Farm and Ranch Living April 2019

Published April 30, 2019

Big names coming to Crockett

58th annual Crockett Lions Club Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Rodeo, Page 2

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East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

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Big names set for Crockett Lions Club rodeo

By PennyLynn Webb

S

Palestine Herald-Press

ome of rodeo’s biggest names will travel to Crockett next month for the 58th annual Crockett Lions Club Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Rodeo.

“We wanted to invite everyone to come out and see some of the toughest cowboys and cowgirls in professional rodeo take on some of the rankest stock on the circuit,” Rodeo Chair Heath Murff said.

Proceeds will benefit local high school seniors, through the Lions Club scholarships program, as well as Lions Club missions to provide eyeglasses to residents in need.

“By supporting our rodeo, you are supporting our community,” Murff said.

This annual event features the world-

class bucking stock of the Andrews Rodeo Company, owned by third generation stock contractor Sammy Andrews.

Sammy and his son, James, take pride in producing and raising some of the rankest bucking bulls in rodeo history, including Bodacious; Bo’s Excuse, Bo Dippin, Skat Kat Skoal, and Tumble Weed.

This PRCA-sanctioned event is also a Dodge Ram Series Rodeo, sponsored by Henson Motor Company in Madisonville.

RAM Rodeo officially began in 1981, sponsoring the first of 18 events with Ram Trucks as exclusive automotive sponsor. In 1982, RAM became the official truck of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

The Crockett rodeo events include bareback bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, cowgirl’s barrel racing, saddle bronc riding, and steer wrestling.

The annual three-day rodeo will run May 9-11, starting at 7:30 p.m. at the

Crockett Porth Ag Arena, 1100 Edmiston Drive in Crockett.

Longtime favorite Mike Mathis will return as announcer. Entertainment will be provided by rodeo clown “Backflip” Johnny Dudley, who’s back for his second year.

Dudley also will present his antibullying program to a Houston County school district.

This year, the Crockett Lions Club and the Crockett Lions Club Rodeo Queen committee have invited all of the past 56 years of Crockett Lions Club Rodeo Queens to ride in the rodeo’s grand entry.

This year’s Rodeo Queen contestants are Melanie Jenkins, sponsored by Frontier Camp; Samantha Sheppard, sponsored by The Cowboy Church of Houston County; and Kami LeBlanc, sponsored by First

County Feed. The annual Crockett Lions Club Rodeo Queens Contest is open to singles, ages 13-21, who live in Houston County.

Top sponsors of this year’s rodeo are Davy Crockett Drug and McDonald’s.

Other sponsors include Fish & Still Equipment, Starns Ranch, East Texas Livestock, Crockett Farm & Fuel, Stalwart Ranches, Fast Track Construction, First County Feed, East Texas Tree Services, and Circle T Feeds.

Tickets – $13 for adults, $7 for children, and $15 for adults – may be purchased from Rodeo Queen Contestants or Lion’s Club members.

For more information call 936-5440999, or log onto http://facebook.com/ CrockettNoonLions/

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East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

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Home Raised and Grass Fed

T

he red meat market is changing fast! More and more consumers want wholesome, farm raised beef that comes direct from a local farm. And they want the beef to have been raised by caring farmers. Texas A & M again this spring is hosting a grass-fed beef conference on May 30-31 at College Station. Last year the conference sold out fast. Cost is $275 through May 15th. Register online at https.//agriliferegister. tamu.edu or call (979) 845-2604.

Lots of good information from qualified speakers is on tap. Most important part of the conference will be on developing marketing

opportunities for those raising grass-fed beef.

Owning a tractor and other equipment is not cheap—from purchase price to maintenance costs money. Some farmers are just not interested in adding more iron to their farm—so they hire custom operators to mow pastures, bale hay, disc, plow and plant. When hiring the chores done, it has been a tossup on fair prices. Now, there is some hard information available. It consists of 28-pages of data on rental and custom rates for getting different farm jobs done. The publication provides a range of rates for different services. Whether you

are providing--or hiring--custom services in Texas agriculture, it’s a good resource to have. To view the entire publication visit: http.// agecoext.tamu.edu/crs.

Sometimes it seems the information stream is moving too fast to keep up. And when it comes to accessing the latest information, the internet takes over. Once I finally found the on/ off button on my computer and learned to use the contraption, it is a time and labor saver.

Whatever the question, the internet has answers—often different answers on the same subject. Fake News abounds on the internet and you have to

cull the information presented to come up with the real story.

Being from the “old school” I still want a newspaper in my hands rather than a digital copy. As for books I read, the real thing is preferable to a Kindle or some other sort of electronic reader.

Our local libraries are a treasure trove of books just waiting to be checked out and read at home. As I have mentioned in this column before, you can keep your “smart phones” and the other electronic marvels. My old-time flip phone has served me well for a dozen years and hope it lasts for some time.

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Neches River Refuge welcomes visitors FSA accepting

By Jo Anne Embleton

T

Jacksonville Daily Progress

he peaceful quiet of the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge turns into an outdoors lesson for visitors through the tutelage of volunteer guide Michael Banks, who points out what they might otherwise miss.

“Do you hear that?” he asks.

Birds?

Yes, but listen harder, he replies.

After a moment of hearing nothing but quiet, he relents and tells his guests, “You can hear the wind moving through the trees.”

Located along the Neches River on the CherokeeAnderson county line on US Highway 79 – with property primarily on the Cherokee County side – the refuge will officially open to the public Saturday.

“It’s an environmental science lab out here,” Banks said, beckoning to small sloughs dotting the land near the river and the flora and fauna that creates a bottomland hardwood forest habitat.

According to a media release, “millions of ducks, geese, hawks and songbirds migrate up and down what’s known as the North American Central Flyway, moving from nesting grounds to wintering habitat and back. The Neches River flows through the heart of the Central Flyway, dubbed by author Richard Donovan as the ‘interstate highway’ for migrating birds. The river’s bottomland forests provide a safe haven for ducks, geese, warblers, cranes, ibis, orioles and numerous other kinds of birds to stop and eat and rest.”

Additionally, it is also home “to a vast array of plants and wildlife: Towering oaks, hickory and maple trees; deer, racoons, osprey, egrets, turtles, butterflies, mussels with colorful names like pigtoe and fawnsfoot, even mink and river otter,” the release noted.

“The Neches Refuge is a wonderland of wildlife. There are very few and disappearing such habitats remaining in Texas,” Banks said.

The purpose of Neches River National Wildlife Refuge “is dedicated to the conservation and protection of bottomland hardwood forest habitat for migratory birds, other native animals and plants,” said Leon Gustafson, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee who manages the local site. “The Neches River has been identified as an area

of extreme importance to the diversity of wildlife in East Texas.”

It is comprised of 6,900 acres, the fruition of a 2005 proposal by the federal government that was legally challenged by the City of Dallas, who wanted to dam the river to create a drinking water source for its residents.

A district court ruled in favor of U.S. Fish and Wildlife, as did the Fifth District Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.

The 1997 National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act identified six areas of wildlife-dependent recreation which are appropriate for a refuge, Gustafson said, and “Neches River Refuge can now offer wildlife observation and photography, environmental education and hiking.”

