Lone Star Outdoor News 012723

Devin Leissner watched this axis buck grow for two years on a lease in Schleicher County. Photo from Devin Leissner.

Velvet axis buck finally patterned

For Lone Star outdoor newS

While hunting a lease in Schleicher County, Devin Leissner harvested the largest free-range axis buck he has taken, after having a gut feeling he should be in the stand. The spotted deer sported antlers in full velvet, with bases 8-inches around.

“I had watched this buck grow for the past few years, and he really caught my attention earlier in the fall when I got game camera photos of him just starting to grow a new set of antlers,” Leissner explained. “His body size was impressive, and he stuck to a pretty steady pattern of hitting feed throughout the entire period when his antlers were growing out. I knew I wanted to try to take him before his antlers rubbed out and he lost his velvet, and I just hoped he would stick around as he continued to grow.”

Leissner said the axis buck typically showed up around his time-release protein feeder late in the evenings through the nighttime hours, and then early in the mornings.

“From what I was seeing on my game cameras, he was fairly regular in my area at nighttime,” he said. “But I realized after looking through hundreds of photos, that if the whitetails ate most of the pro-

Rods made start-to-finish in Texas

Composite Forge creates Made in the USA rods, blanks

By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star outdoor newS

tion costs.

King and his business partner, Bob Penicka, who until 2020 was a partner and the general manager of the largest fishing rod factory in North America: Mexicobased Axiom North America, came to an unusual and to some, radical decision. They created a company

and brought all of the rod manufacturing to Grand Prairie.

The original thought was to manufacture what was needed for TFO rods, but then the pair started thinking bigger, with a goal of creating a “Made in the USA” product option available to all American brands

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Older bucks staying hidden

Colton Beam, the wildlife manager at Lowrance Ranch, said the movement of mature bucks in King and Knox counties was drastically impacted. He attributes the difficult hunting to late-season forb production after October heavy rains; water availability due to the late rains spreading out the deer; and heavy winds causing the deer to focus on scattered mesquite surrounded by juniper thickets, honing in on the thickest cover.

While most hunting seasons have come to a close, Managed Lands Deer Program permit hunting continues statewide until Feb. 28. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Body booting for ducks

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star outdoor newS

A Texas duck hunter and guide has adopted a style of hunting devised by hard-core Chesapeake Bay watermen in Maryland. Called body booting, it involves hunters standing in waist- to chestdeep water while hiding behind large silhouette decoys, smack dab in the center of the action inside the spread.

Jeff Elder, of Silver Creek

Game Warden Blotter Page 12

Guide Service, has adopted this technique when hunting large ponds and reservoirs west of Dallas and in West Texas.

“We hunt some large bodies of water that hold a lot of diver ducks, and one challenge has always been getting the ducks to decoy close to the bank or shoreline,” Elder said. “They always seem to want to land 45 to 50 yards out, and it’s just hard to get them in much closer.

So, body booting seemed like the perfect solution.”

Elder’s setup has many moving parts when it comes to creating the decoy spread in order for a hunt to come together.

“It took a lot of trial and error, but we are starting to get it down to a science,” Elder admitted. “It all started by me asking one of my guides, who is a skilled carpenter, to make some goose silhouettes in order for us to give body

Frank-Paul King took over as president of Temple Fork Outfitters from founder Rick Pope in 2016. At the time,

the company’s rod blanks were being produced in South Korea. A few years later, supply-chain issues became frustrating, with pandemic-related mandates and lockdowns around the world, and widespread shortages of shipping containers, equipment, vehicles and increased transporta-

Jeff Elder uses an age-old technique for hunting diver ducks on reservoirs and West Texas ponds, body booting, that originated on the Chesapeake Bay. Photo from Jeff Elder.

Bucks are still checking for does coming into late estrous in some parts of the state. This buck has only been seen one time this year when he made a circle around the feeder while checking out a doe this week in Stonewall County. Many hunters have reported that most of their old deer have stayed hidden for the bulk of the season.

FROM WORK TO PLAY

WHATEVER YOUR ADVENTURE IS, WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.

Reboot of original Mojo Mallard

Spinning-wing decoy has upgraded motor, wings and lithium battery

By Alan Clemons

For Lone Star outdoor newS

The morning was slow for our crew, with ducks flying high and ignoring the decoys in front of our four-man blind. A single would come in here and there, and a few decided to take a headfirst swim, but things were slow. We could see ducks, though, which made things frustrating.

Finally, the landowner and host said it was time to give his spinning-wing decoy a try. Along with a few chuckles and shrugs was a sense of “can’t hurt anything.” He waded through the shallow flooded paddy to about 20 yards in front of our blind, set up the pole and put the decoy on it. When he flipped the switch, the wings began spinning. I’d never seen one before, having grown up with old paper or Styrofoam-style decoys and a pullstring on one for movement.

Moments later someone said, “there’s a single,” and we strained our eyes to see the duck cruising the property line easily more than 100 yards away. Our host blared a lung-busting hail call, then a second one. The duck turned like it had hit a wall and came to the decoy on a rope. Then, others did similar things.

That’s what a lot of duck hunters remember about the first Mojo Mallard. They were dynamite for several years, then hunters began decrying their effectiveness. Various brands had their own versions. Hunters learned that the spinning wings weren’t magic. Sometimes they worked well, other times not so much. Two decades later, they’re still an option many use from coast to coast.

Mojo is returning to those early years with its original Mojo Mallard but with a slew of upgrades. Notable is the revamped high-torque motor and new lithium battery with single male/female plug-in connector. The motor, battery and other internal gear is reinforced by the support pole, instead of the decoy’s body to add more longevity to the decoy while helping maintain smoother aluminum spinning wings with new magnetic connections. The mounting peg is molded separately and connected from the outside through the body. A second emergency wire allows you to connect the motor directly to the battery if the electric components have any issues. The battery runs 10 hours per charge and is rated for 1,500 charges.

The body is more realistic, too, with definition and realistic colors. Mojo

Success on public water hunts during slow year

By Robert Sloan For Lone Star outdoor newS

This has not been the best duck season. In fact, it’s been downright slow. But a few do-it-yourself waterfowlers have had remarkable hunts on public waters.

Some of the best hunts were on the big water lakes between Dallas and Waco. Sam Stoaner, out of the Dallas area, and his son had their best hunts on a public reservoir that’s better known for its great catfishing.

“On one of our better hunts during the second week of January, we had a number of birds that included gadwall, wigeon and teal,” Stoaner said. “I originally hunted on public water years ago, and just never got away from it. The key is to go during the week. That’s when you have a lot fewer hunters. Another key is scouting. You definitely have to get off the sofa and do some scouting. It’s the only way to stay on the birds that tend to move around a lot, especially with heavy hunting pressure.”

Kyle Rowe’s favorite places to hunt are

the big water lakes around Waco.

“For a number of years, we hunted on Limestone and the hunting was about as good it gets,” he said. “But the only way we stayed on the birds was to go find them. And that usually meant lots of time on the water in my flat-bottom boat. The peak time to hunt that lake was from about 10 in the morning till about 2 in the afternoon. We would get there when the other hunters were taking out. We got some strange looks, but we knew where the birds would be and when they would show up. Mallards and pintail would pour into the upper reaches of the lake just off the river channel. They would feed out in the peanut fields then return to the lake.”

Rowe sets up four or five dozen decoys in water from 2 to 3 feet deep.

“It has lots of aquatic vegetation that the ducks could feed on during the af ternoon,” he said. “Our camouflage con sisted of sheets of burlap that we draped around the flooded timber. We would also make ponchos out of the burlap and lean

Nilgai from the saddle

By Tony Vindell For Lone Star outdoor newS

Hunting is an unpredictable activity. Some hunters believe luck is the most important element when it comes to bagging a trophy animal. Others say it depends on how much time one spends in the field.

For Shane David Kirby, a 36-year-old seminarist from Fort Worth, it’s a combination of faith

and his hunting style.

On a recent hunt at a wildlife refuge in Willacy County, Kirby bagged a nilgai cow on Friday and a bull on Sunday.

