe for my entire life. While they do not hunt deer, they are avid wildlife watchers. No, I won’t tell you their names or where they live in Mills County. But I can tell you that their ranch is not big by Texas standards and is low fenced. Deer roam freely around their house all day and night. Jane feeds the deer and other wildlife each morning and afternoon. As many as 25 deer, mostly does, wait impatiently for Jane to spread her corn in the front yard. And in the fall, the does bring bucks along with them. The buck on the cover is one of at least five bucks I counted on the afternoon I sat on their porch snapping photos. This buck sports at least eleven points, heavy beams, tall tines and a wide spread. He has it all, including the ability to pose for the camera for over an hour. The bucks ate a little corn, but their minds were really on the girls. The bucks kept 30-40 yards from each other and rotated into and out of the herd of females. Each time a buck rotated into the herd, he tried to get one of the girls separated from the group for a little “alone time”. As it was still early in the fall, the does were having none of it... yet. It was a different feeling carrying my camera instead of my rifle to hunt deer. There was none of the pressure of “Which one is bigger?” or “which one do I shoot?” I shot them all... young old and trophy size. I shot lots of deer that particular afternoon. But, even though my aim was
good, all the deer walked away unscathed. Plus, I didn’t have to go through the unpleasant task of field dressing any deer. Couples like John and Jane Doe, as well as deer hunters and photographers are all voyeurs of wildlife. In short, we all like to watch and observe deer. Hunt-
This Mills County buck is featured on the cover of the 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide. Photos by Steven Bridges
ers watch deer hunt after hunt and sometimes season after season waiting for that special buck to come out of the brush. Archery hunters and wildlife photographers, with their limited range, watch even more hours of deer per harvest or cover-worthy photo. Of course, it speeds up the process to
have a local woman whisper a golden invitation in my ear. I would like to thank John and Jane for their invitation to photograph their buck for the cover of this year’s Hunting Guide. I’ll keep your identity, and the whereabouts of your ranch a secret... as long as I get to come out to take more photos.
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14 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
The Best Things Since Sliced Bread By Steven Bridges I walked into the Mills County General Store in early July to get out of the 100 degree heat for a few minutes and to browse their large selection of guns and outdoor gear. Rodney Spies was stocking the shelves in front of the gun wall in the Outdoor Section of the store. He looked up from his stocking and handed me a box containing a wildlife camera. I thought to myself, “Rodney knows I have bought nearly a dozen game cameras from him over the last few years. I’m flush with game cameras.” Just to be nice, I took a look at the box. It was a Bushnell Wireless HD Trophy Camera. I noticed the word “Wireless” right away. Rodney said, “This camera sends the photos right to your cell phone via text and to your email inbox in real-time”. Regular game cameras have been around a while, but a hunter has to actually pull the SIM card from the camera to see the photos. This disturbs your hunting area and the photos are old and outdated. Hunters seeking a wireless trail cameras have been confronted with a range of issues, including no carrier support or approval, convoluted setup processes, expensive plans and system hacking, just to name a few. “Bushnell decided this was definitely not what hunters deserved in exchange for their hard earned money,” said Rodney. “The Bushnell Wireless Trophy Camera is the first hassle-free wireless trail camera to feature an integrated system, included SIM card and data, simple and easy setup and convenient pay-as-you-go renewals. Plus, it can be commanded and controlled through a simple web interface, as well as a variety of mobile device apps.” “I tested these cameras at the Shot Show in Las Vegas this year and bought a bunch of them for the store,” said Rodney. “It is the best thing since sliced bread!” Rodney went on to explain that the trail-cam photos can be delivered instantly to your cell phone or email with
myself. I went right home and set up the camera via the internet. The process was straight forward and only took about ten minutes. Next, I drove out to the ranch and placed it next to one of my regular games camera at the busiest feeder. On my home, I got a text from my camera at the feeder. Deer had already shown up to eat. I pulled over and saw the first photos of deer start popping up on my phone. I realized I could see in near real-time the activity at my feeder. I could take a nap at the feeder, and have my phone wake me up when deer show up. The possibilities began filling my head. I also thought about placing a camera near each gate at the ranch. I could get a text with a photo when anyone came or went. It would be great for security. Even if someone stole the camera, I’d have photos being sent to me as they took it. My daughter, only seven years old right now, will be in high school someday. I might have to place one of the these cameras outside her window. After using the wireless camera for a few months, I have determined that this camera is really The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread!
Above is a photo of the thumbnails uploaded to my phone via the Bushnell Trophy HD Wireless Game Camera. Photo by Steven Bridges Bushnell’s Trophy Cam HD Wireless 8MP Camera. Choose among 8MP full-color images, 720p video with audio during the day, while No-Glo Black LEDs illuminate photos and video after dark without scaring game. Field Scan 2X uses two windows to capture time-lapse photos (video and field-scan images cannot be wirelessly transmitted) 55-ft. illumination range. The camera comes pre-loaded with data and includes a SIM card. Im-
ages are delivered to your cell phone or email FREE for the first 30 days, and affordable prepaid plans can be purchased through Bushnell as needed (no contracts required). Bushnell has a website where you can view all the thumbnails of the photos. You can also view them via their free smartphone App. And as always, you can get the full resolution photos and videos from the SIM card. Of course, I got a camera to try it out
The Bushnell HD Wireless Trophy Game Camera is available locally at Mills County General Store.
2014 Mills County Hunting Guide - 15
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16 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Podany Bags Monster Buck on 55 Acres By Steven Bridges Cedar Hill resident David Podany bagged this HUGE BUCK in the Regency area of western Mills County this season. The massive 12-pointer scored a whopping 180-4/8 Boone & Crockett points at Mills County General Store. The buck was estimated to only be 5-1/2 years old. Podany took the buck on his 55 acre low fence deer lease with his Ruger M-77 at about 175 yards. He said when he saw the buck, he grunted and the buck stopped in its tracks long enough for him to take the shot. According to Podany, he cried about five minutes straight when he realized how big the buck was. General Store Owner Ginger Spies said, “This buck won THE BIG ONE Buck Contest last season. It is really huge for a low-fence buck.”
The Strange Story of the Shed Antlers Russell McCoy found a matched pair of large antler sheds laying three feet apart in a coastal field on a lease place west of Goldthwaite in the summer of 2013. “I have found lots of sheds in my life, but none like this,” said Russell. “I thought to myself that this buck must have escaped from someone’s high fence place,” said Russell. He carried them to the house and told his wife Kristi to keep them because the sheds are special. She put them on their dining room table as part of the centerpiece. When Russell saw the big buck in the paper, he knew right away it was the same buck. Then Podany brought the buck in to Ranch Land Country Store and showed the buck to Russell. “Then, I knew for sure that
David Podany bagged this HUGE BUCK in the Regency area of western Mills County on 55 acres last season. it was the same buck as my sheds,” said Russell. Russell aged the buck at 5-1/2 years old. He would have been 3-1/2 years old when he dropped the sheds I found. “I even found a single shed from that same buck the next year,” said Russell. “Although I never saw the deer while it was alive, I feel I knew the buck.”
•••
RIGHT: David Podany and Russell McCoy show off matching sheds at the Mills County Wild Game Supper.
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2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 17
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18 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Redneck Bungee Jumping By Jim Hamm I’ve never jumped out of an airplane. I wouldn’t know what to do with a Porsche. I haven’t been whitewater kayaking, rock climbing, or hang gliding. I can’t think of a single reason to get on a Brahma bull. But I do love adrenalin. So I participate in what I think of as Redneck Bungee Jumping, otherwise known as bowhunting for whitetailed deer. Deer make a living detecting predators trying to sneak up inside of fifteen yards, so bowhunting for them is like playing chess with a Grand Master on his home court. You’re trying to sneak inside his comfort zone, predator-like, but he’s an expert at what he does so he has all the advantages. A deer’s defense has few weaknesses. His nose is better than any bloodhound, he can smell you a quarter mile away and know what you ate for breakfast. His ears are like radar antennas, if you can hear the slightest rustle when you move he can hear it thirty yards away. His eyes are remarkably keen at catching motion, no matter how slight. Blink hard at a deer that is watching you and you’ll find out what I mean. Bowhunting begins, and usually ends, with a deer’s nose. Stand selection properly centers around wind, and rare is the seasoned bowhunter without multiple stands for every conceivable wind direction. Checking the weather forecast and confirming wind direction are standard rituals before leaving to sit on a stand. Some, myself included, won’t even attempt to hunt if the wind is calm or swirling about, figuring they won’t get a shot anyway and are just educating the deer. Not that they need any help. Experienced bowhunters also become exacting with scent control; never eating or pumping gas in their camo, storing clothing in air-tight tubs layered with cedar branches or oak leaves, spraying their clothing – and especially boots – with a few drops of cedar oil mixed into a bottle of water each time
Jim Hamm with Mills County whitetail buck he bagged while redneck bungee jumping on his ranch just outside Goldthwaite, Texas. they go out. Skunk scent and doe urine sell themselves to bowhunters. While deer don’t see in color like a turkey, they instantly pick up movement or an unusual shape. For whitetails, it’s impossible to have too much camo, including gloves, face veil, quiver, and boots. The guys who use closerrange bows such as recurves or longbows tend to pick stands with plenty of cover and cut only small narrow shooting windows, for at ten yards it’s a study in frustration trying to draw an arrow on a deer without being spotted. Assuming you fool a deer’s nose and eyes, there is still the matter of his ears. Bowhunters prefer clothing in fleece or wool because it’s quiet. And they become obsessive about stands which squeak, safety harnesses which rustle, or any branch or leaf which can touch you when you try to draw. If the woods are deathly quiet, it can be virtually impossible to draw a bow on a deer. All the more reason to choose to hunt only when there is a steady wind,
which helps provide background noise and motion. Even with all the attention to detail regarding a deer’s sense of smell, sight, or hearing, even if you do everything right there are still novel ways to get busted by a wily whitetail. A couple of years ago, I had an ideal setup. The wind was perfect, 10 miles and hour and steady, and the rising sun was behind me, helping to blind any deer glancing my way. So when a 140” buck ambled down the trail toward my shooting lane, just like I’d laid out the plan, I knew I had him. But when I started to draw my bow he turned inside out and crashed off through the brush. Baffled, I knew he hadn’t seen, heard, or smelled me. Only when I tried drawing my bow again did I notice my shadow on the ground also drawing its bow right in front of where the buck had been standing. I could only shake my head. On another occasion, I started drawing an arrow on a nice ten point, who
was clueless as to my presence. When approaching full draw, a deer four yards to my right, who I had been oblivious to up until that moment, snorted and exploded into motion. The buck I had been trying to shoot jumped and ran too, stopping forty yards away and glancing about while clearly wondering, “What? What? ”, before wandering away. And I can’t count the number of times an evening has been progressing according to the playbook, with a shootable buck in view, only to have a wild hog, coon, cow, horse, or another deer distract or scare my intended victim. So after being busted or otherwise thwarted fifty times you begin to get an inkling of how difficult your task really is. Which is where the adrenalin comes in. When a chance at long last presents itself, you feel like you stepped off of the high dive. For maybe ten minutes. Close range does and spikes with a bow usually affect hunters a lot more than the biggest buck ever has with a rifle. Making the actual shot should be the easiest part of bowhunting, and making a fifteen yard shot IS easy, especially with a compound bow with sights. That is, until you’re shooting that one arrow you’ve worked hard all season long to release, and factor in adrenalin-induced quivering hands, hammering pulse, and vision which makes it appear you’re looking through a paper towel tube. Not to mention complete deafness and sweat dripping off of your nose, even if it’s 28 degrees. But it’s surfing on that adrenalin surge which keeps bowhunters out in the woods, honing their skills and learning from the ultimate teacher, the wonderful whitetail. When finally, finally, you do make a kill, you appreciate it all the more, knowing you’ve taken a deer on his own terms. Just like a predator. And you wouldn’t trade that feeling for all of the thrill rides in the world.