The Neches Refuge offers 26 miles of trails for hiking, observation and photography, but is overall considered a “primitive” site, with few facilities available to the public at present, he said.

Meanwhile, a second release noted that “hunting, fishing and mountain biking programs are being designed and primitive camping is available by permit. Plans (also) are underway to expand the State Paddling Trail system through the Refuge.”

Banks, a member of the Friends of the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge, is open about his love and admiration for the refuge, and is overjoyed to see it soon open for public use.

“I am partial to and proud for the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge,” he admitted, adding, “There is no place like the Neches River in the world. That’s a fact!”

On Saturday, the refuge will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; afterward, it will be open to the public from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

Gustafson advises visitors to plan ahead by packing and studying a trail map; bringing along drinking water, bug spray and sunscreen; and wearing closed-toed shoes.

Leashed dogs are welcome, but owners must pick up after their animals as well as pick up their trash.

To learn more about the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge, located on US Highway 79 between Jacksonville and Palestine, along the Cherokee-Anderson county line, visit www.fws.gov/refuge/Neches_River/about.html.

Contact refuge manager Leo Gustafson at 956-245-9426 or email leo_gustafson@fws.gov.

Find “Friends of the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge” – which supports efforts of the local refuge in a myriad of ways – on Facebook.

emergency loan applications Applications for emergency farm loans for damages and losses caused by excessive moisture and flooding occurring September 3, 2018 through January 28, 2019 are being accepted at the Farm Service Agency office located in Tyler as of today according to Preston Wright.

Anderson, Cherokee and Henderson are 3 of 46 counties in Texas recently named by President Trump, eligible for loans to cover part of actual production and/or physical losses resulting from the disaster.

Wright stated that farmers may be eligible for loans of up to 100% of their actual losses or the operating loan needed to continue the agricultural business, whichever is less. For farmers unable to obtain credit from private commercial lenders, the interest rate is 3.50.

“As a general rule, a farmer must have suffered at least a 30% loss of crop production or suffered any physical loss to be eligible for a FSA emergency loan under the disaster designation”, stated Wright.

Producers participating in the Federal Crop Insurance Program will have to consider proceeds from those programs in determining their production loss. Additionally, any insurance proceeds received by producers as a result of the physical loss must be considered in determining their total loss.

“Applications for loans under this emergency designation will be accepted until November 12, 2019, but farmers should apply as soon as possible. Delays in applying could create backlogs in processing, with possible delays into the new farming seasons.” Wright said.

FSA is a credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is authorized to provide disaster emergency loans to recognized farms who work at and rely on farming for a substantial part of their living. Eligibility is extended to individual farms who meet U.S. citizenship requirements and to farming partnerships, corporations, or cooperatives in which U.S. citizenship requirements are met by individuals holding a majority interest.

The FSA office is located at 4209 Republic Drive, Tyler, TX 75701.

The telephone number is (903) 405-5676 with office hours from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Additional information regarding Disaster Assistance Programs may be found online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

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A tomato is a tomato is a tomato, right?

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ell, that depends. Some people like them tart and tangy, some like them sweet. There is no question, however, about their popularity. It is the vegetable most commonly grown in home gardens (technically it is a fruit, but shhhhhh, we aren’t going to talk about that.)

Everyone wants to grow a good one. But what’s the key? Is there a formula? It is easier than you might think to grow your own delicious tomatoes. They love to grow in our East Texas gardens, but if you want to step yours up a level here are some tips to make your tomatoes really produce for you. First, choose a variety that is compatible with the intensity of our weather. There are literally hundreds of varieties to choose from, and since tomatoes are a local favorite, many of those varieties are available to purchase as transplants that are ready to go into the garden.

Kim Benton Tomatoes aren’t going to fruit well unless they are in full sun, so that is your next point to check. How much sunlight is your garden getting? Tomatoes need 6 to 8 Cherokee County hours of full sun to yield well. They will grow in less sunlight, but you won’t get Horticulturist much fruit.

The next major issue to tackle is water. Tomatoes need it, and most especially during the early developmental stages of the fruit. It is important that the tomatoes get water consistently. They like deep watering, and providing it at regular intervals keeps your fruit from cracking. This can also be the key to preventing blossom-end rot, which is a disease that is caused from lack of calcium to the developing fruit. Usually, the problem is not lack of calcium, but lack of water to get the calcium up to the tiny developing fruit, and watering consistently prevents that.

Fertilization is essential. It is important to add nutrients your soil, and the best way is to get a soil test to determine exactly what you need. There is no question that following those recommendations will help your garden produce well. Another option is adding a quarter cup of diluted liquid fertilizer when you plant your transplants. This will give them a strong start. Also, giving them an additional 2 to 3 tablespoons of high nitrogen fertilizer whenever the fruit starts to form will be a perfect boost.

Mulching is also an important factor. Whether it is landscape cloth, newspaper, leaves, or native hardwood mulch, the weed suppression is vital. Not only does mulching keep the weeds at bay, it also helps to reduce the insect and disease issues the plants may experience because the plants will be less stressed.

Once your plants start growing, consider pinching the suckers that start up in the leaf axils. That is the area in between the leaflet and the stem. Sometimes a new leaf will start to grow there, and that will need to be pinched off.

Usually smaller fruiting varieties – cherry and grape tomatoes – are easier to grow, so if you are just getting your fingers dirty in the gardening world, you might consider one of those fellows with little fruit. The vines are huge, but the fruit is bite-sized and plentiful (Sweet 100, Sun Sugar, Mexico Midgets, Juliet, etc.) These delicious bites won the Best Tasting category of the Homegrown Tomato Contest last year!

All of the above will be pointless if you don’t plant in an area with good drainage though, which many of us discovered in the heavy rains of the last several years. Either hill high when making rows in your garden, plant in raised beds, or plant in containers. This allows water to drain away from the roots, which is essential when we are getting periods of strong rainfall.

Enjoy the extra zing that growing your own tomatoes can give you, and don’t forget to show off your hard work at the Best Home Grown Tomato Contest at during TomatoFest this year.

Country living not so remote these days

By Rich Flowers

Athens Daily Review

U

nlike past days when contact with farmer or ranchers neighbors might not be a common occurrence, there’s ample opportunity to stay connected these days.

Facebook sites like East Texas Farmers and Gardeners give members a chance to link up to share their experiences, show their newly sprouting gardens or maybe ask if anyone in the group recognizes a particular species of snake that crawled up in the yard.

Administrator Miles Loghry shared that the group is made up of “people who are trying to raise food for their families and others.”

That might be tomatoes, peaches or pigs.

“Be kind at all times,” Loghry admonishes.

The members come from several counties in East Texas.

Questions asked and answered are things like, “What is the best fly repellent for livestock?”

“How can I keep my pepper plants from being eaten by insects?” And “What is this plant with the broad leaf.”

You might get an answer without having to call your county agent.

ETFG has been around since 2015 and offers links to other useful sites and services.

Even as more and more backyard gardeners are linking up, efforts are underway to hook up areas where internet service might be spotty in East Texas.

