January 23, 2015 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper in Texas

January 23, 2015

Volume 11, Issue 11

Reeling in buyers

PICK YOUR TARGET: Goose hunters are fi nding good late-season success in many locales this month. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Whole lotta geese

By Jillian Mock

For Lone Star outdoor newS BUSINESS IS BOOMING: Lake Travis High School fi shing team member Tyler Anderson pitches a lure off the bow of a bass boat, one of the fl eet of fi shing boats shown by Austin Boats & Motors at the 2015 Austin Boat Show. Photo by Erich Schlegel, for LSON.

Boat show season is here; buyers and sellers agree this season better than last

By Mark England

Lone Star outdoor newS If the Houston Boat, Sport & Travel Show is any indication, 2015 is going to be a good year for boat shows in Texas.

Official attendance for the state’s largest boat show, which ran from Jan. 2-11 at Houston’s NRG Center, hasn’t been released. But Ken Lovell, the show’s president, said it was up 14 percent and could approach 100,000 people.

“Gas prices probably helped,” Lovell said. “It’s a mixed blessing, though, just because Houston depends so

much on the oil business.”

Beaumont store. “We sold Boat dealers are notori- more than we ever have ously tightlipped about at any boat show. The sales, although it’s been NauticStar fishing boats and widely reported that many the Avalon pontoons were rely on boat our two big shows to hits. We had “They were selling sell as much some extra as 25 per- better than they had in rebates that cent of their made their years. The upper end prices really inventory.

T e x a s has been soft, but now good.”

Marine did The ponconfirm that that market is coming toons in parit beat last ticular can get back stronger.” year’s sales pricey, espeof almost 200 cially if decked boats at the Houston show. out with a fish finder or, say, “We had a record show,” a wine rack in the lounge said Jonathan Whitmire, arm. sales manager at its “I found the sales of the

more expensive fishing boats surprising,” Lovell said. “They were selling better than they had in years.

The upper end has been soft, but now that market is coming back stronger.”

As the Houston boat show’s official name demonstrates, boat shows these days are about much more than boats.

Crowds can also gawk at PWCs, RVs, Coastal Cruizers (customized golf carts), kayaks and hot tubs, examine the latest fishing lures and buy a vacation package or even a burial at sea.

Show promoters know Please turn to page 11

At this point in the season, goose hunters from the Panhandle down to Eagle Lake have seen high numbers of birds but challenging hunting conditions.

In the northern portion of the Panhandle, Ken Mayer of All American Outfitter said it has been an “above-average year” for geese, mostly lesser and greater Canadas. Irrigated agriculture in the area has left plenty of crop residues this year, holding geese in the area. Water levels are “way down,” however, eliminating smaller bodies of water and “forcing the birds to concentrate themselves on large bodies of water” instead.

Mayer also noted that the frequent changes in weather are making the birds “neurotic,” resulting in high numbers of birds that are difficult to decoy and even harder to jump.

Scott Curtsinger of

Longneck Outfitters confirmed these trends in the Lubbock area.

He cites normal to high numbers of birds and plenty of food, milo in particular. Cold temperatures last week kept the Canada geese, specklebellies, and snow geese in the fields and off the frozen city ponds in Lubbock.

As hunters are well aware, weather drives the goose migration between the northern and southern parts of the state. This week, the north is seeing consistently colder temperatures, pushing more birds down into areas like Knox City.

Roger Roewe at Webfoot Connection says he is seeing “more birds right now than we’ve had all year.” He also attributes high numbers to “more feed this year” and slightly higher water levels, giving the geese more places to sit.

Roewe also remarked that they are seeing more and Please turn to page 15

Fever tick zone extended PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210

Move affects nilgai, deer hunters in the Valley

By Conor Harrison A new temporary preventative quarantine area to fight the spread of fever ticks has been established over 223,000 acres of land in Cameron and Willacy counties, and there are new protocols for nilgai and white-tailed deer hunters in the zone.

According to the Texas Animal Health Commission,

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hunters harvesting deer or nilgai in the quarantine zone known as the “blanket area” are required to call (956) 546-6004 and have their animals inspected on site before being allowed to remove the hide from the premises.

Fever ticks, largely eradicated in the 1940s, can carry diseases deadly to cattle, such as bovine babesiosis, which has the potential to kill 90 percent of a

HUNTING

A special hunt

Young hunter facing obstacles in life takes a big South Texas buck on a LSON Foundation hunt.

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Pack for emergencies

Taking a few precautions could pay dividends in emergencies afield.

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FISHING

Winter trout, big baits Winter trout feed less often, but eat bigger baits.

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White bass on the border Runs beginning on border lakes and South Texas rivers.

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Photo by LSON

CONTENTS Classifieds . . . . . . . .

Crossword . . . . . . . .

Freshwater Fishing Report For the Table . . . . . . .

Game Warden Blotter . . .

Heroes. . . . . . . . . .

Outdoor Datebook . . . .

Saltwater Fishing Report .

Sun, Moon and Tide data .

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HUNTING

Late season push for ducks

By Steven Bridges

For Lone Star outdoor newS Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Waterfowl Program Manager Kevin Kraai has logged thousands of miles of flying as part of the annual Texas Mid-Winter Aerial Waterfowl Survey.

The survey counts duck and goose numbers across the Texas Panhandle and the Rolling Plains.

According to Kraai and other inland Texas waterfowl officials, if you have open water, you have waterfowl.

“Hunters sometimes don’t realize that inland Texas ducks fly in not only from the Midwest and the Texas Coast, but from as far as the interior of Mexico, Louisiana and Colorado,” Kraai said.

“These ducks are all looking for one thing — open water. ” An early arctic blast pushed waterfowl down from the Midwest before Christmas, but that same arctic blast froze Panhandle water. According to Kraai, 75 to 80 percent of the bodies of water in the area were locked in ice at some point during this year’s survey.

“That is the highest percentage of ice we’ve had in the 20 years of the survey, ” said Kraai. “The ducks and geese had no choice but to head farther south looking for open water. Because of the ice, our far north and northwest Texas waterfowl numbers were the lowest in years.”

According to Kraai however, the iced up bodies of water in Texas have thawed, bringing back ducks and geese to the Please turn to page 15

OPEN WATER EQUALS DUCKS: As northern locales froze up during early January, ducks have been coming into Texas, fi nally giving waterfowl hunters something to shoot after a slow majority of the season for many. However, warmer weather this week could again disperse the birds. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Pack a tourniquet Medic says carrying a few key supplies could save lives

By Jillian Mock

For Lone Star outdoor newS Caleb Causey, owner of Lone Star Medics, wants hunters to learn how to use a tourniquet.

For the third straight year, Causey appeared at the Dallas Safari Club convention to lead a seminar on field and emergency medicine for hunters.

“What’s important on a hunt is what is going to kill me in the next three to four minutes,” Causey said as he stood by a table lined with pressure dressings, tourniquets and other medical equipment.

For tackling the types of accidents most likely to befall hunters out in the field, like a fall from a blind or treestand or, God forbid, an accident involving a arrow’s broadhead or a firearm, Causey turns the ABCs you may have learned in CPR class on their head. He implores hunters to address circulation first, then breathing, and finally, clearing the airway last.

“The body is really good at taking care of itself as long as you can keep oxygen going to the brain,” Causey said, emphasizing that the primary emphasis needs to be controlling bleeding and keeping a working pulse until you reach a hospital.

Causey is certainly the man to trust when it comes to emergency preparation. The sixth-generation Texan has been a medic for 15 years, including experience as a combat medic in the Army, a medic and operator for private military/security companies, and a volunteer firefighter and EMT for the City of Benbrook. Causey has a gift for making emergency care accessible and interesting for even the queasiest of audience members.

As the class practiced buckling themselves into tourniquets, Causey debunked the myth that using one of these instruments means losing that limb.

“We have learned, at great expense in the combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, that tourniquets work and the tissue will not begin to die for six to eight hours,” he said.

“Even on the most remote hunts, six to eight hours in today’s interconnected world is enough time to find medical attention. They might be uncomfortable, but using a tourniquet and a pressure dressing just might make the difference between life and death.”

Causey listed the must-haves for a hunter’s emergency kit.

First, of course, a tourniquet (Causey recommends a CAT or a Soft-T Wide Tourniquet). Second is a pressure dressing. (Rule of thumb — if someone gets a tourniquet, they also need a pressure dressing.) Third, two items for tougher-to-fix wounds are a chest Please turn to page 5

Unique trophy Young hunter takes piebald buck on Thanksgiving day

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

Corpus Christi hunter Lance Rathke enjoys taking his kids to his family’s 140-acre property near Three Rivers to deer hunt.

Although the place is surrounded by heavily hunted land, it is a great place to enjoy some time on a place that has been in the family for generations. Rathke and his 10-year-old son, Cathon, had been making trips for several weeks hoping to find one buck, in particular.

“There aren’t a ton of deer,” Rathke said. “I don’t see a whole lot of shooter bucks. Three weeks before Thanksgiving, we saw this piebald deer on trail cameras. We hunted him for three weeks and thought he had been shot by a neighbor.”

Rathke had Cathon, along with Cathon’s cousin, in the blind over Thanksgiving. The group was hoping to get the cousin a spike.

“A spike came out and we were going to let my nephew shoot it,” Rathke said. “We looked up and saw the buck we had been hunting for three weeks. I told my nephew to hold off.”

Cathon made a perfect shot and the unique buck was on the ground.

“It was his first true buck,” Please turn to page 23

BIG HORNS, PRETTY PELT: Cathon Rathke shows the piebald (spotted with two different colors) buck he harvested on Thanksgiving day with his dad and cousin in the blind. It was Cathon’s fi rst buck, although he has an impressive list of trophies to his credit. Photo

by Lance Rathke, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

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Interesting band

January 23, 2015

Survival gear essential Continued from page 4

seal and QuickClot combat gauze. Fourth, Causey recommended a pair of rescue cutters.

Lone Star Medics offers 27 distinct courses and trains, among others, wildlife managers and hunting guides. In March, the organization is hosting it second annual conference. The twoday conference along with other courses scheduled throughout the year emphasize hands-on learning and are open to anyone interested in emergency medicine. Information is available at lonestarmedics.com.

Causey hopes hunters will successfully avoid any serious field accidents. But just in case, strap a tourniquet to your pack the next time you head out. It might just save a life.

Whooping crane death investigated

WHAT IN THE HECK IS THAT? Houston hunter Will Reich harvested this redhead near Altair with a rubber gasket wrapped around its body. The ring did not affect the duck in fl ight. Photo by Will Reich.

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

Houston hunter Will Reich loves to get out and hunt waterfowl.

And every waterfowl hunter relishes shooting a duck with a band.

However, Reich harvested a redhead while hunting with family near Altair that had one of the most unique bands any hunter will ever find.

“We were having a great hunt,” Reich said. “There were teal and geese all over the place. I got out of the blind to collect a teal and eight or nine redheads came screaming over top. I knocked one down and went to

pick him up.”

When Reich got to the downed bird, he noticed something unusual around the duck’s midsection, behind the neck and in front of the wings.

“There was only about an inch of it showing, and I thought it was a blade of grass at first,” he said. “I started prying it away and it looked like a rubber gasket ring. I thought it might be some kind of weird band and actually checked it to see if it had any numbers or contact information, but it had nothing.”

Reich said the redhead must have dived through the rubber ring and gotten it lodged where it could Please turn to page 25

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Texas game wardens in Aransas County are awaiting necropsy results on a state and federally protected whooping crane found dead near a duck blind located in the Aransas Bay system close to Sand Lake.

The bird was partially decomposed when recovered by Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens who had been contacted by a local hunting guide who had originally discovered the crane.

TPWD game wardens and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are

AirForce Airguns begins construction on Texas facility Construction has begun on a new headquarters and manufacturing facility located not far from AirForce’s existing factory near Burleson.

“Since we built that first airgun here

jointly investigating this incident.

If anyone has additional information regarding this matter, they are encouraged to call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-792-GAME (4263).

Callers may remain anonymous.

Since beginning their slow recovery from a low of 16 birds in the 1940s, whoopers have wintered on the Texas coast on and near Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Recently though, several groups of whooping cranes have expanded their wintering areas to include other coastal areas and some inland sites in Central Texas.

— TPWD

in Texas almost 20 years ago, we have practiced carefully managed growth,” explained AirForce founder and CEO John McCaslin.

Phase 1 of a planned 60,000-squarefoot facility is located on 7 1/2 acres in Burleson, just outside Fort Worth.

Also moving to the new plant will be BKL Technologies.

— AirForce Airguns

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First hunt for biologist

WELCOME TO HUNTING: Jessica Alderson, an urban biologist for TPWD, holds the buck she harvested on her first hunt with the LSON Foundation. Photo by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News.

