January 13, 2012 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

January 13, 2012

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Trunks packed Hunting industry shines at Dallas Safari Club convention.

Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

January 13, 2012

Volume 8, Issue 10

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All she needed was an opportunity

Inside

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Kelsey Boes of Southlake, a freshman at the University of Missouri, had never shot — or even held — a gun, but expressed a desire to experience shooting and hunting to her sorority sister from Dallas.

❘❚ FISHING

Beginner's luck

The sorority sister happened to be the daughter of the founder of Lone Star Outdoor News.

So, during Christmas break, an outing was arranged. The two young women would shoot and hunt quail in northeast See FIRST QUAIL, Page 14

Huge striper hooked by rookie angler.

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Molding mounts Great care goes into selecting right trophy mold.

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❘❚ HUNTING

Hunters worked harder

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Have a Dr Pepper Buck with same name as soft drink stayed elusive.

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Flights furious, frustrating Recaps and updates for Texas ringnecks, late season dove.

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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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SUN SETTING ON ANOTHER SEASON: South Texas hunters, and youth hunters statewide can hunt through Jan. 15, and rutting activity is still being reported. The late spike and doe seasons run through Jan. 15 in North Texas and Jan. 29 in South Texas. Ranches with high-level Managed Land Deer Permits can hunt until the end of February, so there is still plenty of hunter opportunities available. Photos by David J. Sams, LSON.

deer,” he said. “The habitat did improve some in the late season, though. There is a lot of green stuff on the ground right now.”

Despite a below-average season in the Hill Country, the rest of the state fared better than expected considering the drought that gripped the state through much of the spring See SEASON, Page 19

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210

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Texas Parks and Wildlife Department District Biologist Mike Krueger checked his feeder game cameras each week before the start of deer season near Kerrville and downloaded about 4,000 images per week.

Once hunting season started, and after several rain showers across the Hill Country greened up the landscape, that number dropped to about 400 images each week.

“I attribute that to the October green-up,” Krueger said. “It kept deer away from corn and hunters had less action at feeders.

“I’d say the season started with a whimper and went out with one, at least in the Hill Country.

Putting all of the pieces together, it said deer didn’t put themselves in front of hunters.”

Krueger said the body and antler sizes of Kerr County bucks were below average and lacked mass, inside spreads and points.

“I saw a lot of cully looking

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

Guadalupe River ‘packed’ with rainbows

By Ralph Winingham FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Training, skill and maybe a little luck were on Rich Scheiderlein’s side as he ventured into the gin-clear waters of the Guadalupe River in search of rainbow trout.

FEISTY: Smaller rainbow trout like this 12-inch fish caught by veteran fly-fisher Kyle Kenter can offer some top-notch action along the Guadalupe River near New Braunfels. Photo by Ralph Winingham.

Fishing the southernmost area of the United States where the trout survive year-round, the Houston fly-fisherman had taken a Trout 101 clinic at the Action Angler Fly Fishing Shop on the banks of the Guadalupe River near the Third Crossing last year. He recently went on his fourth fly-fishing excursion.

“He was using a red fox squirrel nymph and was doing pretty well when he hooked into a 21-inch trout,’’ said Chris

Jackson, fly-fishing shop owner. He's also the New Braunfels-area representative for Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited.

“A 21 is one of the good ones and this one put up a decent fight. A lot of the bigger trout have been caught several times and don’t put up a good struggle, but this one did,’’ Jackson said.

“This year the river seems to be packed with fish, and the anglers are really hooking up with them.’’

Jackson, also a guide, said the annual trout stocking by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists has improved angling conditions because larger fish are being released.

Typically the stocking involves fish in the range of 8 to 10 inches long, although this year the TPWD biologists have been provided a supply of fish in the 14- to 15-inch range. The department See RAINBOWS, Page 19

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January 13, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

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January 13, 2012

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January 13, 2012

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HUNTING

Living up to low expectations

Competing for corn

Pheasant season lacks birds, hunters

By Conor Harrison

“Five hunters killed 13 or 14 birds,” he said. “The birds we were hunting Panhandle pheaswere wild, but there was ant hunters knew also some released birds the drought would that had been put out by severely affect hunting the outfitter.” this season.

Purvis said cover was They were right. limited and many of the A lack of food and playa lakes that held birds cover limited birds last year were devoid of and hunter opportucover and birds. nity this season, with TOUGH YEAR: Many pheasant Outfitter reports from many hunters choos- hunters looking for Panthe Amarillo area said handle roosters have been ing to skip the season disappointed this year. Some hunters could kill a few entirely to give remain- outfitters supplemented their birds if they were willing ing birds a chance to get fields with pen-raised birds to to walk long miles. a jump on next season. provide action. Photo by Lone Internet reports said TPWD biologist Jeff Star Outdoor News. much of the same. The Bonner in Pampa said most common response the pheasant season was bleak. to the question on how the season was “Nope, not a lot of birds,” Bonner going for hunters was “cancelled.” said. “I haven’t even heard of many Pheasants Forever field biologist Josh hunters going out. I met a farmer in Grace said hunters were not seeing as Dalhart and they have a big family many birds as in years past. hunt every year. This year they all went “Many of the fields are fallow and the golfing in Houston.” cover isn’t what it has been,” Grace said.

Evan Purvis of Dallas hunted with a “Hunter participation is also down. I’ve group of five hunters in late December talked to several hunters who normally around Silverton and reported scant hunt all season, and they just didn’t action. shoot any birds this year.”

LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Barrientos may have ninth buck for ‘book’ South Texas rancher Rene Barrientos may have achieved another Boone and Crockett Club trophy.

The last issue of Lone Star Outdoor News reported how Barrientos, since 2003, has harvested eight bucks that received B&C recognition.

These free-ranging native whitetails were taken from his 8,000-acre La Golondrina Ranch southeast of Cotulla in LaSalle County.

But in late December, Barrientos reported that he downed what could be his ninth buck for B&C records.

In a photo sent Dec. 27 by e-mail, the deer’s rack appears to have at least 14 points — seven on each side — but the rancher said he hadn’t yet had the deer scored and he was awaiting the end of a 60-day drying period.

He noted, however, that the buck was 7 1/2 years old.

“Just lucked out,” he wrote in the e-mail of the 15 days he spent scouting, and 14 days of hunting.

— Bill Miller

WHERE THERE’S A POND: A lone wigeon hen beats the deer and finds a little water and corn underneath a feeder in Maverick County. Deep South Texas has been dry for so long, many people won't see a scene like this in their hunting careers. Twelve mallards were also observed on the ranch near feeders awaiting a free meal. Photo by Lili Sams.

Dove flying for the few late season hunters

By Ralph Winingham FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Bigger, older and some would say wiser birds are providing tempting shooting opportunities for a few hunters taking advantage of an unusually long late dove season in South Texas.

Because the South Zone’s early season opening day fell on Sept. 23, this year’s late season started on Dec. 23 and runs through Jan. 23, giving hunters an additional five days to test their wing-shooting skills. Their counterparts in the North and Central zone had to put away their dove guns on Jan. 8.

“Late-season birds are a lot harder to pattern,’’ said Sammy Nooner, who operates one of the prime hunting spots for white-winged doves in the state around his irrigated fields just east of Hondo.

“This year is one of the few times that we have seen good numbers of birds this late — normally they are a lot farther south by now.

“They may come in early, they may be flying at 1 p.m. or they may not start moving around until late afternoon. One thing is for certain, they are always gone by about 4:30 p.m.’’

“You won’t find any juvenile birds and most of the doves being brought down are really fat and healthy,’’ he said.

Nooner added that because many of the birds escaped hunters during the early season, they tend to fly higher and quickly flare away from anyone who makes the mistake of moving or stands out in the open.

One piece of good news is that late season dove hunters seldom have much company.

“Most of the late season hunting is around Christmas or Jan. 1. The number of hunters drops off pretty

WINTER WINGSHOOTING: White-winged doves swarming out of a sunflower field during a late season hunt in December offered quite a test to the shooting skills of Dr. Catherine Cook of San Antonio. She was among a handful of other South Zone hunters enjoying a rare treat of winter dove shooting during a crisp afternoon. Photo

by Ralph Winingham, for LSON.

quickly after that,’’ said Corey Mason, dove program leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“The majority of the birds shot during any season are taken during the first two weekends of the opening days (Sept. 1 in the North and Central Zones and Sept. 23 in the South Zone this year),’’ he said.

Hunter surveys have shown that of the more than six million mourning and white-winged doves harvested during the year, only about 3 percent are bagged during the late season in the North and Central Zones. The harvest number in the South Zone during the same period is about 4 percent of the annual total.

Some hunters who ventured out enjoyed success, though. Limits were taken east of Rising Star in sunflowers, and a late-season roost area near Frost produced as well.

However, not all hunters agreed on bigger birds being shot during the second split.

Daniel Sandland of Houston was near Columbus the first week of January and reported good hunts.

“We hunted a small tank the first day and the birds were pretty slow, so we moved to an open field with native grasses and limited out quickly,” he said. “The funny thing is, I’ve never seen so many small birds. They were all mourning dove, but they were all really small.

“We did notice the birds were flying in much bigger flocks (20-30 birds) than during the first split, when it was groups of three or four birds.”

Finding a good source of water or food that attracts the doves is even more important in the late season than it is in the fall, according to Mason.

“All of the birds that are coming to Texas from the north will already be here, so you won’t be seeing any migrating birds come in during the late season,’’ Mason said.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Elusive Maverick County buck saw little daylight

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS In Texas, one doesn’t have to look far for a Dr Pepper.

But a South Texas buck by the same name was seen only by a few sets of human eyes during the half-dozen years he wandered the WTX Ranch in Maverick County.

This deer, however, always made a big impression. He had an extremely wide antler spread and multiple points, including a drop tine.

Frank A. Wojtek of Richmond, who bought the ranch in 1997, first learned of the buck in late winter 2009.

“We had some hog hunters in from Mississippi,” he recalled. “I had one guy on a tripod and he came back and said, ‘Man, I saw the biggest deer of my life!’”

The hunter showed Frank a photo, but the rancher wasn’t overly impressed — at first. The rack, he said, seemed good size, “but I thought, ‘the body sure looks like a small deer.’

“I actually found one of the sheds a year later. I roughscored it and figured he was already in the high 170s — maybe. Then last year I set up game cameras and he showed up, but only at night. Still he seemed to have a small body.”

But Frank also got an aerial glimpse of a big buck during a helicopter survey. Perhaps the Mississippi hunter wasn’t

THE DOCTOR IS IN: The nontypical buck nicknamed “Dr Pepper” was taken by hunter Frank Wojtek on his WTX Ranch in Maverick County.

It net scored 196 7/8, which might qualify for the Boone and Crockett Club’s all-time records book. Photo by Frank Wojtek.

exaggerating.

Certainly the ranch had potential for growing such an animal — being located in the famed “Golden Triangle,” home to really big deer.

While shopping for a ranch in the 1990s, Frank learned that several trophy deer recognized by the Boone and Crockett Club came from within 10 miles of the ranch.

“So,” he said, “it appeared to me it was in the right zip code.

