Deer harvest shapes up - Lone Star Outdoor News

Transcription

Grande
game
Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper
November 10, 2006
Volume 3, Issue 6
Mexico lakes are
hopping with bass
Page 8
w w w. l o n e s t a r o u t d o o r n e w s . c o m
Deer harvest shapes up
INSIDE
HUNTING
Despite low water levels, the
ducks were on the pond opening
weekend. The hunting was
called “fast and furious” from
sunrise to sunset in many parts
of the state. Pintails, gadwall,
widgeon, teal, redheads and
some geese were keeping
hunters busy.
— Page 6
FISHING
Anglers are getting hooked on
swimbaits. The craze continues
to grow, with companies
producing more varieties, sizes
and colors each year.
— Page 8
FIRESIDE CHAT: Hunters had a lot to talk about after a day’s outing on opening weekend, as many were surprised the deer were in good shape after a long drought.
Photo by David J. Sams.
Body weight, antler spread good despite drought
Within 24 hours a brush pile
placed on the lake’s bottom
could become a thriving fish
habitat.
— Page 9
By Ralph Winingham
A new season — Page 18
The lingering summer drought
seemed to have less impact than
expected on the opening weekend of
white-tailed deer season in many
areas of South Texas.
With most of the area experiencing overcast skies and temperatures
from the 40s to 70s — last year’s
opening day high was near 90
degrees — the annual harvest of
meat, antlers and memories started
the season at the Big O Ranch near
Pearsall.
“It seemed like everybody saw
some animals. There were lots of
spikes and I saw a lot of eight-pointers, sixes and one 11-point,’’ he said.
Reeves said the Big O tally for the
See DEER, Page 13
Grapplin’
grouper
NATIONAL
The National Marine Fisheries
Service has proposals addressing
the overfishing of red snapper.
— Page 4
Angler battles
302-pounder
CONSERVATION
By Peter Young
A new agreement is designed
to help private landowners
conserve the lesser prairie
chicken.
— Page 5
DEPARTMENTS
Nov. 4 with results ranging from very
good to “no complaints here.”
“The deer were acting kind of
weird, coming into the feeders and
eating a little and then leaving with
corn on the ground,’’ said Blair
Reeves of San Antonio, who was
among the 30 hunters who opened
FIT FOR THE FASHION: Shelah Zmigrosky and Cindy Garrison sport clothing from Foxy
Huntress. The company, along with Long Grass Outfitters and SHE Safari, offers a
long line of outdoors fashions for women.
Game Warden Blotter
Page 10
Hunting Season Dates
Page 13
Made In Texas
Page 14
Product Picks
Page 19
Crossword
Page 20
Weather
Page 20
Wild in the Kitchen
Page 20
Texas firms rapidly
gaining popularity
Fishing Report
Page 21
By Bill Miller
On the Move
Page 22
Heroes
Page 23
Outdoor Datebook
Page 24
Women’s outdoors clothiers
in the hunt for big success
Necessity, being the mother of
invention, has spawned safari fashion
for ladies in Texas, but more than one
woman can claim prominence in this
niche industry.
Field-oriented clothing by Texasbased Long Grass Outfitters, SHE
Safari and Foxy Huntress are all
reporting exciting growth.
Each is expanding their lines and
gaining endorsements, and Foxy
Huntress has even enlisted a national
spokeswoman: Cindy Garrison, who
hosts her own program for ESPN
Outdoors.
See APPAREL, Page 13
Fishing 60 miles offshore of
Freeport, Raul Reyes recently hooked
up with a “sledgehammer” and several hundred pounds of fight.
Aboard the 48-foot vessel Blue Fin,
operated by Capt. Monty Carter,
Reyes cast into the depths of the Gulf
and an adventure began that ended
with the landing of a pending state
record Warsaw Grouper.
See GROUPER, Page 13
HEAVYWEIGHT WEIGH-IN: Raul Reyes
cranked his reel almost 30 minutes
before the pending state record grouper
surfaced.
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
PLANO, TX
PERMIT 210
Page 2 November 10, 2006
November 10, 2006 Page 3
NATIONAL
Man
Study targets hunter, shooter spending
fined for
elk kill
Animal used in
chronic waste study
A Texas man has been ordered
to pay $37,500 in restitution for
shooting a 1,000-pound elk used
to research chronic wasting disease.
Pete Pickett shot and killed a
bull elk about two years ago, five
miles south of Hesperus.
The elk, named Jester, was
standing behind an 8-foot galvanized mesh fence at the San Juan
Basin Research Center. Jester was
owned by Cervid Recovery and
Research Institute and was being
tested to develop a viable strain
that is resistant to chronic wasting
disease.
Lawyers for the Research
Institute asked for $292,000 in
restitution, but Chief District
Judge Gregory Lyman awarded
$37,500 — $22,500 for the market
value of the elk and $15,000 for
expenses incurred while raising
the elk.
Michael Baty, a lawyer for the
Research Institute, said the elk
would have generated more than
$200,000 in income from the
research center.
This week, Baty filed a lawsuit in
district court seeking additional
damages.
A jury found Pickett guilty of
careless hunting and felony tampering with evidence. He was
found not guilty of criminal mischief — making the shooting only
an accident.
— A Durango Herald report.
BUSY BUSINESS: Today’s 40 million hunters and shooters will contribute $4 trillion to America’s economy in their lifetime.
Forty million Americans today are active in
shooting sports and hunting.
During their lifetimes, the total retail value
of their recreational activities will top $4 trillion, projects the National Shooting Sports
Foundation, a nonprofit trade association for
the firearm industry.
The foundation’s study looked expenditures
of hunters and shooters from age 16 to 75.
Researchers found the average lifetime outlay
for firearms, ammunition and other gear totals
$20,219 per person.
When purchases for licenses and lodging,
food and fuel, magazines and meat processing,
dues and contributions, and other associated
items are added, the average lifetime total rises
to $109,568 per person.
— A National Shooting Sports Foundation report.
National service looks at overfishing of red snapper
The National Marine Fisheries
Service intends to impose an interim
rule to address overfishing of red
snapper.
A Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Gulf of Mexico Red
Snapper and Shrimp Fisheries will be
used to develop the interim rule as
well as long-term measures to deal
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with overfishing and bycatch in the
red snapper and shrimp fisheries.
The long-term measures may
include establishing total allowable
catch, the combined recreational
and commercial annual harvest, as
well as setting recreational quotas.
The proposed interim rules for
2007 include:
• Reducing the combined recreational and commercial harvest for
red snapper from 9.12 million
pounds to 6.5 million pounds;
• Reducing the recreational daily
bag limit from four fish per person
per day to two fish;
•Prohibiting the captain and crew
of for-hire vessels from retaining a
daily bag limit;
• Reducing the commercial minimum size limit from 15 inches to 13
inches;
• Setting target reduction goals for
the shrimp fishery, capping it at the
2005 level.
— A National Marine Fisheries Service
report.
Husband, wife plead guilty to felonies
A husband-and-wife outfitting
team pleaded guilty Monday to a
combined 10 felony charges, including racketeering, forgery, tax evasion
and embezzlement in one of New
Mexico’s biggest cases of poaching
and wildlife-related fraud.
Adrian Romero, 34, pleaded guilty
to racketeering, tax evasion, fraud,
two counts of forgery, and two
counts of embezzlement.
He will be sentenced at a later date
in the 13th Judicial District Court in
Grants, N.M. He faces a maximum
sentence of more than 20 years in jail
and $40,000 in fines.
Prosecutors said he was the main
operator of a business called Non-
typical Outfitters, which sold counterfeit licenses for trophy elk hunts to
out-of-state hunters.
Henrietta Romero, 32, pleaded
guilty to three counts of forgery and
was sentenced to five years probation. As part of her plea agreement,
she agreed to never again act as a
hunting guide, outfitter or landowner agent.
She also agreed to give up all her
hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for 15 years in New Mexico and
the other 23 states that are members
of the Interstate Wildlife Violator
Compact.
Under her “Alford plea” entered
Monday, she maintains innocence
while admitting that enough evidence exists for a judge or jury to find
her guilty.
The Romeros, of Grants, were
indicted in January 2006 on 66
felony charges. They were accused of
forging hunting licenses and
hunters’ signatures, arranging and
conducting illegal hunts, and failing
to report state gross receipts amounting to $244,000, on which substantial state taxes were evaded.
Their plea agreements require
them to pay thousands of dollars in
restitution to all fraud victims listed
in the indictments, and to reimburse
the state for all back taxes.
— A New Mexico Game and Fish report.
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Lone Star Outdoor News, a publication of Lone
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CONSERVATION
Lesser prairie chicken is
focus of new agreement
EVERYBODY’S
COMFORTABLE.
EXCEPT THE
COMPETITION.
Plan helps landowners conserve rare bird
Since 1963 scientists believe
A new agreement between
prairie chicken numbers have
Texas Parks and Wildlife and the
declined 80 percent nationwide
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is
due to habitat loss and fragmenexpected to help private landowntation, population isolation,
ers conserve the lesser prairie
drought
and
land-cover
chicken.
changes.
The rare bird — whose fate is
Today in Texas, lesser prairie
tied to the health of grassland
chickens are currently found
ecosystems that sustain many
only in two isolated areas in the
other wildlife species — is a candinortheastern and southwestern
date for listing under the federal
corners of the Panhandle region.
Endangered Species Act.
Biologists say what is needed
Under the new agreement, TPW
to help the bird is to create
can issue a one-page Certificate of VANISHING POPULATION: According to
and/or maintain large blocks of
Inclusion signed by a landowner scientists, the lesser prairie chicken
suitable habitat.
who commits to undertake con- population has dropped 80 percent since
servation actions outlined in a 1963. Photo by Gerard Bertrand.
To do this, land managers
TPW-approved wildlife manageshould provide low vegetation
ment plan.
for breeding grounds, tall bunch grasses/shrubs for
Such landowner actions would include brush nesting cover, areas with overhead cover that are
control, grazing management, prescribed burning open underneath for birds to raise their chicks, a
and allowing periodic monitoring on their property. year-round food supply and protection from weather.
Lesser prairie chickens were once found throughAll these elements should be within three-to-five
out short and mid-grass prairies in Texas, miles of the spring breeding areas.
Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico.
— A Texas Parks and Wildlife report.
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Karnack native receives award for
commitment to conserving Caddo
In recognition of his many years of work to conserve
Caddo Lake, The Nature Conservancy has honored
Paul Fortune of Karnack with the Fred and Loucille
Dahmer Conservation Award.
“The Fred and Loucille Dahmer
Conservation Award is given in the
spirit of the late husband and wife
who devoted 20 years of their lives
to the study and conservation of
Caddo Lake,” said Carter Smith,
the Conservancy’s Texas state
director. “Paul has been instrumental in bringing the community together to protect Texas’ only
Paul Fortune
natural lake and in establishing
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge.”
A native of Karnack, Fortune, 56, grew up on Big
Cypress Bayou and has lived in the Caddo Lake area all
his life.
Fortune is vice president of the Greater Caddo Lake
Association, which represents several entities and supports activities to conserve, enhance and promote the
lake. He is chairman of the Restoration Advisory Board,
which promotes community awareness and obtains
constructive community review and comment on environmental restoration at the former Longhorn Army
Ammunition Plant, now part of the wildlife refuge.
He also is a member of the Residents Working Group
on invasive species management at Caddo Lake,
formed to address explosive growth of invasive water
hyacinth in the lake, facilitated by the Caddo Lake
Institute.
With the recent discovery of invasive giant salvinia
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THE
SIERRA
ADVANTAGE
‘Paul has been instrumental in bringing
the community together to protect Texas’
only natural lake and in establishing
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge.’
— CARTER SMITH
in Caddo, he is actively involved in developing control
measures for this species.
In the 1990s, Fortune was a member of the Longhorn
Refuge Neighbors Association, a group of Karnack and
Uncertain residents who explored the possible reuse of
the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant as a national
wildlife refuge.
After study, the group presented favorable recommendations to their neighbors and to the Harrison
County Commissioners Court.
Believed to have been created by logjams on the Red
River, Caddo Lake and its surrounding wetlands are a
mixed bottomland hardwood forest and shallow bald
cypress swamp that cover 50 square miles, half in Texas
and half in Louisiana.
A maze of bayous and cypress swamps, Caddo Lake
and its surroundings support the richest array of aquatic creatures in the area, with more than 20 mussel
species and 90-plus species of fish, including uncommon species such as the paddlefish.
— A Nature Conservancy report.
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HUNTING
Lots of birds early
‘It was fast and furious on Saturday, and steady on
Sunday. The ducks seemed to decoy
better later in the morning.’
— BURT MORITZ
CRACK OF DAWN: Hunters place decoys preparing for an early-morning start. Waterfowl action was heavy on opening weekend, according to reports from across the state. Photo by David J. Sams.
Variety of duck species fly in for opening weekend
By Craig Nyhus
Opening morning of duck season across Texas ended months of
anticipation for hunters, and in
many cases, the ducks met the
hunters’ expectations.
Hunters reported good numbers
of a variety of species, although
success varied due to location and
water conditions.
The Texas coast had a banner
opening day.
Troy Garvin of Weatherford
hunted with Circle H Outfitters
near Rockport. “We were loaded
with ducks,” he said. “There were
four groups out, and all had full
limit hunts within an hour. We
saw pintails, gadwall, widgeon,
teal, redheads, mottled ducks and
some divers.”
Burt Moritz of American
Expeditions hunted near Lake
Jackson. “It was fast and furious on
Saturday, and steady on Sunday,”
he said. “The ducks seemed to
decoy better later in the morning.”
Moritz reported good numbers
of pintail, gadwall, and widgeon.
Moritz reported the geese are arriv-
ing as well. “There are more geese
around than this time last year — I
guess it’s because it’s so dry up
north.”
In the northwestern part of the
state, hunters had a one-weekend
head start. Lubbock area hunters
See DUCKS, Page 15
TPW honors employees
serving on active duty
By Bill Miller
Capt. Jim Ranft has faced an insurgent on
the streets of Iraq and confronted a deer
poacher on a back road in Texas.
Ranft, 43, a Texas game warden, spent
much of 2005 in Iraq guarding supply convoys as a first lieutenant with the 36th
Infantry Division of the Texas National
Guard.
He is one of 10 employees of Texas Parks
and Wildlife who have been summoned to
active military duty in recent years.
Ranft’s unit, which patrolled between
Scania and Baghdad, destroyed 11 of the infaThese TPW employees were honored Aug. 24
for their active-duty military service. The recognition was made during the TPW Commission’s
meeting in Austin.
Ken Ragan, park manager, Mustang Island
State Park; major, U.S. Army Command Field
Support Battalion, Iraq, 2004-2005.
Shane Detwiler, Chambers County game
warden; staff sergeant, U.S. Army Intelligence,
mous improvised explosive devices or IEDs.
The Texans also escorted military and civilian
convoys over 50,000 miles of treacherous
highways.
“It’s just like being a game warden,’’ Ranft
said. “Your head’s on a swivel, always looking
for danger.
“You can compare it to walking into a deer
camp on opening weekend, where everybody
around the fire has a gun and there’s 12 of
them and one of you.
“You don’t dwell on it. You just keep going.
Stay safe.’’