By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star Outdoor News Jessica Alderson of San Antonio knows a lot about wildlife, wildlife biology and urban and rural wildlife management.

As an assistant in a veterinary clinic, she worked directly with animals. As a wildlife biology student at Texas A&M University, she learned about wildlife management and performed necropsies on wildlife. And as an urban biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, she has answered nearly every question imaginable about wildlife and worked on controlling deer populations in urban environments.

But she had never hunted.

Not until a Texas A&M Department of Wildlife and Fisheries professor, Clark Adams, was asked about former students involved in the profession who had never hunted.

Adams recommended the former

undergraduate and graduate student, and at the age of 36, Jessica was invited to the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation lease for her first hunt.

Jessica was as green as they come. She took her first few rifle shots with her dad at the range the day before arriving at the South Texas ranch.

At the range on the ranch, after some instruction, her second shot was within an inch of the target. The guides couldn’t see where the third shot hit.

“Do you think it went through the bull’s-eye?” asked guide Cole Farris while looking through the Nikons.

The 100-yard walk showed she was ready, as a hole pierced the only nonreflective portion of the reflective target.

“I’m still not sure I can shoot at an animal,” she said.

“You don’t have to,” she was told.

“We’ll just watch them and then we can decide.”

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FISHING

Head south for early white bass

By Mark England

Lone Star outdoor newS A veteran guide at Amistad Reservoir has two words for you when asked if the white bass run has started. OK, three.

“It’s on, yeah.”

The bantamweights of bass fishing, white bass are known in South Texas for storming out of area reservoirs to neighboring rivers and creeks to spawn. They need fresh water for their eggs during incubation.

During this period, the pint-sized predators nourish a raging appetite.

The white bass migration can begin as late as January, but not this year.

Raul Cordero of Farwest Guide Service said white bass began leaving Amistad in mid-December to journey up the Rio Grande or the Devils River.

“I tell my customers that it may take us a little while to find them,” Cordero said. “But get ready. Once we find them you’re going to be busy for a while. Then it’s a nonstop adrenaline rush.”

He said the biggest white bass he’s seen was probably 2 pounds.

During a run, though, weight is beside the point.

“Whatever their weight, it’s a lot of fun,” Cordero said. “I use Little Georges, white grub on a jig head or a slabbing head. I stick with the basic colors: shad, chartreuse, regular white. But, actually, if you get in where the action is hot, it doesn’t matter what you throw — as long as it’s moving.”

White bass also left Lake Corpus Christi early. They’re plentiful on the Nueces River, especially near the U.S. Highway 59 bridge near George West.

John Findeisen, a resource specialist for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said a recent survey found plenty of males in the 13-14 inch range and females up to 15 inches in length.

In Texas, the minimum keeper length for white bass is 10 inches and the daily bag limit is 25 fish.

“We launched at George West and only had to go a couple of hundred yards before we started running into them,” Findeisen said. “That’s typical for this time of year.”

The peak of the white bass run on the Nueces is usually around Valentine’s Day, according to Findeisen.

He agrees with Cordero that the action during a run can be “nonstop.”

“A friend and I went out two days in a row a couple of years ago,” Findeisen said. “We caught and released white bass just to see how many we could catch. We caught 340 fish in two days. And we didn’t move but maybe 200 yards from where we started. That’s addicting.

“You can go out with just small crankbaits or little curl-tail jigs and have a blast. White bass are such ferocious fighters.”

A couple hundred miles southwest of the Nueces River, at Falcon Lake, any discussion of the white bass run thereabouts quickly turns into a history lesson.

“In the old days, we just had so many,” said Tom Bendele, co-owner of Falcon Lake Tackle. “Gosh, you never went anywhere without a RatL-Trap tied on. In the early ’80s, there would be an area the size of two to three football fields where they would pop up, chasing schools of shad.

IT’S ON: Hardcore white bass anglers are heading south this month for the fi rst white bass runs of the state on the border lakes. Lake CorThey were everywhere. You’d catch one after another. You don’t see big pus Christi anglers are also reporting the early run happening up the Nueces River. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News. balls of them anymore. It’s a shame.”

A drought stretching from the ’90s into the mid-2000s hit Falcon Lake several times. hard. However, it rebounded enough by 2012 for Bassmaster magazine to “Last year, we had a small white bass fishery develop, primarily around the dam area and dub it the best bass lake in North America.

Then came another drought, although some locals blame an abundance of gar for the the county boat ramp,” said TPWD biologist Randy Myers, “but the fish were barely legal.”

Still, Myers is hopeful that the good times aren’t really over for good. game fish population dropping.

“The population is rebounding,” he said. “It’s just taking time. You know, up the river, at “Mother Nature did something,” Bendele said. “Everything took a hit.”

Largemouth bass have recently reappeared fair in numbers. But they’re still waiting at San Ygnacio, people used to catch bucketloads of white bass. It was a big thing in this area.

Falcon Lake for white bass to do likewise, despite TPWD stocking the lake with the species It might take us a few more years to get back to that scale.”

Bigger baits Winter seatrout feed less, but eat bigger meals

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

PLENTY OF FISH: Whiting, black drum and sheepshead are all being caught this month on coastal piers. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.

The usual January suspects

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

Pier anglers up and down the Texas coast have had to battle high north winds, fast-moving water and cold temperatures the past few weeks, but the fishing is on the uptick.

According to Kelly McClure, owner of the Galveston Fishing Pier, anglers have had to battle the elements lately, but the ones who do are catching a few fish.

“It is finally sunny today,”

McClure said on Jan. 16. “We have had high winds, overcast, windy conditions recently, but the wind has died down and we’ve got some people fishing.

The water is stained, but anglers are catching a lot of sheepshead and whiting.”

McClure said squid, mullet and live shrimp work the best, but shrimp have been tough to come by this month.

“We do have dead shrimp available,” she said. “The live Please turn to page 19

Anglers of spotted seatrout know winter is a great time to catch a really big fish more than 30 inches long.

But they could go a long time between bites. Guides and anglers are also aware winter fish don’t eat nearly as much or feed as long during the winter, but they will eat a bigger meal and be done.

“Winter trout feed about 10 percent of the time compared to what they do in the summer,” said midcoast Capt. Brian Holden. “That is why people use bigger baits in the winter like Corky’s and big top-waters.”

That is also why anglers find bigger baitfish in a trout’s gullet during the winter months.

“We see a lot of large mullet in the gullets of smallish fish,” Holden said.

Biologists agree that trout eat less during the winter when their metabolism slows down.

“When the water is cold, the fish aren’t moving around as much,” said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Laguna Madre fisheries biologist Faye Grubbs. “They will not feed as much, either. I don’t know if it is as low as 10 percent (of THROW BIGGER BAITS: Winter trout anglers should stay what they normally eat), but it is substantially less.” patient and throw bigger baits at cold-water fi sh. Photo by Holden said be patient when fishing, as the bite could David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News. turn on and only last 30 minutes a few times each day.

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TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT Water temps key for bass TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR — Bass are locking in deep when the water temperatures drop and marching to the shallows when temps rise, according to guide Darrell Lyons.

“Water temps of 46 to 51 degrees will find most bass out deep in the old river or at the mouths of deeper creeks at 28 to 42 feet,” Lyons reported.

Jigging spoons or drop-shot rigs with a 4-inch black/blue cut tail worm is working.

“When the water hits 55 or above things change,” Lyons said, “the bass move and feed in water from 8-15 feet.”

Lipless crankbaits in black/silver or black/gold or a suspending rogue in the same colors were working.

To contact Darrell Lyons, call (936) 201-7534

Big blues shallow LAKE RAY ROBERTS — A Martin Luther King Day trip to the North Texas reservoir resulted in lots of big blues for one group of anglers. The problem was, the fishermen wanted eating-sized fish.

ALAN HENRY: Water stained; 42–46 degrees; 9.67’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on finesse jigs and Texas rigs.

Crappie are fair on live minnows.

Catfish are fair to good.

AMISTAD: Water murky; 58–62 degrees; 29.38’ low. Largemouth bass are good on dark soft plastics in 15–25 feet. Striped bass are good on jigging spoons under birds. White bass are good on jigging spoons under birds. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch in 20–30 feet.

ATHENS: Water clear; 42–46 degrees; 1.08’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, bladed jigs and watermelon Senkos. Crappie are good on minnows and white jigs.

BASTROP: Water stained; 56–60 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on pumpkinseed and chartreuse/white soft plastics, spinner baits and crankbaits.

Crappie are fair on minnows.

Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait, chicken livers and nightcrawlers.

BELTON: Water murky; 54–58 degrees; 12.67’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters in coves. Hybrid striper are fair on live shad early and late. Crappie are fair on minnows.

BOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 41–46 degrees; 1.96’ low.

Largemouth bass are slow on suspending jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on slabs and minnows.

BONHAM: Water stained, 42–45 degrees; 2.89’ low. Largemouth bass are fair along creek channels and rocks on crankbaits, spinner baits, soft plastics and jerkbaits.

Crappie and catfish are slow.

BRAUNIG: Water stained.

Largemouth bass are fair on green pumpkin soft plastics.

Striped bass are fair on live shad and silver jigging spoons.

BROWNWOOD: Water clear; 52–56 degrees; 12.53’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse spinner baits, craw-

colored jigs, and small crankbaits off points and in coves.

BUCHANAN: Water murky; 53–57 degrees; 33.36’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on watermelon red curl-tail grubs on jigheads, black hair jigs, and suspending crankbaits along ledges in 10–20 feet.

CADDO: Water stained; 43–47 degrees; 1.30 high. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits and bladed jigs. White and yellow bass are slow on minnows and white jigs.

CALAVERAS: Water stained.

Largemouth bass are fair on small crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on live shad and silver spoons.

Redfish are good on live perch and shad in 15–30 feet.

CANYON LAKE: Water murky; 55–59 degrees; 12.37’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on pumpkin drop-shot worms, Texasrigged Red Shad worms, and tubes on jigheads in stickups from 6–15 feet.

CEDAR CREEK: Water clear; 43–46 degrees; 5.89’ low.

Largemouth bass are slow on lipless crankbaits, spinner baits and bladed jigs. Carolina-rigged flukes working as well. White bass are slow on minnows.

CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 57–61 degrees; 28.30’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits, heavy jigs and large soft plastic lizards in the grass. Crappie are fair on minnows and red/white tube jigs.

COLEMAN: Water clear; 56–60 degrees; 19.27’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows.

CONROE: Water murky; 55–59 degrees; 0.04’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon red and pumpkinseed spinner baits and lipless crankbaits in 15–35 feet.

FALCON: Water murky; 56–60 degrees; 27.17’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on football jigs, Carolina-rigged Senkos, and slow rolling spinner

baits in 12–20 feet.

FAYETTE: Water stained.

Largemouth bass are fair on electric blue Carolina-rigged finesse worms in 10–16 feet, and on spinner baits along the outside edges of grass.

FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water clear; 42–45 degrees; 17.73’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on finesse Texas rigs and drop-shot rigs. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

GIBBONS CREEK: Water clear.

Largemouth bass are good on watermelon red spinner baits, crankbaits and lipless crankbaits.

Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp and stinkbait.

GRANBURY: Water murky; 52–56 degrees; 10.41’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon red and pumpkinseed soft plastics. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow.

Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are fair on stinkbait.

GRANGER: Water stained; 51–55 degrees; 0.75’ high.

Largemouth bass are slow.

Crappie are slow. Blue catfish are fair on juglines baited with shad and cut bait.

GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 41–44 degrees; 12.33’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on shaky heads and Flick Shakes near the marinas.

Crappie are slow on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 51–55 degrees; 0.87’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and clear/metal flake Brush Hogs around brush.

Crappie are fair on minnows near piers at the dam.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water offcolor; 42–46 degrees; 29.81’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs and drop-shot rigs.

Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

JOE POOL: Water clear; 43–46 degrees; 1.68’ low. Largemouth

“All we were catching was 15- to 25-pounders,” Fishing Professor posted on the Texas Fishing Forum. “We fished skinny water from 2 to 10 feet on the timber line near creek channels and picked up a good mess of big fish. We finally kept five teenagers and a few 5- to 10-pound fish.”

Hall of famer LAKE FORK — Guide Mark Stevenson was recently announced as an inductee in the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Hall of Fame, with the ceremony to be held June 6.

Stevenson, famous for catching “Ethel,” the 17.67pound largemouth that was the state record at the time, said while the largemouth are still slow at the famous reservoir, the crappie and catfish are making up for it.

“The crappie fishing is tremendous and the catfishing is really good,” Stevenson said.

“Use jigging spoons in 25 feet and you’ll catch bass, crappie and catfish — just use your electronics and look for the baitfish. Drop that spoon and you’ll catch some fish.”

