Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper in Texas
January 26, 2018
Volume 14, Issue 11
Studying coveys
A good-sized covey of bobwhite quail erupts at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch in Roby, where Dr. Dale Rollins’ dogs pointed 39 coveys on Jan. 16. Photo by Phil Lamb.
Field research through hunting By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News The covey of bobwhites busted into the air in a blur, after being pointed by two English setters.
The shots had to be quick and accurate on a cold and breezy January day at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch in Roby. When a ranch is managed totally for quail, even when conditions aren’t optimal, remarkable results can be produced. At the RPQRR, the focus has been quail for more than a de-
cade. All of the habitat manipulation, mesquite and prickly pear removal and prescribed burns are designed to better the odds for quail reproduction and survival. The brainchild of the ranch’s executive director, Dr. Dale Rollins, with much of the research funding coming from Park Cities Quail and the Rolling Plains
Quail Research Foundation, the wild quail are extensively counted, trapped, studied and examined. Research into every aspect of a quail’s life is conducted, from habitat to predators to diseases and parasites. This particular hunt, one of few hunts conducted at the ranch, was labeled “field research” by
Rollins and Ranch Manager Lloyd LaCoste. Lone Star Outdoor News had the privilege to participate in the research, where the numbers of coveys were counted, the birds were examined for bands to determine whether the birds shot had been previously trapped, the birds were aged and examined for disease, injury and eyeworms. Please turn to page 15
Learning the basics of fishing
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Deep, cold bass By Robert Sloan
By Tony Vindell
With freezing temperatures during the first two weeks of January across Texas, the water temperatures on lakes have plummeted by about 15 to 20 degrees, and that has led the way to some slow fishing for largemouth bass on East Texas lakes. But the bite is still on. Sam Rayburn guide Will Kirkpatrick says the water temperature as of Jan. 19, has dropped from the mid-50s to the
For Lone Star Outdoor News
A jig is a favorite of anglers targeting winter bass in the depths. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Parents and children attended the first annual “Take Me Fishing” hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department. The family camp, held Jan 13 at the Bahia Grande was organized
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Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 16 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 19 Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 22
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News
HUNTING
FISHING
Several youngsters learn to cast at the first fish camp held at the Bahia Grande in the Rio Grande Valley. Photo by Tony Vindell, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Family pheasant hunt (P. 4)
Why here? (P. 8)
Three generations take to the field.
Boats’ steering wheels on the right.
My turn (P. 4)
Tournament season (P. 9)
Hunter gets buck with LSONF.
Several series underway.
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January 26, 2018
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HUNTING
Three-generation pheasant hunt Group heads to Kansas for late-season fun By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News
Grandfather Randy, father Don and son Jackson McKechnie traveled to Liberal, Kansas to enjoy a January hunt. Photo by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Jackson McKechnie of Fort Worth is a competitive shooter and student at All Saints’ Episcopal School, and primarily shoots the difficult discipline of Olympic Trap. During a weekend trip to
Liberal, Kansas with his father, Don, and grandfather, Randy, the 17-year-old learned that a rooster pheasant can be an even more challenging target. After making several nice shots on flushing pheasants, a rooster cut across the field with a full head of steam. Jackson’s two shots didn’t phase the bird. “It sure is different from shooting clay targets,” Jackson said. The young shooter soon found redemption during an
afternoon walk through heavy cover, dropping two more pheasants at the property owned and managed by Stan Boles. “Jackson is competing at the Junior Olympics, and his next goal is to make the Junior National Team,” Don said. “I grew up hunting with my dad, and Jackson started hunting when he was 7, but this was his first pheasant hunt.” The McKechnies are part of a group of about a dozen Texas hunters who make two trips
each January to work their dogs and test their shooting. After a cold start to the week, the temperatures warmed on Jan. 19 to the mid-60s, and April, one of dogs brought by hunter and dog trainer Jeff Schultz, stepped on a hole occupied by a small rattlesnake, suffering a bite to the leg that was treated. “The local vet said the snakes come out around here when the temperature gets above 54 degrees,” Schultz said. “I was Please turn to page 17
Good goose season winds down
Hunters and guides set decoys on a frigid, 5-degree morning in northwest Texas, in preparation for the hunt. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News Near Electra, Texas, a few white-fronted geese came trickling into the decoys in a corn field just after first light on Jan. 17, and were dropped by two of the five hunt-
ers in the field on the 5-degree morning. The next bunch sailed to a wheat field a half-mile away. Soon, thousands of geese were all in the wheat, not the corn field where the hunters had set up. “They play follow the leader,” said Ranger Creek Goose guide J.D. Anderson.
Fearing their chance of a productive hunt was coming to a close, the guides’ only chance was that the geese would start hopping over to the corn. Then, the nearby field erupted with the sounds of thousands of geese rising when an oil field pumper drove nearby.
The entire field full of geese came straight toward the decoys. “Get covered up,” guide Cody Grounds yelled. Soon, there were geese everywhere, some nearly striking the hunters’ feet, covered up by corn stubble and camouflaged Please turn to page 12
Hunter gets his buck Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation hunt pays off By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News Bill Westman of Midland has been on several hunting trips, nearly all associated with his career as a certified public accountant and controller for several companies in the oil and gas industry.
Unfortunately, he rarely gets to hunt, and never gets to shoot a whitetail buck. “I go to some really nice places, but usually I’m working and the customers do the shooting,” Westman said. “We do get to shoot some hogs and varmints and maybe a doe, but we’re usually entertaining.” When an invite came to go on a buck hunt from the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation on the second Thursday of January, he jumped at the chance, and
made the trip after work on Friday night. “I hunted with David Sams in the morning, by a blind they call the junkyard blind,” Westman said. “It was quiet, and when 7:30 came, the feeder didn’t go off. It turned out one of the wires had fallen off of the feeder motor— we didn’t see anything.” The duo spent some time walking and checking some areas on the 9-degree morning, then some time fixing the feeder. “I knew it was going to be cold, Please turn to page 17
Bill Westman brings the buck he bagged with the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation to be loaded and taken to the ranch headquarters for cleaning. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
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Duggins named TPW Commission chairman
Ralph Duggins of Fort Worth is an avid hunter and fly-fisherman, and took this bull elk in Arizona. Duggins was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to lead the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Photo from Ralph Duggins.
Lone Star Outdoor News Fort Worth attorney Ralph Duggins has been picked to serve as the new chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Jan. 19 that Duggins will serve as the presiding officer to help guide the nine-member commission. Duggins was appointed to the Commission by Gov. Rick Perry on February 21, 2008 and was reappointed by the governor for another six-year term in 2013. He has served as vice-chairman since November 3, 2011. “We have such a fantastic team at TPWD, from the Commission to Carter (Smith) and the dedicated employees,” Duggins told LSON. A native of Jefferson City, Missouri, Duggins is a partner with the Fort Worth and Dallas law firm, Cantey Hanger LLP. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and of the University of Missouri Law School. Duggins is an avid fly-fisherman and hunter.
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Texas Conservation HOF to honor Rollins, TSCRA Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has selected the honorees for the 2018 Texas Conservation Hall of Fame: Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and Dr. Dale Rollins. TSCRA is being honored for its steadfast commitment to the stewardship of Texas’ natural resources. Dr. Rollins is being honored for a lifetime of conservation achievements, including the Dr. Dale Rollins established the Bobwhite Brigade in 1993, a summer camp development of the that has expanded to include several other Brigade camps. He will be Bobwhite Brigade inducted into the Texas Conservation Hall of Fame in April. Photo by Russell youth program, which Graves. has evolved into a of the Rolling Plains Bobwhite Brigade, statewide program called Texas Brigade. a summer camp that educates and em“We’re pleased to celebrate the accompowers youth with leadership skills and plishments of the 2018 inductees into the knowledge in wildlife, fisheries, and land Texas Conservation Hall of Fame,” said stewardship. Since the first camp was held, Kelly R. Thompson, chair of TPWF’s board the program has expanded to eight sumof trustees. “The Texas and Southwestern mer camps across Texas focusing on topCattle Raisers Association has an unwaverics ranging from deer to cattle, waterfowl, ing commitment to the lands and waters and marine life, and the original quail of Texas. Dr. Dale Rollins has spent his enprogram has been duplicated in five other tire career devoted to quail conservation, states. and the creation of the brigade youth proMore recently, Dr. Rollins has served as gram will help ensure the next generation the executive director of Rolling Plains of conservationists.” Quail Research Ranch in Roby. Rollins served as professor and extenTSCRA is a 140-year-old trade associasion wildlife specialist for The Texas A&M tion and is the largest and oldest livestock AgriLife Extension Service in San Angelo organization based in Texas, with more from 1987-present. His passion for quail than 17,500 beef cattle operations, ranchresulted in the idea for Texas Brigade, ing families and businesses as members. which expands conservation education efThese members steward 76 million acres forts by developing wildlife ambassadors. of range and pastureland primarily in It came to life in 1993 with the formation Texas and Oklahoma, and throughout the Please turn to page 12
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FISHING
Why are boats’ steering wheels on the right?
In the U.S., steering wheels on vehicles are on the left, but boat steering wheels remain on the right. The reasons why could go back centuries. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
By Mark England
Lone Star Outdoor News You hitch up a boat to your truck, climb in on the left side, get behind the wheel and drive to a Texas lake. Once on the water, though, you slide to the right or starboard side of the boat to reach the wheel. What gives?
For starters, the location of the steering wheel on one has nothing to do with the other. Both evolved differently. But while it’s settled as to why steering wheels are on the left side of American cars, the debate is still ongoing as to why the steering wheels on most boats are on the right side. Scott Croft, public relations director for BoatUS Foundation,
points to the writings of the late Elbert Maloney, an acclaimed nautical expert and consultant for the group: “The controls for a boat are put on the right side so you can have the best visibility,” Maloney wrote. There are those that see it differently, though. “It’s a mechanical issue,” said
Peg Phillips, executive director for the National Safe Boating Council. “Boat propellers stem clockwise. It pulled the weight of the boat down, an inch or two to the left. Originally, they wanted to balance that out so they put a person on the right side.” And let’s not get started on the Vikings’ role in all this – yet. Ironically, automobile steering
wheels in America initially were on the right-hand side, too, according to the Federal Highway Administration’s website. That’s because inventors in the early 1900s thought of them as “motorized wagons.” By the Civil War, the rules of the road required right-hand travel in every state. Sitting on the right in wagons, and early automobiles, helped Please turn to page 11
Off the grid
Inductees to Texas Freshwater Fishing HOF named
Port O’Connor Rod & Gun a hit with anglers, hunters By Robert Sloan
For Lone Star Outdoor News Donnie and Julia Klesel first came to Port O’Connor in 1978, and by 1990 they had given up the city life. In November of 2009, they were officially in the tackle business and living in a town with a population of 1,253. Risky is an understatement when starting a retail business, especially in a small, unincorporated community located at the end of Highway 185, on the middle Texas coast in Calhoun County. Port O’Connor is all about fishing, and most of the folks that visit this town are there to fish for a few days then hit the road and head back to the city. They arrive on Friday and leave on Sunday. So why would anyone want to give up a good job in a city and head to the end of the road in the middle of nowhere to
Donnie Klesel helps a customer at the store, Port O’Connor Rod & Gun, he and his wife, Julia, established in Port O’Connor in 2009. Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
try and make a living? How about peace and quiet, little crime, good folks and great fishing. “I was the chief billing inspector for the City of Austin for three years,” said 57-year-old Donnie. “It took me one hour to drive to work. Now I’m 33 steps from our family-owned business.” Everybody’s dream is to quit the day job, pack up the kids and move to a small town. “After we moved to Port
O’Connor, I was doing wind storm inspections, then started doing reel cleaning and rod repair on the side,” Donnie said. “In less than a year I was selling reels, and things took off from there.” Today Donnie, Julia and their three sons all help run the business that includes the sale of fishing tackle, guns, ammo, apparel, fishing and hunting licenses along with what got them to where they are today — rod and Please turn to page 17
Shannon Tompkins and the Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association will be inducted into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 2018. Tompkins is a reporter and columnist at the Houston Chronicle who focuses on the Texas outdoors — with an emphasis on freshwater fishing and hunting. Tompkins is a past president of the Texas Outdoor Writers Association and his reporting has won national and state awards that include the Sierra Club’s Lone Star Environmental Reporting Award, multiple Excellence in Craft awards from the Texas Outdoor Writers Association and the Outdoor Writers Association of America, and an award from the Texas bureau of The Associated Press. The Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association, nominated in the industry or organization category, has worked to protect and promote Lake Fork’s natural resources since 1999. The LFSA has partnered with state and local agencies, com-
munity organizations, and high schools on many projects that include operating a live release boat to decrease tournament stress on the fishery, donating fishing tackle to high school fishing teams, hosting free fishing events to draw kids into the outdoors, placing artificial habitats into the lake to enhance recreational fishing, and planting native aquatic vegetation to improve habitat for fish and wildlife. The LFSA also established the Jesse Parker Memorial Scholarship, named after a longtime Lake Fork fishing guide and businessman, to provide tuition money to high school seniors pursuing a career in outdoor fields such as fisheries biology and wildlife management. To date, the LFSA has given more than $20,000 to these students. The Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame is housed at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Both inductees will be formally inducted in May. —TFFC
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Learning to fish Continued from page 1
by Fishing Future and by the Alexandria, Virginia-based Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation. The families received a course on Fishing 101, covering such bases as fishing tackle, the type of rods, casting tips, knot tying and artificial and live baits used for fishing. “The idea behind this project is to get families together to enjoy the outdoors and to teach how to fish,” Cindy Mae Rocker, a master angler at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge’s Youngsters and adults learned how to measure fish at a Take Me First Catch Center, said. “We are Fishing camp at the Bahia Grande. Photo by Tony Vindell, for Lone teaching the skills they need to Star Outdoor News. go fishing.” The parents and their children went where parents and children learned the bathrough several stations where fishing vet- sic skills using hand’s-on approach. In one of them, an instructor showed erans instructed them what to do before them pictures of fish that live in saltwater heading out to the bay or the beach. Montgomery Medley, an angler from such as sheepshead, speckled trout, red and Harlingen, instructed the group on the black drum and flounder. Using stuffed fish, some of the children type of fishing rods and reels available for measured the fish with a ruler after they them. “This is a spinning reel and this is a cast- found out the bag limits set in the hunting ing reel. Down here you want to keep your and fishing booklet issued by Texas Parks equipment out of the water because we and Wildlife Department. Anthony Lippa, of Olmito, and Blake have one of the places where the salinity and Romeo De LaGarza, of Rancho Viejo, levels are the highest,” he said. “And be sure to wash it and clean it every time you said they learned a lot during the half-day event. come back from fishing.” “I caught a whiting and catfish before,” One father asked if he could use WD-40 for cleaning a reel. Medley said he didn’t Lippa said. “They were my first two fish I have ever caught but I will fish more from recommend it. The group went through several stations now on.”