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: Capt. James Ranft (second from left) and fellow soldiers meet with an
Ranft spent seven years in the U.S. Marine Iraqi police lieutenant during Ranft's tour of duty with the Texas National Guard in Iraq. Texas
Corps before he became the game warden in Parks and Wildlife Department recently honored Ranft and nine other employees for their
See DUTY, Page 26 military service.
Iraq, 2005.
Michael Paris, accountant, Administrative
Resources Division, Austin; tech sergeant, U.S.
Air Force, currently assigned as a mechanic to
Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio.
Andy Valdez, San Patricio County game warden; senior petty officer, U.S. Navy medical
detachment, Iraq, 2004.
Dale Shively, coordinator, Artificial Reef
Program, Austin; intelligence specialist first
class, U.S. Navy, Iraq, 2004-2005.
Craig Colquitt, technician, Coastal Fisheries;
boatswain’s mate, U.S. Coast Guard sea marshal, currently assigned to the Texas Gulf Coast.
Tim Spice, coordinator, Urban Outdoors
Program, Austin; command sergeant major, U.S.
Army, Fort Hood, Texas.
Lee Finch, captain and chief pilot, Texas
game wardens, Austin; chief warrant officer, U.S.
Army helicopter pilot, Bosnia, 2003.
Adrian Edmundson, programmer,
Information Technology, Austin; sergeant, U.S.
Army, currently deployed to Kosovo.
Jim Ranft, captain, Texas game wardens; first
lieutenant, U.S. Army (36th Infantry Division,
Texas National Guard), Iraq, 2004.
Creative cooking adds flavor to wild game
By Ralph Winingham
Deer, dove and duck hunting
are among the most popular pastimes each fall in the Lone Star
State, but for some, dining on the
animals is not.
Any game cook who has tackled
the task of preparing doves or
ducks has likely heard the comment: “They taste like liver.”
To overcome this dining obstacle, the birds are often heavily seasoned, stuffed with Serrano or
jalapeno pepper slices and cream
cheese, then wrapped in bacon
and grilled to medium rare.
Venison, while tasty to most, is
very lean and tough when overcooked. Many hunters choose to
cube or grind the bulk of their
venison and use it in chili, soups
and stews.
There are however, ways to
more creatively utilize the ground
venison, as well as the stronger
taste of the birds. The following
creations offer new and different
ways of turning duck, dove or deer
meat into fine table fare.
Easy Way Bird Pate’
•12 dove breasts or 4 teal
breast halves
• white pepper and onion
salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons bacon grease
or butter
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (4.25 ounces) sarSee COOKING, Page 7
Cooking
Continued from Page 6
dines in hot sauce
• 1/2 cup finely minced
onion
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon
juice
• 1 tablespoon Chef Ralph’s
Super Seasoning
Rinse and clean bird breasts,
being sure to remove any feathers or pellets that may have
lodged in the meat. Debone the
dove breasts or cut the boneless
duck meat into about five pieces.
Season breast meat on both sides
with white pepper and onion
salt. Heat grease or butter in a
deep cooking pot over medium
heat. Brown meat on both sides,
then add sage and garlic cloves.
Cover with broth and water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat
to low and simmer about 90
minutes or until meat is tender.
Drain cooked meat and allow to
cool, reserving about 1/2 cup of
the broth. Place cooled meat in
a food processor with remaining
ingredients and chop until mixture resembles a thick paste.
Add reserved broth, if necessary, to achieve the desired texture. Using a sheet of plastic
wrap, shape mixture into a ball
or log and chill until firm. Serve
well chilled with your favorite
crackers.
Venison Porcupines
A good rule of thumb is to use
about one pound of ground beef
fat for every five pounds of
ground venison.
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 package instant onion
soup, divided
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 pounds ground venison
• 1 teaspoon Chef Ralph’s
Super Seasoning
• 1 cup uncooked rice,
divided
• 2 cans (8 ounce each)
tomato sauce
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced
tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon sugar
Beat egg with water, 2 tablespoons soup mix and chopped
onion in large bowl. Add meat,
Chef Ralph’s and 1/4-cup rice,
mix well and shape into 2-inch
balls. Roll meatballs in remaining rice, pressing rice into the
surface of the meat, and set
aside. Combine remaining
ingredients, including reserved
soup mix and more Chef
Ralph’s, in a Dutch oven or large
stew pot and bring to a boil over
medium heat. Add meatballs,
cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for about 40
minutes, stirring several times to
make sure meatballs are covered
with sauce
The name for this dish has
something to do with the look
of the cooked rice sticking out of
the meatballs and not because of
any secret ingredient in the mixture — but don’t tell your dining
companions until after they
take a taste.
For those who look forward to
dining on the game they bring
home, and for those who don’t,
trying something new and different can be a welcome surprise.
Ralph Winingham is the
author of the 2005 Texas
Outdoor Writers Association
Book of the Year, The Campfire
Chef: Revenge of Old Boots and
Bacon Grease, a collection of
recipes for outdoor enthusiasts
and short stories. He can be
reached at rwiningham@juno.
com or (210) 240-6149 for more
recipes and wild game seasoning.
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FISHING
Grande game fill Mexico waters
MOUNTAIN WATERS: Anglers fish El Salto, one of Mexico’s lakes sheltered by the Sierra Madre Mountains. The temperate weather helps produce big fish in big numbers. Photo by David J. Sams.
Fishing south of border offers anglers plenty of action
By Mark England
fter arriving in Mexico,
Robin Merlo went fishing
with her father, Terry
Rader, on Lake Baccarac.
She quickly found herself needing
Advil. But it was the fishing that
A
was sick, according to Merlo.
“The first afternoon out we
caught over 100 fish,” said Merlo, a
Dallas realtor. “The largest bass I
caught weighed five pounds. The
next day, I caught an eightpounder and a nine-pounder. I was
taking Advil every four hours
because my upper body got sore.
Swimbaits
hook anglers
We were pulling in fish so fast and
they were so big, I couldn’t believe
it. I was in shock. I think the
longest we went without catching
a fish was 10 minutes.”
Such tales are becoming part of
Mexican folklore. The phenomenal fishing is what inspired Merlo’s
father and stepmother to launch
Rader’s Fish and Game (radersfishandgame. com), which caters
mostly to those wanting to catch
largemouth bass in Mexico.
Rader said Mexico spoiled him.
“I hardly go fishing in the states
anymore,” said the retired stockbroker.
Although subjective, the other
First cold front
signals start of
flounder run
By Alan Clemons
See SWIMBAIT, Page 14
See MEXICO, Page 9
Gone giggin’
Lures wiggle, wobble
to popularity
Ask pro angler Kevin Van Dam of Michigan about
the new Strike King “King Shad” swimbait and he
doesn’t mince any words.
“It’s one kick-ass bait,” said Van Dam, who is particular about his gear, from the blades on a spinnerbait to
the action of a jerkbait. “It’s just the right size, not too
big and not too small. I can’t begin to tell you how
many big smallmouth I’ve caught on it, how many in
the 4-6 pound range that just crushed it.”
The craze in swimbaits continues to grow, with
companies producing more varieties, sizes and colors
each year.
Some are small, such as the 3-inch Storm WildEye
Live Minnow. Others are humongous, with the 10inch Optimum Titan Series or monstrous AC Plug
“Triple Real Trout” looking like small fish.
Colors on some are so realistic it’s scary, and variations include wide crankbait-style lips, jointed hard
bodies to create wiggling motions, soft bodies with
thick tails acting as rudders and skinnier models for
faster retrieves.
The bait should not only look like a shad, golden
shiner or trout, but it also needs to swim like one.
Which is why the rudder-like tail and crankbait-
top bass lakes in Mexico are generally considered to be El Salto,
Huites and Agua Milpa. All are on
Mexico’s west coast. They’re
remote by American standards and
are mountain lakes, sheltered by
the Sierra Madre Mountains.
The setting fosters great bass
By Peter Young
When northers head in, flatfish fanciers
head out.
“The flounder run typically starts the
beginning of October after the first cold
front and continues until about the middle
of December,” said Capt. J.D. “Tray” Clark.
Many outdoors enthusiasts put boats in
short-term storage and don the hunting
gear as winter waterfowl and snowbirds
also roll in with the colder weather. But,
flounder finders keep the boats in service.
“The major influences of the flounder
run are changes in pressure and temperature, usually coinciding with the arrival of
cold fronts,” Clark said.
The rod and reel is one way to fill the
freezer with this delicious fish, but many
South Texas anglers opt to hop aboard a
flatboat for a flounder-gigging adventure.
Wielding a 2 1/2-inch thick curtain rod
with a welded concoction of PVC pipe, lag
bolts and duct tape, Clark explained the art
FLATFISH FINESSE: With gigs in tow, anglers hop aboard their flatbottoms for the
flounder run beginning in October.
See FLOUNDER, Page 14
‘Crappie condos’
Attractors pull in the fish keeping an angler’s day busy
By John N. Felsher
Fanatical Texas crappie anglers
often give nature a little help by
establishing cover in their favorite
fishing grounds.
“Only about 12 to 15 percent of
a lake holds fish,” said Frank Reed,
an avid Toledo Bend crappie
angler. “The first thing to do is to
locate an area where I can catch
one crappie and build a brush pile
there. People will never draw a
fish to an area that fish wouldn’t
naturally live in. I use electronics
to scan for something with bottom irregularities. It might be a
creek channel, a bank or a dropoff that normally holds fish.”
Placing a brush pile near a bottom irregularity that might hold
fish creates additional habitat for
an entire food chain. Minnows
and other baitfish use any cover
they can find to escape predators.
Crappies stay where they can find
minnows. Larger fish, such as
bass, move in to feed upon the
bream and crappies. Within 24
hours, a good new brush pile
could become a thriving fish
habitat.
When Reed finds a place that
holds fish, he drops fresh, green
bushes, mostly willows, in an area
about 20-feet square. He puts a
weight on the bottom and ties a
capped plastic jug to the top. The
combination of weight and jug
holds the bush upright like a
Christmas tree sprouting from the
bottom.
“I generally drop four bushes in
a 20-foot square,” he said. “I put
one bush in each of the four corners. In that way, I can circle the
pile and not disturb the fish. If I
disturb them or get hung up in
one pile, I move to the next one,
which is only 20 feet away. Fish
are not spooked there. I’ll continue to work around the pile.”
People could use practically any
type of woody cover to build a
pile. However, pines usually don’t
work as well as hardwoods. Softer
pines don’t last as long and don’t
seem to attract as many fish as
hardwoods.
Jerry Blake prefers to make piles
of hard bamboo canes weighed by
concrete blocks for his “crappie
condos.” For taller cover, he sticks
bamboo into five-gallon buckets
of concrete to create underwater
trees.
“It’s like a big cypress tree standing up and spreading out under
water,” Blake said. “It’s usually
about 15 feet tall and 18 feet
across. Bamboo holds up better
than pines, willows or other bushes. A bamboo pile may last for
three to four years while all the
small limbs on a brush pile rot off
in a year or so. Bamboo is also easier to fish around because the
‘CONDO’ CONSTRUCTION: Anglers prepare to set a brush pile at Lake Sam Rayburn.
hook just slides off it. We can
handle a lot more volume with a
lot less trouble.”
People also can drop artificial
fish attractors into their favorite
waters. Some use horizontal pallets attached to plastic pipe to
make a series of platforms.
Berkley makes cage-like fish habitats out of recycled monofilament
Porcupine Fish Attractor
Larry Harper (270) 653-8586
http://www.porcupinefishattractor.com
averaged catching more than 200 bass daily
last season, according to Skinner, whose
Web site is bassmex.com.
“It’s the best lake I’ve ever seen,” Skinner
said. “It’s got numbers, average size, beauty.
lakes, according to Rader and others. The
There’s no netting and only two lodges.
temperate weather and lack of pressure proThere’s a few rivers coming into it rather
duces big fish in big numbers.
than just one. No pollution. Structure. It’s
“The fish are so big in Mexico because
got everything. A novice can go there and
they never stop feeding,” said Bill Skinner,
catch a 10-pounder accidentally.”
owner of Wild Bill Skinner’s Bass ’n Mexico.
As far as bait, it doesn’t much matter,
“In the winter, the water temperature is
Skinner said.
between 65 to 75 degrees so the fish don’t
“It’s one of those lakes where if you’re a
get lethargic. They’re on all the time.”
worm fisherman, you don’t have to take
El Salto, 50 miles north of Mazatlan, was
anything but worms,” he said. “If you’re a
for years the
topwater fisherunchallenged
man, you can fish
numero uno lake.
topwater. You can
Some anglers,
use spinnerbait.
though, claim it’s
Frankly, the trick
gotten crowded.
is to take a tackle
That draws a
box and go
chuckle from
through it and
Rader — who
find something
acknowledges by
they won’t hit.”
Mexican stanAgua Milpa is
dards that might
the newest of the
be true.
lakes, opened in
“As far as pres1997 and stocked
sure, there might
with largemouth
be 40 boats at El
SOUTH OF THE BORDER: Ron Guidice shows a 9.9-pound
bass from El Salto
Salto,” he said.
bass caught at Lake El Salto.
and Baccarac by
“Go to Lake Fork
resort
owner
Billy
Chapman
Sr. Built as a
and there will be 500. There’s just no comsource for hydroelectric power, it promises
parison.”
anglers a stable water level.
El Salto and Baccarac — approximately
Rader is among those, though, that con150 miles southeast of Los Mochis in the
sider Agua Milpa to be in its infancy as a
Mexican state of Sinaloa — are Rader’s two
favorite Mexican lakes. They have both large bass lake — although it’s already producing
large numbers of catches.
bass and large numbers of bass, he said.
The lake record at Baccarac, caught in
There’s buzz that the world-record for a
1993, weighed 19 pounds and 10 ounces.
largemouth bass of 22 1/4 pounds (caught
Baccarac was stocked with a Florida strain of
in 1932 at Georgia’s Montgomery Lake) will
largemouth bass in 1978. Success there led
eventually be eclipsed by a bass from a
to other Mexican lakes being stocked.
Mexican lake.
At most lakes, the immigrants mixed with
Rader’s a believer. He thinks it could
the natives to produce extremely aggressive
come out of El Salto or Baccarac because of
progeny.
the food supply.
“The five-pounder I caught, I thought I
“The tilapia there get very large,” he said.
had a shark on the line,” Merlo said. “I
“Quite
often, you’ll find them in the mouth
couldn’t believe how hard it fought. It was
of a bass, where they’re so large the bass
thrilling. I have a bruise on my thigh from
can’t swallow them. I’ve had times where I
putting it there to get leverage. It was pretty
turned both fish loose. I’ve also found them
intense.”
Huites is Skinner’s favorite of the big four. both floating in the water dead. There are
probably more monster bass that die of that
A 30,000-acre reservoir, it’s in the state of
than anything.”
Sinaloa near the town of Choix. Boats there
Mexico
fishing line.
A Porcupine Fish Attractor
looks something like a World War
II sea mine with a sphere holding
several hollow plastic tubes.
Minnows actually swim inside
the plastic tubes all the way to the
sphere to escape danger and pop
out like prairie dogs after predators leave.
The best anglers put out some
piles in shallow water and some in
deeper water so they can fish
despite the season or lake fluctuations. Some anglers put out hundreds of piles in various locations
throughout their favorite lakes
and make the rounds, pulling off
a few fish from each pile to fill a
limit.
