January 09, 2015 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

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Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper in Texas

January 9, 2015

Good and bad

Tough December

Texas deer harvest down, but quality up

Flounder captains report good numbers of juvenile fish

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210

Please turn to page 14

SLOWER HARVEST, BIGGER BUCKS: The general deer season in North and Central Texas ended Jan. 4, but South Texas hunters are still at it. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Many Texas deer hunters saw a somewhat unfamiliar sight this season — lots of cover due to solid amounts of rainfall and a biggerthan-expected acorn crop in East Texas. Those factors combined to make the overall deer harvest, at least from initial reports, lower than average this season. However, the bucks that were taken were fat, healthy and sported good-sized

racks. “Harvests were a little slower than we would like,” said Gary Calkins, the East Texas department leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “We had a little better acorn crop than we expected and the deer didn’t move to feeders as much. On the flip side, some fantastic bucks were killed. “The lower harvest might actually have a helpful effect for next season because of the better age structure.” Please turn to page 6

Let science prevail By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star outdoor newS Hunters, both international and domestic, will gather January 15-18 at the Dallas Safari Club annual convention, and the club’s fundraising efforts include supporting science-based tools to both preserve lion populations across the African continent and preserve trophy hunting of older male lions. DSC President Chris Hudson recently returned from a trip to Africa, attending conferences for the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa (PHASA), the Namibian Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA), the Zimbabwean Professional Hunters and Guides Association (ZPHGA) and meeting with wildlife officials from Tanzania at the Regional Summit to Stop Wildlife Crime and Advance Wildlife Conservation. He also met with Saviour Kasukuwere, the Minister of the Environment from Zimbabwe. “The professional hunters were very interested in our efforts on sustainable lion populations and being trained on aging lions in the field,” Hudson said. “The Tanzanian head of tourism has pledged their support, and even the Zimbabwean minister was very open to promoting tourism and sustainable use, saying they needed to make Zimbabwe open to the world’s hunters and end the specter of corruption in the nation.” Tanzanian officials, including Lazaro Nyalandu, the minister of Tanzania Natural Resources and Tourism, were in Dallas earlier in 2014 to solidify their country’s support for trophy hunting and the sustainability of the country’s wildlife resources. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in its proposal to list the African lion as a threatened species, acknowledged the importance of lawful hunting as a tool to help save the species. In its proposal to list the African lion as a threatened species, which could take effect by 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also is proposing a permitting process for the importation of sport-hunted lion trophies, provided they originate from countries with scientifically sound management plans. “I want to be clear that lions are not in trouble because of Please turn to page 7

INSIDE

The flounder limit changed back to five fish per angler on Dec. 15, and midcoast flounder gigging captains say the late fall run has ended. “Actually, it wasn’t all that great,” said Capt. David Dupnik, who guides around Rockport. “I expected a good run. We were only allowed two fish per person until Dec. 15, and it only took an hour or so to gig those.” Dupnik said he has been guiding a long time, and the 2-fish limit has hurt his business, to a point. “It did hurt my business because I ended up running a discounted or free trip,” he said. “Nobody is going to pay full price for two fish. The flip side is that flounder gigging is getting more popular in the summer. More people realize we can gig them during the summer months, so that helps.” Dupnik said the average size of the flounder was about the same as past years — 4 pounds. “Our biggest went 9 1/2 pounds,” he said. “We got a lot of 4-pound fish.” The captain also said he feels the stricter flounder regulations are having a positive impact on the fishery. “They have to be helping,” he said, “because I could go out right now and count hundreds of little fish under 10 inches.” Dupnik said the early cold snaps in November probably contributed to the bigger flounder being gone by mid-December. “I think a lot of those big fish left

Volume 11, Issue 10

HUNTING

VALUE MEANS SURVIVAL: Conservation groups and government offi cials agree that the hunting of mature, non-pride African lions contributes to the long-term survival of the species. Photo by Jofi e Lamprecht.

FISHING

Massive spike

More to spend

Hunter shoots one of the biggest spikes seen in Texas this season. Page 11

Anglers are seeing more money to spend on fishing trips this season thanks to lower gas prices. Page 8

Protein time

Fayette bass

If your season is over or harvest goals are met, now is the time to help your deer herd. Page 5

Anglers catching good numbers of cold-water largemouths at Fayette County Reservoir. Page 8

CONTENTS

Classifieds . . . . . . . . Crossword . . . . . . . . Freshwater Fishing Report For the Table . . . . . . . Game Warden Blotter . . . Heroes. . . . . . . . . . Outdoor Datebook . . . . Saltwater Fishing Report . Sun, Moon and Tide data .

LSONews.com

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