Texas Sportsman / Dec. 2016 by Texas Sportsman

For Miranda Ramirez seven years was...

WORTH THE WAIT MR. VICTOR Passion For Business & The Outdoors INSIDE: CHOOSING A DOG BEWARE DEER! FISH & CHIP CLASSIC

HIGH OR LOW FENCE? RECOVERY DOGS TIDES

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TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016 - 3

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INSIDE 24 At the tender age of 8,Miranda Ramirez came down with Typhus Fever following a hunting trip. She couldn’t wait to get back into the blind and hunt. When she did, she made it worth the wait.

Seven years ago, Miranda Ramirez came down with Typhus fever. Fully recovered, now she has...

BUCK FEVER

for guests,” Mary said. “I was paranoid but it was a really clean place and super nice. So we agreed.” After going through that scenario and probably picturing in her mind harvesting her first buck, Miranda certainly wasn't going to let a macho buck and his affectionate does knock her off her path. “It was like he was sending the does out to make sure everything was safe,” said an observant Miranda. “The does were all around him so I had to just wait.” Their guide, Brett Pirkle, eased Miranda's anxiety. The eight-point would feign one way and walk a little bit the other way, always cautious. “Hold on, not yet, I'll tell you when,” the guide would whisper reassuringly. Then the perfect opening came. Miranda was ready for the moment. This buck was Miranda's, no matter how hard the buck tried to hide. “He was always staying behind those does,” Miranda said of the buck they had also seen the night before and decided to name Frank, because of the the fawning young does that were following him. “Then he was in a spot I could shoot. Once I lined up the shot I did all this stuff and fired. Once I fired I didn't think about the kick. So after I fired I picked up my head and 'did I miss?'” I didn't see what happened but the next thing I knew he was gone. That was pretty exciting.” Miranda's brother Christopher had also gone out to hunt and was glad to see her capture her first buck. “At least one of us shot a buck,” he joked. “I'm really happy for her.” “It was a perfect shot, right behind the shoulder,” Mary said. "It made a perfect circle. It died pretty close by after kinda running around a little bit away from there..” In a sport where bonding seems as important as having a successful hunt, mother and daughter had a great time doing both.

By HENRY MILLER

iranda Ramirez had waited seven years for this moment. Unfortunately for her, a smart buck and a harem of does were going to make her wait just a little while longer. Ramirez, 15, last went hunting at the age of 8. During that trip, the then-little girl got bit by a tick and came down with Typhus Fever. According to healthline.com “Typhus is a disease caused by an infection with the Rickettsia bacteria. Fleas, mites (chiggers), lice, or ticks transmit it when they bite you. Scratching the bite opens the skin and allows the bacteria to enter the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria reproduce and grow.” “She was in the hospital for a week after that,” said Mary Ramirez, Miranda's mom. “After that I said 'no way' whenever hunting came up. But for the last year she kept begging me, 'come on mom, I want to go hunt.'” The hunt was planned at the Los Encinos Ranch, owned by Paul and Sylvia Johnson. The ranch is located 15 miles south of Falfurrias and is next to the King Ranch. Mary needed to look over what the ranch looked like, including where they would be staying. “Michael (her husband) said it was a great ranch. It's clean, it has a brick home 24 -TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016

Volume 3, Isssue 6. December 2016. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors is a production Sportsman Media LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are strictly those of the writers, photographers and contributors, and are not necessarily those of Texas Sportsman Tracking Out-

doors or its publisher. Every effort has been taken to ensure the correctness and accuracy in the material published in this magazine. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors reserves the right to edit, rewrite and refuse editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions or consequence arising from it. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors shall be held harmless and indemnified against

TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016 - 25

A Bucket List Adventure Wow, where did the year go? We’ve been enjoying the great outdoors fishing, hunting and cooking the fish and game that we harvested. We’ve fished in our own bay, the lovely Laguna Madre, Corpus Christi Bay and then our new joy Buras, Louisiana. Most recently, we had the pleasure of visiting Wimberly, Texas and hunting with Lray Calhoun, owner of L and L Adventures. We arrived at the lodge, scoped the area and talked for a while. I was so excited because I was going to hunt for a Trophy Axis, one animal I have never hunted. First, we fired off a couple rounds and went over some safety rules. When you are going hunting, always make sure your rifle is on. The worst feeling is when you shoot and the animal runs off and you are not sure if you hit it or not. Well, I was on and I was ready to go hunting that afternoon. We drove from camp, looking at all the exotics at this beautiful ranch. The scenery was nice and the game were running. We stopped a few times checking out several Axis and Blackbucks. I thought this is going to be too easy - I was wrong. Lray and I got off the Polaris to go stalking for a bit and the Axis bolted like it got hit with a bolt of electricity. I soon found out once the animals know you’re Fred Rodriguez is the Texas Sportsman and has decades of there to hunt them up it’s experience and knowledge regarding hunting and fishing. like a memo has been sent You can watch his show, The Texas Sportsman, on FOX in out and they all know. the Rio Grande Valley at 11:30 a.m on Saturdays. That afternoon we saw five different Axis, but they just weren’t the right ones - or they did not allow for a shot. At the end of the day we were hungry for some good food and a cold Miller Lite. On the next day we hunted hard; a lot of spot and stalk. The hill country terrain is rocky and hilly. Once you think you are going to cut them off and try to figure out their next move, they will turn another way. The Axis buck has always been on my bucket list and I knew they were going to be a challenge. It was me, and Lray and my camera man/editor and producer of the Texas Sportsman TV Show Albino Mendoza. We were there to film a show and it was drawing to the end of the hunt. Late that afternoon we came across a beauty of a buck - it was standing firm and glaring at us with its piercing eyes. I slowly put my 30/06 on the shooting sticks, looked down my scope and had 20 seconds to get the shot off before it took off. So there I was and the sunset was upon us and night fell. We awoke early the next day, but this time instead of stalking and sitting in a blind, we drove around and saw some, but no opportunities were available. Finally, Lray came up with a plan. He put in a blind on top of hill and he said they usually go through the trail on the bottom to drink water. It was approaching noon and I was planning to leave by 1pm. I started to see different animals coming through the creek - then I saw my trophy. He took a few steps and I asked Albino, because he was tapin , “Are you ready? “ He replied that he wasn’t because a tree was in his way. I said well I’m on him and I’m ready, I had measured the shot and it was 265 yards. I took the shot, hit him right in the neck and there he landed - my beautiful trophy. I stopped and thanked God for such a beautiful Axis Deer. I called Lray and he came over and the congratulations were in order. We are planning on another L and L adventure. Perhaps you might want to go with me or you can plan your own adventure. Call Lray Calhoun at 512 940 5111 to book your hunt of a lifetime. Gotta Have It!!

WHAT’S INSIDE

Gus’ Corner

Jrs Fast & Fair

High Fence vs. Low Fence For Miranda Ramirez seven years was...

WORTH THE WAIT MR. VICTOR Passion For Business & The Outdoors INSIDE: CHOOSING A DOG BEWARE DEER! FISH & CHIP CLASSIC

INSIDE: HIGH OR LOW FENCE? RECOVERY DOGS MAKING MEMORIES

ON THE COVER Miranda Ramirez waited seven long years to get back into the deer blind. When she did, she definitely made it count.

STAFF Fred Rodriguez The Texas Sportsman fredrsportsman@yahoo.com (956) 776-4623

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mike Cox Gus Escobar Brent Johnson Capt. Nick Lapre Manny Perez Capt. Alan Stewart PHOTOGRAPHY Albino Mendoza DESIGN Henry Miller

any third-party claims. Advertisements appearing in Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors present only the viewpoint of the advertisers. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors is printed in the U.S.A. All correspondence to the publication become the property of Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors.To advertise in Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors call (956) 776-4623 or email fredrsportsman@yahoo.com