Stevenson said the bass bite is still a few weeks away as the days get longer and water temperatures rise.

“The lake is slowly rising and we’re setting up for a good February,” he said.

To contact Mark Stevenson, call (903) 765-3120

bass are slow on lipless crankbaits, weightless flukes and fish head spins. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on slabs and minnows.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 44–48; degrees; 0.69’ high. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits and bladed jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are slow.

LBJ: Water stained; 54–58 degrees; 0.30’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on green pumpkin tubes and black/blue jigs around docks. Striped bass are fair on white striper jigs.

White bass are fair on Spoiler Shads.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 40–44 degrees; 7.22’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on jerkbaits in Pro Blue as well as football jigs near isolated rocky points on main lake.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 55–59 degrees; 0.38’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, buzzbaits and spinner baits. Striped bass are slow.

White bass are slow. Crappie are very good on minnows in creeks.

MARTIN CREEK: Water clear; 45–58 degrees; Full pool.

Largemouth bass are fair on black and blue flipping jigs near laydowns and near bean bushes.

Texas-rigged craws around the same cover is effective as well.

MONTICELLO: Water clear; 42–45 degrees; 0.77’ high.

Largemouth bass are slow on flipping jigs in black and blue and bladed jigs. Crappie are slow on minnows and jigs.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 53–57 degrees; 2.06’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits. White bass are slow.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 42–46 degrees; 43.23’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs, jigs and shaky heads.

OAK CREEK: Water stained; 41–45 degrees; 25.52’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on

Texas rigs, drop-shot rigs and jigs.

Crappie are fair on jigs and live minnows.

PALESTINE: Water clear; 41–44 degrees; 0.02’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits, weightless worms and umbrella rigs. Crappie are good on minnows on docks with brush.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water fairly clear; 42–47 degrees; 14.73’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on drop-shot rigs, Texas rigs and jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

PROCTOR: Water murky; 56–60 degrees; 12.73’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits and soft plastic worms.

RAY HUBBARD: Water clear; 40–44 degrees; 9.65’ low.

Largemouth bass are slow on crankbaits, smaller umbrella rigs and suspending jerkbaits. Crappie are slow on minnows and jigs.

White bass are slow on slabs.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water lightly stained; 41–45 degrees; 10.56’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on green pumpkin finesse worms on shaky heads and weightless trick worms. White bass are slow on minnows.

SAM RAYBURN: Water murky; 56–60 degrees; 0.45’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on watermelon red and watermelon gold soft plastics, crankbaits, and lipless crankbaits.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 57–61 degrees; 0.91’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on silver/black spinner baits. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good on silver/black spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and green tube jigs.

STILLHOUSE: Water murky; 56–60 degrees; 14.54’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies. Crappie are good on minnows.

SWEETWATER: Water murky; 42–46 degrees; 28.28’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on flutter spoons, Texas rigs and jigs.

n Saltwater reports: Please turn to

Page 16 Crappie are fair on live minnows.

Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait.

TEXOMA: Water clear; 40–44 degrees; 5.70’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on suspending jerkbaits, umbrella rigs and weightless worms. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs near brush piles. Striped bass are fair on minnows.

TRAVIS: Water murky; 53–57 degrees; 57.55’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chrome jigging spoons, blue/black jigs, and smoke grubs in 30–45 feet.

WALTER E. LONG: Water lightly stained. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics.

Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and red/white tube jigs.

WHITNEY: Water murky; 54–58 degrees; 10.63’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on green pumpkin and tequila sunrise spinner baits, crankbaits and soft plastics.

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

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 43–46 degrees; 4.31’ high. Largemouth bass are slow on Texas-rigged craws and green pumpkin flipping jigs near shallow cover. Crappie are good on minnows and white jigs. Catfish are fair.

— TPWD

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Boat shows reporting good sales Continued from page 1

they can’t just swing the doors open — even if there are hundreds of boats to see.

At the Houston boat show, visitors could pet stingrays, minus their barbs. Last year, the Coastal Bend Boat & RV Expo, Feb. 13-15 in Robstown, gave away a whooping crane tour for two as a raffle prize.

The San Antonio Boat & Travel Trailer Show, Jan. 29-Feb. 1, plans to crank up the fun this year with bungee jumping inside the Alamodome. And the DFW Boat Expo, Jan. 30-Feb. 8 at Market Hall, will present a Red Bull cliff diver.

“Just going to a boat show can have almost a carnival feel,” said Dana Cobb, a spokeswoman for the DFW Boat Expo. “Dealers really make it a point to have exhibits or demonstrations that engage people.”

One product catching people’s attention is the Optimus 360, shown by the Seabrook firm Docking

by Control.

“They demonstrated a joystick that you could use to dock a boat,” Lovell said. “It’s an add-on. You can use it to practically make a boat go sideways. It blows my mind.”

The company’s owner said there’s no practically about it.

“You can totally make a boat go sideways,” Danny Hampshire said. “You have total control of where you want to go. You can spin the boat 360 degrees if you want.”

The Optimus 360, made by SeaStar, employs an electro-hydraulic smart cylinder and pump for each outboard motor, allowing them to work independently. Each outboard’s thrust is worked against the other to move a boat sideways. The price installed is

about $18,000.

“You don’t have to worry about the wind. You just pull up at a dock and do everything with a joystick,” Hampshire said.

Boat shows are vital to selling his products, he said.

“Unless people are looking on the Internet, they’re not going to find us,” Hampshire said. “To us, boat shows are huge. They put us in front of our customers.”

But are boat shows a good place to buy a boat or anything else?

About.com’s Guide to Powerboating quotes a dealer who cautions that rental fees, transportation costs and so forth are passed on to boat show customers.

However, Texas Marine’s Whitmire said that’s not entirely the case.

“People should know that most dealerships get a lot of their expenses reimbursed by manufacturers,” he said. “On top of that, they give us rebates. To me, boat shows are definitely the place to buy a boat.”

Boat show people call it “one-stop shopping.”

“If you want to talk to another dealer, you often just have to walk across a 10-foot aisle,” Lovell said. “It’s hard to beat that.”

Upcoming boat shows: Jan. 23-25 Texas Tackle, Hunting and Boat Show Big Town Event Center, Mesquite Feb. 6-8 All Valley Boat Show McAllen Convention Center

CHECK OUT THE NEW TOYS: Show-goers are seeing a lot of new products at this year’s boat shows. Photo by Erich Schlegel, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

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January 23, 2015

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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER TRESPASSER CLAIMS HUNTING HOGS, BUT GUTTED BUCK FOUND A ranch caretaker found a truck on the property and witnessed a man with a gun run off into the brush.

Karnes County Game Warden Chad Moore was called and made contact with the suspected poacher. The subject said he knew the ranch owners but admitted he did not have permission to be hunting there. The man said he was hunting hogs and when he saw the truck he got scared and ran. The man did not have a valid Texas hunting license and a citation was issued. The following day, Moore received a call from the landowner’s daughter, who had found a gutted buck on the ranch. The poacher then confessed he shot the deer but left it because he was afraid of being caught. Cases pending.

POACHER POINTS GUN AT WARDEN, FLEES While scanning the woods with night vision, Harris County Game Warden Cullen Stakes noticed a dim light and moved toward the source. Stakes then noticed a man aiming a rifle at him and announced his presence as he positioned himself out of the line of fire. The poacher fled on foot into the woods.

Game Wardens Ross Sidman, Gregg Johnson and Captain Fred Ruiz responded, along with Harris County Sheriff deputies. While conducting a search of the area, the sheriff’s K-9 located the poacher’s rifle and hunting gear hidden in the woods. Investigation pending.

MULE FEED BY DUMPED DEER CARCASS NARROWED THE FIELD OF SUSPECTS A deer carcass dumped on the side of the roadway was reported to Montgomery County Game Warden Brannon Meinkowsky. Meinkowsky

DOE HANGING FROM TREE LEADS TO MULTIPLE CHARGES Longview Animal Control called Gregg County Game Warden Todd Long regarding a decaying doe hanging in a resident’s tree. Long located two untagged does behind the property, along with an untagged 9-point buck. Two of the four individuals interviewed claimed they harvested the deer in Arkansas; one of the subjects confessed to taking a fourth deer in Texas that was dumped in Arkansas.

When questioned about the discrepancies between

noticed several feed bags for horses alongside the deer and went to a local feed store. He learned this particular feed was for mules, which the store sold to four regular buyers. Meinkowsky then found the deer had been illegally killed at night from a roadway and another was legally killed but not tagged. In addition, one of the guns used had been stolen out of Liberty County in December of 2013. Cases are pending.

PROCESSOR’S INVOICE DRAWS FURTHER INQUIRY A deer processor’s invoice caught the attention of Smith County Game Warden Chris Swift. One man checked in three deer but didn’t notch or fill his tags out. When Swift asked about his deer, the man said that he only shot one and that his friends killed two doe (in closed season) but didn’t tag them because they didn’t have licenses.

Multiple citations were issued.

EXCUSES, EXCUSES Nacogdoches County Game Wardens Randy Stovall and Heath Bragg observed an individual cleaning a deer in his garage. The deer was not tagged and the man claimed he had taken the tag off and placed it in his wallet to prevent him from

their harvest dates versus the dates printed on their Arkansas hunting licenses, two subjects acknowledged hunting without a license. Long contacted Arkansas Game and Fish Commission wildlife officers, and they are pursuing more than $2,500 in charges against the subjects. Two of the men face one-year suspensions while the other would receive a lifetime hunting license suspension in Arkansas.

losing it. The man said his wife had taken his wallet with her to purchase ice. When his wife returned, it was determined that she had shot the deer without a hunting license.

The subject’s uncle showed up during the interview and said he shot a doe earlier and claimed his hunting license was at his house with the deer, but he in fact did not have a hunting license. The deer meat was donated and citations were issued for antler restriction violations and criminal trespassing.

SHOOTING FOOT WAS JUST THE START OF HIS PROBLEMS A hunter accidentally shot himself in the foot while loading a deer and Montgomery County Game Warden Brannon Meinkowsky was contacted. It was found that the hunter was hunting without a valid license, tagged the deer with another hunter’s tag, killed a buck that was not legal (12 inches) and was hunting without his Hunter’s Education certification.

SPOTLIGHTING DEER BRINGS TRIP TO JAIL Two persons were spotlighting and were observed by Medina County Game Warden Jeff Benson.

The subjects were in possession

complainants and possible accomplices who disclosed the location of an 8-point buck head, doe head and meat. Cases are pending on both suspects.

of a freshly killed doe and a small 4-point buck. Cases were filed for hunting deer at night and hunting deer with the aid of artificial light.

The subjects were transported to the Medina County Jail.

LOST BUCK FOUND, ADDS TO PROBLEMS FOR POACHERS Bell County Game Warden Brandt Bernstein assisted the police department after reports of shots being fired. Before Bernstein arrived, the local police found a group of men looking for a deer that had been shot and wounded. Bernstein discovered two of the men had harvested a doe and a buck and failed to tag the deer. Both men were cited for failing to tag their deer, the antlers were seized and civil restitution is pending.

TWO SHOOTING BIRDS ON CLOSED PUBLIC LAND Frio County Game Warden John Palacios received a call from a concerned landowner advising he heard several shots from a nearby TPWD public hunting area.

Palacios made contact with two individuals who were hunting in a closed area and in were in possession of mourning dove, quail and protected nongame birds.

Citations were issued.

DPS TROOPER, WARDEN FIND NIGHT HUNTERS Illegal hunting activity was reported to Madison County Game Warden Chris Lasiter by DPS Trooper Felipe Garcia. Lasiter and Garcia arrived at the scene to find two subjects cleaning a white-tailed doe. One of the suspects admitted to shooting the deer with a rifle using a spotlight. The suspect was arrested for hunting deer at night with a light.

BUCK IN TRUCK BED, DOE IN DITCH WERE HARD TO DENY Gillespie County Game Warden Sam Harris received a call from the county sheriff’s office regarding possible road hunters. The caller saw a truck parked in the ditch with a buck in the bed and a doe on the ground.

Harris interviewed two suspects who denied involvement, but one eventually showed him where the buck was killed and the drag marks. Harris, along with fellow Game Warden Scott Krueger, reinterviewed the

SMILE, YOU’RE ON CAMERA Montgomery County Game Wardens Brannon Meinkowsky and Bobby Apple apprehended three suspects trespassing on a deer lease. The wardens were tipped off by a state-issued camera set near the entrance of the property.

The camera took and sent pictures of the suspects breaking a lock to gain access. In addition to being arrested for criminal trespassing, the three were cited for criminal mischief.

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January 23, 2015

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January 23, 2015

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January 23, 2015

Page 15

Goose hunters finding success Continued from page 1

LOTS OF WORK FOR RETRIEVERS: Goose hunters are seeing large numbers of birds in many parts of the state this month. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Open water means plenty of ducks Continued from page 4

area.