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Allen, Loetscher win on Toledo Bend Harold Allen, of Shelbyville, and Matt Loetscher, of Many, Louisiana, weighed 28.74 pounds to win the first regular-season event of the Texas Team Trail presented by Cabela’s on January 13 on Toledo Bend Reservoir. The winning anglers won a brand-new Triton 189TRX with a 150-horsepower Mercury outboard, valued at $31,495. The team spent their day in the lake’s upper third and focused on sheer drops in the main lake. Plunging from 10 to 20 feet, these spots presented classic winter strongholds that provided fish positional options. “We fished spots that had some wood, not only on the bottom, but also hanging off the drop,” Allen said. “If you can find some cover off the side of the ledge, that’s even better. Some of our fish were right on top of the ledge and some of them halfway down the sides of the drops.” The winning team both used either a 3/4-ounce black/blue Santone jig with a Junebug craw trailer, or a 3/4-ounce brown Stanley jig with a green pumpkin Cajun Lures craw trailer. Second-place finishers George Jeane Jr. and Tater Reynolds, both of Evans, Louisiana, weighed 27.47 pounds to win $9,740. The team also used jigs and concentrated on brush piles and wood for their limit. Bobby Vice, of Groves, and Ricky Guy, of Humble, brought 25.92 pounds to the scales to take third place along with $4,060 in winnings. —TXTT
Bass Champs season underway The first two Bass Champs tournaments of 2018 are in the books. On Jan. 20 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Brian Shook, of China, and John Iles, of Lufkin, topped the field with 31.92 pounds, winning $20,000. The team used crankbaits and Carolinarigged creature baits in deep water. Harold Allen, of Shelbyville, and Matt Loetscher, of Many, Louisiana, finished second with 30.72 pounds, winning $7,000; followed by Kevin Walker Jr, of Buna, and Jeff Bridges, of Lumberton, with 23.49 pounds. On Jan. 13 at Lake Amistad, Michael
Flores, of San Antonio, and Armando Flores, of Helotes, brought in 18.64 pounds to best the 160-team field, winning $20,000 plus a $5,000 Skeeter bonus. The team targeted deep-water ledges, using Alabama rigs. Charles Whited, of San Marcos, and Jimmy Shelton, of Midland, finished second with 17.52 pounds; and Chance Woods, of Millersview, and Kevin Gibson, of Denver City, followed in third with 16.65 pounds. —Bass Champs
State-Fish Art application period open The season is now open for the 20th Anniversary State-Fish Art Contest, sponsored by Bass Pro Shops. For all kids in Grades K-12, the deadline is March 31st. Students across the United States and internationally have the opportunity to win prizes and recognition while learning about state-fish species, behaviors, aquatic habitats, and conservation. To enter, young artists create an original illustration of their chosen fish from the official State-Fish List. A personal one-page written essay, story or poem based on behavior, habitat and/or conservation needs is also required. Winning contestants from each state, plus Ontario, Canada and international entries, will be honored in four grade categories, K-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. Entries must be postmarked by March 31. Winners will be announced on May 8. Visit statefishart.org for details. —Wildlife Forever
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TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT ALAN HENRY: Water clear main lake, stained to muddy upriver; 42-51 degrees; 5.39’ low. No reports on black bass. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair drifting live bait. AMISTAD: Water murky; 3849 degrees; 23.25’ low. Black bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, spinner baits, and soft plastics in 18-25 feet. Striped bass are fair on jigging spoons. White bass are fair on jigging spoons and spinner baits. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch. ARROWHEAD: Water fairly clear; 41-49 degrees; 2.42’ low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow to fair on live minnows. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers. ATHENS: Water lightly stained; 39-43 degrees; 0.09’ high. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and white jigs. Catfish are slow. AUSTIN: Water stained; 3847 degrees; 0.82’ low. Black bass are slow. Sunfish are fair on cut nightcrawlers. Catfish are fair to good on live and cut bait. BASTROP: Water stained; 38-42 degrees. Black bass are fair on chartreuse/white soft plastics, spinner baits and crankbaits. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on stink bait, chicken livers and nightcrawlers. BELTON: Water stained; 4449 degrees; 3.04’ low. Black bass are slow. Hybrid striper are fair on live shad. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on nightcrawlers, dough bait and stink bait. BENBROOK: Water stained; 38-43 degrees; 2.12’ low. Black bass are fair on football jigs, Carolina-rigged worms and suspending jerkbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines. BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 40-44 degrees; 0.40’ low. Black bass are fair on bladed jigs, shaky-head worms and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on trotlines. BONHAM: Water stained; 3842 degrees; 1.01 low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are slow. BRAUNIG: Water murky. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are fair on live shad and silver jigging spoons. Redfish are slow. Channel catfish are fair on liver, frozen shrimp and cut shad. Blue catfish are slow. BRIDGEPORT: Water clear, 37-41 degrees: 4.12’ low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are slow. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait. BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 46-52 degrees; 3.33’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon spinner baits, jigs, crankbaits and soft plastics off points in coves. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows over brush piles. Channel catfish are slow.
BUCHANAN: Water stained; 43-54 degrees; 4.54’ low. Black bass are fair on pumpkin/chartreuse jigs, Texas-rigged weightless watermelon/blue flake stick worms and smoke/red flake grubs in 5-12 feet. Striped bass are fair drifting or free-lining live bait. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on crappie jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Yellow and blue catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live goldfish. CADDO: Water stained; 41-44 degrees; 0.80’ high. Black bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, spinner baits and bladed jigs. Crappie are fair on white jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines. CALAVERAS: Water murky. Black bass are fair on small crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on live shad. Redfish are fair on live perch and shad. Catfish are slow. CANYON LAKE: Water stained; 39-48 degrees; 3.54’ low. Black bass are fair on green/pumpkin stick worms on jigheads and Texas-rigged blue flake worms. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies at night. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are fair on live bait. CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 38-42 degrees; 2.02’ low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 39-47 degrees; 24.49’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon soft plastic worms and weedless crankbaits in heavy grass. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Drum are fair on live worms. Channel and blue catfish are good on stink bait. Yellow catfish are fair on live perch. COLEMAN: Water stained; 39-46 degrees; 2.45’ low. Black bass are slow. Hybrid striper are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are fair on stink bait and hot dogs. COLETO CREEK: Water clear; 88 degrees at the hot water discharge, 60 degrees in main lake; 1.11’ low. Black bass are fair soft plastics in 8-10 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow. COLORADO CITY: 15.35’ low. After a period of drought, this lake caught water and boating is now allowed. However, it is not currently recommended for fishing due to golden alga blooms. CONROE: Water stained; 4149 degrees; 0.02’ high. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are fair on silver striper jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Catfish are slow. COOPER: Water stained; 4955 degrees; 1.67’ low. Black
bass are fair on bladed jigs, weightless flukes and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs. Hybrid striper and white bass are fair on slabs. CORPUS CHRISTI LAKE: Water off-color; 45–53 degrees; 0.12’ low. Black bass are on lipless crankbaits and shaky heads. White bass are fair on tail spinners. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers. EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water lightly stained; 38-43 degrees; 1.63 low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on chartreuse jigs. Catfish are slow. FALCON: Water murky; 4248 degrees; 17.18’ low. Black bass are fair on football jigs, large soft plastic worms, Carolina-rigged stick worms and slowrolling spinner baits in 14-18 feet. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on cut bait and dough bait. FAYETTE: Water murky. Black bass are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on stink bait and shrimp over baited holes. FORK: Water stained; 39-43 degrees; 1.17’ low. Black bass are slow. White and yellow bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on white jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines. FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water offcolor; 42-48 degrees; 1.87’ low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on live and cut bait. GIBBONS CREEK: Water stained. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and watermelon tube jigs. Catfish are fair on live bait and frozen shrimp. GRANBURY: Water stained; 40-48 degrees; 0.30’ low. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on shrimp, stink bait and hot dogs. GRANGER: Water stained; 38-47 degrees; 0.11’ high. Black bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Blue catfish are good on juglines baited with shad and cut bait in 3-20 feet. GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 37-41 degrees; 0.78’ low. Black bass are slow. White bass and hybrid bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are slow. GREENBELT: Water off-color; 37-43 degrees; 32.31 low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow to fair on nightcrawlers and cut bait. HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 42-47 degrees; 0.10’ high. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Bream are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow. HUBBARD CREEK: Water offcolor; 41-49 degrees; 3.12’ low. Black bass are slow. No reports on crappie. Catfish are
fair on live and cut bait. JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 38-42 degrees; 0.83’ low. Black bass are fair on bladed jigs, suspending jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait. LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 41-44 degrees: 1.23’ high. Black bass are fair on spinner baits, lipless crankbaits and bladed jigs. White bass are slow on slabs. Crappie are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait. LAVON: Water stained; 39-43 degrees: 2.63’ low. Black bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, weightless stick worms and bladed jigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on white jigs. Catfish are slow. LBJ: Water stained; 39-46 degrees; 0.70’ low. Black bass are good on bleeding shad lipless crankbaits, watermelon crankbaits and wacky-rigged green/pumpkin stick worms. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair vertically jigging Pirk Minnows. Crappie are good on jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Channel catfish are fair on minnows and shrimp. Yellow and blue catfish are slow. LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 37-41 degrees; 1.50’ low. Black bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines. LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 38-48 degrees; 0.22’ high. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and spinner baits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows in creeks. Blue catfish are fair on trotlines baited with shad. MACKENZIE: 74.1’ low. Black bass are slow. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers. No reports on crappie. MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 89-95 degrees; 2.59’ low. Black bass are fair on spinner baits, shallow crankbaits and Texas-rigged craws. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines. MONTICELLO: Water stained; 46-50 degrees; 1.67’ low. Black bass are fair on bladed jigs, spinner baits and Texas-rigged craws. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait. NASWORTHY: 43-48 degrees; 1.37’ low. No reports on black bass or crappie. Catfish are fair on live bait. NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 40-49 degrees; 1.96’ low. Black bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and liver. O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 4152 degrees; 37.82’ low. No
reports on black bass. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on live bait. OAK CREEK: Water stained; 41-47 degrees; 10.73’ low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on live and cut bait. PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 38-42 degrees; 0.04’ high. Black bass are fair on Texas-rigged craws, shaky heads and black and blue jigs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on trotlines. POSSUM KINGDOM: Water off-color; 39-46 degrees; 1.38’ low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow to fair on live minnow. White bass are fair on slabs. Striped bass are fair on live shad. Catfish are fair to good on live and cut bait. PROCTOR: Water murky; 3847 degrees; 2.82’ low. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are fair on silver striper jigs. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on frozen shad and liver. RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 37–40 degrees; 1.04’ low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs. White bass are slow. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines. RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 38-42 degrees; 1.33’ low. Black bass are slow. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines. RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water lightly stained; 37-41 degrees; 2.82’ low. Black bass are slow. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow. SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 42-49 degrees; 2.88’ low. Black bass are fair on tequila sunrise soft plastic worms, spinner baits and crankbaits. White bass are fair on minnows and white striper jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bream are good on worms. Catfish are slow. SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 38-49 degrees; 0.12’ high. Black bass are slow. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are slow. SPENCE: 51.17’ low. Catfish are fair on live bream, cut bait and nightcrawlers. STAMFORD: Water stained; 38-49 degrees; 0.57’ low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are fair on live bait. Blue catfish are fair on cut and live bait. STILLHOUSE: Water murky; 41-49 degrees; 3.63’ low. Black bass are slow. White bass are good on pet spoons and smoke grubs. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are slow. SWEETWATER: Water offcolor; 39-45 degrees; 24.34’
n Saltwater reports Page 11 low. This lake is currently experiencing a fish kill due to golden alga. TAWAKONI: Water stained; 39-43 degrees; 0.78’ low. Black bass are slow. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines. TEXANA: Water stained; 4453 degrees; 1.95’ low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait. TEXOMA: Water lightly stained; 38-41 degrees; 0.43’ low. Black bass are fair on suspending jerkbaits, soft jerkbaits and shaky-head worms. Crappie are fair on jigs. Striped bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait. TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 43-49 degrees; 4.24’ low. Black bass are fair on soft plastics, spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Bream are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on stink bait. TRAVIS: Water stained; 38-47 degrees; 11.62’ low. Black bass are fair on crawfish crankbaits, watermelon worms and jigs. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on white jigging spoons and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Catfish are slow. WALTER E. LONG: Water murky. Black bass are slow. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on frozen shrimp and frozen shad. WEATHERFORD: Water lightly stained; 38-42 degrees; 2.32’ low. Black bass are fair on stick worms, finesse jigs and suspending jerkbaits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow. WHITNEY: Water stained; 3644 degrees; 4.57’ low. Black bass are fair on perch-colored lipless crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on silver slabs. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Catfish are fair on shrimp, nightcrawlers and stink bait. WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 39-42 degrees; 3.98’ high. Black bass are fair on black and blue jigs, bladed jigs and lipless crankbaits. No reports on crappie. Catfish are slow.
