July 22, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News July 22, 2011

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July 22, 2011 Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper Volume 7, Issue 23

Get your kayak onExperts describe right rigs for

lakes or coast. Page 8

Inside

❘❚ LSONews.com

Plenty of birds expected for dove season.Page 4

Drought busters❘❚ HUNTING

Get ready to rumble while casting fl ies at prehistoric fi sh.

Page 9

Gar fi ght

Antelope season may see fewer tags.Page 4

Pronghorn problems

Unlike most other Texas lakes, Livingston is 98 percent full.

Page 8

To the brim

❘❚ FISHING

Legislation would restrict transporting of exotics

By Nicholas ConklinLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

An incoming tide fl ow-ing along a jetty is like food being delivered to a buffet at lunchtime.

Hungry patrons line up, waiting in anticipation for their meals.

Insert game fi sh as the hungry patrons, but, in this context, they’re looking for disoriented baitfi sh congre-

gating along the jetties. Anglers from boats, or

the jetties themselves, can work these rocky out-crops to catch all kinds of fi sh, including speck-led trout, redfi sh, tarpon,

sheepshead, Spanish mack-erel and even kingfi sh.

Well-known jetty fl y-caster Todd Fleming hooked into a tarpon beneath a full moon July 16 on the North Jetty at Port Aransas.

“I wasn’t successful land-ing it,” he said, “but I got some jumps.”

Fleming, of the Alamo Fly Fishers in San Antonio,

JAMMING JETTIES: Anglers casting to or from jetties can work these rocky outcrops to catch all kinds of fi sh, like speckled trout and even tarpon. Fly-casters like Todd Fleming (above) and rod-and-reel anglers were all enjoying jetty action in mid July. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

See JETTY ACTION, Page 14

Summer bass bite cookin’

❘❚ CONTENTSClassifi eds . . . . . . . . . Page 28Crossword . . . . . . . . . Page 24Fishing Report . . . . . . . Page 10For the Table. . . . . . . . Page 24Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12Heroes. . . . . . . . . . . Page 15Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 26 Outfi tters and Businesses . . Page 28Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 18Sun, Moon and Tide data . . Page 24

Jetty action stirred by confused baitfi sh

Group takes aim at ‘canned’ hunting operations

By Nicholas ConklinLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

It’s not too hot to fi sh in Texas.The top-water bite, in particular,

is where advantageous anglers have been landing largemouth bass in mid-July, if they’ve been willing to work structure and vegetation.

Guide Mike Wheatley said weeds and deep-water timber were holding most of the fi sh on Sam Rayburn.

For the action around the grass, Wheatley has had success on frogs and Yellow Magic popping lures.

But the lures’ position and action have been more important than color, Wheatley said.

“It is just really getting to the right grass bed and getting it in front of them,” he explained.

Wheatley said that, later in the

day, he likes to fi sh deep struc-ture — sunken timber and even brush piles — with deep-diving crankbaits.

Again, Wheatley said color isn’t as important as an angler’s ability to work the bait around the structure.

Deep-diving crankbaits like the Norman DD14 and DD22 can be useful, and, as the day goes on, lure depth should increase as well, Wheatley said.

See BASS TACTICS, Page 14

Young Fort Worth angler can’t be stopped, despite shark bite.

Page 8

Nicholas bites back

Bait corn costs almost as much as protein in some places.

Page 5

Corn prices climbing

By Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

After infi ltrating game ranches, includ-ing a Texas operation, an animal rights group hopes to gain traction for its agenda through a documentary that purportedly shows activists going undercover at what they call “canned hunts.”

“Animal Planet Investigates: Captive

Hunting Exposed,” shows activities with Action Outdoor Adventures near Hondo that were secretly videotaped by mem-bers of the Humane Society of the United States posing as clients.

A promotional statement from the cable network Animal Planet says this is “the dark side of hunting called canned

See TAKING AIM, Page 29

But know when to switch tactics

PERSONAL DECISION: Hunting proponants

is up to the individual to set personal ethi-cal standards when

pursuing game behind a high fence. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

July 22, 2011 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com


HUNTING

PRONGHORN: Many of the antelope that were moved last winter from the Panhandle to the Trans Pecos have died, but about 30 to 40 percent of them were still on the range in early July. Photo by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

By Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Texas fi rearms dealers will be required to give the federal government the names of customers who purchase two or more semi-automatic rifl es with detachable maga-zines, according to a new directive from the Obama administration.

The new rule requires dealers from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California to identify the gun purchasers on a form that is to be sent within fi ve days to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The aim is to attempt to halt some fi re-arms from illegally crossing the border into Mexico, including AK-47s and M-16/M-4-type guns.

“Federal, state and foreign law enforce-ment agencies have determined that cer-tain types of semi-automatic rifl es — greater than .22 caliber and with the ability to accept a detachable magazine — are highly sought after by dangerous drug traffi cking organizations and frequently recovered at violent crime scenes near the Southwest border,” said U.S. Deputy Attorney General James Cole.

But, the way the rule is written, it could affect people acquiring guns to hunt, includ-ing AR-15s, the civilian versions of the M-16, and even the Remington model 750, which has no resemblance to an assault-style rifl e.

Texas gun dealers saddled with new regulations

Early numbers indicate fewer pronghorn permits to be issued for 2011 season


Jo Ann Carroll, owner of the Texas Star Ranch in Divine, told her husband, Kelly, to get in the truck and go for a ride one evening several weeks ago.

“I told him there were doves everywhere and he needed to see it to believe it,” she said. “I’ve never seen so many birds.”

Carroll said the ranch received about 3.5 inches of rain in June, which fi lled the tanks and helped the milo fi elds already planted for dove season.

“We’ve trimmed the mesquite

trees to provide good roosts,” she said, “and we’ve never hammered our doves during the season, so there always are lots of birds.”

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department dove biologist Corey Mason said with more than 40 million resident mourn-ing dove and many millions of resident whitewings, the drought isn’t affecting them as badly as other species such as turkeys or quail.

“Dove are a little more drought resis-tant than other species, especially the mourning dove,” Mason said. “You fi nd them from east to west coast and all over the state. They can make a liv-

ing in all areas, and they can move from food sources if they need to.

“We might see a decrease in repro-duction rates, but they will nest three or four times each season, so they com-pensate by having multiple nestings.”

Mason said baby dove get a huge advantage over other species because they rely on crop milk — regurgitated liquid — from their parents to start them off instead of foraging for themselves.

“These young birds already have a high mortality rate, but the crop milk gives them a head start,” Mason said. “If

Dove don’t mind droughtSpecies adapts better than most

NRA, NSSF threaten to sue ATF andObama Administration

Natural gas exploration no boom for hunters

See GUN DEALERS, Page 21

See DOVE, Page 7


Happiness in South Texas, said guide Jerry Gonzalez, is a long-term hunting lease.

Otherwise, you’ll likely struggle to fi nd some-where to hunt.

Some ranchers are mak-ing good money on oil and gas production — so much so that they don’t have to lease to hunters.

A lot of that activ-ity is on a large forma-tion called the Eagle Ford Shale, which makes a sickle-shaped swath from East Texas to the Rio Grande River.

“It’s a huge boom

from Laredo to Cotulla to Catarina and Carrizo Springs,” Gonzalez said. “And, yes, some of these oil companies are coming in and tapping into land that hunters had been leasing.”

The companies some-times get exclusive use of the ranches by paying landowners what they would have earned from hunting leases.

“Who can blame them?” Gonzalez said. “This is what some of those people live on.”

It’s a touchy subject with some hunters.

They don’t want to offend owners of the ranches they previously leased, hoping to eventu-

ally return there once gas production subsides.

There are at least two dozen companies oper-ating in the Eagle Ford Shale, according to data kept by the Railroad Commission of Texas.

“They’re building pipe-lines and doing a lot of seismic work and pull-ing water from ponds,” Gonzalez said. “It has been going on for about two years.”

Gonzalez added that wealthy hunters from Mexico also add competi-tion for South Texas leases because they feel safer there than south of the

See NATURAL GAS, Page 29


There will be pronghorn hunting Oct. 1-9 in Texas, but state biologists will probably issue fewer permits than in recent years.

Aerial surveys ought to be completed in August, but preliminary observations suggest that populations of these prairie antelope have slipped.

These estimates follow a project last winter that moved 200 pronghorn from the Panhandle to the Trans-Pecos region around Marfa.

Many of those animals died, but an estimated 30-40 per-cent of them — about 60 to 80 antelope — were still on the range in early July.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issued 447 pronghorn hunting permits last year and around 600 the year before that, said Shawn Gray, the agency’s pronghorn program leader.

“I’m willing to bet it will be less than that this year,” Gray said. “We’re going to have some hunting, but pri-marily in Hudspeth and Culberson counties.

“Maybe there will be a few around Alpine, but I’m not so sure we’ll have any around Marfa. It’s a possibility, but it’s not looking good right now.”

Gray added that the Panhandle has good popula-tions, but “some of the fawn crops are pretty dismal.”

It’s easy to blame habitat-killing drought — the cul-prit for most other wildlife woes around the state — but challenges don’t stop there.

See FEWER PRONGHORN, Page 29

PLENTY TO SHOOT AT: Despite the drought, hunters should have plenty of dove to shoot at this season. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.


TPWD prepares to adjust services following 100 layoffs

Corn prices continue to riseBy Conor HarrisonLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

The price for deer corn contin-ues to rise.

According to checks done by Lone Star Outdoor News, the aver-age price for a 50-pound bag of deer corn has risen from $6.65 to $9.87 — a 32-percent increase — since this time last year.

In the U.S., corn is the biggest cash crop, valued at $66.7 billion in 2010.

Animal feed manufacturers and biofuel producers have been warned that corn prices might go even higher.

According to a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, even a fi fth consecutive record corn har-vest will not meet global demand for the cereal grain.

An ever-increasing population and a sudden surge in biofuels pro-duction mean that corn consump-tion is set to rise by another 3 per-cent in the next market year.

Jean Bourlot, global head of com-modities at UBS AG in London, said that external forces could push the price of corn even higher.

“There is a storm developing in agriculture,” he said. “If we have the

slightest disruption in any part of the world, the effect on the price will be considerable.”

Here in Texas, several storeowners who

sell corn said they couldn’t believe how much prices have risen in the past year.

“Might as well buy protein,” said one owner. “It costs the same.”

Fawn survival might be low this

year in Texas

By Mark EnglandLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department lost almost 170 positions when the Legislature reduced the state budget by $15

billion over the next biennium. Through retirements and not fi lling

job vacancies, TPWD will only have to let approximately 100 people go.

No one’s celebrating, though.“We’ve had to let a lot of good

and talented people go,” said

Clayton Wolf, director of the Wildlife Division. “It’s an expe-rience I hope I never have to go through again.”

The Wildlife Division lost 22 people, Wolf said.

Their pain may be the state’s

gain, but Texas hunters and anglers will know the employees are gone, Wolf said.

“When you have cuts this signifi -cant,” he explained, “you just cannot provide the same level of service.”

The Public Hunting Program

will probably see a 15 percent reduction in leases next season.

That impact will be softened by a one-year grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service

See LAYOFFS, Page 7

SURVIVORS: Texas biologists fear drought has crimped fawn “re-cruitment” this year across the state. Photo by Bill Miller, LSON.


It’s a report no hunter or wildlife manager wants to hear — mother deer leav-ing their fawns because they’re heat stressed, unable to produce milk.

Similar fears were realized in 2009 when fawn survival

or “recruitment” dipped below 10 percent in some South Texas counties.

As arid 2011 plods into midsummer, Texas deer managers aren’t just wor-ried that mature bucks won’t have the right diet to produce big antlers this fall.

See FAWN, Page 21



Landowners with three species of exotic antelope are mobilizing against a pro-posal to repeal an exemption

that allows the animals to be bred and hunted without special permit.

The exemption for scim-itar-horned oryx, addax and dama gazelle is cur-rently allowed under the

Endangered Species Act, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that it wants to repeal it.

If approved, landowners and hunters would have to apply for individual permits to breed

or harvest the animals.Members of the Exotic

Wildlife Association, based in Ingram, are disappointed with the proposal and plan

USFWS proposes to repeal exemptionon three exotic antelope species

See EXOTIC ANTELOPE, Page 15

Deadlines approaching to apply for ‘drawn’ hunts

By Ryan O’HanlonFOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

An unseasonably warm and windy December day in South Texas couldn’t keep Pete Quintero and his son, Joshua, from enjoying

the son’s fi rst deer hunt.Being a single father,

Pete doesn’t have the time to manage an annual deer lease, but he does enter Joshua in drawings for hunts on public land man-aged by the Texas Parks

and Wildlife Department. For youth hunters

and their accompanying guardians, the applica-tion and permit are free,

FIRST BUCK: Joshua Quintero of Little Elm displays the young buck he harvested last season during a “drawn” public hunt at the Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area - Arroyo Colorado Unit. Deadlines are approaching to apply for this year’s public hunts. Photo by Pete Quintero.

See DRAWN HUNTS, Page 21

PERMIT DEBATE: The USFWS is now listening to public comments on how to proceed after a judge ruled in favor of anti-hunting groups in regards to three exotic antelope species — addax (pictured), dama gazelle and scimitar-horned oryx. Photo by Tom Holden, Kerrville Daily Times.


there is a positive right now, it is very easy for doves to fi nd seeds when there isn’t a lot of ground cover.

“Crops are down and sur-face water is down, but that isn’t a huge deal for dove.”

In a down year for crops, some outfi tters are paying farmers to keep standing crops in their fi elds to help the hunting this year.

“Our dove are actually look-ing really good,” said Valerie

Hernandez of Double H Outfi tters in Frio County. “The drought has had an effect, but we are trying to keep crops in the fi eld. We’ve been paying a little more money this year because we are paying the farmers not to plow.

“They are leaving strips of milo, wheat and sunfl owers. We sublease a lot of prop-erties, so we already have a good relationship with a lot of the farmers in this area.”

Hernandez said farm-ers have been calling their business inquiring about keeping crops in the fi eld

for hunting season because many crops didn’t produce optimal amounts for tradi-tional markets.

“We have irrigation tanks and even have canals on some of the properties, so we are holding birds, which is a big plus,” she said.

Hernandez said some tra-ditional fi elds are not pro-ducing crops right now, but they will move hunters to new properties to fi nd birds this season.

“We planted a lot of sun-fl owers this year and the birds are swarming,” she said.

that TPWD will use to lease land for hunting as well as hire four temporary staffers.

Losing employees will probably mean less production at the state’s fi sh hatcheries, said Gary Saul, director of Inland Fisheries, which lost 10 people.

“We’re going to have to give up some-thing,” he said. “We may have to reduce the number of ponds that we put fi sh in to make sure the fi sh we do have are fed.”

The Legislature’s elimination of the $750,000 aquatic vegetation control budget leaves TPWD hoping nature takes care of the problem.

“I’m thankful we’ve had some hard win-ters,” Saul said. “Giant salvinia was cut back signifi cantly. But if we end up having strong growing years, it’s going to be diffi cult for us to treat it as people would like.”

The reduction in manpower is forcing TPWD to get creative.

For example, job losses at the Kills and Spills Team, which investigates fi sh kills and chemical spills, may require its management team to undergo hazardous chemical train-ing in order to help respond to emergencies, Saul said.

Also, TPWD is negotiating with the Texas Wildlife Association to take over manage-

ment of the Youth Hunting Program.“The coordinator who oversees the hunts

and the hunt masters would be basically doing the same thing but as an employee for the Texas Wildlife Association,” Wolf said.