It was also the last day of the 2022-23 regular archery and rifle hunting season for white-tailed buck and for the Indian antelope at any of the state and national wildlife refuges.

Kirby’s preferred hunting

up against the trunk of trees.”

Rowe’s best hunts on public water were back in the woods off the creek channels.

“We still hunt that way on other lakes,” he said. “When it floods and the creeks and river channel overflow, the ducks will pile in. Our tactic then and now is to ease along in the channel and listen for ducks chattering in the back timber areas. We would make it a point to be there the next afternoon when the ducks returned from feeding in the fields.”

Competition from other hunters is rare.

“Nobody wants to get back that far,” Rowe said.

Randy Jenkins has been duck hunting on wildlife management areas for years. Some of his favorites are south of Beaumont near the small town of Sabine. That’s where you’ll find a WMA and also

Jenkins said the McFaddin has been holding plenty of ducks during the second half of the season, providing some good

The original Mojo Mallard has been upgraded and re-introduced by the company. Photo from Mojo Outdoors.

Sam Stoaner spends time scouting public waters and hard-to-reach areas in search of ducks. Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Shane David Kirby arrowed the nilgai bull from a saddle rig on the last day of his National Wildlife Refuge hunt. Photo by Devon Walters.

First-timers cook, eat sandhills

By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star outdoor newS

Two members of the Lone Star Outdoor News team hadn’t tried eating sandhill crane. They had heard the phrase “the ribeye of the sky” but weren’t sure they believed it.

After their first crane hunt on Jan. 21 with Flatland Outfitters, near Lubbock, the hunters saw huge numbers of birds, but as often happens, most chose a different area to feed from where they had been the day before. Several birds were fooled, though, and the group returned to a Stonewall County ranch with three fresh birds to try.

A few hours later, the birds were cleaned and the cast iron skillet was hot.

Three simple cooking methods were sampled. The first was cooking the breasts, cut in half, with salt and pepper in olive oil and finishing with butter and garlic. The second was the same, but using a rub of favorite seasonings. The third started with frying bacon and wrapping salt and pepper coated crane pieces, then cooking in the bacon grease.

After cooking to medium rare, the three crane options were served family-style. The seasoned version was the favorite of the group, but by a slim margin.

“This is so good, my kids are going love it,” said Mike Hughs, who shot his first sandhill on the hunt. “I can’t wait to take the rest home and cook it for them.”

“It was wild — you look at the meat and wonder how it came from a bird,” said Lili Keys, who acted as the chef. “It looked just like a beef fillet.”

Keys said she could tell the crane was going to be good as she cut into it.

“It was so tender, it truly melted in your mouth,” she said.

Mike Hughs checks the crane breasts in the cast iron skillet, which were then sliced and tried family-style.

Photos by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Out in the daylight

Continued from page 1

tein my feeder released before he made it there in the evening or nighttime hours, he would show up the following morning when the feeder released more protein to eat. I literally had hundreds of game camera photos saved on my phone of this axis, as I obsessed over figuring out how to get in front of him in person.”

On his last camera card pull, Leissner realized the buck’s antlers were almost completely grown out, and it was just a matter of time before the velvet would be stripped off.

“In my experience, the axis tend to become much more unpredictable once they strip their velvet and their antlers become hard,” Leissner said. “I knew my window of opportunity for getting a shot at this deer in full velvet was dwindling quickly.”

Leissner had a hunch he might just get lucky on a morning hunt. He went with his gut feeling and decided to make the three hour drive from his house in the wee hours of the morning to the ranch the following day.

“I really didn’t have a whole lot of time, with several life obligations on my plate, so I could only commit to making one morning sit,” he said. “A lot of folks wouldn’t make that drive if they could only hunt once before having to drive back home, but I just had this feeling that I needed to

go.”

While in the blind, Leissner saw a few whitetails right at first light and started to feel like he wasn’t going to see the axis buck.

“A little after sunrise I had started to come to terms with the fact that my gut feeling was wrong, when I saw a couple of axis spikes and an axis doe walk out of the creek bottom I was overlooking,” Leissner elaborated. “The buck I was after seemed to be running with these deer, based off of the game camera pictures I had, and sure enough, a few minutes later, I saw his huge velvet antlers appear in the brush.”

The buck was fairly spooky in the calm morning air, as he came out into the open to eat.

“He kept moving around and throwing his head up like he might run off at any second,” Leissner said. “The buck finally turned and gave me a shot, and I sent a bullet down range. He looked like he was hit well, and the excitement overtook me.”

Leissner found the axis buck lying about 60 yards away.

“There was no mistaking his velvet beams sticking up above the grass,” Leissner said. “It was an amazing feeling to finally put my hands on this buck. I had never seen him in person until that day.”

er decoys each in front of the silhouettes and hunters. He also fills in the spread with an additional 4 to 6 dozen floater duck decoys.

“Body booting is not for the fair-weathered duck hunter,” Elder said. “It takes a lot of work to set up a spread the right way, and you’re constantly standing in deep water the entire time you are hunting. Anybody that wants to try it has to come to terms with the fact they will be surrounded by water, possibly up to their elbows.”

Elder said gear plays a major role in how successful hunters will be.

“You’ve got to have a good waterproof jacket to wear over your waders that keeps

Hunters are hiding behind goose silhouettes, so gray or black outer shells help them blend in with the stick-ups much better.”

Elder likes to think of body booting as a combination of snow goose hunting and timber duck hunting.

“There’s nothing like looking ducks straight in the eyeballs as they cup into the spread,” he said. “We have had a ton of success hunting divers using the technique, and have shot our fair share of puddle ducks in the process. But the jury is still out on how well it will work on bodies of water holding only puddle ducks and not divers.”

Hiding behind a large silhouette decoy helps Jeff Elder get out where the ducks are. Photo from Jeff Elder.

Winter anglers targeting stripers, sandies and crappie

By Lili Keys Lone Star outdoor newS

On Lake Texoma, Brian Prichard, of Stripers Inc, said he is always changing his methods to find and catch big striped bass.

“The fish are stacked up on their structure patterns as well as out in the deep channels,” he said.

Prichard said swimbaits are working on structure, and dead-sticking flukes is the best bet in the deeper waters.

“Some days it’s easy and the bite is on fire as soon as we get out, and others we just have to keep at it until they turn on,” he said. “But we always bring home a good mess of fish.”

On Jan. 22, Prichard took his cousin, Caitlan, fishing. They found success fishing under birds in both deep and shallow waters.

“It seemed like we did the best when we found the birds working over a shallow ledge to deep water near shore,” Prichard said.

At Lake Aquilla, near Hillsboro, crappie and catfish are the main targets for anglers right now.

Largemouth bass are fair but with the combination of stained water, localized cover and light fishing pressure,

there are some nice bass to catch, but you have to work for them. Jig and pork com bos and plastic worms are working in and around cov er.

So far in January, crappie and catfish are the best tar gets. Crappie can be found on submerged brush piles and large isolated trees, hit ting live minnows. Channel and blue catfish are caught drift-fishing flats or on trot lines set around shallow, brushy areas. Shad, cut bait and blood bait are all work ing.

On Lake Whitney, Eric Weber managed a limit of stripers with his group after a slow and chilly start.

“Once the action started, it was great,” he said. Two of the fish in the limit were 28 inches and another was 25 inches.

On Lake Grapevine, the white bass have been consis tent, but not always easy to find.

Capt. Don with Luck O’ the Irish Guide Service has been having luck using a thumper on the boat, with anglers using slabs. He said the bite has been light, testing the reflexes of fishermen, and they are often finding fish suspended in water 30 feet or deeper.

Bass guide travels to multiple lakes

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star outdoor newS

Unlike many fishing guides, Ronnie Kelley doesn’t run his bass-fishing trips on one lake. He finds purpose in showing anglers how to improve their onthe-water skills by exposing them to unfamiliar waters and teaching them how to relate what they find to their home waters.

Kelley’s guiding career originally started in his stomping grounds of East Texas, primarily on Lake Fork in 2010.

