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September 14, 2012
Membership privileges Join a fi shing club for private water access.
September 14, 2012
Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper
Dove opener brings mixed success
Inside
❘❚ FISHING
Lucky #30,000 Guide catches 30,000th fish on his boat. Page 11
New lake for anglers Lake Naconiche open for business. Page 11
❘❚ HUNTING
Teal rising Early teal prospects excellent.
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TPWD budget Where is your money being spent? Page 38
❘❚ CONTENTS
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Volume 9, Issue 2
Cool front, north winds scatter birds in some areas By John Keith
Lone Star outdoor newS Like a holiday, the first of September brings plenty of hunters to the fields and many dove hitting the dirt. But Tropical Storm Isaac may have had a negative impact on what shaped up to be an above-average opener. “I think Isaac, with all the wind that came out of the north, pushed some birds off of us,” said Forrest Armke of Ford Ranch in Menard County. “Where power lines had been solid with dove before, there would only be eight or 10 birds.” Despite the poorly timed change in weather, Armke said some hunters still had good luck. “It was spotty, but good, and most people got their limits,” he said. “Some places were outstanding, and some not so good.” Armke said hunters filled
about 10 percent of their bag with whitewings, and the rest were mourning dove. The best hunting was before sundown. “The main event is the last hour,” he said. “We may hunt a little bit all day, but the best hunting here is the last hour in the afternoon.” Farther east, Robert Steenbeke of 1A Hunting echoed the report of inconsistent action. “In Lacy Lakeview, the mornings were slow, but the afternoons were great,” he said. “It’s a pass-shoot on the whitewings that live in Waco — when they go out in the mornings they go out real high, and in the afternoon they have the extra ounce of food in them and they fly lower.” Steenbeke also had hunters in Frost, located in Navarro County, targeting birds over milo stubble. See DOVE OPENER, Page 20
BIRDS AND GRINS: Waylan Owens of Boerne smiles after he downs a bird opening weekend. The hunting was spotty in areas of the state thanks to a cold front and an abundance of food and water. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Classifi eds . . . . . . . . . Page 36 Crossword . . . . . . . . . Page 25 Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 For the Table. . . . . . . . Page 25 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes. . . . . . . . . . . Page 16 Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 36 Outdoor Business . . . . . Page 37 Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 17 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 18 Sun, Moon and Tide data . . Page 25
Year-round crossbows By Conor Harrison
❘❚ LSONews.com
Lone Star outdoor newS
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210
Easy to shoot. Longer hunting season. New challenge. All of the above are reasons some Texas hunters are switching to cross-
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
See CROSSBOWS, Page 26
A FREE MEAL: Dolphins, like this one that snatched a red snapper after the fish had been released, can be a headache for coastal anglers trying to bring fish up from the bottom. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.
Don’t eat my fish! “Flipper” a major headache for offshore anglers
By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS
The big boat pulled up to a wreck in 250 feet of water off of Freeport.
“This is a great spot if the dolphins aren’t here,” yelled Capt. Kenneth Doxey from the tuna tower. “If they show up, See FLIPPER, Page 22
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HUNTING
Looking toward teal
Early migrators offer fast and furious shooting By John Keith
Lone Star outdoor newS Waterfowlers who want to knock off some rust before the full duck season opens can turn to early teal season for practice. For Wharton County guide Bill Sherrill, the opener can’t come soon enough. “To be conservative, I saw 10,000 teal this morning, which is strong,” he said. “It’s mostly all bluewings, but there are some greenwings, and more pintails than you’d think.” Sherrill follows a simple rule GOOD GROUP: Hunters with access to shallow ponds or flooded fields are reporting higher numbers of teal than waterfowlers in other areas. Photo by Backwater Waterfowl.
to attract the ducks. “They’re waterfowl, so if you don’t have any water, then you don’t have any waterfowl,” he said. “I have 700 acres of water, and have been running four wells at one time for more than a week.” The dry conditions in states north of Texas have Sherrill looking forward to the early season. “It ought to be a real strong season because there’s no water above us,” he said. “And with bluewings up 20 percent from last year, whoever has water is going to be covered up.” To keep the birds around throughout teal season, Sherrill has a strategy. “You have to try and hunt so as not to run the birds off,” he said. “The trick is to get in and out as fast as you can because
that does the least amount of damage, and then the pond can rest.” The speed of teal, along with their willingness to decoy, are two of Sherrill’s favorite things about the birds. “They’re so friendly, they just come right in,” he said. “If we ever need a kitchen in our blind, then I’m quitting hunting. “If you don’t have your teal in the first hour, you might as well pick up because they’re through.” Farther north, Lance Stancik of Backwater Waterfowl in La Grange is also seeing solid numbers of teal. “A lot of birds are sitting in second crop rice, as they usuSee TEAL, Page 14
Dove season in Texas
It’s a time to sit in the shade, knock down a few birds with friends before knocking back a couple of cold drinks at the camphouse after the hunt. Dove season in Texas is all about family and friends enjoying the outdoors. The first two weeks of the Texas season has seen mixed results, with lots of birds but also lots of food and water. Some people reported great action on opening weekend, while others struggled for shots. By the second week of the season, some success was still being reported, but many of the birds are already flying higher and moving to less pressured fields. A few more cold fronts to push birds south will help replenish the hunting areas as the season progresses. Photos by David J. Sams, LSON.
Shining a light on predator hunting Pros and cons of red vs. white By John Keith
Lone Star outdoor newS For years, varmint hunters have utilized red lights to spotlight predators at night without spooking the animals. But new techniques are challenging the normal strategies of
nighttime lighting. Chris Robinson, of Sherman, is a member of the Carnivore Night Crew which produces television shows and DVDs on predator hunting, hunts purely with white lights. “Everybody, when they get into night hunting, has got to drink the red Kool-Aid at one time or
BRIGHT LIGHT: Using white light up to 70 million candle power, the Carnivore Night Crew has had no trouble staying away from red lights. Photo by Carnivore.
another,” he said. “If these guys saw how much white light we got on these animals, they’d never hunt with a red spotlight again.” Robinson said the crew wanted a way to film better at night, which
led to trying a white spotlight. “We said we’re going to call one up and he’s either going to run out of the country, or run into the truck,” he said. “And the first coyote we called up acted like he never
even noticed the light.” The team did notice a higher number of animals pulling up on the edge of the fields, but due to the bright white lights, they found it wasn’t an issue. “With the ones hanging up because it wasn’t being filtered, the shooter had enough light to see the animal through the scope and have a shot,” he said. “While those guys with red lights are limited to 100 to 150 yards shooting, we have 60 to 70 million candle power on these animals. If they hang up at 300 yards it doesn’t matter, they’re going in the truck.” Robinson said they saw about a 50 percent increase in kills once they started using the white lights, because the hunters could see so See PREDATOR, Page 24
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Counties stepping up feral hog eradication efforts
GET THE HOGS OUT: Many Texas counties are offering hunters and trappers incentives to reduce feral hog numbers. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.
Counties across Texas are buying into the Texas Department of Agriculture Hog Out County Grant Program designed to make a concerted effort to reduce feral hogs in their areas. Last week, Hays and Caldwell counties became the latest to apply for the program, with Hays County commissioners approving $1,500 for a bounty program. The county, in conjunction with Plum Creek Watershed Partnership, will pay $2 per tail for any hogs killed in the county. “We developed a plan for the protection of the Plum Creek watershed and hog control is a part of that plan,” said Nick Dornak, Plum Creek Watershed coordinator. “Hog Out is a good program to help counties with eradication efforts. When we introduced the program,
we thought we needed an incentive. That is where the bounty came in.” Dornak presented his idea to the commissioners, and they agreed to put up the bounty. “It will run October through December, and the more hogs we get, the higher we can go in the grant competition,” Dornak said. More than 20 counties participated in the Hog Out program last year, and Hardeman County won the grant incentive program with 2,047 total hogs killed. The top five counties shared a $60,000 grant last year, and the top three in this year’s program will split $45,000 in grants to go toward hog eradication and educational efforts. “We take harvest information and put that into a database so we can better under-
stand the problem,” Dornak added. Hays County Extension Agent Richard Parrish said the Hays County program is a partnership between the county and Plum Creek Watershed Partnership. “Aside from the bounty program, we are planning educational efforts to teach people about feral hogs, diseases they transmit, and the laws and regulations regarding them,” Parrish said. “Ultimately, we hope to see 750 hogs harvested out of Hays County.” The 2013 Hog Out County Grant Program is currently accepting notice of intent participation forms from counties that wish to participate. For more information, call (512) 936-2450.
— Staff report
September 14, 2012
New shooting facility nears opening North Texas hunters and gun enthusiasts will have a new excuse to go shooting soon — in a spacious and comfortable atmosphere to boot. The Frisco Gun Club and Academy is set to open in 2013, boasting 43,000 square feet of building space. Ray Symons, CHL instructor at the DFW Gun Range and Training Center, said the new location is going to be something special. “We’re going to have 40 shooting lanes, with 36 of them being handgun lanes, and four long-gun rifle lanes,” he said. “We will even have a café where you can get something to eat.” The club will also have 7,000 feet dedicated to retail supplies for members, with gunsmiths on site, in addition to a 100-person training room and a member’s lounge. “There’s a lot of space to relax in; it’s not built tight,” he said. “There are plenty of places to sit, relax and talk to each other, and just enjoy fellowship and companionship in a friendly environment.” Membership benefits include a T-shirt, one free handgun rental per year, and reduced rates for ammo and gun rental. Base individual membership starts at $225. The club is being constructed on the corner of El Dorado Parkway and Research Road. — Staff report
New rules being considered for CWD areas Chronic Wasting Disease is making a lot of people in Texas nervous. State wildlife officials say more deliberation is needed before new rules are adopted governing Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s regulatory response to the detection of CWD in Texas. Consideration of proposed rules restricting deer movement in the CWD-affected area of far West Texas will be delayed until the TPWD Commission’s November meeting. “Because this is a very dynamic process involving a complex disease, our approach to proposed rules regarding unnatural deer movement is one of caution,” said Mitch Lockwood, TPWD big game program director. “The consensus among our CWD task force is that additional measures need consideration beyond what we originally proposed.” Proposed rules being considered would limit permitted deer movement into or from areas in which CWD has been discovered as well as areas for which there is a moderate to high probability that the disease exists undetected. In addition to permitted movement restrictions, officials will be collecting samples from hunter harvested mule deer for CWD testing. All mule deer harvested in the CWD Containment Zone of El Paso, Hudspeth, and Culberson counties during the upcoming mule deer season, Nov. 23-Dec. 9, must be inspected by officials at mandatory hunter check stations and tested for CWD. Mandatory check stations will be set up at the Van Horn Convention Center and at Mae’s Café in Cornudas. Also, hunters in the surrounding High Risk Zone are encouraged to submit their harvested deer for CWD testing at voluntary check stations in Bakersfield, Midland, Alpine and Sanderson, scheduled to be open during all three weekends of the general mule deer season. TPWD plans to post all test results on the agency’s website as soon as results are received from Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. — TPWD
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EMILEE BROWN of Granbury took this 8-point bu near Lometa wh ck last season ile hunting with in Lampasas Co her grandfathe from her pink Th unty r. Emilee took ompson Center the buck with on Pro Hunter .22deer she has ta e shot 250 at 145 ya ken. rds. It was the third
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Myths/ impact of snakebites By John R. Meyer
For Lone Star Outdoor News By noon, a perfect opening morning dove hunt was drawing to a close. Besides a decent amount of shooting action, word had spread of the added excitement of a rattlesnake encounter. Bill (not his real name) stopped to check out the decapitated snake on his way back to the shade where lunch was set up. “I reached down to pick up the head, and right as my hand made a shadow that crossed the eyes, it just spontaneously closed its mouth on my finger,” he said. A reflexive bite, as it is sometimes called, injected a significant amount of venom into his right index finger. The day’s hunt was over, but the real adventure was just getting started. Within hours, a large dark blister had formed. A couple of days later, the skin on the back of his index finger started to fall off. If a bite results from a venomous snake encounter, things can get complicated in a hurry. Tradition and lore
have preserved several do-it- BAD BITE: Getting bitten by a snake can be painyourself remedies ful, but steps taken after the bite can determine for snakebites. how serious the damage becomes. Photo by John At best, most are Meyer, for LSON. simply ineffective, according to it’s either too tight or too health care professionals that loose. treat snake bites. At worst, Electrical shock is another a few are potentially more method that has made the harmful than the bite itself. rounds over the years — picThe days of using a razor ture everything from a cattle blade to make a cut near prod to an extension cord the fang puncture and suck- with the insulation skinned ing the poison out orally off the end. Hopefully, the are mostly gone. As long mental image of a buddy as “True Grit” reruns are coming to your aid with around though, this method either of these is self-explanaremains in the public’s tory. Local tissue damage can psyche. A dirty knife, as well result from electrical burns, as errant cutting pose much increasing healing time. more of a threat than the The purported neutralpotential benefit. Scientific ization of the venom by the journals universally agree electricity has never been that there is no evidence of shown to occur. In contrast, actually getting any venom the negative effect of electriout this way — it is long cal shock on normal heart gone into the blood stream. function has been well docuTourniquets theoretically mented. slow the spread of venom. The do-it-yourself techHowever, it is practically nique hanging on with the impossible to apply the pre- most tenacity is probably cise amount of force nec- the negative pressure sucessary to accomplish this tion device — something like without causing harm by a syringe with the end cut off denying the rest of the limb circulation. In other words, See SNAKEBITES, Page 23
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Waterfowling book looks at Texas’ hunting history By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News
If you are a fan of waterfowl hunting in Texas, this book needs to be on your coffee table at home or in the office. “A Hundred Years of Texas Waterfowl Hunting, The Decoys, Guides, Clubs, and Places, 1870s to 1970s,” by R.K. Sawyer, combines great photography of the past with a well-written history of Texas waterfowl hunting. Interviews with numerous “oldtimers” who celebrated the finest duck-hunting days Texas has ever seen lend credibility to the book. From the days of trained steers getting hunters into the marsh to sink box blinds to live decoys
Suppressors now legal for hunting Silence in the woods is golden. On Sept. 1, a new regulation allowing hunters in the state of Texas to use suppressors while pursuing game animals went into effect. With the passage of the new rule by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission on March 30, Texas became the second state in 2012 to legalize suppressor use while hunting. In 2012, similar measures were also passed legislatively in Arizona and Oklahoma. “These devices are already legal for hunting exotic animals, including feral hogs, and there is no resource- or enforcement-related reason to prohibit these devices for hunting alligators, game animals or game birds,” said Scott Vaca, TPWD assistant chief of wildlife enforcement, in a statement. Contrary to popular belief, suppressors, also referred to as silencers, do not render gunshots inaudible. However, often times they do reduce the report of a firearm to safe levels, helping to protect the shooter and those nearby from permanent hearing damage. In order for a civilian to purchase a suppressor, they must live in one of the 39 states that allow civilian ownership. All applicants must submit an ATF Form 4, in duplicate, to the National Firearms Act Branch of the ATF for each suppressor purchased. A Form 4, or Application for Tax Paid Transfer and Registration of Firearm, includes a stringent background check that is conducted by the FBI. In addition, applicants must submit a $200 payment for the transfer tax, duplicate copies of passport photos and fingerprints, and receive a signoff from a chief law enforcement officer (CLEO) in their jurisdiction. From start to finish, this transfer process takes anywhere from 30 days to one year to complete. — Staff report
New hunting section on weather.com Checking the weather while planning a hunting trip just got a little easier. A new hunting section has been created at weather.com, along with an update of its fishing section. The section, at weather.com/ sports-rec/hunting-fishing/main, offers relevant news and information, as well as the most reliable weather forecasts for all your favorite locations to hunt or fish. What time is sunrise? Will it rain? When is high tide? When will wildlife be active? The new section includes a forecast with detailed weather data, including temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, hourly and day-part forecasts, as well as sunrise, sunset and moon phases. Gear guides, hunting videos and photos are also located on the site. — The Weather Channel
to marsh buggies, this 400page book covers the gamut of what waterfowling used to look like. Like the inside cover of the book says, “gleaned from interviews with sportsmen and guides of decades past as well as meticulous research in news archives, Sawyer’s vivid documentation of Texas’ deep-rooted waterfowl hunting tradition is accompanied by a superb collection of historical and modern photographs.” And those photographs are what really set this book apart. Game wardens will have a laugh thinking about the
tickets some of these hunters would incur today as they proudly displayed their harvests after the hunt. Several hundred ducks were not uncommon for a day’s hunt during many eras covered in the book. Here at Lone Star Outdoor News, our favorite part of the book was looking at old photographs of the places we love to hunt each season — the Trinity River, the Port Bay Club along the midcoast and the Katy Prairie, to name a few. What an adventure it must have been a hundred years ago to load up for the day and come in late that night
with several hundred ducks! We also enjoyed how the book covered the complete Texas waterfowl scene — from duck hunting the coast and East Texas Pineywoods to goose hunting the Texas prairies. Sawyer gives great first-hand accounts from the people who were there. We recommend this book as an addition to the library of any serious waterfowler or history buff who wants to see what the past really looked like. The book is a little pricey at $100 for a hardcover and $35 for cloth, but worth the cost with all of the photos and work that went into comprising the book. Publication date is set for Sept. 15.
