Lone Star Outdoor News 120922

Mule deer in good condition

Body size great, antler size down

By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS

The short mule deer general season has come to a close, and hunters re ported good-sized animals in both the Trans-Pecos and the Panhandle.

Bull reds schooling in Galveston

By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS

Consistent fall weather and pass ing cold fronts have caused swarms of shrimp to exit the marshes of the Galveston Bay Complex. The wa ter temperature hasn’t dropped low enough to push the hoards of crusta ceans out of the estuarine waters and into the Gulf. Therefore, the shrimp have been balled up in many locales within the bay system, where large schools of bull reds have been con centrating to take advantage of the buffet.

As a result, anglers have been ex periencing nonstop, rod-bending ac tion from the hard-pulling fish.

Sam Rasberry recently got in on the bull redfish action in East

“We encountered close to 10 dif ferent schools of bull reds across the open waters of East Bay,” Rasberry said. “There were flocks of seagulls just about everywhere we looked, and almost all of them were hover ing over giant schools of oversized reds.”

Most of the fish they caught were hanging in 8 to 10 feet of water.

“Almost every redfish we landed was over 35 inches in length,” Ras berry explained. “We didn’t catch a single one in the slot. They were all huge.”

Most of the bites came on jigs.

“The fish really weren’t coming up to the top much,” Rasberry said.

During the youth hunt at the El ephant Mountain Wildlife Manage ment Area, Ethan Slusher, of Round Rock, headed west with his father, Justin.

“It’s difficult to get drawn there,” Justin said. “Four kids got to hunt on the draw out of 200 to 300 applicants.”

The hunt, the first trip to the WMA for the father and son, took place the day after Thanksgiving.

“Our first goal was to get up in the mountains and use a spotting scope to find a buck,” Justin said. “But it snowed 6 inches and it was foggy. We couldn’t see very far.”

The pair didn’t see any animals the first day, but on the second day the skies cleared.

“We took the same approach but the wind was blowing at 25,” Justin said.

“We were on Del Norte Mountain, and

Cheering for first buck

By Tony Vindell For Lone Star outdoor newS

For Georgia Godwin, hunting is a favorite sporting pastime.

The senior cheerleader at Friend swood High School has hunted many times for white-tailed deer and feral hogs.

But recently, she harvested a nice 8-point buck at her family ranch in the Coastal Bend region of the state.

Better yet, it was her first buck and one she will cherish for life.

On the evening of the hunt, God win spotted the deer coming onto a pipeline as she and her dad, Wes, quietly sat in a brushy area.

The pipeline was close to a creek where deer usually come out in the evening to munch on grass and shrubs.

Some 10 or more minutes later, they would spot does and a couple of

Galveston Bay while fishing with his buddy and fishing guide, Capt. Sammy Guerrero.

Ethan Slusher located this buck in the Elephant Mountain WMA youth hunt during Thanksgiving weekend. Photo by Justin Slusher.

Sam Rasberry landed this 40-inch redfish while chasing schools in East Galveston Bay with his friend and guide, Capt. Sammy Guerrero. Photo by Sammy Guerrero.

High school senior Georgia Godwin shot her first buck after watching it chase does at their family ranch in the Coastal Bend region of Texas. Photo by Wes Godwin.

HUNTING

Youngster’s stalk pays off

By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS

At 8 years old, Gunner Friedrichs recently did what most young men his age that are fortunate enough to grow up in the outdoors hope to do — he harvested his first buck.

However, he didn’t accomplish this feat in the usual way from a blind. Instead, he put a stalk on the deer with the help from his dad, Scott, and made an excellent shot when his short window of opportu nity occurred on his family’s prop erty near Eagle Lake in Colorado County.

“We didn’t plan to do a spot-andstalk hunt,” the youngster said. “My dad had been telling me how at this time of year, it’s not uncom mon to see bucks out and about at all hours of the day, regardless of what might be going on around them, if they were locked down on a doe. So, when we were headed to the blind in our side-by-side early in the afternoon to make a hunt, I kept looking around to see if I could spot a buck.”

On their way to the blind, Fried richs told his dad to stop because he spotted a big buck. His dad stopped the buggy and asked where the buck was.

“I told my dad that we had just driven past it and that I saw it in some tall grass,” Friedrichs said. “We quickly got out of the side-byside with my rifle and tripod shoot ing rest and quietly walked back to

Redheads saving the day

Birds back in force after season off

By Robert Sloan For Lone Star outdoor newS

For the coastal duck hunter, redheads are the main target birds for two good reasons. One, they

are plentiful. Two, they are userfriendly — they will decoy to just about any spread.

One of the duck species’ main migrating areas for the winter is from Port O’Connor to the Lower Laguna Madre. Redheads are usu ally plentiful along the coast, but last season was the exception. For

hunters along the Texas coast, last season was a redhead bust.

The huge numbers of redheads that normally migrate down the Central Flyway to places like Port O’Connor, Rockport and the La guna Madre did not show up in big numbers. In fact, places like Port O’Connor that normally

wards where I had seen the buck.”

Sure enough, the father and son spotted the buck in tall grass near the high bank of a gravel pit pond on the property where they were hunting.

“We were able to sneak behind him, around some trees to the op posite bank of the pond,” Fried richs said. “We got my 6.5 Grendel set up on the tripod and watched him, while I waited for a shot op portunity. After about five minutes, he walked out of the tall grass on the bank and was quartering away at about 80 yards. I put my sights on the spot where I wanted to hit him and took my shot.”

The buck fell immediately and rolled down the steep bank of the pond to the water’s edge.

“My dad and I instantly highfived each other,” Friedrichs said. “I was so excited I must have given him 30 high-fives.”

The youngster said his favorite part about the hunt was walking up to his first buck, knowing he had accomplished his goal for the season.

“My dad was definitely just as excited as I was,” Friedrichs said. “I was so happy he was proud of me, and I was excited to make sausage out of a buck that I shot.”

Friedrichs helped his dad clean the deer, and plans to have a Eu ropean mount made out of his tro phy.

New to the land

Landowners experience first hunt

By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS

A group of wildlife biologists are doing their part to bring new people — especially new landowners — into the hunting commu nity.

The Cross Timbers Widlife District 3 hosted their first district-ini tiated adult instructional deer hunt in Erath County.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Technical Guidance Biologist Jesse Oet gen said the idea of the hunt, called “New to the Land,” came after meeting new landowners from a large ranch that had been subdi vided.

“We are always looking for a chance to introduce people to hunt ing,” Oetgen said. “And targeting adult hunters is an important group of people. This presented itself based on a property that was being subdivided and sold in smaller tracts. The new owners were

Gunner Friedrichs, 8, made a successful stalk, with help from his dad to get into position to shoot his first buck. Photo by Scott Friedrichs.

After an unexplained absence last season, the redheads are back at the coast in good numbers. Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Biologist Patrick Schutz covers firearm safety and shot precision with new hunters at an adult instructional deer hunt in Erath County. Photo by Cross Timbers Wildlife Division 3.

Wife bags first duck on raffle winner’s hunt

By Mimi Meyer For Lone Star outdoor newS

At Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation’s Wild Game Night at the Beretta Gallery in October, Bob Collins pulled a repeat win. The year prior, he won the duck hunt at the historic Port Bay Club in Rockport. On the trip, he hunted with his brother-in-law and had a great time.

