By Tom Stephenson newS
Good luck has been following Michael Huynh of late. First, he watched the raffle bin at the Beretta Gallery spin his way to win a turkey hunt sponsored at the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation’s Wild Game Night. Next, he met up with premier turkey guide and caller Erik Waller.
Huynh, 39, is an avid outdoorsman and hunter, but he never had hunted for turkey. His pals told him to get ready to do a lot of walking and calling and quiet sitting, and not to expect much in the way of success early or otherwise.
After being outfitted with gators to protect from rattlers and a full facemask, Huynh began a march with Waller, a National
Anglers have been battling the washing machine effect, as gusty winds from various directions and constantly changing tidal levels have prevailed. As a result, red drum are stacked up one day and seemingly gone the next.
Rockport guide Capt. Jay Nichols said the reds have been scattered and hard to key in on at times.
“On days when the wind has been howling and the tide has been low, redfish have been nearly impossible to find,” Nichols said. “When calmer conditions have occurred with normal tide levels, the reds have been feeding along their typical springtime haunts.”
Nichols has encountered the highest concentrations of redfish in water depths from 8 inches
to 1.5 feet.
“When they have been in the shallows, it’s been easy to spot pods of them because their backs have been sticking out of the water,” he said. “The reds haven’t been staying in one spot, though. I’ve been having to cover water each day until I find them.”
Nichols’ anglers have been catching redfish on shrimp and cut mullet. Sizes have varied from undersized red drum to those in the midslot range.
Capt. Collin Peterson has been chasing redfish from lower West Galveston Bay to Freeport along satellite bays and back lakes. His anglers have been catching upper slot redfish, as well as some oversized reds, when the tide levels have been normal. Peterson said the bite has been tough when extreme low tides have occurred.
Lana and Jenn Shields recently fished with
Guard first sergeant, just 72 hours back from a 10-month deployment on the Sinai Peninsula bordering Egypt and Israel.
In a family tradition set by Waller’s father, his son, Hayden, a sophomore–to-be and tight end at Brock High School, joined the stalk.
The tall grass was a lush green as they stepped out with both fervor and caution. Along the
way, every 15 minutes or so, Waller warmed up his mouth call with a half yelp. No more than 30 minutes since leaving the truck, there was a cacophony of gobbles. The trio acted quickly.
“We had to hurry and barely had time to set up a jake decoy,” Waller said. “We found a tree and just had to sit down and be quiet. The whole time, big turkeys and
Few things get bass anglers more excited than a new lake to fish.
At Bois d’Arc Reservoir, which opened April 17, boats were lined up at the ramp in the morning, but tapered off during the day.
Longtime Lake Fork and East Texas guide Lance Vick was on
the lake and gave positive reports, saying he plans to add the lake to his guiding schedule.
“It’s awesome,” Vick said. “It’s gonna be a player.”
Vick fished the northern end of the lake and said the lake appears to be a cross between Fork when it opened and the amount of cover that was in O.H. Ivie growing all its big fish.
“We caught quite a few fish
on small swimbaits and weightless worms and frogs, and the biggest one was about 5 pounds. The cover is thick,” he said. “It’s a little bit murky up north.”
Lone Star Outdoor News’ Mike Hughs fished the lake Sunday, April 21, following 2 inches of rain and a cool front. His group fished mid-lake toward the dam.
“There was a lot of brush in the water on that end,” he said.
WHATEVER YOUR ADVENTURE IS, WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.
For two deer breeders who have been fighting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Animal Health Department, the battle may be winding down.
Rick Young has two breeding facilities on his AAA&J Ranch that are more than a mile apart. In August 2022, one of his facilities had one positive test for CWD. The other facility had 21 bucks, all 3-year-olds that were tested in March 2022 and all returned nondetected results for CWD.
“I had a contract to sell those 21 bucks for $152,000,” Young said. “They will not let me sell those deer. Today I have only 16 of those bucks. The other five have been killed fighting by the other bucks in that pen. All five that died tested negative for CWD.”
Young has filed suit against the two departments, but he has received a letter stating TPWD will be coming no sooner than April 22 to kill his deer. On April 19, he obtained a temporary restraining order buying another 14 days before another hearing. TPWD, in its letter to Young, said 13 deer that died at the one facility tested postitive for CWD.
According to the letter, Young cannot be on his own ranch in an area close to his pens, nor can he observe or film the slaughter.
TPWD has called its killing of deer herds euthanasia. However, euthanasia in animals, from the Latin “good death,” is defined as the act of killing an animal humanely, most commonly with injectable drugs.
Macy Ledbetter, a wildlife biologist with Spring Creek Outdoors, said on Ted Nugent’s Spirit Campfire podcast on Real America’s Voice that the killings are anything but humane.
“They bring in ‘sharpshooters,’ who are TPWD employees,” he said. “They force the landowners off of their own property, won’t allow filming or photographs, and slaughter healthy deer with rifles.”
Robert Williams, who has been fighting for his deer for more than two years, also faces the killing of nearly 500 deer, after losing a recent legal battle. Williams’ struggle has been amplified since he was not allowed to release healthy bucks onto his own property to be hunted, and CWD has spread in his pens due to close contact between the deer, infecting more than 60 deer. However, after more than two years, none of the deer have shown any signs of the disease described by officials and media as a “zombie deer disease.” Discussions toward an ultimate resolution are ongoing.
Ledbetter said since 2003, 337,800 deer have been tested for CWD with a 0.18-percent infectivity rate.
“That means it’s a 99.82-percent negativity rate,” he said. “It’s not out of control. It’s not highly contagious. It can be managed quickly and effectively by removing a handful of deer.”
Ledbetter cited four methods to address CWD without killing deer.
“There’s a live animal test that involves a Q-tip swab inside the mouth,” he said. “Texas Tech is working on a simple blood test. There’s genetic testing to, in time, breed out genetic traits more susceptible to the disease. And you can treat feed with copper, zinc and manganese, which is showing great promise. These are four great tools, but state agencies won’t accept them.”
Please turn to page 20
By Mike Bodenchuk
For Lone Star outdoor newS
There is plenty of information about the damage feral hogs cause to Texas farm fields and ranches, estimated at around a half-billion dollars annually, but little on the economic value to the state from hunting the hogs.
Feral hogs are a popular target for hunters in Texas, providing opportunities and free-range meat. With no season, no bag limits and no restrictions, hog hunting provides economic benefits to landowners and hunting outfitters and a yearround chance to hunt.
The economic benefit of hog hunting in Texas was recently evaluated by a group of wildlife biologists and economists, led by Dr, Sophie McKee at Colo-
rado State University. In a paper recently published by CSIRO in the journal Wildlife Research, the group detailed the methods and results of a survey of hunters. Over 169,000 email surveys were sent to licensed hunters and researchers received 37,000 responses, a remarkable database for analysis. The respondents to the survey were primarily resident hunters: fully 91 percent of the hog hunters were residents versus 9 percent nonresidents.
As might be guessed, most hunters (resident and nonresident) hunted hogs while hunting other species, such as deer or turkeys. Only 3.4 percent of survey responses indicated that they hunted only feral hogs.
Expenditures by individual hunters was estimated from the survey response, and tools, guns
and accessories was the category with the largest expense, followed by guides, transportation, overnight accommodations and lease fees. The average hog hunting expense per resident (2018 dollars) was $3,042 while nonresidents spent an average of $2,956. Only 21 percent of the nonresident respondents reported they came to Texas just to hunt feral hogs. These nonresident hunters spent only $2,764 — less than that spent by those who came to Texas to hunt multiple species. Most of the nonresident expenditures were in the categories of transportation and outfitter fees. The researchers noted it was impossible to determine whether equipment purchased by these hunters was purchased in Texas (thus contributing to the value here) or
DSC held one of its signature annual events April 13 – the 2024 Big Bore Shoot. Life member Johnny Holder topped the nearly 30 shooters who arrived early at Chris Sells’ private range just south of Dallas, with some coming from as far away as the Texas Hill Country and Louisiana.
The rules were simple; a practice round of three shots followed by two rounds of three shots each scoring from 70 yards off shooting sticks, 30 yards freehand and, finally, two shots in rapid succession on a moving target.
The targets were silhouetted Cape buffalo, with two points being awarded for a brain shot and one point awarded for a shoulder shot.
The breezy Saturday morning made lining up shots a challenge, but the heavy calibers in .375, .416 and .470 helped shooters steady themselves on the sticks at 70 yards. Round two saw the firing line moved up to 30 yards and shooters fired three shots offhand at the targets.
Finally, a buffalo target on a zipline provided shooters with a chance for two shots at a fast-moving target.
When the scores were tallied, Holder had the highest cumulative score for the three rounds. Life member David Allison finished in second.
After the shooting had concluded, the group retired to the shade of a stand of live oaks for a barbecue lunch.
in their home state.
Based on the survey results and an economic model of the Texas economy, the marginal value of feral hog hunting in Texas was estimated between $68.5 million and $188 million (2022 dollars). While significant, this estimate is far lower than the damage estimates, which puts pig damage in Texas above $500 million annually.
Because feral hogs are considered “exotic hoofstock” under Texas law and are property of the landowner, feral hog hunting will continue to have a significant place on the landscape. Landowners and hog hunters can play a role in minimizing damage and still have hogs to hunt.