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22 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Whitetail Deer Are Not Pets By Steven Bridges An anonymous tip of a whitetail buck being held in a pen at a residence in Goldthwaite, Texas led Mills County Game Warden Vance Flowers to investigate last winter. Flowers located the buck in a pen in the back yard of the residence. Following further investigation, Flowers called a local rancher with experience darting wildlife for relocation. “First, a resident of the house fed the whitetail a piece of bread soaked in anesthesia,” said Flowers. “But, the deer didn’t eat all of the bread and it didn’t fall asleep. So, we ended up having to dart the buck anyway.” After the buck succumbed to the anesthesia, the group loaded the deer in the Warden’s truck for relocation. “Once we got the buck loaded up, we took it to a local ranch and laid it out in a pasture, ” said Flowers. “We then gave the deer a shot to reverse the effects of the anesthesia. He was up and about in no time.” According to Flowers, the buck was seen later that afternoon doing fine at the ranch. It remains to be seen if the buck will be able to make it in the wild. “If you take in a wild deer, you are drastically reducing its chances of making it the wild, ” said Flowers. “Not only is it a crime, it is bad for the animal.” The resident was charged with unlawful possession of live wild game (whitetail deer). According to Flowers, it is very common for people to encounter seemingly orphaned or abandoned deer. Mother deer typically leave their fawns bedded down while they are away foraging. “I get a lot of calls each year about seemingly abandoned fawns,” said Flowers. “My advice is always the same... leave the fawn alone.” A recent study conducted by TDPW found that, in some years, 40% or more of the deer fawns referred to her were not orphans or injured, but “kidnapped” from their mothers. While most of these animals are picked up by well-meaning persons, it is important to realize that many such human-animal encounters are unnecessary and can even be detrimental to the wildlife concerned. “Remember, a young deer’s best chance for survival is with its natural mother, not humans,” said Flowers. “Leaving the fawn alone will ensure that it retains all of its natural faculties and behaviors for survival in the wild.”
Under the watchful eye of Mills County Game Warden Vance Flowers, a wildlife darting expert prepares to use his dart gun to tranquilize a whitetail buck in Goldthwaite last winter.
Local ranchers help Mills County Game Warden Vance Flowers load up the tranquilized buck in Goldthwaite last winter. The deer was revived and released on a ranch in the country. Photos by Steven Bridges
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24 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Local Author Pens Traditional Bowyer’s Bible “If these bows weren’t highly effective, none of our ancestors could have lived and none of us would be here.” He notes that today traditional archers hunt on every continent, and take game as diverse as moose, leopards, and whitetails. Jim and his wife, Donna, started Bois d’Arc Press in 1988 to publish Jim’s first book, Bows and Arrows of the Native Americans. That was followed up with co-writing and editing the first of
four groundbreaking Traditional Bowyer’s Bible volumes in 1992. Today his books have become perennial best-sellers among archers worldwide, having been translated into German, French, and Italian, and kindled an international resurgence of the ancient art of bowmaking. Hamm’s book are available through Amazon.com, both in print versions and as Kindle ebooks.
Mills County author Jim Hamm
Mills County resident Jim Hamm has a rather unusual occupation. Sure, he runs his ranch, gardens, hunts, drives a pickup, and like every other resident scans the sky for any sign of rain. But his official day job is as a writer and publisher, having written ten books and dozens of magazine articles. His specialty is traditional archery, bows and arrows made from wood like they have been made for the past ten thousand years. As Hamm states,
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26 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Randy Hoyer Bags “High Rack Harry” By Randy Hoyer even more determination to bag High Rack Harry, I Deer season comes annually with much exciteput down my bow and picked up my Browning Ament and anticipation, but this season came with Bolt. 270 with a Simmons 4X12 scope, loaded with just a little more! Federal 130-grain Sierra GameKing BTSP bullets, to Favorable rains timed just right throughout the take to the blind opening morning. spring and summer helped provide nutritious na This year’s opening morning in the hill countive vegetation for healthy body and antler develtry was perfect. A northern had blown in the day opment of the hill country whitetails. Early game before. The sky was clear, temperatures dropped cam pictures reveled that several mature bucks on during the night to a very cool and pleasant 40 degrees. My future son-in-law had hunted a particular our ranch showed great potential going into this season. We have been hunting our ranch in Mills blind we refer to as the Big Field stand the week before and saw High Rack Harry. Not quite “in the County, near Goldthwaite, TX, since 1999. Our famfamily” until the wedding, he didn’t have the green ily has been fortunate enough to have taken several very nice 120 class and 130 class bucks and light to take a trophy buck. Lucky for me! He sugeven one 140 class buck over the past 15 years. I gested that I hunt that blind opening weekend. I personally had not taken a 140 class buck off the took his advice and headed to the blind that picranch, and I was optimistic that this might be the ture perfect Saturday morning. year I harvest a mature trophy 140 class Boone & Sunrise was spectacular, the air was crisp and Crockett hill country buck. clear. I love watching the early morning sun break The first weekend in October rolled around for against the Spanish oaks, cedar elms, and sporadic our annual bow hunt. For the past 10 years, four of maple trees that line the hunting field. Their vibrant my hunting buddies and one of their sons, along fall colors of yellow, orange, and red paint a magwith my father, get together for a bow hunt on the nificent scene. Mix that with the sounds and sights Triple H Ranch. This year’s hunt was even more speof the wildlife coming to life and you have the makcial as my future son-in-law joined us for the weekings of a perfect day. There is nothing quite like sitend. Needless to say, I am thrilled that he is a hunter ting in a deer blind on a perfect opening morning. and outdoorsman. We all look forward to the hunt, The morning past with several good deer coming but more importantly we enjoy the fellowship of out into the big open field, but no High Rack Harry. the hunting camp. It doesn’t get much better than I hunted until almost lunch, knowing that during being with a group of your good friends sitting the rut, bucks may come out at any time of the day around a camp fire swapping deer hunting tales, or night. After a quick lunch we headed back out all of which of course are big and tall! to our blinds. The afternoon proved to be similar The goal of the bow hunting weekend is to harto the morning hunt with no High Rack Harry. My vest does and spike bucks for management purfuture son-in-law took a very nice cull buck he had been hunting that evening. poses and to fill the freezer with venison. This year was an exception as I was going to hunt for one The next morning I rose with the hopes of seeing High Rack Harry. Our property is low fenced with of those trophy bucks we had seen on game cam. heavy hunting pressure all around us. I knew withWe had identified three mature quality bucks we felt were in the upper 130 class and might go 140. out doubt, a buck like High Rack Harry would be Of the three bucks, I was leaning toward a mature taken by any hill country hunter without hesitation. heavy horn, wide spread 13 pt. buck with forked I returned to the big field stand. Unlike the previous antlers. My hunting buddies favored a high rack, morning with clear skies and a spectacular sunrise, heavy horned 12 pt. That weekend bow hunting I this morning had overcast skies and a little warmer Randy Hoyer poses with his buck, “High Rack Harry” never saw any of the mature bucks, but one of my temperature. As daylight came in, I began to see hunting partners did. He saw the high rack, heavy deer throughout the big field. Several were nice horn 12 pt. and was really impressed with the buck. That night we reviewed game bucks running does and causing a commotion with the other deer trying to graze cam pictures again of the three mature bucks, and on their persuasion I changed my on a food plot. And then it happened, at 7:45 am, I saw him! He came out chasing mind of which buck to hunt. I decided to go after High Rack Harry! a doe about 300 yards away. Almost immediately I knew it was him even without For the rest of October I returned to our ranch to bow hunt for High Rack Harry. As my field glasses. After a quick check with the field glasses I grabbed my rifle. It was October came to an end, I had hunted a total of eleven different times for the buck, at that time I began to feel my heart start to pound in my chest. Big buck fever was but he never showed. Opening weekend of the general season came and the rut was setting in! in full swing. Disappointed that I did not harvest High Rack Harry with my bow, a Continued Next Page new wave of excitement and optimism came over me with rifle season upon us. With
2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 27
High Rack Harry Continued The doe he was chasing continued a darting run in the direction of the blind I was sitting in and the realism hit me that not only am I seeing him, but I very well may get a shot at him. Needless to say, the pounding in my chest increased with each passing moment. Then the doe stopped running and he did as well. I could see him standing near the doe with a small cedar tree blocking a clear shot, but the other concern was his distance from my blind. I placed him at 225 yards away, and while that is certainly within range of a. 270 rifle, it extended beyond my comfort shooting range for a trophy deer. The last thing I would want to do is make a poor shot, wound him and never find him. And with the buck fever ever so increasing it was certainly a concern for me. He moved again in the other direction, but this time I could only see his hind quarter sticking out from behind another cedar. I realized that in just a moment, he would pick back up the chase of the doe he was after, and she would take off again and perhaps go further away or totally leave the field. The midnight hour had come, I told myself, have confidence in your shot and take it. The big trophy buck moved several more steps. This time giving me a clear broad side shot. I put the cross hairs high on his shoulder, anticipating the bullet to drop a little, took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and squeezed the trigger. The big buck fell right in his tracks! I quickly chambered another round and put the sights on the only thing I could see, which were his antlers through the tall grass. I wanted to make sure if he got up, I was ready for another shot. After about five minutes of looking through the scope the reality hit me. I got High Rack Harry! I left the blind and headed toward him cautious, nervous and very excited. Upon my arrival, I found my trophy. Ground shrinkage was not the case here. High Rack Harry was even better than we thought. For the first few minutes, I just stood there in awe of this majestic animal. His antlers were long, dark and heavy. His coloring was beautiful. I reflected back on the last fifteen minutes, the adrenaline rush, the excitement, the pounding of my heart, the fact that I just took a trophy hill country buck. I paid tribute to the fine animal and thanked the Lord above for all His blessings. I patted myself on the shoulder for the shot I had made. One perfect shoulder shot. It turned out to be 189 yards, not the 225 I first thought. I texted my future son-in-law and made a call to my father. The rest of the day went by in a blur and full of excitement. This is what hunting is all about, needless to say, this story will be told again and again around a camp fire! High Rack Harry scored 156 5/8 gross and 153 2/8 net Boone & Crockett. He has twelve scoreable points and aged at 4 ½ years old. He scored well above the minimum net score of 145 B&C to earn recognition at the Texas Big Game Awards for our region and placed 1st in the Texas Open - North Zone of the 33rd Annual Shiner Business Men’s Club Area Big Buck Contest. I believe this buck is an example of the success of the antler restriction program along with a good deer management program. Mills County is under the Texas Parks and Wildlife antler restriction requiring a legal buck to have an inside spread measurement between main beams of at least 13 inches or greater. The Triple H Ranch is part of the Simms Creek Wildlife Management Association. Had it not been for the antler restriction, he may have been taken last year or the year before and not scored anything close to what he did this year. I can only imagine as we progress in the future and allow deer like this to get even older, what impressive deer will be taken. As I stated in the beginning, I was hoping this would be the year for me to take a mature 140 class buck off our ranch, I surpassed that with a trophy 150 class. I don’t like using the phrase that this was a “buck of a lifetime”, but he just may be!