“We are now seeing waterfowl in nearly every open body of water,” Kraai said. “The Rolling Plains from Abilene to Lubbock east to Wichita Falls are really holding a lot of waterfowl right now because of the ice melt. Hunting should be great for the last week of the season. ” Texas Ducks Unlimited Media Director Brian Donovan has also seen an increase in waterfowl action over the last few weeks. Donovan spends more than 60 days afield as both a duck hunter near and along the Red River and as Central Flyway Manager for Drake Waterfowl.

“We are simply looking for open water to hunt in North Texas,” Donovan said. “Most everything has been locked up in ice until just recently. But the recent rains and warmer weather have brought ducks back into North Texas. We are even seeing a couple of inches of sheet water in some wheat, millet and peanut fields.

“Those fields are magic if you can find them.”

Mills County Game Warden Vance Flowers spends hundreds of hours on the water in Brown, Mills and Comanche counties. Flowers says the waterfowl hunting in Central Texas has been good so far this season and is getting even better.

“We don’t have any ice on our water in Central Texas and, unlike the last few years, we have had some good rainfall,” said Flowers. “I see ducks in every stock pond and conservation lake I drive by in Central Texas.”

The duck and Canada Goose seasons run through January 25 in North Texas. Consult the 2014-2015 Texas Waterfowl Digest for exact season dates and bag limits.

more specklebellies in the Knox City area every year, now almost matching the number of Canada geese in the area.

Farther south and east on Eagle Lake, Tim Kelley of Tim Kelley’s Waterfowl Outfitters Unlimited & The Eagle Lake Lodge at Windswept is seeing lots of snow geese and specklebellies and only “a handful of Canada geese.”

Like the other outfitters, Kelley cited plentiful irrigated crops in the area — rice instead of milo — and weather patterns as the main drivers of goose activity. A late freeze up north meant the majority of birds “got [to Eagle Lake] late.” As a result, the geese are staying in large flocks instead of breaking into the smaller bands they normally form this time of year.

“It’s hard to get those big groups to decoy,” Kelley.

All in all, plentiful feed is bringing large numbers of geese to both northern and southern areas of Texas while sporadic weather and variable water levels are making the geese more difficult to decoy and jump.

Urban biologist in the field Continued from page 6

Jessica’s first evening hunt involved watching several deer, without any attempt to put the gun out of the blind’s window.

The next morning’s hunt was somewhat forgettable.

After a few hours with seeing only a few too-young deer, the group decided to exit the blind and see if some bucks could be rattled up during the December South Texas rut.

As her husband, Chris, opened the door and stepped out of the ground blind, a tall but narrow-antlered buck stepped out and stared, sensing the movement. With her husband hiding behind the blind, she prepared for the shot. After several minutes of waiting for the wary deer to turn and step out from behind some brush and grass, she was given the OK. The shot was a clean miss and the buck trotted off.

“I was shaking too badly,” Jessica said. “I probably shouldn’t have shot. I’m glad I missed it and the buck wasn’t injured.”

The miss caused a reaction that hunters and guides like to see. The hunter was mad at herself — and more determined to make the next opportunity count.

That evening, she did — and that buck didn’t move or walk away.

“I took my time and made sure I was ready,” Jessica said.

“It was so exciting — I couldn’t wait to go and see him.”

The text came from the guide, Cole Farris, to the other hunters, including Chris, who was watching some nice bucks in another blind.

“Hurry up and get over here,” it read. “She’s going crazy wanting to see her deer.”

On the final morning, the plan was simply to watch and scout more deer. Few deer were seen, but javelinas under the feeder changed the plan. With only a shotgun available, she and guide Cole Farris performed a sneak and the shot showed that Jessica is now what the foundation’s mission is all about.

She got the opportunity.

She is now a hunter.

Hunters must check animals Continued from page 1

cattle herd.

“If the animal is (harvested) in one of the blanket areas, hunters need to call the number provided and our people will come and inspect the animals,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, assistant executive director of Epidemiology and Laboratory Systems at TAHC. “Hunters need to cape the animal out or remove the hide and freeze it for 30 hours in an on-site facility. Many of the outfitters have freezers and they are aware of the regulations.”

Schwartz said treating the hide requires agents to spray the hide before removal from the area.

Several weeks ago, 100 nilgai were killed on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge to be tested for fever ticks.

Several of the nilgai tested positive.

Although feeders can be set up to vaccinate white-tailed deer from fever ticks, nilgai don’t come to feeders.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have an answer yet for nilgai,” Schwartz said. “We are talking with local landowner and biologists to see what can be done — they do come to alfalfa, so that is something we are looking at.”

TPWD biologist Sam Patten said local landowners have all been notified, and signs have been hung on gates announcing the new requirements.

“Any animal harvested on a property under quarantine must be inspected,” he said. “The good news is, they are very prompt getting out to inspect animals. They are usually there within 20 or 30 minutes. This might become a permanent quarantine.”

South Texas hunter Curtis Bonner, who owns land in the new quarantine zone, said he isn’t sure what can be done, since nilgai will be almost impossible to vaccinate.

“They are ringing the Laguna Atascoas NWR with deer feeders to kill the ticks, but how do you doctor nilgai?” he asked. “They can’t put feeders on the NWR, and they won’t let hunters shoot the animals. My land is basically an island on the north bank of the barge channel. If I shoot a deer, I’ve got to call the authorities or freeze it, but I don’t have power to the property.”

For more information and an exact map of the new quarantine area, go to tahc.state.tx.us.

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January 23, 2015

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT Bring on the blackfi ns MIDCOAST OFFSHORE — The report from the Deep Sea Headquarters out of Port Aransas has been very good this month, with anglers catching loads of blackfin tuna, amberjack and other species.

According to posters on the Texas Fishing Forum, the Jan. 17 run offshore produced 151 blackfin tuna, six amberjack, a few bonita and small sharks.

The best bet for blackfin tuna was jigging midsized jigs with a lot of flash to them. The weather was good enough for everyone to get out and enjoy the hot blackfin bite.

Along with jigs, cut bait also worked to bring in fish, especially sharks.

To contact Deep Sea Headquarters, call (361) 749-5597.

Catch them coming back GOOSE ISLAND — Capt. Rick Hammond of Night Stalker Guide Service reports the flounder gigging action is getting better after the lull when the big flounder headed out to the Gulf in late November.

“Conditions were nice, with dead calm winds, low tide and very clear water,” he wrote on 2coolfishing.com. “We started along a shoreline with deep mud and clay bottom. The flounder were there right away, mixed in with a few sheepshead and drum. After two hours we had a 10-flounder limit, plus three drum and

NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair on the shorelines on Corkies and Catch 2000s. Redfish are fair around drains on shrimp.

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

Trout are fair around the Reef on live shrimp.

BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on soft plastics and plugs. Black drum and redfish are good at Rollover Pass.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are fair in the deep bayous on plastics. Redfish are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on Catch 5s, MirrOlures and Catch 2000s. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair in the

mud and shell on Corkies in the afternoon.

Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.

TEXAS CITY: Redfish are fair in Moses Lake on mullet. Black drum and sheepshead are fair off the dike on shrimp.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Black drum are good in Cold Pass and San Luis pass on cracked blue crabs.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair to good for drifters in the afternoon on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good on the south shoreline on shrimp. Trout are fair on shell and grass on soft plastics.

three sheepshead. The water was the coldest and clearest that I have ever seen. Many of the fish tonight were spotted 40 to 50 feet away from the boat. The fish were typical midwinter size, in the 14- to 15-inch range. The flounder numbers and size should get better over the next few weeks, as larger fish begin to return from the Gulf. Normally, I see large numbers of bigger flounder start showing up during the first week of February, with more showing up daily, all the way through April.”

To contact Capt. Rick Hammond, call (361) 727-0045.

Sheepshead and drum TEXAS CITY DIKE — Anglers fishing near the Texas City Dike are reporting decent catches of black drum and sheepshead.

Multiple anglers are various message boards have said the fishing has been good this month, although it should get better in the coming weeks.

Dead shrimp and cut bait have been working, with many nice sheepshead being caught, along with some oversized black drum, and the occasional seatrout and redfish.

Black drum are fair to good at the jetty on crabs.

PORT O’CONNOR: Trout and redfish are fair on plastics over soft mud in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfish are fair for drifters working the back lakes with live shrimp.

ROCKPORT: Redfish are good in the Lydia Ann Channel on crabs. Trout are fair over grass while drifting with live shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfish and black drum are good in the Shrimpboat Channel on crabs and finger mullet. Redfish and sheepshead are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfish are fair to good around Shamrock Cove on spoons. Trout are fair to good on the edge of the spoils on scented plastics and live shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud

and grass on twitchbaits. Redfish are fair along the spoils on gold spoons and scented plastics.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair to good on plastics around sand and grass holes. Redfish are fair to good while drifting potholes.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on DOA Shrimp and scented plastics. Redfish are good in South Cullen Bay on scented plastics.

PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfish are fair to good in South Bay on live shrimp. Redfish are fair at Three Island on soft plastics under rattling corks.

— TPWD

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LoneOStar Outdoor News

January 23, 2015

OUTDOOR PUZZLER ACROSS 1. Act of carrying, canoe, gear overland 5. A male pheasant 7. The king is one species of this 8. A wood used in arrow shafts 9. Part of the gun frame below the barrel 10. A gauge invaluable to the angler 12. A lure 14. A food source of deer 17. Hunter’s name for the predator 18. The white bass ______ 19. Term for a small trout 21. Bowman’s finger protection, shooting 22. Arrows and shells 23. A wingshooter’s quarry 25. A popular commercial fish 26. Act of game having young 28. BB gun or ____ rifle 31. A good trap bait

FOR THE TABLE

*email LSON your favorite recipe to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

Backstrap poppers 1 pound piece of deer backstrap 12 medium to large jalapeno peppers Cream cheese, softened Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning Thick cut bacon

Slice backstrap into pieces 2-3 inches long by 1-inch wide and 1/4inch thick.

Slice peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Leave some seeds

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By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen Solution on Page 19

A young quail The bighorn Clay pigeon ejector station A wildlife’s daily routine movements The tip of a bullet Name for a family of sunfish A bowhunter’s quarry in Florida Strings of bow Large member of the deer family A type of camp fireplace

DOWN 1. A valuable part of some game 2. The snare 3. Loners are ____ gobblers 4. Term for the wolf predator 6. A name for a brook trout 11. A large fighting sport fish 12. A gun part, ___ plate 13. A good bear bait

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A species of goose Perch are classified as this A fish-steering appendage A turkey nighttime haven An excellent walleye bait A breed of setter Type fishing requires use of an auger This controls spread of shot pellets A type of gun sight Grouse species Name for a salmon species of Wyoming Name of an icefishing lure Large appendage on the muley A deer type, ____ horn Deer marks on tree trunks To pull the bowstring The point of an arrow Best lure color to attract fish

Catfi sh Creole

if you want some heat. Fill each pepper half with cream cheese and lay on a piece of meat. Sprinkle liberally with the seasoning. Wrap each pepper with half a slice of bacon and secure with toothpicks. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes at 350 degrees. Place in broiler to crisp the bacon if desired. Let sit one minute and enjoy.

2 cups water 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice 1 pound of catfish fillets 1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid 2 tsps. dried minced onion 1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules 1/2 tsp. dried oregano 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce

— backwoodsbound.com

In a small saucepan, bring the 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the rice and return to a boil; reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Using a very

sharp knife, cut the catfish into 3/4inch pieces; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the tomatoes (with juices), dried onions, bouillon granules, dried oregano, garlic powder and hot-pepper sauce; bring to a boil and stir in the catfish pieces.

Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and is opaque all the way through. Pour the fish mixture over the rice. Bake until fish is cooked through and crumbs are golden, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

— myrecipes.com

Page 18

January 23, 2015

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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NATIONAL Arizona sues USFWS over Mexican wolf plan The Arizona Game and Fish Department has served a Notice of Intent with the secretary of the Department of Interior and director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The action was taken in an effort to support development of an updated recovery plan for Mexican wolves that utilizes the best available science as legally required by the Endangered Species Act. AGFD has requested an updated recovery plan from the Service on multiple occasions over the past several years because it believes the current recovery plan for Mexican wolves developed in 1982 is outdated and no longer provides an adequate framework to guide the recovery effort. That plan also fails to identify the recovery criteria required by the ESA, including downlisting and delisting criteria.

“This Notice of Intent is an effort to ensure that the Fish and Wildlife Service adheres to its legal obligation to develop a thorough science-based plan that will lead to a successful recovery outcome that recognizes Mexico as pivotal to achieving recovery of the Mexican wolf given that 90 percent of its historical range is there,” said Arizona Game and Fish Department Director Larry Voyles.