For the Berkley Fish Hab, go to: Pure Fishing (800) 237-5539
http://www.berkley-fishing.com/about_conservation.php
Texans team up to win kingfish series title
FORCE FACTOR: Team Force 10 caught a two-kingfish total weighing 69 pounds, 11 ounces to win the $300,000
FLW Kingfish Series Championship in Orange Beach. Photo by FLW.
Team Force 10, headed by Kevin
Alexander of Conroe, caught a twokingfish total weighing 69 pounds, 11
ounces to win the $300,000 Wal-Mart
FLW Kingfish Series Championship in
Orange Beach, Ala.
The top prize of $52,500 included a
$22,500 bonus from Evinrude.
Fishing with Brett Donnahoe of
Spring, Chris Machacek of Freeport,
and Terry Pool of Conroe, Alexander
targeted a drilling rig in 120 feet of
water, 70 miles southwest of Mobile
Bay.
Around 10:30 a.m., the anglers paired
a kingfish weighing 32 pounds, 1 ounce
with their 37-pound, 10-ounce fish
from day two.
“There were multiple rigs in about a
10-mile radius, and this was the third
place that we fished,” Donnahoe said.
“At this location, we caught approxi-
mately 30 to 35 fish in about an hour,
and they were all quality fish.
Their top kingfish ate a live 2-pound
blue runner with a single 7-inch stinger
rig comprising a 2/0 lead hook, No. 4
trailing hook and No. 5 wire. The team
dressed the bait with a pink duster.
Alexander fought the fish, and
Donnahoe gaffed it about 15 minutes
later.
The FLW Kingfish Series consists of
five divisions — East Florida, West
Florida, North Carolina, South
Carolina-Georgia and Gulf Coast. Each
division is comprised of three events
with a $100,000 purse for each event.
The top 100 teams — 20 from each
division after three qualifying events —
qualified for the three-day, no-entry-fee
$300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series
Championship.
— An FLW report.
GAME WARDEN BLOTTER
GUN OR CROSSBOW?
•Tom Green County Game
Warden Zach Havens received
information that a suspect had
brought a deer in for processing,
claiming that it had been taken
with a bow, but appearing as if it
had been shot with a rifle. Havens
inspected the deer and came to the
same conclusion. Contact was
made with the hunter, who
claimed to have shot the deer with
a crossbow, but the deer was not
dead when he found it, so he went
home and got his rifle and finished
it off. Case filed.
BRIGHT LIGHTS SHINE
THE WAY TO JAIL
•Palo Pinto County Game Warden
David Modgling was being followed by a driver in a vehicle who
was flashing him with his bright
lights. Modgling allowed the vehicle to pass, and then stopped it.
Modgling found the driver to be
intoxicated, and while searching
his vehicle noticed there was blood
in the back of the vehicle.
Modgling questioned the driver
about the blood. The man said that
the day before he had killed a pig
while hunting off the roadway. He
said that he wrapped the pig in a
plastic bag and tossed it out at
another location. The man was
cited for DWI and littering, hunting off the roadway, and no hunting license. Cases pending.
DOUBTING POACHER
•Tarrant County Game Warden
Michael McCall and Wise County
Game Warden Christopher
Dowdy received a call on trespassers. While the wardens were
investigating, they discovered a
bucket of deer attractant and
noticed signs of illegal hunting.
The wardens made contact with a
man in a red Dodge pickup nearby
and found that he was in possession of a bow and arrow, camouflage clothing, and a 300
Winchester Magnum Rifle, marijuana and methamphetamine.
The man was interviewed and
confessed to hunting without
landowner consent, but he did
not believe that what he was
doing was considered poaching.
Cases are pending.
WARDEN ROPES ’EM IN
•Bosque County Game Warden
Mike Sibila made contact with
three Johnson County people
who were hunting hogs with dogs
in the early morning hours. The
suspects had two hogs in their
possession and no hunting licenses. They were chasing the hogs
with the dogs, then roping them,
and selling them alive. Charges
were filed on all three.
’BURB HUNTING OFF-LIMITS
•Warden Heath Bragg received
information on a spike buck being
killed at the Angelina River in the
MAN TURNS IN DAUGHTER FOR ROAD HUNTING
•Kaufman County Warden Eric
Minter and Dallas County
Warden Laura Peterek issued
three citations and civil restitution for hunting from a public
road. The investigation began
that morning with a rumor that
someone shot a deer off the road
the previous night. Minter
spoke with one of his contacts
and found out some possible
Rivercrest community. Bragg and
Walker located the suspect’s home
and interviewed two people. They
first denied killing any deer. After
looking around the place, they
located where the deer was
dressed out and found the carcass.
Citations were issued for hunting
deer during closed season.
TEENS GET LEGAL CRASH COURSE
•A landowner called Polk County
Game Wardens Suzanne Cotton
and Chuck Cotton saying he had
two trespassers stopped who were
hunting on his property. Two 15year-old boys were taken into custody. Truancy charges are pending
against the parents and children
for skipping school to hunt. The
juveniles were issued citations and
released to their parents.
MAN ADMITS TO DUMPING DEER
•Bandera County Game Warden
Rod Chalmers received a call from
the manager of a local youth
camp that a man had been seen
coming from a wooded area on
the property. Two days later a
white-tailed deer carcass was
found at that location with the
head removed. Chalmers investigated and determined that only
the head, hams and backstraps
had been taken, and there was
some indication that the deer
could have been taken illegally.
The complainant knew the perpetrator’s name and place of
employment in Victoria, so the
warden asked Victoria Game
Warden Travis Haug to pay the
man a visit. During an interview,
the man said that the “dumped”
deer wasn’t his, but he was
advised that DNA tests would say
otherwise. The man confessed
and charges were filed.
FALCON LAKE
PRODUCES 12-POUNDER
•Starr County Game Warden
Wayne Schwartz and Zapata
County Game Wardens Jesse
Garcia and Fernando Cervantes
assisted Falcon State Park personnel with the annual OPEC bass
fishing tournament held on
Falcon Lake Oct. 21-22. There
were 85 teams registered. The
biggest fish weighed more than
12 pounds, and the heaviest
subjects’ first names along with
a possible location. Later that
day, the wardens found out that
some of the information was
coming from a man in
Kaufman. When the wardens
went to speak to him, he provided the first and last names of the
subjects involved because one of
them was his daughter. The man
was upset because he is a law-
stringer consisted of three fish
weighing in at more than 29
pounds.
FIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
DIE CROSSING RIO GRANDE
•Starr County Game Warden
John Palacios and Zapata County
Game Wardens Jesse Garcia and
Fernando Cervantes assisted the
Starr County Sheriff’s Office with
recovering five drowning victims
from the Rio Grande River. The
bodies were recovered about 10
miles below the Falcon Lake Dam.
All the victims were Mexican
immigrants attempting to enter
the country illegally.
FAMILY RESCUED
FROM SINKING BOAT
•Ellis County Warden Jeff Powell,
Kaufman County Warden Eric
Minter, and Dallas County
Warden Laura Peterek assisted in
rescuing a family stranded on the
Trinity River. A man took his
three kids onto their flatbottom
boat to make a trip downriver. He
launched at dusk in a boat full of
holes and no running lights on a
river he had never been on. The
boat quickly took on water and
the family called 911. They made
it to a sandbar and waited for
help. A DPS helicopter was able to
land on the bank to rescue them.
After speaking with the father
about boating safety, Minter
issued the man a citation for not
having any lights after dark. The
family was especially lucky
because about 100 yards downriver was a waterfall.
ROAD HUNTERS CONFESS
•Harrison County Game Wardens
Jarrod Bryant and Javier Fuentes
along with Panola County Game
Warden Tom Gallenbach received
a call from dispatch, after working
a decoy deer, that a subject shot a
deer from the road on the east side
of the county. When the wardens
arrived, they found a person leaving the area. The person was
stopped, and two males were
found hiding under the back toolbox. The driver admitted to shooting the deer from the road with a
30-30 rifle but could not locate the
deer. The deer was found about
one hour later by the wardens.
abiding deer hunter and was disappointed when his daughter
called him the night before to
ask how to clean a deer that they
had shot off the road. After contacting the three subjects and
setting up a meeting, they all
admitted to spotlighting and
shooting a deer off a public road
in Van Zandt County. The deer
was seized as evidence.
Several cases are pending.
ELECTROSHOCK TO PROVIDE
BETTER FISH STOCK
•Milam County Game Warden
Mike Mitchell electroshocked a
public pond in Milam County for
research. He collaborated with
Inland Fisheries Division, District
3E biologists, to place an 18-foot
electro fishing boat into a popular
community-fishing pond. He has
been working with Boy Scouts,
Master Gardeners, and area political officials on improving both the
pond’s aesthetics and fish stock.
The research will be used to develop a comprehensive fish-stocking
plan.
BODY FOUND FLOATING
IN STOCK TANK
•Grimes County Game Warden
Jonny Heaton assisted the sheriff’s
department by recovering the
body of a 25-year-old male found
floating in a stock tank near
Plantersville. The man had been
missing for several days. A criminal
investigation continues.
MINNESOTA SUPER BUCKS
SEIZED IN TEXAS
•Madison County Game Warden
Dornell Crist and Grimes County
Game Warden Jonny Heaton assisted Sgt. Adam Chrane and several
federal game wardens with the
apprehension of a suspect in
Grimes County. The man was
smuggling eight super bucks to the
Grimes County ranch from
Minnesota. Later, they seized six
more bucks that had been brought
in from out of state. The deer were
then taken to Texas A&M for CWD
testing. The investigation continues.
BOBCAT TURNED OUT TO BE A DEER
•Montgomery County Game
Warden Ernie Garcia was called by
the Montgomery County Sheriff’s
Office at 3:30 a.m. in October on a
possible poaching incident in an
area subdivision. Deputies were at
the location and met with the
complainant who gave a description of the vehicle involved, told
them the wounded deer ran off and
located some blood. During this
time, the vehicle drove by and
deputies stopped it. There were two
males and two females in the vehicle who did not live in the area, and
they had a 30.06 rifle, 17 HMR rifle
and a warm spotlight. The suspect
denied deer hunting, but said they
had shot at a bobcat. Following
interviews, the suspects admitted
to hunting deer and shooting at
the buck. Citations for hunting in
closed season were issued; both
male suspects’ driver licenses had
been suspended, and the driver was
arrested for driving with a suspended license.
BEST FRIEND INVOLVED
IN DEER POACHING COMPLAINT
•Live Oak County Game Warden
Carlos Riojas received a call from a
ranch concerning poaching. A deer
had been found with its head cut
off. Riojas investigated and found
footprint evidence where the carcass had been taken from near a
blind to a brushy area and covered
with limbs. The ranch manager
said his best friend had been left
alone on the ranch for a period of
time and was still on the ranch as a
guest to photograph deer. The warden saw a pair of boots in the
guest’s truck that matched the
prints he had found at the carcass.
When Carlos interviewed the
guest, who was wearing sandals,
and asked if he owned a pair of
boots, the guest replied his boots
were left at home. When Carlos
asked permission to look in the
vehicle, the boots and an ice chest
with blood were discovered. After
several excuses ranging from coming across the carcass and deciding
to cover it up to his gun going off
while looking at the deer, the guest
finally gave a written statement
admitting shooting the deer,
removing the head, and hiding the
carcass. The head was recovered at
the guest’s brother’s house.
Charges were filed.
SHRIMP BOAT DRIVER SUSPECTED
OF BOATING WHILE INTOXICATED
•Game Warden Leslie Casterline
responded to a call from the U.S.
Coast Guard in reference to a person believed to be boating while
intoxicated in the Brownsville
Ship Channel. The shrimping vessel was being returned to the
owner’s facility, which was Moore
Trawlers in the Brownsville Shrimp
Basin. Casterline spoke to U.S.
Coast Guard officials and found
that the driver of the shrimp boat
had difficulty performing standard
field sobriety tests and also registered a .24 reading on a portable
breathalyzer machine. Casterline
placed the man in custody and
transported him to the Port Isabel
Police Department. He refused all
standard field sobriety tests and a
request for a breath specimen at
the Port Isabel Police Department.
Casterline then booked the man
into the Port Isabel Jail where he
awaited arraignment. The case is
pending.
Deer
weekend was 11 deer and three hogs, with the
six spikes and five does averaging about 60 to
80 pounds each and all showing signs of having
weathered the drought in average to aboveaverage condition.
“The oldest deer brought in was 6 1/2 years
old,’’ he said. Big O camp rules prohibit the
killing of a trophy animal until the hunters
have harvested a management deer.
A little farther out west, Gail Jackowski of
Uvalde Meat Processing said their facility has
received more animals for processing early this
year than during any opener in their 19 years
of operation.
“The animals are all in good shape, which
has been surprising because of the dry conditions,’’ she said.
“None of the hunters we have seen are complaining. They are all out having fun. A lot of
them are saying that it has been dry, but the
area is looking better than they expected.’’
Two of the meat markets that cater to the
Hill Country hunters, Schwab Sausage Haus
and Bar-B-Cue in New Braunfels and the 4th
Street Market in Blanco, both reported betterthan-expected business on opening weekend.
“I filled up on opening day,’’ said Lester
Coldewey of Blanco, explaining that his locker was filled to capacity with 40 animals by
Saturday afternoon.
“There have been a lot of really nice deer
brought in. Last year was a lot slower than
LONE
STAR
OUTDOOR NEWS
Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper
this year.
“We are seeing a lot of deer with good body
weight and nice spreads, but some of the
hunters are saying that the deer are just not
coming to their feeders,’’ Coldewey said.
Annette Schwab in New Braunfels said they
are seeing a lot of animals in very good shape,
although their first hunter did not bring in a
deer until about 11 a.m. on Saturday.
“That is a little late for opening day, but all
the animals we have seen have a lot of meat
on them and are fat. We are not seeing quite
as many animals but business is still pretty
good,’’ she said.
Area communities that depend on the
multi-billion dollar hunting industry to
pump up the local economy and state officials
had been concerned that the drought conditions during the summer might have impacted the condition of the Texas deer herd.
“This has been a bad drought, but the
effects are no where near as noticeable as they
would have been 10 years ago,’’ said Mitch
Lockwood, white-tailed deer program coordinator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department.
“The people who have intensely managed
their habitat are not seeing any impact of the
drought,” he said, adding that he expected
recent rainfall after the summer drought
would cause a reduction in close encounters
between hunters and hungry deer. Even limited rainfall will prompt rapid growth of forbs
and other native forage for the deer, which
normally prefer native fare to corn and supplements distributed by feeders, Lockwood said.
2006-07 TEXAS HUNTING SEASONS
PHEASANT
WHITE-TAILED DEER
General
YOUTH SEASON
NORTH TEXAS (200 counties)
PANHANDLE (6 counties)
SOUTH TEXAS (30 counties)
Late Antlerless and Spike
EDWARDS PLATEAU (39 counties)
SOUTH TEXAS
(30 counties)
Muzzleloader (23 counties)
Antlerless and Spike Only
Jan. 20-21
Nov. 4-Jan. 7
Nov. 18-Dec. 3
Nov. 4-Jan. 21
Jan. 8-21
Jan. 22-Feb. 4
Jan.13-21
MULE DEER
General
PANHANDLE (36 counties)
SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE
(7 counties)
TRANS-PECOS (19 counties)
Nov. 18-Dec. 3
Nov. 18-26
Nov. 25-Dec. 10
RIO GRANDE TURKEY
Fall Season
YOUTH SEASON
NORTH TEXAS (122 counties)
SOUTH TEXAS (26 counties)
Jan. 20-21
Nov. 4-Jan. 7
Nov. 4-Jan. 21
Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg
and Willacy counties
Nov. 4-Feb. 25
DOVE
Central Zone
Dec. 26-Jan. 4
Bag limit: 12 birds per day, 24 in possession.