—TPWD
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Driving on the right Continued from page 8
drivers ensure they didn’t wind up in a roadside ditch. Henry Ford changed everything with the 1908 Model T. He moved steering wheels to the left to place the driver near the centerline of the road, to both help drivers better judge the distance between oncoming cars and to avoid forcing front-seat passengers to step into the middle of the street. Boat consoles are on the right, an age-old tradition that continues You have to look fur- today. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News. ther back in time, though, to understand why most majority of modern vessels having the boats are steered from the right side, steering wheel on the right side, although some say. other factors such as the majority of boat “It goes way back,” said Tim Spice, traffic keeping to the right and an issue Boater Education manager for the Texas with torque on propellers that caused the Parks and Wildlife Department. “Think starboard side of the boat to lift out the back to Viking vessels. Before rudders, water are also important reasons why the there were steerboards. The steerage side steering wheel is on the right,” Earle told of the boat was on the right.” LSON. “Furthermore, the origin may lie This navigational advancement came in the fact that the majority of people are about A.D. 700, according to “The Viright-handed and before propeller boats kings,” by Keith Durham and others. Arpeople tended to steer from the right of cheologists base this on the excavation the boat as it felt more natural.” of the so-called Kvalsund Ship, sporting As the size of boats grew, steerboards a steering oar or rudder on the right side kept pace, which accounted for boats beof the hull, in western Norway. This ruding steered from the right but docking on der was called a steerboard, from the Old the left-hand or port side. Norse word styri, meaning to steer. Even“If it went in on the right, they would tually, steerboard came to mean the right break the steerage,” Spice said. side of a boat, or the side from which you That’s the long view, as historians like steer. Later, it evolved into starboard. to say. But with breakthroughs in boat deVikings don’t deserve all the credit, sign as well as materials, the placement of though, for most boats being steered steering wheels on the right side of most from the right side, said Jon Earle, assisboats today comes down to tradition. tant librarian at the Caird Library (Na“Honestly, with modern vessels, you tional Maritime Museum) in Greenwich, could put it on either side,” Spice said. London. “Humans don’t like change, do they?” “This design may have influenced the
January 26, 2018
Page 11
TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT NORTH SABINE: Trout and redfish are fair while drifting mud and shell. Trout are fair on Down South Lures over clamshell on the edge of the channel. SOUTH SABINE: Redfish are fair on the edge of the channel on mullet. Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp.
BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on slow-sinking plugs. Black drum and redfish are good at Rollover Pass. TRINITY BAY: Trout are fair to good for drifters working pods of shad and mullet along shell shorelines. Redfish are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet. Trout are fair to good in Red’s Bayou on plastics. EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good on the north shoreline on Corkies and MirrOlures. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp. WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair in the mud and shell on MirrOlures and Corkies in the afternoon. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs. TEXAS CITY: Redfish are fair in Moses Lake on shrimp and crabs. Sand trout, black drum, sheepshead and mangrove snapper are fair to good on the piers on fresh shrimp. FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Redfish are fair to good at San Luis pass on cracked blue crabs. Bull redfish are good at the jetty and along the beachfront. EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters on Bass Assassins, Down South Lures and MirrOlures over humps and scattered shell. Redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal and at the mouths of drains on scented plastics and jigs tipped with shrimp.
WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good on the south shoreline in the guts and bayous. Trout are fair in the guts on the incoming tide on Soft–Dines and Corkies. PORT O’CONNOR: Trout and redfish are fair on Corkies over soft mud in waist-deep water in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfish are fair for drifters working the back lakes with live shrimp and top-waters. Redfish are good at the mouths of drains. ROCKPORT: Trout are fair on the edge of the ICW on glow DOA shrimp. Redfish are fair to good in California Hole on mullet and shrimp. PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair to good on the ledges of the channel on mullet. Sand trout are good on shrimp in the channel. CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfish are good in the Humble Channel on crabs and table shrimp. Trout are good on the edge of the flats on live shrimp, scented plastics and DOA shrimp. BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud and grass on Corkies and Soft–Dines. Trout are fair to good in the guts along the King Ranch shoreline on Corkies. Redfish are fair around spoils on live bait.
PORT MANSFIELD: Redfish are fair to good on DOA shrimp and scented plastics under a popping cork around grass holes. Trout are fair to good on mud along the edge of the ICW on Corkies and MirrOlures. SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on DOA shrimp and scented plastics. Redfish, black drum and mangrove snapper are fair to good in the channel on shrimp. PORT ISABEL: Trout are fair on the edge of the flats on soft plastics under popping corks. Redfish are good in the holes and guts on scented baits. —TPWD
Winter bass Continued from page 1
mid-40s on the lake. “We’ve had a lot of skim ice along the shorelines for days, but with the warming trend things are beginning to heat up just a little,” said Kirkpatrick. “The thing that really drops the water temperature is the wind, especially when it’s in the upper 20s and running right down the middle of the lake for days.” But even with the big chill, the bass bite is still on if you can stand the cold. Kirkpatrick said the best pattern on Rayburn is to fish jigging spoons and Carolina rigs on deep-water structure like humps. “One of my most productive lures during hard cold spells is a jigging spoon,” he said. “The Cotton Cordell CC Spoon is one that I’ve done well with. The best colors are either silver or silver/black. But about 80 percent of the time I’ll use a 3/4-ounce silver spoon that’s been modified. I’ll take the treble hook off and replace it with a 3/0 wide gap hook.” Another good pattern is to fish a Carolina rig on humps, creek bends and extended deep-water points. “The key is to find the shad that can be holding anywhere from 20 to 50 feet deep,” Kirkpatrick said. “The deepest I’ve ever caught a bass on Rayburn is 52 feet. With the Carolina rig I like to go with a 3-foot leader, a 3/0 hook and a 3/4-ounce lead weight. On the hook I’ll have a lizard or Money Minnow. The key is to have a little bulk on the hook.” On Toledo Bend the water temperature has dropped into the low 40s, according to guide Greg Crafts, who fishes on the upper end in the Huxley Bay area. “On Jan. 18, it was 11 degrees and we had lots of ice along the shoreline,” Crafts said. “This is when I like to use a jig and pig. That’s the lure combination that won a tournament here the first week of January. I think the winning team had 28 pounds.”
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The most productive depth has been from 20- to 25-feet deep. The top structure has been the drop-offs on ledges in the creeks, according to Crafts. “A Carolina rig is also good when worked right on the ledge of a drop, or on bends and points along a creek channel,” Crafts said. “With the jig and pig, black and blue is good. So is brown/orange or watermelon. When it’s this cold I like to use a Stanley jig and craw in either 1/2 or 3/4 ounce.” Lake Fork guide Jason Smith reports that the temperature on the lake has dropped to the mid-40s. “We had a rapidly falling water temperature in just a few days,” Smith said. “That’s enough to keep bass in the deep creek channels in 15 to 18 feet of water. But they will also be on main lake points in 20 to 25 feet. This is when I’ll be using a drop-shot rig or a jig.” His drop-shot rig is set up with a 3/8-ounce weight, a 1/0 Gamakatsu hook and a Zoom finesse worm in June bug or tomato. “A black and blue jig is tough to beat,” Smith said. “I’ll use a 3/8- to 1/2-ounce jig with no trailer. I don’t normally use a trailer on the jig when the water is this cold. It’s just a matter of getting it in front of a bass to get a bite.”
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4/17/17 11:35 AM
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January 26, 2018
LoneOStar Outdoor News
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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER BORDERLINE BLUNDER During the opening weekend of mule deer season, game wardens were patrolling an isolated area near the Texas/New Mexico border in Cochran County when they observed suspicious activity in the distance; a red pickup truck had suddenly turned around on the two-lane highway to go southbound, and then came to a stop in the bar ditch. Using binoculars, the wardens detected a rifle sticking out the window of the truck. They moved in and made contact with the occupants in the red truck, which was still in the ditch. The occupants, from New Mexico, admitted to shooting at feral hogs, but claimed that because they were in New Mexico, the Texas wardens were out of their jurisdiction. Asked how they had determined their location, the individuals pointed to the yellow centerline in the highway, believing that was the state line separating Texas from New Mexico. Charges for hunting on a public roadway, in Texas, and discharging a firearm on a Texas public roadway are pending. DON’T LOOK AT ME A Webb County game warden was investigating a deer carcass that had been dumped on the side of an easement road. During his investigation, he came in contact with a landowner who said he had allowed some unidentified friends to come out onto his property some months prior. The landowner suspected these individuals could have returned to his ranch without his permission and might be
TEXT EAVESDROPPING LEADS TO CONFESSION Harris County game wardens monitoring a development property for illegal hunting activity encountered two individuals emerging from the woods riding a UTV. It was readily apparent to the wardens that the suspects had been hunting, as both carried rifles and blood was visible on their clothes and the utility vehicle. During initial questioning, the wardens determined neither suspect had written consent to hunt on the property, and both claimed the bloodstains were from a feral hog they had shot earlier. The duo was questioned separately, and one of the subjects, when asked to clarify the time
responsible for the dumping of the deer carcass, as they had a history of poaching. The landowner refused to provide contact information on these so-called friends of his, and instead told the warden to “go do his job and figure it out.” While looking deeper into the landowner’s hunting activities, the warden discovered that the landowner had illegally harvested a 10-point buck in 2016, as had his mother, as neither possessed a valid hunting license. The warden subsequently seized both deer and issued both the landowner and his mother separate citations for hunting white-tailed deer without a license. Civil restitution on the deer is pending. As the landowner was being issued the citation he exclaimed, “When I told you to do your job, I didn’t mean for you to investigate us.” The dumped deer carcass is still under investigation.
of day the hog was killed, opened his cell phone to display a text message string with the other suspect. While thumbing through texts looking for the time of day his buddy had notified him about the kill, he unfortunately scrolled upon a photo of a large 8-point buck his friend had sent at the time he claimed the hog had been killed. At that point, both confessed to poaching the deer, and taking it home for processing without tagging or logging it on the shooter’s license. The deer head and meat were seized at a nearby home. Multiple citations were issued and civil restitution is pending.