8 -TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016

The controversy of whether a Low Fence is better than a High Fence will forever be a question for landowners. Unless you are a property owner and know what you must do to protect your investment then the argument will be going back and forth for many years to come. Throughout Texas there are many successful Whitetail Ranches, many are Low Fence and almost just as many are High Fence. Landowners have committed money, land and resources to producing the best crop of deer on their ranch. A Low Fence Ranch requires great neighbors who have the same goals as you do (not always the case). On a High Fence Ranch, you as the landowner control what comes into your ranch and what leaves your ranch. The High Fence Ranch is controled by the owner whereas, the Low Fence Ranch and all the surrounding properties must have the same goals and vision for the future if those ranches are going to survive. It takes one ranch owner to do his own thing and the goals and vision for the future are destroyed. This is how High Fence Ranches got started. Someone somewhere talked to his low fence neighbors and got no response. He had no choice but to high fence his property in order to reach his goals and protect his investment. This phenomena has now spread throughout Texas and other states. They have adopted the High Fence as a normal part of the ranching industry in Texas. In a High Fence Ranch there is predictabilty in your herd. You are now able, with certainty, to predict the who, what, when and where of your ranch. Deer breeding is big business in Texas and the only way to ensure that this business produces quality deer is with a High Fence around your property. Texas Sportsman Outfitters manages a 1,500 acre high fence in La Gloria. We know what we have and what needs to be harvested. In a High Fence Ranch you take the guess work out of the equation. People say that High Fence is a “cage for deer.”. I say this is the only way to ensure that deer with great genetics get to reach their maximum growth potential. They are allowed to breed until they are 5 ½ or 6 ½ years old and then it’s time for them to be harvested. Our deer are wild but they have perimeters as far as how far they can go. They are as wild as the day they were born - 100% natural South Texas Whitetails. There will always be pros and cons but, here in Starr County and other counties throughout the state we can only survive with a High Fence and stricter Poaching Laws to deter people from illegally harvesting a deer from someone elses property. Until Next Time, Happy Hunting Gus Escobar Jr. Texas Sportsman Outfitters Deer Management and Guide

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8 BUCKET LIST Scrathing one species off those dream harvests.

MAKING MEMORIES By CAPT. ALLEN SIFFORD There is so much to do with all of the holidays fast approaching and not enough time to do it all. It's Especially true when you want to be outdoors in the woods or on the water but you have shopping, parties, time to spend with friends and family, and all the hustle and bustle that goes along with it at this time of year. As I am writing this article a “cold” front just came though. It’s down in the 60s at night and 70s in the day. Yes, I know we can get down in the 30s and 40s, but our winters are nothing compared with some of the northern states like Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. I had a chance to visit those states and brought along my German shorthair pointer (Sam) for some excellent pheasant hunting. The chill factor was minus 18 degrees one morning at sunrise. I’ll tell you this South Texas boy was out of his element. These temperatures are not only just cold, but downright bone chilling. You cannot take a deep breath and definitely cannot have your skin exposed for very long in temps like that. With that said, South Texas is probably one of the best areas of the United States for living the dream of spending time outdoors. It is some of the best fishing and hunting there is to offer. Wow, you know we are really blessed to live here in South Texas. December and January are two great months here. Hunting season is in full swing. Whether you’re spending some time in a blind out in the woods after the four legged animals in the fields, or on the water after the little feathered ones that fly or just wanting to go out and spend a day on the water wetting a fishing line. Those are all great ways to relax and enjoy friends and family. We have some of the greatest and most beautiful sunrises and sunsets that someone can imagine in South Texas. There are so many hues of pinks, reds, gold, gray and blue in them. Have you ever been out duck hunting and seen this? It is absolutely breathtaking. Picture one of these sunrises as your backdrop as a flight of redheaded ducks come into your decoys with their wings spread wide and their landing gear (legs) out as they cup just before touching down. Another beautiful sight to be blessed to see in your horizon while in the duck blind sometimes is copper red and neon blue ails sticking up out the water in the sun light from the redfish digging on the bottom for something toeat. Both are definitely a great sights I will never get tired of. I recently took my son out on the water and we were blessed to see this while we were out duck hunting. A day together spent on the water that will never be forgotten. Try and make time from the busy schedule that you have to spend together with your family to enjoy the outdoors at this time year. You too may see something in the outdoors that will put its mark in time in your memory forever. Those are the memories that last a lifetime! From my family to yours, have a Merry Christmas!!! To make some great memories of your own book a hunting or fishing trip by calling Captain Allen Sifford at 361-244-2747. Fishonpro.com

QUESTION High Fence vs. Low Fence. Which one to choose?

MEMORIES Holiday time and the perfect place to make memories.

COMMON SENSE Don’t drink while you’re boating.

By BRENT JOHNSON

ou ever reunite with your good buddies and you get so fired up that you end up drinkin’ the whole bottle of whiskey? No…me neither.

LET THE DOGS OUT Blood-tracking dogs extremely useful to recover your deer By MANNY PEREZ You take a deep breath to control your breathing and heart rate, and slowly squeeze the trigger as has been practiced so many times before. You anticipate the report of your most trusted firearm and BANG! There’s the distinct sound of a hit and you watch the trophy you’ve waited all season, or possibly a lifetime, for react to the impact and scurry off into the brush. Now your heart is beating out of your chest and “Buck Fever” has taken control. You find yourself

12 -TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016

IT’S A NEW SEASON Fishing season and hunting season in full swing with the weather change.

