December 23, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

December 23, 2011

Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

December 23, 2011

INSIDE: 2012 Dallas Safari Club Show Prog Program gram

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Volume 8, Issue 9

South Texas rut heating up

Inside

❘❚ FISHING

See spot jump Spotted bass record nearly realized on Grapevine.

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Party boats defy weather to book trips, catch fish

Legend lost Texas legend Ray Murski dies in car wreck.

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❘❚ HUNTING

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Eight for the book South Texas ranch yields eight Boone and Crockett trophies.

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Great geese Successful hatches paying off for Texas hunters.

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Tough on tines More broken antlers are being noticed this season.

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❘❚ CONTENTS Classifieds . . . . . . .

Crossword . . . . . . .

Fishing Report . . . . .

For the Table. . . . . .

Game Warden Blotter . .

Heroes. . . . . . . . .

Outdoor Datebook . . .

Outdoor Business . . .

Products . . . . . . . .

Sun, Moon and Tide data

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Christmastime ritual right on time

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Traditionally, most Texas deer hunters by late December are focused on a postrut pattern, but South Texas usually hasn’t seen the rut begin in earnest.

This year looks to be no different.

“They are starting to move and show themselves a little bit,” said Dimmitt County Game Warden Eugene Fernandez. “I have seen a few bucks out there running does,

but they are mostly the younger bucks. I haven’t seen or checked hunters with any monsters that were killed behind a doe.”

Fernandez said warmer temperatures that dominated South Texas the week before Christmas could have an impact on the rut, but he expected this year to be good during the Christmas break, regardless of the weather.

“They aren’t full into it yet, but my guess is by this weekend (Dec. 24-25), it should be fullon,” he said.

Reports from the Carrizo Springs area had bucks in full rut, said Daniel Kunz, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist in South Texas.

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210

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SWEET SMELL OF THE RUT: Bucks should be locked in on the does during the Christmas weekend in South Texas as the rut is projected to hit its peak. Reports from South Texas during the week before Christmas said young bucks were chasing does and the older bucks were beginning to show up at processors — a sure sign the rut was on. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

“They were rutting hard this past weekend (Dec. 17-18),” he said. “But I’m hearing conflicting reports from other parts of South Texas.”

Kunz said a lot of the hunters told him the rut was going to be a little late this year, especially in the western portion of South Texas.

“Mature deer are just starting to show up out west,” he said. “With the recent rains that area has had, the deer just aren’t showing up at feeders. That could make it a little tougher during the peak of the rut.”

Kunz said on the eastern portion of South Texas, young deer See TEXAS RUT, Page 14

Party boat owners on the Texas Gulf Coast know winter can be unkind.

Rough weather churns choppy seas, canceling some trips. And unlike charter boats, if they don’t sign up at least 20 people, they usually don’t go.

And then there’s hunting season, which keeps some sportsmen focused on the insides of deer blinds, not the decks of far-ranging offshore vessels.

Some party boat crews report that they’ve packed it in until next spring, but others say catching big fish is still a great opportunity.

“We’ve been running some great tuna trips, especially for yellowfins,” said Scott Garrison, manager of Fisherman’s Wharf Deep Sea Fishing in Port Aransas. “We’ve also been bottom-fishing for snapper — vermilion and lane — amberjack, grouper, and we’ve been catching some kingsfish.

“Just because temperatures cool down doesn’t mean fishing slows See PARTY BOATS, Page 14

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

Texan survives rare African disease after safari ’Don’t be stubborn: Go to the doctor if you’re sick’

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

TIME TO SCHEDULE SAFARI: A cape buffalo was on the list of animals taken by Mike Wood on his safari to Zambia. After returning home, Wood discovered he had contracted the extremely rare African sleeping sickness, caused by a parasite carried by the biting tsetse fly. Photo by Lili Sams, for LSON.

A near-death experience from a rare disease following a safari to Zambia has changed Mike Wood of Combine. And it has caused him to issue a few recommendations to his fellow travelers and hunters.

“We went on the trip in July

of 2010,” Wood said. “I took my three children, Justin, who was 17 at the time, Madison, who was 15, and Jake, who was 10.”

The family members spent a week in Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River and then headed to the bush in the Luangwa Valley in Zambia.

See TEXAN SURVIVES, Page 26

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December 23, 2011

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December 23, 2011

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HUNTING

Extreme ranch makeover Owner's strategies yield 8 Boone and Crockett trophies

By Bill Miller

for typical white-tailed deer is a 160. But five of the Barrientos B&C trophies are in the 170s, A records keeper for with two in the 180s. the Boone and Crockett The nontypical was Club scanned a list of a 2009 bruiser that eight trophy whitescored 219 3/8. tailed bucks attributed All were free-ranging, to South Texas rancher native whitetails taken Rene Barrientos. from Barrientos’ 8,000“Seven of the eight RENE BARRIENTOS acre La Golondrina are typical, with one Ranch southeast of nontypical,” said Justin Spring at the B&C headquar- Cotulla in LaSalle County.

Obviously, Spring observed, ters in Missoula, Mont. “All have Barrientos hunts some “tremencome in since 2003.”

The club’s minimum entry score dous” property.

LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

PRODUCTIVE: Rene Barrientos has rehabilitated a LaSalle County ranch from an overgrazed property to a trophy white-tailed deer mecca. This nontypical buck, harvested in 2009, scored 219 3/8. Photo by Rene Barrientos.

But this ranch was no trophy mecca when Barrientos bought it in 1995. It was overgrazed by cattle and overpopulated with nontrophy deer.

Barrientos, a retired lawyer, was not offended when asked if his land, in its previous condition, was a “fixer-upper.”

“It was worse than that,” he said. “There had been no management other than shooting the best deer they could find, regardless of age.

“Some people asked, ‘Why See TRANSFORMED, Page 16

Geese plentiful along coastal prairies Greenheads arriving

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Mallards are showing up in larger numbers as the birds are pushed into the state by colder temperatures up north, according to hunters.

“They are starting to come in good now,” said Mike Jolley of Pintail Farms near Bonham. “It should get better with the snowstorm up North.”

This year, the migrant mallards have been late arriving due to warmer-thannormal temperatures However, this year, reports have mallards showing up in some not-so-traditional places like the coast, probably due to the lack of food in many freshwater lakes and ponds inland.

Kevin Hartke, waterfowl/wetlands habitat specialist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said drought could drive more mallards farther south than in normal years.

“Going through this drought, some birds will decide to move farther south looking for food and water,” Hartke said.

“Poor habitat conditions are definitely a driving factor. With a large hatch, some birds will have to move to unusual spots this year.”

Midcoast guide Bink Grimes agreed.

“Yeah, I’d say we are shooting a few more mallards this year,” Grimes said. “We always shoot one or two during a hunt, but I wouldn’t say we are going out every hunt and getting a limit of mallards.”

Grimes said he thinks many of the greenheads being shot along the coast are native birds that have moved from East Texas in search of food.

One unusual pattern this year that Grimes has noticed are flocks of ducks, specifically pintails, landing in dry rice fields among goose decoys.

“The fields are bone-dry to the point we are having a hard time getting the decoys in the ground,” he said. “But we are shooting limits of pintails and they are full-on decoying into the dry rice fields looking for food.”

Reports from North Texas had mallards showing up the first week of the second split and continuing to roll into flooded timber and larger water bodies.

Mallards were reported the week before Christmas in Kaufman County and in some ponds around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and near Stephenville.

SNOWS ARE FALLING: Hunters along the coastal prairies are experiencing one of the best goose seasons in recent memories. In West Texas, hunters are limiting out on Canada's but ducks remain scarce in that part of the state. Photo by Scott Sommerlatte, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Game Warden and avid waterfowl hunter Chris Swift has seen a lot of goose seasons on the coastal prairies near Katy and Wharton.

But this year is the best he has seen in a while.

“I haven’t seen geese like this since at least 2006,” Swift said.

“They had a good hatch up North for the past two seasons and we are taking advantage. The goose hunting is through the roof.”

Swift said a lot of young birds have been decoying well to large spreads along, and they have offered hunters passing shots on the low-flying curious birds.

Five hunters killed 60 geese during the second weekend of December in a cornfield near the Katy prairie, Swift said.

“We had lots of big groups coming down to the decoys,” he said. “Most were snow geese and a few specs, but not a lot of Canadas. On the Garwood prairie, they are seeing more specs.”

On Dec. 15, Swift said he and a group of eight hunters shot 77 geese and two mallards hunting feeding fields.

“It was like hunting in Canada,” he said. “The geese are starting to move to the winter wheat, rye and row crops.

“We’ve been putting out big decoy spreads and the hunting has been great.”

He said duck numbers are still good, but many birds are heading south due to the lack of food that was devoured during the first split.

For ducks in the northern part of the state, reports out of Kaufman County near Dallas saw hunters shooting mixed bag limits on large water bodies and flooded timber.

Mallards, green-winged teal, wigeon, gadwalls and a few wood ducks were reported on shoots the third week of December.

The hunters reported good numbers of ducks, but said they are starting to become wary of aggressive calling and large decoy spreads.

One hunter said to tone back the calling and incorporate more chuckles and soft quacks because loud calling was spooking the birds. Also, he said put away the mojo decoys and use jerk strings to add slight movement to the decoys.

Limits were still being taken with regularity along the midcoast near Rockport, although food was running in short supply and ducks weren’t lingering much.

In the Panhandle, Terry Cook of Straight Line Outfitters said the goose action has been phenomenal this year.

“We were worried about it,” he said. “But we have been shooting a lot of Canadas, which doesn’t hurt our feelings a bit. They have been decoying really well.”

Cook said during the third week of December, his clients hunted the same field four days and killed limits each day. “(The geese) just didn’t want to leave that field,” he said.

Cook said the duck hunting has been off this year due to the lack of water.

“I’m not sure that there are very many ducks in the area,” he said. “There just isn’t very much water.”

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

More broken antlers noticed this season

By Ralph Winingham

does have an effect and there is not much we can do about it other than to try to manage Healthy, hefty whitean area so the deer can maintailed deer being brought in tain antler growth and body for processing early this seasize at the proper level,” Frels son was kind of a surprise said. “The deer will always do for Mike Schwab of Schwab’s the best they can with what Sausage Haus & Barbeque, they have available.’’ who had feared there would There is little doubt in the be a major impact from mind of Zach Akin, scorer at Los Cazadores Deer the ongoing drought.

Contest in Pearsall billed “We were not seeing as as the “World’s Largest many animals, which I Deer Contest,” that the expected, but overall they drought has affected antwere all in good shape ler growth this year. and some were actu“The deer we are seeing ally pretty heavy,’’ said are in good shape,” Akin Schwab, whose operasaid, “but a lot of the tion has been processmass (antler size) is down ing hundreds of animals and we are seeing more each year since 1987 and broken antlers. They do is known for the developseem to be breaking their ment of “Buck Sticks.” antlers much earlier than What really caught normal.’’

Schwab’s attention was The antler distress is an unusually high num- BUSTED: A lot of deer have reasonably good much more obvious from ber of bucks with broken body weights this season, although some animals taken on lowor damaged antlers. hunters are noticing an increase in broken fence ranches without “At first, I thought the antlers. Some blame poor antler density management programs rut might have started on bad nutrition — a consequence of the like the ones on highearly,” he said. “That is drought. Photo by LSON. fenced and game-mannormally when the antaged properties, Akin said. lers are damaged.’’ different with the deer because This observation was What he learned from the of the drought.’’ hunters was that, instead of Frels said that the man- echoed by Gene Naquin, offibreaking their antlers during agement area has conducted cial Boone and Crockett Club dominance battles, the bucks numerous studies on vari- deer scorer at the Nooner seemed to be losing their head- ous aspects of white-tailed Ranch near D’Hanis, who has gear from normally harmless deer development since hands-on experience with 1974, but has never specifi- thousands of white-tailed encounters in the brush.

“Antlers develop from min- cally focused on antler cre- bucks both alive and brought erals and nutrients they get ation or the strength of ant- in as trophies. from what they eat,’’ said lers following a drought.

“We know that a drought Donnie Frels, area manager of See BROKEN ANTLERS, Page 16

FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

the Kerr Wildlife Management Area in Kerrville.

