Published February 28, 2019
Fields of gold
Frank Waggoner and his blooms, Page 2
FFA: Leaders of Tomorrow
Malakoff students learning to lead, Page 5
Wet a line this spring break Fishing in East Texas, Page 6
Texas 4-H
Livestock Ambassador Program, Page 7
Texas Parks & Wildlife Game Warden Field Notes, Page 10
Agriculture and THE ECONOMY T
hough it’s easy to look at the tech industry and think this increasingly influential sector is what makes the world go round, something closer to the very core of the earth may be what’s driving your economy. The agricultural sector plays a strategic role in a nation’s economic development and prosperity. From the earliest days, agriculture has been heralded as playing a crucial role in North American culture. Farmers who grow produce and raise
livestock for meats and other products long have exemplified what it means to work hard and take initiatives to be selfsufficient. The symbiotic nature of agriculture and the economy is noticeable when examining the ups and downs of each. Food production and the potential of agriculture extends beyond the fields and local food stands. These resources impact supply chains and other markets. A strong agriculture base influences other employment sectors like food
manufacturing, biotechnology, hospitality, machinery building, and much more, while a weak agriculture can adversely affects those sectors. While it can be difficult for residents of developed nations to visualize agriculture’s effect, one only needs to turn to impoverished and developing nations to see just how big an impact agriculture can have on an economy. Agriculture provides food and raw materials, eventually creating demand for goods produced in non-agricultural
sectors. Also, food provides nutrition that can serve as the foundation of a healthy nation. Earning a living in agriculture strengthens purchasing power, which fuels other markets. Eventually, farming can pave the way for development, including roads, markets, shipping services, exporting, and many other sectors. Agriculture is an important economical building block. An especially important sector, the agricultural industry, when supported, can contribute greatly to sustained economic growth.
2
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
Fields of gold
February-March 2019
By Jo Anne Embleton Jacksonville Daily Progress
J
acksonville resident Frank Waggoner, 91, has his own fields of gold: A pasture partially filled with golden daffodils. It all began about a decade ago, when he and his wife were received daffodil bulbs from a friend and they planted them in the pasture adjacent to their house. “It started out with just a few, and every year I try to add a row,” he said. A row of bulbs planted along the fence line along the pasture were the first to bloom, in late January or early February, while those in the pasture bloomed more recently. “I really thought this cold weather would take care of it, but they came back,” Waggoner said, gesturing to the flower-filled pasture. “If I live longer, I am going to go longer (planting the bulbs).” Over the years, neighbors have shared compliments, but only twice has someone asked to pose with the flowers, he said. “About one or two years ago, a lady was getting married, and took her (bridal) pictures here, and there also was another woman who brought her kids to take pictures” in the field, he recalled. The daffodil field is located at 206 County Road 4211, off CR 4209 and behind Cherokee Ranch Golf Club. The public is invited to view the flowers, which Waggoner predicts will only be in season a short while, until the weather warms up.
About The ‘Daffodil’
Narcissus is a genus of predominantly spring perennial plants of the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis) family. Various common names including daffodil,[Note 1] daffadowndilly,[3] narcissus and jonquil are used to describe all or some members of the genus. Narcissus has conspicuous flowers with six petal-like tepals surmounted by a cup- or trumpet-shaped corona. The flowers are generally white or yellow (also orange or pink in garden varieties), with either uniform or contrasting coloured tepals and corona.
Photos by Jo Anne Embleton
Frank Waggoner displays his daffodil field.
Power to the Pasture… Power to the Food Plot… Power to the Garden… Power to the Yard… Supplemental fertilizer delivering organic nutrients to your soil. Molasses, fish oil, liquid seaweed, fermented chicken litter, microbes and organic acids. Boron, Manganese, Zinc, Iron, Copper…
ORGANIC Texas Pasture Plus
Unique blends of powerful Bio-Stimulants bended in the perfect amounts to optimize growthand provide balanced nutrition to your Pasture, Yard, Garden, Crop and Potted Plants. Contains: Molasses, Liquid Seaweed, Fish emulsion oil, Fermented Chicken Litter and organic acids. Direction Pasture or crop land apply 1 quart to 1 acre when actively growing Yards: mix 4 tablespoons per gallon of water and apply over 1000 sq ft Potted Plants: mix 4 Tablespoons per gallon of water and apply over leaves and soil Manufactured and bottle with 100% OMRI ingredients
GBH Farms gbhfarmstx@gmail.com 903-723-4123
Built Stronger to Last Longer
PEARMAN
TRAILER SALES
It’s a beautiful drive, come see us! Financing Available
Alto, TX • 936.858.4188 pearmantrailersales.com
Pearman Motor Co.
Cattle Trailers • Horse Trailers • Enclosed Flatbed • Car Hauler • Heavy Equipment
February-March 2019
3
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
Going ‘Green’ In East Texas
A
handful of politicians— most newly elected to the U.S. Congress—are on a roll to bring on a “green revolution”. Not a revolution to raise bigger and better crops, but to give the government total control of our daily lives and our future. Listening to their bleats of insincerity, it’s disgusting to most folks. With about a dozen would-be-Presidents in the race, working folks better watch out! These socialist fear mongers live off our taxpayer dollars .Their plans for the future are being heralded by that growing segment of the population who believe they will live on “easy street” if they vote democrat! Lots of gardens are being plowed, disced and readied for seed and plants. Growing your own has several advantages over store-bought fruits and vegetables. First, no question that garden fresh produce
tastes better and comes with a guarantee of freshness and purity. Second, cost of that ear of corn or spear of okra is less than at the store. And third, is the knowing that you worked in the dirt and put supper on the table starting with tiny seeds and sweat of your brow! It used to be that many landowners burned both their forest land and pasture land to rid the acreage of unwanted growth. Flipping a match into a Bermuda grass field is risky. No question that early burning can be helpful to growing grass but the chance of the fire getting away is uppermost in our minds. In the woods, burning every five years or so clears out reduces underbrush, invasive tree seedlings and makes deer habitat first class. Count me in on being too careful! We burned off a small pasture several years ago and the fire jumped into a
neighboring patch of woods. We got the fire out but scorched a quarter acre or so of the adjacent place. No real damage. But the neighbor—who recently moved here from Houston—acted like we had firebombed his property! If haven’t noticed, there is a war on law enforcement and Christianity in our nation. “Wanna Be” journalists too often get off on tangents that are just not true and don’t present both sides in their reporting. Catholics, Baptists and other denominations are under fire from crusading “journalists” who call attention to a few misfits among the clergy. Folks, if the truth be known, sexual predators have been identified in every occupation. Journalists in radio, television and print along with teachers, laborers and business owners have their share of them. Our law enforcement officers do their jobs and do them well.