EARLY MORNING SHOT OF WHISKEY But I do get excited when I get to hang with my good friends and we put our boots to the fire telling stories of days gone by. Whether it’s fish camp or deer camp, South Texas is the place to be this time of year. Sitting in a deer blind waiting for the sun to rise is what dreams are made of. The excitement of a new day’s possibilities warms the soul in the cold box. Soon the Bob White starts to sing and the coyotes can be heard doing their thing. As light enters, your eyes start playing tricks on you and you imagine the buck of your life staring at you from 50 yards. As more light rises you realize it’s just some dead mesquite limbs. No worries… soon the sendero reveals the brush country’s secrets. Out in the bay a couple of duck hunters are experiencing a similar sensation as wings can be heard landing in the spread. Once light becomes visibility, a huge flock of Pintail, Red Head, and Widgeon are swimming around like biological decoys and soon a group of ducks is drawn in to join the group. As the ducks flap their wings to land, a guy whispers “take em’!” and 12 gauge music ensues. Then a few ducks fall as a huge group flies away. The spectacle is pure awesome! All of a sudden a middle aged man hardened by the stress of every day corporate world feels like a boy again. Somewhere on the other side of the Laguna Madre a group of waders quietly enters the cold water as slicks start popping up here and there. One of the anglers casts a Mansfield Margarita Kelly Wiggler Paddle Tail just past the upwind side of the slick. She raises the rod tip pulling the soft plastic up through the water and lets it fall. Her heart is beating faster as if her reel is the crank of a Jack in the Box about to jump out any moment. The bait can be felt vibrating in the water as the rod tip raises and the tail swims side to side like the mullet it imitates. As the bait falls, it suddenly comes to a stop, and like a crack of

30 -TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016

looking at every available escape route in hopes of spotting your deer; you count the minutes before going to trail your trophy and enjoy the successful harvest. Then the moment of truth approaches. You find yourself at the location of where the deer was standing when shot, and...nothing. You’re sure he’s hit and feel confident in the shot-- but absolutely nothing. NO sign of a good shot. You now find yourself checking every deer trail in the immediate area and finally pinpoint a good blood trail. You pick up the pace in anticipation and now realize you’ve gone over 100 yards and the blood trail has become minimal. Now stop to ask yourself, how many successful blood trails have you had in Manny Perez is CEO of Coastal your lifetime go this far? Concepts, LLC. Follow him on: This brings me to wounded deer tracking dogs, Facebook at Coastal Concepts, also known as blood dogs. A well-trained blood LLC and Instagram tracking team can prove to be an extremely useful tool in the recovery of your harvest. Many hunters @coastalconceptsllc

TIDES Nothing better than knowing what times are the best for fishing.

Sailboats - which ones are what and which ones do what

some up to seven. Most schooners used multiple head sail Only the world of sailboat aficionados know which kind of combinations including-from top down-the flying jib, the boat has what and what they do. You can ask any of these jib and the forestaysail. These were guys and they will tell you about what originally work boats, mainly fishing each do and where you can use them. vessels. Equipped with tall, powerful Here are some of the most popular rigs, they raced back home from the kinds of sail boats that you may enGrand Banks to get top dollar for their counter while on the water. catches. A SLOOP is very possibly the most The schooners are most comfortable popular one. It has one mast amidship in steady trade winds on long ocean with two sails on it. The back one is the passages. Although they do not go to main and the front one is the jib. You winward as well as other rigs, they can sail these without the jib sail or make up for it when the wind is on or even reef the mainsail which means not aft of the beam. putting it up all the way. The CATBOAT or day sailor carries The CUTTER is a single masted sailonly one mast with only a main sail. boat similar to the sloop but has a mast Traditionally, these were small inshore more midship and may have three sails boats. They were used in earlier years combined to the one mast. Master Captain Alan Stewart owns and by coastal fishermen because there A KETCH has a mainsail and a short- operates Stewart Training Center and holds was less rigging to get in the way when er one mizzenmast in the rear which a Master license with the U.S.C.G. Stewart flies a smaller sail. Individual sails are Training Center is located at 39572 Loop Road, handling nets in the water or unloadBayview, Tx., 78566. ing the catch ashore. Have you heard of more manageable in size and more a catamaran? It is based on that Idea. easily handled by a small crew. Both They may be unmasted which means they are made fast by may fly a large jib-like sail between the masts called a mizwiring and not permanently connected to the boat. zen stay sail. These are are popular among cruising sailors I hope this helps some of you who were in the market for a for long distance voyages. sailboat. The SCHOONER is a vessel with at least two masts with