Letting TWA assume management respon-sibility would save a position elsewhere in the Wildlife Division. Funding for the coordina-tor position would continue to come from the Pittman-Robertson Act, which distrib-utes money raised from federal excise taxes on the sale of fi rearms and ammunition.

Although TPWD offi cials are concerned about the reduction, it could have been worse, said Gene McCarty, the agency’s dep-uty executive director for administration.

A legislative rider, though, will save 60.3 positions if state parks bring in an additional $3 million in income, a revenue marker TPWD expects to hit.

Another rider will save two positions in the off-road trails program, but requires TPWD to raise the off-roading permit from $8 to $16 to take in an additional $170,000.

The job losses were spread across TPWD; law enforcement, however, was spared from layoffs by legislators, McCarty said.

DoveContinued From Page 4

LayoffsContinued From Page 5


FISHING

Paddle perfectAnglers have options for

choosing freshwater kayaks

Fort Worth angler, 12, recovering from shark bite

Get low while

selecting saltwater

kayaksBy Nicholas ConklinLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Kayak fi shing guide Dean Thomas likes to keep his saltwater rigs simple and streamlined.

In terms of rigs, Thomas said that anglers should try out a vari-ety of setups and see which ones work best with their body types.

Once they make their selec-tions, Thomas said they should be aware of how far they will be paddling. Thomas spends several hours a day guiding out of a kayak.

“Down here on the fl ats we paddle long distances and we battle the wind and the chop, so low-profi le boats with rudders and really good paddles are key,” Thomas said.


The water was low, but it still held fi sh.And the fi sh were unpressured because many boats

couldn’t get back into the small creek that held them.That is, until the man with a kayak slid into the hidden

pocket and spent the next two hours reeling in bass and sun-fi sh on light tackle.

The scenario above happens all over Texas during the summer months when many lakes and rivers are low from lack of rain.

An angler on a kayak can fi sh many freshwater areas untouchable by bass boats or even jon boats with trolling motors.

But if you wanted to build the perfect freshwater fi shing kayak, where would you start?

That depends on the type of water you fi sh — big lakes, fast-moving rivers or small streams — but consider, fi rst, the length of the kayak.

Lake Livingston weathers current droughtBy Nicholas ConklinLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Shrinking shorelines have been the complaints on many Texas lakes, as infl ows have dwindled.

But Lake Livingston is not one of them.

Guide Simon Cosper said water levels have been sta-ble this summer on Lake Livingston, 70 miles north of Houston.

“It’s defi nitely holding its own right now,” Cosper said. “It’s at normal pool and it hasn’t changed much

in the last few weeks.” That’s because the lake is

fed by the Trinity River. When rain occurs in the

northern part of the state, like the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the water runs into the smaller streams that feed the Trinity. Then that water fl ows south into Livingston.

“Infl ows to Livingston have been low this year, but better than most other areas (and lakes),” said Samantha

See LAKE LIVINGSTON, Page 22

See SALTWATER KAYAKING, Page 20 See FRESHWATER KAYAKS, Page 20


The big bull shark bit into its prey and shook it wildly.But this was no fi sh. It was the foot of a 12-year-old boy —

an avid angler from Fort Worth.Nicholas Vossler came with his family to Port O’Connor

for sun, surf and fi shing. He would spend the succeeding days at a Houston hospi-

tal where he endured four surgeries to repair his foot.“All of it was horrid and vivid and nothing you want to

see,” said Cecil Vossler, the boy’s father. “When I wrapped up his foot it was bad, but that didn’t scare me as much as him going into shock.”

The vacation was an annual tradition that the family plans around the Fourth of July holiday.

The Vosslers are passionate about the outdoors, said Cecil, a Fort Worth plumber. They love to hunt deer and dove.

Nicholas, he added, started fi shing with a pacifi er in his mouth.

But the shark attack July 7 wasn’t the only scary incident that week.

Three days earlier, Nicholas and Cecil were fi shing in Matagorda Bay when a plane fl ew overhead and hit the water, killing both men aboard (see story page 11). The Vosslers pointed their boat toward the wreckage, but there was noth-ing they could do.

“The wings were fl oating in the water and all their stuff was fl oating around,” Cecil said. “No one wants to see a

plane crash and I had to talk to Nicholas about life and death. He saw it right in front of him.”

The next few days, however, were glorious.

“It was a perfect, perfect week for fi shing,” Cecil said. “We made a little offshore trip (and) caught some snapper.”

Father and son got their limits on trout the morning of July 7, then the Vosslers decided to join family friends at Sunday Beach on Matagorda Island.

Cecil was playing in the sand with his 10-year-old daughter, Natalie, as Nicholas swam along a sandbar. Then the big shark latched onto him.

“We know, and the wildlife people know, it was a bull shark,” Cecil said.

“The way Nicholas describes it, the shark’s head was a good 18-20 inches wide — a big shark, probably a 5-footer.”

Cecil’s fi shing buddy, Mark Constien, also of Fort Worth, saw the struggle and reached for Nicholas. The shark retreated, but the boy’s foot was badly gashed.

“I saw Mark carrying my son, with blood spewing every-

where,” Cecil said. One of Mark’s sons ran ahead

to alert Cecil’s wife, Alisha, who quickly enlisted a fi sh-ing guide to ferry the group back to Port O’Connor.

Capt. David White’s Shoalwater made the sprint in about eight minutes, but Nicholas was very pale and lethargic. Cecil feared he was going into shock.

The boy asked his mother to pray with him.

“She was really strong,” Cecil said. “You can’t lose it around your kids.”

From Port O’Connor, a helicopter rushed Nicholas to the Houston hospital.

Nicholas may have to sit out football season as his foot heals, but he told his dad that will allow more time for

dove hunting. Cecil said he’ll have to fetch the birds his son shoots, but

he’s OK with that.“The outdoors,” he said, “are everything to us."

OFFSHORE: Guide Dean Thomas recommends that Gulf Coast anglers select low-profi le kayaks to better handle long-distance paddling in wind and chop. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

FULL: Lake levels across Texas are down, which makes Livingston an anomaly for withstanding the drought. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.

THE BULL SHARK■ The bull shark, also called cub shark and

ground shark, is one of the most common shark species caught by Texas anglers.

■ Bull sharks have heavy, wide heads and blunt, rounded snouts. They have gray bodies and white undersides.

■ They are common on the Texas coast, but, unlike most sharks, bull sharks can live in fresh water and have actually been found many miles upriver from the Gulf.

— TPWD

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THE BULL SHARK■ The bull shark, also called cub shark and

ground shark, is one of the most common shark species caught by Texas anglers


LIKE A WHALE: Joseph Williams of Cleveland landed the new pending catch-and-release state record for alligator gar July 4 on the Trinity River. The fi sh was 88-inches long. Photo By Ronny Smith.

Be ready for a fi ght when casting fl y at garBy Nicholas ConklinLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Toothy longnose gar may be an unlikely target for the fl y-angler.

But there are a lot of them in Texas reservoirs and rivers, giving fl y-cast-ers ample chances at hard-fi ghting targets.

Casey Smartt of New Braunfels has spent the past seven years casting fl y lines at longnose. He said the gar’s physical makeup is unlike any fi sh he has pursued.

“Longnose gar are very elusive on a fl y,” he said. “It’s just because of the design of their mouths.”

They have a long, slender snout, much thinner than that of the alliga-tor or shortnose gar.

Because of this jaw design, hooking one on a fl y can be frustrating for an angler who is used to solid hook sets.

Rope fl ies give anglers an advan-tage. When a longnose bites into a nylon rope fl y, the hook rate is close 100 percent, according to Smartt.

But Smartt doesn’t like rope fl ies.“I found out that they are a big

pain,” he said. “The gar gets incred-ibly tangled in the fi bers and it’s hard

Tail-walking monster gar is angler’s second

pending record in 2011By Nicholas ConklinLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Out of the water like a tar-pon and back in like a whale.

That’s the description Joseph Williams of Cleveland, Texas gave of the pending state record gar he caught July 4 while fi sh-ing the Trinity River below the Lake Livingston dam.

The 88-inch fi sh, caught on cut bait, survived the fi ght, qual-ifying it for consideration as the new state record for catch-and-release gar on the Trinity.

“The fi sh did a tail walk about 10 times for us,” Williams said. “It came out of the water almost up to the end of tail.”

Once certifi ed, it will be the

second state record achieved by Williams this year.

In April he caught a 200-pound-plus gar, but it didn’t survive, so it became the Trinity’s rod-and-reel record.

Williams said that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department esti-mated the latest fi sh was between 180 to more than 200 pounds. Although a fi sh that big can’t be easily weighed, its length and girth measurements are used to determine if it is a record.

Gar has been Williams’ main target for many years. He spends close to 30 weekends a year fi shing out of a 14-foot alu-minum fl at-bottom boat.

“It really isn’t all that much bet-ter on the fi sh,” Williams said.

“The main thing is access because you can’t get a big boat in a lot of the places where the big fi sh are.”

William’s attributed his suc-cess to fi shing on frequently overlooked waters.

He mostly uses cut bait (carp, smallmouth buffalo) on small treble or circle hooks. He likes to use a 60-pound test on reels with good drag systems because gar can pull out hun-dreds of yards of line.

Williams hooked into another huge fi sh earlier on July 4, but he was unable to land it.

He said that parts of the Trinity hold a lot of gar over 200 pounds, but fi nding them is tricky.

“I think the one I hooked the same day was possibly bigger,” Williams said.

See BE READY, Page 22

GAR GETTER: Angler Casey Smartt holds up one of the many fl y concoctions he has developed over seven years of fl y-fi shing for longnose gar. The New Braunfels native spends much of his time drifting and casting for these fi sh on Choke Canyon Reservoir. Photo By Casey Smartt.


ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 86–90 degrees; 3.04’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, jigs and Carolina rigs. Crappie are good on min-nows and jigs. Catfi sh are fair to good on prepared bait.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 82–88 degrees; 4.72’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and swimbaits. Catfi sh are good on cheesebait, shrimp and nightcrawlers in 3–15 feet. Yellow catfi sh are good on trotlines, droplines and throwlines on live perch.

ATHENS: Water clear, 86–91 degrees; 2.44’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms, jigs and medium crankbaits — midday concen-trate on deeper brush piles. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait.

BELTON: Water clear; 82–86 degrees; 5.35’ low. Largemouth bass are good on purple/black soft plastic crawdads on the bottom. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on summer sausage, stinkbait and frozen shad.

BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 87–91 degrees; 5.50’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits and football jigs off ledges and in brush piles. Crappie are good on live minnows. White bass are good on Humdingers and top-waters. Catfi sh are fair to good on trotlines or juglines with Redneck’s Catfi sh Bait Soap.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and dark soft plastic worms near the jetty and dam. Redfi sh are very good on perch, tilapia shad and silver spoons. Channel and blue catfi sh are very good on liver, shrimp and cheesebait near the dam.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 86–90 de-grees; 7.37’ low. Largemouth bass are good on medium-running crankbaits and Texas-rigged LFT Hyper Worms along main lake points and deeper docks — weightless LFT Hyper Sticks are producing around vegetation in the river. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Channel catfi sh are good on cut and prepared bait.

BROWNWOOD: Water clear; 13.41’ low. Largemouth bass are very good on watermelon and redbug buzzbaits, Rat–L–Traps and spinnerbaits over grass fl ats. Hybrid striper are good on shad. White bass are very good on Li’l Fishies and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows and green tube jigs. Channel catfi sh are good on trotlines baited with live bait. Yellow catfi sh are good on trotlines baited with live bait.

BUCHANAN: Water clear; 77–80 de-grees; 20.06’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse JDC Skip–N–Pop top-waters, Texas-rigged pumpkinseed worms and watermelon fl ukes along secondary points in 10–18 feet. Striped bass are fair on chartreuse Rat–L–Traps, Zara Spooks, and shad-colored crankbaits near the dam early and late. Channel catfi sh are good on live bait and shrimp. Yellow and blue catfi sh are good on juglines and trotlines baited with goldfi sh and perch.

CADDO: Water stained; 87–90 degrees; 0.64’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs and top-waters early, late switching to shallow crankbaits around isolated cover.

CALAVERAS: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon spinnerbaits and Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are fair on chicken livers and shad. Redfi sh are fair on live perch and tilapia near the crappie wall. Crap-pie are slow. Channel catfi sh are fair on cheesebait and shad. Blue catfi sh are good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 76–79 de-grees; 5.09’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits, soft plastic worms and crankbaits along banks in 6–14 feet early. Smallmouth bass are good on root beer soft plastics

and watermelon top-waters along ledges in 5–15 feet. Crappie are fair to good on minnows over brush piles in 8–12 feet. Yellow and blue catfi sh are very good on juglines and trotlines baited with live bait.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 86–90 degrees; 4.06’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, shakyheads and shallow square-bill crankbaits around docks — best action is in early morning with deep brush piles producing throughout the day. White bass are good on slabs.

Hybrid striper are good on live shad. Crappie are fair to good on minnows.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 77–80 degrees; 8.67’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue crankbaits, spinnerbaits and top-waters. Channel and blue catfi sh are fair on cut bait and shrimp. Yellow catfi sh are good on juglines baited with live bait.

COLEMAN: Water clear; 76–79 degrees; 13.62’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on pumpkinseed Rat–L–Traps and soft plastics. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel catfi sh are good on trotlines baited with live perch.

CONROE: Water fairly clear; 78–81 degrees; 3.31’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse soft plastics, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are good on minnows and green tube jigs over brush piles. Catfi sh are good on stinkbait and prepared bait.

FALCON: Water stained to clear; 87–91 degrees. Largemouth bass are very good on watermelon and chartreuse jigs and crankbaits. Channel and blue catfi sh are excellent on cut bait, shrimp and shad.

FORK: Water fairly clear; 88–92 de-grees; 4.53’ low. Largemouth bass are good on 3/4 oz. football head jigs with LFT Hyper Freak trailers and Carolina rigs in deeper water along main lake humps, drops and brush piles, deep-diving crankbaits and watermelon/green pumpkin 1/2 oz. fl ipping jigs in 12–15 feet along creek channels. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are good on cut shad and prepared bait.

GRANBURY: Water clear; 80–83 de-grees; 2.71’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastic worms and lizards with chartreuse tails. Striped bass are fair on chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfi sh are good on stinkbait, chicken livers and frozen shrimp.

JOE POOL: Water clear; 86–90 degrees; 1.17’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, top-waters early and medium crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are fair to good on prepared baits.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 84–89 degrees; 1.07’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, top-waters early and jigs later in the day off brush piles. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are good on cut shad.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 86–90 degrees; 4.70’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, top-waters and medium crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns. Catfi sh are good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

LEWISVILLE: Water clear; 86–91 de-grees; 1.81’ low. Largemouth bass are good on medium-running crankbaits, shakyheads and Texas-rigged plastics on main lake points in 10–15 feet. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 85–88 degrees; 0.52’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are good but small on slabs, troll tubes and pet spoons. White bass are good on pet spoons, troll tubes and slabs. Crappie are very good on minnows 12 feet deep in 22 feet. Blue catfi sh are good on shad.

