january 11, 2013 - lone star outdoor news - fishing & hunting

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January 11, 2013 Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper Volume 9, Issue 10

LSON at DSC Show‘Journeys’ in photographs. Page 23

Second-chance buck

By Conor HarrisonLone Star outdoor newS

Lake Dunlap isn’t exactly the fi rst place anglers in Texas think of when they think giant largemouth bass.

But Manchaca angler Matthew Moccia, 29, knows better. He fi shes the lake near New Braunfels about 10 times each year, and knows the dammed-up portion of the Guadalupe River holds good fi sh. But maybe not this good.

Moccia caught a 13.34-pound bass on Dec. 30 while

fi shing with a friend in a local tournament.

“I was just slow-rolling a DD-22 (crankbait) in 8 to 12 feet of water,” he said. “Once it got down into the grass, I slowed the retrieve down so it wouldn’t get stuck. We found a good pattern and caught quite a few good fi sh.”

When the big bass hit, Moccia knew it was a good fi sh.

“About fi ve seconds in, I could tell (it was big),” he said. “It did jump a few times and we could see it was a nice one,

but not as big as it turned out to be. When she came close to the boat the water was pretty clear, and I realized that it was a really big fi sh.”

Moccia did not have a net in the boat, so he grabbed the bass to bring her aboard.

“I had a hand-held scale in the boat that showed between 13.2 and 13.4 pounds,” he said. “I called another guy fi shing on the lake and his scale registered between 12.8 and 13.2 pounds. When it is

UNEXPECTED MONSTER: Matthew Moccia holds the 13.34-pound largemouth he hauled from Lake Dunlap near New Braunfels, a lake not historically known for huge bass. Photo by Matthew Moccia.

See DUNLAP, Page 14

Lake Dunlap gives up 13-pounder

❘❚ LSONews.com

❘❚ CONTENTSClassifi eds . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Crossword . . . . . . . . . Page 24Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10For the Table. . . . . . . . Page 24Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12Heroes. . . . . . . . . . . Page 18Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 26Outdoor Business . . . . . Page 16Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 25Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 16Sun, Moon and Tide data . . Page 24

Inside

Bighorns captured at Elephant Mountain.Page 4

Moving rams❘❚ HUNTING

Six-year-old catches jetty tarpon.Page 8

Young angler, young tarpon

Young hunter takes huge deer with dad.Page 7

180-inch dream buck

Galveston Bay guides hammering trout.Page 9

Trout on fi re

❘❚ FISHING


Sometimes in life, a second chance is exactly what someone needs.

Second chances rarely come along in the hunting world, but when they do, a hunter needs to be prepared to make the most of it.

That is exactly what happened to Coppell hunter Bryan Forsythe this season.

Forsythe was hunting his property in Erath County on Sept. 30, when a buck he had seen in trail camera pictures showed up just before dark.

“It started on Sept. 28, when we had trail cam-era pictures of him,” Forsythe said. “The deer just showed up; it was the fi rst time we’d seen him. On the 30th, he showed up near dark and made a rub and a scrape. He was at 53 yards and broadside, but he was about to get directly downwind.”

Forsythe took the shot and thought he might have hit the buck low.

“When he took off, I thought I caught a glimpse of the arrow sticking out, but there was no blood and I didn’t fi nd the arrow.”

Forsythe spent the next day looking for the deer, to no avail. About two weeks later, he showed up on another trail camera in a differ-ent part of the ranch.

Hunter wounds deer with arrow, redeems

himself with rifl e

See SECOND CHANCE, Page 14

By Craig NyhusLone Star outdoor newS

Botswana, one of Africa’s top safari des-tinations, said in November that it would ban the commercial hunting of wildlife. Similar actions in other African nations suggest the real losers won’t just be the local peoples, hunters and outfi tters, but the animals.

The government decided to “indefi -nitely suspend commercial hunting of wildlife in public or controlled hunting areas” from Jan. 1, 2014, the environment ministry said in a statement issued after similar statements made by President Ian Khama in his state of the nation address.

The ministry said the killing of wild

Curious decision

Botswana to ban trophy hunting;

animals stand to lose

See BOTSWANA, Page 27

HERE COME THE POACHERS: Because of a recent decision by Botswana to end hunting, most hunters be-lieve poachers will have free reign to target Botswana’s large elephant population. Photo by Lili Sams, LSON.

REDEMPTION: Bryan Forsythe is one happy hunter after getting a second crack at this huge deer this season. Photo by Bryan Forsythe.

January 11, 2013 LoneOStar Outdoor News LSONews.com

LSONews.com LoneOStar Outdoor News January 11, 2013


HUNTING

Bucks hitting corn as season

winds downBy Conor HarrisonLone Star outdoor newS

The rut is winding down in South Texas, with a few execptions.

Some biologists and hunters are already see-ing bucks grouping up as they return to normal feeding patterns, while other reports still have bucks chasing a few does, especially on colder days.

“There are still some reports of rutting activ-ity, but it is pretty much over in some areas,” said TPWD biologist Eric Garza. “That is what I have seen hunting in my area in southern Starr County. But in Jim Hogg and Zapata counties a lit-tle farther north, the rut is still going on. It’s pretty variable right now.”

Garza said he didn’t know if does were cycling later in some areas due to prolonged drought.

“Drought can do that to a population,” he said. “I’ve also seen quite a few big bucks taken from both high fence and low fence ranches — bucks in the

180s and 190s. Hunters that have put in the time and been able to hunt all week have been able to take some good animals.

“Overall, it started out slowly due to it being so hot. Hunters complained then and now they are complaining that it is too cold,” Garza said with a laugh.

Webb County Game Warden James Burris said he has been seeing some late rutting activity dur-ing colder days.

“There seems to be some rutting activity on the cold days, but the bucks seem to be moving more in general,” Burris said. “They are really coming to the corn and protein feeders now. It is slower than last year, though.”

Burris said the rut peaked in his area around Christmas.

“Hunters had been complaining about the lack of deer hitting corn, but the overall size of the bucks is bigger this year,” he said. “Ranch owners

have told me the quality still isn’t where it should be, though.

“It has been pretty dry this year.”

In Zavala County, Game Warden Chris Stautzenberger said the rut-ting activity is winding down.

“A few does still need to be bred here and there,” he said. “The bucks are starting to bunch back up. Lots of landowners are putting out protein now to help their bucks through the winter, and the deer are hitting it hard.”

Farther north, hunter Gus Wheeler said the rut is winding down on family property near Pleasonton.

“It is nearing the end,” he said. “I would say it peaked two or three weeks ago on our ranch.”

The regular deer sea-son ends Jan. 20 in the South Zone, but ranches with Managed Land Deer Permits can continue to hunt through February.

Some rutting activity still reported down south

WINDING DOWN: The rut is winding down in South Texas, with hunters reporting more activity at feeders as the season comes to a close. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Bighorns head to new ground


One sign of the con-tinuing success of the desert bighorn recov-ery efforts in Texas is population numbers that allow the ability to relocate sheep from one destination to another. In mid-December, 2012, that happened with 44 desert big-horns in an effort to establish a new, free-ranging herd of the sheep in Texas.

“We moved them off of Elephant

Mountain Wildlife Management Area and transplanted them to the Nine Point Mesa located south of the WMA,” said Froylan Hernandez,

Transfer from public

to private property a

first

See BIGHORNS, Page 6

FREE AGAIN: A herd of bighorns was recently released onto private property from Elephant Mountain WMA, a first for biologists. Photo by Dr. Louis Harveson.

Second split

equals action


Duck hunters are reporting good shoots across much of the state as the second split draws to a close.

Colder tempera-tures in early January moved some birds in, but also pushed some birds out, according to North Texas hunters.

Guide Richard Pulvino, who hunts multiple public lakes

east of Dallas, said the action has picked up significantly since the second split opened.

“It is mallards mostly,” Pulvino said. “Lots of gadwall also are flying around, but no teal and not many pintails. The hunting has picked up dramat-ically since the open-ing of the second split. We had huge amounts of ducks on the lakes right before the split opened, but there

were so many hunters pressuring them, they all moved out.”

Pulvino said he passed seven boats on a public lake recently before calling it a morning and not hunting.

“This past week I only saw two,” he said. “The pressure has died down quite a bit. People either know where (the ducks) are or they don’t. Scouting is key.

“Where they are, they are thick.”

Pulvino said the birds will stick around until the end of the season if they aren’t pressured too hard.

“We’ve had groups out the last couple of days and everyone is getting their 5-mal-lard limits,” he said.

Farther south in Kaufman County, guide Dayton Harrell

Duck hunting improved in some areas,down in others

See DUCKS, Page 7

PILING IN: Duck hunters are having good success during the second split of the season, although numbers are not as high as expected before the season began. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.


Illinois man pleads guilty in Texas A 55-year-old Braidwood, Illinois geneticist was sentenced Dec. 18 for acquiring semen from

illegally imported deer in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales.Dr. Raymond Favero pleaded guilty on July 11, 2012 to the felony offense of acquiring wild-

life in interstate commerce in violation of state law and federal laws and was sentenced to three years probation by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis. Favero was also fined $6,000 and ordered to pay community restitution in the amount of $24,000 to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation.

According to information presented in court, on Feb. 1, 2007, Favero acquired approxi-mately 184 straws of whitetail deer semen valued at approximately $92,000 drawn from a buck which he knew had been transported illegally from an out-of-state source. Then again, on Jan. 28, 2008, Favero acquired another 110 straws of whitetail deer semen valued at approximately $55,000 drawn from another buck which he knew had been transported illegally from an out-of-state source.

Favero knew that Texas law prohibits any importation of live whitetail deer or live mule deer due to the threat of diseases transmittable by deer such as Chronic Wasting Disease and bovine tuberculosis. Favero earned a Ph.D. in animal science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1992.

This case was investigated by the Special Operations Unit of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

— Dept. of Justice

DSC wraps successful conventionThe Dallas Safari Club wrapped up its annual convention and expo Sunday with record attendance

and many outfitters reporting brisk sales during the show’s four-day run. In fact, several safari operators booked every hunting slot for the next two years.Always the first major hunting show each January, the DSC event was held Jan. 3-6 at the

Dallas Convention Center.Around the world, the event is seen as the hunting industry’s first economic indicator of the year.“If there was concern about a fiscal cliff, it had clearly subsided by the time our conven-

tion and expo opened on Thursday,” said Ben Carter, DSC executive director. “Our preliminary counts show a new record of 44,000 attendees, which is up about 4,000 people over last year. Many came through the doors ready to book a hunt, buy art or purchase outdoor clothing or gear. The mood in the expo hall was very upbeat and positive.”

Big-ticket items moved well — one outfitter sold 10 elephant hunts. Smaller items also moved well — one purveyor of leather hunting gear reported one of his best weekends ever.

The event serves as DSC’s primary fundraiser. Exhibit fees and gate admission will be com-bined with proceeds from auctions and raffles, new memberships and logoed apparel sales. When the final numbers are in, Carter expects to net a record sum to support DSC’s conserva-tion, education and hunter advocacy programs in 2013.

Grants for initiatives worldwide will be awarded later this year.“We’re proud that our convention and expo is a place where families can enjoy time together,

hunters can find what they want and need, exhibitors can succeed and businesses can thrive — and it all works together to support the mission and work of Dallas Safari Club. We can never say thank you enough to our supporters, attendees and volunteers,” Carter said.

— DSC


A two-year research proj-ect conducted by Texas Tech University and the Quail-Tech Alliance examined the effects of supplemental feed on northern bobwhite quail in the Rolling Plains of Texas.

“Prior studies used road surface feeding and sta-tionary feeders,” said Dr. Brad Dabbert, the professor at Texas Tech who led the

study along with Graduate Research Assistant Byron Buckley. “Most of the results were neutral or negative, and supplemental feeding was thought to be a useless prac-tice by many, since it local-ized the quail in areas where predators could concen-trate.”

A more recent study con-ducted in Florida used a dif-ferent method. Milo was broadcast into roadside veg-etation (feeding trails) and

the results were positive.“We hypothesized the

feeding method may be beneficial in Texas as it may decrease the time the quail are exposed to predators,” Dabbert said. “It also could improve the birds’ condition facing harsh weather and improve or sustain the breed-ing condition of hens.”