This year, Collins dropped his tickets in the bucket again for the duck hunt, and to everyone’s sur prise, he won the trip again. He was thrilled to get to return and, this time, he brought his wife, Ali cia.

Alicia had not hunted ducks but was up for the adventure. The two enjoyed the club — more so inside since the weather was rainy, windy and cold. Alicia bundled up, may be a little too much the first day, making it difficult to move and shoot. She had an opportunity on a duck but couldn’t quite get the shot.

Bob came home with redheads in the morning and went back out in the afternoon to bring in a pintail and a shoveler with the most unique bill.

“The bill looked like it was leopard print,” Bob said. “It was so mottled like the duck’s chest.”

The next day, Alicia knew the drill, so she was more prepared and eager to harvest a duck.

“It was so cool just sitting in the blind seeing the sunrise and birds flying all around,” Alicia said.” Mid-morning, a bluebill presented itself perfectly for her to get a shot.

Boom! She harvested her first duck.

“It was a great first experience and our guide, Clinton, was amazing,” Alicia said. “I would do it again!”

A little while later, Bob’s phone was perched on the ledge in the blind. Someone accidentally bumped it and it fell into the water. After looking around, their guide couldn’t seem to find it. An hour or two later, Bob went on the search and finally found it wedged underneath the blind but still under water between two boards. The phone was recovered, but the photos of Alicia’s first duck were not. Thankfully, Bob had texted the pictures to friends.

Despite the loss of a phone, it was a great trip for the couple and brought newfound excitement for duck hunting as husband and wife.

popular guide

Lone Star outdoor newS

Many Texans hunted and fished with former Redfish Lodge fishing and hunting guide, Paul Brown. Brown, died on Nov. 20 after hunt ing during the opening weekend of duck season in Newport, Arkansas.

According to his wife, Dawn, Paul had just returned from the woods after hunting with friends at Waters Bottoms, a place he and his dad, Doc, had hunted for de cades. He was able to spend his fi nal day doing what he loved.

Brown guided at the Redfish Lodge, in Rockport, for years be fore moving to Arkansas and then

Paul Brown

Alicia Collins took her first duck, a bluebill, on a hunt her husband, Bob, won for the second time at the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation Wild Game Night. Photo from Bob Collins.

DSC

ing, Childress leads one of the most storied teams in NASCAR, but Childress is as much about giving back to wildlife, hunting and fishing as he is about being a successful businessman.

Childress started as an independent driver who got his start in 1969. He retired from driving in the 1981 season, handing over the driving duties to the late Dale Earnhardt. Childress is also the proprietor of Childress Vineyards in Lexington, North Caro lina, as well as the Yadkin River Angus cattle ranch.

As a Vice Chair on the Board of Directors at Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation, Childress brings the same level of enthusiasm and dedication he brings to racing to ensuring the rights of hunters and anglers.

Childress enjoys spending his free time outdoors and has been an avid hunter and angler since he was a child. Having traveled to many parts of the world, he became an activist for the conservation of our natural resources. He proudly supports many conservation organizations, including serving on several boards. During the NASCAR off season, Childress can be found hunting at his home in Montana or fishing at his Hampton Estate in Lex ington, North Carolina.

The Dr. Bob Speegle Outstanding Hunting Achievement Award (OHAA) Committee select ed Milton Schultz Jr. as the 2023 Award Recipi ent. Schultz will be presented the prestigious award at the DSC Convention and Sporting Expo during the Saturday evening banquet on January 7, 2023.

Schultz is a two-way qualifier with the North American 29 and the DSC African 32. The North American 29 took 63 years to complete, and the DSC African 32 was accomplished in 13 years.

Schultz took his first deer, a doe, with his grandfather’s World War II open sights Carbine, at the age of seven. This began a 63-year quest for the North American 29. Schultz has hunted across the U.S., Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Arctic Circle and Mexico.

He is a Life Member of several conservationminded organizations including DSC, Boone & Crockett Club, Texas Bighorn Society, Wild Sheep Foundation, NRA, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Texas Trophy Hunters.

Schultz also is a former recipient of DSC’s Herbert W. Klein Memorial (1995) and the Af rica Big Game Award – Big Five (2019).

Schultz has been a Registered Pharmacist for

DSC selected Jim Heffelfinger as the winner of the 2023 Conserva tion Trailblazer Award.

Heffelfinger will be presented the award, plus a $10,000 contribution in his name toward the conserva tion project he selects, during the Thursday night banquet at the 41st Annual DSC Convention and Expo.

Heffelfinger currently serves as Arizona Game and Fish Depart ment’s wildlife science coordinator and as an adjunct faculty and full research scientist at the University of Arizona. He also has worked for private landowners, the Bureau of Land Management, and multiple universities as a wildlife research assistant and wildlife biologist. Hef felfinger was a regional game specialist for the Arizona Game and Fish Department for more than 20 years.

“Jim is a foremost expert on deer in the United States. He is a con summate professional who diligently stands on the side of science and not emotion or politics. The impact of his expertise, leadership with the scientific community, and ability to take complex scientific infor mation and communicate it to a diversity of audiences make Jim wor thy of this prestigious award,” said Casey Stemler, big game migration coordinator for the Department of the Interior.

For more than 30 years, Heffelfinger has focused primarily on big game and various deer species. He’s the chair of the Western Associa tion of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Mule Deer Working Group. He au thored his own book “Deer of the Southwest,” led the writing of the North American Mule Deer Conservation Plan and is lead editor of the upcoming book “Ecology and Management of Black-tailed and Mule Deer in North America.” He’s also been instrumental in helping to co ordinate and implement the Department of Interior’s Secretarial Order on big game winter range and migration, both in Arizona and with other WAFWA state agency biologists.

The Conservation Trailblazer Award celebrates the monumental con tribution of wildlife professionals to the field of game and non-game wildlife conservation, including wildlife and habitat management, ap

Conservation Trailblazer

Schultz named OHAA winner

Jim Heffelfinger

Milton Schultz Jr.

Richard Childress

Hartford to receive young hunter award

John Hartford was named by DSC as the recipient of the 2023 Colin Caruthers Young Hunt er Award. This award honors young hunters who prioritize their time to be active both in the field and in their school and community.

“As hunters, we are conser vationists,” Hartford said. “And if we want our kids and grand kids to have the same hunting opportunities as us, conserva tion is vital to the growth and strengthening of wildlife popu lations and habitats.”

A DSC Life Member and se nior at La Jolla High School, Hartford is an accomplished hunter and conservationist, having hunted across North America, South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique. Hunting since the age of 11, Hartford has spent countless hours in the field with family and friends. Addition ally, he successfully completed the Kobus Schoeman Hunting Academy Professional Hunter’s Course, certifying him as a South African Professional Hunter. Hartford served as apprentice to Professional Hunter Jacques Strauss of Kowas Adventure Safa ris in Namibia for two months during the summer of 2022.

“The major aspect that stood out to me is John’s work ethic,” said Jacques Strauss of Kowas Adventure Safaris. “He shows com mitment and confidence, while illustrating an eagerness to learn and strong profession alism. I am humbled by his efforts to take a whole summer and dedicate it to worth while conservation efforts in Namibia.”