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FISHING
Quest for largemouth Father/daughter duo go extra mile to catch bass By John Keith
Lone Star Outdoor News The early bird gets the worm is an old cliché, but one that rang true for a father on a mission for his daughter to catch her first largemouth bass. “I got her up at about 4 in the morning,” said Mike Whitacre of Lakeside. “She’s caught sand bass and things, but I was really wanting to get her to catch a big bass.” Mike’s daughter was less than thrilled about the early See LARGEMOUTH, Page 15 AIRBORNE BASS: Katelynn Whitacre’s first largemouth didn’t come without a hard fight, but the hook stayed set, and the bass was boated. Photo by Mike Whitacre.
Reel easy Electric reels get baits down, fish up quickly By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News
San Antonio angler Jason Downs loves the feel of a big fish caught while trolling offshore. The fight is the attraction for
Downs when a big wahoo or billfish hammers a trolling bait. But sometimes anglers like Downs want to fill a cooler with “meat fish.” That was the situation when Downs and a couple friends headed out for several
days offshore. The trip started slow, but early on the second day the cooler began to fill up with deep-water species such as golden tilefish See REEL, Page 19
PAYING THE PRICE: Once an angler considers fuel, ramp fees, and other intangibles of a day on a public lake, fishing private waters can be a cost-effective option. Photo by Private Water Fishing.
Privileges of private water Paying for pond access brings ample opportunity By John Keith
Lone Star Outdoor News
A FIGHT WITHOUT THE STRAIN: Using electric reels can help bring fish up quickly from great depths with zero strain on the angler. On the flip side, some consider this type of fishing unexciting. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.
Some anglers dream of a day on the water where every honey hole is clear of other boaters, Jet Skis are nowhere to be seen, and the fish stay unpressured and willing to bite. This dream is often a reality for anglers who choose to join fishing clubs or pay for access to private ponds. Mark Perry, of Spring, is a member of Private Water Fishing, a company that offers access to more than 50 private lakes, which members can reserve for themselves. Memberships begin at roughly $500 a year, with most lakes carrying an additional day rate of up to $75. “I love the program, where else can you go fishing on a privately stocked lake for 35 to 75 dollars?”
Perry said. “By far it’s the cheapest way for me to go fishing; me and my wife and kids look forward to it — once you reserve the lake, it’s yours, and nobody else is going to be out there.” Many of the lakes also have lodging available, with some locations renting for as low as $25 a person. “One thing I like is you can include the family on it,” he said. “We’ve stayed at quite a few lodges, and I rank them up there (with) 4 or 5 stars.” But if members are expected to pay, then how is the fishing? “Everytime I go I always catch fish,” Perry said. “Sometimes you lose count after 20; it’s just a lot of fun.” Steve Alexander runs Private Water Fishing. “The biggest benefit is when you See PRIVATE, Page 28
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Trout fishing slows on the lower coast DISCOVERING DINKS: Anglers along the lower coast are reporting less than ideal trout action, with mostly smaller fish. Photo by John Keith, LSON.
Big fish inactive, smaller fish only fair By John Keith
Lone Star Outdoor News As the summer months have dragged on, the trout fishing along Texas’ lower coast has gone south. “It’s extraordinarily slow,” South Padre Island fishing guide Capt. Mark Atkinson said. “Some of the guides in Port Mansfield have been doing pretty good, but lately down south here it’s been limited at best.” Atkinson said the dry, hot summer has taken its toll on the quality of fish in the bays. “You can catch fish on the edge of the Intracoastal Channel and catch schoolies
all day long, but anything with any size to it you’re going to have to wade up north,” he said. “It’s been a brutal summer, with not a whole lot of rain and just blistering hot.” Atkinson said there isn’t a single factor he can point out preventing better trout action. “You can get some trout, but nothing with any girth to it,” he said. “A lot of guys are using pinfish and fishing on the edge of the intercoastal, and catching a limit of small ones.” Also in the Lower Laguna Madre, Capt. Adrian Flandes is seeing slightly better action. “There’s still some activity and there’s some decent-sized trout,” he said. “They haven’t stopped completely, but early in the morning is usually the best. It has slowed down a little bit, and now more redfish are showing up.” See TROUT, Page 19
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TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT Case of the blues LAKE TAWAKONI — The channel cat bite is consistent, but anglers will have to be committed if they want to catch blue cats, according to area guide Larry Thomas. “Blues are decent in the early morning — 3 a.m. to dawn,” Thomas said. “You’re not going to catch a lot but they’re going to be decent sized.” The channel catfish are biting on stinkbait, with the blue cats preferring fresh shad. Thomas said the bite will improve as the weather gets colder. “The cooler the water, the better the blues bite,” he said. “Go to the shallow flats and shallow coves about 3 a.m. The shallow parts cool off a little quicker in the night.” To contact Larry Thomas, call (940) 229-0288.
Locating deep largemouth ALAN HENRY RESERVOIR — The largemouth bass have been suspended, but hungry, according to Alan Henry guide Phillip Pool. “I am on one hell of a good bite — the fishing just doesn’t get much better,” Pool said. “We boated 42 fish today in six hours, which brought our grand total number of fish in three days of fishing to over 200 fish.”
ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 82–88 degrees; 8.72’ low. Largemouth bass are good on buzzbaits early, midmorning switching to shaky heads, Texas rigs and jigs.
soft plastics and lipless crankbaits under lights at night. Channel catfish to 3 pounds are good on cut bait over baited holes.
AMISTAD: Water clear; 84–88 degrees; 28.44’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon top-waters, spinner baits and soft plastics. Catfish are good on cheesebait, stinkbait, and nightcrawlers over baited holes.
BUCHANAN: Water murky; 84–88 degrees; 26.31’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon flukes, chartreuse poppers and black/blue plastics on jigheads off points early. Channel catfish are good on shrimp, minnows, and cheesebait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on perch upriver.
ARROWHEAD: Water off-color; 83–88 degrees; 11.01’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on poppers early, later switching to Texas rigs, jigs and jerkbaits. White bass are good on slabs and Rooster Tails. Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait.
CADDO: Water stained; 84–88 degrees; 1.01’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters early, switching to Texas-rigged soft plastics in green pumpkin later in the day. White and yellow bass are good on slabs and jigs. Catfish are good on prepared bait.
ATHENS: Water clear, 84–88 degrees; 3.44’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged plastics in black neon around edges of grass and shallow to medium crankbaits in shad patterns. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait.
CALAVERAS: Water clear. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits and soft plastics. Redfish are good on crawfish and tilapia along the shoreline. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp, stinkbait and shad near the discharge.
BASTROP: Water stained; 87–91 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, and on watermelon crankbaits and soft plastics.
CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 83–88 degrees; 2.59’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black and blue flipping jigs around docks — main lake has been best. Crappie are good on minnows.
BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 84–89 degrees; 4.54’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on medium crankbaits in 6–8 feet. Some top-water action reported. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on trotlines or juglines with soap. BRAUNIG: Water clear. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon topwaters and soft plastics. Channel catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait. Blue catfish are good on cut bait. BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 83–88 degrees; 10.17’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged watermelon/chartreuse worms and shallow-running crankbaits fished around main lake points and larger rocks along shorelines. Crappie are good on minnows. BROWNWOOD: Water lightly stained; 83–87 degrees; 13.13’ low. Largemouth bass to 4.5 pounds are excellent on redbug and watermelon red shaky heads with soft plastics, and on top-waters late. White bass are good on
COLEMAN: Water lightly stained; 85–89 degrees; 17.76’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon top-waters, soft plastics and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs. COLETO CREEK: Water fairly clear; 2.62’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastics and crankbaits. CONROE: Water fairly clear; 85–89 degrees; 2.80’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon Carolina-rigged soft plastics and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs. COOPER: Water lightly stained; 84–89 degrees; 3.71’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs and Texas-rigged soft plastics (slow presentation is best). Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on small swimbaits and live shad over main lake humps. Catfish are good on prepared bait and cut bait.
Included in the 200 fish was a 10.75-pound largemouth. The fish are hitting shad-colored baits at depths of 25 to 40 feet. But even though Pool has been having luck, conditions could use some improvement. “A rain would be nice to change things up,” he said. To contact Phillip Pool, call (806) 368-7872.
Bring on the bulls CALAVERAS LAKE — The redfish will be changing their patterns as cooler weather arrives, which means bull reds from 15 to 25 pounds will become more active, according to area guide Manny Martinez. “Sometime in the second or third week of September, all the way through half of November is when these fish start heading toward the dam area,” he said. “As the temps go down, that makes the fishing very good — very electrifying.” Redfish are best on silver or gold spoons. Martinez said the catfish action is also on the rise, with one of the best areas being around the 181 Cove. Spider Island has also been producing some decent fishing. Catfish are biting on live tilapia, in addition to punch bait. Martinez said the water temperatures should fluctuate between 85 and 92 degrees in the coming weeks. To contact Manny Martinez, go to fishingwithmanny.com. — John Keith
FALCON: Water clear; 88–92 degrees; 39.30’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse/black crankbaits, spinner baits and soft plastics. Channel and blue catfish are excellent on frozen shrimp and stinkbait.
LAVON: Water lightly stained; 83– 87 degrees; 5.76’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged worms around shallow cover. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns.
FAYETTE: Water stained. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. Channel and blue catfish are good on cut shad, nightcrawlers and shrimp over baited holes.
LBJ: Water clear; 87–91 degrees; 0.36’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon/blue flake plastics, chartreuse spinner baits and Texas-rigged soft plastics in 8–15 feet early. Striped bass are good on silver striper jigs and artificial shad at night. White bass are good on plastics at night. Channel catfish are good on nightcrawlers and liver. Yellow and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with goldfish and perch.
FORK: Water clear; 84–88 degrees; 3.39’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on Carolina rigs and football jigs in deeper water. The shallow bite and fishing bridge columns with dropshot-rigged soft plastics is producing good numbers. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles and around bridge columns. Catfish are good on prepared bait. GRANGER: Water clear; 86–90 degrees; 1.08’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastic worms with chartreuse tails and watermelon top-waters. Blue catfish are good on shad and shrimp. GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 83–87 degrees; 3.50’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on green pumpkin finesse worms on shaky heads around main lake points in 6–10 feet — fish being caught from deeper brush piles as well. White bass are good on slabs. HOUSTON COUNTY: Water clear; 86–90 degrees; 1.28’ low. Largemouth bass to 5 pounds are good on blue wacky worms near Paradise Island in 5 feet. Crappie are good on minnows around brush in 10–14 feet. Bream are good on live worms off grass beds. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch in 20 feet. HUBBARD CREEK: 82–88 degrees; 18.49’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on top-waters early, midmorning switching to Texas rigs, shaky heads, jigs and drop-shot rigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait. JOE POOL: Water clear; 83–88 degrees; 1.82’ low. Largemouth bass are good on green pumpkin Texasrigged soft plastics and mediumrunning crankbaits in 8–10 feet along points. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on prepared baits.
LEWISVILLE: Water clear; 83–87 degrees; 4.05’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shallow crankbaits and shaky heads. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared bait. LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 86–90 degrees; 0.71’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastics, spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. Striped bass are very good on silver striper jigs and lipless crankbaits. Blue catfish are good on shad and minnows. MARTIN CREEK: Water clear; 83–87 degrees; 5.14’ low. Largemouth bass are good on football jigs in deeper water with shallow bite improving. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on prepared bait and minnows. MONTICELLO: Water fairly clear; 86–89 degrees; 0.37’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged soft plastics around stumps and on frogs in bluegill and larger jigs fished in deeper water. NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 88–92 degrees; 1.49’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon spinner baits and shallow-running crankbaits near the dam. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs over brush piles. Channel catfish are good on stinkbait, shrimp, and shad. O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 81–88 degrees; 46.08’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, later switching to Texas rigs, jigs, spoons and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on top-waters
and slabs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait. OAK CREEK: Water stained; 83–87 degrees; 18.17’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on buzzbaits early and late, midmorning switching to Texas rigs, Carolina rigs and shaky heads. Crappie are good on jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Catfish are good on chartreuse nightcrawlers. PALESTINE: Water clear; 83–88 degrees; 1.28’ low. Largemouth bass are good on finesse jigs and Texas-rigged soft plastics near shallow cover and around docks. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and live shad. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait. POSSUM KINGDOM: Water fairly clear; 83–87 degrees; 7.64’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on top-waters early, later switching to Texas rigs, jigs and Carolina rigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles and around bridge columns. White bass are good on top-waters while schooling and on slabs over humps. Catfish are good on prepared bait and nightcrawlers. PROCTOR: Water stained; 86–90 degrees; 3.69’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits and soft plastics. Channel and blue catfish are good on minnows and nightcrawlers. RAY HUBBARD: Water clear; 83–87 degrees; 2.00’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and football jigs around deeper brush piles. Medium-diving crankbaits along rip-rap points are also productive. Crappie are good on minnows and Road Runners. White bass are good on humps with hybrids mixed in. RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 83–87 degrees; 2.11’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs and medium-running crankbaits along main lake points. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers. RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water clear; 84–88 degrees; 2.69’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on green pumpkin finesse worms fished on shaky heads and plastics around docks — a slow presentation is best. White bass are good on slabs
SEE MORE
n Saltwater fishing reports: Page 18 and live shad. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on prepared bait. SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 87–91 degrees; 1.40’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. STILLHOUSE: Water murky; 85–89 degrees; 2.86’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse spinner baits and crankbaits. White bass are good on pet spoons and slabs. TAWAKONI: Water stained; 83–88 degrees; 2.74’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on Texas-rigged black/blue soft plastics and black/ blue flipping jigs around docks. The early bite has been the most consistent. Larger profile jigs have also been productive. TEXOMA: Water clear; 83–87 degrees; 2.45’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on medium crankbaits along main lake points — smaller jigs and Carolina rigs in 8–10 feet are producing as well. Striped bass are good on slabs and live shad. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and cut bait. TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 82–86 degrees; 3.37’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon craw worms and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with shrimp and live bait. TRAVIS: Water stained; 87–91 degrees; 45.76’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon/blue flake worms in 12–25 feet. White bass are good on silver slabs and jigging spoons. Channel and blue catfish are good on perch. WHITNEY: Water stained; 83–87 degrees; 4.95’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on minnows and nightcrawlers. — TPWD
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New lake gives up big bass Lake Naconiche finally open for public fishing
HAPPY GUIDE: Weldon Kirk stands behind angler Ralph Harvey after Ralph pulled in the 30,000th fish caught on Kirk’s boat since he began keeping detailed records. Photo by Weldon Kirk.