Becoming a healthier you Texas Agrilife Extension
B
ecause we all lead different lifestyles, it is no surprise that dieting is not “one-size-fits-all.” Therefore, it is important to follow a healthy eating regimen that is tailored to you and your daily needs. Sticking to a diet that is customized to you will both give you the energy that your body requires and help combat obesity and weight gain. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, carrying too much body fat may have harmful effects on your health. More than 28 percent of adults in Texas are obese, which is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30. There are many contributing factors that cause obesity, most of which can be prevented or regulated. Some of these factors include: • Family history & genes • Medications • Lifestyle habits • Eating behaviors • Stress • Too little sleep • Medical problems Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Specialist David Leal recommends creating long-term goals that are broken down into achievable steps — those then become goals that are focused on daily. “We often feel like there’s so many things we need to change; eat better, exercise more, lose weight, lower cholesterol,” Leal said. “However, this can become overwhelming. Remember that progress, no matter how small or slow, is still progress.” When approaching weight loss, follow these simple lifestyle changes that can be easily incorporated into your daily
routine: • Eat a calorie-controlled diet • Participate in physical activity (150 minutes of moderate-intensity each week is recommended for adults) • Try behavior therapy (recognizing triggers for eating) While exercising is a key component in being healthy, failure to eat a wellbalanced and nutritious diet is often the limiting factor that keeps people from becoming the healthiest version of themselves. For weight loss, or improving any chronic disease, eating 2-3 servings of vegetables a day can make a tremendous impact. Add balance to your meals by making half of your plate fruits and vegetables while decreasing the amount of protein and starches, such as meat and potatoes. To help keep your eating habits on track, follow these simple steps from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietics: • Eat breakfast • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables • Fix healthy snacks • Drink more water • Reduce added sugars • Cook homemade meals • Explore new foods and flavors • Experience with plant-based meals • Eat slower If you want to stay on the straight and narrow by eating healthy but are looking to mix up your mealtime routine with new recipes, visit AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight to choose from a variety of healthy meals like Flatbread Pizza, Mediterranean Chicken, Taco Boats, and even desserts like Banana Chia Bread, Pistachio Cake, and Unicorn Popsicles! For more information contact: David O. Leal at 361.621.1550, email David.leal@ ag.tamu.edu or visit www.eatright.org
There is always an occasional odd ball in the mix. But they are few and far between. Their role of protecting our citizens from harm is first class. In many East Texas communities law enforcement personnel exist on an income that is below any definition of “poverty level”. When an outfit like Buc-ee’s has a starting salary of $14-$16 an hour, with benefits, it’s a miracle that many police officers are still on the job! Selling “beaver nuggets” and beef jerky is a whole lot safer than catching criminals! Elizabeth Warren is one of many leftists contending for the Democratic Presidential nomination .Warren claimed for years to have “native American heritage”. That part has been refuted by DNA tests. But the past still haunts her—in 1986 Warren applied for admission to the State Bar of Texas. She declared she was “American
Indian”. If any candidate persists in lying to the public on small things, what would they do if they won the White House? We have been through Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama—we don’t need any more of their kind! That’s –30—Horace@valornet.com
MILLIONS GENERATED FOR 4-H AND FFA MEMBERS WITH STOCK SHOW JUNIOR SALE OF CHAMPIONS
A
lmost $4 million was raised to support Texas youth today at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s legendary Junior Sale of Champions. Individuals, corporations and foundations stepped up to the plate to ensure 4-H and FFA members from across Texas were rewarded for their hard work and persistence that led to show ring success. “The Fort Worth community of business and civic leaders do something remarkable every year on the Stock Show’s last day by raising millions for a very important purpose,” said Brad Barnes, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo president and general manager. “A new generation of leaders are rewarded for the hard work and perseverance that earned them a spot in our Jr. Sale of Champions.” The grand champion steer, exhibited by Abilene FFA member Aven Horn, was a European Crossbred purchased by Hillwood, a Perot Company, with a $195,000 bid. Sage Martin, a Deaf Smith County 4-H member from Hereford, Texas, whose European Crossbred steer brought a final bid of $120,000 from Women Steering Business, showed the reserve grand champion. Bid spotters were kept busy throughout the barrow sale, with the grand champion, a Hampshire shown by Banner Young, a Burkburnett, Texas FFA member, going for a final bid of $50,000 from Standard Meat Co. James Rainbolt topped the bidding at $40,000 for the reserve grand
champion barrow, a Yorkshire shown by Raynee Schacher, an FFA member from Dumas, Texas. Heritage Land Bank purchased the grand champion lamb, a medium wool cross shown by Lubbock County 4-H member, Hudson Franklin for $51,000. Another medium wool cross, shown by Logan Jackson a FFA member from Olden, Texas, won Reserve Grand Champion Lamb and was sold for $40,000 to Ladies on the Lamb. In wether goats, the grand champion was shown by Dakota Martin, of Mason County 4-H, selling for $50,000 to Luther King Capital Management, while the reserve champion exhibited by Jaylin Smith, a FFA member from Eastland, Texas, brought a winning bid of $25,000 from Endeavor Acquisitions, LLC and Acclaim Bone & Joint Institute. The Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate, along with Ladies on the Lamb, U Ol’ Goat Committee, Fort Worth Businessmen, The Tallest Hog at the Trough Syndicate, and Women Steering Business were responsible for the purchase of all animals offered in the Junior Sale of Champions. A group of more than 100 Fort Worth area businessmen dedicated to enhancing agricultural education activities for Texas youth, the Syndicate has raised approximately $60 million for youth exhibitors and provided more than $1.8 million in scholarships to Texas 4-H and FFA members since 1980.
4
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
February-March 2019
Early bloom across state leaves Texas fruit orchards exposed to possible late freeze By: Adam Russell Texas AgriLife Extension Service
C
onditions are set for Texas fruit producers to have a bumper year if early blooms can avoid a major freeze before consistent warm weather sets in, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. Dr. Larry Stein, AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Uvalde, said good chill hours and soil moisture index have fruit trees set up for a good year, but those early blooms could be susceptible to spring freezes. “It was an awesome chill-hour year,” Stein said. “We have 850hour varieties with active buds starting to swell, and that is good news.” The bad news could be a strong, late freeze that could kill exposed blooms, Stein said. Stein said a light freeze in
Central Texas with temperatures dipping to around 27 degrees did not last long enough to cause serious damage. “The challenge will be avoiding a serious freeze through midMarch,” he said. “Buds are breaking in some areas, and so we will just have to see what the weather does. Growers are on pins and needles and hoping it will be OK.” Stein said buds throughout Central Texas are in a variety of stages, from tightly wound buds to blooms. Blooms are most vulnerable to freeze, while tight buds are most cold-hardy. The wide range of bud stages works to growers’ advantage, Stein said. Typical fruit trees carry 5,000 to 8,000 blooms that eventually turn into fruit. Producers typically thin those blooms via pruning or physically thinning the crop to around 500 blooms to ensure proper fruit
size and quality. “A light freeze works to their advantage and thins the crop naturally,” he said. “So, they’ll just have to wait out the weather to see.” Growing conditions are otherwise set up for a good year, Stein said. “The full soil profile is a good thing and means everything will grow like gangbusters,” he said. “The only thing would be too much rain and at the wrong time.” Standing water can kill a tree in a matter of days, he said. High moisture levels can also lead to viral and fungal diseases. Growers should also be prepared to spray tree canopies with a copper hydroxide solution for bacterial leaf spot if wet conditions continue, he said. Fungal diseases like blossom blight and scab are also more prevalent under wet conditions. Stein said growers should also consider spraying trees with
dormant oil to kill scale insects that literally suck the life out of trees. “Scale insects are the No. 1 killers of fruit trees in Texas,” he said. “It should be a preventative maintenance measure every year just prior to bud break. Trees need total coverage of tree bark and crevices with the spray to kill the insects and their eggs.” AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summary: Weather patterns continued to improve with high winds drying out some areas. Anderson County producers were able to get a small amount of plowing done on the high areas. Most pastures were still saturated, and fields were too wet for fieldwork. Pastures and rangeland conditions continued to be poor in most counties. Subsoil and topsoil conditions were adequate to surplus. Ponds and creeks
were full. Winter forages were starting to emerge in Cherokee, Houston, Panola, Smith, Wood and Sabine counties. Harrison County reported very few winter pastures were fertilized due to wet conditions. Forage growth helped ease hay consumption. Smith County producers were running short on hay supplies. Early spring conditions and adequate soil moisture had producers anticipating a good forage and hay production year. Cattle were in fair to good condition in Anderson and Smith counties, but cattle conditions were declining in Henderson County. The cattle market was stronger in Anderson County and holding steady in Shelby County. Sale numbers were low in Houston County with lower prices on calves 400 pounds or less and higher prices on heavier calves. Wild hogs continued to be destructive in many counties.