“Producing antlers requires a large amount of energy and nutrients, so it does not surprise me that some people are seeing a high percentage of broken antlers,’’ he said. “Of course, it could mean the bucks are fighting more or maybe people are just looking for something

December 23, 2011

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Trespassing picks up during deer season

By Bill Miller

NOT THE NORM: Texas game wardens investigate trespassing during deer season, including some cases in which the times on feeders are altered. Only 674 citations were issued by wardens in 2010, while 1.14 million people were licensed to hunt. Photo

by LSON.

LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS When it comes to evidence, a picture is worth a thousand words — if it’s the right picture.

Game Warden James Brown, assigned to Callahan County, ticketed a man late last month for allegedly trespassing on a neighbor’s property.

The neighbor gave Brown a photo taken from a hidden trail camera that showed the suspect interfering with the timer on a feeder.

Brown recognized the suspect, who provided an explanation for being on his neighbor’s land.

“Everybody always has an excuse,” Brown said, “and sometimes it may be a good excuse.

“But in his case, it wasn’t a very good excuse.”

The warden said he could not discuss particular aspects of the case because the investigation was still pending.

Trespassing and tampering with feeders and timers, perhaps to gain a competitive advantage, happen during deer season.

“You never know the exact motive why someone is doing something,” Brown said. “There’s probably a long list.”

Brown said other wardens see similar cases.

However, statistics from

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department suggests that the perpetrators are a very small minority. The data shows that 1.1 million people bought hunting licenses last year in Texas.

But other stats also show that wardens in 2010 gave out only 674 citations for trespassing, although nearly half of those, 310, were issued October through the end of December — deer season.

There are undoubtedly more instances than the ones investigated by game wardens. Brown noted that other law enforcement officers, such as sheriff’s deputies, also investigate trespassing cases.

In the recent Callahan County incident, the trespass charge was filed as a Class C misdemeanor, Brown said.

The trail-cam photo did not show the man carrying a firearm.

If it had, Brown said that could be seen as evidence of

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“hunting without a landowner’s consent” — an offense that can range from a Class A misdemeanor to a felony.

Wardens in 2010 gave 75 citations for hunting without permission on properties with white-tailed deer; seven of those cases were felonies, the statistics show.

Also, seven cases were reported on mule deer properties in 2010, data shows.

Making these cases can be hard, Brown said, even with photos from trail cameras or smartphones.

He recalled a different case in which a landowner had a photo of a trespasser, but the suspect also knew a trail camera was taking his picture.

The man dropped his pants and mooned the lens.

There was a clear image of his backside, Brown said, but not his face.

“A picture is worth a thousand words,” Brown said.

“But it’s kind of rare that you actually get a good picture of the person.”

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Fence cutters rearing their heads in Central Texas

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS In an area of Central Texas with a long and colorful history of fence cutting during the cattle wars of the late 1800s, a new fence-cutting caper has reared its head.

Mills County Game Warden Vance Flowers recently responded to a call on the Big O Ranch about a hole cut in the landowner’s high fence.

The landowner showed Flowers the hole on the north side of the ranch. This section of fence bordered another low-fence hunting ranch on the other side. The low fence had also been cut.

According to Flowers, a bow stand was on the lowfence property, approximately 10 yards from the hole in the fence. Another 25 yards

beyond that was a feeder.

There was also a rifle stand set up facing the high fence.

A second hole was found cut in the high fence approximately 250 yards from the first hole. Wardens believe both holes were cut to allow deer to travel from the highfence property to the lowfence ranch.

Flowers made contact with the owner of the low-fence property, who leases the land to a group of five hunters.

“This isn’t the first time this has happened on this property,” Flowers said.

When the warden questioned the five hunters, nobody admitted to cutting the fences.

“I wish I could say an arrest has been made,” Flowers said. “No one would admit to it and there were no eyewitnesses, so I couldn’t

prove who did it. The landowner didn’t say a thing to his hunters. I can tell you if it had been me, those guys would have been packing their bags.”

Flowers said the most he could charge someone with would be misdemeanor criminal mischief and possibly criminal trespassing.

“I haven’t closed the case,” he said. “Maybe someone will get mad at somebody and tell me who did it.”

When asked about a potential loss of a trophy buck by the high-fence landowner, Flowers said it isn’t a breeding operation, so the deer belong to the state.

However, restitution could be in play if a trophy buck was killed.

Flowers saw no evidence a deer had been shot.

Deer breeder pleads It’s not too late for guilty to negligent public lands hunting For hunters who do not have access to transportation of wildlife privately owned land, the Texas Parks and A Cherokee County man, whose grandfather was at the center of a federal investigation into deer smuggling, has pleaded guilty to a charge of negligent transportation of wildlife, officials said.

Blake Powell, 32, entered his plea Dec. 12 before a U.S. magistrate in Tyler.

He also agreed to pay a fine of $243,000 plus $157,000 in community restitution to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, according to a news release from federal prosecutors.

Powell is the grandson of Billy Powell, also of Cherokee County, who earlier this year pleaded guilty to smuggling deer into Texas.

The grandfather subsequently was sentenced to three years’ probation with six months’ home confinement.

Blake Powell owned and operated the Rockin’ P White Tails, a high-fence deer breeding facility in Cherokee County, prosecutors said in a news release.

In 2007, Powell sold several deer — breeder bucks and does — that were acquired from an out-of-state source. Texas law prohibited that sale, prosecutors said.

Mike Merida, special agent for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said Blake Powell would be sentenced later, but he’ll probably get probation.

— Bill Miller

Wildlife Department is providing low-cost access to nearly a million acres of department-managed lands for hunting, including most wildlife management areas, some state parks and many leased properties under the Annual Public Hunting Permit program.

The Annual Public Hunting Permit is a $48 permit, valid from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31 of the following year. Hunting is allowed during legal hunting seasons for squirrel, rabbits and hares, white-tailed deer, feral hogs, spring eastern turkey, predators, furbearers, and fishing without having to pay daily permit fees and, in most instances, without having to be selected in a drawing.

According to Jim Sutherlin, Upper Coast Wetland Ecosystem project leader, duck hunting is quite good on public hunting lands and reservoirs where fresher water conditions and waterfowl food resources can still be found.

At the Big Hill Unit of the J D Murphree WMA the hunter daily duck bag was close to four birds per man per day during the first waterfowl season split.

In East Texas there are several WMAs that offer year-round hog hunting.

Permits are available wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold, online at tpwd.state. tx.us or by calling 1-800-TX-LIC-4U. —TPWD

TBGA taking applications for scholarships

Pet insurance available for sporting dogs

Applications are now available for the 12th Annual Texas Big Game Awards Wildlife Conservation College Scholarship Program, sponsored by Carter’s Country Outdoor Stores and the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of Texas.

More than $15,000 will be awarded in college scholarships for the 2012-2013 school year.

All applicants for the TBGA scholarship program must be agriculture and/or natural resource-related majors. One $1,500 scholarship will be awarded in each of the eight TBGA Regions and the overall top scholarship applicant will receive a $3,000 college scholarship.

Any entering college freshman (graduating high school senior), or entering college sophomore or junior is eligible to apply for one of the available scholarships. The scholarship applications will be reviewed and ranked by a statewide scoring committee using set criteria.

Applications may be downloaded at www.

TexasBigGameAwards.org and must be postmarked by March 1, 2012.

—TBGA

Cabela’s now offers pet insurance for active dogs.

Designed to protect sporting dogs from the hazards of a working life, Cabela’s Pet Insurance means pet owners can take advantage of the latest veterinary procedures and technologies.

Designed specifically for dogs used for hunting and outdoor sports, Cabela’s Pet Insurance insures active dogs against costly accidents and illnesses by providing fast and worry-free reimbursement for veterinary and emergency bills.

Cabela’s Pet Insurance is managed Embrace Pet Insurance.

Every year, more than one in three pets falls ill or is injured, according to the insurance company. A visit to the emergency room can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Hunting and sporting dogs are particularly susceptible.

Under the plan, pet owners may visit any general, specialist or emergency veterinarian when an accident or illness occurs. They pay the veterinarian and complete a claim form with the office staff. This is then submitted for reimbursement of the veterinary bills.

— Staff report

December 23, 2011

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FISHING

Grapevine nearly gives up record spotted bass COOL CAT: Lake Conroe guide Chris Edwards holds a trophy catfish caught recently. As the weather gets colder, the big cats emerge to feed on shad that school up for the winter. Photo by Chris Edwards.

Big blue cats are on the move

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Lake Conroe trophy catfish guide Chris Edwards waits every year for the water temperature to creep below 62 degrees.

“Water temperature is the key,” he said. “Sixtytwo degrees is when it starts, and the colder the better.”

Edwards usually starts looking for trophy blue cats on Lake Conroe in mid-November, although this year the bite began a little later due to warmer temperatures in late fall.

“I pay attention to the shad that run into the creeks in the fall,” he said. “When they start backing out of the chan-

nels back into the main lake, I start searching for the blue cats on humps in 20 to 45 feet.”

Edwards said finding the shad in huge bait balls is also important.

He said the big cats are usually hanging below the schools of bait.

“A strong cold front will shock the shad and those big cats will sit and wait for an easy meal,” he said. “For bait, I use big shad. I like the shad that are about 12 inches long. I’m real picky about how I cut my bait.

I don’t want it to twist in the water.”

Edwards slow-trolls through the bait schools, often moving between one and four miles in a day of fishing.

“I think those big cats

will suspend off the bottom,” Edwards said. “I try and keep my bait off the bottom to make it easier for them to eat.”

Edwards builds his own rigs consisting of a weight, leader and hook, specially rigged to keep the shad from snagging and off the bottom. He said sunny, windy days up to 15 mph are the best for targeting big fish.

“Our biggest so far this season is 52 pounds,” he said. “We have a lot of fish in the 12- to 20-pound range, and we are averaging about 35 pounds for our trophy fish.”

Right on cue, a possible lake record blue cat was caught Dec. 18 on Lake Worth by anglers See BIG CATS, Page 23

Pier fishing strong ahead of cold-weather changes

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

By Bill Miller

in August 2004.

The scales that weighed Vidal’s fish, however, were It was a great day for not certified for lake records. duck hunting, but not for The angler was disappointed. bass.

“But it really is what it Evan Vidal and fishing is,” Vidal said. “Grapevine partner Justin DuBose, is turning into an excellent both of Roanoke, were fishery. on Grapevine Lake a few “The past few months weeks back, competing in have been really, really hot.” a Christmas charity tourGrapevine is a 6,684-acre nament sponsored by the reservoir on Denton Creek, Texas Fishing Forum. a tributary of the Elm Fork of Winds were 25-30 mph the Trinity River in Tarrant and it was already 46 and Denton Counties. degrees and rainy. But Texas Parks and Wildlife the team’s tenacity paid Department lists the lake as off with a first-place fin“excellent” for largemouths ish on a 16-pound bag of BIG SPOT: Justin DuBose (left) and Evan Vidal and white bass. hoist some of the fi sh that helped them win three largemouths and Reports in December a tournament recently on Grapevine Lake. two spotted bass.

Included was a big spotted bass (in Vidal’s left stated that the largemouths But Vidal, pitching a hand) that nearly claimed a lake record. Vidal were being caught on jigs, crankbait, hooked into assured, however, that other big spotties, like crankbaits, white spinner something unusual. the one above, are in Grapevine. Top photo by baits and Texas-rigged worms.

This wasn’t one of LSON. Bottom photo by Evan Vidal.

Catfish were good on the largemouths that night crawlers or cut shad; Grapevine is known for. crappie were caught on minnows; and white It was a spotted bass that weighed 3.77 bass were boated with slabs. pounds, which would have been big enough to break the lake record of 3.45 pounds caught

LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

See GRAPEVINE, Page 23

Destructive Hurricane Ike in September 2008 hammered the Galveston-area economy, including recreational fishing.

Area fishing piers were demolished, but some have returned. Galveston Fishing Pier, for example, reopened in October after three years of rebuilding.

Bobby McClure, who works the bait shop at the pier, said fishing traditionally slackens with winter weather, but it’s exciting to be open again for customers, nevertheless.

“So many others are gone or out of business,” McClure said. “Some haven’t even attempted to reopen.”

McClure said anglers on the pier were hauling in a lot of whiting and sheepshead in late December. A few weeks earlier, the pier sponsored a redfish contest; the top bull reds were 44, 43 and 42 inches, he said.