The Service is currently in litigation with several parties that are pushing for reestablishment of Mexican wolves in areas that are not part of the subspecies’ historical range and requesting a resolution in a faster timeframe.

— AGFD

THANKSGIVING WHILE

EEK OF IS NICE 8-POINTER THE W KYLE GINSEL, 9, KILLED TH TRINITY COUNTY. , IN URT D, K DA HIS ITH HUNTING W

Nikon will send your 10x42 ProStaff 7 binoculars. You can check out the entire line at the nearest dealer:

Bobcat hunting passes in Illinois Hunting of bobcats will soon be legal after a 42-year ban in the state of Illinois, thanks to the Legislature’s recent passing of a bill to allow a hunting season on this species.

Bobcats officially came off the state-threatened species list in 1999, having been on the list since 1977. It has been illegal, however, to hunt bobcats in Illinois since 1972.

The Legislature passed the bobcat bill — by 91 to 20 in the House and 30 to 19 in the Senate — in early December. HB 4226 allows the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to establish a hunting season on bobcats to run between Nov. 1 and Feb. 15, and to permit a hunter to take one bobcat per season. The IDNR will allocate how many bobcats trappers may take annually.

— IDNR

See a full selection of Nikon products at:

Porters Sporting Goods 21973 Texas 155, Flint, Texas 75762 (903) 825-7467

Major grant awarded to rice industry, DU Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced approved grants from the first round of proposals to the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

The USA Rice Federation, Ducks Unlimited, and more than 40 collaborating partners are pleased that the “Rice Stewardship Partnership — Sustaining the Future of Rice” project was selected for support.

This project will help rice producers conserve natural resources such as water, soil and waterfowl habitat, while having longterm positive impacts on their bottom line.

“The Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Texas’ and Louisiana’s Gulf Coast, and California’s Central Valley are critical landscapes for waterfowl and therefore ranked as some of DU’s top priorities for habitat conservation,” said DU President and Arkansas rice producer George Dunklin.

New sheep herd in Montana

— DU

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologist Julie Cunningham banged on the trailer’s side, and 16 bighorn sheep groggily left its safety, jumping and sometimes stumbling toward higher ground.

They were the first of three trailer loads of bighorn sheep transplanted from their home 15 miles to the south near Quake Lake as part of FWP’s strategic plan to establish five new bighorn sheep herds by 2022.

By the end of the day, 52 wild sheep were browsing hillsides.

If the sheep stay healthy and don’t leave the area in search of their former home, the new population will be the first of those herds and a victory in a time when FWP has struggled to find new places in the state to put wild sheep.

“We’ve got grass, we’ve got mountains, we’ve got everything that sheep need,” Cunningham said, gesturing toward the Madison Range and the disappearing wild sheep. “This is a good new home.”

— Laura Lundquist, Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Elephant importation ban update On December 26th, Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association received good and bad news in their efforts to challenge the ongoing importation bans on sport-hunted elephants from Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

The groups received good news about Zimbabwe elephants. The federal court ruled in favor of the ability to proceed with challenges to the Zimbabwe importation bans — both to the ban announced on April 4, 2014 and the decision to continue the ban that the FWS announced on July 23, 2014.

The ruling cleared the way for litigation teams to move forward to present their case on why the USFWS acted illegally in shutting down importation from Zimbabwe without a sufficient basis for doing so.

However, the court’s ruling on the Tanzania claims was not favorable — it dismissed the Tanzania importation ban challenges.

— SCI

AGFC ups non-resident licenses During the Jan. 15 meeting of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, commissioners approved an increase in several non-resident hunting and fishing licenses. The Non-Resident Annual Fishing License will be $50, up from $40. The Non-Resident 3-Day Trip Fishing License will increase from $11 to $16 and the Non-Resident 7-Day Trip Fishing License will increase from $17 to $25.

The Non-Resident Annual All Game license will be increased from $300 to $350. The Non-Resident 1-Day All Game License will now cost $55, the 3-day license will be $125 and the 5-day license will be increased to $180. The Non-Resident Annual Small Game License will be increased from $80 to $110 and the Non-Resident 5-Day Small Game License is $70, up from $55. The new non-resident license fee will go into effect March 1.

— AGFC

Fishing pioneer Cotton Cordell dies “Just an ol’ country boy that loved fishing and worked hard at it all of his life.”

That’s how Bassmaster Elite Series angler Mark Davis described Cotton Cordell, the Arkansas native and man behind so many fishing lure innovations who passed away last week.

Davis was raised a couple of blocks away from where Carl Richey “Cotton” Cordell Jr. laid the foundation for his fishing tackle empire in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Upon hearing of Cordell’s passing, Davis had great things to say about Cordell.

“It’s a sad day for fishing,” Davis told BassFan.com. “He was real quick to tell a story or reminisce or talk about fishing. He was just a guy that loved fishing first.”

Davis remembers one of Cordell’s first spinner bait designs — the Spider, a singleblade wire bait that had thick rubber legs on it.

“He got into manufacturing after that, was real popular and he did a lot with hard baits, but he got his start with jigs and spinner baits,” Davis said.

— Bassfan.com

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

Angler, conservation group to be inducted into Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame The angler who caught the first entry into Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s big bass angler recognition program and the organization responsible for Texas having a year-round rainbow trout fishery will be inducted into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in June.

Fishing guide Mark Stevenson of Alba is best known for his catch of the first entry into TPWD’s ShareLunker program in 1986. The 17.67-pound largemouth bass from Lake Fork, known as Ethel, was the state record at the time and achieved international fame during her subsequent residence at the Bass Pro Shops store in Springfield, Missouri.

Her presence there fueled a growing nationwide interest in bass fishing, resulting in a significant economic impact. Two-thirds of Texas’s 1.7 million anglers are primarily bass fishers, and sales of fishing licenses and taxes on fishing-related items generate millions of dollars for conservation.

Also to be inducted is Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited, the largest Trout Unlimited chapter in the nation with more than 5,000 members. GRTU has been the driving force behind the development of a year-round rainbow trout fishery on the Guadalupe River, listed as one of America’s top 100 trout streams in 2013. TPWD studies show this fishery has an annual economic impact of $1.9 million on the local economy, but GRTU’s contributions go much further.

The organization maintains a leadership role in conservation and development of public access to the fishery.

— TPWD

Pier anglers battling winds, light bites, stained water Continued from page 8

ones are really hard to find.”

Along the midcoast, anglers at Red Dot Pier near Corpus Christi are having better success at night.

“The action has been a little slow,” said manager Hector Garcia. “The day has been really tough, but they are doing well at night catching sheepshead and black drum. Crabs, shrimp and Fishbites are the most popular bait.”

Garcia said it hasn’t mattered whether the tide is outgoing or incoming, but it has to be moving for any hope of success.

“Out or in, doesn’t matter,” he said. “The water is really stained, but people are catching fish at night.”

Also near Corpus Christi, anglers at the Bob Hall Pier have been shut out by weather recently.

“We’ve had a big front push through and that has made even getting out to fish tough,” said Matt Smith at Bob Hall Pier. “It looks a lot nicer today, though, and we’ve got people out on the pier trying. Before the bad weather, anglers were catching whiting, red drum and small sharks.”

Smith said the majority of the redfish were oversized.

“Dead shrimp has been the most popular bait,” he added.

“We still sell frozen shrimp, but some people are bringing their own.”

Lower coast anglers are finding success on big black drum.

“The people are catching whiting, sheepshead, black drum and croaker,” said Marco Rodriguez at Pirate’s Landing Pier near Port Isabel. “Most of the black drum are oversized, but a few puppy drum are being caught. The best baits have been shrimp and squid.”

Rodriguez said the water was clearing up and looking better for the week ahead.

Puzzle solution from Page 17

January 23, 2015

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January 23, 2015

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LSONews.com

A wish granted Young hunter gets his South Texas buck Photos by David J. Sams Story by Craig Nyhus Lone Star Outdoor News The shot was perfect and the South Texas whitetailed buck was down — but it took awhile for the guide and father to gather their composure and leave the blind to see and touch the deer.

Young Matt Watts’ wish had been granted during his hunt with the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation.

“It was emotional,” guide Jim Wheeler said. “We were thinking about all this young man had been through.”

Matt, though, after a long trip from his Brackettville, Pennsylvania home on New Year’s Day, wanted to go and see his deer.

His father, Jim Watts, described Matt’s journey with cancer.

“At age 7, a brain tumor (medullablastoma) was discovered and surgery was performed,” he said.

“It returned later, though. He loves to hunt. We’ve hunted near home and he has shot a 6-pointer and a doe. He watches all the TV shows, and his favorites are Wade Middleton’s shows, Americana Outdoors and

Yamaha’s Whitetail Diaries. What he really wanted is to shoot a Texas buck.”

Make-A-Wish would not consider that wish, as dreams that involve hunting are wishes left ungranted by the popular charity.

“They did send us to Disney World,” his father said.

At the South Texas ranch, Jim explained that the cancer and drugs used to treat the disease affected Matt’s growth, leaving the guides wondering about chair height in the blind. At 12 years old and in the 7th grade, Matt stands 4 feet, 3 inches tall.

Once Matt stepped out of the truck, it was obvious he could shoot in the blind while standing.

“You’re the perfect height for a deer blind,” he was told.

Matt described his afternoon hunt.

“We saw the buck twice,” he said. “As soon as we got there, we saw a doe. Then the buck walked fast by the feeder and got behind the brush. When the feeder went off, he came out.”

The window to the blind was opened, and Matt got the rifle out.

“I looked at it and started shaking,” he said. “Two does were watching us. Jim (Wheeler) said, ‘Be Please turn to page 25

A DESERVING HUNTER: Young hunter Matt Watts, 12, is all smiles after harvesting a great buck with the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation in South Texas. Even though he has a brain tumor, Matt doesn’t let that dampen his passion for deer hunting. He is a fanatical hunter.

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

Cut to the chase Knives of Alaska up for any job

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

The new Knives of Alaska automatic Tactical series get the job done. Period.

These knives come out of the box sharp and stay that way through any job a hunter or outdoorsman needs.

This is the first-ever Automatic series by Knives of Alaska. Each model is designed using their extra heavy-duty Torsion Bar spring system. A simple press of the button and the blade opens lightning fast and locks in place.

According to their easy-to-navigate website, the Tactical series are designed with extra-heavy spring system in such a manner that no adjusting will ever be needed.

The spring is exceedingly strong and robust. Their unique pattern with a series of cutouts are milled into the handle, facilitating a positive grip and further lightens the knife. Each handle edge is radiusfinished, providing comfort for prolonged cutting. Clip models are reversible, allow-

CSSC receives grant The Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has received $10,000 from the 2015 Rotary Club of Corpus Christi Harvey Weil Sportsman Conservationist Award to continue research into the multi-billion

ing the clip to be repositioned for left- or right-handed use.

All of Knives of Alaska come with a limited lifetime warranty.

As for use in the field, the crew from LSON tested several models and found most to be top-of-the-line.

However, professional hunter Jim Wheeler did have a few concerns.

“The knife was hard to keep clean, especially when skinning a pig,” he said. “With the handle the way it is, fat and hair gets down in there and it is hard to clean out. I skinned three full whitetails with the knife, slicing through sternum bones and all. The blade is holding up pretty good — it was hard to resharpen at first, but the edge has gotten better.”

LSON Founder David J. Sams also uses a knife from Knives of Alaska, and had good things to say about them.

“I really like the new technologies that Knives of Alaska is using in their new products,” he said. “The look and feel are right in line with the times.”

dollar sport-fish industry throughout Texas.

The project will examine estuarine sport-fish, such as the spotted seatrout, movement patterns and habitat use through the newly restored and reopened Cedar Bayou tidal inlet near Rockport, using state-of-the-art acoustic tracking techniques.

— CSSC

January 23, 2015

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January 23, 2015

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LSONews.com

HEROES

Lake Fork guide Mike McFarland holds a big largemouth he caught recently weighing 9.7 pounds.

Nicole Para, 13, from San Antonio, went on her first hunt with her grandpa, Joe T., and took this 10-pointer at the U7 Ranch in Cuero.

Oct. 27 turned out to be a great day in the woods for Jodie Thompson IV, when he harvested his first buck.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE

North Texas hunter Chad Ricks took this big bull elk at nine yards after a weeklong hunt in Oregon.

LONE STAR MARKET

John Anselmo shot this Walker County buck on Nov. 8, just after sunset, while the buck was chasing three does in a field.

n Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers?

Email 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.