Milestone catch Fishing guide keeps detailed records, customer lands 30,000th catfish By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News
Since 2005, fishing guide Weldon Kirk of Fish Tales Guide Service has brought smiles to an untold number of anglers who have had a great day fishing for catfish on his home lakes of Somerville, Fayette County and Gibbons Creek Reservoir. Although the angler numbers might be unknown (actually, Kirk probably knows the exact number of anglers, as well), the number of fish caught on Kirk’s boat is no mystery. And Kirk recently passed a milestone, when
Brazoria angler Ralph Harvey boated fish number 30,000. “After the previous days trip, we needed to catch 12 fish today to get 30,000 fish caught on my boat in the last four years and eight months,” Kirk said. “I started keeping records in January of 2008. Ralph and Charmine did not know I was looking for fish number 12, so when Ralph brought number 12 into the boat — a blue cat — he commented on it being a nice fish. “I reached out, shook his hand and told him, ‘Not See MILESTONE, Page 23
FRESH WATERS: After decades of waiting, East Texas anglers are fishing the new Lake Naconiche, with early catches exceeding expectations. Photo by Andrew Brosig, The Daily Sentinel.
By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News It’s not often Texas fishermen get the chance to try out a new lake. A lucky few, though, beginning Sept. 1, were among the first to wet a line in Lake Naconiche in East Texas at the lake’s long-awaited official opening. And at least one angler landed a 10pounder. Bobby Clark of Humble didn’t apply for the lottery, put in place to limit the amount of boats on the water and trailers in the parking lot for the first 14 days, but still landed a 24 1/4-inch largemouth, estimated to weigh 10 pounds or more. “I heard about the lake from a buddy,” Clark said. “So I got online and did some research, and later found out it was opening Sept. 1 and they were doing a lottery.” Clark didn’t enter the lottery, but still got to fish. “I called the park to find out details, and they told me for watercraft without a trailer, I didn’t need to apply for the lottery,” he said. “We fish from kayaks, so three of us showed up and went fishing.” Once they figured out what the fish wanted, the fishing was excellent. “They wanted spinner baits and Senkos,” Clark said. “It took us until late morning to figure that out though, so it got real hot out there. We caught around 40 fish with a few 5-, 4- and 3-pounders.” But it was the big fish that created the memory. “I thought I hit a stump — my line just stopped, then took off,” he said. “She drug me up into the trees, and I was telling a buddy to get the net out. The fish came by the kayak but was deep and she didn’t want to hit the line. Then she came by the side of my kayak and I lipped it. I was shaking.” Clark is an avid bass fisherman and has fished kayak tournaments and is a pro See NEW LAKE, Page 31
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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER WARDENS HELP WITH WILDFIRES In mid-August, thunderstorms sparked several fires around Possum Kingdom Lake. Palo Pinto County Game Wardens Matt Waggoner and Cliff Swofford, along with Young County Game Warden Brent Isom, assisted the Palo Pinto Fire Department with locating the fires and transporting firemen and their equipment by boat to fight the fires. All fires were suppressed before they were able to get out of control. EARLY START TO SEASON Parker County Game Warden Ronald Mathis cited two teenagers for hunting deer during a closed season and for exceeding the bag limit after the two shot an eight-point buck off of a county road. Cases pending. KILLING HOG FROM COMPANY VEHICLE COSTS JOB Jack County Game Warden Gary Hobbs received a call from a local oilfield company stating that one of its employees had killed a hog on a ranch the night before. The company has a policy forbidding the carrying of firearms in its vehicles. They had already contacted the landowner. Hobbs contacted the employee and they returned to the location of the kill. The employee was charged with a Class C misdemeanor criminal attempt to trespass. The company terminated the employee. ATTEMPTED ALLIGATOR RELEASE LIKELY FUTILE Washington County Game Warden Eddie Hines received a tip on a subject who had shot and killed an alligator out of season. The subject made an attempt to have it mounted by a taxidermist in Fannin County. Hines notified Fannin County Game Warden Randolph McGee, who located the individual and con-
WATERHOLE DOVE HUNTING TOO GOOD TO RESIST Hearing distant gunfire, Garza/Lynn counties Game Warden Drew Spencer and Scurry County Game Warden Trey Kram traveled to a ranch in Garza County. The wardens tracked down the shots and approached two men dove hunting around a water tank. In the possession of the two men were one unplugged shotgun and 31 dove. When asked if they had hunted the day prior, the men replied that they had. When asked tacted Collin County Game Warden Josh Ross. Ross visited the subject’s home and learned that he was no longer in possession of the alligator. The man said that after learning that the kill was illegal, he went back to retrieve the alligator from his refrigerator and it was still moving. He then took the alligator down to the creek and released it, that is, after he had shot it in the head with a .22 caliber rifle. A search was conducted of the area and the alligator could not be located. Case pending. BAITING WOES Hood and Johnson counties Game Wardens Deshanna Creager and Scott Kirkpatrick found several dove hunters on a hunting lease within Johnson County. It wasn’t long after the first contact that the game wardens found evidence of baiting. By the time they finished checking all of the hunters on the lease, citations were issued for hunting over bait, unplugged shotguns and no hunting licenses. SPOTLIGHTERS BUSTED WITH SHOREBIRD Coryell County Game Warden Andrew Alexander received a complaint regarding some individuals spotlighting. Working with the Gatesville Police Department, Alexander was able to make contact with three individuals hunting from
if it was possible that they had shot too many dove then as well, they each lowered their heads and said it was quite possible. The wardens were led back to the ranch house and handed a large bag of breasted dove. After counting out the legal limit of 15 doves for each man, Kram still held 22 breasted dove. Multiple bag limit and possession limit violations were cited, and 23 dove were seized.
a truck. During the course of the contact, Alexander found a plover (a wading shorebird), the only resource taken by the individuals prior to Alexander’s arrival. Cases pending. TOO MANY REDS, TOO FEW PFDS Along the Colorado River, Matagorda County Game Wardens Aaron Koenig and David Janssen checked three occupants in one vessel. The group was in possession of seven undersized speckled trout and seven undersized redfish. Citations were issued for exceeding the daily bag limit by one redfish, as well as operating the vessel without sufficient personal flotation devices. Cases pending. CATFISH FILLETS FOUND IN SHOEBOX A report of subjects cast netting blue catfish at Lake Corpus Christi was received by Game Warden Kevin Mitchell. The caller indicated that the violator was filleting the fish, placing the fillets into a box, and then the subject's wife would hide the box in their vehicle. Upon arrival, Mitchell noticed the cast net and man and woman as described by the caller. The man denied having any fish other than the four legal blue cats in a bucket. Mitchell asked for and received consent to search the subject’s vehicle, where 88 fillets were found in a shoebox. Numerous cases pending.
BEAR CAUGHT TRYING TO GET CAT FOOD Val Verde County Game Warden Isaac Ruiz responded to a call from a landowner about a bear that was trying to get into her storage building. Apparently the bear was hungry, as it was trying to get to a bag of cat food. When the bear ignored the homeowner’s yells, she ran back into her house and retrieved a shotgun. A shot into the air did the trick and the bear left. Ruiz provided the homeowner with information to try and prevent another encounter. WAS THE CAR A COUGAR, TOO? Val Verde County Game Warden Mike Durand responded to a call from the police department concerning a mountain lion sitting on a hood of a car in downtown Del Rio. The lion had been cornered in a building and the officer wanted to know if it was OK to shoot it. Due to its location and behavior, the lion was dispatched by the Del Rio Police Department. WHEN WILL THEY LEARN IT’S A TRICK QUESTION? Kent County Game Wardens Drew Spencer and Trey Kram were patrolling for dove hunting compliance when they heard some distant shots. The wardens approached the area and, after the last shot was fired
at sunset, they checked the four men. One man, who had just shot a limit of 15 dove, was checked by Spencer. Spencer asked the man how his morning hunt had gone. The man replied that although the birds hadn’t flown as well, he had shot a few dove. After retrieving those dove from the man’s cooler, a bag limit violation citation was issued and three doves seized. STIRRING UP BIRDS, CITATION WITH ATV Palo Pinto County Game Wardens David Pellizzari and Matt Waggoner checked a group of dove hunters on a corporate day lease. The wardens found multiple unplugged shotguns and hunter education violations throughout the field. As they were leaving, they noticed a subject on an ATV driving erratically through the field. The wardens noticed the subject didn’t have a gun, and when Pellizzari asked him what he was doing, the subject said, “Trying to stir some birds up.” The subject was educated on migratory bird laws and was issued a citation for rallying migratory game birds. Cases pending. CUSTOMER APPRECIATION HUNT ACTUALLY A DAY LEASE Bell County Game Warden Brandt Bernstein checked more than 100 hunters opening morning. He came across one large group of hunters on a day lease and wrote 23 citations. Bernstein asked the owner of the property if this was a day lease. The owner said that to show his appreciation to people with whom he does business, he let them hunt there and then at the end of the day he gave away a shotgun. Due to the owner’s demeanor and known previous violations, Bernstein asked several of the hunters in the field what they paid to hunt. They replied they were paying $65 per day. Bernstein cited the owner of the property for not having his lease license.
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Teal Continued From Page 4
ally do this time of year,” Stancik said. “But a lot of people are at the mercy of the water gods right now.” Stancik said he is depending on the rice, rather than abundant water, to keep the teal around. “We’re kind of an oasis in the desert right now,” he said. “If you don’t have a well to pump you may have some trouble.” In upper North Texas, the teal aren’t so willing to stick around, seeming to prefer areas closer to the coast. “There may be a few bluewings running through, but the places I hunt, they’re pretty infrequent,” said Zac Divine of Texoma Quack Addicts.
The habit of the ducks to migrate at the slightest change of conditions makes it harder for North Texas hunters to keep the birds patterned. “It’s either a limit or nothing, and you’ll only have a couple of days to get them,” he said. “It’s hit or miss for sure.” One factor in the lower rate of success as compared with coastal teal hunters could be the timing of the migration. “I see them in the middle of August more than I see them during hunting season,” Divine said. “Then come hunting season, they’re gone.” Hunting shallow water
where the birds can easily feed tends to be more effective than hunting larger bodies of water. Areas with 6 inches of water or less are best. Other hunters across the state are seeing increased numbers of teal, and almost all have been spotted on shallow ponds or flooded cropland. Many small groups are being seen, but much larger flocks are hanging around areas with flooded rice. Areas closer to the coast continue to see more birds than the northern half of the state, but as teal hunters know, a small cold front can push new birds down overnight.
BACK IN ACTION: Waterfowlers willing to brave warm temperatures and a high number of mosquitoes can start their duck hunting season nearly two months earlier than hunters who don’t take advantage of the early teal season. Photo by LSON.
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Laregmouth Continued From Page 8
TOOK SOME TIME: After a year of trying to connect with a bass, Katelynn Whitacre of Lacy Lakeside caught a 5- and a 6-pound largemouth in the same morning. Photo by Mike Whitacre.
start time. “I don’t like waking up that early,” said Katelynn Whitacre, a 19-year-old Texas Woman’s University student. “Usually we have to get up really early to fish, and then I don’t even catch very much.” For this trip, Mike was sure he had everything scouted out for success on Lake Bryson, located 58 miles northwest of Fort Worth. “I had been to this spot and knew there were some big bass,” he said. “The difference in this trip is I knew where the fish were, because I’ve caught as big as an 8 1/2-pounder in that spot.” But there was a
catch. “It’s real hard to get in because the ramp is so bad,” he said. “You need a fourwheel drive to launch a real boat. The ramp is out of the water with deep ruts, and it’s all gravel.” Because of the lack of a reliable boat launch, the easiest way for the duo to access the lake was with kayaks. Katelynn had attempted to catch largemouth from a kayak before, but it had never worked out for her. “Last summer we tried, and when I went up to college I would come back on weekends and try,” she said. “We would
catch sand bass, but as for largemouth, we would not catch a single one. “We’d fish for a long time and just get blown all over the lake.” Despite her uncertainty, the pair made it to the previously scouted spot, where Katelynn’s dad set her up with a weedless frog to cast. The decision turned out to be a good one as she was quickly hooked into a bass. “I don’t think I realized how big of a fish I had on at first,” she said. “It moved me around a little bit and pulled me into some trees.” Katelynn landed the 5-pound bass
after a short struggle. A good fish for any angler, she quickly broke her personal best with a 6-pounder soon after. “Katelynn weighs about 90 pounds, so a 6-pound bass is pretty big,” Mike said. “I’ve caught a lot of fish, but getting her first bass at 5 pounds and 6 pounds tops anything I’ve ever done fishing — even if I catch a 20-pound bass, I don’t think I can top that.” When she heard her dad was going fishing the next day with friends, Katelynn displayed a different outlook on waking up before sunrise. “I never liked getting up early in the morning, and I’ve never volunteered to get up early,” she said. “But that time I was willing to get up early.” Katelynn’s dad took notice of the change. “Normally I tell her we’re getting up at 4, and she’s like ‘Can we wait until 5 or 6?’” Mike said. “This time she told me she’d get up at 3.” See video at LSONews.com
September 14, 2012
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HEROES
Ten-year-old friends ALEX KIMMEL and MATTHEW KANNENBERG, from Dallas, were striper fishing on Lake Texoma recently when they caught these nice fish.
While offshore fishing, TANNER, TAYLOR, PARKER and CHASE DENTON caught this big wahoo. All three young men helped land the fish.
McKinney hunter NATHAN MCKOWN returned from his first trip to the Limpopo region of South Africa with several impressive trophies, including this warthog and impala.
ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ of Harlingen caught this 45.5-inch redfish in the Lower Laguna Madre on July 14. The big red weighed 33 pounds and took 45 minutes to land on light tackle.
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 news@lonestaroutdoornews.com. High-resolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.
Fishing his home waters of Lake Fork, angler MIKE MCCLANAHAN and dog MAX admire a big bass Mike caught recently.
MADDIE MCCLOUD, 12, took this fine buck, her first, last season near Menard.
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September 14, 2012
PRODUCTS SERIOUS SCOUTERS CAMERA MOUNT: This universal camera mount from Crazy About Outdoors is durable, flexible and easy to adjust. This device offers hunters a secure way to mount any camera at the best height and vantage point to capture the movement of whatever animal they are planning to hunt. It is available in two models: a single (for about $26) and a double (for about $36) mount. www.crazyaboutoutdoors.com
>>
(877) 257-2761 www.limbsaver.com
(800) 242-1055 www.cannonsafe.com
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NAUTILUS ROTATING RAIL: Ballistic Tactical Systems has introduced a rail system that will allow shooters the ability to reconfigure their firearm accessories without having to first remove them from the rails. Designed for any standard AR platform carbine rifle, the 7-inchlong Nautilus Rotating Rail is a single unit built with two identical sections, each composed of four 1913 Picatinny rails. Two easily accessible buttons rotate each section in 45-degree increments up to 360 degrees in either direction. Constructed of aircraft grade, hard-anodized aluminum and with stainless steel-grade ball bearings, the rail will perform even when exposed to water, sand and mud. Because of the rail’s precise bearings, optical systems maintain zero after rail rotation. Available in dark earth, matte black, coyote tan and olive drab, the rail sells for about $550.
>>
(954) 235-0690 www.ballistatactical.com
>>
KODIAK-LITE SLING: LimbSaver has designed a narrower, contoured sling for compound bows. Made from Navcom (noise and vibration control material), which absorbs the transmission of vibration, this lightweight, nonslip sling reduces shoulder fatigue and is comfortable for both left- or right-handed shooters. Its nylon webbing is tested at 2,000-plus pounds of strength. Easy to install with its heavy-duty, quick-release buckles, the sling is available in black and camo. It sells for about $25.