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28 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Making Memories for a Lifetime By Rhonda Calhoun My grandson, Javien Carbajal was five years old when we first put a bow in his hand. He loved shooting and especially loved shooting 3-D animals. At career day in his kindergarten class he chose to tell about when he grew up how he was going to be a professional hunter. Well, he's not a pro yet but by age nine he was ready to shoot his first deer with his bow. We had a ground blind set up for him near Lake Brownwood. It was late November with freezing temperatures, sleeting rain and icicles hanging from everywhere. We were apprehensive about taking him out but when I asked him if he still wanted to go he said "yes grandma I'm ready"... Game On! We got to the blind, set up and waited. It wasn't long before some young bucks were coming through. He was instructed that he was only allowed to shoot a doe this time. He was so excited when the does started coming in of course he wanted to shoot the first one he saw. His dad told him to "be patient, more are coming. We need to let them get settled." After about 1/2 hour we decided it was time. We let him pick which one he wanted and he was quick to remind us that he couldn't shoot unless the deer was broadside. I couldn't believe the patience this 9 year old had waiting for the perfect shot. There was a doe approximately 18 yards away and broadside. I looked at him and he gave me a nod. I watched as he made sure his stance was right, knocked the arrow, drew his bow and made the shot. BAM! there it was. No tracking
involved. She laid right where he shot her. The priceless smile on his face said it all. You could tell that he felt such a sense of accomplishment. His dad and I were so proud of him as well but most of all he was proud of himself. Memories for a lifetime! After we all settled down I asked him what he was thinking about before he shot. The typical answer would have been what he was taught which was to AIM however my grandson is anything but typical. His response: "I was thinking about eating all that jerky." Needless to say we had a very special Thanksgiving that year. You can't go wrong when you take a child into the outdoors!
Javien Carbajal with his family and his first archery deer.
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30 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Matt Beary shows off the large, male coyote he and his friends called in last fall in northeast Mills County. Photo by Steven Bridges
College Cohorts Call in Coyote
By Steven Bridges Last fall, I had two of my college cohorts visit for a “Boy’s Weekend”. I hosted Matt Beary, who lives in the Los Angeles, California area and Joe Teasdale who now lives in Boulder, Colorado. We did all the stuff we like to do when we get together. Mainly, we spent time together talking and reminiscing about the ‘good’ old days. We finally decided that the ‘good’ old days weren’t that good and we are NOW in the good old days. One of the things we like to do is hunt together. We spent a few hours predator calling on Saturday night. We have called predators for years with very few results. But, this time was different! At the last calling spot, this big male coyote responded to a coyote pup in distress call. Matt downed the coyote with my .223 rifle at around 75 yards. Like I said before... the Good Old Days are right now!
Jodi Brown with her 144 B&C point Mills County twelve point buck. Had she entered the Mills County General Store BIG ONE Buck Contest, she would have placed second in the contest last season.
Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda By Steven Bridges Woman archery hunter Jodi Brown should have entered the Mills County General Store BIG ONE Buck Contest. If Jodi could have thought to enter before she went hunting last season, she would have placed at the top of the contest with the twelve point buck she bagged. Jodi has been hunting deer for 12 years total. She hunted deer with a rifle her first season. But, she switched to archery gear before the second season. She has been hunting deer with archery equipment ever since. As a result of shoulder surgery earlier this year, Jodi could not pull back her normal Matthews Switchback compound bow. However, a friend loaned her a crossbow to use while her shoulder healed up. All she did was place the cross hairs right behind his last rib and pulled the trigger.” The buck took off after the shot, but only went about 40 yards into the brush. “I heard him crash as he piled up,” said Jodi. “It was a blast!” Jodi is a teacher and cheer coach at Blooming Grove High School near Corsicana, Texas. She and her husband lease approximately 1,000 acres near Priddy in northern Mills County. They are both avid hunters and make several trips to Mills County to hunt each fall. “I meant to enter the BIG ONE Contest at Mills County General Store,” said Jodi. “We got busy at home and got to Mills County after the store closed. I wish I would have entered this year. I won’t forget next year!”
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32 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
‘Must Have’ Mills County Outdoor Gear
All These Items and More Available at Mills County General Store
EZ Stealth Hunting Blind Trailer Combo The Stealth Hunting Blind Trailer combines the ruggedness of a permanent stand with the maneuverability of a popup. Constructed with marine grade plywood walls, EZ Set-Up quickly provides a solid wall shelter for comfort and durability. EZ Tear Down folds walls flat for easy transport. The versatility of the Stealth Hunting Blind Trailer allows for converting from hunting blind to a utility trailer with no tools required.
55 Gallon Hanging Digital Feeder & Winch Patented Spinner Mechanism not only rotates, BUT elevates up and down! When motor is shut off, the spinner plate automatically is pushed up tight AND sealed against the hopper, preventing any leakage while your vehicle is moving. The SPINTECH technology is windproof and also prevents varmints like racoons & squirrels from opening the plaste and eating feed.
Browning Shadow Hunter Blind Chair The Browning Shadow Hunter Blind Chair offers the ultimate in adjustability and comfort for the blind this fall. This blind chair is perfect for hunting in a permanent blind or to be used in a pop-up hunting blind on the ground. The Shadow Hunter blind chair features a silent 360° swivel seat, independently adjustable legs and large swivel feet to help with positioning that prevents the feet from sinking in. The Shadow Hunter has an adjustable seat height from 17”23”, and has a weight capacity of 275 pounds.
Custom Knives by Davie Boultinghouse Davie’s knives are all made from scratch in his workshop in sunny Central Texas. Being a handmade product, each knife is unique in some detail. If you ask Davie he’d probably say he’s never made the perfect knife, but he keeps trying. All knives come with a leather sheath.
Custom Ghillie Suit Special ghillie suit for both youth and adults. It's a three piece suit with pants, jacket, and hood for complete concealment. These suits are made special for Mills County by World Famous Sports.
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2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 33
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Gun Safety Rules for Everyone at Deer Camp You love to hunt and your kids are starting to get to the age where they would like to try hunting. You appreciate their interest and have enrolled them in the appropriate education course to obtain a license. You also plan to teach them the ropes yourself, starting first with gun safety. To ensure you don't forget anything, familiarize yourself with these dos and don'ts of gun safety.
DO...
• Treat every gun as though it were loaded. • Read the owner's manual for your gun and learn how to operate it properly. • Use the correct ammunition for your gun.
• Carry your gun with the muzzle pointing toward the ground. • Keep your finger off the trigger until shooting. • Look at the target and the area beyond it before pulling the trigger. • Keep your gun unloaded when not in use. • Store ammunition away from your gun and out of the reach of young children. • Clean your gun and keep it free of obstructions. • Make sure your gun is unloaded before cleaning it.
DON'T...
• Point your gun at anyone. • Modify your gun.
• Run with your gun. • Climb with your gun. • Jump with your gun. • Shoot at a hard, flat surface. The bullet will ricochet. • Shoot at water. The bullet will deflect and travel a few inches above the water. • Go hunting when you are overly tired. • Drink alcohol when hunting. • Do drugs when hunting. After you have familiarized yourself with these rules, find a time to discuss them with your kids. Stress to them the importance of following the rules of gun safety and the consequences of ignoring them. Point out, for example, how many people are killed each year in accidents involving guns that were
stored loaded. Rent a video or take your kids to a demonstration on gun safety. Kids learn best by example, so make sure you follow the rules of gun safety. More importantly, make sure you enforce the rules. Should a situation arise in which your kids forget or abandon a safety rule, take the steps necessary to correct the situation immediately. It could mean the difference between life and death. Do your kids a favor. Teach them the rules of gun safety, enforce the rules when necessary and help your kids mature into safe, responsible hunters. Also, go over these gun safety rules with anyone at your hunting camp that you do not know. It NEVER hurts to review gun safety rules.
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2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 37
Chamber Wild Game Supper Nov. 28 Traditionally the Mills County Wild Game Supper is held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving which is November 28th this year. Our 2014 event was attended by out-of-town hunters as well as locals who bring out of town friends with them to enjoy the event. The Chamber fed over 600 people with game meats provided and cooked by local residents. Door prizes provided by local merchants are given away throughout the night as well as the opportunity to browse through our vendor section. New last year was a silent auction that was also held in conjunction with the other events. It did extremely well for its first year. Another new item at the Wild Game Supper was the advent of Reserved Tables, and it was a huge success. The benefit of a reserved table is you are in the first group of people to eat. The Chamber will be doing both the Reserved Tables and the silent auction again this year. If you are interested in a Reserved Table or would like to donate to the auction or a door prize, you can contact the Chamber office at 325-648-3619 or by e-mail at gcc@centex.net. The menu for the Wild Game Supper will vary from year to year depending on donations but typically we will have whitetail venison, venison chili, black buck, axis deer, fish, mountain oysters and wild hog. A meal ticket will include some of everything you want to try, plus side dishes and tea. There are desserts for sale at the event as well. Gun raffle tickets are available from the Chamber Office. If you are out of town and can’t get here to purchase a ticket, you can go to www.millscountychamber.com and see all of the guns and purchase tickets from the website via paypal. There will be ticket sales going on from September through November on Saturdays at various locations around town. There will be someone at the Courthouse Square every Saturday morning. Guns will be on display with tickets available the night of the event as well.
Chamber Director Nita Frazier presents Ralph Ynostrosa with the Sig Sauer 9mm Pistol Ralph won during the gun raffle at last year’s Wild Game Supper.
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Mills County, Goldthwaite Area Chamber of Commerce On the Square • PO Box 308 • Goldthwaite, Texas 76844 www.millscountychamber.com • gcc@centex.net • 325-648-3619
38 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Local Youth Hunting & Fishing Photos
Goldthwaite Middle School student Jonathan Bartek shot his first wild hog on Thanksgiving afternoon at his grandparents ranch in Atascosa County in Texas. Jonathan downed the big, wild boar with one shot from his Ruger #1 . 223 rifle. Jonathan is the son of Brandon and Dr. Melanie Bartek of Goldthwaite, grandson of Tommy and Wynona Head of Goldthwaite and, great grandson of Syble Head of Goldthwaite and grandson of Larry and Janet Bartek of Poteet, Texas.
Submitted by Del Barnett   Levi Barnett and I went fishing last Saturday and Sunday at the Barnett ranch. The yellow catfish pictured with the cap weighed 44 lbs on one scale and 50 lbs on the other. The other four yellow catfish pictured in the boat with Levi weighed 35, 30, 15 and 4 lbs.
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40 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
The Outdoor “Mental”ity Diagnosis By Scott Esse I’ve been a counselor for years and I’ve enjoyed the moments I’ve spent in the great outdoors. What follows is a loosely organized conglomeration of outdoor experiences. Personal memoirs involving the people, places, things, thoughts and feelings related to those special occasions where matters of the mind and the great outdoors seemed to merge from small streams into swollen rivers, on many instances, in quite entertaining ways. No Recollection Whatsoever Issues involving memory. Some type of memory impairment that impacts social functioning. Here are a few scenarios to ponder: 1. The neighbor who forgets that grazing my property is not free. 2. The neighbor who forgets which side is his/hers. 3. The folks who forget that their feet leave tracks, regardless of footwear. 4. The poacher who forgets that empty beer cans can be used much like bread crumbs. 5. The boater whose memory fails to register the fact that both his drain plug and anchor are still out. Matters of Substance I find it hard to limit my commentary on this category. This issue pervades so many areas. The scenarios are endless. Substances can mask and complicate other issues. I have found that to be pretty much the case in the woods and on the water. Substances can be very effective compounding agents. They tend to intensify whatever else seems to be going on in the pasture, in the truck, around the camp or on the lake. Here are a few examples I think many of you can identify with: 1. The fisherman who passes out in a fire ant bed on the river bank. The
other fisherman who panics because he hears his buddy screaming so he knocks himself unconscious, smashing his forehead into a tree limb coming to the rescue. 2. The turkey hunter who fires three rounds into a stump to make sure his shotgun is patterning right. The second turkey hunter who explodes into a rage because his buddy fired three rounds into his backpack instead of a stump. 3. The varmint hunter who leaves his spotlight on, lying face down in the truck seat, while he goes to the back of the truck to fetch more substances from the ice chest. The other varmint hunter who jumps out of the truck in a panic while it’s still running because the seat is on fire and has to watch as the truck roles down a rocky grade and smashes into a boulder. 4. The archer who decides that shooting a neighborhood deer with his bow would be more ethical because it doesn’t make much noise. The archer’s neighbor who is not impressed when aforementioned deer staggers into his yard and falls over dead in his swimming pool. 5. The fisherman who falls asleep in a 150 quart ice chest. The other two fishermen who carry their buddy in the ice chest to the river and set him adrift.
camp half a dozen times to fetch needed items, one at a time. 3. The land owner who drives into a camp, blows his truck horn repeatedly, and when hunters begin piling out of their RV’s, throws his truck in gear, peels out and drives off without saying a word. 4. The lease member who does absolutely nothing productive all weekend and brags about it. 5. The kayaker who paddles backwards downstream.