South Zone
Sept. 22-Nov. 12; Dec. 26-Jan. 12
Special South Texas Zone
Sept. 22-Nov. 12
Bag limit: 12 birds per day,
Dec. 26-Jan. 8
24 in possession
QUAIL
Statewide
Oct. 28-Feb. 25
Panhandle (37 counties)
Dec. 2-31
Bag limit: 3 roosters per day, 6 in possession.
Chambers, Jefferson, Liberty counties Nov. 4-Feb. 25
DUCK
High Plains Mallard Management Unit
REGULAR
Nov. 3-Jan. 28
North Zone
REGULAR
Nov. 4-26; Dec. 9-Jan. 28
South Zone
REGULAR GUN
Nov. 4-26; Dec. 9-Jan. 28
Duck Bag Limit:
The daily bag limit shall be 5 ducks with the following
species and sex restrictions — scaup, redhead and wood
duck — 2 ducks; only 1 from the following aggregate bag:
1 hen mallard, or 1 pintail, or 1 canvasback, or 1 "dusky
duck" (includes mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black
duck, and their hybrids); all other ducks not listed — 5
ducks.
Possession limit: Twice the daily bag limit.
GOOSE
West
LIGHT AND DARK GEESE
Nov. 4-Feb. 6
Bag Limit:
Light Geese — 20 in the aggregate;
Dark Geese — 3 Canada and 1 white-fronted goose.
CONSERVATION ORDER
Feb. 7-March 25
East
LIGHT GEESE
Nov. 4-Jan. 28
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE
Nov. 4-Jan. 14
CANADA GEESE
Nov. 4-Jan. 28
Bag Limit:
Light Geese — 20 in the aggregate.
Dark Geese — 3 Canada and 2 white-fronted.
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag limit for dark
geese, no possession limit for light geese.
CONSERVATION ORDER
Jan. 29-March 25
(Seasons on other species may be found on
the TPW Web site — tpwd.state.tx.us/)
Apparel
None of these companies existed five years
ago.
Frisco-based Foxy Huntress launched in
January, a few months after SHE Safari in
Conroe. Long Grass of San Antonio is the veteran, having entered the market four years ago.
All three were started by women who set out
on African safaris with deep frustration over not
being able to find anything to wear, at least
nothing cut specifically for a woman.
“Everything I found just looked like modified
men’s clothing,’’ said Pam Zaitz, founder of SHE
Safari.
And she wasn’t alone.
According to Zaitz, “One lady said, ‘I’m tired
of looking like a big bag, a big camo bag.’ ’’
And that conundrum has probably kept a lot
of women from going afield, said Shelah
Zmigrosky, founder of Foxy Huntress.
“I thought that if women had better-looking,
more functional clothes, the outdoors would be
more appealing to them,’’ Zmigrosky said.
“After all, we don’t wear men’s clothes to play
golf, but we used to!’’
The proprietors got busy designing their own
lines of shirts, jackets, pants and skirts. They
hunted for materials and recruited manufacturers. Then came marketing and, finally, sales.
It’s a good time to be in the market, according
to a recent survey from the National Sporting
Goods Association. It found that 2.4 million
women in the United States enjoy hunting, and
an estimated 150,000 of them live in Texas.
The three clothing lines each offer something
different to these potential customers.
Grouper
His 14/0 circle hook, baited with a squid and
mackerel and packing 60 ounces of lead, hit the
600-foot deep waters and headed straight to the
bottom hooking up with a 302.7–pound battler.
“At first, it basically felt like a sledgehammer
hit,”Reyes said. “When I set the hook, the fish
hit me right back and almost dropped me to my
knees.
“Then I just leaned into the reel and cranked
as hard as I could for about 25 or 30 minutes
until he came to the surface about 60 feet
Melody Rutkowski of Long Grass Outfitters
said her clothes involve traditional designs;
they’re made of cotton that’s both soft as wellwashed denim, yet impervious to the thorny
African bush.
She said SHE Safari offers trendier styles,
while the “Safari Chic’’ items from Foxy
Huntress add dressier fashions for a big game
awards banquet or the sporting clays clubhouse.
The proprietors agree that all three lines complement each other, which is easy, Rutkowski
said, since a lot of traditional safari clothes are
versatile khaki or olive.
Add a few accessories and the outdoors
woman can easily move from the deer blind to
the lodge, just in time for happy hour.
“You can mix it up and spice it up,’’ she said.
“It’s really not competition because we each
contribute to each other’s successes.’’
The mutual appreciation isn’t just lip service.
Long Grass sells some items from SHE Safari.
Likewise, SHE Safari and Foxy Huntress have
been picked up by Orvis, which highlighted
both companies at recent fund-raisers it held in
Dallas and Houston.
Competition, however, is sure to accelerate.
Designer Shannon McMullan has announced on her Web site that her firm,
BeauHunter, will soon launch its Ozona collection, inspired by the days she spent hunting on
her family’s ranch in West Texas.
Meanwhile, Africa Safari Outdoor Importers
of Houston is licensed to distribute the famous
TAG Safari and Travel Clothing from Zimbabwe,
which includes a line for women.
“I hope they all do well,’’ Zmigrosky said.
“And I hope they’ll go out and support women.
“It’s not just about selling clothes.’’
behind the boat. I have never experienced anything that acted like that fish did, but it didn’t
take me long to catch because of the equipment
I was using.”
For the first time, the angler had partnered
with an Avet 30 ProExW 30/2 loaded with 250pound test Power Pro.
“That Avet is a real wench and a killer piece of
tackle,” Reyes said. “I had never used an Avet
before and I have never hooked up with a fish
like that. It was the fish of a lifetime.”
The catch is pending certification by Texas
Parks and Wildlife as a state record. The record is
277 pounds, 72.5 inches, caught in 1989 in the
Gulf by Aubrey Eastwood.
MADE IN TEXAS
Dickies: From bib overalls to camo
‘The same men who work hard all week hunt on the weekend’
By Mary Helen
Aguirre
In 1922, the WilliamsonDickie
Manufacturing
Company’s focus was on
making bib overalls for the
working man.
Over the next several
decades, the Fort Worth
manufacturer would grow
steadily, transforming itself
into the largest workwear
manufacturer in the world.
Along the way, the
Dickies label made its way
into the mainstream with
such items as the ubiquitous khaki pants, which are
very much at home in the
office, on the school campus and in the closets of soccer
moms.
And, now, Dickies has gone camo.
It was about four years ago, said
Jon Ragsdale, vice president of marketing and development for Dickies,
that the company started looking
into a hunting apparel line.
“We’re a lifestyle brand,” he said.
“The same men who work hard all
week hunt on the weekend.”
Ragsdale said the company recognized it had the brand strength to
bring the new line to market and set
about acquiring a license to produce
garments with the Mossy Oak and
the Realtree brand camouflage patterns.
In the fall of 2004, Dickies rolled
out its outdoor apparel in three
lines: the Dickies Signature, the Big
Game and the Waterfowl series.
Since its debut, the division has
grown appreciably, Ragsdale said.
The company’s Web site, which touts its camouflage
products as combining the best attributes of its
famous workwear with the time-honored tradition of
Texas, features more than 25 garments ranging from
pants to jackets to shirts and, yes, to bib overalls.
Brad Faris, general manager of the Outerwear and
Hunting Apparel Division,
said the hunting gear is
available at Sportsman’s
Warehouse, Cabela’s, Bass
Pro Shop, Big 5 Sporting
Goods, plus various farm
and ranch stores.
He said the top sellers are
the signature twill longsleeve, button-down shirt
and the signature twill sixpocket pants.
Although the hunting
apparel is made with the
same attention to quality
that has made its workwear
No. 1., the difference is in
the details.
“We don’t use Velcro
because of the noise,” Faris
said.
The hunting garments
also feature quieter zippers and a soft
Quietweave canvas. Clothing is treated with a WeatherGuard water-repellant finish for those hunters who
need to wait it out in the rain.
One of the company’s latest offerings includes the Dickies Big Game
Arctic Shield Coat, which contains
the Arctic Sheild Re-tain barrier for
exceptional warmth.
The coat is one of many items
offered in partnership with
Camowest.
The Colorado company designed
the Vanish camoflauge pattern,
which is a spruce and pine pattern
for western hunters and in 2006
introduced its Arid pattern. Marc
Carlton, a partner at Camowest, said
Dickies is their official licensee. “The
relationship has been positive for
us.”
Coming in early 2007, Dickies will
unveil Camowest’s new Hybrid pattern in several of its garments. Plus, it’ll roll out its new
moisture-absorbing shirt made from a hydrophilic
fabric.
For Dickies retailers, visit the company’s Web site at
www.dickies.com or call the customer help line at
(866) 411-1501.
A NEW STITCH: In the fall of 2004, Dickies rolled out its outdoor apparel.
Swimbait
Flounder
of gigging.
“The first thing is, you want to see the fish
before you get to it,” Clark said. “You want to
have the gig horizontal with its body, pretty
much straight up and down. You want to hit
them about three inches behind their eyeballs,
in the gill plates — which are the hardest part of
their bodies — so they don’t come off the gig
when you sling them in the boat.
The 13-year veteran guide said some people
like to gig out of the sand “because they are easier to see,” but he has his own way of doing
things. “I gig 80 percent of my fish out of the
grass, where the grass meets the sand, in potholes, along bank edges or out in the open in
one to two feet of water,” he said. “I find a lot of
them in potholes because when the tide drops,
the water is deep enough for them to lay in and
they don’t have to move. If they don’t have to
move, they’re not going to move.”
When it comes to gigging, flounder are not
the only game in town. “You can also gig
sheepshead and drums,” Clark said, adding “so
just about anything with black and white stripes
is a target.
“Sheepshead do not move until you swing at
them, but the drum are on a roll all the time —
you have pretty much one chance to get them
and that’s it.”
After mid-December, flounder begin to “flood
out” deeper into the Gulf. “The males are only
fertile between nine and 13 inches, and they
only move out to spawn when they are fertile,”
Clark said.
But, as the seekers of the tasty treat know, the
odd-looking fish will soon return to the shallows. “They trickle back in from the Gulf in the
springtime — in April, May and June.
“They typically lose about one-third of their
weight during the offshore spawn, but they are
still flounder.”
style lip are so important, if the bait you choose has such a
lip. Some do, including bigger models made vogue by West
Coast anglers and the new King Shad.
“It’s a hybrid crankbait-swimbait lure that can be awesome when things are right,” said pro angler Mark
Menendez of Kentucky. “Because it has the bigger lip, it
dives and can be retrieved at faster speeds if that’s what you
need to attract strikes. It also can be retrieved slowly and
with the hinged body, that gives it a pretty seductive wiggle
in the water.
“I’ve caught some good bass on it, and although I haven’t
tried it specifically for stripers or hybrids yet I’m sure they
would tear it up, too.”
Soft plastic baits typically don’t have the lip and rely on
the narrow “neck” in front of the rudder tail to help give it
the wobbling attraction. Getting the bait tuned right so it
has the right motion is critical, said longtime pro Byron
Velvick of Del Rio.
You can get a bait running true again with a couple of
quick fixes, although you don’t want to rush the job. Take
your time.
First, you can clip small portions of the plastic away in
front of the tail to make the tail wiggle a bit more violently.
Do this at the top and bottom with a razor blade or scissors,
and chip away just a bit at a time. You can always take off,
but you can’t put it back on.
Or, if the tail or body is bent a bit from being crammed in
a tackle box or the original packaging, boil some water in a
pot on the stove and dip the bait into the water momentarily. You want the plastic to get warm enough to be pliable so
you can straighten the tail and let it “reset” properly.
“For the best tail action, especially with the (paddle-style)
pogy tail, it needs to have a good rudder to it,” Velvick said.
“If you cast the bait and retrieve it with a pretty good pace
and notice the bait glides more than it swims, it’s useless.”
Unlike the King Shad, most soft plastic baits work better
with a slower retrieve. You want to mimic a big shad swimming along, looking around, taking it easy and presenting
itself as a big meal to a big bass.
“You want it to wobble so it keeps its integrity,” Velvick
said. “These baits are very effective at slower speeds.”
GOTCHA: Capt. Tray Clark brings in a late-October flounder near Port Aransas.
Ducks
reported steady action on teal, widgeon and
good numbers of pintail, with increasing
numbers of mallard being observed.
Dan Rhodes of Dallas hunted near
Seymour. “We hunted two small lakes with
action fairly steady very early and then slowing around 7:30 to 8,” he said. “There were
lots of ringnecks and redheads in the area, as
well as widgeon. We didn’t see many mallards, but they don’t appear to be in full force
yet.
“Greenwings and shovelers also were mixed
in. We had 4 hunters shoot 15 birds on the
two lakes. The lakes are full with heavy recent
rains and look great.”
Reports from the Eastland and Comanche
areas were good as well, despite low-water
conditions. “Four of us managed to get 18 on
opening day — mostly widgeon,” said Bryan
Mansel of Murphy. “The water is very low,
but there is a lot of grass in some of the ponds.
The ducks wanted in, and responded well to
the calls.”
Kevin Mconnell hunted near Eastland.
Limits were taken by nine hunters of teal, gadwall and widgeon. “I grabbed the wrong bag
and brought my Mojo dove instead of my
Mojo mallard,” he said. We put it out anyway
and it actually worked. We had birds working
from surise through late morning.”
Some hunters on public waters in north
Texas reported difficulty. “We only managed
to get two ducks and didn’t see very many,
said Chad Leksan of Plano who hunted on
Lake Lavon. “The water is so low there is very
little cover.”
Rudy Boyd of Grapevine hunted near Italy.
“There were more birds on Saturday, but they
all wanted to be in the middle of the lake,” he
said. “The water was so shallow near the
shore that I had to put the decoys over my
footprints to get them to float.
“Two hunters brought home seven ducks
on Sunday, including a banded drake mallard,
Boyd’s first. “I was pretty excited about that,”
he said.
WEEKEND LANDING: Despite low water levels in some areas, ducks were still flocking to ponds across
Texas on opening weekend.
A new
season
H
unters have been waiting 10 months for this
day, gathering information from magazines
and newspapers —
watching and waiting.
They have attended expo shows
and seen all the new stuff, adding to
the excitement of what’s to come. A
trip has been made to the lease to fill
feeders, check the cabin and cut the
grass.
Opening morning comes. A
Deer harvest shapes up — Page 1
hunter sits in a new tripod stand,
waiting, watching and listening.
The eyes become heavy as he stares
into the outdoors for the first sighting
of a deer. Resting his head on the
stand, the mind wanders back to all
the things having to be done back at
the office.
Then, after a shake of the head and
wiping of the eyes, the hunter looks
again. Was that a deer? Thoughts surface of what the other guys are seeing.