JIM SHOCKEY SIGNATURE SERIES SAFE: Cannon Safe’s latest high-security safe is built of heavy-gauge steel and has a 4-inch double-steel composite door with 1.5-inch active-locking bolts on the top and side. The beige safe features camo accents and a Jim Shockey decal. Inside the safe, the adjustable shelving offers firearm owners the ability to configure the space in a way that that best suits their needs. A door organizer kit attached to the inset door panel offers additional accessible storage for pistols, magazines, knives, etc. Multidirectional LED lights that activate when the door opens illuminate the interior. There also is a power system that will keep electronics connected and charged. The gun safe’s contents are accessed with a high-security commercial grade electronic lock that is protected by three layers of steel hard plate. The safe, which has a pre-drilled bottom for bolting to the floor, boasts a fire rating of 1,200 degrees for 60 minutes. It is available in two models: a 560-pound, 60-inch by 30-inch by 24-inch safe with a 24-gun capacity and a 730-pound, 60-inch by 40-inch by 24-inch safe with a 36-gun capacity. The safe sells for about $2,172 to $2,400, depending on size.
ULTIMATE LINE WINDER: American Premier Corp.’s 2012 ICAST-winning accessory will allow anglers to easily spool their spinning or casting reels without introducing twists in the line. This system has a rotating carriage that automatically eliminates twists and tangles by turning the line as it is transferred to the spinning spool. This all-in-one tool holds flat spools, 1/4pound spools and 1/2-pounds spools in perfect alignment with the reel. The line winder sells for just under $40. (909) 590-8680 www.americanpremiercorp.com
>>
CORRECTION: The phone number for Pulsar, published in Lone Star Outdoor News’ August 24th edition, was incorrect. The correct number is (817) 225-1625.
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TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT Sponsored by
Game of numbers NUECES BAY — The trout have been biting a little better than the redfish, according to Capt. Pat Tabor. “It’s been a little slow, but we’re picking up some pretty good fish lately,” he said. “It’s mainly trout right now — not a lot of big ones, but good numbers.” Tabor said artificials will work, but he has been throwing mostly croaker or piggy perch. He has seen the redfish coming closer to the shoreline. “I usually go to my reefs first thing and catch my trout,” he said. “Then I go to the shorelines, and I mean right up against it, for reds.” Tabor said he’s looking forward to the summer heat ending, because the cooler weather should have the redfish schooling up more, and bring in some bigger trout. To contact Capt. Pat Tabor, call (210) 643-0297.
Isaac’s effect SABINE LAKE — Tropical Storm Isaac has passed and left the area with good fishing, according to Capt. Randy Foreman. “There’s a lot of bird action and a lot of redfish, and trout are plentiful,” he said. “We’re not catching as big of fish as we were, but we’re catching a lot of schooled fish.” Isaac has caused the water clarity to be more stained than usual.
NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under birds and pods of shad on soft plastics. Redfish are good in the marsh. Drifters have worked slicks on shad and plastics.
and mullet. Stiff south winds have made fishing tough. Redfish are good on live bait around the reefs. Redfish are fair to good at the spillway on live bait.
SOUTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under birds and pods of shad. Trout are good at the jetty on live bait and topwaters. Flounder are fair at the mouths of the bayous on a falling tide.
EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout and sand trout are fair for drifters working deep shell on plastics and fresh shrimp. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp.
BOLIVAR: Trout are good on the south shoreline on soft plastics. Trout, black drum, sand trout and redfish are good at Rollover Pass. Croaker are good on fresh shrimp.
WEST GALVESTON BAY: Sand trout and redfish are fair in the surf and around San Luis Pass on live shrimp and topwaters. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.
TRINITY BAY: Trout are fair for drifters working pods of shad
TEXAS CITY: Trout are fair
around Dollar Reef and April Fool’s Reef on live shrimp and croakers. Redfish are fair to good in Moses Lake on crabs and shrimp. FREEPORT: Sand trout and croakers are fair at San Luis Pass on shrimp. Black drum are good on the reefs in Bastrop Bay. EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Waders have found scattered catches on the shorelines on small topwaters and plastics. WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair on sand and grass humps on soft plastics and top-waters. Redfish are fair
“Ninety-nine percent of my stuff is plastics,” Foreman said. “I’m throwing plastics in a glow pattern, and also pumpkinseed chartreuse because the water is off-color.” In addition to the redfish and trout, Foreman is seeing bigger flounder starting to move. The south end of the lake has been good, as have the jetties. To contact Capt. Randy Foreman, call (409) 719-6067.
Not gung-ho yet WEST MATAGORDA BAY — The redfish aren’t in full swing, but trout are hitting hard, according to Capt. Tommy Countz. “There’s so much bait, these fish are fat,” he said. “One of those hitting a top-water is like someone dropping an anvil in the water. These fish are pretty juiced up.” Primarily wading over scattered shell and grass, Countz said the trout have been on the smaller size, with the biggest on his most recent trip 25 inches. He plans to start targeting redfish more throughout September. Anglers throwing live or artificial shrimp should have good luck. “They’ve not really gone gung-ho yet,” he said. “I did see a bunch of birds working on shrimp, and all the trout I’ve cleaned, their bellies are full of little white shrimp.” To contact Capt. Tommy Countz, call (281) 450-4037. — John Keith
on live shrimp in Oyster Lake, Crab Lake and Shell Island.
shore is good for amberjack, kingfish, tuna and dolphin.
PORT O'CONNOR: Trout and redfish are fair on live bait over sand, grass and shell in San Antonio Bay and around Pass Cavallo. Trout and redfish are fair for drifters working the back lakes with live shrimp.
CORPUS CHRISTI: Trout are fair on the edge of the spoils on scented plastics, piggy perch and live shrimp. Redfish are fair in the guts along shorelines and mullet and piggy perch.
ROCKPORT: Redfish are good on mullet on the Estes Flats and around Mud Island. Trout are fair at Spalding Bight on live bait and small top-waters. PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair at East Flats on topwaters and scented plastics. Trout, redfish and sheepshead are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp and croakers. Off-
BAFFIN BAY: Trout are good on piggy perch, top-waters and plum plastics around rocks and grass. Redfish are fair to good in knee–deep water on small top-waters and piggy perch. PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair to good while working deep sand and grass on soft plastics. Redfish are fair to good while drifting potholes
on top-waters and soft plastics under a popping cork. Offshore is good for kingfish, ling and dolphin. SOUTH PADRE: Trout, redfish and snook are fair to good in South Bay on live bait. Tarpon and snook are good on mullet at the jetty. Trout are fair over deep sand and grass on scented plastics and live shrimp. PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfish are fair to good while drifting sand and grass flats on live shrimp and scented plastics under popping corks. Redfish are fair along the shorelines on mullet and piggy perch. — TPWD
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September 14, 2012
Page 19
Trout Continued From Page 9
ALL ABOARD: Several golden tilefish are hoisted aboard after being caught on an electric reel at a depth of 1,200 feet. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.
Reel Continued From Page 8
caught on electric reels in 1,200 feet of water. “I like fishing with the electric reels because it gives you the ability to catch deep-water, awesome-tasting fish,” Downs said. “The golden tilefish has an excellent, rich and buttery meat, like a lot of those really cold-water fish.” Downs said he likes using the electric reels to get fish in the boat, but it does take away the traditional fun of fighting a fish. “I don’t like the lack of effort and participation required,” he said. ‘But I also under-
stand it is not feasible to reel up a fish, or multiple fish, from past 1,000 feet.” The setup for golden tilefish was fairly straightforward — an electric reel with braided line, a big weight to keep the line and bait on the bottom, barrel swivels for multiple hooks and cut squid for bait. The biggest trick is finding the fishing grounds off the coast. Golden tilefish live in deep water with a muddy bottom that they burrow into to escape danger. Capt. Lee Weidner likes to put the line in his hand to feel for the fish to bite. He usually waits for several fish to hook themselves before flipping the switch for the reel to haul the fish up from the bottom.
“Sometimes I get greedy and end up missing one,” Weidner said. “It’s a lot like handlining, but when the fish hits, just press the button.” Corpus Christi angler Blaine Huey recently traveled offshore to deep-drop for bottom fish. “It was great to put some fish in the cooler,” Huey said. “But I enjoyed some of the other stuff we did more because you actually felt like you were fighting the fish. If the entire trip had revolved around the electric reels, I’m not sure it would have felt like real fishing. “But I got over it when we started eating those deep-water fish. They taste great.”
Most trout have been caught with small perch, along with scented plastics, though the fish aren’t feeding as aggressively. “I don’t think the trout is going to pick up; I think it’s redfish season,” he said. “We’re not filling up the box but there’s still some out there — the deeper water north of the convention center usually has some trout in them; you just have to twitch your bait slow to give them time to find it and react.” In Port Mansfield, Capt. Jack Klostermann is experiencing marginally better luck. “It’s actually been pretty slow the last couple of weeks,” he said. “August is always my least favorite month to fish, with the Lower Laguna Madre so shallow and hot.” Klostermann also believes the best trout fishing for the year is behind anglers. “The last week the bay fishing has picked up,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’ll be a lot better in September or October, but it is picking up.” Some anglers are managing limits, but not with a stringer of trophy fish. Most trout caught are between 15 and 17 inches. “It’s really the wrong time of the year to catch the big, solid fish,” he said. “And when you catch a big fish now, they’re pretty lean; they’re long and they look like greyhounds.” Fishing had been tough enough that he started fishing strictly with croaker, but soft plastics are bringing more bites now, according to Klostermann. “It’s been a little on the slow side here lately, some days we’ve had to work fairly hard,” he said. “The trout need some finger mullet and cooler water.” Capt. Mark Atkinson, (956) 364-2001. Capt. Adrian Flandes, (956) 572-0130. Capt. Jack Klostermann, (956) 245-5008.
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September 14, 2012
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Dove opener Continued From Page 1
While his groups did well, other testimonies weren’t as positive. “It was not a barrel burner, but it was steady,” he said. “I talked to the game warden who had checked the whole area, and he said our guys had way more birds than others.” In Limestone County, hunters were on native sunflowers. “Coolidge was up and down,” Steenbeke said. “The first day was good, the second day was eh, and the third day was good.” Cold fronts will be key in the coming weeks to bring down new birds. “The season starts good, gets crappy in the middle, and at the end it gets good again when the northern birds come down,” he said. “Overall it wasn’t bad — we had about two out of three people get their limits.” Reports of below-average hunts came from the Cisco, Throckmorton, Brownwood, Graford and Dublin areas that normally produce on opening day, while Weatherfordarea hunters had good success. Hunters able
to move to different locations to find the birds fared best. In the South Zone, outfitters are hoping the weather stays steady enough to keep the birds around. “We’re starting to get a lot of birds in,” said Clay Knipp of Q2 Ranch, located 45 miles southwest of San Antonio. “But the way dove are, they come and go — you’ll see really big numbers, they’ll move, and then you’ll see more again.” Knipp has seen solid amounts of dove over the summer, but said recent weeks have seen a growth in numbers as the South Zone opener approaches. “This past week they’re starting to really move in,” he said. “But with a migratory bird, you just can’t control what they do.” Ford Ranch, (325) 286-4572. 1A Hunting, (210) 872-2771. Q2 Ranch, (972) 839-5985.
USFWS postpones national survey of dove hunters After being touted by many state agencies, including Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mysteriously postponed their 2012 National Dove Hunter Survey. According to Chris Tollefson, chief of communications for USFWS, the survey is currently undergoing additional review. “We appreciate the hard work of the state fish and wildlife agencies and flyway councils who have partnered with us to develop the survey,” Tollefson said. “Collectively, we want to make sure the survey results in a constructive outcome, rather than becoming a source of potential controversy. That's why we are going to take the time to ensure that hunters and our other conservation partners completely understand what information we are collecting and how we intend to use the data we collect. “Once the review is completed, we will work together to reach out to our partners and the public before distributing the survey to inform them about its content, objectives and uses.” Hunting groups had complained the survey, which included questions about the use of lead shot, could be used as a means to ban the use of lead shot on dove. “The Service and our state agency partners know that reliable information on hunter attitudes is important to ensure sound stewardship of mourning dove,” Tollefson added. The new survey should be out sometime next year. — Conor Harrison, LSON
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September 14, 2012
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September 14, 2012
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Flipper Continued From Page 1
we might as well throw them all of our bait. It will be time to move.” As if on cue, on the second fish pulled from the wreck — a nice red snapper that had to be thrown back — a dolphin surfaced off the bow, raced under the boat and snatched the snapper on its way back down to the wreck. One more grouper was pulled from the wreck, and then pulled off the line, before the group packed up and headed for another wreck. Dolphins trailing boats looking for an easy meal is nothing new. Offshore anglers know battling sharks and barracudas for their catch is part of the game. But when “flipper” shows up, it is game over for the angler. “Yes, they are a big problem,” said Capt. Dan Hilburn of Capt. Kelly’s Deep Sea Headquarters in Port Aransas. “Sometimes, after we have had a fish on and are reeling it in, they are literally hanging onto the kingfish or snapper. “We end up a lot of times with half a fish.” However, Hilburn said the presence of dolphins will occasionally signal the bite is on for other targeted species. “It’s funny,” he said. “If dolphins are there, a lot of the time the bite will be on. The baitfish are very active or the dolphins wouldn’t be there. But a lot of people do think it is a bad omen. “Sometimes they will shut the bite down completely.” Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Galveston Bay Ecosystem Leader Bill Balboa said he hears regularly from anglers about dolphins snatching fish from lines.
GET IT IN QUICK: This red snapper was gobbled by dolphins after being released. When the dolphins show up, many offshore captains head to other spots. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.
“I hear it with some frequency,” he said. “We had an intern here recently that was collecting samples from party boats, and she witnessed this a lot. They would vent and throw back an undersized snapper and the dolphins would eat it on the way to the bottom.
“There isn’t a lot you can do.” Balboa said it is against the law to harass dolphins in any way. “We are working with biologists to see if there is anything we can do to minimize encounters,” Balboa said, “but that is honestly more for the dolphin than the
angler. “If they are all over the place and the fishing is good, I’m not sure what to tell people except maybe move.” Lance Robinson, TPWD’s regional director for the Upper Coast, said the problem isn’t con-
fined to Texas waters. “We hear about this all over the Gulf,” he said. “In fact, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) does figure predator mortality during their stocking assessments when determining limits for fish.”
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Milestone Continued From Page 11
only is it a nice fish, but it is number 30,000 on my boat since January of 2008.’” Kirk said he remembered someone special when the fish was caught. “I am 68 years old; I grew up fishing, and even raising catfish fingerlings with my dad, and we never caught fish like I have learned to catch them,” he said. “It would have meant a lot if he were here to see such a feat, but knowing that he is watching it unfold from above is a great feeling.” Kirk said Harvey had no idea he was about to catch a milestone for the boat. “It was also special that the client did not know he was about to catch number 30,000 until the fish was in the boat,” he said. “He was shocked and I was excited and could not wait to text my wife and kids that I had reached that milestone. I have had many friends that
Snakebites Continued From Page 6
to make a suction area the size of a dime. Though users of this gadget still passionately swear to its efficacy, science refutes this thoroughly. A powerful suction is undeniably produced, but this actually results in a collapse of the fang puncture tracts. Not only does this prevent pulling any of the venom from the wound, it also stops passive oozing that often occurs spontaneously — an action that allows some of the venom to leave the bite on its own. The gold standard for medical intervention is the administration of antivenom. Once venom is introduced to the human body, a cascade of negative events begins. Like any chemical reaction, the events will continue until some sort of equilibrium is reached. In the case of a mouse or other prey, this means immobilization, death and preparation for digestion. For humans, the effects are similar, though the death and digestion part are usually localized in the form of blistering, skin loss and/or tissue death near the bite. Complications in the blood stream can be systemic. The antivenom is the only thing that neutralizes the venom. Therefore, the overwhelmingly accepted philosophy is that the sooner a bite victim gets it, the better. The antivenom gets almost as much attention for its price as it does its effectiveness. One vial costs a little under $2,000, with some cases requiring 12-16 vials. Almost 60 percent of bite victims are hospitalized, with most ending up in an intensive care unit. Bill underwent intensive wound care with a physical therapist in an effort to restore some of the blood supply to the back of his finger. After getting out of the hospital, he continued his recovery from home wearing a small device that applied a continuous and painful low-grade suction to the wound in an effort to accelerate healing. As it turned out, the story did not end well. The wound did not progress after six weeks and a skin graft never became a viable option. The finger was amputated. As with any trauma, the best course to maintain optimal health is one of avoidance. Attention to specific habitat, use of protective footwear or clothing such as snakeproof chaps and avoidance of physical contact with snakes (dead or alive) is a pound of cure well worth considering before you enter the field. If you do feel the need to bring a tool with you to help manage a venomous snakebite, make it a cell phone so you can get medical help as soon as possible.
fish a lot — even guides — tell me that those numbers are something most do not even dream possible, let alone hope to reach.” Harvey said he was shocked at the number. “When I caught the fish, he stood up and shook my hand,” Harvey said. “I didn’t think the fish was that big, but then he presented me with a rod and reel. I told him he didn’t have to do that. “It was pretty awesome. It was very nice of Weldon.” Kirk said he hopes to stay in good health long enough for another milestone. “I am thankful that I am healthy and hope to continue adding to that number and when I am given the opportunity to reach 50,000, I will give something very special to that lucky angler.”
