Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper in Texas
December 25, 2015
Volume 12, Issue 9
Follow the star
Everyone at the deer lease said a lighted Christmas tree would scare away the deer. After taking a long extension cord out in the pasture, the lights were plugged in, and, within just a few hours, several deer were present, seemingly unaffected by the lights that seemed to attract rather than scare off the deer. This year, Lone Star Outdoor News’ final issue is dated Christmas Day, and it will be 2020 before it happens again. Happy holidays to all of our readers. We hope you are having a great hunting season! Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Dove in December
CONTENTS Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 16
By Craig Nyhus
Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18
Lone Star Outdoor News
Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 20 Crossword . . . . . . . . . Page 22 Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 23
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Managing dove fields into the winter can pay off for dove hunters. Randy Edwards of Clyde is working with the Texas Dove Hunters Association on habitat-management practices on his family’s 200 acres in Callahan County. His fields are a mix of native sunflowers, croton and wheat, and the dove are still piling in. Bob and Susan Thornton, along with their sons J.T. and Burr, managed to shoot limits in one of Edwards’ fields on December 19, the day after the late dove season opener. It wasn’t easy, though, as a stiff south wind made shooting difficult over the
Women lands lake-record crappie By Jillian Mock
For Lone Star Outdoor News
FAST FLYERS: Late-season dove hunting was good in Callahan County, but a 20 mph south wind made the shooting difficult. J.T. Thornton takes aim while his dog, Cooper, anticipates he will make a good shot. Photo by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News.
33-acre field, and the birds weren’t quite so taken by the spinning-wing decoys.
“It’s not like the shooting on opening day,” J.T., who lives in Abilene, said.
On Friday, December 11, Donna Woodridge cast a line off her usual pier on Lake Fork, dropping her minnow down 5 feet under the surface. As the sun began to set, she felt an especially heavy tug on her rod and fought to reel the crappie on the other end to the surface. Even before she made it to the weigh station, she knew she had a winner. At 3.34 pounds and 18 1/2-inches long, the white crappie sol-
Please turn to page 5
INSIDE
Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 17
Not a novice anymore
HUNTING
Huge mountain whitetail
Banded quail
TV show host takes a monster in the Researchers trap record amount of Texas mountains. birds in Rolling Plains. Page 5 Page 4
FISHING
LAKE-RECORD SLAB: Donna Woodridge landed this 3.34-pound white crappie, a Lake Fork record. Photo by Donna Woodridge.
idly broke the 1993 Lake Fork record set by Emil Please turn to page 14
Lunker on Lady Bird
Trout still hot
Young angler lands and releases 13-pound bass. Page 8
Guides, anglers having good success along coast. Page 8