See PIER FISHING, Page 23

PIER POTENTIAL: Anglers continue to catch fish on piers all along the Texas Gulf Coast. One bait shop worker said the activity picks up right before cold fronts reach the coast. Photo by LSON.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Fishing legend Ray Murski dies after auto wreck Ray Murski, a legend in Texas fishing, died Dec. 19 after sustaining injuries in a twovehicle wreck in Burnet.

Murski, 72, was a conservationist and successful businessman. He also was among the first competitors on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail after it was founded in the late 1960s.

Murski owned Murski-Breeding Sales, Co. Inc. of Dallas, which represents numerous accounts in the fishing and hunting industry.

He also owned Strike King Lure Company.

In 1971, Sam Walton invited Murski to be among the first purchasers of stock in his expanding business, Walmart.

Murski's Flint Creek Ranch in Bosque County is where he hosted thousands of youngsters for hunting, fishing and camping.

Murski was a past Texas Wildlife Association director and a member of the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. He also was a life sponsor member of the Dallas Safari Club.

“Ray was a worldwide hunter, a tireless supporter of the hunting and fishing industries and an avid quail hunter,” said Ben Carter, DSC executive director. “He will be missed.”

In March, Murski was awarded the T. Boone Pickens Lifetime Sportsman Award at the 2011 Park Cities Quail annual dinner and auction in Dallas.

Murski died at an Austin-area hospital after being transported there following the crash.

RAY MURSKI

According to John Barnes, president of Strike King, Murski spent his last days hunting at his South Texas deer lease with his son, Mike, and his three grandsons. The hunting was not so good because the lease had a lot of rain recently. Everyone on the lease had gotten their trucks stuck in the mud, including Murski, Barnes said.

Murski was returning to Flint Creek Ranch when the wreck happened, Barnes said.

— Staff report

Made-for-TV fishing

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Twenty-four of the top pro anglers in the country secretly hit the water at Lake Amistad in November for a secret six-day competition under a completely new format. The brainchild of pro anglers Boyd Duckett, Gary Klein and others, the ideas had been in the works for

years, but thanks to a partnership with The Outdoor Channel, Major League Fishing was created.

The anglers want fishing fans — and sports fans overall — to view professional competitive fishing in the same manner that they see other sports.

“The focus is on the anglers, not the fish,” said Randy Coleman, MLF com-

munications director. “It’s a whole new game.”

The made-for-TV event puts far less emphasis on the fish caught, and more emphasis on personalities, the struggles, strategies, conflicts and emotions of the anglers.

The event at Amistad, the MLF Challenge Cup, had a unique format with even See MADE-FOR-TV, Page 16

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TEXAS FISHING REPORT Sponsored by

HOT BITES LARGEMOUTH BASS

ALAN HENRY: Good on finesse jigs, drop-shot rigs, square-billed crankbaits and Texas rigs.

CADDO: Good on junebug Texas-rigged creature baits around isolated cover.

COOPER: Good on chartreuse shallow crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Texasrigged worms throughout the day.

LAKE O' THE PINES: Good on Texasrigged worms, shallow crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps along main lake points.

LEWISVILLE: Good on shallow-running shad-pattern crankbaits, white spinnerbaits and swim jigs along riprap near the dam.

WHITE, HYBRID, STRIPER

BELTON: Hybrid striper are good on live shad early. White bass are good trolling green Rat–L–Traps.

BRAUNIG: Striped bass are good on liver and chartreuse striper jigs.

RAY ROBERTS: White bass are excellent on slabs in 35 feet of water.

RAY HUBBARD: White bass are excellent on humps in 17–23 feet with hybrids mixed in. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

CATFISH

AMISTAD: Good on cheesebait, shrimp and stinkbait over baited holes. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch.

BASTROP: Channel and blue catfish are good on nightcrawlers and stinkbait.

FALCON: Channel and blue catfish are excellent on frozen shrimp, stinkbait and cut bait.

CRAPPIE BRIDGEPORT: Good on jigs and minnows.

COLEMAN: Good on live minnows and pink tube jigs.

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 51–58 degrees; 7.65’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on finesse jigs, drop-shot rigs, square-billed crankbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and live minnows.

Catfish are fair on prepared bait.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 60–64 degrees; 8.69’ low. Largemouth bass are good on green Rat–L–Traps, crankbaits, and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on slabs, jigging spoons and Rat–L–Traps. White bass are good on slabs, jigging spoons, and Rat–L–Traps. Catfish are good on cheesebait, shrimp and stinkbait over baited holes. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch.

ARROWHEAD: Water off-color; 50–56 degrees; 8.33’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged worms, jigs, spinnerbaits and shaky heads. White bass are good on slabs and minnows.

Blue catfish are good on live shad.

crankbaits, weightless Senkos, chatterbaits and Texas-rigged creature baits on shallow wood cover. jigheads, Smokin’ Green” Devil’s Tongues on drop-shots and pumpkin Curb’s jigs along ledges and over rock piles in 10–25 feet early. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs upriver.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 51–56 degrees; 7.60’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Texasrigged worms, shaky heads and black/ blue finesse jigs around docks (green pumpkin soft plastics suggested).

White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. Crappie

are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies.

Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on shrimp, stinkbait and nightcrawlers.

GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 50–55 degrees; 4.94’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon Texas-rigged worms, watermelon finesse jigs, Rat–L–Traps, crankbaits and white spinnerbaits along main lake points.

Baitfish are concentrating at mouths of creeks and pockets. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good

HOT SPOT

BASTROP: Water clear; 60–63 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics and Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs.

Channel and blue catfish are good on nightcrawlers and stinkbait.

BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 51–55 degrees; 9.04’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on black/blue jigs, shaky heads with finesse worms and shallow-running crankbaits. Crappie are good on live minnows and jigs.

White bass are good on Humdingers and top-waters. Catfish are fair to good on trotlines or juglines with Redneck’s Catfish Bait Soap. Barefoot Bay and Titus Park are the only usable ramps.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and watermelon soft plastic worms. Striped bass are good on liver and chartreuse striper jigs. Redfish are good on shad, shrimp and silver spoons. Channel catfish are good on liver, shrimp and cheesebait near the dam. Blue catfish are good on cut bait.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 51–55 degrees; 12.30’ low. Largemouth bass are good on TN Shad Jackall ASKA 60SR square bills along main lake points and Jackall Flick Shake 4.8” watermelon candy worms around deeper docks (schooling reported in middle to backs of creeks). Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs.

BUCHANAN: Water clear; 58–61 degrees; 32.06’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon top-waters, perch-colored Rat–L–Traps and Texas-rigged silver flake Whacky Sticks in 10–20 feet. Striped bass are fair on Whacky Rigs and Rat–L–Traps along the river channel in 15–30 feet near the dam early. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies and 2” plastic swim baits in deep creeks.

CADDO: Water stained; 51–56 degrees; .95’ low. Largemouth bass are good on junebug Texas-rigged creature baits around isolated cover.

Shallow crankbaits and spinnerbaits are producing numbers of fish. White bass are fair on slabs. Yellow bass are good on minnows.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 60–64 degrees; 10.30’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on Rat–L– Traps, watermelon spinnerbaits and Texas-rigged grape Scoundrel worms on shaky-head jigs along main lake bluffs. Striped bass are fair on Rat–L–Traps and deep-running crankbaits over humps early. White bass are slow. Smallmouth bass are fair on smoke JDC curl tail grubs on

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water fairly clear; 52–58 degrees; 10.67’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on DD 22s, drop-shot rigs, Texas-rigged worms and jigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs and small swimbaits. Striped bass are fair to good on live shad and 4”–5” swimbaits. Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait and nightcrawlers.

PROCTOR: Water fairly clear; 57–61 degrees; 7.66’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse and watermelon soft plastic worms and Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are fair on minnows. White bass are fair on minnows and small spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and pink tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait and shad.

ATHENS: Water clear, 53–58 degrees; 5.21’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon shaky-head worms and black/blue football jigs around brush piles. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

BELTON: Water stained; 58–62 degrees; 11.97’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Rat–L–Traps and spinnerbaits.

Hybrid striper are good on live shad early. White bass are good trolling green Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are good on minnows in 30 feet under lights at night.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 50– 65 degrees; 6.17’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shallow crankbaits, white spinnerbaits and bladed jigs.

The jig bite is consistent around docks. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

Lake Tawakoni Winter bass fishing has been good the past week on black/blue Firewater 1/2-ounce jigs, Texas-rigged blue fleck worms and square-bill crankbaits in chartreuse patterns. Bladed jigs are producing on windier days. The crappie bite has been steady on small grubs and minnows and the white bass bite has been outstanding on tailspins. Also, the trophy catfish bite is as good as it is going to be all year. See related story page 8. Photo by LSON. are fair to good on minnows. Catfish are fair drifting cut shad.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 67–71 degrees; 11.63’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and soft plastics in 10–20 feet.

Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait and minnows in 5–15 feet.

COLEMAN: Water clear; 62–65 degrees; 15.88’ low. Largemouth bass are good on perch-colored spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are good on live minnows.

Crappie are good on live minnows and pink tube jigs.

COLETO CREEK: Water fairly clear; 2.83’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with liver and perch.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 50– 56 degrees; 13.03’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse shallow crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Texasrigged worms throughout the day.

Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair to good on Sassy Shad and live shad. Catfish are good on prepared bait and cut bait.

FALCON: Water stained; 65–69 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and jigs. Crappie are very good on chartreuse/silver jigs. Striped bass are still in the lake in limited numbers. Channel and blue catfish are excellent on frozen shrimp, stinkbait and cut bait.

FORK: Water fairly clear; 51–55 degrees; 7.55’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue flipping jigs rigged with LFT Flipper — concentrate on the wood cover near creek channel bends. The shallow bite is good on shad-pattern square-billed crankbaits and the deep spoon bite is good on main lake points and along creek channels. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad and prepared bait.

GRANBURY: Water clear; 58–61 degrees; 5.83’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics, spinnerbaits and Rat–L–Traps.

Striped bass are fair on minnows and chartreuse striper jigs. White bass

on nightcrawlers and cut shad.

JOE POOL: Water clear; 51–55 degrees; 2.56’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, shallow crankbaits and smaller jigs — midday bite has been best. Deep brush piles are best later in day. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on prepared baits.

LAKE O' THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 51–55 degrees; 4.69’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Texasrigged worms, shallow crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps along main lake points. Later in the day, fish are holding tight to cover with some success reported on top-waters. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.

Catfish are good on cut shad.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 51–56 degrees; 12.33’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, black/brown jigs and square-billed crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns. Catfish are good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

LBJ: Water clear; 59–62 degrees; 0.40’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon top-waters, Curb’s buzzbaits and wacky-rigged pumpkinseed Whacky Sticks in 5–10 feet early and late. Crappie are good on Curb’s crappie jigs and live minnows over brush piles.

LEWISVILLE: Water clear; 50–54 degrees; 6.60’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shallow-running shad-pattern crankbaits, white spinnerbaits and swim jigs along riprap near the dam. Later in the day watermelon finesse jigs in the same areas are effective. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs and Sassy Shad. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 60–63 degrees; 2.98’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish are good on juglines baited with shad.

MONTICELLO: Water fairly clear; 72– 88 degrees; 0.15’ low. Largemouth bass are good on white shallow

RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 50– 54 degrees; 5.62’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, square-billed crankbaits and spinnerbaits — swim jigs are good around riprap. White bass are excellent on humps in 17–23 feet with hybrids mixed in. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 50–54 degrees; 4.67’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue Larew Salt Craws flipped to standing timber near creek channels and pearl shad-colored Bomber Fat A cranks worked around shallow rock on main lake points.

White bass are excellent on slabs in 35 feet of water.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water fairly clear; 50–55 degrees; 8.41’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Texasrigged worms, shaky heads and creature baits around docks. Square-billed crankbaits are producing numbers.

STILLHOUSE: Water stained; 56–60 degrees; 16.51’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on perch-colored Rat–L– Traps, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Crappie are good on minnows and green tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on minnows, hot dogs, and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfish are good on live bait.

WEATHERFORD: Water fairly clear; 50– 54 degrees; 7.68’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shallow crankbaits, shaky heads and Texas-rigged creature baits — target any shallow cover.

Crappie are good on minnows and jigs in. Catfish are fair on prepared bait and cut shad. White bass are fair on slabs and live minnows.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 59–62 degrees; 11.88’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon and perch-colored soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are good on minnows and small crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows over brush piles.

