December 11, 2009 ❘❚ Inside Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP PRSRT STD Sun, MoonandTideData Products Outfitters . Outdoor Datebook Hunting seasondates Heroes Game WardenBlotter For theTable . Fishing Report Crossword Classifieds . ❘❚ chance to test their dogs. A migratory bird gives East Texas hunters a Woodcock ways ❘❚ motors, which makes for faster boating. Yamaha recently lightened its outboard Lighter four strokes power plant will reopen to anglers. The lake at a North Central Texas nuclear Squaw Creek fishing ❘❚

CONTENTS FISHING HUNTING US POSTAGE LSONews.com PAID PLANO, TX . .

PERMIT 210 ...... Page 12-13 Page 30 Page 6 Page 8 Page 23 Page 18 Page 27 Page 27 Page 15 Page 10 Page 23 Page 29 Page 23 Page 30 lodges take another hitMexico hunting, fishing successforTexas deerhunters, according re ato grease into rattling horns appears to be one key to F By Ralph Winingham LOOKING FORAFIGHT: Anewstudyconfirmsthatwhitetailbucksrespondmoretoaggressive—loudrattlingtechniques.PhotobyLiliA.SamsforLoneStarOutdoorNews. armed gunmen. The hunters were forcedfrom Houston,to the were attacked by about a dozen This fall, a group year. this of until 20 whitewing — virtually of unheard were hunters, nine manyfromTexas, travelwho southeachyear and the H1N1 virus. tourists’fears ofborder seasons fromviolence, few past the the overeconomy blow a dealt L By Craig Nyhus cent study by the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Group of dove hunters ONE OR assaulted and robbed Kickingup the volume by putting a little elbow Butcrimes against the17,000 hunters,soor were lodges fishing and huntingMexican L Study: Bucks respond S ONE TAR best to loud rattling S O TAR UTDOOR O Pump up the volume UTDOOR N EWS N EWS Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper See MEXICO,Page 24 - ing them home. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News. Mexico, but hunters are not. Fears of violence are keep HUNTER SAFETY: Refuge,just north of Sinton, with four rattling wasse conducted at the Welder WildlifeeNews. Foundation Hellickson wrote that the three-yearcember institute’s edition the ofstudy Associates Deer KingRanch, reportedfindings theonDe the in brought out more bucks than sessions loud”any and “short other and loud” and “longmethod. clickingby antlers together, sequences involving attracting effects researchtive of the bucks into Institute. Mickey W. Hellickson, a wildlife biologist at the n ht s en dsrbd s h fis defini first the described being as is what In

Quail are still abundant in Tamaulipas, - Volume 6, Issue 8 - - - brush.” tlingupwind of the stand in the nearest rat performed theclump person secondof Thecamera. recorded videotaped and a data with buck each stand,therattlingtheof spondtopto fromthe Hellicksonwrote.”Oneperson watched deerre people,” two included and standsobservation peak and post-rut periods. quences randomly tested pre-rut, during the rut L By Thomas Phillips ahunting or fishing angle are being published andfor PlayStation 3. But more and morehomesystems gamessuch asNintendo’swith Wii, Xbox 360 angler’s life. in2009 can fill the outdoors void in ahunter’s or terfere, hosta newof video games thatcame out hunting, fishing to living ONE front of a screen “Eachrattling sequence was tested atone of17 New video games bring When the weather is too ugly or other plans in Manynew games are available for the big-hitter an armchair, in S Outdoors from TAR O UTDOOR rooms, pockets N EWS West Texas muley Mule deer season continues with successful hunts. See VIDEOGAMES, Page16 See RATTLING, Page14 Page 6 - - - Page 2 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 3 Page 4 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com NATIONAL Kellogg’s out as sponsor DEER DEBATE: Although usually in favor of expanding opportunities for hunting, Whitetails of FLW tour and team Unlimited opposes Wisconsin’s plan to have Wendlandt, Tutt a 16-day firearm season for deer during 2010. looking for Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News. a replacement BACKER WANTED: Clark Wendlandt of Kellogg’s is ending a 10-year re- Leander, left, gives lationship with FLW Outdoors, an interview in an leaving four anglers, including two FLW Outdoors file Texans, scrambling to find a title photo. Wendlandt sponsor two months before a new and other pro anglers recently season. Whitetails Unlimited against lost Kellogg’s as a One of the top names in bass sponsor. fishing and reigning FLW Tour An- Wis. deer season expansion gler of the Year, Clark Wendlandt of Leander, will be coming off a career years, and a survey of Whitetails Un- year without one of his top spon- Observers not limited members showed a large gap sors. Jim Tutt of Longview, who between opinions of Wisconsin hunt- was with Kellogg’s for all 10 years agreeing on ers and the opinions of policymakers. during the company’s affiliation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Kellogg’s. He said he is not sure yet It wasn’t a surprise, but the num- with FLW, is also left looking for a leaving many anglers and fishing which FLW tournaments he will herd numbers bers still are eyebrow-raising: Hunt- title sponsor, along with Dave Lefe- tours concerned about the future. fish this season. ers during the nine-day gun season bre of Pennsylvania, Alvin Shaw of FLW spokesman Jeff McCoy said Lefebre issued a statement on his Whitetails Unlimited recently sent killed 195,647 deer, a 29 percent de- North Carolina, and Greg Bohan- the company does not comment Web site titled “I’ll Miss Kellogg’s.” a letter to members of Wisconsin’s cline from last year. The numbers are nan of Arkansas. on its corporate negotiations, and In the statement, Lefebre praised Natural Resources Board opposing preliminary and based on deer regis- When reached by phone, Kel- FLW is looking forward. Kellogg’s for the relationship that an expanded 16-day gun deer hunt in trations and included 86,251 bucks logg’s corporate communications “Kellogg’s has been a longtime was and announced that he will Wisconsin in 2010. and 109,396 antlerless deer. did not comment on why the com- sponsor, and we were proud to be be sticking with the FLW. But like “There is always tension between DNR officials said they anticipat- pany terminated its relationship affiliated with them for several many, Lefebre is on shaky ground hunters and DNR regulators, and we ed the decline because of changes with FLW. It said in an e-mail, “We years and proud of the relationship with his sponsors. understand that,” said Whitetails Un- in season structure that reduced the have enjoyed our partnership with we had with them through corpo- “Usually I have all my contracts limited President Jeff Schinkten. “But antlerless deer harvest. They also said the FLW, and wish the team and rate and the anglers,” McCoy said. signed by now, and I’m going over the results of the 2009 gun deer sea- there was lower fawn production and players continued success.” “We’re continuing to market our final graphics for my next boat and son show that hunter numbers were tough weather conditions. Kellogg’s is the most recent cor- tournaments and promote fishing RV, this year I haven’t signed a sin- down in Wisconsin, and the number “... we don’t want to see the num- poration that has bowed out of the to the world.” gle contract, everything is word of of bucks killed was at a 25-year low for ber of hunters drop, and when those FLW. Land O’Lakes and Pure Fish- Wendlandt was in Mexico fish- mouth, but I have faith,” the state- the second straight year. Until we can numbers drop in Wisconsin, where ing ended their sponsorships earli- ing and was not reachable by ment said. “Almost everyone is in get a handle on the true deer popula- deer hunting is a passion, we get con- er this year, and Castrol reduced its phone. Tutt told BassFan.com it the same boat. All we can do is wait tion in Wisconsin, we need to hold cerned,” Schinkten said. “DNR policy role with the fishing tour. was a “huge disappointment” and and see what happens.” off on the 16-day gun season.” can have a huge effect on hunter satis- All this is happening in the same that “it feels like losing your job.” The FLW Tour’s first event in 2010 Schinkten also pointed out that faction, and we just want a common- year that Genmar, the country’s But he mostly had good things is Feb. 10-13, in Shreveport, La. car-deer accidents have had a dramat- sense approach.” second largest boat manufacturer, to say about his relationship with — Staff report ic and steady decline for the last five — Whitetails Unlimited report LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 5 CONSERVATION