The study was conducted on an 8,000-acre area of the 6666 Ranch near Guthrie, using “fed units” where

supplemental feed was broadcast into vegetation, and “control units” where it was not.

“In our first year we doc-umented a significant increase in survival of hens on the fed units (35 per-cent) compared with hens within the control units (17 percent),” Dabbert said.

In year two of the study the fed and control units were switched, and they yielded 55 percent survival of hens on the fed units and only 25 percent on the con-trol units.

The supplemental feed-ing did not impact nest-ing success, although hens using the fed units pro-duced significantly more nests.

Dabbert said the use of supplemental feed in such a manner could be one of the tools used to help maintain and grow quail populations.

“The results represent a way managers can influ-ence quail demography in positive ways and sug-gest there may be a nutri-tional component of the positive aspects of supple-mental feeding,” he said. “Broadcasting milo into roadside vegetation can benefit survival and help carry over breeders from a drought year, while the improved physical condi-tion of the birds allows ear-lier and more frequent nest-ing attempts.”

Additional information on the study is available at The Quail-Tech Alliance website, quail-tech.org.

Hen survival, number of chicks increase

New approach for supplemental feedPACK ON THE PROTEIN: Placing supplemental feed into roadside vegetation has resulted in better survival rates, suggesting another option for land management for quail. Photos by David J. Sams, LSON.


Bighorn Program leader at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, who headed the relocation effort. “It was a huge accomplishment, since Elephant Mountain had a surplus of animals, especially rams, and the ani-mals were moved from pub-lic to private property.”

Hernandez said the trans-fer location was determined after significant study of the habitat, fencing and overall conditions conducive to des-ert bighorns.

David Wetzel, president of the Texas Bighorn Society, attended the capture and transplant.

“On December 16, about 50 people gathered in Alpine for an orientation meeting at Sul Ross State University,” he said.

Help came from peo-ple with TPWD, the own-ers and managers of Nine Point Mesa, researchers from the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross, and members of the Texas Bighorn Society, a conserva-tion group involved in the restoration of bighorns in Texas.

“A helicopter capture team from AeroWest Helicopters out of Albuquerque, was fueled and ready to go when the sun broke the horizon, and within minutes the first two rams were returning to headquarters and process-ing them for the transplant began,” Wetzel said.

The helicopter would net the animals in areas that minimize the risk of injury, slings were placed under the sheep and long lines used from the helicopter were used to transport the sheep to Elephant Mountain head-quarters, Hernandez said.

Blood, hair, fecal, and tis-sue samples were taken, the animals’ temperatures were monitored, telemetry collars

were attached and the sheep were transferred from the processing stations to trail-ers for the trip to their new home.

On the first day, 23 sheep were captured and released on the Nine Point Mesa. The larger rams were transferred individually in crates to keep them from hurting them-selves or the other animals.

“Their release resembled something from a rodeo,” Wetzel said. “But ultimately all were cut loose and moist eyes watched them escaping into their new home.”

The transplant marked the first time in recent history where sheep captured on public land were transferred to private property.

“And it also represents the future of bighorn restoration as Texas,” Wetzel said, “since we have so little public land available and most of the remaining suitable bighorn habitat is on private prop-erty.”

The second planned day of the relocation didn’t go as planned. High winds made the team’s work too danger-ous, and “the birds were kept on the ground,” Hernandez said.

On the following day, Dec. 19, the final 21 sheep were caught and moved.

In total, 44 sheep were moved,” Hernandez said. “There were 22 ewes and 22 rams, and most of the ewes were pregnant.”

A graduate student is on the ground monitoring the movement and condi-tion of the relocated sheep,” Hernandez said. “Twenty of the animals were collared, and some of the rams are already moving out of the area. In time, we hope to use the Nine Point Mesa as a nursery for future captures.”

BighornsContinued From Page 4

GROWING A HERD: Forty-four bighorns were moved during the two-day capture. They were released on Nine Point Mesa. Photos by Dr. Louis Harveson.

MAKING TRACKS: A bighorn ram heads for his new home after being released. Photo by Dr. Louis Harveson.


A special hunt

with dad

Live Oak County hunter Shelley Tipps was ready to shoot a trophy buck on her family’s ranch.

She had waited for the chance for most of her 20 years afield.

On Dec. 27, the dream finally became a reality when Shelley downed a huge, 180-class buck.

“After many years of waiting to kill a monster buck, I finally had the opportunity standing 150 yards from me,” she said. “I had seen the buck only once, earlier in the year, while hunting with my

dad, but the opportunity to take him did not pres-ent itself.”

Shelley said the ranch has been under intense management for several years to produce trophy deer.

“Dad, with mom’s con-vincing, decided it was time to let us three girls kill a trophy buck,” she said. “I decided that I was going to be the first to hunt. We had waited patiently for years, killing only hogs and cull bucks, while the deer matured and grew amazing antlers.

“I was more than ready to take my biggest buck ever.”

Shelley and her dad scouted for several weeks looking for a buck that would fit the bill.

“On this particular day, we saw numerous bucks during the morning hunt, but I had my sights set on something better,” she said. “The evening hunt rolled around and we decided to try a different area. The rut was in full swing and the bucks were moving around a lot. We got settled in the stand a

little early, since it was a cool, overcast day.”

Smaller bucks and does came into the sendero, when Shelley caught sight of a doe acting strangely.

“A young doe came running out of the brush and was acting skittish, so I looked for the buck that was probably chas-ing her,” the seasoned hunter said. “And then he appeared. My heart was pounding at the sight of this beautiful creature. I knew instantly he was the buck I was looking for.”

Shelley slowly put her .257 Weatherby out of the window and waited for the buck to turn broad-side.

“I’m sure I was calmer than dad,” she said.

After one perfect shot, the buck was down.

“What seemed like an eternity ended with this trophy buck lying on the ground,” she said. “A big hug from dad sealed the

deal and made the day even more special. (The buck) scored a whop-ping 180 6/8 Boone and Crockett.”

Shelley’s dad, Steven, admired the deer while Shelley did the dirty work.

“I field dressed my mag-nificent kill while proud dad watched with a smile that I will remember for-ever,” she said. “The buck is now at the taxidermist, of course!”

Steven said it is a day he will always remember.

“This year, my wife had to convince me to let the girls shoot a trophy buck,” he said. “I’ve been trying to manage the property and leave the big bucks alone. After she killed that deer, I couldn’t believe I held back. Just to see the look on her face, words can’t describe it. That is what life is all about.

“I was really proud.”— Staff report

HOW DO YOU TOP THIS ONE? Shelley Tipps holds the trophy deer she harvested during the peak of the South Texas rut. Photo by Steven Tipps.

DucksContinued From Page 4

said the hunting has been spotty, but good when it is on.

“It was slow for a couple weeks after the split opened, but we are having some good shoots now,” Harrell said. “We are shooting mallards and gadwall, but we do have a couple of ponds with a bunch of pintails on them.”

Central Texas hunters are seeing mixed results, with wind direction seemingly determining which direc-tion the ducks go at first light while Colorado River hunters are having good hunts down-stream from Austin.

Along the coast, hunter John Weeks said he has seen plenty of pintails, redheads, scaup and other divers where he hunts along the midcoast.

“I’ve seen solid numbers of divers and some puddle ducks came in with the last cold front,” he said. “Overall, the hunting has been pretty solid during the second split.”

According to Todd Steele at Thunderbird Hunting Club near Palacios, 73 hunters shot 64 limits of ducks during the past week.

“This was the first week I can say we had favorable weather conditions,” he said. “A total of 408 birds were shot last week for a per-per-son average of 5.6 birds per hunter per day. Dependent on where you hunted, you either had green-winged teal, gadwalls, pintails or shovel-ers in abundance.”


FISHING

Jetty tarpon6-year-old catches winter tarpon near Port A


Lytle angler Jeff Toscano hesitated before bringing his 6-year-old son, Jayce, to the North Jetty near Port Aransas, fearful of putting the young man on slippery rocks.

But Jayce held his own and was rewarded with several big redfish and a rarity along the coast in December — a 29-inch tarpon.

“I just took him out for the first time,” Jeff Toscano said. “He did good. We were out there from 7 in the morning until 2 p.m.”

Toscano said the trout and redfish were biting the live shrimp they were using for bait on their lemon-rigged rods.

“A lemon rig has a tri-

swivel with a 4-foot leader on a float with another 4-foot leader attached to the hook,” he said. “It suspends the hook about 8 or 9 feet down. We use bottles of lemon juice as floats, so that is where the name comes from.”

After catching a few keeper trout, Jayce hooked into what his dad thought was another fish for dinner.

“I thought it was a trout,” Jeff said. “But then it started dancing. It danced across the surface three times — it defi-nitely got everyone’s atten-tion.”

Jeff said his son was already tired from reeling in big redfish, but fought the tarpon onto the jetty, where pictures were taken and the fish was released.

“It put up a pretty good fight for him,” Jeff said. “He

was already worn out but he manned up and got it in.”

Winter tarpon are becom-ing more common in Texas, and evidence suggests that the juvenile fish spend their early years along the beach-front and in bays and river systems, not migrating with the adults.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Tarpon Tracking Network had the most record-ings of any year in 2012.

“My buddy caught one a week later in the exact same spot,” Toscano said. “It looked like the same fish.”

Toscano hopes to head back soon to see what Jayce can catch next.

“Now that I know he can handle it, we will be going a lot,” he said. “I have a new fishing buddy.”

A FIRST: Jayce Toscano holds the 29-inch juvenile tarpon he caught on a live shrimp near Port Aransas in Decem-ber. Photo by Jeff Toscano.


The hybrid striper bite received a solid bump when cold weather finally descended upon Texas during the final week of December, and guide Teri Littlejohn on Lake Tawakoni has been taking advantage.

“My clients are having the best time right now catching limits of hybrids,” she said. “We are dead sticking using flukes on 1 1/2-ounce heads. We are drifting for them in about 34 feet of water.”

Littlejohn said the keep-ers were all in the 6- to 10-pound range. She also said the colder water tem-peratures has turned the bite on.

“The water tempera-tures are between 45 and 50 degrees,” she said. “The major change with the last cold front really turned the fish on.”

Littlejohn said anglers should barely feel a tick before setting the hook, something inexperienced anglers sometimes have trouble with.

IN THE NET: The hybrid striper bite is picking up across the state as water temperatures drop. Photo by LSON.

Here, there, everywhere


The fishing has been very good in the Port O’Connor area, according to Capt. Gary Gray.

“The fishing has been excellent,” Gray said. “It’s more than the cold weather, it’s the tides being out that is congregating the reds in certain areas. That is what we forget when the wind howls out of the north.”

Gray said the trout bite has been tough on everyone except wade anglers,

Redfish action goodall along the coast

See REDFISH, Page 11REDFISH RODEO: Anglers are catching redfish in many areas along the coast, with action coming on several different baits. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Winterhybrid bite beginning

See HYBRIDS, Page 11


Coast Guard finds illegal gill net

A Coast Guard crew found an illegal gill net with hundreds of dead sharks, four miles off the Texas coast.

The crew of a Coast Guard Station South Padre Island response boat spotted the gill net approximately 17 miles north of the U.S.-Mexican mari-time border. The gill net was 5 miles long and was loaded with 345 dead sharks.

The species of shark seized included 225 black tip, 109 bonnet, and 11 bull sharks.

“Gill nets indiscriminately kill any fish or marine mammal it snares across miles of ocean, often leaving much of the catch spoiled by the time it is hauled in,” according to Cmdr. Daniel Deptula, the response officer for Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi. “Mexican fisheries have been depleted due to waste-ful fishing methods such as gill netting and overfishing, which is why there has been increased illegal fishing activity into U.S. waters.”

Typically, catches of shark such as this are also only har-vested for their fins, and the rest of the shark is discarded. During 2012, Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi seized more than 49 miles of gill nets from illegal fishing activities.

Gill nets are illegal through-out Texas and devastating to the marine environment.

“We hope our efforts con-tinue to disrupt and dissuade this illegal enterprise along our South Texas shores,” said Deptula.