September 14, 2012
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September 14, 2012
Pope said. “With a white light it seems the success rate goes down drastically; it might work the first time, but after Continued From Page 4 you educate them it goes way down.” Jim Roche, a hunting guide based in much better. “You don’t have to have the ani- Eldorado, points to the intensity of the mal shined up like a Christmas tree, light as an important factor. “The most important thing is the you just have to see the eyes and know what’s there,” he said. “When they’re use of a rheostat; it makes all the dif60 to 70 yards from the truck, there’s ference in the world,” Roche said. “You literally more light on an animal than only want to use enough light to reflect an oncoming animal’s eyes within you have in the daytime.” Other predator hunters aren’t so the field of fire. If you’re hunting in a quick to celebrate the use of white clearing where you may have 80 yards across, there’s no need to use enough lights. “My personal preference is red, but power to reflect their eyes from 200.” The rheostat adjusts the intensity of I have used some white lights in the past,” said Utopia-based hunting guide the light, which helps hunters adapt to Clay Pope. “I use a red light because it’s different calling setups and situations. “It doesn’t matter white or red light, easy, and it works good for us.” Pope said the high rates of success if you’re using too much power he’ll using night vision as an example of why blink, and if there’s not enough light the dimmer the light produces better he’s going to see you,” he said. Roche has turned to using a white hunting, and why he sticks to red. “With night vision and no light at light with the lens colored with a red all, they respond a whole lot better — sharpie, to try and get the best of both they’ll get right in your hip pocket,” he worlds. And though he believes red is a said. “We tried to use some white light safer bet, there is an additional benefit in my videos, to white light. and it seemed “With the like it didn’t white light I affect 20 perhave the ability cent, but 80 perto increase the cent didn’t get power to see that as close as they bedded whitewould with a tailed deer or red light.” cow I don’t want Another facto shoot, that tor in the light I could have decision is the thought might education of be a predator,” the predators. he said. “The “From white rheostat on to red to night the light is the vision, it second most seemed like you important thing could go back in in a calling sita ranch a whole uation, seclot sooner when ond only to the LET IT SHINE: A new wave of thinking has predator you’re not using setup of the callhunters implementing white lights to better view their white light,” ing location.” targets. Photo by Carnivore.
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Predator
FIGHTING FOR FEED: Raccoons can eat up to 50 percent of feed put out for other animals. Photo by John Keith, LSON.
Raccoons ripping off hunters By John Keith
Lone Star Outdoor News Almost any deer hunter has seen the sight when checking the card from their game camera — a deer here, a deer there. And coons. Lots of coons. Richard Heilbrun, conservative outreach coordinator for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said a raccoon’s behavior can have a devastating impact on hunters trying to feed other animals. “Captive raccoons are usually fed about a half-pound
per day, but I think that’s dangerously conservative for estimating what a raccoon is capable of consuming at a deer feeder,” he said. “I think an estimate of 1 to 5 pounds per night is probably appropriate.” Research into the subject has shown proof of what hunters have known for years — raccoons eat a lot of feed. “There have been several studies on nontarget consumption of supplemental feed, and the usual estimate is that 40 to 75 percent of
feeder activity is from raccoons,” Heilbrun said. “The one study that attempted to extrapolate weight supposed that about 50 percent of feed at a quail feeder went to raccoons.” Heilbrun said that if the food is available, the raccoons will be there. “All wild animals appreciate and take advantage of a free lunch,” he said. “Because raccoons are highly adaptable and have an extremely flexible diet, they can take See RACCOONS, Page 28
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Sun | Moon | Tides Texas Coast Tides Sabine Pass, jetty Date Sep 14 Sep 15 Sep 16 Sep 17 Sep 18 Sep 19 Sep 20 Sep 21 Sep 22 Sep 23 Sep 24 Sep 25 Sep 26 Sep 27 Sep 28
Time 2:56 AM 3:10 AM 3:23 AM 3:37 AM 3:52 AM 4:07 AM 4:21 AM 12:48 AM 2:48 PM 12:07 AM 12:59 AM 1:32 AM 1:56 AM 2:16 AM 2:34 AM
Height 2.7H 2.7H 2.7H 2.7H 2.8H 2.9H 3.0H 3.0L 0.3L 3.2H 3.2H 3.1H 3.0H 2.9H 2.8H
Time 7:58 AM 8:31 AM 9:09 AM 9:52 AM 10:39 AM 11:31 AM 12:29 PM 4:33 AM
Height 2.0L 1.6L 1.2L 0.8L 0.5L 0.3L 0.2L 3.1H
Time 1:44 PM 2:51 PM 3:59 PM 5:08 PM 6:22 PM 7:41 PM 9:09 PM 1:34 PM
Height 2.8H 2.9H 3.0H 3.1H 3.1H 3.2H 3.2H 0.2L
Time 8:19 PM 9:00 PM 9:41 PM 10:24 PM 11:08 PM 11:55 PM
Height 1.0L 1.3L 1.6L 2.0L 2.4L 2.7L
10:44 PM
3.2H
4:07 PM 5:22 PM 7:06 AM 7:33 AM 8:02 AM 8:32 AM
0.4L 0.5L 2.6L 2.3L 2.0L 1.7L
10:47 AM 12:16 PM 1:30 PM 2:36 PM
2.8H 2.9H 2.9H 3.0H
6:27 PM 7:23 PM 8:11 PM 8:53 PM
0.7L 1.0L 1.3L 1.6L
Galveston Bay entrance, south jetty Date Time Sep 14 3:43 AM Sep 15 3:57 AM Sep 16 4:10 AM Sep 17 4:24 AM Sep 18 4:39 AM Sep 19 4:54 AM Sep 20 12:21 AM Sep 21 1:14 AM Sep 22 3:14 PM Sep 23 12:54 AM Sep 24 1:46 AM Sep 25 2:19 AM Sep 26 2:43 AM Sep 27 3:03 AM Sep 28 3:21 AM
San Luis Pass Date Sep 14 Sep 15 Sep 16 Sep 17 Sep 18 Sep 19 Sep 20 Sep 21 Sep 22 Sep 23 Sep 24 Sep 25 Sep 26 Sep 27 Sep 28
Time 4:13 AM 4:27 AM 4:40 AM 4:54 AM 5:09 AM 12:30 AM 1:17 AM 2:10 AM 12:01 AM 1:24 AM 2:16 AM 2:49 AM 3:13 AM 3:33 AM 3:51 AM
Freeport Harbor Date Sep 14 Sep 15 Sep 16 Sep 17 Sep 18 Sep 19 Sep 20 Sep 21 Sep 22 Sep 23 Sep 24 Sep 25 Sep 26 Sep 27 Sep 28
Time 3:33 AM 3:50 AM 4:06 AM 4:22 AM 4:35 AM 12:58 AM 12:51 PM 1:55 PM 3:09 PM 12:25 AM 1:23 AM 2:03 AM 2:31 AM 2:51 AM 3:06 AM
Height 2.2H 2.2H 2.2H 2.2H 2.2H 2.3H 2.2L 2.4L 0.2L 2.6H 2.5H 2.5H 2.4H 2.3H 2.3H
Time 8:24 AM 8:57 AM 9:35 AM 10:18 AM 11:05 AM 11:57 AM 5:08 AM 5:20 AM
Height 1.6L 1.3L 1.0L 0.7L 0.4L 0.2L 2.4H 2.4H
Time 2:31 PM 3:38 PM 4:46 PM 5:55 PM 7:09 PM 8:28 PM 12:55 PM 2:00 PM
Height 2.2H 2.3H 2.4H 2.5H 2.5H 2.5H 0.1L 0.1L
Time 8:45 PM 9:26 PM 10:07 PM 10:50 PM 11:34 PM
Height 0.8L 1.0L 1.3L 1.6L 1.9L
9:56 PM 11:31 PM
2.5H 2.5H
4:33 PM 5:48 PM 7:32 AM 7:59 AM 8:28 AM 8:58 AM
0.3L 0.4L 2.1L 1.8L 1.6L 1.3L
11:34 AM 1:03 PM 2:17 PM 3:23 PM
2.3H 2.3H 2.3H 2.4H
6:53 PM 7:49 PM 8:37 PM 9:19 PM
0.6L 0.8L 1.0L 1.3L
Height 1.3H 1.3H 1.3H 1.3H 1.3H 1.1L 1.3L 1.4L 1.5H 1.5H 1.5H 1.5H 1.4H 1.4H 1.4H
Time 9:20 AM 9:53 AM 10:31 AM 11:14 AM 12:01 PM 5:24 AM 5:38 AM 5:50 AM 4:10 PM 5:29 PM 6:44 PM 8:28 AM 8:55 AM 9:24 AM 9:54 AM
Height 1.0L 0.8L 0.6L 0.4L 0.2L 1.4H 1.4H 1.5H 0.1L 0.2L 0.3L 1.2L 1.1L 1.0L 0.8L
Time 3:01 PM 4:08 PM 5:16 PM 6:25 PM 7:39 PM 12:53 PM 1:51 PM 2:56 PM
Height 1.3H 1.4H 1.4H 1.5H 1.5H 0.1L 0.1L 0.1L
Time 9:41 PM 10:22 PM 11:03 PM 11:46 PM
Height 0.5L 0.6L 0.8L 1.0L
8:58 PM 10:26 PM
1.5H 1.5H
12:04 PM 1:33 PM 2:47 PM 3:53 PM
1.4H 1.4H 1.4H 1.4H
7:49 PM 8:45 PM 9:33 PM 10:15 PM
0.4L 0.5L 0.6L 0.8L
Height 1.8H 1.7H 1.6H 1.5H 1.5H 1.4L 0.1L 0.1L 0.1L 2.1H 2.1H 2.0H 1.9H 1.8H 1.7H
Time 9:31 AM 9:41 AM 10:02 AM 10:32 AM 11:11 AM 4:44 AM 9:31 PM 11:03 PM
Height 1.2L 1.0L 0.8L 0.5L 0.3L 1.5H 2.1H 2.1H
Time 2:26 PM 3:30 PM 4:34 PM 5:39 PM 6:49 PM 11:57 AM
Height 1.6H 1.7H 1.8H 1.9H 2.0H 0.2L
Time 9:09 PM 9:58 PM 10:50 PM 11:47 PM
Height 0.5L 0.7L 0.9L 1.1L
8:06 PM
2.0H
4:30 PM 5:49 PM 8:20 AM 8:32 AM 8:52 AM 9:15 AM
0.2L 0.3L 1.5L 1.3L 1.1L 1.0L
11:11 AM 12:47 PM 2:05 PM 3:11 PM
1.6H 1.6H 1.7H 1.8H
7:00 PM 8:02 PM 8:59 PM 9:51 PM
0.4L 0.5L 0.7L 0.9L
Solunar | Sun times | Moon times
Moon Phases New
Port O’Connor
Date Time Sep 14 8:04 AM Sep 15 7:23 AM Sep 16 12:11 AM Sep 17 12:48 AM Sep 18 1:16 AM Sep 19 3:56 AM Sep 20 4:10 AM Sep 21 4:54 AM Sep 22 5:47 AM Sep 23 6:40 AM Sep 24 7:26 AM Sep 25 7:40 AM Sep 26 6:53 AM Sep 27 6:37 AM Sep 28 6:25 AM
Rockport
Date Time Sep 14 3:35 PM Sep 15 6:41 AM Sep 16 5:57 AM Sep 17 5:26 AM Sep 18 5:14 AM Sep 19 5:31 AM Sep 20 6:11 AM Sep 21 7:08 AM Sep 22 8:13 AM Sep 23 9:23 AM Sep 24 10:32 AM Sep 25 11:43 AM Sep 26 12:59 PM Sep 27 2:30 PM Sep 28 4:56 AM
Oct. 8
Houston Height 0.9H 0.9H 0.8L 0.9L 1.0L 1.2H 1.3H 1.3H 1.4H 1.4H 1.3H 1.3H 1.2H 1.1H 1.1H
Time 11:19 AM 11:37 AM 5:27 AM 4:16 AM 4:03 AM 2:25 PM 3:24 PM 4:30 PM 5:43 PM 6:56 PM 8:06 PM 9:08 PM 10:02 PM 11:07 AM 11:36 AM
Height 0.9L 0.8L 0.9H 1.0H 1.1H 0.4L 0.4L 0.4L 0.4L 0.4L 0.5L 0.6L 0.7L 1.0L 0.9L
Time 2:35 PM 5:32 PM 12:09 PM 12:48 PM 1:33 PM
Height 0.9H 0.9H 0.7L 0.6L 0.5L
Time 11:33 PM
Height 0.7L
8:16 PM 10:49 PM
1.0H 1.1H
3:05 PM 6:40 PM
1.1H 1.1H
10:46 PM 11:19 PM
0.8L 1.0L
Height 0.5H 0.5H 0.5H 0.5H 0.6H 0.6H 0.6H 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.6H 0.6H 0.6H
Time 11:35 PM 11:51 AM 1:10 PM 2:10 PM 3:05 PM 4:01 PM 4:58 PM 5:58 PM 6:57 PM 7:55 PM 8:46 PM 9:29 PM 10:00 PM 10:18 PM 10:18 AM
Height 0.4L 0.4L 0.4L 0.3L 0.3L 0.3L 0.3L 0.3L 0.3L 0.3L 0.3L 0.4L 0.4L 0.5L 0.5L
Time
Height
Time
Height
5:53 PM
0.5H
Height 1.8H 1.8H 1.8H 1.8H 1.9H 2.0L 0.4L 0.4L 0.3L 2.5H 2.4H 2.2H 2.0H 1.9H 1.8H
South Padre Island Date Time Sep 14 3:27 AM Sep 15 3:30 AM Sep 16 3:30 AM Sep 17 3:26 AM Sep 18 3:17 AM Sep 19 11:33 AM Sep 20 12:28 PM Sep 21 1:30 PM Sep 22 2:39 PM Sep 23 12:59 AM Sep 24 1:44 AM Sep 25 2:11 AM Sep 26 2:26 AM Sep 27 2:35 AM Sep 28 2:40 AM
Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. F=Full Moon, N=New Moon, Q=Quarter > = Peak Activity. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of a location.