nization of their choice. my muzzleloader,” Hass said. “I’ve • Sometimes “Buck” is More Than a Four up for Bud’s “Volunteers can have a power- seen lots of deer, but I’m waiting for 4-Letter Word — with Larry Wei- ful impact on conservation efforts. a monster.” shuhn top Conservationist By recognizing outstanding individu- The Bo Phillips Band of Stillwater, • South African Hunting — with Pe- Publisher/Editor Craig Nyhus Budweiser and the National Fish als each year through this program, Okla., also made up of hunters, took ter Flack News & Graphics Editor Thomas Phillips and Wildlife Foundation recently we hope to inspire others to follow in the stage before Kershaw. • Survival Myths and Misconceptions nominated three men and a husband- their footsteps,” said Jeff Trandahl, Kershaw, an avid hunter and an- — with Peter Kummerfeldt Associate Editor Mark England wife team for its 2010 Budweiser executive director of NFWF. gler, grew up in Louisiana and now • The Nearly Perfect Safari Rifle — Business/Products Editor Mary Helen Aguirre Conservationist of the Year honor. George Dunklin Jr. of Stuttgart, lives outside of Nashville. He has an with Larry Potterfield Operations Manager Mike Hughs The nominees are Bill Lyons of Ark., an active proponent for wetland interest in getting young people in- • Whitetails and/or White Tales — Accounting Nancy Halphen Modesto, Calif., Jim Range of Wash- and habitat conservation, was hon- volved in the outdoors. His father died with Larry Weishuhn Web site Bruce Soileau ington, D.C., Guy and Judy Gardner ored as the 2009 Budweiser Conser- when he was 11 years old. • Whitetail Questions and Answers National Advertising of Fuquay, N.C., and John French of vationist of the Year. “Getting outdoors gives you time to (and Then Some) — with Larry Accounts Manager Mike Nelson Ketchum, Idaho. — Budweiser report get away from it all,” he said. “Every- Weishuhn Founder & CEO David J. Sams Lyons works with federal agency for one should have that chance.” Seminar times and room numbers improving water and air quality, ac- — Staff report can be found at www.biggame.org. cording to NFWF. The event at the Dallas Convention Contributors Erich Schlegel Range, who died earlier this year, Kershaw sings for Center also will include more than Dan Armitage David Sikes cofounded the Theodore Roosevelt 1,100 exhibits featuring top outfitters Kyle Carter Brandon Shuler Whitetails Unlimited Bob Hood Scott Sommerlatte Conservation Partnership and served At DSC show: Do and professional hunters from around Whitetails Unlimited, a conserva- Diana Kunde Kyle Tomek on the boards of Ducks Unlimited, you hate whitetails? the world. Kendal Larson Chuck Uzzle Trout Unlimited and the National Wild tion group well known in some north- Gun makers, optics and gear com- Wilbur Lundeen Ralph Winingham Turkey Federation. ern states but fairly new to Texans, Hunting and fishing authorities are panies, artists, jewelers, clothiers, fur- Bill Miller Danno Wise The Gardners helped form the recently held its Concert for Conserva- scheduled to speak on a variety of riers and others, all considered best North Carolina chapter of the Qual- tion in Waco, featuring country music topics in seminars Jan. 7-10 at the in their field, will spread over more ity Deer Management Association and star Sammy Kershaw. Dallas Safari Club Convention and than 300,000 square feet. Distribution Advertising “After hearing about our organiza- Sporting Expo. Bruce Andreen, Call (214) 361-2276 work in other areas of educating peo- Also during the convention, DSC Metrogate or e-mail editor@lone ple about wildlife. tion and the things we do to get young Notable speakers on the list in- will present its 2010 Peter Hathaway Communications staroutdoornews.com French focuses his conservation people involved in the outdoors and in clude Larry Weishuhn, Craig Bodding- Capstick Hunting Heritage Award to Budget Distribution to request a media kit. work on helping Silver Creek in Idaho. hunting, Sammy was impressed and ton and Chris Dorsey. international conservationist, natural- Services He also serves on the board of Wood agreed to do the concert,” said WU Weishuhn will ask seminar attend- ist and hunting rights advocate Hu- Victor Cantu, For home delivery River Land Trust and works with The Field Director Kevin Greb. ees one off-the-wall question: Do you bert Thummler of Mexico City. South Texas subscriptions Circulation www.LSONews.com Nature Conservancy and The Yosem- WU is developing local chapters hate white-tailed deer yet? “Hubert Thummler once said, Jeff Bulpin (214) 361-2276 ite Institute. across the state, with an eye toward Other seminar highlights will in- ‘Hunting and conservation are not only The annual Budweiser Conserva- keeping money raised by the chapters clude the following topics: compatible but also inseparable,’ and Paul Fletcher tionist of the Year program recogniz- in the local communities. • Building Your Trophy Room — de- he has used this heartfelt philosophy es individuals who have made excep- “They guarantee that at least 50 sign and construction with Tom to influence wildlife policy and sport- tional contributions to the outdoors percent of the money raised stays Julian ing traditions on a global scale,” said and conservation. Each year, a com- with the local chapter to be used in • Cooking Wild Game — with Chef Ben Carter, DSC executive director. mittee selects four conservationists as the community,” said Abilene chap- David Gilbert “His sustained commitment and sig- finalists from dozens of outstanding ter head Steve Freeman. “We hold • Could You Be a Survivor? — survival nificant contributions not only bene- youth hunts and get involved with the techniques with Peter Kummerfeldt nominees. Adult consumers 21 and fit today’s sportsman and women, but Lone Star Outdoor News, a publication of older from across the country vote in local 4H groups. We have to get the • Fishing Idaho — with Mike Lawson those of future generations as well.” Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice an open-ballot process on Budweiser. kids involved to continue the hunting • Long Distance Shooting — with In the evenings, convention regis- a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 com. The 2010 Budweiser Conserva- tradition.” GreyBull trants can enjoy gala banquets featur- issues. Newsstand copies are free, one per Other performers included Randy • Safari Planning and Travel Tips person. Copyright 2009 with all rights reserved. tionist of the Year will be announced ing celebrity speakers, awards, enter- Reproduction and/or use of any photographic in January. Hass, an avid deer hunter from McAli- — with Terry Blauwkamp and Anne tainment and auctions for world-class or written material without written permission by The honoree selects a conservation ster, Okla., and the chairman of the Gaines-Burrell hunts, firearms and more. the publisher is prohibited. organization to receive a $50,000 local WU chapter. Hass was quick to • Safari Rifles, Loads, Optics and The annual event, this year called Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, grant from Budweiser and the NFWF. point out the size of the deer in the More — with Craig Boddington First Light, is the primary fundraiser Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX 75243 or e-mail The three runners-up each direct a state to the north. • Secrets of Making Outdoor TV — for the Dallas Safari Club them to [email protected]. $5,000 grant to a conservation orga- “I killed a big eight-pointer with with Chris Dorsey — Dallas Safari Club report Page 6 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com HUNTING Mule deer season rolling on — despite misfires But nothing happened. The gun, his grand- Hunters fill tags after father’s .30-06 from the Korean War, dry fired. The deer did not flee. It stared at Clark from being granted second 250 yards away as he reloaded and prepared to shoot again. chances on bucks This time, he exhaled on the scope. But when he aimed and fired, his shot was true. By Thomas Phillips “I’m still living on cloud nine,” said Clark, of LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Lubbock. “I keep the rack in my pickup so I can show everybody.” Hunters found their mule deer during the The buck, Clark’s first mule deer, had a 28- early portion of the season, but for a couple, inch spread with 5-inch bases. It had a gross bagging the bucks came with firearms frustra- score of 177 1/8, he said. tion. Clark was hunting in one of the hottest Eric Clark was aimed at a six by five buck and counties in Texas for mulies. The county pro- ready to fire Thanksgiving morning in Gaines duced the top three mule deer in the state last County. With “my heart beating out of my MIGHTY MULEY: Eric Clark shot his first mule deer in Gaines County on Thanksgiving Day. The six-by-five chest,” Clark pulled the trigger. See MULE DEER, Page 25 buck weighed about 300 pounds, Clark said. Way of the woodcock hunter Birds offer East Texas hunters practice for dogs

By Ralph Winingham FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

In all the years that retired wildlife management professor Dr. Monte Whiting has been hunting wood- cock throughout East Texas, he has never bumped into any woodcock hunter not in his group. “About two years ago, I heard some shots,” said the 71-year-old Whiting, whose reputation as the state’s leading woodcock expert has followed him since he retired sev- en years ago from Stephen F. Austin University. “It can be very hard hunting,” Whiting said. “Not many want to come back after that first time.” Woodcock are considered one of the most underutilized migratory birds sought by Texas hunters. The birds, slightly smaller than a quail with a long pointed beak used to probe the ground for earthworms, begin migrating into the state in late November. The biggest concentrations are in the thick pine and hardwood creek bottoms of the Pineywoods ecolog- ical region in the far eastern part of the state. Birds are also found in the Post Oak Savannah region, with some hunting success in the Black- POINT AND FETCH: Woodcock hunting enthusiasts say hunters are missing the boat by not pursuing the small migratory bird. The birds also provide a good workout for young dogs, some say. The season opens Dec. 18. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News. See WOODCOCK, Page 20 Former guide returns to industry with custom calls Side job takes Texan to top of market for waterfowl callers

By Bill Miller He went back into the trees ...” “In the real duck and meat duck FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS That’s OK with Briscoe, because contests, I’ve won first and second this entrepreneur is eager to take places using Joe’s calls,” Sohrt said. CRAFTY CALLER: Joe Briscoe estimates he’ll end this your phone call. “But I’m not a duck hunter; I’m a Joe Briscoe makes year having made about 300 custom Customer service, he said, is the goose hunter. waterfowl calls by goose and duck calls, but he has a foundation of JB Custom Calls, “And I promise you, I couldn’t pick hand and customizes regular job, too. which began in 2006 at his home in up a call off the shelf and do that.” them for hunters in his So if you try to reach him near the Mont Belvieu. Briscoe’s regular job is managing Mont Belvieu shop. end of the year, it might be while Briscoe, 44, is a former goose guide a company that provides painting To customize a call, he’s trying to squeeze a hunt into his and team roper who saw his custom services for Houston-area refiner- Briscoe will listen to busy schedule. call business vault from a year-long ies. When he’s not doing that, he’s the hunter use it and That was the case Dec. 2 when he struggle to build a prototype to 100 spending time with his wife, Ami, make the appropriate answered his cell phone in a deer orders soon after product launch. and their 8-year-old daughter, MacK- adjustments. blind near the boundary of Liberty New customer David Sohrt, a high enzie. and Chambers counties. school teacher, coach and goose Nearly the rest of his time is spent “Hang on a second,” Briscoe whis- guide from Tomball, used Briscoe’s in his backyard shop making water- pered, adding that an eight-pointer products this year to win numerous just stepped into view. “Oh, dang it! waterfowl calling contests. See CALLS, Page 22 LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 7