DANG THE DEER DNA A Red River County game warden received DNA results stemming from a road-hunting case during the 2016 deer season. The warden was on a stakeout of a popular road hunting location when he heard a shot fired less than 100 yards from his position. The warden made contact with two subjects, who informed him they had shot a coyote. The warden discovered blood, but no animal was retrieved. He collected blood and tissue samples from the scene and submitted them to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s forensic lab for testing. The test results came back positive for white-tailed deer. The cases are pending for hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle, and hunting deer with artificial light.
LICENSE PURCHASED SAME DAY, BUT TOO LATE An East Texas man tried to avoid getting busted for hunting deer without a license by purchasing a permit after the fact. When game wardens got wind of a big buck with an impressive 19-inch antler spread possibly being harvested illegally near Gilmer, they started looking into it. It didn’t take long to find the hunter responsible, and wardens learned he harvested the trophy at 7:40 a.m. on Nov. 12. The man purchased his license three hours later. When wardens confronted the man later that evening, he confessed to hunting without a license. He was also found in possession of another deer he admitted to taking the previous week. Numerous charges and civil restitution are pending.
Finding geese Continued from page 4
blankets. “Take them,” Anderson yelled, and the hunters, who could barely hear the yell, dropped several birds. Then, the hunt was over. “That was amazing,” Anderson said. “It’s the largest flock I’ve ever seen come in at one time.” Justin Hill, who has been guiding goose hunters for 20 years, said it was one of the largest flocks he had seen decoy, too. “It’s better when they trickle in in groups of five to 10,” he said. “Then getting the five-bird limit is easy. When they all come in at once, it’s a quick hunt.” A few of the hunters were happy to see the show, as most had never experienced a tornado of birds circling in. “That was worth the price of admission,” one of them said. Hill said the season in his part of Texas has been good, but his guides put thousands of miles on their trucks scouting for where the large groups of birds are feeding. Kevin Kraai, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s waterfowl program leader, said overall, goose hunting was more predicable and stable this season. “All the way from the Panhandle to the coast, it was more consistent,” he said. “Some of the landowners are doing really good things like setting aside roost ponds, which helps keep the birds around.” The numbers of geese were down in surveys conducted last weekend, and especially along the coast, goose num-
bers remain well below the long-term average. “Talking to goose hunters, though, they’ve had an above-average season,” Kraai said. The survey, conducted from the air, showed lots of white-fronted geese in areas around Knox and Haskell counties, and lots of small Canadas in the Panhandle. “They had some hard freezes that pushed the geese into urban areas like Lubbock, Amarillo and Plainview, then they spread out again when it warmed up,” Kraai said. “The Panhandle hasn’t had any measurable precipitation in some time, so it has become real dry.” Kraai said the small Canada and specklebelly populations are increasing as a whole, and hunters benefited when cold snaps brought them down from Colorado and Guide J.D. Anderson brings some of the geese dropped during a western Nebraska. Although the snow flurry of activity back to the group of hunters near Electra. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News. goose numbers along the Texas coast remain a In Texas’ East Zone, the season ends major concern, Kraai said he is seeing Jan. 29. In the West Zone, the season the number of outfitters increasing in runs through Feb. 4. The Light Goose other parts of the state. Conservation Order season extends in “That tells you things are better in both zones until March 18. the goose world,” he said.
BOOTING FISH OFF THE BANK Game wardens were patrolling for duck hunters on Lake O’ the Pines opening weekend when they noticed a large group of bank fishermen nearby. When the wardens pulled up, they witnessed one of the subjects kick a fish back into the water. Further investigation resulted in several undersized crappie in their possession as well as crappie hidden in the woods behind the fishermen. Several charges are pending including no fishing license, possession of undersized crappie and failure to allow inspection. FLEEING WITH A HEAD OF A DEER During the Thanksgiving holiday, wardens in Jasper County responded to a call about trespassing where the landowner was able to capture an image of the suspect with his cell phone. The wardens recognized the individual and went to the violator’s house to confront him about the trespass claim. When they pulled into the driveway, the wardens noticed several men at the corner of the property. When the men noticed the wardens, two guys took off into the woods with the head of a buck. A brief pursuit ensued and both individuals were placed into custody. It was confirmed they had just taken the white-tailed buck, which also did not meet the 13-inch minimum antler width restrictions, without landowner permission.
REPORT ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITY FOR A REWARD OF UP TO $1,000. CALL OPERATION GAME THIEF AT (800) 792-4263
Conservation hall Continued from page 6
Southwest. TSCRA places a tremendous value on land and natural resource stewardship. From educational and professional development activities to communications with members and the general public, environmental stewardship is front and center. TSCRA also hosts educational programs that emphasize land stewardship throughout the year. TSCRA will also announce the newest winner of its prestigious Outstanding Rangeland Steward Award at the 2018 Cattle Raisers Convention and Expo. The 2018 inductees will be honored at the Texas Conservation Hall of Fame dinner in Austin on April 5. —TPWF
Four Texas Gander stores to reopen Gander Outdoors, formerly known as Gander Mountain, announced a list of 69 retail stores that are scheduled to reopen by May. Camping World Holdings was chosen as the winning bidder at a bankruptcy auction for certain acquired assets of Gander Mountain and the sale was approved in a bankruptcy court hearing in May 2017. The locations will include products from Overton’s and Camping World. The Texas stores scheduled to reopen are located in Amarillo, Fort Worth, Spring and Tyler. —Camping World
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January 26, 2018
Page 13
Page 14
January 26, 2018
LoneOStar Outdoor News
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HEROES
Allison Stokes of Boerne caught this 32-inch redfish in Rockport while fishing with Capt. Chad Verburgt. Martin Urias of San Antonio, who lives in Montana with his wife, 1st Lt. Monica Zuniga Urias, took his first mule deer on a public land hunt in Montana.
Markie Dewey had no desire to hunt when she married Jonathan Cazares, but eventually learned to shoot and then expressed a desire to hunt. After 14 days in the stand, she connected on this Hill Country buck near Spring Branch, using her Barnett crossbow.
SHARE AN ADVENTURE
n Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers? Email them with contact and caption information to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com. High-resolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.
Ella Grace Owens shot her first deer at 30 yards on Jan. 6 on a Hill Country creek at her family’s property in Comfort.
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Benny Rodriguez of Lockhart took this 10-point mule deer in Brewster County at the Terlingua Ranch.
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LoneOStar Outdoor News
January 26, 2018
Page 15
Researching, hunting quail Continued from page 1
With the assistance of Rollins’ several English setters and hunting in pastures named after former bird dogs on the 4,720-acre ranch, despite 17-degree temperatures, the dogs pointed an astounding 39 coveys during a time when many landowners are asking, “What happened to the quail?” “The cold might have bothered the hunters, but the dogs didn’t mind it at all,” Rollins said. LaCoste said the quail numbers are down from last year. “Last year was crazy,” he said. “This year, nearly all
of the birds are adults — there aren’t many juvenile birds.” Perhaps the ages of the bobwhites were a factor, as many of the coveys were jumpy on the cold and windy Tuesday, often flushing out of range of the hunters’ shotguns. Other coveys cooperated better, but still made for difficult shots. “We look at the bands to determine what percentage of the birds we captured,” LaCoste said. “Last year, about 50 percent of the birds shot were not banded. This year, it’s closer to 1020 percent.”
AirForce adds Rapid Air, Theoben The Fort Worth-based AirForce group of companies has acquired the Rapid Air Weapons and Theoben brands. Rapid Air Weapons manufactures high-performance airguns in the U.S. And Theoben previously made airguns in England before ceasing production 5 years ago.
The capes also were saved from each harvested bird. “People wonder, if we had a massive die-off, why don’t we see feathers,” LaCoste said. “We’re going to put the capes out there and see how long they last and what, if anything, makes them disappear.” Several of the downed birds were examined for eyeworms, and each of them had several. While researchers are working on options to deal with the parasites, including medicated feed, the seriousness of the problem was apparent. “We have an epidem-
ic breaking out and we are working hard to get our arms around it,” said RPQRF Development Director Phil Lamb, whose goal is to raise millions more for quail research. “In addition to examining quail on the ranch, we have looked at quail or received confirmed eyeworm reports from 10 other counties in Texas and one in Oklahoma.”
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For home or office delivery, go to LSONews.com, or call (214) 361-2276, or send a check or money order to the address below. Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 21628300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are $2, in certain markets copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2017 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/or use of any photographic or written material without written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or email them to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.