Another lease member has his 5year-old boy in the stand for the first
time. He has had no time to think
about the office — the boy keeps asking the same questions. He answers
and answers. The questions keep
coming.
He thinks; Is this going to work? All
this noise? All this movement?
Suddenly a super nice buck is stand-
STORY
ing 30 yards looking directly at him.
He can’t move. The boy asks, is that a
big one? You answer, again … it was.
The sun casts a shadow of his gun
on the plywood blind as the day
wears on.
He hears a shot. He visualizes a
deer, down in the grass, with a proud
grandfather standing with an even
prouder grandson looking at their
trophy.
A season well worth the wait.
AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY
DAVID J. SAMS
PRODUCT PICKS
SMALL BOAT MOTOR: Yamaha's
new F20 and F15C outboard
motors are designed for
tenders, inflatables and
other small boats. Under
the one-piece cowling,
Yamaha has
engineered a largedisplacement, 2cylinder 22.1 cubic
inch four-stroke
powerhead with a
single overhead
camshaft to
maximize power while
minimizing weight and
size. The outboards
feature offset cylinders
for a more compact
shape; plus, a largevolume air intake silencer and
streamlined intake manifold
for less noise. Both models are
available in 15-and 20-inch shaft
lengths. Depending on options, the
F20 sells for about
$3,410 and the F15 for about
$3,030. For more features or
options, visit
www.yamahaoutboards.com
or call (800) 889-2624.
DON'T BE BUGGED: The COTMASTER SLEEP
ENCLOSURE by SCS Ltd. protects against
mosquitoes and other insects. The net
system boasts easy setup on a variety of
sleeping surfaces such as cots, beds
or sleeping bags. It is available in
two options: white 210 mesh
50 denier netting and green
310 mesh 50 denier
netting. When open, it
is 80 inches long and
28 to 40 inches wide.
Folded, it measures
24 by 4 inches. The
Cotmaster enclosure
system consists of the
netting, two shockcorded rods, a set of
four support straps, the
base cloth, carry bag
and instructions. It
costs about $65. For
information, call
(800) 749-8425 or
visit www.cotmaster.
com. To purchase,
visit www.scsmall.com.
PRACTICAL JACKET: Wrangler ProGear's new hooded Shooter Jacket
was designed for upland game hunters and competitive target
shooters. The taupe jacket has padded blaze-orange recoil panels
on both the left and right shoulders for left- or right-handed
shooting. The jacket also features quilted nylon lining, polyester
insulation, a zip and button-down design, a spread collar with
fleece hood, plus more. It sells for about $50. For dealers, visit
www.wrangler.com or call (888) 784-8571.
THE BOOK ON BASS: "Bass Madness: Bigmouths, Big Money,
and Big Dreams at the Bassmaster Classic" (Wiley; $24.95)
takes a behind-the-scenes look at the national fishing
competition. Award-winning author and fishing authority
Ken Schultz focuses on the 2005 and 2006 Bassmaster
Classics and shares insight on topics ranging from the
professional anglers to the fans to the effect media and
marketing has had on the sport. He also writes about the
history and lore of the bass in his 320-page hardcover
book. To purchase, check with local booksellers or visit
www.wiley.com.
PREMIUM BULLET PERFORMANCE: The Fusion bullet is
high-tech centerfire rifle ammunition especially for
deer. According to the company: Fusion technology
creates a deer bullet of unimagined kinetic force by
electrochemically joining pure copper to an extreme
pressure-formed core. Applying the jacket to the
core one molecule at a time eliminates separation
to ensure mass integrity. The Fusion bullet is
available in different calibers and ranges in cost
from about $16-$20 for a box of 20 of the .243
95-grain bullets to about $30-$35 for 20 of the
.338 225-grain bullets. For dealers, call (800)
322-2342 or visit www.federalpremium.com. For
more information on the bullet, visit
www.fusionammo.com.
FIT FOR A PHARAOH:
Coleman's
Cloudcroft mummy
bags, with
temperature
ratings of 40, 20
and 0 degrees,
feature goosedown
insulation with
310 Tactel nylon
cover and liner
material. The
sleeping bags
have semisculpted hoods,
draft tubes and
baffle-weave
construction for
retaining warmth. The
bottom is angled to
allow for the foot's
natural position during
sleep. The orange-and-black
bags are offered in 31 by 80
inches and 32 by 88 inches.
They range in cost from about
$120 to $215. For more
information about Coleman
Exponent products, visit
www.coleman.com or call (800)
835-3278.
A VERSATILE BOW:
BowTech's new
Tribute Bow promises
stability, smoothness
and versatile
performance. The
company attributes its
Binary Cam System, which
slaves the cams to each
other so they never rotate out
of tune, for being at the
heart of the Tribute’s
performance. The bow is
31.5 inches long with a long
riser that provides stability.
The cams come with two
draw-length modules,
allowing archers to customize
their shooting for different
situations. The 4.1-pound
Tribute costs about $750.
For dealers, call (888)-6891289 or visit
www.bowtecharchery.com.
BETTER VIEWING: Cabela's has joined forces with
Bushnell to produce the CLR 1200 Laser Rangefinder.
The 9.6-ounce rangefinder delivers measurement
readings from five yards to 1,200 yards on reflective
objects (400 yards on deer-size game). Built-in rain
and reflect modes enhance accuracy in harsh weather
and when ranging distant objects through close-up
ground clutter such as tall grass or brush. Available in
black (about $300) and Seclusion 3D Camo (about
$320). For information, visit www.cabelas.com.
WEATHER
MOON PHASES
For up-to-the-minute weather forecasts, please visit www.accuweather.com
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2006
Last
Nov 12
SOLUNAR TABLE
New
Nov 20
First
Nov 28
Full
Dec 4
TIDES
High
Sabine Pass
11/8
7:28 p.m.
11/9
8:55 p.m.
11/10
10:34 p.m.
11/11
11:26 p.m.
11/12
11:41 p.m.
11/13
11:43 p.m.
11/14
9:57 a.m.
11/15
11:46 a.m.
11/16
1:05 p.m.
11/17
2:06 p.m.
11/18
2:55 p.m.
11/19
3:38 p.m.
11/20
4:20 p.m.
11/21
5:05 p.m.
11/22
5:57 p.m.
11/23
6:59 p.m.
11/24
12:16 a.m.
11/25
12:47 a.m.
11/26
1:04 a.m.
11/27
10:05 p.m.
11/28
10:15 p.m.
Port Bolivar
11/8
9:43 p.m.
11/9
11:10 p.m.
11/10
—11/11
12:49 a.m.
11/12
1:41 a.m.
11/13
1:56 a.m.
11/14
1:58 a.m.
11/15
1:57 a.m.
11/16
1:58 a.m.
11/17
1:59 a.m.
11/18
1:59 a.m.
11/19
1:57 a.m.
11/20
1:48 a.m.
11/21
7:20 p.m.
11/22
8:12 p.m.
11/23
9:14 p.m.
11/24
2:31 a.m.
11/25
3:02 a.m.
11/26
3:19 a.m.
11/27
12:06 a.m.
11/28
12:20 a.m.
San Luis Pass
11/8
8:37 p.m.
11/9
10:04 p.m.
11/10
11:43 p.m.
11/11
—11/12
12:35 a.m.
11/13
12:50 a.m.
11/14
12:52 a.m.
11/15
12:51 a.m.
11/16
12:52 a.m.
11/17
12:53 a.m.
11/18
12:53 a.m.
11/19
12:51 a.m.
11/20
12:42 a.m.
11/21
6:14 p.m.
11/22
7:06 p.m.
11/23
8:08 p.m.
11/24
1:25 a.m.
11/25
1:56 a.m.
11/26
2:13 a.m.
11/27
11:14 p.m.
11/28
11:24 p.m.
Low
High
Low
11:01 a.m.
11:55 a.m.
12:54 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
3:13 p.m.
4:25 p.m.
7:19 a.m.
7:15 a.m.
7:21 a.m.
7:33 a.m.
7:49 a.m.
8:10 a.m.
8:36 a.m.
9:07 a.m.
9:42 a.m.
10:22 a.m.
11:07 a.m.
11:57 a.m.
12:52 p.m.
1:53 p.m.
3:03 p.m.
——————11:42 p.m.
11:43 p.m.
11:44 p.m.
11:44 p.m.
11:42 p.m.
11:33 p.m.
————8:13 p.m.
—9:51 p.m.
——-
——————5:31 p.m.
6:27 p.m.
7:18 p.m.
8:05 p.m.
8:50 p.m.
9:31 p.m.
———10:37 p.m.
10:53 p.m.
————-
11:48 a.m.
12:42 p.m.
1:41 p.m.
2:47 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
5:12 p.m.
8:06 a.m.
8:02 a.m.
8:08 a.m.
8:20 a.m.
8:36 a.m.
8:57 a.m.
9:23 a.m.
9:54 a.m.
10:29 a.m.
11:09 a.m.
11:54 a.m.
12:44 p.m.
1:39 p.m.
2:40 p.m.
3:50 p.m.
——————12:12 p.m.
2:01 p.m.
3:20 p.m.
4:21 p.m.
5:10 p.m.
5:53 p.m.
6:35 p.m.
———10:28 p.m.
————-
——————6:18 p.m.
7:14 p.m.
8:05 p.m.
8:52 p.m.
9:37 p.m.
10:18 p.m.
———11:24 p.m.
11:40 p.m.
————-
11:30 a.m.
12:24 p.m.
1:23 p.m.
2:29 p.m.
3:42 p.m.
4:54 p.m.
7:48 a.m.
7:44 a.m.
7:50 a.m.
8:02 a.m.
8:18 a.m.
8:39 a.m.
9:05 a.m.
9:36 a.m.
10:11 a.m.
10:51 a.m.
11:36 a.m.
12:26 p.m.
1:21 p.m.
2:22 p.m.
3:32 p.m.
——————11:06 a.m.
12:55 p.m.
2:14 p.m.
3:15 p.m.
4:04 p.m.
4:47 p.m.
5:29 p.m.
———9:22 p.m.
—11:00 p.m.
——-
——————6:00 p.m.
6:56 p.m.
7:47 p.m.
8:34 p.m.
9:19 p.m.
10:00 p.m.
———11:06 p.m.
11:22 p.m.
————-
High
Freeport
11/8
7:29 p.m.
11/9
8:56 p.m.
11/10
10:35 p.m.
11/11
11:27 p.m.
11/12
11:42 p.m.
11/13
11:44 p.m.
11/14
9:58 a.m.
11/15
11:47 a.m.
11/16
1:06 p.m.
11/17
2:07 p.m.
11/18
2:56 p.m.
11/19
3:39 p.m.
11/20
4:21 p.m.
11/21
5:06 p.m.
11/22
5:58 p.m.
11/23
7:00 p.m.
11/24
12:17 a.m.
11/25
12:48 a.m.
11/26
1:05 a.m.
11/27
10:06 p.m.
11/28
10:16 p.m.
Pass Cavallo
11/8
8:46 p.m.
11/9
10:13 p.m.
11/10
11:52 p.m.
11/11
—11/12
12:44 a.m.
11/13
12:59 a.m.
11/14
1:01 a.m.
11/15
1:00 a.m.
11/16
1:01 a.m.
11/17
1:02 a.m.
11/18
1:02 a.m.
11/19
1:00 a.m.
11/20
12:51 a.m.
11/21
6:23 p.m.
11/22
7:15 p.m.
11/23
8:17 p.m.
11/24
1:34 a.m.
11/25
2:05 a.m.
11/26
2:22 a.m.
11/27
11:23 p.m.
11/28
11:33 p.m.
Port O’Connor
11/8
1:29 a.m.
11/9
2:31 a.m.
11/10
3:24 a.m.
11/11
4:06 a.m.
11/12
4:35 a.m.
11/13
4:45 a.m.
11/14
4:33 a.m.
11/15
4:01 a.m.
11/16
3:08 a.m.
11/17
6:52 p.m.
11/18
7:59 p.m.
11/19
9:03 p.m.
11/20
10:10 p.m.
11/21
11:23 p.m.
11/22
—11/23
12:38 a.m.
11/24
1:47 a.m.
11/25
2:46 a.m.
11/26
3:37 a.m.
11/27
4:18 a.m.
11/28
4:37 a.m.
Low
High
Low
10:31 a.m.
11:25 a.m.
12:24 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2:43 p.m.
3:55 p.m.
6:49 a.m.
6:45 a.m.
6:51 a.m.
7:03 a.m.
7:19 a.m.
7:40 a.m.
8:06 a.m.
8:37 a.m.
9:12 a.m.
9:52 a.m.
10:37 a.m.
11:27 a.m.
12:22 p.m.
1:23 p.m.
2:33 p.m.
——————11:43 p.m.
11:44 p.m.
11:45 p.m.
11:45 p.m.
11:43 p.m.
11:34 p.m.
————8:14 p.m.
—9:52 p.m.
——-
——————5:01 p.m.
5:57 p.m.
6:48 p.m.
7:35 p.m.
8:20 p.m.
9:01 p.m.
———10:07 p.m.
10:23 p.m.
————-
10:19 a.m.
11:13 a.m.
12:12 p.m.
1:18 p.m.
2:31 p.m.
3:43 p.m.
6:37 a.m.
6:33 a.m.
6:39 a.m.
6:51 a.m.
7:07 a.m.
7:28 a.m.
7:54 a.m.
8:25 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
9:40 a.m.
10:25 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
12:10 p.m.
1:11 p.m.
2:21 p.m.
——————11:15 a.m.
1:04 p.m.
2:23 p.m.
3:24 p.m.
4:13 p.m.
4:56 p.m.
5:38 p.m.
———9:31 p.m.
—11:09 p.m.
——-
——————4:49 p.m.
5:45 p.m.
6:36 p.m.
7:23 p.m.
8:08 p.m.
8:49 p.m.
———9:55 p.m.
10:11 p.m.
————-
1:22 p.m.
2:17 p.m.
3:15 p.m.
4:17 p.m.
5:22 p.m.
6:32 p.m.
7:49 p.m.
10:20 a.m.
9:46 a.m.
9:50 a.m.
10:08 a.m.
10:32 a.m.
11:02 a.m.
11:37 a.m.
12:16 p.m.
12:59 p.m.
1:46 p.m.
2:33 p.m.
3:20 p.m.
4:05 p.m.
4:40 p.m.
———————3:05 p.m.
5:25 p.m.
————————————-
———————9:20 p.m.
—————————————-
High
Corpus Christi
11/8
7:37 p.m.
11/9
9:04 p.m.
11/10
10:43 p.m.
11/11
11:35 p.m.
11/12
11:50 p.m.
11/13
11:52 p.m.
11/14
10:06 a.m.
11/15
11:55 a.m.
11/16
1:14 p.m.
11/17
2:15 p.m.
11/18
3:04 p.m.
11/19
3:47 p.m.
11/20
4:29 p.m.
11/21
5:14 p.m.
11/22
6:06 p.m.
11/23
7:08 p.m.
11/24
12:25 a.m.
11/25
12:56 a.m.
11/26
1:13 a.m.
11/27
10:14 p.m.
11/28
10:24 p.m.
South Padre Island
11/8
8:36 p.m.
11/9
9:45 p.m.