“We didn’t hire biologists and thought ‘well, hopefully, it’s not rocket science.’ We started shooting the lower end of the deer. We were focused on culls and letting deer get

the maturity to be trophies.”

In 2002, B&C recognized a buck from the ranch; it netted 174 5/8.

“I thought, ‘Hey, this is going to be a piece of cake,’” Frank said. “Well, It doesn’t work that way.”

Several years later, the deer reported by the Mississippi hunter, “seemed to exist only on game-cam photos,” Frank said.

He decided to call it “Dr Pepper” because when the buck did appear on camera, it usually was around 10 p.m., 2 a.m. or 4 a.m. That See WHITETAIL, Page 23

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Muley doe sprouts antlers in West Texas

ODDITY: Ken McAlister of Fort Worth shot this rare “antlered” mule deer doe Dec. 29 near Alpine. Photo

by Mike Micallef.

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS The old Brewster County mule deer had an odd, narrow rack, and appeared to be 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 years old — clearly a “management buck.”

It was selected for culling, but hunters on this Big Bend-area ranch soon learned this deer was no buck, but a rare “antlered” doe.

Mike Micallef, who operates the popular Fort Worth restaurant, Reata, was guiding two clients on his family’s CF Ranch near Alpine. The hunters, also from Fort Worth, had already had success on the property.

Lawyers Bruce Moon and Ken McAlister, 460 miles from home, hunted javelinas at the CF Ranch in February and decided to come

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t just for one e 2011, and no sa can describ es g for the in Od tic of Y ac pr RR how BLAKE TE tdoorsman was ou ld he caught a r-o ea en -y Memorable is wh 13 urn Reservoir In March, the yb t.

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back to hunt elk and management mule deer.

At about 5 p.m. Dec. 29, Micallef, the hunters and guide Chris Chopelas saw a group of muleys, including some does, a nice 10-point buck, and the deer with the tall, narrow rack.

“Not very pretty,” Micallef said of that deer. He asked McAlester to shoot it. The deer was hit and ran.

But something wasn’t right when they found it at the end of a 50-yard blood trail.

“Chris noticed that the glands looked different and, upon spreading the animal’s legs, the lack of genitals,” Micallef said.

The first explanation was that the deer was an antlered doe: a female deer carrying an unusual supply of the male hormone testosterone — enough to grow antlers.

“I heard of them in whitetails,” Micallef said, “but I never heard about a mule deer.

“We heard about bucks being killed that didn’t have testicles or testicles that didn’t drop, but this definitely wasn’t that.”

Micallef videotaped the necropsy of the deer, and removed the female organ. The footage was put on YouTube (http://youtu. be/wCdW-xP73CM), and also sent to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Sul Ross State University.

Occurrences of antlered does in mule deer are so rare biologists have very little data to draw on, said Billy Tarrant, TPWD’s TransPecos district leader.

He said there are other examples of deer with misplaced parts or the wrong ones altogether.

A cryptorchid male, he explained, is a buck with testicles that remain in the body cavity, but never drop. A hermaphrodite has both male and female sex organs.

Tarrant said he’d like to get tissue and hair samples from the deer for testing its DNA to confirm it’s a female.

“But,” Tarrant added, “as of today, based on the video Mike provided us, we feel like it’s a true antlered doe, and a pretty good one.

“What makes this kind of unique is the size of the antlers. It’s a pretty good rack.”

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January 13, 2012

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FISHING

Trout fishing strong along upper coast

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Sabine Lake guide Lindy Hebert talked about the fantastic fishing last year along the upper coast for big trout.

This year could be better.

“Last year was off the charts and I’m looking at this year to be even better,” he said.

“We are off the charts for big trout right now. I caught a 28-incher a few weeks ago and 20 to 25 inches is about average right now.

“There are some big trout in the lake.”

Hebert said looking for birds has worked well to find bait and trout underneath. He said it pretty much works year-round on Sabine Lake, although the bait has changed in the past few weeks.

“We went from shrimp to fish, like shad and mullet,” he said. “I use all artificial baits. You don’t need live shrimp in Sabine. I do way better with artificials.

“Our normal day is catching trout early, then switching to reds and then targeting bigger trout later in the morning.

“Don’t leave at 9 or 10 a.m., especially in the winter.”

Farther south, Capt. Steve Hillman of Hillman Guide Service said the fishing has been “pretty solid” in the Galveston Bay complex but anglers are catching fish in areas they normally don’t.

“Quality fishing this

BIG ONES SHOWING UP: Trout action is heating up along the upper coast, especially in Sabine Lake and the Galveston Bay complex.

Artificials are catching good number of 5- and 6-pound fish. Photo

by David J. Sams, LSON.

entire year has been predicated on rainfall and we have not had very much rain this year,” Hillman said. “West Galveston Bay is normally solid this time of year, but the salinity is so high, a lot of the fish are in the rivers or the far reaches of the bays. That is where the food is because they haven’t flushed out like they normally do.”

Hillman said despite the move to new areas, the trout fishing has been good, especially for bigger fish.

“I’ve caught more big trout than I’ve ever seen,” he said. “We are catching good numbers of 5and 6-pounders, with the occasional 7-pounder.”

Hillman said the water is cool, averaging about 50 degrees, and tidal move-

ment was key in finding trout willing to bite.

“It’s all about tidal movement and major feeds,” he said. “This time of year, trout have a slow metabolism and if you don’t get help from a major feeding period or tide, it can be tough.

“It is a timing thing. I’ve been seeing a better bite in the afternoon between 1 p.m. and dark.”

On a scale of 1 to 10, Hillman rated the fishing in his area about a 7.

“This time of year, fronts can mean a lot,” he said. “We could lose two or three fishing days each week due to fronts.”

For bait, Hillman specializes in artificials, and said soft plastics and drifting with 1/8-ounce heads are good bets.

“In lighter water, I throw lighter, natural colors,” he said. “In darker water, I switch to darker colors like a red shad pattern. The twitch bait bite turned on last week, and the top-water bite has been inconsistent lately.”

Hillman did say the fish he is catching are all very healthy.

“They are like footballs,” he said. “We are catching a lot of 20-inch fish in the 3.5-pound range.”

Capt. Lindy Hebert, (409) 7208148 Capt. Steve Hillman, (409) 2567937

New angler catches grand striper Fish is pending junior state record Dustin Croff of Mesquite and his 16-year-old son, Jeremy, decided they needed a new hobby.

They picked fishing.

After a moderately successful outing on Lake Tawakoni in November, the pair tried floating the Brazos River in kayaks with guide Shane Davies of River Run Guide Service.

“This is the second time I had ever been fishing,” Dustin said. “All of a sudden, we started catching monsters!”

In fact, Jeremy caught the pending state junior record striped bass — 41 inches long.

“At first I was just pulling it in and it was exhausting,” Jeremy said. “I thought, ‘What is this?’ It was just the second fish of the day and I really didn’t know what I was doing. It was a great fight.

“I’ve never caught a big fish. It was an amazing experience.”

The fish was caught on “live bait,” but the anglers kept quiet about exactly what the fish ate. The pair also enjoyed floating the river on kayaks.

“We used them a lot to get to a certain spot, and then got out and walked,” Jeremy said.

“We’ve already started looking at kayaks to purchase. We’ve got the bug.”

Dustin said his father fished while he was growing up in Montana, but he never took an interest until he realized his son would graduate from high school next year.

“I had always heard about rivers and fly-fishing,” he said. “My son is a junior in high school and I wanted to start this with him and see what he thought. That was my motivation. I thought we needed to just get out and do it.

“To get this fish is a dream come true.”

The father and son now have trips lined up every month until next fall, but they will be hard pressed to top the 41-inch striper and several more fish in the mid-30s that they caught.

Davies said he enjoyed fishing with the Croffs and helping them learn the ropes.

“I love seeing young people catching fish, especially records,” he said. “And to do it catch and release, that is a great mindset to get young anglers into.

“These guys didn’t have a lot of kayak fishing experience, and they were shocked that fish that big could come out of such skinny (shallow) water.

“They are hooked.”

— Staff Report DOWNHILL FROM HERE: Jeremy Croff measures the 41-inch striper he caught recently on the Brazos River with his dad, Dustin, and guide Shane Davies. The fish is the pending junior state record striper. Photo by Shane Davies.

If you can catch it, they can mold it

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Rockwall taxidermist Ron Kelly spent a portion of his summer fishing near Reno, Nev., with his son-in-law Darrell Exline.

The pair caught about 30 fish, including a 6.5-pound rainbow trout that Kelly thought would make quality molds for his taxidermy studio.

“When (Darrell) was here in December, he brought a suitcase full of frozen fish,” Kelly said. “There was about 30 or so trout, and he just sent them frozen in his checked baggage. It was a lot cheaper than UPS. “We made molds over Christmas break.”

Kelly has been making

taxidermy molds for fish reproductions for nearly 30 years. He said that he pioneered many of the techniques used today.

But the actual process to make a mold, he said, begins with one fish that must be killed. A completed mold from it can be used to make replica mounts for other trophy catches of similar sizes, with details from photographs.

“I like to think that one fish dies so thousands of others can be caught and released,” he said. “Once I’ve caught the fish, then the ideas start to flow. Do I want an S-curve, or the fish to be rising for a fly?”

Kelly, who owns Artistic Wildlife Gallery Taxidermy, said the process for the See TAXIDERMY, Page 23

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Winter fishing turns men into boys

By Ralph Winingham FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

cold front come in, it is not bad,” she said. “But if you have some nice temperatures in the 60s or 70s and then a cold front drops the water temperature, you can really have some problems.’’

Using live or fresh dead shrimp under a popping cork or free-lined with a small split-spot sinker to hold the

around Shamrock Cove a lot using MirrOlures and catch trout up to 8 pounds. Most people don’t want to fish bad enough to do that — they would rather go after reds or drum.’’

Admitting that he was spending more of his time hunting than on the water at this time of year, Schultz

This time of year, the fishing for butterfly drum, mangrove snapper and sheepshead in Corpus Christi Bay hot spots has been known to make children out of grown men.

“We were just out the other day with (a very experienced angler who probably should remain anonymous) and got into some nice drum,’’ said Capt.

Petra Schultz of Green Hornet Guide Service.

“We were using live shrimp under popping corks and everyone had limits of 18- to 20-inch drum — they (were) all aggressive and were putting up a good fight.

“After a little catch-and-release time, everyone else was ready to go in, but this guy just kept on saying ‘Just JUST ONE MORE: Tasty gamefish like these black drum, along with snapper and one more, just one sheepshead, are hot-ticket items this winter at Corpus Christi Bay. Photo by LSON. more.’ He sounded shrimp near the bottom said the prospect of hooking just like a little kid.

“It was kind of funny to seem to be the best baits dur- into a big trout while wading around Shamrock was more see, but I guess it can happen ing the winter months. to anyone.’’

However, there was a time than a little rejuvenating.