Dr. Dale Rollins points out information on the band of a quail that had been previously captured at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
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Page 16
January 26, 2018
LoneOStar Outdoor News
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TEXAS SUN, MOON AND TIDES Moon Phases
Full
Last
New
First
Jan 31
Feb 7
Feb 15
Feb 23
Solunar Sun times Moon times
Houston
Dallas
2018 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Jan/Feb Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets
2018 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Jan/Feb Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets
26 Fri 27 Sat 28 Sun 29 Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 01 Thu 02 Fri 03 Sat 04 Sun 05 Mon 06 Tue 07 Wed 08 Thu 09 Fri
26 Fri 27 Sat 28 Sun 29 Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 01 Thu
12:19 6:32 1:09 7:23 2:01 8:16 2:56 9:12 3:54 10:09 4:53 11:09 5:54 -----
12:46 7:00 1:38 7:52 2:32 8:47 3:27 9:43 4:25 10:40 5:24 11:39 6:23 12:08
07:25 07:24 07:24 07:23 07:23 07:22 07:21
1:23p 2:12p 3:09p 4:11p 5:18p 6:27p 7:36p
2:16a 3:21a 4:27a 5:31a 6:31a 7:25a 8:14a
02 Fri
6:54 12:41
7:21
1:08
07:21 05:59 8:42p
8:57a
03 Sat 04 Sun 05 Mon 06 Tue 07 Wed 08 Thu 09 Fri
7:53 8:49 9:42 10:32 11:19 ----12:24
8:18 9:13 10:05 10:55 11:42 12:04 12:47
2:06 3:01 3:54 4:43 5:30 6:15 6:59
07:20 07:19 07:18 07:18 07:17 07:16 07:15
12:13 6:26 1:03 7:17 1:55 8:10 2:50 9:06 3:48 10:03 4:48 11:03 5:48 ----6:49 12:35 7:47 1:35 8:43 2:31 9:36 3:24 10:26 4:15 11:13 5:02 11:58 5:47 12:18 6:30
12:40 6:54 1:32 7:47 2:26 8:41 3:21 9:37 4:19 10:35 5:18 11:33 6:17 12:03 7:16 1:02 8:13 2:00 9:07 2:55 9:59 3:48 10:49 4:37 11:36 5:24 ----- 6:10 12:42 6:53
07:14 07:13 07:13 07:12 07:12 07:11 07:11 07:10 07:09 07:09 07:08 07:07 07:07 07:06 07:05
05:52 05:53 05:54 05:55 05:55 05:56 05:57 05:58 05:59 06:00 06:01 06:02 06:02 06:03 06:04
1:22p 2:05a 2:12p 3:10a 3:09p 4:15a 4:11p 5:19a 5:18p 6:19a 6:26p 7:14a 7:33p 8:04a 8:38p 8:49a 9:40p 9:29a 10:39p 10:07a 11:36p 10:43a NoMoon 11:19a 12:32a 11:55a 1:26a 12:33p 2:19a 1:13p
1:40 2:37 3:30 4:20 5:07 5:52 6:36
05:52 05:53 05:54 05:55 05:56 05:57 05:58 06:00 06:01 06:02 06:03 06:04 06:05 06:06
9:45p 9:37a 10:46p 10:13a 11:44p 10:48a NoMoon 11:22a 12:41a 11:57a 1:36a 12:34p 2:30a 1:14p
San Antonio
Amarillo
2018 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Jan/Feb Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets
2018 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Jan/Feb Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets
26 Fri 27 Sat 28 Sun 29 Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 01 Thu 02 Fri 03 Sat 04 Sun 05 Mon 06 Tue 07 Wed 08 Thu 09 Fri
26 Fri 27 Sat 28 Sun 29 Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 01 Thu 02 Fri 03 Sat 04 Sun 05 Mon 06 Tue 07 Wed 08 Thu 09 Fri
12:25 6:39 1:15 7:30 2:08 8:23 3:03 9:18 4:00 10:16 5:00 11:15 6:01 ----7:01 12:48 8:00 1:47 8:56 2:44 9:49 3:37 10:38 4:27 11:26 5:14 ----- 5:59 12:31 6:42
12:53 1:45 2:38 3:34 4:31 5:30 6:30 7:28 8:25 9:20 10:12 11:01 11:48 12:11 12:54
7:06 7:59 8:53 9:50 10:47 11:45 12:15 1:15 2:12 3:08 4:00 4:50 5:37 6:22 7:06
07:25 07:25 07:24 07:24 07:23 07:23 07:22 07:22 07:21 07:20 07:20 07:19 07:18 07:18 07:17
06:05 06:06 06:07 06:08 06:09 06:10 06:10 06:11 06:12 06:13 06:14 06:15 06:16 06:16 06:17
1:35p 2:18a 2:26p 3:22a 3:23p 4:27a 4:25p 5:31a 5:32p 6:31a 6:40p 7:26a 7:47p 8:16a 8:51p 9:01a 9:53p 9:42a 10:52p 10:20a 11:49p 10:56a NoMoon 11:32a 12:44a 12:09p 1:38a 12:47p 2:31a 1:27p
12:39 6:52 1:29 7:43 2:21 8:36 3:16 9:32 4:14 10:29 5:14 11:29 6:14 12:00 7:15 1:01 8:13 2:01 9:09 2:57 10:02 3:50 10:52 4:40 11:39 5:28 12:01 6:13 12:44 6:56
1:06 1:58 2:52 3:47 4:45 5:44 6:43 7:42 8:39 9:33 10:25 11:15 ----12:24 1:08
7:20 8:13 9:07 10:03 11:01 11:59 12:29 1:28 2:26 3:21 4:14 5:03 5:50 6:35 7:19
07:50 07:49 07:49 07:48 07:47 07:47 07:46 07:45 07:44 07:43 07:43 07:42 07:41 07:40 07:39
06:07 06:08 06:09 06:10 06:11 06:13 06:14 06:15 06:16 06:17 06:18 06:19 06:20 06:21 06:22
1:40p 2:40a 2:28p 3:47a 3:24p 4:54a 4:27p 5:58a 5:34p 6:57a 6:44p 7:51a 7:54p 8:38a 9:01p 9:20a 10:06p 9:58a 11:07p 10:33a NoMoon 11:07a 12:07a 11:40a 1:05a 12:15p 2:01a 12:51p 2:56a 1:30p
Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of a location.
Sabine Pass, north Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Time 4:46 AM 5:38 AM 6:29 AM 7:20 AM 12:35 AM 1:33 AM 2:33 AM 3:34 AM 4:41 AM 12:14 AM 1:16 AM 2:20 AM 3:22 AM 4:20 AM 5:11 AM
Rollover Pass Height -0.48L -0.73L -0.94L -1.07L 1.24H 1.28H 1.26H 1.20H 1.09H 0.34L 0.20L 0.06L -0.07L -0.19L -0.29L
Time 12:35 PM 1:34 PM 2:24 PM 3:11 PM 8:11 AM 9:01 AM 9:51 AM 10:40 AM 11:29 AM 5:58 AM 7:31 AM 9:21 AM 11:12 AM 12:42 PM 1:46 PM
Time 5:05 PM 6:13 PM 7:09 PM 7:56 PM 3:55 PM 4:37 PM 5:18 PM 5:58 PM 6:38 PM 12:19 PM 1:13 PM 2:16 PM 3:48 PM 6:14 PM 7:47 PM
Height 0.76L 0.84L 0.88L 0.87L 1.36H 1.32H 1.26H 1.19H 1.12H -0.10L 0.21L 0.49L 0.70L 0.81L 0.85L
Time 9:50 PM 10:41 PM 11:37 PM
Height 1.01H 1.08H 1.17H
8:42 PM 9:30 PM 10:20 PM 11:15 PM
0.82L 0.73L 0.61L 0.48L
7:18 PM 7:58 PM 8:39 PM 9:21 PM 10:05 PM 10:48 PM
1.05H 0.98H 0.94H 0.90H 0.89H 0.91H
Time 6:37 PM 7:43 PM 8:47 PM 9:35 PM 4:27 PM 5:04 PM 5:40 PM 6:17 PM 6:54 PM 12:25 PM 1:21 PM 2:38 PM 4:43 PM 6:24 PM
Height 0.84L 0.93L 0.98L 0.98L 1.43H 1.36H 1.25H 1.12H 1.01H -0.13L 0.18L 0.46L 0.65L 0.74L
Time 9:33 PM 10:11 PM 11:14 PM
Height 0.95H 0.99H 1.03H
10:07 10:34 11:03 11:39
0.93L 0.83L 0.68L 0.52L
Galveston Bay entrance, north jetty Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Time 4:52 AM 5:43 AM 6:32 AM 7:22 AM 12:27 AM 1:33 AM 2:38 AM 3:42 AM 4:44 AM 12:26 AM 1:26 AM 2:29 AM 3:29 AM 4:29 AM 5:23 AM
Height -0.45L -0.71L -0.93L -1.07L 1.08H 1.13H 1.15H 1.11H 1.03H 0.34L 0.18L 0.02L -0.13L -0.26L -0.38L
Time 1:08 PM 2:09 PM 3:02 PM 3:47 PM 8:14 AM 9:09 AM 10:03 AM 10:51 AM 11:38 AM 5:57 AM 7:41 AM 9:20 AM 11:05 AM 12:49 PM 1:59 PM
Height 1.04H 1.23H 1.37H 1.44H -1.12L -1.08L -0.94L -0.72L -0.44L 0.91H 0.81H 0.79H 0.84H 0.95H 1.05H
Height -0.40L -0.63L -0.83L -0.97L -1.03L -0.98L 0.96H 0.94H 0.58L 0.40L 0.21L 0.04L -0.10L -0.22L -0.31L
Time 1:04 PM 1:58 PM 2:48 PM 3:37 PM 4:20 PM 4:58 PM 9:35 AM 10:31 AM 4:23 AM 5:35 AM 7:04 AM 9:05 AM 10:52 AM 12:35 PM 1:34 PM
Height 1.15H 1.36H 1.51H 1.57H 1.56H 1.48H -0.84L -0.63L 0.90H 0.84H 0.79H 0.81H 0.90H 1.03H 1.15H
Height 0.05L -0.06L -0.14L -0.20L -0.23L 0.88H 0.84H 0.78H 0.68H 0.52L 0.40L 0.28L 0.17L 0.09L 0.03L
Time 8:33 PM 8:55 PM 9:41 PM 10:47 PM
Height 0.73H 0.82H 0.87H 0.89H
11:45 AM 12:29 PM 1:09 PM 1:48 PM 5:28 AM 8:07 AM 8:25 PM 7:54 PM 6:44 PM 7:13 PM
-0.22L -0.17L -0.08L 0.05L 0.57H 0.47H 0.54H 0.60H 0.67H 0.73H
Time 10:50 PM 11:07 PM
Height 0.17H 0.22H
1:08 PM 2:06 PM 3:02 PM 3:52 PM 4:37 PM 5:17 PM 5:44 AM 6:35 AM 2:30 PM 10:29 PM 9:05 PM 9:36 PM
-0.62L -0.61L -0.58L -0.53L -0.46L -0.36L -0.02L -0.12L -0.01H 0.09H 0.16H 0.21H
PM PM PM PM
7:31 PM 8:04 PM 8:30 PM 8:49 PM 9:00 PM
0.92H 0.86H 0.82H 0.80H 0.80H
Time
Height
Time 4:10 AM 5:03 AM 6:00 AM 6:54 AM 7:45 AM 8:38 AM 2:01 AM 3:11 AM 12:16 AM 12:50 AM 1:32 AM 2:19 AM 3:06 AM 3:54 AM 4:47 AM
Time
11:26 PM 5:32 PM 6:02 PM 11:22 AM 12:11 PM 1:10 PM 2:45 PM 5:13 PM
Height
0.84L 1.34H 1.19H -0.35L -0.04L 0.26L 0.53L 0.70L
11:49 PM
0.73L
6:28 6:52 7:12 7:28 7:32
PM PM PM PM PM
1.03H 0.90H 0.80H 0.74H 0.72H
Time
Height
Port O’Connor Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Time 7:07 AM 8:03 AM 9:04 AM 10:03 AM 10:57 AM 12:19 AM 01:42 AM 2:50 AM 3:58 AM 1:36 AM 3:08 AM 4:29 AM 5:33 AM 6:30 AM 7:27 AM
Time 10:10 AM 11:09 AM 12:08 PM 12:05 AM 1:26 AM 2:54 AM 4:36 AM 6:14 AM 7:38 AM 3:40 AM 12:55 AM 7:27 AM 8:22 AM 9:20 AM 10:20 AM
San Luis Pass Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Time 5:10 AM 5:58 AM 6:47 AM 07:38 AM 12:14 AM 1:22 AM 2:28 AM 3:33 AM 12:26 AM 1:14 AM 2:05 AM 2:59 AM 3:54 AM 4:48 AM 5:37 AM
Height 0.68H 0.73H -0.66L -0.75L -0.78L 0.82L 0.76L 0.65L 0.50L 0.33L 0.14L -0.03L -0.17L -0.28L -0.36L
Time 8:58 AM 9:45 AM 9:04 PM 9:40 PM 10:11 PM 4:04 AM 5:10 AM 6:20 AM 7:35 AM 9:00 AM 10:50 AM 2:18 PM 5:42 PM 6:44 PM 7:34 PM
Height -0.38L -0.54L 0.88H 0.91H 0.89H 0.85H 0.82H 0.74H 0.64H 0.53H 0.44H 0.45H 0.60H 0.73H 0.80H
Height -0.43L -0.60L -0.73L -0.81L 0.66H 0.69H 0.70H 0.67H 0.34L 0.20L 0.06L -0.08L -0.19L -0.28L -0.34L
Time 2:52 PM 3:39 PM 4:15 PM 4:47 PM 8:29 AM 9:21 AM 10:14 AM 11:07 AM 4:39 AM 5:53 AM 7:35 AM 10:00 AM 12:36 PM 2:55 PM 3:48 PM
Height 0.63H 0.75H 0.82H 0.84H -0.84L -0.81L -0.71L -0.55L 0.61H 0.52H 0.44H 0.44H 0.53H 0.64H 0.72H
Height 0.06L -0.12L -0.25L -0.33L -0.35L -0.30L 1.42H 1.33H 1.19H 0.81L 0.60L 0.41L 0.26L 0.15L 0.10L
Time 4:23 PM 5:17 PM 6:18 PM 7:25 PM 11:39 PM
Height 1.21H 1.35H 1.44H 1.46H 1.45H
9:25 AM 10:18 AM 11:11 AM 4:13 AM 7:02 AM 9:47 AM 2:17 PM 3:13 PM 4:04 PM
-0.19L -0.04L 0.16L 1.01H 0.87H 0.86H 1.00H 1.13H 1.21H
Height 0.12L -0.05L -0.19L -0.28L -0.30L 1.13H 1.12H 1.09H 1.01H 0.62L 0.48L 0.36L 0.25L 0.17L 0.10L
Time 4:05 PM 4:44 PM 5:31 PM 6:30 PM 7:34 PM 8:52 AM 9:50 AM 10:47 AM 11:41 AM 5:05 AM 6:58 AM 9:32 AM 2:31 PM 3:17 PM 3:57 PM
Height 1.01H 1.10H 1.14H 1.13H 1.09H -0.26L -0.17L -0.03L 0.14L 0.92H 0.83H 0.83H 0.87H 0.97H 1.03H
Height -0.29L -0.50L -0.66L -0.77L -0.81L -0.76L -0.64L 0.92H 0.83H 0.46L 0.25L 0.07L -0.07L -0.17L -0.24L
Time 2:56 PM 3:52 PM 4:45 PM 5:38 PM 6:29 PM 7:10 PM 7:27 PM 10:38 AM 11:31 AM 5:18 AM 7:10 AM 9:25 AM 11:48 AM 2:19 PM 3:21 PM
Height 0.92H 1.08H 1.18H 1.21H 1.17H 1.07H 0.94H -0.46L -0.22L 0.74H 0.67H 0.68H 0.76H 0.88H 0.98H
Time
Height
8:29 PM
0.80H
1:11 2:02 2:52 3:42 4:35 5:33 6:46 8:13
-0.75L -0.66L -0.51L -0.30L -0.06L 0.19L 0.40L 0.57L
PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM
Time
10:07 PM 5:15 PM 5:43 PM 6:09 PM 6:35 PM 12:02 PM 12:59 PM 2:04 PM 3:39 PM 5:52 PM
Height
0.62L 0.82H 0.76H 0.69H 0.61H -0.35L -0.12L 0.11L 0.31L 0.44L
Time
10:32 10:44 10:52 10:57 10:57 10:56 11:00 11:10
PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM
Time
Height
0.85H 0.77H 0.69H 0.62H 0.57H 0.56H 0.59H 0.64H
Height
10:37 PM 11:08 PM 11:44 PM
0.61L 0.55L 0.46L
7:00 7:24 7:45 8:03 8:12
PM PM PM PM PM
0.54H 0.49H 0.47H 0.46H 0.47H
Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Time 4:21 AM 5:07 AM 5:55 AM 6:46 AM 7:39 AM 8:32 AM 12:44 AM 1:50 AM 02:58 AM 12:14 AM 1:21 AM 2:18 AM 3:09 AM 3:55 AM 4:36 AM