MACKENZIE: Water stained; 84–90 degrees; 79.58’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, Carolina rigs and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass and striped bass are good on live bait and Rat–L–Traps. Smallmouth bass are good on live bait and white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. Catfi sh are good on live bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 87–90 degrees; 1.36’ low. Largemouth bass are good on red/black soft plastic worms and topwaters. White bass are excellent on silver dollars and slabs from the marina to the dam. Crappie are very good on minnows over brush piles and sticks in 9–15 feet early. Channel catfi sh are good on stinkbait. Blue catfi sh are good on trotlines and juglines baited with perch and shad.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 85–89 degrees; 29.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits, Yum Dingers and Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on Rooster Tails. Catfi sh are good on nightcrawlers.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 87–90 degrees; 3.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, Texas-rigged blue fl eck LFT Worms and black/blue jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs, Sassy Shad and live shad. White bass are fair to good on slabs and minnows. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 83–89 degrees; 2.27’ low. Largemouth bass are good on topwaters early, later switching to Texas rigs, jigs and deep-diving crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs and Little Georges. Catfi sh are fair to good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 86–91 degrees; 2.29’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, fi nesse jigs and hollow belly swimbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and Road Runners. White bass are excellent on humps in 17–23 feet with hybrids mixed in. Catfi sh are good on prepared baits.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 81–86 de-grees; 2.02’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Zell Pop’s and Spooks early, later switching to Texas-rigged Gene Larew El Salto Grande Worm in Mont-ezuma’s Revenge and 3/4 oz. Revenge football head jigs dragged around deep rocks and pond dams in 15–25 feet. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows in brush in 20–25 feet. White bass are excellent on slabs — schooling early on most main lake points and fl ats in 30–35 feet. Catfi sh are good on punch bait over baited holes.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water fairly clear; 86–91 degrees; 4.03’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms, crankbaits and topwaters.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 78–81 degrees; 9.52’ low. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs over brush piles. Catfi sh are very good on trotlines baited with live bait.

TAWAKONI: Water fairly clear; 87–91 degrees; 3.68’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-water early, later switching to black/blue jigs, soft plastics and medium-diving crankbaits. White bass are excellent on chartreuse and white slabs and tailspins — schooling on points early and late. Striped bass and hybrid striper are good on 4” to 6” white- or shad-pattern Sassy Shad. Catfi sh are excellent in deep water drift-ing cut bait and fresh shad.

TEXOMA: Water fairly clear; 86–90 de-grees; 3.14’ low. Largemouth bass are good on medium-running crankbaits in shad patterns, Texas-rigged fi nesse worms, shakyheads and top-waters. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are good on live shad. Catfi sh are good on cut and live shad.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 77–80 degrees; 9.31’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon spinnerbaits and crankbaits. White bass are good on minnows. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on trotlines baited with live bait.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 77–81 degrees; 36.55’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastic worms, white grubs and chartreuse top-waters in 8–18 feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Chan-nel and blue catfi sh are good on cut bait and stinkbait.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 77–80 de-grees; 13.07’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and crankbaits. White bass are good on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Catfi sh are good on shrimp, stinkbait, and nightcrawlers.

NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good on the Louisiana shoreline on top-waters and Corkies. Flounder are fair on jigs tipped with shrimp around marsh drains.

SOUTH SABINE: Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp. Trout are fair to good around Lighthouse Cove and around the jetty rocks on topwaters.

BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on soft plastics and plugs. Black drum and redfi sh are good at Rollover Pass. Croakers are good on dead shrimp in the channel and around the pass.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working pods of shad and mullet on soft plastics. Trout are fair to good at the wells on live bait and plastics. Redfi sh and trout are fair to good at the spillway on shrimp.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are good while working the edges of reefs on soft plastics and top-waters. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp. Trout are good on croakers in the Ship Channel.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good for drifters working shell on live shrimp. Trout, sheepshead, redfi sh and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp. Tarpon are showing on the beachfront. Kingfi sh, ling and red snapper are good offshore.

TEXAS CITY: Trout are good on the channel on croakers. Reefs and wells have held good trout on live bait.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Trout and sand trout are good at the jetties on shrimp and DOA Shrimp.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair to good for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfi sh are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfi sh are fair to good on the edge of Oyster Lake on shrimp and crabs. Trout are fair on sand and grass on soft plastics. Trout are good in the surf when the wind allows.

PORT O’CONNOR: Trout and redfi sh are good on croakers on the reefs in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfi sh are fair at the mouths of bayous on the outgoing tide.

ROCKPORT: Trout are fair in Big Bayou on free–lined shrimp. Trout are fair over grass while drifting with live shrimp. Redfi sh are good on the edge of the ICW on mullet.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfi sh are fair to good at East Flats on shrimp. Redfi sh and sheepshead are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp. Offshore is good for red snapper, ling and kingfi sh.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Trout are fair to good on the edge of the spoils on Gulps and live shrimp. Trout are good in the sand and grass holes and humps on croakers and shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair in mud and grass on Corkies and top-waters. Trout are fair to good in the Land Cut on live shrimp. Trout are fair to good while drifting with top-waters at Rocky Slough.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are good on top-waters around sand and grass and pods of mullet. Redfi sh are fair to good while drifting potholes and while working shallow water on the sand fl ats.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout are good around the spoil islands, channel edges and color changes on DOA Shrimp. Tarpon, snook, trout and Spanish mackerel have been solid at the jetty on live bait.

PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfi sh are fair to good at Gas Well Flats on live shrimp. Trout are fair to good around the channel edges by the causeway on shrimp under a popping cork.

TEXAS FISHING REPORT

HOT BITES SALTWATERSCENE

hanges on DOA Shrimp

s and scattered shell. d h d f hd tt d h ll

LARGEMOUTH BASS

CHOKE CANYON: Good on black/blue crankbaits, spinnerbaits and top-waters.

FALCON: Very good on watermelon and chartreuse jigs and crankbaits.

GRAPEVINE: Good on Texas-rigged worms, fi nesse jigs and medium crankbaits along main lake points — docks are productive as well.

O.H. IVIE: Good on spinnerbaits, Yum Dingers and Rat–L–Traps.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Good on top-waters early, later switching to Texas rigs, jigs and deep-diving crankbaits.

CRAPPIE

LIVINGSTON: Very good on minnows 12 feet deep in 22 feet. Blue catfi sh are good on shad.

NAVARRO MILLS: Very good on min-nows over brush piles and sticks in 9–15 feet early.

Sponsored by

CATFISH

CANYON LAKE: Yellow and blue catfi sh are very good on juglines and trotlines baited with live bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Very good on trotlines baited with live bait.

TAWAKONI: Excellent in deep water drifting cut bait and fresh shad.

and and grass holes

WHITE, HYBRID, STRIPER

NAVARRO MILLS: White bass are excel-lent on silver dollars and slabs from the marina to the dam.

RAY HUBBARD: White bass are excel-lent on humps in 17–23 feet with hybrids mixed in.

TAWAKONI: White bass are excellent on chartreuse and white SSS Slabs and tailspins.

HOT SPOT

Grapevine LakeDespite the heat and high water temperatures, bass fi shing has been solid the past few weeks. Anglers have reported the best fi shing has been along deeper lake points and around docks. Crappie and white

bass have also been good on live minnows and small lipless crankbaits.


Plane crash kills Austin anglers returning from coastBy Bill MillerLONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Two anglers from Austin died July 3 when the airplane they were in crashed in West Matagorda Bay.

Texas game wardens and other pub-lic safety offi cials recovered the bod-ies of pilot Lyle Koen, 68, owner of the

plane, and David Eddington, 42.Koen's wife, Pat, told the Austin

American-Statesman that the two men were fi shing buddies who met at the airplane hangar where Koen kept his Laser/Lancair IVP. Eddington worked there as a mechanic.

The newspaper reported that the crash happened at about 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 3 as the two men were returning home after a brief fishing trip.

Wardens used side-scan sonar to help a Texas Department of Public Safety dive team fi nd the wreckage, according to a report from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Eddington’s body was recovered from the wreckage; wardens found

Koen’s body the following day, about a mile from the crash site.

The cause of the crash was still under investigation the following week.

Koen attended the U.S. Air Force Academy and served in Vietnam, his wife told the American-Statesman. He later went to medical school and became an ophthalmologist.

He was semiretired but contin-ued to perform fl ight physicals for pilots, his wife said.

Koen also enjoyed hunting and scuba diving.

Eddington, a native of Long Beach, Calif., also was licensed pilot, but he was working toward a commercial license with jet rating, according to his obituary.


Port Lavaca resident Paul Resendez could give you fi ve or six reasons why he shouldn’t be the lucky angler who caught a redfi sh several weeks ago near Port O’Connor and will walk away with a new boat and truck from the Coastal Conservation Association Texas STAR Tournament.

The avid summer redfi sh tournament fi sherman would tell you he shouldn’t have even been fi shing near the spot where he hooked the fi sh.

The only reason he was there was because he and friends, Bubba Massey and Joey Cox, had engine troubles on their boat and couldn’t get to the spot they had planned to fi sh. They didn’t want to waste the bait they’d bought ear-lier, so they decided to wade-fi sh near Indianola Fishing Marina.

Resendez would probably tell you he was the only one not catching any redfi sh until he tried a new lure his cousin had given him — a Stanley Wedgetail Mullet.

“I was just playing with it to see how it swam,” he said. “My fi rst cast, I hooked up, as did my two buddies. My redfi sh swam by my friend and he said it was a little one.”

He’d probably tell you he almost threw it back, but decided to keep the fi sh because he thought it was just big enough to be legal.

“I still hadn’t seen a tag and I just put it on my stringer,” he said. “Ten or 15 minutes later, I lost my stringer. I didn’t think too much of it — just backtracked and found it and put it back on my belt.”

Resendez would then say how the knot holding the fi sh onto the stringer slipped as he was hauling the fi sh to the boat. Luckily, he noticed the untied knot before any of the fi sh could fl oat away.

“I was laying the fi sh on the boat to take a few pictures, and I fi nally noticed a tag,” he said. “I didn’t know what they looked like; it just looked like a small green leader.

“I cleaned off the green slime and started reading ‘CCA tournament tag.’ I started shaking because I knew what it was.”

Resendez had to give the tag to his friend to read the date to confi rm it was from this year and not a previous year’s tournament.

“He came to the back of the boat and just started smiling,” Resendez said. “He said, ‘Dude, you just won a boat and a truck!’

“I jumped into the bay and swam on my back yelling.”

After confi rming with Texas Parks and

Wildlife Department that the fi sh was legal, Resendez said he would receive his prize at the conclusion of the tournament in October.

“I was the only one of the three of us that had registered,” Resendez said. “I’m going to have that little 20 1/8-inch redfi sh mounted with the tag in it.”

The current leaderboard for the CCA TexasSTAR Tournament follows:REGULAR DIVISION■ Flounder (18"min. length): 6 pounds, 10 ounces, Clint Auer.■ Sheepshead: 9 pounds, 4 ounces, Ramon Zapata.■ Gafftop: 8 pounds, 4 ounces, Jerome Ard.■ Speckled trout (Upper Coast):9 pounds, 3 ounces, David Elmore.■ Speckled trout (Middle Coast): 8 pounds, 14 ounces, Michael Leach.■ Speckled Trout (Lower Coast): 9 pounds, 10 ounces, Nolan Casey.■ Kingfi sh (30 pound min): 55 pounds, 7 ounces, Barry Shaneyfelt Jr.■ Dorado (20 pound min): 44 pounds, 12 ounces, Darrell Rittiman.■ Ling (cobia): 84 pounds, Robert Kirschner.

STARKIDS SCHOLARSHIP DIVISION (AGES 6-10 ONLY)■ Flounder (18"min. length): 3 pounds, 11 ounces, Dylan Gill.

■ Sheepshead: 8 pounds, 7 ounces, Aven Campos.■ Gafftop: 7 pounds, 7 ounces, Camden Ritchey.

ACADEMY SPORTS & OUTDOORS STARTEENS SCHOLARSHIP TROUT DIVISION (AGES 11-17)■ Speckled Trout (Lower Coast): 8 pounds, 6 ounces, Carter Goyen.

STARTEENS SCHOLARSHIP INSHORE DIVISION (AGES 11-17)■ Flounder: 3 pounds, 12 ounces, Terri Martin.■ Sheepshead: 8 pounds, 15 ounces, Robbie Laskoskie.■ Gafftop: 6 pounds, 11 ounces, Brittany Leatherwood.

TAGGED REDFISH DIVISION -10 Caught, 3 winners, 7 did not qualify. All winners are in order of the date of catch:■ 1st Truck/Boat Package Winner:David Holt Tag TA329, caught on 6/2/11.■ 2nd Truck/Boat Package Winner:Paul Resendez Tag TA263, caught on 6/4/11.■ 3rd Truck/Boat Package Winner:Zach Crawford Tag TA326, caught on 6/11/11

Results are as of July 18. For more infor-mation, including a list of weigh-in stations and registration locations, visit www.ccatexas.org. Proceeds from STAR go to CCA Texas and its conservation programs.

CCA Texas STAR Tournament in full swing


FISH SHOCKERS SHOCKED BY WARDENSMadison County Game Warden

Dornell Crist and Walker County Game Warden Anthony Corcoran observed three men on the Trinity River using an electric shocking device to take game fi sh. Cases pending.

TRAPPER OF DOVES MADETO SET THEM FREE

Travis County Game Warden Christy Vales responded to a call advising of a man illegally trapping doves and made contact with a man at his residence. Vales located a large cage containing approximately 40 white-winged doves and two Inca doves. Citations issued and Vales had the man set the birds free. Cases pending.

WARDEN HELPS LOCATE FUGITIVESGarza/Lynn County Game Warden

Drew Spencer assisted with the search and capture of two 17-year-old men who escaped from the juvenile correctional facility in Post. During the search, Spencer observed the two fugitives hiding behind a bush. Both were captured without incident. Upon capture, one of them was found to be in posses-sion of a controlled substance.

TROUT FROM JETTY DIDN’T MEASURE UP

Brazoria County Game Warden Jason Richers responded to a com-plaint about jetty fi shermen near Freeport. Richers located an indi-vidual fi shing from the Quintana jetties, and found 16 undersized speckled trout in the person’s pos-session. Cases pending.

WARDENS HAVE FRIENDS, TOOFriends of Hockley County Game

Warden Jay Oyler called him after observing a deer in the back of a pickup in July. The tailgate was down, giving the friends a good

look. The friends agreed to follow the vehicle in case it turned off the highway. Oyler contacted Hockley County dispatch and asked for any offi cer to stop the vehicle if seen, and contacted Lamb County Game Warden Lance May to see if he could fi nd the vehicle. With help from the Littlefi eld Police Department, May arrived and issued a citation for illegal possession of the small white-tailed buck. The violator admitted he ran over the deer early in the morn-ing in San Antonio, causing damage to the front end of the vehicle.

RUNAWAY BOATER FORGOT THAT WARDENS KNEW WHO HE WAS

Game Wardens John Kohleffel and Dan Waddell were patrolling Lake Wood in Gonzales County. They received a complaint of a possible intoxicated boat opera-tor. After checking several vessels traveling upriver from the lake, the wardens spotted the suspect boat and stopped it. While performing an inspection, the wardens saw several beer cans in the boat and decided to check the operator. The suspect was transferred to the wardens’ boat and Kohleffel drove the suspect vessel to shore. Upon reaching the ramp, the suspect jumped off Waddell’s boat, ran up the ramp and continued run-ning upriver. Kohleffel and Waddell

gave chase, but the suspect dove back in the water, swam to the other side of the slough and disappeared into the brush on the other side. Knowing the ID of the suspect, Waddell obtained a warrant. Four days later, the suspect turned him-self in to the warden at the Gonzales County Jail. Cases pending.