Lone Star outdoor newS
Although not a concern for the overall population of dove in Texas, the National Wildlife Health Center confirmed several dove collected across Texas, including the Trans Pecos and Rolling Plains, tested positive for trichomoniasis.
Trichomoniasis is an infectious disease affecting birds caused by a protozoan parasite. It affects mostly pigeon and dove, but other species, such as finches, may also become infected. The disease does not always cause mortality and does not pose a human health risk.
Stompy on the Texas Hunting Forum said he found five dead dove in his yard.
“I talked to the game warden. He said there are reports from Coleman to Haskell, and not all will be affected.”
Generally, sick birds appear weak and have a “fluffed up” appearance. The parasite causes inflammation of the linings of the crop and mouth. As the disease progresses, affected birds have difficulty swallowing or breathing as the inflammation creates plaques which affect the airways and esophagus. Food and water sources, such as backyard bird feeders and birdbaths, can become contaminated from the mouths of infected birds.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recommends that bird feeders and baths should be cleaned frequently using a weak solution of household bleach. Feeders and baths should be rinsed well and dried before re-use. The department also recommends using bird feeders that prevent the seed from getting wet, as bird seed that becomes wet provides a more suitable environment for parasite survival.
Owen Fitzsimmons, TPWD’s webless migratory game bird program leader, said the discovery shouldn’t worry Texas hunters.
“Trichomoniasis is fairly common in dove and usually affects younger birds,” he said. “We’re seeing more cases than usual pop up across the state right now, but even so mortalities are pretty low. We just want the public to be aware so they can keep feeders clean and prevent more infections.”
Recent acquisitions by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service have added more than 9,000 acres to the public lands managed by the National Wildlife Refuge System in Texas.
At San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf Coast, the service acquired more than 5,635 acres of prime Columbia bottomlands habitat for the benefit of neotropical migratory birds, waterfowl and resident wildlife.
At Neches River National Wildlife Refuge in East Texas, the service acquired more than 3,000 acres of prime habitat for wintering and nesting migratory birds in the area’s bottomland hardwood forests.
At Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge in Central Texas, the service acquired 441 acres of priority nesting habitat for grassland birds and the black-capped vireo.
At Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf Coast, the service acquired more than 191 acres of habitat consisting of brackish marshlands and coastal prairie.
At Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge in South Texas, the service acquired more than 57 acres of water features and native brush within and adjacent to Tiocano Lake and along the natural floodplain of the Rio Grande.
At Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge in Southeast Texas, the service acquired more than 42 acres of bottomland hardwood floodplain forest.
At Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in South Texas, the service acquired 10 acres adjacent to existing refuge lands in Cameron County.
The National Wildlife Refuge System grows through the conservation of fee-title and easement acquisitions from willing sellers within approved acquisition boundaries. To purchase the acquisitions, the service uses Migratory Bird Conservation Funds, which are generated from the sale of federal Duck Stamps and import duties on arms and ammunition, and Land and Water Conservation Funds.
jakes were gobbling and coming toward us.”
Waller glanced over to Huynh, whose “eyes were just getting huge.” He had his back to the tree breaking up his silhouette but was in a sitting position and holding an unfamiliar 12-gauge.
“This big turkey just attacked the decoy,” Waller said. “It all happened so quickly, and there was so much movement. At the same time that the gobbler was actually spurring the decoy, Michael took a shot. He missed.”
Huynh, who works as a manager and sommelier at the popular Times Ten Cellars in Dallas’ Lakewood neighborhood, was crestfallen and wondering to himself if he would ever get such a chance again.
“No question I was disappointed that I had missed such an opportunity,” he said.
They regrouped for water at the truck where Waller offered encouragement. With a positive attitude, they began another mission. After a quiet hour or so, they decided to set up at the exact same spot.
Again, Waller yelped and purred and cackled. Again, came close gobbles.
“Except this time they were behind me,” Huynh said. “If I wanted a shot, I had to pivot at a weird angle. It was now or never.”
The advancing turkeys noticed the movement and, with the familiar “putt-putt,” quickly departed. Huynh took the difficult shot and downed what Waller described as “a very large jake. As big as you will see.”
With his turkey breasted and prepped for a tail fan display, the next day, Huynh went fishing and, of course, caught one right away. When asked if he thought his good fortune might continue, he said, “Well, I am buying a lottery ticket tonight.”
A group of 10 new hunters learned all about turkey hunting at a recent workshop, called Turkey Hunting 101, put on by the Hunter Education division of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Best of all, the workshop included a turkey hunt on the family ranch of Kevin Bensmiller near Three Rivers.
Participants first have to complete basic hunter education, and the workshops, in many categories, include much of what is needed to begin hunting.
South Texas Hunter Education Specialist Brock Minton said people complete hunter education and some are interested in learning about specific hunting, and for those the workshops are perfect.
At the turkey workshop, 10 youngsters and adults were taught about turkey conservation from a biologist, game laws from a game warden, and Minton said he helped with shotgun use, patterning and choosing the proper ammunition to make an ethical shot, and hunting ethics.
“They also learn calling and what we think the calls mean to the birds, blind building and, most of all, patience,” Minton said. “Then volunteers come in and help with teaching proper field dressing, care for the game and preparing for the table, as well as saving the fan and beard for making a display.”
The weekend of April 6-7, Bensmiller had allowed up to 10 turkey hunts, so all the people at the workshop could participate, and no drawing was necessary, Minton said.
“They saw some game,” Minton said. “For some, the turkeys didn’t get close enough for a shot, but six of the hunters harvested two toms, two jakes and two bearded hens. Others saw some hogs, and everyone enjoyed nature at its best.”
Minton encouraged the state’s new hunters to check out other workshops available at the department’s hunter education web page.
“We have dove, upland bird, migratory bird, deer, hog, trapping, small game, processing and outdoor ethics workshops,” he said. “We also have bowhunting and muzzleloading workshops. We try to get it where people can learn about what they would like to hunt.”
The recreational fishing season for greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico will reopen during the month of May. It will begin May 1 and close again at 12:01 a.m. local time, on June 1.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, the current recreational fishing season for greater amberjack also includes Aug. 1 to Oct. 31.
Many coastal anglers feel the amberjack season is too short and the daily bag limit, at one fish with a minimum length of 38 inches, is too low, and argue the population is larger than projected.
Annual season dates are established by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and implemented by NOAA Fisheries. The recreational greater amberjack season dates are set to be closed when the annual catch target quantity is met or pro-
The Fisherman’s Wharf’s Scat Cat headed out of Port Aransas on a 60-hour bluewater safari in the Gulf, and loaded the boat with some great fish.
The exploratory trip took them 130-170 miles offshore to drop and troll some of the deep-water oil and gas floaters. Corbin Orr, deckhand, said the seas on the first night were almost like a lake and the next night they were only around 4 feet.
“We dropped squid in 1,200 feet of water hoping to catch swordfish” he said. “But we hooked up to a big surprise.”
After a 3.5-hour fight, a 458-pound bluefin tuna came onboard. It was the first bluefin caught on the 77-foot boat and the crew was elated.
jected to be met. In 2023, NOAA Fisheries set a recreational greater amberjack fishing season of August 1-25, 2023, based on projections that the annual catch target quantity would be met at that time. However, preliminary landings indicated it was not met nor projected to be met.
Individual anglers, as well as angler groups and organizations have questioned the reasoning behind the conservative season for greater amberjack. A team
Crappie are in various stages of their spawning season. While some are still up shallow, others are staging over structure in deeper water. More fish are pushing out to deeper water each day, signaling the spawn is winding down.
On Lake Somerville, guide Joey Ferro said the crappie are starting to stack up on brush piles in 12-20 feet of water.
“Post-spawn patterns are finally gaining momentum, and the fish are piling up on brush piles, with more and more showing up each day,” Ferro said. “Brush piles along Somerville’s main lake waters have been holding larger concentrations of fish, but larger crappie can be found in smaller numbers around secondary brush piles along the outer forks of the lake.”
Many of the crappie Ferro and his anglers have been catching have measured 12 inches or more in length. Jigs in shad patterns have been
drawing the most strikes.
of research scientists from the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies have been a part of an ongoing study with the Sea Grant in the Gulf of Mexico Greater Amberjack Research Program, with a goal of developing additional data sources, assessment approaches and knowledge to improve agency and agency-independent estimates of the abundance of greater amberjack.
According to HRI Specialist Tara Topping, the study included both
“We are catching mostly black crappie with a few white crappie mixed in,” Ferro said.
“A run-and-gun approach has worked the best for catching numbers of crappie. You can catch a few on each brush pile, but they stop biting quickly. The key is to keep bouncing around and targeting new schools of fish.”
Most of the crappie have been holding tight to the bot tom around the brush piles.
On Lake Cypress Springs, Brodie Ogle is still finding large concentrations of crap pie in 2-3 feet of water in the Franklin County lake in north east Texas. He said the fish seem to be on the tail end of the spawn.
“The female crappie have started to push on out to deeper water, but there are still a ton of male fish up shallow on beds,” Ogle said. “The shallow pattern won’t last much longer, but it’s been good for catching lots of crappie.”