Forsythia, quince, and wisteria – oh my! A
s spring rolls around, it is time for a beautiful break from the dreary winter sky. Bright pops of color start showing up in our landscapes! What catches your eye? Is it the bright red quince or the yellow forsythia? Or maybe it’s the carpet of purple suspended in tree canopies in the forest? Quince is always the first to catch my eye. Called common flowering quince, or Japanese quince, these beauties are grown for their looks and not their fruit. Chaenomeles speciosa does make an edible fruit (tastiest when canned), but it pales in comparison to the gorgeous blooms. Brown and grey branches are an excellent backdrop for blooms that can range anywhere from red to pink, white, salmon, or orange. It makes a nice mediumsized shrub that is unobtrusive the rest of year, and stunning in the spring. This adaptable fellow is native to Asia, and, as part of the rose family, is cousin to pears and apples. He appreciates a lighter touch with the pruning shears, just after the blooms have passed. This week, however, forsythia has been the stunner. Yellow blooms as bright as sunshine are impossible to
resist and twice I have stopped to gather this ‘sunlight’ in a photo. Forsythia x intermedia is commonly found as a hedge or border shrub and is frequently hedge sheared in to squares and rectangles. It handles the shearing quite well, but blooms most beautifully in its natural leggy shape. Save the trimming for just past bloom-time, otherwise you trim off next year’s beauty. Forsythia is eager to grow, as many native Asian plants are, and makes an eight to ten foot shrub. We share a similar climate with Asia which makes the plants feel right at home on our side of the globe. For the remainder of the year, this fellow’s looks are a bit marginal, but these weeks in bloom make it well worth taking up some real estate in your flower beds. Soon enough, we will begin seeing wisteria blooming in yards and all of the other places it has escaped cultivation. The pine trees get a purple ‘hair-do’ for spring in the forest locations where Asian wisteria has taken over. The long clusters of purple, pink, or white blooms are a visual treat. Their scent is lovely also, but that beauty is deadly. The vigorous invasive wisteria packs a double whammy – stealing nutrients and water while at the same time spreading leaves that cover the trees leaves, robbing the energy producing sunshine also. Over time, this results in dead trees and wisteria vines the size of tree trunks. Chinese wisteria, (W. sinensis ) is our major aggressor this way, but we don’t really notice until springtime, when those purple blooms show up in a carpet over the trees. Wisteria isn’t always a problem though. There is another option! We have a native wisteria – vigorous and beautiful; same heavenly scent, same gorgeous drapes of blooms, but with the bonus of blooming while the leaves are present. American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) blooms later as well, usually in May and June. The vines of our American wisteria (also called Texas wisteria) wind ascending from left to right, up to 30 ft tall. If you are looking to collect seeds to grow your own, in the fall these plants make a seed pod (yep, they are legumes) and plants can easily be grown from the seeds inside them. Be patient though! It will take 8 or more years for these beauties to bloom when grown from seed. And speaking of natives, let’s not forget our native redbuds. Those lovely purple blooms herald the arrival of spring beautifully. Plus Kim Benton they make a great snack. Keep an eye out for Cherokee County them in the coming weeks.
Horticulturist
BRYAN & BRYAN Asphalt
Founded in 1955 A reputation for reliable, on time performance with affordable quality products.
HOME - BUSINESS - FARM
MUSHROOM COMPOST $ 30 Per ton ASPHALT MILLINGS $ 46 Per ton
FLEX/ ROAD BASE $ 28 Per ton OIL SAND $ 56 Per ton
2291 Hwy. 84 East | Oakwood, TX We welcome credit cards only 903-545-0062 | Mon - Fri 7am - 5pm
3” X 6” RIP RAP $ 36.50 Per ton BRYAN & BRYAN ASPHALT
February-March 2019
5
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
Graftin’ Calves I
was ugly when I was born. How ugly were you? I was so ugly they had to tie my mother’s legs together so I could nurse! If you’ve ever grafted a calf you know just what I’m talkin’ about. Graftin’ calves. An unnatural act. One of the more frustrating parts of calvin’ season. You’ve got a good (or not so good) heifer who lost her calf to calvin’ difficulty, scours, deep water, snow drifts, tractor tires, excitement, BVD or any of a million or two reasons that we could all by name.
You figger to graft another calf in its place from one of your many sources: a twin, a dried up heifer, the sale barn, the local dairy, Walmart or one of those late night television commercials that offers a four-legged lizard to Guy-Ko you, tape you can plug your septic tank with, or the pillow man to personally come to your home to fluff you up! I imagine since the time of Noah’s Livestock Auction and Commission Company, peddlers have been offering magical solutions that you can sprinkle on the calf and the heifer’s nose
to mask the scent, different formulae abound; musk from a rutting beaver, compost drops, eucalyptus oil, limburger lotion or grizzly after shave. They all have one thing in common: they smell like two dead carp left in a Hefty trash bag on a warm Phoenix afternoon. I’ve tried rubbing the graft with the new mother’s afterbirth. I tried the ol’ sheepherder trick of skinnin’ the dead calf and tyin his hide around the new one. I admit that trick always makes me feel sorry for both calves. It certainly couldn’t be too comfortable, not
to mention it would take both of ‘em right off the best dressed list! My most effective method involved cow psychology. That’s right . . . SHOVEL TRAINING! Hobble the heifer, pen her and the graft calf up for a few days and do it the hard way. First you
stand in the pen with them and encourage the calf to suck. He tries, she kicks, you konk her with the shovel. On the poll is a good a place as any. Eventually she will stand still and let him nurse. For the next few days you lean over the gate and wave the shovel when you want him to suck. Usually the heifer gives up and finally you can turn’em both out. I don’t know how well this method works on mules, kangaroos or Holsteins but I’d recommend it fer yer good ol’ run of the mill bally.
Future Farmers are leaders of tomorrow By Rich Flowers
Athens Daily Review Over the past century, Future Farmers of America have given students a chance to learn about the world of agriculture and gain a first-hand knowledge of how to meet the challenges of raising animals building trailers and much more. Bud Henry of the Malakoff Farmer’s Booster Club knows the importance of FFA to students. “Keeping them in the barn keeps them off the streets,” he said. Malakoff has about 100 FFA students under ag instructor Kenneth Hancock, and about 20 boosters help meet some of their needs. They are now in their busiest time of year, with major livestock shows in several locations leading up to the Henderson County Livestock Show — a tradition for more than 60 years. “We had a fundraiser and held a meeting the other day to get everything ready for the county show,” Henry said. “We buy all of the shavings for the kids, so that won’t have to come out of pocket. Also, everyone gets a T-shirt and things like that.” The boosters also provide meals for the students to serve at the fairgrounds. His son shows pigs in a major event at the Henderson County competition, scheduled this year for March 1823. “They go to Houston, San Antonio and all that,” Henry said. “They put in a lot of work on them.” The boosters also help pay for the students who go to the state FFA convention. “We’ll see that they’ve got rooms, or whatever they’ve got to do.” They also take their new found abilities to exhibit in
contests on the county, state and even national level. With 128,000 members, Texas FFA has the largest group in the nation. One in six FFA members nationwide lives in the state. There are 1,073 local FFA chapters. From the ranks of FFA students will come — not only biologists, chemists and veterinarians — but engineers and business leaders. The students learn to become leaders within the organization and their fellow students. They are
Who We Are National FFA Organization is an American 501(c)(3) youth organization, specifically a career and technical student organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. It was founded in 1925 at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, by agriculture teachers, Henry C. Groseclose,[9] Walter Newman, Edmund Magill and Harry Sanders as Future Farmers of Virginia. In 1928, it became a nationwide organization known as Future Farmers of America. In 1988 the name was changed to the National FFA Organization, now commonly referred to as FFA, to recognize that the organization is for those with diverse interests in the food, fiber and natural resource industries, encompassing science, business and technology in addition to production agriculture.[10] Today FFA is among the largest youth organization in the United States, with 669,989 members in 8,630 chapters[11] throughout all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. FFA is the largest of the career and technical student organizations in U.S. schools.