“Back during 2011 through 2013, I started exploring new waters and taking clients to South Texas, where we would fish Falcon Lake for a couple of months in the wintertime, starting in late December,” Kelley said. “I took a break from guiding after 2013, other than taking some clients back south during 2016. Then in January of 2019, I kicked my guide business back off with what I called, ‘New Year’s on the Border,’ inviting many of my old, longtime clients to come fish with me on Falcon, where I spent all of January and February of that year.”

After fishing on Falcon during the first two months

of 2019, Kelley returned to guiding on Lake Fork and returned to Falcon in early 2020.

“About a week and a half, the bite on Falcon got really tough,” Kelley admitted. “I still had about a month and a half’s worth of trips left that had been booked with me on Falcon, so I had to figure out what I could do to put these clients on fish.”

A friend had invited him fishing on Choke Canyon Reservoir at a time when Kelley had planned to cancel the rest of his trips on Falcon.

Coastal restoration efforts making progress

By Nate Skinner

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in April of 2010 is considered the largest marine oil spill in history. Since the event, coastal restoration efforts in response to this disaster have been underway since 2016, with more scheduled to continue through 2031 and beyond. Approximately $580 million has been allocated toward these efforts in Texas.

Some of the projects completed have taken place along the Texas Chenier Plain, within the Salt Bayou Marsh system. The Salt Bayou ecosystem contains the largest contiguous estuarine marsh complex in Texas. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists, the Chenier Plain landscape of freshwater to estuarine marsh, coastal prairie grasslands, tidal flats, creeks and basins, and associated aquatic vegetation, is a diverse community, creating

a productive complex for an array of inshore gamefish and wildlife.

The goal of the Salt Bayou Marsh Restoration Plan is to restore, enhance and maintain the Upper Texas Gulf Coast marsh habitat that has been deteriorating from natural and man-made causes. This deterioration was endangering the ecosystem, creating shallow open water and reducing storm water surge protection that would be provided by a healthy marsh system. The team overseeing this restoration plan consists of Ducks Unlimited, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, multiple governmental entities of Jefferson County, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and many other environmental organizations and stakeholder groups. One of the key projects completed under the Salt Bayou Marsh Restoration Plan was the installation of the Keith Lake Fish Pass Baffle. Jefferson

For Lone Star outdoor newS

Ronnie Kelley guides on a number of lakes in the state with the objective of teaching clients skills they can apply on any body of water. Photo from Ronnie Kelley.

Guide Brian Prichard, of Stripers Inc, said he has been finding striped bass by working structure or in deeper water on Lake Texoma. He recently took his cousin, Caitlin, pictured, fishing and they were able to find success despite the cold. Photo from Brian Prichard.

First female head of fly-fishing club

By Robert Sloan

For Lone Star outdoor newS

The Dallas Fly Fishing Club has been around for about 51 years and is among the biggest in Texas. And all through that time a woman had never been the president — until 2022, when Julia Bell was named president of the group.

Bell is an excellent fly fisher with International Game Fish Association records. When she attended one of the Dallas Fly Fishing club meetings, she met Cody Bell III. They hit it off, got married and have since traveled all over the world to

catch a huge variety of fish from permit to tarpon. Both are fans of fly-fishing for Texas species such as Rio Grande perch, smallmouth and largemouth bass, white bass, crappie and a variety of sunfish. Along the coast they target redfish and speckled trout.

For the most part, men heavily outnumber the women in this club.

“The club was founded in late summer of 1971, but their first truly organized meeting with a speaker and inviting the public to attend wasn’t until January 1972,” Bell said. “We, the Board, chose 2022 to be our

50th year, but recognized that it was organized and structured in 1971. That is important, especially for those who are still alive and remember.”

Bell has been a member of the club since 2004, slowly moving her way up into various positions, including vice president and now president.

“It’s a huge time commitment,” she said. “At times, what I have to do can be a headache. But for the most part, I like being president. Two of my responsibilities are to set up the board meeting and put together the club newsletter. We try to have special guests at

Bass Champs season starts on soggy note

Rain greeted anglers in East Texas at Bass Champs’ first event of the 2023 season on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Despite the conditions, 72 of 168 teams weighed in limits.

In the end, the team of Michael Fesco, of Sour Lake, and Holden Ashworth, of Vidor, came away with the $20,000 top prize with five bass weighing 23.73 pounds.

A Louisiana team finished second. Trent Manuel, of Iowa, and George Glass, of Derrider, won $6,000 for the 21.94-pound total. The team was followed by Sammy Christian, of Lumberton, and Quintin Guidry, of Beaumont, with 21.74 pounds, winning $2,200.

The big bass, an 11.66-pounder, was brought in by the team of Chris Lewis, of Hallsville, and Cedric Jackson, of Sicily Island, Louisiana.

—Bass Champs

Caron, O’Riley top Troutmasters field

Bartt Caron and Russell O’Riley were the top team at the 2023 Texas Troutmasters Tournament held out of Marker 37 Marina in Corpus Christi. The two-day event allowed two-person teams, with two fish per day weighed under a Catch, Weigh and Release format.

The team won $22,000 in cash, plus additional prizes for their two-day total of 22.79 pounds.

In second place were Billy McNeil and Sam Le, with 21.31 pounds. The team also won the top prize for the Heaviest Trout, 6.9 pounds, on day two of the event, winning a total of $11,200.

Tommy Brown and Mitchell Speed on finished third with 21 pounds, winning $4,000.

Tim Rudolph and Chris Stutz won $3,200 for the day one Heaviest Trout, a 6.64-pounder.

—Texas Troutmasters

the meetings. Dave Whitlock, one of the best fly-fishermen in the world, had come to one meeting. Sadly, he recently passed away. We’ve had Char lie Craven who is a world-class fly tier. We have also had Mer edith McCord to speak at a meeting. She has fished all over the world and has 2,241 IGFA world records.”

Bell said the club is one of the healthiest clubs in the state.

“My job as president is to help guide the club in the right direction on certain projects,” she said. “We meet on the first Monday of each month. And in between those meetings, I

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Julia Bell is an accomplished fly-fisher and recently named president of the Dallas Fly Fishing Club. Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT

ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 45 degrees; 10.02’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on live bait and soft plastics. Crappie good on jigs and minnows.

AMISTAD: Water stained; 60 degrees; 35.64’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on deep-diving crankbaits, jigs, Carolina rigs and drop shots. White and striped bass are good on bucktail jigs, spoons and lipless crankbaits. Catfish are good on cheese bait and cut shad.

ARLINGTON: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.64’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on heavy fineness jigs, Carolina rigs with a fluke and deep-diving crankbaits.

ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 44-50 degrees; 6.04’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good drifting with fresh cut shad.

ATHENS: Water clear; 51-54 degrees; 0.53’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow.

AUSTIN: Water clear; 60 degrees; 0.66’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Ned rigs, drop shots and finesse baits. Crappie and catfish are fair on minnows around brush piles. dropshot worms and finesse baits.

B.A. STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.46’ low. Largemouth bass are good on weightless flukes, lipless crankbaits and chatterbaits.

BASTROP: Water clear; 61 degrees. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on jigging spoons and Carolina rigs.

BELTON: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 13.75’ low. White bass and hybrids are fair to good on slabs with a stinger hook. Catfish are good on fresh cut bait.

BENBROOK: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 4.78’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are good on juglines and trotlines baited with chicken liver and hot dogs.

BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.58’ low. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

BRAUNIG: Water slightly stained, 64 degrees. Largemouth bass are slow. Red drum are fair on cut bait and frozen shrimp. Catfish are fair on frozen shrimp and nightcrawlers.

BROWNWOOD: Water slightly stained; 49-52 degrees; 8.32’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on cut shad.

BUCHANAN: Water lightly stained; 56 degrees; 17.34’

low. Crappie are good on chartreuse jigs. White bass and striped bass are good vertically jigging slabs. Catfish are fair on punch bait.

CADDO: Water stained; 50 degrees; 1.38’ high. Largemouth bass are fair to good on crankbaits, Alabama rigs and chatterbaits.