Ogle has been targeting flats along the backs of coves near
Neighborhood lakes are bringing in anglers to take advantage of a stocking program at 18 ponds across the state. Each lake receives channel catfish every two weeks from mid-April through October (except during August in the heat of summer).
At Katy’s Mary Joe Peckham Park, anglers had different rigging and bait preferences, but each was successful in catching multiple catfish. Kevin Stokely and his family used lemon pepper chicken marinated in jello and Kool-Aid, and had a good stringer of fish.
“It’s catfish crack,” Stokely said. “I found
it on TikTok.”
Another father and son were catching cats on hot dogs.
“Seems to be the only thing they are eating,” the father said.
Preston Lawrence and his son, Karmon, were using night crawlers and hot dogs on a drum rig to keep their baits on the bottom.
“I switched to hot dogs when someone left me their bait and that’s how I have been catching them,” Karmon said.
Andra Smith had only been at the pond a few minutes with his younger brother when his rod doubled over with the first fish of the day. They were catching them on nightcrawlers only a few feet from
By Tony Vindell
Catching speckled trout under the new limits has been causing some consternation for anglers and fishing tournament organizers. The legal size is now 15-20 inches. While one oversized fish is also allowed, it has to be 30 inches or larger as part of the daily bag.
Come September, that oversized trout, 28 inches or longer, must be tagged in a similar fashion as keeping a bull redfish.
So how does this fit in the upcoming fishing tournament season?
Some tournament organizers said they will follow the new regulations concerning the trout as they have done in the past, while
others shared different views.
At this weekend’s Rancho Pesca Pisto Fishing Tournament, in Port Mansfield, no oversized trout will be allowed.
Peter Garcia, the tourney organizer, said any trout entered by a competing angler must be within the 15-20 inch slot.
This will apply to a single trout or if it is a part of what is known as the “Texas Grand Slam,” a stringer made up of a trout, a redfish and a flounder.
The same will take place at the Shallow Sports Owners Fishing Tournament, slated for May 1011 on South Padre Island, and at the J.P. Griffon Memorial Fishing Tournament planned for May 1718 in Port Mansfield.
The Willacy County Young Fam-
Scooter McGee caught this 20 1/2inch speckled trout out of Port Mansfield.
Saltwater tournaments are adjusting to the new trout size limits. Photo by Tony Vindell, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
ers Fishing Tournament, scheduled May 25 in Port Mansfield, is planning to allow an oversized trout, whether individually or as part of a Texas Grand Slam.
The issue was discussed a couple of times during the committee meeting, and its members voted to allow the inclusion of the oversize trout this year only. But once the oversized regulation to tag a trout takes effect in September, no tagged fish will be allowed thereafter.
At the Texas International Fishing Tournament, scheduled for Aug. 2-3, the issue has not yet been settled. Kristi Collier, the tourney’s director, said the board will decide how to deal with the specks at its next meeting in May.
Scooter McGee, an avid angler
Please turn to page 20
Jason Isaacs targeted Possum Kingdom’s docks to win the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series event April 14.
With a five-bass limit measuring 101.25 inches, the angler from Columbus, Ohio, claimed the victory, earning the first-place prize of $10,000 in the weather-shortened event. Missouri’s Brandon Prince finished second with 96.75 inches and Mississippi’s Clint Pippen was third with 95.25.
Isaacs had never been to Possum Kingdom, and after having “the worst practice of my life,” he did not anticipate catching a single bass on Day 1.
Heavy winds and the threat of severe weather forced a Saturday cancellation, which allowed him to make an adjustment to his game plan and follow a lead from his father, Tim.
“I decided I was going to put in and fish where my dad was fishing, so I was fishing around him. There were probably 55 docks in the area I fished,” Isaacs said. “He only caught two bass in this area in practice, but that’s what we went with during the tournament.”
Isaacs pitched a 5-inch Z-Man FattyZ on a 1/8-ounce shaky head to the walkways of floating docks, catching mostly postspawn largemouth.
One particular dock yielded three of his bigger bass.
“I casted to the same spot three times because I knew there were fish there,” Isaacs said. “The third cast I caught a 19, and then the fifth cast I caught a 21.75 and the sixth cast I caught a 21. All on the same dock post. It was insane.”
His biggest bass of the day was a 23.25-inch largemouth, which weighed in at over 9 pounds on his personal scale.
Prince caught a mix of pre- and postspawn largemouth that were staging in standing timber leading into a spawning area. With the base of the timber in 15 to 20 feet of water, Prince used his forward-facing sonar to locate bass suspended in 10 to 12 feet of water under the branches.
ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 61 degrees; 4.59’ low. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.
AMISTAD: Water lightly stained; 74 degrees; 66.22’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Ned rigs, shaky heads and drop shots. White bass are good on shad-colored crankbaits, blades, and underspins. Stripers are slow.
ARLINGTON: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.12’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Catfish are good on stink bait.
ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 8.28’ low. Crappie are good jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait.
ATHENS: Water stained; 73 degrees; 0.75’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Carolina rigs and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.
AUSTIN: Water stained; 72 degrees; 0.70’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on shaky heads, drop shots and swimbaits.
B A STEINGHAGEN: Water stained; 66 degrees; 1.34’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged worms and crankbaits. Catfish are fair on cut bait and prepared baits.
BASTROP: Water stained; 72 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on weightless flukes, swimbaits and senkos.
BELTON: Water lightly stained; 66 degrees; 9.39’ low. White bass and hybrids are good on slabs. Catfish are good on shad.
BENBROOK: Water stained; 64 degrees; 0.47’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, jigs, spinner baits and wacky rigs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait.
BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 63 degrees; 0.36’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged worms, crankbaits, chatter baits and spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on rattletraps. Catfish are good on cut bait and worms.
BRAUNIG: Water stained, 75 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on plastics. Redfish are good on crawfish and shrimp. Catfish are fair on chicken liver and cheese bait.
BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 70 degrees; 8.89’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jigs, spinner baits and crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on crankbaits and swimbaits. Catfish are good on cut or prepared bait.
BUCHANAN: Water lightly stained; 69 degrees; 24.91’ low. Striped bass are good on live shad. White bass are good on top-waters, jigging spoons, live bait and trolling
crankbaits.
CADDO: Water stained; 61 degrees; 4.24’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and crankbaits.
CALAVERAS: Water lightly stained, 77 degrees. Redfish are fair on crawfish, shrimp, and shad. Catfish are fair on cheese bait and cut bait.
CANYON: Water stained; 70 degrees; 22.10’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinner baits and neko rigs.
CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 70 degrees; full pool. Hybrid striped bass and white bass are good on slabs and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.
CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 73 degrees; 28.56’ low. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits, crankbaits, Texas rigs and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and grubs. Catfish are good on stink bait and shad.
CONROE: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.25’ high. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Hybrids are fair on swimbaits, minnows and shad. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on liver, worms, shad, and punch bait.
COOPER: Water stained; 60 degrees: 1.00’ low. Catfish are good on cut shad.
CORPUS CHRISTI: 67 degrees; 9.00’ low. Catfish are fair on worms, punch bait and cut carp. Drum are slow. Crappie are slow.
EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 64 degrees; 4.31’ low. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and shad.
FALCON: Water stained; 76 degrees; 35.04’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.
FAYETTE: Water stained; 70 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on flukes, Texasrigged worms, creature baits and shallow crankbaits.
FORK: Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.20’ high.
Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, chatter baits, flukes and swim jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on prepared baits and cut shad.
70 degrees; 0.17’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics, jigs and crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs and spinner baits. Striped bass are fair on live shad and Alabama rigs. Catfish are slow.
GRANGER: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 1.36’ high. Largemouth bass are good on spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on live bait.
HOUSTON COUNTY:
Water clear; 67 degrees; 0.38’ high. Largemouth bass are good on wacky worms, weightless Texas rigs, yum dingers, and swim jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on topwaters and beetle spins.
HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 64 degrees; 12.16’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, shaky heads, spinner baits and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
JACKSONVILLE: Water lightly stained; 68 degrees; 0.28’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and Alabama rigs.
JOE POOL: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.05’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jerkbaits and Texas-rigged soft plastics. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.
LAKE O’ THE PINES:
Water stained; 63 degrees; 4.24’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Sand bass are fair on minnows and slabs. Catfish are good on cut bait and worms.
LAVON: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 1.45’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits and Alabama rigs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are fair on spinner baits and small jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait.
LBJ: Water stained; 67 degrees; 0.29’ low. Crappie are fair on jigs.
FT PHANTOM HILL: Water stained; 63 degrees; 7.08’ low. Largemouth bass are good on plastic worms, spinner baits and crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Hybrids are good on umbrella rigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
GRANBURY: Water clear;
LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 69 degrees; 1.41’ high. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on slabs, jigs and live bait. Hybrid stripers are fair on slabs and jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait.
LIMESTONE: Water stained; 71 degrees; 0.13’ high. Largemouth bass are good on swim jigs, Texas rigs, and chatter baits. White bass are good on jigs and slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on top-waters and beetle spins. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
LIVINGSTON: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 1.00’ high. White bass are slow. Catfish are good on shad.
MARTIN CREEK: Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.02’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on punch bait.