introduced to skills that will serve them throughout the year. According to Texas FFA, 197,000 students are enrolled in agricultural science education courses in Texas. More than 31 courses are offered in agricultural education, with more than 2,500 instructors teaching the courses. The 91st Texas FFA State Convention is in Fort Worth on July 15-19 at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
6
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
February-March 2019
Wet a Line this Spring Break By Jo Anne Embleton Jacksonville Daily Progress
L
ooking for a fun activity for the whole family during the upcoming Spring Break? Why not wet a line at fishing spots in and around Cherokee County. Lake Jacksonville, located three miles from downtown Jacksonville, offers 1,325 acres of water, according to www. jacksonvilletx.org. The city park has three boat ramps, allowing visitors the option to fish from the lake or bankside, along with screened shelters, along with camping sites and RV pads with water and electricity for those who wish to make an overnight stay. Camping reservations may be made by calling 903-589-3510 or by using our online reservations. Just outside Cherokee County is Lake Striker Reservoir, a 1,863-acre lake located 20 miles east of Jacksonville that’s filled with large-mouth bass, spotted bass, catfish and crappie, according to www. tpwd.texas.gov. Lake Striker Resort, at 18560 County Road 4256 South in Reklaw, offers fishing from banks or a covered pier for $3 per person per day. There’s a boat launch for those who are interested in fishing on the
lake, and the $5 daily boat fee waives the fishing fee. A nearby onsite restaurant, open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, gives visitors a dining option; the resort also has motel rooms and cabins for rent, along with tent campsites and RV hook-ups. Lodging fees may be found at www.lakestrikerresort.com; for more information, call 903-854-2505. Area state parks are another resource; while there are admission fees to enter, visitors won’t need a license to fish on state property, according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. And, many of the parks offer limited amounts of fishing gear for visitors to use. Nearby, just off Texas Highway 21 and west of Alto lies Mission Tejas State Park, which has a pond that “offers an excellent opportunity to explore aquatic life and fish,” states www.tpwd.texas.gov/stateparks/mission-tejas The entrance fee to the park – open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – is $3 for visitors ages 13 and older. It also offers campsites, including full hook-ups for RVs. Mission Tejas is located at 120 State Park Road 44 in Grapeland. For more information, call 936-687-2394. Tyler State Park, in northern Smith County, has three fishing piers and a boat
Fishing rules and requirements in Texas So, you want to fish in the State of Texas? Here’s what you need to know, according to the “General Fishing Regulations” posted on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website, www.tpwd.texas.gov: • “Any person who takes or attempts to take fish, mussels, clams, crayfish or other aquatic life in the public waters of Texas must have a current Texas fishing license with the appropriate endorsement. A saltwater endorsement is required to fish in coastal waters; a freshwater endorsement is required for inland waters.” • Licenses are valid Sept. 1, 2018, through Aug. 31, 2019. • Resident fishing license are required of any who fish in the public waters of Texas. • Licenses and packages are not required for youths ages 17 and younger, or for a person born before Jan. 1, 1931. Mentally disabled individuals fishing under certain circumstances also are not required to hold a license or package, the site states. • “A resident fishing license is included in all Super Combo and Combination packages (including Texas Resident Active Duty Military), the Lifetime Resident Combination and Lifetime Resident Fishing licenses and the various resident fishing packages offered by the Department. A resident who holds one of these licenses/packages is not required to purchase a separate resident fishing license.” • Non-resident fishing license are required of all non-residents ages 17 and older who fish the public waters of Texas. Non-residents not required to have a license include those younger than age 17, Louisiana or Oklahoma residents ages 65 and older. Louisiana seniors must possess a valid Louisiana Recreational Fishing License (includes Senior Fish/Hunt License), the site states. Meanwhile, a person can fish for free all year at any of the 70 Texas State Parks, but all other fishing regulations remain in effect, and park entry fees still apply. For more information regarding fishing licenses, packages and fees, visit www.tpwd. texas.gov.
Photo courtesy of Lake Striker Resort
Lake Striker Resort Dad Jason Bowman and son Drew display their catch while fishing from a boat. ramp that accesses a spring-fed lake filled with crappie, perch, catfish and bass. The park also offers boat rentals, according to its website, www.tpwd.texas.gov/stateparks/tyler. The park is located at 789 Park Road 16 in Tyler, and is open daily. Admission is $6 per person for those ages 13 and older. Call 903-597-5338 to learn more. Located at 9515 County Road 2181D in Tatum, Martin Creek Lake State Park is known for its fishing, as it is the home
of many winter fishing tournaments. The power-plant lake offers year-round fishing for largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and sunfish, and has cabins and screened shelters for overnight use, according to www.tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ martin-creek-lake. The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and charges a $3 admission fee for visitors 13 and older. To learn more, call 903-836-4336.
Photo courtesy of Lake Striker Resort
A lone fisherman wets a line as the sun sets at Lake Striker Resort. The covered pier offers fishers protection from all kinds of weather.
Schyler Magdziak
VP/Branch Manager
2805 S. Loop 256 Palestine
Proudly providing the financing you need for Poultry Loans in East Texas. Visit with Schyler and get all of the details. Come See Us Today!
February-March 2019
7
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassador Program
T
Special to the Corsicana Daily Sun
he Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassador Program is coming off another groundbreaking year. In June 2018, 20 Ambassadors boarded a plane in Houston departing to South America to expand the worldviews of exceptional leaders in agriculture. Ambassadors engaged a valuable study abroad experience in the agriculturally-rich country of Argentina. With visits to family farms, historic ranches, feedlot tours and various production facilities, Ambassadors were able to immerse themselves in South America’s agricultural production systems. As fulfilling as it was for our Ambassadors to be recognized internationally, the program is successful only because of outstanding work led by local agents. In 2019, the program is continuing to expand to include South Texas. There will be a Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassador Short Course in Kingsville in collaboration with TAMU Kingsville. Kyle McManus is to be commended for his leadership in getting this unique opportunity off the ground. County Extension Agent support and coordination has been the driving force behind this successful program. Please consider identifying potential Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassadors in your county and recruiting them to apply. Our hope is when they return from the course, you will find them to be eager to assist you with educational programs. Questions may be directed to Billy Zanolini, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Youth Livestock and Agriculture, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Mobile: 940-886-7129. 1470 William D. Fitch Parkway, College Station, TX 77845 Tel. 979-458-0466 Fax. 979-845-6495 www.texasyouthlivestock.com wfzanolini@ag.tamu.edu
Who We Are 4-H is a U.S.-based network of youth organizations whose mission is “engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development”. Its name is a reference to the occurrence of the initial letter H four times in the organization’s original motto ‘head, heart, hands, and health’ which was later incorporated into the fuller pledge officially adopted in 1927. In the United States, the organization is administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Throughout the world, 4-H organizations exist in over 50 countries; the organization and administration varies from country to country. Each of these programs operates independently but cooperatively through international exchanges, global education programs, and communications. The 4-H name represents four personal development areas of focus for the organization: head, heart, hands, and health.
Selection Criteria:
• Senior age (14-18) 4-H youth that have exhibited a superior level of ambition regarding his/her livestock projects • Students with a profound interest in animal science, animal production and advocacy • Students have shown advanced leadership qualities and a willingness to help others • Top 25 percent class rank
Application Process:
1. Applicant goes to: https://agrilife.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/ form/SV_5C2PxJ597FTPIFL 2. A two-minute YouTube video will be required (instructions can be found within the application) 3. Student will complete the application and enter the contact information of supervising County Extension Agent 4. Extenstion Agent will be automatically emailed a recommendation survey 5. A selection committee will review the applications and accept up to 25 participants per university 6. Applications are due May 15, 2019 7. Applicants will be notified by June 1, 2019 regarding application result
For more information visit: www.texasyouthlivestock.com
By Luke Clayton Outdoors Writer
I
thoroughly enjoy scouting ‘new’ land that I have permission to hunt and fish on. Many years ago, this often equated to a study of maps (plats) or reading the land description on a deed and actually walking the perimeter fences, compass in hand, in attempt to locate the property I had had acquired access to. In my younger life,
Exploring ‘New’ Hunting Land I spent many years as a surveyor and in retrospect, some of my ‘scouting’ trips on hunting lands often equated to a rough survey of perimeter fences, fields, creeks and ponds. I would often create a working map as I went. Granted, I thoroughly enjoyed the process but it did require wearing out a lot of boot leather and many hours in the field. Scouting new hunting areas today is much, much easier. Land is already mapped down to the
most minute detail. All that is required is a cell phone with an internet connection to Google Earth or a good App, no survey skills required! I have an App on my phone called HUNT STAND this is absolutely awesome for scouting and, many other applications. The basic App is free to download but added features can be purchased. There are also many fine and economically priced GPS units available today that will help you find your way
around on unfamiliar land. This past week, my good friend Josh Houser with Preferred Wildlife Properties in Rockwall, Texas granted me access to hunt and fish on several hundred acres situated a few miles from my home, very close to the Trinity River. Josh knows I love hunting wild hogs and after spending some time scouting, I soon learned the land is ground zero for hog hunting. Wild porkers love water courses and the jungle of vegetation
Photo by Luke Clayton
While exploring some new hunting land, Luke recently discovered this old overgrown camp. It’s interesting to reflect upon who built the old structure, when and for what purpose. Luke is betting because of its proximity to the water, it’s was used as a fishing camp but not knowing it’s exact purpose adds to the intrigue.
along the river creates near perfect habitat. Upon close inspection, I found a serpentine network of hog trails leading into and out of the dense cover. In the center of the property lies several acres of live oak trees and the ground is covered with tons of soured acorns. A wild hog haven with 20 acres of natural bait situated right in the middle! I spent several hours last week walking the entire property, dropping ‘pins’ on the map of my GPS that marked trails, areas with heavy hog sign, etc. The satellite map on Google Earth made my scouting much quicker, easier and fun! As I walked along, a blue dot on my cell phone marked my travels, showing in great detail every feature on the property. Studying the map while taking a breather in a grove of oaks not far from the river, I discovered an oxbow lake off the main river channel. By using a feature on the app that measures distances, I discovered this channel to be approximately a half mile long, averaging 50 to 70 yards wide. By the look of the steep banks, the channel probably had some depth to it as well. As I walked deeper into the remote area, along the edge of the channel, I noted what appeared to be an old cabin or fishing camp on the opposite side. Ash saplings had overgrown the area around the cabin but the old structure had withstood the test of time. To actually gain access to the cabin, I would have had to cross the channel by boat and probably cut my way in with an ax or machete.