Bream are fair on worms. Channel and blue catfish are good on minnows, shrimp, and nightcrawlers.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 57–61 degrees; 15.81’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on perch-colored spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are fair on live minnows. White bass are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Crappie are good on minnows and pink tube jigs. Catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 50–55 degrees; 2.65’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms, shallow crankbaits and chatterbaits along main lake points. Football heads jigs have also been productive.

Catfish are fair to good on cut shad and prepared bait.

SALTWATER SCENE NORTH SABINE: Trout and redfish are fair while drifting mud and shell. Waders have taken better trout on the Louisiana shoreline on slow–sinking plugs.

SOUTH SABINE: Redfish are fair on the edge of the channel on mullet. Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp. Following birds has worked on calm days.

BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on slow–sinking plugs.

Black drum and redfish are good at Rollover Pass. Trout are good in 5–8 feet of water over shell.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working pods of shad and mullet on Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Best catches have come in about 8 feet of water.

Redfish are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on Corkies and MirrOlures. Midbay reefs in 5–8 feet of water have held solid trout and redfish. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal coastal on fresh shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Waders have taken trout in the mud and shell on MirrOlures and Corkies. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.

TEXAS CITY: Redfish are fair to good around the Flood Gates in Moses Lake on crabs and finger mullet. Flounder are fair to good on plastics and jigs tipped with shrimp on the edge of the channel.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Redfish and black drum are fair to good at San Luis pass on cracked blue crabs.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfi dfish are fair to good on d dfish the edge of the Intracoastal racoastal on crabs and mullet. Waders have taken better trout on Corkies and MirrOlures.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good on the south shoreline in the guts and bayous. Trout are good for waders working mud and grass on soft plastics.

PORT O’CONNOR: Trout and redfish are fair on Corkies over soft mud in waist–deep water in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfish are fair for drifters working the back lakes with live shrimp and top-waters.

ROCKPORT: Trout are fair on the edge of the ICW on glow DOA Shrimp. Redfish are fair to good on the Estes Flats on mullet and shrimp. Mud and grass have held trout for waders working Corkies and MirrOlures.

PORT ARANSAS: Trout are fair to good around Shamrock for waders working slow–sinking plugs.

Redfish are fair to good on the East Flats on Plastics and mullet. Sand trout and croakers are good on shrimp in the channel. h l CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfish are fair to good in the Humble Channel on crabs and table shrimp. Trout are best on the edge of the flats on live shrimp and DOA Shrimp. Bull redfish have been caught near the Packery Channel on crabs.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud and grass on Corkies and Catch 2000s.

Trout are fair to good in the guts alongg the g g King Ranch shoreline on Corkies. Some flounder have been found on the edges of spoilss on Plastics.

Plastics PORT MANSFIELD: Redfish are fair to good on DOA Shrimp and plastics under a popping cork around grass holes. Trout are fair to good on mud along the edge of the ICW on Corkies and MirrOlures. Waders have worked spoils for solid trout on Corkies and MirrOlures.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on DOA Shrimp and Plastics. Redfish, black drum and mangrove snapper are fair to good in the channel on shrimp.

PORT ISABEL: Trout are fair on the edge of the flats on soft plastics under popping corks.

Redfish have been found in the bayous and drains on the falling tide on soft plastics.

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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER REPEAT OFFENDER THOUGHT HE HAD IT RIGHT THIS TIME Angelina County Game Warden Tim Walker received a call on a subject about whom he had several previous calls. The next afternoon Walker and Game Warden Phillip Wood made contact with the subject at his residence. When the wardens arrived, the violator asked the wardens if he was allowed to kill two bucks in Angelina County. After the wardens told him yes, he then told them that he killed two eight-point bucks on opening morning and that he bought a hunting license this year so he would finally be legal.

Wardens then educated the violator on the antler restriction and bag limit. Cases pending.

TOO MANY DUCKS AND NO IDENTIFICATION Angelina County Game Wardens Phillip Wood and Tim Walker checked two individuals who had 31 ducks that were already breasted out without a wing attached to the ducks. There were no wildlife resource documents to account for any other hunters. Cases pending.

PRONGHORN SEASON IS OVER, PAL Dallam/Hartley County Game Warden Stewart Rogers responded to a call from a landowner who heard a shot and saw two subjects load a pronghorn into a truck bed after the end of pronghorn season.

Rogers stopped the suspect vehicle and found the pronghorn in the bed.

Cases are pending.

NO DEER TO TWO DEER FOR CONVICTED FELON When checking a deer camp, Edwards County Game Warden Scott Holly visited with three men. Two of the men admitted to hunting but said they hadn’t seen or killed any

POACHERS PEGGED WITH MORE THAN A DOZEN ANIMALS Webb County Game Wardens Buck Burchett and Calvin Christian responded to a tip that multiple individuals had been hunting on a ranch without hunting licenses.

The wardens heard several gunshots coming from the ranch and approached the campsite. They discovered one freshly killed whitetailed buck and another buck that had been hang-

deer. As he was checking licenses, Holly observed fresh blood splatter on some rocks. More fresh blood was found beneath the skinning tree. Then he found a cooler hidden underneath the camp trailer and a cedar tree. The cooler contained two quartered animals. One of the men said it was two does. After asking where the heads were, the men said they tossed them in the bushes.

As Holly accompanied one of them men to the bushes, the man confessed one of the deer was actually a buck. Cases pending, and checks revealed the man was a convicted felon. Charge for felon in possession of a firearm pending.

HUNTING LEGALLY, BUT NOT CAREFULLY Bandera County Game Warden Jeff Carter received a call about possible road hunters in a subdivision.

Not knowing if the hunters were still in the area, Carter waited. After about 15 minutes, the hunters fired a shot. After about five more minutes, another shot was fired. The second shot went by Carter’s truck window close enough that the buzzing sound of the bullet was heard from the time it was fired until it went by the truck. After the second shot, the hunters came out of the brush and were leaving the area.

They were stopped by Carter and

ing outdoors for almost a day and was beginning to decompose. When the hunters returned to the campsite, no one recalled who shot the deer. The wardens were able to deter-

Bandera County sheriff’s deputies.

The hunters had no idea anyone else was in the area, leading to instruction on the importance of knowing the effects of bullets and travel. The hunters were hunting legally in the area they were in.

NO DINOSAUR, BUT AN OLD BEAVER The city manager of Canton contacted Van Zandt County Game Wardens Trent Herchman and Steve Stapleton, needing help in identifying an animal track found at the First Monday Trade Days.

Several visitors had reported dinosaur tracks in a creek bed on the grounds. The Dallas Paleontological Society and several other anthropology groups had already called the city about further investigation.

The wardens were able to identify the tracks as a large beaver that had walked through wet cement.

DRUNK MAN DIDN’T LIKE THE DECOY While working the deer decoy, a four-wheeler approached a fence line not far from Morris County Game Warden Michael Serbanic and Titus County Game Warden Jerry Ash. Serbanic investigated and was encountered by an intoxicated individual who began to yell, scream and curse at the warden from behind his fence. Approximately 30 minutes later, the individual rode his

mine that 10 white-tailed deer (four bucks and six does), several javelinas and a few exotics had been harvested illegally. Evidence was seized, cases were filed and charges are pending.

ATV onto public property and was stopped by the wardens. The individual could barely stand and was arrested for public intoxication. The man cursed the wardens during the 20-minute trip to the jail.

IS IT STILL A VIOLATION IF I MISSED? A Fannin County hunter heard two rifle shots while in his stand coming from an area where the hunter had spotted a large buck earlier. As the hunter left the field, he noticed a truck parked on the county road and a man with a rifle walking down the roadside. The hunter wrote down the license plate number and called the game wardens. Grayson County Game Wardens Michael Hummert and Colt Gaulden responded, but were unable to find any evidence because of a storm that had moved into the area. The wardens went to the home of the vehicle’s registered owner and began to question him as to his actions earlier in the day. The man initially denied shooting from the road, but further questioning revealed that he had shot twice from the road and missed a large buck.

Cases pending.

WHAT BAG LIMIT? Responding to a tip, Parker County Game Warden Ronald Mathis and Palo Pinto Game Warden

Matt Waggoner cited a resident for exceeding the county bag limit by two white-tailed bucks. The subject had killed three bucks with an inside spread over 13 inches and failed to tag any of them. Cases and restitution pending.

NOW THAT'S A BIG MERGANSER Trinity County Game Wardens Sam Shanafelt and Randy Watts checked a duck hunter on Lake Livingston.

They found an unplugged shotgun, no hunter education and a double-crested cormorant. The hunter thought it was a common merganser. Citations were issued.

FLOUNDERING FOLLIES Galveston County Game Warden Brian Scott cited a retail business for purchasing flounder from an unlicensed individual, and Galveston County Game Warden Jamie Pendlebury cited an individual for selling flounder without a commercial license. Galveston County Game Wardens Robert Kana, Mauricio Canales, Vu-Bang Nguyen, Mack Chambers and Adam Clark issued several citations for exceeding the limit of flounder. Game Warden John Feist issued several citations for individuals being over the limit of flounder. Some of the locations where flounder had been hidden include numerous compartments on boats, under the seats of trucks and cars, wrapped within clothing and hidden in backpacks. Chambers and Nguyen caught two individuals who exceeded the limit of flounder by 14 and 16 fish. Game Wardens Antone Jackson and Chambers arrested three individuals fishing on Bolivar who were in possession of a significant amount of methamphetamines.

One of the individuals was a convicted felon who was in possession of a firearm. Cases pending.

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Texas rut Continued From Page 1

were chasing the week before Christmas. He predicted that big bucks would start appearing on the trails of hot does during the holiday weekend.

“I’m seeing a lot of broken tines this year,” he said. “Overall, I think the rut will be a little later this year across the region.”

South Texas biologist Matt Reidy, also of TPWD, said he flew a helicopter survey the morning of Dec. 19 and saw a lot of single bucks roaming the woods.

“They were in bachelor groups up until a few weeks ago,” Reidy said. “It’s hard to tell from the helicopter, but it looked like they were looking for does.”

Reidy said he went on a locker plant check to see if the deer were healthy, and reported older deer had begun to show up in the harvest — usually a sign the rut was about to hit.

“Christmas is the traditional time frame,” he said. “I saw some deer with good-sized necks on them and the bucks are healthy and in good condition.”

Party boats Continued From Page 1

down dramatically.”

The same species have been hauled in by Offshore Adventures, also out of Port Aransas. Owner Mary Ann Heimann noted that a few Atlantic sharpnose sharks were also caught.

But weather has made it tough, she said.

“Every time a norther hits you, it finds its way to us,” she said.

Garrison said his company also handles rough seas with its two 80-foot twin-hulled catamarans — Scat Cat and Wharf Cat. “Weather has been an PARTY ACTION: Fred Mallet of Port issue, but we have the lux- Aransas shows off a couple of big yelury of having the biggest lowfin tuna he caught recently during an boats in the Gulf that do excursion on the party boat, Scat Cat, an this,” Garrison said. “The 80-foot catamaran. Photo by Fred Mallet. catamarans take a 9-foot sea and turn it into a 3-foot sea.”

Garrison said.

The company has been On overnight tuna trips, doing day trips and clients have been catching fish on he added, tuna have been squid, Spanish sardines, rib- boated with 4- to 8-ounce bonfish and cigar minnows, jigs, top-waters and artifi-

cial “Yummy” Flyers that resemble flying fish.

“Big tuna love them,” Garrison said.

Heimann said her clients have done well on live shrimp, finger mullet, minnows and crabs.

“And we still have croaker,” she added.

Heimann suggested that people make reservations in advance and keep checking back for openings on the boat.

“Sign up!” she exclaimed.

“Pretty you’ll have enough people to go.”

Garrison said his trips have been taking 18 to 35 people to fish, but winter fishing makes for a less crowded boat.

“Tourism slows down in winter,” he said, “but that just means you have an opportunity to fish with fewer people.”

Fisherman’s Wharf Deep Sea Fishing, (800) 605-5448 Offshore Adventures Deep Sea Fishing, (800) 567-5132

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Transformed Continued From Page 4

would you buy such a worn-out, shot-up place?’”

Barrientos has a lifelong passion for South Texas deer.

As a kid in Eagle Pass, he hunted with a .30-30 Winchester that he still owns. Opening day, he said, “wasn’t a school holiday, but it was for me!”