East Texas Council Of Governments officials believe a fiber-optic cable-based broadband network has become a critical component of the modern communications infrastructure. The service is valuable to students, households, businesses, industries, health-care providers, local governments and utilities.

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East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

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Cow Polygamy I

was visiting with Lisa after their bull sale this spring.

She remarked on the overabundance of bulls for sale around the country this year.

Competition is stiff. She said she counted the number of bulls advertised on Superior Livestock video and figgered if they were placed end to end they would reach farther than you could point!

Her husband Lee, ever the deep thinker, pondered on the dilemma and came up with the perfect modern genetic answer; outlaw polygamy in cows!

By gosh, I thought, a solution that fits the times. One bull per cow. But then I began to think it

through.

Would each cowyage (as opposed to marriage in horses) be intended for life? Or would we allow for divorce and recowyage (or dehorse and remarriage)?

Would calf-support payments then be required till the calves were of weaning age or shipping whichever came first? And would a heifer that calved out of cowlock be declined subsidy payments and hay stamps if she was still a yearlin’?

Would a cowyage pair be allowed to mingle with other cowyaged couples in the pasture?

Could both the bull and the cow be trusted to ignore the lip curling, tail rubbing and perfume

of others? Would they stoically pay no attention if sidled up to and mounted by a less disciplined member of their community?

Or would each couple be fenced in a small enclosure; loosely based on a suburban housing development? One where each morning the bull would be driven to an 8 to 5 field with other bulls to spend the day grazing and grumbling about the rancher, the bullfights in Mexico City and how alfalfa ain’t what it used to be?

Would the cows, likewise, drop their calf off at day care and go to their respective cow field where they’d eat grass, talk about their calves and share fantasies about

bull pictures in the Artificial Insemination calendar?

Would cowyages be arranged or would courtship be allowed?

Would chaperones be required at the weaning prom?

If a bull was caught posing as a molasses salesman and making unwanted advances at the housecow, would he be

hamburger at sunrise?

After considerable rumination I have concluded that trying to work out the details of outlawing polygamy in cows might put an end to it before it began. Even if we passed the law, the plan would probably fail anyway.

Cows have never felt guilty about practicing polygamy in the first place. And no amount of political correctness training or moral browbeating would make these now consenting polygamists consider asking that basic question. The one that separated cowkind from mankind...”I know you love me but will you respect me next estrus?” www.baxterblack.com

Despite efforts, wild hogs continue to thrive in Texas

By William Patrick

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Palestine Herald-Press

ild hogs are a bane to property owners, and bad business for farmers. Despite efforts

by East Texans, as well as Texas Park and Wildlife and USDA, wild hog numbers continue to go up.

Nearly 2 million wild hogs roam the Lone Star state, with the highest concentrations living in east, south, and central Texas.

Brought to Texas from Russia in the 1930’s as a game animal, the hogs quickly escaped the preserves in which they were housed, and began breeding in the wild.

Prolific breeders, wild hogs produce litters of approximately eight piglets, at least twice a year.

“We didn’t have hogs like this when I was a teenager,” Dr. Robert McFarlane, owner of the Big Woods on the Trinity Hunting Lodge, told the Herald-Press. “Now, our customers kill roughly 700 to 800 hogs a year.”

Wild hogs are a non-game animal. They are legal to hunt in Texas year-round. All a prospective hog hunter needs to have is a valid hunting license and permission from property owners to hunt on their property – something McFarlane said they would most assuredly receive.

“If we didn’t kill as many hogs as we do, our land would

look like the Battle of Verdun,” he said. “The holes and damage they cause would make it look like ‘No Man’s Land’ out there.”

Feral hogs root and wallow, causing damage to crops, and they eat anything they can find, year-round. Experts say that, in addition to threatening local wildlife, they also threaten indigenous flora by eating or destroying seedlings, and rubbing the bark off trees, eroding the root systems.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Robert McFarlane “We haven’t made a A successful hog hunt at the Big Woods on the Trinity Hunting Lodge in dent in the population,” Tennessee Colony.

Anderson County Game Warden Daniel Kessel told difficulty manufacturing anything that won’t hurt other the Herald-Press. “Shooting them does little good; except wildlife – or humans. for making a land owner feel better, that is.”

A warfarin-based poison, similar to that used in rat The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been working poison, was used in Louisiana, and scheduled to be tried on poisons to help quell the feral hog population, but have in Texas in recent years. However warfarin, a drug used to treat cardiac patients, causes excessive bleeding, and critics worried humans who ate the tainted meat might be negatively effected by the drug.

“They’re experimenting with a dye in the poison,” Kessel said. “When hunters skin the animal, they will find the insides dyed another color, like blue.”

There has been no word as to when a usable hog poison will be available.

Able to thrive anywhere there is a fresh-water source, feral hogs appear to be in Texas to stay; until a “better mousetrap,” or “hogtrap” is invented.

“The most effective way I’ve found to kill them is to feed them cafeteria food,” McFarlane said.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Robert McFarlane

Despite killing roughly 800 hogs a year at the Big Woods on the Trinity Hunting Lodge alone, wild hogs remain in Texas in record numbers.

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East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

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April-May 2019

Environmental side effects of urban sprawl

U

rban sprawl is a complicated issue that has its proponents and its detractors. To many environmentalists, urban sprawl has the potential to be very problematic.

As more people try to find more breathing room and larger homes in areas beyond urban centers, housing developments continue to rise up from the ground, potentially impeding on land that was once home to natural habitats or farming communities. Migrations of people from densely populated towns and cities to lower-density residential developments requires these rural areas to change in order to be able to provide the resources necessary to accommodate an influx of new residents. These changes might be positive for people, but they can have potential drawbacks for animals, plants and the environment in general.

Increased reliance on automobiles Suburbs and more rural areas often do not have the extensive public transportation systems commonly found in cities. Furthermore, stores and other businesses are spread out among the community, making it challenging to walk to these places. As a result residents of these areas must use their cars more often, which can contribute to air pollution from auto exhaust. In addition, as populations in developments grow, traffic soon follows.

Smaller communities often cannot handle the influx of cars on rural roadways. That

can lead to further depletion of land to make way for larger roadways that can more capably accommodate all the extra traffic.

Disappearing farmland and natural areas Sprawl is claiming farmland at the rate of 1.2 million acres a year, says National Geographic. When habitats are removed, wildlife is displaced and it can cause quite

a ripple. Humans often have more runins with wild animals as these animals seek out new homes and food sources.

For example, in many areas urban sprawl and more roads being built through wildlife habitats have displaced deer from their natural habitats, leading to a rise in deer-vehicle collisions, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Around one million deer-vehicle collisions occur each year in the United States.

More environmental waste

Where there are more people, there will be more garbage. That increases the chances of urban run-off, which is the runoff of chemicals, including heavy metals, motor oil, gasoline, and housing products, into water sources and natural landscapes.

Urban sprawl can have a positive impact, but it’s important that the effects of such sprawl on the planet not be overlooked.

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East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

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Turkeys are fickle critters

Photos by Luke Clayton

Deryl Markgraf with his night hunting rig.