Bull Elephant Award

demic discipline while being captain of the high school baseball team, a leader on his rugby team, volunteering with the Rotary Club, and attending leadership camps as an active contributor to his community.

After high school, John is considering an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point or attending a prominent university in Texas. Raised in a military family, Hartford has high regard for ser vice and would ultimately like to become a guide or professional hunter.

The award is named for the late Colin Caruthers, an avid hunter and wildlife enthusiast from an early age. Colin spent countless hours at DSC thanks to his par ents, longtime DSC Life Members Tommy and Pat Caruthers who have been integral to the development of outdoor education programs for DSC.

The DSC Bull Elephant Award will be presented to U.S. Rep Bruce Westerman at the 2023 DSC Annual Convention. The Bull Elephant Award is given to leg islators at both the national or state levels who have continually supported legislation and efforts that co incide with DSC’s mission.

Westerman is a Hot Springs native currently serv ing his fourth term as representative from the Fourth District of Arkansas, having first been elected in 2014. Westerman serves on the Committee on Transporta tion and Infrastructure and as Ranking Member of the Committee on Natural Resources.

Prior to serving in Congress, Westerman was elected to two terms in the Arkansas General Assembly, where he was the state’s first Republican House Majority Leader since Reconstruction following the 2013 GOP takeover of the Arkansas House of Representatives.

“Some of my earliest memories are of hunting and fishing near my home in Arkansas,” Westerman said, ”Sportsmen and women are some of the best conser vationists we have, because they know the importance of sustainably utilizing our re sources to leave them in even better condition for future generations.”

A 1990 graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Westerman was a 4-year walk-on member of the Razorback football team. He was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2005 and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012. Westerman is also a graduate of Yale Uni versity, earning a Master of Forestry in 2001.

Good hunt with dad

Continued from page 1

small bucks chasing them.

Another 10 minutes later, the Godwin’s saw the big 8-pointer going after a doe. All of a sudden, the buck ran into the brush and disappeared.

Although they thought the hunt was all but over, the Godwin’s hung around.

And to their surprise, the buck reap peared right in front where they were sit ting down.

A grunt call made the deer stop. It was then the young Godwin, who also is a prolific duck hunter, took a shot and hit the buck with a 190 grain .300 Blackout round.

After the shot, the deer ran toward the creek bottom.

The Godwins waited for about 15 min utes, headed to where the buck went and spotted the deer some 120 yards away.

That’s when Godwin started jumping up and down with joy and — literally — grabbed the deer by the horns.

The 4-year-old buck had a 19-inch spread.

Though it may seem early to see South Texas bucks chasing does in November, the rut varies in deer closer to the coast. Some of the Coastal Bend area falls within the Gulf Prairies & Marshes Ecological Region, where the rut starts earlier than areas to the south and west. In South Texas, gener ally the rut hits its peak in mid-December.

John Hartford

Bruce Westerman

Conroe catfish over structure

Lots of channel cats, big blues

By Robert Sloan For Lone Star outdoor newS

Lake Conroe’s trophy-sized blue catfish and num bers of channel cats are red hot.

Brad Doyle specializes in catching big numbers of channel cats and trophy-class blues.

“We have great fishing year-round,” Doyle said. “But during the winter months you have to pick and choose your days. With the passage of a cold front and high pressure the bite will slow down. But a day or so after a front they will often go on a bigtime feed.”

He runs trips for both channel cats and blues. His best day recently was 147 catfish in three hours.

“I fish over all sorts of structure,” he said. “It re ally doesn’t matter what kind of structure it is. It can be a stump, brush or just about anything. I nor mally fish in 12 to 20 feet of water. But there are some spots that produce really well in 25 to 35 feet of water. A river channel is always a good place to find them.”

Doyle said he uses side-scan electronics a lot.

“With a LiveScope I can pinpoint the catfish on structure,” he said. “That’s especially true when I’m looking for trophy-class blues. It’s like playing vid eo games for fish. When I’m fishing for blue cats, I use my side-scan to see them on ledges that are holding bait. That’s the key ingredient – bait fish. When targeting blues I’ll move along real slow. It’s kind of like hunting. On a lot of days the best fish will be on bottom in the silt.”

The best baits for blues varies from day to day. The best are fresh cut carp, live bream about the size of your hand and gizzard shad.

“I use a wide gap hook,” Doyle said. “You want the hook to match the size of the bait. A 10/0 to 12/0 is best for most baits, especially a live bream.”

He uses 30-pound monofilament to fish for chan nels and blues. At times he will be targeting chan nel cats but hook up with a double-digit blue. That’s when the heavier line comes in handy.

Doyle fishes for channel cats with his own punch bait concoction. It’s not stink bait — it’s what he calls catfish bubble gum.

“It’s kind of like a dough bait,” he said. “You reach in with your fingers, grab some and ball it up. Next you place it on the hook. I like a No. 4 or 6 treble. It’s a food-grade catfish bait. There is no stink. I’ve actually had customers try to eat it. It’s almost like pink Play-Doh. I don’t like to use the stink bait. You’ll wear that smell for days.”

The catfish bubble gum has a maple and bacon scent, along with the smell of garlic, onion and strawberry. The fibers in the bait hold it together, and once the hook and bait are lowered to bottom, it begins to dissolve. That’s when the catfish pick up the scent and eat the bait.

Cold fronts and the high pressure associated with them slow the bite, but it bounces back as fast as

FISHING

Black drum stacking up

By Nate Skinner outdoor newS

Colder weather and water temperatures of ten is good news for coastal anglers in search of black drum. Anglers are finding the fish stacked up in a variety of areas, and some of the best action has occurred following the passage of cold fronts.

From the surf to channel drop-offs, and flats along the bays, schools of drum seem to be showing up almost everywhere there is struc ture, and in the dirtiest stretches of water. Keep er-sized fish on up to oversized big uglies have been landed.

Jen Merchant has been targeting black drum along structure in the surf near Port Aransas, where she’s been catching them on peeled dead shrimp fished on the bottom.

“I’ve been catching a lot of keeper-sized drum along sand bars and jetty rocks,” Mer chant said. “The best bite has occurred a couple of hours before the high or low tide.”

Merchant also has caught a few big drum in the 30-inch range, but most are between 14 to 26 inches, along with some that are smaller. Most of the fish have been stacked up in the first gut of the surf, just past the first sand bar.

“I recently took my 3-year-old great nephew, Ollie McKinney, on his first fishing trip,” Mer chant said. “We were fishing the surf, and he reeled in his first fish, a 26-inch black drum.”

Corpus Christi guide Capt. Caleb Sumrall said the drum bite has been light’s out near the mouth of Baffin Bay around Compuerta Pass.

“It’s really a no-brainer deal right now,” Sum rall said. “It’s no secret that the fish are there, and it doesn’t matter how many boats are

Anglers head to the beach

By Tony Vindell For Lone Star outdoor newS

The recent cold snap resulted in some changes in the Rio Grande Val ley. It forced the Cameron County Commissioners Court to shut down some areas for several days that are popular for fishing – namely Boca Chica Beach and a number of beach accesses on South Padre Island.

The closures impacted a segment of the fishing population, particu larly those who know how a cold front brings plenty of fish to their fa vorite holes. Some anglers were not deterred by the weather and took advantage of the drop in the ther mometer to the 50s for a number of days.