Time
9:18 PM 12:04 PM 12:57 PM 2:06 PM 4:17 PM
Height
Time
Height
0.85H 0.38L 0.61L 0.82L 0.98L
6:40 6:54 7:07 7:22
PM PM PM PM
0.89H 0.95H 1.01H 1.06H
Time
Height
Port Aransas Time
10:57 PM 2:24 PM 2:55 PM
Height
0.54H 0.19L 0.33L
10:05 PM 8:59 PM
0.49H 0.49H
Nueces Bay Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Time 12:22 AM 12:46 AM 10:36 AM 11:28 AM 12:20 PM 1:57 AM 2:37 AM 3:22 AM 4:10 AM 5:01 AM 5:54 AM 6:47 AM 7:41 AM 8:33 AM 9:23 AM
East Matagorda
Freeport Harbor Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Time 4:36 AM 5:28 AM 6:17 AM 7:07 AM 7:58 AM 12:34 AM 1:43 AM 2:48 AM 3:53 AM 12:19 AM 1:08 AM 2:01 AM 3:01 AM 4:05 AM 5:02 AM
Time
Height
9:11 PM 9:34 PM
1.08L 1.07L
11:22 PM
1.10H
6:14 PM 5:48 PM 12:32 PM 1:18 PM 2:05 PM
0.83H 0.79H 0.34L 0.54L 0.72L
11:33 PM
0.77L
6:02 PM 6:26 PM 6:51 PM
0.79H 0.80H 0.82H
Time
Height
South Padre Island Height -0.51L -0.58L -0.61L 0.24H 0.25H 0.23H 0.20H 0.15H 0.10H -0.01H -0.06H -0.23L -0.31L -0.38L -0.42L
Time
9:03 AM 11:49 AM 5:16 PM
Height
0.03H -0.03H -0.03L
Time
5:53 PM 6:23 PM 10:40 PM
Height
-0.25L -0.14L 0.03H
Date Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9
Time 4:09 AM 5:02 AM 5:57 AM 6:54 AM 7:50 AM 8:47 AM 9:43 AM 2:20 AM 3:47 AM 12:24 AM 1:08 AM 1:55 AM 2:45 AM 3:36 AM 4:29 AM
Time
11:20 PM 7:13 PM 6:56 PM 12:21 PM 1:11 PM 2:05 PM 4:04 PM
Height
0.85L 0.80H 0.70H 0.04L 0.30L 0.53L 0.72L
11:45 PM
0.67L
6:51 6:53 6:54 6:23
0.66H 0.66H 0.69H 0.73H
PM PM PM PM
Texas Coast Tides
Height 1.04H 1.20H 1.31H 1.36H -1.12L -1.07L -0.93L -0.70L -0.41L 0.96H 0.86H 0.83H 0.90H 1.01H 1.10H
LSONews.com
LoneOStar Outdoor News
January 26, 2018
Page 17
Store thrives in remote location Continued from page 8
James Janson takes a break after walking heavy cover on a warm January afternoon. Photo by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Pheasants and family Continued from page 4
surprised they would be out. April has been through snake-proofing and had the rattlesnake vaccination, and she’ll be OK, but she missed the rest of the hunt.” Boles stocks approximately 500 hen pheasants each year to reproduce with the existing roosters, and said his nesting success was good this season, despite drought conditions. Only cock pheasants may be harvested, and the limit is four birds per day, with a possession limit of 16 birds. Boles transports the hunters to the field with his John Deere tractor pulling a large trailer with hay bales for seating. The drought produced an abundant crop of thistles and tumbleweeds, making boots or tape around the dogs’ paws a must. Kansas provides pheasant hunting opportunities, called Controlled Shooting Areas, with an extended season on private lands that runs until March 31. A special license, $27.50 for nonresidents plus $3 in fees, is required, or a nonresident general hunting license also will suffice.
A buck, finally Continued from page 4
but not that cold,” Westman said. “I didn’t have warm enough stuff.” That evening on another side of the property, several young bucks were seen before they moved off. The final morning, Westman was guided by another ranch owner, Ben Carter. “We didn’t see anything from the blind, so we drove in the golf cart and checked some other areas,” he said. “The fourth stop, we pulled off the road to a spot where we could look back at a good area. There was a nice, mature 8-pointer there eating. The buck was facing the hunter, but finally turned broadside. “I used the golf cart as a rest, but it was parked on an incline — I had to stand on my tiptoes,” Westman said. “But I made a good shot with my Rifles, Inc. .300 Win Mag and dropped him. We measured it at 188 yards.” Now, he can share his story with his coworkers and the customers he entertains, and he plans to do more hunting before all the seasons wind down. “We have access to a ranch south of Midland,” he said. “I plan to go quail hunting a few times.”
reel repair. Compared to the big box stores, Port O’Connor Rod & Gun is tiny. But they have a wide variety of tackle, guns and ammo. And they are getting ready to open another tackle and gun shop in Round Rock. It’ll be called Outdoor Fanatix. “This is a family-owned business,” Donnie said. “One of my sons is going to run the Round Rock store, and another son, Aaron, who is 28, is the manager of our store here in Port O’Connor.” Now almost 10 years after they started this new business adventure, was it worth the risk? “Oh yeah,” Donnie said. “We realized this is a weekend community. People come and go. And a lot of their gear is purchased from the big box stores before they get
to Port O’Connor. That’s why we have a specialty type store. We definitely can’t compete with the big box stores. Instead, we have a lot of clothing and tackle that folks can only get here, and it can be used here. We sell a lot of fishing and hunting licenses. We clean and repair lots of reels. And now we’re not only repairing rods, but building custom rods that are specifically made for light tackle fishing on the bays and flats of Port O’Connor. “Three years after starting the tackle end of the business, we ex- Rod repair is one of the services provided at Port O’Connor Rod & Gun. Photo by Robert Sloan. panded to guns. That’s what my But fishing rules in Port wife wanted to do first. Roughly O’Connor Rod & Gun is a super 30 percent of our sales are from clean store with a ton of stuff to O’Connor, and when you come guns and ammo. We sell lots of check out, including guns and into this store, it’s all about pershotguns, along with rifles and ammo which is a big part of the sonalized service with a smile duck-hunting scene in the com- from folks who know what they pistols and shooting accessories.” are talking about. Customers comment that Port munity. They even sell local art.
Page 18
January 26, 2018
LoneOStar Outdoor News
INDUSTRY
OUTDOOR PUZZLER OUTDOOR PUZZLER
Solution on Solution onPage Page2222
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The lab's favorite task 2. The lab’s favorite task antlers The main brances of a deer's A mackerel 4. The species main branches of a deer’s antlers Towing a lure behind the boat 7. A mackerel species A good rainbow trout bait 10. Towing lure behind the boat Required to finda feeding geese Good for hunting 12.item A good rainbowbackpack trout bait Gets the fish out of the water 13. Required to find feeding geese A safari destination 14. Good item for hunting backpack A good crappie lake A favorite bass food 16. Gets the fish out of the water Popular frog lure A safari destination Also18. called a dogfish A favorite venison part lake 19. A good crappie Figuring out the behavior of bass 21. A favorite bass food To pull back the bowstring 24. Popular lure A growing groupfrog of hunters An ATV manufacturer 26. Also called a dogfish Command to stop a pointing dog 28. A favorite A shotshell brand venison part The29. yellow cat out the behavior of bass Figuring They write the outdoor 31. To pull back thetickets bowstring 33. 34. 35. 38. 39. 40.
A growing group of hunters An ATV manufacturer Command to stop a pointing dog A shotshell brand The yellow cat They write the outdoor tickets
Jim Schleiter has joined Sports Afield Consumer Products as national sales manager.
Faxon Firearms is seeking a national sales manager for management of medium and large dealer accounts.
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Outdoor Edge is looking for an international sales manager to work out of its Denver, Colorado headquarters.
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The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation is seeking an office manager in Washington, D.C.
National sales manager opening
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Schleiter managing sales
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LSONews.com
Down DOWN
1. Turkey species found in Florida species found stomach in Florida 2.1. A Turkey chamber in a deer's 3.2. The soft skin in that coversstomach antlers as they grow A chamber a deer’s 5.3. The mount with the cape The soft skin that covers antlers as they grow 6. The young turkey hen Theofmount capethe antlers grow 8.5. Part buck'swith skullthe where 9.6. A The turkey sound young turkey hen 11. An African game species of buck’sriver skull where the antlers grow 15.8. A Part Hill Country turkey sound 17.9. UpA and down fishing 20. AnAnantler point thatspecies grows downward 11. African game 21. The back of the boat 15. Hill Country river 22. AA grouse species 23. Fish the bottom 17. Up not andatdown fishing or the surface 24. Rocks piled along the lake's bank 20. An antler point that grows downward 25. A sea duck 21. The of back of that the boat 26. Type hook causes less damage to the fish 22. A grouse species 27. Popular sheep in New Zealand 23. Fishof not at thewill bottom or ifthe surface 30. Flock geese do this you move 32. TPWD's wildlife director 24. Rocks piled along the lake’s bank 36. The loudest 25. A sea duckturkey call 26. Type of hook that causes less damage to the fish 27. Popular sheep in New Zealand 30. Flock of geese will do this if you move 32. TPWD’s wildlife director 36. The loudest turkey call
New board members at TRCP The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership added Jerry Stritzke of REI; Megan Morris of Bass Pro Shops; Dave Perkins of the Orvis Company; Howard Vincent of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever; Mike Nussman of the American Sportfishing Association; and Alston Watt of the Williams Family Foundation of Georgia to its board of directors.
Additions at Yamaha Marine Yamaha Marine Group added Melissa Boudoux as communications manager and Jonathan Mehall as media relations coordinator.
IGFA seeks finance director The International Game Fish Association is seeking a director of finance and administration to manage all aspects of the association’s finance, human resources and information technology functions.
Kent Cartridge names COO, hires PR firm Kent Cartridge named Alan Corzine president and COO of North American operations, and announced that Howard Communications Inc. will be responsible for all public relations and advertising activities with the outdoor media.