42 -TEXAS SPORTSMAN - OCT. 2016

think that no matter how unlikely the recovery may seem, that when a deer dog is coming, the recovery will be quick and easy. Because that’s what these dogs do, recover wounded deer, right? Well, that’s not 100-percent accurate. A deer dog and his handler's chance of recovery is very dependent on how well preserved the trail is. Quickly realizing that the shot may have been marginal and that a quick recovery is out of the question, it’s time to consider using the assistance of an experienced deer dog tracking team. Common mistakes I have learned in the past years are important to point out. The first involves the hunter and usually several well-intentioned assistants that make every possible effort to find the deer. Together, everybody searches the possible trails in the area where the deer was last spotted. Unfortunately, the result of this type of search effort takes several hours of critical time and loss of scent conditions. Also, often times hunters are willing to let a pet dog(s) try to locate the deer, which in turn either contaminates the trail even more. Even worse, they encounter the deer and aren’t prepared for what to do next. Often times the wounded deer is located and jumped where he escapes with a massive jolt of adrenaline that pushes him into survival mode. I have seen deer run more than a mile when this happens. Finally, some people simply don’t want to pay a handler and his tracking dogs to come out and assist in the matter. If you are a deer hunter and live in an area where deer recovery is legal using blood tracking dogs, I highly recommend that you keep the contact information of a well-seasoned and recognized tracker in your area. It is also my recommendation that you get and keep the contact information of your neighboring ranches in the event that the pursuit of a wounded deer takes you into your neighbor’s ranch, where good communication is a must. Now let’s go recover that wounded deer you’ve worked so hard for. It’s best to call me as soon as you realize the shot placement was poor. This is important for many reasons. For example, it helps maintain the natural ground disturbance and blood trail that the tracking team needs to successfully complete the track. Also, backing out of the area allows the wounded deer to bed and tend to his wound or expire with no human disturbance. Most importantly, it ensures minimal contamination of the blood trail that may be stepped upon and transferred (by human shoes or boots) to a trail that is not the deer’s trail. The benefit of bringing in a tracking dog is multifunctional. Not only is the chance of locating your deer greater, but in the event that

46 FROM OUR FANS Check out these avid hunters and anglers and send your photos in for the next edition! BE SAFE WITH YOUR GUN - NOT SORRY By Mike Cox

Calendar Year 2003

Look for my upcoming articles that will address a variety of training techniques and dog issues. I can be reached at (956) 460-2859, to set up a guided hunt, some one-on-one training, or schedule your dog to be trained either in-house or at your location, when scheduling permits. Looking forward to a great season with abundant rainfall and bountiful bag limits. Manuel Noel Perez Jr. “Manny” has been an outdoor enthusiast for most of his life. He began training his own hunting dogs at age 9. He has been guiding deer and quail hunts for more than 20 years and has a wealth of dog knowledge in the field. When not on a hunt of his own, Manny would rather be found working behind a blood trailing dog, a water dog, or a well-trained pointer.

 

Non-Fatal

Accidents

2004

1,091,178

2005

1,082,593

2006

he is found alive, a deer dog will give chase and bay the deer up so that it may be dispatched with a follow up shot. Simply put, recovering a deer in any of these situations is nearly impossible without the assistance of a blood dog team. At the end of the day, everybody wants a positive outcome. The hunter wants to successfully and ethically harvest his trophy. The deer tracking team wants to complete the trail with a positive find, and the dog wants to successfully complete its track and earn his or her reward. I speak from experience when I say that recovering a wounded deer for a client after they have totally given up is the most rewarding dog work I have experienced. Thankfully, my experience, good training, and proper equipment have helped me successfully track several wounded deer.