Last
Sept. 30
Sept. 23
Port Aransas, H. Caldwell Pier Date Time Sep 14 3:27 AM Sep 15 3:35 AM Sep 16 3:40 AM Sep 17 3:41 AM Sep 18 3:38 AM Sep 19 12:44 AM Sep 20 12:37 PM Sep 21 1:38 PM Sep 22 2:47 PM Sep 23 12:44 AM Sep 24 1:30 AM Sep 25 2:02 AM Sep 26 2:24 AM Sep 27 2:40 AM Sep 28 2:51 AM
Full
First
Sept. 16
Height 1.6H 1.5H 1.4H 1.3H 1.3H 0.0L -0.1L -0.1L 0.0L 2.0H 2.0H 1.9H 1.8H 1.7H 1.6H
Time 8:46 AM 9:09 AM 9:38 AM 10:14 AM 10:55 AM 3:23 AM 10:05 PM 11:36 PM
Height 1.4L 1.2L 1.0L 0.8L 0.7L 2.0H 2.5H 2.5H
4:00 PM 5:13 PM 6:21 PM 7:53 AM 8:06 AM 8:29 AM
0.4L 0.4L 0.6L 1.6L 1.4L 1.2L
Time 8:33 AM 8:56 AM 9:26 AM 10:02 AM 10:45 AM 8:29 PM 10:10 PM 11:47 PM
Height 1.3L 1.1L 0.8L 0.5L 0.2L 1.9H 1.9H 2.0H
3:52 PM 5:06 PM 6:17 PM 7:31 AM 7:52 AM 8:21 AM
0.1L 0.3L 0.5L 1.5L 1.3L 1.1L
11:49 PM
0.4L
2012 Sep-Oct 14 Fri > 15 Sat N 16 Sun > 17 Mon > 18 Tue > 19 Wed 20 Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23 Sun Q 24 Mon 25 Tue 26 Wed 27 Thu 28 Fri 29 Sat > 30 Sun > 01 Mon F 02 Tue > 03 Wed >
A.M. Minor Major 4:10 10:22 4:56 11:08 5:45 11:58 6:39 12:26 7:38 1:24 8:41 2:26 9:46 3:31 10:51 4:36 11:53 5:38 12:22 6:36 1:15 7:29 2:04 8:17 2:49 9:01 3:31 9:42 4:12 10:23 4:54 11:06 5:38 11:50 6:25 12:14 7:14 1:03 8:06 1:54
Dallas
4:36 PM
0.6H
10:16 PM
0.5L
Time 1:59 PM 3:14 PM 4:27 PM 5:42 PM 7:01 PM 11:42 AM
Height 1.8H 2.0H 2.1H 2.3H 2.4H 0.5L
Time 8:52 PM 9:41 PM 10:34 PM 11:33 PM 8:29 PM
2.5H
11:56 AM 1:33 PM 2:50 PM
1.8H 1.9H 2.0H
7:24 PM 8:23 PM 9:18 PM
0.7L 0.9L 1.2L
Time 1:41 PM 3:01 PM 4:17 PM 5:35 PM 6:57 PM
Height 1.6H 1.7H 1.7H 1.8H 1.8H
Time 8:51 PM 9:44 PM 10:40 PM 11:42 PM
11:48 AM 1:30 PM 2:50 PM
1.7H 1.8H 1.9H
7:22 PM 8:23 PM 9:20 PM
Height 0.8L 1.1L 1.4L 1.7L
2012 Sep-Oct 14 Fri > 15 Sat N 16 Sun > 17 Mon > 18 Tue > 19 Wed 20 Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23 Sun Q 24 Mon 25 Tue 26 Wed 27 Thu 28 Fri 29 Sat > 30 Sun > 01 Mon F 02 Tue > 03 Wed >
A.M. Minor Major 4:16 10:28 5:02 11:14 5:51 ----6:45 12:31 7:44 1:30 8:46 2:32 9:51 3:36 10:56 4:41 11:58 5:43 12:27 6:41 1:21 7:34 2:10 8:22 2:54 9:06 3:36 9:48 4:18 10:29 5:00 11:11 5:44 11:55 6:31 12:19 7:20 1:08 8:11 2:00
San Antonio
Height 0.7L 0.8L 1.0L 1.2L
0.7L 0.9L 1.1L
2012 A.M. Sep-Oct Minor Major 14 Fri > 4:23 10:35 15 Sat N 5:09 11:21 16 Sun > 5:58 ----17 Mon > 6:52 12:38 18 Tue > 7:51 1:37 19 Wed 8:53 2:39 20 Thu 9:58 3:43 21 Fri 11:03 4:48 22 Sat ----- 5:50 23 Sun Q 12:34 6:48 24 Mon 1:28 7:41 25 Tue 2:17 8:29 26 Wed 3:01 9:13 27 Thu 3:43 9:55 28 Fri 4:25 10:36 29 Sat > 5:07 11:18 30 Sun > 5:51 ----01 Mon F 6:38 12:26 02 Tue > 7:27 1:15 03 Wed > 8:18 2:07
Amarillo
2012 A.M. Sep-Oct Minor 14 Fri > 4:36 15 Sat N 5:22 16 Sun > 6:11 17 Mon > 7:05 18 Tue > 8:04 19 Wed 9:07 20 Thu 10:12 21 Fri 11:17 22 Sat ----23 Sun Q 12:48 24 Mon 1:41 25 Tue 2:30 26 Wed 3:15 27 Thu 3:57 28 Fri 4:38 29 Sat > 5:20 30 Sun > 6:04 01 Mon F 6:51 02 Tue > 7:40 03 Wed > 8:32
OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen
Solution on Page 37
ACROSS 1. Common name for the bowfin 6. Action of a dry fly on the water 8. A brand of camo 9. Formerly big game 10. A wingshooter’s quarry 11. Scent lure used by bear hunters 15. A freshwater fish 16. A type of arrow 18. Favorite lure color to attract fish 20. Electronic wear controls gundog 21. A family of bottom fish 24. Name for trout after hatching 26. Shoulder hide on a deer 27. A bear food source 28. 17 down seeks this 29. All outdoorsmen should carry one 30. The varmint DOWN 1. A species of the bighorn 2. Act of forcing wildfowl to flight 3. Trout will run smaller in this 4. Newborn elk 5. A good trap bait 6. To place feathers on an arrow 7. State boasts second most elk 12. A perch 13. Female deer 14. A young turkey 15. The turkey’s feet 17. Pursuer of otter, coon, weasel 19. The pheasant
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September 14, 2012
Major 10:48 11:34 ----12:52 1:50 2:52 3:57 5:02 6:04 7:02 7:55 8:43 9:27 10:08 10:49 11:31 ----12:40 1:29 2:20
P.M. Minor 4:35 5:21 6:11 7:06 8:06 9:10 10:16 11:21 ----12:50 1:42 2:29 3:13 3:54 4:35 5:17 6:01 6:48 7:38 8:30
Major 10:47 11:33 12:24 12:53 1:52 2:55 4:01 5:06 6:07 7:04 7:56 8:42 9:25 10:05 10:46 11:28 ----12:37 1:26 2:18
SUN Rises Sets 07:04 07:28 07:05 07:26 07:05 07:25 07:06 07:24 07:06 07:23 07:07 07:21 07:07 07:20 07:08 07:19 07:08 07:18 07:09 07:16 07:09 07:15 07:10 07:14 07:10 07:13 07:11 07:12 07:12 07:10 07:12 07:09 07:13 07:08 07:13 07:07 07:14 07:05 07:14 07:04
MOON Rises 5:34a 6:35a 7:37a 8:42a 9:48a 10:55a 12:02p 1:05p 2:03p 2:56p 3:42p 4:24p 5:02p 5:37p 6:10p 6:44p 7:19p 7:55p 8:33p 9:14p
Sets 6:22p 6:59p 7:38p 8:19p 9:04p 9:54p 10:48p 11:47p NoMoon 12:48a 1:50a 2:52a 3:52a 4:50a 5:47a 6:43a 7:38a 8:33a 9:28a 10:22a
P.M. Minor Major 4:40 10:52 5:26 11:39 6:16 12:29 7:11 12:58 8:11 1:57 9:15 3:01 10:21 4:06 11:26 5:11 ----- 6:13 12:56 7:10 1:48 8:01 2:35 8:48 3:18 9:30 3:59 10:11 4:40 10:51 5:22 11:33 6:06 ----6:53 12:42 7:43 1:32 8:35 2:23
SUN Rises Sets 07:09 07:34 07:09 07:33 07:10 07:31 07:11 07:30 07:11 07:29 07:12 07:27 07:13 07:26 07:13 07:25 07:14 07:23 07:14 07:22 07:15 07:21 07:16 07:19 07:16 07:18 07:17 07:17 07:18 07:15 07:18 07:14 07:19 07:13 07:20 07:11 07:20 07:10 07:21 07:09
MOON Rises 5:37a 6:40a 7:44a 8:51a 9:59a 11:07a 12:14p 1:18p 2:16p 3:08p 3:53p 4:34p 5:10p 5:43p 6:16p 6:48p 7:21p 7:56p 8:33p 9:14p
Sets 6:29p 7:05p 7:42p 8:21p 9:05p 9:54p 10:47p 11:45p NoMoon 12:47a 1:50a 2:53a 3:55a 4:54a 5:53a 6:50a 7:46a 8:43a 9:38a 10:33a
P.M. Minor Major 4:47 10:59 5:33 11:46 6:23 12:36 7:18 1:05 8:18 2:04 9:22 3:08 10:28 4:13 11:33 5:18 12:05 6:20 1:03 7:17 1:55 8:08 2:42 8:55 3:25 9:37 4:06 10:18 4:47 10:58 5:29 11:40 6:13 12:02 7:00 12:49 7:50 1:39 8:42 2:30
SUN Rises Sets 07:17 07:40 07:17 07:39 07:18 07:38 07:18 07:36 07:19 07:35 07:19 07:34 07:20 07:33 07:20 07:31 07:21 07:30 07:21 07:29 07:22 07:28 07:22 07:26 07:23 07:25 07:23 07:24 07:24 07:23 07:24 07:22 07:25 07:20 07:26 07:19 07:26 07:18 07:27 07:17
MOON Rises 5:47a 6:48a 7:50a 8:55a 10:01a 11:08a 12:14p 1:17p 2:15p 3:08p 3:55p 4:36p 5:14p 5:49p 6:23p 6:57p 7:32p 8:08p 8:47p 9:28p
Sets 6:35p 7:12p 7:51p 8:32p 9:18p 10:08p 11:02p NoMoon NoMoon 1:02a 2:04a 3:05a 4:05a 5:04a 6:00a 6:56a 7:51a 8:46a 9:40a 10:34a
P.M. Minor 5:01 5:47 6:37 7:32 8:32 9:36 10:42 11:47 12:19 1:16 2:08 2:55 3:39 4:20 5:01 5:43 6:27 7:14 8:04 8:55
SUN Rises 07:28 07:29 07:30 07:31 07:31 07:32 07:33 07:33 07:34 07:35 07:36 07:36 07:37 07:38 07:38 07:39 07:40 07:41 07:41 07:42
MOON Rises 5:57a 7:01a 8:07a 9:14a 10:23a 11:33a 12:41p 1:45p 2:43p 3:34p 4:18p 4:58p 5:33p 6:05p 6:36p 7:07p 7:39p 8:13p 8:50p 9:30p
Sets 6:51p 7:25p 8:01p 8:40p 9:22p 10:10p 11:03p NoMoon 12:01a 1:03a 2:07a 3:11a 4:13a 5:14a 6:13a 7:12a 8:09a 9:07a 10:04a 10:59a
Major 11:13 11:59 12:50 1:18 2:18 3:21 4:27 5:32 6:33 7:30 8:22 9:08 9:51 10:31 11:12 11:54 12:16 1:02 1:52 2:44
Sets 07:55 07:54 07:52 07:51 07:49 07:48 07:47 07:45 07:44 07:42 07:41 07:39 07:38 07:36 07:35 07:34 07:32 07:31 07:29 07:28
FOR THE TABLE Stuffed rolled flounder 2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and chopped 2 ounces cheese, grated 1 tbsp. chopped parsley 1 1/4 cups fresh white breadcrumbs 1/2 stick butter, melted Salt and pepper 2 flounder, filleted and skinned Mix the eggs with the cheese, parsley and two ounces of the breadcrumbs. Bind with the butter and add seasoning. Spread this mixture over the skinned side of the fillets and roll them up, start-
ing from the tail end; secure them if necessary with a wooden cocktail stick. Place the fillets close together in a buttered shallow ovenproof dish, sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and bake uncovered in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the fish is tender and the breadcrumbs crisp on top. The liquid that comes from the fish as it cooks can be strained off and used with milk to make a white or parsley sauce to serve with the fish. — easyfishrecipes.com
Fried dove nuggets 12 dove breasts 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 3/4 tsp. oregano Salt and pepper 6 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
20. A game bird 22. A wounded game or fowl
23. A northern saltwater flatfish 25. State most populated by elk
Cut the dove breasts into small chunks and place in a bowl.
Sprinkle with cayenne, oregano, salt and pepper and lightly stir to coat. Heat a little oil over low heat in a skillet. When pan is hot, add dove and sprinkle in parsley. Cook to medium rare, stirring occasionally. Remove and drain on paper towels. — backwoodsbound.com
*email LSON your favorite recipe to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.
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TPWD auction online Bargain-savvy hunters now have a cost-effective opportunity to buy items for their deer lease. Through Sept. 21, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is holding an online auction of surplus property, with items located throughout the state. Items included in the auction are dozens of vehicles, a tractor, an ATV, a travel trailer, and deer feeders. Those interested do not have to bid sight-unseen. On Sept. 18, from 8 a.m. to noon, and then 1 to 3 p.m., potential bidders can analyze the items. TPWD employees and family members are not allowed to bid in the auction. To view the items on sale, visit lonestarauctioneers.com. — Staff report
Crossbows Continued From Page 1
bows as they venture afield this season. Legalized by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 2009, crossbows have slowly been on the rise for hunting the past three years. According to Rob Dykeman, director of sales and marketing for Excalibur Crossbow in Ontario, Canada, the Texas market is growing at a slow and steady pace. “A big part of the slow growth is because Texas has such a long gun season,” Dykeman said. “It’s not a huge advantage to pick up a crossbow like it is in much of the rest of the country where rifle season is two weeks and archery season is three months long. That said, every year we are seeing a steady increase.” Dykeman said the sale of a crossbow often comes down to the man behind the counter. “Some of our dealers sell 200 crossbows a year because they believe in it,” he said. “Unfortunately,
a lot depends on the attitude of the salesman. But in Texas, hog hunting with a crossbow is just so much fun, so we are seeing it pick up each season.” TPWD doesn’t keep records on the number of crossbow hunters in the state, but dealers are taking notice of the upward trend. “Oh yeah, I’ve seen a big uptick in the number of people shooting crossbows,” said Blake Kidder, archery manager for Wheeler’s Feed and Outfitters in Boerne. “I see a lot of people who want to be able to hunt longer and more throughout the year. “It’s just so much easier — more like shooting a rifle.” Many archery pros think crossbows are a good way to either venture into the archery market or prolong a hunting career. “This time of year, I get about four or five calls a day asking about crossbows,” said Viking Archery manager Kevin Whiteford in Houston. “It’s a good car-
ryover from guys who normally shoot rifles or guys with injuries. “We’ve got guys that have been bowhunting for 40 or 50 years, and they just can’t pull a bow anymore. But they can prolong their hunting with a crossbow.” Whiteford said although crossbows are a great way to prolong a season, they do have some drawbacks. “Crossbows are noisy,” he said. “When you are hunting jumpy whitetails, it can be a real challenge. But for hog hunting, they are ideal.” Kidder agreed. “There are a lot of rifle hunters that don’t necessarily want to shoot a compound bow, but then they get a crossbow and move toward a compound bow,” he said. “We also see a lot of guys that have had injuries in the military that get back into bowhunting with a crossbow. “A lot of dads also get their kids into hunting with a crossbow.”