OFF TO AN EARLY STARTGuadalupe County Game Warden

Tracy Large received a call concern-ing possible dove hunting in a closed season. When Large arrived on scene, he found one individual who had been hunting doves, and charges were fi led for hunting in closed season.

THE PREACHER MADE ME DO ITHarris County Game Warden

Kevin Malonson was patrolling the San Jacinto River for water safety and fi shing compliance. As Malonson approached a vessel with a fi sherman aboard, he was given an extensive welcome and thanks for the great job that state game wardens do. After checking the water safety equipment, Malonson inquired several times whether there were any fi sh caught. The fi sher-man stated that he caught a few, and after inspecting the cooler, Malonson discovered four under-sized largemouth bass. The boat

operator said that he has never vio-lated any game laws, but the reason he did so this time was because a friend of his, a preacher, wanted some fi sh. Case pending.

SHOULDER MOUNTS IN VEHICLE BRINGS COMPLAINT

Tarrant County Game Warden Clint Borchardt responded to a call con-cerning two dead deer in the back seat of a Honda Civic. After talking with the complainant and not getting very descriptive details of what she saw, the warden decided to check the vehicle out just in case. Upon inspec-tion of the vehicle, two shoulder mounted deer heads were located. When the warden made a follow-up call to the complainant, she stated that she swore she saw hooves.

TRESPASSING FISHERMENFINALLY NABBED

Approximately 30 minutes before sunset, Game Warden Calvin Christian received a call from a land-owner that two or three individuals had trespassed onto his property to go fi shing. Game Warden Colt Gaulden had previously responded to a similar call on the same ranch, where the landowner's jon boat had been used and a large hoop net was found and pulled from the lake. However, no suspects were ever

identifi ed. Upon arriving at the pri-vate lake, Christian met with the landowner's son, an off-duty peace offi cer, and the two apprehended fi ve adults and one juvenile as they were packing up to leave. The sub-jects have been charged for fi shing without landowner's consent. Other cases are pending for criminal tres-pass with a deadly weapon and illegal dumping.

RUNNING FROM FISHING LICENSE CHECK DOESN’T PAY

Titus County Game Warden Ash had a man run from him after attempt-ing to check his fi shing license at Town Lake in Mount Pleasant. The next day Ash located the subject and arrested him for no fi shing license, evading arrest, and for a parole war-rant out from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

TRAGEDY ON IVIE TAKES A LIFEColeman County communication

received a call of a stranded boat on Lake Ivie at 12:55 a.m. A boater and his family had been fi shing and had returned to the Kennedy Park boat ramp. The operator and two of his children, ages 11 and 15, had exited the boat to retrieve the boat trailer and vehicle. A female passenger and the operator's 7-year-old were still in the boat when high winds caused the boat to be blown off the shore, setting the boat afl oat. The operator of the boat tried to wade/swim out to catch the boat. The operator was unable to swim and was last seen by the passen-gers and children going under the water approximately 20 yards from shore. The passengers were picked up by game wardens from across the lake where they had drifted and returned to the Kennedy Boat Ramp area. Wardens recovered the victim at 4:30 a.m.

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER

Houston County Game Wardens Zak Benge and Eddie Lehr were called out to assist the Houston County Sheriff's Offi ce with a standoff. A suspect had shot numerous times into a house across the road. As the offi cers responded, they drew fi re. The six offi cers and nine civilians took refuge in the house and called for backup. Since the house was on the lake, the war-dens were called in to extricate the people from the

residence. As the wardens arrived, the individuals from the house were led through the woods along the edge of the lake with the wardens providing cover from the ves-sel. The wardens then went in with the Texas Rangers and secured the perimeter of the house until the DPS SWAT team arrived from Austin. The suspect surren-dered and was transported to the Houston County Jail on numerous charges.

WARDENS ASSIST IN ARMED STANDOFF


was casting a weighted red-and-white seducer-type fl y, about 4 inches, from a 10-weight rod.

“I did land a 31-inch redfi sh and two speckled trout, 24 inches and 21 inches,” Fleming said. “I had a couple fi sh break off; my leader got cut on the rocks, but that’s just part of it. It’s a thrill to have something get your line and take off like a bus. It’s a big jolt, keeps us coming back.”

The club’s next trip to the jetty will be the evening of Aug. 13, another full moon.

Guide Chad Hartman said Galveston’s north and south jet-ties can provide a lot of fi sh if anglers focus on four keys.

“Well, the fi rst thing we look for is wind,” he said. “The best wind we could have is 5-10 mph out of the southeast.” That’s because it stirs the action.

The second key is water clarity — typically a clear, green color,

which allows game fi sh to spot bait easier.

The third key is tide. Hartman said that tide may be the most important, as he prefers an incoming tide to force baitfi sh along the edges of the jetties. This current acts to confuse baitfi sh along the rocks and send them into a frenzy.

A slow-to-medium current pro-duced by the tide’s contact with the rocks is good, according to guide Mike Segall. He said this will get the bait moving; then anglers can fi sh areas where baitfi sh are jumping.

“You want to key on mullet and other bait that will be splashing,” Segall said. “Then you can anchor up and throw a popping cork up by the rocks.”

Segall said that he likes to fi sh shrimp, croaker and mullet on a No.8-10 treble or circle hook under a popping cork.

He typically runs a 2-foot fl uoro-carbon leader of 25-30 pound test.

Conversely, Hartman will use a much lighter 12-pound line, with

no leader in order to disguise the bait presentation.

The fi nal key is a boat’s proxim-ity to the rocks while anchored.

Hartman said that on numer-ous occasions, he has outfi shed other anglers just because of where his boat was anchored.

The use of electronics to fi nd underwater structure and guts that hold fi sh is crucial, accord-ing to both guides.

“It’s knowing how to anchor up your boat,” Hartman said, “because you could be sitting 5 feet from me and we could be catching them and you won’t catch a thing because you’re off too far.

“Knowing those rocks and what’s underneath them is everything.”

To contact Guide Chad Hartman, call (281) 827-0704

To contact Guide Mike Segall, call (281) 808-1310

Jetty actionContinued From Page 1

But, he cautioned, anglers still need to work hard to catch fi sh.

“You’re not just going to go out and throw a crankbait on every stump and catch a bunch of fi sh,” Wheatley said. “We’re having to work for them.”

A similar top-water bite was reported at Caddo Lake where guide Peter Daniels said anglers were catching 4- to 8-pound fi sh.

“This time of year I prefer fi shing around the lily pads,” Daniels said. “In 4 to 5 feet of water is where you’re going to get a chance of catching big-ger fi sh around 4 to 8 pounds.”

Most of Daniels’ top-water lures are Ribbit frogs in natural colors, and SPRO frogs in midnight walker or rainforest black.

Daniels said the top-water bite is something anglers can work through-out the day and, if they fi sh around cypress trees, they will catch fi sh.

To contact Guide Peter Daniels, call (318) 422-0426 To contact Guide Mike Wheatle, call (409) 382-9166

Bass tacticsContinued From Page 1

TO AND FROM: Wind, water clarity and tides are all factors that anglers heed, whether fi shing to or from jetties (above). The action accelerates when disoriented batfi sh congregate along the rocks (below). Photos by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.


HEROES

BENNY AND BRANDON RODRIGUEZ of Dale journeyed to the Big Bend country last season to hunt mule deer. On a ranch near Terlingua, Brandon, 15, shot his fi rst deer, a nine-point buck, and Benny got a seven-pointer.

AIDAN FLANNERY of Plano caught his fi rst largemouth last spring on a top-water frog. Aidan, 6, was fi shing with his dad, Scott, on a private lake near Canton.

ABRAM BOOTH, 7, of Spring continued a fam-ily tradition last season when he took his fi rst buck in Edwards County. The eight-point deer was taken with one shot at 75 yards with the same .222-caliber Savage that Abram’s great grand-father, Nubbin Booth, used to take his last deer shortly before his death in 1973. Joining Abram were grandfather Bryan Booth, not shown, and his dad, Buck Booth, left.

In the Marine Corps they say “every man a rifl eman,” and CAPT. JOHN HUNT of Waco proved it last deer season in Hidalgo County. Hunt, who has completed multiple deployments to Afghanistan, downed this buck on New Year’s Day.

TOM PENNINGTON of Fort Worth hooked this blackfi n tuna recently while trolling with artifi cials in blue water about 40 miles off Port Aransas.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE■ Want to share hunting and fi shing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers? E-mail them with contact and caption information to [email protected]. High-resolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.

to fi ght the new regulations, if implemented.“Obviously, we are disappointed but

we knew this day was coming,” said EWA Executive Director Charly Seale. “(USFWS) haven’t put out any proposed rule changes yet.

“Depending on what they do with the permitting, we are taking a wait-and-see approach.”

According to a USFWS news release, cap-tive breeding in the U.S. has contributed to the survival of the scim-itar-horned oryx, addax and dama gazelle world-wide “by rescuing these species from near extinc-tion and providing the founder stock necessary for reintroduction.”

And, even though these species were declared endangered under the ESA in 2005, USFWS granted a special exemption “that allowed owners of these animals to continue carrying out breeding and other activ-ities, including hunting for herd management, without issuing an indi-vidual permit.”

But four years later, sev-eral animal rights groups, including the Friends of Animals and the Humane Society of the United States, challenged the exemption in federal court.

On July 6, USFWS announced it would seek a repeal of the exemption. The move would put the three species back under the same sta-tus as other endangered animals.

“In general, the ESA prohibits the import or export of any listed species, or its parts or products, as well as sale in interstate or foreign commerce, without a permit,” according to the USFWS news release.

The Humane Society praised the proposal

but indicated that it didn’t go far enough.A 30-day period for public comment on the

proposal has begun and will run until Aug. 8.Seale said he is encouraging members to

contact the USFWS and comment on the pro-posed change to the current rule.

“I have submitted comments on what I think the permitting system should look like moving forward,” Seale said. “This is only one more step in the proposed process.”

Seale said the EWA, along with Safari Club International, sent the USFWS an “intent to sue” if the rules are changed.

“That doesn’t mean that we will sue,” Seale said. “It just means the statute of limita-tions was going to run out on Sept. 2, and by giving a 60-day writ-ten notice, it resets the statute of limitations for us.

“We’ve also asked for an extension of the 30-day commenting period — the reason-ing being that a lot of people are out of town right now.”

Seale said that if the animals were put on a permitting system, similar to the one currently in place for baras-ingha deer and red lechwe, it would be a blow to herd managers and hunters.

“I talked to a ranch owner yesterday and he said it took him three years to go through the permitting process for barasingha and red lechwe,” Seale said. “You can’t plan for that and you can’t manage a herd like that.”

To comment on this issue, go to www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R9-IA-2010-0056.

Exotic antelopeContinued From Page 6

EXOTIC: Scimitar-horned oryx have been brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to game ranchers' efforts in Texas. Photo by Tom Holden, Kerrville Daily Times.


Waterfowlers excited about reports of near-record duck numbersIt may be dry in Texas, but the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service’s preliminary report on breeding ducks and habitats indicates wet and favorable conditions on the far reaches of the North American continent.

Offi cials for Ducks Unlimited praised the report, especially the part that described total duck populations were estimated at 45.6 million breeding ducks on the surveyed area — an 11 per-cent boost over last year’s esti-mate of 40.9 mil-lion birds.

“The FWS has reported nearly unprec-edented waterfowl habitat conditions and breeding duck population levels for 2011— the best in several years for some areas,” said Dale Humburg, DU’s chief scientist. “Full wetlands and good upland cover will likely support a strong breeding effort, par-ticularly in the prairies this year.”

If these wet conditions continue, accord-ing to DU, prospects going into the winter and possibly into spring 2012 will be favor-able as well.

Of the 10 species traditionally reported, eight were similar to or increased in num-bers from 2010.

Northern shovelers and bluewings reached

record highs (4.6 and 8.9 million, respectively), and northern pintail numbers surpassed 4 mil-lion for the fi rst time since 1980.

Scaup numbers were similar to 2010 and remain below their long-term averages.

Only three spe-cies — scaup, north-ern pintail and American wigeon — remain below North American Waterfowl Management Plan population goals.

“In light of a very favorable breeding ground report, it’s still quite a while before we can put out the decoys,”

Humburg said. “We will have to monitor how broods fare this summer and what impact summer fl ooding has on many migration and wintering areas before we get better insight into what to expect this fall.”

The FWS spring surveys provide the scien-tifi c basis for many management programs across the continent including the setting of hunting regulations.

The four fl yway councils will meet in late July to recommend and adopt the sea-son structure and bag limits for 2011-12. Individual states will make their specifi c selec-tions within a federal framework of season length, bag limit and outside dates.

—Staff report


PRODUCTSMEGA KITS:RIO Products’ new shooting head kits each come with an assortment of shooting heads, shooting lines and sinking tips or leaders. The Skagit Flight Mega Kit — one of three kits available has a selection of heads for every rod and every occasion. The kit comes with 16 sizes of Skagit Flight Head from 350 grains through 750 grains, two Powerfl ex core shooting lines (0.030 inches and 0.035 inches) and three MOW tips, each with a welded loop on both ends. The Skagit Flight Mega Kit has an MSRP of $699.95.

(800) 553-0838www.rioproducts.com

PRO DAWGS: Musky Innovations’ lures were orginally made for musky, but they work on other gamefi sh, like largemouths and stripers. It’s the jointed harness that brings back the fl exibility of the popular Bull Dawg. But because it has the strength of solid wire, this Dawg really moves in the water, displaying plenty of belly fl ash. The Pro Dawgs have printed patterns with a fl exible clear coat that protects the paint and keeps their 3-D eyes intact. Available in Magnum (about $19) and Super Magnum (about $27) sizes, these soft plastic lures are available in six color combinations.

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framed shooters or those who want a lightweight compact rifl e. It features a 20-inch barrel, a 13-inch length of pull, over-all length of 39 1/2 inches and weighs just 6 1/2 pounds. The rifl e action has the Pre-1964 Controlled Round Feeding, an easy-to-use three-position safety, and a jeweled bolt body with a knurled bolt handle. The rifl e also uses the MOA trigger system that is easily adjusted. The stock is a satin-fi nished checkered walnut. Available in 22.250 Remington, 243 Win-

chester, 7mm-08 Remington, and .308 Winchester calibers, the rifl e sells for about $900.

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MACHETE MODEL 481:This 16.5-inch machete by Woodman’s Pal is designed for such

outdoor tasks as pruning, splitting, chopping or blazing trails. Its 6-inch hardwood handle fi ts comfortably in the user’s hand. And its blade — high carbon steel, 1/8-inch thick by 10 1/2 inches high — is balanced from the grip to the edge of its

sickle hook to create natural momentum for ef-fi cient and accurate motion. The blade is hard-

ened to Rockwell C47 for strength plus fl exibility in cold weather. A resin-bonded fl uorocarbon coating helps prevent cracking and corrosion. To reduce risk of injuries, a “safety toe” ex-tends 1 inch up the axe side of the tool. A leather or nylon wrist strap comes with the machete, which sells for about $68.

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“For larger lakes, I would start with a longer, sit-on-top kayak,” said Roland Jimenez, direc-tor of marketing for Austin Canoe and Kayak. “For rivers, you want a boat that allows for more maneuverability — not a 14-foot boat.

“Something 12 feet and under is ideal, but you do lose a little bit of cargo space if you are planning on overnight trips.”

Jimenez said kayaks like the Commander 120 and Native Watercraft Ultimate 12 are good choices; both are stable, with ample cargo space.