One of them was Carlos Casas, an avid fisherman who belongs to the group called Pesca Extreme, or Ex treme Fishing.

As the weather kept staying on the cooler side, Casas told his 10-yearold son to get ready for some action.

He, Carlos Jr., a friend and oth ers went fishing on an edge of the Brownsville Ship Channel, near Tex as Highway 48.

The group arrived at about 7 a.m.

on a day in the third week of No vember. Using a couple of lures, the father and son fished for about three hours. Each of them caught their limits of redfish plus four speckled trout.

“My son was pretty excited,” he said. “He caught one fish after an other.”

Early cold fronts are a sort of a blessing for Rio Grande Valley fish ermen. As soon as one fisherman runs into a school of fish congregat ing in a particular spot, the angler rings the alarm calling others, who in turn call others as well.

While the fishing can turn into a frenzy, on this day most anglers brought in redfish, black drum and some speckled trout.

But not everything always turns out rosy.

Eddie Jimenez wanted to try his luck on Boca Chica Beach but couldn’t drive along the beach, as the tide was reaching the sand dunes. He missed out on the good fishing.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I wasn’t going to take a chance of get ting stuck.”

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* C h e c k T P W D f o r m o r e l o c a t i o n s a n d d a t e s

Good numbers of eater-sized channel catfish and trophy-sized blue cats are being caught at Lake Conroe. Photo by Brad Doyle.

Jen Merchant landed this keeper-sized black drum in the Port Aransas surf while fishing with peeled shrimp just past the first sandbar. Photo from Jen Merchant.

Carlos Casas Jr. landed limit of redfish plus a speck led trout at Boca Chica Beach during a cold snap.

Photo by Carlos Casas Sr.

Another power plant lake going cold

Lone Star outdoor newS

Bass anglers love power plant lakes in winter, mainly, because they catch more fish in the warmer waters.

A favorite East Texas power plant lake, Brandy Branch Reservoir, likely won’t be hosting as many local bass club tournaments next winter. Southwestern Electric Power Company announced the Pirkey Power Plant, a large coal-powered plant that warms the waters of the small lake, would be closed in March 2023.

SWEPCO told Fox Business the decision came after an economic analysis weighing the cost of environmental compliance with new rules set by the Environmental Protec tion Agency and needed maintenance.

Closing of the plant, near Hallsville, is estimated to cost $22 million in economic output for the community, and a $2 to $3 million loss of tax revenue that could lead to job losses at schools.

Anglers hope the 1,242-acre Harrison County lake will remain open to the public.

Mexico fishing pioneer dies

Lone Star outdoor newS

Ron Speed Sr. died in November at the age of 82. Speed became known for beginning his outfitting business for bass fishermen heading to Mexican lakes. A Kerens native, he outfitted anglers for more than 40 years.

After graduating from Texas A&M, Speed became a high school football coach, but in 1970 he made his first fishing trip to Mexico. He later found investors and founded the business known as Ron Speed’s Adventures. In 1972, Lake Guerrero became his headquar ters in Mexico, and he opened two lodges. He retired in 2012, and the business is now operated by his son, Ron Speed Jr.

It was the summer of 1972, Speed was flying home from Mexico when he started talking with the man in the next seat, Jose “Pepe” Martinez. Learning Speed was a fishing outfit ter, he told him about a new 95,000-acre lake in Tamaulipas, Lake Guerrero. Martinez invited Speed down to fish the still unopened lake and talk about a partnership. He became a pioneer in the international fishing world, solidifying his place as a forefa ther in the South American fishing business.

Shrimp for the bulls

Continued from page 1

“I had a few strikes on top-water lures but the best action came below the surface. The best part was there were so many schools, none of the other boats out there tried to cut anyone off. There was enough schools out there for ev eryone to catch them.”

Guerrero said the bulls have been schooling for almost a month, and they don’t seem to be slowing down.

“There are so many shrimp across the Galveston Bay Com plex right now, and there are schools of big reds in a lot of places,” he explained. “From both the south and north ends of East Galveston Bay, on up to Trin ity Bay, there seems to be schools everywhere, depending on the weather conditions.”

Guerrero said the schools are pretty spooky, and you have to figure out how to get in front of where they are heading in order to get within casting range.

“Once you get close enough to the fish, you can catch them on every cast,” he said.

Guerrero said there are some upper slot reds in the marsh throughout the bay system, but the bull reds have been pro viding the most exciting action.

Tyler Kolman also has been keying in on schools of bull reds in Galveston Bay.

“The bull red fishing has been about as good as it gets,” he said. “All you really have to do is find some birds working and start casting.”

Stretches of open water in front of marsh drains on the north side of East Galveston Bay have been holding plenty of fish, as well as open water areas north of the Bolivar wells.

“We have caught a few reds recently that were just barely over the slot size, but for the most part, these fish have been well over 28 inches,” Kolman said. “I have been using heavy spoons to be able to cast far in any direction. When they are schooling, they will eat almost anything. We’ve even caught some on bare jig heads.”

Nick Mallett caught this bull red out of a large school under work ing birds in Galveston Bay on a warm day between cold fronts while fishing with his friend, Tyler Kolman. Photo by Tyler Kolman.

AMISTAD: Water stained; 64 degrees; 36.30’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged soft plastics and shad jerkbaits.

ARLINGTON: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 0.62’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits and crank baits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.

ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 5.70’ low. Crappie are good around the Derrick’s and the dam. Blue catfish are fair drifting with fresh cut shad.

ATHENS: Water clear; 58-61 degrees; 1.04’ low. Large mouth bass are fair on jigs and drop shots. Crappie are good on minnows and small jigs.

AUSTIN: Water clear; 63 de grees; 0.54’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Lady Bird Lake on drop shots, swimbaits and jerkbaits.

B.A. STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.50’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters and chat terbaits.

BASTROP: Water clear; 67 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, shallow crankbaits and wakebaits.

BELTON: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 12.93’ low. White bass are good on white slabs with a stinger hook. Catfish are good on fresh cut shad, freshwater drum or buffalo.

BENBROOK: Water lightly stained; 63 degrees; 6.32’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on drop shots. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.

BOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 61 degrees; 1.17’ low. Large mouth bass are fair on shallow crankbaits. Crappie are good in standing timber on jigs or minnows.

BRAUNIG: Water stained; 68-74 degrees. Largemouth bass are slow. Red drum are slow. Channel catfish are fair on shrimp, liver and cheese bait.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 61 degrees; 8.67’ low. Large mouth bass are fair on shad crankbaits. White bass bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

BROWNWOOD: Water slightly stained; 55-57 degrees; 7.91’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on tail spinners and shallow crankbaits. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow on jigs.

BUCHANAN: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 17.34’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on crankbaits, shaky heads and jigs.

CADDO: Water stained; 60 degrees; 1.09’ high. Large mouth bass are slow. White bass and yellow bass are good on spoons and lipless crank

baits and Alabama rigs.

CALAVERAS: Water stained; 72 degrees. Largemouth bass are slow. Red drum are fair on live tilapia and cut shad. Channel and blue catfish are good on cut bait and liver.