“You can bet that as soon as Good-eating fish like according to the old-timers the drum, snappers and that the trick to catching big hunting season winds down, sheepshead are the hot-ticket speckled trout was to wade I will be out there with a lot items at Corpus Christi Bay fish near Shamrock Cove, of people for some full-blown during the winter months said Capt. Steve Schultz, fishing,’’ he said. each year, and this year the who spends most of his time angling action is proving to be in Baffin Bay, Laguna Madre Green Hornet Guide Service, and along the Land Cut. top-notch.

(361) 790-9742 “Back in the day,” he said, Capt. Steve Schultz, “If the water temperature is already low and we have a “they said they would wade (361) 949-7359

January 13, 2012

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TEXAS FISHING REPORT Sponsored by

HOT BITES LARGEMOUTH BASS

ATHENS: Good on watermelon shaky head worms and black/blue football jigs around brush piles.

CANYON LAKE: Good on chartreuse Brush Hogs, red shad JDC drop-shot worms, and tubes on jigheads in 15–25 feet along bluffs.

FORK: Good on black/blue flipping jigs rigged with LFT Flipper — concentrate on the wood cover near creek channel bends.

LAVON: Good on Texas-rigged creature baits, black/brown jigs and squarebill crankbaits.

WEATHERFORD: Good on shallow crankbaits, shaky heads and Texas rig creature baits.

WHITE, HYBRID, STRIPER

AMISTAD: Striped bass are good on Rat–L–Traps and jigging spoons under birds. White bass are good on Rat–L–Traps and jigging spoons under birds.

BOB SANDLIN: White bass are good on Humdingers and top-waters.

PROCTOR: White bass are good on small Rat–L–Traps and roadrunners.

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

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

CATFISH

BRAUNIG: Channel catfish are good on chicken livers, shrimp and cut shad.

Blue catfish are good on cut bait.

CALAVERAS: Channel and blue catfish are very good on chicken livers, shrimp and cut shad.

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

NAVARRO MILLS: Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

TAWAKONI: Excellent in deep water drifting cut bait and fresh shad.

CRAPPIE COLEMAN: Good on minnows and blue tube jigs.

COOPER: Good on minnows.

PALESTINE: Good on minnows and jigs.

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 45–53 degrees; 7.65’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on black/ blue jigs, drop-shot rigs, square-bill crankbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and live minnows.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 55–59 degrees; 8.95’ low. Largemouth bass are good on perch-colored crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on Rat–L–Traps and jigging spoons under birds. White bass are good on Rat–L–Traps and jigging spoons under birds. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch.

ARROWHEAD: Water off-color; 42–51 degrees; 8.33’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs, jigs, spinnerbaits and shaky heads. White bass are good on slabs and minnows.

Blue catfish are good on live shad.

are fair to good on prepared bait and nightcrawlers.

Hogs, red shad drop-shot worms, and tubes on jigheads in 15–25 feet along bluffs. Smallmouth bass are good on smoke/blue flake tubes on jigheads, watermelon red grubs and smoke drop-shot worms along main lake points.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 47–51 degrees; 7.10’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas creature baits, shaky heads and black/blue finesse jigs around docks.

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

good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on prepared baits.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 47–51 degrees; 11.93’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, black/brown jigs and square-bill 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; 56–59 degrees; 0.22’ low. Largemouth bass are good

HOT SPOT

ATHENS: Water clear, 48–52 degrees; 4.60’ 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.

BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 48–53 degrees; 8.72’ 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.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are fair on live shad. Redfish are fair on live perch and shad near the dam. Channel catfish are good on chicken livers, shrimp and cut shad. Blue catfish are good on cut bait.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 47–51 degrees; 12.28’ low. Largemouth bass are good on TN Shad Jackall Squad Minnow jerkbaits along main lake points and Jackall Flick Shake 4.8” watermelon candy worms around deeper docks. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs (best action midday).

BROWNWOOD: Water lightly stained; 54–58 degrees; 16.03’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon jigs and crankbaits and on chartreuse GrandeBass 4” Trickster worms over brush piles. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies and crankbaits off lighted docks at night. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs over brush piles.

BUCHANAN: Water clear; 55–59 degrees; 32.15’ low. Largemouth bass are good on pumpkinseed JDC curl tail grubs on jigheads, Texas-rigged watermelon Scoundrel worms, and blue back Fat Free Shads along ledges and points in 10–25 feet. Striped bass are good jigging Pirk Minnows and Spoiler Shad swim baits in 20–30 feet. White bass are fair on crappie jigs, Tiny Traps, and blade baits along main lake points in 15–30 feet.

CADDO: Water stained; 48–52 degrees; .07’ high. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue jigs around isolated cover. Shad-pattern lipless crankbaits in the same areas are effective. Yellow bass are good on minnows.

CALAVERAS: Water clear. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Channel and blue catfish are very good on chicken livers, shrimp and cut shad.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 56–60 degrees; 10.40’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse Brush

RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 48– 52 degrees; 5.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, square-bill crankbaits, Rat–L–Traps — swim jigs are good around riprap also. Crappie are fair on minnows and Road Runners.

White bass are excellent on humps in 17–23 feet with hybrids mixed in.

Catfish are good on prepared baits.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 47–51 degrees; 4.61’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue Larew Salt Craws flipped to standing timber near creek channels and pearl shadcolored Bomber Fat A cranks worked around shallow rock on main lake points. Crappie are slow on minnows in 25 feet near points. White bass are excellent on slabs in 35 feet.

BASTROP: Water clear; 57–60 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on stinkbait, chicken livers and shrimp.

BELTON: Water stained; 55–58 degrees; 12.01’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon top-waters.

Crappie are fair on minnows and pink tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and stinkbait.

PROCTOR: Water fairly clear; 54–57 degrees; 7.68’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse soft plastic worms, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. White bass are good on small Rat–L–Traps and roadrunners. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines and juglines baited with cut shad.

Sabine Lake Continuing a run of great fishing, Sabine Lake guides reported solid catches of large trout and slot redfish. Mullet and shad, along with plastics, have been working. On calm days, guides have located birds above baitfish and caught easy limits. Photo by LSON.

COLEMAN: Water clear; 57–60 degrees; 15.98’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are good on minnows and chartreuse Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs.

CONROE: Water fairly clear; 56–60 degrees; 7.91’ low. Largemouth bass are good on perch-colored soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits in 20–35 feet. Striped bass are good on live minnows and silver striper jigs.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 48–52 degrees; 12.89’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse shallow crankbaits, chatterbaits and Texas-rigged worms throughout the day. Green pumpkin soft plastics are best. 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; 61–65 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse soft plastic worms and jigs in 15–25 feet. Crappie are fair on chartreuse jigs. Striped bass are still in the lake in limited numbers. Channel and blue catfish are excellent on cut bait and stinkbait.

FORK: Water fairly clear; 47–51 degrees; 7.31’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue flipping jigs rigged with LFT Flipper — concentrate on the wood cover near creek channel bends. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad and prepared bait.

GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 48–52 degrees; 4.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon Texasrigged worms, watermelon finesse jigs, Rat–L–Traps, crankbaits and suspending jerkbaits along main lake points. Crappie are good on minnows.

White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.

JOE POOL: Water clear; 48–52 degrees; 2.34’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, Rat–L–Traps, shallow crankbaits and smaller jigs — midday bite has been best. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are

on perch-colored Snag Proof jigs, watermelon drop-shot worms, and green pumpkin tubes early and late.

Channel catfish are fair on minnows and nightcrawlers. Yellow and blue catfish are slow.

LEWISVILLE: Water clear; 47–51 degrees; 6.10’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shallow-running shadpattern crankbaits and suspending jerkbaits along riprap near the dam.

Larger rock along main lake points producing as well. Later in the day watermelon finesse jigs in the same areas are effective. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 58– 62 degrees; 1.74’ low. Largemouth bass are good on perch-colored crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Rat–L– Traps. Crappie are good on minnows.

Blue catfish are good on trotlines and juglines baited with shad.

MACKENZIE: Water stained; 43–49 degrees; 85.65’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits, Texas rigs and medium- and shallowrunning shad-pattern crankbaits.

Striped bass are fair to good on live shad.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water lightly stained; 54–58 degrees; 3.39’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on perchcolored spinnerbaits and Rat–L– Traps. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 48–52 degrees; 5.39’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on shallow crankbaits, Rat–L–Traps and bladed jigs. The jig bite is consistent around docks. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs, Sassy Shad and live shad. White bass are fair to good on slabs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water fairly clear; 44–54 degrees; 10.67’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on DD 22s, drop-shot rigs, Texas rigs 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

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water fairly clear; 48–52 degrees; 7.65’ low.

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

White bass are fair on slabs and live shad. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs and live shad.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 57–61 degrees; 12.09’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastic worms, spinnerbaits, and Rat–L–Traps.

Catfish are good on stinkbait, shrimp and liver.

TAWAKONI: Water fairly clear; 47–51 degrees; 6.81’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue Firewater 1/2 oz. jigs and square-bill crankbaits in chartreuse patterns. White bass are excellent on white SSS Slabs and tailspins — schooling on points early and late. Striped bass and hybrid striper are good on 4” to 6” whiteor shad-pattern Sassy Shad in the shallows early then suspending deep during the day. Catfish are excellent in deep water drifting cut bait and fresh shad.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 55–59 degrees; 10.56’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse soft plastics, spinnerbaits and Rat–L– Traps. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs over brush piles.

Bream are fair on worms. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

TRAVIS: Water lightly stained; 56–59 degrees; 54.61’ low. Largemouth bass are good on perch-colored crankbaits, chartreuse worms and smoke grubs in 15–25 feet. White bass are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies in 20–35 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs in 15–30 feet. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and cut bait in 20–35 feet.

WEATHERFORD: Water fairly clear; 48– 52 degrees; 7.76’ 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.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 54–58 degrees; 15.56’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits, crankbaits and soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on shrimp, liver, and nightcrawlers.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 47–51 degrees; 3.61’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on Texasrigged worms, shallow crankbaits and chatterbaits along main lake points. Football heads jigs have also been productive.

SALTWATER SCENE NORTH SABINE: Redfish are fair to good at the discharge canal on peeled shrimp.

Black drum are fair around rock groins.

Sand trout are good in the deep holes on shrimp.

SOUTH SABINE: Bull redfish are good at the jetty on crabs. Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp.

BOLIVAR: Sand trout are fair to good in the ICW on shrimp. Black drum and redfish are good at Rollover Pass and on the beachfront.

TRINITY BAY: Redfish are fair to good in the bayous for waders tossing plastics.

Redfish are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet. Trout are good in Red’s Bayou on plastics.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair over deep mud and structures on MirrOlures.

Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair for waders 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 good in the holes in Moses Lake on mullet and shrimp.

Flounder are fair on the edge of the channel on plastics and finger mullet.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs.

Redfish are good in Cold Pass and San Luis pass on cracked blue crabs.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters vver er on plum plastics over red shell humps and scattered shell. Redfish Redfish are fair on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair on the south shoreline in the guts and bayous. Sheepshead are fair around piers and rocks on shrimp. Trout are fair to good in the guts on soft plastics.