“Choosing the perfect boat is a personal deci-sion, but a 12-foot sit-on-top is great,” he said.

Once the boat is matched to the type of fi shing an angler does most, it is time to accessorize.

Several features are critical on a fi shing kayak, including rod holders, rod leashes and lights.

“Flush-mounted rod holders are very pop-ular,” Jimenez said. “They are great, easy to install and sell for about $12 each.”

Anglers searching for more security can consider holders that lock rods in place.

“We recommend getting rod leashes to tie down rods while paddling,” Jimenez added. “I like the mounted rod holders, too. I can easily get a rod in and out and don’t have to worry about losing them when I am paddling.”

A new feature on the market is the Wildcat Lighting System, which has several LED lights mounted on the sides of the kayak for easy visibility at night. It sells for about $100.

“They are great for night fi shing,” Jimenez said. “(The green lights) allow you to attract minnows to the boat, and there is a little yel-low light inside the boat that provides light for the angler. We’ve also heard the lights repel mosquitoes.”

If there is one piece of equipment that shouldn’t be overlooked, it is a good paddle.

According to Jimenez, the average kay-aker makes 1,000 strokes each hour, making a proper-fi tting paddle a must-have for seri-ous anglers.

“Really focus on the paddle,” he said. “It makes a big difference. Spend a little bit more on the paddle and you will be happy you did.”

Freshwater kayaksContinued From Page 8

A light paddle, he said, puts less strain on arms. A leash is also important; qual-ity paddles can run as high as $200-$300.

Thomas said that new anglers tend to add unneces-sary gadgets to a kayak, which he said, just gets in the way of paddling and fi ghting fi sh.

However, Thomas does

like rod holders, which are often mounted on all sides of the boat.

Other components include a lightweight anchor (so you can leave the boat and wade) and safety gear. VHF radios, cell phones and GPS units can be important in case of foul weather or other emergencies.

Once they get on the water,

Thomas suggested anglers stow gear behind them and away from the front of the boat.

“The fi sh always try to dart and hide under the boat, so I don’t add anything to the bow,” he said. “I like it to be streamlined and I keep every-thing behind my seat.”

To contact guide Dean Thomas, call (361) 758-0463.

■ PERSONAL KIT:- Proper clothing: Cap, buff,

sunglasses, long sleeve shirt- Fishing pants - 50+ SPF sunblock for

hands and feet- Live bait in minnow bucket

or aerated tank- Fresh cut bait on ice- Lures: spoons, jigs, cranks,

swim baits- Knife tethered to body or

jacket

■ ON KAYAK:- Paddle leash- Pliers tethered to yak- Rag or golf towel- Extra fl otation inside kayak (old life vest, pool noodles, boat bumpers, bubble wrap, Styrofoam, infl atable toys)

- Flag, loud whistle, good life vest, 360 white light & headlamp

- Extra paddle, just in case- Sonar, GPS, VHF radio - Lip grippers, pole spear or

gaff

- 2 Knives: 1 tethered to kayak, other to crate

- Basket or crate with rod and gaff holders

- Big cooler or fi sh bag with ice blocks or frozen water bottles

- Anchor trolley- Anchor with fl oating anchor

line - 20-foot emergency para-

cord attached to crate- Rod leashes for re-entry- Dry box for keys and wallet- Dry-Pak for cell phone

Saltwater kayakingContinued From Page 8

Anglers and guides suggested items for saltwater kayak rigs:

THE ESSENTIALS: A good kayak, good paddles and solid rod holders are must-haves for the kayak angler. Photo by LSON.

THE RIGHT BOAT: Choosing the right length kayak for your style of fi shing is key when searching for the perfect freshwater kayak. Photo by Casey Smartt.


It is unknown if this would affect any hunters because it’s unclear how many of them actually buy more than two semi-auto guns at the same time.

Cole said the new rule is “tailored to focus only on multiple sales of these types of rifl es to the same per-son within a fi ve-day period.”

He added that it would improve ATF’s ability “to detect and disrupt the illegal weapons traffi cking networks responsible for diverting fi rearms from law-ful commerce to criminals and criminal organizations.”

The rule comes on the heals of “Operation Fast and Furious” — a sting conducted by ATF that was intended to help build cases against Mexican crime groups suspected of illicit gun purchases.

Critics, however, claim the operation backfi red when agents allowed 2,000 guns to be released into Mexico, the majority of which are now unaccounted for.

One, however, has been linked to the shooting death of a Border Patrol agent last December in Arizona.

The National Rifl e Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation called the move ille-gal and threatened to sue as soon as the offi cial notice was sent to gun dealers.

However, one Texas congress-man assailed the measure.

Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, predicted that it “won’t stop drug cartels from getting weapons.”

He added that, “It is the height of hypocrisy for the Obama adminis-tration to restrict the gun rights of border state citizens, when the administration itself knowingly and intentionally allowed guns to be traffi cked into Mexico.”

Gun dealersContinued From Page 4

making it a very attractive oppor-tunity for many families.

Joshua was 10 when he was drawn last year to hunt at the Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area — Arroyo Colorado Unit. The property is way down on the Texas Gulf Coast about 600 miles from the Quintero home in Little Elm, north of Dallas.

“This would be quite a long drive for what was basically a 24-hour hunt,” Pete said. “Nevertheless, we knew we were fortunate to be drawn, so when the time came, we made the trip.”

They arrived on Dec. 11 to fi nd the WMA staff ready to “prepare and coach” them.

The staff informed them that their target animal would be a younger “cull” buck, but it would be tough hunting.

The rut had not yet started and the forecast called for wind and heat — about 90 degrees. But father and son eagerly got into their blind and began a waiting game that would last eight hours.

At around 4:50 p.m., the wind had died down and a doe approached their blind, sauntering up a trail from the right.

Joshua had been challenged all day by heat and boredom, but his father nudged him to get ready.

As the doe fed on corn, the wan-ing daylight signaled the approach-ing end of legal shooting time, but there still was no sign of a buck.

Pete told his son to be patient because “bucks will hide out of sight and let the doe eat for a while.”

“Well,” he added, “wouldn’t you know, that is exactly what happened.”

With just 20 minutes of enough light to shoot, a young buck — the kind that the biologists wanted to cull — stepped from the brush, and directly faced the blind.

Pete said it seemed like “forever” before the deer fi nally turned and presented a broadside target.

The eager father told his son to take the shot. Joshua squeezed the trigger on the .257-caliber rifl e. The buck went down, then got up and staggered into the brush.

The rules required biologists to look for the deer, Pete said. They found it, then brought it back to a check station where they helped Pete fi eld dress the animal.

“All in all it was a great experi-ence,” Pete said. “My son learned valuable lessons about patience and perseverance.

“The youth hunts are free and, in my opinion, a valuable resource offered by the state to all hunters.”

Now is the time for people to start planning for “drawn” hunts, said Kelly Edmiston, who oversees pub-lic hunts for TPWD. He said dead-lines are Aug. 11 to apply for archery hunts and Sept. 1 for the gun hunts.

Booklets describing the program are available at any TPWD offi ce or state park in Texas. Also people can go to the agency’s Web site, click on “hunting” and then fi nd the link for “drawn hunts.”

Drawn huntsContinued From Page 6

Low fawn recruitment means there will be fewer deer, trophy or otherwise, three to seven years in the future.

Biologists will know more in August when data arrives from annual spotlight surveys con-ducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Other statistics will come from members of the state’s wildlife cooperatives.

Meanwhile, Alan Cain, white-tailed deer program leader for TPWD, said he hadn’t yet heard any reports of fawn abandonment, but the potential is very real.

“Does it happen? Sure,” he said. “If a doe is stressed, which can happen in times like now, there will be a point when she abandons her fawn.”

Cain noted, however, that while

the whole state is dry, the Edwards Plateau and Trans Pecos might be hit the worst. Some locations there were still sooty from wild-fi res last spring.

“It’s stressed all over the state,” Cain said, “but those areas are semi-desert anyway. And then you throw something like this out there … it can be a concern.”

And it’s a concern for other spe-cies, said Shawn Gray, TPWD’s mule deer and pronghorn pro-gram leader.

“I’m not real hopeful on mule deer fawn recruitment either,” Gray said.

He explained that when range conditions are poor, mother deer might reabsorb fetuses, or give birth to frail babies. Abandonment can follow.

Some observers are repeating the mantra that “a rain with a name” — meaning a hurricane, one without severe damage — can

help turn things around. But there are other glimmers of

hope.Landowners who supplemental

feed and manage for drought can expect higher fawn recruitments, Cain and Gray said.

“When you have good vegeta-tion and cover, (deer) are going to survive better,” Cain said. “But I’ve been on some places where they’re supplemental feeding and having good habitat. They are expecting 50 percent recruitment.”

Cain also said that 2011 is a crit-ical year for landowners to work very hard at reaching deer har-vest goals to ease competition for available food.

Consider that an adult doe, about 80 pounds, eats 4 to 6 pounds of food each day.

A young buck, about the same weight, will eat just as much, and a larger mature buck will stomach as much as 7 pounds.

FawnContinued From Page 5


Be readyContinued From Page 9

to pick them all out. “A lot of the time you

injure the gar doing it and you’ll tear up their teeth or crack their bill.”

That is why Smartt started designing his own fl ies.

There was a lot of trial and error. He started with rubber tubing from an auto parts store; the result was a long tube fl y with a 4/0 hook. He has stuck to popular colors — white chartreuse, white and gray — to replicate baitfi sh.

Dave Speer of Austin, however, said a rope fl y is the best way to catch a long-nose gar, despite the hefty challenge that comes with untangling the fi sh from the nylon fi bers.

“Gar are sight feeders,” Speer said. “So if something swims by them, and is ani-mated, they believe it’s a fi sh

and will strike at it.”Speer’s rope fl y rig

includes a 10-weight rod and a fl y about 6 to 8 inches long, which can be hard to cast with lighter rods.

He mainly used fl oating lines, but he noted that sink-ing lines in the summer work well because anglers need to target longnose at greater depths.

Smartt prefers interme-diate to fast sinking lines because he targets gar down to 60 feet.

Both anglers suggested a simple approach to leaders because a gar isn’t shy about leader material.

But, because of their teeth and sharp scales, a fl uoro-carbon leader from 50- to 60-pound test is required to avoid breakoffs.

Wire leaders aren’t in the

tackle bags of either angler; Smartt said they are just too bulky and tend to bunch when casting.

Landing gar is another challenge, as they will thrash, hurting themselves and the angler.

Smartt mostly fi shes from a kayak, which is easier for him to position the fi sh along-side and wait until it’s fully exhausted before boating it.

“The trick,” he said, “is when you get it into the boat. Then what do you do? Because now you have a half-way dangerous situation.”

Heavy gloves, a Boga grip or other jaw spreader is a necessity when handling these fi sh.

Speer said that because of his technique, he likes to have at least another angler with him while landing gar.

GAR ON FLY: Angler Casey Smartt of New Braunfels holds one of the many big gar he has caught on the fl y rod. Smartt said that gar in the 4- to 6-foot range tend to put up the best fi ghts and will often tail walk on the water. Photo By Casey Smartt.

Heng, a biologist for the Texas Water Development Board.

Heng explained that because of Livingston’s connection to the Trinity, the lake’s water levels tend to remain steady, regardless of drought elsewhere in the state.

Data from the water in mid-July showed that Livingston held about 1,738,000 acre-feet of water — down from the lake’s normal capacity of 1,741,000.

This slight drop of 3,867 acre-feet may seem high since there was no decrease in acre-feet from April to May of this year, meaning the lake level stayed at full pool for two months.

But other lakes of similar size (1 million or more acre-feet) have lost between 24,000 and 211,000 acre-feet since April.

Two of the most dramatic examples are: Toledo Bend (down 863,202 acre-feet) and Richland Chambers (down 149,189 acre-feet).

Of the eight lakes of that size in Texas, Livingston is at the highest capacity with 98 percent.

For anglers, that reliable water level has helped keep fi shing productive, said guide David Cox.

Cox and Cosper both reported that all boat launches and marinas on the lake are easily accessible. Largemouth bass, catfi sh and crappie have all ben-efi ted from these steady levels.

“The fi shing has been better because the lake hasn’t been volatile, as it hasn’t been going up and down too much,” Cox said.

“There is plenty of room for peo-ple to get into the water,” Cosper said. “You don’t have to fi ght for spots. It’s all accessible and I don’t know of a boat ramp that you cannot launch at.”

To contact guide Simon Cosper, call (936) 355-2889. To contact guide Dave Cox, call (936) 291-9602.

Lake LivingstonContinued From Page 8

Congratulations, Bert! You can claim your Nikon 10x42

Trailblazer ATB binoculars at the

Nikon Sport Optics dealer nearest you:

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The “Hidden Valley

Buck” got his name

because he was spot-

ted hanging around a

secluded little canyon

on a 350-acre ranch

in Jack County. With

eight points formed from

extra-long tines, he was

the deer all the hunters

were gunning for last

season. That distinc-

tion goes to ROBERT

“BERT” BRANUM, 15,

of Waco. He borrowed a

.270-caliber Browning

bolt-action rifl e from his

stepfather, G.W. Quick,

to claim the whitetail.

Bert, who was 14 at the

time, was on his fi rst

solo hunt.


CONSERVATION

Monitor pond’s oxygen levels, even if it’s full

Dropping oxygen levels can be a prob-lem during a hot Texas summer, even when there's normal rainfall.

A pond may be well constructed with a clay base, but pond owners must still pay attention to fi sh management and water oxygen levels.

If the pond is too heavily stocked, fi sh can run into an “oxygen debt,” said Dr. Billy Higginbotham, Texas AgriLife Extension wildlife and fi sheries specialist.

“As water temperatures increase, the abil-ity of that water to hold oxygen decreases, so, typically, the hot summer months are when oxygen depletions are most likely to occur,” Higginbotham said.

He added that it’s best to avoid trying to carry more than a thousand pounds of fi sh per surface acre during the warm months.

“Small ponds that are intensively managed for high-standing crops of catfi sh at or above 1,000 pounds per surface acre are going to be among the fi rst ponds to experience oxygen shortages as water levels drop,” he said.

But many pond owners overestimate the

surface acreage of their ponds by a factor of two or three, Higginbotham said.

There are simple methods to determine the size of a pond, he said.

If the pond is more or less rectangular, the simplest way to determine its size is to mea-sure the length and width in feet, then multi-ply one measurement by the other to get sur-face area in square feet.

Divide that number by 44,000 to get the approximate area in acres.

As an example, a relatively square pond measuring about 200 feet on each side will have 40,000 square feet of surface area, or about one acre.

Calculating a round pond’s size is a little more complicated. Divide the distance across the pond by two, square the result, and then multiply that number by 3.14.

Once the approximate surface area is determined, the next step is to deter-mine the pounds of fi sh in the pond, Higginbotham said.

“By catching a few fi sh and weighing them, an owner can estimate the total pounds of fi sh in the pond,” he said.

Pond owners who suspect low oxygen concentrations should monitor their ponds closely, even if their stocking levels are 1,000 pounds per acre or less, Higginbotham said.

“Visit the pond shortly after daybreak,” he said. “If fi sh are crowded up at the surface at fi rst light, that's a pretty good indication that you’ve got low-oxygen levels.”

If this is the case, pond owners should either immediately harvest fi sh to reduce the stocking level or aerate that water, Higginbotham said.