The passion continued as he worked 31 years as a San Antoniobased lawyer practicing civil litigation throughout South Texas.

He shopped five years until he found La Golondrina.

“It had been overhunted,” he said, “but the soils were unique, even to that county, and the Nueces River ran through it.”

Barrientos got busy rehabilitating the land, relying on recommendations available at no cost from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

He suspended cattle operations for

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

management tool is a three years; once cows were let back on, he bullet.” carefully rotated them A generation of to ease grazing pressure. deer passed, and Barrientos also when the fawns born took steps to evenly after 1995 reached distribute water from maturity, Barrientos the Carrizo Aquifer. saw results.

The ranch only had “We started seeone well, so another ing bucks 6 to 7 years was drilled. old,” he said. “It was Next, dozens of not unusual for some water holes were to weigh 250 to 270 dug throughout pounds. And we had does weighing 160 the property, and pounds.” are replenished by In 2003, Barrientos waterlines connected harvested his first and to the wells. second B&C trophies; “You can hold deer one scored 175 7/8, a lot better with water ONE OF EIGHT: Rene Barrientos harvested this buck last season on his the other was 182 1/8. than with a fence,” ranch in LaSalle County. It is one of eight trophies recognized by the Barrientos said.

Boone and Crockett Club. Photo by Rene Barrientos.

The ranch has no The whitetail herd high fences; his troBut he also “removed large phies otherwise couldn’t be recogwas also brought amounts of deer to try to match or nized by B&C. under control.

“We began learning about ages go under the carrying capacity of But Barrientos does provide and started selecting which ones the ranch.” some supplemental feed, usuwe wanted to keep,” he said.

“Probably,” he added, “the best ally cottonseed in winter and

LSONews.com

early spring to help bucks regain weight, postrut.

This year he put out some protein pellets to compensate for the loss of forbs, withered by drought.

His goal, however, is to let natural habitat provide most of the food.

“If you have good rains, you’re not going to need supplement,” he said. “Deer would rather have something wet and green to eat.”

Barrientos has allowed commercial hunting on his ranch, but not always. “It just depends on range conditions,” he said.

And the rancher isn’t always successful when he hunts.

“Some deer I’ll never harvest, and it’s not for lack of trying,” he said. “I’ll spend 20 to 28 days in the field and hunt a particular deer.

“But there are times when his skills are better than mine.”

Editor’s note: Statistics for this article were compiled from the Boone and Crockett Club’s online trophy database. For information, go to www.booneandcrockettclub.com or call (406) 542-1888.

Broken antlers Continued From Page 5

“On a low-fence area with no supplemental feeding, the antler density is not nearly as good as somewhere that the deer are receiving protein, calcium and other nutritional feed,’’ he said, explaining that the effect of poor nutrition is much more evident during a drought.

“If you are not feeding protein, you just won’t get the mass and really healthy antlers,’’ Naquin added.

Made-for-TV Continued From Page 9

more unique rules. Format aspects include a surprise venue to the anglers with no practice days, no GPS waypoints allowed on any boat, immediate catch-and-release fishing with an on-boat official, a real-time leaderboard on each boat and no limits on the number of fish weighed by each angler.

The MLF roster consists of 24 of the biggest names in the sport. In addition to Duckett, the lineup includes Kevin VanDam, Mike Iaconelli and Texans Gary Klein, Kelly Jordon, Alton Jones and Takahiro Omori.

The official on each boat acts like a referee and assesses penalties for any rule violations.

The rules and the penalties, though, are unique.

“If a penalty is assessed,” Coleman said, “it is assessed on the spot. The angler has to let the clock tick and stew — he can’t tie lures, eat lunch or anything.”

The penalties range from one to five minutes.

“That one minute seemed like an eternity,” Jordon said.

Some examples of penalties are breaking the line while fighting a fish — one minute; leaving the boat to land a fish — four minutes (but the weight still counts); snagging another angler’s line — five minutes; and more, including a kill switch or life preserver violation when running.

MLF is a made-for-TV endeavor that, in Duckett's words, is designed to capture the essence of a fishing competition and thus expand the sport beyond its traditional reach by attracting viewers, whether they fish or not.

The Major League Fishing Challenge Cup will air on The Outdoor Channel in April 2012, with seven one-hour episodes. But fans can watch extended versions of the broadcasts through a pay-per-view option in February at $2.99 per episode through www.majorleaguefishing.com, including descriptions by anglers of how they find the fish, their presentations, etc., Coleman said.

“I would pay $299 to watch KVD and Aaron Martens describe how they find their fish,” Duckett said.

Two more events are planned for the fall of 2012, and seven episodes will air from each.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

December 23, 2011

Page 17

HEROES

When did KYLER and KARLEE FRIEBELE’S dad get a chance to hunt last season?

The brother-sister team from Rockport gave dad’s .260-caliber Remington Model 7 a workout in Goliad County. Kyler’s buck had eight points, while Karlee’s deer had seven.

Three anglers from Boy Scout Troop 32 in Keller joined Doug Jones in October on a Lake Texoma striper trip, guided by the Four Seasons Guide Service. They were (from left) JONATHAN BRAAK, 12, of North Richland Hills, SAM BRAACK, 15, also of North Richland Hills and Doug’s son, HUNTER, 11, of Keller. A month later, Doug’s daughter, HANNA, (right) also 11, also got to fish with her dad and Four Seasons on Texoma.

QUINT SELLS of Plainview, got this pronghorn while hunting this season with guide Roger Dillard in the far northwest corner of the Panhandle.

STEVE STEWART of Kaufman journeyed in September to British Columbia where he harvested a moose at 12 yards with his Mathews Z7 bow and a mountain goat at 250 yards with a rifle in 7mm Magnum. He hunted with Sikanni River Outfitters. “It was the best hunt I’ve ever been on; very good outfitter,” he said.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE ■ Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers?

E-mail them with contact and caption information to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

High-resolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.

Opening day of this deer season was kind to DUANE KNOPP of Austin, while hunting near Cherry Spring. He dropped a seven-point buck that had an 18-inch inside spread and, dressed out, weighed 125 pounds. Duane’s rifle was Tikka chambered in .270 WSM.

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LSON 12/23/11

Page 18

December 23, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

DATEBOOK January 5-8 Executive Editor Craig Nyhus Editor Bill Miller Associate Editor Conor Harrison Associate Editor Mark England

Dallas Safari Club Out of the Wild Convention Dallas Convention Center (972) 980-9800 biggame.org

Operations Manager Mike Hughs Accounting Ginger Hoolan Web site Bruce Soileau

National Advertising Mike Nelson Accounts Manager Founder & CEO David J. Sams

January 12 Dallas Woods and Waters Club Monthly Meeting and Dinner Hyatt Place Dallas North (214) 570-8700 dwwcc.org

January 13-15 Contributors Kyle Carter Alan Clemons David Draper Wilbur Lundeen John Meyer Aaron Reed Erich Schlegel David Sikes Scott Sommerlatte Chuck Uzzle Ralph Winingham

Advertising Call (214) 361-2276 or e-mail editor@lone staroutdoornews.com to request a media kit.

For home delivery subscriptions www.LSONews.com (214) 361-2276

Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 2162-8300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2011 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/or use of any photographic or written material without written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or e-mail them to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

Houston Safari Club Sporting Expo and Convention The Woodlands Waterway Marriott (713) 623-8844 houstonsafariclub.org

January 14-15 Texas Gun and Knife Show Civic Center, Abilene (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com

January 14 National Wild Turkey Federation Texas State Calling Championship Bass Pro Shops, Grapevine (281) 320-8388 nwtf.org

January 20-22

January 28

Fun-N-Sun & Angler's Pro Tackle In-House Boat Show, Hurst (817) 280-0303 funnsunboats.com

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Texas Hill Country Big Game Banquet (512) 247-1628 rmef.org

January 20 January 19-21

Graphics Editor Amy Moore Business/Products Editor Mary Helen Aguirre

Friends of South Texas Refuges Winter Texan Appreciation Day Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Alamo (956) 784-7500 friendsofsouthtexasrefuges.org

Wild Sheep Foundation The Sheep Show Reno, NV (307) 527-6261 wildsheepfoundation.org

SCI, Austin Chapter Hunters’ Heritage Banquet Renaissance Hotel, Austin (512) 203-6409 sciaustin.org

January 21 January 19-22 Austin Boat Sport and Outdoor Show Austin Convention Center (512) 494-1128 austinboatshow.com

January 20-21 Hill Country River Region Trout Days Chalk Bluff Park, Uvalde (830) 591-1065 hillcountryrivers.com SCI, Hill Country Chapter Annual Dinner and Fund-raiser The Hangar Hotel Fredericksburg (830) 928-4344 texashillcountrysci.org Deer Breeders Corporation 4th Annual Deer Auction Airport Hilton, Austin (866) 972-5001 dbcdeer.com

Hallettsville Wild Game Supper Knights of Columbus Hall kchall.com National Wild Turkey Federation Texas State Chapter Banquet Mesquite Rodeo Grounds Mesquite (281) 639-9185 nwtf.org

February 2 Ducks Unlimited Tomball Dinner Tomball VFW Hall (713) 724-2639 ducks.org

February 3 Ducks Unlimited Henderson Dinner Henderson Civic Center (903) 657-5790 ducks.org

February 4

Port Aransas Rotary Club Casino Night/Fish fry (361) 749-2208 portaransas.org

Ducks Unlimited Mexia Dinner The Cowboy Club (254) 625-1111 ducks.org

January 26-29

February 9

San Antonio Boat & RV Show The Alamodome (512) 481-1777 sanantonioboatshow.com

Dallas Woods and Waters Club Monthly meeting and dinner Hyatt Place Dallas North (214) 570-8700 dwwcc.org

January 27 National Wild Turkey Federation Henderson County Dinner, Athens (903) 675-2750 nwtf.org

Ducks Unlimited Allen DU Sportsman’s Night Out Swingin’ D Ranch (214) 455-3082 ducks.org

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

December 23, 2011

Page 19

Page 20

December 23, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

PRODUCTS V-YOKE RAPID PIVOT SYSTEM: Stoney Point’s newest bipod and tripod systems are adaptable to nearly any shooting position.

These flexible, easy-to-use shooting rests have 360 degrees of motion and a tilt of 45 degrees.

Other features include rubber-capped feet, interior carbide spikes, extreme-spec tubes, and a “posi-lock” adjustment system. The new V-Yoke attachment offers users quickness and flexibility when mounting a firearm and eliminates downtime while the Picatinny Rail attachment allows the user to securely attach firearms to the bipod or tripod.

The V-Yoke Rapid Pivot Bipod and Tripod systems are available for about $57 and $86, respectively. Attachments, when purchased separately, cost about $11 each.

RAZOR HD 20-60X85MM SPOTTING SCOPE: Vortex Optics’ toptier spotting scope delivers advanced optical technologies and premium performance. Bright, crisp and clear, the high-density, extra-low dispersion glass elements are carefully selected and precision-crafted to exacting standards for true-to-life images of startling clarity and color accuracy. An advanced optical element configuration virtually eliminates aberrations for distortion-free, flat-field images with unmatched edge-to-edge resolution. Its lightweight and tough diecast magnesium alloy body features strategically placed rubber armoring and 100-percent waterproof, fogproof (purged with argon gas), dustproof and shockproof construction. Available in an angled and straight model, this spotting scope starts at $2,000.

>>

>>

(800) 966-3458 www.gorillatough.com

(888) 542-6337 www.gandermountain.com

>>

GSX DUCKS UNLIMITED GORE-TEX 3-IN-1 WATERPROOF PARKA: Gander Mountain’s parka will keep waterfowl hunters warm and, because a portion of sales will go to Ducks Unlimited, also supporting wetlands conservation and education. The parka’s shell jacket and bib are constructed of quiet, ultra-durable polyester with a GORE-TEX membrane bonded to the fabric for waterproof, windproof, and breathable comfort and protection. The shell jacket has a detachable hood, waterproof, zippered chest pockets, a pre-curved elbow for improved mobility, and more. The parka’s liner jacket is made from a soft, high-pile fleece for warmth and comfort. “I’ve hunted with the GSX in cool, borderline cold, hot and rainy conditions, and it performed well in each. The chest pockets are good for calls and camera; the fleece liner isn’t too thick. I just wish I had put the detachable hood back on for a hunt in the pouring rain.” — Craig Nyhus, executive editor, LSON. The parka sells for about $300.