ROCKPORT: Redfish are fair to good at California Hole on shrimp. Trout are fair on the edge of the ICW on glow DOA Shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair to good on the edge of the channel on soft plastics and mullet. Sand trout are good on shrimp in the channel.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfish are fair to good od in the Humble Channel and around Emmords Hole on crabs and shrimp. Trout are fair on the edge of the flats on live shrimp and DOA Shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud and rocks on Corkies, 52 MirrOlures and Catch 2000s. Redfish are fair on the edge of the Land Cut on plastics tipped with shrimp.

PORT MANSFIELD:: Trout are fair to good on DOA Shrimp around grass holes. Trout and redfish are fair on muddy shorelines and on the edge of the ICW on Corkies and soft plastics worked slowly.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfish are fair 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 and imitation shrimp. Redfish are fair in the deep holes and along the edge of the channel on gold spoons and jigs tipped with shrimp.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Lake Lavon site of opening collegiate event The Association of Collegiate Anglers has selected Allen as the host city for the 2012 Cabela's Collegiate Big Bass Bash. Hundreds of students from across the country will fish Lake Lavon, March 19-24 for the opening event of the 2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series. Cabela's in Allen will be the tournament headquarters.

The Cabela's Collegiate Big Bass Bash is one of three nationally televised events hosted as part of the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series. These free events are open to all full-time students of university-recognized programs.

— Association of Collegiate Anglers

Seminar to help landowners manage lakes for big bass An upcoming program to be held in Athens will show landowners how to grow trophy bass in private ponds and lakes.

“Bass Tech: The Technology to Manage for Success” will be held March 24 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, Hart-Morris Conservation Center, in Athens to show bass enthusiasts just how to do so, said Dr. Billy Higginbotham, AgriLife Extension wildlife and fisheries specialist.

A joint venture of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and AgriLife Extension, programming will include presentations starting with basic pond ecology, water quality, pond fertility, supplemental feeding, bass population assessment, aquatic weed control, controlling nuisance wildlife, bass genetics and managing for trophy bass, Higginbotham said.

Registration for the training is $70 by March 16, $100 thereafter. To register call (979) 845-2604.

— TPWD

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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER FACEBOOK POST STRIKES AGAIN Harris County Game Wardens Kelly Newman and Kevin Malonson investigated a poaching complaint after receiving a tip from a Tomball police detective. Newman gathered information about a young man who posted a picture on Facebook of a nine-point buck in the back of a pickup, with the statement, “Tomball poaching.” The young man admitted to killing the deer on a property without permission to hunt.

Cases pending.

REPEAT OFFENDER BACK FOR MORE Fort Bend County Game Warden Mike Weiss and Brazoria County Game Warden Jason Richers arrested a subject on warrants for hunting without landowner consent and criminal trespass with a deadly weapon.

This is the eleventh time the subject has had charges filed on him by game wardens from five different counties.

The recent charges were filed after a rancher apprehended the subject on his property in September. Weiss cited the same man after he caught him with an illegally taken deer on the same ranch back in 2009.

The subject, driving his employer’s Jaguar, showed up at a meeting with Weiss and Richers, expecting a discussion about a rifle that had been seized by the landowner. Instead, he was arrested and placed in the Fort Bend County Jail, and the Jaguar was impounded. Cases pending.

PROBABLY NOT KISSING COUSINS An individual reported that his cousin shot a deer beside his home without a hunting license. Harrison County Game Wardens Darrin Peeples and Todd Long went to the subject’s home and located the deer carcass with just the back straps removed.

The wardens obtained a confession that the subject shot the deer with

BIG BUCK’S BODY DUMPED, HEAD LOCATED BY WARDEN Jasper County Game Warden Morgan Inman received a call from Newton County Game Warden Landon Spacek stating that he had received information about whitetailed deer being dumped on a resident’s property, minus the head. After meeting with the landowner, Inman was surprised to find that the landowner had seen the violator a .22-caliber rifle. A warrant check also revealed that the subject had a family violence warrant. The subject was taken into custody and transported to the Harrison County Jail.

Multiple charges pending.

THIS DEER WILL COST MORE THAN $30 Jim Hogg County Game Warden Carlos Maldonado and Duval County Game Warden Ram Coronado received a phone call from a hunter stating that there was a deer lying on the side of the road that had been gutted. He also stated that there was a blue pickup truck parked nearby and it had taken off when the driver saw the hunters. The license plate the hunter gave the wardens came back to a resident whom the wardens had dealt with before for hunting illegally. Maldonado waited near the deer, and the suspect returned and loaded the deer in the trunk of a four-door passenger car. When the wardens arrived at the suspect’s house, they found a five-point buck on the back porch. When the wardens asked where he had gotten the deer, he stated that he had bought it for $30 from a friend. Blood was found in the trunk of the passenger car and on the suspect’s boots and hunting knife. The suspect eventually admitted to shooting the deer from the side of the roadway with a .22-caliber rifle. Charges were filed and the cases are pending.

and knew who he was. At the violator’s residence, the violator admitted to throwing out the deer and said, “Well, I guess you want the head.” Inman replied, “That is what I am here for.” The violator opened a freezer and pulled out a buck with 13 scoreable points and three more that were broken off. Cases pending.

DECOY SHOOTER NOT HAPPY TO SEE WARDENS THIS TIME Lamb/Bailey/Cochran County Game Warden Lance May, Hockley/Yoakum/ Terry County Game Warden Jay Oyler, and Deaf Smith/Castro/Parmer County Game Warden James Cummings worked a mule deer decoy operation in Lamb County. Within five minutes of setting up the decoy, a subject stopped, got out of his truck and shot the decoy with a rifle. Earlier, at a restaurant, this same subject told the game wardens how glad he was to see them out. Cases are pending.

TAGS FILLED, THEN THE BIG BUCK APPEARED Leon County Game Warden Oscar Henson received information that a local man had killed a big deer and it was at a taxidermy shop being mounted. After conducting several interviews, it was discovered that the subject shot the deer, but used his sister’s tag on it because he had already killed a 13-inch deer during bow season. Citations were issued and a 148-class, 12-point buck was seized.

HANG ON, MR. WARDEN, WHILE I SHOOT AT THIS AXIS Receiving a call about an injured axis on the highway, Edwards County Game Warden Scott Holly responded to the location and observed a vehicle pulled off the highway. Holly observed an individual standing in a shooting

position and the action of a gun being fired. As Holly approached the vehicle, he again noticed the man fire a shot from his pistol across the road. Pulling up next to the vehicle, Holly observed the man fire a third shot at an axis deer on the roadway. Holly exited his vehicle and approached the man who was shooting at the axis. Holly educated the man that he was not allowed to shoot from a public roadway. Citations issued and charges pending.

ROADKILL APPETIZERS THWARTED Williamson County Game Warden Joel Campos was notified by the sheriff’s office that an eight-point buck had been hit off Highway 183 in Liberty Hill. As he approached the scene, Campos noticed a truck parked close to the deer. Campos watched a man open his tailgate and load the deer onto his truck. As the driver was attempting to leave, Campos stopped the vehicle. The driver stated he loved the antlers and wanted the deer meat for his party that night. A citation was issued.

NONRESIDENTS WANTED TO BE TEXANS Edwards County Game Warden Scott Holly filed two cases for nonresident people hunting under a resident license. The hunters had purchased nonresident licenses in prior years.

Unfortunately for the hunters from Louisiana and Illinois, Holly remembered them from prior years and the

out-of-state tags on the vehicle and the Texas ID and out-of-state driver license didn’t add up. One deer was confiscated, citations were issued and civil restitution is pending.

THE STEAM WAS THE SMOKING GUN Travis County Game Wardens Theron Oatman and Braxton Harris got behind a truck that was working a spotlight on a FM road. After following the truck for several miles, they made a stop.

There were three men inside the truck along with a loaded .270-caliber rifle, a pistol and a spotlight. The wardens noticed there was a deer in the back of the truck with steam coming off of it. The suspects stated they had killed the deer right before dark, but the traffic stop was made at approximately 10:45 p.m. After a long interview with all three suspects, it was found the deer was killed around 10 p.m. from the road. Cases pending.

DOG WALKING WARDEN NETS FISHING VIOLATOR Game Warden Albert Flores and his wife were out for a stroll with their dog on the Port Aransas' south jetty when Flores observed an individual struggling to carry a sack heavy with fish off the jetty. Upon identifying himself, Flores discovered two oversized and untagged redfish. With the assistance of a deputy constable, the individuals involved were identified and cases are pending.

HUNTERS, NEIGHBORS AID OCCUPANTS OF OVERTURNED BOAT Palo Pinto County Game Warden Cliff Swofford responded to a call regarding an overturned boat with people in the water on Lake Palo Pinto, and found duck hunters pulling the three men from the water onto their boat. At a nearby boat dock, neighbors brought electric blankets and coffee to help prevent hypothermia while awaiting an ambulance. All three men were OK.

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First quail Continued From Page 1

Texas at Wildcat Creek Quail Hunting Resort.

Kelsey’s immediate family has never hunted.

“I have an uncle that has hunted some,” she said. “He said to go for it.”

And before beginning the two-hour drive to WCR, she was already catching the bug.

“I’m in the mood to kill something,” she said.

At Wildcat Creek, Nick Parker handled the shooting instructions, starting with gun safety and moving on to shooting, including shots where the instructor pulled the target without notice to the new shooter. After a few hours and several attempts at the range, Kelsey finally connected with a number of clay targets.

It was time to go to the field with Nick as guide.

The field was a quite different experience, at first. Several quail flushed after the English Pointer and German Shorthair pointed without a shot being fired.

The safety on the shotgun had not been turned off.

“I’m an expert with this safety on thing,” Kelsey said. “It’s the safety off part I’m having trouble with.”

Other flushes erupted without success.

“This is really hard,” Kelsey said. “There are so many things to think about — safety, the dogs, the other people around you, keeping the barrel pointed up, keeping my weight forward, ugh.”

Frustration was beginning to set in.

Toward the end of the afternoon, many of the birds that had been hiding in the woods came out into the tall native switchgrass and the dogs locked in. And some of the instructions given began to take hold as a pointing and shooting frenzy ensued — and quail began to fall.

Kelsey, using one shotshell at a time for safety assurance, downed four clean shots. After each shot, her request to the guide was quite loud.

“I need another shell.”

Lili Sams, her Chi Omega sorority sister and friend, also on her first upland hunt, downed three. And several more birds dropped after both young women shot simultaneously.

“They did great after a bit of a slow start,” Nick said. “That 20-bird flurry at the end was classic, the girls got really focused and the birds weren’t startling them. And they did exactly what I told them — they hit more birds than they think they did and they became quick shots after the flush. Quail hunting is really hard for a firsttimer and many have done worse.”

After the hunt, the girls enjoyed a five-star dinner prepared by WCR’s chef, David Parker.

WCR is truly a family affair and vision of Ron and Evonne Parker and their sons. The lodge, rooms and atmosphere are family oriented.

“We want the experience to be first-class, but yet not stuffy,” said Ron Parker.

The habitat, birds and dogs are first-rate, with fields cleared out of the thick woods by Parker, who also owns a construction business.

“And we are clearing saplings in two areas to offer hunters a true Georgia-style quail hunt with tough shots through the trees,” Ron said.