— USCG

Trout on fire in Galveston Bay


“Slaughtering.”“Smacking.”“Hammering.”Those are words Galveston-area

guides are using to describe the winter trout bite in the bay sys-tems.

The cold weather has kicked the bite into full gear and anglers are taking advantage of the qual-ity, along with the quantity, of big trout. From artificials to shrimp, a variety of baits are working depend-ing on how you want to fish.

“We are slaughtering them,” said Capt. Craig Lambert. “They are definitely in the river systems — Trinity and San Jacinto. The shrimp bite is definitely on when you use a long leader. It better be more than 3 1/2 feet or you won’t get a bite. We are catching them in 4 to 6 feet of water.”

Lambert said when the tide is out, the Ship Channel has been the place to be. He also said the artificial bite seems to have slowed down.

“Two to three weeks ago, we were killing them on artificials,” he said, “and then it went to noth-ing.”

Capt. Mark Salazar said he has caught some big trout wade fish-ing, but a lot of his action has come in 6 to 7 feet of water.

“Anything in lime and char-treuse has been working,” Salazar said. “I use a 3/4-ounce jig head.

We’ve been catching good num-bers, but the size has not been huge. My clients don’t like to wade fish, but that is where some big trout have been caught.”

Capt. LG Boyd has been work-ing the backside of East Bay and Trinity Bay, and reported good action during the past two weeks.

“We’ve been catching a bunch in the back of East Bay,” he said. “Tidal Surge Mullet’s have been catching a lot of trout.”

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, trout have been solid over deep mud holes and structure in East Galveston Bay, while wade fishing has been the ticket over mud and shell on the west side.

Working scented plastics along the bottom has also been produc-ing in the complex.

Capt. Craig Lambert, (832) 338-4570Capt. Mark Salazar, (281) 513-7468Capt. LG Boyd, (409) 770-3567

KEEPER-SIZED: Big trout are showing up in the Galveston Bay complex, and anglers are finding them in back bays and over shell. Photos by LSON.


AMISTAD: Water clear; 66–70 degrees; 37.92’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, jerkbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on slabs, spoons, and jigs in 30–65 feet. White bass are good on slabs, spoons, and jigs in 30–65 feet. Catfi sh are good on shrimp, chicken livers, nightcrawlers and cheesebait.

ARROWHEAD: Water off-color; 49–54 degrees; 12.07’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on white crankbaits, spinner baits and Texas rigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs.

BASTROP: Water lightly stained; 68–72 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics, spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on stinkbait, shrimp, and frozen shrimp.

BOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 51–56 degrees; 5.73’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lip-less crankbaits and vibrating jigs around shallow stumps. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on spinner baits, dark soft plastic worms and min-nows in the reeds and near the dam. Striped bass are good on spoons in deeper water. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on liver, shrimp, perch, and shad.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 50–55 degrees; 15.02’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on shaky heads with green pumpkin fi nesse worms around docks in 6–10’. Drop shots with plastic worms are working as well.

BROWNWOOD: Water lightly stained; 61–65 degrees; 10.39’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse/black jigs, small crankbaits and watermelon red 4” worms over brush piles in 10–20 feet. Crappie are good on Li’l Fishies and minnows over brush piles in 10–20 feet.

BUCHANAN: Water stained; 65–69 degrees; 28.07’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black hair jigs, tequila sunrise curl tail grubs on jigheads, and suspending crankbaits over rock piles in 8–18 feet. Striped bass are good on white striper jigs, and jigging Spoiler Shad swim baits and Pirk Minnows near Garrett Island in 20–30 feet.

CADDO: Water stained; 52–57 degrees; 0.65’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on Texas-rigged soft plastics around stumps. Green pumpkin worms have been best.

CALAVERAS: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on dark soft plastic worms, live min-nows and crankbaits around reed beds and near the dam. Striped bass are good on shad near the dam in 15–20 feet. Channel cat-fi sh are good on liver, shrimp and minnows. Blue catfi sh are good on liver and nightcrawlers.

CANYON LAKE: Water lightly stained; 66–70 degrees; 8.92’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon red crankbaits, pump-kinseed worms and watermelon tubes on jigheads along bluffs. Smallmouth bass are very good on Tomato Red JDC grubs and smoke/red fl ake tubes on jigheads.

CEDAR CREEK: Water clear; 51–56 degrees; 3.87’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on shallow crankbaits around any shallow docks. Black and blue fl ipping jigs are effective as well. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. Cat-fi sh are good on prepared bait.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 69–73 degrees; 17.24’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon jigs and large soft plastic lizards in the grass, and fair on crankbaits. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on stinkbait and shrimp.

COLEMAN: Water lightly stained; 65–69 degrees; 13.44’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon lipless crankbaits and crankbaits. Channel catfi sh are good on stinkbait, nightcrawlers and frozen shrimp.

COLETO CREEK: Water clear; 3.62’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows.

CONROE: Water clear; 64–68 degrees; 3.29’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon and watermelon red soft plastics, crankbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows.

COOPER: Water clear; 52–56 de-grees; 7.04’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged soft plas-tics and lipless crankbaits. Catfi sh are good on cut bait on trotlines.

FALCON: Water murky; 71–75 degrees; 33.87’ low. Largemouth bass are fair slow-rolling spinner baits, and on large worms in 12–18 feet. Channel and blue

catfi sh are excellent on frozen shrimp and stinkbait.

FAYETTE: Water stained. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and crankbaits over grass, and on watermelon Carolina-rigged worms.

FORK: Water clear; 51–55 degrees; 4.51’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue jigs along channel bends. Deepwater bite good with Carolina rigs and football jigs. Crappie are good on minnows.

FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water clear; 47–54 degrees; 11.16’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lip-less crankbaits, Texas rigs, jigs and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

GIBBONS CREEK: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfi sh are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

GRANBURY: Water stained; 63–67 degrees; 5.71’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse/blue fl ake soft plastics and lipless crankbaits. Catfi sh are good on frozen shrimp, stinkbait and liver.

GRANGER: Water stained; 65–69 degrees; 1.19’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Blue catfi sh are fair on shrimp and prepared baits in 6–15 feet.

GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 50–55 degrees; 7.39’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on football jigs around main lake points and shallow cover. Texas-rigged soft plastics and fi nesse jigs are best later in the day.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 59–63 degrees; 0.30’ low. Largemouth bass to 5 pounds are good on soft plastic worms near the marina in 12 feet, and on bream-colored jigs near the dam over brush piles in 16 feet. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse jigs near the dam around brush in 20–30 feet.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water off-color; 47–54 degrees; 20.1’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on top-waters, shad-pattern crankbaits, Texas rigs and jigs. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.

JOE POOL: Water clear; 52–56 degrees; 2.69’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on Texas-rigged soft plastic creature baits in water-

melon red. Catfi sh are good on prepared baits.

LAKE O' THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 52–57 degrees; 3.49’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits and bladed jigs around grass and shallow cover. Crappie are good on minnows.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 52–57 degrees; 9.40’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on black/chartreuse fl ipping jigs around shallow cover. Some deeper fi sh being caught off main lake points on football jigs. Crap-pie are good on minnows. Catfi sh are good on cut shad.

LBJ: Water clear; 66–70 degrees; 0.23’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue jigs and PBJ-colored Snag Proof jigs. White bass are fair to good on Pirk Minnows and Li’l Fishies in the channel near the power plant.

LEWISVILLE: Water clear; 51–55 degrees; 6.27’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on shaky heads around marinas and football jigs along main lake points. Suspend-ing jerkbaits around larger rock is effective late. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait and cut shad.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 66–70 degrees; 0.48’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse crankbaits, spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfi sh are good on trotlines baited with shad.

MARTIN CREEK: Water clear; 52–57 degrees; 4.63’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits around shallow cover. Any type of shallow cover seems best. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait and cut shad.

MONTICELLO: Water fairly clear; 61–65 degrees; 0.31’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Tex-as-rigged soft plastics and black and blue jigs around stumps. Square-billed crankbaits are good midday. Crappie are good on minnows.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water lightly stained; 64–68 degrees; 2.84’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows in 9–15 feet.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 48–54 degrees; 34.46’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on lipless crankbaits, Texas rigs,

chatterbaits and shaky heads. Catfi sh are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.

OAK CREEK: Water stained; 48–53 degrees; 17.46’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on chrome lipless crankbaits, Texas rigs, shad-pattern crankbaits and shaky heads. Crappie are good on jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Catfi sh are good on chartreuse nightcrawlers.

PALESTINE: Water clear; 51–55 degrees; 1.64’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on black/blue jigs and shaky heads around docks. Finesse worms in watermelon blue are best. Crappie are good on minnows. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water fairly clear; 49–54 degrees; 9.81’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on shallow-running crankbaits, Texas rigs, jigs and drop-shot rigs. Crappie are good on minnows.

PROCTOR: Water lightly stained; 64–68 degrees; 5.29’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse spinner baits and soft plastics. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on frozen shad and shrimp.

RAY HUBBARD: Water clear; 52–56 degrees; 4.09’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged plastics around deep rocks. Football-head jigs and deep-diving crankbaits are effective as well. White bass are good on slabs. Catfi sh are good on cut shad.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 50–55 degrees; 3.95’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on lipless crankbaits and Texas-rigged soft plastic baits along edge of grass lines. Carolina rigs are effective as well. Crappie are good on min-nows and jigs. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait or live shad.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water clear; 52–56 degrees; 5.01’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on weightless soft plastics and shaky heads around docks. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Catfi sh are good on prepared bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 65–69 degrees; 4.59’ low. Largemouth bass are good on pumpkinseed soft plastics worms, crankbaits and spinner baits.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 65–69 degrees; 2.50’ low. Largemouth

bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits and lipless crankbaits. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on bloodbait.

TAWAKONI: Water stained; 53–57 degrees; 4.67’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on white bladed jigs and California 420-color fl ipping jigs around docks — midday bite has been best. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are slow on slabs. Striped bass and hybrid striper are good on slabs. Catfi sh are fair on cut bait.

TEXOMA: Water clear; 49–54 degrees; 5.46’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on medium-diving crankbaits and suspending jerkbaits along main lake points. Good numbers of fi sh reported on lipless crankbaits as well.

TOLEDO BEND: Water lightly stained; 65–69 degrees; 3.94’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse soft plastics, spin-ner baits and lipless crankbaits. Channel and blue catfi sh are good on nightcrawlers, shrimp and stinkbait.

TRAVIS: Water clear; 65–69 degrees; 49.96’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chrome jigging spoons, black jigs, and smoke grubs in 28–45 feet. White bass are good on minnows and chrome jigging spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs.

WEATHERFORD: Water clear; 51–56 degrees; 7.15’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on shaky heads and fi nesse jigs around docks. White bass are good on slabs and live minnows.

WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 64–68 degrees; 9.00’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon red spinner baits, crankbaits, and lipless crankbaits. White bass are good on minnows. Catfi sh are good on frozen shrimp, minnows and stinkbait.

— TPWD

TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTGold is good

LAKES FORK, BOB SANDLIN — According to North Texas freshwater guide James Henderson, throwing gold lipless crankbaits is a winner for winter bass on most lakes.

“The trap bite is working,” he said. “So many people are throwing red traps, but I like the gold color, especially on Fork. It shines really well and the fi sh don’t see it as much. It really works this time of year.”

Henderson said anglers should focus on primary and secondary points in 5 to 12 feet of water, but don’t overlook grass beds.

“The grass beds are coming back, especially on Fork,” he said. “I am hitting those, espe-cially on the days with some sunshine. That grass will hold the heat from the sun and keep those fi sh in there.”

Henderson said if all else fails, he will throw a jerkbait.“I will suspend a jerkbait some,” he said. “Throw it out there, jerk it, wait until you can’t

stand it and jerk it again.”To contact James Henderson, call (214) 864-2469.

Look for ledgesCANYON LAKE — The bass bite has been good when you can stay out of the

wind and weather on Canyon Lake, according to guide Barry Dodd. “It’s been cold, nasty weather with a lot of wind,” Dodd said. “We’ve caught some bass

recently. The water temperature is 56 or 57 degrees and the lake has no thermocline. It turned over last month.”