11/10
10:39 p.m.
11/11
11:12 p.m.
11/12
11:28 p.m.
11/13
11:31 p.m.
11/14
9:22 a.m.
11/15
11:59 a.m.
11/16
1:37 p.m.
11/17
2:46 p.m.
11/18
3:41 p.m.
11/19
4:29 p.m.
11/20
5:16 p.m.
11/21
6:07 p.m.
11/22
7:03 p.m.
11/23
8:02 p.m.
11/24
8:56 p.m.
11/25
9:38 p.m.
11/26
10:04 p.m.
11/27
10:13 p.m.
11/28
10:08 p.m.
Port Isabel
11/8
8:36 p.m.
11/9
10:03 p.m.
11/10
11:42 p.m.
11/11
—11/12
12:34 a.m.
11/13
12:49 a.m.
11/14
12:51 a.m.
11/15
12:50 a.m.
11/16
12:51 a.m.
11/17
12:52 a.m.
11/18
12:52 a.m.
11/19
12:50 a.m.
11/20
12:41 a.m.
11/21
6:13 p.m.
11/22
7:05 p.m.
11/23
8:07 p.m.
11/24
1:24 a.m.
11/25
1:55 a.m.
11/26
2:12 a.m.
11/27
11:13 p.m.
11/28
11:23 p.m.
OUTDOOR PUZZLER
For crossword puzzle solution, see Page 22
ACROSS
1. Swimming mammal trapped for the
fur
4. A scouting method for deer
9. Shells and arrows
10. A trophy size game fish
11. This permits using smaller caliber
ammo
14. A predator fish
16. A shooting sport
18. A female pheasant
19. A fly lure
20. A fishrod grommet
21. Term for a three-bladed arrow
23. They fly in formation
25. To firm a hook
26. The ring-_____ pheasant
28. Estimating how fresh game tracks
are
30. A finger protector, shooting ____
31. Describes vision of the turkey
33. Fishing boat gear
35. Arrow receptacle, quiver _____
37. Good food bait for traps
40. A very large bass
41. A female bear
42. 31 across refers to these
43. The home of the Key deer
45. A hand-held clay target thrower
48. A large caribou
49. Coues, Key, Sitka
50. Guides a fish through the water
52. This can reveal a gobbler’s age
53. A predator to the wild turkey
DOWN
1. He will attack a wild turkey
2. Parts of the antlers
3. Part of a fishing rod
5. To aim ahead of a game on the run
6. Method of getting close to a game
7. Classed as a nuisance fish
8. A type of turkey call
Low
High
Low
10:09 a.m.
11:03 a.m.
12:02 p.m.
1:08 p.m.
2:21 p.m.
3:33 p.m.
6:27 a.m.
6:23 a.m.
6:29 a.m.
6:41 a.m.
7:18 a.m.
7:18 a.m.
7:44 a.m.
8:15 a.m.
8:50 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:15 a.m.
11:05 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
1:01 p.m.
2:11 p.m.
——————11:51 p.m.
11:52 p.m.
11:53 p.m.
11:53 p.m.
11:30 p.m.
11:42 p.m.
————8:22 p.m.
—10:00 p.m.
——-
——————4:39 p.m.
5:35 p.m.
6:26 p.m.
7:13 p.m.
7:58 p.m.
8:39 p.m.
———9:45 p.m.
10:01 p.m.
————-
10:09 a.m.
11:04 a.m.
12:01 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
2:02 p.m.
3:05 p.m.
6:22 a.m.
6:02 a.m.
6:12 a.m.
6:29 a.m.
6:49 a.m.
7:13 a.m.
7:41 a.m.
8:13 a.m.
8:50 a.m.
9:32 a.m.
10:19 a.m.
11:10 a.m.
12:04 p.m.
1:02 p.m.
2:08 p.m.
——————11:23 p.m.
11:05 p.m.
10:33 p.m.
————————————-
——————4:11 p.m.
5:23 p.m.
6:49 p.m.
————————————-
10:40 a.m.
11:34 a.m.
12:33 p.m.
1:39 p.m.
2:52 p.m.
4:04 p.m.
6:58 a.m.
6:54 a.m.
7:00 a.m.
7:12 a.m.
7:28 a.m.
7:49 a.m.
8:15 a.m.
8:46 a.m.
9:21 a.m.
10:01 a.m.
10:46 a.m.
11:36 a.m.
12:31 p.m.
1:32 p.m.
2:42 p.m.
——————11:05 a.m.
12:54 p.m.
2:13 p.m.
3:14 p.m.
4:03 p.m.
4:46 p.m.
5:28 p.m.
———9:21 p.m.
—10:59 p.m.
——-
——————5:10 p.m.
6:06 p.m.
6:57 p.m.
7:44 p.m.
8:29 p.m.
9:10 p.m.
———10:16 p.m.
10:32 p.m.
————-
11/8
11/9
11/10
11/11
11/12
11/13
11/14
11/15
11/16
11/17
11/18
11/19
11/20
11/21
11/22
11/23
11/24
11/25
11/26
11/27
11/28
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
Amarillo
1:16a/7:31a
1:46p/8:01p
2:22a/8:37a
2:51p/9:06p
3:25a/9:38a
3:52p/10:05p
4:22a/10:34a
4:47p/10:59p
5:12a/11:24a
5:35p/11:46p
5:56a/12:07p
6:17p/——
6:35a/12:25a
6:55p/12:45p
7:11a/1:01a
7:30p/1:21p
7:45a/1:35a
8:04p/1:54p
8:19a/2:09a
8:39p/2:29p
8:55a/2:44a
9:16p/3:06p
9:35a/3:24a
9:58p/3:47p
10:21a/4:09a
10:46p/4:33p
11:12a/4:59a
11:38p/5:25p
12:08p/5:55a
——/6:22p
12:40a/6:55a
1:09p/7:23p
1:42a/7:57a
2:11p/8:25p
2:45a/8:58a
3:12p/9:26p
3:45a/9:58a
4:11p/10:25p
4:41a/10:53a
5:06p/11:19p
5:32a/11:44a
5:56p/——
1:22a/7:37a
1:52p/8:07p
2:28a/8:43a
2:57p/9:12p
3:31a/9:44a
3:58p/10:11p
4:28a/10:40a
4:53p/11:05p
5:18a/11:30a
5:41p/11:52p
6:02a/12:13p
6:23p/——
6:41a/12:31a
7:01p/12:51p
7:17a/1:07a
7:36p/1:27p
7:51a/1:41a
8:10p/2:00p
8:25a/2:15a
8:45p/2:35p
9:01a/2:50a
9:22p/3:12p
9:41a/3:30a
10:04p/3:53p
10:27a/4:15a
10:52p/4:39p
11:18a/5:05a
11:44p/5:31p
12:14p/6:01a
——/6:28p
—-/7:01a
5:56a/7:29p
6:17p/8:03a
6:35a/8:31p
6:55p/9:04a
7:11a/9:32p
7:30p/10:04a
7:45a/10:31p
8:04p/10:59a
8:19a/11:25p
8:39p/11:50a
8:55a/——
SUN AND
Sunrise/set
11/8
11/9
11/10
11/11
11/12
11/13
11/14
11/15
11/16
11/17
11/18
11/19
11/20
11/21
11/22
11/23
11/24
11/25
11/26
11/27
11/28
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
Amarillo
6:52a/5:31p
6:53a/5:31p
6:54a/5:30p
6:55a/5:29p
6:56a/5:29p
6:56a/5:28p
6:57a/5:27p
6:58a/5:27p
6:59a/5:26p
7:00a/5:26p
7:01a/5:25p
7:02a/5:25p
7:03a/5:24p
7:04a/5:24p
7:05a/5:24p
7:06a/5:23p
7:06a/5:23p
7:07a/5:23p
7:08a/5:22p
7:09a/5:22p
7:10a/5:22p
6:52a/5:43p
6:53a/5:42p
6:54a/5:41p
6:55a/5:41p
6:55a/5:40p
6:56a/5:40p
6:57a/5:39p
6:58a/5:39p
6:59a/5:38p
7:00a/5:38p
7:00a/5:37p
7:01a/5:37p
7:02a/5:37p
7:03a/5:36p
7:04a/5:36p
7:04a/5:36p
7:05a/5:36p
7:06a/5:35p
7:07a/5:35p
7:08a/5:35p
7:09a/5:35p
7:15a/5:46p
7:16a/5:45p
7:17a/5:44p
7:18a/5:44p
7:19a/5:43p
7:19a/5:42p
7:20a/5:42p
7:21a/5:41p
7:22a/5:40p
7:23a/5:40p
7:24a/5:39p
7:25a/5:39p
7:26a/5:38p
7:27a/5:38p
7:28a/5:37p
7:29a/5:37p
7:30a/5:36p
7:31a/5:36p
7:32a/5:36p
7:33a/5:35p
7:34a/5:35p
Dallas
San Antonio
Amarillo
Moonrise/set
Houston
11/8 8:12p/10:13a 8:10p/10:29a
11/9 9:15p/11:10a 9:13p/11:26a
11/1010:18p/11:58a 10:17p/12:13p
11/1111:18p/12:38p 11:19p/12:51p
11/12 none/1:11p none/1:24p
11/13 12:15a/1:41p 12:18a/1:51p
11/14 1:10a/2:07p 1:14a/2:16p
11/15 2:03a/2:33p 2:09a/2:40p
11/16 2:56a/2:58p 3:03a/3:03p
11/17 3:49a/3:24p 3:58a/3:28p
11/18 4:43a/3:53p 4:54a/3:55p
11/19 5:40a/4:25p 5:53a/4:26p
11/20 6:39a/5:03p 6:54a/5:02p
11/21 7:41a/5:47p 7:56a/5:45p
11/22 8:42a/6:39p 8:58a/6:36p
11/23 9:40a/7:38p 9:56a/7:35p
11/24 10:32a/8:41p 10:48a/8:40p
11/25 11:19a/9:47p 11:33a/9:47p
11/2611:59a/10:54p 12:12p/10:55p
11/27 3:49a/3:24p 3:58a/3:28p
11/28 1:08p/none 1:17p/12:03a
32.
34.
35.
36.
38.
39.
43.
44.
46.
47.
51.
These reveal age of some game
They propel the boat
A male moose
An animal resting place
A popular brand of camouflage
A deer at rest
Turkeys have a spur on these
At times, walleyes seek _____ water
A game bird
A type of fly lure
Letters mean a shotgun model
Outdoor Puzzler,
Wilbur "Wib" Lundeen
8:27p/10:24a 8:21p/10:57a
9:29p/11:21a 9:25p/11:53a
10:32p/12:09p 10:30p/12:39p
11:32p/12:50p 11:33p/1:16p
none/1:23p none/1:47p
12:29a/1:53p 12:33a/2:13p
1:23a/2:20p 1:31a/2:37p
2:16a/2:45p 2:28a/2:59p
3:08a/3:11p 3:23a/3:21p
4:01a/3:37p 4:19a/3:44p
4:56a/4:06p 5:17a/4:10p
5:52a/4:39p 6:17a/4:39p
6:51a/5:17p 7:20a/5:14p
7:52a/6:01p 8:23a/5:57p
8:53a/6:53p 9:26a/6:47p
9:51a/7:52p 10:24a/7:47p
10:44a/8:56p 11:15a/8:52p
11:31a/10:01p 11:59a/10:01p
12:11p/11:07p 12:36p/11:10p
4:01a/3:37p 4:19a/3:44p
1:20p/12:12a 1:38p/12:19a
WILD IN THE KITCHEN
Grilled Trout with
Sugar Snap Peas
Instructions:
Place trout in a shallow dish; set
Used to position a hunter’s stand
The Hawiian goose
A wild turkey predator
A species of goose
A species of the grouse
Name for the chinook salmon
A type of shooting
To spook game toward the hunters
Field habitat preferred by quail
A group of decoys
A male grouse
The main fin on a fish
MOON
6:40a/5:29p
6:41a/5:29p
6:42a/5:28p
6:43a/5:28p
6:44a/5:27p
6:45a/5:26p
6:45a/5:26p
6:46a/5:25p
6:47a/5:25p
6:48a/5:25p
6:49a/5:24p
6:50a/5:24p
6:50a/5:23p
6:51a/5:23p
6:52a/5:23p
6:53a/5:22p
6:54a/5:22p
6:54a/5:22p
6:55a/5:22p
6:56a/5:22p
6:57a/5:21p
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
• four 8-ounce rainbow trout
or white salmon
•1/4 cup unsweetened
orange juice
•2 tablespoons soy sauce
•1 tablespoon brown sugar
•1 tablespoon rice vinegar
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•1 tablespoon grated orange
peel
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•one 9-ounce package frozen
sugar snap peas
•2 tablespoons soy sauce
•2 oranges, peeled and
sectioned
•1 tablespoon sliced almonds
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
19.
22.
24.
25.
27.
29.
Major/Minor periods:
aside. Combine the next 7 ingredients; mix well and pour over
trout, spooning some inside fish
cavity. Cover and refrigerate 1
hour. Remove fish from marinade;
set aside.
Coat a fish rack with vegetable
cooking spray. Arrange trout on
rack; close and secure. Brush with
marinade. Place rack on grill 4
inches to 5 inches from hot coals.
Grill, brushing with marinade
and turning once, just until fish
begins to flake when tested with a
fork, allowing 5 to 6 minutes on
each side. Cook peas according to
package directions. Stir in soy
sauce. Add oranges and almonds
and toss gently. To serve, place
trout on individual serving plates.
Spoon peas and oranges onto
each plate.
Recipe courtesy of The National
Fisheries Institute, www.aboutseafood.com.
FISHING REPORT
HOT BITES
LARGEMOUTH
BASS
AMISTAD: Black bass are very good on
topwaters, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, soft
plastics, Senkos, and jigs. Striped bass
are good on red fins under birds.
BROWNWOOD: Black bass are excellent
on green pumpkin/watermelon Grande
Bass 4" cannibals, and on redbug and
green pumpkin 4" finesse worms near
docks and brushpiles in 5 - 10 feet,
and one flukes along the shoreline.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Black bass
are excellent on watermelon and Cotton
Candy Texas-rigged worms in the creek
channels and off secondary points, and
on black/blue jigs and Texas-rigs around
docks.
WHITE
HYBRID
STRIPER
ARROWHEAD: White bass are very good
on shad-imitation lures and white soft
plastics off points and flats with some
surface action.
RAY ROBERTS: White bass are excellent on chartreuse slabs and CC jigging
spoons in 25-40 feet under birds.
CATFISH
BASTROP: Channel and blue catfish are
excellent on bloodbait and frozen
shrimp.
CHOKE CANYON: Channel and blue
catfish are excellent on Lewis' Select
bait and CJ crawfish catfish bait in 6 20 feet.
FALCON: Channel and blue catfish are
excellent on cutbait, shad, stinkbait,
and frozen shrimp.
MEDINA: Channel, blue, and yellow
catfish to 6 pounds are very good on
Lewis' Select bait, CJ crawfish catfish
bait, and on juglines baited with perch
and goldfish in 6 - 15 feet.
CRAPPIE
CADDO: Crappie are excellent on minnows and jigs.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Crappie are very
good on live minnows in 15 feet.