Hunting News in Brief much water and flooding put a kink in efforts. Lots of ducks, geese and The good news is more mallards have shown with the fronts, and receding water should water in Texas in 2009 make backwater sloughs and rivers prime when Texas waterfowl hunters generally have plenty the second split opens Dec. 12. of birds, but some are dealing with high water Biologist Jared Laing said most of the mast levels, too. crop was washed away with the flooding, but In the High Plains Mallard Management sloughs and river bottoms have been attracting Unit, outfitters said the pre-Thanksgiving cold good numbers of wood ducks. front pushed more geese to the High Plains. Gadwalls and wigeons have been taken in Goose hunters enjoyed better decoying action shallow coves of lakes and reservoirs. near Dumas, Spearman and Amarillo. Speckle- South Zone duck hunters along the coast en- bellies and Canadas continue to work in Knox joyed the best duck hunting in the state during and Haskell counties. the first split. The coast continued to produce Duck numbers continue to build in the Pan- steady duck shoots on the prairies, marshes handle, with more mallards showing with the and bays. cool front. Lots of water has scattered ducks Gadwalls, wigeons, shovelers and pintails throughout the region, with the exception of the and pintails were taken on the coastal prairies. Knox City area, which could use more rain. Large wads of green-winged teal were absent, Sandhill crane hunters enjoyed great decoy- but that should change with the strong cold ing action. front blowing through the state this week. In the North Zone, the first split of duck sea- The brunt of the snow goose population final- son ended at sunset Nov. 29, and results across ly arrived on the prairie in late November. Snow the region ranged from poor to fair. Lack of goose hunting has been difficult. ducks in Texas was not the problem, rather, too — Texas Parks and Wildlife report Page 8 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com FISHING Weight loss means more speed, efficiency for new Yamahas dampening in the cowling,” said Dyskow, Quicker acceleration Yamaha Marine Group president. “We didn’t need a muffler. We used a composite engine also added when more pan and changed or took away some other things here and there. It may not sound like LIGHTER LOAD: weight was subtracted much but, overall, it adds up.” Freshwater It adds up to almost 35 pounds of saved anglers have By Alan Clemons weight. With the new 4.3-liter SHO engines been slower FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS in the 200-, 225- and 250-hp setups, the sub- to jump on tracted weight means an increase in fuel effi- the four-stroke Yamaha has broken the lower-weight bar- ciency and power. bandwagon rier with its latest line of four-stroke out- For 2010, Yamaha introduced new four- because of the weight of board motors. strokes from the small “portable” outboards, the motors. On a recent trip on the water, Phil Dyskow mid-range and the large engines for bass and Yamaha’s new was pointing out a few of the weight-reduc- inshore boats. lighter motors tion measures in the new SHO V-MAX four- Holeshot is noticeably quicker to get on may change stroke outboard when he mentioned noise plane, as well as impressive acceleration that. Photo by dampening in the cowling. without any lag at higher rpm. For Dyskow’s Yamaha. With carbureted two-stroke engines, noise demonstration day, Yamaha had the new and vibration dampening is needed. With engines rigged on redesigned Skeeter boats, the much quieter four-strokes, anglers have which have a new hull, pad, internal buoy- to remember not to turn the ignition key a ancy and torque-transfer system through the second time because the engine is so quiet. “Without the noise we didn’t need the See MOTORS, Page 24

Fight brewing over proposed cut at East Matagorda Commissioner wants to reduce flooding; opponents concerned habitat might change By Mike Price FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Eddie Douglas was fishing on the south side of East Matagorda Bay, about a mile from the proposed Southwest Cut, and looked out across the bay. “I see bait working off the point, and there is some bait moving in the gut,” Douglas said. “The sun is about to touch the hori- zon. It all feels right, and I think a fish will hit soon.” Shortly thereafter a large speck- led trout leaped out of the water with Doug- las’ lure in its mouth. After putting the trout on his stringer, Douglas gazed at the bay and marsh and said, “Look at this bountiful na- ture. We are so fortunate to have this.” Members of East Matagorda Bay Founda- tion fear that if the Southwest Cut is opened, the spot where Eddie was fishing will be cov- ered with silt, have a high salinity or not have water at all. They consider East Matagorda Bay the most pristine bay on the Gulf Coast

See MATAGORDA, Page 28

CAUGHT: Gill nets are illegal for use by the public in public waters, but state officials use them for studying fish populations. The nets are especially useful in salt- water fish surveys, where electrofishing — the common method in freshwater — is less effective. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News. Got ’em by the gills ters in Texas, saltwater or freshwater,” said 4-inch opening to remove larger fish from a Nets illegal in Jeffery Parrish, Texas Parks and Wildlife’s as- pond and leave the smaller ones to get the sistant chief of marine enforcement. pond going again.” public waters but Monofilament gill nets were banned in Leslie Heinsohn operates Heinsohn’s Texas in 1979, said Mark Lingo, TPW ecosys- Country Store in New Ulm, where they sell still legal in private tem leader for the Lower Laguna Madre. gill nets among other products at the store “The total ban came in 1988,” he said. and online. By Craig Nyhus “But gill nets are still legal in several states for “Most of the sales are to pond owners,” LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS various applications.” Heinsohn said. “That’s the most sensible A quick Web search reveals where gill use. We had a tank where we fed catfish, and Most Texas anglers know gill nets are ille- nets are available for purchase. One seller they quickly got to 7 or 8 pounds — they gal in the state. But sellers of the nets are still of small gill nets markets them for aviation started to taste a little rank.” out there, and they say the nets have sensi- wilderness survival, although the site notes Heinsohn said he and other customers use ble and effective uses — in private waters. that the nets are outlawed in most states the nets to remove the larger fish or to catch In public waters, mostly along the Gulf and should be used for survival applications the smaller ones when they can’t be effec- Coast, game wardens and other law enforce- only. tively removed by hook and line. ment officials seize miles and miles of illegal “They also are used some in pond man- “The gill nets catch fish by entanglement CUT QUANDRY: Farm-to-Market Road 2031 passes nets. agement on private waters,” Parrish said. by the proposed location for the Southwest Cut at “No gill nets are permitted in public wa- “For example, people may use a net with a See GILL NETS, Page 25 East Matagorda Bay. Photo by Mike Price, for LSON. LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 9 Winter pattern settles in for coastal fly anglers warms, redfish will move to shallower water. Weather, fish more On days when the difference between the low and high temperatures are not great, the predictable during fish do not move as much, Wells said. When they move, he targets creeks drain- colder months ing estuaries as the tide goes out. As for timing, he finds more success during By Thomas Phillips the two or three days after a cold front when LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS the weather is clear. Winter usually means clearer water on the Redfish are biting for fly anglers as the fish Texas coast, and Wells adapts by choosing and fishermen begin a predictable winter fish- natural colors for his fly patterns. He throws ing pattern. shades of black, olive and brown this time of Winter can be an easier time to plan trips year, and he stays away from bright colors. for redfish, guides said recently. Cold fronts “There’s nothing swimming around in that are easier to see coming than spring and sum- depth of water, that clarity of water that’s mer storms, and the fish follow similar move- bright hot pink,” Wells said. ment patterns. Finding redfish this time of year also de- “Days when it’s cold shouldn’t scare people pends on the sun, Wells said. During a trip away,” said guide Ethan Wells. earlier this month, the fishing was fine until During winter, Wells looks for changing LOCATION: Fly anglers can look for redfish in water moving in or out of tidal ponds during winter under clear temperatures to move fish. When the water See PATTERN, Page 24 skies. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.

Fishing News in Brief top seven qualified. Elite Series signs its Of the hundreds of 2009 Bassmaster Open anglers, only 21 earned invitations for the 2010 youngest angler for 2010 Elite season (seven from each of three Open di- Bradley Roy of Lancaster, Ky., celebrated his visions). Some anglers try for years to be among 19th birthday Nov. 2 and signed up days later those who move up, but Roy advanced after his for the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series. Now he is first Open season. the youngest angler at the sport’s highest level But Roy has been something of a wunderkind of pro competition. in BASS competitions. At age 13, he was the “I know I’m young, but this has been my life- 2004 Bassmaster Junior World champion in the long dream,” he said. “This is what I want to do 11-14 age group. as a career, so this is a great opportunity, a jump At age 17, he outperformed many other Ken- start on my career.” tuckians to be the sole representative of his Before Roy, the youngest Elite rookie had been state in the 2008 BASS Federation Nation Texas’ Corey Waldrop, who turned 20 early in the Championship. 2008 Elite season. Other young anglers includ- In the Elite Series, Roy knows the game will ed Luke Gritter of Kalamazoo, Mich., who was become considerably tougher. 22 when he competed in the 2009 season, and “Obviously, I’m going to make a lot of mis- Elite pro Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., who at takes, but I try to learn from my mistakes,” he 23 was the youngest on the 2007 Elite roster. said. “Hopefully I can learn, then adapt quickly.” Roy was still 18 when he qualified Oct. 24 for Another new challenge will be handling a gru- the Elite Series by finishing fifth in points in the eling, eight-event regular-season schedule. 2009 Bassmaster Southern Open trail. Only the — BASS report Page 10 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com GAME WARDEN BLOTTER