Dodd said the water is clear and the bass are holding on rocky bottoms and ledges between 20 and 30 feet.

“We are fi nding them on rocky ledges and drop-offs,” he said. “Get right on the corner of the ledge and drop the bait off the edge to the bottom. Those fi sh are holding just below the ledge.”

Dodd said the wind has been so high, primary points have been tough to fi sh, so he has focused on secondary points in coves.

To contact Barry Dodd, call (210) 771-0123.

“The trap bite is working,” he said. “So many people are throwing red traps, but I like wind and weather on Canyon Lake, according to guide Barry Dodd.

SEE MORE■ Saltwater fi shing reports: Page 16


RedfishContinued From Page 8

but decent numbers are being caught over shell in San Antonio Bay. In the open bays, redfish are being targeted on oyster shell reefs.

Gray has used 4-inch long plastics to target reds in slamming chicken color.

Capt. Kevin Sparks has been all over the redfish along the King Ranch shoreline.

“We have been wading around the mouth of the Baffin Bay around the rocks,” Sparks said. “We are picking up a lot of reds and some big trout. The water is really pretty right now and the fish are starting to show up in good numbers.

“The King Ranch shoreline really looks good.”

Sparks said he has friends that have luck on redfish in several places.

“Some boys have been wading Rocky Slough and there is a lot of drum, along with good numbers of redfish, in the Land Cut.

“Soft plastics in fire tiger and plum colors, along with dead shrimp are catching a lot of fish,” he said. “I have 4-inch plastics on right now, but I will switch to 6-inch later in the win-ter. It gives off more of a vibration for the fish.”

South Padre angler Ramon Garcia said the redfish bite has been solid in the bays and flats.

“We are catching them in about 4 feet of water on a falling tide using shrimp,” Garcia said. “The redfish action has picked up the past sev-eral weeks. I don’t know what turned them on, but something did.

“I’ve even caught them targeting trout.”

Capt. Gary Gray, (361) 550-4577Capt. Kevin Sparks, (361) 815-8145

“I think we miss more than we catch sometimes,” she said.

On Pat Mayse Lake, guide Allen Ballard is finding the hybrids among the sand bass he has been targeting the past few weeks.

“We are seeing them over humps and below a lot of birds,” he said. “Chrome spoons are working, along with Little

George’s with a silver blade. We’ve also caught a few on crap-pie jigs.”

Farther south on Richland Chambers Reservoir, guide Royce Simmons said he has been out on the water more in December than in any of his past 13 years guiding, and the hybrid bite has been hit or miss.

“The hybrid bite really

hasn’t kicked in too much yet,” Simmons said. “But we’ve been swatting the some big old white bass in there. The past two years, the hybrid bite really hasn’t kicked off until mid-January or February.”

Simmons said he has been tar-geting hybrids in 40-45 feet over lake humps.

“We’ve been catching most

of the hybrids on slabs,” he said. “The fish are suspended, so you have to search for the huge balls of shad. We drop (the slab) down to the bottom and reel it into the strike zone. We are using 1 1/2- to 2-ounce heads.”

Teri Littlejohn, (903) 441-3937Allen Ballard, (903) 517-5207Royce Simmons, (903) 389-4117

HybridsContinued From Page 8

TIME FOR A FISH FRY: An angler on Richland Chambers Reservoir holds a nice-sized hybrid ready to go into the fryer. Photo by Royce Simmons.


DROPPED CELLPHONE LEADS TO TRESPASSING POACHER

On Thanksgiving Day, Uvalde County Game Warden Henry Lutz received a call from a local farmer saying that he found blood and drag marks across his plowed field where someone killed something in his property and drug it over a fence into a neighbor’s field. He had also located a cell phone lying in the dirt along the drag. Lutz obtained information from the phone and soon had its owner on the line. The phone’s owner said he thought it was stolen from him while at a bar the night before. The subject initially claimed extreme intox-ication the previous night and a brain injury for his inability to remember the events of the night before, but finally confessed to killing a white-tailed deer at night on property he did not have per-mission to hunt. He also did not have a valid hunting license. Appropriate charges filed.

DENIAL OF GUN DIFFICULT AFTER BULLET FALLS FROM PASSENGER’S LAP

At 10:45 p.m., Karnes County Game Warden Chad Moore witnessed a truck come to a stop where there were quite a few deer and hogs on the road. He then heard a shot and followed the truck. After making the stop, Moore asked where the gun was and was informed, “There shouldn’t be one.” After receiving con-sent from the driver, he asked everyone to step from the vehicle. As they did, a bullet fell out of the passenger’s lap and into the front passenger seat. A short time later, the gun was located under the back seat and a confession to hunting hogs was given. Charges were filed and the gun was seized.

COUNTY ROAD NOT THE SPOT FOR DEER BLIND, BAIT

Red River County Game Wardens Daniel Roraback and Benny Richards began their weekend with a road hunt-ing call. The subject was found with a deer blind on a county road with corn scattered in two different direc-

tions. The man had shot two bucks from the adjacent landowner’s prop-erty from the county road. One 8-point buck was still in the subject’s vehicle from the evening before. The war-dens also located out-of-state hunters without valid hunting licenses having already killed two deer. Later, war-dens Richards and Roraback found a hunter dragging a doe out of the woods to a county road where a wait-ing vehicle with other passengers was parked. After interviewing and ques-tioning the subjects, they found the subjects were trespassing. The land-owner will pursue felony charges on the subjects.

CORNING THE LAKE BRINGS IN DUCKS, WARDENS

Red River County Game Warden Daniel Roraback observed three men show up on a lake that had been baited with corn every morning for more than a week. The hunters were videotaped killing several ducks and doves in closed season over the baited lake. Cases and civil restitution pending.

REPEAT POACHER FINALLY NABBEDBowie County Game Wardens

Shawn Hervey and Doug Williams

followed up on a complaint regarding an Oklahoma man shooting deer on the Texas side of the Red River from an airboat. Both Hervey and Williams have been working this area for the last few years on both sides trying to catch the suspect. Two deer were taken from the suspect and restitu-tion was charged.

SWING SET DOUBLES AS ILLEGAL DEER BLIND

Bell County Game Warden Brandt Bernstein received two reports of a person hunting deer near a hous-ing subdivision and on another’s property. One caller said a shot was fired and he believed the shot “hit.” Wardens Bernstein and Christopher Wilson responded to the area. A dep-uty with Bell County had stopped two men walking down the road with a gun. The wardens separated the two men and interviewed them. Bernstein’s suspect admitted to shooting a deer that night and said they were going to look for it when stopped by the deputy. Bernstein arrested the man for hunting white-tailed deer at night from a swing set in his back yard. Wilson’s suspect also admitted to hunting deer several

times at night from the swing set and killing several deer. Wilson’s suspect was also arrested. Cases pending.

OLD FROZEN TURKEY DUMPED, TAG AND ALL

While looking for individuals shoot-ing from the roadway, Hays County Game Warden Jake Scott came across an entire turkey on the side of the road, unrelated to the individuals he was attempting to locate. The turkey had been tagged more than two years ago and was thawing out. Scott ran the hunting license and located the individ-ual, who said he did not want to dispose of the turkey on his property because he did not want his dogs to get the turkey and bring it back to his house. The man was cited for illegal dumping.

FAWN KEPT, 3-D TARGET GIVEN AS REASON FOR COMPLAINT

Coryell County Game Warden Andrew Alexander received a call in reference to someone having a baby deer in a backyard. The Gatesville police had responded earlier, but were told that the caller must have mistaken a 3-D target across the street for a live deer. Alexander made contact with the suspect and, after

a series of stories, learned there actually had been a baby deer in the backyard and it was hidden in a horse trailer on the property. The deer was confiscated and taken to a rehab facility. Case pending.

LESSON LEARNED, UNLEARNEDWhile on patrol, Fayette County

Game Warden Erik Nygren heard a single shot ring true. After nearly an hour, he located the correct ranch. After some time, a flashlight was observed and Nygren was able to get a man to come to the gate. Everyone in the camp said they had been inside all evening. One man explained to Nygren that he had learned his lesson earlier in the year when Fayette County Game Warden Calvin Harbaugh had caught him with a doe before archery season opened. Nygren asked to enter the property, and after looking around found a fresh bag of ice and a bloody skinning knife hidden under a trailer. The individual said the knife was from a pig they shot earlier in the day, and the ice was for the drinks they were getting ready to put in a cooler to go to a party. Nygren received consent to enter a portable building and found an ice chest with a quartered deer. When asked where the antlers were, the hunter said in the woods. After finding a carcass with the antlers cut off, the hunter finally admitted to placing them in a tree. The subject’s hunting license was missing two tags and the current deer was untagged. In his Harvest Log, the man listed that he had shot two bucks in Fayette County (an antler restriction county). When asked, the subject said he shot a 13.5-inch, 8-point and then shot a much nicer 15-inch, 8-point last week. Nygren informed him that he would be getting multiple cita-tions and losing not only the illegal deer from that evening, but also the second buck that he had killed, as it exceeded the county bag limit. Cases filed and restitution pending.

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER

A deer decoy operation led to a string of adventures for Van Zandt County Game Warden Steve Stapleton and Wood County Game Warden Kurt Kelley. A land-owner had requested that the decoy be set up after one of his calves was shot from the road. As Stapleton was setting up the decoy, a truck passed by, causing him to quickly throw the decoy to the ground, hit the deck and crawl out of the line of fire. The driver shot at the decoy twice and hastily left the area. Neither warden could catch the vehicle, but Stapleton spoke with three elderly women who had just passed a vehicle on the road. The ladies said that they had actually stopped to talk to the nice young man, and identified him as the son-in-law of the landowner who had asked that the

decoy be set up. While tracking down the shooter of the decoy, the wardens went to the subject’s house to speak with him. He was not home, but his brother was, complete with outstanding warrants, marijuana and pos-session of drug paraphernalia. When the subject was contacted that night, he said, “I think I shot your deer.” The same day, on the same road, a truck appeared and a shot rang out from the direction of the truck. The war-dens swooped in on the truck; however, in it was only a driver screaming, “That wasn’t me! I didn’t shoot!” The driver was released and Stapleton moved to reposi-tion the decoy. He then noticed headlights through the trees in the same field and found two hunters loading an untagged deer.

DEER DECOY ADVENTURES


that close, you make the call (to TPWD’s ShareLunker program).”

Moccia said the key to catching the fish was mov-ing to deeper water to accommodate dropping air temperatures.

“The main thing we

found was pulling off the main bank,” he said. “All of the bass pulled to the deep-est points. Once we found that, that was the key. We ended up winning the tour-nament.”

DNA results are pending on the fish to see if it is a pure Florida bass or a hybrid.

“The spot pattern looks a little different than a pure Florida,” Moccia said. “I think TWPD said the last

time they stocked the lake was in 1988, so I would be surprised if it is a pure Florida bass.”

The fish didn’t break the existing lake record, held by Larry Todd. Todd caught his 14.94-pound record on May 17, 1997. But that doesn’t matter one bit to Moccia.

“It was a big day,” he said. “It is definitely the highlight of my fishing career.”

“He looked fine in the picture,” Forsythe said. “Nobody saw him again until I was hunting on New Year’s Day at a stand where I had shot at him previously. I saw a doe come out and then a couple of coyotes came from behind the blind. I thought about shoot-ing one but didn’t, and it is a good thing.”

The doe came to attention and then bolted just before the big deer stepped out.

“A big buck came out at about 280 yards and it was him,” Fosythe said. “I took the shot and hit him a little far back. The buck went and laid down. I tried another shot, but need-less to say, I missed and he took off across a field. I found lots of blood for about 100 yards or so, but decided to back out.”

The buck was shot around 8 a.m., so after a phone call to elicit help, a tracker and a dog arrived about 4 p.m.

“The dog found the trail immediately and within 20 minutes, was on the deer about a mile and a half from where we started. When the tracker walked up to him, he noticed an arrow. I said, ‘Are you serious?’”