CANYON: Water clear; 58 degrees; 9.37’ low. Large mouth bass are fair on Texas rigs and swimbaits. Striped bass are good on top-waters.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 54-58 degrees; 3.35’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on Carolina rigs and shaky heads. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs under deeper docks. White bass and hybrids are fair to good dead-sticking under birds.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 65 degrees; 23.49’ low. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on jigging spoons. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

CONROE: Water slightly stained; 59 degrees; 2.37’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and finesse worms. Hybrid striped bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on orange jigs tipped with minnows. Catfish are good on catfish bubblegum and shad.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees. Large mouth bass are fair on crankbaits. White bass are fair on jigging spoons. Catfish are good on cut bait.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Water stained; 67 degrees; 2.98 feet low. Largemouth bass are good on deep-diving crank baits and jigs. White bass are good on vertical jigs and minnows. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on cut perch and soap baits.

EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 54 degrees; 4.52’ low. White bass are fair to good on spoons. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on punch bait and shad.

FAIRFIELD: Water slightly stained; 68 degrees. Large mouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, Carolina rigs, jerkbaits and wacky worms. Bluegill are good on earth worms.

FALCON: Water stained; 56-60 degrees; 40.02’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon/red senkos and crankbaits. Channel catfish are good on shrimp and cut bait. Blue catfish are good on fresh cut bait.

FAYETTE: Water lightly stained; 67 degrees; 1.50’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters and shad

crankbaits. Catfish are good on punch bait and chicken liver.

FORK: Water stained; 65 de grees; 5.81’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on suspending jerkbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows.

GRANBURY: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 2.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jerkbaits and spinner baits. Striped bass and white bass are good drifting flats with shad. Catfish are fair on big cut shad.

GRANGER: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 0.98’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs. White bass are slow. Blue catfish are good on jug lines baited with cut bait.

GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 58 degrees; 1.17’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on Alabama rigs. White bass are on spoon with an assist hook.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 63 degrees; 1.60’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on shaky heads, Ned rigs and wacky worms. Crappie are fair on minnows.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 58-63 degrees; 7.07’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits. Crap pie are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are slow.

JACKSONVILLE: Water lightly stained; 67 degrees; 1.94’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics, flukes and crankbaits.

JOE POOL: Water stained; 58 degrees; 0.31’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms and shadsquare-billed crankbaits.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.20’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on shallow crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs or minnows. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 3.40’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits and large spoons. Crappie are good on jigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on cut bait, shad, carp and sunfish.

LBJ: Water stained; 62 degrees; 0.17’ low.

Crappie are fair on char treuse jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 58 degrees; 3.35’ low. White bass are fair to good on slabs, small swim baits and live bait. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good drifting cut shad or chicken breasts.

LIMESTONE: Water clear; 56 degrees; 5.39’ low. Large

mouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits and chatterbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on silver jigging spoons. Catfish are good on cut bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.40’ low. Large mouth bass are slow. White bass are fair jigging slabs. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair to good drifting with cut bait.

MEREDITH: Water stained; 50 degrees; 54.55’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on minnows and artificials. White bass are good on min nows and curly tailed grubs. Walleye are good on minnows, crawlers and artificials. Cat fish are fair on minnows and frozen shad.

MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 65 degrees; 5.40’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics and top-waters. Crappie are good on minnows and small jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and cheese bait.

NACONICHE: Water clear to stained; 56 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on deep-diving crankbaits and Alabama rigs. Crap pie are good on minnows. Catfish are slow.

NASWORTHY: Water murky; 59 de grees. 0.87’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on black and chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 62 degrees; 2.84’ low. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on cut bait and live perch.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 53 degrees; 22.91’ low. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits. White bass are good on live bait and crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on prepared baits and cut bait.

OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 10.65’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on plastics worms. White bass are fair on slabs and minnows. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are good on chicken liver.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 2.10’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair on jigs. White bass and hybrids are slow. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers, cut shad and punch bait.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water lightly stained; 53-56 de grees; 5.86’ low. Striped bass are good on live bait. White bass are good on slabs and small spoons in chartreuse,

white, and silver. Catfish are good on cut shad.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 62 degrees; 8.77’ low. Large mouth bass are slow. White bass are slow. Blue catfish are slow to fair on cut bait.

RAVEN: Water stained; 56-60 degrees; 2.00’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on crankbaits and Caro lina rigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait and prepared baits.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 54-56 degrees; 0.57’ low. White bass are good fishing on slabs and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait.

RAY ROBERTS: Water is clear; 56 degrees; 1.64’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are fair jigging with slabs with a bucktail trailer. Blue and some chan nel catfish are fair on cut shad.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Wa ter clear; 57 degrees; 4.58’ low. White bass are good on slabs. Channel catfish and blue catfish are good on punch bait.

SAM RAY BURN: Water stained; 55 degrees; 6.31’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Carolina-rigged big worms. White bass are good on spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and white feather jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and minnows.

SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 56 degrees; 5.43’ low. Large mouth bass are fair on craw jigs and shad crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are slow. Catfish are good on jug lines baited with shad.

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 10.61’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on dark jigs. White bass are fair on slabs with stinger hooks.

TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 56 degrees; 1.73’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on flukes and stick baits. White bass and hybrid stripers are good on flukes, slabs and swimbaits. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Blue catfish are good on cut gizzard shad.

TEXANA: Water stained; 65 degrees; 4.03’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 65 degrees; 1.52’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on live shad and Carolina rigs.

Striped bass are good on slabs and deadsticking live shad. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are fair on cut shad and prepared baits.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 59 degrees; 4.25’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on chatter baits, jigs with pork trailers, square-billed crankbaits and Carolina-rigged worms and lizards. Crappie are good on jigs and small minnows.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 67 degrees; 40.50’ low. Large mouth bass are fair to good on square-billed crankbaits and jerkbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows.

TWIN BUTTES: Water stained; 55 degrees; 22.57’ low. Largemouth bass are fair jigging soft plastics. White bass and crappie are excel lent on jigs and live minnows. Channel catfish are good on prepared baits and fresh cut bait.

TYLER: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 2.78’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers, stink bait and cut bait.

WACO: Water stained; 64 degrees; 11.15’ low. Large mouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White and hybrid bass are fair to good on tail spinners, umbrella rigs and spoons.

WALTER E. LONG: Water clear; 70 degrees. Large mouth bass are fair on drop shots, swimbaits and Alabama rigs. Hybrid stripers are fair to good on Alabama rigs and swimbaits.

WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 63 degrees; 7.13’ low. Striped bass are good on swimbaits and slabs, and oc casionally on top-waters.

WORTH: Water stained; 62 degrees; 2.22’ low. White bass are fair to good on spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on cut bait, shad and punch bait.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 54 degrees; 5.92’ high. Channel catfish are good on Mr Whiskers catfish baits. Blue catfish are good dragging cut shad.

Hunt

landowners

from metropolitan areas and had little experience with hunting.”

Oetgen said he learned a lot from the new landowners.

“Most were buying with the intent to get their kids outdoors,” he said. “Some had some hunting and outdoor experience as a youngster and had interest, but not the expe rience. They wanted to provide it for their own children. And several had an interest in cooking and knowing where their food comes from.”

At the hunt for 11 new landowners and one youth observer, each spent time with the biologists, discussing good land management practices and wildlife management. Biolo gists also conducted the firearm instruction and safety, and each shot and sighted in a rifle at the range before the deer and hog hunt.