>>

GORILLA TAPE: The tape that adheres to uneven surfaces is now available in Mossy Oak’s Break-Up Infinity camouflage pattern.

Use Gorilla Glue Company’s tape to repair hunting gear, camping equipment, and more. With its permanent adhesive layer protected by an all-weather shell that is water-resistant and blocks UV damage, the tape will withstand the elements. Available in a 1.88-inch-wide roll with 12 yards of tape, it sells for about $9.

HEATED INSOLES: ThermaCell’s insoles utilize an advanced heat technology that provides remote-controlled foot warming comfort during those cold winter outings. Each remote features a coded, radio frequency transmitter that is paired to one set of insoles and has a range of 7 feet. It can be attached to zippers and belts, or stored inside a pocket. The heated insoles provide feet with continuous warmth (from 100 to 111 degrees) for up to five hours. They are powered by lightweight lithium-ion polymer rechargeable batteries embedded in the insole. Because they are waterresistant, the insoles function well in damp environments and work interchangeably with shoes, boots and waders. The customizable insoles can fit any shoe size from a women’s 6 to a men’s 14, and are available from small to XX-large. They sell for about $120.

>>

(800) 426-0048 www.vortexoptics.com

(800) 423-3537 www.stoneypoint.com

(866) 753-3837 www.thermacell.com

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

December 23, 2011

Page 21

Page 22

December 23, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

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To advertise in this section, call Mike Hughs at (214) 361-2276 or e-mail him at mhughs@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Pier fishing Continued From Page 8

Frozen shrimp seemed to be getting the best results, McClure said.

He noted, however, that weather fronts typically crimp the action.

“It stirs the water,” he said. “It changes the whole complexion. But it takes a day or two to recover.

“Usually it’s real good right before (a front). When the barometer is changing the fish are more active.”

A similar report was made at the 61st Street Fishing Pier in Galveston, which reopened a year ago.

A worker there said anglers were catching whiting, croaker and sheepshead on shrimp and squid. Occasional redfish and sand trout were also reported at the pier.

Farther down the coast, successful pier anglers were catching the same species as the Galveston-area anglers, but mostly on frozen shrimp.

“Live shrimp, if you can find it, you’re set,” said James Delgado, an employee at Pirate’s Landing Pier in Port Isabel. “But we haven’t had any for three months at our store.”

Still, anglers were also catching speckled trout and some large black drum measuring 33 to 36 inches, Delgado said.

He said artificial lures, especially glow-in-the-dark minnows, work well at night.

The pier stays open 24 hours a day on weekends, he said.

Galveston Fishing Pier, (409) 974-4383 61st Fishing Pier, (409) 744-8365 Pirate’s Landing Pier, (956) 943-3663

Grapevine Continued From Page 8

The strong updates outshined grim reports of fish kills last August, when warmer-than-average temperatures were robbing oxygen from the water and killing thousands of baitfish, bass, crappie and other species.

TPWD continues to rate Grapevine’s spotted bass as “good,” but, according to Vidal, they’re very good.

He’s also sure there are other spotted bass in Grapevine that can beat the lake’s record for that species.

“I caught three spotted bass that day,” he said. “I lost one at the end of the day that was probably bigger than the lake record — 4 pounds easy.”

Vidal said that, during the tournament, he and DuBose targeted water around riprap, giant boulders and other points — “anything that had rock.”

Fishing from DuBose's BassCat, Vidal worked a 6-foot Boyd Duckett rod and Shimano Calcutta reel loaded with 10-pound-test fluorocarbon.

The crankbait that hooked his big spotted bass was a 1.5-ounce square bill in fire tiger green.

“When I caught her,” Vidal said, “her belly was about to explode because she was so full.”

Big cats Continued From Page 8

Tim McKneely and Mark Alexander.

The big fish tipped the scales at 72 pounds and broke the previous record caught Dec. 23, 2001.

On Lake Tawakoni, guide David Hanson of Little D’s Guide Service said the fishing has been good but not earth-shattering — yet.

“We caught them today (Dec. 16) up to 50 pounds,” he said. “Days like today where the sun comes out and the water temperature warms up just a little bit really triggers the bite. I think they bite better than the really cold, nasty days.”

Hanson said he uses any kind of legal cut bait he can find — shad, buffalo, carp or perch.

“October through December is really good,” he said. “As we get into January, there isn’t as much action, but the average fish is bigger.”

Hanson said he thinks Tawakoni should be designated by the state as a trophy lake, because he sees the big cats being taken from the lake in alarming numbers with no protection.

“This is the best catfish lake in Texas and it didn’t get designated,” he said. “If the state doesn’t step up and protect these fish, the big ones will disappear. They think you can just restock them, but it takes a long time to grow these big ones.”

Chris Edwards, (817) 271-5014 David Hanson, (903) 662-5668

December 23, 2011

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December 23, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Sun | Moon | Tides

New

Time 3:35 p.m.

4:21 p.m.

8:41 a.m.

9:28 a.m.

10:12 a.m.

10:55 a.m.

4:31 a.m.

6:26 a.m.

8:43 a.m.

11:06 a.m.

1:02 p.m.

1:47 p.m.

2:16 p.m.

2:43 p.m.

3:10 p.m.

Height 2.5 H 2.3 H -1.6 L -1.3 L -0.9 L -0.5 L 1.3 H 1.1 H 0.9 H 1.1 H 1.4 H 1.6 H 1.7 H 1.8 H 1.8 H

Time Height 8:18 p.m. 2.0 L 8:48 p.m. 2.0 L 5:05 p.m. 2.1 H 5:46 p.m. 2.0 H 6:23 p.m. 1.8 H 6:55 p.m. 1.8 H 11:35 a.m. -0.2 L 12:14 p.m. 0.4 L 12:52 p.m. 0.7 L 1:56 p.m. 1.1 L 5:01 p.m. 1.3 L 6:36 p.m. 1.5 L

Height 2.0 H -1.3 L -1.3 L -1.0 L -0.7 L -0.4 L 1.0 H 0.9 H 0.7 H 0.9 H 1.1 H 1.3 H 1.4 H 1.4 H 1.4 H

Time Height 8:44 p.m. 1.6 L 5:08 p.m. 1.9 H 5:52 p.m. 1.7 H 6:33 p.m. 1.6 H 7:10 p.m. 1.4 H 7:42 p.m. 1.4 H 12:01 p.m. -0.1 L 12:40 p.m. 0.3 L 1:18 p.m. 0.6 L 2:22 p.m. 0.9 L 5:27 p.m. 1.1 L 7:02 p.m. 1.2 L

7:40 p.m.

7:26 p.m.

1.6 L 1.6 L

Time Height 11:26 p.m. 2.1 H 9:24 p.m. 1.8 L 10:12 p.m. 1.6 L 11:19 p.m. 1.4 L 7:21 p.m.

7:43 p.m.

8:01 p.m.

8:22 p.m.

8:38 p.m.

8:54 p.m.

1.6 H 1.4 H 1.4 H 1.4 H 1.4 H 1.5 H

9:51 p.m. 1.6H 10:32 p.m. 1.7H

First

Dec 24

Time 4:22 p.m.

8:19 a.m.

9:07 a.m.

9:54 a.m.

10:38 a.m.

11:21 a.m.

5:18 a.m.

7:13 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

11:53 a.m.

1:49 p.m.

2:34 p.m.

3:03 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

3:57 p.m.

8:06 p.m.

7:52 p.m.

1.3 L 1.3 L

Time

Height

9:14 p.m. 1.6 L 9:50 p.m. 1.4 L 10:38 p.m. 1.3 L 11:45 p.m. .1 L 8:08 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

8:48 p.m.

9:09 p.m.

9:25 p.m.

9:41 p.m.

1.3 H 1.1 H 1.1 H 1.1 H 1.2 H 1.2 H

10:38 p.m. 1.3 H 11:19 p.m. 1.3 H

Jan 16

Date Dec 23 Dec 24 Dec 25 Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 01 Jan 02 Jan 03 Jan 04 Jan 05 Jan 06

Time 10:33 a.m.

11:23 a.m.

12:21 a.m.

1:28 a.m.

2:30 a.m.

3:22 a.m.

12:42 a.m.

3:07 p.m.

6:25 a.m.

6:48 a.m.

7:03 a.m.

7:33 a.m.

8:11 a.m.

8:54 a.m.

9:41 a.m.

Houston Height -0.6 L -0.6 L 0.9 H 0.8 H 0.7 H 0.6 H 0.4 H 0.0 L 0.0 L -0.1 L -0.2 L -0.3 L -0.4 L -0.5 L -0.5 L

Time Height 11:16 p.m. 0.9 H 12:11 p.m.

12:56 p.m.

1:38 p.m.

2:15 p.m.

2:47 p.m.

10:59 p.m.

10:04 a.m.

9:13 p.m.

8:57 p.m.

9:00 p.m.

9:05 p.m.

9:25 p.m.

10:05 p.m.

-0.6 L -0.5 L -0.4 L -0.3 L -0.2 L 0.3 H 0.1 H 0.2 H 0.2 H 0.3 H 0.3 H 0.3H 0.3 H

Height 0.2 H 0.2 H 0.2 H 0.2 H 0.1 H 0.0 H 0.0 H -0.0 H -0.1 L -0.2 L -0.2 L -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.3 L 0.0 H

Time 11:34 a.m.

12:26 p.m.

1:17 p.m.

2:03 p.m.

2:39 p.m.

3:06 p.m.

3:21 p.m.

3:04 a.m.

9:25 a.m.

10:35 p.m.

10:52 p.m.

11:19 p.m.

11:54 p.m.

Height -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.2 L -0.2 L -0.2 L -0.0 L -0.1 H 0.0 H 0.0 H 0.0 H 0.0 H

Time

Height

11:39 p.m.

0.3 H

2:28 p.m.

0.0 L

Time

Height

10:06 p.m. 0.3 H

Date Dec 23 Dec 24 Dec 25 Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 01 Jan 02 Jan 03 Jan 04 Jan 05 Jan 06

Time 12:31 a.m.

1:26 a.m.

2:23 a.m.

3:18 a.m.

4:10 a.m.

4:59 a.m.

5:50 a.m.

12:16 a.m.

5:53 a.m.

7:01 a.m.

7:48 a.m.

8:34 a.m.

9:19 a.m.

10:06 a.m.

12:33 a.m.

Time

Height

Time

Height

Time 4:52 p.m.

9:15 a.m.

10:03 a.m.

10:50 a.m.

11:34 a.m.

4:25 a.m.

5:48 a.m.

7:43 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

12:23 p.m.

2:19 p.m.

3:04 p.m.

3:33 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

4:27 p.m.

Height 1.2 H -0.8 L -0.8 L -0.6 L -0.4 L 0.8 H 0.6 H 0.5 H 0.4 H 0.5 H 0.7 H 0.8 H 0.8 H 0.9 H 0.9 H

Time Height 9:40 p.m. 0.9 L 5:38 p.m. 1.1 H 6:22 p.m. 1.0 H 7:03 p.m. 0.9 H 7:40 p.m. 0.9 H 12:17 p.m. -0.3 L 12:57 p.m. -0.1 L 1:36 p.m. 0.2 L 2:14 p.m. 0.3 L 3:18 p.m. 0.5 L 6:23 p.m. 0.6 L 7:58 p.m. 0.7 L 0.8 L 0.8 L

11:08 p.m. 0.8 H 11:49 p.m. 0.8 H

Time 3:44 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

9:04 a.m.

9:51 a.m.

10:35 a.m.

11:18 a.m.

4:40 a.m.

6:35 a.m.

8:52 a.m.

11:34 a.m.

1:19 p.m.

2:07 p.m.

2:44 p.m.

3:18 p.m.

3:50 p.m.

Height 1.7 H 1.6 H -0.8 L -0.6 L -0.5 L -0.3 L 0.9 H 0.7 H 0.6 H 1.0 H 1.2 H 1.3 H 1.4 H 1.5 H 1.6 H

Time Height 8:41 p.m. 1.0 L 9:11 p.m. 1.0 L 5:14 p.m. 1.5 H 5:55 p.m. 1.4 H 6:32 p.m. 1.2 H 7:04 p.m. 1.2 H 11:58 a.m. -0.1 L 12:37 p.m. 0.2 L 1:15 p.m. 0.4 L 4:29 p.m. 0.9 L

Time Height 11:35 p.m. 1.5 H

9:02 p.m.