By Luke Clayton Outdoors Writer

I

n my humble opinion, wild turkeys are the crappie of the hunting world. At times, such as when crappie gang up in large numbers in the shallows to spawn, they can be ridiculously easy to catch, but much of the time, they are one of the more challenging fish to pattern.

Likewise with turkeys.

I have taken first-time turkey hunters out in past years when the gobblers would come running to anything that remotely sounded like a hen turkey.

When a turkey hunter ‘hits

the timing right’, it’s easy to be a turkey hunting super star. A hunt I enjoyed up in Palo Pinto County three years ago with my friend Deryl Markgraf is a good case in point.

The ranchland within several miles of the Brazos River in Palo Pinto County is great turkey habitat. On the hunt three years ago, the gobblers were lighting up the woods with their gobbling, not just at first light when they flew down from their roost trees, but throughout the day.

I remember arriving at Deryl’s camp around eight in the morning and had a gobbler on the ground within the first hour and a second one down by noon.

that I can turn a hunt for elephant into a wild hog hunt, and from past experiences, I must agree.

I’ve had wild hogs run through spreads of goose decoys and even flushed hogs when I was after quail. For some reason, I attract hogs like a magnet.

While setting on the edge of a mesquite flat working my box call, I heard what sounded like a big hog only 25 or so feet behind me in the brush.

I turned around and got a glimpse a big red sow trying to pinpoint what she perceived to be a hen turkey. She must have had 10 piglets in tow, and one of them ran within a few feet of where I was setting.

There are much better places to be situated than between a big sow and her babies! Luck for me, and possibly the sow, she made the low guttural sounds that must communicate to her brood, “Mama wants you to come here, RIGHT NOW!” I am way past the stage where I feel I must harvest game or catch a limit of fish in order for an outing to be a success. I relish the opportunity to spend time in the outdoors hunting or fishing, and besides, it’s impossible to spend time with a friend like Deryl without having a great time.

That evening around the campfire, we weren’t eating wild turkey fajitas, but Deryl did prepare some of what he calls “Roadkill’s Wild Hog Crock-Pot Enchilada Casserole.” I believe ‘Roadkill’ must have been Deryl’s nickname during his motorcycle cruising days. After

I have hunted turkey for the past 30 years and can’t remember a time when the birds were ‘hotter’ or coming to the call better.

The hunt with Deryl this past week in the same area was in stark contrast to that first hunt. Turkey numbers are still excellent in the region, and Deryl’s trail cameras captured the image of several mature longbeards frequenting the lease.

The first day of the hunt, I had a couple of distant gobblers sound off to my loud hen yelps.

It’s common procedure to ‘close the distance’ to distant gobblers that hang up and refuse to come in to calling. The idea is that the

Clay target shooting on the rise for Texas high school athletes

gobbler back in the brush hears a hen coming his way and eventually gets roused up enough to come toward what he thinks is a possible mate.

I used this strategy on both these distant gobblers and never heard a peep from them. They simply went silent after those first gobbles from several hundred yards, which kept them in the safe zone from my heavy load of #4 shot in the old 12 gauge. Turkey hunting can be somewhat frustrating when you know the birds are there but they refuse to respond. But, as they say, that’s hunting — and part of the intrigue of hunting turkeys.

I’ve had friends tell me

polishing off a couple of plates of this concoction, I commented that it was the tastiest of Tex-Mex style dishes I have eaten, and I meant it. Made from ground wild pork, garlic, onions, tomato sauce, corn tortillas, cheese, refried beans, chili..., etc. Deryl’s “Roadkill” dish seemed easy to prepare at camp.

I’ll be giving it a test try around the house soon.

While I was hunting turkey, Deryl used his electronic caller to bring in a sounder of hogs on a different part of the ranch and downed a fat sow. He had been asked to contribute some wild pork for a group of soldiers who wanted to have a weekend BBQ. I had to head for home that afternoon, but Deryl had another friend join him for a night of hog hunting using AR-style rifles equipped with thermal scopes. The two added several more hogs to the one he had previously taken, and from all accounts, the soldiers had plenty of pork for their feast.

A turkey report the next day from Deryl and Randy Douglas, who manages the nearby Dale River Ranch, reinforced the fact that turkeys can be fickle.

Gobblers were sounding off all over that part of the country, chasing hens and doing what gobblers should be doing this time of the year. Randy sent me a picture of one of his hunters with a boss gobbler he had just taken. Round two with the birds is in the plans!

YOUR CATTLE AREN’T COMMON...

WHY SHOULD YOUR BERMUDAGRASS BE?

Staff Reports

A

Corsicana Daily Sun

total of 169 students from 14 Texas high school teams are participating in the Texas State High School Clay Target League’s 2019 spring season, which began March 31.

“Clay target shooting as an activity for Texas high school athletes continues to grow rapidly,” said John Nelson, President of the TXSHSCTL, “The record-setting growth we’ve seen shows the demand for alternative high school activities related to the state’s longstanding outdoor traditions.”

The League’s co-ed and adaptive nature are key attractions to high schools in Texas. The League is fully Title IX compliant with both male and female athletes competing on the same team. Additionally, it’s an ‘adaptive’ sport, which allows students with physical disabilities to take part.

Upon completion of the Spring League, all student athletes are invited to participate in individual and team competitions at the 2019 State Tournaments.

The Trap Shooting State Tournament is scheduled for June 1st at Waco Skeet & Trap. A Skeet Shooting State Tournament will also be held at the same time.

The Texas State High School Clay Target League attracts student athletes to participate in shooting sports while creating a “virtual” competition among high school teams throughout Texas at no cost to the schools. Family travel costs are minimal because practice and competition are conducted at a shooting range near the school¹s location. The League is also the safest sport in high school, with no reported injuries since the inception of the League in 2001.

Conferences are determined by team size rather than geographic location for fair competition. Athletes earn True Team® scoring points as determined by their performance and ranking against all athlete scores within their team¹s conference. The team score and overall standings are calculated and posted on the League’s website. Athletes and their families may track their individual and team performance on their computer via the League’s website, and by the new Shooter Performance Tracker® mobile app.

The Texas State High School Clay Target League is a member of the USA High School Clay Target League, a division of the USA Clay Target League – a nonprofit corporation. The League is the independent provider of clay target shooting sports as an extracurricular co-ed and adaptive activity for high schools and students in grades 6 through 12. The organization’s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order. Each student is required to pass a comprehensive firearm safety education course prior to participation.

Nationwide, more than 32,000 students representing over 1,000 school-approved teams participated in the League during the 2018-19 school year.

For more information visit http://txclaytarget.com | http://usaclaytarget.com; Contact: Drew Tri at 320-291-9148 |Email: dtri@usaclaytarget.com; Season Scores and Standings can be found at http://claytargetscoring.com/public; A list of participating teams can be found at http://txclaytarget.com/teams

PRODUCTIVE A consistent, top-yielding variety

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1-800-285-SEED or pennington.com

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8

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

April-May 2019

High-profile riders who are related maintain friendly rivalry

T

he National Cutting Horse Association has two high-profile riders who have a brother-in-law relationship and a very friendly rivalry.