CALAVERAS: Water slightly stained, 62 degrees. Red drum are fair on frozen shrimp and cut bait. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on cut bait, frozen shrimp and cheese bait.

CANYON: Water clear; 57 degrees; 10.46’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits and wacky rigs

Striped bass are fair on jigging spoons and live bait.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 53-56 degrees; 3.36’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits, chatterbaits and squarebills. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 60 degrees; 24.05’ low. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on flukes and shallow crankbaits.

CONROE: Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.28’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina-rigged worms and crankbaits. White bass and hybrids are fair to good on chartreuse and white sppons. Catfish are good on catfish bubblegum, liver and punch bait.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 51 degrees.

Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits. Blue catfish are fair drifting with cut bait and spoons.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Water stained ; 62 degrees; 3.66’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits. Crappie are slow. White bass are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on soap baits, cheese bait and nightcrawlers.

EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 56 degrees; 4.41’ low. White bass are fair to good on spoons. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are fair to good on punch bait and shad.

FAIRFIELD: Water slightly stained; 56 degrees.

Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, Carolina rigs and jerkbaits.

FALCON: Water stained; 56-60 degrees; 40.28’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair to good on crankbaits, chat-

terbaits and shaky heads. Crappie are fair on chartreuse jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait..

FAYETTE COUNTY: Water lightly stained; 58 degrees; 1.00’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shad crankbaits and Texas rigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and chicken liver.

FORK: Water stained; 56-59 degrees; 5.33’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on red chatterbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are good on jigs.

FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water stained; 44-47 degrees; 6.77’ low. Catfish are good drifting cut gizzard shad.

GRANBURY: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 2.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are fair on swimbaits. Catfish are fair on small pieces of cut shad, with big blue and yellow cats being landed.

GRANGER: Water lightly stained; 53 degrees; 0.33’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Blue catfish are good on juglines baited with shad or cut bait.

GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 50 degrees; 0.35’ high. White bass are good deadsticking with jigs and small slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair drifting cut bait.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 58 degrees; 0.43’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jerkbaits, Ned rigs and shaky heads. Crappie are fair on minnows.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 53 degrees; 7.43’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina rigs, crankbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on live minnows and jigs. White bass are good in creeks on slabs. Catfish are fair on live and cut shad.

JOE POOL: Water slightly stained; 52 degrees; 0.84’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged worms and jigs.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.93’ high. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on prepared baits.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 1.27’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Alabama rigs, swimbaits and large spoons. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

LBJ: Water stained; 51 degrees; 0.29’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas or Carolina rigs. Crappie are

good on chartreuse. Catfish are good on punch bait.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 51 degrees; 1.79’ low. White bass are fair to good on flukes, small swimbaits and live bait. Catfish are good drifting cut shad or chicken breasts.

LIMESTONE: Water clear; 58 degrees; 5.31’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits and finesse jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on silver jigging spoons. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.02’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass and stripers are slow. Catfish are good drifting cut bait.

MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 1.80’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on shad lipless crankbaits and plum worms. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.

MEREDITH: Water stained; 42 degrees; 54.89’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are fair on minnows. Walleye are slow. Catfish are slow.

MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 50 degrees; 5.76’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas or Carolina rigs, football jigs and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows or small jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and cheese bait.

NACONICHE: Water clear; 55 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on squarebilled crankbait in chartreuse or gold. Catfish are slow.

NASWORTHY: Water murky; 50 degrees. 0.94’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on black and chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 55 degrees; 3.00’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas- or Carolina-rigged worms. Crappie are fair on small minnows or jigs.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 53 degrees; 23.24’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits and swim jigs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on prepared baits, cut bait and live bait.

OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 56 degrees; 11.01’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Crappie are good off lighted docks on jigs.

PALESTINE: Water lightly

stained; 50 degrees; 0.92’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs. White bass and hybrids are slow. Crappie are fair on green or chartreuse and black jigs tipped with minnows. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and small live shad.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water lightly stained; 51-55 degrees; 5.94’ low. Striped bass are good on live bait. White bass are good on slabs and live bait. Catfish are fair on cut shad.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 55 degrees; 9.13’ low.

Largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are good on whole or cut shad.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 48 degrees; 0.20’ low. White bass are excellent on slabs and jigs. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good drifting with cut bait.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 51 degrees; 1.37’ low.

Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are slow.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water clear; 50 degrees; 4.66’ low. Blue catfish are fair to good drifting with shad.

Channel catfish are fair to good on punch bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 50 degrees; 3.76’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits and Carolina rigs. White bass are running upriver and are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and minnows.

SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 57 degrees; 4.36’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on craw jigs and shad crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on juglines baited with shad.

SQUAW CREEK: Water stained. 70 degrees; 0.44’ high. Channel catfish are excellent on minnows, cut shad and punch bait.

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 11.62’ low. White bass are good on white slabs with a stinger hook.

TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 1.01’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits. Hybrid striped bass are good on swimbaits and flukes. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish are good on fresh gizzard shad, drum and buffalo. Channel catfish are slow.

TEXANA: Water stained;

n Saltwater reports Page 21

52 degrees; 1.67’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina rigs and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.76’ low. Striped bass are good on flukes and Alabama rigs. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on prepared baits.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 50 degrees; 3.44’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on bladed swim jigs, spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 58 degrees; 41.42’ low. Largemouth bass are good on small crankbaits, jerkbaits and worms.

TWIN BUTTES: Water stained. 54 degrees; 22.54’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are fair on big minnows.

TYLER: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 1.94’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow.

WACO: Water stained; 57 degrees; 11.73’ low. Crappie are fair to good on jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

WALTER E. LONG: Water clear; 56 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair to good on lipless crankbaits, senkos and worms. Hybrid striper are good on live shad and Alabama rigs.

WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 6.98’ low. Crappie are fair on jigs. Striped bass on good on slabs, swimbaits and jerkbaits.

WORTH: Water stained; 56 degrees; 2.47’ low. White bass are fair to good on spoons. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are fair on cut bait, shad and punch bait.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 5.54’ high. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair drifting with cut bait.

—TPWD

Rods built here

Continued from page 1

at a cost-competitive price.

The new and separate venture, called Composite Forge, makes blanks and even privatelabel rods for companies, including TFO, while avoiding the supply chain issues.

“Composite Forge is entirely a factory built to offer U.S. brands a ‘Made in the USA’ option,” King said. “It’s not related to TFO. The only thing we build are blanks and rods for other brands. TFO is one of those other brands.”

The 75,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will allow Composite Forge to compete head-to-head with overseas factories, King said.

A proprietary digital blank design process is used, and production process improvements dramatically improve efficiency, resulting in a reduction in time from customer ideation to product delivery.

“From a transportation standpoint, our central location will reduce new product turnaround from months to days,” King said. “We’re committed to sharing the ‘Made in the USA’ opportunity with other brands.”

Composite Forge isn’t the first company to take its rod-building in-house. St. Croix Rod, based in Wisconsin, also has a “Made in the USA” operation. But Composite Forge will be the first large-scale production facility in the U.S. that will serve multiple brands.

“We are overwhelmed with demand,” King said. “We suspected it would be well-received, but not like this. We continue to grow production to meet demand. There are lots of high-quality brands that wanted the ‘Made in the USA’ option, but we didn’t realize so many brands would be immediately interested.”

King and Penicka believe the demand will continue to increase.

“We are on plan to be the largest factory in North America,” King said.

From lake to lake

Continued from page 8

“We found a bunch of really nice fish,” Kelley said. “I immediately started making calls to my clients.”

Many of the clients changed their plans, heading to Choke Canyon.

“We had an excellent winter to start out 2020,” Kelley said. “This was the beginning of me realizing the value of showing folks that they can learn to travel to any lake and be successful.”

Kelley later became friends with guide Travis Cockerham, who was also taking his customers to Choke Canyon.

“Cockerham was based in Central Texas, and we started doing a lot of fishing together when we weren’t guiding,” Kelley said. “He helped me get familiar with a bunch of central Texas lakes, like Lake Buchanan, which allowed me to start taking clients to even more bodies of water.”