“Aerate with a pump or boat motor just to get over the hump and through the immedi-ate emergency in order to raise the oxygen levels, so you don't lose an entire pond of fi sh,” he said.

— Robert Burns, Texas AgriLife Extension Service

POND AID: Though a pond may stay full, even during drought, landowners must make sure that fi sh popula-tions don’t exceed available oxygen in the water. The consequence: fi sh kills. Photo by Robert Burns.

Desert bighorn permit fetches record $152,000 in TWA auction


History was made July 9 when a permit to hunt a Texas desert big-horn sheep fetched $152,000 during the grand auction of WildLife 2011, the annual convention of the Texas Wildlife Association.

“I’m told it is the highest amount paid for a Texas bighorn permit,” said Gary Joiner, the TWA’s CEO. “We are very blessed and fortunate to have been able to offer it.”

The previous record was $115,000, Joiner said.

The auction was held during the TWA’s state convention at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa.

Bidding was spirited, Joiner said, with three “proxy” bids phoned in from out of state.

The CEO said the group chose not to publicize the names of bidders, although he did say that the winner of the permit is a Texan and TWA member who is deeply committed to bighorn sheep conservation in Texas.

Joiner said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department donated the permit to the Texas Wildlife Association Foundation for the auction.

In turn, the TWAF is donating 90 per-cent of the permit auction proceeds to the TPWD desert bighorn sheep pro-gram. The remaining 10 percent will go toward the foundation’s charitable, sci-entifi c and educational programs.

The permit is valid for one des-ert bighorn ram at the Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Brewster County.

This WMA was donated in 1985 to TPWD specifi cally for restoration,

conservation and management of desert bighorn sheep.

Twenty-fi ve bighorn hunts have been conducted there since 1996, resulting in 16 Boone and Crockett record book rams.

Webb elected TWA’s new president A lawyer and rancher from Abilene is the new president of

the Texas Wildlife Association. Glen Webb was elected to a one-year

term, July 8, at the TWA’s convention in San Antonio. He succeeds Tina Y. Buford of Harlingen, who served two one-year terms.

The San Antonio-based group advocates for wildlife and natural resource conservation at local, state, and national levels. It pro-motes the ethical use of land and wildlife. It also promotes hunting and hunter rights.

Webb is the 14th president in TWA’s 26-year history. He previously served as treasurer for two years and as secretary for two years.

“To represent you as the president of this organization is a true honor,” Webb told fellow members at the conven-tion. “Therefore, please know: I realize I have been given a great gift. I recognize my covenant, and I promise I will be a good steward.”

Webb, an Abilene native, earned a bachelor of arts degree from Texas A&M University, a master’s of business adminis-tration from Texas Tech University, and his law degree from Southern Methodist University.

With his mother, Becky, and brother, Russell, Webb owns 2 Diamond W Ranches in Throckmorton County.

As a member of TWA’s executive committee, he wrote the group’s amicus brief to the Texas Supreme Court in the case Guitar Holding Co., LP vs. Hudspeth County Underground Water District.

Webb and his wife, Misti, have two children, William Gentry and Ella Grace.

The TWA Board of Directors also re-elected Neal Wilkins, of College Station as TWA vice president and elected Greg Simons of San Angelo as secretary and Marcus T. Barrett IV of San Antonio as treasurer.

—Staff report

GLEN WEBB

PRICEY TROPHY: A Texas hunter paid $152,000 for a chance to shoot a desert bighorn sheep like the ones pictured earlier this year at Elephant Mountain WMA, where the auc-tioned hunt will take place. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.


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Solunar | Sun times | Moon timesMoon Phases

FOR THE TABLEOUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen Solution on Page 26

ACROSS1. Nature's cover for fawns

6. An action on a repeating shotgun

8. A food fi sh 9. It clings to fi sh to eat on10. Line grommets on a fi sh rod11. Type habitat deer hide in12. Parts of antlers14. To point weapon at a

target15. Many pheasants have

had this shot off17. The muskie will attack

from here20. A hunter's quarry in the

Rockies21. To analyze a game track23. A lure, scent ____25. Hunting weapons26. Name for the deer's tines30. Cause of arrows to drift

in fl ight34. A food source for the

trout35. Term for the handle sec-

tion of a bow37. A type of fi shing lure38. Pack catch in this to take

home39. It is said deer can distin-

guish this

41. A game pathway42. Fish breathing

organs43. Term for parts of a

stag's antlers

DOWN 1. A fi sh cleaning

tool, _____ knife 2. Number of fi sh

allowed in a day 3. The formation

fl yers 4. Some anglers like

to fi sh here 5. A method of sport

fi shing 6. Preys on game,

wildfowl 7. The small arms13. Name for a quick-

to-erect type tent14. The expert fi sher-

man's title16. The most elk-

populated State18. Stream fi shermen

are doing this19. Bucks will to warn of

danger22. A trout and bear species24. He fl ushes and fetches

27. Part of fi shing gear28. A type habitat29. Term for a type of fl y31. Hunter _____ his scout-

ing routes32. A very valuable fur bearer

33. A major deer food36. Garters worn to keep

____ out of boots37. Method of fl oat fi shing in

a lake40. Fish eggs

Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. F=Full Moon, N=New Moon, Q=Quarter > = Peak Activity. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 min-ute per 12 miles west of a location.

Sun Moon Tides| |

10 dove breast fi llets 1/4 cup fl our 1/2 tsp. garlic salt 1/4 tsp. paprika 1/8 tsp. pepper 2 tbsp. shorteningPiquant Sauce1 med. onion, sliced 1 tbsp. shortening 2/3 cup water 2 tsp. cornstarch 2 tsp. soy sauce

Place fl our, garlic salt, paprika, and pepper in a plastic or paper bag; add dove breasts and shake

until meat is coated well. Heat shortening in medium skillet and brown breasts on both sides. Remove meat to platter and keep warm while preparing sauce.

Cook and stir onion until crisp-tender in same skillet used for doves. Blend water, cornstarch and soy sauce and pour into skillet. Cook and stir constantly until sauce thickens and boils. Continue stirring and allow to boil for one minute. Add doves to sauce, heat through, and serve on bed of cooked rice.

— wildgamerecipes.org

Doves with Piquant sauce

6 Red snapper or mangrove snap-per fi llets, about 6 ounces each1 large tomato, peeled and chopped2 green onions, chopped (includ-ing the tender green tops)1 clove garlic, fi nely chopped2 tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. of dried thyme leaves1/2 tsp.of salt1/3 cup olive oil1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter1 lemon, cut in half6 cups hot steamed or boiled white rice, to serve

Mix tomato, green onions, gar-lic, hot sauce, thyme and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet, setting heat to medium fl ame. Cook the fi llets and squeeze with lemon. Ladle the tomato mixture over fi sh and cover well. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until fi llets are fl aky.

Serve over freshly steamed or boiled white rice.

Makes 6 servings.— fi shrecipes.org

Caribbean spiced red snapper

LastJuly 22 New

July 29Full

Aug 12

FirstAug 5

Texas Coast TidesSabine Pass, jettyDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJuly 22 12:21 a.m. 1.3 L 7:40 a.m. 2.0 H 3:44 p.m. 0.4 L July 23 7:31 a.m. 2.0 H 4:26 p.m. 0.0 L July 24 5:09 a.m. 2.1 H 5:07 p.m. -0.2 L July 25 3:37 a.m. 2.3 H 5:48 p.m. -0.4 L July 26 3:27 a.m. 2.3 H 6:28 p.m. -0.5 L July 27 3:46 a.m. 2.5 H 7:09 p.m. -0.7 L July 28 4:08 a.m. 2.5 H 8:09 a.m. 2.1 L 10:21 a.m. 2.3 H 7:49 p.m. -0.9 L July 29 4:30 a.m. 2.5 H 8:12 a.m. 2.1 L 11:53 a.m. 2.3 H 8:30 p.m. -0.7 L July 30 4:52 a.m. 2.5 H 8:47 a.m. 2.1 L 1:08 p.m. 2.3 H 9:11 p.m. -0.7 L July 31 5:13 a.m. 2.3 H 9:32 a.m. 1.8 L 2:24 p.m. 2.3 H 9:53 p.m. -0.4 L Aug 01 5:33 a.m. 2.3 H 10:23 a.m. 1.4 L 3:46 p.m. 2.1 H 10:35 p.m. 0.0 L Aug 02 5:52 a.m. 2.1 H 11:19 a.m. 1.1 L 5:17 p.m. 2.0 H 11:18 p.m. 0.5 L Aug 03 6:10 a.m. 2.1 H 12:19 p.m. 0.7 L 7:00 p.m. 2.0 H Aug 04 12:03 a.m. 1.1 L 6:27 a.m. 2.1 H 1:22 p.m. 0.2 L 8:54 p.m. 2.0 H Aug 05 12:52 a.m. .6 L 6:42 a.m. 2.3 H 2:27 p.m. -0.2 L 10:59 p.m. 2.1 H

Galveston Bay entrance, south jettyDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJuly 22 12:47 a.m. 1.0 L 8:27 a.m. .6 H 4:10 p.m. 0.3 L July 23 8:18 a.m. 1.6 H 4:52 p.m. 0.0 L July 24 5:56 a.m. 1.7 H 5:33 p.m. -0.1 L July 25 4:24 a.m. 1.9 H 6:14 p.m. -0.3 L July 26 4:14 a.m. 1.9 H 6:54 p.m. -0.4 L July 27 4:33 a.m. 2.0 H 7:35 p.m. -0.6 L July 28 4:55 a.m. 2.0 H 8:35 a.m. 1.7 L 11:08 a.m. 1.9 H 8:15 p.m. -0.7 L July 29 5:17 a.m. 2.0 H 8:38 a.m. 1.7 L 12:40 p.m. 1.9 H 8:56 p.m. -0.6 L July 30 5:39 a.m. 2.0 H 9:13 a.m. 1.7 L 1:55 p.m. 1.9 H 9:37 p.m. -0.6 L July 31 6:00 a.m. 1.9 H 9:58 a.m. 1.4 L 3:11 p.m. 1.9 H 10:19 p.m. -0.3 L Aug 01 6:20 a.m. 1.9 H 10:49 a.m. 1.1 L 4:33 p.m. 1.7 H 11:01 p.m. 0.0 L Aug 02 6:39 a.m. 1.7 H 11:45 a.m. 0.9 L 6:04 p.m. 1.6 H 11:44 p.m. 0.4 L Aug 03 6:57 a.m. 1.7 H 12:45p.m. 0.6 L 7:47 p.m. 1.6 H Aug 04 12:29 a.m. 0.9 L 7:14 a.m. 1.7 H 1:48 p.m. 0.1 L 9:41 p.m. 1.6 H Aug 05 1:18 a.m. 1.3 L 7:29 a.m. 1.9 H 2:53 p.m. -0.1 L 11:46 p.m. 1.7 H

San Luis PassDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height July 22 1:43 a.m. 0.6 L 8:57 a.m. 0.9 H 5:06 p.m. 0.2 L July 23 8:48 a.m. 0.9 H 5:48 p.m. 0.0 L July 24 6:26 a.m. .0 H 6:29 p.m. -0.1 L July 25 4:54 a.m. 1.1 H 7:10 p.m. -0.2 L July 26 4:44 a.m. 1.1 H 7:50 p.m. -0.3 L July 27 5:03 a.m. 1.2 H 8:31 p.m. -0.3 L July 28 5:25 a.m. 1.2 H 9:31 a.m. 1.0 L 11:38 a.m. 1.1 H 9:11 p.m. -0.4 L July 29 5:47 a.m. 1.2 H 9:34 a.m. 1.0 L 1:10 p.m. 1.1 H 9:52 p.m. -0.3 L July 30 6:09 a.m. 1.2 H 10:09 a.m. 1.0 L 2:25 p.m. 1.1 H 10:33 p.m. -0.3 L July 31 6:30 a.m. 1.1 H 10:54 a.m. 0.9 L 3:41 p.m. 1.1 H 11:15 p.m. -0.2 L Aug 01 6:50 a.m. 1.1 H 11:45 a.m. 0.7 L 5:03 p.m. 1.0 H 11:57 p.m. 0.0 L Aug 02 7:09 a.m. 1.0 H 12:41 p.m. 0.5 L 6:34 p.m. 0.9 H Aug 03 12:40 a.m. 0.3 L 7:27 a.m. 1.0 H 1:41 p.m. 0.3 L 8:17 p.m. 0.9 H Aug 04 1:25 a.m. 0.5 L 7:44 a.m. 1.0 H 2:44 p.m. 0.1 L 10:11 p.m. 0.9 H Aug 05 2:14 a.m. 0.8 L 7:59 a.m. 1.1 H 3:49 p.m. -0.1 L

Freeport HarborDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJuly 22 12:44 a.m. 0.6 L 7:49 a.m. 1.4 H 4:07 p.m. 0.2 L July 23 7:40 a.m. 1.4 H 4:49 p.m. 0.0 L July 24 5:18 a.m. 1.5 H 5:30 p.m. -0.1 L July 25 3:46 a.m. 1.6 H 6:11 p.m. -0.2 L July 26 3:36 a.m. 1.6 H 6:51 p.m. -0.3 L July 27 3:55 a.m. 1.7 H 7:32 p.m. -0.4 L July 28 4:17 a.m. 1.7 H 8:32 a.m. 1.1 L 10:30 a.m. 1.6 H 8:12 p.m. -0.5 L July 29 4:39 a.m. 1.7 H 8:35 a.m. 1.1 L 12:02 p.m. 1.6 H 8:53 p.m. -0.4 L July 30 5:01 a.m. 1.7 H 9:10 a.m. 1.1 L 1:17 p.m. 1.6 H 9:34 p.m. -0.4 L July 31 5:22 a.m. 1.6 H 9:55 a.m. 0.9 L 2:33 p.m. 1.6 H 10:16 p.m. -0.2 L Aug 01 5:42 a.m. 1.6 H 10:46 a.m. 0.7 L 3:55 p.m. 1.5 H 10:58 p.m. 0.0 L Aug 02 6:01 a.m. 1.5 H 11:42 a.m. 0.5 L 5:26 p.m. 1.4 H 11:41 p.m. 0.3 L Aug 03 6:19 a.m. 1.5 H 12:42 p.m. 0.4 L 7:09 p.m. 1.4 H Aug 04 12:26 a.m. 0.5 L 6:36 a.m. 1.5 H 1:45 p.m. 0.1 L 9:03 p.m. 1.4 H Aug 05 1:15 a.m. 0.8 L 6:51 a.m. 1.6 H 2:50 p.m. -0.1 L 11:08 p.m. 1.5 H

South Padre IslandDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJuly 22 12:39 a.m. 0.7 L 6:51 a.m. 1.0 H 3:27 p.m. 0.1 L July 23 6:20 a.m. 1.0 H 4:13 p.m. 0.0 L July 24 5:16 a.m. 1.1 H 5:00 p.m. -0.2 L July 25 4:28 a.m. 1.2 H 5:48 p.m. -0.3 L July 26 4:38 a.m. 1.3 H 6:34 p.m. -0.5 L July 27 4:59 a.m. .4 H 7:20 p.m. -0.5 L July 28 5:23 a.m. 1.5 H 8:04 p.m. -0.6 L July 29 5:45 a.m. 1.5 H 8:49 p.m. -0.6 L July 30 6:04 a.m. 1.5 H 9:34 p.m. -0.5 L July 31 6:17 a.m. 1.4 H 11:05 a.m. 1.1 L 1:37 p.m. 1.2 H 10:19 p.m. -0.3 L Aug 01 6:23 a.m. 1.2 H 11:20 a.m. 0.9 L 3:25 p.m. 1.1 H 11:06 p.m. -0.1 L Aug 02 6:24 a.m. 1.1 H 11:52 a.m. 0.6 L 5:09 p.m. 1.0 H 11:53 p.m. 0.2 L Aug 03 6:19 a.m. 1.0 H 12:34 p.m. 0.3 L 7:02 p.m. 1.0 H Aug 04 12:42 a.m. 0.6 L 6:09 a.m. 1.0 H 1:24 p.m. 0.0 L 9:17 p.m. 1.0 H Aug 05 1:36 a.m. 0.9 L 5:52 a.m. 1.0 H 2:20 p.m. -0.3 L