Fatalities

Hunting Licenses Sold 1,082,225

Fatalities

Non-Fatal

Accidents

1,091,178

2.7

0.4

31,171

1,082,593

2.9

0.2

31,442

2006

1,115,772

2.9

0.4

29,532

1,112,099

2.7

0.4

30,960

2008

2009

993,533

2.6

0.6

32,308

1,011,936

2.9

0.3

43,880

2010

1,141,924

2.2

0.4

41,785

2011

3 2

26 21

29 23

1,165,248

0.2

43,645

2012

20 30 Students Certified 24 33,769 18 31,171

25 33 Deferrals Sold 26 20

1,115,772

1,112,099

2.7

0.4

30,960

993,533

2.6

0.6

32,308

2009

1,011,936

2.9

0.3

43,880

12,545

2010

1,141,924

2.2

0.4

41,785

13,997

1,165,248

1,155,542

2.2

1,155,542

2.2

0.4

45,719

1,227,025

2.7

0.2

59,597

1,284,933

2.0

0.2

72,026

1,180,638

1.7

0.17

66,284

0.2 DURING VOLUNTARY 31,442 AVERAGE HUNTER EDUCATION – 7.8 per 100,000 hunting licenses issued. AVERAGE 1988, MANDATORY HUNTER EDUCATION – 3.8 per 100,000 hunting licenses issued. 0.4 STARTING29,532

Students Certified 33,769

2007

2011

Fatalities/ 100,000 Licenses 0.2

2004

2008

2012

Accidents/ 100,000 Licenses 4.1

2005

3 Accidents/ 2013 Fatalities/ 100,000 Licenses2014100,000 Licenses 2 4.1 0.2 2015 2 2.7 0.4 2.9  2.9 

Hunting Licenses Sold 1,082,225

0.2

43,645

15,101

0.4

45,719

15,438

2013

1,227,025

2.7

0.2

59,597

17,257

2014

1,284,933

2.0

0.2

72,026

11,898

2015

1,180,638

1.7

0.17

66,284

14,025

AVERAGE DURING VOLUNTARY HUNTER EDUCATION – 7.8 per 100,000 hunting licenses issued. AVERAGE STARTING 1988, MANDATORY HUNTER EDUCATION – 3.8 per 100,000 hunting licenses issued.

Think about it. Do you know anyone who's NEVER had at least one close call with a firearm, no matter how safety minded they are? Have you ever had a gun accident yourself? If you've never had a "but for the grace Deferrals of God" experience, you can skip this and Sold go to the next article. But I'm guessing that almost all of us who like to shoot can relate. Over a hunting career that stretches back to when John F. Kennedy was president-elect, I will confess to one close call that was not my fault and two that were my mine. The one that was someone else's bad happened during a youth 12,545 hunt on the YO Ranch near Mountain 13,997 Home back in the 1960s. I was just a high 15,101 schooler myself, but even though hunting 15,438 safety courses for Texas youth were years in the future, I had had gun safety drilled 17,257 into me. 11,898 Anyway, I'm standing there looking at 14,025 all the does the kids have taken when I hear a clicking sound. I swing around to see a rifle barrel leveled at my gut, some kid struggling to get a shell out of the chamber. He was younger and smaller than me, so I ran to him, grabbed the barrel and jerked it toward the sky. I guess I could have just stepped out of the way, but it made me mad. In the "my bad" category, I was hunting with an antique .30-30 when I was in junior high school. I saw a doe, figured I'd take a shot and started to pull the hammer back. (I know, I shouldn't have had a round in the chamber, but I was all of 13 or 14.) Excited at the prospect of getting a deer all by myself, my hands

were sweaty. Moist enough that the hammer slipped from my thumb and fell down on the primer. When the rifle went off, I looked down at a hole in the ground between my boots that I could have stuck my arm down. Stupid as I had been in having a cartridge in the chamber, I at least learned from the experience. It did not take a whole lot of imagination to envision what that bullet could have done to me if I had been a whole lot less lucky. Consequently, "my bad" No. 2 did not happen until decades later. Now grown, and with a fine gun safety track record as an adult, on a South Texas hunt I dropped a dove in some semi-thick brush beneath the dam of a stock tank. Realizing the area looked pretty snaky, I put another round in my over-under 12-gauge, closed it, slid the safety off and walked down from the top of a tank. As I looked for the bird, I was startled when a shotgun went off real close by. My shotgun. A mesquite branch had worked its way inside the trigger guard and when I moved forward, it pulled the trigger. I went straight up in the air, figuring I had just blown a foot off. Fortunately I had not, but that broke me of leaving a round in the chamber with the safety off. The good news is, both experiences had a major impact on my safety mindedness when it comes to firearms. When