Taking clients to unfamiliar waters quickly became the style of guiding Kelley preferred.

“My goal is to develop anglers,” Kelley said. “When someone is fishing with me, I want them to be able to forget about their life’s responsibilities and obligations while we are the water, so they can learn skills which will help them consistently catch fish anywhere they go.”

Kelley relates bass fishing on any given lake to a puzzle.

“There are different pieces to every puzzle, depending on the lake,” he said. “After a day of fishing with me, I want someone to be able to identify those pieces of the puzzle that helped us catch fish, and then apply those same things on their home lake, or on any lake where they go fishing.”

Kelley also runs electronics trips, in which he gets in his client’s boat and tunes their electronics to give them the best picture of what is happening below the surface. He then walks them through all the various tools and assets their electronics have, and how he uses those features to be successful on any lake.

“I grew up bass fishing with my brother, and for as long as I can remember, fishing has been the consistent passion in my life,” Kelley said. “I started guiding under the tutelage of Lake Fork guide Jason Hoffman, and was able to travel to pretty much any East Texas lake with clients because I fished them all growing up.”

Expanding his knowledge to lakes across the state has been a game-changer.

“Challenging yourself to find success in new areas is a lot of fun, not to mention, it makes you a better angler,” Kelley said.

“And at the end of the day, I want anybody who gets on my boat to step off of my boat, a better angler than they were before.”

Marsh projects

Continued from page 8

County constructed an underwater baffle that allows small boat sport-fishing access, while reducing extreme flows and tidal influences that would otherwise continue eroding the bayou entrance’s banks and increase harmful saltwater inundation to the area’s marshes.

Another project involved the construction of a clay berm along the Gulf. This berm has succeeded in reducing and/or stopping saltwater from entering into the marshes at high tides, especially those caused by tropical storms and hurricanes.

Other projects include sand dune and beach restoration and the beneficial use of dredge materials, as well as additional projects that will increase the overall health of this important upper Texas coast marsh complex.

“The Salt Bayou Watershed Restoration Plan represents a major step in conserving Texas’ largest contiguous coastal marsh,” said Dr. Larry McKinney of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies. “Coastal marshes play a vital role in the productivity of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, because they are the nursery for the vast majority of aquatic species in

the Gulf, including gamefish that recreational anglers love to pursue. Few people understand the ecosystem contributions of marshes, and even fewer still grasp what we’ll lose if these delicate systems crash and disappear, due to preventable causes.”

Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick has long supported the Texas Chenier Plain.

“I grew up fishing in this marsh with my grandfather and uncle,” Branick said. “It is a place that outdoor, boyhood dreams are made of. Without these restoration efforts, upcoming generations would not have the same outdoor opportunities that I enjoyed in my youth. Southeast Texas would also not have the coastal protection marshlands offer, potentially allowing future tropical storms and hurricanes to reach even more devastating levels than they have in the past.”

Future plans include efforts along the coast from Galveston Bay to Baffin Bay. These projects include a variety of focuses, such as oyster recovery, healthy freshwater inflows, coastal land acquisitions, the preservation and implementation of living shorelines and improvement of water quality.

PRESENTS KINGS CREEK RANCH

360± ACRES IN KAUFMAN TX, KAUFMAN COUNTY

• Wildlife sanctuary and cattle ranch only 35 miles southeast of Dallas

• Great family ranch or hunting club opportunity

• Twelve acres of water in the form of small lakes, plus a mile of Kings Creek frontage

• Prime habitat for wood ducks, mallards, pintails, and wigeons

• Other wildlife includes whitetail deer, dove, and hogs

• No grazing or hunting activity in over five years

• Fifteen acres outside of the floodplain to accommodate permanent improvements

• Highway 34 frontage on one side, but bordered on two sides by larger ranching operations

DUCK HUNTERS RESCUED DURING ARCTIC BLAST

On Caddo Lake during the December freeze, two hunters hadn’t been heard from since the morning and were reported as overdue. Marion County game wardens were notified, along with Harrison County law enforcement. The wardens found the two hunters trapped in a duck blind after the Arctic cold front blew in and escorted them safely home.

WARDENS REMOVE 5,000 FEET OF TROTLINE

When on patrol in the Gulf of Mexico prior to the Arctic cold front, game wardens, as part of the crew of the Capt. Murchison, located and removed 5,000 feet of illegal trotline from federal waters near the Texas Clipper reef sight. One bull redfish, 10 red snapper and 25 gafftopsail catfish were returned to the waters of the Gulf.

GROUP

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER

REWARD FOR DEER POACHED AND LEFT TO WASTE

A white-tailed deer was shot on private property from the roadway and was left to waste on County Road 188 west of O’Brien, near the Knox and Haskell County line. The incident occurred in the evening of Jan. 7 or the early morning of Jan. 8.

were taken ashore and transferred to Customs and Border Protection agents for processing.

CRASH AFTER LEAVING CRIME SCENE LEADS TO BUST OF TWO TEXANS

Call Operation Game Thief with information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this illegal act. A reward is offered.

and the two men were arrested. Adams was charged with wanton destruction, taking a big game animal with an illegal caliber firearm, shooting outside legal hours, using artificial light for hunting and using a silencer or suppressor to take big game. Adams was ordered to pay $19,070 in fines and restitution. Denmon was ordered to pay $12,570 in fines and restitution. Each lost their hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for 5 years.

GEAR UP FOR GAME WARDENS HITS

MILESTONE

CAUGHT WITH 350 POUNDS OF SNAPPER

Three illegal fishermen were located 37 miles north of the Maritime Boundary. The Coast Guard interdicted the lancha crew and seized 350 pounds of illegally caught red snapper, illegal fishing gear and a lancha. The three men aboard

A Wyoming game warden received a tip from a tow truck driver who had towed a Ford F-150 that had been involved in a crash. The tow truck driver suspected foul play after seeing blood and hair in the bed of the truck. The next day, the warden inspected the pickup and discovered blood and hair consistent with antelope hair, along with numerous spent and unspent .22-caliber long rifle shell casings, a receipt for the ammunition, a laser boresight and a

rifle scope that had been purchased on Oct. 15. The warden interviewed a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper who had responded to the scene of the crash. He said the occupants, Matthew Adams and Carl Denmen, both Texas residents, claimed the blood and hair in the bed of the truck was from the coyote they had shot and put in the back of the truck for a photo. Afterward, they said they left the animal where it was killed. The tow truck driver told the game warden that Denmon had blood on his pants, and when he took them to a local hotel, he saw them unload their rifles and a cooler with blood on it. It was discovered that neither Adams nor

Denmon had ever applied for or bought any license in Wyoming.

When interviewed, Adams admitted killing one doe antelope and one buck antelope when they were driving on the evening of Oct. 15. Denmon said they killed three buck antelope. They took the heads of the antelope and some meat from one of the bucks. However, they dumped the heads and meat in the sagebrush near the crash site. Officers received warrants to search the hotel room and Adams’ iPhone, which showed two pictures of him posing with one of the bucks and his rifle. The photos had time stamps and locations. Officers located the remains of the carcasses,

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s Gear Up for Game Wardens program has reached the $3 million fundraising mark. The program, established in 2017, is used to purchase specialty equipment for Texas Game Wardens and also to fund the replacement of retiring K-9s. Since its launch, the program has received more than 1,600 donations.

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

Anthony Bond, 12, shot his first duck in flight.

Jesse Johnson took his dad, mom and wife hunting on the LBJ/Caddo National Grasslands. His dad was able to score a nice buck during the family outing.

Elowyn Stephens, 2, caught her first fish on cheddar cheese at Sheldon Lake State Park while fishing with her Pops, Dwight Brightwell

John Carr Carothers, 10, of Dallas, shot this 8-point buck after it chased two other bucks off from a feeder.

Nate Pearson, 10, shot his first deer an old, 9-point buck while hunting with his dad near Sweetwater. The buck was tracked by the boys in the hunting party and was found 1/4 mile away.

Nilgai from the saddle

Continued from page 4

method is using a saddle rig which he hangs from a tree limb, allowing him to draw on a 360-degree angle.