The success rate was remarkably high.

“All but one or two hunters harvested an animal, and some took more than one,” Oet gen said. “They felt this was an important step toward achieving their goals of quality wildlife management and creating a hunting heritage for their families.”

Oetgen said the district has a core group of biologists who are excited to introduce people to hunting, and they also host hunts for students who are members of The Wild life Society at Tarleton State University and Abilene Christian University.

“It’s extra job satisfaction for us,” he said. “Plus, we know they are getting the right instruction and message.”

Cool water drum

Continued from page 8

around, there are just that many black drum in that area.”

Windy days have been the best.

“The drum really like dirty water and a wind-driven current,” he said. “They just don’t bite nearly as well on calm days as they do on windy days.”

Sumrall has been fishing with dead shrimp on a Carolina rig along the bottom in 3.5 to 5 feet of water. He’s been catching drum in the 16-30-inch range, with a few stretch ing over 30 inches.

In Sabine, Capt. Chris Phillips has been finding black drum stacked up along the north end of the ship channel around shell and other structure.

“Live shrimp fished on a Carolina rig or under a popping cork with a 3-foot leader has been the ticket,” Phillips said. “The shrimp have been on the larger side lately, so I’ve been breaking them in half to increase the number of baits for my anglers to use, and the drum have been hitting the smaller pieces of shrimp better than whole shrimp.”

Most of the drum have been within the slot.

“Some days, the drum have been hanging off the ledge of the channel near the dropoff in 13 feet of water, and on other days, they have been concentrating up on the flats along the edges of the channel,” he said.

Biologist Jennifer Barrow assists a new hunter in the blind. Photo by Cross Timbers Wildlife Division 3.

BLOTTER

DRONE HELPS FIND MISSING MAN

On the night of Nov. 3, Texas

Game Warden Michael Hummert responded to an Erath County Sher iff’s Office request for assistance. An elderly man had gone missing in Dublin. Hummert is the only law enforcement officer equipped with a thermal drone in the county. “The setting sun prevented us from locating him through usual means,” Hummert said. “The thermal drone picks up body heat, which is neces sary to locate someone at night. With the cold creeping in, it was imperative to find him quickly.” Us ing cell phone records, the sheriff’s office determined a general location for the individual and Hummert mapped out a search area. Working out of a control station attached to his vehicle, he located the indi vidual through a thermal scan and led deputies to the location.

CRIMINAL FOUND BY THERMAL HEAT SIGNATURE

Texas Game Warden Doug Williams received a request for assistance to locate a suspect who shot at and physically assaulted two indi viduals, then fled. Using a thermal

drone, Williams circled the resi dence and spotted a heat signature in the woods. Due to the freezing temperatures, the suspect was hid ing in the brush curled in the fetal position. He was arrested and later treated for hypothermia.

RESCUE FROM SINKING SHRIMP BOAT

The Coast Guard rescued four men from a shrimp boat taking on water 11 miles south of Jamaica Beach. Watchstanders received a notification at 1:20 a.m. report ing a 31-foot shrimp boat taking on water with three people aboard. A response boat and helicopter responded. Once on scene, the crew reported that the shrimp boat,

the Captain Alex, was 86 feet in length and had four people aboard. The boat crew passed over a P-6 pump and two crew members to assist with dewatering the vessel. Due to significantly oily water found in the engine room, the boat crew was unable to dewater the vessel. The Coast Guard crew removed the four men from the shrimp boat and transported to Station Galveston. No injuries were reported. The shrimp boat sank.

BUCK DUMPED, LEFT TO WASTE In the evening hours of Nov. 11 or the early morning hours of Nov. 12, a white-tailed buck was dumped and left to waste on the side of CR

1311 near Crossroads in Henderson County. A reward is offered for in formation leading to the conviction of the person or persons responsi ble. Call Operation Game Thief with any information.

BOAT HITS JETTY, BOATER RESCUED

The Coast Guard received notifica tion from a helicopter crew that while searching for an overdue boater they noticed an unmanned, adrift 22-foot vessel with bow dam age near the Galveston South Jetty. A response boat arrived on scene and located a man on the jetties yelling for help. The boater had collided with the jetty and was in distress. The boat crew transported

the man to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Sta tion Galveston. Due to significant damage to the vessel, the crew was unable to tow it ashore.

MISSING PERSON FOUND BY WARDEN, DRONE

In Bell County, federal officials reached out for assistance in a missing person case. Without another available drone operator in the area, Texas Game Warden Mi chael Hummert of the Texas Game Warden Unmanned Arial System Program was called. The family shared vital information regarding the person’s location while federal support provided mapping systems. The individual was found safe and secure. “A helicopter is highly beneficial for any search and rescue but it’s not always practical in rural areas,” Hummert said. “Respond ing with a drone cuts your response time and cost, allowing for more versatility.”

REPORT ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITY FOR A REWARD OF UP TO $1,000. CALL OPERATION GAME THIEF AT (800) 792-4263

Redheads are back

Continued from page 4

have thousands of red heads on the bays and backwater lakes had very few.

The first part of this season is turning out to be much different, with a good number of red heads already here. And with each front moving through, more are arriving.

Scott Pierce, a waterfowl guide in Port O’Connor, said so far this season, he’s been on a lot more red heads than he was last sea son.

“Last season was tough,” he said. “I have bay blinds that normally provide easy two-bird limits on redheads. But last season even a two-bird limit was tough to fill. We were getting some in, but they would be here today and gone tomorrow. I hunt on both bay and freshwater so I can move around a lot. During a normal season with a good migration, I can depend on my bay blinds to produce plenty of redheads. If that’s not working, we move inland to freshwater ponds. The redheads definitely prefer to stay on the bays, but they will also move inland a few miles to the ponds.”

Victor Randazzo and his son, Ryan, do a lot of hunting on the middle coastal bays in more of a do-it-yourself style.

“Back about 10 years ago we would get a variety of ducks on the bays, especially the backwater lakes off the big bays,” Randazzo said. “We would get our redheads, and maybe a pintail or two along with scaup, and the occasional bufflehead. But that’s all changed. Now we sleep in, get a taco and launch the boat. Well head out to one of the many is lands on the bays. Hunting redheads is simple. There is really no need to be on the hunt at shooting time.”

Randazzo said they use about 90 percent redhead decoys, along with a half dozen pin tails.

“Redheads are not the smartest ducks around,” he said. “I’ve had them land in the de coys when we were picking them up. They don’t require calling. But they will come to soft quacks and a whistle. The thing about redheads is they will do a drive by, circle around and come right back to the decoys. When they cup their wings and glide into the spread that’s a heck of a good sight, one that all duck hunters live for.”

Randazzo said he and his son don’t use duck blinds because most of the time hunters will be set up in them and refuse to move. Instead, they will set up in the mangroves and sit on custom-made duck stools. And most of the time they are set up on dry land.

“That makes for an easy hunt,” he said. “Plus, we try to hunt along islands with a hard sand bottom. That makes for easy walking and a quick retrieve.”

Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

from page 1

there was a huge flat between it and Elephant Mountain with a few long drainages, 10 to 20 feet deep.”

Tired of battling the wind, the pair took a chance and went down to walk along the drainage.

“I bet the deer hated the wind, too,” Justin said. “So we walked along the top of the drainage hoping to see one bed ded down.”