my daughter first started going with me on hunts, I picked a target I knew would really be affected by a close rifle shot and told her to look at it while I pulled the trigger. Too, I made sure she saw and appreciated what a rifle bullet can do to a deer. On top of that, her mother assured me that if anything happened to her on my watch, she would kill me. Thankfully, as someone born after Sept. 2, 1971, my daughter had to take a hunter safety course before she could get her license. So far, she's killed two deer with no close calls. Requiring hunter safety courses has proven well worth it. Nationwide, hunting-related fatalities have been in decline for years. Still, every year, someone either doesn't think or thinks they can bend the safety rules. Further proof that mandatory hunter safety courses are working is that each year, the average age of hunters killed or wounded in firearm accidents is growing. What that means is that even long-time, mature hunters can make fatal mistakes by bending the rules. That, or they just plain ignore them. By way of reminder, these are the big four firearm safety rules: -- No matter if you've just emptied your gun, always treat it as if it were loaded. DON'T ever carry a live round in the chamber! -- Even when you know your firearm is unloaded, always keep the barrel pointing to the ground or sky. And never put your finger on the trigger until you intend to shoot. -- Never shoot at anything unless you are positive of the target. -- Never mix alcohol and gunpowder.

https://texashuntered.com/hunters-workshop-news/223-2015-texas-hunting-accident-statistics

At the end of the day, everybody wants a positive outcome.

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A DREAMY LIFE

LET THE DOGS OUT

BE SAFE

A bottle of whiskey, some great friends and the outdoors - it’s like a dream.

Sometimes you just need to call in a recovery blood dog to finalize your hunt.

Don’t put yourself in a a dangerous position with your gun - be smart, not sorry.

6 -TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016

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For Miranda Ramirez seven years was...

WORTH THE WAIT MR. VICTOR Passion For Business & The Outdoors INSIDE: CHOOSING A DOG BEWARE DEER! FISH & CHIP CLASSIC

HIGH OR LOW FENCE? RECOVERY DOGS TIDES

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ON THE COVER Miranda Ramirez waited seven long years to get back into the deer blind. When she did, she definitely made it count.

STAFF Fred Rodriguez The Texas Sportsman fredrsportsman@yahoo.com (956) 776-4623

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mike Cox Gus Escobar Brent Johnson Capt. Nick Lapre Manny Perez Capt. Alan Stewart PHOTOGRAPHY Albino Mendoza DESIGN Henry Miller

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PHOTO BY CHASE SMITH

Early Morning Shot of Whiskey By BRENT JOHNSON

ou ever reunite with your good buddies and you get so fired up that you end up drinkin’ the whole bottle of whiskey? No…me neither. But I do get excited when I get to hang with my good friends and we put our boots to the fire telling stories of days gone by. Whether it’s fish camp or deer camp, South Texas is the place to be this time of year. Sitting in a deer blind waiting for the sun to rise is what dreams are made of. The excitement of a new day’s possibilities warms the soul in the cold box. Soon the Bob White starts to sing and the coyotes can be heard doing their thing. As light enters, your eyes start playing tricks on you and you imagine the buck of your life staring at you from 50 yards. As more light rises you realize it’s just some dead mesquite limbs. No worries… soon the sendero reveals the brush country’s secrets. Out in the bay a couple of duck hunters are experiencing a similar sensation as wings can be heard landing in the spread. Once light becomes visibility, a huge flock of Pintail, Red Head, and Widgeon are swimming around like biological decoys and soon a group of ducks is drawn in to join the group. As the ducks flap their wings to land, a guy whispers “take em’!” and 12 gauge music ensues. Then a few ducks fall as a huge group flies away. The spectacle is pure awesome! All of a sudden a middle aged man hardened by the stress of every day corporate world feels like a boy again. Somewhere on the other side of the Laguna Madre a group of waders quietly enters the cold water as slicks start popping up here and there. One of the anglers casts a Mansfield Margarita Kelly Wiggler Paddle Tail just past the upwind side of the slick. She raises the rod tip pulling the soft plastic up through the water and lets it fall. Her heart is beating faster as if her reel is the crank of a Jack in the Box about to jump out any moment. The bait can be felt vibrating in the water as the rod tip raises and the tail swims side to side like the mullet it imitates. As the bait falls, it suddenly comes to a stop, and like a crack of

TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016 - 13

lightning the angler sets the hook awakening the sea creature on the other end of the line. The fish fights harder than any fish caught before it, pulling line off the reel as it makes a run. Then it turns and the fisher girl reels as fast as she can to keep tension on the hook. The fish finally shows its massive head when it breaks the surface with a violent head shake. The emotions experienced here can only be described as “Buck Fever” now that it is evident this aint’ no ordinary trout. As she goes to net the fish, the wade net seems too small when half the fish is hanging out. The lady about has a heart attack as the fish escapes the net two times before she is finally successful. She gets the Boga Grip on the fish and then takes the hook out as her heart is still beating wildy in her chest. A friend comes over to capture the moment on camera. Measuring 30” and weighing 9.5 pounds it is the Holy Grail of bay fishing. After a few photos the angler decides to give back what has been given. She holds the fish in

the water moving it back and forth to revive. Then slowly releases her grasp of the tail and the trout swims off. “Johnson! Johnson wake up! Hey

man you fell back asleep. Take that shot of whiskey son, and grab that old goose gun it’s time to go man!” See you on the water my friends.