WARDEN ISN’T GULL-IBLE hundreds of hunters asking questions ON THIS ONE and wanting to know the status of the At a private pond, Grayson County Brothers-in-law, and outside it poisoned, baited field in the area. Peo- Game Warden Dale Moses checked a A landowner reported a poacher Jail. The man’s brother-in-law was in-law was on his way back to East ple were so concerned about avoid- duck hunter he had contact with last on his property to Kimble Coun- the driver, and, after questioning, Texas, leaving his partner in jail. ing the area that both wardens’ cell year. A year ago, the man had tres- ty Game Warden Lee Morrison. he was released at the scene. Mor- The man in jail told Morrison his phones were flooded with calls, and passed and “hopped” a pond that The landowner confronted the rison and Gillespie County Game brother-in-law had killed two deer hunters would flag them down as they happened to have a hunter on it. This trespasser, and when the per- Warden Scott Krueger traveled on the property. Morrison con- were driving to obtain information. time, everything was in order, and Mo- son refused to wait for the game to the ranch after the man was tacted Hardin County Game War- ses left. An hour and a half later, Mo- warden, the landowner followed booked to gather evidence for the den Mike Boone for assistance, MESSY CAMP MEANS ses was driving down the same road the vehicle, giving information investigation. and Boone obtained a confession MORE TROUBLE and noticed that a second vehicle had to Morrison. Morrison requested They found an area where it ap- from the brother-in-law to hunting Hunters at one camp had dumped shown up. At the same time, Moses assistance, and the vehicle was peared two deer had been shot without landowner consent and to guts of a deer on another person’s heard a shot and saw a bird fall from a stopped on Interstate 10 by state and dragged back across the killing two eight-point bucks. The property. Terrell County Game Warden flock above the pond he had checked troopers with Morrison close be- fence line. Morrison called the original person arrested pleaded Kenneth Stannard instructed them to earlier. When Moses looked at the hind. The person admitted to brother-in-law, who had said earli- guilty during his release hearing pick up the guts and dispose of them flock with his binoculars, he saw they hunting without consent and was er he would be picking his relative and cooperated against his broth- properly. After returning the next day, were sea gulls. Moses saw a sea gull in transported to the Kimble County up at the jail. Instead, the brother- er-in-law. Cases pending. Stannard located the carcass of a year- the road that had been shot and had ling doe that was untagged, with only apparently made it to the road before the hams taken. After the hunter was dying. Moses entered the property just der to his brother’s house, where Alex- into the nearby brush. Philley and Ra- casing. After a short search of the confronted about the doe, he admitted as it began to rain heavily to contact ander found him cutting up the fresh mos seized the boat, the motor and area, Hatfield located the individual, his friend had shot it and dumped it the four youths hunting and found an- venison. The meat was confiscated, about 7,920 feet of gill net. who admitted to shooting twice at a there. After a phone interrogation, the other crippled gull. The group admit- and the man received several citations. buck in the county road. The man said person admitted to killing and dump- ted to killing two more gulls, and eight JAVELINAS MUST he did not hit the deer. Hatfield issued ing the doe and was cited for waste of total Franklin’s gulls were recovered. POACHER WAS JUST TRYING BE EATEN, TOO the man a citation for hunting white- game and not tagging the deer. While checking the youths’ licenses, TO FEED THE MASSES Two people recently received cita- tailed deer from a public road. Moses noticed that one had killed a La Salle County Game Warden tions for waste of game of three javeli- WRONG NUMBER ON MLDP doe in Grayson County the day be- Ryan Johnson noticed fresh tire tracks nas. Frio County Game Warden Mi- SOMETHING’S FISHY WITH LEADS TO POACHER fore. Unfortunately, the last day to take leading onto land that is not usually chael Morse found the javelinas in a WRONG TAG ON DEAD DOE While checking hunting camps, does in Grayson was Nov. 6. The three hunted. Upon inspection of the prop- garbage bin beside a commercial cold While checking deer camps, Game Game Warden Gene Fernandez came other hunters told Moses they had told erty and the camp house, an indi- storage facility. Wardens Rick Snitkin and Sean Re- across a walk-in cooler and checked the original hunter that it was illegal to vidual was caught by surprise butch- neau located a camp where a doe was some deer with Managed Lands Deer kill the gulls but were told, “The game ering a white-tailed doe he had shot BIG BUCK SHOULD tagged with a redfish tag. After a short Permits tags. On four of the permits, warden already checked me; he won’t that morning. After multiple attempts HAVE BEEN TAGGED investigation, a 10-point buck was lo- the hunters had entered their driver’s be back.” Several citations were is- to come up with an explanation, the La Salle County Game Warden Ryan cated, and it was determined that a license numbers. Fernandez learned sued for taking the gulls and one for individual confessed to starting deer Johnson observed a vehicle exiting a Louisiana resident killed it and tried that one of the individuals did not taking a doe in closed season. season a day early so he could provide small ranch at sundown. The sight of a to use a friend’s resident tag. The deer have a current hunting license. Cases meat for his soon-to-arrive friends. game warden waiting at the gate sent was seized and cases pending. pending. DUMPED BUCK the hunter scrambling for his wallet, li- WOMAN TELLS NEW IS TOO SMALL ALMOST 8,000-FOOT cense and tags. After a short scramble, CORN CONCERN SWAMPS VERSION OF DEER STORY A group of hunters contacted Coryell FALCON GILL NET SEIZED the hunter finally realized it was too WARDENS’ OPENER A caller told Tom Green County County Game Warden Andrew Alex- Zapata County Game Wardens Ja- late. An untagged 12-point buck was After thinking the opening day of Game Warden Cynde Aguilar a deer ander to report a poacher had shot a cob Philley and Stevan Ramos were found in the bed of the truck. deer season would be filled with the that had been shot on the wrong side white-tailed buck that did not meet spotting from the top of a hill overlook- usual calls from hunters and com- of the fence. Contact was made with the antler restrictions and hurried ing Falcon Lake when they observed a POTENTIAL POACHER plaints about hunters, Eastland County the poacher, and after a short con- home with it when they confronted vessel enter Texas waters from Mexico. MISSES DEER IN ROAD Game Warden Zach Havens and Cal- versation and tracking the blood trail, him. Alexander interviewed the man, Philley and Ramos watched the occu- A caller reported possible road hunt- lahan County Game Warden James the woman admitted that she had not who showed Alexander where he pants of the vessel set gill net along ing eastern Mason County. Upon ar- Brown were in for a surprise. After at- seen the deer jump the fence onto her dumped the carcass, which had an the brush line and decided to launch rival, Game Warden Cody Hatfield tending hunter appreciation lunches property. A charge of trespassing by inside spread of 9 inches, on a state their boat and pursue it. The occu- received the license plate number of at Cisco and Cross Plains, respective- projectile was filed, and a short class highway. The man then took Alexan- pants spotted the patrol boat and fled the suspect vehicle and a .30-06 shell ly, the wardens were bombarded with on hunter ethics and laws was held. LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 11 Page 12 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com PRODUCTS CHRISTMAS GIFTS for the FAMILY ■ For him, her and the kids: Shopping season is here, and Lone Star Outdoor News has a few products for consideration this year as Christmas gifts. Happy hunting!

For him ... NIKON RIFLESCOPE >> If he has booked a safari, you might want to surprise him with a Nikon riflescope from the company’s new Monarch African

Series line, which features three riflescopes with ultra-wide

fields of view. The riflescopes are built around what works when hunting dangerous game, and it uses the German No. 4 reticle for >> fast target acquisition. The riflescopes feature fully multicoated optics for crystal-clear viewing and a power range designed to handle fast shots with MEN’S FLATS GUIDE II SHIRT dangerous game. They also feature 4 inches of eye relief and a 1/2 MOA If he finds this under the Christmas tree, he might want adjustment for a fast sight-in. Shown is the 1.1-4x24 Illuminated model to wear it before his next fishing trip because it is so (about $850), which is ideal for late-night predators or low-light hunting situations. comfy. This lightweight and quick-drying shirt by (800) 645-6687 Under Armour will keep fishermen dry and com- www.nikonhunting.com fortable. The shirt wicks moisture away from the skin and it also has strategic vent zones to keep wearers cool. Its anti-odor technology will help prevent the growth of odor-causing microbes. This long-sleeved shirt has hori- zontal and vertical zippered pockets to tuck in all types of gear. Available in five colors, it sells for $70. (888) 727-6687 www.underarmour.com

POACHERS, CROOKS AND OTHER TURKEYS >> If you want to give a loved one a laugh for Christmas, give him this true-crime book compiled by the editors of Lone Star Outdoor News. The 272-page paperback contains five years worth of Game Warden Blotter. One of readers’ favorite features, the blotter contains Texas game wardens’ stories about the funny, stupid and strange behavior that lands lawbreakers in hot water. A portion of the proceeds from the $14.95 book will benefit the families of Justin Hurst, Teyran “Ty” Patterson and George Harold Whatley Jr. The three men were game wardens who died in the line of duty since 2004, the year Lone Star Outdoor News began publishing.

(214) 361-2276 www.lsonews.com >>

BEST OF THE BEST KITS Anglers will appreciate this stocking stuffer. The B.O.B. kits feature the most effective baits from D.O.A Fishing Lures. The 17-piece kit includes best-selling lures in popular colors. It sells for about $14. SMITH & WESSON M&P15-22 >> (772) 287-5001 You’ll be his favorite wife if you gift him with this new M&P15-22 from Smith & Wesson. www.doalures.com The firearm is designed as a dedicated .22LR platform, and it offers shooters an affordable firearm that’s inexpensive to operate. The M&P15-22 is lighter than a standard M&P15 to accommodate shooters of all statures while still offering the same distinctive looks and operating features of a traditional AR-style rifle. It sells for about $500.

(800) 331-0852

www.smith-wesson.com For the kids ... >>

JOURNEY FLY-FISHING OUTFITS Here’s an ICAST best-in-show product that CAMO STOMPER BOOTS >> was designed for youth from the ground Hunting boots for children can be a tricky up. Instead of downsizing an proposition because they’ll only wear them adult-sized outfit, designers at for one hunting season. These Game Winner Camo Stomper II insulated rubber Ross Reels USA incorporated such features as a reduced handle size boots feature a waterproof upper to keep and a shorter length rod. feet dry, a fleece lining for warmth and a Available in vivid blue or pink, rubber outsole for good traction in icy or wet these complete outfits are perfect conditions. Available in sizes 1 to 6, these for introducing a son or boots are just slightly under $20. And, at daughter to fly-fishing. Just tie that price, you can afford a on a fly and go fish. The Journey bigger pair next year. outfit comes with a fly rod with a (888) 922-233625 medium-fast action that is www.academy.com smooth, sensitive and precise, a large-arbor, disc-drag, pre-spooled fly reel that is low-maintenance and a high-performance system. Also included is a custom Cordura rod and reel case and an instructional DVD. The outfits sell for just under $200 and can be fished on most types of water. (970) 249-1212 www.rossreels.com LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 13

PRODUCTS For her ... >> E.R. SHAW MARK VII >> FTO ELITE SPEEDBAG This bolt-action rifle can be customized for a firearm that is uniquely hers. Rifle makers at E.R. If she doesn’t have a worm bag, here is a compact Shaw start with one of three barrel types made from premium metals and tooled to specifications, one from the Plano Molding Company. This bag including desired length. A hunter can choose the rifle’s caliber, its action length (four available), allows for maximum storage and easy organization. its finish and either a left-handed or right-handed model. She also has the option of The fold-down sides open wide and stay open, going with a walnut, synthetic or laminated wood stock. The providing easy access to baits. The bag was designed customized rifles start at $675 for a basic model. for ease of use on the water and holds packages of soft (412) 221-3636 plastics ready for use. Keep the bait in its original packaging, and place the www.ershawbarrels.com packs in the Speedbag. Then use it like a card catalog to quickly and easily see what baits are available. Shown is the 14.5 by 4.5 by 5.5 inch model, which holds up to 40 standard packs of softbaits. It sells for just under $25. (800) 226-9868 www.planomolding.com