The arrow had penetrated the deer’s skin, but the buck had jumped the string on the bow shot and the broadhead had slid between the skin and chest cavity, never penetrating the vitals.

“The arrow was broken but about 2 inches were still sticking out,” Forsythe said. “About 12 inches of the shaft was in the deer, but it

was between the skin and ribs.”The buck, which hasn’t been scored, had 16

points, a 23-inch spread and palmation on both beams.

“This was a second-chance New Year’s buck,” Fosythe said. “The buck had lost some weight, but was in pretty good condition. I don’t know if he will be my biggest buck ever — I shot a gross 187 B&C on this low-fenced ranch — but he is pretty cool.”

DunlapContinued From Page 1

Second chanceContinued From Page 1

STILL STICKING OUT: The arrow did not penetrate the ribs on Bryan Forsythe’s buck, causing a superficial wound. Photo by Bryan Forsythe.


NORTH SABINE: Redfi sh are fair to good at the discharge canal on peeled shrimp. Black drum are fair around rock groins. Sand trout are good in the deep holes on shrimp.

SOUTH SABINE: Bull redfi sh are good at the jetty on crabs. Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp.

BOLIVAR: Sand trout are fair to good in the ICW on shrimp. Black drum and redfi sh are good at Rollover Pass.

TRINITY BAY: Redfi sh are fair to good in the bayous for waders tossing plastics.

Redfi sh are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet. Trout are fair around the wells on scented plastics worked slowly on the bottom.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair over deep mud and structures on MirrOlures. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair for waders in the mud and shell on MirrOlures and Corkies. Sheepshead, redfi sh and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.

TEXAS CITY: Redfi sh are fair to good in the holes in Moses

Lake on shrimp and crabs. Sand trout and whiting are fair on shrimp from the Dike.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Redfi sh are fair in Cold Pass and San Luis pass on cracked blue crabs.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scat-tered shell when the winds allows. Redfi sh are fair on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfi sh are fair on the south shoreline in the guts and

bayous. Sheepshead are fair around piers and rocks on shrimp.

PORT O'CONNOR: Redfi sh are fair on Corkies over soft mud and drop–offs near reefs on plastics. Redfi sh are fair at the mouths of drains on soft plastics and gold spoons.

ROCKPORT: Redfi sh are fair to good at California Hole on shrimp. Trout are fair on the edge of the ICW on glow plas-tics and scented plastics.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfi sh are fair to good on the edge of the channel on scented plastics and mullet. Sand trout are good on shrimp in the channel.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfi sh are fair good in the Humble Channel and around Emmords Hole on crabs and shrimp. Trout are best on the edge of the fl ats on live shrimp and DOA Shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud and rocks on Corkies and Catch 2000s. Redfi sh are fair on the edge of the Land Cut on plastics tipped with shrimp and scented plastics.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair to good on plastic shrimp around grass holes. Trout and redfi sh are fair on muddy shorelines and on the edge of the ICW on Corkies, scented

and soft plastics.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfi sh are fair on the edge of the Intracoastal on DOA Shrimp and scented plastics. Redfi sh, black drum and mangrove snapper are fair to good in the channel on shrimp.

PORT ISABEL: Trout are fair on the edge of the fl ats on soft plastics and imitation shrimp. Redfi sh are fair to good at Stovers and Lookout on TTF Flats Minnows and scented plastics.

— TPWD

Sponsored by

TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORTColor changes key

WEST BAY — If you are looking for fi sh in the Galveston Bay complex, look for color changes in the water, according to Capt. Steve Hillman.

Hillman said the trout and redfi sh bite has been good just about anywhere in the complex, except in the usually dependable West Bay.

“West Bay is lagging behind a little bit this year,” Hillman said. “I’m not sure how good it will be going forward. There are still quite a few fi sh in the backs of the bays near the mouths of the rivers because of the salinity levels.”

Water temperatures have been between 44 and 48 degrees.“There haven’t been many slicks or surface activity,” he said. “Two to four days after a

front, when we have warmer temperatures and the wind switches from the south, you start to see bait. That’s when we key on that.”

Hillman said plum and limetruese colors are working, along with MirrOlure’s 52 series.To contact Capt. Steve Hillman, call (409) 256-7937.

Big sheepsheadFREEPORT — The big sheepshead have been bit-

ing well off the jetty, according to Curtis Gunderson at Saltgrass Bait and Tackle.

Gunderson said, along with sheepshead, fl ounder fi shing in the bay has been surprisingly good this late in the season.

“It’s been slow the past couple of days,” Gunderson said. “But that has to do with the horrible weather we have had. Anglers are mostly buying live shrimp. They are asking for fi nger mullet, but it has been tough to get.”

Gunderson said when the weather is nice, trout and reds have also been solid in the bays.

To contact Saltgrass Bait and Tackle, call (979) 239-3650.

Take your pick down southSOUTH PADRE ISLAND — The sheepshead have arrived at the jetties,

along with good numbers of whiting, according to “Big Ray the Walrus” at Jetty’s Bait Stand.

“Lately, the redfi sh have been running around and the jetty is seeing a lot of whiting and the big sheepshead are back,” he said. “The fl ounder the size of doormats are also near the Coast Guard station, but you have to have clearance to fi sh there.”

Big Ray also said the trout are thick in the bays.“Many anglers are using Fish Bites for bait around the jetties,” he said. “Also, use fi ddle

crabs for the sheepshead.”To contact Jetty’s Bait Stand, call (956) 772-1038.

— Conor Harrison

along with good numbers of whiting, according to “Big Ray the Walrus” along with good numbers of whiting, according to “Big Ray the Walrus” along with good numbers of whiting, according to “Big Ray the Walrus”

OUTDOOR BUSINESS


HEROESSHARE AN ADVENTURE■ Want to share hunt-ing and fi shing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers? Email 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.

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FOR SALE 32 total signed and num-bered state prints and stamps from around the country12 state fi rst; Louisiana, Vermont, Arizona,Kansas, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Connecticut, Idaho, Virginia, Nebraska, Canada, Australia. 10 from South Carolina. All unframed.Great art work for any water fowlers offi ce wall or hunting camp. Call and ask for David.

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PAT GARCIA’S fi rst deer was

this spike taken at the 7M Ranch.

JOHN NUCKOLS took this buck on the family ranch in Big Wells the fi nal morning of his hunt.

KEVIN CAPPS harvested this 158-inch buck on a low fence ranch near Sonora.

Cousins SCOTT HEAD from Frisco and BOBBY CHAMPION JR. from Austin show off their ducks from a hunt near Arroyo City on Nov. 17, 2012.

11-year-old KATIE TALIAFERRO, right, and her sister, MATTIE, admire Katie’s 150-inch buck taken with a 270-yard shot.

KYLE SMITH shot this rooster in West Texas.Burnet angler EDWARD KLAUS holds his 50-inch northern pike caught on a fl y rod, while Calgary, Alberta guide Zack Southgate holds the rod.

STEPHEN FLYYN was inshore fi shing at Crocodile Bay Re-sort, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica where he landed a nice

34-inch roosterfi sh and 48-inch Pacifi c barracuda.


Win Nikon 10x42

PROSTAFF 7 binoculars

See a full selection of Nikon products at

Carter's Country11886 Wilcrest DriveHouston, Texas 77031

(281) 879-1466www.CartersCountry.net

This picture shows 8-year-old HUDSON HARRIS’ fi rst buck. It was shot north of Hondo in Medina County at his Poppi’s ranch. He took it with his .243 Remington he got for his birthday. The buck was a 6.5-year-old mainframe 10-pointer with a total of 16 score-able points. He was guided by his dad, Chad, who said he will not be able to shoot another buck like that again until he is 16!

NATIONALNew southwest Okla. trout fi shery opened Jan. 1

The New Year is bringing in a new southwest Oklahoma traveling opportunity for anglers and their families looking for rainbow trout.

The new Medicine Creek trout season kicked off Jan. 1, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will stock the fi shery every two weeks through March 15.

“That’s essentially right in town,” said Ryan Ryswyk, south-west region fi sheries biologist for the Wildlife Department.

Along with wintertime trout, the creek also offers fi shing for bass, catfi sh and bluegill. Sidewalks that blend into the gran-ite rock surroundings line the bank of the creek, providing excellent fi shing access without taking away from the natu-ral beauty of the area. Many of the city’s amenities are within walking distance of Medicine Creek.

Biologists say the opening of the fi shery was met with anticipation from anglers anxious to cast a line in the new fi shery.

“This fi shery provides a truly unique opportunity,” Ryswyk said. “Being able to catch trout in a pristine southwest Oklahoma creek while a family member takes a stroll on a paved trail to a nearby dining facility for a cup of coffee is an appealing idea. And down here, it's a reality.”

— ODWF

Ibex hunting licenses offered in New Mexico

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish will offer hunting licenses for female or immature male ibex beginning Jan. 9. The hunt dates will be Feb. 21 through March 31. All hunting will end when the harvest limit of 125 is reached.

Licenses will be available through the department online system and over the counter at department offi ces beginning Jan. 9. Any person who did not hold an ibex hunting license for the 2012-13 season is eligible to purchase one of these licenses. The cost of the license is $111 for residents and $1,630 for nonresidents.

This hunt is necessary because the ibex population is beyond the carrying capacity of the habitat. The bag limit will be two female or immature male ibex. Any hunter who har-vests two ibex and has them verifi ed by a conservation offi cer, or at a Game and Fish Offi ce, will be entered into a drawing for an either-sex ibex rifl e hunt during the spring of 2014. All hunters must verify their harvests within fi ve days.

All hunters must have a customer identifi cation number to purchase these licenses.

— NMDGF

Vermont captive hunting facility charged

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department brought charges today against Steven Hill, 51, and Chiaki Ito, 21, both of Fairlee, Vt., who were each indicted on seven counts of operat-ing an unlicensed captive hunting facility.

The pair faced charges of up to $1,000 for each count and stand to lose their hunting, fi shing and trapping licenses for up to three years.

According to Fish and Wildlife law enforcement offi cials, Hill and Ito are accused of operating the “Hunt the Ridge” captive hunting facility in Fairlee. They are alleged to have charged visitors up to $6,000 to hunt exotic wild animals. The list of animals advertised for hunters at the 129-acre facility included white-tailed deer, buffalo, sika deer, elk, fallow deer, wild boar, Spanish goats, Texas dall sheep and moose.

Seven counts were brought against Hill and Ito based on the testimony of individual hunters or witnesses to a hunt. Two of the hunters were undercover Vermont state game wardens who paid $750 each to hunt a Spanish goat and a wild boar.

Hill and Ito were ordered by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department to immediately cease operating the facility without a permit. An estimated 200 animals remain on the property.

— VFWD

Trout Unlimited issues statement on genetically engineered salmon

Trout Unlimited is concerned that the Food and Drug Administration's “fi nding of no signifi cant impact” is a premature “green light” for the eventual production of geneti-cally engineered salmon for human consumption. TU wants to ensure that threats to wild salmon populations from geneti-cally engineered salmon are understood and completely prevented, both for the protection of the economically vital commercial salmon fi shing industry and the growing recre-ational salmon fi shing sector.

TU also recommends a more detailed environmental impact review as the more appropriate process for this issue rather than a simple FDA environmental assessment, which is less thorough.

Prior to permit approval it must be clear that an effective regulatory framework exists so that impacts to wild fi sheries and aquatic ecosystems are prevented, and future permit appli-cations receive an appropriate level of scientifi c analysis and public scrutiny to understand and avoid environmental risk, TU contends.

TU will be reviewing the environmental assessment and fi nding of no signifi cant impact to see whether an adequate analysis of potential threats has been completed by the agen-cies with expertise in aquatic ecosystems.

— Trout Unlimited

Arizona Game and Fish seeks inputThe Arizona Game and Fish Department is accepting com-

ments on improving its hunt guidelines to continue the sustainable management of the state’s game animals, while providing as much hunting recreation as possible.

Comments on the existing hunt guidelines may be sub-mitted through Feb. 15 at [email protected], or by mail to Hunt Guidelines, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086.