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Raccoons
Continued From Page 8
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just been outstanding,” he said. “I had a pond that I knew had some fish but I didn’t manage, but now we’ve been managing the lake for two years and have already seen some significant growth in the size of the fish.” Anglers who would like the benefits of fishing unpressured waters without paying a membership fee can look into guide services that offer trips on private land. Jace Outlaw, based in Fannin County, offers this kind of trip for $50. “Our big deal is, we have so many places to fish, people will get to fish a minimum of four places,” he said. “If they aren’t biting one place, we’ll go to SECLUDED LUNKER: Joining a private water fishing club can grant anglers access to minimally-pressured ponds, where the next.” management practices grow big bass. Photo by Private Water Fishing. Outlaw also touted the money that could lease a lake, it’s yours and yours exclu- the lakes, and I have never been zeroed.” be saved for people who don’t fish very sively for a day,” he said. “It’s not so much For members who want to target what you see it’s what you don’t see: no something other than bass, there are often. “Most bass fishing trips on lakes are Jet Skis, no crowds at the boat ramp, and some lakes that offer good numbers of $250, just using a lot of fuel and having no other boats on the water with you.” different species. Since the lakes are privately owned, strict “We are primarily a bass fishing club, a boat to maintain,” he said. “But fishing management practices are implemented but we do have guys that like to get out private lakes on banks is cheaper, and I to help increase largemouth angler suc- and crappie fish, or fish for bluegill or think you catch more fish on private lakes and ponds than on public lakes. cess. And it seems to be working. catfish,” he said. “You don’t have to beat people off “We’ve had 15 caught over 13 pounds,” Joe Ward, a landowner involved in Alexander said. “Our club has been the program, said his experience has your fishing spots; you know you’re going to get on some fish, and we’ve had around for 14 years, so we’ll have one or been positive. two fish that big caught every year. “I’ve been extremely pleased with a lot of people catch some really good “I have fished hundreds of times on Steve and the members of this club have bass,” Outlaw said.
advantage of an abundant food supply like supplemental feeders. Raccoons frequently gorge themselves on whatever food source is easily obtainable.” The biology of raccoons is the reason behind their ferocious appetite. “Mammalian predators have stomachs that stretch to many times their normal size, so raccoons are biologically built to be able to take advantage of a food source when it’s available,” he said. “If you combine a raccoon’s biological ability to gorge themselves, with the fact that they probably are rarely persecuted at game feeders, spending a lot of time at a deer feeder is worth the trouble.” Finding food to present to deer that doesn’t appeal to raccoons is difficult, but natural browse and food plots work because vegetation makes up only about 2 percent of a raccoon’s diet, according to Heilbrun. But almost any supplement that can be put in a feeder will probably be targeted by raccoons. And their numbers are likely continuing to grow. “There are probably more raccoons in Texas now than ever before,” he said. “A lack of a fur trade, adaptability of raccoons to the urban environment, and the preponderance of supplemental game feeders have contributed to an extremely robust raccoon population in Texas.”
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NATIONAL Native warm season grass forages could have lessened drought impacts Landowners who planted warm season grasses have weathered Arkansas’ drought better than those who haven’t. Native warm season grasses can be the long-term solution to filling the summer forage gap that often happens in Arkansas. According to David Long, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission private lands supervisor, there are some options available to landowners. “Under the Natural Resources Conservation Service cost-share programs like the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, Environmental Quality Incentive Program and AGFC private lands programs, there have been thousands of acres of natives planted over the past 10 years that are all alive and growing very well during one of the worst droughts in Arkansas history,” Long said. While native forages require a little extra effort and cost to establish up front, these low-input perennial grasses provide a number of benefits including high yields (up to 4 tons per acre), high quality forage, low input cost and exceptional drought tolerance and are long-lasting — all qualities that ranchers are looking for, Long explained. — Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Expect roadblocks in New Mexico during hunting season The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish will conduct roadblocks throughout the state during the upcoming hunting seasons to collect harvest data and apprehend wildlife law violators.
Conservation officers also will check for compliance with provisions of the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Act, the Aquatic Invasive Species Control Act, and drivers of vehicles hauling wood products will be asked to produce documentation as required by the Forestry Conservation Act. Department officers may be assisted by other law enforcement agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Police or county sheriff's departments. As a result, the public may encounter minor delays. — New Mexico Dept. of Game and Fish
Louisiana closes some coastal areas Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham announced an emergency closure of a portion of coastal waters due to the emergence of a large tar mat and concentrations of tar balls on adjacent beaches, effective Sept. 4. This action was taken in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, which will assist with the investigation to determine the extent, source, and impacts of the oil in the environment. The area affected by this emergency closure includes the portion of state waters seaward a distance of one mile from the shoreline from the eastern shore of Belle Pass at 90 degrees 13 minutes 30 seconds west longitude eastward to the western shore of Caminada Pass at 90 degrees 02 minutes 46.6 seconds west longitude. The only fishing activity allowed in the closed area is recreational, rod and reel (hook and line) fishing for finfish. The following activities are prohibited: all commercial fishing and recreational harvest of shrimp, crabs and oysters. — Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries
Black bears on the move in Colorado Cooler mornings and shorter days are reminders for people that fall will soon arrive. Colorado Parks and Wildlife advises everyone that black bears notice the subtle change in seasons too, and will soon begin their annual food binge as they prepare for hibernation. No matter where you live or vacation in the state, Colorado Parks and Wildlife encourages everyone to practice good habits that can help prevent serious interactions with hungry bears. “Obey local ordinances, secure your trash, remove any accessible food source and never intentionally feed a bear,” said Northwest Regional Manager Ron Velarde. “If more people follow just these few simple recommendations, it can reduce the possibility of conflicts.” The biological drive to fatten up before winter is known as hyperphagia — a period when a bear’s appetite increases dramatically. During this time, a bear's food intake increases from approximately 8,000 to nearly 20,000 calories — approximately the equivalent of eating 70 cheeseburgers — every day. The urge to satisfy this enormous appetite can make these large animals more likely to venture into populated areas. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Outdoor education on target with Oklahoma schools Just eight years ago, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation began the Oklahoma National Archery in Schools Program. Today 350 Oklahoma schools and more than 40,000 students partici-
pate in the program annually, and it is leading the way for an entire suite of outdoor education programs offered to schools by the wildlife department. Wildlife department officials say that schools across the state have been catching on to the program offerings and partnering with the department as the programs’ popularity among students, teachers and administrators has continued to mount. Officials say the programs work toward building interest in a lifetime of enjoying the outdoors. In addition to OKNASP, the suite includes the wildlife department’s hunter education, Oklahoma Fishing in the Schools and Explore Bowhunting programs as well as a new scholastic shooting sports program. The wildlife department provides curriculum for all of the programs and even offers equipment grants for OKNASP Fishing in the Schools and Explore Bowhunting. While all grants are obligated for the coming year, schools can still apply and be placed on a waiting list. — Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation
Missouri collecting samples for CWD testing The Missouri Department of Conservation is working with hunters, taxidermy shops and deer processors to collect tissue samples from adult deer harvested during the fall archery and firearms deer seasons. The cooperative effort is part of MDC’s ongoing work to monitor the prevalence and distribution of chronic wasting disease in Missouri’s freeranging deer. CWD has been found in free-ranging deer in Macon County. The sampling will take place from Sept. 15
to Jan. 15. It is limited to deer harvested in MDC’s CWD Containment Zone of Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties. Hunters are encouraged to take their harvested deer to one of numerous cooperating locations in the region. Removing a tissue sample is free, takes only a few minutes and will not reduce the food or mount value of harvested deer. Test results for participating hunters will be posted on the MDC website beginning in December. MDC will also collect additional samples from across north Missouri as part of its ongoing statewide CWD surveillance effort. With the help of hunters, MDC has tested more than 35,000 free-ranging deer for CWD from all parts of the state since 2002 and up to 2012. —Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Louisiana assessing storm impact on wildlife Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologists are assessing the impact of Hurricane Isaac on the deer populations in parishes flooded by the storm. Flood conditions created by Isaac’s heavy rainfall moved deer out of normal habitat and in some instances resulted in deer mortalities. Biologists are working to determine the overall effect on the deer herd within impacted areas of the state. Aerial, waterborne and ground surveys will continue throughout the month of September. The data collected will be utilized by LDWF’s Deer Program manager to develop any recommendations for changes to the upcoming deer season. — Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries
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New lake Continued From Page 11
largemouth bass, black and white crappie and channel catfish. “The lake was designated a priority lake for trophy bass, so it received a stocking of 100,000 Sharelunker fry, and adult brood bass up to 5 or 6 pounds have been stocked three times.” Roger Bacon, a guide on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, fished Naconiche on Sept. 4. “We fished from daylight until about 1 p.m.,” he said. “We caught about 35 fish, and the majority were TROPHY LAKE: Bobby Clark of Humble landed this 10-pound largemouth from 3 to 5 pounds. There’s his kayak on his first day of fishing Lake Naconiche. Photo by Bobby Clark. a lot of grass, and we staffer for Wilderness Kayaks and Kistler Rods. fished the grass edges “But this is the largest bass I ever caught,” in 12 to 18 feet of water. The bite turned off he said. at 10:30 a.m. like you hit a switch. And the catch was caught on video, avail“It really brought back memories of the able at lsonews.com. good old grass days in Southeast Texas.” Photos, though, didn’t work out so well. Driscoll surveyed anglers the first few “After I measured the fish and we were days after the lake opened. about to get photos, she flipped off right into “There have been numbers of 7- to the water,” he said. 10-pound fish being caught,” he said, with The video shows the quick release. four fish coming in topping 10 pounds. “We Clark and his friends will be back at the lit- had high expectations and it is exceeding tle lake, only 692 acres and located about 12 those. I predict a 13-plus fish will be landed miles northeast of Nacogdoches. in the next two or three years.” “It’s a great little lake,” he said. “We had a Some anglers worry that heavy pressure on blast.” such a small lake will shut the fishing down. The lake has an 18-inch minimum length “A 16- to 24-inch slot would help,” Bacon limit on largemouths, with a daily bag limit said. “It would still allow folks who want to of five bass. keep a few for dinner the option without Locals had a long wait for the lake, as ini- having to keep those over 18 inches.” tial plans go back decades. But archeological Driscoll said anglers will be surveyed next finds delayed construction until initial con- year to help determine the management struction permits were issued more than a strategy, but he had another suggestion. decade ago. “We’ll look at a 16-inch maximum regu“The dam was finished in 2009,” said Texas lation to manage the lake for trophy bass,” Parks and Wildlife Department biologist he said. “If the true goal is trophy bass, why Todd Driscoll. “We started stocking in 2009 not protect them all — when the lake was 30 to 40 percent full.” the only exemption is a See video at Bluegill were stocked first, and then Florida Sharelunker bass.” LSONews.com
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B.A.S.S. to stop twice in Texas Get ready, Texas. The B.A.S.S. Elite Series schedule has been released and Texas will have two stops — one for the first time ever. The coming year marks the eighth anniversary of the Elite Series and the 46th of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail. It all begins with the 43rd Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees out of Tulsa, Okla. The 2013 Classic will feature 36 Elite pros, including winners from each of the 2012 Elite tournaments. Other qualifiers include champions from the 2012 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens, six talented amateurs from the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, the Weekend Series champion and the Carhartt College Series qualifier, Matt Lee of Auburn University. After the Classic, the Elites head south to Orange and the Sabine River system for the Sabine River Challenge on March 14-17. It’ll be the first time B.A.S.S. has ever held a professional level event on the river, which flows out of the historic waters of Toledo Bend Reservoir. In early spring, bass on the river should be fat and plentiful. From the Sabine River, the Elite anglers will drive southwest to Zapata for the Falcon Slam on March 21-24 and a much-anticipated return to Falcon Lake. In 2008, Paul Elias won the tournament with a record catch weighing 132 pounds, 8 ounces. The event also produced the biggest bass in Elite history (13-2), the second heaviest five bass limit in B.A.S.S. history (44-4) and 12 catches weighing better than 108 pounds. — B.A.S.S.
New game wardens sworn in Hunters and anglers may see some new faces patrolling the areas they frequent. Forty new state game wardens soon will be taking to the field following their completion of seven months of training at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden
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Training Center in Hamilton County. Members of the 57th Game Warden class graduated in ceremonies recently in the House of Representatives chamber at the Capitol in Austin. The new game wardens will be reporting for duty at stations spanning the state from East Texas to El Paso. While the primary duty of state game wardens is to enforce hunting and fishing laws and water safety regulations, they are fully commissioned peace officers who also respond to natural disasters, assist other local and state law enforcement agencies as well as conducting public outreach on a variety of conservation-related topics. The 40 new wardens will bring TPWD’s Law Enforcement Division to its authorized strength of 532 game wardens. — TPWD
Guadalupe has more access Anglers on the Guadalupe River will now have a few more places to access the fishery. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has signed temporary leased access agreements with three Guadalupe River property owners to expand public fishing access to the trout fishery downstream of Canyon Lake. Access is now available through Mountain Breeze Campground, Rio Raft and Resort and Whitewater Sports. The new leases will provide anglers with free access to the Guadalupe River at the three properties from 30 minutes before daylight until 30 minutes after dusk from now until the end of February 2013. Anglers will be able to use the properties for bank fishing and to launch nonmotorized watercraft such as rafts, kayaks and canoes for the purpose of fishing. The three leases were made possible with grant funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program. For additional information or directions to the leased access areas call the numbers below: Mountain Breeze Campground, (830) 964-2484 Rio Raft and Resort, (830) 964-3613 Whitewater Sports, (830) 964-3800 — TPWD
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LONE STAR MARKET
To advertise in this section, call Mike Hughs at (214) 361-2276 or e-mail him at mhughs@lonestaroutdoornews.com.
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Mount receives law enforcement award Game Warden Michelle Mount has been named Officer of the Year by the Association of Midwest Fish and Game Law Enforcement Officers. The award was presented to Mount by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Executive Director Carter Smith at the August meeting of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at TPWD Headquarters. Mount, a nine-year game warden stationed in Tarrant County, was recognized for her commitment and service to TPWD’s public outreach mission which includes presentations and events such as hunter education classes, school programs, inner city youth presentations and women in the outdoors events. She is also the regional point of contact for the public for questions regarding nongame and invasive species in the Fort Worth and Dallas areas. — TPWD
Bluegill tournament set for Sept. 29 Grab the little ones and head to a fishing tournament where anyone has a shot at winning. The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center’s annual Bluegill Family Fishing Tournament will take place this year on Saturday, Sept. 29. The tournament awards prizes for the heaviest stringers of sunfish, but the event is really about adults and children having fun fishing together. Teams must consist of one adult 18 years of age or older and one child under 18 years of age. Each team can weigh in a maximum of four fish. Multiple teams can fish from the same boat, making it possible for both parents to partner with different children and still fish as a family. Team members do not have to be related.
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Teams may choose to fish either on Lake Athens, which is adjacent to TFFC, or in TFFC’s ponds and streams, some of which have been stocked with bluegills. All species of sunfish or bream (except largemouth bass) are allowed. Pre-registration is required. Mail registration must be received by Wednesday, Sept. 26. For more information or to request an entry form, contact Craig Brooks at (903) 670-2222. — TPWD
Lake Palestine receives vegetation Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries crews recently completed the first phase of a project to establish native aquatic vegetation in Lake Palestine. Using $10,000 in funding from the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Project, TPWD planted five species of native vegetation inside 30 protective enclosures along more than a mile of shoreline. The plants were produced at a plant nursery at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens that was funded by the East Texas Woods and Waters Foundation. “In Lake Palestine, most submersed aquatic vegetation is limited to a small area of shallow water separated from the rest of the reservoir by a causeway and bridge,” said Richard Ott, the TPWD biologist who manages the lake’s fishery. “The founder colonies of plants will allow the prevailing southerly wind during the growing season to distribute seed and plant fragments north toward other areas of the reservoir. The locations for the colonies were selected due to the lack of waterfront homes to reduce conflict with property owners. The species we selected were those that work best in most Texas reservoirs but that haven’t shown to be problematic.” The vegetation is expected to spread outside the enclosures, which protect the young plants from being eaten by turtles, fish and beavers. — TPWD
LONE STAR MARKET
To advertise in this section, call Mike Hughs at (214) 361-2276 or e-mail him at mhughs@lonestaroutdoornews.com.