MEREDITH: Water stained; 60 degrees; 45.49’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on minnows and artificials. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on minnows and slabs. Walleye are good on minnows and grubs. Catfish are fair on crawlers, chicken liver and frozen shad.
MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 63 degrees; 8.61’ low. Crappie and catfish are slow.
NACOGDOCHES: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.68’ high. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, Carolina rigs, chatter baits and senkos. Crappie are fair on beetle spins, rooster tails and jigs.
NACONICHE: Water lightly stained; 68 degrees; full pool. Largemouth bass are good on jerkbaits and soft plastic shad imitations. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are slow.
baits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on live shad and slabs. Catfish are good on cut shad.
PROCTOR: Water stained; 65 degrees; 12.18’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Hybrids are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait.
RAVEN: Water stained; 69 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on top-water frogs, jerkbaits and weedless worm rigs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on stink bait and worms.
RAY HUBBARD: Water stained; 67 degrees; 0.04’ high. White bass are good on slabs, jigs and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on cut shad.
RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.82’ high. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.52’ high. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid stripers are fair on live shad.
Crappie are good on minnows.
NASWORTHY: Water lightly stained; 70 degrees. 0.50’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chatter baits and soft plastics. Crappie are good on chartreuse jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.
NAVARRO MILLS: Water lightly stained; 66 degrees; 1.88’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina-rigged worms and lizards. White bass are fair on minnows and jigs. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait.
O H IVIE: Water stained; 67 degrees; 31.64’ high. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits and 10-inch worms. White bass are good on lipless crankbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.
OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 16.58’ low. Largemouth bass are good on square-billed crankbaits and small swimbaits. Crappie and catfish are slow.
PALESTINE: Water stained; 70 degrees; 1.78’ high. Largemouth bass are good on weedless frogs, creatures and chatter baits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on live minnows and cut bait.
POSSUM KINGDOM: Water clear; 67 degrees; 0.08’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and spinner
SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 70 degrees; 5.19’ low.
Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair on jigs. White bass are fair on jigs, crankbaits and jigging spoons. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 68 degrees; 0.54’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and jerkbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on pet spoons and jigs. Hybrids are fair on cut bait and jigs. Catfish are fair on stink bait.
SPENCE: Water stained; 64 degrees. 48.19’ low.
Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and spinner baits. Catfish are good on fresh cut bait.
STILLHOUSE: Water stained; 65 degrees; 14.70’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Drum are fair on slabs. White bass are slow.
TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 66 degrees; 1.14’ high. Largemouth bass are good on shallow crankbaits and spinner baits. White bass and hybrids are good on swimbaits. Crappie are good on jigs under bobbers. Catfish are good on cut shad and cut buffalo.
TEXANA: Water stained; 59 degrees; 0.12’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow.
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TEXOMA: Water stained; 58 degrees; 1.53’ low. Smallmouth bass are good on live shad and spooks. Striped bass are good on live shad. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are fair on cut shad.
TOLEDO BEND: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 1.09’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on frogs, chatter baits, Carolina rigs and shallowrunning crankbaits.
TRAVIS: Water stained; 65 degrees; 50.24’ low. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits and craws. White bass are good on slabs.
TWIN BUTTES: Water stained; 72 degrees; 33.44’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and top-waters. White bass are good on shad and top-waters. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on cheese bait.
TYLER: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.41’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on cut bait and prepared bait.
WACO: Water stained; 66 degrees; 0.29’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, small swimbaits and creature baits. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on live minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on live and cut bait.
WALTER E LONG: Water stained; 71 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on underspins and yum dingers.
WHITNEY: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.32’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Striped bass are good on trolled live bait and down-rigging jigs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on jigs and spinners. Catfish are fair on cut drum or shad.
WORTH: Water stained; 64 degrees; 3.00’ high. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and shad.
WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 70 degrees; 3.97’ high. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on cheese bait. —TPWD
Peterson in Chocolate Bay, where they caught limits of upper slot redfish, along with a couple of bull reds, on live shrimp rigged under a popping cork.
“At one point, they were doubled up with redfish in the 8- to 9-pound range, and I hooked what ended up being one of the largest redfish I have ever caught,” Peterson said. “I didn’t get a measurement on it, but it was massive.”
Just a few days later, Peterson targeted some of the same waters and had a hard time finding any redfish at all.
“The tide had dropped out quite a bit, and the fish were just nowhere to be found in that area,” he said. “I had to cover a lot of water before I was able to find them in a different location in the marsh.”
Peterson said changing conditions have been dictating where he’s been able to stay hooked up with fish. Structure like shell, rocks and rip-rap have been his go-to spots.
Along the Coastal Bend, Capt. James Regini has been chasing redfish out of Rockport, Port Aransas and Aransas Pass, and said where the fish have been concentrating has been constantly changing.
“When water levels have been up, the fish have been feeding along the flats over grass and sand pockets, in 2 feet of water or less,” Regini said. “On days when the tide has fallen out quite a bit, the redfish have been pulling out into guts and deeper water.”
On Sunday, April 14, Comal County game wardens were notified by the Comal County Sheriff’s Office regarding a missing 19-year-old male. According to witnesses, the man was separated from the inflatable tube he was on, went underwater and did not immediately resurface. Wardens, including the Underwater Search and Recovery Team, the Comal County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Marine Unit and Canyon Lake Fire and EMS are continuing search recovery operations. Additionally, the Texas Game Warden Aviation Unit flew the search area in a helicopter and a game warden Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program operator flew the area with a drone to lend support to marine and ground crews. The man’s body was found April 20 by Texas game wardens near Overton Park.
Severe thunderstorms affecting East Texas brought heavy rains, hail and winds. Working in coordination with Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Texas A&M Task Force 1, local police and fire departments, Jasper, Newton and Sabine County game wardens, utilizing shallow water vessels, rescued 31 residents and their pets from flooded areas. A helicopter allowed game warden pilots to respond to an additional four calls for aid including swift-water rescues.
bass tournaments and multiple tours of Operation Lone Star. The award was presented at March’s Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting.
MEXICAN BOATS TAKE ON WATER, HOLD
460 POUNDS OF SNAPPER
BOAT CAPSIZES, THREE RESCUED
The Coast Guard and Corpus Christi Fire Department rescued three men after their boat capsized in Nueces Bay near Corpus Christi. The notification from Corpus Christi Police Department personnel reported a 16-foot boat had capsized with three men aboard. The boaters were clinging to the vessel’s hull and not wearing life jackets. A response boat
Willacy County game wardens encountered a commercial trotline left in the Lower Laguna Madre beyond legal commercial fishing hours. Forty black drum, 12 cow rays, six stingrays, one red drum, 15 catfish and one gafftop were released. No trotline or components of a trotline, including lines and hooks, may be left in coastal waters between 1 p.m. Friday and 1p.m. Sunday.
and crew, along with a helicopter crew, were launched. The helicopter crew arrived on scene, lowered a rescue swimmer to assess the situation, and directed a nearby Corpus Christi Fire Department boat crew to the distressed boaters’ position. The fire boat crew rescued all three men from the water and transported them to North Beach. There were no reported injuries.
NOBLE NAMED OFFICER OF YEAR
Rains County game warden Dewayne Noble was named the 2024 Texas Officer of the Year by
Shikar-Safari Club International. This past year, Noble spearheaded and facilitated multiple kid fishes and hunter education classes.
As a member of the Rural Operations Group, he supports his team and local law enforcement in high stakes scenarios through search and arrest warrant operations. Noble began his career in 2008 in Gregg County and transferred to Rains County in 2012. He is a firearms instructor and armorer, and has been involved in search and rescue operations, drownings, boat wrecks, hunting accidents, kid-fish events, youth hunts, wildlife permit inspections, Lake Fork
The Coast Guard interdicted two lanchas and seized 460 pounds of illegally caught fish in federal waters. Boat crews, in coordination with Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews, located and stopped nine Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing north of the Maritime Boundary Line. Two lanchas were encountered that began rapidly taking on water once stopped. The boat crew embarked the fishermen to ensure their safety and transferred them to a Coast Guard cutter. Personnel seized 460 pounds of red snapper, three sharks, fishing gear and high flyers found on board the vessels. The Mexican fishermen were brought ashore and transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel.
REPORT ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITY FOR A REWARD OF UP TO $1,000. CALL OPERATION
GAME THIEF AT (800) 792-4263
2,560± acres | $7,200,000 | Gail, Texas
An exceptional “turnkey” recreational property with magnificent accommodations, surface water amenities that are unmatched in the area and a portion of the property is game fenced for trophy whitetail deer and exotics.
The featured improvement of the property is the ten bedroom ranch lodge which includes a nearly 5,000± sq. ft. indoor recreation and party room. The area is known for producing quality whitetail deer as well as good quail and dove hunting.
The numerous earthen tanks offer excellent waterfowl and migratory bird hunting opportunities. $2,810 per acre.
2,160± acres | $9,500,000 | Zavala County, Texas
An outstanding hunting ranch with a wide variety of native wildlife and a brand-new lodge. The lodge has over 5,300 sq. ft. under the roof with 2,594 sq. ft. of living space. The 4-bedroom, 3-bath lodge offers an open floor plan with a one-of-a-kind kitchen, a huge fireplace, covered porches, and an attached garage with 3 overhead doors. The property is very well watered with 8 earthen tanks, 5 concrete troughs, and a water well. The ranch is considered one of the best whitetail deer hunting ranches in the area. There ranch offers excellent opportunities for hunting dove, quail, and turkey as well as an abundance of ducks, geese, and sandhill cranes. $4,398 per acre.