Distortion Distorted behaviors that can lead to marked social dysfunction. Excessive thought processes. Cognitions that sway toward loss or diminishing. Sometimes seemingly delusional or disorganized and sometimes accompanied by declines in goal directed behaviors. Unfortunate behaviors, but again, ones that seem to surface in the outdoors as readily as they do within the city limits. A few that come to mind: 1. The dove hunter who reportedly accidentally peppers his brother-in-law and displays no apparent remorse. 2. The back country hiker who returns to base
Disorderly Eating People have a tendency to let their guard down and backslide into a more primitive-type behavioral pattern when they become one with the wilderness. Over the years, I’ve seen that eating patterns and table manners are some of the first things to go around the campfire. Here’s some examples: 1. Predatory-type aggression around the BBQ pit. 2. Totally ditching eating utensils in lieu of using hands and fingers. 3. Biting oneself repeatedly while consuming food at an alarming rate. 4. Scavenging food that has long since passed
The Up-Tights Good old fashioned anxiety. Commonly referred to as an intense fear or discomfort when there really isn’t anything serious to worry about at the moment. Alright, how about these: 1. The lady hunter who keeps her port-a-potty locked inside her SUV because she thinks her friends will do something with/to it when she is asleep or in her deer stand. 2. The tourist who is unable to engage in intestinal evacuation in the woods because he thinks the tree branch he’s holding onto will break during the process. 3. Any situation involving scorpions, snakes and/or spiders. 4. The skier who’s afraid to turn loose of the rope. 5. The tuber at the water park who’s concerned about sharks.
the safe expiration date. 5. Failing to acknowledge that camp only has one outhouse. Sleep Deprivation When the Almighty One created camps, I can’t help but think that a sense of humor came into play. The original blue print appeared to have things laid out in a one-room or one-circle arrangement. Over the years, I’ve found it a challenge to get a good night’s sleep with this setup. Issues that arise from abnormalities in the sleep/wake cycle and/or the timing mechanisms therein. If you’re good and awake, see if any of these ring a bell: 1. The camper who talks to his lover in his/her sleep. 2. The camper who stays up all night listening to aforementioned camper, laughing aloud on unpredictable intervals. 3. The family member who does not seem to understand that a large potato chip bag makes a particularly annoying noise shortly after midnight. 4. The self-centered fellow who wakes his guide up to tell him that another fellow’s snoring is keeping HIM up. 5. The individual who thinks he is still 18 years old and can, or could ever, pee in a pickle jar beside the bed while asleep. Impulsivity In general, a failure to resist an impulse, drive or other type of temptation. Personally, any time I think about this category, I’m reminded of a perch going after a piece of bait. I’m guessing you know what I’m talking about: 1. Lighting a smoke in the deer stand when you know that just doesn’t work. 2. Eating a bag of cookies while fishing despite your Diabetes. 3. Having that second cup of coffee before daylight regardless of the fact that your tripod does not
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have a toilet. 4. Driving your best friend’s lease truck just because he isn’t there that weekend and told you it was off limits. 5. Smashing a wasp in your deer stand without considering how much that will angerAsthe other 5000 wasps stuck to a kid, I hunted doves alone... always. the ceiling just above your head. As soon as Dad stopped the truck on a hunt, Disordered I’d be off to theAdjustments other side of the field or tank. Other hunters distracted me in A reaction to an event that results my single minded goal of “limiting out”. in stress to that excess, therefore I wanted get ismyinlimit of doves as fast causing significant trouble in social as possible... without the chitchat, if you functioning. The new please. I’d takeOK: three1.whacks at anylease dove member who makes us yards. regretSomethat at any range under ninety times, I’diseven another in my gun he/she the get new leaseshell member. 2. and take a fourth shot if the dove was flyThe fisherman who just can’t seem ingcome againsttothe wind.with the loss of his to grips Now, I don’t dove hunt alone. These favorite lure. 3. The back country days I sit in the shade with a good hunting hiker finds overly stressful buddy who and dove hunt.it The hunting is usuwhen the can opener goes ally relaxing, with little emphasismissing. on “how 4. The rifleman who his gunand be-a many”. It is a time for sells conversation little joking aroundturns beforeinthe cause the scope theseriousness mounts. ofWhat deer hunting begins. 5. usually happens next when In fact, I find myself out to shoot has less we discover that our deer feeder doves than when I was a kid. Don’t get me quit. wrong. I still count my doves. I just don’t care if I shoot my limit or not anymore. Get-Up-And-Go Cleaning twelve birds after a day of hunt ingSometimes, ourresemble get-up-andcan begin towhen closely work, go hasisgot up and depression which exactly whatwent, I’m trying to avoid by going in the Many first place. might behunting the culprit. times, deOne dove hunt, to Kris and Ican had pression related theSparks outdoors an easy shot at an incoming dove. This be seasonal in nature. It can also be particular dove decided land in situational. Stuff like: to 1. try Theand months the tree under which Kris, Kris’s dog “Saof July August.to2.beMissing a trodie” andand I happened stationed. Few phy buck and hitting an illegal times in the season does a hunter get buck a shot instead. favorite fishing tackas easy as3. theYour one this dove was presenting le confiscated by a large BlueCat us.was I smiled and whispered to Kris, “You take him”.you (Yes,didn’t that was mightyit sporting because secure to the of me.) rod holder. 4. Your girlfriend showed the with dove some was only yards upWhen at camp, othertenguy. 5. away, Kris calmly raised his shotgun. The Because it said “Gator” on the side of dove never wavered from its incoming your new you thought could course. KrisATV, shot twice (he shootsita double swim. It could not. barrel). The dove flew on unscathed and seemingly unaffected, unlike Kris. Kris shook his head and reloaded while Swapping Ends theswings dove flyinaway. Sadie ran a watching Extreme mood and/or few yards toward the fleeing dove. behavior. A few of my personal She fathen turned around and stoodthat facing Kris vorites: 1. That sensation comes and me. over a hunter wind Sadie looked when first atthe Kris, thenshifts back slightly to the north.at2.me. To I’m sleep at the dove, and finally gladorI not to sleep in themind stand. 3. After couldn’t read Sadie’s at that point, dropping all the hunters off, not that I could haveother printed what Sadie was thinking deciding toanyway. hunt or just head to Even4.though I have been Kris’s shoes town. The feelings justinbefore and many times in the past, I decided to make after eating slightly undercooked
BBQ chicken. 5. What you thought about your life last night around the camp fire after a few drinks and what you think about it the next morning at 5 am. It is my sincere hope that you’ve found theseformusings of some fun of Kris this particular miss.enterI savored the long silence following the miss. tainment value. Maybe they will give I let the thoughttoof think razzingabout Kris with you something on some verbal abuse simmer in my mind for those long afternoons while you’re a few seconds. I could see Kris trying not waiting on the feeder to go off. Mayto look at me for fear I would begin the razzing. I was just about to open my mouth with the first of my many clever comments,
2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 41 be you will ponder some of 2010 theseMills County Hunting Guide - Page 45 things as you’re sitting on your dove REFERENCES Diagnostic and Statistical stool sweating, waiting for that first Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Indian Edition, Text Revision, Ameriwave of birds to come by. You might can Psychiatric Association, Jaypee Brothby Steven Bridges even consider the things I’ve men- ers Medical Publishers (P) LTD, New Delhi, tioned as you’re relaxing by a camp- Disordered Personalities, Third Edition, Dato say,MD, I never gotPsychler to comment J. Robinson, Rapid Press, fire inathe upcoming monthsover as the when dove came whizzing the vidNeedless Port Huron, MI, National Association for Ruon the easy miss. Kris just turned to me as top of the treecolder. at whatI seemed like light nights turn hope they’ll alral Mental Health, http://www.narmh.org/ if to say, “What was that you were about speed. ways put a smile on your face. Enjoy resources/usefullinks.aspx, The American say Steve? ” Kris and outdoors. I saw the bird at the same time, to the great Heritage Dictionary, Second College EdiI guess I can take the lesson several but Kris was first to swing his gun up. He tion, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston ways. One, never miss a chance to shut up. hit the dove at forty yards and its momentum carried it another twenty yards be- Two, get your razzing in while the razzfore it hit the ground. It was a world class ing is good. Or three, hunt doves alone... always. shot.
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42 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Opening Day ‘Wazzoo’ Whitetail By Steven Bridges Opening morning of last deer season was looking like a bust. Early in the fall, I had spotted a huge buck over and over near a thick stand of oak trees. I had seen the buck many times, but only for a few seconds each time. He always ducked into that same oak thicket before I could get a good look at him. I knew he was tall and wide, but I didn't know how wide or how many points were on his heavy beams. What I did know was that he was huge. So, I set up at the base of a big elm tree well before dawn on opening morning on a slope overlooking the buck's oak thicket. No buck. Not even a single deer came out of the brush that morning. So much for the scouting report. "Some hunter I am," I thought to myself as I stood up to return to my truck. As I turned to scan the hill behind me, I froze. A big buck was walking straight away from me into another oak thicket 100 yards downwind of my setup. In a single smooth movement, I kneeled down next to the elm tree and brought my rifle to my shoulder. I only had a second to make the shot before the buck disappeared into the brush. I could tell that the buck had my scent, but had not been able to see me. He was high stepping indignantly and turning his head from side to side, ears pointed straight back at me. He could smell me, but he could not visually locate me. My camo was working. Just as I was thinking that I blew my chance at the buck, he made one mistake. As he was entering the brush straight away from me, he stopped and turned his head to look back over his shoulder. It was not a conventional broad
Mills County hunter Steven Bridges bagged this nice Mills County Opening Day Whitetail Buck using unconventional shot placement. Photo by Steven Bridges side shot opportunity. But I knew my rifle and I had a steady rest. The buck's tail was down. I placed the crosshairs of my scope right on the center of the buck's tail and squeezed the trigger. He seemed to levitate a split second and then his legs buckled under him. He never even twitched. The "wazzoo" shot is not talked about in outdoor writing circles. But, the shot has its place in the hunter's toolbox. Most of the time a deer in easy rifle range with his wazzoo pointed at you will eventually turn broadside for a clean, ethical shot. I did not have the luxury of time since this buck was only a step from
the safety of cover. NOTE: Not only did the buck drop in his tracks after my "wazzoo" shot, very little if any meat was lost. But, field dressing the buck was extra nasty. I waited a few tense minutes with my scope still trained on the buck. If the buck got up, he would only be a jump from disappearing into the thicket. After I was convinced he was down for good, I hiked over to inspect his antlers. He was over 20 inches wide and sported 10 solid points. The buck later scored 138 5/8 at Mills County General Store to place high in The Big One Big Buck Contest. Seldom do hunting plans work
the way we draw them up. Changing weather, hunting pressure, and the fact that we are dealing with wild animals all contributes to the "luck" part of hunting. But, it is possible to create your own luck by doing your homework. I did my preseason scouting. I knew my rifle and my limitations with it. And finally, I was in the right spot at the right time. All of this preparation paid off due to a stroke of luck. I stood up at just the right time. A second later the buck would have disappeared into the brush without me even seeing him. Instead, I have his mount in my living room.
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Visiting Dove Hunters Enjoy Mills County Right: Rick Armstrong shops at the Mills County General Store the first Saturday morning of dove hunting with his hunting buddy Ricky Holleman and Rick’s sons Cash (6) and Rylan (7) Holleman. The camo-clad crew were fixing up their deer lease on Tommy Head’s Ranch and preparing to go dove hunting for the weekend. The guys are from East Texas and have been leasing from Tommy since 2006.