“This is the public’s opportunity to get involved in the nuts and bolts of this bi-annual process,” said Big Game Management Supervisor Amber Munig. “We are seeking your ideas, comments, concerns or observations on how to meet the many demands by our varied hunting public, as well as fostering new opportunities for continuing our hunting heri-tage for future generations.”

— AGFD

2013-2014 NM hunting regs available online

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish 2013 big-game and turkey application process went live Jan. 9.

The new Hunting Rules and Information booklet is available on the department website. Printed versions are expected to be available at license vendors and Game and Fish offi ces across the state in late January.

License information and purchases are available by tele-phone toll-free at 1-888-248-6866. The department’s Information Center is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 9 – Feb. 14. The hours will be extended from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. beginning Feb. 15. The Information Center also will be open noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays beginning Feb. 16.

— NMDGF


(Photos from top to bottom)A leopard mount pounces on attendees at the Ruger booth during the DSC show.

Convention visitors take advantage of great prices and deals from vendors at the show, including these fur coats.

Future Haslet hunter Kaden Steen, 10 months, checks out a trophy at one of the booths.

Nine-year-old Charlie McAden visits the DSC show for the first time and checks LSON’s Show Program for directions.

Convention attendees fill the aisles shopping for items from handmade guns to fashionable hunt-ing apparel and more.

People flock to see Rusty, a Harris Hawk.

Journeys across the globe...without leaving

TexasPhotography by Lili Sams

The crew from Lone Star Outdoor News always looks forward to heading 15 minutes down the road from our office to the Dallas Convention Center for the first major show of the year — Dallas Safari Club’s annual conven-tion.

This year, we displayed our new booth in our familiar spot near the back wall of the main room. It was a major upgrade with more seating and more room to greet folks.

It is a lot of fun to see old friends, old guides from hunts past and get a chance to meet new people and talk to our great advertisers and subscribers. This year was no different.

Hundreds of convention-goers made it a point to stop and tell us how much they enjoy our paper. That makes all of the late nights on deadline to bring our readers the most current news stories all worth it.

We encourage everyone to come out next year and see us. You know where we will be.

See more at LSONews.com


NewJan. 11

Solunar | Sun times | Moon timesMoon Phases

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

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| |

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the fi llets in half. In a shallow bowl, mix the crushed tortilla chips, chili powder, salt and pepper together. In another bowl, mix the lime juice and oil together. Dip the fi llets in the lime juice mix-ture and then roll them in the crumb mixture. Place them on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. When all the fi llets have been coated, sprinkle them with the remaining tortilla crumbs. Bake for eight to 10 minutes or until crisp and golden and the fi sh fl akes easily with a fork. In a small sauce pan, warm the salsa over low heat. Serve the fi llets with warm salsa on the top.

— easyfi shrecipes.com

2 lbs. ground venison2 eggs1 can seasoned tomato sauce2 tbsps. liquid smoke1/2-1 cup dry onion fl akes1 cup Italian bread crumbs8 slices mozzarella or swiss cheese8 slices 97% fat-free ham

In a large bowl, mix the meat, liquid smoke, onion, 3/4 of the tomato sauce and the bread crumbs together. Add more bread crumbs if needed to get a somewhat fi rm consistency. Dump the meat mix-ture onto a sheet of foil. Flatten to

1/2-inch thick and as wide as your loaf pan. Once fl at, lay the cheese on top and then the ham. Roll up jelly-roll style making sure the seam is on the top and close up the ends. Slowly work your loaf pan down over the top of the meat. Now your seam is on the bottom. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce on the top if desired. Place pan on top of a cookie sheet to catch any drippings and bake at 325 degrees for 60-75 minutes. Time may vary so use your best judgment. Remove and let set for a couple of minutes before serving.

— backwoodsbound.com

Venison cheese stuffed meatloaf

LastFeb. 3

FullJan. 27First

Jan. 19Texas Coast TidesSabine Pass, northDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 11 1:11 AM 1.3H 8:41 AM -1.1L 4:19 PM 1.3H 9:11 PM 0.8LJan 12 2:09 AM 1.3H 9:30 AM -1.0L 4:59 PM 1.3H 10:01 PM 0.6LJan 13 3:08 AM 1.2H 10:18 AM -0.8L 5:39 PM 1.2H 10:55 PM 0.5LJan 14 4:11 AM 1.1H 11:05 AM -0.5L 6:18 PM 1.1H 11:53 PM 0.4LJan 15 5:23 AM 0.9H 11:53 AM -0.2L 6:57 PM 1.1HJan 16 12:56 AM 0.2L 6:50 AM 0.8H 12:42 PM 0.1L 7:35 PM 1.0 HJan 17 2:00 AM 0.1L 8:36 AM 0.7H 1:36 PM 0.3L 8:14 PM 0.9 HJan 18 3:04 AM -0.1L 10:33 AM 0.8H 2:44 PM 0.6L 8:54 PM 0.9HJan 19 4:02 AM -0.2L 12:18 PM 0.9H 4:31 PM 0.7L 9:35 PM 0.9 HJan 20 4:54 AM -0.3L 1:32 PM 1.0H 6:44 PM 0.8L 10:17 PM 0.9 HJan 21 5:40 AM -0.4L 2:22 PM 1.0H 7:49 PM 0.8L 10:58 PM 0.9HJan 22 6:22 AM -0.5L 2:58 PM 1.1H 8:11 PM 0.9L 11:36 PM 0.9HJan 23 7:01 AM -0.6L 3:24 PM 1.1H 8:13 PM 0.9LJan 24 12:13 AM 1.0H 7:38 AM -0.6L 3:46 PM 1.1H 8:22 PM 0.8LJan 25 12:48 AM 1.0H 8:14 AM -0.6L 4:06 PM 1.1H 8:43 PM 0.8L

Galveston Bay entrance, south jettyDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 11 12:44 AM 1.5H 8:21 AM -1.4L 4:46 PM 1.6H 8:51 PM 1.1LJan 12 1:47 AM 1.5H 9:11 AM -1.3L 5:24 PM 1.5H 9:41 PM 1.0LJan 13 2:52 AM 1.4H 9:59 AM -1.0L 6:00 PM 1.4H 10:37 PM 0.8LJan 14 4:01 AM 1.2H 10:47 AM -0.7L 6:34 PM 1.2H 11:42 PM 0.6LJan 15 5:18 AM 1.0H 11:33 AM -0.3L 7:05 PM 1.2HJan 16 12:53 AM 0.3L 6:50 AM 0.9H 12:20 PM 0.1L 7:34 PM 1.1HJan 17 2:04 AM 0.1L 8:38 AM 0.8H 1:11 PM 0.5L 8:01 PM 1.0HJan 18 3:08 AM -0.2L 10:45 AM 0.8H 2:28 PM 0.7L 8:25 PM 1.0 HJan 19 4:04 AM -0.4L 1:02 PM 1.0H 5:01 PM 0.9L 8:48 PM 1.0HJan 20 4:52 AM -0.6L 2:21 PM 1.1H 6:42 PM 1.0L 9:13 PM 1.1HJan 21 5:35 AM -0.7L 3:00 PM 1.2HJan 22 6:13 AM -0.8L 3:26 PM 1.3H 7:57 PM 1.1L 10:34 PM 1.1 HJan 23 6:49 AM -0.8L 3:44 PM 1.2H 7:51 PM 1.1L 11:23 PM 1.2 HJan 24 7:22 AM -0.9L 4:02 PM 1.2H 7:42 PM 1.1LJan 25 12:10 AM 1.2H 7:53 AM -0.9L 4:21 PM 1.2H 7:57 PM 1.0L

San Luis PassDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height Jan 11 1:14 AM 0.9H 9:17 AM -0.8L 5:16 PM 0.9H 9:47 PM 0.7LJan 12 2:17 AM 0.9H 10:07 AM -0.8L 5:54 PM 0.9H 10:37 PM 0.6LJan 13 3:22 AM 0.8H 10:55 AM -0.6L 6:30 PM 0.8H 11:33 PM 0.5LJan 14 4:31 AM 0.7H 11:43 AM -0.4L 7:04 PM 0.8HJan 15 12:38 AM 0.3L 5:48 AM 0.6H 12:29 PM -0.2L 7:35 PM 0.7 HJan 16 1:49 AM 0.2L 7:20 AM 0.5H 1:16 PM 0.1L 8:04 PM 0.7HJan 17 3:00 AM 0.0L 9:08 AM 0.5H 2:07 PM 0.3L 8:31 PM 0.6HJan 18 4:04 AM -0.1L 11:15 AM 0.5H 3:24 PM 0.5L 8:55 PM 0.6HJan 19 5:00 AM -0.2L 1:32 PM 0.6H 5:57 PM 0.6L 9:18 PM 0.6HJan 20 5:48 AM -0.3L 2:51 PM 0.7H 7:38 PM 0.6L 9:43 PM 0.6 HJan 21 6:31 AM -0.4L 3:30 PM 0.7HJan 22 7:09 AM -0.5L 3:56 PM 0.8H 8:53 PM 0.7L 11:04 PM 0.7 HJan 23 7:45 AM -0.5L 4:14 PM 0.8H 8:47 PM 0.7L 11:53 PM 0.7HJan 24 8:18 AM -0.5L 4:32 PM 0.7H 8:38 PM 0.7LJan 25 12:40 AM 0.7H 8:49 AM -0.5L 4:51 PM 0.7H 8:53 PM 0.6L

Freeport HarborDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 11 8:27 AM -0.9L 4:44 PM 1.7H 11:07 PM 1.1LJan 12 1:11 AM 1.1H 9:19 AM -0.8L 5:22 PM 1.5H 11:28 PM 1.0LJan 13 2:27 AM 1.1H 10:09 AM -0.6L 5:54 PM 1.4H 11:57 PM 0.8LJan 14 3:42 AM 1.0H 10:58 AM -0.3L 6:20 PM 1.2HJan 15 12:32 AM 0.6L 5:02 AM 0.9H 11:47 AM 0.0L 6:43 PM 1.1HJan 16 1:13 AM 0.4L 6:29 AM 0.9H 12:38 PM 0.3L 7:02 PM 1.0 HJan 17 2:00 AM 0.2L 8:11 AM 0.9H 1:44 PM 0.6L 7:19 PM 0.9 HJan 18 2:51 AM 0.1L 10:18 AM 0.9H 3:44 PM 0.8L 7:33 PM 0.9HJan 19 3:43 AM -0.1L 12:36 PM 1.1HJan 20 4:35 AM -0.2L 1:44 PM 1.2HJan 21 5:25 AM -0.3L 2:26 PM 1.3HJan 22 6:11 AM -0.4L 2:59 PM 1.3HJan 23 6:53 AM -0.4L 3:28 PM 1.4HJan 24 7:31 AM -0.5L 3:53 PM 1.4HJan 25 8:05 AM -0.5L 4:16 PM 1.4H

South Padre IslandDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 11 8:04 AM -1.0L 5:21 PM 1.5HJan 12 8:54 AM -0.8L 5:46 PM 1.4H 10:35 PM 1.1LJan 13 12:42 AM 1.1H 9:42 AM -0.6L 6:04 PM 1.2H 11:02 PM 0.9LJan 14 2:22 AM 1.0H 10:28 AM -0.3L 6:17 PM 1.1H 11:43 PM 0.7LJan 15 3:59 AM 0.9H 11:12 AM 0.0L 6:26 PM 1.0HJan 16 12:32 AM 0.5L 5:45 AM 0.8H 11:53 AM 0.3L 6:32 PM 1.0HJan 17 1:25 AM 0.3L 7:54 AM 0.8H 12:31 PM 0.6L 6:35 PM 1.0HJan 18 2:20 AM 0.1L 10:46 AM 0.8H 1:01 PM 0.8L 6:31 PM 1.0HJan 19 3:15 AM -0.1L 6:11 PM 1.0HJan 20 4:09 AM -0.2L 3:03 PM 1.1HJan 21 5:00 AM -0.3L 3:28 PM 1.2HJan 22 5:47 AM -0.4L 3:59 PM 1.3HJan 23 6:30 AM -0.4L 4:28 PM 1.3HJan 24 7:08 AM -0.4L 4:51 PM 1.3HJan 25 7:42 AM -0.4L 5:08 PM 1.3H