1,805± acres | $4,783,250 | Cottle County, Texas
A highly improved hunting ranch with neighbors, spring fed ponds, live river frontage and a very attractive lodge, which overlooks the South Pease River Valley. This property includes deer blinds, feeders, fenced food plots, a lodge, rural water, and electricity. The ranch is considered to be very well-watered with rural water, surface water, river water, and numerous springs. There are 9 ponds on the property, with 2 being spring fed and stocked with fish. Other water sources include numerous springs and live water in the South Pease River. The hunting and fishing on the ranch is some of the best in this portion of Northwest Texas. $2,650 per acre.
2,014± acres | $9,750,000 | Armstrong and Randall Counties, Texas
A beautiful ranch that adjoins the Palo Duro Canyon State Park for over five miles along the northern rim. The property is fenced and cross fenced into two main pastures, the largest of which is roughly 1,575 acres. Around 395 acres have been high game fenced. The impressive five-bedroom main house was constructed in the 1940s and has been added onto over the years. Nearby is the ranch lodge which contains four bedrooms, a large kitchen, a massive rock fireplace, and plenty of space to cook for many guests. Hunting opportunities on the ranch are outstanding with impressive whitetail and trophy mule deer, as well as massive aoudad. $4,841 per acre.
1,940.06± acres | $5,900,000 | Childress County, Texas
The Ritter Creek Ranch is a beautiful and well located property, offering exceptional hunting and recreation opportunities. The property boasts a beautiful owner’s home, guest quarters, bunkhouse and several livestock barns, sheds, and two large shop buildings. The ranch is fenced and cross-fenced into seven or eight pastures and traps. Topography is diverse, with scenic and rugged breaks giving way to level and productive flats with good grass cover. This portion of the Texas Panhandle has a reputation for big whitetail deer and trophy genetics. Turkey flourish along the creek and quail and dove are common. $3,041 per acre.
255± acres | $4,400,000 | Burnet County, Texas
A great livestock, hunting, and investment opportunity that features a diverse terrain and unique water features. The historic Pillar Bluff is located on the ranch as well as several other unique and attractive rock formations along Pillar Bluff Creek, including Owl Bluff. Pillar Bluff Creek meanders through the ranch for approximately 1.2 miles. $17,255 per acre.
WHATEVER YOUR ADVENTURE IS, WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.
• Wood Floor Cleaning
• Stone Refinishing
• Tile Floor Cleaning
• Antique Rugs
• Animal Hide Rugs
• Air Duct Cleaning
• Upholstery
• Emergency Water Services
After more than 50 years in the family, the well-kept “Grandma’s House,” and the surrounding 52+/– acres southeast of Coleman are for sale. For a variety of reasons, the family is moving into town while still maintaining impeccable upkeep to the 3-bedroom, 2-bath ranch style home.
Gone now are many of the trinkets, quilts and figurines, but what remains are the wonderful stand of majestic oak trees and panoramic views of Santa Anna Mountain.
The surrounding acres are alive with all sorts of wildlife. Photos taken from the back picture window depict regular visits from deer, turkey and even quail. Once leased for hunting, the property was a proven producer of wild game.
Two large barns with concrete floors, electrical and water adjoin sturdy holding pens and chutes. An old brick well and a magnificent oak tree are by the house, which is located on a lazy Farm to Market road that leads into a private drive.
It is said that even the largest of ranchers spend a good deal of their time on about 50 of their acres. This particular property, with its sloping and varied topography and stock tanks for cattle, is perfect for wildlife viewing, hunting, or just to set a spell and watch the world go by. It’s a wonderful opportunity with plenty of space to create your dreams of an indoor/outdoor kitchen, media room or marvelous game. It’s like a full and beautiful painting on a smaller canvas.
Don’t miss out on this one. Priced at $825,000.
TEXAS SPORTING PROPERTIES, TOM STEPHENSON, BROKER
☎ (214) 207-8871
✉ TOM@TXSPORTINGPROPERTIES.COM
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RSVP for Pre-scheduled - Private Tours
Red River Recreational Ranch Retreat
$24.9 MILLION
TWO PARCELS
SUB-DIVISION & SEPARATE SALE POSSIBLE
1.5 HRS FROM DALLAS
2,300± acres | Cooke County, Texas
INCREDIBLE VIEWS & ELEVATION ABUNDANT WILDLIFE | NATURE
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SOPHISTICATED AMENITIES
TRANQUILITY | SECURITY
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HUNTING | RECREATION PRIVATE SANDY RIVER BEACHES
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FAMILY RETREAT
SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE
RSVP for Pre-scheduled - Private Tours
$18.9 MILLION
1.5 HRS FROM FORT WORTH
2.5 HRS FROM DALLAS
2,700± acres | Eastland County | Cisco, Texas
THREE NAILS IS JUST 10 MIN FROM GREGORY SIMMONS MEMORIAL AIRPORT
The Gateway To West Texas
PREMIER HUNTING, HORSE, & CATTLE RANCH
FIRST CLASS HORSE, CATTLE, HUNTING FACILITIES
INCREDIBLE VIEWS & ELEVATION ABUNDANT WILDLIFE | NATURE
LUXURY HILLTOP RANCH COMPOUND
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FAMILY RETREAT
SPORTSMAN’S & EQUESTRIAN’S PARADISE
Imagine owning two large, spring-fed, constant level 20- and 30-acre stocked and managed lakes teeming with largemouth bass. More than 70,000 pine trees lining the borders of the 1,300-acre property. Trails for exploring the ranch, whether by horse, utility vehicle, bike or on foot. The renowned Coon Creek flows through the property. Add great hunting for waterfowl, white-tailed deer and hogs, and two gin-clear, limestone-filtered ponds for swimming and clear-water fishing.
“The lakes are stocked with Florida largemouth bass, coppernose bluegill and fathead minnows — it’s an incredible fishery,” said listing agent Icon Global.
Sound perfect? All of this is available just an hour southeast of Dallas/Fort Worth, near Athens off Hwy 175 and Loop 7.
And there’s more.
The ranch includes exclusive and private easement access to Athens Municipal Airport, with three industrial/hanger lots slated for airport extension also included. This access is like no other and provides the ability for family, friends and guests to arrive or depart a stay via private plane without having to ever leave the ranch. Just arrive or depart via your Polaris.
The ranch is a blank canvas for the creative buyer.
“Sugaree is an incredible ranch opportunity and in my opinion an astute real estate investment,” said Bernard Uechtritz of Icon Global. “Far and away, Sugaree affords a best-in-class opportunity in East Texas of size, access, diversity, water assets, and more. As a singularly owned generational recreational property, or as a subdivision development and short- or long-term profitability play, Sugaree Ranch offers multiple ownership and exit options.”
Uechtritz noted the two lakes, situated close to each other, could be made into one 50-acre body of water with an awesome homesite looking overhead, making the ideal private retreat, commercial operation or investment.
Sugaree also features fertile pastures, rolling terrain, woodlands and water in the form of creeks, springs and lakes, along with an existing 4,000 square-foot fishing cabin which sits on the edge of a private lagoon.
The 1-minute video on Icon Global’s website is definitely worth a view, and will make you want to schedule a visit right away.
For those interested, time is of the essence. Icon Global announced an immediate Call for Offers with all offers due on or before June 3.
“This is a call to action, with a line in the sand approximately 45 days from now,” Uechtritz said.
Icon Global will be providing private tours by pre-qualified request, and will host several 3-day weekend open house events with pre-registration RSVP throughout the month of May.
“Sugaree Ranch is one of the best ranch investment opportunities that I have represented in East Texas,” Uechtritz said. “It is an outstanding piece of real estate.”
ICON GLOBAL
☎ (214) 855-4000 ICONGLOBAL.COM
Has the recent increase in interest rates made you question whether to buy or sell a ranch?
Maybe it shouldn’t, at least not so much.
“Rates have been a hot topic of discussion with both buyers and sellers,” said Tyler Thomas, founder of TT Ranch Group. “Rates shot up pretty quickly, but they seem to have leveled out and are creeping back down. I expect them to slowly continue downward.”
Thomas said rural real estate activity has picked back up.
“We’ve gotten really busy, it’s probably a combination of the spring market, greenup and the fact that rates have normalized — people want stability.”
Thomas said both sellers and buyers are getting more creative as well.
“Some Ag banks have approved assuming existing notes if the buyer meets certain thresholds,” he said. “Other sellers are willing to do short-term seller financing, which beats the current market rates and is more comparable with money market rates. It buys a few years for the buyers if and when rates go down.”
Farm Credit cooperatives typically share earnings with borrowers, who are co-owners.
At AgTrust Farm Credit, a customer-owned financing cooperative headquartered in Fort Worth, earnings shared with customers meant a 1.33-percent average reduction of the effective interest rate paid in 2023.
Credit Office President Gerrit Schouten said in addition to AgTrust’s loans being assumable, they also offer interest rate conversions.
“If the interest rates go down, it’s a cheap and efficient alternative without all of the closing costs of a refinance,” he said.