BREAM
WEATHERFORD: Bream are excellent
on worms.
the moss edges. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs in 20 feet. Catfish are
ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees. Black bass are fair on shadcolored soft jerkbaits, shad-colored spinnerbaits and dark soft plastics worked
fair on Canadian nightcrawlers, bloodbait, and stinkbait in 20 feet - closer to
along timber during day. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.
the bank at night. Bream are slow.
AMISTAD: Water clear; 78 degrees. White bass are fair on Rat-L-Traps. Crappie
LAVON: Water stained; 61-66 degrees; 16.64' low. Catfish are fair to good
are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on cheesebait, shrimp, and nightdrifting fresh shad around main lake points in 15 - 30 feet - fish cormorant
crawlers in 8 - 30 feet. Yellow catfish are good on live perch.
roosts in the north ends of the lake with Danny King's Punchbait early for good
action.
ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 5.6' low. Black bass to 7pounds are good near shallow points and floating aquatic vegetation on spinLBJ: Water clear; 69 degrees; 0.15' low. Black bass to 5 pounds are good on
nerbaits and topwater lures, and on crankbaits off riprap areas. Crappie are
Bleeding Shad Rat-L-Traps, chartreuse wacky rigged plastic stickbaits such as
good on minnows near derricks suspended 20 feet and fair near state park
Whacky Sticks, and pumpkin/green Curb's 3/16oz. jigs tight to submerged laypiers. Catfish are fair on shad, punch bait and juglines lake-wide.
downs and stumps on channel break lines early and late, and dead sticking
Flukes in brushpiles along boat docks.
ATHENS: Water clear, 62-67 degrees; 4.66' low. Catfish are fair to good on
stinkbait.
LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 62-67 degrees; 10.09' low. Black bass are fair on
chrome Crazy Shad and white buzzbaits early, midday switching to CarolinaBELTON: Water murky; 76 degrees; 6.42' low. Channel and blue catfish are
rigged pumpkinseed worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs over brushgood on frozen shad.
piles. White bass are fair on chartreuse/white slabs. Catfish are fair on nightBOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 63-66 degrees; 9.86' low. Black bass are fair on
crawlers and cheesebait.
black/chartreuse Carolina-rigged Power Ribworms and medium diving shad
LIVINGSTON: Water murky; 70 degrees; 0.40' high. Black bass to 4 pounds
pattern crankbaits. White bass are slow to fair on chartreuse/white slabs and
are good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue
minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
catfish are good on shad.
BRAUNIG: Water stained; 83 degrees. Black bass are slow. Channel and blue
MACKENZIE: Water lightly stained; 63 degrees; 72' low. Crappie are good on
catfish are good on liver, cheesebait, shrimp, shad, and perch in 20 - 30 feet.
minnows and jigs. White bass and striped bass are fair on crankbaits and good
BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 62-67 degrees; 16.94' low. Black bass are fair to
on minnows near riprap . Catfish are good on cut baits.
good on topwaters early and late, midday switching to crankbaits and jig-nMEDINA: Water stained; 77 degrees; 32.51' low. White bass are good verticalpigs.
ly jigging KT Lures off main lake points in 20 - 30 feet.
BROWNWOOD: Water clear to stained; 70 degrees; 6.20' low. White bass are
MEREDITH: Water lightly stained; 63
good on green flukes off lighted
degrees; 32.5' low. White bass are
docks at night.
good on minnows and suspended
BUCHANAN: Water clear; 70
jerkbaits along rocky points.
degrees; 20.87' low. Most boat
NASWORTHY: Water lightly stained;
ramps unusable due to low water.
66 degrees. Catfish are good on live
Boaters should use caution. Few fishbaits.
ermen out.
NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 77
CADDO: Water fairly clear to stained;
degrees; 8.25' low. Channel and blue
62-66 degrees; 1.28' low. Yellow
catfish are very good on shrimp and
bass are good on minnows and jigs.
chicken livers near the docks.
CALAVERAS: Water stained; 82
O.H. IVIE: Water lightly stained; 69
degrees. Black bass to 4 pounds are
degrees; 21.79' low. Crappie are
good on crankbaits, dark soft plastic
good on minnows and jigs. White
worms, and live minnows over reed
bass are good on live baits and
beds, near the dam and at Turtle
crankbaits.
Rock early.
POSSUM KINGDOM: Water clear; 63
CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 70
degrees; 2.9' low. Black bass are
degrees; 6.81' low. Smallmouth bass
good near rocky and vegetative cover
are fair to good on root beer finesse
on soft plastics, spinnerbaits; and on
worms on Shaky Head jigheads,
topwater lures early and late in day.
pumpkin Devil's Tongues on drop
White bass are good off shallow
shots, and smoke/red flake tubes on
points, with some surface action on
jigheads in 12 - 25 feet early. Yellow
shad imitation lures. Catfish are good
and blue catfish are fair to good on
on set lines baited with shad in the
live river perch.
upper part of reservoir.
CEDAR CREEK: Water clear; 61-67
PROCTOR: Water stained; 82
degrees; 6.16' low. White bass are
degrees; 7.91' low. Black bass are
good on white Road Runners and
very good on white grubs and
pearl/lemon TailHummers. Hybrid
white/chartreuse spinnerbaits.
striper are good on slabs over humps.
Crappie are good on minnows.
Catfish are good on dead shad drifted
Black bass are good on watermelon red and tequila sunrise soft plastic
Channel and blue catfish are very
over mid-lake humps.
worms and spinnerbaits. White bass are good on minnows near Long
good on shrimp and shad.
Bridge. Crappie are good on minnows near Long Bridge. Channel and blue
CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 76
catfish are good on minnows, chicken livers, and hot dogs. Water clear; 72
RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear;
degrees; 6.85' low. Black bass to 8
degrees; 2.62' low.
62-68 degrees; 4.21' low. Crappie
pounds are good on white Reaction
are fair to good on minnows and jigs.
Innovations swamp donkeys and
White bass are good on pearl/lemon
black pearl Bomber Model in.B'sin.
KMA
slabs
and
shad.
across grass mats early, and later on suicide Norman DD-22's and white/white
bladed 1⁄2oz. Revenge spinnerbaits along the edges and over open water subRAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 61-65 degrees; 7.61' low. Black bass
merged structures. White bass are fair jigging Bagley Prizm Minnows off main
are fair to good around creek bends, pond dams and points on 4A Bomber
lake points in 10 - 20 feet. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with
crankbaits and Booyah spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs over
hybrid bluegills in 6 - 15 feet.
Corps of Engineers brush piles. Jordon Park ramp is nearly unusable due to
silt.
COLEMAN: Water clear; 82 degrees; 5.40' low. Black bass are slow. Hybrid
striper are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Channel
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water fairly clear; 61-66 degrees; 9.93' low. White
and blue catfish are fair on perch and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.
bass and hybrid striper are fair on white/chartreuse and chartreuse slabs on
main lake humps around the island and the 287 hump. Crappie are fair on
CONROE: Water stained; 1.33' low. Black bass are good on tequila sunrise and
minnows and jigs around deep-water trees.
pumpkinseed spinnerbaits and crankbaits.
SAM RAYBURN: Water murky; 79 degrees; 1.59' low. Black bass are good on
FALCON: Water murky north, stained south; 78 degrees. Black bass are good
tequila sunrise and chartreuse crankbaits and spinnerbaits, and on watermelon
but small on tequila sunrise, watermelon red, and chartreuse jigs, crankbaits,
red and watermelon seed soft plastic worms. C
and big Brush Hogs.
TAWAKONI: Water stained; 61-66 degrees; 11.22' low. White bass are fair to
FAYETTE: Water clear; 74 degrees. Black bass are good on green, electric
good on chartreuse/white slabs. Striped bass and hybrid striper are fair to good
blue, and plum Carolina and Texas rigged soft plastics along outside edges of
on live shad and slabs.
grass in 6 - 19 feet, and on topwaters early and late. Channel and blue catfish
are good on juglines baited with shad, perch, stinkbait, and shrimp.
TEXOMA: Water clear; 61-66 degrees; 4.57' low. Black bass are slow to fair on
topwaters early, midday switching to chrome Rat-L-Traps and Carolina-rigs.
FORK: Water clear; 62-67 degrees; 5.02' low. Black bass are fair early on
Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are good on live shad.
white 1/4oz. Lockhart spinner and buzzbaits fished over the hydrilla, and on
Catfish are fair to good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.
chartreuse/brown Rat-L-Traps. The deep bite is slow but getting better on
TOLEDO BEND: Water fairly clear; 63 degrees; 7.14' low. The boat ramp at
Chuck-n-Spins around creek bends and main lake points. Crappie are fair on
Holly Park is accessible. Caution is advised. Black bass are good on jigging
minnows and jigs around bridge columns and over brushpiles. Catfish are fair
spoons. Bream are good on crickets and worms. Channel and blue catfish are
on nightcrawlers and Redneck's Catfish Bait Soap.
good on trotlines baited with stinkbait, perch, and nightcrawlers.
GRANBURY: Water stained; 2.85' low. Striped bass are good on silver striper
TRAVIS: Water clear; 76 degrees; 35.82' low. Black bass are good on pumpjigs and minnows. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp and liver.
kinseed worms, chrome topwaters, and grubs in 5 - 20 feet.
GRANGER: Water murky; 67 degrees; 1.69' low. Blue catfish are good on shad
WALTER E. LONG: Water clear. Hybrid striper are good on spinnerbaits, silver
and cutbait.
spoons, and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfish
GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 62-68 degrees; 11.75' low. White bass are
are good on stinkbait, nightcrawlers, frozen shad, and shrimp.
good on slabs and live minnows.
WEATHERFORD: Water stained; 62-68 degrees; 9.05' low. Black bass are
GREENBELT: Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 28.32' low. Crappie are good
good on finesse worms and spinnerbaits at the water inlet and around the
on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on suspended crankbaits.
docks. White bass are good on minnows and shad imitators in the water inlet
HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.22' high. Black bass to 4
when the water is running.
pounds are good on topwaters and electric blue/silver flake worms near the
WHITE RIVER: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 27.5' low. Black bass are
dam, islands, and pump station around stumps in 10 - 12 feet. Catfish to 7
fair on spinnerbaits and live baits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.
pounds are good on trotlines baited with shad.
Walleye are fair live baits and jerkbaits. Channel catfish are fair on cutbaits.
HUBBARD CREEK: Water lightly stained; 68 degrees; 12.75' low. Catfish are
WHITNEY: Water stained; 8.80' low. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are
good on cut baits.
slow. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp and liver.
JOE POOL: Water fairly clear; 61-66 degrees; 2.03' low. Black bass are good
WICHITA: Water lightly stained; 61' degrees; full at spillway. White bass and
on drop shot rigged french fries and crankbaits in 6 - 10 feet.
hybrid striped bass (some sub-legal) are good on minnows along the dam, and
LAKE O' THE PINES: Water stained; 61-67 degrees; 5.1' low. Black bass are
slow trolling with shad raps. Channel and bullhead catfish are good on worms
fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Carolina-rigs off points, in coves, and off
and punchbait, and trotlines baited with shad.
HOT SPOT
STILLHOUSE HOLLOW
SALTWATER
SCENE
NORTH SABINE: Trout are good under
the birds in the middle of the lake on
Carolina-rigged live shad, Top Dogs, Sand
Eels and Bass Assassins. Redfish are
good under the birds on topwaters and
glow and chartreuse plastics. Flounder
are good on live bait in the cuts around
the marsh.
SOUTH SABINE: Trout are good under
the birds on Rat-L-Traps, topwaters live
shad and shrimp. Bull redfish and croaker are good on dead bait. Bull redfish are
good at the jetty on mullet.
BOLIVAR: Flounder are good on live
mud minnows and shrimp on the bay
side of Rollover Pass on the moving tide.
Redfish are good in the surf on mullet
and shrimp. Croaker are good on dead
shrimp.
TRINITY BAY: Trout are very good under
the birds on plastics. Croaker, black
drum, whiting,
sand trout,
flounder and
redfish are good
at the Spillway
on fresh dead shrimp and live shrimp
under a popping cork.
EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout and redfish
are good under the birds. Croaker, flounder, whiting and sand trout are good on
live bait at Rollover Pass. Trout are good
on the deep reefs on live bait.
WEST GALVESTON BAY: Sand trout, redfish and flounder are good at the jetty
and the causeway on live bait.
Sheepshead are good around the rocks on
live bait.
TEXAS CITY: Trout are good for waders on
the shell on topwaters and Bass
Assassins.
FREEPORT: Bull redfish are good on cut
bait and shrimp at the jetty. Flounder and
trout are good
on live shrimp
in the cuts in
Christmas
Bay. Croaker,
redfish, flounder, whiting, sand trout and sheepshead
are good around the rocks at the jetty.
EAST MATAGORDA: Trout are good for
drifters working scattered shell on the
east end of the bay on Bass Assassins,
Trout Killers and Sand Eels.
MATAGORDA: Trout and redfish are good
on the south shoreline along the grass
beds on black/chartreuse Bass Assassins,
Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Flounder are
good on live bait around the locks.
Redfish are fair in Oyster Lake and Crab
Lake on shrimp.
PORT O'CONNOR: Trout and redfish are
good in the back bays near the drop-offs
on chartreuse/white She Dogs and
black/chartreuse Sand Eels, Trout Killers
Bass Assassins. Redfish, black drum,
croaker, whiting and sheepshead are good
at the jetty on free-lined live shrimp.
ROCKPORT: Trout are good on the grass
in Mesquite
and San
Antonio
Bays on live
shrimp, topwaters and black/chartreuse Sand Eels,
Trout Killers and Bass Assassins.
PORT ARANSAS: Blackfin and yellowfin
tuna and sharks are good off the party
boats. Redfish are good on topwaters on
the East Flats.
CORPUS CHRISTI: Flounder and redfish
are good near the causeway on live
shrimp and piggy perch.
BAFFIN BAY: Trout and redfish are good
in the Land Cut and around the rocks in
Baffin on live shrimp and piggy perch.
PORT MANSFIELD: Redfish are good on
topwaters in West Bay. Trout, redfish and
black drum are good on live shrimp in the
Intracoastal.
SOUTH PADRE: Redfish are good on the
flats on live shrimp and piggy perch.
PORT ISABEL: Trout, redfish, sand trout,
whiting, grouper, flounder and
sheepshead are good on live bait and
fresh dead shrimp from the piers.
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9304 Forest Lane, Ste. 114 South • Dallas, TX. 75243
ON THE MOVE
New Tahoe touts active fuel management
By Peter B. Mathiesen
When General Motors redesigns
the number one selling full-sized
SUV in the Texas and the rest of the
country, there are plenty of risks.
Although fuel prices have rolled
back, last summer’s journey to the
gas station was like a visit to the
woodshed, with prices hovering at
$80 for a 24-gallon fill-up. If your
truck wasn’t getting mileage in the
upper teens, you were probably
cranky.
The new 2007 Tahoe hits the
showroom floor with a first-time
EPA fuel economy rating at more
than 20 mpg. That’s an impressive
milestone for a truck with 4-wheel
drive, and weighing in at 5,229
pounds.
The heart of the new fuel ratings is
the re-engineered 320-horsepower
5.3 V8-engine with Active Fuel
Management that allows the engine
to run on 4 or 8 cylinders as needed.
And you’ll never know; the cylinder
transition is virtually seamless.