WHITETAIL LEGACY KNIVES >> This all-purpose Browning knife is good addition to her collection of hunting gear. This knife is available in both a fixed or folder version. It pays homage to the PROIS XTREME JACKET >> popular white-tailed deer. It can be used for myriad outdoor chores. The folder She will appreciate this jacket on those frigid model features a 3 3/4-inch folding, locking liner design with a blade made of January hunts. Prois Hunting Apparel’s 440C stainless steel and a mesquite burl wood handle. It sells for about $100. high-performance gear is especially sized for (800) 322-4626 the female figure. This jacket is constructed www.browning.com from 100 percent polyester waterproof, breathable fabric. It is a soft, silent jacket that’ll keep her warm with its Thinsulate and nylon tricot lining. The Prois Xtreme Jacket comes with deep chest and hand pockets to hold vital equipment and to keep hands warm, while its inner Neoprene sleeves keep the hunter dry. Its adjustable drawstring design at the coat hem will trap body heat in and keep cold air out. It also has a ducktail that unsnaps to give wearers 12 extra inches of warmth on their backsides. The jacket, available in Realtree AP HD and Advantage Max-1 HD, comes in sizes from XS through XL. It sells for $259. (970) 641-3355 www.proishunting.com

ELITE SUNDOME TENT >> She can use this spacious tent from Coleman to take the family camping or on a weekend hunt with the girls. The Elite series comes in various models, with configurations to accommodate up to eight people. The Sundome tent, shown, is a two-room tent designed for six people. It has such features as self-rolling windows, shock-coded poles to make setup simple and an interior gear pocket. It also has a battery-operated 350-lumen light. The Sundome sells for just under $200. (800) 835-3278 www.coleman.com >> REBEL RECURVE BOW Here is a serious bow for an older child who is serious about bow

And one for the dog >> ... hunting. This 52-inch-long recurve AVERY BOATERS HUNTING DOG PARKA bow by Martin is good in tight spots. We know your hunting dog isn’t expecting a Christmas gift, but wrap this up Available in draw weights from 25 anyway to give your kids a kick. This neoprene dog parka by will keep to 50 pounds, the Rebel recurve Avery your four-legged hunting companion safe from hypothermia. The neoprene comes with a sight and quiver helps the dog retain body heat and dry off faster after each retrieve. The parka mount installed as standard features a tapered cut for maximum coverage, closed cell foam for flotation, equipment. It features a and sewn-in webbing semi-static limb tip, which harness. Sized to fit any provides added performance hunting dog, it sells for and speed, and reinforced about $38, depending limb tips that allow modern on size. low-stretch string materials. The 1-pound, (800) 333-5119 4-ounce bow sells for www.averyoutdoors.com about $460. MULTI-COLOR FLASHLIGHT >> (509) 529-2554 What child doesn’t appreciate a flashlight. This one from Coleman weighs slightly under 5 ounces and puts out 65 lumens of light. It www.martinarchery.com is powered by AAA batteries. This weather-resistant flashlight also delivers the versatility of white light for general purposes, red light for enhanced night vision and blue light for easy game trailing. It sells for about $30. (800) 835-3278 www.coleman.com Page 14 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

Rattling Continued from Page 1 Sequences included “short and quiet,” “short and loud,” “long and quiet” and “long and loud.” They began with a 10-minute seg- ment that included one or three minutes of rattling followed by seven to nine minutes of si- lence. The pattern was repeated twice over the next 20 minutes. Hellickson said the most productive sessions involved loudly clashing the antlers together to start the rattling sequences. As part of the “loud” sequences, the antlers were clashed together as loudly as possible, in addition to breaking nearby branches, rubbing the bark on trees and scraping the ground try- ing to make as much natural noise as possible. During the two “quiet” sequences, both el- bows were held against the body to avoid loud antler clashes. At the conclusion of the study, the team had rattled up 111 bucks, with the two loud se- quences performed 85 times and attracting 81 bucks. That success rate was nearly three times as many bucks as the two quiet sequences, which were performed 86 times and attracted 30 bucks. The response rates were 95 percent for the loud sequences and 35 percent for the quiet sequences. As a side note, the morning rattling sequenc- es seemed to be the most productive, with 60 of the 111 bucks seen during the study making their appearance between 7:30 and 10:30 a.m. The results of the study track well with the observations of veteran Hill Country ranch- er and wildlife biologist Bob Ramsey, who is considered a pioneer of Texas deer rattling and SOUND CHECK: A common and successful method in Texas is to rattle from a vehicle, enticing deer to come out of the brush. A new study out of the Caesar Kleberg is author of “How to Rattle Up A Buck,” pub- Wildlife Research Institute indicates rattling in the morning had the highest response rate. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News. lished in 1966. “The greatest thrill in hunting, for me, is to only two or three seconds. Wait for about three rattle up a really big buck, and watch him come minutes, touch the tine tips together lightly, Results from a distance of 600 yards to within 30 feet, and then wait for another three minutes be- Methods every hair standing straight up and fire in his fore pounding the ground twice with the base Rattling sequences included eyes,’’ Ramsey wrote. of one antler. “short and quiet,” “short and In his rattling guide, Ramsey also recom- The routine can be repeated about every five loud,” “long and quiet” and mends making a great deal of racket when first minutes, omitting the initial loud rap of the “long and loud.” They began knocking the antlers together — rolling rocks, antlers. If no bucks approach, move to a differ- with a 10-minute segment that fighting nearby brush with an antler and scrap- ent spot and start again, Ramsey recommends. 95% 35% included one or three minutes Rate at which white-tailed Rate at which white-tailed ing the ground with the tines. A final tip from the rattling master: “Know bucks responded to loud bucks responded to quiet of rattling followed by seven to He suggests a sequence of five seconds of rat- that the instant you first clash the horns togeth- rattling. The rate is based rattling. The rate is based nine minutes of silence. The tling, starting with a loud clash of the antlers; er, every buck within hearing has your loca- on 81 bucks responding on 30 bucks responding pattern was repeated twice wait a minute, grate the antlers together for tion pinpointed to a spot the size of your dining during 85 attempts. during 86 attempts. over the next 20 minutes. about five seconds; wait another minute; and room table. He can come to that exact spot, un- then click the tips of the antlers together for erringly, although you make no other sound.” LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 15 HEROES

BOSS poses with a few gadwall he retrieved opening weekend in East Texas. His owner, Jeff Rader of Dallas, was hunting with his friend Ron Gard.

CHARLIE WILLIAMS shot this deer in Panola County on a low-fenced ranch.

BRIANA VILLARREAL, 9, of Brownsville holds her first dove. She shot the bird opening weekend along the Rio Grande River.

DARRYL HANSON of CHANCE RICE holds a Round Rock caught this 10.4-pound carp he bass on Lake Baccarrac in caught at Lake Lavon. Mexico. The fish weighed Share an adventure 10 pounds, 2 ounces Want to share hunting and fishing and was 26 inches long photos with other Lone Star Outdoor with a 19.75-inch girth. News readers? Send them to us with contact and caption information. [email protected] Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX, 75243

Congratulations, Gus! You can claim your Nikon 10x42 Monarch ATB binoculars at one of these Nikon Sport Optics dealers near you: Nagel’s Gun Shop 6201 San Pedro Avenue San Antonio, Texas 78216 (210) 342-9893 Dury’s Gun Shop 819 Hot Wells San Antonio, TX 78223 (210) 533-5431

GUS WHEELER shot his first turkey during a spring hunt in Atascosa County. The gobbler’s beard measured 9 3/16 inches, and Wheeler shot it with a 12 gauge at 25 feet. Page 16 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

votes more time to taking shots Video games than tracking game. Hunters can Continued from Page 1 watch their harvests as they happen cell phones. through the automatic bullet cam Some games take the outdoors se- and then map the blood marks on riously, with top-notch graphics and their animal. believable hunting scenarios. Others take a more light-hearted approach Fishing games (think: using Mahjong tiles as fish- Angers have no less variety in vid- ing lures). eo games. “Bass Pro Shops: The Strike,” avail- Hunting games able for Wii, Xbox 360 and PC, has On the hunting side, game de- three different play modes: Quick velopers released titles in 2009 that Fish, Career and Bass Pro Shops Invita- let hunter-players chase a variety of tional Tournament. Like the hunting game — and bad guys. games, players can choose from a mix In “Remington Great American of species to pursue and locations. Bird Hunt,” one to four players can With “The Strike” and similar swing the Wii controller on ducks, games, such as “Shimano Xtreme geese, pheasant and grouse. Bonus Fishing,” the focus is on matching re- game birds pop out too: bobwhite ality. quail and woodcock. But beware, il- “Xtreme” lets players use a variety legal fowl fly across the screen, too. of techniques and methods. In addi- Players lose points for shooting tion to rod and reel scenarios, players pheasant hens, blue jays, ospreys and may use a bow and spear. other protected birds. “The Strike,” with the Bass Pro In addition to its annual update of Shops theme, makes use of 111 BPS DIGITAL TROPHIES: Screen shots show “Cabela’s Big Game Hunter” line, the lures and nine different boats. “Bass Pro Shops: The Strike,” above, and Also for Wii, “Fishing Master World retailer also published “Cabela’s Leg- “Remington Great American Bird Hunt.” endary Adventures.” “Adventures” The games send players on outdoors Tour” takes anglers around the world sends the player throughout North adventures and are two titles on a long in pursuit of more than 200 species America in pursuit of more than 40 list of hunting and fishing video games of fish. species, with about a dozen methods that came out in 2009. “Wii Hooked! Real Motion Fish- to choose from. ing” puts anglers on virtual water to “Cabela’s Big Game Hunter 2010” let them “enjoy the thrill of catch- let’s the player hunt around the speeds, to shoot on screen. The hunt- ing fish without the mess of cleaning world, and it tests the player’s surviv- er can take three shots to bag a bird them,” according to gamefaqs.com. al skills. before needing to reload. After 10 The game has an online element that For iPhone gamers, dozens of new misses the game is over. lets players compete against other titles are out this year for hunting and Players can keep going without “Hooked!” anglers. fishing. end as long as they do not exceed the A boatload of fishing games came On the hunting end, games in- miss limit; as the game progresses, out in 2009 specifically for iPhone. clude “Deer Hunter 3D,” which puts birds fly faster. Titles include “3D Power Fishing,” players on the trail of deer, bears, Also for iPhone, bird hunters can “Bass Fishing Battle,” “EZ Fishing,” moose and other animals in 3D en- practice their shooting with “Clay “Finger Fishing,” “Fish Frenzy,” vironments. Players have to bag ani- Hunt.” The game uses the phone’s “Match the Fish” (a memory game), mals to gain access to more firearms touch-screen controls for shooting and “iFishing Saltwater Edition.” and methods. clay pigeons thrown in singles and In “3D Hunting,” players choose hunting guide mauled by bears, leav- Some strive for realism. Some strive “This is easily not only Glue’s most doubles. The player aims with his or their method — firearm or bow — ing the hunter to make his way to the for laughs. attractive iPhone game, but the best- her left thumb and fires by tapping track animals and add big game to hunting cabin past bears, landmines “Mahjong Fishing” is a fishing looking hunting game on iPhone,” with the right thumb. their trophy rooms. Hunting grounds and other hazards. Weapons for game for grandmothers. Players use said IGN.com, a gaming Web site. Three iPhone titles in the “3D are pulled from North America. fighting back include a Colt pistol, tiles from the ancient Chinese game For waterfowlers, “Deek’s Duck Hunting” family aim to be a more “3D Hunting Grizzly” is a hybrid lever-action rifle, grenade launcher to catch other tiles. Hunt” gives players three types of vir- lifelike hunting game for cell phone hunting game and first-person sur- and chainsaw. Not into Mahjong? “Pai Gow Fish- tual ducks, with different sizes and players. vival game. The scenario has the “3D Hunting: Alaskan Hunt” de- ing” is similar. LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 17 Page 18 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com Feral hog prices steady, big buyer says Population booming, but prices are not dropping for trappers