Thomas said there are a few other factors to consider, especially the annual appreciation of the property’s value.
“Land is still moving up, a lot at 10-plus percent per year,” he said. “Buying still projects to outperform the interest rate.”
While groups of investors buying land for future development has dipped, the more typical generational buy-and-hold of a family ranch has not, Thomas said.
“Prices are holding steady,” he said. “I think we will still have peaks, but the valleys are more like plateaus. There is the same amount of land, even less so with development, but millions more people. There’s still a lot of pent-up demand.”
Less than two hours from any part of the DFW Metroplex lies the beautiful, varied lands of North Central Texas and South Central Oklahoma. The Red River Valley, The Blackland Prairie, The Cross Timbers and The Post Oak Savannah regions all come together in Cooke, Denton, Wise, Grayson, Collin and Montague counties of North Texas.
Cooke County is easily accessed via Interstate 35, US 82, and FM 51 and is well-known for world-class white-tailed deer, with native, free-range bucks over 200 inches being taken annually. Grayson County, access via US 82, Interstate 75, and US 289 (Preston Road) is also known for world-class archery-only bucks, as well as Lake Texoma. Montague County, accessed by US 82 or US 287, is home to the “North Texas Hill Country” with wineries, beautiful views and heavy oak timber. Denton, Wise and Collin are among the fastest-growing counties in the nation and are prime for investment.
We specialize in rural properties in this area, and whether it is recreational land, farmland, ranch land, homes on acreage, investment land or hunting land, we are THE choice for all things rural. You wouldn’t go to a dentist for a broken leg, so why go to a residential brokerage for your rural property needs? Real estate transactions outside of a city are altogether different from those lot and block homes in town, and we know the ins and outs of getting it done right.
Mossy Oak is the most recognized and trusted brand in the outdoor industry. Owner Toxey Haas started the real estate brokerage arm of the company in 2008, and has quickly become a top rural land brokerage in the nation. Our worldwide marketing gets your property in front of the right buyers, not just those buyers that live near you. Our tools, experience and knowledge allow us to find you the right property that meets your wants and needs, too.
Our team has the dedication, moral values and experience to guide you through even the most convoluted transactions. Jared Groce, owner and leader of the office, has been in the rural real estate brokerage business for 17 years and is among the top three land agents in the area every year. Prudy Bayer has 20 years experience in the industry and has a vast knowledge of the area and the people who own the land and have the money to buy land. Mike Morris joined our team nine years ago after a 32-year career in law enforcement in North Texas and is known for his knowledge on getting land bought or sold.
We are the top land broker in the area for homes on acreage, land, farm & ranch. If you are buying or selling rural property in North Texas or Southern Oklahoma, call on Mossy Oak Properties of Texas - Cross Timbers Land & Home, where we always remind you to #getsomedirtonyourhands.”
MOSSY OAK PROPERTIES OF TEXASCROSS TIMBERS LAND & HOME
☎ (940) 600-1313
MOSSYOAKPROPERTIES.COM
Even after you upgrade to a new HK VP9, with its best-in-class trigger pull and ergonomic, customizable grip, you’re not quite done yet. You still need a couple of important accessories. And we’re not talking about holsters, lights and optics either. Training and Practice – They are two different things and we all need more of both. Look into it … and go do the work!
Founded on the principles of treating each client as a top priority and each property as if it were our own, we are rm believers in handling individuals and business with complete honesty and integrity. The farm and ranch space consists of a network of specialized brokers and agents. TT Ranch Group is proud of its established and ongoing working relationships with these brokers and agents throughout the industry, which in turn create added value for our sellers and buyers in a variety of ways.
TT Ranch Group further distinguishes itself through an unparalleled marketing and advertising presence. We utilize all the traditional mediums while also employing a plethora of out of the box and creative methods to gain maximum exposure for our properties. Furthermore, we are backed by the world's most powerful and prestigious realty brand.
Sotheby's International Realty had a total of $143 billion in sales during 2023 and combines the industry's best technology, marketing, and network with our innovative approach and expertise within the ranch real estate market. Together we create a targeted campaign with a true global reach to 84 di erent countries and 26,500 agents for our clients.
visual assessments and hydroacoustic assessments, in order to get a better idea of the total population.
“The visual assessment part of the project basically consists of sample data sites where camera systems are deployed into the Gulf to reveal what types of fish species, as well as how many of each species, are prevalent in the area,” Topping said. “Hydro-acoustic assessments use a technology that is similar to a fish finder, to indicate what types of fish and how many are inhabiting sample data site areas.”
The HRI team collected data from 70 sample sites in the Gulf of Mexico out of South Texas. Teams from other universities and institutes collected data from other portions of the Gulf.
“Our team’s assessment devices for the project were deployed along sites that included natural bottom structures, such as banks, as well as standing rigs, artificial reefs, wrecks, and uncharacterized bottoms, or areas where we are unsure of what characteristics or features are present along the bottom of the Gulf,” Topping said. “We are still in the process of going through all of the data collected from our sample sites and analyzing it. Hopefully the results of this study will provide a better understanding about the population of greater amberjack that we have living in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Topping said the amberjack study has revealed that the highest concentrations of amberjack are most prevalent around natural banks and standing platforms.
NOAA Fisheries is currently working on new regulations that would further shrink the recreational fishing season for greater amberjack to Sept. 1 – Oct. 31. This change in season dates would not be effective before May 1, 2024.
the mouths of creeks. Flats with vegetation have been holding the most crappie. A jig rigged under a cork has been Ogle’s go-to bait presentation.
“The cork allows you to keep the jig in the strike zone without pulling it through the water column so quickly with a horizontal retrieve,” Ogle said. “Often times the wind and surface chop give the jig the perfect action as they push the cork around on the surface. It’s an easy way to coax strikes from crappie stacked up in shallow water.”
Ogle said that a 1/16-ounce jig head with black and chartreuse or blue and chartreuse plastic has been best. He’s been keeping the cork anywhere from 1-3 feet above the jig.
Most of the crappie that Ogle and his anglers have been catching are more than 10 inches in length. The majority have been white crappie.
On Sam Rayburn Reservoir, guide Blake Oestreich said some crappie are still up shallow and spawning, while others are beginning to stack up over structure in 1015 feet of water. Brush piles, standing timber and lay downs have all been holding plenty of fish.
“Brush piles on the southern half of the lake are starting to load up with crappie,” he said. “Some days you can catch quite a few fish off of one pile, and on other days, you can only get a few to bite off of a particular brush pile before you have to move.”
Oestreich has preferred to target standing timber lately, because that’s where the larger crappie have been concentrated. Silver and chartreuse jigs, as well as jigs in shad color patterns have been producing the most hook-ups.
“For the yellowfin, we caught them on Halco plastic baits, and the 250-pound marlin was caught while trolling plastic baits 20 feet behind the stern,” Orr said.
Catch total:
63 yellowfin tuna
138 blackfin tuna
3 yellow edge grouper
8 golden tilefish
250-pound blue marlin
458-pound bluefin tuna
Legend:Major=2hours.Minor=1hour.Timescenteredonthemajor-minorwindow.Forotherlocations,subtract1minuteper12mileseastofalocation,andadd1minuteper12mileswestofalocation.
shore.
“I normally fish saltwater,” Smith said. “But this is close to home. I just wanted to fish before having to go back to work Monday morning.”
Even visitors from out of state got into the action. One angler from Indiana was visiting his grandkids.
“I am just visiting my grandkids and wanted to get outside with them,” he said.
“West of the bridge it’s all standing timber and really thick.”
The day started off slow, but a few fish started to hit around noon.
“I caught a fish and right after that, the boat next to us caught one,” he said. “We had a few more misses, but overall it was a slow day.”
Hughs said the four other anglers he spoke with had a similar experience.
“One guy at the ramp had a slow day, but his friend had been there Friday and caught 30 to 40 fish with the best five going close to 30 pounds,” he said.
“They just shut down with the cool Hughs said the lake was busy but not
“Every cove we went into had a boat in it,” he said. “We’ll definitely go back.”
Tracker Tim posted on the Texas Fishing Forum after opening day. “We caught 31 fish and the biggest was 7 pounds, 7 ounces,” he wrote. “Lake reminds me of Roberts when it opened.”
As the lake filled up this spring, anglers became anxious, some complaining about the late opening. In a media advisory April 17, the North Texas Municipal Water District officially opened the lake for public access.
Bois d’Arc Lake is located northeast of Bonham in Fannin County. The lake has three public access areas with boat launch ramps.
Solution on Page 22
The small Canada goose
Medina County’s seat
county
male mallard
young coyote
tail fin
Sales manager at Glacier Outdoor
Steve Drew was named the national sales manager at Glacier Outdoor, a provider of outdoor gloves and gear.
New chairman at Eagle Claw
Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle Co. promoted Drew McGill from vice chairman to chairman of the board of directors.
New CEO at SDS Imports
Christoper DiCenso was appointed chief executive officer at SDS Imports.
Ruiz named sales director
Armament Systems and Procedures hired Carlos Ruiz as director of sales for the western U.S.
Weeks promoted to COO
Outdoor America named former vice president of business development Mark Weeks as chief operating officer.
Regional sales manager jobs
Xpedition Archery is seeking regional sales managers to cover the Midwest, Southwest and TALO territories.