On my side of the channel, I noticed a prominent little point of land jutting out into the channel. It was a perfect for casting off the bank and I am positive that whoever built and used the old cabin had spent lots of time fishing from the bank here or possibly anchoring a trotline a tree root and stretching it across the channel. Because of the proximity of the channel to the river, there is little doubt that it is well stocked with catfish and possibly white bass as well. During spring floods, it’s a good bet that everything on the levee side of the river is flooded, resulting in a natural stocking of all sorts of game fish. I placed a marker on the GPS app for the remote little cabin so that I can easily find it again when I return with my johnboat and possible a trotline or at least a few jug lines to test the catfishing possibilities. I can only imagine the adventures encountered by early day trappers that explored truly unknown lands back in the early 1800’s. I’m sure they would have a tough time attempting to understand the technology we take for granted today. Truthfully, I probably don’t have much more of an idea of how some of today’s technology works that the trappers of yesteryear. I’m just happy we have it. It makes scouting for this old outdoorsman much easier! Listen to “Outdoors with Luke Clayton and Friends” on radio stations from Nebraska to Texas on weekends or anytime online at www.catfishradio. org.
8
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
February-March 2019
Top competitors ride in Lowe’s memory
T
he Professional Bull Riders’ top competitors rode in St. Louis in remembrance of a world-class bull rider who died earlier this year. The show was called the Mason Lowe Memorial. It was named Lowe, 25, an Exeter, Missouri, cowboy who passed away in midJanuary after a bull accident at a PBR show during the National Western Stock Show in Denver. The two-day show in St. Louis, which was Feb. 15-16, was part of the PBR’s Unleash The Beast, the association’s top tier tour. Chase Outlaw clinched the title and earned $40,480. The Hamburg, Arkansas, cowboy finished No. 1 in the title race after turning in a final round score of 91.5 on bovine named Big Black (owned by K-C Bucking Bulls/Joe & Nina Webb). Outlaw is ranked No. 2 in the PBR’s 2019 world title race with 1,472.5 points. Jess Lockwood, the 2017 world champion, is ranked No. 1 with 2,097.5. João Ricardo Vieira, a Brazilian who lives in Decatur, is ranked No. 3 with 1,135. Vieira finished 15th at the St. Louis show. This weekend, the PBR’s Unleash The Beast tour will stop at Los Angeles’ Staples Center for the Feb. 22-23 Iron Cowboy, which is one of the PBR’s major shows this season. In recent years, the Iron Cowboy has been conducted at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium. But this year, the PBR opted to conduct its Global Cup at AT&T Stadium (on Feb. 9-10).
Double dipping For the first time, the San Angelo Stock Show offered some competitors two different rodeos to earn prize money that will count toward the Professional
Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings. The two rodeos were the multi-performance traditional PRCA rodeo and the single performance Cinch ChuteOut Rodeo. The traditional PRCA rodeo began Feb. 1 and performances were held on various days through Feb. 15. It
featured competitors with a ride range of pro rodeo experience. But the Feb. 16 Chute-Out Rodeo was an invitational that featured credentialed PRCA competitors. One cowboy who finished in the money at both rodeos was three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Clayton Biglow. Biglow finished third at the PRCA rodeo and earned $4,999. He turned in a lofty finals score of 89.5 in the Feb. 15 finals. Biglow also pocketed $7,500 for winning the Chute-Out Rodeo. He won with a remarkable finals score of 93 on Feb. 16 on a bronc named Top Notch (Pickett Rodeo Co.). All in all, Biglow earned $12,499 at the two San Angelo rodeos. Tuf Cooper, who has homes in Decatur and Weatherford, earned $5,458 in tie-down roping from the two pro rodeos. The 2017 world all-around champion finished eighth at the PRCA rodeo ($2,458) and second at the Chute-Out Rodeo ($3,000). In recent years, only the
earnings from San Angelo’s traditional, multi-performance PRCA rodeo counted toward the world standings. But this year, the earnings from both the traditional PRCA Rodeo and the Chute-Out Rodeo will count in the world standings.
Breaking records Michael Otero of Weatherford clinched the tie-down roping title at the traditional San Angelo PRCA Rodeo with an arena record three-run time of 23.0 at the Foster Communications Coliseum, according to prorodeo. com. The previous three-head tie-down roping average was 23.5 seconds, set by Timber Moore in 2014. In bareback riding, former
NFR qualifier Caleb Bennett clinched the title at San Angelo’s tradtional PRCA rodeo with record breaking two-ride score of 178.5. The previous record was 177.5 points set by Jake Vold in 2016. Former NFR qualifier Rusty Wright clinched the saddle bronc riding with at the traditional San Angelo PRCA rodeo record tying two-ride score of 177. Wright now shares the record with Wade Sundell, who initially set the mark in 2015. Trevor Brazile, a 24-time world champion from Decatur who competed tie-down roping and team roping at the San Angelo Rodeo, clinched the traditional rodeo’s all-around title with $7,394 in total earnings. Other
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.
2019 San Angelo champions were steer wrestler Tucker Allen (12.8 seconds on three head); team ropers Aaron Tsinigine and Kyle Lockett (13.2 seconds on three head); and bull rider Jordan Spears (175 points on two head). In the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing title race at the San Angelo Rodeo, Jill Tanner clinched the title with a three-run time of 44.88. During the Chute-Out Rodeo, Biglow’s lofty final round score of 93 was five points higher than second place finisher Steven Dent’s 88. Defending world champions Clay Smith and Paul Eaves clinched the team roping title with a 5.7. Other Chute-Out Rodeo champions were steer wrestler Blake Mindemann (4.0 seconds); saddle bronc rider Chase Brooks (90.5 points on Northcott Mezca’s Get Smart); tie-down roper Justin Thigpen (7.7 seconds); and bull rider Lon Danley (86.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Air Marshal).
February-March 2019
9
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
From Scratch with Love Roasted Herbed Beef Tenderloin
Total time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes makes 6-8 servings Beef tenderloin is a special (and slightly expensive) meal to serve, so you want to be sure to cook it just right. This recipe is a foolproof way to add flavor without having to rely on any complicated techniques. First sear the beef in a frying pan to get a flavorful crust, then rub on a simple compound butter made with garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Roast the tenderloin for about 30 minutes, let it rest, then slice and serve with diced potatoes and mushroom gravy for a memorable dinner.
Ingredients • 1 (3-1/2- to 4-pound) center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin and fat • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 2 tablespoons kosher salt • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature • 2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves • Butcher’s twine, as needed
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Meanwhile, pat the beef dry with paper towels. (If one end of the beef is noticeably thinner than the other, tuck the thinner end underneath and tie where you tucked with butcher’s twine. This will help it cook more evenly.) Using your hands, rub the tenderloin all over with the oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and rub until evenly coated; set aside. 2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke. Place the beef in the pan and sear, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and set aside until the surface of the beef is no longer hot, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the butter mixture. 3. Place the butter, garlic, rosemary, and thyme in a medium bowl and smash with the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula until evenly combined. When the beef is ready, evenly rub the butter mixture on the top and sides of the tenderloin. 4. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the beef registers 120°F to 125°F for rare or 125°F to 135°F for medium rare, about 25 to 35 minutes. 5. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Special equipment: You’ll need an instant-read thermometer for this recipe. Game plan: Depending on how the beef tenderloin is butchered, you may end up with a thicker or thinner portion. This recipe works with both cuts, but timing is crucial to achieve perfect rare to medium-rare beef. Make sure to use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature of the beef as it cooks. For a thinner piece of meat, check the temperature after 18 to 20 minutes to avoid overcooking. Recipe by Amy Wisniewski via Chowhound
East tExas stock PricEs
ANDERSON COUNTY LIVESTOCK
EAST TEXAS LIVESTOCK INC.