8:48 p.m.

Time

Height

10:10 p.m. 0.9 L 10:46 p.m. 0.9 L 11:34 p.m. 0.8 L 8:12 p.m.

8:38 p.m.

9:00 p.m.

9:18 p.m.

9:39 p.m.

9:55 p.m.

10:11 p.m.

0.9 H 0.8 H 0.7 H 0.7 H 0.7 H 0.7 H 0.7 H

Date Time Height Dec 23 7:09 a.m. -0.7 L Dec 24 12:06 a.m. 1.4 H Dec 25 1:00 a.m. 1.4 H Dec 26 1:53 a.m. 1.3 H Dec 27 2:47 a.m. 1.1 H Dec 28 3:48 a.m. 1.0 H Dec 29 12:55 a.m. 0.5 L Dec 30 2:16 a.m. 0.4 L Dec 31 3:10 a.m. 0.2 L Jan 01 3:14 a.m. -0.1 L Jan 02 3:55 a.m. -0.2 L Jan 03 4:37 a.m. -0.4 L Jan 04 5:19 a.m. -0.5 L Jan 05 6:00 a.m. -0.7 L Jan 06 6:40 a.m. -0.8 L

6:57 a.m. -0.0 H 2:55 p.m. -0.1 L

3:22 p.m. -0.1 L 10:27 p.m. -0.0 H

10:53 a.m. -0.3 L Time 4:15 p.m.

7:58 a.m.

8:46 a.m.

9:33 a.m.

10:17 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

5:11 a.m.

7:06 a.m.

9:23 a.m.

12:06 p.m.

1:49 p.m.

2:35 p.m.

3:12 p.m.

3:45 p.m.

4:16 p.m.

Height 1.6 H -0.7 L -0.7 L -0.5 L -0.4 L -0.2 L 0.8 H 0.7 H 0.6 H 0.7 H 1.0 H 1.2 H 1.3 H 1.3 H 1.3 H

Time Height 8:23 p.m. 0.8 L 5:01 p.m. 1.5 H 5:45 p.m. 1.4 H 6:26 p.m. 1.3 H 7:03 p.m. 1.1 H 7:35 p.m. 1.1 H 11:40 p.m. -0.1 L 12:19 p.m. 0.2 L 12:57 p.m. 0.3 L 2:12 p.m. 0.7 L

Time

Height

8:53 p.m.

9:29 p.m.

10:17 p.m.

11:24 p.m.

0.8 L 0.8 L 0.7 L 0.6 L

8:01 p.m.

8:23 p.m.

8:41 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

1.0 H 0.9 H 0.9 H 0.8 H

9:47 p.m. 0.9 L 10:35 p.m. 0.8 L 11:42 p.m. 0.7 L 7:30 p.m.

7:52 p.m.

8:10 p.m.

8:17 p.m.

1.1 H 1.0 H 1.0 H 1.0 H

Date Time Height Dec 23 7:09 a.m. -1.0 L Dec 24 8:00 a.m. -1.0 L Dec 25 8:50 a.m. -0.9 L Dec 26 9:37 a.m. -0.7 L Dec 27 10:23 a.m. -0.4 L Dec 28 11:05 a.m. -0.1 L Dec 29 1:23 a.m. 1.0 L Dec 30 1:58 a.m. 0.8 L Dec 31 2:38 a.m. 0.6 L Jan 01 3:24 a.m. 0.3 L Jan 02 4:05 a.m. 0.1 L Jan 03 4:46 a.m. -0.1 L Jan 04 5:25 a.m. -0.2 L Jan 05 6:03 a.m. -0.3 L Jan 06 6:40 a.m. -0.4 L

Time Height 5:10 p.m. 1.8 H 5:56 p.m. 1.8 H 6:34 p.m. 1.7 H 7:02 p.m. 1.6 H 7:20 p.m. 1.5 H 7:30 p.m. 1.4 H 3:40 a.m. 1.1 H 5:58 a.m. 0.9 H 8:47 a.m. 0.9 H 7:06 p.m. 1.1 H 6:20 p.m. 1.2 H 3:32 p.m. 1.3 H 3:52 p.m. 1.3 H 4:19 p.m. 1.4 H 4:46 p.m. 1.4 H

A.M. Minor Major 3:23 9:38 4:22 10:37 5:21 11:03 6:21 12:08 7:18 1:06 8:13 2:01 9:03 2:52 9:51 3:40 10:35 4:25 11:18 5:07 ----- 5:49 12:18 6:30 12:59 7:11 1:42 7:54 2:27 8:40 3:14 9:27 4:03 10:16 4:55 11:08 5:48 ----6:42 12:29

P.M. Minor 3:54 4:52 5:50 6:48 7:43 8:36 9:25 10:12 10:56 11:39 12:00 12:41 1:23 2:07 2:52 3:40 4:29 5:20 6:13 7:07

Major 10:09 11:07 ----12:34 1:31 2:24 3:14 4:01 4:46 5:29 6:10 6:52 7:35 8:19 9:05 9:53 10:42 11:33 12:00 12:54

SUN Rises Sets 07:12 05:26 07:13 05:26 07:13 05:27 07:14 05:27 07:14 05:28 07:14 05:29 07:15 05:29 07:15 05:30 07:15 05:31 07:16 05:31 07:16 05:32 07:16 05:33 07:16 05:33 07:16 05:34 07:16 05:35 07:17 05:35 07:17 05:36 07:17 05:37 07:17 05:38 07:17 05:39

MOON Rises Sets 6:03a 4:39p 7:03a 5:42p 7:57a 6:46p 8:43a 7:49p 9:24a 8:50p 10:00a 9:47p 10:33a 10:42p 11:05a 11:36p 11:35a NoMoon 12:07p 12:29a 12:41p 1:22a 1:17p 2:15a 1:57p 3:09a 2:42p 4:03a 3:31p 4:57a 4:25p 5:48a 5:22p 6:37aa 6:22p 7:23a 7:23p 8:05a 8:24p 8:44a

2011-12 Dec-Jan 23 Fri > 24 Sat > 25 Sun N 26 Mon > 27 Tue > 28 Wed 29 Thu 30 Fri 31 Sat 01 Sun Q 02 Mon 03 Tue 04 Wed 05 Thu 06 Fri 07 Sat > 08 Sun > 09 Mon F 10 Tue > 11 Wed >

A.M. Minor Major 3:28 9:44 4:27 10:42 5:27 11:09 6:26 12:13 7:24 1:11 8:18 2:07 9:09 2:58 9:56 3:46 10:41 4:30 11:24 5:13 ----- 5:54 12:24 6:35 1:05 7:17 1:48 8:00 2:32 8:45 3:19 9:32 4:09 10:22 5:00 11:13 5:53 ----6:47 12:35

P.M. Minor Major 3:59 10:14 4:57 11:12 5:56 ----6:53 12:40 7:49 1:36 8:41 2:30 9:31 3:20 10:17 4:07 11:02 4:51 11:45 5:34 12:05 6:16 12:47 6:58 1:29 7:41 2:12 8:25 2:58 9:11 3:45 9:58 4:35 10:48 5:26 11:39 6:19 12:06 7:12 1:00

SUN Rises Sets 07:26 05:24 07:26 05:24 07:26 05:25 07:27 05:25 07:27 05:26 07:28 05:26 07:28 05:27 07:28 05:28 07:28 05:28 07:29 05:29 07:29 05:30 07:29 05:31 07:29 05:31 07:29 05:32 07:29 05:33 07:29 05:34 07:30 05:34 07:30 05:35 07:29 05:36 07:29 05:37

MOON Rises 6:17a 7:16a 8:09a 8:55a 9:34a 10:08a 10:40a 11:10a 11:39a 12:10p 12:42p 1:17p 1:57p 2:41p 3:30p 4:23p 5:21p 6:22p 7:24p 8:27p

Sets 4:37p 5:41p 6:46p 7:50p 8:52p 9:51p 10:48p 11:43p NoMoon 12:37a 1:31a 2:26a 3:21a 4:16a 5:10a 6:02a 6:50a 7:35a 8:15a 8:53a

P.M. Minor Major 4:06 10:21 5:04 11:19 6:03 ----7:00 12:47 7:56 1:43 8:48 2:37 9:38 3:27 10:24 4:14 11:09 4:58 11:52 5:41 12:12 6:23 12:54 7:05 1:36 7:48 2:19 8:32 3:05 9:18 3:52 10:05 4:42 10:55 5:33 11:46 6:26 12:13 7:19 1:07

SUN Rises Sets 07:24 05:39 07:24 05:40 07:25 05:40 07:25 05:41 07:26 05:41 07:26 05:42 07:26 05:42 07:27 05:43 07:27 05:44 07:27 05:44 07:28 05:45 07:28 05:46 07:28 05:46 07:28 05:47 07:28 05:48 07:28 05:49 07:28 05:49 07:28 05:50 07:29 05:51 07:29 05:52

MOON Rises 6:16a 7:16a 8:09a 8:56a 9:36a 10:13a 10:46a 11:17a 11:48a 12:20p 12:54p 1:31p 2:11p 2:56p 3:45p 4:39p 5:36p 6:36p 7:36p 8:37p

Sets 4:53p 5:56p 7:00p 8:03p 9:03p 10:00p 10:55p 11:49p NoMoon 12:41a 1:34a 2:28a 3:22a 4:16a 5:09a 6:01a 6:50a 7:35a 8:17a 8:56a

P.M. Minor 4:20 5:18 6:16 7:14 8:09 9:02 9:51 10:38 11:22 ----12:25 1:07 1:49 2:33 3:18 4:06 4:55 5:46 6:39 7:32

SUN Rises 07:52 07:52 07:53 07:53 07:54 07:54 07:54 07:54 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:56 07:56 07:56 07:55 07:55 07:55

MOON Rises 6:44a 7:43a 8:35a 9:20a 9:58a 10:31a 11:02a 11:30a 11:59a 12:28p 12:59p 1:34p 2:12p 2:56p 3:45p 4:39p 5:37p 6:39p 7:42p 8:46p

Sets 4:52p 5:56p 7:02p 8:07p 9:11p 10:11p 11:09p NoMoon 12:05a 1:00a 1:55a 2:51a 3:47a 4:43a 5:37a 6:29a 7:17a 8:00a 8:40a 9:16a

San Antonio

South Padre Island

Freeport Harbor

2011-12 Dec-Jan 23 Fri > 24 Sat > 25 Sun N 26 Mon > 27 Tue > 28 Wed 29 Thu 30 Fri 31 Sat 01 Sun Q 02 Mon 03 Tue 04 Wed 05 Thu 06 Fri 07 Sat > 08 Sun > 09 Mon F 10 Tue > 11 Wed >

Dallas

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell Pier

San Luis Pass

Date Time Height Dec 23 7:27 a.m. -0.8 L Dec 24 8:16 a.m. -0.8 L Dec 25 12:29 a.m. 1.5 H Dec 26 1:22 a.m. 1.4 H Dec 27 2:16 a.m. 1.2 H Dec 28 3:17 a.m. 1.1 H Dec 29 1:13 a.m. 0.5 L Dec 30 2:34 a.m. 0.5 L Dec 31 3:28 a.m. 0.2 L Jan 01 3:54 a.m. 0.2 L Jan 02 4:32 a.m. 0.0 L Jan 03 5:11 a.m. -0.1 L Jan 04 5:50 a.m. -0.3 L Jan 05 6:28 a.m. -0.4 L Jan 06 7:05 a.m. -0.5 L

Last

Jan 9

Jan 2

Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. F=Full Moon, N=New Moon, Q=Quarter > = Peak Activity. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of a location.