Unlike other regions of the Lone Star State where trees are taller and bushier, the predominant vegetation in the Rio Grande Valley is made up of thorny mesquite and huisache trees.

After scouting the area, Kirby said he chose one of the biggest mesquite trees to hang his rig that looks similar to the ones use in a zip line, but with a saddle.

As he stood about 8 feet off the ground on Jan. 13, he spotted a nilgai cow about 32 yards away around 4 p.m., then drew an arrow and hit the antelope at an angle.

Conscious of other hunters around, Kirby waited and went looking for the cow as it was getting dark.

He and his buddy, Devon Walters, looked and looked following a thick blood trail but couldn’t find it.

Kirby went back hunting Saturday morning and a flock of buzzards alerted him about something lying out there.

He found the cow. Kirby estimated it ran about 360 yards from the spot where he shot it.

Fortunately, the antelope was intact, likely due to morning temperatures of 29 degrees.

On Sunday, he decided to try another spot where he saw a bull during his scouting day on Feb. 11.

Kirby saw a bull walking toward him some 60 yards away about 8:30 a.m., but couldn’t get a shot because of the brush.

Shortly thereafter, he had a small window to shoot, he let one go, hitting the bull in the heart.

“I thought I made a bad shot,” he said as the bull ran off. “But it was a perfect one.”

Thinking of the cow he got Friday that ran so far, Kirby said he thought the bull had run a lot further. But to his surprise, he

found the bull at 10 a.m. less than 80 yards from where it took off.

The adventure wasn’t over, though. As Kirby began carefully skinning the hide to save the cape for a trophy mount, the knife slid off and cut one of his legs.

“I got three stitches later on,” he said. “I did not know a nilgai hide was so thick.”

Kirby’s hunt at the refuge was better than other hunters experienced.

An informal survey of other places revealed the season was either below average or so-so.

At the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in east Cameron County, for example, some hunters expressed frustration for

not seeing deer or nilgai after spending days in the brush.

A refuge staffer said the success rate there was about 20 percent.

The slow season was blamed on the weather and the moon.

At another refuge near Arroyo City, two bucks were taken during both the adult archery and rifle hunts.

But that is what hunting is all about and Kirby knows it. Since he began hunting with a bow 12 years ago, he said he has harvested one Boone & Crockett and four Pope & Young whitetailed bucks plus his first two nilgai.

Shane David Kirby hunts from a saddle rig to get elevated while searching for nilgai and deer.

Photo by Devon Walters.

LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER

Solution on Page 21

INDUSTRY

Barrett Firearms sold

Australian defense contractor NIOA acquired rifle design and manufacturing company Barrett Firearms.

Ammo group acquisition

Fernandez Holdings, Inc. acquired KASH CA, including brands Freedom Munitions, Ammo Load Worldwide, X-Treme Bullets, and LAX Ammunition retail locations.

New COO at Kimber

Kimber, Mfg., Inc. named Chris Klope as its chief operating officer.

Vetter takes helm at PF/QF

Marilyn Vetter was named the new president and chief executive officer of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.

Perry joins CSF

Kevin Perry joined the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation as vice president of development.

Johnson named EVP at B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S. named Phillip Johnson as executive vice president of sales and business development.

National sales manager opening

TriStar Arms, Inc. is seeking qualified individuals for the position of national sales manager

Marketing director sought

XS Sights is seeking a director of marketing.

Monster Meal sold

Fore Runner Brand Feeds, LLC acquired ownership of the Monster Meal brand of wildlife feed and attractants.

Fresh whiting salad

2 cups cooked, flaked fresh whiting

1 cup seedless red grapes, halved

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sliced almonds

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. curry powder

DOWN

1) Kent County’s seat

2) A shorebird

4) A deer sound

5) One of the swans

9) East Texas lake

10) The mesquites’ deer food

14) Shotshell brand

17) A deer-hunting state

19) Fishing hook for worm fishing

22) Ammo brand

24) Turkey call type

25) Two-legged shooting rest

28) Sutton’s county

29) Frost’s team name (two words)

30) The fast African cat

31) Texas border lake

34) Northwest Texas lake

37) The green tractor (two words)

38) Graham’s county

39) Webb County’s seat

40) The small Canada goose

42) Group of turkeys

46) The white goose

FOR THE TABLE

Pear curry and crispy duck

1 cup duck meat, sliced

1 small onion or shallot, sliced

1 pear, diced

Ground cumin, large pinch

Turmeric, large pinch

Chili powder, large pinch

Ginger - large pinches

Olive oil

Water

Gently combine all ingredients except the lettuce. Serve on leaf lettuce.

—Florida Keys Fisheries

Salt and pepper

Remove skin and any excess fat from duck meat, slice, and season with salt and pepper and set aside. Slice the onion lengthwise. Skin the pear, remove core material, and then cut into chunks no more than 1/2-inch thick. Set aside. Mix together cumin, turmeric, chili powder and ginger in small bowl. Heat olive oil in a pan and add the spice mixture, stirring rapidly to prevent burning. Continue stirring spice mixture while adding the sliced onion. Reduce heat and cook until onion is translucent. Add water to pan

(about 1 cup) and the sliced pears. Bring to the boil and stir for a couple of minutes then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the pear chunks are tender but not mushy. Add seasoning to taste. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a frying pan to fry the duck pieces until nicely browned. Remove pan from the heat, and allow the meat to rest for a few minutes. Serve duck on top of dished fruit curry and over rice.

—Wisconsin

Puzzle by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News

ARKANSAS

Winter duck number up

According to the annual midwinter waterfowl survey, the number of mallards in the Delta region of Arkansas hit a 4-year high during aerial observations conducted in early January.

The aerial survey took place after the influx of Arctic air in late December and in conjunction with the massive amounts of rainfall during the survey period, Jan. 2-5. Observers estimated 929,248 mallards and more than 1.74 million total ducks on transect lines in east Arkansas. Not only was this the highest mallard population recorded during the midwinter survey since 2018, it was the second-highest since 2010. Total duck population estimates also exceeded 1.5 million for the first time in any survey since December 2011.

Arctic goose population estimates totaled 1,693,343 light (lesser snow and Ross’s) geese and 618,925 greater white-fronted geese in the Delta as well.

—AGFC

FLORIDA Dangerous snake importers busted

On Jan. 12, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement filed charges against eight individuals, ranging from second degree misdemeanors to third-degree felonies related to the illegal trafficking of venomous and prohibited snakes.

The FWC had been receiving intelligence reports and complaints indicating that a black market exists for the sale and purchase of illegal and highly dangerous venomous reptiles in Florida. In 2020, the FWC initiated a long-term investigation with undercover investigators to determine the extent of this illegal activity and hold violators accountable.

Over the course of the investigation, nearly 200 snakes, consisting of 24 species from seven different regions of the globe, were purchased or sold by FWC undercover investigators to or from wildlife traffickers. Some of those species include the inland taipan, bushmaster, rhinoceros viper, African bush viper, Gaboon viper, green mamba, eyelash viper, multiple species of spitting cobra, forest cobra, puff adder and saw-scaled vipers.

Much of the illegal activity was initiated on specialized websites or closed social media pages. Once these black-market deals were arranged, violators transitioned to in-person meetings where they arranged to buy or sell potentially deadly species to undercover officers. Some of these individuals included wholesale dealers who imported large shipments of nonnative venomous snakes from multiple countries around the world.

—FWC

NORTH DAKOTA Record burbot caught

Shane Johnson of Minot, landed a 41 3/4inch burbot from the Garrison Tailrace Jan. 4 that weighed 19 pounds, 4 ounces, a state record.

Locally called a ling, the fish is a freshwater cod species known by numerous other names, including eelpout, lawyer and mariah.

Fishing in the Garrison Dam Tailrace on Wednesday night, Jan. 4, with Brandon Gullickson of Minot, Johnson landed a behemoth burbot that measured 41 3/4 inches and weighed 19 pounds, 5 ounces.