Other major changes to the 2007
Tahoe include a new fully boxed
frame that’s substantially stiffer that
the ’06 model delivering noticeable
improvements in handling and
reduced road noise. The old dash is
gone, replaced by a two-tone panel
with LED-backlit instrumentation
surrounded in chrome trim.
The Bad News: My fuel mileage
ROAD HANDLER: The 2007 Tahoe delivers noticeable improvements in handling and reduced road noise.
was far below the EPA estimates of
16/21. With 4,000 miles on the
truck, I averaged 15.5 mpg on the
highway. The front apron has very
low ground clearance and could easily “tag” a rock or stump. A fivespeed transmission would be an
improvement over the available
four-speed. Also the third row seat-
ing does not fold completely flat,
and must be removed for maximum
cargo capacity.
The Good News: A quiet cab,
the best handling in its class, snappy
power, and one of the most comfortable interiors you can find. Great
towing, and the Z71 off-road package has an indispensable rear locker
for off-road performance. Although
the front bumper has a plastic
shroud, aftermarket ranch grills are
available.
Bottom Line:
If you loved the old Tahoe, you’ll
find this redesign more civilized
with better fuel economy (GM
claims that fuel consumption
Don’t miss
the next
issue of
Lone Star
Outdoor
News
Call (866) 361-2276
9304 Forest Lane, Ste. 114 South • Dallas, TX. 75243
CLASSIFIEDS
NEW LOOK,
BETTER RESULTS
Place your classified advertising in the Lone Star
Outdoor News and experience the results of a new
look. The 2”x 2” classified will get the attention
necessary to say SOLD! $30 for two editions.
Call (214) 361-2276.
CROSSWORD
PUZZLE
SOLUTION
FROM
PAGE 20
improves around 10,000 miles).
Enhanced handling and a quieter
ride is always a good thing.
And yes, the truck will still do an
excellent job pulling a big bass boat.
The new interior has been praised by
everyone that has taken a long ride.
GM has committed to a more
SUV “look” than a classic truck
appearance with cleaner lines for
improved fuel economy. Some
“truck” owners have felt the new
line is a little too urban in its appearance, but if that’s what it takes to
squeeze five additional miles per
gallon … I’ll take it.
With stagnant sales in the fullsize SUV category, Chevy may have
made some wise decisions with the
new Tahoe to ensure their strong
position in the market place. Look for
hybrid versions by the end of the year.
Base MSRP for the SLE starts at
$34,370 to $38,060 for an SLT. For
more information, go to www.
chevy.com.
What Others Say:
“Outstanding road-holding for a
vehicle of this size on both rough
and smooth. The handling is so good
that I wondered whether I’d stepped
into an Escalade by mistake.”
— Craig Howie/lasplash.com
“The new model doesn’t skimp in
the towing department, with a maximum rating of 7,700 pounds when
equipped with four-wheel drive.”
— Jim Gorzelany/Forbsautos.com
HEROES
SHARE AN
ADVENTURE
Want to share your great
hunting or fishing photos
with the Lone Star Outdoor
News family? E-mail your
photo, phone and caption
information to editor@ lonestaroutdoornews. com, or
mail to:
Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor
News, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite
114 South, Dallas, TX, 75243.
JOE MARTINEZ of Alice caught this 36-inch redfish at Humble Channel.
HANK DORRIS of Fort Worth shows a Kudu he shot while on an African Safari.
Stonewall residents VAN BURG and his mother, BERNICE, hold red
snapper they caught 20 miles offshore of Port Aransas.
SCOTT FELLOWS and ZACHARY, 9, of McKinney, hold a 4-pound, 6-ounce
largemouth Zachary caught at Lake Bob Sandlin.
J.D. POWELL of Lake Dallas shows off a white-winged dove taken
during his first hunt on opening weekend in Westbrook. He is the
son of DAN and TRACI POWELL.
OUTFITTERS
Advertisement
Gasper Farms — Escape
to a hunting adventure
WIDE-OPEN SPACES: John Gasper’s scenic acreage is starting to turn green after
recent heavy rains. His Kansas hunting lodge sits on more than 1,600 acres of land.
It’s a quiet, rural, secluded country lodge where the hunter “basically has the run of the place.”
Gasper Farms Hunting and
Country Lodge, located in Kansas’
Osborne County, opened its doors
four years ago — primarily specializing in pheasant and quail.
“ It seemed like there were more
hunters than available land, so we
thought this would be good,” John
Gasper said. “We’re just getting
ramped up on the thing.”
The lodge — “a work in progress”
— offers the hunter an escape from
the concrete jungle of the hectic
business world and the fast-paced
lifestyles of today.
Located 10 miles off the nearest
highway, Gasper said, “you’re very
seldom going to hear any traffic go
by unless it’s another hunter. Lodge
guests can just walk out the door
and go hunting. It’s for those who
prefer to be out in the country.”
It’s a place where hunters hunt
when they are ready. There’s no
early-morning wake-up call to be at
a certain location at a certain time.
“We’re not on a schedule,” Gasper
said. “If they don’t want to go out at
the break of dawn, they can loaf
around all they want.”
When it’s time to hunt, there’s
approximately 920 acres of
Controlled Shooting Area “with a
plentiful number of birds.” There’s
also approximately 700 additional
acres of private hunting land which
can be hunted during regular seasons.
The lodge is a two-story, four-bedroom, old-style farm house that sits
not far from a log cabin that was the
first building built in the county,
Gasper said, explaining the cabin
settlers built bigger quarters that
now house his business. The lodge
is furnished, has 10 sleeping beds
with room for others or cots, mak-
ing the hunting groups small.
“There’s four or five to a group,”
Gasper said. “You’re not going to see
30 or 40 people.”
The lodge is a great place to
explore the prairie. Take the camera
and binoculars. There’s a variety of
birds and animals.
Gasper also guides for hunters
who request his services. “I’m
always available around here too,”
said Gasper, who lives on the site
close to the lodge. “Some know the
boundaries and prefer to go out on
their own.”
Gasper is spreading news about
his new venture “by word of
mouth” and it’s traveling fast.
“We’ve had people from Texas, the
Carolinas, Florida and Michigan,”
he said. “It’s interesting, the people
you meet.”
The traffic down the stretch of
rocky road to a new hunting adventure is growing.
Offshore and Bay fishing
30' Stamas
21' Shallowsport
South Texas
Deer and Turkey
Hunting
10,000 Acres
Duck, Goose and
Dove Hunting
40,000 Acres
Capt. Scott Hickman
3218 Coral Ridge Ct.
League City, TX 77573
(281) 535-1930
Fax: (281) 535-1935
www.circleh.org
WANT TO PROFILE YOUR BUSINESS? It’s easy to advertise on this page — just send us your business card, and let us know how many weeks you want your ad to run. Purchase 12 issues of advertising and your business will be profiled with a photo in
this section. Outfitter Listings: $40 each issue. Please include either a check or credit card billing information with your order. Mail to: Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX 75243 or call (214) 361-2276.
OUTDOOR DATEBOOK
HAVE AN EVENT?
E-mail it to
editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com
Nov. 10-Dec. 15: Holiday online
auction to benefit Coral Reefs Reef
Relief at www.reefrelief.org.
Artwork, hotel stays, celebrity
events, and more. For more
information, e-mail
reef@bellsouth.net or call (305)
294-3100.
Nov. 11-12: Events at Cabela’s in
Buda will include Deer Calling 101
at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. both days.
Fly-casting events will be held both
days from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and
include representatives from Sage,
G. Loomis, Temple Fork Outfitters
and East Cut Flies.
Nov. 11,12: Events at Cabela’s Fort
Worth include instruction on
waterfowl calls and calling
techniques at 1 p.m., and waterfowl
decoys and setting decoy spreads at
3 p.m.
Nov. 11–12, 18–19, 24–26:
Chaparral WMA youth only
management deer hunt. Permits
issued by drawing; standby
applicants must be present by 10
a.m. first day of scheduled hunt;
reservations required. Call (830)
676-3413.
Nov. 12: Bass Pro Shops in Katy
will hold fishing for grouper and
snapper classes featuring experts
sharing their secrets. Class begins
at 9 a.m. in the fishing department.
Nov. 14: Terrell/Kaufman DU
dinner will be held at Universal
Equipment in Terrell. For more
information, call Jamie Donaldson
at (972) 524-7444 or e-mail
j.donaldson@birch.net.
Nov. 14: Lubbock DU dinner will
be held at Danny’s Fins and Wings.
For more
information,
call David
Biddle at
(806) 7839149 or e-mail
david.biddle@sbcglobal.net.
Safari. Cost is $35 per person.
Call (972) 980-9800 for more
information.
Nov. 16: Ducks Unlimited Waco
banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m.
at the Lions Den. Contact David
Wade at (254) 776-9299 or
dwade@henway.net for more
information.
Nov. 16: Texas A&M Kingsville DU
banquet will be held at 6 p.m. at
the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Center.
Contact Scant Ynostrosa at (361)
593-2723 or croberts@ducks.org
for more information.
Nov. 15-19: Garland Bass Pro
Shops will hold its grand opening as
the outdoors chain opens its newest
location in Texas. For more
information, visit
www.bassproshops.com.
Nov. 16:
Lake Fork
Chapter Delta
Waterfowl
dinner will be
held at AJ
Fish House,
Hwy. 17 and
515. Contact
Ed Clark at (214) 478-2301 for
more information.
Nov. 15: Kingwood/Humble DU
dinner will be held at the Humble
Civic Center. Contact Steve
Sheaffer at (281) 932-1466 or
ssheaffer@burgess-inc.com.
Nov. 17: Baylor DU dinner will be
held at 6:30 p.m. at the Red Men
Hall. Call Jonathan Hawley at
(325) 280-0493 or e-mail him at
croberts@ducks.org for details.
Nov. 15: Dallas
Safari Club
monthly meeting
featuring Ben
Carter discussing
an Elephant
Nov. 18: University of Houston DU
Banquet Casino Night will be held
at 6 p.m. at the Live Oak Bar and
Grill. Contact Josh Rogers at (936)
537-6187 or croberts@ducks.org
Nov. 18: Texas Wildlife Association
Land and Water Conference at the
Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne.
Features presentations on water
conservation, deer management and
native plants. To register, call
Georgia at (830) 249-4616 or email nature@cibolo.org.
Nov. 19: Bass Pro Shops in Katy
will offer a map reading for bass
class that includes tips on how to
find the fish. The event starts at 9
a.m. in the fishing department.
Nov. 21: Austin DU banquet will be
held at Marriott at the Capitol. Call
Mike Hoover at (512) 370-3237 for
details.
Nov. 21: Gladewater DU dinner will
be held at the Gladewater Exes
Center. Contact Dash Williams at
(903) 845-2222 for more
information.
Nov. 25-26: Cabela’s in Buda will
offer tips on deer calling basics at
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day.
Nov. 30 & Dec. 3: COA’s 6th
Annual Challengedoutdoorsmen
Deer Hunt on Lake Wright
Patman, Corp of
Engineers, Clear
Springs Area.
COA will be
hunting with 50
challenged
individuals on
the Clear Springs
Hunting Area. Volunteers are
needed. COA will be providing two
meals with drinks each day for
hunters and volunteers. Visit
www.challengedoutdoorsmen.com
Nov. 30: Bass Pro Shops in
Grapevine will offer a free onehour muzzle loading class on
everything you always wanted to
know about the sport. This course
is a basic introduction to muzzle
loading firearms: rifle, pistol,
shotgun and in-lines. It will cover
loading, safety, care and cleaning,
black powder and substitute
powders, bullets and accessories.
It is instructional only — no
shooting involved. Class starts at
7 p.m. at the Fine Gun Room
entrance.
Nov. 30: Bass Pro Shops in
Grapevine will offer a girl’s-nightout basic pistol markmanship class
from 7-9 p.m. for women only. This
is a two-hour class that takes you
from classroom to pistol range. The
class will cover sight picture, sight
alignment, and the difference and
importance of the two. The class
will touch on failure to fire drills,
dry firing practice and range safety
and the basic safety functions of
your particular pistols. Instructors
are Jeremy Chapman and Chris
Olsen. Call (972) 724-2018 and
ask for the pistol range.
Texas Parks and Wildlife’s public reefing program moves forward
The Texas Parks and Wildlife
Commission adopted new rules that
pave the way for a public reefing program in the state’s nearshore waters.
The new rules concerning artificial
reefs establish a mechanism to govern the deployment of artificial reef
materials in coastal waters by private
individuals or entities. The changes
give TPW the authority to inspect
and approve the artificial reef materi-
als prior to them being placed at an
approved TPW location.
Public reefing sites will be located
in state waters less than 60-feet deep
near each of the navigable Gulf
passes. Each site will be 160 acres in
size and divided into blocks approximately 260 feet by 260 feet. The
center of the reef site will be marked
by a 10-foot yellow spar buoy
chained to an anchor. The public
will be assigned an individual block
to reef their materials.
“The purpose of this program is to
increase marine habitat in the Gulf
of Mexico through the creation of
nearshore reefs and thereby
enhance fishing and some diving
opportunities,” said Dale Shively,
TPW’s Artificial Reefing Program
coordinator. “We’re going to develop reef sites that are closer to shore
and will accommodate more small
boat anglers.”
The artificial reef program will
continue the efforts to get larger
materials suitable for reefing in
these nearshore areas as well as
efforts for larger structure offshore.
This new initiative allows for more
local coastal involvement in the
program.
— A Texas Parks and Wildlife report.
Duty
THE
OFFICIAL
TRUCK
OF
THE
Palestine County. But, he said, the military
was still in his system so in 1997 he volunteered for the Texas National Guard.
After the 9-11 attacks, his unit was sent to
guard the Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas. A
few months later, the Texans were told to get
ready for Iraq.
“It was crazy,’’ he said. “You take a bunch of
boys from Texas and one minute they’re
welders, driving a truck or going to college.
“The next thing they know they’re guarding convoys, looking out for IEDs and witnessing the Iraqi elections.’’
The deployment certainly made Ranft
appreciate Texas wildlife. Iraq, he added,
faces serious environmental issues because of
open sewers and trash discarded in the desert
and set ablaze.
“I never did see anything that looked like a
deer,’’ Ranft said. “All we saw was scorpions,
snakes and birds.
“They have these doves that look like
hawks because they’re so huge. That really
excited some of the Texas boys who like to
hunt doves.
“But I decided there was no way I was
going to eat anything in that county that
drank the local water or ate that grain.’’
Ranft said he hopes the country will
improve wildlife habitat, but that’s a low priority for Iraqis during the current insurgency.
“It’s kind of hard to be worried about a frog
when you’re more concerned about whether
your kids are going to be safe,’’ he said.
Ranft returned home in January to his wife
and his college-age son and daughter. They
relocated to Austin where he now works at
the TPW offices overseeing the inventory of
equipment used by game wardens.
Ranft and the other active-duty TPW
employees were honored for their service by
the TPW ommission during its Aug. 24 meeting in Austin.
“We are very proud of these folks and their
families,’’ said Robert L. Cook, the agency’s
executive director. “We appreciate their
commitment to freedom and the war on terrorism, and their sacrifice to ensure our safety and way of life.’’

Deer harvest shapes up - Lone Star Outdoor News

Transcription

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