Port O’ConnorDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJuly 22 8:38 a.m. 0.2 H 6:41 p.m. -0.1 L July 23 7:58 a.m. 0.3 H 7:40 p.m. -0.2 L July 24 8:08 a.m. 0.4 H 8:38 p.m. -0.3 L July 25 8:39 a.m. 0.5 H 9:32 p.m. -0.4 L July 26 9:19 a.m. 0.6 H 10:22 p.m. -0.5 L July 27 10:05 a.m. 0.6 H 11:08 p.m. -0.5 L July 28 10:56 a.m. 0.7 H 11:51 p.m. -0.6 L July 29 11:54 a.m. 0.7 H July 30 12:31 a.m. -0.6 L 1:07 p.m. 0.6 H July 31 1:09 a.m. -0.5 L 2:52 p.m. 0.5 H Aug 01 1:43 a.m. -0.4 L 4:58 p.m. 0.4 H Aug 02 2:12 a.m. -0.2 L 10:21 a.m. 0.2 H 1:25 p.m. 0.1 L 7:02 p.m. 0.3 H Aug 03 2:28 a.m. 0.0 L 8:54 a.m. 0.2 H 2:55 p.m. 0.0 L 9:27 p.m. 0.2 H Aug 04 2:10 a.m. 0.1 L 8:07 a.m. 0.3 H 4:07 p.m. -0.1 L Aug 05 7:50 a.m. 0.5 H 5:19 p.m. -0.3 L

RockportDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJuly 22 9:58 a.m. 0.15 H 7:16 p.m. -0.07 LJuly 23 10:15 a.m. 0.18 H 8:02 p.m. -0.1 LJuly 24 10:42 a.m. 0.19 H 8:49 p.m. -0.12 LJuly 25 1:18 a.m. 0.21 H 9:38 p.m. -0.13 LJuly 26 12:01 p.m. 0.22 H 10:29 p.m. -0.14 LJuly 27 12:46 p.m. 0.23 H 11:19 p.m. -0.14 LJuly 28 1:31 p.m. 0.24 HJuly 29 12:07 a.m. -0.14 L 2:16 p.m. 0.23 HJuly 30 12:51 a.m. -0.13 L 3:03 p.m. 0.22 HJuly 31 1:30 a.m. -0.11 L 3:56 p.m. 0.19 HAug 01 2:02 a.m. -0.07 L 5:14 p.m. 0.15 HAug 02 2:23 a.m. -0.01 L 10:16 a.m. 0.11 H 3:18 p.m. 0.08 L 7:51 p.m. 0.1 HAug 03 2:17 a.m. 0.05 L 9:08 a.m. 0.13 H 4:45 p.m. 0.02 LAug 04 8:38 a.m. 0.17 H 5:44 p.m. -0.04 LAug 05 8:39 a.m. 0.22 H 6:38 p.m. -0.09 L

Houston2011 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJuly-Aug Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets22 Thu 2:56 9:09 3:22 9:36 06:34 08:19 5:58p 3:23a23 Fri 3:44 9:57 4:10 10:23 06:34 08:19 6:47p 4:17a 24 Sat > 4:31 10:44 4:56 11:09 06:35 08:18 7:30p 5:13a 25 Sun > 5:18 11:30 5:42 11:54 06:35 08:18 8:08p 6:10a 26 Mon F 6:05 ----- 6:27 12:16 06:36 08:17 8:42p 7:06a 27 Tue > 6:51 12:40 7:12 1:01 06:37 08:17 9:13p 8:01a 28 Wed > 7:36 1:26 7:57 1:47 06:37 08:16 9:42p 8:54a 29 Thu 8:21 2:12 8:41 2:31 06:38 08:16 10:10p 9:46a 30 Fri 9:07 2:57 9:26 3:16 06:38 08:15 10:38p 10:38a 31 Sat 9:52 3:42 10:12 4:02 06:39 08:14 11:07p 11:31a 01 Sun 10:38 4:27 10:59 4:49 06:40 08:14 11:40p 12:25p 02 Mon Q 11:25 5:13 11:48 5:36 06:40 08:13 NoMoon 1:22p 03 Tue ----- 6:01 12:13 6:26 06:41 08:12 12:16a 2:20p 04 Wed 12:37 6:50 1:04 7:17 06:41 08:11 12:58a 3:21p 05 Thu 1:27 7:42 1:56 8:10 06:42 08:11 1:48a 4:21p 06 Fri 2:19 8:34 2:49 9:04 06:43 08:10 2:45a 5:20p 07 Sat 3:13 9:28 3:43 9:59 06:43 08:09 3:48a 6:14p 08 Sun > 4:08 10:23 4:38 10:53 06:44 08:08 4:57a 7:04p 09 Mon > 5:04 11:18 5:32 11:47 06:44 08:07 6:08a 7:48p 10 Tue N 6:00 ----- 6:27 12:41 06:45 08:07 7:19a 8:28p

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell PierDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJuly 22 12:26 a.m. 0.5 L 8:20 a.m. 1.3 H 3:49 p.m. 0.2 L July 23 8:11 a.m. .3 H 4:31 p.m. 0.0 L July 24 5:49 a.m. 1.4 H 5:12 p.m. -0.1 L July 25 4:17 a.m. 1.5 H 5:53 p.m. -0.2 L July 26 4:07 a.m. 1.5 H 6:33 p.m. -0.2 L July 27 4:26 a.m. 1.6 H 7:14 p.m. -0.3 L July 28 4:48 a.m. 1.6 H 8:14 a.m. 0.9 L 11:01 a.m. 1.5 H 7:54 p.m. -0.4 L July 29 5:10 a.m. 1.6 H 8:17 a.m. 0.9 L 12:33 p.m. 1.5 H 8:35 p.m. -0.3 L July 30 5:32 a.m. 1.6 H 8:52 a.m. 0.9 L 1:48 p.m. 1.5 H 9:16 p.m. -0.3 L July 31 5:53 a.m. 1.5 H 9:37 a.m. 0.8 L 3:04 p.m. 1.5 H 9:58 p.m. -0.2 L Aug 01 6:13 a.m. 1.5 H 10:28 a.m. 0.6 L 4:26 p.m. 1.4 H 10:40 p.m. 0.0 L Aug 02 6:32 a.m. 1.4 H 11:24 a.m. 0.5 L 5:57 p.m. 1.3 H 11:23 p.m. 0.2 L Aug 03 6:50 a.m. 1.4 H 12:24 p.m. 0.3 L 7:40 p.m. 1.3 H Aug 04 12:08 a.m. 0.5 L 7:07 a.m. 1.4 H 1:27 p.m. 0.1 L 9:34 p.m. 1.3 H Aug 05 12:57 a.m. 0.7 L 7:22 a.m. 1.5 H 2:32 p.m. -0.1 L 11:39 p.m. 1.4 H

San Antonio2011 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJuly-Aug Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets22 Thu 3:08 9:22 3:35 9:48 06:47 08:31 6:10p 3:37a 23 Fri 3:56 10:09 4:22 10:35 06:47 08:31 6:59p 4:31a24 Sat > 4:44 10:56 5:09 11:21 06:48 08:30 7:42p 5:27a 25 Sun > 5:31 11:43 5:54 ----- 06:48 08:30 8:20p 6:24a 26 Mon F 6:17 12:06 6:40 12:29 06:49 08:29 8:54p 7:20a 27 Tue > 7:03 12:53 7:25 1:14 06:50 08:29 9:25p 8:14a28 Wed > 7:49 1:39 8:09 1:59 06:50 08:28 9:54p 9:07a 29 Thu 8:34 2:24 8:54 2:44 06:51 08:27 10:22p 9:59a 30 Fri 9:19 3:09 9:39 3:29 06:51 08:27 10:51p 10:51a 31 Sat 10:04 3:54 10:25 4:15 06:52 08:26 11:20p 11:43a 01 Sun 10:50 4:39 11:12 5:01 06:53 08:25 11:53p 12:37p 02 Mon Q 11:37 5:26 ----- 5:49 06:53 08:25 NoMoon 1:34p 03 Tue 12:02 6:13 12:26 6:39 06:54 08:24 12:30a 2:33p 04 Wed 12:49 7:03 1:16 7:30 06:54 08:23 1:12a 3:33p 05 Thu 1:40 7:54 2:08 8:23 06:55 08:23 2:02a 4:33p 06 Fri 2:32 8:47 3:02 9:17 06:56 08:22 2:59a 5:32p 07 Sat 3:26 9:41 3:56 10:11 06:56 08:21 4:02a 6:26p 08 Sun > 4:20 10:35 4:50 11:05 06:57 08:20 5:11a 7:16p 09 Mon > 5:16 11:31 5:45 11:59 06:57 08:19 6:22a 8:00p 10 Tue N 6:12 ----- 6:40 12:54 06:58 08:19 7:33a 8:41p

Amarillo2011 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJuly-Aug Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets22 Thu 3:22 9:35 3:48 10:02 06:48 08:57 6:41p 3:35a 23 Fri 4:10 10:23 4:35 10:48 06:49 08:56 7:28p 4:29a24 Sat > 4:57 11:10 5:22 11:34 06:49 08:56 8:09p 5:27a 25 Sun > 5:44 11:56 6:08 ----- 06:50 08:55 8:45p 6:25a26 Mon F 6:31 12:20 6:53 12:42 06:51 08:54 9:16p 7:24a 27 Tue > 7:17 1:06 7:38 1:27 06:51 08:54 9:44p 8:21a 28 Wed > 8:02 1:52 8:23 2:12 06:52 08:53 10:10p 9:17a 29 Thu 8:47 2:37 9:07 2:57 06:53 08:52 10:35p 10:12a 30 Fri 9:32 3:22 9:52 3:42 06:54 08:51 11:01p 11:07a 31 Sat 10:18 4:07 10:38 4:28 06:54 08:50 11:28p 12:02p 01 Sun 11:04 4:53 11:25 5:14 06:55 08:50 NoMoon 12:59p02 Mon Q 11:51 5:39 ----- 6:02 06:56 08:49 NoMoon 1:59p 03 Tue 12:15 6:27 12:39 6:52 06:57 08:48 12:32a 3:00p 04 Wed 1:03 7:16 1:30 7:43 06:57 08:47 1:12a 4:02p 05 Thu 1:53 8:07 2:22 8:36 06:58 08:46 2:00a 5:04p 06 Fri 2:45 9:00 3:15 9:30 06:59 08:45 2:56a 6:02p 07 Sat 3:39 9:54 4:09 10:25 07:00 08:44 4:01a 6:54p 08 Sun > 4:34 10:49 5:04 11:19 07:01 08:43 5:12a 7:41p 09 Mon > 5:30 11:44 5:58 12:13 07:01 08:42 6:26a 8:22p 10 Tue N 6:26 ----- 6:53 1:07 07:02 08:41 7:40a 8:59p

Dallas2011 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJuly-Aug Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets22 Thu 3:01 9:15 3:28 9:41 06:33 08:32 6:13p 3:20a 23 Fri 3:49 10:02 4:15 10:28 06:33 08:31 7:00p 4:15a 24 Sat > 4:37 10:49 5:02 11:14 06:34 08:30 7:43p 5:11a 25 Sun > 5:24 11:36 5:47 11:59 06:35 08:30 8:19p 6:09a 26 Mon F 6:10 ----- 6:33 12:22 06:35 08:29 8:52p 7:07a 27 Tue > 6:56 12:46 7:18 1:07 06:36 08:28 9:21p 8:03a28 Wed > 7:42 1:32 8:02 1:52 06:37 08:28 9:49p 8:58a 29 Thu 8:27 2:17 8:47 2:37 06:37 08:27 10:15p 9:51a30 Fri 9:12 3:02 9:32 3:22 06:38 08:26 10:41p 10:45a 31 Sat 9:57 3:47 10:18 4:08 06:39 08:26 11:10p 11:39a 01 Sun 10:43 4:32 11:05 4:54 06:39 08:25 11:40p 12:35p02 Mon Q 11:30 5:19 11:54 5:42 06:40 08:24 NoMoon 1:33p 03 Tue ----- 6:06 12:19 6:32 06:41 08:23 12:16a 2:33p 04 Wed 12:42 6:56 1:09 7:23 06:41 08:22 12:57a 3:35p 05 Thu 1:33 7:47 2:01 8:16 06:42 08:22 1:45a 4:36p 06 Fri 2:25 8:40 2:55 9:10 06:43 08:21 2:42a 5:34p 07 Sat 3:19 9:34 3:49 10:04 06:43 08:20 3:46a 6:27p08 Sun > 4:13 10:28 4:43 10:58 06:44 08:19 4:56a 7:15p 09 Mon > 5:09 11:24 5:38 11:52 06:45 08:18 6:09a 7:58p 10 Tue N 6:05 ----- 6:33 12:47 06:46 08:17 7:22a 8:36p


SAVING THE BEST FOR FIRST: Ryan Olson of Abilene caught the new

lake record bass July 2 while fi sh-ing Kirby Lake, east of Wylie. The 10-pound, 8-ounce fi sh was the fi rst fi sh of the day for Olson. He

caught it on a lightly weighted arti-fi cial worm. Olson went on to catch

another half-dozen fi sh that day, with the next largest weighing 7 pounds. Photo by Ryan Olson.

LIGHT TACKLE, BIG FISH: Angler David Standridge of Venus caught this 12-pound, 3-ounce bass while fi shing July 4 at Lake Waxahachie. Pending confi rmation by Texas Parks and Wildlife, the bass could be the next lake record on Waxa-hachie. Standridge caught the bass while crappie fi shing with a 1/4-ounce jighead with an artifi cial grub. The bass measured 27 inches long with a 21-inch girth. The pre-vious lake record was 10 pounds, 7 ounces and was caught in 2008. Photo by David Standridge.

Grass Carp Shoot on Lake Conroe

More than 20 teams competed at the Lake Conroe Grass Carp Shoot July 9, and 59 shooters managed to take 221 grass carp out of the lake.

Ron Gunter, assistant state con-servation director, said 93 anglers and more than 20 bow fi shing teams helped thin the lake of grass carp, which have been eating ben-efi cial native grass in the lake after being introduced to help battle invasive hydrilla.

There also was a tournament for rod and reel anglers.

For that division, Keith Caka took home top honors with 28 carp brought to the weigh station.

“All participants expressed how they had a great time at the event,” Gunter said on the Texas Fishing Forum. “Some understood the phi-losophy behind the event and were out there to help, but most were excited to be a part of a 'fi sh' tour-nament for their very fi rst time. There were a lot of amped-up fi sh-ing folks who brought grass carp to the scales all throughout the day.”

“We weren't quite sure what to expect as we sent both novice and accomplished anglers out on Conroe to do battle with the carp on rod and reel. Similar harvesting tournaments in other lakes in the past had yielded very low success results, but our folks were able to bring in nearly 300 mature grass carp for a total weight of close to 3,000 pounds.”