Parker releases many birds early and releases more throughout the season.

“We want the birds to be as wild as possible and explode out of the grass,” Parker said.

And it’s working.

“All of our raised birds are banded,” Nick said.

“We are shooting more and more unbanded birds, so some are making it and nesting. And the neighbors are starting to see quail, too.”

As for Kelsey, she said her first hunt wouldn’t be her last.

Last we heard, she was shopping for a shotgun — a pink one.

First hunt

Wildcat Creek Quail Hunting Resort, (903) 674-2000; info@wcrquailhunting.com

Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation to create sporting opportunities The opportunity to hunt or fish has been lost to many teens and young adults. Many think that if one doesn’t begin with family at a young age that he or she won’t pick it up as adults — and are considered lost as a potential future fisher, hunter, license and equipment purchaser and conservationist.

We at Lone Star Outdoor News disagree.

That’s one of the main reasons why Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation is being established.

“The people in Texas and across the nation have been good to us,” said founder and CEO

David J. Sams. “We’ve been planning to give back for years, and now it’s time.”

The 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization will be set up to help young men and women, like Kelsey, who have the desire but lack the opportunity.

“We want to help young people discover the passion that we have for hunting and fishing,” said Craig Nyhus, executive editor of Lone Star Outdoor News and future director of the foundation. “It’s not a matter of background, sex, social status or what they look like — it comes down to opportunity and the person’s desire to take advantage of it and become the future of what we love and want to preserve for them.”

Details of the foundation’s mission, plan and efforts will be detailed within future pages of Lone Star Outdoor News.

Photography by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

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Sun | Moon | Tides Height 1.2H 0.4L -0.1L -0.5L -0.9L -1.3L -1.5L -1.6L -1.6L -1.5L 1.7H 1.6H 1.4H 1.2H 1.0H

Time 10:49 AM 6:10 AM 8:17 AM 10:21 AM 12:03 PM 1:11 PM 2:01 PM 2:43 PM 3:20 PM 3:53 PM 8:33 AM 9:14 AM 9:51 AM 10:25 AM 10:56 AM

Height -0.3L 1.0H 1.1H 1.3H 1.6H 1.8H 1.9H 1.9H 1.9H 1.8H -1.3L -1.0L -0.7L -0.3L 0.1L

Time 6:13 PM 11:33 AM 12:23 PM 1:33 PM 3:48 PM 6:04 PM 6:55 PM 7:24 PM 7:52 PM 8:24 PM 4:23 PM 4:50 PM 5:14 PM 5:36 PM 5:56 PM

Height 1.4H 0.2L 0.7L 1.1L 1.5L 1.6L 1.6L 1.6L 1.5L 1.3L 1.6H 1.5H 1.4H 1.3H 1.3H

Height -0.2L 0.8H 0.8H 1.0H 1.3H 1.4H 1.5H 1.5H 1.5H -1.2L -1.1L -0.8L -0.5L -0.2L 0.1L

Time 7:00 PM 11:59 AM 12:49 PM 1:59 PM 4:14 PM 6:30 PM 7:21 PM 7:50 PM 8:18 PM 4:40 PM 5:10 PM 5:37 PM 6:01 PM 6:23 PM 6:43 PM

Height 1.1H 0.2L 0.6L 0.9L 1.2L 1.3L 1.3L 1.3L 1.2L 1.4H 1.3H 1.2H 1.1H 1.1H 1.0H

Time

Height

6:32 PM 6:51 PM 7:11 PM 7:38 PM 8:27 PM 9:35 PM 10:44 PM 11:48 PM

1.4H 1.4H 1.5H 1.5H 1.6H 1.7H 1.7H 1.7H

9:01 PM 9:45 PM 10:33 PM 11:25 PM

1.1L 0.9L 0.7L 0.4 L

Time

Height

Height 0.9H 0.3L -0.1L -0.4L -0.7L -1.0L -1.2L -1.3L -1.3L 1.4H 1.3H 1.3H 1.1H 1.0H 0.8H

Time 11:15 AM 6:57 AM 9:04 AM 11:08 AM 12:50 PM 1:58 PM 2:48 PM 3:30 PM 4:07 PM 8:16 AM 8:59 AM 9:40 AM 10:17 AM 10:51 AM 11:22 AM

7:19 PM 7:38 PM 7:58 PM 8:25 PM 9:14 PM 10:22 PM 11:31 PM

1.1H 1.1H 1.2H 1.2H 1.3H 1.3H 1.4H

8:50 PM 9:27 PM 10:11 PM 10:59 PM 11:51 PM

1.1 L 0.9 L 0.7 L 0.5 L 0.3 L

Height 0.4L 0.2L 0.0L -0.3L -0.4L -0.6L -0.7L -0.8L 0.8H 0.8H 0.8H 0.8H 0.7H 0.6H 0.2L

Time 5:33 AM 7:27 AM 9:34 AM 11:38 AM 1:20 PM 2:28 PM 3:18 PM 4:00 PM 8:24 AM 9:12 AM 9:55 AM 10:36 AM 11:13 AM 11:47 AM 6:25 AM

Height 0.6H 0.5H 0.5H 0.6H 0.8H 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H -0.8L -0.7L -0.6L -0.5L -0.3L -0.1L 0.5H

Time 12:11 PM 12:55 PM 1:45 PM 2:55 PM 5:10 PM 7:26 PM 8:17 PM 8:46 PM 4:37 PM 5:10 PM 5:40 PM 6:07 PM 6:31 PM 6:53 PM 12:18 PM

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

Time 7:30 PM 7:49 PM 8:08 PM 8:28 PM 8:55 PM 9:44 PM 10:52 PM

Height 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.8H 0.8H

9:14 PM 9:46 PM 10:23 PM 11:07 PM 11:55 PM

0.7L 0.6 L 0.5 L 0.4L 0.3 L

7:13 PM

0.6H

Height 0.6L 0.4L 0.1L -0.1L -0.4L -0.6L -0.7L -0.8L -0.8L -0.7L 1.0H 1.0H 0.9H 0.9H 0.4L

Time 5:11 AM 6:50 AM 8:39 AM 10:34 AM 12:20 PM 1:37 PM 2:35 PM 3:23 PM 4:04 PM 4:37 PM 9:09 AM 9:52 AM 10:31 AM 11:07 AM 5:44 AM

Height 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 1.1H 1.3H 1.5H 1.6H 1.6H 1.6H 1.5H -0.6L -0.4L -0.2L 0.0L 0.8H

Time 11:32 AM 12:26 PM 1:39 PM 4:10 PM

Height 0.0L 0.3L 0.6L 0.9L

Time 6:48 PM 7:07 PM 7:24 PM 7:33 PM

Height 1.2H 1.1H 1.0H 1.0H

Feb 8

Jan 30

Date Time Jan 13 2:50 AM Jan 14 3:32 AM Jan 15 4:20 AM Jan 16 5:13 AM Jan 17 7:57 PM Jan 18 7:15 AM Jan 19 8:21 AM Jan 20 9:24 AM Jan 21 10:23 AM Jan 22 11:16 AM Jan 23 12:26 AM Jan 24 1:30 AM Jan 25 2:34 AM Jan 26 1:39 AM Jan 27 2:39 AM

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

Time 4:51 AM 7:10 AM 7:57 PM 7:50 PM

Height 0.0H -0.1H 0.0H 0.1H

8:22 PM 9:10 PM 10:11 PM 11:18 PM

0.3H 0.3H 0.3H 0.3H

12:00 PM 12:35 PM 01:01 PM 3:43 AM 5:10 AM

-0.7L -0.6L -0.5L -0.1H -0.2H

Time 2:51 PM 8:21 AM 9:35 PM 9:42 PM 10:10 PM 10:54 PM 11:47 PM

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

11:24 AM 12:13 PM 12:55 PM 1:29 PM 1:54 PM 2:09 PM 6:59 AM

-0.5L -0.5L -0.4L -0.4L -0.4L -0.3L -0.2H

Time 1:59 PM 2:18 PM

Height -0.3L -0.2L

6:12 AM

-0.6L

10:23 PM 1:18 PM 1:27 PM

-0.1H -0.4L -0.3L

Time 10:40 PM 2:41 PM

Height -0.2H -0.3L

Time 9:26 PM 8:43 PM

Height 0.0H 0.0H

10:04 PM -0.1H 8:28 PM -0.1H

Date Time Jan 13 5:26 AM Jan 14 4:59 AM Jan 15 5:56 AM Jan 16 6:47 AM Jan 17 7:40 AM Jan 18 8:35 AM Jan 19 9:32 AM Jan 20 10:29 AM Jan 21 12:43 AM Jan 22 1:39 AM Jan 23 2:34 AM Jan 24 3:28 AM Jan 25 4:23 AM Jan 26 5:29 AM Jan 27 1:30 AM

Height -0.1H -0.2L -0.3L -0.3L -0.4L -0.4L -0.5L -0.5L 0.0H 0.0H -0.1H -0.1H -0.1H -0.2H -0.3L

Time

Height

9:54 PM -0.2H

10:48 PM 5:04 PM 5:26 PM 5:43 PM 5:59 PM 11:41 AM

1.0L 1.4H 1.2H 1.1H 1.0H 0.3L

Date Time Jan 13 12:36 AM Jan 14 1:07 AM Jan 15 1:48 AM Jan 16 2:36 AM Jan 17 3:29 AM Jan 18 4:25 AM Jan 19 5:21 AM Jan 20 6:15 AM Jan 21 7:07 AM Jan 22 7:56 AM Jan 23 8:42 AM Jan 24 12:49 AM Jan 25 2:17 AM Jan 26 3:40 AM Jan 27 5:08 AM

Height 0.4L 0.2L -0.1L -0.4L -0.6L -0.8L -1.0L -1.2L -1.3L -1.2L -1.1L 0.7H 0.6H 0.5H 0.5H

11:06 PM 11:28 PM 11:53 PM

0.9 L 0.7 L 0.6 L

6:13 PM

1.0H

Date Time Jan 13 12:22 AM Jan 14 12:54 AM Jan 15 1:36 AM Jan 16 2:26 AM Jan 17 3:21 AM Jan 18 4:18 AM Jan 19 5:16 AM Jan 20 6:12 AM Jan 21 7:06 AM Jan 22 7:56 AM Jan 23 8:44 AM Jan 24 12:44 AM Jan 25 2:10 AM Jan 26 3:33 AM Jan 27 5:02 AM

Height 0.8L 0.5L 0.1L -0.2L -0.5L -0.8L -0.9L -1.0L -1.0L -0.9L -0.7L 1.1H 1.0H 0.9H 0.8H

2012 Jan-Feb 13 Fri 14 Sat 15 Sun 16 Mon Q 17 Tue 18 Wed 19 Thu 20 Fri 21 Sat 22 Sun > 23 Mon N 24 Tue > 25 Wed > 26 Thu > 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun 30 Mon Q 31 Tue Q 01 Wed