They are Beau Galyean, 39, of Fort Worth, and Lloyd Dennis Cox, 53, of Marietta, Okla.

Galyean and a stallion named Rollz Royce clinched the 5- and 6-year-old open division finals April 6 at the NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes with a lofty score of 228. Cox and a mare named Second Spot finished second with a 225 at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth.

In the 4-year-old open division final, the second jewel

of the sport’s Triple Crown Series, veteran Phil Hanson of Weatherford clinched the title with a 227 aboard Hiss N Vinegar. The horse is owned by Jeffrey and Jennifer Foland of Weatherford, who earned the $72,294 prize.

In the 5-and 6-year-old Classic division open final, Cox and Second Spot, the fifth duo to compete in the first bunch of cattle, took the lead with the 225.

But Galyean and Rollz Royce, who was the first second duo to compete in the second bunch, came in and turned in the 228.

Galyean said he knew Rollz Royce, owned by Thomas Guinn of Philadelphia, Miss., would have to make an exceptional

cutting horse run in order to surpass Cox. “It was electric from start-tofinish,” Galyean said of his two and a half-minute minute final round run. “It had to be. My brother-in-law on Second Spot put up a 225. He just put it on us out there. I knew we had to come big.”

Galyean said he knew he had to take risks throughout the run by selecting cattle that would give his horse a tougher challenge.

“I kind of took a chance,” Galyean said. “I knew in order to win, I knew that I had to take that chance in order to beat a 225 because a 225 is a huge score.”

As Galyean made his first place run, Cox was among four riders

who were in the arena serving as helpers.

“It’s just part of the deal,” Cox said. “I’ve helped him a long time and I want to see him do great, too.”

Cox and Galyean have a brother-in-law relationship because Cox is married to Galyean’s sister, Christina.

Galyean has snared the NCHA Super Stakes Classic 5- and 6-year-old open title the past three years. In 2017, he clinched the title on Metallic Rebel. Last year, he won on Stevie Rey Von.

Talented young cowboy Bull rider Stetson Wright, 19,

Brett Hoffman, a Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame member, has reported on rodeos for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for more than three decades. Email him at bchoffman777@earthlink.net.

clinched the at the South Point Tuff Hedeman Challenge on April 6 at Fort Worth’s Cowtown Coliseum and earned $12,325.

Wright, who is from Milford, Utah, turned in scores of 86 (on Barker Rodeo’s Stix) in the first round, a 92 (on JQH Bucking Bulls Blame It On Whiskey) in the second round, and a 90.5 (Richardson’s Land and Cattle’s Lil Willard) in the final round.

Wright also clinched the saddle bronc riding title at the March 16-30 Rodeo Austin in Austin and earned $9,935.

PBR update On the Professional Bull Riders circuit, rookie Mason Taylor of Maypearl clinched the title at the April 5-7 Unleash The Beast tour stop in Sioux Falls, S.D., and earned $37,710. Taylor also took the lead in the PBR’s Rookie of the Year title race.

Jose Vitor Leme, a Brazilian who lives in Decatur, finished second and earned $24,760. Leme also took the lead in the PBR’s 2019 world title race.

April-May 2019

9

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

From Scratch with Love

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Easy Lemon Marinade Total time: 25 mins plus at least 2 hrs marinating time makes 4 servings

Lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes, extra-virgin olive oil, and cracked black pepper make a bright, flavorful marinade for grilled chicken breasts in this recipe adapted from Epicurious. Serve with rice pilaf or zucchini.

Game plan: The marinade tastes best when fresh. Use it within 2 hours of making it.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. In a medium glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bowl, combine the lemon juice, red chile flakes, cracked pepper, and salt and whisk until the salt crystals are dissolved. Add the lemon zest, garlic, parsley, and herbs. Whisk in the olive oil. Set aside.

2. Pat the chicken breasts with paper towels to dry and place in a large zipper-lock plastic bag.

3. Add the marinade to the zipper-lock bag, seal, and shake to make sure the chicken is well coated.

Place in a baking dish and refrigerate for 2 hours or as long as 4, turning the bag a few times.

4. Preheat the grill to medium heat.

5. Remove the chicken from the bag and arrange it on a well-oiled grill. Cook until a nice crust forms on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Let the chicken rest on a serving platter for 10 minutes before serving.

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • Finely grated zest of 1/2 a lemon • 3 medium garlic cloves, minced • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, cilantro, dill, or oregano, or a combination • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied

Recipe Adapted from Epicurious via Chowhound

East tExas stock PricEs

ANDERSON COUNTY LIVESTOCK

EAST TEXAS LIVESTOCK INC.