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

January 23, 2015

Page 23

DATEBOOK JANUARY 23-25

JANUARY 31

JANUARY 23-28

FEBRUARY 4-7

Texas Tackle, Hunting and Boat Show Big Town Event Center, Mesquite montgomeryproductions.com

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

Texas Team Trail Sam Rayburn Tournament (210) 788-4143 texasteamtrail.com

Safari Club International SCI Convention Las Vegas, Nevada showsci.org

FEBRUARY 6-8

JANUARY 28

Ducks Unlimited Night with the San Antonio Spurs AT&T Center, San Antonio (830) 221-8046 ducks.org/texas

All Valley Boat Show McAllen Convention Center (866) 639-8940 allvalleyboatshow.com

FEBRUARY 7

Bass Champs Central Region fishing tournament Lake LBJ basschamps.com

First buck is a piebald beauty Continued from page 4

Rathke said. “The really cool thing was, 15 minutes later, the spike came back out and my nephew killed him, as well.”

Cathon began hunting last year, but already has an impressive list of accomplishments, including taking a trophy black Hawaiian ram and javelina.

“It was wonderful to shoot a buck like this on Thanksgiving,” Cathon said. “I hope one day I can shoot one bigger.”

“He’s been hunting with me for years,” Rathke said. “He’s been a terror. He thinks everything he shoots comes with a shoulder mount. We are taking this buck to All Creatures Great and Small Taxidermy to do a shoulder mount. It was a beautiful buck.”

Along with a great hunt, Cathon got to share it with his grandfather, who was also on the property.

“Dad was there and he was excited,” Rathke said. “This property has been in the family since the early 1900s, so it was neat that Cathon got to take a nice buck.”

Craig Bonds named TPWD Inland Fisheries director The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has named Craig Bonds as the new division director for Inland Fisheries.

“Craig Bonds’ vision, experience, science background, and strong history of leadership made him a compelling choice as the next director of our Inland Fisheries team. As well as anyone, Craig understands the myriad issues confronting our fisheries and aquatic habitats in the state. He is eminently well respected and well positioned to lead our Inland Fisheries team as they continue to steward our nationally renowned fisheries,” said Carter Smith, the TPWD executive director.

Bonds’ career with TPWD spans 16 years within the Inland Fisheries research and management branch, including being the assistant district team leader, a district supervisor and a regional director; a position he has held since 2007. He has worked in all three of TPWD’s Inland Fisheries management regions.

— TPWD

Delta Waterfowl Texas Hunting Retriever Chapter Banquet Austin Ranch, Grapevine (214) 929-1996 deltawaterfowl.org

FEBRUARY 12

Dallas Woods and Waters Club February Dinner Sheraton North Dallas (214) 218-6670 dwwcc.org

FEBRUARY 13

Texas Deer Association Superior Genetics Deer Auction Pedrotti’s North Wind Ranch, Helotes (210) 767-8401 texasdeerassociation.com

FEBRUARY 14

Bass Champs East Region fishing tournament Toledo Bend Reservoir basschamps.com

FEBRUARY 19

Dallas Safari Club Monthly Meeting Stonebriar Country Club (972) 980-9800 biggame.org

FEBRUARY 21

Texas Team Trail Fishing tournament Toledo Bend Reservoir Texasteamtrail.com

FEBRUARY 27-MARCH 1

Prime Total Archery Challenge Natural Bridges Caverns (801) 380-6442 totalarcherychallenge.com

FEBRUARY 28

Safari Club International North Texas Chapter fundraiser Grapevine, Embassy Suites Outdoor World (214) 226-1944 scinorthtexas.com

Page 24

January 23, 2015

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LSONews.com

TEXAS SUN, MOON AND TIDES Moon Phases Houston 2014 Jan.-Feb.

A.M. Minor Major

P.M. Minor Major

23Fri 24Sat 25Sun 26Mon 27Tue 28Wed 29Thu 30Fri 31Sat 01Sun 02Mon 03Tue 04Wed 05Thu 06Fri 07Sat 08Sun 09Mon 10Tue 11Wed

8:44 2:30 9:44 3:31 10:43 4:30 11:39 5:26 12:08 6:19 12:56 7:09 1:44 7:56 2:30 8:42 3:14 9:27 3:59 10:11 4:43 10:55 5:28 11:40 6:14 12:02 6:59 12:49 7:46 1:35 8:33 2:23 9:21 3:10 10:09 3:58 10:57 4:46 11:47 5:35

9:11 2:57 10:11 3:58 11:09 4:56 ----- 5:52 12:32 6:45 1:22 7:35 2:09 8:22 2:55 9:08 3:39 9:52 4:23 10:35 5:07 11:19 5:51 ----6:36 12:25 7:21 1:10 8:07 1:57 8:54 2:44 9:42 3:31 10:31 4:20 11:20 5:09 ----- 5:59

First

Last

Full

Jan. 27

New

Feb. 11

Feb. 3

Feb. 18

Solunar Sun times Moon times SUN Rises Sets

8:15 8:14 8:14 8:13 8:13 8:13 8:12 8:12 8:11 8:10 8:10 8:09 8:09 8:08 8:07 8:07 8:06 8:05 8:04 8:04

6:49 6:50 6:51 6:52 6:53 6:54 6:54 6:55 6:56 6:57 6:58 6:59 7:00 7:01 7:01 7:02 7:03 7:04 7:05 7:06

MOON Rises Sets

10:24a 10:41p 11:07a 11:45p 11:49a NoMoon 12:32p 12:48a 1:15p 1:50a 2:01p 2:49a 2:48p 3:46a 3:36p 4:40a 4:27p 5:31a 5:19p 6:18a 6:11p 7:01a 7:04p 7:41a 7:56p 8:18a 8:48p 8:54a 9:39p 9:28a 10:30p 10:01a 11:22p 10:35a NoMoon 11:10a 12:15a 11:46a 1:09a 12:26p

Dallas 2014 Jan.-Feb.

A.M. Minor Major

23Fri 24Sat 25Sun 26Mon 27Tue 28Wed 29Thu 30Fri 31Sat 01Sun 02Mon 03Tue 04Wed 05Thu 06Fri 07Sat 08Sun 09Mon 10Tue 11Wed

8:49 2:36 9:50 3:37 10:49 4:36 11:45 5:32 12:14 6:25 1:02 7:15 1:49 8:02 2:35 8:48 3:20 9:33 4:05 10:17 4:49 11:01 5:34 11:45 6:19 12:08 7:05 12:55 7:52 1:41 8:39 2:28 9:27 3:16 10:15 4:04 11:03 4:52 11:52 5:40

P.M. Minor Major

9:17 3:03 10:17 4:04 11:15 5:02 ----- 5:58 12:38 6:51 1:28 7:40 2:15 8:28 3:01 9:13 3:45 9:57 4:29 10:41 5:13 11:24 5:57 ----6:41 12:30 7:27 1:16 8:13 2:02 9:00 2:50 9:48 3:37 10:37 4:26 11:26 5:15 ----- 6:04

SUN Rises Sets

8:26 8:26 8:25 8:25 8:24 8:24 8:23 8:23 8:22 8:21 8:21 8:20 8:19 8:19 8:18 8:17 8:16 8:15 8:15 8:14

6:49 6:50 6:51 6:52 6:53 6:54 6:55 6:56 6:57 6:58 6:59 7:00 7:01 7:02 7:03 7:04 7:04 7:05 7:06 7:07

MOON Rises Sets

10:31a 10:46p 11:12a 11:52p 11:53a NoMoon 12:35p 12:57a 1:17p 1:59a 2:02p 3:00a 2:48p 3:58a 3:37p 4:52a 4:27p 5:43a 5:20p 6:29a 6:13p 12:17a 7:06p 7:51a 8:00p 8:27a 8:52p 9:02a 9:45p 9:34a 10:37p 10:07a 11:30p 10:39a NoMoon11:13a 12:24a 11:49a 1:19a 12:28p

San Antonio 2014 Jan.-Feb. 23Fri 24Sat 25Sun 26Mon 27Tue 28Wed 29Thu 30Fri 31Sat 01Sun 02Mon 03Tue 04Wed 05Thu 06Fri 07Sat 08Sun 09Mon 10Tue 11Wed

A.M. Minor Major 8:56 2:42 9:57 3:43 10:56 4:42 11:51 5:38 12:20 6:31 1:08 7:21 1:56 8:09 2:42 8:55 3:27 9:39 4:11 10:24 4:56 11:08 5:41 11:52 6:26 12:15 7:12 1:01 7:59 1:48 8:46 2:35 9:33 3:23 10:21 4:10 11:10 4:58 11:59 5:47

P.M. Minor Major 9:23 3:10 10:24 4:10 11:22 5:09 ----- 6:05 12:44 6:57 1:34 7:47 2:22 8:35 3:07 9:20 3:52 10:04 4:36 10:48 5:19 11:31 6:03 ----6:48 12:37 7:34 1:23 8:20 2:09 9:07 2:56 9:55 3:44 10:43 4:32 11:33 5:21 ----- 6:11

SUN Rises Sets 8:26 7:02 8:26 7:03 8:26 7:04 8:25 7:05 8:25 7:06 8:24 7:07 8:24 7:08 8:23 7:08 8:23 7:09 8:22 7:10 8:22 7:11 8:21 7:12 8:21 7:13 8:20 7:14 8:19 7:14 8:19 7:15 8:18 7:16 8:17 7:17 8:16 7:18 8:16 7:19

MOON Rises Sets 10:37a 10:54p 11:20a NoMoon 12:02p NoMoon 12:45p 1:01a 1:29p 2:02a 2:14p 3:02a 3:01p 3:59a 3:50p 4:53a 4:41p 5:43a 5:32p 6:30a 6:25p 7:13a 7:17p 7:53a 8:09p 8:31a 9:01p 9:06a 9:52p 9:40a 10:43p 10:14a 11:35p 10:48a NoMoon 11:23a 12:27a 12:00p 1:21a 12:40p

Amarillo

2014 A.M. Jan.-Feb. Minor Major

23Fri 24Sat 25Sun 26Mon 27Tue 28Wed 29Thu 30Fri 31Sat 01Sun 02Mon 03Tue 04Wed 05Thu 06Fri 07Sat 08Sun 09Mon 10Tue 11Wed

9:09 2:56 10:10 3:57 11:09 4:56 ----- 5:52 12:34 6:45 1:22 7:35 2:09 8:22 2:55 9:08 3:40 9:53 4:25 10:37 5:09 11:21 5:54 ----6:39 12:28 7:25 1:15 8:12 2:01 8:59 2:48 9:47 3:36 10:35 4:24 11:23 5:12 ----- 6:00

P.M. Minor Major

9:37 3:23 10:37 4:24 11:35 5:22 12:05 6:18 12:58 7:11 1:48 8:01 2:35 8:48 3:21 9:33 4:05 10:18 4:49 11:01 5:33 11:44 6:17 12:05 7:01 12:50 7:47 1:36 8:33 2:23 9:20 3:10 10:08 3:57 10:57 4:46 11:46 5:35 12:12 6:24

SUN Rises Sets

8:52 8:51 8:51 8:50 8:49 8:49 8:48 8:47 8:47 8:46 8:45 8:44 8:44 8:43 8:42 8:41 8:40 8:39 8:38 8:37

7:04 7:05 7:06 7:07 7:08 7:09 7:10 7:11 7:12 7:13 7:14 7:15 7:16 7:17 7:18 7:19 7:21 7:22 7:23 7:24

MOON Rises Sets

10:53a 11:07p 11:33aNoMoon 12:12p 12:14a 12:53p 1:20a 1:34p 2:24a 2:18p 3:25a 3:04p 4:23a 3:52p 5:18a 4:43p 6:08a 5:36p 6:55a 6:30p 7:37a 7:24p 8:15a 8:18p 8:50a 9:12p 9:24a 10:05p 9:56a 10:59p 10:27a 11:52p 10:59a NoMoon11:32a 12:47a 12:07p 1:43a 12:45p

Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of a location.