The existing state record is an 18-pound, 4-ounce fish caught June 4, 1984, in the Knife River by Orland Kruckenberg, of Hazen. —NDGF

OKLAHOMA Fly-fishing icon dies

Dave Whitlock, a world-renowned fly-fisherman, writer and photographer, died after suffering a massive stroke while working on his boat next to his casting pond. He was 88. Whitlock’s first published piece was in Field & Stream in 1968. He wrote and illustrated six books—several of which are considered “bibles” by fly fishermen—and co-authored or contributed to dozens of others.

He was inducted into five halls of fame and was named by Fly Fisherman Magazine one of its “50 Most Influential Fly Fishers in the Last 5 Decades”.

Whitlock wrote and illustrated the “L.L. Bean Fly-Fishing Handbook” in 1983, ran the company’s fly-fishing schools in the 1980s and consulted on the selection of the fly-fishing equipment the company sold.

—Staff report

LOUISIANA Miguez honored by NSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation recognized Louisiana Republican state Rep. Blake Miguez as the 2022 NSSF State Legislator of the Year for his determined commitment to protect the firearm industry against discrimination.

Miguez sponsored an Industry Protection Bill in 2020 that protected members of the firearm industry against being forcibly closed by state or local government officials during declared emergencies and disasters. He also sponsored bills including carrying firearms for self-defense in churches, state firearm law preemption and restoration of Second Amendment rights for non-violent offenses.

An accomplished shooter, Miguez finished 5th in the 2022 IPSC World Shoot in Thailand in November 2022 and helped Team USA claim the Silver Medal. He has previously been the International Practical Shooting Confederation World Champion and is one of the world’s best pistol competitive shooters over the last two decades.

—NSSF

Back to the original

Continued from page 4

commissioned its carver to create an anatomically correct “steering” landing position for even more realism. The wings are white on one side and black on the other. They have no feathers or other definition, thus providing a better flash to attract ducks.

During a few days of hunting in Arkansas in December 2022, our hosts pulled out their trusty spinning-wing decoys each day. As usual, they worked and didn’t work. Ducks are fickle. But that’s part of the fun, and Mojo’s new, updated decoy will continue to add to that enjoyment in the coming seasons.

Photo from Mojo Outdoors

TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT

SABINE LAKE: 60 degrees. Speckled trout and a few redfish are fair to good on morning glory soft plastics and shrimp under a popping cork. Black drum are fair on live shrimp on Carolina rigs.

BOLIVAR: 61 degrees. Speckled trout on fair on shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish are fair on shrimp under popping corks and burner shad plastics.

PORT O’CONNOR: 62 degrees. Speckled trout are good outside of the jetties on live shrimp and rootbeer-colored artificial shrimp. Redfish are fair to good on sardines and live shrimp.

ROCKPORT: 60 degrees. Redfish are good on live mullet and soft plastics. Speckled trout are good on soft plastics and top-waters. Black drum are good on dead shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: 60 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good off the jetties on live shrimp. Redfish are fair in the bay on crab fish bites and shrimp.

TRINITY BAY: 64 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair to slow on live shrimp under popping corks.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: 63 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair but scattered on split tails and twitch baits.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: 63 degrees. Speckled trout are fair drifting with soft plastics and live shrimp.

TEXAS CITY: 60 degrees. Black drum are fair on live crab. Speckled trout are fair on shrimp and slow-moving artificials.

FREEPORT: 62 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on scented plastics under a popping cork. Black drum are fair on live and dead shrimp.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 62 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are slow due to fog, wind and tides.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 62 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are slow due to fog, wind and tides.

CORPUS CHRISTI: 66 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are slow. Black drum are fair on crab fish bites.

BAFFIN BAY: 63 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair on shrimp under a popping cork when winds allow.

PORT MANSFIELD: 62 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair to good over potholes and soft plastics and scented plastics under popping corks.

SOUTH PADRE: 66 degrees. Speckled trout are good but small on red and white soft plastics. Redfish are fair drifting the shoreline with soft plastics.

PORT ISABEL: 66 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics. Black drum are fair on shrimp.

—TPWD

Head of the group

Continued from page 9

put in a lot of time on things we can do as a club. And I like getting us involved in community projects. One is bug sampling in the creeks. That gives us a good idea of how healthy the water is. Our members are not afraid to help with various projects.”

The club also organizes floating and camping trips where you can fish from the bank or use a canoe or kayak. In the community they help school kids learn how to fly-fish and tie flies. They also do some work with senior citizens.

“A big part of what we do in the community is to teach people of any age group basic fly-fishing skills,” she said.

Does she see herself being president for several more years?

“Typically, the president serves two years,” Bell said. “But I’m going on my third year now... this will probably be my last.”

Puzzle solution from Page 18

JANUARY 28-29

TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOWS

Abilene Convention Center (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com

FEBRUARY 1

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Tri-County Hereford Dinner

Hereford Country Club (806) 240-1184

ducks.org

FEBRUARY 3

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION

Victoria Banquet Victoria Community Center (361) 649-4751 rmef.org

FEBRUARY 4

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

Houston Banquet

Houston Distributing Company (713) 515-7796

nwtf.org

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Mexia Dinner

The Cowboy Club (254) 625-1111 ducks.org

AUSTIN SCI

Hunters Heritage Banquet Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Event Center sciaustin.org

FEBRUARY 11

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Red River Valley Dinner Gainesville Civic Center (940) 390-0081 ducks.org

FEBRUARY 11-12

TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOWS

Fredericksburg Fairgrounds (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com

FEBRUARY 13

DALLAS SAFARI CLUB DSC 100 Volunteer Party Empire Room Dallas biggame.org

FEBRUARY 17

COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Texas State Banquet Texas Ski Ranch, New Braunfels (713) 626-4222 ccatexas.org

FEBRUARY 17-18

TEXAS DEER ASSOCIATION

Antler Extravaganza

Kalahari Resort, Round Rock (512) 499-0466 texasdeerassociation.com

FEBRUARY 18

MULE DEER FOUNDATION Parker County Banquet

Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo Grounds, Weatherford (817) 565-7121 muledeer.org

FEBRUARY 23

COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Saltgrass Banquet Winnie Stowell Community Building (409) 782-7934 ccatexas.org

FEBRUARY 24

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION Smith County Hunters Gala The Orchard at Martins Pecanville, Bullard (903) 724-1853 nwtf.org

FEBRUARY 25

DELTA WATERFOWL

Lamar County Banquet

Love Civic Center, Paris (903) 249-2380 deltawaterfowl.org

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION

Hill Country Banquet

Pedrotti’s Ranch, Helotes (210) 854-5093 rmef.org

FEBRUARY 23-25

RICHARDS OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Waterfowl Photography Workshop (210) 218-4375 richardsoutdoorphotography.com

FEBRUARY 25-26

TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOW

Kerrville Expo Hall (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com

TEXAS FLY FISHING AND BREW FESTIVAL

Mesquite Convention Center, Mesquite txflyfishingfestival.org

FEBRUARY 28-MARCH 19

HOUSTON LIVESTOCK AND RODEO

Ranching and Wildlife Expo and Auction

NRG Center, Houston (832) 667-1000 rodeohouston.com

MARCH 2

SAN ANTONIO SCI Chapter Banquet Aggie Park Brant Center, San Antonio info@scifsanantonio.com