Updated: 2/24/2019 Head Count: 220 Buyers: 38 Sellers: 38

Updated: 4/23/2019 Feeder Calf Buyers: 16 Sellers: 133 Feeder Calf Companies: 28

STEERS

STEERS

200lb - 300lb

1.35

2.00

300-DOWN

$173

$235

300lb - 400lb

1.30

1.99

305lb - 400lb

$152

$208

400lb - 500lb

1.50

1.98

405lb - 500lb

$140

$197

500lb - 600lb

1.45

1.92

505lb - 600lb

$131

$189

600lb - 700lb

1.30

1.42

605lb - 800lb

$123

$151

700lb - 800lb

1.20

1.38

HEIFERS

HEIFERS

200lb - 300lb

1.25

1.95

300-DOWN

$138

$210

300lb - 400lb

1.20

1.70

305lb - 400lb

$129

$175

400lb - 500lb

1.19

1.68

405lb - 500lb

$120

$168

500lb - 600lb

1.15

1.66

505lb - 600lb

$112

$157

600lb - 700lb

1.16

1.38

605lb - 800lb

$107

$143

700lb - 800lb

1.13

1.28

Cows

0.35

0.64

Cows

$39

$66

Bulls

0.67

0.78

Bulls

$75

$84

PAIRS

$650

$1250

PAIRS

SLAUGHTER

STOCKER COWS GOATS

SLAUGHTER

$400hd

$1190hd

$60hd

$125hd

TRI-COUNTY LIVESTOCK MARKET Updated: 4/27/2019 Head Count: 1024

STEERS UNDER 300lb

1.45

2.45

300lb - 400lb

1.35

2.15

400lb - 500lb

1.25

1.90

500lb - 600lb

1.20

1.85

600lb - 700lb

1.20

1.47

700lb - 800lb

1.15

UNDER 300lb 300lb - 400lb 400lb - 500lb

BRED COWS

NACOGDOCHES LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE

STEERS

1.00

2.00

300-DOWN

1.90

2.50

300lb - 400lb

1.22

2.07

300lb - 399lb

1.00

1.91

300lb - 400lb

1.90

2.15

400lb - 500lb

1.05

1.82

400lb - 499lb

1.00

1.91

400lb - 500lb

1.60

1.85

500lb - UP

0.85

1.72

500lb - 599lb

1.00

1.79

500lb - UP

1.10

1.75

1.39

600lb - 700lb

N/A

N/A

600lb - 699lb

1.00

1.51

HEIFERS

700lb - 899lb

1.00

1.39

300-DOWN

1.80

2.35

1.35

2.20

UNDER 300lb

1.30

2.05

HEIFERS

300lb - 400lb

1.70

2.00

1.25

1.80

300lb - 400lb

1.20

1.76

200lb - 299lb

1.00

1.75

400lb - 500lb

1.50

1.65

1.15

1.62

400lb - 500lb

0.95

1.70

300lb - 399lb

1.00

1.70

500lb - UP

1.05

1.55

0.75

1.72

400lb - 499lb

1.00

1.71

SLAUGHTER

N/A

N/A

500lb - 599lb

1.00

1.77

Cows

0.45

0.62

600lb - 699lb

1.00

1.47

Heavy Bulls

0.45

0.85

1.00

1.35

PAIRS Top

$900

$1200

HEIFERS

1.10

1.48

1.05

1.48

600lb - 700lb

700lb - 800lb

1.00

1.28

SLAUGHTER Cows

0.40

0.62

700lb - 899lb

0.66

Bulls

0.65

0.82

SLAUGHTER

0.88

PAIRS

$825

$1350

Cows

0.25

0.63

Low-Middle

$650

$900

$1550

STOCKER COWS

Bulls

0.65

0.80

STOCKER COWS

0.55lb

1.20lb

GOATS

$30hd

$275hd

$1260hd

BABY CALVES

$80hd

$330hd

NA

HORSES

$65hd

$725hd

SLAUGHTER Cows

LOW-MIDDLE

STEERS

200lb - 299lb

600lb - 700lb

STOCKER COWS

Updated: 4/26/2019 Head Count: 1169 Sellers: 171

2.15

500lb - 600lb

BABY CALVES

ATHENS COMMISSION COMPANY

Updated: 4/29/2019 Head Count: 573

STEERS

$1400 $1125/hd

1.40

500lb - UP

PAIRS

HUNTS LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE

Updated: 4/25/2019 Head Count: 585 Buyers: 55 Sellers: 111

$760/hd

UNDER 300lb

HEIFERS

Heavy Bulls

$880

0.15 $1150 NA $750/hd NA

NA

GOATS

$1250/hd

BABY CALVES

NA

HORSES

$550hd

$1275hd

$45hd

$150hd

PAIRS

$50

$200

STOCKER COWS

N/A

N/A

BABY CALVES

$1000 $200hd NA

$1350

10

April-May 2019

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

Game Warden Field Notes

The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.

A Soaring Full Recovery In October 2018 a Titus County game warden responded to a call of an injured hawk laying in a county road bar ditch. On arrival the warden discovered that the bird was actually a very rare juvenile southern bald eagle that was very sick and could not stand.

The bird was transported to Last Chance Forever Bird of Prey Conservancy in San Antonio for extensive rehabilitation. The bird was suffering from a severe case of botulism. After making a complete recovery, the eagle was returned to Monticello County Park in Titus County where it was released back into the wild by conservancy staff in late March.

Oh, Snap!

In the early morning hours of March 30, a Morris County game warden received a text informing him there was a video on SnapChat of an airboat with underage people on it possibly bow fishing and consuming alcohol. The warden remembered a trailer parked at a boat ramp on the north end of Lake O’ The Pines that could possibly be a trailer for an airboat. He was able to locate the airboat from the shore and waited until the boat arrived back at the boat ramp. The boat was found to be occupied by six males all under the age of 21 and alcohol was found in a cooler onboard the vessel. All occupants confessed to bow fishing as well. Multiple citations and warnings were issued for Minor in Possession of Alcohol, no fishing license, and improper lights on the vessel. All cases are pending.

Busted by the ‘Gram On March 29 a Real County game warden received an Operation Game Thief wildlife crimestoppers hotline call about a video of someone shooting a turkey off the roadside. The warden contacted the caller and they stated there was a video on Instagram of a male subject shooting a turkey out of a truck window. Upon viewing the video, the warden recognized the area near Barksdale, and referencing images of the individual’s truck and license plate that also were posted to that Instagram account was able to gain the suspect’s ID and address in Laredo. The warden enlisted assistance from a Webb County game warden, who interviewed the subject and his accomplice, and gained confessions to shooting the turkey from a public road.

Several citations were issued to

both subjects and the cases are pending.

Left the Life Jacket at Camp A kayaker learned recently the hard way that a life jacket doesn’t work unless you wear it. On March 30 Bexar County game wardens responded by boat to assist a San Antonio man who was in distress after his kayak had flipped over at Calaveras Lake. A fisherman met the wardens at the boat ramp and pointed to the victim about 100 yards from shore struggling in rough water. Wind gusts were at about 20 mph as both wardens approached the struggling kayaker, who was drifting further into the lake. The wardens observed the man go underwater at one point as they got close, but were able to grab hold of him. After assessing his condition, the wardens secured the kayak and returned to shore.

An examination of the kayak revealed a crack in the hull, which may have contributed to the accident. When asked why he wasn’t wearing a life jacket the victim explained that his life jacket was back at the camping site and he forgot to bring it.

The man was issued a citation for not having a life jacket while operating the kayak.

citations issued for Fail to Pay Entrance Fee for State Park, two citations for Parking where Prohibited – Handicapped Zone, and one citation for No Fishing License. One subject was also arrested for Fishing after License Suspended or Revoked.

Warning Citations were issued to one subject for Assault by Threat and Disorderly Conduct

by Language. All three subjects were also issued a Criminal Trespass Warning from the state park, which will restrict them from entering the premises for a period of one year.

Hot to Trot On April 8, while patrolling Cow Bayou for water safety violations, Orange County wardens encountered an untagged saltwater trotline that had been freshly set. After they picked up the trotline, one of the wardens attached his card to one of the end posts to

On April 3, a Titus County game warden completed a joint investigation on a local wholesale fish dealer for illegally importing and selling whole unprocessed alligator from Louisiana. This investigation was initiated when an unprocessed alligator was advertised for sell on Facebook in Henderson County by an unlicensed retail fish dealer. The wholesale dealer in Titus County was found to have illegally imported the undocumented alligators into Texas for resale.

One citation issued for No Alligator Wholesale Dealer Permit. Two warning citations were also issued for No Alligator Import Permit and two warning citations for Illegal sale of alligator.

see if the fisherman would call him. Later that afternoon in another part of the bayou, the wardens came across a vessel with two fishermen clearly tending another saltwater trotline.

When asked what they were doing, one fisherman replied, “About to get a ticket, I guess.”

He admitted to having placed the untagged trotline, and two others, including the one the wardens picked up earlier. Also, he said that he got the card off his other marker and was going to call after he got off the water.

After receiving the citations, he removed the remaining trotlines, and returned the illegally caught resources to the water. Case pending.