By Ralph Winingham FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Any hunter who has ever faced down a mean and nasty boar feral hog tipping the scales at more than 250 pounds might want to offer a silent “thank you” to upper crust din- ers in the U.S. and Europe. The wild pigs — particularly big boars — that rule the brush and have spread across Texas like a plague are valued as fine table fare at many high-dollar restaurants, and the de- mand for feral hog meat is helping to chip away at the Lone Star State’s population. “The demand has remained pretty steady,” said Allen Gilbert, sales manager of Frontier Meats in Fort Worth. “This is really the busy time of year because a lot of hunters are out in the field and are catching the hogs. We are seeing some that are in real good shape and others that are in real poor shape — it just de- pends on the range conditions.” Just like any other market, the price for live feral hogs fluctuates with the economy. Esti- mated prices for the live hogs starts at about $5 per head for animals that weigh from 50 to 59 pounds (nothing under 50 pounds is accept- ed); about 13 cents per pound for those in the 60 to 79 pound range; and about 25 cents per pound for hogs weighing 80 to 99 pounds. Processors pay a premium of about 35 cents per pound, plus a $5 to $10 per head bonus, GOING TO MARKET: Hog trappers can turn in their for hogs weighing 150 to 249 pounds; and Pork prices pigs for profits by selling them to buyers in the state. any boar or sow topping 250 pounds brings in The Texas Animal Health Commission lists almost 90 Weight in pounds Price approved hog-buying stations on its Web site at about 45 to 50 cents per pound plus at least a 50 to 59 ...... $5 per pig www.tahc.state.tx.us. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News. $10 per head bonus. 60 to 79 ...... 13 cents per pound Gilbert said that Frontier Meats collects the 80 to 99 ...... 25 cents per pound feral hogs from trappers and hunters across 150 to 249 pounds . . 35 cents per pound plus a bonus of $5 to $10 the state and has them shipped to the process- 250 and heavier . . . . . 45 to 50 cents per pound plus a bonus of $10 ing station in Fort Worth. “We get them from all over. It just depends Canyon Reservoir. Although wild hog meat is similar to do- has been purchasing wild swine on the hoof upon the weather because they are all over the “At one point in the past, feral hogs were mestic pork, the cuts are darker in color and for about 20 years. The animals are inspected state,’’ he said. bringing more than domestics,” he said. much leaner, with a slight gamey taste popu- by state and federal officials, butchered and Although state officials estimate the Texas fe- “The (processing plants) were paying 45 cents lar with many hunters who harvest the hogs then the meat is distributed to domestic and ral hog population is about 2 million animals, per pound for smaller hogs and 60 cents per as bonus animals during hunting seasons. foreign markets. Unlike domestic beef, feral Gilbert said he believes the number is well pound and a bonus for everything over 200 “The meat from the big ones can be pretty swine meat is not graded with scores such as above that, and many hunters and trappers are pounds.” strong,’’ Brown said. “I think people have to “prime,” “select” and “choice.” taking advantage of the wild-swine market. Brown said that although his recent trap- be a little crazy to eat something from a big Texas Parks and Wildlife lists feral hogs as “The prices now are not quite as good as ping efforts have been for his own consump- boar unless it has been really doctored up a unprotected, exotic, non-game animals that they were several years ago,” said Charlie tion, one of his associates has gathered and lot.” can be hunted year-round with no bag limits. Brown of Kenedy, who traps hogs when he shipped more than 400 hogs for sale this Frontier Meats is one of the main process- A hunting license and landowner’s permis- is not working as a catfishing guide at Choke year. ing centers for feral hog meat in Texas and sion is required to hunt wild swine. OUTFITTERS

Texas’ Premier Bow Sweetwater Creek Hunting Ranch Bow Hunting Decatur, Texas Exotics • Whitetails • Buffalo • Hogs No Trophy Fees All-Inclusive Hunts 2,500 Acres High-Fenced www.SweetwaterCreekBowHunt.com Contact Jim Bob Little • (940) 393-5853

Trophy whitetail deer hunts Brackettville, Texas 2 days $600 T e x a s ’ P r e m i e r 3 days $900 O u t d o o r See lots of deer on 6 days $1,200 every hunt. N e w s p a p e r . . . Surrounded by Wife or child 1/2 price large ranches. Free lodging online L S O N e w s . c o m www.coxcountry.net Also excellent spring turkey Free DVD (830) 563-2658 hunting in April: $550 [email protected] for 2 days

Book more trips S e n d a b u s i n e s s c a r d o r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t y o u r s e r v i c e , a n d s e e i t a s a n a d i n L o n e S t a r O u t d o o r N e w s . $ 1 0 0 p e r m o n t h ( b o t h i s s u e s ) . S e n d c h e c k o r c r e d i t c a r d i n f o r m a t i o n t o L o n e S t a r O u t d o o r N e w s , 9 3 0 4 F o r e s t L a n e , S u i t e 1 1 4 S o u t h , D a l l a s , T X 7 5 2 4 3 , c a l l ( 2 1 4 ) 3 6 1 - 2 2 7 6 , o r s e n d t o m h u g h s @ l o n e s t a r o u t d o o r n e w s . c o m . LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 19 Page 20 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

ed 635 hunters sought woodcock during Woodcock the 2006-07 season, the latest figures avail- Continued from Page 6 able. land Prairie Region near Dallas. The estimated harvest during that sea- The best hunting areas are where forest son was 6,032; a figure that Whiting be- management practices of small-scale clear- lieves is greatly exaggerated. cutting, thinning and burning have creat- “If hunters kill 1,000 to 2,000 woodcock ed good woodcock habitat. Prime spots in- a year, I would be very surprised,” he said. clude young pine plantations thick with According to the TPW survey, the num- briars and other low growth that provide ber of hunters since 1987-88 has ranged overhead protection from raptors next to from a low of 635 in the 2006-07 season open ground for feeding. to a high point of 4,328 when the sur- The Texas woodcock season this year be- veys were first conducted. Normally, about gins Dec. 18 and ends Jan. 31, with a dai- 1,000 to 1,500 hunters take advantage of ly bag limit of three birds and a possession the short season. limit of six birds. The small harvest of birds can be attrib- Veteran hunters such as Whiting will at- uted more to the rugged hunting condi- test that each woodcock that finds it way tions rather than a lack of woodcock. TPW into a game bag will be the result of good officials do not conduct surveys or attempt dog work and a lot of time busting through to determine the number of birds that mi- “the thickest brush that you can make grate to this state every year. yourself go into.” Jason Hardin, an upland gamebird spe- “The last couple of years have been the cialist and former student of Whiting’s, worst hunting that I have ever seen,” Whit- said the habitat that attracts the woodcock ing said. “We had extremely bad winters is not conducive to game surveys and re- after two hurricanes, primarily because of quires dedicated and determined hunters. the drought.” “You have to use close-working dogs Whiting, who has introduced hundreds and be willing to take a few scratches (from of hunters to the sport but now prefers to close encounters with thick brush),” he hunt by himself, said he managed to col- said. “The birds hold really well until you lect 41 birds over his dogs last year. During are right on top of them, then they bust the prime hunting seasons in the 1970s, his out a lot like quail. annual bag total was more than 200 birds. “Primarily, you will find them as singles “There are just a lot fewer places to go or doubles. They don’t form coveys like now,” he said, pointing to a lack of clear- quail.” cutting and brush-burning efforts, in addi- Hardin agreed with his former professor tion to thousands of acres that have been about a lack of hunting areas limiting ac- leased for exclusive use by deer hunters. cess to the birds. Bob Staton, a former avid woodcock “They don’t do as much clear-cutting as hunter and part-time hunting guide living they used to; that was good habitat for the in Lindale, said he braved the brush for the birds,” he said. “But there are still a lot of elusive birds for more than 40 years. good places in East Texas to hunt them.” “I enjoyed hunting good bird dogs, and Among the public places suitable for woodcock will hold really well,” said Sta- woodcock hunting are four East Texas ton, who is also 71 years old. “They are ex- wildlife management areas: Moore Plan- cellent birds to turn puppies on for train- tation WMA in the Sabine National Forest; ing. Alabama Creek WMA in the Davy Crock- “Everybody in the county had bird dogs ett National Forest; Bannister WMA in the 50 years ago, and hunting woodcock was Angelina National Forest; and the Sam something incidental with quail hunting. Houston National Forest WMA. Now all the quail are gone, and there are Woodcock hunters should note that so few bird dogs left in East Texas that not these areas are also used by deer hunters many go out for woodcock.” during most of the bird season, and hunt- According to the Texas Parks and Wild- ing safety measures are highly recom- IN DEEP: Woodcock hunters routinely prowl through thick cover when looking for the birds. The birds also hold to mended. life small game harvest survey, an estimat- cover well, giving young dogs good practice at pointing. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News. LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 21 Page 22 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

