Dakota (the ‘Newsroom Dog’)
Turns 1! Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper in Texas
February 24, 2017
Volume 13, Issue 13
Bottle cap art
Quail hunters euphoric
Restaurant murals of redfish, trout By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News The bar and restaurant is usually full of regulars, but newcomers stop and stare at the art on the walls. At Pop’s Tavern and Café on the north side of Rockport, owner Tracy Goodwin said the idea came during a remodel. “When we were doing an add-on to the bathrooms, we knew we wanted a mural,” Goodwin said. “But we wanted something different. We wanted a fish, so we started saving bottle caps from the bar and about seven of us did the work.” The bottle cap art murals include a large redfish and speckled trout, along with a U.S. and Texas flag. Goodwin, who has owned what locals call “Pop’s Place” since 1993, said out-oftowners especially notice the murals. The regulars consist of locals, fishing guides and many of the airboat guides who operate out of Goose Island State Park. Bill and Janet Hughs of Sachse took a trip to the coast to view whooping cranes and see the Aransas National Wildife Refuge, and stopped at Pop’s for lunch before they headed back to the refuge. “We noticed the mosaic-looking
CREATIVE: Tracy Goodwin and friends used discarded bottle caps to produce murals of redfish and speckled trout at the restaurant she has owned since 1993, Pop’s Tavern and Café in Rockport. Photos by Erich Schlegel, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
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Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 11 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12
By Mark England
Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 16 Crossword . . . . . . . . . Page 18
Lone Star Outdoor News
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 21 Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 22
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Scanning the Top 50 Largemouth Bass list compiled by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department brings to mind a renowned Merle Haggard lyric: “Are the good times really over for good?” Almost 74 percent of the largemouths on the list were caught pre2000 (with the first taken in 1981). Since then, only 14 of the top 15 trophy lunkers have been caught. The top 15 heavyweight bass were all caught before the turn of the century. That’s not to say largemouth bass fishing in Texas reeks. In 2014, Texan Keith Combs won the Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork by toting 110 pounds to the scale — shattering a nationwide record for a 5-bass limit tour event by 26 pounds, 11 ounces. “I’ll put our fishing against any state’s,” said Dave Terre, TPWD’s chief of management and research for Inland Fisheries. “It’s still outstanding.”
INSIDE
Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 19
By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News Praise for the Texas quail season that ends Feb. 26 has been unending. Adjectives like “best ever,” “jubilee” and “incredible” are discussed around the campfire and online. Phil Lamb has hunted in the Roby, Aspermont and Hermleigh areas. “We’ve seen more quail than I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said. “Rick Snipes has more than two birds per acre near Aspermont. We’ve rarely gone longer than 20 minutes without finding a covey.” Please turn to page 5
Aging lakes lose vigor
CONTENTS
GOOD TIMES: Pat Kaufman laughs after receiving a bird from his friend’s dog, in an unusual fashion — between his legs. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
HUNTING
Disappearing bones Where do carcasses go? Page 4
Hunting deaths up in 2016 By Darlene McCormick Sanchez Lone Star Outdoor News
But even Lake Fork, a relative youngster among reservoirs at age 37, doesn’t churn out behemoths like it did. Twenty-eight of its largemouths on the top
Hunting-related fatalities for 2016 spiked over the previous year, mainly because hunters mistakenly thought the victims were game. Preliminary data from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department show that five people were killed due to discharge of a firearm or bow while hunting in 2016. That number is up from two deaths in 2015. Besides mistaken identity, factors contributing to the spike in deaths were shooters swinging outside a safe zone of fire, shooting while moving, and not pointing the muzzle of a loaded gun in a safe direction. Overall, there were 19 nonfatal hunting incidents, and 24 total, counting fatalities last year. Two more hunters died during 2016 in incidents that didn’t involve a firearm or bow when they fell from elevated tree stands while deer hunting. Dove hunting continues to lead the way, accounting for 29 percent of the injuries and fatalities last year. Steve Hall, hunter education manager for TPWD, said that while the fatality rate is higher this year, overall the trend has steadily decreased over the decades. Data backs
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Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News
FISHING
Hog killer Warfarin-based product approved. Page 5
Nuts for fishing
Benefit tourney
Youngster has big plans. Page 8
Event for fallen angler takes off. Page 15