Sabine Pass, north Date Time Jan 23 4:34 AM Jan 24 12:08 AM Jan 25 1:13 AM Jan 26 2:20 AM Jan 27 3:27 AM Jan 28 4:30 AM Jan 29 5:27 AM Jan 30 6:19 AM Jan 31 7:05 AM Feb 01 12:42 AM Feb 02 1:22 AM Feb 03 1:58 AM Feb 04 2:33 AM Feb 05 3:09 AM Feb 06 3:50 AM

Height 1.1H 0.2L 0.0L -0.1L -0.3L -0.5L -0.6L -0.6L -0.6L 1.0H 1.0H 1.0H 1.0H 1.0H 0.9H

Time 11:24 AM 5:52 AM 7:27 AM 9:16 AM 11:04 AM 12:34 PM 1:42 PM 2:33 PM 3:13 PM 7:46 AM 8:24 AM 8:59 AM 9:34 AM 10:07 AM 10:41 AM

Galveston Bay entrance, north jetty

San Luis Pass

Date Time Jan 23 12:48 AM Jan 24 1:41 AM Jan 25 2:36 AM Jan 26 3:32 AM Jan 27 4:35 AM Jan 28 5:38 AM Jan 29 6:31 AM Jan 30 7:18 AM Jan 31 8:02 AM Feb 01 8:47 AM Feb 02 9:32 AM Feb 03 1:54 AM Feb 04 2:59 AM Feb 05 3:55 AM Feb 06 12:18 AM

Freeport Harbor Date Time Jan 23 12:04 AM Jan 24 12:38 AM Jan 25 1:22 AM Jan 26 2:15 AM Jan 27 3:15 AM Jan 28 4:18 AM Jan 29 5:20 AM Jan 30 6:17 AM Jan 31 7:07 AM Feb 01 7:51 AM Feb 02 12:33 AM Feb 03 1:28 AM Feb 04 2:17 AM Feb 05 3:03 AM Feb 06 3:49 AM

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

Time 4:09 AM 4:56 AM 5:46 AM 6:40 AM 7:35 AM 8:31 AM 9:27 AM 10:20 AM 11:11 AM 11:58 AM 12:39 PM 1:55 AM 2:35 AM 3:14 AM 3:52 AM

Time Height 6:22 PM 1.1H 12:15 PM -0.2L 1:11 PM 0.1L 2:16 PM 0.4L 3:39 PM 0.6L 5:20 PM 0.8L 6:48 PM 0.8L 7:46 PM 0.8L 8:22 PM 0.8L 3:46 PM 1.1H 4:13 PM 1.1H 4:36 PM 1.1H 4:58 PM 1.1H 5:21 PM 1.0H 5:44 PM 1.0H

Height

7:02 PM 7:45 PM 8:31 PM 9:21 PM 10:15 PM 11:09 PM 11:58 PM

1.1H 1.1H 1.0H 1.0H 1.0H 1.0H 1.0H

8:46 PM 9:06 PM 9:29 PM 9:59 PM 10:35 PM 11:17 PM

0.8L 0.7L 0.7L 0.6L 0.5L 0.4L

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

Height

Rockport

Height 1.0H 0.1L -0.1L -0.2L -0.4L -0.5L -0.6L -0.6L -0.6L 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H

Time 11:38 AM 6:32 AM 8:11 AM 9:27 AM 10:56 AM 12:18 PM 2:16 PM 3:12 PM 3:34 PM 7:55 AM 8:44 AM 9:26 AM 10:01 AM 10:33 AM 11:05 AM

Height -0.4L 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 1.0H 1.1H 1.2H 1.2H -0.6L -0.5L -0.5L -0.4L -0.3L -0.1L

Time 6:51 PM 12:31 PM 1:22 PM 2:10 PM 3:09 PM 5:38 PM 6:35 PM 7:31 PM 9:12 PM 3:52 PM 4:15 PM 4:42 PM 5:12 PM 5:44 PM 6:19 PM

Height 1.2H -0.1L 0.2L 0.5L 0.7L 0.8L 0.9L 0.9L 0.8L 1.2H 1.2H 1.2H 1.2H 1.1H 1.0H

7:27 PM 7:56 PM 8:17 PM 8:36 PM 9:02 PM 9:41 PM 10:59 PM

1.2H 1.1H 1.1H 1.1H 1.0H 1.0H 0.9H

9:51 PM 10:13 PM 10:27 PM 10:47 PM 11:14 PM 11:49 PM

0.8L 0.7L 0.7L 0.6L 0.5L 0.4 12L

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

Time 5:01 AM 6:25 AM 8:19 AM 10:36 AM 12:55 PM 2:28 PM 4:03 PM 4:40 PM 5:04 PM 5:22 PM 5:40 PM 10:12 AM 10:44 AM 11:07 AM 4:44 AM

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

Time 12:19 PM 1:19 PM 2:33 PM 4:01 PM 5:53 PM

Height -0.2L 0.0L 0.2L 0.4L 0.5L

Time 7:05 PM 7:40 PM 8:13 PM 8:44 PM 9:08 PM

Height 0.7L 0.5L 0.3L 0.1L -0.1L -0.3L -0.4L -0.5L -0.5L -0.4L 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H

Time 4:03 AM 5:26 AM 7:10 AM 9:14 AM 11:11 AM 12:36 PM 1:45 PM 2:41 PM 3:27 PM 4:05 PM 8:28 AM 8:58 AM 9:22 AM 9:49 AM 10:20 AM

Height 0.4L 0.3L 0.1L -0.1L -0.3L -0.4L -0.6L -0.6L -0.7L -0.7L -0.6L 0.6L 0.6L 0.5L 0.4L

Time 7:33 AM 8:58 AM 10:41 AM 12:59 PM 4:33 PM 6:20 PM 7:16 PM 8:07 PM 8:55 PM 9:38 PM 10:10 PM 3:56 AM 4:47 AM 5:38 AM 6:33 AM

11:03 PM 5:53 PM 5:54 PM 6:00 PM 11:25 AM

0.6L 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.0L

Height 1.0H 1.0H 0.9H 1.0H 1.1H 1.3H 1.4H 1.4H 1.4H 1.4H -0.4L -0.3L -0.2L -0.1L 0.0L

Time 11:12 AM 12:12 PM 1:23 PM 2:58 PM 4:46 PM 6:32 PM

Height 0.6H 0.5H 0.4H 0.4H 0.5H 0.7H 0.8H 0.8H 0.8H 0.8H 0.7H 0.6H 0.6H 0.5H 0.5H

Time

Height 0.7H 0.7H 0.6H 0.6H 0.6H

11:24 PM 11:49 PM

0.5L 0.4L

6:19 PM

0.6H

Height -0.3L 0.0L 0.3L 0.6L 0.8L 0.9L

Time 6:18 PM 6:50 PM 7:22 PM 7:54 PM 8:26 PM 8:57 PM

Height 1.2H 1.1H 1.0H 1.0H 0.9H 0.9H

10:16 PM 4:36 PM 4:59 PM 5:14 PM 5:25 PM 5:38 PM

0.8L 1.3H 1.3H 1.2H 1.1H 1.1H

10:40 PM 11:06 PM 11:32 PM 11:57 PM

0.8 L 0.8L 0.7L 0.6L

Time 3:25 PM 4:11 PM 5:08 PM 6:43 PM 8:17 PM 9:39 PM

Height -0.3L -0.1L 0.1L 0.3L 0.5L 0.6L

1:14 PM 1:39 PM 1:51 PM 1:59 PM

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

Port O’Connor

Time

Time 10:32 PM 10:41 PM 10:55 PM 11:11 PM 11:30 PM 11:55 PM

10:20 PM 10:10 PM 9:38 PM 9:30 PM

Height 0.5H 0.5H 0.5H 0.5H 0.6H 0.6H

0.7H 0.6H 0.6H 0.6H

Time 4:09 AM 1:45 AM 3:08 AM 4:22 AM 5:34 AM 6:44 AM 7:51 AM 8:52 AM 9:47 AM 10:31 AM 11:07 AM 11:36 AM 12:58 AM 2:09 AM 3:24 AM

Date Time Jan 23 4:56 AM Jan 24 6:21 AM Jan 25 4:16 AM Jan 26 5:43 AM Jan 27 6:47 AM Jan 28 7:43 AM Jan 29 8:36 AM Jan 30 9:28 AM Jan 31 12:08 AM Feb 01 12:58 AM Feb 02 1:49 AM Feb 03 2:38 AM Feb 04 3:28 AM Feb 05 4:18 AM Feb 06 5:14 AM

Port Aransas

Date Time Jan 23 3:35 AM Jan 24 4:56 AM Jan 25 1:07 AM Jan 26 2:20 AM Jan 27 3:27 AM Jan 28 4:28 AM Jan 29 5:25 AM Jan 30 6:17 AM Jan 31 7:04 AM Feb 01 7:45 AM Feb 02 8:20 AM Feb 03 12:24 AM Feb 04 1:17 AM Feb 05 2:09 AM Feb 06 3:04 AM

Height 0.1H -0.1L -0.2L -0.4L -0.5L -0.6L -0.6L -0.7L -0.7L -0.7L -0.6L -0.6L 0.1H 0.0H 0.0H

Time 1:34 PM 5:52 AM 8:31 AM 8:20 PM 8:11 PM 8:28 PM 8:56 PM 9:33 PM 10:16 PM 11:03 PM 11:56 PM

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

12:02 PM 12:28 PM 12:56 PM

-0.6L -0.5L -0.5L

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

Time 2:31 PM 2:41 PM 8:41 AM 9:39 PM 10:01 PM 10:36 PM 11:20 PM

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

10:19 AM 11:07 AM 11:52 AM 12:32 PM 1:07 PM 1:36 PM 2:00 PM

-0.4L -0.4L -0.4L -0.4L -0.4L -0.4L -0.4L

Height 0.6H 0.5H 0.0L -0.1L -0.3L -0.4L -0.4L -0.5L -0.5L -0.4L -0.4L 0.6H 0.6H 0.6H 0.5H

Time 10:46 AM 11:31 AM 6:29 AM 9:03 AM 7:29 PM 2:53 PM 3:38 PM 4:25 PM 5:11 PM 5:54 PM 5:13 PM 8:51 AM 9:16 AM 9:37 AM 10:01 AM

Height 1.1H 0.8L 0.5L 0.3L 0.2L 0.0L -0.1L -0.1L -0.1L -0.1L -0.1L 0.0L 1.2H 1.1H 1.1H

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

South Padre Island Date Time Jan 23 3:30 AM Jan 24 12:20 AM Jan 25 1:14 AM Jan 26 2:11 AM Jan 27 3:09 AM Jan 28 4:08 AM Jan 29 5:05 AM Jan 30 6:00 AM Jan 31 6:50 AM Feb 01 7:36 AM Feb 02 8:18 AM Feb 03 8:55 AM Feb 04 12:24 AM Feb 05 1:40 AM Feb 06 2:51 AM

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

Time 02:20 AM 02:38 AM 2:47 AM 4:51 AM 5:41 AM 6:16 AM 6:48 AM 7:46 AM 9:05 AM 12:02 AM 12:32 AM 1:04 AM 1:54 AM 3:17 AM 4:02 AM

Time 10:44 PM 2:12 PM 2:41 PM

Height -0.1H -0.4L -0.3L

10:24 PM

-0.1H

Time

Height

Time

Height

9:08 PM -0.1H 8:49 PM -0.1H

Time

Height

10:04 PM 2:22 PM

-0.2H -0.3L

Height -0.3L -0.1L 0.4H 0.4H 0.6H 0.6H 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.6H 0.6H -0.3L -0.3L -0.2L -0.1L

Time 5:47 PM 6:12 PM 12:15 PM 12:48 PM

Height 0.5H 0.5H 0.1L 0.3L

Time 11:47 PM

Height 0.2L

6:38 PM 7:04 PM

0.5H 0.5H

5:46 PM

0.6L

7:54 PM

0.6H

8:20 PM 8:39 PM 8:57 PM 5:03 PM 4:50 PM 4:41 PM 4:58 PM

0.6L 0.6L 0.5L 0.5H 0.5H 0.5H 0.5H

Time 11:14 AM 5:15 AM 7:09 AM 9:27 AM 12:39 PM 2:25 PM 3:24 PM 4:13 PM 4:56 PM 5:31 PM 5:52 PM 5:53 PM 9:28 AM 9:59 AM 10:29 AM

Height 0.1L 1.0H 1.0H 1.0H 1.2H 1.3H 1.4H 1.4H 1.4H 1.4H 1.3H 1.2H 0.1L 0.2L 0.3L

Time 6:31 PM 12:05 PM 1:01 PM 2:10 PM 3:53 PM

Height 1.1H 0.4L 0.7L 0.9L 1.1L

10:14 PM 5:44 PM 5:41 PM 5:48 PM

Time 4:25 AM 7:43 AM 12:19 PM 12:57 PM 10:01 PM 3:27 PM 4:07 PM 11:36 PM 7:01 PM 9:43 AM 10:06 AM 10:18 AM 10:36 AM 11:04 AM 1:58 PM

Height 0.4H 0.3H 0.3H 0.3H 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H 0.0L 0.0L 0.0L 0.1L 0.1L 0.1L

9:36 PM -0.2H

10:26 PM 0.6H 11:27 PM 0.6H 9:12 PM 9:15 PM 9:49 PM 10:34 PM

0.5L 0.4L 0.3L 0.3L

Time

Height

6:43 PM 6:53 PM 6:54 PM 6:37 PM

1.1H 1.1H 1.1H 1.2H

1.2L 1.2H 1.2H 1.1H

10:37 PM 11:06 PM 11:37 PM

1.1 L 1.0 L 0.9 L

Time 1:40 PM 2:04 PM 2:29 PM 2:59 PM

Height 0.1L 0.2L 0.2L 0.3L

Time 11:27 PM 8:22 PM 7:59 PM 7:52 PM

Height 0.3H 0.3H 0.4H 0.4H

6:11 PM 6:08 PM

0.4L 0.4L

11:39 PM 11:57 PM

0.4H 0.4H

9:37 PM 6:37 PM 7:29 PM 8:05 PM

0.4L 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H

9:59 PM 9:53 PM 10:04 PM

0.4L 0.3L 0.3L

11:13 PM

0.3H

Texas Coast Tides

Date Time Jan 23 4:41 AM Jan 24 12:42 AM Jan 25 1:33 AM Jan 26 2:23 AM Jan 27 3:23 AM Jan 28 4:45 AM Jan 29 5:44 AM Jan 30 6:28 AM Jan 31 7:09 AM Feb 01 12:01 AM Feb 02 12:52 AM Feb 03 2:23 AM Feb 04 3:11 AM Feb 05 3:41 AM Feb 06 4:09 AM

Height -0.5L 1.0H 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 1.0H 1.1H 1.2H 1.2H -0.6L -0.6L -0.5L -0.4L -0.3L -0.2L

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

January 23, 2015

Page 25

Young hunter connects during dream hunt Continued from page 20

patient, be patient, he’ll step out and turn.’”