Updated: 2/20/2019 Head Count: 101 Buyers: 21 Sellers: 17
Updated: 2/19/2019 Feeder Calf Buyers: 16 Sellers: 124 Feeder Calf Companies: 28
STEERS
STEERS
200lb - 300lb
1.35
2.02
300-DOWN
$153
$210
300lb - 400lb
1.27
1.85
305lb - 400lb
$138
$192
400lb - 500lb
1.20
1.65
405lb - 500lb
$126
$185
500lb - 600lb
1.15
1.45
505lb - 600lb
$119
$170
600lb - 700lb
1.05
1.43
605lb - 800lb
$113
$162
700lb - 800lb
0.95
1.27
HEIFERS
HEIFERS
200lb - 300lb
1.30
1.65
300-DOWN
$125
$195
300lb - 400lb
1.22
1.50
305lb - 400lb
$118
$166
400lb - 500lb
1.18
1.49
405lb - 500lb
$110
$172
500lb - 600lb
1.10
1.35
505lb - 600lb
$103
$153
600lb - 700lb
1.00
1.30
605lb - 800lb
$100
$150
700lb - 800lb
0.80
1.20
Cows
0.35
0.64
Cows
$40
$65
Bulls
0.60
0.82
Bulls
$75
$86
PAIRS
$850
$1775
PAIRS
SLAUGHTER
STOCKER COWS GOATS
SLAUGHTER
$650hd
$1700hd
$45hd
$150hd
TRI-COUNTY LIVESTOCK MARKET Updated: 2/23/2019 Head Count: 469
STEERS UNDER 300lb
1.60
2.15
300lb - 400lb
1.55
2.20
400lb - 500lb
1.45
1.90
500lb - 600lb
1.30
1.70
600lb - 700lb
1.20
1.53
700lb - 800lb
1.10
UNDER 300lb 300lb - 400lb 400lb - 500lb
$750
BRED COWS
NACOGDOCHES LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE
HUNTS LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE
Updated: 2/21/2019 Head Count: 353 Buyers: 46 Sellers: 59
STEERS
$1475 $1200/hd
ATHENS COMMISSION COMPANY
Updated: 2/18/2019 Head Count: 822
STEERS
$600/hd
Updated: 2/22/2019 Head Count: 744 Sellers: 115
STEERS
UNDER 300lb
1.40
2.20
200lb - 299lb
1.00
2.15
300-DOWN
1.00
2.00
300lb - 400lb
1.22
1.95
300lb - 399lb
1.00
2.09
300lb - 400lb
1.00
2.15
400lb - 500lb
1.15
1.85
400lb - 499lb
1.00
1.85
400lb - 500lb
0.85
1.85
500lb - UP
0.95
1.85
500lb - 599lb
1.00
1.75
500lb - UP
0.80
1.70
1.45
600lb - 700lb
N/A
N/A
600lb - 699lb
1.00
1.57
HEIFERS
700lb - 899lb
1.00
1.49
300-DOWN
1.00
2.00
1.35
1.80
UNDER 300lb
1.30
1.90
HEIFERS
300lb - 400lb
1.00
1.85
1.25
1.70
300lb - 400lb
1.15
1.87
200lb - 299lb
1.00
2.11
400lb - 500lb
0.80
1.65
1.20
1.63
400lb - 500lb
1.00
1.87
300lb - 399lb
1.00
1.91
500lb - UP
0.75
1.55
0.80
1.50
400lb - 499lb
1.00
1.75
SLAUGHTER
N/A
N/A
500lb - 599lb
1.00
1.55
Cows
0.25
0.67
600lb - 699lb
1.00
1.35
Heavy Bulls
0.62
0.86
1.00
1.21
PAIRS
HEIFERS
HEIFERS
500lb - 600lb
1.15
1.60
500lb - UP
600lb - 700lb
1.10
1.30
600lb - 700lb
700lb - 800lb
1.05
1.20
SLAUGHTER
SLAUGHTER
Cows
0.35
0.65
700lb - 899lb
Cows
0.18
0.68
Bulls
0.60
0.84
SLAUGHTER
Heavy Bulls
$825
$1400
Cows
0.35
0.63
Low-Middle
Bulls
0.50
0.85
PAIRS
$500
$1410
STOCKER COWS GOATS
$35hd
$250hd
$150hd
$600hd
0.72
0.87
PAIRS
PAIRS
NA
NA
BABY CALVES
$80
$100
STOCKER COWS GOATS
STOCKER COWS
NA
NA
BABY CALVES
LOW-MIDDLE
NA
NA
HORSES
$650hd
$1200hd
$35hd
$175hd
$25
$250
STOCKER COWS
N/A
N/A
BABY CALVES
Top
$155hd NA
$1625hd
BABY CALVES
NA
HORSES
$1000
$1400
$550
$1000
0.65lb
1.05lb
$45hd
$250hd
10
February-March 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.
February 8, 2019
Hold My Beer and Take the Wheel A landowner near Abilene alerted a game warden about a vehicle spotlighting and shooting from a county road. The warden quickly responded and located the suspected vehicle. After following the vehicle for a distance, the warden observed gunshots coming from the passenger compartment. Upon making a traffic stop, the warden asked the three occupants what they were doing. A female subject stated that she and her boyfriend were teaching her son how to drive while they were drinking and shooting feral hogs off the road. Upon further search of the vehicle, drug paraphernalia and a small bag of methamphetamine were located next to where one subject was sitting. One subject was taken to jail for possession of controlled substance and another received a citation for open container and hunting from a public roadway.
You Are Here A Freestone County game warden received a tip from a local DPS trooper about a white-tailed buck that may have been taken illegally. The state trooper had stopped an individual riding an ATV on a public roadway, and the operator said he had been hunting and was on his way to transport a deer he had just taken. When the warden arrived at the hunter’s camp, he observed the head from a freshly killed buck that obviously did not meet the county’s minimum antler requirements and was untagged. The carcass had been quartered and stored in a nearby ice chest. When questioned, the hunter said the deer was killed in the morning and wasn’t tagged because he didn’t know the county he was hunting. Citations issued for taking an undersized buck, tagging violation and hunting log violation.
Roosting Duck Busters
A Liberty County game warden was checking a local duck roost that he had received multiple tips regarding illegal hunting activity when he spotted a pickup parked just beyond an entrance gate leading down to the pond. After setting up surveillance nearby, the warden heard shots from the direction of the pond well past legal hunting hours. The warden waited in the dark for the group to walk back to their truck. Contact was made, and citations were issued for hunting ducks after hours, with an unplugged shotgun. Civil restitution was charged for the taking of wood ducks illegally. Cases pending.
ended up hauling out nearly 4,000 feet of gill net containing various species of fish and turtles. Many of the entangled critters were released back into the water alive.
A Costly Disqualification A Webb County game warden was wrapping up hunting license checks on participants that had entered their trophy bucks into the Muy Grande deer contest. During his inspection, he noticed one lucky
A Net Gain Avoids a Big Loss Zapata County game wardens responding to a tip about an illegal gill net in the Rio Grande River wound up with an impressive haul of monofilament. After discovering the set tied to a tree in a cove on the Texas side of the river, wardens
A tip about a headless, untagged white-tailed deer hanging in a barn on a neighboring ranch sparked an investigation by a Kent County game warden. The warden located the deer carcass and was able to track down the primary suspect. The suspect freely admitted to killing the deer on the ranch and leaving it to rot, and further to killing an aoudad sheep on the ranch, too. He had no valid hunting license and no permission to hunt on the property. The warden issued appropriate citations, seized the man’s rifle and the heads of the poached animals. During additional questioning, the suspect also admitted to having killed a mule deer buck out of season in another county. The warden tacked on more citations and seized the muley. Cases pending.
Designated Drunk Driver
Can’t Keep a Secret In late December Bexar County game wardens received information about a subject who had posted on social media about his trespassing adventures on San Antonio Power Plant property and fishing in a prohibited area of Calaveras Lake. After reviewing several social media posts, the game wardens were able to identify the subject. Further investigation into the subject determined that he was on felony probation. On Jan. 10, during the subject’s scheduled court appearance with his probation officer and judge Bexar County game wardens presented evidence of his illegal fishing activities. Case and restitution pending.