After about 300 yards, Ethan saw a buck.

“I didn’t see it,” Justin said. “I was looking too far away. It was 15 yards in front of us, looking right at us.”

The 15-year-old Ethan didn’t have a bullet in the chamber, and the buck started to walk down the drainage.

“He gave me the gun and I chambered the bullet,” Justin said. “The buck turned, stopped and looked at us. It gave Ethan time to shoot.”

The father-son gutted the buck and dragged it back to the truck. At the check station, it weighed 160 pounds fielddressed.

While the drought took its toll on mule deer, summer rains appeared to help the animals’ body condition.

“I think the antler production was well below average,” said Shawn Gray, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Mule Deer and Pronghorn Program leader. “But body weights have been outstanding.”

Weatherford resident Haylee Borgeson and her family have a lease in the Texas Panhandle close to Palo Duro Canyon. While scouting earlier this year, Borge son spotted a unique muley she thought looked like a crab.

“I saw him and loved how unique he was,” she said. “When I’m hunting I al ways look for animals that have something

unique about them. I’m not always con cerned about what an animal will score.”

The lease is free-range, and Borgeson prayed she would have an opportunity to hunt the distinct buck.

“My husband and I were glassing one evening and saw him with a bunch of does,” she said. “We snuck within 200 yards of him and I was able to get a shot.”

In Caprock country in Terry County, Tye Gray took a 6-year-old 10-pointer.

“It was around 10:45 a.m. on the third and final day and we were heading back to camp to start packing up and make the long drive home,” Gray posted on the Texas Buck Registry. “We were making our way around a mesquite thicket when we jumped this guy at about 20 yards. He trot ted out to about 60 yards where we were able to get a quick gauge on his shootabili ty. My guide, Todd Stroud, said ‘shoot him’ and about a half second later he was hit.”

The buck, at 60 yards, went down 25 yards later.

“I’ve spent the last 4 years chasing mu leys so this is a hard-earned first,” Gray said.

Haylee Borgeson had spotted this unique mule deer buck while scouting prior to the season, and took the buck at the family lease near the Palo Duro Canyon. Photo from Haylee Borgeson.

Larissa Mia Rangel harvested her first bull nilgai on a youth hunting program trip.

Dawson Heil, 6, shot his first deer while hunting in Albany.

Anthony Bond, 12, took his first buck with a Mossberg .243.

Brooks Barado, 11, of Lubbock, shot his first buck.

9:33 PM 0.47H

Dec 21 9:20 AM -0.06L 9:57 PM 0.50H Dec 22 10:12 AM -0.09L 10:48 PM 0.51H Dec 23 11:08 AM -0.09L

LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER

Lamar County’s seat

Kayak brand

One of Texas’ ports

Makes the 870 pump

A Texas bay

Blue, green or cinnamon

Slang for the scaup

Turkey hunters’ org.

Texas mountain range

Name for the dorado

The catfish targeted in winter

Pittsburg’s county

The young tom

Guadalupe County’s seat

Thermal scope brand

The female bighorn

Decatur’s county

Type of fly

Trout species

One of the swans

Baseball team in Corpus Christi

A whitetail hunting state

One of the woodpeckers

Supplemental feed brand 46) One of the marlin

DOWN 1) Saltwater reel manufacturer 2) A favorite deer food 4) Sinker type 6) Fishing lure brand 7) Drills the hole for the ice-fisherman 8) Hook for catch-and-release 9) An African wild cat 11) Texas border lake 12) Makes the Shad Rap 14) The baby goose 15) Dove-hunting destination 18) The small shorebird 20) Shotshell brand 21) Site of DSC convention 24) Duck decoy brand 25) Some hunters eat this duck organ 26) The duck sound 27) The female deer 29) Rains County’s seat 32) Tractor brand 34) West Texas lake 35) Fish season reopens Dec. 15 39) A lab color 40) A deer sound

INDUSTRY

PrairieFire acquires

Sight’s assets

Front

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada confirmed the Chapter 11 plan of reorganization under which Prai rieFire will acquire 100 percent of the equity of Front Sight Management, LLC.

Schnepp-Giger hired by NDA

Kristen Schnepp-Giger joined the National Deer Association as director of grassroots support.

PR agency for SITKA

SITKA Gear retained Gunpowder, Inc. as its new public relations agency of record.

New hires at DSC

Dallas Safari Club hired Bruce Boroski as chapter development coordinator and Lisa Causey as membership and volunteer manager.

New leadership at Rapala

Nicolas Cederström Warchalowski will re sign as president and chief executive officer of Rapala VMC. The Board appointed Ra pala’s Chairman Louis d’Alançon as interim president and CEO.

Position with High Road Group

Keith Warren and The High Road Group are seeking an experienced full time content creator and media manager.

Dornau president of Star brite

Star brite appointed Gregor Dornau as its new president following its acquisition by OneWater Marine/T-H Marine Supplies in August of this year.

Weeks named VP

Smart thermal rifle scopes maker Aiming appointed Tom Weeks as vice president of operations in the U.S.

Group buys majority stake in Fiocchi Munizioni

Czechoslovak Group acquired a 70 percent stake in Fiocchi Munizioni, the manufacturer of small-caliber ammunition. Founded in 1876 in Lecco, Italy, Fioc chi Munizioni designs, manufactures, and sells small caliber ammunition for shoot ing sports, hunting and law enforcement, under the Fiocchi, Baschieri & Pellagri and Lyalvale brands.

Venison goulash

1.5 pounds ground venison

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 cups onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

3 cups water

30-ounce jar spaghetti sauce

28-ounce can diced seasoned tomatoes

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

In a large pot, brown venison in olive oil. Add onions and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. Add salt and pepper and stir. Add water, spaghetti sauce, toma toes, oregano, basil, bay leaf, cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring oc casionally. Stir in macaroni. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 25 min utes or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf and serve.

—Ohio DNR

2 bowfin fillets

2 tbsp. Tony’s Original Creole Seasoning 1/2 cup oil 2 whole onions, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 8 garlic cloves, Minced 1 can tomato sauce

1 can Rotel tomatoes 2 cups water

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 can mushrooms

1/2 cup green onion, chopped 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Cut fillets into small pieces. Season and fry in oil in Dutch oven until firm. Remove fillets from oil. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic to the oil and sauté until tender. Add tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes and water. Add fillets and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Do not stir; instead, gently lift the pot off the burner with both hands and tilt it from side to side. Add lemon slices, mushrooms, green onions and parsley; cook over low heat for another 15 minutes. Serve over steamed rice.

Puzzle by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News

SABINE LAKE: 70 degrees. Redfish and black drum are good on live shrimp on a Carolina rig, or a popping cork with live shrimp. Speckled trout are fair to good on shrimp under a popping cork, suspended baits, crankbaits and soft plastics.

BOLIVAR: 63 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp. Redfish are good on shrimp and split tail plastics.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 65 degrees. Red fish are fair to good for wade-fishermen on artificials and scented plastics.

PORT O’CONNOR: 65 degrees. Speckled trout are slow. Bull redfish are fair to good on Spanish sardines and shrimp. Black drum are good on dead shrimp.