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Youth Hunter Bags First Dove Pictured left is Rylan Holleman showing off his first unassisted dove harvest. Ryan took the dove with a .410 single-shot shotgun on Tommy Head’s Ranch just South of Goldthwaite on September 6th, 2014.
2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 45
MILLS COUNTY MEAT COMPANY DEER PROCESSING Mills County Meat Company Parker Thrid St.
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46 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Fall Weather Brings Good Dove Hunting By Steven Bridges Fall weather brings good dove hunting in Mills County. While heavy spring rains broke the extended drought across much of Texas, a late heat wave has since dried up that moisture. The crazy Texas weather, however, is nothing but good for Mills County dove hunters as birds will have to rely upon limited resources for food and water as the season begins. Water, especially in close proximity to dove feeding areas, should be at a premium heading into the Sept. 1 dove season opener. “Dove hunting over a water source should be excellent,” said Corey Mason, TPWD dove program leader. “Ad-
ditionally, dove may be concentrated on food sources, so if you can find a stand of sunflower, goat weed, etc., hunting should be productive. Native food sources are going to be more important this year because agricultural crops aren’t as good as years past.” It is still too hot to get excited about much during the first part of September. Still, many hunters visit our county to set up deer stands and feeders and set up deer camp. Most bring their shotgun along just in cast the doves are “in.” Mills County usually relies on a cool Norther to blow doves in from the North for good shooting. I have noticed more and more resident doves in my very informal, preseason
dove scouting. Both whitewings and mourning doves seem to be on the rise in our area. Great news for area hunters. Also, good news for area merchants, who rely on hunters to leave a little of their money in Mills County. Every dollar a hunter spends in Mills County bounces around the county an average of five times before leaving. For example, a group of hunters goes into a restaurant and spend $50. The restaurant owner takes that $50 to buy groceries at a local grocery store. The grocer spends the $50 buying flowers in town for his wife for her birthday, etc., etc. This money would
not be present had it not been for the hunters. Merchants in Mills County try to make the hunters feel extra welcome in Mills County each year. It is not only the neighborly thing to do... it is just good business. Part of dove hunting’s popularity stems from the timing of the season, which marks the end of a long, hot summer and the beginning of the fall hunting season. Many deer hunters open their camps and begin filling feeders on Labor Day weekend, and a dove hunt adds interest and some tasty eating. This year, Sept. 1 falls on a Tuesday so most dove hunters will hit the field Labor Day weekend.
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2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 47
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48 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Broken Hand, Black Eye & Big Buck Submitted by Warren Blesh Bobbie Blesh is taking up hunting in her golden years. Last year was going to be Bobbie’s first big game hunt at the RRR Ranch. Well, she broke her right hand a week before the hunt. This year, she fell again and broke her left hand. The doctor recommended surgery, but Bobbie said, “I am booked on a hunt with my son.” We can fix it next week. So with her hand in a splint and black eye from the fall, she braved the elements Saturday. The morning was tough with high winds and the deer just did not move much. Saturday afternoon was much better. Bucks chased does and action was constant. Bobbie is not really strong, so she needed the proper set up and angle to shoot. At 5:15, this 8 point buck came up the ridge. Bobbie wanted to take it. She steadied “The Legend,” a 22.250 and fired “one shot.” The deer fell in its tracks. Bobbie turned 85 two weeks after the big hunt. She attended the
Bobbie Blesh is pictured above with her 8 point buck downed with Warren Blesh’s “The Legend” Texas Big Game Awards banquet in June for region 3 and picked up her award from the program for her first harvest.
Bobbie Blesh with the completed TBGA paperwork to claim her award for her first harvest at the banquet in June, 2015.
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2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 49
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50 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Mills County Landowners Host Nearly 100 Wounded Soldiers in 2015 Hunt By Steven Bridges Eagle Owner Despite the threat of ice and treacherous traveling weather, nearly 100 wounded soldiers descended on Mills County for the annual Mills County Wounded Soldier deer hunt. Local Mills County landowners and guides took the soldiers deer hunting on the first Saturday afternoonof the special doe and spike season in Mills County. This page contains a few of the photos of successful hunts. I sincerely thank all the many landowners and guides who took wounded soldiers hunting this weekend. A special thanks goes out to Mills County Meat Company for giving the soldiers a reduced processing rate for their deer harvest. I did not ask for a processing discount for the soldiers. The Meat Company offered the discount to the soldiers on their own. I know it was greatly appreciated. Of course, I thank all the soldiers for their service to the United States of America. This hunt is just one small way the citizens of Mills County show our thanks to these fine men and women of the Untied States Armed Forces.
RRR Ranch Hosts Successful Hunt
Morgan Family Hosts Soldiers
Pictured Above Buddy Morgan (Right) poses with successful Wounded Soldier Deer Hunters over the weekend. Buddy and Ella Ruth hosted a bunch of soldiers at their ranch in Mills County.
Woman Soldier Bags First Deer Pictured Right, Doris and Mickey Donahoo guided Tammy Ellis and her husband on the Casa Dilapidato Ranch owned by James Schunke a few miles southeast of Goldthwaite for Tammy’s first deer hunt. Tammy bagged a nice doe on their hunt. The group, braved the rain with smiles on their faces for a quick photo Saturday night.
Check future editions of The Goldthwaite Eagle for information on the 2016 Wounded Soldier Hunt.
Cameron Reed (above left) guided Angel Vazquez U.S. Army (above right) Saturday at the RRR Ranch as part of the 2015 Mills County Wounded Soldier Hunt. Angel has been on three tours of duty and never hunted before. Hunting an oat field with his guide, Angel bagged his first whitetail with a brand new .223 rifle bought for the hunt. Both the hunter and landowner will be recognized by the Texas Big Game Award program in the first harvest category. For more information on this program go to www.texasbiggameawards.org.
2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 51
Locals Hunters Go-Go Down Under Doris Donahoo stalks Sambar in Australia. By Mike Elliott Doris Donahoo, who was given the name “Go-Go” by the Shona people in South Africa, recently traveled to Australia with her hunting partner, Mickey, to check off another item on their bucket list. Laura Wilson had gone ahead a few weeks to check out that part of Aussie Land and had returned with a good report, so the stage was set. Doris was interested in the Sambar which is a quite elusive animal in spite of being as large as elk. They tend to be out very late in the afternoon until just after dawn. The rest of the day is spent in almost impenetrable bush. A plan was made to overlook a very thick ravine late in the afternoon and it paid off. Two stags came out on the far side and a stalk was planned. Mickey spotted a third stag where Doris and Andrew had just left but couldn’t get their attention. Before Mickey could catch up, Andrew looked back and saw stag number three. A new stalk was planned; Doris moved in position with her 7mm Mag. and took the shot. The Sambar is very large and can absorb lots of lead and he made it back to the bush only steps away. However, he was already dead but didn’t know it and was found about 40 yards into the thick stuff. It turned out that the thick stuff that appeared a few feet tall was actually over 12 feet and very thick - no wonder an elksized animal could step into it and disappear. A truck with winch was called and the Sambar was on the way to the cooler. Go-Go had struck first so it was Mickey’s turn and they decid-
ed to go after the Hog Deer. This is a quite small deer, 60 pounds, from India and is every bit secretive as the Sambar. This time they chose to sit over a feeding area along a very thick creek bottom. Shortly before sunset a few does appeared along with a nice buck, quite a ways down the creek. The wait began as the buck fed slowly up the creek toward the feeding does. As he stepped into the clearing to check out a potential girlfriend, Mickey took the shot. Number two in the cooler. Doris and Mickey would continue the hunt another few days and collect a Javan Rusa and a Molaccan Rusa Deer. The four animals taken so far are introduced species from India and Indonesia and have done quite well in Australia. In fact, I believe the four are unhuntable in their homeland or are very limited. This is another success story for hunters who put value on these animals so that they are introduced around the world and grow to huntable numbers. This is also true of many animals introduced into the U.S. such as the Bongo, Indian Blackbuck, Axis Deer and many others. Introduced stock has, in turn, been reintroduced into their country of origin where they formerly had become extinct. While on safari Mickey and Doris always try to eat some of each animal taken. They were able to eat some of each of the animals they had taken plus grilled kangaroo. Eating the kangaroo seems to put a little bounce into your step. The hunting area is inland from the Australian east coast and high
in the coastal mountain range. Hence, the land is a combination of very dense tropical rain forest, open forest land and open grassland. The native wildlife is quite abundant and the birds are beautiful. The Donahoos were able to watch the Duckbill Platypus, kan-
garoo, wallaby and the Koala. The Dingo was too secretive in spite of the tracks seen. The eight-foot python that made a pass at Mickey was also very entertaining to everyone except the intended victim. Mickey may be getting older but is still quite agile if necessary.
52 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Self-Bow Whitetail Tyler Wilburn, 8, of Anson shot this 8-point buck Saturday morning, December 27 on his grandparents Jerry and Lana Schwartz’s place east of Priddy. The buck was taken at 132 yards with a .223 rifle.
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Local primitive archer Jim Hamm bagged this 128 inch eight point Mills County Whitetail buck on his ranch southwest of Goldthwaite last week. Hamm shot the buck with his hand-made Bois d’Arc bow at ten yards. When he is not chasing deer with his self-made archery gear, Jim Hamm writes books on making primitive archery gear. Jim and his wife Donna Hamm established Bois d’Arc Press in 1988 to publish Jim’s first book, Bows and Arrows of the Native Americans. In 1992, Bois d’Arc Press published the first of the groundbreaking Traditional Bowyer’s Bibles series, quickly followed by Bowyer’s Bible, Volumes 2 and 3. The Traditional Bowyer’s Bible, Volume 4, was released in the spring of 2008. Their English titles are perennial bestsellers among bowyers worldwide, having also been translated into Italian, French, and German. Jim Hamm has conducted bow making clinics at his home and around the U.S. for the past two decades, having personally instructed hundreds in the ancient art. Jim Hamm’s books are available at www.boisdarcpress.com.
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Toby and Mary Anglin from the Houston area harvested two nice bucks at the RRR Ranch before and during the rains this past weekend. For Mary, it was her first whitetail harvest. She has entered the Texas Big Game Awards first harvest category and will attend the banquet this summer in San Angelo, Texas.
Mills County Medical Clinic - Coryell Memorial Healthcare System
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Mills County Medical Clinic is located at 1510 Hannah Valley Road across from the Goldthwaite High School. In addition to the renovated building, the clinic has digital x-ray equipment that allows for higher quality scans and quicker results.
Since 1994, Mills County Medical Clinic has been a cornerstone of the community’s healthcare and our commitment continues. ProHours: Monday - Friday viders at the clinic see patients of all ages and can handle a variety of Mills County Medical Clinic (MCMC) is a rural health clinic owned and operated by Coryell Memorial Healthcare System. It is located in healthcare needs including women’s health. Digital x-rays and basicGoldthwaite, 8:00 am -12:00 pm & 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm Texas just 50 miles west of CMHS's main campus in Gatesville. MCMC is staffed with three providers: Diedra Wuenschel, lab tests are performed at the clinic with full spectrum lab servicesDO, Family Practice; Dr. Dustin Smith, DPM, Podiatry; and Brenda Krause, Family Nurse Practitioner. Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are also welcome. and medical specialties available at CMHS in Gatesville. Mills County Medical Clinic is located at 1510 Hannah Valley Road across from the Goldthwaite
(325) 648-2263
High School. In addition to the renovated building, the clinic has digital x-ray equipment that allows
All insurances are accepted. MCMC is an in-network provider for Medicare, Medicaid, TriCare, Scott & White Health Plan, Blue Cross Blue Shield, FirstCare, United Healthcare, Aetna, USA Managed Care, Cigna and several others.
for higher quality scans, quicker results and no need to store film. X-rays are taken by Dana Todd, MCMC's licensed radiology technician.