make duck calls,’” he said. “Well, that’s how Calls that all started.” Continued from Page 6 fowl calls — usually from cocobolo, bird’s-eye Secret in the sawdust maple or bois d’arc. Making his first call wasn’t easy. Reeds are made of Mylar plastic. Some of the “It took me a year to develop the shape,” he calls are wooden barrels with acrylic inserts — said. “The secret is in the sawdust. You got to but not all of them. tear some stuff up to get it right.” “Everything that I don’t like about acrylic Briscoe knew he was getting into a competi- in a duck call is perfect in a goose call,” Briscoe tive field. He said the market has plenty of cus- said. “You get a lot of slap and volume. tom call makers, and he is a big fan of a lot of “I want it to be loud, I want it to carry, and I them. want some pop to it.” But he also knew he’d be successful if his products found their way into the hands of Cajun origins the right people — waterfowl guides like he Briscoe’s calls, he said, result from his love used to be — guys whose livelihoods depend- for woodworking and the outdoors, and he ed on quality gear. credited his father, Calvin, for starting him in The strategy worked. both. “The word,” he said, “got out in late ’06 and Calvin, now a retired Houston-area chem- early ’07: ‘Joe’s back in the hunting business!’ ical plant worker, was also a musician from “I sold 100 calls in the first 90 days. I thought, Louisiana who used his carpentry skills to ‘Oh man, what have I done? I started a hobby, make Cajun accordions. and now they’re going to kill me!’” He not only showed his son how to hunt, but also how to turn wood into useful things. Customizing for the customer “Dad and my uncles would take me quail The calls sell for about $50 to $110, but Bris- hunting in southern Louisiana when I was just coe is not interested in mass production. 3,” Briscoe said. “When I was tired, they’d take Instead, he wants to be known as a custom- turns piggybacking me. Really, that’s how it all izer who fits a call to the hunter who will use began.” it. Briscoe’s first test was back home in Texas, “Basically, you’re playing a musical instru- where he formed lifelong friendships with ment,” he explained, “and you have to present “guys I hunt with still to this day.” the air correctly to make it sound right. Together, Briscoe said, they “got broke in” “If you’re able to come to the shop, I’m go- scouting and hunting prime waterfowl spots ing to tune the call to you while you sit there. I near Anahuac. might open the bore up a little bit, sand a little “Way back then there were three different here, sand a little there. Adjust the reed .... calls that we’d buy,” Briscoe said. “But they “I’ve been known to do that for a couple were either tuned too high or tuned too low. hours until we get it right.” “So we’d take them apart and tinker with Sohrt said that’s a big deal, because Briscoe them. We’d take this piece from Company A also shows the customer how to use the call. and this piece from Company B and put them “A lot of people, this day and age, don’t have together to see what worked. time for that,” Sohrt said, “but Joe will coach “We knew what we were looking for,” he you up. said. “Now, Joe is blunt — he’s not afraid to hurt Briscoe attended Texas Tech University but your feelings — but I want him to be blunt. It’s returned home to become a top-flight goose a learning experience.” guide. Later, he tried team roping. BIGGEST CRITIC: Joe Briscoe tests one of his custom calls. Briscoe often works one-on-one with a customer tuning a new call to fit the calling of the hunter who is buying it. If, after all the tuning, a call still doesn’t work “I got a roping horse that was just phenom- for a customer, Briscoe will refund the money. enal,” Briscoe said. “He’d make you look really Briscoe, meanwhile, began to enjoy golf, but “I came out of there with a lathe, thinking I “I’m making the call that someone is going good. I won quite a bit of money, (and) I did it an elbow injury forced him off the links. was going to make a bunch of wooden pens for to use to put meat in the freezer,” he said. “If about four or five years, but my mother passed “I was bored to tears,” he said. “But one day, Christmas presents.” I didn’t put my all into it, it’s going into the away in ’97. my dad needed some kind of tool for some- But, while turning out tiny wooden barrels trash. “I said, you know, ‘It’s time to worry about thing he was making, and I went with him to for the pens, Briscoe had an epiphany. “It won’t leave the shop unless I would hang the family now.’’’ a specialty store. “I thought, ‘Hey, this must be how they it on my own lanyard.” LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 23