Otis acquires Shooters Choice Otis Technology acquired the Shooters Choice brand of gun care chemicals and lubricants.
Millner joins TrackingPoint TrackingPoint, Inc. added former Cabela’s CEO Tommy Millner as a special advisor to its board of directors.
New RD for Delta Waterfowl Delta Waterfowl hired Brian Moyse as a regional events director in the Upper Midwest.
FTR to manage wire Fishing Tackle Retailer has entered into a management agreement with the owners of The Fishing Wire.
Board additions at CSF The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation welcomed Orlando Alvarez , Gary Bechtel, Mark Cherpes and James Debney as new members to its board of directors in 2018.
FOR THE TABLE *email LSON your favorite recipe to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.
Dove and beans 1 bag dry kidney beans 32 oz. stewed tomatoes 6 oz. diced jalapenos 1 large red onion, chopped 1 garlic clove Salt 1/2 lb. dove meat pieces 1 lb. browned ground beef Tortilla chips
Cook beans in large pan until fully cooked; add tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, salt, garlic, ground beef and dove. Simmer 10 minutes to heat thoroughly. Place broken tortilla chips in bowl and spoon beans over chips. —mossyoak.com/ our-obsession/blogs/recipes/
Shrimp and avocado salad 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped 1 lime, juiced 1 lb. medium or large cooked shrimp 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 tsp. kosher salt Freshly ground pepper
Whisk the olive oil, cilantro and lime juice in a large bowl. Add the shrimp, tomato halves, avocado and salt and toss gently. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or chilled overnight. —aboutseafood.com
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LoneOStar Outdoor News
January 26, 2018
Page 19
CLASSIFIEDS HUNTING ANTLERS WANTED Buying all species, all conditions. Looking for large quantities. Call Del: (830) 997-2263
SOUTH TEXAS DEER HUNTS No pen raised deer 3,000+ Acres Trophy & Management Hunts Hogs, Does & Everything else South Texas has to offer. Veteran Discount. (713) 516-2954
AFFORDABLE HUNTS AOUDAD HUNT SPECIAL. Exotics: Black Buck, Red Stag, Axis, Barbado. FREE LODGING FOR EXOTIC HUNTS. Whitetails: Limited number of Bucks & Does.Javelina, Hogs, Bobcat, Coyote, Quail, Dove. (713) 501-6159 QUAIL HUNTING Close to Dallas
Bird Dog Training Facility 700 yard RANGE PoetryShootingClub.com (214) 728-2755 TROPHY WHITETAIL BUCK HUNTS Intensive Management Program. Lodging included. (940) 362-4219
TENPOINT TITAN XTREME CROSSBOW
with scope and bolts complete package. Used for photo shoots. Retails at Cabelas for $750. Asking $550 (214) 361-2276
470 Low Fence Acres 1.5 Hours North of DFW Boone & Crockett Deer Turn Key: Cabin, Food Plots, Feeders, Tower Stands. (940) 464-0121
TEXAS TROPHY WHITETAILS
Axis, Blackbuck, Hogs Free range whitetail and exotic hunts in Sonora, TX www.HuntTexasWhitetails.com (717) 512-3582
DECOYS WANTED WOODEN Duck and Goose. Top prices paid. Ask for David. (214) 361-2276 AMERICAN LAB PUPPIES Excellent pedigrees from field trial, hunt test, hunting lines. Owners has trained dogs for 10 years, can train if requested. 3 yellow males, 2 yellow females, 1 black male. All come with certification, shots. Call Jeff. (214) 384-5641
CLASSIFIEDS
$1 PER WORD
2 ISSUES MINIMUM ADD A PHOTO $20 ALL BOLD LETTERS $10
2 EASY OPTIONS: CALL THE OFFICE (214) 361-2276, OR E-MAIL: LSONACCT@ GMAIL.COM
RANCH FOR SALE
STOCKERBUCK.COM Call now to order Texas Trophy Bred does and stockerbucks or check us out online at stockerbuck.com JAY (505) 681-5210
AXIS HIDES
Tanned axis hides Axis pillows gbroach@ktc.com (830) 896-6996
Network of Indoor & Outdoor Ranges TEXASARCHERY.INFO FISHERMEN/DUCK HUNTERS Flour Bluff/Corpus Christi Rental Two BR, Two Bath, Sleeps Six, Fully Furnished. One Mile from Boat Ramp, Parking on Site for Boat & Trailer View online: The Blue Heron Corpus Christi. All Bookings thru Airbnb TDHA - JOIN TODAY TEXAS DOVE HUNTERS ASSOC. TexasDoveHunters.com (210) 764-1189
MISC. ARROWHEADS AND ARTIFACTS Actively purchasing authentic Texas artifacts. One piece to entire collections. Call (210) 557-9478 REPORTER/ JOURNALIST JOB Lone Star Outdoor News is seeking a reporter at its Dallas office. Journalism degree preferred. (214) 361-2276
FISHING DOS GRINGOS FISHING CHARTERS
South Texas - Rio Grande Valley Bay fishing for trout, redfish, and flounder. Call Captain Grady Deaton, PhD at captaingrady@dosgringosfishing.com.Please call me for a great fishing adventure (956) 455-2503
BAY FISHING PRO CALL CAPT. THOMAS Call About Our Winter Discounts! (956) 551-1965
Page 20
January 26, 2018
LoneOStar Outdoor News
LSONews.com
NATIONAL MINNESOTA
IOWA
Grann retires at Wildlife Deer harvest up Hunters reported harvesting 105,544 deer Forever in Iowa for 2017, an increase of more than After 25 years of service to fish and wildlife conservation, Wildlife Forever’s President and CEO, Douglas Grann, announced his retirement and turned over the leadership reins to Pat Conzemius, executive vice president. Grann joined the nonprofit organization in March of 1992. He was instrumental in the creation of the State-Fish Art Contest, Master’s Walleye Circuit, World Walleye Championship; Handicapped Americans for Wildlife Conservation, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Alliance, “Racing for Wildlife” and the Clean Drain Dry Initiative.
—Wildlife Forever
NATIONWIDE
ATV deaths and injuries down
REESE BLEVINS, 15, TOOK HER FIRST BIG-GAME ANIMAL, A GEMSBOK, AT 225 YARDS. SHE WAS HUNTING WITH HER GRANDPARENTS, BLAKE AND PATTI, ON A HUNT OBTAINED AT THE DALLAS SAFARI CLUB CONVENTION LAST YEAR.
Nikon will send your 10x42 ProStaff 7 binoculars. You can check out the entire line at the nearest dealer:
See a full selection of Nikon products at:
DFW Shooting Sports 105 Bedford Road Bedford, TX 76022 (817) 285-0664 dfwshootingsports.com
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s 2016 Annual Report of ATV-Related Deaths and Injuries, issued January 2018, affirmed the decade-long downward trend in fatalities and injuries related to all-terrain vehicles. For the period 2007 to 2013, CPSC reported ATV-related fatalities declined by 29 percent. The report indicated for the years 1999 and 2013 “there seems to be a large decrease in the percentage of victims younger than 16 years of age” involving ATV-related fatalities. For the 10-year period from 2007 through 2016, CPSC found a “statistically significant overall decreasing linear trend” in ATV-related injury estimates. The report found an “overall decrease of 33 percent between the estimated number of injuries in 2007 and 2016” for ATV-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments. —ATV Safety Institute
NEW YORK
Nikon rangefinder receives award
4,100 deer from 2016. The total included 57,522 antlerless deer and 47,992 antlered deer. Iowa’s deer seasons closed on Jan. 10. Most of the deer were harvested during the shotgun seasons. The bow harvest was 19,797 deer, 12,060 being antlered deer. —Iowa DNR
LOUISIANA
License sales to be down temporarily If you are planning a fishing trip to Louisiana this winter or spring, note the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries is transitioning to a new recreational hunting/fishing license sales system. The department recommends licenses from retailers be purchased before Jan. 30. From Jan. 30-31, all license sales will be temporarily down. From Feb. 1 to April 1, license sales will be available online or at LDWF regional offices, but not at retailers. Retail license sales will resume April 2. —LDWF
TENNESSEE
Deer season hits 10-year low Based on data from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s “Hunter’s Toolbox,” (as of 1/16/2018) hunters killed a total of 143,945 deer during the 2017-2018 hunting season, representing a 9 percent decline from the previous season and a 12 percent decline from the 10-year average of Tennessee deer harvests. Unusually warm weather during the muzzleloader season and an outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) were cited as reasons for the decline. —TWRA
ALABAMA
Nikon was awarded “2018 Readers’ Choice Gold” For Best Rangefinder by Bowhunting World magazine for its ARROW ID 7000 VR stabilized rangefinder. Nikon’s stabilization technology in the ARROW ID 7000 VR sets it apart from all other rangefinders and once used, makes it tough to go back to using a typical rangefinder, the magazine said. The ability to range a target just once, with one hand, can make the difference between getting the shot or missing the opportunity. —Nikon Sport Optics
Kimber to expand Kimber Mfg., Inc., an American firearms manufacturer, finalized plans to expand manufacturing operations to Alabama. Kimber will begin operations in early 2019, with a new design engineering and manufacturing facility in the city of Troy. Once a small manufacturing company based in Yonkers, New York, Kimber now has locations in the New York metro area and Montana. The new Troy facility will double Kimber’s manufacturing capacity. —Kimber Mft.
UTAH
MISSOURI
Deer hunting numbers Missouri’s 2017-2018 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15, with the Missouri Department of Conservation reporting a preliminary total harvest of 283,940 deer. Of the 283,940 deer harvested, 135,891 were antlered bucks, 30,538 were button bucks, and 117,511 were does. The number is up from the 263,834 deer harvested during the 2016-2017 hunting season. —MDC
WYOMING
Mule deer rebounding Mule deer in western Wyoming are bouncing back after suffering harsh impacts from last year’s winter. As part of an extended five-year study on mule deer in the West, the Wyoming Range Project, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department reports mule deer does entered the winter with the some the highest body fat accumulations seen in recent years, meaning a good foundation for high fawn production and survival in the spring, and biologists are optimistic the herd is on the road to recovery. —WGFD
Arizona guide convicted after taking desert bighorn A well-known hunting guide won’t be hunting in Utah — or 46 other states — anytime soon. In addition to losing his hunting privileges for the next 10 years, the guide and outfitter has paid more than $30,000 in fines and restitution. In July 2017, Larry Altimus of Pearce, Arizona was found guilty of wanton destruction of protected wildlife — a trophy desert bighorn sheep, which is a 3rd degree felony in Utah. Altimus was found guilty of illegally obtaining a Utah resident hunting permit and then using the permit to kill a desert bighorn sheep ram on the Zion hunting unit in southwestern Utah. In August 2013, Altimus rented a house in Kanab, Utah. In March 2014, he used his Kanab address to apply for one of 10 desert bighorn sheep permits available to Utah residents that year. In May 2014, he drew the permit. In June 2014, he moved back to Arizona. In October 2014, Altimus came back to Utah where he killed a huge desert bighorn ram using his fraudulently obtained permit. —Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
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LoneOStar Outdoor News
PRODUCTS THUNDERHEAD SUBMERSIBLE BACKPACK: This Fishpond backpack protects fishermen’s important gear from the elements. Completely submersible, it is constructed from the company’s recycled TPU-coated Cyclepond nylon and features a secure waterproof zip closure so that electronics, fishing gear, and more stay dry. And, its sturdy harness system makes the backpack more comfortable to carry. It is available in orange and green and costs about $300.
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PROSTEEL HELL’S CANYON SAFE: Browning’s 60-inch tall by 56-inch wide by 25-inch deep safe will house a sizable collection of firearms. The safe features an 11-gauge steel body. Its 1.25-inch formed door with an inner plate also has a “force-deflector” locking system with chromed locking bolts on three sides of the door and a hardened steel pin lock system to protect against breakins. In terms of storage, there is adjustable shelving with a pistol rack, a barrel rack, and a place for scopes. It will accommodate up to 65 long guns. The MSRP is $3,619 for the 1,055-pound black gloss safe with the S&G mechanical lock or $3,689 with the electronic lock; the MSRP is $3,249 for the textured charcoal model with the S&G mechanical lock or $3,319 with the electronic lock.