Since 1994, Mills County Medical Clinic has been a cornerstone of the community’s healthcare and our commitment continues. Providers at the clinic see patients of all ages and can handle a variety
of healthcare needs including women’s health. Digital x-rays and basic lab tests are performed at the clinic with full spectrum lab services
54 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Wildlife Management at Work All of the bucks shown below were killed on the Davis Owens Ranch east of Center City. The ranch is part of the Simms Creek Wildlife Management Association. Following these successful hunts, Mike Drury said, “That is something, four first trophy bucks but as usual the girls have out hunted the boys! This is what can happen on a low-fence property.”
Warren Blesh with his guide Jackie and the Prong Horn he downed during the 2014 hunting season with his 22.250 also known as “The Legend.”
The Legend Goes West By Warren Blesh Many of you have followed the story of “The Legend”, a 22.250 left to me in my friend James “Rip” Farley’s will. The gun’s history can be found on our website, www.3rtrophyranch.com. The gun has a German mouser action that dates back pre 1900 and was customized to a 22.250 by a gunsmith in Goliad, Texas many years go. “Rip” carried the gun in his pick up for 50 years. It has never missed! When I arrived on the Wildlife Systems hunt, my guide Jackie asked if I brought the gun. Jackie would prefer I shoot a. 300 Weatherby Mag so nothing is injured and he does not have to track anything. My light caliber made him nervous even though he had guided me on a successful mule deer hunt several years ago with the gun. Our hunt started on the 40,000 acre ranch at 5:45 a.m. Each hunter is paired with a partner. I chose to let my partner shoot first. Around 8:45 a.m. he bagged a nice pronghorn. After some photos and taking the deer to camp, it was my turn to hunt. Well, we rode from 2:00 p.m. till 7:25 p.m. looking for a shooter. This time period included 3 long stalks and many a spooked pronghorn. With eyes better than Mr. Ziess can make binoculars, the pronghorns took off running when we were within 1,000 yards! That was, until 7:25 p.m. and we were headed in to camp. Off at 186 yards was a nice pronghorn. Jackie, nervous about the caliber, said, “What do you want to do? ” I said, “I’ll shoot it off your back pack.” We went into full hunt mode. Well, my finger got tangled in the backpack’s strings and straps and I put the first bullet in the dirt 4 feet from me. The pronghorn looked at me like “what on earth is this guy doing”. Having all the faith in “The Legend” I put the gun back down and let the bullet fly. The pronghorn fell straight down. “The “Legend” had delivered again. It may be time for “The Legend” to hunt a free ranging aoudad. I hope Jackie can take the excitement!
Natali Wheeler, age 13, of Burleson took her first trophy buck on November 7, 2014. Natali is the granddaughter of Wade Birdwell. The 9-point, 138 lb. buck was aged at 4 1/2 years old, with horns measuring 14 6/8” wide, a 4 2/8” basal circumference, and a 17 6/8” beam length.
Raymond Graham, 7 year old son of Adam Graham, killed his 1st trophy buck on January 1 with a .30 caliber rifle. The nice 8-point was approximately 4 1/2 years old, and field dressed at 130 lbs. The buck’s horns measured 15” wide, with a 4 1/4 base and 20” main beam.
Lauren Vaughn, age 16, of Joshua took her first trophy buck on November 26, 2014. Lauren is the granddaughter of Ronnie Nichols. Lauren’s buck was aged at 4 1/2 years old, weighed 108 lbs., and was killed with a .223. The buck’s horns measured 14” wide, and had a 3 4/8” basal circumference and 19” main beam length.
Madison Smithey, age 13, from Cleburne killed her first trophy buck on November 8, 2014 with a .223. The 10-point, 107 lb. buck’s horns measured 13 7/8” wide. Madison is the granddaughter of Danny Buckner.
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2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 56
Goldthwaite Eagle Deer Photos
Above: Lonnie Mears from Grandview shot this nice 10 point buck the morning of November 2nd on his lease in the western part of Mills County using his 7mm mag rifle. His buck was aged to be 5 1/2 years old .
Husband & Wife Team Take Mills County Deer Whitney Klenzendorf from Taking Care of Texas found time before the Botanical Garden ceremony to harvest some Mills County venison. Pictured above is Whitney with her doe taken at the RRR Ranch and Brandon, her husband with his first
harvest ever big game animal in Texas. Brandon will be honored at next summer’s Texas Big Game Awards for this accomplishment. The RRR Ranch participates in the Managed Land Deer Permit Program.
Right: Raelynn Mears from Aledo shot her buck with a 30.06 on the morning of November 8th while hunting on her lease in the western part of Mills County. He was a nice 11 pointer & was aged to be 6 years old.
2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 57
Stocking Fish Can Be Fun and Educational By Steven Bridges Right before the drought began in Mills County four years ago, we stocked the main XTC Lake. At the time, the lake was just over eight acres. That would not last long. And neither would our fish stocking plan. The lake got as low as two acres. Not lower however than my hopes of growing trophy bass in the lake. To be sure, some fish survived the ordeal. But the few bass and remaining baitfish were stressed and under nourished. Heavy spring rains refilled the ranch lake earlier this year. So since
Flint and Amber release goldfish into a water trough.
the lake was back to size, we decided it was time to restock the lake. I called several fish farms to order baitfish. Coppernose bluegill, shad, fathead minnows and red ear perch were all on our list for stocking. Most fish farms were out or nearly out of most baitfish. I finally saw the ad for ZZZ Fish Farm in The Eagle. ZZZ was
coming to Ranch Land Country Store. I called them and we made a date to stock fish at our ranch. We decided not to stock more bass until the baitfish established themselves. Plus, the bass that made it through the drought deserved a few good meals before adding competition in the form of more bass. We had enough of an order to have the fish delivered straight to the ranch lake in their fish truck. But, I wanted the kids to see the process of stocking fish. Our four year-old son Flint and his seven year-old sister Amber would love it. So, we met the fish truck at Ranch Land the following Friday. We grabbed a couple bags of baitfish. One bag was full of fathead minnows, the other contained shad. The kids even talked the fish sellers out of a few goldfish. We "stocked" our water trough at our house with the two goldfish. That way, the kids and adults could practice the process of releasing fish. The process is fairly simple, but does take a little time and practice. We started by adding lake water into the bag of fish. Slowly acclimating the fish to the lake water is vital to keep from shocking the fish to death. As soon as the temperature of the bag of fish is the same as the lake, we lowered the bag of fish into the water. Then, we let the fish swim out of the bag slowly. We released the fish from a pier with moss underneath it. The shade from the pier and the cover from the moss helped the stocked fish hide and continue to acclimate to their new surroundings. My kids and I loved the process of releasing the baitfish. As always, they were full of questions. Flint asked if we could put all the fish in his bathtub so he could take a bath with them. Amber asked if we could name all the baitfish. After a few giggles in each case, Mom and I both answered, "Sorry, but no."
Flint, Steve and Amber release baitfish into their ranch lake. Heavy Spring rains filled dry lakes and ponds in Mills County making fish stocking possible. Stocking ponds ensures good fishing for the kids in the future. While stocking, we noticed a four inch long tadpole. Amber grabbed it and made it her best friend for the day. Amber kept the big tadpole now named "Taddeous" and released it back at our house in town. So, Amber did a little stocking of her own. Right there, Debra and I made plans to meet the fish truck at the ranch lake when it came to release the rest of our baitfish. In the middle of the next week, the fish truck came out to the ranch and parked next to our lake. We hauled bucket after bucket of fish from the truck to the pier. We released each bucket of fish in the same manner as before, acclimating each bucket of fish to the lake water.
It was a great experience to show my kids the process of stocking fish in our lake. We all learned a lot about the science and biology of our pond, fish and even tadpoles. Plus, it was a lot of fun. The kids enjoyed the fish stocking. As we were pulling out of the ranch headed home, Amber asked, “Can we stock fish everyday?” Flint began chanting “Every-Day, Every-Day” like only a four year-old boy can do. Debra and I smilled at each other in the truck as I added, “Mission accomplished, baby.” I knew right than that I accomplished my goal of having a learning experience that was still fun.
58 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Local Trophies for Last Season Email your trophy photos to The Eagle at GoldNews@centex.net.
Duo Down Mills County Big Bucks Howard Watson of Frisco, Tx (left) and Bill Bledsoe of Arlington, Tx (right) each bagged huge bucks on opening morning of the 2014 season. The duo were guided by Cole Petty and Wes Connaway on the Johnson Ranch near Mullin in Mills County. Howard has been hunting in Mills County for 22 years and Wes has been hunting here for four years. Any hunter can bring a buck in to be scored for a nominal charge. Scoring is free for hunters entered in THE BIG ONE Buck Contest.
Lady Archer Bags Buck
  Samantha Lopez is all smiles after bagging this nice eight-point deer during opening weekend of archery season. Samantha and her father, Dr. Robert Lopez, were hunting on the John Mann place east of Goldthwaite. She is an experienced hunter during rifle season but she was super excited on a successful archery kill. Samantha, 18, is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Lopez of Heath, Texas and is presently a freshman at McLennan Community College in Waco.
2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 59
Proposed Changes to Managed Lands By Texas Parks & Wildlife The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is considering proposed changes to the Managed Lands Deer Permit (MLDP) and the Landowner Assisted Management Permitting System (LAMPS) programs. The Department is taking this opportunity to inform current and previous MLDP and LAMPS participants of those proposed changes. The current MLDP program has been in effect since 1996 for white-tailed deer and 2005 for mule deer, and has been a very successful tool for encouraging deer harvest, deer management, and habitat conservation. Participation in the MLDP program has expanded from approximately 800 properties and 3 million acres in 1998 to 10,000 properties and 24 million acres in 2014. The LAMPS program has approximately 1,900 participants encompassing about 2 million acres. Substantial growth in the program during the last 18 years, the gradual accumulation of changes to program rules over time, and requests for modernization by
program participants has prompted the Department to explore options to simplify MLDP, create new administrative efficiencies, and focus efforts on those seeking site-specific wildlife and habitat management assistance. At the same time, we intend to accommodate landowners who are not necessarily seeking technical assistance, but need flexibility to manage deer harvest. The Department is proposing to combine the current LAMPS program and White-tailed Deer and Mule Deer MLDP programs into a new Managed Lands Deer Program consisting of two options: Conservation Option and Harvest Option. The Conservation Option is designed to be a more intensive habitat-management focused option whereby participants are seeking customized site-specific habitat and harvest recommendations and oneon-one interaction with TPWD biologists. This option would allow for the harvest of antlerless and buck white-tailed deer by any legal means, including firearm, from the Saturday closest to September 30 through the last day of February.
Harvest of antlerless and buck mule deer with archery only equipment would be allowed from the Saturday closest to September 30 for 35 consecutive days. Harvest of mule deer by any legal means, including firearms, would be allowed from the first Saturday in November through the last Sunday in January. Deer population and deer harvest data provided by the participant, and completion of habitat management practices described in a Department-approved wildlife management plan would be required for entry into the Conservation Option as well as continued annual participation. The Conservation Option would also contain a provision to allow Wildlife Management Cooperatives or Associations to participate and receive tag issuance for antlerless only or either sex. The Harvest Option is designed to be an automated system to administer tag issuance, harvest recommendations, and general correspondence regarding wildlife and habitat management to participants with minimal oversight by TPWD biologists.
The Harvest Option would be applicable only to white-tailed deer. Harvest recommendations for a property would be determined using a formula that takes into account TPWD Resource Management Unit (RMU) deer population data, types and amounts of habitat on the property, and any other information the Department deems relevant. Harvest of antlerless and buck deer with at least one unbranched antler would be allowed by any legal means, including firearms, from the Saturday closest September 30 to the last day in February, and the harvest of any buck with archery equipment from the Saturday closest to September 30 for 35 consecutive days. The harvest of any buck by any legal means, including firearms, would be allowed from the first Saturday in November through the last day in February. Both the Conservation and Harvest options would require all reporting to be completed electronically via Texas Wildlife Information Management Services (TWIMS). If adopted proposed changes would not be effective until May 2017.