A Poaching Slam
hunter two entries Macho Grande Division (for most points) and had been awarded both first and second place in that category. A hunting license check revealed that the hunter only possessed a valid “Resident YearFrom-Purchase All Water Package” fishing license, not a hunting license. The next day the warden contacted a Hunt County game warden, who assisted with checking the harvest log at the ranch where the two winning trophy white-tailed deer had been harvested, along with one other buck. All three deer racks scored over 200 on the Boone & Crocket scoring system. Turns out the hunter had recorded in the harvest log his hunting license number from the previous year. Wardens seized the deer from a taxidermist and the hunter was cited for hunting without a valid license. Cases pending. had in the
Game wardens were patrolling Van Zandt County when they observed a vehicle parked in the middle of the public roadway. The wardens contacted the vehicle and detected the odor of alcohol coming from both occupants. The operator stated that she was trying to take her intoxicated friend to his residence, but he was too drunk to give her directions. When the wardens had the operator exit the vehicle, they noticed several “Jello shots” on the driver side floorboard. The driver admitted to drinking alcohol and taking multiple medications that would impair her ability to operate a motor vehicle. She was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated, and wardens allowed her passenger to call a friend to come pick him up at the scene. When the passenger’s friend arrived on scene, wardens made contacted and determined that the operator of this vehicle had also been consuming alcohol. After failing standard field sobriety tests, the driver of the second vehicle was also arrested for DWI. Both individuals were transported to the Van Zandt County Jail and cases are pending.
– watch TPWD Releases Fishing and Hunters out for zombies Hunting Regulation Change T Proposals for 2019-2020 By PennyLynn Webb Palestine Herald-Press
he Centers for Disease Control made national headlines last week with stories about a “zombie” deer disease. Using “zombie” in the headline gets people’s attention. It’s not new to Texas. This “zombie” deer disease is called Chronic Wasting Disease; AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is now accepting public comment on proposed changes to fishing Texans have talked about it for more than and hunting regulations for 2019-2020. TPWD will be taking public comment on the following proposed changes to the 2019three years. 2020 Statewide Recreational Fishing Proclamation and 2019-2020 Statewide Recreational Hunting Proclamation, with input to be Texas Parks and Wildlife said the first considered before any action by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its March 20 public hearing. known case in Texas was discovered in July 2015. There have been no known cases of Freshwater Fishing: Trinity River: A drawing will be for non-compliant properties in areas CWD in Anderson County. The proposed changes include implemented to allow selected anglers to where chronic wasting disease (CWD) Still, the disease threatens to derail the modifications to the length limits and harvest one alligator gar over 48 inches in testing is required for all harvested deer. $4.63-billion deer hunting industry in the harvest regulations for largemouth bass, length per year from the Trinity River. The • A four-day antlerless deer season in 21 Lone Star State, which would devastate the Alabama bass and alligator gar in certain limited entry system would allow noncounties in south central Texas. Counties state economy. areas. The proposed changes to alligator transferable harvest authorization for a set being considered include: Austin, TPWD reports that Chronic Wasting gar regulations also include a statewide number of alligator gar. Authorizations Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Dewitt, Disease is a prion disease, much like mad nighttime prohibition on bow fishing, would be selected and distributed through Fayette, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Karnes, cow. These degenerative diseases of the mandatory harvest reporting statewide a random draw of interested applicants. Lavaca, Lee, Waller, Washington, and nervous system that start in brain tissue and except for Falcon Lake, and the creation of Statewide: Between one half-hour after Wilson. In addition to these counties, the spinal cord have symptoms that include a drawing for harvest opportunity on the sunset and one half-hour before sunrise, Goliad, Jackson, Victoria, and Wharton dramatic weight loss (wasting), clumsiness, Trinity River. no person may take or possess an alligator counties north of U.S. Highway 59 and listlessness, excessive thirst, and drooling. Lake Conroe: Change current regulations gar by means of lawful archery equipment Comal, Hays, and Travis east of IH-35 Infected animals have a zombie-like for largemouth bass from a 16-inch or crossbow. would also be included. stare, become so gaunt that their rib cages minimum length limit and 5-fish daily bag Statewide: All persons who take an • Expansion of “doe days” in 20 counties become exposed, and often have bursts of limit to a 14-inch minimum length limit alligator gar from the public fresh waters from four to 16 days. Counties being aggression before collapsing and dying. and 5-fish daily bag limit. of the state other than Falcon International considered include: Bell (east of IH 35), To stay as safe as possible and decrease Lake Lakewood: Implement an 18-inch Reservoir would be required to report the Burleson, Delta, Ellis, Falls, Fannin, potential risk of exposure to CWD, hunters should not shoot, handle or eat meat from minimum length limit and three-fish daily harvest via the department’s website or by Franklin, Freestone, Hopkins, Hunt, deer and elk that look sick, act strangely, or bag for largemouth bass. mobile app within 24 hours of take. Kaufman, Limestone, Milam, Navarro, are found dead. Consider having deer or elk Mill Creek Lake: Change from a 14- to Rains, Smith, Titus, Van Zandt, tested for CWD before you eat the meat. 21-inch slot length limit and five fish Saltwater Fishing: Williamson (east of IH 35), and Wood. Hunters who rely on slaughter houses and daily bag limit for largemouth bass to a The proposed changes are intended to • An experimental 20-inch minimum taxidermist to process their deer and elk 16-inch maximum length limit and fivestreamline regulations for the entire Texas antler spread restriction regulation in should ask whether or not their game meat fish daily bag with an exception allowing coast for spotted seatrout and modified Lynn County. for possession and weighing for bass 24 regulations for certain species to be in • A new season for javelina in six counties could be mixed with other hunters’ game, especially when paying for sausage. inches or greater for possible submission to line with federal rules to reduce confusion in the South Plains, to include: Borden, Request that your meat be processed ShareLunker program. among anglers for sharks and cobia. Dawson, Gaines, Hardeman, Scurry, and individually to avoid mixture and Southeast Texas: Expand the area in • Extending the 5 fish bag limit for spotted Terry counties. Southeast Texas currently covered by seatrout to the upper coast, creating a • Clarification that proof of sex is required contamination. If your animal tests positive for CWD, don’t eat the meat, said TPWD the 12-inch minimum length limit for coast-wide 5 fish bag limit. for turkeys taken during seasons when largemouth bass to include Hardin County, • Requiring the use of non-offset, nonthe bag limit is gobblers only or gobblers and the CDC. CWD is fatal to animals; there are no Newton County (excluding Toledo Bend stainless steel circle hooks when fishing and bearded hens (i.e., not either sex), treatments or vaccines. While there have Reservoir), and Liberty County south of for sharks in state waters, except when and that it can remain attached to been no known human infections from U.S. Highway 90. fishing with artificial lures. the harvested bird or accompany the eating CWD, scientists believe eating Alan Henry Reservoir: Modify the • Increasing the minimum size limit to 40 harvested bird. infected wild game is increasingly risky. harvest regulations for largemouth and inches total length for Cobia. • Establish seasons and bag limits for In July of 2017, CDC scientists Alabama bass by removing Alabama bass • Closing oyster restoration areas in migratory game birds for 2019-2020. reported that monkeys fed infected and from the current regulation (five-fish Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay and asymptomatic deer meat became infected daily bag of which only two bass less than Copano Bay for 2 harvest seasons. with CWD. The experiment raises concern 18 inches may be harvested). Alabama that people could also be infected by this bass would revert to the statewide limits Hunting: dangerous disease. (no length limit and five-fish daily bag in The proposed changes include The CDC reports “zombie” deer have combination with largemouth bass). implementation and expansion of whitebeen spotted in 24 states, as well as in Trinity River: Enact a 48-inch maximum tailed deer “doe days,” an experimental Canada, Norway, and South Korea. length limit for alligator gar on the mule deer antler restriction in Lynn Authorities believe the disease is spread Trinity River from the I-30 bridge in County, a clarification on turkey harvest between animals through body fluids, Dallas downstream to the I-10 bridge in requirements, and season dates and bag including blood, saliva, urine, feces and Chambers County, including the East Fork limits for migratory game birds. contact with contaminated soil, food or of the Trinity River upstream to the dam at • Refusal of program participation in water. Lake Ray Hubbard. Managed Lands Deer Programs (MLDP)
February-March 2019
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
11
White Bass Report Fun fishermen gearing up for spring spawning run, already underway at some hotspots By Matt Williams Outdoors Writer
I
t’s party time on major rivers and creeks that feed water to big lakes across eastern Texas, and fun-loving anglers everywhere have got an open invitation to join in the celebration. There is no need to worry about some sort of snooty dress code, because there isn’t one. Rubber boots, mud-stained jeans and scarred-up flat bottom rigs are staples in the annual shindig built around the white bass spawning run.