No Overnight Parking

Not Buying That Story

On April 5, a Titus County game warden completed an investigation on three men who were illegally entering Lake Bob Sandlin State Park late at night to fish. The subjects were videotaped for months driving the wrong way down a one-way street, attempting to bypass the security cameras, and enter the park without paying. Two of these subjects had been warned numerous times by state park police and park staff, with six

A game warden got a call regarding a possible trespassing and deer poaching case in Leon County, and along with several Leon County sheriff ’s deputies made contact with the complainant. The landowner informed the officers that he heard several shots near his property line and observed a kid with a .22 rifle on his side of the fence. The landowner stated that he fired three shots into the air with his 9mm handgun to scare

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Intro to Agriculture:

the trespasser off his property, and then observed the juvenile subject quickly drive away on an ATV from a freshly killed white-tailed deer. The warden searched the area and could not locate fresh footprints, ATV tire tracks or spent .22 rifle cartridges. The warden then asked the landowner the location of where he discharged his 9mm handgun and after searching that area could not locate any spent pistol cartridges. The white-tailed deer was located, and the warden determined that the direction the deer was laying did not match up with the stories from the landowner. Upon further investigation, the landowner admitted that he had made it all up and admitted to killing the white-tailed deer. The landowner stated he was operating his riding lawn mower and fired three shots at the white-tailed deer with his .22 rifle. Charges and civil restitution against the landowner for taking deer out of season are pending.

Sting Operation On March 14, Bexar County game wardens received a call from a complainant that a store was advertising the sale of a freshwater stingray on Facebook. Freshwater stingrays are illegal in Texas. Game wardens went to visit the seller to verify the exotic species. The seller was unaware of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Prohibited and Exotic Species list. The seller stated the freshwater stingray was bought from another store in another state. Many thanks to the concerned caller who alerted game wardens.

That’s a Match Henderson County game wardens responded to a trespassing call concerning a group of hog hunters. The hunters reportedly entered a property without permission and released their hog dogs. The dogs chased a hog and bayed it on an adjoining property. It just so happened that the landowner’s agent was watching this all unfold and sent the wardens a photo of the trespasser’s pickup. While patrolling in the area, the wardens passed a pickup with a dog box in the bed that matched one from the photo the landowner sent earlier in the day. The wardens made contact, questioned what was in the dog box, and after a brief conversation the truck’s occupants admitted to trespassing and hunting without landowner consent. Numerous cases were filed.

Netted in the Act Game wardens received a tip through the wildlife

crimestoppers Operation Game Thief hotline about an individual using a cast net to catch game fish at the San Gabriel River in Williamson County. The complainant also provided photographic evidence of the illegal act. Upon arrival at the scene, a warden observed a fisherman in the middle of the river catching white bass with a cast net. The subject had a stringer full of white bass, and other species of fish, but no fishing pole. Criminal citations and civil restitution were issued for illegal fishing and possession of 18 white bass, 2 crappie, and 2 largemouth bass.

Random Acts Game wardens in East Texas recently caught up to individuals responsible for several random illegal acts involving wildlife.

A Jasper County warden and a Houston County warden are investigating a case concerning the alleged illegal killing of at least three whitetail deer at night, with one of the animals being bludgeoned to death with a piece of wood in a convenience store parking lot. The wardens were able to locate the suspects in Jasper and interview them. It was determined that two deer and three rabbits were killed from a public road in midDecember. The three suspects had also shot another deer at night from a public road that was not recovered, shot and missed two bucks at night from a public road, and road hunted multiple times at night, while attempting to take whitetail deer.

The meat that was taken from two of the killed deer was left to rot in an ice chest for three months. It was also confirmed the subjects beat a wounded deer to death after trying to break its neck and cut its throat. The wardens seized and processed three cellular phones related to the investigation and are going through the digital evidence to confirm the original information received and to sort out additional charges with regards to possession of an alligator snapping turtle and catching alligators with a rod and reel.

The investigation continues, and charges are pending.

Joy Riding in the Riverbed On March 23, a Montgomery County game warden was patrolling along the San Jacinto River and stopped a man for operating an ATV in the riverbed. After running the ATV identification numbers through dispatch, the ATV was found to have been stolen from the Beaumont area in 2013. The ATV was seized and transported to storage for safekeeping.

Agriculture Crossword

Across

2. Soil and __________ provide the basis for agriculture 3. # one state for tomato production 4. The study of or the explanation of natural phenomena is called?

5. # one state for cheese production 8. Originally the Future Farmers of America 10. # one state for lumber production 15. Compared to people in other countries, we pay a very ______ portion of our income on food 16. # one state for cotton production 17. A large portion of the ___________ we use comes from plants 19. Most animals produced in this country are raised for 20. Agriculture is the most important of all sciences because we depend on it for____ 21. The animal at the top of the FFA emblem 22. Physics, chemistry,

geology, meteorology and biology are all part of ___________ 23. # one state for apple production

Down

1. The foundation of all agriculture is _____________ 6. One American ____________ feed more than 100 people 7. This country leads in the production of agricultural products 9. A __________ is any useful thing that can be produced, sold or bought 11. An increasing part of the animal industry is the raising of _______ animals 12. # one state for orange production 13. U.S. agricultural imports greatly _________ exports 14. # one state for potato production 18. # one state for beef production

April-May 2019

11

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

KERMIT GOES FISHIN’ Soft plastic toad imitations bring out the head hunter in burly spring largemouths

By Matt Williams Outdoors Writer

I

FROG COUNTRY, TX. love this place. It’s a backwater flat with scattered pods of lush vegetation coming to life in the warm April air of another Texas spring. Stands of thick buck brush and button willows budding with tender green leaves offer even more valuable cover on high spots and along shorelines where the water is shallow enough to wade.

It smells just as fishy around here as it looks. Everything seems so inviting that it seems like a crap shoot deciding on where to make the next cast.

Sunrise is barely an hour old and the bass are biting as light drops of rain dimple the slick surface. My good friend Shady McGuire just landed his sixth fish of the morning. The feisty two-pound buck bass pounced on a soft jerk bait and raced the opposite direction like a stingy kid who found the chocolate bunny on his first Easter egg hunt.

Yamamoto Senkos have been getting plenty of attention, but the quality has been on the skinny side thus far. Thinking there has to be a better way, I reach for a Stanley Top Toad and turn it loose on a long leash.

The hollow body frog lands belly down next to a clump of buck brush and I give it a light twitch as the ripples begin to settle. A bush shakes a few feet away and a wake bulges the surface as a head-hunting largemouth moves in for the kill on what appears to be an unsuspecting meal.

The strike is swift and violent. Rather than “slurping” the bait as they often do, the bass goes airborne and lands on top of the frog with its big jaws agape.

It’s takes some doing, but I finally manage to wrestle the thick-shouldered lunker through the dense jungle of cover and into the boat. Plump with eggs, the fat female pushes six pounds -- not giant by any means, but a solid example of quality of fish you can expect to fool on occasion when you take Kermit for a stroll in good frog country.

Kermit is the generic name sometimes used to summarize the wide variety of

Photo by Matt Williams

Frogs can be super effective anytime big bass are holding around heavy cover in the shallows. frog-style lures made popular in bass fishing circles more than decade ago.

Fishing with them can be a wild and wooly game built around a predator/prey relationship that has likely been around since the beginning of time.

Fatal Attraction Frogs rank pretty low on the aquatic food chain. Bass rank close to the top.

They genetically programmed to kill stuff, sometimes just for the hell of it. And they love to eat frogs, sort of like cats like to catch mice.