Port O’ConnorDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 11 11:13 AM -0.7LJan 12 12:42 AM 0.3H 12:04 PM -0.7LJan 13 1:59 AM 0.3H 12:51 PM -0.6LJan 14 3:15 AM 0.2H 1:31 PM -0.5L 10:57 PM 0.0HJan 15 1:46 AM 0.0L 4:35 AM 0.0H 2:01 PM -0.4L 10:33 PM 0.0HJan 16 3:20 AM -0.1L 6:44 AM -0.1H 2:16 PM -0.3L 9:09 PM 0.0 HJan 17 4:30 AM -0.3L 8:47 PM 0.0HJan 18 5:30 AM -0.4L 8:14 PM 0.0HJan 19 6:24 AM -0.4L 8:16 PM 0.1HJan 20 7:12 AM -0.5L 8:34 PM 0.1HJan 21 7:57 AM -0.5L 8:58 PM 0.1HJan 22 8:42 AM -0.6L 9:27 PM 0.1HJan 23 9:25 AM -0.6L 10:05 PM 0.2HJan 24 10:07 AM -0.7L 10:55 PM 0.2HJan 25 10:48 AM -0.7L 11:57 PM 0.1H

RockportDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 11 1:43 AM 0.0H 12:28 PM -0.4LJan 12 2:39 AM 0.0H 1:14 PM -0.4LJan 13 3:35 AM 0.0H 1:52 PM -0.4LJan 14 4:31 AM -0.1H 2:19 PM -0.4LJan 15 5:34 AM -0.1H 2:33 PM -0.3L 10:32 PM -0.2HJan 16 2:36 AM -0.2L 7:02 AM -0.2H 2:30 PM -0.3L 9:42 PM -0.2HJan 17 4:52 AM -0.3L 9:29 AM -0.2H 1:58 PM -0.3L 9:35 PM -0.2HJan 18 6:06 AM -0.3L 9:48 PM -0.1HJan 19 7:02 AM -0.4L 10:14 PM -0.1HJan 20 7:54 AM -0.4L 10:50 PM -0.1HJan 21 8:45 AM -0.4L 11:33 PM -0.1HJan 22 9:36 AM -0.4LJan 23 12:19 AM -0.1H 10:26 AM -0.4LJan 24 1:05 AM -0.1H 11:13 AM -0.4LJan 25 1:49 AM -0.1H 11:54 AM -0.4L

Houston2013 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJan Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets11 Fri N 4:24 10:39 4:54 11:09 07:17 05:39 6:55a 5:57p 12 Sat N 5:24 11:06 5:52 ----- 07:17 05:40 7:45a 7:04p 13 Sun > 6:23 12:10 6:50 12:37 07:17 05:41 8:29a 8:09p 14 Mon > 7:21 1:08 7:46 1:34 07:17 05:42 9:09a 9:10p 15 Tue 8:17 2:05 8:41 2:29 07:16 05:43 9:46a 10:10p 16 Wed 9:10 2:58 9:33 3:21 07:16 05:43 10:22a 11:07p 17 Thu 10:00 3:48 10:23 4:11 07:16 05:44 10:57a NoMoon18 Fri 10:48 4:36 11:10 4:59 07:16 05:45 11:33a 12:03a 19 Sat Q 11:33 5:22 11:56 5:45 07:16 05:46 12:11p 12:58a20 Sun ----- 6:06 12:18 6:29 07:15 05:47 12:51p 1:51a 21 Mon 12:38 6:49 1:01 7:13 07:15 05:48 1:33p 2:44a22 Tue 1:20 7:32 1:44 7:56 07:15 05:49 2:19p 3:35a 23 Wed 2:03 8:15 2:28 8:40 07:14 05:50 3:08p 4:24a24 Thu 2:47 8:59 3:11 9:23 07:14 05:50 3:59p 5:11a 25 Fri > 3:31 9:43 3:55 10:07 07:14 05:51 4:53p 5:55a 26 Sat > 4:17 10:28 4:40 10:52 07:13 05:52 5:48p 6:36a 27 Sun F 5:03 11:15 5:26 11:38 07:13 05:53 6:43p 7:14a 28 Mon > 5:51 ----- 6:14 12:03 07:12 05:54 7:39p 7:50a 29 Tue > 6:41 12:29 7:03 12:52 07:12 05:55 8:36p 8:25a 30 Wed 7:32 1:20 7:55 1:43 07:11 05:56 9:33p 9:00a

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell PierDate Time Height Time Height Time Height Time HeightJan 11 8:06 AM -1.3L 5:01 PM 1.4HJan 12 8:54 AM -1.2L 5:31 PM 1.2HJan 13 9:41 AM -1.0L 5:55 PM 1.1H 11:28 PM 0.6LJan 14 2:29 AM 0.7H 10:26 AM -0.7L 6:13 PM 0.9HJan 15 12:00 AM 0.3L 4:05 AM 0.5H 11:10 AM -0.4L 6:28 PM 0.8 HJan 16 12:42 AM 0.1L 5:52 AM 0.5H 11:54 AM -0.1L 6:38 PM 0.7 HJan 17 1:29 AM -0.1L 7:59 AM 0.5H 12:39 PM 0.3L 6:42 PM 0.7 HJan 18 2:19 AM -0.3L 10:37 AM 0.6H 1:34 PM 0.6L 6:36 PM 0.7HJan 19 3:12 AM -0.4L 12:59 PM 0.8HJan 20 4:04 AM -0.5L 2:03 PM 1.0HJan 21 4:55 AM -0.6L 2:46 PM 1.1HJan 22 5:43 AM -0.8L 3:24 PM 1.1HJan 23 6:27 AM -0.8L 3:56 PM 1.1HJan 24 7:07 AM -0.9L 4:23 PM 1.0HJan 25 7:43 AM -0.9L 4:44 PM 0.9H

San Antonio2013 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJan Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets11 Fri N 4:37 10:52 5:07 11:22 07:29 05:52 7:08a 6:11p 12 Sat N 5:37 11:18 6:05 ----- 07:28 05:53 7:57a 7:17p 13 Sun > 6:36 12:22 7:02 12:49 07:28 05:54 8:42a 8:22p 14 Mon > 7:34 1:21 7:59 1:46 07:28 05:55 9:22a 9:24p 15 Tue 8:29 2:17 8:53 2:41 07:28 05:56 9:59a 10:23p 16 Wed 9:22 3:10 9:45 3:34 07:28 05:57 10:35a 11:20p 17 Thu 10:12 4:01 10:35 4:24 07:28 05:57 11:10a NoMoon 18 Fri 11:00 4:49 11:23 5:12 07:28 05:58 11:46a 12:16a 19 Sat Q 11:46 5:34 ----- 5:57 07:27 05:59 12:24p 1:10a 20 Sun 12:07 6:19 12:30 6:42 07:27 06:00 1:04p 2:04a 21 Mon 12:50 7:02 1:14 7:26 07:27 06:01 1:47p 2:56a 22 Tue 1:33 7:45 1:57 8:09 07:27 06:02 2:33p 3:47a 23 Wed 2:16 8:28 2:40 8:52 07:26 06:03 3:21p 4:37a 24 Thu 2:59 9:11 3:24 9:36 07:26 06:04 4:13p 5:23a 25 Fri > 3:44 9:56 4:08 10:20 07:26 06:04 5:06p 6:07a 26 Sat > 4:29 10:41 4:53 11:05 07:25 06:05 6:01p 6:48a 27 Sun F 5:16 11:27 5:39 11:50 07:25 06:06 6:56p 7:26a 28 Mon > 6:04 ----- 6:27 12:15 07:24 06:07 7:52p 8:03a 29 Tue > 6:53 12:42 7:16 1:04 07:24 06:08 8:49p 8:38a 30 Wed 7:44 1:32 8:07 1:56 07:23 06:09 9:46p 9:13a

Amarillo2013 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJan Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets11 Fri N 4:50 11:05 5:20 11:35 07:55 05:52 7:33a 6:14p 12 Sat N 5:50 11:32 6:18 12:04 07:55 05:53 8:20a 7:24p 13 Sun > 6:49 12:36 7:16 1:03 07:55 05:54 9:02a 8:31p 14 Mon > 7:47 1:34 8:12 2:00 07:55 05:55 9:39a 9:36p 15 Tue 8:42 2:31 9:06 2:54 07:54 05:56 10:13a 10:37p 16 Wed 9:35 3:24 9:59 3:47 07:54 05:57 10:46a 11:37p 17 Thu 10:26 4:14 10:49 4:37 07:54 05:58 11:19a NoMoon 18 Fri 11:13 5:02 11:36 5:25 07:53 05:59 11:53a 12:36a 19 Sat Q 11:59 5:48 ----- 6:11 07:53 06:00 12:29p 1:32a 20 Sun 12:20 6:32 12:44 6:55 07:53 06:01 1:07p 2:28a 21 Mon 1:03 7:15 1:27 7:39 07:52 06:02 1:49p 3:22a 22 Tue 1:46 7:58 2:10 8:22 07:52 06:03 2:34p 4:14a 23 Wed 2:29 8:41 2:53 9:06 07:51 06:04 3:22p 5:03a 24 Thu 3:13 9:25 3:37 9:49 07:51 06:05 4:15p 5:49a 25 Fri > 3:57 10:09 4:21 10:33 07:50 06:06 5:09p 6:32a 26 Sat > 4:43 10:54 5:06 11:18 07:50 06:07 6:06p 7:11a 27 Sun F 5:29 11:41 5:52 ----- 07:49 06:09 7:04p 7:47a 28 Mon > 6:17 12:06 6:40 12:29 07:48 06:10 8:03p 8:21a 29 Tue > 7:06 12:55 7:29 1:18 07:48 06:11 9:02p 8:54a 30 Wed 7:57 1:46 8:21 2:09 07:47 06:12 10:02p 9:26a

Dallas2013 A.M. P.M. SUN MOONJan Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets11 Fri N 4:30 10:45 5:00 11:15 07:29 05:38 7:07a 5:57p 12 Sat N 5:30 11:11 5:58 ----- 07:29 05:39 7:56a 7:06p 13 Sun > 6:29 12:15 6:55 12:42 07:29 05:39 8:38a 8:12p 14 Mon > 7:27 1:14 7:52 1:39 07:29 05:40 9:17a 9:15p 15 Tue 8:22 2:10 8:46 2:34 07:29 05:41 9:52a 10:16p 16 Wed 9:15 3:03 9:38 3:27 07:29 05:42 10:26a 11:15p 17 Thu 10:05 3:54 10:28 4:17 07:28 05:43 11:00a NoMoon18 Fri 10:53 4:42 11:16 5:05 07:28 05:44 11:35a 12:12a 19 Sat Q 11:39 5:27 ----- 5:50 07:28 05:45 12:12p 1:08a 20 Sun 12:00 6:12 12:23 6:35 07:27 05:46 12:51p 2:03a 21 Mon 12:43 6:55 1:07 7:19 07:27 05:47 1:33p 2:56a 22 Tue 1:26 7:38 1:50 8:02 07:27 05:48 2:18p 3:48a 23 Wed 2:09 8:21 2:33 8:45 07:26 05:49 3:07p 4:37a 24 Thu 2:52 9:04 3:17 9:29 07:26 05:50 3:58p 5:23a 25 Fri > 3:37 9:49 4:01 10:13 07:25 05:51 4:53p 6:06a 26 Sat > 4:22 10:34 4:46 10:58 07:25 05:52 5:49p 6:46a 27 Sun F 5:09 11:20 5:32 11:43 07:24 05:53 6:46p 7:23a 28 Mon > 5:57 ----- 6:20 12:08 07:24 05:54 7:43p 7:58a 29 Tue > 6:46 12:35 7:09 12:57 07:23 05:55 8:41p 8:32a 30 Wed 7:37 1:25 8:00 1:49 07:22 05:56 9:40p 9:05a

Mexican catfi sh

*email LSON your favorite recipe to [email protected].