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DATEBOOK September 14-15
September 22
Texas Wildlife Association 3rd Annual Barbecue Cook-off Freeman Exposition Hall, San Antonio (800) 839-9453, ext. 114 texas-wildlife.org
Dallas Safari Club Fall Youth S.A.F.E.T.Y. Event Greystone Castle (972) 980-9800 biggame.org
September 15
Ducks Unlimited Wharton Banquet Hungerford Hall (979) 532-3175 ducks.org/Texas
Bargain Hunters Outdoors Annual Open Season Event Weatherford (817) 598-0026 bargainhunteroutdoors.com
September 15-16 Bass Champs Tournament North Region Championship Lake Lewisville (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com
September 20 Dallas Safari Club Monthly Meeting Glen Eagles Country Club, Plano (972) 980-9800 biggame.org Ducks Unlimited Heart of Texas Banquet Pfluger Hall, Pflugerville (512) 461-3568 ducks.org/Texas
September 21-22 2012 Central Texas Hunting and Outdoor Expo Rockdale (512) 446-2030 tx-rockdalechamber.civicplus.com
September 25
September 27
Ducks Unlimited San Antonio Banquet Alzafar Shrine Temple (210) 381-8299 ducks.org/Texas Ducks Unlimited Mid-South Texas Banquet Port Arthur Civic Center (409) 454-4884 ducks.org/Texas
September 28-30
Toyota Texas Bass Classic Lone Star Convention and Expo Center, Conroe (512) 389-4855 toyotatexasbassclassic.com
September 29
Caesar Guerini Eleventh Hour Sporting Clays Warm Up Dallas Gun Club (972) 462-0043 dallasgunclub.com
September 29-30
Bass Champs Tournament Central Region Championship Lake LBJ (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com
October 3
October 13-14
Ducks Unlimited Lone Star Chapter Banquet American Legion Hall, Llano (512) 755-9770 ducks.org/Texas
Galveston Bay Foundation Bike Around the Bay bikearoundthebay.org
October 16 Delta Waterfowl Nacogdoches Dinner Piney Woods Country Club (936) 553-8388 deltawaterfowl.org
October 4 Ducks Unlimited Matagorda County Dinner Bay City Civic Center, Bay City (979) 429-0050 ducks.org/Texas
October 18
October 9 Ducks Unlimited Colorado County Banquet Columbus Veterans Community Center, Columbus (979) 732-0428 ducks.org/Texas
Ducks Unlimited Arlington Dinner and Banquet Collins Entertainment Center, Arlington (469) 446-4176 ducks.org/texas
October 19 Delta Waterfowl Cleburne Dinner Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse Grounds (817) 307-4468 deltawaterfowl.org
October 11 Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation Wild Game Supper Beretta Gallery, Dallas (214) 559-9800 lsonews.com
October 19-20
Delta Watefowl San Antonio Chapter Dinner Anne Marie’s (210) 305-1293 deltawaterfowl.org
Taxidermy King Big Game and Trophy Mount Auction Will Rogers Memorial Center, Fort Worth (512) 451-7633 taxidermyking.com
October 20-21 Bass Champs Tournament 7th Annual Big Bass Tournament Lake Fork (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com
October 12 Operation Game Thief Alamo Area Sporting Clays Fundraiser National Shooting Complex, San Antonio ogttx.com
CLASSIFIEDS 1, 2, 3 PERSON FAMILY PACKAGE HUNT 1-Whitetail Buck: up to 140 B&C gross score. 1-Blackbuck: up to 18”. 1-Mature Fallow Buck. Includes: 2 nights Lodging $5,500 + $150 per day guide fee. www.VictoriaOaksRanch.com. Call for Details: (830) 931-9376 BLASER F3 12 GA. OVER/UNDER Factory case, accessories, warranty and 6 chokes. Great condition. $5,500 obo. Evan. (214) 232-8508 TROPHY WHITETAIL DEER HUNTS And/or cull hunts on high fenced ranch west of Fort Worth. Day hunts or lodging available. Contact David (817) 734-9229 or email hunt@pedros12point.com www.pedros12point.com SOUTH PADRE FISHING Reds, Trout, Flounder, Snook. Everything supplied but food and licenses. Multiple trip discounts. Call Capt. Thomas for details or CDCT12005@aol.com. (956) 551-1965 DEER LEASE WANTED Lone Star Outdoor News is looking for a hunting and fishing lease with all hunt and fish rights. Central or Northwest Texas. Camphouse is needed. (214) 361-2276
1
$
TROPHY ELK & WHITETAIL HUNTS Near Brownwood Texas. Not hunted in 2 years. Call Bob and book your hunt any way you want. (325) 200-8116
WANTED Deer hunting lease. Call (281) 442-5330
FLOATING CABIN FOR SALE IN THE FAMOUS LANDCUT Corpus Christi, Texas. Can be rented out with our base of repeat customers. Priced at $125,000 or will sell shares. For example: 5 people at $25,000 each or 10 people at $12,500. Get your buddies together and have a floating cabin to share or purchase and use as a business. Also, I have one in Baffin Bay with the same terms. Call (361) 215-3515
TEXAS DUCK STAMP/PRINT COLLECTION FOR SALE 1981 thru 2011. Call Steve Barber at (817) 832-8078
SWAP MEET BUY, SELL OR TRADE At Hills of Texas Taxidermy in Llano, Texas. Anything outdoor sports related. September 29, 2012. For booth information call (325) 247-4963
DEER HUNITNG IN CALDWELL COUNTY, TX $600 covers Friday evening through Sunday evening. Up to a 130 Boone and Crockett buck included. Primative camping and fishing avilable. Call (512) 689-5297 2-3 DAY PACKAGE HUNTS Elk and whitetail; high fence. Reata Ranch, Glen Rose, TX. Bow or rifle; 140 to 160 pt. whitetail and 4x4 to 9x9 on elk; Does & cows optional; bass fishing; nice 4 bedroom house. (214) 522-3154 TEXASARCHERY.INFO 2000 FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS TRAVEL TRAILER Oversized propane tanks. Central A/C and heating. 1/2 Ton towable. Queen bed. $5,600 OBO. (713) 454-9049 STATE WATERFOWL STAMP/PRINT COLLECTION FOR SALE 32 total signed and numbered state prints and stamps from around the country 12 state first; Louisiana, Vermont, Arizona,Kansas, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Connecticut, Idaho, Virginia, Nebraska, Canada, Australia. 10 from South Carolina. All unframed. Great art work for any water fowlers office wall or hunting camp. Call and ask for David. (214) 361-2276
PER WORD 2 issues minimum
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Battling wind, field leads team to Bass Champs title Adapting to a strong cold front led Shonn Blassingame of Sunset and Cody Burdine of Bridgeport to the title at the Bass Champs Toledo Bend Championship. The front blew in on Sat., Sept. 8 during the first morning of the twoday event. “Saturday, we had a 15-pound limit within the first hour,” Blassingame said. “After the front hit, the bite slowed way down.” The pair fished crankbaits on windy points, catching 4- to 5-foot swells coming into the boat. It paid off with a 10.52-pound bass, the largest of the tournament. Heading into the second day in second place, their success continued for a final total of 42.37 pounds and the win. The team won a Skeeter boat with a Yamaha 225SHO motor. Tim and Judy Reneau of Del Rio finished second with 40.35 pounds, followed by Louisianans Glen Freeman and Jeff Rice with 39.60 pounds. East Texas Region Anglers of the Year Rusty Clark and Cory Rambo brought in a light limit at 12.07 pounds on Day One, but had quite an experience on the water. “We were fishing a somewhat protected shoreline on the south end, and saw a small 12-foot boat out by the island with four people in it, including a 6-year-old,” Clark said. ”The front came through, bringing with it high winds causing big waves on the lake. We kept a pretty close eye on them. There was more people than boat. We knew something bad was about to happen.” When the small boat tried to cross a cut and was exposed to the wind, it took a wave over the side and capsized. Two teams, including Clark’s, went to assist. “We each put two passengers in our boats and took them to the shore,” Clark said. “That took about 45 minutes out of our day. No one had life jackets, not even the kid.” —Bass Champs
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slow bite, too; however, my Texas rig was the same the entire tournament, with the difference being that I had to move it really, really slow.” At around 10:30 a.m., Bowden moved to an area she fished for the first time on day one. When she arrived there, she had four average fish in the boat. “There is a stump there and on my first cast, as soon as it hit the water, I had a bite and hooked the fish,” she said. “Next cast, another fish, and I got that one in the livewell and got things set again. I reapplied my Kick `n Bass and cast again — another one. Then another one and I culled three times off of that one stump.” — LBAA
fying anglers. Other qualified anglers include Ott Defoe, Todd Faircloth, Randy Howell, Matthew Herren, Edwin Evers, Bill Lowen, Aaron Martens, Bobby Lane, Greg Hackney, David Walker, Dean Rojas, Cliff Pace and John Crews. The final 20 anglers will be filled with the 2011 champion, Keith Combs; four sponsor exemptions and the top 15 from the 2012 Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series Angler of the Year. — TPWD
Texas Bass Classic field shaping up
A wade fisherman's body was located by Coast Guard crews about 100 feet off the Texas City Dike on Sept. 1. A Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew located 41-year-old High Island angler Michael Wade Christian at 10:31 p.m. The helicopter crew vectored in a Texas City Fire Department boat crew to recover the body. The Coast Guard helicopter had been launched after a Texas City Police Department dispatcher contacted Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders at 9:06 p.m. and requested help finding the missing man. “I feel for the family,” said Zach Edwards, a search and rescue coordinator at Sector Houston-Galveston. “This guy has obviously been doing this for a while and we launched as soon as we got notified. Unfortunately, he was deceased when we found him.” — USCGS
Big bass in Lake Conroe better head for cover. With the Toyota Texas Bass Classic less than a month away, tournament officials are pleased to announce more qualifiers to the 2012 field list. The top 15 from the Bassmaster Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year standings have qualified, joining the top 15 from the Walmart FLW Outdoors Angler of the Year list. Highlights from the field include defending Bassmaster Classic champion Chris Lane and Toyota angler Terry Scroggins. The Toyota Texas Bass Classic will take place Sept. 28-30 at Lake Conroe, with weigh-in and concerts being held at the Lone Star Convention & Expo Center in Conroe. From the FLW Tour, David Dudley, David Lefebre, Luke Clausen and Bryan Thrift are among the quali-
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Angler’s body located in Texas City
Executive Editor Craig Nyhus Managing Editor Conor Harrison Associate Editor Mark England Graphics Editor Amy Moore Business/Products Editor Mary Helen Aguirre Intern John Keith Operations Manager Mike Hughs Accounting Ginger Hoolan Web site Bruce Soileau
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Contributors Kyle Carter David Draper Shannon Drawe Wilbur Lundeen John Meyer Erich Schlegel David Sikes Scott Sommerlatte Chuck Uzzle Ralph Winingham
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Bowden wins LBAA Ft. Worth pro Cheryl Bowden adapted to the changing conditions on Alabama’s Lake Neely Henry to capture her first Lady Bass Anglers Association tour victory as she brought 21.90 pounds to the scales in the two-day LBAA event. Bowden’s first LBAA tour victory was by the slimmest of margins over Bainbridge, Georgia pro Pam Martin-Wells, who caught 20.88-pounds. “The water muddied up,” Bowden exclaimed at the event’s conclusion. “We also had no current and we had cloudy, but we had no rain. In practice I needed the rain and clouds. I didn’t have that so I had to make adjustments, so I went from buzzbait to crank bait. It was a really
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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 2012 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 e-mail them to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.
OUTDOOR BUSINESS
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TPWD FY 2013 Budget The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Commissioners met Aug. 29 to adopt the Fiscal Year 2013 budget. Below is the Operating and Capital budget by division and strategy. Revenue from license sales and outdoor equipment purchases fund a large part of the TPWD budget.
2013 TPWD Operating and Capital Budget by Division/Object of Expense (in dollars) DIVISION SALARIES & OTHER OPERATING GRANTS DEBT SERVICE BENEFITS CAPITAL BUDGET Administrative Resources 5,642,391 1,022,173 1,469,753 Coastal Fisheries 9,389,789 3,692,768 607,587 2,576,971 Communications 3,893,042 3,196,029 150,000 970,850 Department-wide 18,924,734 7,208,829 3,146,366 Executive Administration 2,156,314 378,964 503,761 Human Resources 1,313,373 236,981 328,923 Information Technology 5,298,356 585,719 1,268,760 Infrastructure 4,102,509 1,044,720 1,062,912 Inland Fisheries 10,769,096 5,042,772 631,890 2,737,476 Law Enforcement 37,025,289 9,128,410 10,125,566 Legal 799,325 61,168 170,496 Local Parks 668,717 311,605 2,922,308 204,105 State Parks 43,273,603 23,835,739 13,949,928 20,428 Wildlife 14,835,638 7,213,017 441,412 4,048,236 Capital Construction 73,248,371 Capital Information Technology 4,465,596 196,742 Capital Land Acquisition GLO Transfer 11,233,960 TOTAL 139,167,442 79,140,395 15,987,157 7,208,829 39,417,737 76,611,907
TOTAL 8,134,317 16,267,115 8,209,921 29,279,929 3,039,039 1,879,277 7,152,835 6,210,141 19,181,234 56,279,265 1,030,989 4,106,735 81,079,698 26,538,303 73,248,371 4,662,338 0 11,233,960 357,533,467
FTE 117.00 195.00 72.00 30.00 25.00 83.50 118.00 210.00 657.50 10.00 11.00 1,281.30 280.00 3,090.30
2013 TPWD Budget by Strategy STRATEGY A.1.1. Wildlife Conservation A.1.2. Technical Guidance A.1.3. Hunting and Wildlife Recreation A.2.1. Inland Fisheries Management A.2.2. Inland Hatcheries Operations A.2.3. Coastal Fisheries Management A.2.4. Coastal Hatcheries Operations B.1.1. State Park Operations B.1.2. Parks Minor Repair Program B.1.3. Parks Support B.2.1. Local Park Grants B.2.2. Boating Access and Other Grants C.1.1. Enforcement Programs C.1.2. Warden Training Academy C.1.3. Law Enforcement Support
FY2013 19,004,336 2,161,091 2,749,284 13,029,396 4,550,221 11,261,424 3,253,513 63,688,744 3,899,383 3,820,680 446,980 5,753,264 43,350,918 1,660,524 2,261,648
STRATEGY C.2.1. Hunter and Boater Education C.2.2. TP&W Magazine C.2.3. Communication Products & Services C.2.4. Outreach and Education C.3.1. License Issuance C.3.2. Boat Registration and Titling D.1.1. Improvements and Major Repairs D.1.2. Land Acquisition D.1.3. Infrastructure Administration D.1.4. Debt Service E.1.1. Central Administration E.1.2. Information Resources E.1.3. Other Support Services Other Activity Payroll Related TOTAL
FY2013 1,779,933 2,072,631 3,082,468 803,377 7,262,109 1,346,474 85,049,865 373,098 4,454,180 7,208,829 9,447,328 11,439,740 2,904,292 39,417,737 357,533,467
METHOD OF FINANCE General Revenue GR Ded-Game, Fish, and Water Safety GR Ded-State Parks GR Ded-Other Federal Funds Other Funds GO Bonds TOTAL
FY2013 83,014,267 108,215,644 40,263,489 2,313,762 45,977,339 8,914,276 68,834,689 357,533,467
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