R I E H T
60 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Local Game Warden Vance Flowers Offers Tips - the nature of the violation - the location of the violation - the name and/or description of the violator - a description of any vehicle or boat involved in the violation - any other important information which will assist in apprehending the violator If you wish to remain anonymous, a code number will be assigned to you. You do not have to give your name if you do not want to. The more information you can provide at the earliest opportunity will increase the probability of arrest and conviction.
Vance Flowers, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Game Warden for Mills County 325-203-1525. Call Before Spotlighting Hunters doing night surveys or varmint shooting should contact the local sheriff’s department at 325-6482245 to notify the dispatcher of his or her intent. The call will be recorded in a log, which helps reduce misunderstandings about why people may be spotlighting at night, he said. Operation Game Thief Help stop the illegal hunting and fishing in Texas. If you have information which will assist game wardens in apprehending persons who are violating the hunting and fishing regulations of this state, Operation Game Thief needs your help! Call immediately! Dial toll-free, 1-800-792-GAME (4263), any time, day or night and provide the following information to the Texas Parks and Wildlife police communications officer:
Landowner Relations Count Landowners who have deer leases are encouraged to post a copy of the lease documents at their camps or give a copy to the hunters using the land so the documents can be accessed quickly. Lessors should make an effort to talk with neighbors in case a wounded deer jumps the fence. Always gain permission to follow a deer into a neighboring place BEFORE you follow it. Lessors and landowners should also work with neighbors on hunting stand location, especially when placing a stand near a perimeter fence. NOTE: If your bullet crosses the fence, it is a criminal offense. Hunter Safety Certification Options In addition to a hunting license, anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971, must successfully complete a hunter education training course or purchase a one-time deferral good for one license year in order to hunt legally in Texas. The certification is valid for life and is honored in all other states and provinces. Hunters who need hunter educa-
tion certification now have expanded contemporary options including a streamlined, one-day basic course and an option for anyone 17 years of age or older to take the hunting safety training completely online. A combination online home study and 4 to 5 hour skills field day course is also offered. More information on hunter education certification is available online at www.tpwd.state. tx.us/outdoor-learning/hunter-education . Local Game Donation Program Hunters who take a deer and decide they do not want to keep the meat can donate the animal to the local Ministerial Association, which has a program to get the meat processed and to needy families locally. Hunters who wish to donate an animal are asked to field dress it before taking it to the Mills County Meat Co. or to contact the Game Warden to pick it up. 13 Inch Rule in Fourth Year This marks the fourth year of the 13-inch antler restriction and each year has shown a decrease in the number of illegal bucks harvested. I think this has also improved the overall condition of the deer herds. Along with this antler restriction, please keep in mind that the doe population needs to be managed as well. Tags & Hunter Ed Hunters may only hunt with their own tags. Hunters should keep their hunter education cards with them or have that status indicated on their licenses. Dove Rules During dove season, hunters may NOT hunt from any vehicle (trucks,
cars, UTVs, ATVs, etc.) Hunting over placed bait (grain, rock salt, etc.) is NOT permitted. The dove aggregate limit is 15 and the total possession limit is 45 for the 2014 season. Ring neck or Eurasian doves are not considered as part of that daily limit and in fact are not controlled by us since they are an exotic species of dove. There is no limit or a closed season on those. Turkeys Still on the Rise Here A personal observation I have made is that in the spring of 2013 and 2014, there was a considerable increase in the local turkey population with much larger than average numbers seen and harvested. Most Common Hunting Violations The most common hunting violation in Mills County is improper tagging or failure to update the hunter’s log. Keep that in mind. Failing to have Hunters Education Certification is also another common violation. Another common hunting violation is shooting from a public road or road shoulder. It is not legal even if you are shooting into your own place. Thank You Mills County Thanks to the landowners and lease hunters I have dealt with over the last four years. I hope to continue that positive relationship with the community in the future. Happy hunting. Flowers took over as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden for Mills County in 2009. Originally from the San Angelo area, Flowers grew up traveling between San Angelo and Early, where he had family, and as such, was already very familiar with Mills County before moving here.
2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 61
A Guided Fly Fishing Trip as a Birthday Present? the indicators, he crimped on a single split By Steven Bridges shot. A foot bellow the weight, he tied on The last full day of our family vacation to a stonefly imitation nymph affectionately Colorado was to also be my wife's birthday. named The Turd. So, I went fishing! The Turd is a heavy weight nymph made It is a rare wife who would be okay with her husband going on a fishing trip on the of orange and black chenille with six 1/2 last day of a family vacation that happens inch long rubber legs. A foot below the to also be her birthday. I dare say that such Turd, Dennis tied on a bead head prince a wife is rare indeed. I am so lucky. nymph in size 16 or 18. "We'll catch seven I had fished a little on my own during out of ten fish on the little bead head," said our trip so far in various Colorado streams Dennis. "But every once in a while, a huge and rivers. I hooked a few small fish, but brown or rainbow will eat the Turd." only landed one six inch trout. I guess my I had several strikes as my nymphs driftwife felt sorry for me... a little. ed through the first deep run. My jitters When we arrived in Pagosa Springs, showed again as I stuck too quick and too Colorado for the last few days of our vacahard to solidly hook a fish. tion, my wife suggested I get a guide for a We moved down to a bend in the river morning of fly fishing. She and our two kids that contains a big boulder in front of a planned to sleep in, and then soak in the little undercut bank. Behind the boulder, hot springs in downtown Pagosa Springs. next to the safety of the undercut bank, I booked a guide through Ski and Bow was a perfect place for a trout to feed. Rack, an Orvis endorsed fly shop right in On my first good drift next to the boulPagosa Springs. Ski and Bow Rack offers der, I hooked my first fish of the day, a big world-class guided fishing excursions all San Juan brown trout. I would have lost around the beautiful San Juan Mountains the fish had I been alone. But due to Denof Southern Colorado. My guide, Dennis nis' expert netmanship, we landed the Davis, is an expert guide with over 30 years bruiser. "I was not expecting the fish to be experience putting clients on fish and, this big or this strong," I said. more importantly, helping fisherman catch After landing the trout and taking the lots of big brown, rainbow, cutthroat and customary photos, we gently released the brook trout. fish back into in the cold water of the river. Since I had all my fishing gear, I loaded As the fish swam away into the depths on into Dennis' truck the next morning and the deep hole, I noticed my hands had off we went to a piece of private water on stopped shaking. "Just like the first hit of a the San Juan River called "The Ranch". My football game," I thought. hopes were sky high and my nerves were "These aren't the little stocker fish you jittery as we made the ten minute drive to Pictured above is a big brown trout, one of the many trout caught and released find in downtown Pagosa Springs," stated The Ranch. Dennis. "These are wild trout and they are during his wife’s birthday fly fishing trip. After I donned waders, I tried to put my hot when you hook them. You are going to four-piece fly rod together with trembling have to wear the fish out more before we fingers. It wasn't that I was cold, although can net them." it was a chilly 48 degrees on this morning. I was pumped up like a high school football Later that morning, I tried to bring in an especially hot rainbow to the net too early. player about to play in a State Championship game. The rainbow swam right at Dennis as he held his net in the water. Instead of turning and I told myself to settle down, but I was all thumbs stringing up my fly line up my rod. swimming back to the depths of the river, it jumped. Not just a little jump, but a six foot Dennis noticed my fumbling fingers. "Looks like you had a little too much coffee this leap all the way over Dennis' head and into the water behind him. morning," said Dennis. "Let me help you get rigged up." I laughed and cheered for the fish, which I lost during the jump. Dennis put his hands I thankfully handed over my rod and watched with interest as Dennis put a fresh lead- on his hips, shook his head in wonder and said, "In all my years of guiding and fishing, er onto the end of my fly line. "I always like to start with a fresh leader," said Dennis. "You I've never seen a trout do that!" never know when we will hook into a five, six or even seven pound brown or rainbow If I was on my own, I could have very easily fished the whole ranch without a bite. on The Ranch." Instead, I landed more than ten nice fish that morning and hooked quite a few more. I This comment did the opposite of settling my nerves. I was more jumpy than ever give all the credit to Dennis. He knew right where the fish were feeding and which files now! I knew, just like the first hit of a football game, the only cure to my nerves was to to use to catch them. Thanks you Dennis for making my wife's birthday special... for me! land my first fish. Luckily, Dennis was patient with me. His years of experience had prepared him for a Ski and Bow Rack is located at 354 East Pagosa Street in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. To ball of nerves fly fisherman like me. His patient, confident comments began to ease my book a guided fishing trip, call 970-264-2370 or go online to skiandbowrack.com. Don't fornerves as we made the short walk to the first spot on the San Juan River. get to ask for Dennis Davis. Dennis will take care of the fishing, but you'll have to handle your Dennis placed a couple foam strike indicators up high on my leader. Six feet below own nerves until you that first fish.
62 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Make Your Trophy Photos Memorable It’s amazing to see how photographing trophies has progressed over the past 70 years. Back then, cameras were different, hunters were different, and the times surely were different. I enjoy seeing some of the old photos from the 1930s and 1940s. Back then, there was no concept of field photos, because the cameras were much different than today’s compact cameras. In the early days, cameras were large, heavy objects—too big to move easily—so most of the photos taken were on vehicles, horses, or at homes and hunting camps. Hunting is a pastime. It’s a way to bring friends and families together to share the enjoyment of the great outdoors. It’s a special fraternity. All hunting trips can provide memories that last a lifetime. Why not take quality field photos to capture those memories forever? It’s a chance to return to that place and time and re-live those experiences. When taking these photos, we must keep in mind that hunting is not held in the same regard by all, as it was several years ago. In today’s world, there are many anti-hunting groups and people who are looking for ways to condemn our hunting heritage. Some of the blame for their disdain of hunting lies in the perception of hunting they get from what they view as offensive images of dead animals. Therefore, we must be better hunters and help champion the hunting industry. One way to do that is by taking quality field photos. First, let’s discuss the gear you need to take some great photos. To begin, you obviously need a good camera. Today’s are easy to use and many are digital, so you can review your photos in the field and delete the ones you don’t want, so you get the right photos the first time. Some use expensive cameras like a Canon EOS or similar camera. Even disposable cameras can take a good photo. When you are on long backpacking hunts, take a simple camera that fits easily in your pack.
Consider one with a timer, in case you are by yourself with the trophy of a lifetime. Take plenty of film if you don’t use a digital camera. A tripod might help in uncertain situations as well. I also like to carry in my truck or pack some paper towels, water, or baby wipes to use for cleaning blood and dirt. On that topic, let’s move into setting up the field photo. First, take the photo in the field and area where you are hunting. Truck bed and ATV photos are undesirable. There are many different poses you can use, but one I always like is the animal presented in a respectful position. Tuck the animal’s legs under its body. Clean the animal so there is no blood or wounds visible. Remove the tongue or place it deep in the mouth so it is not hanging out. Make sure there is no brush or objects in the way. Have the area clean of trash, hunting items, drinks, etc. Decide if you want your bow or firearm in the photo and present it properly. Many favorite shots from quality photographers use the sky as a backdrop. Position the animal on a small hill with
the sky as a background. Remember that too much scenery in the background may distract the viewer from the focal point—the animal. If possible, take some photos with yourself behind and beside the trophy; that way you are not blocking the antlers. Try taking your photos in mid-morning or early afternoon. Make sure you have ample light. Also, make sure to always use your flash. Even with great lighting, there always are
shadows that might distract from the picture. Flash will fill those areas and make the colors in the photo brighter. Finally, take your time. When taking that photo of a lifetime, make sure to take plenty of them. You can never have too many photos of your trip. Use different positions and perspectives to get all aspects of the hunt and the animal to be sure to capture the memories you’re after.
