December 22, 2023
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Volume 20, Issue 9
Looking to the sky By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News The second half of duck season is underway across the Lone Star State and, for the most part, waterfowl hunters are encountering good numbers of birds. Those who are able to scout and put themselves in areas where the birds want to be are enjoying the most success. Jacob Bielefeldt hunted ducks at Mad Island WMA with a buddy on two consecutive mornings. He said their first morning hunt was slow, but the decoying action was pretty good the following morning. “We were the 45th group drawn out of a total of 54 groups on our first morning hunt,” Bielefeldt said. “The weather was warm and muggy, and the spot we drew was more like a mud hole than an actual
Speak on speck limits
pond. There were quite a few ducks flying high around us, but we never even fired a shot.” The next morning, the pair was the 5th group drawn out of 56 groups. This time, they had a more prime hunting location. “The birds were moving big time with the cooler, windy conditions produced by a cold front that was passing through, and they liked the spot that we drew,” Bielefeldt said. “We saw a lot of large flocks of big ducks up high in the sky. Most consisted of gadwall, wigeon and pintail. Teal, shovelers and diver ducks were willing to give our decoy spread a close look most of the morning.” Hunting guide for Top-Flight Hunting Preserve Mason Glueck said their ponds near Wallis have been loaded with both teal and larger species of puddle ducks. He recently had a hunt in which his
Comment now if you want to be heard on proposed trout limit changes. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.
Lone Star Outdoor News The anticipated proposed rules changes to bag and size limits have been submitted, and public meetings have been set. The proposed rules would reduce the spotted seatrout bag limit to three fish and restrict the allowable size to 15-20 inches, with one fish over 25 inches allowed daily. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said the proposals respond to public scoping and survey efforts, covered in the Nov. 10 issue of Lone Star Outdoor News, which found that many anglers wanted to see more restrictive measures to improve the fishery. Comments may be made at one of several public hearings hosted on the coast, virtually or over the phone. The proposals will then be considered for final action by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission during the January 2024 Commission Meeting. Coastal Fisheries staff will host several public hearings on the coast to receive input from anglers and constituents concerning the proposed regulation changes.
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Hunters with access to water and the time to scout have enjoyed some good duck hunts. Photos by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Mule deer successes
Brock Wilkerson took this Trans-Pecos mule deer buck after spotting him at 1,000 yards and then stalking closer. Photo from Brock Wilkerson.
Mule deer hunters found active bucks this season, and some found them with sizable antlers. The season, which ran Nov. 18Dec. 3 in the Panhandle and Nov. 24-Dec. 10 in the TransPecos, had some hunters pleasantly surprised about the sizes and antler quality of the bucks. Bass fishing pro Kelly Jordon shot a muley buck with 24 1/2inch spread after a mile-long stalk, and he got within 200 yards before taking the shot.
Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 15 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 17 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18
“I actually saw the buck mount a doe earlier in the morning,” Jordon said. “Then he was bedded down near her after my long hike when I finally found him again.” Jordon watched the buck stay in one area and figured the doe was bedded down as well and the buck wouldn’t leave. “In my mind that gave me a good chance to get off the high spot I was glassing from and hike a little more than a mile in a very crooked line to close the distance,” he said.
Provide online comments on the TPWD public comment page; phone at (512) 389-8575; email cfish@tpwd.texas.gov; or attend a Zoom webinar on Jan. 8 from 6-8 p.m.
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INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
Lone Star Outdoor News
• Jan. 9, 6-8 p.m. at the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Natural Resources Building. • Jan. 9, 6-8 p.m. at the Greater Chamber of Harlingen. • Jan. 9, 6-8 p.m. at the Bauer Exhibit Building, Port Lavaca. • Jan. 9, 6-8 p.m. at the Saltwater Pavilion at Rockport Beach Park. • Jan. 10, 6-8 p.m. at the Bob Bowers Civic Center, Port Arthur. • Jan. 11, 6-8 p.m. at the Nessler Civic Center Captain’s Room, Texas City.
HUNTING
FISHING
Proposing from the duck blind (P. 4)
Time for big blues (P. 8)
Hunter pops the question.
Catfish hitting big shad.
First deer at 61 (P. 4)
Water in canals (P. 9)
Foundation hunter’s career starts.
Quality, solutions studied.