A.M. Minor Major 8:31 2:19 9:26 3:13 10:20 4:07 11:14 5:00 ----- 5:53 12:32 6:47 1:25 7:40 2:18 8:33 3:12 9:26 4:05 10:18 4:57 11:10 5:49 11:33 6:40 12:29 7:30 1:19 8:18 2:08 9:06 2:55 9:53 3:42 10:39 4:28 11:25 5:13 ----- 5:59

P.M. Minor 8:55 9:50 10:46 11:41 12:08 1:01 1:55 2:48 3:40 4:32 5:23 6:13 7:03 7:51 8:40 9:27 10:15 11:02 11:48 12:11

Major 2:43 3:38 4:33 5:27 6:22 7:16 8:10 9:03 9:55 10:46 11:36 12:01 12:51 1:41 2:29 3:17 4:04 4:50 5:37 6:23

SUN Rises Sets 07:17 05:40 07:17 05:41 07:17 05:42 07:16 05:43 07:16 05:44 07:16 05:45 07:16 05:45 07:16 05:46 07:15 05:47 07:15 05:48 07:15 05:49 07:14 05:50 07:14 05:51 07:14 05:52 07:13 05:52 07:13 05:53 07:12 05:54 07:12 05:55 07:11 05:56 07:11 05:57

MOON Rises 10:27p 11:30p NoMoon 12:34a 1:40a 2:46a 3:50a 4:50a 5:45a 6:34a 7:17a 7:56a 8:30a 9:03a 9:34a 10:06a 10:39a 11:14a 11:53a 12:35p

Sets 9:56a 10:33a 11:11a 11:53a 12:39p 1:30p 2:27p 3:27p 4:29p 5:32p 6:34p 7:33p 8:30p 9:24p 10:18p 11:12p NoMoon 12:05a 12:59a 1:53a

Dallas

9:49 PM 2:12 PM

-0.3H -0.3L

9:02 PM -0.2H

Time 4:19 AM 6:33 AM 9:12 AM 11:55 AM 1:25 PM 2:19 PM 3:04 PM 3:44 PM 4:19 PM 4:49 PM 5:14 PM 9:26 AM 10:07 AM 10:45 AM 11:23 AM

Height 0.5H 0.5H 0.7H 1.0H 1.3H 1.4H 1.5H 1.5H 1.3H 1.2H 1.0H -1.0L -0.7L -0.4L -0.1L

Time 11:10 AM 11:56 AM 12:50 PM 2:28 PM

Height -0.2L 0.2L 0.6L 1.0L

Time 6:32 PM 6:34 PM 6:28 PM 6:04 PM

Height 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 1.0H

10:29 PM 5:33 PM 5:47 PM 5:55 PM 5:56 PM

0.6L 0.8H 0.7H 0.6H 0.6H

10:45 PM 11:13 PM 11:46 PM

0.5L 0.3L 0.1 L

Time 3:52 AM 6:07 AM 8:45 AM 11:45 AM 1:45 PM 2:43 PM 3:31 PM 4:12 PM 4:46 PM 5:12 PM 5:31 PM 9:28 AM 10:08 AM 10:46 AM 11:20 AM

Height 0.9H 0.8H 0.8H 1.0H 1.2H 1.3H 1.4H 1.5H 1.4H 1.3H 1.2H -0.4L -0.2L 0.1L 0.3L

Time 11:13 AM 12:00 PM 12:51 PM 2:02 PM

Height 0.1L 0.4L 0.7L 0.9L

Time 6:32 PM 6:28 PM 6:17 PM 5:52 PM

Height 1.1H 1.0H 0.9H 1.0H

9:58 PM 5:43 PM 5:50 PM 5:53 PM 5:52 PM

1.1L 1.1H 1.0H 1.0H 0.9H

10:26 PM 11:03 PM 11:45 PM

South Padre Island

Freeport Harbor Date Time Jan 13 12:40 AM Jan 14 1:10 AM Jan 15 1:52 AM Jan 16 2:44 AM Jan 17 3:41 AM Jan 18 4:41 AM Jan 19 5:41 AM Jan 20 6:39 AM Jan 21 7:33 AM Jan 22 8:23 AM Jan 23 1:06 AM Jan 24 2:16 AM Jan 25 3:23 AM Jan 26 4:31 AM Jan 27 12:23 AM

First

Jan 23

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell Pier

San Luis Pass Date Time Jan 13 12:20 AM Jan 14 1:26 AM Jan 15 2:33 AM Jan 16 3:40 AM Jan 17 4:43 AM Jan 18 5:43 AM Jan 19 6:40 AM Jan 20 7:34 AM Jan 21 12:01 AM Jan 22 1:05 AM Jan 23 2:05 AM Jan 24 3:03 AM Jan 25 4:03 AM Jan 26 5:09 AM Jan 27 12:47 AM

Last

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.

Full

Rockport

Galveston Bay entrance, south jetty Date Time Jan 13 5:03 AM Jan 14 12:30 AM Jan 15 1:37 AM Jan 16 2:44 AM Jan 17 3:47 AM Jan 18 4:47 AM Jan 19 5:44 AM Jan 20 6:38 AM Jan 21 7:28 AM Jan 22 12:35 AM Jan 23 1:35 AM Jan 24 2:33 AM Jan 25 3:33 AM Jan 26 4:39 AM Jan 27 5:55 AM

New

Port O’Connor

Sabine Pass, jetty Date Time Jan 13 4:16 AM Jan 14 12:04 AM Jan 15 1:11 AM Jan 16 2:18 AM Jan 17 3:21 AM Jan 18 4:21 AM Jan 19 5:18 AM Jan 20 6:12 AM Jan 21 7:02 AM Jan 22 7:50 AM Jan 23 12:48 AM Jan 24 1:46 AM Jan 25 2:46 AM Jan 26 3:52 AM Jan 27 5:08 AM

Solunar | Sun times | Moon times

Moon Phases Jan 16

Texas Coast Tides

LSONews.com

0.9 L 0.7 L 0.5 L

2012 Jan-Feb 13 Fri 14 Sat 15 Sun 16 Mon Q 17 Tue 18 Wed 19 Thu 20 Fri 21 Sat 22 Sun > 23 Mon N 24 Tue > 25 Wed > 26 Thu > 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun 30 Mon Q 31 Tue Q 01 Wed

A.M. Minor Major 8:37 2:24 9:31 3:19 10:25 4:12 11:19 5:06 ----- 5:59 12:37 6:52 1:30 7:45 2:24 8:38 3:17 9:31 4:10 10:24 5:03 11:16 5:55 11:39 6:45 12:34 7:35 1:24 8:24 2:13 9:11 3:01 9:58 3:47 10:45 4:33 11:31 5:19 ----- 6:04

P.M. Minor Major 9:01 2:49 9:56 3:43 10:51 4:38 11:46 5:33 12:13 6:27 1:07 7:21 2:00 8:15 2:53 9:08 3:46 10:00 4:37 10:51 5:28 11:41 6:19 12:07 7:08 12:57 7:57 1:46 8:45 2:34 9:33 3:22 10:20 4:09 11:07 4:56 11:54 5:42 12:16 6:29

SUN MOON Rises Sets Rises Sets 07:29 05:39 10:33p 10:02a 07:29 05:40 11:38p 10:37a 07:29 05:41 NoMoon 11:13a 07:29 05:41 12:44a 11:54a 07:28 05:42 1:52a 12:38p 07:28 05:43 2:59a 1:29p 07:28 05:44 4:03a 2:25p 07:28 05:45 5:04a 3:25p 07:27 05:46 5:58a 4:28p 07:27 05:47 6:46a 5:32p 07:26 05:48 7:28a 6:35p 07:26 05:49 8:04a 7:36p 07:26 05:50 8:38a 8:34p 07:25 05:51 9:09a 9:31p 07:25 05:52 9:39a 10:26p 07:24 05:53 10:09a 11:21p 07:23 05:54 10:41a NoMoon 07:23 05:55 11:15a 12:16a 07:22 05:56 11:52a 1:10a 07:22 05:57 12:34p 2:05a

P.M. Minor Major 9:08 2:56 10:03 3:50 10:58 4:45 11:53 5:40 12:20 6:34 1:14 7:28 2:07 8:22 3:00 9:15 3:53 10:07 4:44 10:58 5:35 11:48 6:26 12:14 7:15 1:04 8:04 1:53 8:52 2:41 9:40 3:29 10:27 4:16 11:14 5:03 ----- 5:49 12:23 6:36

SUN MOON Rises Sets Rises Sets 07:28 05:53 10:40p 10:09a 07:28 05:54 11:42p 10:46a 07:28 05:55 NoMoon 11:24a 07:28 05:56 12:47a 12:06p 07:28 05:57 1:53a 12:52p 07:28 05:58 2:58a 1:44p 07:28 05:59 4:02a 2:40p 07:27 05:59 5:03a 3:41p 07:27 06:00 5:58a 4:43p 07:27 06:01 6:47a 5:46p 07:27 06:02 7:30a 6:47p 07:26 06:03 8:08a 7:46p 07:26 06:04 8:43a 8:43p 07:25 06:05 9:16a 9:37p 07:25 06:06 9:47a 10:31p 07:25 06:06 10:19a 11:24p 07:24 06:07 10:52a NoMoon 07:24 06:08 11:28a 12:18a 07:23 06:09 12:06p 1:11a 07:23 06:10 12:49p 2:05a

P.M. Minor 9:21 10:16 11:11 ----12:34 1:27 2:21 3:14 4:06 4:58 5:49 6:39 7:28 8:17 9:06 9:53 10:40 11:27 ----12:37

SUN Rises 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:54 07:54 07:54 07:53 07:53 07:53 07:52 07:52 07:51 07:51 07:50 07:50 07:49 07:48 07:48 07:47 07:46

San Antonio 2012 A.M. Jan-Feb Minor Major 13 Fri 8:44 2:31 14 Sat 9:38 3:26 15 Sun 10:32 4:19 16 Mon Q 11:26 5:13 17 Tue ----- 6:06 18 Wed 12:44 6:59 19 Thu 1:37 7:52 20 Fri 2:31 8:45 21 Sat 3:24 9:38 22 Sun > 4:17 10:31 23 Mon N 5:10 11:23 24 Tue > 6:02 11:46 25 Wed > 6:52 12:41 26 Thu > 7:42 1:31 27 Fri 8:31 2:20 28 Sat 9:18 3:08 29 Sun 10:05 3:54 30 Mon Q 10:52 4:40 31 Tue Q 11:38 5:26 01 Wed ----- 6:11

Amarillo 2012 A.M. Jan-Feb Minor 13 Fri 8:57 14 Sat 9:52 15 Sun 10:46 16 Mon Q 11:40 17 Tue 12:05 18 Wed 12:58 19 Thu 1:51 20 Fri 2:44 21 Sat 3:37 22 Sun > 4:31 23 Mon N 5:23 24 Tue > 6:15 25 Wed > 7:06 26 Thu > 7:56 27 Fri 8:44 28 Sat 9:32 29 Sun 10:19 30 Mon Q 11:05 31 Tue Q 11:51 01 Wed 12:13

OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen ACROSS 1. Sound made by a wild turkey 4. Nature's cover for fawns 9. Skin-like cover on antlers 10. Camo cover for a bow 11. To take game illegally 12. A turkey's collection of females 13. The basket for the day's catch 14. A poisonous snake 19. A grouping of fish in one spot 21. Name for a special lure 23. The largest bass 24. An animal pathway 25. A fly pattern for bass 28. Good wood for arrows 31. A line grommet on a fishrod 32. A gun organization 33. Name for the whitetail of the North 34. This expels a fired casing 36. Code for a type bullet 38. Term for game

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

fish seen but not hooked Should do this on hunting routes A deer food The antlers Parts of an antler A large group of animals

DOWN 1. A deer's safe shelter 2. Newborn elk 3. A very good walleye bait 4. A cousin to the weasel and mink 5. A gun safety device 6. A small game animal 7. Campfire leftovers 8. This is shot off many turkeys 13. Used for bait at times 15. A flock of quail 16. Permits use of smaller caliber ammo 17. Good wood for arrow shafts 18. Name given to the Arizona whitetails 20. Trapped for the fur 22. A small game predator

23. Signifies a shotgun model 26. A panfish 27. The kick when gun is fired 29. Protects shoulder from gun recoil

Solution on Page 21 30. Animal's teeth can waiian goose 38. Name for arreveal this rowhead used in 32. Brings the catch streams into the boat 39. The recoil from 35. A game bird fired gun 36. An appendage on a 40. The outdoorsman's wild turkey 37. Name for the Hapest

Major 2:45 3:39 4:33 5:26 6:19 7:13 8:06 8:59 9:52 10:44 11:36 12:03 12:55 1:45 2:34 3:21 4:08 4:54 5:39 6:25

Major 3:09 4:04 4:59 5:53 6:48 7:42 8:36 9:28 10:20 11:11 12:02 12:27 1:17 2:06 2:55 3:43 4:30 5:16 6:03 6:49

Sets 05:54 05:55 05:56 05:57 05:57 05:58 05:59 06:00 06:02 06:03 06:04 06:05 06:06 06:07 06:08 06:09 06:10 06:11 06:12 06:13

MOON Rises 10:55p NoMoon 12:01a 1:09a 2:17a 3:25a 4:31a 5:31a 6:25a 7:12a 7:52a 8:28a 9:00a 9:30a 9:59a 10:28a 10:59a 11:32a 12:08p 12:50p

Sets 10:23a 10:57a 11:32a 12:11p 12:55p 1:44p 2:40p 3:41p 4:45p 5:49p 6:53p 7:55p 8:55p 9:52p 10:49p 11:44p NoMoon 12:40a 1:36a 2:31a

FOR THE TABLE Venison quesadillas 1 pound venison backstrap or back leg meat 1 ounce red wine 1 ounce red wine vinegar 1 tbsp. soy sauce 2-3 shakes of hot sauce (I prefer Crystal Brand) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 tsp. brown sugar 2 tsps. olive oil 5 large flour tortillas 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese 2 1/2 tsps. butter 1 jalapeno, finely diced Clean the venison well, remove any connective tissue or silverskin. Cut venison down to 1/2-inch thickness for grilling. Combine venison with all other

Foil roasted striped bass 2 striped bass fillets Juice of 2 lemons 1 tsp. garlic powder 3 tbsps. minced mushrooms 3 tbsps. minced onion 1 tbsp. dill weed 1/3 stick of butter Preheat grill or oven to 350 degrees. Take a piece of aluminum foil about 8 inches longer than the fillet. Fold the ends and the sides to form an edging about one-inch with

ingredients and marinate for at least 2 hours. Remove venison from the bag and shake off excess marinade. Grill over a very hot fire for roughly one minute per side just until it is well-seared on the outside, but still medium-rare in the middle. Pull from the grill and allow meat to rest 8-10 minutes before cutting into medium-sized chunks.

Using 1/2 teaspoon of butter per tortilla, add a little butter to a preheated flat-top surface, then top with flour tortilla and sprinkle on cheese. As soon as cheese begins to melt, add venison and jalapeno, then fold the tortilla in half.

Cook until tortillas have nicely browned on each side, then remove and cut into triangles, garnish and serve.

— Chef Jon Bonnell, bonnellstexas.com divide. Do this twice for the ends and sides. Put the fillet in the center of the foil and fold up the sides and the ends to make a shallow roasting dish.

In a saucepan, combine the butter, onions, dill, mushrooms and garlic in a small pot and simmer until done.

Add the lemon juice and heat for a minute to meld the flavors. Then pour the sauce into the foil wrap, over the fish. The fillet, depending on size, should be ready in 10-15 minutes. Put a fork into the thick part of the fillet to make sure it is flaky.

— easyfishrecipes.com

*E-mail LSON your favorite recipe to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

January 13, 2012

Page 17

DSC convention fun

Jen McClain and Tim Sharp

Dr. Dale Rollins, Becky Ruzicka and Lloyd Lacoste Nick Kohleffel and Shauna Shaw

Evan Purvis and Cameron McCay Jane Dickerson, Brock Andreola and Lauren Wheat

Elyse Puckett with Raquel Puckett and Katy Waters Dr. Alan Frankfurt T. Boone Pickens

Sen. John Astle and Kate Allen The Dallas Safari Club’s annual convention and expo concluded Jan. 8 at the Dallas Convention Center, setting new records for event size, attendance and fund raising.

“Based on day-pass sales, it looks like attendance will be up nearly 20 percent from last year. Our preliminary estimate is 38,000, which is well above our final count of 32,000 in 2011,” said Ben Carter, DSC executive director.

— DSC report Photos by Bill Miller, Lili Sams, Craig Nyhus and Conor Harrison, LSON

Melissa Rogers (right) with Adrienne Sams

Lauren Elise (from left), Sal Corbo and Stephanie Pietz Kathryn Carter with “Ruth”

OUTDOOR BUSINESS

Page 18

January 13, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

PRODUCTS CASTTRAX CLEATS: These recently redesigned, lighter fishing cleats by Korkers offer anglers and outdoorsmen sure-footed traction on the slickest of surfaces, including rocks, logs, ice and ocean jetties. The durable cleats have 36 replaceable, threaded carbide spikes per pair to offer a secure grip on any surface while allowing for customization and easy spike replacement. Molded walls at the toe, heel and side — along with a quick-release strap and buckle system — provide a secure fit over any footwear. The CastTrax comes with 10 additional spikes and one extra buckle per pair. The CastTrax cleats sell for about $100.

>>

(800) 962-7926 yamaha-motor.com

>>

>>

(800) 338-3220 hornady.com

NIMBUS GUIDE PACK: Fishpond’s innovative pack utilizes a lightweight, 100 percent recycled Cyclepond fabric — a waterproof and breathable fabric — plus “air LTE” lumbar support straps to make those long days on the water more comfortable and enjoyable. The guide pack’s large zippered main opening has two organization pockets internally and a front pocket that allows for access to smaller items. Two exterior pockets accommodate two large water bottles, plus the cinch strap on the bottom is ideal for a rain jacket or second rod. The Nimbus guide pack sells for about $110.

BIG BEAR 400 ATV: Its sealed wet brake will make this ATV by Yamaha even more nimble in the trickiest of conditions.

The Big Bear features a mid-size chassis, a powerful 386 cc air/oil-cooled engine, five-speed automatic clutch gearbox with reverse, independent rear suspension, high ground clearance, large capacity under-seat storage and more. A compact frame design uses fewer components to reduce weight and provide lighter steering and a tighter turning radius. Loaded with features, this vehicle allows drivers to switch between two-wheel drive, limited-slip four-wheel drive, and fully locked differential four-wheel drive. It is available in green, blue and a Realtree AP Camouflage model (shown) that sells for about $7,000.

(970) 468-7883 fishpondusa.com

DX-3 3 BROADHEAD: Muzzy’s 100-grain, three-blade DX-3 broadhead is designed to Mu uz work with Deep Six inserts and micro-diameter arrows, such as wo w tthe Injexion, Axis, and full-metal jacket arrows from Easton.

Sporting a tapered ferrule, modified shank and slimmer thread, the DX-3 has a cutting diameter of 1 1/4 -inch and a .25-inch blade thickness. When coupled with the Easton Deep system, this broadhead promises less wind drag than other larger Six syst t broadhead broadh e arrow combinations, resulting in increased accuracy and deeper penetration. A three-pack sells for about $30.

387-9300 (770) 3 muzzy.com muzzy.c c

>>

Z-MAX COMPONENT BULLETS: The “Z” in Z-Max stands for zombie … as in a bullet that is tough enough to annihilate zombie varmints. And we all know just how tough zombies are to annihilate. Hornady Manufacturing’s newest bullet with the green tip and the ultra-flat trajectory will send mangy menaces to the varmint graveyard, permanently. Available in various calibers, including the .223 REM with 55-grain bullets (shown), a 20-round box sells for between $20 and $38, depending on caliber and bullet weight.

>>

(800) 524-8899 korkers.com

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Season

Rainbows

Continued From Page 1

Continued From Page 1

and summer.

In East Texas, TPWD biologist Gary Calkins was surprised at the quality of deer, both in body mass and antler size.

“Antler development was way better than I expected,” he said. “And the body weights were better, too. I was also surprised we had such a good mast crop, especially the red oaks.

“But we didn’t kill as many deer as we needed to.”

Calkins said fall rains helped the deer herd, even if it made deer tougher to hunt.

“The mast crop and winter wheat really helped,” he said.

In the area around Abilene, TPWD biologist Kathy McGinty said she was surprised the mature bucks had such decent antlers.

“The young bucks didn’t,” she said, “but a lot of the older bucks came through pretty well.”

McGinty said hunters in her area were disappointed that rainfall during the season took many of the deer away from feeders, reducing hunter success.

“A few deer had fat on them,” McGinty added.

“Overall, they were pretty lean, which is what I expected heading into the season. I have been telling everyone this is the year to thin the herd, and I hoped everyone did that.

“Overall, I think this year was better than last

is scheduled to release about 250,000 trout at more than 100 areas as part of this winter’s stocking effort.

Anglers should note there are special harvest restrictions in place along a 10-mile stretch of the Guadalupe River below the Canyon Dam tailrace. In this area, anglers are limited to one trout at least 18 inches in length each day. Any trout harvested in the area known as the “trophy trout” stretch of the river must be caught on artificial lures.

Adding to the availability of larger fish this year is the stocking of larger trout

by GRTU, with some of their released fish measuring 19 inches long or larger.

“There has even been some good dry fly action and that is very unusual,’’ Jackson said.

Veteran fly-fishing trout guide Kyle Kenter said that he

YOUTH SEASON ONGOING: Young hunters still have time to take advantage of the state youth season which runs until Jan. 15. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

year.”

In South Texas, TPWD biologist David Veale said ranches that keep their deer herd below carrying capacity weathered the drought just fine.

“I think the bottom line is we had a lot of good deer killed in South Texas this year,” he said.

“Obviously, the wellmanaged places could absorb the hit better and that played out. The deer were in better condition than we thought.”

Veale said he thinks harvest numbers will be down in South Texas when the numbers are tallied later this year, but he said this year was a great sales pitch for many management practices that biologists have been pushing.