MARCH 4

SAN ANGELO SCI

Banquet and Auction

First Financial Pavillion sanangelosci.com

Able's Sporting Goods

Huntsville |936-295-5786

Ally Outdoors Midland |432-203-3661

Alpine Range

Fort Worth |817-478-6613

Apache Rifle Works Comfort |830-995-3894

Ark-La-Tex Guns & More

Gilmer |903-680-4867

Athena Gun Club

Houston |713-461-5900

BPS Outfitters

Sherman|903-892-2227

BTO Range & Training Center

Conroe|936-588-3333

Burdett and Son Outdoor College Station |979-695-2807

Carroll's Gun Shop

Wharton |979-532-3175

Clay Shooters Supply

Dallas |214-347-4913

Collectors Firearms

Houston |713-781-1960

Defender Outdoors

Fort Worth|817-935-8377

Dury's Guns San Antonio |210-533-5431

East Texas Pawn

Lufkin |936-639-3322

Fehner & Son

Gonzales |830-672-3710

Field & Streams Sporting Goods

San Angelo |325-944-7094

Fun Guns Waco |254-755-0080

Gordy & Sons Outfitters

Houston |713-951-0100

Guard & Defend Firearms

Silsbee |409-201-9468

Hootens

Emory |903-473-8788

Johnny's Sport Shop

Eagle Lake |979-234-3516

Magnolia Hunting Supply

Magnolia |281-766-1045

C4 RANCH - WHITETAIL & EXOTIC HUNTS

Cull, Management & Trophies up to 300” Duval County, TX

High Fenced & MLD Managed 10+ Years Vernon Carr (361) 774-2442

WHITETAIL + HOGS

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Doe, management bucks and hog hunts

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

TDHA - JOIN TODAY

Texas Dove Hunters Association

TexasDoveHunters.com

(210) 764-1189

DOS HERMANOS RANCH

Trophy Whitetails & Exotics

On 4000 acres near San Angelo, TX doshermanosranch.com

Jake at (208) 477-9065

PATAGONIA ARGENTINA

RED STAG HUNTS

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Trophy and management packages available. (210) 748-9392

WHITETAIL DEER FOR YOUR HIGH FENCED RANCH Buy with confidence from a Certified Herd. Whitetail deer to stock your high fenced ranch with superior and enhanced genetics. Stocker bucks and doe with exceptional pedigrees bred to produce 200” Whitetail deer. Contact THE 3 AMIGOS RANCH. Frank Marino at (214) 212-7035 and Anthony Campagna at (214) 212-9292

TEXAS TROPHY WHITETAILS Axis, Blackbuck, Hogs Free range whitetail and exotic hunts in Sonora, TX www.HuntTexasWhitetails.com

(717) 512-3582

ANTLERS WANTED Buying all species, all conditions. Looking for large quantities Call Del (830) 997-2263

QUAIL HUNTING

Guided-Self Guided-Training 700 yard RANGE PoetryShootingClub.com (214) 728-2755

DUVAL COUNTY South Texas Dove Hunting 65 acres, Lodging RV Power Available Huntershilton.com for more info

(361) 244-0544 or (361) 443-9330

FISHING

BAY FISHING

6 Hour Trip from $275 Port Isabel, TX (956) 551-1965

23FT FORMULA CUDDY CABIN DEEP V I/O

LIKE NEW 2014 NEWWATER showroom condition, stored indoors, 9 ft. T-Top, Front & rear casting platforms, Raised Console, Livewell, 90 HP Yamaha 4 stroke motor, less than 40 hrs. Located in Port Mansfield. $49,500 Call Capt. Steve (956) 492-8472

MISC

GUN/ACCESSORIES FOR SALE

Weatherby Vanguard bolt-action 270 Win. Pelican Vault Single Gun Case Vortex Viper HS Scope Call David (214) 909-2747

SKID STEER BRUSH CUTTING / HYDRO AX

McBride's Gun

Austin |512-472-3532

McQueeney Gun Club New Braunfels |830-609-8891

Modern Pawn & Gun Corpus Christi |361-993-9390

Mumme's Hondo |830-426-3313

North Texas Piggin Products McKinney |214-837-1994

Oakwood Outfitters

Oakwood |903- 545-2825

Oasis Outback Uvalde |830-278-4000 Outdoorsman San Angelo |325-947-8859

Parker County Gibson Products Weatherford |817-594-8711

Ray's Hardware & Sporting Goods

Dallas |214-747-7916

Riflegear The Colony |972-292-7678

SK ARMS

Flowermound |972-628-6200

Midland|432- 704-5127

Sportsman's Finest

Austin |512-263-1888

Spring Guns & Ammo

Spring |281-288-7000

NEED ARCHERY RANGE?

www.TexasArchery.info

AXIS HIDES Tanned axis hides Axis pillows / gbroach@ktc.com

(830) 896-6996

EXOTICS + WHITETAIL

Several species Trophy and meat hunts Owner guided Very reasonable Let’s have fun!

(325) 475-2100

Excellent condition Stored indoors, Fully equipped and ready to go as is $5,599.00 rustynailranch7599@outlook.com (903) 390-5466

BAFFIN BAY ADVENTURE

Offshore, Nearshore Fishing and Bay fishing at its best! Come enjoy the beauty of Baffin Bay and surrounding areas. Reasonable prices and family oriented! (361) 371-1857

All your clearing needs, right-of-ways, senderos, creek & river bottoms, fence lines etc. South Texas Call Frank (512) 699-5381

LAWN BOY TILLER

5HP Briggs & Stratton Runs Great $250 (830) 708-7160

Superior Outfitters

Longview |903-212-2200

Tyler |903-617-6141

Texan Guns and Gear

Stephenville |254-965-9099

Texas Gun Experience

Grapevine|817-285-0664

Texian Firearms

Houston|346-775-8363

Trinity Armory

Cleveland|281-659-2800

Wings & Whitetails

Carthage|903-693-6129

Xtreme Guns & Ammo

Richmond|832-363-3783

PERFECTLY SIMPLE - PERFECTLY DEADLY

Everything you need in a thermal rifle scope and nothing you don’t.

MSRP: $4999

BOARMASTER 40

OARMASTER

MSRP: $3149

Fusion Thermal Exclusive Features

Micro Click Focus Leave the Collars to the Dogs

Getting your target into focus quickly and easily is a must, and you won’t find a better system than our Micro Click Focus. Our tactile focus knob is conveniently located on top of the front lens, and unlike the dog collar design used by our competitors you won’t need to perform a circus act just to focus your scope. Plus, you’ll always get your best shot as the micro click adjustments put you on the perfect focus point every time.

ARCLIGHT Ultra HD Germanium Lens High Purity for Maximum Energy

The single most expensive component of a well-crafted thermal is its germanium lens. If you skimp here, you’re not even in the game. Our high purity ArcLight Ultra HD Germanium Lens is the crowning jewel of our technology package. It perfects the task of collecting and funneling infrared energy into the thermal sensor unhindered by distortion. This clean transition results in an infrared energy dump that unleashes the full potential of our WAVE thermal sensor delivering a user experience well beyond expectations.

KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) Menu Industry’s Easiest Menu System

We think you’re really going to like our menu; it uses words, English words. Written for Americans by Americans. That’s why we called it KISS. You’ve heard the phrase, and at Fusion Thermal it’s the reason we can make the industry’s boldest statement: Our operating system is so easy to use you’ll likely never read the instructions.

T3 Control System

Don’t Let Your Fingers Get Lost in the Dark

Our highly intuitive three button control system with center tower makes using your scope simple and easy. Every command is at your fingertips, and the Center Tower evenly splits the control panel, so you’ll never be confused about what button you’re going to press. We thought this a particularly good idea since you’ll be using it in the dark most of the time.

WAVE Thermal Sensor Same Money, Better Performance

Is it possible for one thermal scope to dramatically outperform everything else in its class? Yes, so don’t make the mistake of shopping by specifications alone or you just might get burned. Our WAVE thermal sensors push the limit of what is technically possible and set the standard for image quality, ruggedness, and long life. So, before you plop down your hard-earned cash make sure you do a side-by-side to any similarly priced competitive alternative. We think you’ll find the difference to be clearly obvious.

XGEN Alloy Housing

Plastic is for toys. Metal is for tools. It’s a fact, thermals produce heat, and heat is the enemy of all thermal devices. If you don’t get the heat out operational performance will degrade, and long-term internal damage is a certainty. Our XGEN (Next Generation Alloy Body) shields your expensive investment in a metal clad of armor, and our high-end AL6082 Conductive Structural Alloy displaces heat at an astounding 71,900% better than plastic. You don’t think of your thermal as some cheap plastic toy. Why should it be built like one?

Available at fine retailers all across the Great State of Texas

BOARMASTER 55XR Premium 640 Sensor

OARMASTER