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Landers Marine & Outdoors 424 U.S. 83 Business 14 -TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016 Weslaco, TX 78596

edina Cattle and Deer Management is an organization in South Texas that offers services to clients that love the outdoors. In MCDM we understand the challenges that come with managing properties that are used for hunting and/or stock operations. Our services will help manage your properties or responsibilities to help you meet your goals of continuing to enjoy your passion of the outdoors.

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Deer Feeders

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Senderos

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Bulldozer Work

Livestock Feed

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Here in Medina Cattle and Deer we hope you are having a great deer season. We want to continue the hunting season by offering quail hunts in La Gloria TX, located approximately half an hour North East of Rio Grande City, the offer is $500 per person for a weekend hunt starting Jan, 20th to Feb,26th 2017. Dinner will be provided on each Saturday night. Living accommodations are not provided but hotels are available in Rio Grande City.

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Gus’ Corner

High Fence vs. Low Fence The controversy of whether a Low Fence is better than a High Fence will forever be a question for landowners. Unless you are a property owner and know what you must do to protect your investment then the argument will be going back and forth for many years to come. Throughout Texas there are many successful Whitetail Ranches, many are Low Fence and almost just as many are High Fence. Landowners have committed money, land and resources to producing the best crop of deer on their ranch. A Low Fence Ranch requires great neighbors who have the same goals as you do (not always the case). On a High Fence Ranch, you as the landowner control what comes into your ranch and what leaves your ranch. The High Fence Ranch is controled by the owner whereas, the Low Fence Ranch and all the surrounding properties must have the same goals and vision for the future if those ranches are going to survive. It takes one ranch owner to do his own thing and the goals and vision for the future are destroyed. This is how High Fence Ranches got started. Someone somewhere talked to his low fence neighbors and got no response. He had no choice but to high fence his property in order to reach his goals and protect his investment. This phenomena has now spread throughout Texas and other states. They have adopted the High Fence as a normal part of the ranching industry in Texas. In a High Fence Ranch there is predictabilty in your herd. You are now able, with certainty, to predict the who, what, when and where of your ranch. Deer breeding is big business in Texas and the only way to ensure that this business produces quality deer is with a High Fence around your property. Texas Sportsman Outfitters manages a 1,500 acre high fence in La Gloria. We know what we have and what needs to be harvested. In a High Fence Ranch you take the guess work out of the equation. People say that High Fence is a “cage for deer.”. I say this is the only way to ensure that deer with great genetics get to reach their maximum growth potential. They are allowed to breed until they are 5 ½ or 6 ½ years old and then it’s time for them to be harvested. Our deer are wild but they have perimeters as far as how far they can go. They are as wild as the day they were born - 100% natural South Texas Whitetails. There will always be pros and cons but, here in Starr County and other counties throughout the state we can only survive with a High Fence and stricter Poaching Laws to deter people from illegally harvesting a deer from someone elses property. Until Next Time, Happy Hunting Gus Escobar Jr. Texas Sportsman Outfitters Deer Management and Guide 16 -TEXAS SPORTSMAN - DEC. 2016

Jrs Fast & Fair

(956) 543-2119 203 E. Maxan, Port Isabel www.jrsfastandfair.com

LOS ENCINOS RANCH.COM

2680 acres of unique South Texas rolling oak country and mesquite flats. Ranch location 15 Miles South of Falfurrias, Texas 50 Miles North of McAllen on Highway 281 For Information contact: Paul E. Johnson Cell: 956-207-9154 Email: pjmcallen@aol.com www.losencinosranch.com Los Encinos Ranch

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JAN. 2017 LUNAR TRANSIT TIMES

DEC. 2016 LUNAR TRANSIT TIMES DAY

MOON

COMMENTS

A.M.

BEST

P.M.

1:49

2:13

2:38

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FIRST QUARTER

8:23

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12 M

PERIGEE

11:08