Overall, Veale said he was happy with the way

bucks looked this season considering what some people thought would play out.

“It wasn’t the doom and gloom we thought it could be.”

South Texas outfitter Jimmy Ferguson reported rutting action was still taking place well into January on his Bee County ranch.

“There is still rutting activity going on; in fact, yesterday I saw five bucks running a doe,” he said.

“Some of the bucks that we were seeing earlier in the season have gone underground but some new bucks have been showing up over the past two weeks.

“The deer are hitting the oat fields good now.”

Jimmy Ferguson, (979) 5330694.

January 13, 2012

has noticed the trout are a little more wary about snapping up offerings of a variety of nymphs such the red fox squirrel and hare’s ear, and seem to be more concentrated this year.

“The trout don’t seem to have spread out like they usually do, but when you find them, you can really see some hot action,” Kenter said. “Those 14-inch trout really put up a fight and can really jump out of the water when they are hooked.’’

“With the water so clear and the level a little low, presentation is much more important,’’ Kenter added.

Of course, proper training and a little luck are also nice.

Information about Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited or fly-fishing clinics (the next one is set for Feb. 4-5) is available from Chris Jackson of Action Angler at (830) 708-3474 or on the Web at ActionAngler.net.

Page 19

Executive Editor Craig Nyhus Editor Bill Miller Associate Editor Conor Harrison Associate Editor Mark England Graphics Editor Amy Moore Business/Products Editor Mary Helen Aguirre Operations Manager Mike Hughs Accounting Ginger Hoolan Web site Bruce Soileau

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

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

Guide Kyle Kenter, (281) 6105329.

Trout stocking information: www. lsonews.com

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 2012 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.

Page 20

January 13, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

HEROES While hunting last May in Kleberg County, 9-year-old BRYCE LONG of Ricardo shot this nilgai. His grandfather, Seale Brand, was with him.

SHAWN DENISON of Montgomery hunted this season in Lyon County, Kansas where he rattled up one of that state’s legendary monster white-tailed deer. He brought the buck down with his PSE EVO bow, which launched a Carbon Force arrow, tipped with a 100-grain Wac'em Triton broadhead.

Striper Express recently hosted ED CHANEY of Sachse (above) who caught a good-size striped bass on Lake Texoma. He pitched a Zoom Super Fluke on a custom spinner head. CHRIS CAREY (right) of Denison, a guide for Striper Express used the same rig. His presentation was slow rolling with a few small, erratic twitches. Not to be outdone, T.J. RICE (below) of Dallas boated a 22.4-pound fish while fishing with Striper Express.

MIKE STRIPE of Fort Worth hunted this moose in October near Clarenville, Newfoundland. Deep Country Lodge was the outfitter for the hunt, which was guided by Kyle Williams and Darryl Stringer. Mike said he got two moose and one black bear “on a hunt of a lifetime.”

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.

PAIGE GOKEY, 10, of Plano recently got this deer while hunting in McCulloch County with her father, Rob Gokey.

KALLI KUNZ of Uvalde recently took this buck on a family ranch. The deer scored around 145.

CHRIS MAHFOUZ of Houston had a busy day Jan. 1. He caught this 10.5-pound largemouth on a ranch near Coolidge.

Then he got to visit another ranch where he hunted red deer, two axis and a sika (all does) for meat.

“Pretty fun day to say the least,” he said.

EMILY EVANS, 11, of Mountain Home shot her first deer, a spike, while hunting during youth weekend with her dad, Chris Evans in Kerr County. “I was the proudest dad that evening,” he said.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

January 13, 2012

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Page 21

Donaho named HSC’s Outstanding Huntress Linda Donaho, host of “The American Huntress” television show has been named “Outstanding Huntress of the Year” by the Houston Safari Club.

Donaho has exceeded the stringent award requirements through her relentless pursuit of big game on four continents and many hours of volunteer work with children, most recently through Something More Safaris. The organization provides humanitarian aid by allowing hunters to volunteer and raise funds for local needs right where they are hunting.

Donaho has hunted more than 70 different species, of which 51 of them have been Gold Medal animals.

A long-standing member of the Houston Safari Club, she remains very active and has served on its board of directors and as vice president.

Donaho and her husband, Kem, host “The American Huntress” on the Sportsman's Channel.

Donaho and Carol O’Day will be honored with the award at the annual Houston Safari Club Convention on Jan. 14.

— Grounded Resources

CORRECTION An article in the Dec. 9, 2011 edition of Lone Star Outdoor News regarding the award to Ms. O’Day was incorrectly attributed to the Houston Safari Club. The article was actually from a press release submitted by MG Arms firearms company.

Puzzle solution from Page 16

Page 22

January 13, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

DATEBOOK January 14-15

January 19-21

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

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

January 14 National Wild Turkey Federation Texas State Calling Championship Bass Pro Shops, Grapevine (281) 320-8388 nwtf.org Friends of South Texas Refuges Winter Texan Appreciation Day Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Alamo (956) 784-7500 friendsofsouthtexasrefuges.org

SCI, Hill Country Chapter Annual Dinner and Fund-raiser The Hangar Hotel Fredericksburg (830) 928-4344 texashillcountrysci.org

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

Deer Breeders Corporation 4th Annual Deer Auction Airport Hilton, Austin (866) 972-5001 dbcdeer.com

January 20-22 January 20-21 Hill Country River Region Trout Days Chalk Bluff Park, Uvalde (830) 591-1065 hillcountryrivers.com

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

January 20

January 26-29

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

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

January 21 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 Port Aransas Rotary Club Casino Night/Fish fry (361) 749-2208 portaransas.org

LONE STAR MARKET

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

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

January 28 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Texas Hill Country Big Game Banquet (512) 247-1628 rmef.org

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Whitetail Continued From Page 5

reminded Frank of the soft drink’s early slogan that urged people to take a break with a DP at the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

“Last season, I hunted and hunted,” he said, “and I never did see the deer.”

Frank figured he’d have to wait for a favorable moon phase and hope the deer would make a mistake.

That finally happened on Dec. 3 when the big nontypical was harvested at a blind just before sunrise.

It became clear to Frank that the deer appeared to be small-bodied in photos because his rack was so large it made the rest of the animal seem disproportionate.

He had 18 points to score, including four

kickers and the drop tine. He also had 35 inches of mass, and a 28-inch gross outside spread, Frank said.

The “doctor’s” live weight was 205 pounds; his teeth indicated he was about 6 years old.

Frank said the buck was scored at 207, gross, and 196-7/8, net, which might qualify it for the Boone and Crockett Club’s all-time records book.

The quest for Dr Pepper, however, produced a spin-off development.

While hunting for the big deer, Frank on Nov. 23 downed a “smaller” typical buck that has been unofficially scored at 160-1/8 net.

Frank said he hopes it qualifies for the B&C “three-year” records book.

Taxidermy Continued From Page 8

molds can be quite involved.

He said he has made molds from the beaches of Alaska to the river jungles of Brazil for species that couldn’t be brought to his shop.

First, the customer selects a pose for the eventual mount and the fish is placed in bedding materials. Then, the fish is split in half, as each mold must have two sides.

Next, a detail coat made out of fiberglass, rubber or plaster is made for one side.

Then a “soupy coat” is poured over the fish to pick up the intricate details down to each scale and growth ring. Next it is reinforced, flipped and repeated for the second side before the fish is finally discarded.

“We pick up a perfect facsimile of that fish down to

the scales,” Kelly said. “Then we make the model out of the mold after two or three days.

The two sides are put together to make a solid, hollow fish.”

Once the replica is out of the mold, the eyes are added and the fish is painted — first with an airbrush and finally hand-brushed to get maximum detail.

Many anglers are surprised to learn that all they need to have a replica made is a picture of the fish and the weight.

“We’ve had lots of guys come in the shop and explain that they caught a big bass when they were 10 years old and now they can afford to have it mounted,” Kelly said. “We don’t need the fish, just a picture and the weight. We can take it from there.”

Many taxidermists purchase and market replicas from major suppliers like McKenzie Taxidermy Supply in Granite Quarry, N.C. For big game animals, Kerrville taxidermist Gary Broach said he used to make his own molds out of papiermâché, before switching to foam in the 1980s.

“There used to be lots of little companies making molds,” Broach said. “But the bigger companies (like McKenzie) bought most of those out. There still are some independent guys out there, like Jet Smith in Kerrville. He makes a lot of exotics molds, so there are still people doing it.”

Ron Kelly, (214) 663-5299 Gary Broach, (830) 896-6996

Boater safety mandatory for those born after Sept., 1993 Anglers, sailing enthusiasts or personal watercraft operators must complete a state-approved boater education course if born after Sept. 1, 1993, officials remind.

And Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials are urging people to get that taken care of before warm weather returns.

Previously, only boat operators ages 13-17 had to take a boater education course.

The mandatory boater education law, which passed last year, requires certification for anyone born after Sept. 1, 1993 who operates a vessel with a motor of more than 15 horsepower.

It also applies to people operating sailboats more than 14 feet long.

While all boaters are encouraged to take boating safety education, those born before Sept. 1, 1993, are exempt from required certification.

The courses are available as one-day classroom training or online. The classroom course takes about six hours to complete and the online course has a three-hour time commitment.

Costs start at $20 for both courses. Information about boater education, including schedules of upcoming classroom courses, is available at http:// www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/boater_education/.

— TPWD

Boat show season underway Through Jan. 15 Houston Boat Show Reliant Center Sat., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., 11a.m.-5 p.m. $10, adults; $4, kids under 12 Jan. 19-22 Austin Boat, Sport and Outdoor Show Austin Convention Center Thu.-Fri., noon-9 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $8, adults; $4, seniors over 65; $4, kids 7-12; kids under 6, free Jan. 26-29 San Antonio Boat and RV Show Alamodome Thu.-Fri., noon-9 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $8, adults; $6, seniors; $4, kids; kids under 4, free Feb. 3-5, Feb. 9-12 Dallas International Boat Show

Dallas Market Hall (Feb. 3-5) Fri., 3-8 p.m.; Sat.,10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m-4 p.m.

(Feb. 9-12) Thu.-Fri., 3-8 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m-8 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $10 for adults, $5 for kids, 6-12; kids under 5, free March 22-25 South West International Boat Show South Shore Harbour Marina, League City Thu., noon-6 p.m.; Fri., noon-7 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., noon-6 p.m. $15, adults; $12, seniors/military; $5, kids 6-14; kids under 5, free April 19-22 Texas International Boat Show Corpus Christi Marina Thu.-Fri., noon-6 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., noon-6 p.m. $10, adults; $7, seniors/military; $3, kids; kids under 6, free

Instructor training set for Wichita Falls, Grand Prairie Free Hunter Education New Instructor training workshops will be held Feb. 4 in Wichita Falls and Feb. 18, in Grand Prairie.

The training is conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Topics include skills training, live firing exercises and home study procedures.

The Wichita Falls workshop will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lake Arrowhead State Park, 229 Park Road 63. In Grand Prairie, the training will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the North Texas Education Center, 5411 Robinson Road.

To register, call (972) 263-1219.

— TPWD

January 13, 2012

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