ROCKPORT: 65 degrees. Redfish are good on artificials, cut mullet and shrimp. Speckled trout are good on top-waters and shrimp under popping corks. Black drum are good on dead shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: 60 degrees. Redfish are good on cut or live mullet and shrimp. Black drum are good on live shrimp.

FLORIDA Zakon honored

Nancy Zakon will receive the 2023 Izaak Walton Award from the American Museum of Fly Fishing in March 2023 in Key Largo.

Zakon was the past president of the Inter national Women’s Fly Fishers, an instructor in Orvis’ first women’s flyfishing schools, a designer of Orvis’ first women’s flyfishing gear, the founder of Juliana’s Anglers and Sporting Club of New York City and Bonefish Bonnies of Key Largo.

—AMFF

NORTH CAROLINA Female record speckled trout

Cathy Jones, of Belhaven, caught a giant speckled trout on a juvenile menhaden she had retrieved from a cast net. The trout weighed 11 pounds, 3 ounces and was 33.5 inches long.

Fifteen minutes later Cathy reached down and hoisted a 33.5-inch, 11-pound, 3-ounce speckled trout onto the dock.

TRINITY BAY: 62 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair on live shrimp.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: 62 degrees. Red fish and bull reds are good on live shrimp under popping corks. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics and live shrimp under corks. Black drum are good on the bottom on shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: 63 degrees. Schools of bull reds are good under diving gulls on soft plastics. Black drum are fair to good on shrimp. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics.

TEXAS CITY: 61 degrees. Bull redfish and black drum are good on shad, live crab, shrimp and cut bait. Speckled trout and slot redfish are fair on artificials.

FREEPORT: 52 degrees. Black drum and redfish are good on shrimp. Redfish and speckled trout are fair to good under birds on live shrimp and scented plastics under a popping cork.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 65 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on shrimp, artificials and scented plastics under a popping cork.

CORPUS CHRISTI: 60 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair to good on live shrimp. Black drum are good on live or dead shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: 70 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair but small on live shrimp. Black drum are very good on dead shrimp.

NEBRASKA

Deer harvest down

Preliminary Nebraska deer check-in numbers indicate 2022 statewide harvest is down 9 percent compared to 2021 for the November firearm season. During the nineday season, which was Nov. 12-20, 33,866 deer were harvested, compared to 37,053 in 2021.

The mule deer buck harvest decreased 10 percent, with 4,875 taken, compared to 5,407 in 2021. Whitetail buck harvest was down 12 percent, with 18,942 taken com pared to 21,070 in 2021.

The big speck was close to the North Caro lina state record of 12 pounds, 8 ounces. It has been submitted it to the International Game Fish Association for record consider ation for the largest speckled trout caught by a female.

—Staff report

INTERNATIONAL FRANCE Monster “goldfish”

An English fisherman became the envy of anglers everywhere after reeling in a nearly 70-pound monster goldfish.

PORT MANSFIELD: 54 degrees. Speckled trout are fair over potholes on ball tails, wil low tails under popping corks.

SOUTH PADRE: 55 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on shrimp and scented plas tics. Redfish are fair on cut mullet.

PORT ISABEL: 55 degrees. Redfish are fair on scented plastics and cut mullet.

—TPWD

Officials cited an increased antlerless deer harvest in previous years and an outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease over the last two years as potential reasons for the decline.

—NGFP

CALIFORNIA Dams to be decommissioned

Four dams straddling the California-Oregon border were approved to be decommissioned to restore habitat for endangered fish, the largest dam removal in U.S. history.

Dam removal is expected to improve the health of the Klamath River, the route that Chinook salmon and endangered coho salmon take from the Pacific Ocean to their upstream spawning grounds, and from where the young fish return to the sea.

The project has long been a goal of several native tribes whose ancestors have lived off the salmon.

The dams on federal land, which at full capacity provide enough electricity for 70,000 homes, will be surrendered by power utility PacifiCorp, a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

Faced with costly new regulations that included building fish screens and ladders, the company instead entered an agreement with the tribes and the U.S. government to decommission the dams.

COLORADO

Wildlife crossing completed

—Staff report

Andy Hackett, 42, landed the behemoth, aptly nicknamed The Carrot, while fishing at Bluewater Lakes in Champagne, France, one of the world’s premier carp fisheries.

Not a goldfish, the orange-colored fish is actually a hybrid species of leather carp and koi carp, ornamental fish commonly found in ponds. This fish, reportedly 20 years old, was apparently introduced to the lakes 15 years ago “as something different for the anglers to try to catch.”

—Staff report

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The completion of a wildlife crossing on U.S. Highway 160 between Durango and Pa gosa Springs is expected to reduce collisions involving vehicles and wildlife by 85 percent.

The new wildlife crossing was designed primarily to allow mule deer and elk safe passage across Highway 160, said Tony Cady, planning and environmental manager for the Colorado Department of Transporta tion.

In 2021, 75 deer and three elk were in volved in wildlife-vehicle collisions where the new wildlife crossing was constructed. Sixty percent of reported crashes in the area are attributed to wildlife collisions.

Cady said research indicates that as many as five times that number, 20,000, go unre ported each year at a cost of $80 million in property damage, medical costs and other economic impacts.

The wildlife crossing stands at 23 feet high, 72 feet wide and 100 feet long.

Contributors included the Mule Deer Foun dation, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

—Staff report

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DECEMBER 12

TEXAS WILDLIFE ASSOCIATION

Houston Sporting Clays Shoot

Greater Houston Gun Club (210) 826-2904 texas-wildlife.org

DECEMBER 17-18

TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOWS

Guns & Gifts Show Kerrville Expo Hall (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com

DECEMBER 20

DALLAS SAFARI CLUB

Store Sale and Packing Party DSC Headquarters (972) 980-9800 biggame.org

JANUARY 1

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

Permian Basin Chapter Odessa Country Club (432) 230-4399 nwtf.org

Conroe cats

Continued from page 8

the next day.

JANUARY 5-8

DALLAS SAFARI CLUB

Convention & Sporting Expo Kay Bailey Huchison Convention Center (972) 972-9800 biggame.org

JANUARY 8

DSC PRAYER BREAKFAST Omni Hotel, Trinity Ballroom christian-sportsmen.org

JANUARY 13-14

DEER BREEDERS CORP

Annual New Year’s Auction Horseshoe Bay Resort (972) 289-3100 dbcdeer.com

JANUARY 17

DELTA WATERFOWL

Leon County Banquet

Leon County Expo Center, Buffalo (903) 388-4705 deltawaterfowl.org

“I run a 24-foot pontoon boat that can fish 10 people,” Doyle said. “It’s perfect for fishing over a baited hole for channel cats. But when I’m in the hunt for trophy class blue cats, I prefer to fish maybe two or three people. It’s a slower type of fishing. When the channel cats are on, it can be a fish on every drop. But for blues it’s more of a finesse type of fishing.”

Doyle believes Conroe ranks with the best catfishing lakes in the state.

“It’s produced catfish in the 60-pound class, and is producing more channel cats than you can believe,” he said.

WHITETAIL + HOGS

Brush country whitetail bucks! Doe, management bucks and hog hunts

All-inclusive guided hunts zacatehunts.com (325) 446- 6716

DOS HERMANOS RANCH

Trophy Whitetails & Exotics

On 4000 acres near San Angelo, TX doshermanosranch.com Jake at (208) 477-9065