Agency for X2 Dev Group
X2 Dev Group retained Chevalier Advertising as its public relations and media planning agency.
Position at ATA
The Archery Trade Association is looking for a qualified candidate for the position of trade show director.
Venison-stuffed portobello mushrooms Spicy sheepshead nuggets
6 large (4-inch) portobello mushrooms
1/2-lb. ground venison
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped red pepper
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tbsps. olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Position oven rack in top third of oven. Cut stems off mushrooms flush with cap. Finely chop stems and set side. Arrange caps
on baking sheet, top side down. Set aside. In 10-inch skillet, brown venison over medium heat about 5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in garlic, red pepper and chopped mushroom stems. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until stems begin to release liquid, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining ingredients, except oil. Spoon mixture evenly into mushroom caps. Drizzle filling evenly with oil. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until mushrooms are soft, sprinkling fresh Parmesan cheese over mushrooms during the last few minutes of baking.
—PA Game Commission
2 lbs. sheepshead fillets, cut into bitesized chunks
3 eggs, slightly beaten 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup beer
3 tbsps. prepared mustard
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
2 tsps. salt, divided
2 tsps. black pepper, divided
1 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided
3 cups fine yellow corn flour
Vegetable oil as needed
In a mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk, beer, mustard, Tabasco and half of the salt and pepper. Place fish in the egg mixture, coating well; cover, refrigerate, and let soak for about 1 hour. Mix corn flour with the remaining salt and peppers in a shallow, wide bowl. Preheat oil in deep fryer to about 370 degrees. Remove fish from mixture and dredge with corn flour mixture. Fry fish until the fish nuggets float to the surface and turn golden brown. Place nuggets on paper towel to drain.
—Florida Charter Fishing
SABINE LAKE: 68 degrees. Speckled trout, redfish and black drum are fair on live shrimp in the Sabine Channel and ICW on rock piles and shell banks. Flounder are fair on live shrimp under a popping cork near Texaco Island.
BOLIVAR: 70 degrees. Redfish are fair on live shrimp and mullet. Black drum and speckled trout are fair on live shrimp at the jetties.
TRINITY BAY: 74 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on the east shoreline with live shrimp, soft plastics and top-waters. Speckled trout, redfish and black drum are fair on live shrimp in the northwest corner of the bay. Redfish are fair on scented shrimp plastics over rocks and riprap.
EAST GALVESTON BAY: 75 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics, top-waters and suspending baits near shorelines. Black drum, flounder and redfish are fair on live shrimp near marsh drains.
GALVESTON BAY: 75 degrees. Black drum and speckled trout are fair on live shrimp along west shoreline. Redfish are fair on live shrimp near rocks and shell.
WEST GALVESTON BAY: 75 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics along open bay reefs. Black drum and redfish are fair on live shrimp under a popping cork fished near structure.
TEXAS CITY: 75 degrees. Black drum, slot redfish and speckled trout are fair on live shrimp at Galveston jetties. Bull redfish and oversized black drum are fair on cut mullet, cut shad and cracked crab.
FREEPORT: 72 degrees. Speckled trout, redfish, black drum and flounder are good on live shrimp and soft plastics around the San Luis Pass. Speckled trout, redfish and black drum are fair on shrimp under a popping cork in protected satellite bays and lakes.
EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 72 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on shrimp under a popping cork while drifting. Speckled trout, redfish and flounder are fair on soft plastics, top-waters and suspending baits while wading along shorelines.
WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 72 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on shrimp under a popping cork.
PORT O’CONNOR: 68 degrees. Slot redfish are good inside the jetties on dead shrimp and Spanish sardines. Oversized redfish are fair near Alcatraz Island on Spanish sardines and dead shrimp. Black drum are fair on dead shrimp.
SAN ANTONIO BAY: 65 degrees. Redfish are fair on live shrimp in the back lakes. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp over shell.
ROCKPORT: 68 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish are good on shrimp and cut bait. Black drum are good on dead shrimp.
REDFISH BAY: 72 degrees. Redfish are fair along shorelines on perch, sea lice and menhaden. Black drum are fair over grass, oyster reefs, and shell bottoms on dead shrimp. Speckled trout are slow.
PORT ARANSAS: 68 degrees. Redfish are good on shrimp, blue crab and cut bait. Speckled trout are good on shrimp, both free-lined and under a popping cork.
CORPUS CHRISTI: 72 degrees. Redfish are good on perch, sea lice and menhaden. Black drum are good on dead shrimp. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp under a popping cork.
BAFFIN BAY: 73 degrees. Black drum and redfish are fair on live shrimp under a popping cork. Speckled trout are fair on top-waters and soft plastics.
PORT MANSFIELD: 71 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on soft plastics and top-waters in knee- to thigh-deep water while wade-fishing.
SOUTH PADRE: 71 degrees. Speckled trout are good on soft plastics, top-waters and live shrimp along channels and the Intracoastal Waterway. Redfish are good on shrimp under popping corks and cut mullet along Gas Well Flats.
—TPWD
After a poor start, Jacob Whatley, of Bivens, nearly came away with a victory at the Bassmaster Elite at Florida’s St. Johns River. The Texan mounted the event’s biggest comeback by boosting a disastrous 95th-place Day 1 bag of 8 pounds, 9 ounces with a secondround limit of 20 pounds — rising to 36th. Then, his third round limit of 31 pounds, 4 ounces, the event’s heaviest, moved him to second.
The final day was a disappointment, though, as Whatley weighed in 12 pounds, 7 ounces.
Whatley focused on main-river spatterdock fields, using swim jigs with craw trailers and a chrome/blue Rat-L-Trap.
Cory Johnston, of Otonabee, Canada, won the event with 93 pounds, 6 ounces, finishing with a huge margin over Whatley.
Johnson took home the $101,000 top prize.
Johnston targeted bed fish in Salt Springs, which runs off the northwest side of Lake George, flipping various worms and creature baits and dropshotting a finesse worm.
Whatley won $40,000 for his secondplace finish, and also won $4,000 in big bass awards for his 8-pound, 7-ounce fish.
Ray Hanselman Jr., of Del Rio, finished eighth with 66 pounds, 9 ounces, winning $17,000.
Continued from page 9
from Harlingen, fishes regularly in Port Mansfield. On a recent trip, the fishing was slow on both lures or cut mullet. But after nearly 10 hours of fishing, a trout finally took the bait — a brown-colored plastic shrimp.
The trout, which looked bigger and bigger as it was getting closer to the boat, was 20 1/2 inches long, and was released.
The fish would not have fit any tournament categories, as it was a half-inch over the legal size and well short of being oversized.
Continued from page 4
Young said he has 50 adult does, 31 older bucks, 16 young bucks and 18 fawns, and based on his and other breeder’s sales number, total a value topping $700,000. However, Young said he has been told getting indemnity money from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and TAHC, is not available unless he signs a herd plan that not only requires the killing of all his deer, also endures to heirs, successors and assigns — potentially staying with the ranch forever.
“Only a financially desperate individual or an idiot would sign their herd plan,” he said.
After decades of being absent from the state, American black bears have slowly but steadily returned to Oklahoma’s landscape. And while bears are often associated with southeastern forests, a small population also exists in the opposite corner of the state, in Cimarron County’s Black Mesa region.
Bailey Kleeberg, a graduate student at Oklahoma State University, spent two summers setting up a series of camera traps.
He discovered an estimated 26 black bears are thought to occur in Cimarron County and are genetically similar to those found in northeastern New Mexico. Genetic testing, along with the even mix of males and females documented during the study, supports the prediction that black bears are well-established in Oklahoma’s Panhandle and are using the edges of their range during periods of drought conditions. Photos of a sow bear with two small cubs were also captured.
Kleeberg spent the summers of 2022 and 2023 meeting with landowners, investigating the available habitat, and deploying camera traps within 160 grids, each 1,500-acres in size. Of the 160 camera traps deployed between the two summers, 20 sites captured black bears. —OWC
Who is considered a firearm “dealer” under U.S. law has been revised, thanks to a subtle change to and the ATF’s interpretation of the underlying standards for when a person is “engaged in the business” of dealing in firearms and therefore required to be federally licensed. Licensees, in turn, must run background checks when making sales to unlicensed buyers.
The 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act’s removal of a single word from a federal statute resulted in a 466-page rule that redefines what it means to be a firearm “dealer” and threatens to turn untold thousands of upstanding citizens into criminals.
Previously, an individual only needed a federal license to sell firearms when engaged in “a course of trade or business “involving “repetitive” buying and reselling of firearms with the “principal objective” of “livelihood and profit.” The BSCA removed the “livelihood” element so that profit-seeking alone would fulfill the required objective of the sales.
Proponents assert channeling sales through the network of federally licensed dealers ensures that there is a paper trail of privately owned guns, and the new rule would promote public safety by allowing police to trace the origins of guns recovered from crime scenes. Opponents point out that the government’s own data shows that violent criminals either avoid the background check requirement, through measures such as theft or blackmarket sales, or they use “straw buyers” to purchase guns on their behalf.
On April 7, 15-year-old Jaylynn Parker, of New Richmond, Ohio pulled in a 101-pound, 56-inch blue catfish on a jugline from a creek behind a family friend’s house. The fish will likely become the state record.