ACROSS1. A species of grouse

6. Wood used in arrow shafts

8. Name for fi sh that spawn upstream

10. Used for bait at times12. An archer organization

13. A game pathway15. A perch species17. A device on a fi rearm19. The area for practice

shooting20. Hunters give these

TLC21. A method to lure

game22. Hunting and fi shing

equipment24. Australian bird,

can’t fl y26. A protector for the

bowman28. Stream fi shermen

do this32. An arrow’s deviation

in fl ight34. A species of the

bighorn35. Name for the Ha-

waiian goose36. Animal that has

male and female reproductive organs,

_____phrodite37. A brand of bow39. Very large on the

muley40. A type of arrowhead41. A deer food source

42. A wild sheep species

DOWN1. A salmon

2. Many deer end up as ____kill

3. Anglers use many

methods of this 4. This hides the human

scent 5. Trapped for the fur 7. Outdoor foul weather

wear 9. The largest bass, ___

bass11. A small songbird14. Female sheep16. A rifl e butt rest18. Consider this when

choosing a lure22. A scouting procedure

for game23. Act of doe having

young25. Best type choke for

pheasants27. A game bird29. A duck species30. A big game of the

Plains31. The still-hunter’s

platforms33. Any game or wildfowl

to a hunter38. The moray

4 catfi sh fi llets1 cup fi nely crushed tortilla chips2 tsps. chili powder1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper4 tbsps. lime juice1 tbsp. vegetable oil1 cup of your favorite salsa


PRODUCTS

>>

IPHONE LIFEJACKET: This is a little blazing orange life jacket for your iPhone. Built to be used with LifeProof’s iPhone case (which is water-proof down to 6.6 feet, dustproof, snowproof and shockproof), the LifeJacket will make sure your encased iPhone will fl oat if it falls into the water. The cell phone LifeJacket sells for about $40. (LifeProof’s cases are sold separately).

(888) 533-0735www.lifeproof.com

life jacket for your iPhone. Built to be used with LifeProof’sproof down to 6.6 feet, dustproof, snowproof and shockproof), the LifeJacket will make sure your encased iPhone will fl oat if it falls into the water. The cell phone LifeJacket sells for about $40. (LifeProof’s cases are sold separately).

life jacket for your iPhone. Built to be used with proof down to 6.6 feet, dustproof, snowproof and shockproof), the LifeJacket will make sure your encased iPhone will fl oat if it falls into the water. The cell phone LifeJacket sells for about $40. (LifeProof’s cases are sold separately).

www.lifeproof.com

GAMESAVER SILVER G500 VACUUM SEALER: This is a must-have tool for hunters and anglers who want to preserve their harvests from land and sea. FoodSaver’s vacuum sealing system, which promises

to store game and fi sh for up to fi ve times longer than traditional packaging methods while preventing freezer burn, is built for heavy-duty repetitive use. It features an integrated carrying handle for easy por-

tability in the fi eld or on the water and comes with a 15-foot, 12-volt DC power cord that can be plugged into any vehicle or boat battery port. The Silver GameSaver model, designed for larger game and fi sh

processing jobs, sells for about $200. LSONtested the G500 with the “DAM” heat-seal barrier bags, designed to catch moisture that can prevent a good seal. It worked well on duck breasts just after rinsing, whereas with previous bags we would

have to dry out the breasts before operating the sealing system.

(877) 777-8042www.foodsaver.com

BOW GUARD SOFT BOW CASE: Plano Molding Company’s soft-sided case features thick, protective padding, a large exterior pocket and Realtree

AP camo designed to keep any bow safe in the fi eld. The soft case also features a durable zipper and measures 44 inches by 22.5 inches. The

case will fi t most compound bows. The case sells for about $30.

(800) 226-9868www.planomolding.com

MICRO-IDT PLUS COLLAR: D.T. Systems’ light-weight training collar, which fi ts small to large

hunting dogs, offers advanced features with simple controls. An internal FM radio fre-

quency antenna woven into the collar gives the unit a 900-yard range. The waterproof,

rechargeable collar features 16 levels of stimulations plus its soft-grip rubber coated

transmitter is small enough for easy one-handed operation. The rechargeable training

collar system, which sells for about $190, can be expanded into a three-dog unit. Add-on or

replacement collars sell for about $110.

(214) 350-9446 www.dtsystems.com

ORCA COOLERS: With seam-less construction, two

inches of thermal foam in the walls, and a lid

gasket that ensures maximum insulation,

Orca’s coolers keep contents cold. The bear-

proof and lockable coolers are roto-molded to with-

stand the rigors of outdoor use. The cooler, which offers

a 75-quart capacity, has a molded handle to make it easy

to transport plus a net that attaches to the cooler to pro-

vide additional storage. The coolers come in white, tan, green and hot pink and sell for about $400.

(888) 640-6722www.orcacoolers.com

SNIPER PROFESSIONAL HD CAMERA: Stealth Cam has partnered with hunter Jim Shockey

to create this scouting camera, which promises to deliver greater performance in the fi eld. The camera integrates the company’s new ZX7 Processor that produces faster trigger speed and a longer battery life. It has myriad features that translate into more information of wildlife movement for the hunter. The camera is DRONE compatible, meaning the user

can examine and assess the wildlife on his or her hunting land by utilizing the digi-tal remote surveillance system. The camera can be programmed to capture crisp

and clear still images with an 8.0 or 1.3 mega-pixel and is capable of recording fi ve- to 300-second adjustable video clips with audio, in either color or black and white. Its 54 infrared emitters

provide for a 60-foot recording range. The camera, which uses eight AA batteries, sells for about $270.

(877) 269-8490www.stealthcam.net

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>


To advertise in this section, call Mike Hughs at (214) 361-2276 or email him at [email protected].

LONE STAR MARKET

January 10-13 Houston Safari ClubWorldwide Sporting Expo and ConventionThe Woodlands Waterway Marriott(713) 623-8844houstonsafari.org

January 11-13Texas Tackle and Hunting ShowMesquite Rodeo Arena(918) 343-4868texastackleandhuntingshow.com

January 11-12Uvalde County Hill Country RiversTrout Days, Nueces River(830) 591-1065hillcountryrivers.com

January 12-13Texas Gun and Knife ShowAbilene Civic Center(830) 285-0575texasgunandknifeshow.com

January 17Rocky Mountain Elk FoundationTexas State RendezvousLake Somerville(830) 935-4754rmef.org

January 17-202013 Austin Boat and Travel Trailer ShowAustin Convention Center(512) 494-1128austinboatshow.com

January 23-26Safari Club International2013 ConventionReno, Nevada(520) 620-1220scifi rstforhunters.org

January 24Ducks UnlimitedCorsicana Dinner, BanquetStar Hall(903) 654-7705ducks.org

January 24-27San Antonio Boat and Travel Trailer ShowThe Alamodome(512) 494-1128sanantonioboatshow.com

January 25Hallettsville Knights of ColumbusBig Buck Contest, Wild Game Supper and Outdoor ShowHallettsville Knights of Columbus Hall(361) 798-2311

January 25-27East Texas Outdoor ExpoMaude Cobb Activity Center, Longview(903) 237-4000easttexasoutdoorexpo.com

January 26Kayak Angler Tournament SeriesDecker Lake(512) 203-9849fi shkats.com

January 31-February 2Wild Sheep Foundation2013 Sheep ShowGrand Sierra Resort and Casino, Reno(307) 527-6261wildsheepfoundation.org

DATEBOOK

Puzzle solution from Page 24

Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 2162-8300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are $2, in certain mar-kets copies are free, one per person. Copy-right 2013 with all rights reserved. Repro-duction and/or use of any photographic or written material without 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].

Advertising Call (214) 361-2276 or email mhughs@lone staroutdoornews.com to request a media kit.

For home delivery subscriptions www.LSONews.com(214) 361-2276

Executive Editor

Managing Editor

Associate Editor

Graphics Editor

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Operations Manager

Accounting

Website

Founder & CEO

Craig Nyhus

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National Advertising Accounts Manager

ContributorsKyle CarterDavid DraperShannon DraweWilbur LundeenAaron Reed

Erich SchlegelDavid SikesScott SommerlatteChuck UzzleRalph Winingham


game for sport was no longer seen to be “compatible with either our national commitment to conserve and preserve local fauna or the long-term growth of the local tourism industry.”

Safari outfi tters from Botswana attended the Dallas Safari Club annual convention Jan. 3-6, and said there is little hope for saving the future seasons.

“I don’t expect things to change,” said Cobus Colitz of Johan Colitz Hunting Safaris. “The president doesn’t listen to us.”

Colitz said the government originally intended to ban hunt-ing beginning in 2013.

“Almost all of the hunting con-cessions are on leases that expired in September of 2012,” he said. “They intend the leases to change from multiple use (including hunting) to single use for pho-tography. Everyone had to sub-mit new management plans that

take a long time, so the government extended the hunting for another year. We’re only booking through 2013.”

That was echoed by other Botswana outfi tters.“We haven’t been told anything by the government,”

another outfi tter said. “Most of the concessions are up; we aren’t taking any deposits.”

Clive Eaton of Thodo Safaris said the storied history of Botswana safaris may be coming to an end.

“We will fi ght until the last day,” he said. “But we aren’t booking anything past 2013.”

The Botswanan government’s solution is to turn designated hunting areas into “photographic areas.” Outfi tters say that won’t work to protect the animals.

“Many of the areas are not accessible for photographers,” Colitz said. “Elephant poaching is already up — it will sky-rocket. Just look at what happened in Kenya.”

Kenya banned all hunting in 1977. Its populations of large wild animals has declined between 60 and 70 percent since, and its elephant population declined from 167,000 in 1973 to 16,000 in 1989, virtually all due to poaching.

Botswanna has an estimated 130,000 elephants, and has been issuing 500 hunting permits per year.

Countries like Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa use management approaches that provide benefi ts at local levels and establish sustainable hunting quotas, and safari hunting provides income, jobs and meat for villagers.

According to a World Wildlife Fund report, involving the local communities has kept poaching in check and wild-life populations have increased. Programs in Zimbabwe have helped the elephant population increase from 37,000 in 1989 to an estimated 100,000, with most living outside of national parks. In Namibia, more than 80 percent of all large wild ani-mals live on private lands.

BotswanaContinued From Page 1

TPWD fi nds best bass lakes in Texas

Bass anglers are always searching for hot lakes, for bass populations that are primed for great fi shing opportunities.

With this in mind, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Spencer Dumont used electro-fi shing information collected from more than 4,800 adult bass (8 inches and longer) at 935 dif-ferent shoreline sites from 62 reservoirs in Fall 2012 to rank the top ten bass populations in terms of small bass, keeper bass and quality bass.

What he found may simply confi rm what you already knew. But more likely it will surprise you.

Top Ten Lakes for Small BassSmall bass were defi ned as

those from 8 to 13 inches long. Sprawling Sam Rayburn Reservoir was ranked No. 1 for small bass with 161 bass collected per hour of electrofi shing. Rounding out the top ten were:

Sweetwater (143/hour)Proctor (120/hour)Toledo Bend (90/hour)Walter E. Long (86/hour)Eagle Mountain (84.6/hour)Ray Hubbard (81.5/hour)Leon (77/hour)Lake O’ the Pines and Lake

Raven (75/hour)The average number of small

bass caught per reservoir in 2012 was 44/hour.

Top Ten Lakes for Keeper BassKeeper bass were defi ned as

those from 14 to 17 inches long. Lake Raven took the top spot for keeper bass with a whopping 75 bass collected per hour of elec-trofi shing. The rest of the top ten were:

Bastrop (64/hour)Walter E. Long (62/hour)Sam Rayburn (35.5/hour)Amistad (29.5/hour)Sweetwater (26/hour)Amon Carter (25/hour)Coleman, Gibbons Creek and

Toledo Bend (21/hour).The average number of keeper

bass caught per reservoir in 2012 was 13 bass per hour of electro-fi shing.

Quality bass were defi ned as those 18 inches or longer. Walter E. Long had the most quality bass with an impressive 18 bass collected per hour.

— TPWD

MBOGO NO MORE: Buffalo, along with other species, will no longer be available to hunt after the 2013 season in Botswana thanks to a recent government decision. Photo by Lili Sams, LSON.

january 11, 2013 - lone star outdoor news - fishing & hunting

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