Submit Your Photos to
THE EAGLE Email us your trophy photo this hunting season to goldnews@centex.net. Please include the hunter's name, date taken, location of harvest and any interesting facts about the hunt. Also, if the landowner desires recognition, please include the ranch name. Follow the tips and techniques from the above article to make your photo look good for our readers.
Richard Schunke harvested this twelve point buck just a few miles from Goldthwaite on the Casa Delapidato Ranch last season. Richard took the buck with his .308 rifle at 187 yards. The buck scores 139-6/8 inches at Mills County General Store. Photo by Steven Bridges
2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 63
Ryon Dunlap took this monster buck in Mills County during the 2014 season. The buck scored 151 B&C points. What a nice buck!
This big buck was killed by Claire Conradt on the Conradt Ranch in Mills County. It was an extremely cold afternoon in Long Cove.
-ULE DEER
0RONGHORN ANTELOPE
2ED OR FOX SQUIRREL
OR JAVELINA
64 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide PRONGHORN ANTELOPE (by permit only)
‘13 Inch’ Rule
For all pronghorn harvested in Texas, a permit must be properly and completely filled out and attached anywhere on the pronghorn. Pronghorn permits are issued to the landowner or landowner’s agent in most areas where there is an open season for pronghorn (the Trans-Pecos, Permian Basin and Panhandle); however, the department is testing an experimental, BUCK ONLY season in selected areas of the 0ANHANDLE, beginning this year. On properties within the experimental areas, hunters must obtain a FREE Experimental Pronghorn Antelope permit directly from the department or a participating local merchant, not from the landowner. Hunters must still obtain landowner consent to hunt (killing a pronghorn without LANDOWNER CONSENT Theisso-called "13-inch rule" means that (in counties where it applies) hunters can a FELONY, see pg. 24). Additionally, hunters must present the entire head (intact) of take only one buckatper countycheck with antlers 13Forinches any harvested pronghorn a designated station withinmeasuring 24 hours of take. more or more on the inside spread. They can also takeseason one inbuck with at including least one unbranched antler per information on the experimental buck-only the Panhandle, maps of the areas, locations may be andtotal. locations of mandatory check stations, county. The where statepermits bag limit is obtained, five deer call (800) 792-1112, or visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/pronghorn.
HUNTING REGULATIONS
This gives more bucks an opportunity to mature into larger animals. DESERT "We're tryingSHEEP to get a better age class on the herd," said Mills County Game WarBIGHORN den herd should hunters "a better opportunity DesertVance bighornFlowers. sheep may A be healthier hunted only by permit. Permitsgive are issued to landowners or their agents in theto areas of West Texas where harvest a larger deer."bighorn sheep populations exist. A limited number of permits are also available the department’s hunting program at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/public. No person may through However, Flowerspublic acknowledged that it can be difficult to accurately determine possess a desert bighorn ram skull obtained after Sept. 1, 2003, unless the skull has been plugged by the antler spread, especially in low light conditions or from a distance. But when in department or the possessor possesses proof that the skull was legally obtained outside of Texas. Skulls doubt, letwild, it walk, they found in the provided thesay. possessor did not cause or participate in the death of the ram, the landowner property where theequals skull was better found signs an affidavit attesting to theFlowers date and place skull"the was only of the A healthier herd hunting in the future, said,the and found,we're and thegoing skull is plugged the department within hours of bucks) being found. Individual horns and way to get by there is if we let (the48smaller walk." hornless skulls may be possessed without identification or documentation.
DEER (READ VERY CAREFULLY)
Hungry hunters line up to eat during the 2015 Chamber Wild Game Supper at the Mills County Civic Center. Well over 350 were served during this year’s Wild Game Supper.
Wild Game Supper Snaps
• A “BUCK DEER” is a deer with a HARDENED ANTLER PROTRUDING THROUGH THE SKIN. A “SPIKE BUCK DEER” is a BUCK with no antler having more than one point. ALL OTHER DEER ARE ANTLERLESS DEER. A spike buck must be tagged with a buck deer tag from the hunter’s hunting license or applicable permit. • 7HITE TAILED $EER – Except for deer taken under MLD permits, no person may take more than five white-tailed deer or more than three bucks (all seasons combined) in one license year. Bag limits in individual counties may be less (see County Listings). • -ULE $EER – The annual bag limit is two mule deer with no more than one being a buck (all seasons combined). See County Listings for antlerless permit requirements. • SPECIAL ANTLER RESTRICTIONS: - Antler restrictions apply only in certain counties (see County Listings, pgs. 80-103). In these counties, the bag limit is TWO LEGAL BUCKS BUT ONLY /.% may have an inside spread of 13 inches or greater. In these counties, a LEGAL BUCK DEER is defined as having: • a hardened antler protruding through the skin AND; • at least one unbranched antler; OR • an inside spread measurement between main beams of 13 inches or greater (does not apply to a buck that has an unbranched antler). - IT IS UNLAWFUL TO TAKE MORE THAN ONE BUCK WITH AN INSIDE SPREAD OF 13 INCHES OR GREATER IN A COUNTY WHERE ANTLER RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT. - To determine if a buck has an inside spread measurement of at least 13 inches, look at the distance from ear-tip to ear-tip on a buck with ears in the alert position (see illustration, pg. 69). The 13-inch or greater inside spread requirement does not apply to any buck that has an unbranched antler. - Does not apply on Level 2 or 3 MLDP properties.
• $El NITION OF A POINT A point is aAnnual projection that extends at least 68 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor 2013-2014 REGULATIONS SUMMARY one inch from the edge of a main beam or another tine. The tip of the main beam is also a point.
Legal Point
LEGAL
at least one unbranched antler
Not a Point
LEGAL
at least one unbranched antler
Ears in alert position are approximately 13 inches apart and may be used to judge the inside spread.
LEGAL
inside spread of 13 inches or greater
ILLEGAL
This buck meets none of the criteria
Kristi & Kalli McCoy and Thomas Burrus of Ranch Land Country Store hand out free peanuts and more for the attendees at the Wild Game Supper Saturday night.
GHS FFA members Kendel Hopper and Kaley Dowell sell raffle tickets for two wood shooting tables under the watchful eye of Advisor Chris York.
2015 Mills County Hunting Guide - 65
Local Venison Donation Program Fills Pantries The Ministerial Association and Mills County Texas Game Warden Vance Flowers, have a program where hunters can donate unwanted venison to the area’s needy families. The Ministerial Association still needs the support of local hunters, churches, businesses and individuals to make the program a success. Hunters willing to donate the $40 to have the deer processed are much appreciated. Hunters that simply want to drop off their field-dressed deer, however, are also welcome to participate. In cases where the hunters do not pay for the processing, the Ministerial Association will cover the cost, which has been reduced for this project by the Mills County Meat Co. The Ministerial Association is also asking local families willing to take a whole, field-dressed deer they can process themselves to contact Pastor Stewart Farrell at the church 325-648-3047 so he can procure a list of persons that hunters can take the animals to directly. The processed deer meat is collected by the Ministerial Association, and distributed — either directly
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to the families or individuals, or through the Goldthwaite Evangelism Center’s Food Pantry in Goldthwaite. The Ministerial Association is appreciative of all the hunters who donate venison and would like more hunters to donate venison this season. We can help the habitat by harvesting the extra deer and help feed our neighbors by donating protein rich venison. Anyone who would like to help, by donating meat, funds for processing, or even freezer storage space, are asked to contact Pastor Stewart Farrell 325-6483047 Vance Flowers via the Sheriff’s Office 325-6482245.
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66 - 2015 Mills County Hunting Guide
Food Safety Concerns for Hunters By James Taylor "When you shot that animal, he was a living, breathing, self-contained animal out in the woods. The second you shoot him, he becomes a pot roast - treat him like one." This is Steve Meyer's signature line when he talks about food safety for hunters. Meyer, with his wife Marquette, owns M&M Deer Processing and M&M Butcher Block in Lampasas. He's worked in the meat industry for more than three decades. "The two biggest things are time and temperature," Steve said. "The bacteria you're worried about can multiply to a dangerous level in four hours when you're above 40 de-
grees. At the start of our deer season in Texas, you're well above the 40 degree mark." Steve said this time is cumulative. "If you burn two hour before you get the deer to me, then I put it under refrigeration, the clock doesn't start over - you've got two hours left," Steve said. "That includes thawing it out, my processing it...the faster you get it here, the better." Marquette said one trick is to put a bag of ice inside the cavity once the deer is field dressed to cool the body temperature down. "That's why field dressing is so important," Steve said. "The guts act like insulation. Once you get those guts out of the animal, pack ice in
the cavity and you've cooled that body down as fast as you can." Steve said you wouldn't get your pot roast at H-E-B then drive over to Storm's to show it off to your buddies before getting it in the fridge, so don't do the same with your deer. "Bacteria, like with any food borne illness, will make you sick. It causes vomiting, diarrhea, fever, the whole nine yards," Steve said. Both when taking aim at your deer and when field dressing, protecting the intestinal wall is vital. "With game, you're probably not field dressing in a sterile environment like I am here," Steve said. "Don't break open the intestines. All the bad bacteria you worry about
are right there in the intestines. Take those out whole if you can." Steve suggests tools used to crack the hip bone open, or a "buttout" tool, to help with the process. After getting your deer back from a processor, it's just like from the supermarket. "We give all of the deer back vacuum sealed and frozen," Steve said. For more information, visit or contact M&M Deer Processing and M&M Butcher Shop at 608 FM 580 East, Lampasas, Texas 76550, 512556-5969, stephen@mmdeer.com, or www.mmdeer.com.
M&M Processing Accepts Deer Donations Last year, M&M Deer Processing and M&M Butcher Shop in Lampasas helped produce more than 2,000 pounds of venison for local food banks through the Hunters For The Hungry program. "There are a lot of needy folks in this county and surrounding counties," Marquette Meyer, co-owner of M&M with her husband Steve, said. Hunters bring in the deer and pay a $30 fee (the lowest possible through the Hunters For The Hungry program, to cover labor and processing costs), and the Meyers process the deer and donate all the meet to local food banks. Two-thousand pounds of venison represents around 50 deer, or 6,000 meals for people in need. "Once the hunter brings the deer in, we handle everything from here," Steve said. Trophy hunters and high-fence ranches are two of the biggest
groups that support the program. "They'll shoot and get their trophy, but what do they do with the meat?," Steve said. "They'll bring it to us and we'll cape it for taxidermy [for a fee]. The high-fence ranches have to clear out so many deer... some of these ranches may have 3040 doe tags to clear out. What will they do with that much meat?" Many of those deer are brought to the Meyers, who process and provide the meat to the food banks at St. Mary's Catholic Church and Briggs Baptist Church. "You have to be a 501(c)3 nonprofit and on the approved list to take that donated meat," Marquette said. "They're all non-profit, charity food banks. We can't just give the food to whoever we feel like giving it to." Steve said M&M is the only processor in Lampasas certified by the Hunters For The Hungry program.
This is the fourth year the Meyers have participated in the program. "It makes you feel good knowing that you've helped someone. It's our way to do what we can for the community," Marquette said. "When you shoot your deer, field dress it like you normally would and bring it to us as soon as possible, like you would on a normal hunting expedition," Steve said. "Don't leave it in the back of your truck all day. I have to look at the meat, make sure it was taken care of, that it's wholesome and not roadkill or damaged meat." This year is Steve's seventh year in the deer processing business, and marks over 30 years in the meat industry. He previously worked for Walmart and H-E-B as a meat manager, and his first job was cutting meat for a steak house chain. Steve started his own business to enjoy the benefits of self-employment and being a part of his com-
munity. "Corporate America is not where I wanted to be," Steve said. "The Waltons are worth more than $160 billion. They don't need my help anymore." For more information, visit or contact M&M Deer Processing and M&M Butcher Block at 608 FM 580 East, Lampasas, Texas, 76550, 512556-5969, stephen@mmdeer.com, or www.mmdeer.com.
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