Getting to Know White Bass White bass are eating machines. They spend most of their lives in big water hounding roving pods of shad. Most feeding binges occur around underwater points, humps, roadbeds and other structure where the succulent bait fish are prone to gather on lakes like Sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend, Livingston, Cedar Creek, Richland Chambers and Tawakoni, just to name a few. Come late winter and early spring, however, the prolific sport fish turn their attention from gorging to spawning as their biological tickers tell them it’s time to create another generation of white bass. White bass need moving water to spawn. They typically find plenty of it this time of year on rain-swollen rivers like the
Trinity, Sabine, Angelina and Neches. Major creeks can be equally attractive when there is some current. The fish fin their way for miles up rivers and other waterways in schools that may number into thousands. Males are usually the first to make the move, soon to be followed by bigger, eggladen females. The fish gather in large schools as they wait for water temperatures and other variables to lineup and put spawning activity in motion. Unlike largemouth bass, which Photo by Matt Williams build tidy nests for White bass can be caught on variety of artificial baits. A 1/4 ounce Blakespawning, white bass do more Roadrunner is among the best. their thing in a rather haphazard way. The females randomly spew swarm of fish to snatch Hale says the bite on the have an even bigger spawn their eggs into the water their 25-fish limit in as Angelina has been going next month.” column where they may many casts from an area no strong for about two weeks Unlike the Angelina, be fertilized by several bigger than a pick-up bed. now. It should be good for which is currently different males. My good friend Shane several more weeks. spilled over into adjacent The fertilized eggs then Hale knows the game all “It’s loaded,” Hale said. bottomland, Gallenbach tumble along until they too well. Hale has spent “We caught and released so said the Sabine is flowing attach to a log, rock or a lifetime fishing in East many fish last Saturday we within its banks and in some other underwater Texas. could have literally filled pretty decent shape. obstruction. The eggs Like many anglers, the boat up. There are a lot “We’re about 3/4 banks generally hatch within a Hale looks to the spring of big females up, too. It’s and the current has picked few days and the juveniles spawning run as a reliable been unreal.” up a a little,” she said. “A lot continue the journey back way to ring in a new year of Reports of fast action of the fish are in the creeks, to the lake proper. Those fishing fun. The Angelina and loads of big fish are on humps and sandbars. It that survive the trip will River above Sam Rayburn filtering in from Sabine seems like they are moving grow to become the next always ranks among his River above Toledo Bend, around daily with the water generation of white bass for favorite venues. as well. Of all the hotspots fluctuations. You might anglers to catch. Though the river’s teaaround the region, the catch a limit real quick colored water may not be nutrient-rich Sabine is out of a spot one day and the most appealing to the arguably the best for big then not be able to buy a White Bass eye, don’t be fooled by its ones. bite there the next day; the Hotspots looks. When conditions are Heavyweight females search is on all over again.” Just because white bass right, the winding stretch weighing upwards The Trinity River above are spawning doesn’t of Angelina between the of 2 1/2 pounds are Lake Livingston is famous detract from their appetite. U.S. Highway 59 bridge frequently caught from the for its much fabled white The fish are voracious and Estes Lake is among Logansport bridge north bass spawning run, but feeders when the dinner the region’s best hotspots nearly as far Longview. according to veteran guide bell rings. That’s why it is for fast acton and brawny One of the premier Dave Cox there isn’t much not uncommon for anglers whites upwards of two stretches is the 20-mile happening upstream from who stumble across a pounds. section between Joaquin the 90,000-acre reservoir and Deadwood. That due to unfavorable section of river produced a conditions. river record 4.04 pounder “The river is really in March 2010 for angler muddy,” Cox said. “The Ben Cornelias. fish are there, but it’s tough Sabine River guide to catch them when it’s Jane Gallenbach and her muddy. The best fishing husband, Tom, have been in the river is always best enjoying some outstanding when it’s low and green.” action over the last few While river bite has been weeks. Gallenbach said slow, Cox says the fishing their scouting trips began has been fairly decent in turning up banner catches any number of creeks that starting in late January. It’s feed the river north of the been getting progressively Highway 190 bridge. White better ever since. Rock, Harmon, Nelson “We’re seeing some limits and Bethy all have been with fish averaging 2 1/2 producing decent catches pound apiece, with several over the last couple of females over three pounds,” weeks.” Gallenbach said. “There “I’m seeing a lot of males are lots of big ones, full of with an occasional female,” eggs. I’m guessing we had a Cox said. “It seems like good spawn around the full it’s just getting started. moon on Feb. 19 and we’ll The fishing should just
2018 EQUIPMENT DEALERS ASSOCIATION SURVEY/TRACTOR/FULL-LINE MFG.AVG.
SA- Series
21.5 or 24 Horsepower models
get progressively better provided we don’t get a bunch of rain and big runoffs. The river would turn on, too, if things would settle out a little.” The Neches River that feeds Lake Palestine is another popular destination with river rats looking to reel in a few fish as one of nature’s greatest shows unfolds across the region. Fishing guide Ricky Vandergriff of Bullard says the spring spawning run on the Neches isn’t hitting on all cylinders just yet, but it won’t be long. “We had a little teaser pulse a couple of weeks ago and then they just shut it down,” Vandergriff said. “It’s looking like we’re about to get into a pretty good warming trend and that should get things rolling. Things will bust wide open within the next couple of weeks.” Anglers can run up the Neches by boat or put in from a public ramp off State Highway 31 near Chandler and venture upstream or down. There also is plenty of bank fishing access nearby.
Gearing Up For White Bass White bass don’t grow that large, but the brawny fighters are a blast to catch on light tackle. Most anglers opt for ultra-light spinning outfits matched with 8-10 pound line to increase the challenge of landing a hard-pulling two pounder taking advantage a strong current. The fish can be caught on a variety baits, including small jigs, spinners and crankbaits. The 1/4-ounce Blakemore Roadrunner is a long-time favorite. It is designed with a painted lead head, marabou or a plastic grub tail and a tiny Colorado blade that spins and creates a little flash as the lure comes through the water. As good as the Roadrunner works on its own, there are times when tipping the hook with a crawfish tail or small shiner will yield significantly better results. The spring white bass run usually begins with trickle and gradually builds into springtime flood. The 2019 run isn’t full blown just yet, but the water is definitely on the rise.
YT 2 Series 34.2 Horsepower
Photo by Matt Williams
The spring white bass run is a flatbottom boat affair carried out on rivers and creeks across eastern Texas. The Sabine, Angelina, Trinity and Neches rivers are among the regions best hotspots for the brawny sport fish.
YT 3 Series
46 or 58.9 Horsepower 4 Cylinder engine
Commitment to Service • Customer Focus • Quality Products
PR Equipment
Sales• Service• Parts
772 E. State HWY 31• Kerens prequipmentsales.com 903-270-0877 Hours Monday-Friday: 8am - 5:30pm Saturday: 8am-12pm
12
February-March 2019
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
$992 Billion Agriculture, food and related industries’ contribution to our national GDP USDA Economic Research Service 2015
Our nation’s agriculture producers have been planting the seeds of growth, strength and success in the United States and around the world for generations. Here are some facts and figures surrounding this important industry:
2.05
Million Farms in the U.S.
13%
21.6 Million
910
JOBS
Million Acres
The average percentage of an American household’s budget spent on food in 2017
Total farm land in the U.S.
444 Acres
related to the agricultural and food sectors in 2017, accounting for 11% of total U.S. employment. 2.6 million of these jobs were direct on-farm employment.
Average farm size in the U.S. USDA Economics, Statistics and Market Information System 2017
USDA Economic Research Service
USDA Economic Research Service
Soybeans The top U.S. agricultural export at $21.6 billion
The largest agricultural crop in the United States with over 14.6 billion bushels produced annually
Texas
National Corn Growers Association 2017
California produces the most food (by value) in the United States at $44,738,132,000, accounting for 11% of ag cash receipts
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service 2017
leads the nation in the number of farms and ranches with
248,800 farms covering 130.2 million acres Texas Department of Agriculture 2019
USDA Economic Research Service 2015
www.fivestarrbuilders.com
24x30x10 - 30x30x10 - 30x40x10 - 30x50x10
WE BUILD ANY SIZE
Includes all labor, tractor work and concrete slab with moisture barrier and electric stub. Standard doors (1) 10x10 roll up or 20x7 garage door and (1) steel walk-in door. (Pad dirt may be extra). We use all the best materials starting with 6x6 ground contact poles with a lifetime warranty and a 40 year warranty on our painted metal. We offer a 4 inch 3000 psi concrete slab reinforced with 3/8” rebar.
Never let a stumble in the road be the end of your journey.
-unknown
Advertising Executive
Lezlie Hoover
903-729-0281 • 903-948-8283 • lhoover@palestineherald.com
www.palestineherald.com