Parker was juglining with her dad, Chuck, and a family friend on a tributary of the Ohio River. It was Parker’s turn to check the lines, which were tied to the bank. When she did, she discovered that a blue cat weighing almost as much as her was on the other end. Her dad and his friend helped her haul the fish in.
Every store with a certified scale was closed since it was a Sunday afternoon, so the Parkers took the fish home and kept it in a bait tank tied to a dock on the lake in their backyard. On April 8, at Bethel Feed and Supply, the fish officially weighed 101.11 pounds. The family then successfully released the fish. The catch raised a bit of a firestorm on so -
cial media over Ohio’s juglining rules and how the record system mixes float-line records with rod-and-reel records. However, the catch was declared legal, although officials plan to discuss a separate jug and trotline category for fish records in the future.
The current Ohio blue catfish record is 96 pounds, caught on the Ohio River on June 11, 2009.
—Staff report
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers are seeking information after a bald eagle was shot near Cedar City earlier this year.
Responding conservation officers discovered that the injured eagle had been shot through the wing with what appeared to be a rifle. The injuries were severe, and it was determined that the eagle would not recover, resulting in it needing to be euthanized.
—UDWR
Each year, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources captures big game animals to perform important health assessments and to place GPS collars on the animals to learn more about their migration patterns and survival rates. This winter, a record 1,779 big game animals were captured.
The captures typically take place between November and March, when the animals have migrated to lower elevations and are easier to locate. The animals are typically caught by a helicopter crew that uses a net gun, and then the animals are released after the health testing.
During the 2023-24 winter, the following animals were captured, assessed and released:
Bighorn sheep: 209
Bison: 27
Deer: 1,153
Elk: 305
Moose: 18
Pronghorn: 67
During captures, biologists collect and analyze data such as measuring body fat, testing for disease, assessing migration patterns and checking pregnancy rates in does. They also insert transmitters into pregnant deer that alert biologists when a fawn is born so researchers can locate the newborn fawn and assess health, survival rates and cause of death if the fawn doesn’t survive.
After conducting a species status assessment using the best available science, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined lake sturgeon do not require listing under the Endangered Species Act. The Service’s 12-month finding shows ongoing management efforts, such as fish stocking, have contributed to the conservation and resiliency of the species.
“The fact that we’re seeing more and more lake sturgeon populations spawning in their historical habitat is a clear sign that restoration efforts are progressing,” said Midwest Regional Director Will Meeks.
Sturgeon have a prehistoric appearance because of their large size, shark-like tails, and bony plate-armored covering. Tracing its origins back at least 150 million years, the lake sturgeon is one of the largest freshwater fish in North America.
Stocking programs have led to increases in adult lake sturgeon and spawning behaviors. Although populations are not at historical levels, these successful programs have both bolstered existing populations and returned lake sturgeon to areas where they had disappeared, such as the Red River of the North, the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, the Middle Mississippi River and the Coosa River. Other successful conservation measures include restoring habitat connectivity through dam removal, fish passages and habitat restoration.
Game-changing simplicity. Industry leading runtime. Onboard video, photo and HD audio recording. Meet the new AVENGER from Fusion Thermal.
AVENGER 40
WAVE12 384 Sensor
9+ Hour Runtime
MSRP: $4099
AVENGER 55XR
WAVE12 640 Sensor
7+ Hour Runtime
MSRP: $5989
Available at fine retailers all across the Great State of Texas
Micro Click Focus
Leave the Collars to the Dogs
Getting your target into focus quickly and easily is a must, and you won’t find a better system than our Micro Click Focus. Our tactile focus knob is conveniently located on top of the front lens, and unlike the dog collar design used by our competitors you won’t need to perform a circus act just to focus your scope. Plus, you’ll always get your best shot as the micro click adjustments put you on the perfect focus point every time.
ARCLIGHT Ultra HD Germanium Lens
High Purity for Maximum Energy
The single most expensive component of a well-crafted thermal is its germanium lens. If you skimp here, you’re not even in the game. Our high purity ArcLight Ultra HD Germanium Lens is the crowning jewel of our technology package. It perfects the task of collecting and funneling infrared energy into the thermal sensor unhindered by distortion. This clean transition results in an infrared energy dump that unleashes the full potential of our WAVE thermal sensor delivering a user experience well beyond expectations.
KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) Menu
Industry’s Easiest Menu System
We think you’re really going to like our menu; it uses words, English words. Written for Americans by Americans. That’s why we called it KISS. You’ve heard the phrase, and at Fusion Thermal it’s the reason we can make the industry’s boldest statement: Our operating system is so easy to use you’ll likely never read the instructions.
T3 Control System
Don’t Let Your Fingers Get Lost in the Dark
Our highly intuitive three button control system with center tower makes using your scope simple and easy. Every command is at your fingertips, and the Center Tower evenly splits the control panel, so you’ll never be confused about what button you’re going to press. We thought this a particularly good idea since you’ll be using it in the dark most of the time.
WAVE Thermal Sensor
Same Money, Better Performance
Is it possible for one thermal scope to dramatically outperform everything else in its class? Yes, so don’t make the mistake of shopping by specifications alone or you just might get burned. Our WAVE thermal sensors push the limit of what is technically possible and set the standard for image quality, ruggedness, and long life. So, before you plop down your hard-earned cash make sure you do a side-by-side to any similarly priced competitive alternative. We think you’ll find the difference to be clearly obvious.
XGEN Alloy Housing
Plastic is for toys. Metal is for tools. It’s a fact, thermals produce heat, and heat is the enemy of all thermal devices. If you don’t get the heat out operational performance will degrade, and long-term internal damage is a certainty.
Our XGEN (Next Generation Alloy Body) shields your expensive investment in a metal clad of armor, and our high-end AL6082 Conductive Structural Alloy displaces heat at an astounding 71,900% better than plastic. You don’t think of your thermal as some cheap plastic toy. Why should it be built like one?
APRIL 26-27
TEXAS TRAPPERS AND FUR HUNTERS
Spring Rendezvous
Mashburn Events Center, Childress (210) 415-6127 ttfha.com
APRIL 27-28
TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOW
Kerrville Expo Hall (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com
MAY 1
DALLAS SAFARI CLUB
Sporting Clays Shoot
Dallas Gun Club, Lewisville (972) 980-9800 biggame.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED
West Houston Banquet
Chateau Crystale (713) 858-7575 ducks.org
MAY 2
HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB FOUNDATION
Annual Hunting & Photo Awards Houston Racquet Club hscfdn.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Dripping Springs Dinner
Dripping Springs Ranch Park (512) 965-3633 ducks.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Granbury Dinner
La Bella Luna (817) 219-5246 ducks.org
MAY 9
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION
Central Texas Banquet
Exchange Event Center McGregor (254) 707-0081 rmef.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Comal County Banquet
New Braunfels Civic Center (210) 215-5573 ducks.org
MAY 10
DALLAS SAFARI CLUB
DSC Pint Night
SITKA Gear (972) 980-9800 biggame.org
MAY 11
TEXAS DEER ASSOCIATION
TDA Crawfest
Prime Acres Whitetails, Woodville texasdeerassociation.com
MAY 16
AUSTIN WOODS & WATERS CLUB
AWWC Social Archery Country, Austin austinwoodsandwaters.org
NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION
Lone Star Longbeards Banquet Brazos Center, Bryan (979) 219-0286 nwtf.org
DELTA WATERFOWL
Houston Clay Shoot
Providence Plantation, Rosharon (713) 591-1771 deltawaterfowl.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED Boerne Banquet
The Cana Ballroom (281) 684-1858 ducks.org
MAY 17
ROLLING PLAINS QUAIL RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Quail Appreciation Day
Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch (806) 346-7409 quailresearch.org
MAY 17-19
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION
Annual Meeting & Exhibits
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas narram.org
Puzzle solution from Page 18
MOBILE SPORTING CLAYS FOR HIRE!
Fundraisers, Corporate, Parties!
Sales/Service all Traps! 40+ Years Experience! (817) 999-1395
HUNTING & CATTLE RANCH FOR SALE
2200+ ACRESGREER COUNTY, OKLAHOMA UCHuntingproperties.com (click on Oklahoma)
Video, photos, interactive map, and more!
Stacey Greb (580) 678-0662
GREAT HUNTING PROPERTY
50 Acres/Goldthwaite
Deer, Dove, Quail Furnished Cabin
With Water, Septic, Electric $410,000
Matus Properties (512) 658-7114
SOUTHWEST RANCH SALES
3625 acres (2400 aces high fenced) Stephens County, OK Hunt year round, 200 class whitetails
SWRANCHSALES.COM click on Oklahoma
Scott Johnston (405) 249-8241
WHAT’S FOR DINNER?
Beef
Akaushi Waygu Angus cross Grass feed, grain finished Custom butchered whole or half “SOLD OUT”
Taking orders for winter 2024
Texakaushi Ranch
Leave message for Johhny (817) 597-0129
OUTBACK DELIVERS MAXIMUM QUALITY! to your ranch!
CP REGULATOR
FLIPPER WATER TROUGH
or browse online at outbackfeeders.com or kickinbackkreations.com
24”
FIRE PIT