Rockport

Galveston Bay entrance, south jetty

Date Time Height Dec 23 8:26 a.m. -0.8 L Dec 24 12:43 a.m. 1.0 H Dec 25 1:37 a.m. 1.0 H Dec 26 2:30 a.m. 0.9 H Dec 27 3:24 a.m. 0.9 H Dec 28 12:41 a.m. 0.7 L Dec 29 2:12 a.m. 0.5 L Dec 30 3:33 a.m. 0.4 L Dec 31 4:27 a.m. 0.2 L Jan 01 5:11 a.m. 0.0 L Jan 02 5:46 a.m. -0.1 L Jan 03 6:20 a.m. -0.3 L Jan 04 6:52 a.m. -0.4 L Jan 05 7:24 a.m. -0.5 L Jan 06 7:57 a.m. -0.5 L

Full

Port O’Connor

Sabine Pass, jetty

Date Time Height Dec 23 7:30 a.m. -1.3 L Dec 24 12:13 a.m. 1.7 H Dec 25 1:07 a.m. 1.7 H Dec 26 2:00 a.m. 1.6 H Dec 27 2:54 a.m. 1.4 H Dec 28 3:55 a.m. 1.3 H Dec 29 1:16 a.m. 0.9 L Dec 30 2:37 a.m. 0.7 L Dec 31 3:31 a.m. 0.3 L Jan 01 4:15 a.m. 0.1 L Jan 02 4:50 a.m. -0.2 L Jan 03 5:24 a.m. -0.4 L Jan 04 5:56 a.m. -0.6 L Jan 05 6:28 a.m. -0.8 L Jan 06 7:01 a.m. -0.9 L

Solunar | Sun times | Moon times

Moon Phases

Texas Coast Tides Date Time Height Dec 23 7:04 a.m. -1.6 L Dec 24 7:53 a.m. -1.6 L Dec 25 2:20 a.m. 2.1 H Dec 26 1:13 a.m. 2.0 H Dec 27 2:07 a.m. 1.8 H Dec 28 3:08 a.m. 1.6 H Dec 29 12:50 a.m. 1.1 L Dec 30 2:11 a.m. 0.9 L Dec 31 3:05 a.m. 0.4 L Jan 01 3:49 a.m. 0.1 L Jan 02 4:24 a.m. -0.3 L Jan 03 4:58 a.m. -0.5 L Jan 04 5:30 a.m. -0.8 L Jan 05 6:02 a.m. -1.0 L Jan 06 6:35 a.m. -1.1 L

LSONews.com

Time

Height

11:45 a.m.

12:22 p.m.

12:53 p.m.

0.2 L 0.5 L 0.8 L

Time

Height

7:33 p.m. 1.3 H 7:31 p.m. 1.2 H 7:21 p.m. 1.1 H

2011-12 A.M. Dec-Jan Minor Major 23 Fri > 3:35 9:51 24 Sat > 4:34 10:49 25 Sun N 5:34 11:16 26 Mon > 6:33 12:20 27 Tue > 7:31 1:18 28 Wed 8:25 2:14 29 Thu 9:16 3:05 30 Fri 10:03 3:53 31 Sat 10:48 4:37 01 Sun Q 11:31 5:20 02 Mon ----- 6:01 03 Tue 12:31 6:42 04 Wed 1:12 7:24 05 Thu 1:55 8:07 06 Fri 2:39 8:52 07 Sat > 3:26 9:39 08 Sun > 4:16 10:29 09 Mon F 5:07 11:20 10 Tue > 6:00 ----11 Wed > 6:54 12:42

Amarillo 2011-12 A.M. Dec-Jan Minor 23 Fri > 3:49 24 Sat > 4:48 25 Sun N 5:47 26 Mon > 6:47 27 Tue > 7:44 28 Wed 8:39 29 Thu 9:29 30 Fri 10:17 31 Sat 11:01 01 Sun Q 11:44 02 Mon 12:04 03 Tue 12:44 04 Wed 1:25 05 Thu 2:08 06 Fri 2:53 07 Sat > 3:40 08 Sun > 4:29 09 Mon F 5:20 10 Tue > 6:14 11 Wed > 7:08

OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen ACROSS 1. Name for part of a stag's rack 4. Gopher, mole are classed as this 8. The large bass, ____ bass 9. Hunters give this TLC 10. A type of bait 11. Wild turkey spurs 12. To expel a used cartridge 13. Good wood for arrow shafts 14. Spotted coloration on a duck 18. The shoulder hide on a deer 20. The body of an arrow 22. A small game predator 23. The camp home 24. The female deer 26. Female bear 28. The archer's weapon 29. The _____ Walton League 30. The salty expanse 31. The ring_____ pheasant 32. A sea duck species 35. The trapper's interest

37. Brings a catch into the boat 39. The hunting area 40. Wildlife having young 42. A line grommet on a fishrod 43. A game bird 44. The trapper's gear DOWN 1. A habitat for some trout 2. The skin-like cover on antlers 3. A grouse species 4. Oxidation on a gun part 5. Shedded antlers 6. Name for the Hawaiian goose 7. Anything that attracts fish, game 8. Term for an angler's casting method 11. The license cost 13. A deer food source 15. The pond croaker 16. Bucks usually feed _____ 17. To skin out a game

19. Trout brings out the ____ fisherman 20. Act of a fish hitting a hook 21. To seek out food 25. Native of the West, prong____

Solution on Page 26 27. Name for the whitetail of the North 30. Pelts, fur, hide 33. Act of pushing deer toward hunters 34. Hunt and fish regulations

36. Indian name for deer 38. Part of an antler 39. Some game's teeth reveal this 40. A gun organization 41. The rifle

Major 10:04 11:03 11:29 12:33 1:32 2:27 3:18 4:06 4:51 5:33 6:15 6:56 7:37 8:20 9:05 9:53 10:42 11:33 12:01 12:55

Major 10:35 11:33 12:02 1:00 1:57 2:50 3:40 4:27 5:12 5:55 6:36 7:18 8:01 8:45 9:31 10:19 11:08 11:59 12:26 1:20

Sets 05:38 05:38 05:39 05:40 05:40 05:41 05:41 05:42 05:43 05:44 05:44 05:45 05:46 05:47 05:47 05:48 05:49 05:50 05:51 05:52

FOR THE TABLE Mexican venison sausage 5 lbs. venison, coarse ground 1 lb. bacon fat 1 tbsp. monosodium glutamate (optl.)

1 tsp. jalapeño pepper 2 tbsps. salt 2 large onions processed to liquid 2 sweet peppers 2 tbsps. fresh ground black pepper 1 tbsp. chili powder 1 tbsp. garlic powder

Grind or process meat, onion and bacon fat. Mix seasonings thoroughly with venison and regrind or reprocess. Cook a small sample to test flavor. Correct spices to taste. Wine may be used to moisten the mixture if it is to be stuffed in casings. Keeps well about one year in freezer.

—wildgamerecipes.com

Texas grilled trout 2 trout, cleaned and head removed 3 tbsps. cold butter, thinly sliced 6 sprigs fresh rosemary 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary 1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley Salt and pepper to taste 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lemon, halved and thinly sliced Place each trout onto a square of aluminum foil. Open them up so that the flesh is facing upward. On one side of each fish, season with salt and pepper, half of the garlic, half of the chopped rosemary and half of the parsley. Top each fish with thin slices of butter, 3 rosemary *E-mail LSON your favorite recipe

sprigs and a few slices of lemon.

Squeeze one of the remaining lemon slices over each fish.

Enclose the seasoning inside each fish and wrap securely with the sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap each fish in an additional piece of aluminum foil.

Place fish in the coals of a campfire or on a grill over a flame and cook for about seven minutes on each side. If you can easily stick a fork into the fish, it is done.

Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your fish and the fire. Allow to cool for a few minutes before opening to serve.

— allrecipes.com to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

OUTDOOR BUSINESS

December 23, 2011

Page 25

Page 26

December 23, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

ADVERTISEMENT

Americase delivers with two-gun carrying solution When David J. Sams Sams traveled to South Africa last summer for safari, he wanted anted a rugged case that would tote two rifles — a Ruger No. o. 1 and a Remington ngton 700.

The founder of Lone Lon ne Star Outdoor Newss settled on the AT-2 2 Gun n safari case from Americase, mericase, Inc., based in Waxahachie. achie.

The aluminum m cases case es feature fullcoverage Santoprene prene e seals, lockable latches, spring-loaded oaded d handles, and special compartments nts for fo or rifle bolts, cleaning supplies and optics. tics.

There are also o wheels whe eels and a system for strapping luggage ge to the t case.

The first testt wass the flight between Dallas and Johannesburg, annesburg, followed by a long truck ride to o the hunting location.

“When I arrived in Jo-burg, the gun inspectors were curious to find two guns in this compact case,” David said. “And in every checkpoint I went through, the inspectors commented on two guns in one case.

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But the real test came when David testfired his primary rifle, the Ruger, topped with a Nikon scope.

“After the 9,000-plus-mile flight, the Nikon scope was still dead-on at the firing range,” David said. “The case showed a few scratches but no dents, just blemishes.

“Even the DSC (Dallas Safari Club)

Texan survives Continued From Page 1

OLD CAT: Mike Wood took this lion on his African safari. “Young males had kicked him out of the pride so we harvested him. Thickets and dense brush made his mane light on hair,” Wood said. Photo by Mike Wood.

sticker still looks good on it.”

David said he expects he’ll be slapping more stickers on the case.

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MSRP $425.25.

— Bill Miller Americase, Inc. (800) 972-2737 americase.com

“We stayed along the river with no electricity, no cellphones, and sleeping in grass huts,” Wood said. “That’s the way I wanted it — an old African experience.”

During the trip, the tsetse flies were biting.

“We were all getting bit, especially around the ankles,” Wood said. “They’re about the size of a horsefly and the bite hurts. We were covering ourselves in DEET — my son had more than 100 bites from his ankles to his knees.”

At the time, Wood didn’t know the flies could carry a parasite called trypanosomiasis, known as African sleeping sickness. He did know the family took all the precautions in preparing for the trip.

“We took the malaria pills and did all we were supposed to,” he said.

The hunting proved to be outstanding.

“We shot about everything,” Wood said. “Crocodile, hippo, Cape buffalo, bushbuck, waterbuck, leopard, lion, impala and kudu.”

While on the lion hunt, Wood heard about African sleeping sickness for the first time while traveling through a small village.

“We were in a small village, but no one was there except a man at a store. He said the village had been wiped out by African sleeping sickness,” Wood said.

But he still didn’t know the disease was caused by the bites of the tsetse fly.

After the trip home, things changed quickly.

“We got home on a Sunday,” Wood said. “By Wednesday, I felt like I had a mild case of the flu. Of course, I didn’t go to the doctor; I thought I would be fine.”

The next morning, his temperature was 103 degrees. At his wife’s insistence, he went to the doctor and then to the local hospital. Blood work was taken and he received malaria medication while waiting three days for the results.

But the next day, Wood’s temperature was 104 degrees, and the day after that, 105.

Wood’s wife dragged him to Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. When admitted, his temperature was 105.8 degrees.

“We spent seven hours in the ER while the doctors examined the slides from the blood work and communicated with doctors across the country,” Wood said.

Finally, the doctor said he had good news and bad news.

“The good news was they knew what

Puzzle solution from Page 24

I had,” Wood said. “The bad news was it was African sleeping sickness.”

Wood learned the doctors had sent the slides to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta for confirmation, and later learned the doctors told his wife he had a 50/50 shot of making it.

“But they said if we had waited one more day to get to the hospital, the chances of survival would have been 5 percent,” he said.

Because of the delayed diagnosis, the treatment was harsh, consisting of an arsenic-based chemotherapy supplied by the CDC. “The doctors told me it was going to get worse before it got better,” Wood said.

And it did. His temperature spiked at 108.2 degrees before relenting.

Along the way, Wood was critical of his own reaction to his symptoms.

“I was stubborn — a complete horse’s ass,” he said.

Wood hopes that hunters and tourist traveling to Africa learn from his experience with the rare disease.

“I learned from the CDC that only 10 percent of the tsetse flies carry the disease, and that only 1 percent of those will bite someone and make them sick,” Wood said.

Wood wants people traveling to Africa to be aware, but not afraid.

“Even though the disease is rare, I would suggest checking the regions where they are going to see if there are any outbreaks of African sleeping sickness,” Wood said.

And if any symptoms appear, get checked immediately.

“If you start feeling bad, get to the doctor right away. Don’t be a stubborn, pigheaded male like me,” he said.

Wood, the owner of Oldham Lumber Company, a deer breeder and owner of a ranch in Stonewall County, said after a year-and-a-half, he’s pretty much back to normal.

“But I’m a lot more a lover of life than before, and appreciate every day that I have more than ever,” he said. “The experience changed me.”

Will he return to Africa?

“Absolutely,” Wood said. “I would go back to the same area in a minute.”

And he’s working on taking his wife on the next trip.

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

December 23, 2011

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December 23, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com