Robert Peebles of Team Mudkat, which fi nished third, said the tour-nament was a success and he hopes to do it again next year.

“I think (the tournament) was a good thing,” Peebles said. “It was tough because the lake was so muddy because of the lack of grass. Conroe has never been known for clear water, and bow fi shermen can’t shoot what they can’t see.

“We managed 29 fi sh, and we lost a lot of fi sh, unfortunately.”

Peebles said Texas Parks and Wildlife offi cials were pleased with the turnout and, while nothing is cer-tain, they were talking about planning another tournament for next year.

“We’ll defi nitely do it again if they let us,” Peebles added.

Lake Conroe Grass Carp Shoot – July 9, 2011

1st Team PSE – 376 points, 36 grass carp. Walter Blackburn, Robert Blackburn, Dave Roberts.

2nd Garquest – 338 points, 33 grass carp. Marty McIntyre, Tim Jackson, Robert Stillwagon.

3rd Mudkat – 310 points, 29 grass carp. Kyle Kleb, Robert Peebles, Mike Howse.

4th Kelley – 241 points, 23 grass carp. Ryan Kelley, Bubba Usher, Justin Bennett.

5th ScaleBusters – 231 points, 21 grass carp. Cody Cryer, Justin Wiley, Daniel Kirwin.

Texas launches mandatory boater education

A new state law from the recent legislative session will require man-datory boater education for more people in Texas starting Sep. 1, a move that supporters say will save lives and make crowded waters safer.

According to a legislative report by the state’s Advisory Panel on Boating Safety, the primary cause of boating deaths nationally is drowning, with 543 in 2009, of which 385 were not wearing lifejackets, usually in rough weather or on hazardous water.

Changes to Texas laws targeting boating safety include mandatory boating safety education certifi ca-tion for anyone born on or after Sept. 1, 1993 to operate a vessel with a motor of more than 15 horsepower or a wind-blown vessel measuring more than 14 feet in length.

While all boaters are encouraged to take boating safety education, those born before Sept. 1, 1993, are exempt from required certifi cation.

— Staff report


DATEBOOKJuly 22Texas Deer AssociationCorpus Christi Chapter Sportsmen’s BanquetU.S.S. Lexington(210) 767-8300www.texasdeerassociation.com

July 22-24Ultimate Summer Boat and Outdoors ShowDallas Market Hall(469) 549-0673www.letsgetoutdoorstexas.com

Texas Hunters and Sportsman’s ExpoMcAllen Convention Center(956) 664-2884www.texashunterassociation.com

July 28-3137th Annual Port Mansfi eld Fishing Tournament(956) 944-2354www.portmansfi eldchamber.org

July 29-30Deer Breeders Co-Op4th Annual DBC ConventionLa Torretta Del Lago ResortMontgomerywww.deerbreeders.com

July 30Deer FestWichita Falls(940) 704-2984www.deerfestwichitafalls.com

Texas Big Game Awards BanquetCollege Station(210) 826-2904www.texasbiggameawards.org

July 30-31Lake Fork Sportsmen’s Association3rd Annual Yantis Catfi sh ClassicLake Fork(903) 763-2191www.lakeforksa.com

Gulf Coast Waterfowl FestivalPasadena Convention CenterPasadena(713) 429-1950www.gulfcoastwaterfowlfestival.com

August 3-772nd Annual Texas International Fishing TournamentSouth Padre Island(956) 943-8438www.tift.org

August 5-7Texas Trophy Hunters2011 Hunters ExtravaganzaReliant CenterHouston(210) 523-8500www.ttha.com

August 6Park Cities QuailSnake Avoidance ClinicRice RanchBartonville(214) 696-1762www.parkcitiesquail.org

August 9Purina Wildlife Series EventLivingston Farm and FeedLivingston(936) 327-8853www.wildlife.purinamills.com

August 10-14Texas Deer Association13th Annual Convention and FundraiserJW MarriottSan Antonio(210) 767-8300www.texasdeerassociation.com

August 11Coastal Conservation AssociationSan Gabriel Chapter BanquetUnited Heritage Conference CenterRound Rock(800) 626-4222www.ccatexas.org

Purina Wildlife Series EventArk County Country StoreWaxahachie(972) 935-8602www.wildlife.purinamills.com

August 13Coastal Conservation AssociationAransas Bay Chapter BanquetPaws N’ TawsFulton(800) 626-4222www.ccatexas.org

August 13-14Houston Safari ClubHGC-SCI’s 7th Annual Youth Hunter Education CourseHouston Farm and Ranch Clubwww.scihouston.org

August 19Big Brothers Big SistersSporting Clay ShootElm Fork Shooting RangeDallas(817) 905-4653www.bigclayshoot.com

August 19-21Texas Trophy Hunters2011 Hunters ExtravaganzaWill Rogers CenterFort Worth(210) 523-8500www.ttha.com

August 24Dallas Safari ClubMonthly meetingRough Riders Baseball Game, Frisco(972) 980-9800www.biggame.org

August 26-28Texas Hunting & Outdoor ClassicFreeman Expo HallSan Antonio(210) 226-1177www.huntersclassic.com

Lone Star Outdoor News, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2011 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/or use of any photographic or written material with-out written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or e-mail them to [email protected].

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Puzzle solution from Page 24


Cabela's storesto host events in late July

Cabela’s stores in Fort Worth, Buda and the new one in Allen will be closing July with busy schedules.

The Allen store is sponsoring a seminar July 28 with FLW profes-sional anglers Gary Dobyns and Mark Pack.

The event starts 6 p.m., and the last session starts 9:30 p.m. at the Marriott in The Village of Allen, U.S. 75 at Stacy Road. Refreshments will be served.

Dobyns, of Yuba City, Calif., also has a rod company and Pack, of Mineola, is guide on Lake Fork. They will cover several topics, includ-ing deep-water fi shing and simple approaches to catching bass.

To RSVP, call the Allen Cabela’s at 214-383-0502. If calling on behalf of a bass club, tell the operator how many people from the club will be attending.

The outdoors retailer will hold archery events July 29-31 at all three Texas stores.

Speakers in Fort Worth include Texas hog hunter Brian “Pig Man” Quaca, host of a Sportsman Channel’s television series, from 5-7 p.m., Friday, July 29.

Mike and Bonnie McFerrin, co-hosts of the “Legends of the Fall” television show on the Outdoors Channel, will be on hand Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Renowned bowhunter Chuck Adams will be at the Allen store, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., July 30-31. On the same days in Buda, Jon and Gina Brunson of “Addicted to the Outdoors” will appear 10 a.m.-3 p.m.(See advertisement, Page 17.)

—Staff report


border, infamously known for drug cartel violence.

But these issues are decades old.

Offi cials with the Texas Wildlife Association say hunters are displaced when-ever there is a petroleum boom, and not just in South Texas.

The TWA offi cials have seen similar situations in recent years with the Barnett Shale formation in North Texas, which, according to some geologists, holds one of the largest natural gas fi elds in the U.S.

Wind farms, according to the TWA, have also dis-placed Texas hunters.

“It’s a pretty common problem,” said Justin Dreibelbis, the TWA’s con-servation program coordina-tor. “The Eagle Ford develop-ment defi nitely has changed some things.

“Our big deal is that it’s strictly up to the landowner, and we are pro-landowner. But we are reminding people that it always helps to have people help you control wildlife populations.”

Dreibelbis added that responsible hunters eagerly help with other steward-ship issues and they can be “boots-on-the-ground” monitors for absentee land-owners.

A conference on how to balance oil and gas produc-tion with hunting and other issues will be explored at the South Texas Wildlife Conference, Sept. 28-30 in Victoria.

TWA, the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are sponsoring the conference.

“People from both sides will be there, including oil and gas producers and land-owners,” Dreibelbis said.

Registration deadline is Sept. 14. For information, call Courtney Brittain at 210-826-2904 or by e-mail, [email protected].

DSC helps future African game wardens

Poaching, habitat loss and the com-plexities of managing Earth’s most diverse collection of game species — all on a continent stressed by civil war, humani-tarian crises and corruption — are among the issues awaiting a new generation of wildlife offi cers in Africa.

An ambitious new class of future wildlife offi cers now receiving formal edu-cation in Tanzania includes four students sponsored by The Dallas Safari Club.

“Our club is very proud to help shape the future of conservation in Africa,” said DSC Executive Director Ben Carter. “There are many challenges, but I’m confi dent that with enough education and apprecia-tion of the benefi ts that hunting brings to Africa, the challenges can be conquered.”

DSC is partnering with the Friedkin Conservation Fund to help fund the stu-dents’ education.

This fund helps the Tanzanian gov-ernment with the conservation and preservation of more than 9 million acres of that nation’s protected areas.

The DSC-sponsored students include Jacquelin Jordan, Julius Makarot, Veronica Mollel and Frank Riziki. They attend the College of African Wildlife Management, in Moshi, Tanzania.

Coursework includes law enforcement, wildlife management, biology, tourism management and more.

In a letter to DSC and the Friedkin fund, Makarot expressed what scholar-ships mean to him, his people and the wild resources of his country.

“The knowledge I am getting will help my Maasai community and Tanzania to be able to take care of the wildlife for future generations,” he wrote.

“Also, my education will help young Maasai men to have desire to continue with their studies as I will be a role model for them.

“This will all bring a big change among Maasai towards development of conservation.”

—Staff report

The pronghorn’s range in Texas stretches across the Trans Pecos, High Plains, Rolling Plains, and Edwards Plateau — a landscape that is characteristically dry.

Predators and disease add to the harsh environment.

As many as 17,000 West Texas antelope were counted in the mid-to-late 1980s, but by 2000 there were only 5,200 of them.

The translocation project last winter had a two-pronged goal to bolster the Trans-Pecos herd while helping researchers fi gure out what caused population declines.

The Panhandle pronghorn were trapped by helicopter, and then transported in truck-drawn trailers 500 miles south to their new homes in Presidio County. But there was a tense moment on the trip.

One of the vehicles broke down between

Seminole and Andrews, and it was about 80 degrees — dangerously hot for the already-stressed antelope, Gray said.

But, he added, fi refi ghters from Seminole came and hosed the trailer down, cooling it. That saved some of the animals, although nine died.

A total of about 25 percent died within a month of relocation, and predators killed a few more on the new range, Gray said.

Then, he added, in late May and early June, “We had a bunch die, 10 or so.”

Two were sent to a lab at College Station, where tests showed they died from the para-site Haemonchus, due to drought.

Biologists are doing more sampling to see if the parasite is prevalent in other Panhandle prong-horn; if not, they’ll know it’s a Trans-Pecos issue.

This project, Gray said, has been a “huge success” scientifi cally.

“But,” he added, “as far as restoration goes, maybe not so much. And we’re coupled with record drought, so that’s not helping at all.”

or captive hunting — where tame, exotic and sometimes endangered animals are shot at close range in enclosed areas.”

Other ranches in the show were in the state of New York. But Animal Planet claims half of these operations nationwide are “in Texas.”

Timing of the documentary coincides with the reintroduc-tion of the Humane Society-backed “Sportsmanship in Hunting Act” (H.R. 2210), which would ban the interstate transport of exotic animals for canned hunting.

Representatives of Action Outdoor Adventures were unavailable for comment.

But when the Humane Society talks about “enclosed areas,” does that include any high fence, like the ones on hundreds of Texas ranches?

“We don’t split hairs on the issue,” Page said. “We say any animal trapped behind a fence is a canned hunt.”

Kirby Brown of the Texas Wildlife Association said he has no use for the Humane Society, but he did acknowledge the exis-tence of what he called “put-and-take” hunting operations.

“If you want to shoot a long-horn or a chicken, someone will make that available to you,” Brown said. “We don’t want to see that and we’re strongly opposed to these short-term takings of animals.”

Brown is TWA’s vice presi-dent of public policy. The group formed in 1985 to promote wildlife conservation on private lands. It also advocates hunting and fair chase ethics.

Brown said he believes fair chase can be achieved behind high fences, espe-cially on high-acreage ranches.

“You have to look at this in a reason-able way,” he said. “The animal has to be able to get away and basically be in a wild state. You can have that with a high fence. Some ranches in Texas are huge in that regard.”

The Humane Society isn’t just against high fences. It also opposes hunting out of a blind near a feeder, possibly the most com-mon method used by Texas deer hunters.

“It violates any defi nition of fair chase,” Page said.

The most basic defi nition of fair chase states that a game animal must have a clear chance to escape.

Without that, said author Jim Posewitz, you’ll be miss-ing what Theodore Roosevelt called “the sturdy pleasure of the chase.”

Posewitz, a retired wildlife biologist in Helena, Mont., founded Orion-The Hunter’s Institute in 1993 to defi ne fair chase ethics and promote them.

His book, “Beyond Fair Chase: The Ethic and Tradition of Hunting,” was published in 1994. At 118 pages, it is rec-ommended reading for hunter education instructors across the nation.

In the book, Posewitz wrote that an ancient hunter with a spear was “well within the bounds of fair chase.”

The defi nition becomes com-

plicated in the modern techno-logical era with its numerous baits, calls and other devices available to hunters.

But, Posewitz wrote, “cap-tive” hunting operations where “a person with a gun is guar-anteed an animal to shoot” is “alien to any consideration of ethical hunting.”

“The thing we’d like to encourage is, that, the more natural the circumstances, the more valuable the hunting,” Posewitz said in a recent inter-view. “The animal under any circumstance has got to have some opportunity to escape.”

Ultimately, Posewitz wrote in the book, “Deciding what is fair is a personal responsibility.”

But defi ning “fair” can be a moving target in Texas if the question becomes: How much acreage behind a high fence gives animals suffi cient chance to fl ee?

“It is a complex issue at best,” said Ben Wallace, president of the Boone and Crockett Club and, by the way, a Texan. “If you talk to a guy who has 10,000 acres, he’ll say it’s 10,000. A guy with 3,000 acres will say 3,000.

“But as far as the (B&C) record books go, it doesn’t matter how big it is.”

The club, which scores North American game trophies, will not rec-ognize animals taken from behind high fences. Wallace said that’s largely because the club doesn’t have the resources to send staffers around the coun-try inspecting high fences.

“A lot of Texans don’t like that because they want to have their deer in the book, and I under-stand that,” said Wallace, a Corpus Christi lawyer.

But, he added, a high fence can be a legitimate man-agement tool. For example, he described a Hill Country ranch overrun by free-ranging exotics that were outcompeting native white-tailed deer for food.

“I personally don’t mind hunting behind a high fence,” he said, “as long as everything is OK behind the fence. And then the questions become: Are you a land steward? Are you overstocked?

“Are you providing animals on your ranch with enough cover to escape? I think it’s just a matter of the individual’s morals.”

Wallace said the Animal Planet documentary is a reminder that anti-hunting groups are covertly monitoring sportsmen.

“We need to show that we go in ethically, take game legally, we process it and we eat it,” he said. “And we need to get the word out there with the non-hunting public that we are doing it right.

“We need to be careful that we do not present ourselves as providers of canned shoots.”

Taking aimContinued From Page 1

Natural gasContinued From Page 4

Fewer pronghornContinued From Page 4

ETHICS QUEST: Ben Wallace of Corpus Christi, president of the Boone and Crockett Club, said a recent Animal Planet documentary is a reminder that anti-hunting groups are covertly monitoring sportsmen. Hunters, therefore, should mind their ethics. Photo by Ben Wallace.


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July 22, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

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