KAERA FROG LURE: Made to entice big strikes, this Jackall top-water lure is built with a flat-sided body that glides through heavy vegetation. The lure’s body shape and hook position hide the point of the hooks to lessen snags. Its wide hook gives excellent hook-up ratio and its flat surface side body pushes more water. And, its water drain hole releases excess water during casts. Available in six colors, the 2.2-inch lures cost about $10.
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MEOACE 2X20 TACTICAL SIGHT: This sight with illuminated reticle by Meopta is accurate up to more than 430 yards and is night-vision compatible. The illuminated reticle has 12 intensity settings so the brightness level can be adjusted to accommodate ever-changing light and weather conditions in the field. The lens’ multi-coatings eliminate glare and reflections while the hydrophobic coating ensures the highest level of visual clarity in adverse weather conditions, easily repelling rain and snow as well as skin oils and dirt. This sight is for use with rifles chambered in 5.56 NATO and 7.62x39 NATO (or 7.62x51 NATO or 180-grain .308 Win when using the 5.56 side of the reticle). Available in February, the sight will cost about $1,300.
RUT 2X FEED: Lyssy & Eckel Feeds’ pellets help ranging deer maximize energy expenditure by ensuring they receive the proper nutrition to sustain rut behavior — including increasing sperm count — while maintaining growth. Formulated with a minimum of 20-percent crude protein mixed with 10-percent fiber and 4-percent crude fat, the rut-specific feed also offers Omega-3 fatty acids to promote overall health while reducing joint stress; an essential oil and prebiotic fiber blend for increased immune functions; and B vitamins to aid the absorption of nutrients. The feed also is fortified with zinc, manganese and copper.
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TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THESE PRODUCTS, CONTACT LSON AT (214) 361-2276
January 26, 2018
Page 21
Youngster bags big buck on public hunt
Hunter Oliver of Athens was drawn to hunt at the Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area in the Rio Grande Valley. Hoping to take a javelina, he was surprised when this buck came within range of the stand. Photo from James Oliver.
By Tony Vindell
For Lone Star Outdoor News A young man from East Texas whose name was picked in a public hunt drawing was hoping to bag a javelina, but took a 10-point buck instead. Hunter Oliver, 14, from Athens, had never seen a javelina in the wild. The hunt took place at the Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area Unit on the Arroyo Colorado. The WMA covers less than 1,000 acres. TPWD has 16 units in this part of the state and nine of them are where youths have the chance to hunt if they are selected during the drawing. Youngsters drawn hunt free, while adults drawn paid $60. Hunter and his father, James, traveled about nine hours to get to the hunting unit and sat in a blind for about 30 hours, on and off, before the buck showed shortly before 6 p.m. on the third day of the hunt. Hunter made the 110-yard shot with his Savage .270. “I went to see it and it was a beautiful buck,” Hunter said. “It was the biggest buck I have shot.” His father said the youngster has bagged 20 deer since he started hunting at the age of 4. Although youth and adult drawn to hunt are allowed to bag one deer and two javelinas, Hunter had his eyes on a collared peccary. The father-and-son had seen some bucks and decided to go to another blind where javelina showed up frequently. The blind the Olivers chose had been abandoned by another hunter who was disappointed after not seeing many deer. Instead of a javelina, the buck showed up. The unit held five youth hunts and one archery and rifle hunt from October through January and about 20 white-tailed deer were taken during the seven hunts. Hunter got his deer during the December 27-30 hunt while Santos Sustaita, of Welasco, bagged an 8-point buck during the last hunt held at the at the WMA on Jan.12-14. Jimmy Stout, area manager for Las Palomas Unit, said of one of the goals of public land program is to get youth to enjoy the outdoors. ”If they go back home with a smile on their faces and said they would like to come back,” he said. “We feel we are doing our jobs.”
Quite the auction item At the Park Cities Quail Dinner and Auction on March 8, bidders will have the chance to bid on the trip of a lifetime. Donated by Carl and Gigi Allen, four couples will begin with a trip on a private jet from Love Field to Nassau, Bahamas. Then, the group will stay aboard the Allen Exploration luxury motor yacht, Gigi, a 164-foot yacht with six cabins. Allen’s fleet also includes a 181-foot yacht and includes an amphibious seaplane and a 9-ton mini-submarine capable of diving to 3,300 feet. Flats boats, sailboats, jet skis and scuba gear are available, and a 52-foot Viking sport fishing vessel, with experienced guides, for fishing. The crew of 23 includes a master chef. Carl Allen will help the winning bidder customize itinerary for the trip, available from May to July 2018. The trip is valued at $800,000. —Park Cities Quail
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January 26, 2018
LoneOStar Outdoor News
LSONews.com
DATEBOOK JANUARY 26-28
Houston Safari Club Annual Hunting Expo and Convention George R. Brown Convention Center (713) 623-8844 houstonsafariclub.org
FEBRUARY 1
Ducks Unlimited Tomball Dinner VFW Hall (281) 851-9776 ducks.org/Texas
FEBRUARY 3
Mule Deer Foundation Gillespie County Banquet, Fredericksburg (816) 289-9299 muledeer.org Ducks Unlimited Mexia Dinner The Cowboy Club (903) 388-5471 ducks.org/Texas
FEBRUARY 9
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Victoria Big Game Banquet (361) 649-4751 rmef.org National Wild Turkey Federation Smith County Banquet Tyler Rose Garden (903) 920-5115 nwtf.org
FEBRUARY 9-10
Texas Deer Association Antler Fest Embassy Suites Conference Center San Marcos texasdeerassociation.com
FEBRUARY 9-11
All Valley Boat Show McAllen Convention Center allvalleyboatshow.com
FEBRUARY 10
National Wild Turkey Federation Houston Banquet Houston Distributing Company (832) 492-1400 nwtf.org
FEBRUARY 10-11
Lone Star Predator Calling Classic Hoffpauir Expo Grounds, Lampasas (512) 748-2810 info@hoffpauirexpo.com
FEBRUARY 13
FEBRUARY 17
Austin RV Expo Austin Convention Center austinrvexpo.com
FEBRUARY 16-18
Trout Unlimited, Guadalupe River Chapter Troutfest Texas Lazy L&L Campgrounds, New Braunfels grtu.org
Ducks Unlimited Kerrville Banquet Hill Country Shooting Sports Center (830) 377-2838 ducks.org/Texas
FEBRUARY 22
FEBRUARY 28
Coastal Conservation Association Corpus Christi Banquet American Bank Center (361) 882-5199 ccatexas.org
Delta Waterfowl Collin County Banquet Nohas Event Venue, Plano (618) 691-9364 deltawaterfowl.org
OUTDOOR PUZZLER Solution on Page 22
FEBRUARY 15
FEBRUARY 15-18
FEBRUARY 24
Ducks Unlimited Red River Valley Dinner Gainesville Civic Center (940) 736-3885 ducks.org/Texas
Ducks Unlimited Allen Fat Tuesday Party TwoRows Classic Grill (915) 255-9565 ducks.org/Texas Dallas Safari Club Monthly Meeting Plano Marriott at Legacy (972) 980-9800 biggame.org
National Wild Turkey Federation Brazos Longbeards Banquet The Swinging Door, Richmond (512) 966-9539 nwtf.org
Mule Deer Foundation Parker County Banquet (817) 475-9702 muledeer.org
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2. The lab's favorite task [RETRIEVE] 4. The main brances of a deer's antlers [BEAMS] 7. A mackerel species [SPANISH] 10. Towing a lure behind the boat [TROLLING] 12. A good rainbow trout bait [CORN] 13. Required to find feeding geese [SCOUTING] 14. Good item for hunting backpack [CAMERA] 16. Gets the fish out of the water [NET] 18. A safari destination [ZAMBIA] 19. A good crappie lake [CADDO] 21. A favorite bass food [SHINERS] 24. Popular frog lure [RIBBIT] 26. Also called a dogfish [BOWFIN] 28. A favorite venison part [BACKSTRAP] 29. Figuring out the behavior of bass [PATTERNING] 31. To pull back the bowstring [DRAW] 33. A growing group of hunters [MILLENNIALS] 34. An ATV manufacturer [POLARIS] 35. Command to stop a pointing dog [WHOA] 38. A shotshell brand [HEVISHOT] 39. The yellow cat [FLATHEAD]
Down
1. Turkey species found in Florida [OSCEOLA] 2. A chamber in a deer's stomach [RUMEN] 3. The soft skin that covers antlers as they grow [VELVET] 5. The mount with the cape [SHOULDER] 6. The young turkey hen [JENNY] 8. Part of buck's skull where the antlers grow [PEDICAL] 9. A turkey sound [PUTT] 11. An African game species [ROAN] 15. A Hill Country river [MEDINA] 17. Up and down fishing [JIGGING] 20. An antler point that grows downward [DROP] 21. The back of the boat [STERN] 22. A grouse species [SHARPTAIL] 23. Fish not at the bottom or the surface [SUSPENDED] 24. Rocks piled along the lake's bank [RIPRAP] 25. A sea duck [SCOTER] 26. Type of hook that causes less damage to the fish [BARBLESS] 27. Popular sheep in New Zealand [CHAMOIS]
Puzzle solution from Page 18
LSONews.com
LoneOStar Outdoor News
January 26, 2018
lone sTar PredaTor calling classic sPonsored by
hoffPauir grouP & lone sTar ouTdoor neWs
THIS IS A 24 HOUR CONTEST. THE CONTEST DOES NOT PROVIDE THE LAND TO HUNT. ALL HUNTING MUST BE DONE WITHIN TEXAS •
Hunting begins at 12:00 PM on Saturday February 10, 2018. Weigh-in is the following Sunday 12:00 PM at 10296 W FM 580, in Lampasas, TX.
•
Entry fee is $250 per team.
•
In the event of a tie. Winner will be determined by the team with most animals. Grand Prize and Jackpots will be split evenly. The $250 entry fee will be divided as follows $190 goes toward the Main contest. $60 will be divided evenly by each jackpot.
•
All teams will be entered in Jackpots.
•
Failure to check in with judges on Sunday by 12:00 PM sharp at the Burnet store with your entire team will result in disqualification of your team - No Exceptions!
•
Mail in entries are welcome, but must be received by the Thursday prior to contest. Mail-in entry fee must be made by Money Order or Cashiers Check. Please waive the signature requirement on any expedited shipping services. No personal checks, please!
sPecial Winner Prize
Rhodes Brothers Taxidermy & Game Processing from Kerrville, Texas will donate a Head on Rug, Full Pedestal Shoulder Mount or $3,000 credit towards Life-size Mount of the Winning Mountain Lion. Non Transferrable. www.rhodestaxidermy.com
PolygraPh TesT: Sponsored by Lonehollow Whitetails and Texas Deer Association.
general rules 1.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
14. 15.
Must follow all County, State and Federal hunting laws. If you break the law, your team will be disqualified. This includes having proper Texas hunting license. A Trappers license is NOT required to hunt. It is only required to sell your hides to a fur buyer. 4 members maximum per team. All team members must be present at weigh-in on Sunday to claim prize money. No Exceptions! All team members must hunt together at all times. No splitting up. All animals must be killed within this 24 hour hunting contest. No trapped, snared, caged-raised, or frozen animals will be allowed. No pooling of animals between teams. No hunting in intentionally baited areas. No modifying the weight of animals in any way. We will not weigh a wet animal. No trolling. All teams are responsible for removal and disposing of their animals in a legal manner. No use of Aircraft or dogs. The use of night vision of any kind and for any reason is prohibited. This includes thermal and infrared imaging. You cannot use it for spotting or finding wounded or dead animals. Decisions of judges is FINAL! (Judges will be hunting in contest) All cash winning teams are subject to polygraph.
sTringer rules 1. Main pot will be determined by heavy stringer. 2. Stringer consists of one of each of the following; bobcat, coyote, gray fox and raccoon. (You don't have to have one of all four to weigh in).
for more informaTion conTacT Jason maroney (512) 748-2810
or email info@hoffPauirexPo.com
3. Teams are responsible for picking their heaviest of each, we will not weigh more than one of each species!! 4. Side pots will be; heavy coyote, bobcat, fox and raccoon. 5. All cash winning teams are subject to polygraph.
Page 23
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January 26, 2018
LoneOStar Outdoor News
LSONews.com
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