When Kermit goes in motion across a grassy flat or stand of lily pads, the temptation is sometimes more than a burly largemouth can stand. A true lunker won’t hold much back when the dinner bell rings, either. In fact, the strike can at times be so vicious that might be heard

2018 EQUIPMENT DEALERS ASSOCIATION SURVEY/TRACTOR/FULL-LINE MFG.AVG.

SA- Series

21.5 or 24 Horsepower models

from a considerable distance on a windless day.

For the Love of Frogs If it sounds like frog fishing is fun, that’s because it is. Though it doesn’t work all the time, the results can be truly addictive when it does. I’d rather catch a single six pounder on a frog than a dozen two pounders on a Senko, any day.

FLW Tour pro Jim Tutt of Longview knows the drill well. Tutt has been a bass junkie for years. When it comes to fun fishing, he ranks Kermit high on the hit list of lures in his arsenal.

“There really isn’t anything else like it,” Tutt said. “When the frog bite is on it can almost be like playing self defense out there. Frogs can be money in a tournament situation, too.”

When and Where They Work Frogs typically get the most play during spring, summer and fall, when there are plenty of bass holding around aquatic vegetation, flooded bushes, lay down logs, boat docks and other stuff they can use as shade or ambush spots to attack shad, perch or other unsuspecting forage.

They can be effective over open water, too, but tend to shine the brightest when fished in 1-3 feet of water around cover that may be too dense to penetrate with some other styles of baits, particularly topwaters.

“Bass hate a topwater,” says former bass pro and veteran luremaker Lonnie Stanley of Huntington. “The beauty of a frog is it 100 percent weedless and it allows you to get into some really tight spots where you wouldn’t dare throw another topwater.

Plus, the action drives the fish crazy.”

Frogs For Thought There are a passel of frog brands on the market and two basic styles -- buzz frogs and hollow bodies.

Most soft plastic buzz frogs are designed to swim across surface using a steady retrieve and they sink when idle. Some are equipped with boot-style feet that churn

the water like a buzz bait; others have flat feet that produce more of a subtle “pitterpat.” Running frogs are ideal around clumpy hydrilla beds or scattered pads, or when used as a buzz bait trailer.

Hollow bodies have an open body cavity that traps air. They float when idle and work best around thick cover with a stop-and-go retrieve. Some have silicone strands for legs and feature a pointed nose designed for walking side-to-side like a Zara Spook. Others have a cupped nose that casts spray and creates a popping noise when twitched on the surface.

Stanley/Hale Lures captured the best of several design traits in their hollow body Top Toad and Poppn’ Toad. Both are fitted with the same legs and boot-style feet as company’s popular Ribbit buzz frog. This allows lure to be fished like running frog without sacrificing the floating advantages of hollow body.

Geared For Bear Frog fishing is 100 percent about power.

All tackle including hooks, line and rod should be heavy duty for gaining leverage on big fish quickly in thick cover.

The Hook: Most premium hollow bodies come pre-rigged with a heavy-duty double hook. There are several double hooks on the market designed for use with buzz frogs, some of which are built around specific body designs. Among them are the Stanley Double Take, Gambler Double Trouble and Owner Double Toad Hook.

Rod: The ideal frog rod should be at least seven feet long with a heavy action for optimum power, a long handle for extra leverage and a fairly fast tip for to aid in launching long casts.

Braided Line: Braided line with a breaking strength of 50-80 pound test is ideal, especially when fishing around heavy cover. Braid resists abrasion, doesn’t stretch and will actually cut through most vegetation like knife. This helps prevent fish from burying up in grass and getting away prematurely.

Frogs aren’t magic, but they will catch some of the biggest fish in the lake when conditions are right. Turn Kermit loose on a long leash and get ready for war.

YT 2 Series 34.2 Horsepower

YT 3 Series

46 or 58.9 Horsepower 4 Cylinder engine

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772 E. State HWY 31• Kerens prequipmentsales.com 903-270-0877 Hours Monday-Friday: 8am - 5:30pm Saturday: 8am-12pm

Photo by Matt Williams

Bass rarely hold anything back when they clobber a frog. This one nearly choked on a Stanley Top Toad.

12

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

April-May 2019

Storm aftermath brings different kind of herd

By Jo Anne Embleton

I

Jacksonville Daily Progress

n a matter of moments, the dairy business that local resident Michael Dominy has operated for a number of years was gone, destroyed by an EF-3 tornado that ripped through the area on April 13.

Yet while describing his losses, Dominy kept coming back to one thing: Just how blessed he has been despite that loss.

“I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough,” he said. “I can’t express to them that what everything everyone did was helpful. I can’t tell them how truly grateful I am for the help they blessed us with.”

Dominy Farm, located at 448 County Road 2905 in Alto – not far from Caddo Mounds State Historic Site on Texas Highway 21 – was home to 400 milk cows and 300 heifers. According to www. buzzfile.com, the business has been operating approximately nine years, generating an estimated half million dollars in annual revenue and employing approximately nine people.

However, when the tornado touched down in the area, it demolished the dairy as well as obliterated a grass house at the Caddo site and severely damaged the cultural center there.

“We were right in path of tornado, came right through the dairy, and totaled it out.

It knocked down the dairy and its fences – cows were getting out, and it broke the legs of some of the cows,” he said. “The house I grew up in? Totally demolished. And the house across from the dairy where I housed employees was damaged, too.”

As the dairy staff tried to regain control of the situation, word was spread and help arrived.

“I call them a herd of angels,” he said.

“There were so many guys with trucks and trailers – it was an army, an army of angels who helped me move (the remaining herd) to Kenny’s dairy.

“Here were people I didn’t even know, helping move them” to safety, Dominy recalled. “I don’t know how many people, just that they kept moving (the cattle since) about 5 (o’clock) that afternoon. By 11, they had moved 380 (cattle) to Kenny’s farm.”

Fellow dairy owner Kenny Dyess of Jacksonville “is a friend of mine who let me move them and milk them until I can find a buyer,” he explained. “All my workers stayed with the cows to milk them. Only one stayed back here with me to start help clean things up.”

Dominy, a third-generation dairy owner who “was basically born out here,” recalled how his father started the dairy in 1958, several years before he was born. “He had nine cows and three heifers,” he said.

The devastation wrought by the tornado, however, has him looking to re-home his herd.

“I’m going to sell them all, and after the cows go, I won’t be selling milk anymore.

I’m not bitter about anything, I just feel very blessed by all the help.”

In addition to the volunteers who transported cattle to Dyess’s dairy, another “herd of angels” came to help.

“There were 10 huge pine trees blown down, and 20 Edward Jones employees – my wife works with Edward Jones – came with power saws and tractors, and cut every one of those trees into pieces, then piled them up and burned them,” Dominy recalled. “They just showed up, guys who came from as far away as Palestine, Buffalo, Nacogdoches, Center, Athens … it was just crazy. They came, cranked up their chain saws and started to work.”

The tornado’s destructive power did more than just ruin a business, though.

“This made me see the good side of people in a way you don’t always think about,” he said. “So many people helped, and it just made me think there’s still a lot of good people with a big heart who want to help.”

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GBH Farms gbhfarmstx@gmail.com 903-723-4123