After about 10 minutes, the 10-pointer did.

“Then I shot him,” the matter-of-fact youngster said. “I did what I was told, put it on the shoulder and let the gun surprise me. He dropped in his tracks.”

After some fist pumps in the blind, the two adults were dead silent and wiping their cheeks.

Then it was time to see his deer.

“This is the best New Year’s ever,” Matt told his father.

“For me, too,” his father replied.

Matt spent the evening watching the dressing of his deer. The next morning, he posed for more photographs. Then it was time to take the guts from his buck to the gut pile.

“Have you ever driven an ATV?” he was asked.

“No,” Matt said, although he had driven one much smaller.

Another wish was granted, as Matt drove the vehicle around the ranch on the rainy afternoon.

The evening hunt sent Matt and his dad to the “tequila blind” near some century (agave americanas) trees, where javelina had been spotted. Several deer showed up this particular evening, though.

“Do you see that doe?” Matt was asked as the rifle was positioned out the window.

“Yes,” Matt said.

Matt was given the OK when the doe turned.

Another true shot, and Matt was the first to take a deer from

Band was not impediment Continued from page 5

not free itself. And it had been there a while.

“The duck had a normal flight,” he said. “It didn’t look like it was impeding him in any way. The skin was starting to attach to it and the feathers were growing around it.”

Like any good waterfowl hunter, Reich kept the unique band as a keepsake.

“He rounded out the limit and I kept the ring,” he said. “This has got to be one of the rarest ducks out there — I don’t think anyone else has killed one with a band like this one had.”

For home or offi ce delivery, go to LSONews.com, or call (214) 361-2276, or send a check or money order to the address below.

Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 21628300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues.

Newsstand copies are $2, in certain markets copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2015 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 email them to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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the new blind.

“That was cool,” Matt said. “This is awesome.”

While his guide went to retrieve the truck, Matt and his father waited by the deer, and Matt told his father how much he liked the trip.

“Texas is a great place,” he said.

The next day, Matt got another wish. Having taken two deer, he got to sleep in. When it was almost time for the father-son duo to head back to the airport for their trip home, he got a choice.

“We still have 30 minutes,” he was told. “We could go shoot the .22 or you could drive the Polaris some more.”

The young man smiled.

“Let’s go for another ride,” Matt said.

“We started a tradition that the first person to shoot a deer from the tequila blind takes a shot of tequila,” David Sams told Matt. “You’ll have to come back when you’re 21 and we’ll have that shot.”

After the gate was opened and the rental car headed back to San Antonio, several grown men stood in total silence, none daring to try to speak.

More than just one young man’s wish had been granted.

The Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, go to LSONews.com/LSONFoundation.

DREAM COME TRUE: Matt Watts and his dad, Jim, admire the buck Matt harvested in South Texas. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Page 26

January 23, 2015

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LSONews.com

CLASSIFIEDS HUNTING AKC REGISTERED LABRADOR PUPS Blacks & Chocolates Superior Bloodline Ready for new homes in mid January Call Steve (817) 832-8078

POETRY SHOOTING CLUB 700-yard range, range target camera, quail hunting preserve, dog training, shooting classes, day leases Dove, duck & deer Poetryshootingclub.com (214) 728-2755 TDHA - JOIN TODAY TEXAS DOVE HUNTERS ASSOC. TexasDoveHunters.com (210) 764-1189 TROPHY WHITETAIL BUCK HUNTS Intensive Management Program. Lodging included.

(940) 362-4219

HAECKER SAFARI RANCH Family-friendly environment on this 1,000-acre Real County property with meals and lodging on-site. Come hunt hogs and predators for just $250 per day and add any other animal for a reasonable harvest fee. All Inclusive Packages for whitetails and exotics start at only $2000 for 3 days of hunting and 2 nights lodging. Call us today (830) 660-4933.

1.23.15TPWD

WHITETAIL JUNCTION RANCH 3-day fully guided whitetail hunts on a 2,900-acre ranch located between Junction & Menard.

Limited availability on 200+ class bucks. All lodging and meals provided. Can accommodate up to eight hunters either individually or a corporate group. Also has spring turkey hunts available and year round axis, blackbuck and red stag hunts. Call for further information or for a complete list of Exotic Game Available.

CALL (210) 247-8317 1.23.15 JCOC

DIMMIT COUNTY RANCH LEASE Low fence ranch opportunity for active small group or family (2-3 guns) to participate in year round lease (3/1/15-2/28/16). Lodging, blinds, feeders, full facilities in place. Deer, turkey, hogs, predators. $2,600 annual/hunter Call Tim at (512) 633-6383 for more info VLE HUNT CLUB 5,300-acre Val Verde County lease for 4 hunters. $3,000 per hunter for deer, turkey, quail and small game. Lots of deer stands and feeders provided or bring your own. Must be management minded. Family and guests are allowed. Nice campsite with power and water. Call (832) 435-6226.

1.23.15TPWD

RANCHO SIERRA VIEJA Aoudad Hunters — World class — not hunted in 20 years in Sierra Vieja mountains. (432) 386-7702.

Ask to speak with Antanicio.

Mule deer in Sierra Vieja Mountains below Marfa in Presidio County. (512) 327-5753. Ask to speak with Bob. 1.23.15TPWD

CLARKSVILLE RED River County Untouched wooded 85 acres surrounded by pasture land and split in half by a creek.

Visit HuntClarksvilleTx.com for more information.

One week/7-day leases from Wed to Tue — giving you a full weekend to hunt. $100 gets you a one-week hunt.

1.23.15TPWD

HUNT/FISH/RELAX Texas Hill Country. Ideal Corporate Retreat for entertaining key customers, prospects and employees. 15,000 acres, year-round use of headwaters lodge and game room, fully furnished, accommodates 20+ guests. Hunt deer, turkey, dove, javelina, wild hogs and some exotics. Great bass fishing in spring-fed lakes bounded by pecan groves.

Near Junction, TX Call Maynard Ranch (512) 477-7774 1.23.15 JCOC

MASON COUNTY High Fenced Package Hunts: 3 days fully guided with accommodations and meals included. Trophy, management, and doe hunts available. Father and Son packages encouraged. Spring turkey semi-guided with lodging Call Ranch Branch Ranch (830) 981-4225 1.23.15 JCOC

DAY LEASE DEER AND TURKEY Located in Kimble County.

Lodging available with water and electricity. Blinds and feeders. Can accommodate five hunters. Call Ivy Ranch days (361) 6482922, nights (830) 5832407

(830) 780-4609.

1.23.15TPWD

RANCH PROPERTIES Looking for a ranch or want to sell one?

Contact Chris Susilovich, Agent, Hortenstine Ranch Company Chris@HRCRanch.com (903) 503-5961

NAMIBIA HUNTING Chapungu-Kambako Hunting Safaris PH Herman Coetzee will guide you to your next plains game or dangerous game trophy.

Herman@chapungukambako.com chapungu-kambako.com FINE GUNS Patrick Willoughby-Mccabe has opened his new store in Albany, Texas Stop by and see what it has to offer 140-144 S. Main Street Albany.

Call for an appointment (469) 759-6146

FISHING SOUTH PADRE FISHING Reds, Trout, Flounder, Snook. Everything supplied but food and licenses.

Multiple trip discounts. Call Capt. Thomas for details or CDCT12005@aol.com.

CustomSportsAnglers.com (956) 551-1965

COLORADO RIVER FISHING Located in east Austin on the north bank of the Colorado River, Latitude: 30.256179 Longitude: -97.634178 1-acre leased-access fishing, boating, and camping area. It offers 225 feet of bank access and serves as a boat launch, and overnight campground.

Advance reservations must be secured through the Texas River School. Call for rates (512) 289-0750.

1.23.15TPWD

1.23.15 JCOC

SPRING TURKEY HUNTS $400 Per Hunter — Includes 2 Nights Lodging Wild Hog Hunts $200 Per Hunter — Includes 2 Nights Lodging Near Junction CALL (325) 475-2901 1.23.15 JCOC

PECAN SPRINGS Bandera County property includes a pecan orchard.

We offer weekend dove hunting packages, whitetail, blackbuck and axis packages.

We have newly remodeled, fully furnished cabins. Please contact Stacie at

DALLAS SAFARI CLUB MEMBERS Are you 21 to 40 years old?

Join the new Conservation Society (a young professional group) We are a fun group and want you to learn about us.

Contact Crystal at (972) 989-9800 or Crystal@biggame.org dscconservationsociety.org

UMBRELLA RANCHING 4200 acres in northwest Kimble County. Remote.

Electricity & Water available. Hunting Rested Last Year. Protein Feeders & Pens already set up. Drop Tine Genetics. Other leases also available. For info CALL (325) 456-0130 1.23.15 JCOC

WHITE BASS FISHING Neches River, upstream from Lake Palestine Chandler River Park Spring run (Feb-April) 2,650 feet of river frontage to the north and 3,000 feet to the south for bank fishing. Latitude: 32.315014 Longitude: -95.452488 no cost fishing.

(903) 849-6853 1.23.15TPWD

TROPHY BASS AND BIRD HUNTING Fish famous Lake Guerrero.

Hunt Dove, Quail, Ducks.

Please contact Lago Vista Lodge today! dickyn@ lagovistalodge.com (713) 376-3938 or (281) 495-9296

TROUT FISHING Camp Huaco Springs Guadalupe River rainbow and brown trout.

This site is stocked by TPWD with rainbow trout though February. Latitude: 29.759801 Longitude: -98.140090 (830) 625-5411 1.23.15TPWD

LEASED FISHING ACCESS Brazos River downstream from Lake Whitney Located on the east bank of the Brazos River in northern McLennan County near the town of Gholson, approximately 6 miles downstream of the FM 2114 bridge crossing.

Lease period: January 1, 2013 through October 31, 2016 Phone: (254) 290-0029 Latitude: 31.738457 Longitude: -97.270316 This 120-acre property offers 2,051 feet of river frontage for bank fishing and serves as a day-use and camping area for canoe and kayak anglers that launch upstream. There is no road access to this area; paddlers can reach it only from the river. Free public parking is available by reservation at Dick’s Canoes, 6 miles upstream on the west bank at the FM 2114 bridge crossing.

Call (254) 622-8364 for more information.

1.23.15TPWD

BOATS BOAT FOR SALE! 2012 Panga Marine 22’ Marquesa - Yamaha 115 36volt iPilot Minn Kota Coastline trailer Humminbird 998 (979) 415-4379

MISC. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS & MAPPING RANCH & HUNTING, AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL, 2014 IMAGERY AVAILABLE BalboaMapCompany.com (806) 777-8840 ARROWHEADS AND ARTIFACTS I buy and sell authentic Texas artifacts. Please call Nick.

(210) 557-9478 DECOYS WANTED WOODEN Duck and Goose. Top prices paid. Ask for David.

(214) 361-2276 14’X18’ MOBILE HOME Choke Canyon Lake .8 acres, 2 bedroom, 1 bath Calliham, TX $65,000 Call Don (361) 318-4774

VEHICLES LOOKING FOR A FORD F-150 OR F-250 SUPER DUTY? I’m a lifelong hunter and can help you hunt for your next truck.

Call Bobby at Rockwall Ford, (214) 632 7963.

I have a great selection of preowned trucks, as well.

2007 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Cab 4x4 5.4L — $21,990 2012 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Cab 4x4 — $31,500 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4-door — $34,980

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

January 23, 2015

Page 27

Page 28

January 23, 2015

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LSONews.com