Moon Phases Solunar | Sun times | Moon times New Full Houston Sun | Moon | Tides Dec. 16 First Dec. 31 Last 2009-10 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Dec. 24 Jan. 7 Dec-Jan Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets 12 Sat 1:22 7:34 1:47 7:59 7:06 5:22 3:32a 2:27p Texas Coast Tides 13 Sun 2:06 8:19 2:32 8:44 7:07 5:22 4:34a 3:07p 14 Mon 2:53 9:06 3:19 9:32 7:08 5:22 5:34a 3:53p Sabine Pass, jetty Port O’Connor 15 Tue > 3:42 9:55 4:08 10:21 7:08 5:23 6:31a 4:43p Date Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height Date Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height 16 Wed N 4:33 10:46 4:59 11:12 7:09 5:23 7:23a 5:36p Dec 12 5:45 a.m. -0.7L 2:08 p.m. 2.5H 7:49 p.m. 1.8L 9:57 p.m. 2.0H Dec 12 8:52 a.m. -0.2L 8:51 p.m. 0.9H 17 Thu > 5:26 11:09 5:51 ----- 7:09 5:23 8:11a 6:32p Dec 13 6:22 a.m. -0.9L 2:58 p.m. 2.5H Dec 13 9:36 a.m. -0.3L 9:09 p.m. 1.0H 18 Fri > 6:19 12:07 6:43 12:31 7:10 5:24 8:54a 7:28p Dec 14 6:58 a.m. -1.1L 3:41 p.m. 2.5H Dec 14 10:20 a.m. -0.4L 9:42 p.m. 1.0H 19 Sat > 7:11 12:59 7:34 1:22 7:11 5:24 9:31a 8:24p Dec 15 7:33 a.m. -1.1L 4:21 p.m. 2.5H Dec 15 11:04 a.m. -0.4L 10:25 p.m. 1.0H 20 Sun 8:01 1:50 8:22 2:12 7:11 5:25 10:05a 9:19p Dec 16 8:09 a.m. -1.1L 4:58 p.m. 2.3H Dec 16 11:48 a.m. -0.4L 11:17 p.m. 0.9H 21 Mon 8:48 2:38 9:09 2:59 7:12 5:25 10:35a 10:12p Dec 17 8:43 a.m. -1.1L 5:35 p.m. 2.1H 9:04 p.m. 2.0L 11:59 p.m. 2.1H Dec 17 12:30 p.m. -0.4L 22 Tue 9:34 3:24 9:54 3:44 7:12 5:26 11:03a 11:04p Dec 18 9:18 a.m. -0.9L 6:12 p.m. 2.1H 9:14 p.m. 1.8L Dec 18 12:14 a.m. 0.9H 1:10 p.m. -0.4L 23 Wed 10:17 4:07 10:37 4:27 7:13 5:26 11:31a NoMoon Dec 19 12:29 a.m. 2.0H 9:52 a.m. -0.7L 6:46 p.m. 2.0H 10:00 p.m. 1.8L Dec 19 1:10 a.m. 0.8H 1:47 p.m. -0.3L 24 Thu Q 10:59 4:49 11:20 5:10 7:13 5:27 11:59a NoMoon Dec 20 12:45 a.m. 2.0H 10:25 a.m. -0.5L 7:15 p.m. 2.0H Dec 20 1:58 a.m. 0.8H 2:20 p.m. -0.2L 25 Fri 11:41 5:30 ----- 5:52 7:13 5:27 12:30p 12:52a Dec 21 10:58 a.m. -0.2L 7:39 p.m. 1.8H Dec 21 2:37 a.m. 0.7H 2:46 p.m. -0.1L 26 Sat 12:01 6:13 12:24 6:36 7:14 5:28 1:04p 1:50a Dec 22 11:31 a.m. 0.0L 7:59 p.m. 1.8H Dec 22 2:57 a.m. 0.6H 3:03 p.m. 0.0L 27 Sun 12:44 6:57 1:10 7:23 7:14 5:28 1:43p 2:52a Dec 23 12:05 p.m. 0.4L 8:13 p.m. 1.6H Dec 23 2:18 a.m. 0.4H 2:49 p.m. 0.1L 11:40 p.m. 0.3H 28 Mon 1:31 7:45 1:59 8:14 7:15 5:29 2:30p 3:57a Dec 24 3:45 a.m. 0.5L 9:20 a.m. 1.1H 12:47 p.m. 0.9L 8:19 p.m. 1.6H Dec 24 11:12 a.m. 0.2L 9:07 p.m. 0.4H 29 Tue 2:22 8:38 2:53 9:08 7:15 5:30 3:25p 5:03a Dec 25 3:52 a.m. 0.2L 11:31 a.m. 1.3H 1:56 p.m. 1.1L 8:15 p.m. 1.6H Dec 25 7:29 a.m. 0.1L 7:48 p.m. 0.5H 30 Wed > 3:19 9:35 3:51 10:07 7:15 5:30 4:28p 6:08a Dec 26 4:14 a.m. -0.4L 12:49 p.m. 1.6H 4:30 p.m. 1.4L 7:42 p.m. 1.6H Dec 26 7:42 a.m. -0.1L 7:46 p.m. 0.6H 31 Thu > 4:20 10:36 4:52 11:08 7:15 5:31 5:38p 7:09a Galveston Bay entrance, south jetty Rockport 01 Fri F 5:24 11:39 5:55 ----- 7:16 5:31 6:50p 8:03a Date Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height Date Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height Dec 12 6:11 a.m. -0.6L 2:55 p.m. 2.0H 8:15 p.m. 1.4L 10:44 p.m. 1.6H Dec 12 9:29 a.m. -0.07L 11:26 p.m. 0.32H Dallas Dec 13 6:48 a.m. -0.7L 3:45 p.m. 2.0H Dec 13 10:10 a.m. -0.11L 2009-10 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Dec 14 7:24 a.m. -0.9L 4:28 p.m. 2.0H Dec 14 12:00 a.m. 0.32H 10:54 a.m. -0.13L Dec-Jan Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets Dec 15 7:59 a.m. -0.9L 5:08 p.m. 2.0H Dec 15 12:45 a.m. 0.31H 11:43 a.m. -0.15L 12 Sat 1:28 7:40 1:52 8:05 7:19 5:20 3:44a 2:26p Dec 16 8:35 a.m. -0.9L 5:45 p.m. 1.9H Dec 16 1:38 a.m. 0.29H 12:35 p.m. -0.15L 13 Sun 2:12 8:24 2:37 8:50 7:20 5:20 4:47a 3:05p Dec 17 9:09 a.m. -0.9L 6:22 p.m. 1.7H 9:30 p.m. 1.6L Dec 17 2:35 a.m. 0.27H 1:27 p.m. -0.16L 14 Mon 2:58 9:11 3:24 9:37 7:21 5:20 5:48a 3:50p Dec 18 12:46 a.m. 1.7H 9:44 a.m. -0.7L 6:59 p.m. 1.7H 9:40 p.m. 1.4L Dec 18 3:29 a.m. 0.25H 2:14 p.m. -0.16L 15 Tue > 3:47 10:00 4:14 10:27 7:21 5:21 6:45a 4:39p Dec 19 1:16 a.m. 1.6H 10:18 a.m. -0.6L 7:33 p.m. 1.6H 10:26 p.m. 1.4L Dec 19 4:15 a.m. 0.22H 2:53 p.m. -0.16L 16 Wed N 4:39 10:52 5:05 11:18 7:22 5:21 7:38a 5:33p Dec 20 1:32 a.m. 1.6H 10:51 a.m. -0.4L 8:02 p.m. 1.6H Dec 20 4:53 a.m. 0.19H 3:22 p.m. -0.15L 17 Thu > 5:31 11:15 5:57 ----- 7:23 5:21 8:26a 6:29p Dec 21 11:24 a.m. -0.1L 8:26 p.m. 1.4H Dec 21 5:21 a.m. 0.14H 3:42 p.m. -0.14L 18 Fri > 6:24 12:12 6:48 12:36 7:23 5:22 9:07a 7:27p Dec 22 11:57 a.m. 0.0L 8:46 p.m. 1.4H Dec 22 5:25 a.m. 0.08H 3:52 p.m. -0.11L 19 Sat > 7:16 1:05 7:39 1:28 7:24 5:22 9:43a 8:24p Dec 23 12:31 p.m. 0.3L 9:00 p.m. 1.3H Dec 23 12:37 a.m. 0.04H 3:48 p.m. -0.08L 11:38 p.m. 0.04H 20 Sun 8:06 1:55 8:28 2:17 7:24 5:22 10:15a 9:20p Dec 24 4:11 a.m. 0.4L 10:07 a.m. 0.9H 1:13 p.m. 0.7L 9:06 p.m. 1.3H Dec 24 7:53 a.m. -0.06L 11:11 a.m. -0.05H 2:51 p.m. -0.06L 11:06 p.m. 0.05H 21 Mon 8:54 2:44 9:15 3:04 7:25 5:23 10:44a 10:15p Dec 25 4:18 a.m. 0.1L 12:18 p.m. 1.0H 2:22 p.m. 0.9L 9:02 p.m. 1.3H Dec 25 7:58 a.m. -0.12L 10:47 p.m. 0.06H 22 Tue 9:39 3:29 9:59 3:49 7:25 5:23 11:11a 11:09p Dec 26 4:40 a.m. -0.3L 1:36 p.m. 1.3H 4:56 p.m. 1.1L 8:29 p.m. 1.3H Dec 26 8:25 a.m. -0.19L 10:42 p.m. 0.08H 23 Wed 10:23 4:13 10:43 4:33 7:26 5:24 11:37a NoMoon 24 Thu Q 11:05 4:54 11:25 5:15 7:26 5:24 12:03p 12:04a San Luis Pass Port Aransas, H. Caldwell Pier 25 Fri 11:47 5:36 ----- 5:58 7:27 5:25 12:32p 1:01a Date Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height Date Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height 26 Sat 12:06 6:18 12:30 6:42 7:27 5:26 1:04p 2:00a Dec 13 7:44 a.m. -0.4L 4:15 p.m. 1.2H Dec 12 5:50 a.m. -0.3L 2:48 p.m. 1.6H 7:54 p.m. 0.8L 10:37 p.m. 1.3H 27 Sun 12:50 7:03 1:16 7:29 7:27 5:26 1:42p 3:04a Dec 14 8:20 a.m. -0.5L 4:58 p.m. 1.2H Dec 13 6:27 a.m. -0.4L 3:38 p.m. 1.6H 28 Mon 1:36 7:51 2:05 8:19 7:28 5:27 2:27p 4:10a Dec 15 8:55 a.m. -0.5L 5:38 p.m. 1.2H Dec 14 7:03 a.m. -0.5L 4:21 p.m. 1.6H 29 Tue 2:28 8:43 2:58 9:14 7:28 5:27 3:22p 5:18a Dec 16 9:31 a.m. -0.5L 6:15 p.m. 1.1H Dec 15 7:38 a.m. -0.5L 5:01 p.m. 1.6H 30 Wed > 3:24 9:40 3:56 10:12 7:28 5:28 4:25p 6:23a Dec 17 10:05 a.m. -0.5L 6:52 p.m. 1.0H 10:26 p.m. 0.9L Dec 16 8:14 a.m. -0.5L 5:38 p.m. 1.5H 31 Thu > 4:25 10:41 4:57 11:13 7:29 5:29 5:35p 7:23a Dec 18 1:16 a.m. 1.0H 10:40 a.m. -0.4L 7:29 p.m. 1.0H 10:36 p.m. 0.9L Dec 17 8:48 a.m. -0.5L 6:15 p.m. 1.4H 9:09 p.m. 0.8L 01 Fri F 5:29 11:45 6:00 ----- 7:29 5:29 6:49p 8:16a Dec 19 1:46 a.m. 0.9H 11:14 a.m. -0.3L 8:03 p.m. 0.9H 11:22 p.m. 0.9L Dec 18 12:39 a.m. 1.4H 9:23 a.m. -0.4L 6:52 p.m. 1.4H 9:19 p.m. 0.8L Dec 20 2:02 a.m. 0.9H 11:47 a.m. -0.3L 8:32 p.m. 0.9H Dec 19 1:09 a.m. 1.3H 9:57 a.m. -0.3L 7:26 p.m. 1.3H 10:05 p.m. 0.8L San Antonio Dec 21 12:20 p.m. -0.1L 8:56 p.m. 0.9H Dec 20 1:25 a.m. 1.3H 10:30 a.m. -0.2L 7:55 p.m. 1.3H 2009-10 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Dec 22 12:53 p.m. 0.0L 9:16 p.m. 0.9H Dec 21 11:03 a.m. -0.1L 8:19 p.m. 1.1H Dec-Jan Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets Dec 23 1:27 p.m. 0.2L 9:30 p.m. 0.8H Dec 22 11:36 a.m. 0.0L 8:39 p.m. 1.1H 12 Sat 1:35 7:47 1:59 8:12 7:18 5:35 3:45a 2:40p Dec 24 5:07 a.m. 0.3L 10:37 a.m. 0.5H 2:09 p.m. 0.4L 9:36 p.m. 0.8H Dec 23 12:10 p.m. 0.2L 8:53 p.m. 1.0H 13 Sun 2:19 8:31 2:44 8:57 7:19 5:35 4:46a 3:21p Dec 25 5:14 a.m. 0.1L 12:48 p.m. 0.6H 3:18 p.m. 0.5L 9:32 p.m. 0.8H Dec 24 3:50 a.m. 0.2L 10:00 a.m. 0.7H 12:52 p.m. 0.4L 8:59 p.m. 1.0H 14 Mon 3:05 9:18 3:31 9:44 7:19 5:36 5:46a 4:07p Dec 26 5:36 a.m. -0.2L 2:06 p.m. 0.8H 5:52 p.m. 0.7L 8:59 p.m. 0.8H Dec 25 3:57 a.m. 0.1L 12:11 p.m. 0.8H 2:01 p.m. 0.5L 8:55 p.m. 1.0H 15 Tue > 3:54 10:07 4:21 10:34 7:20 5:36 6:43a 4:57p Dec 27 6:08 a.m. -0.3L 2:56 p.m. 0.9H Dec 26 4:19 a.m. -0.2L 1:29 p.m. 1.0H 4:35 p.m. 0.6L 8:22 p.m. 1.0H 16 Wed N 4:46 10:59 5:12 11:25 7:21 5:36 7:36a 5:50p 17 Thu > 5:38 11:22 6:04 ----- 7:21 5:37 8:23a 6:46p Freeport Harbor South Padre Island 18 Fri > 6:31 12:19 6:55 12:43 7:22 5:37 9:06a 7:42p Date Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height Date Time Height Time Height Time Height Time Height 19 Sat > 7:23 1:12 7:46 1:35 7:22 5:38 9:44a 8:38p Dec 12 6:08 a.m. -0.4L 2:17 p.m. 1.7H 8:12 p.m. 0.9L 10:06 p.m. 1.4H Dec 12 5:25 a.m. -0.3L 3:09 p.m. 1.7H 20 Sun 8:13 2:02 8:35 2:24 7:23 5:38 10:17a 9:32p Dec 13 6:45 a.m. -0.5L 3:07 p.m. 1.7H Dec 13 6:09 a.m. -0.5L 4:04 p.m. 1.8H 21 Mon 9:01 2:51 9:22 3:11 7:23 5:38 10:47a 10:25p Dec 14 7:21 a.m. -0.5L 3:50 p.m. 1.7H Dec 14 6:54 a.m. -0.6L 4:55 p.m. 1.8H 22 Tue 9:46 3:36 10:06 3:56 7:24 5:39 11:16a 11:17p Dec 15 7:56 a.m. -0.5L 4:30 p.m. 1.7H Dec 15 7:37 a.m. -0.7L 5:44 p.m. 1.8H 23 Wed 10:30 4:20 10:50 4:40 7:24 5:39 11:44a NoMoon Dec 16 8:32 a.m. -0.5L 5:07 p.m. 1.6H Dec 16 8:20 a.m. -0.6L 6:32 p.m. 1.8H 24 Thu Q 11:12 5:01 11:32 5:22 7:25 5:40 12:12p 12:10a Dec 17 9:06 a.m. -0.5L 5:44 p.m. 1.5H 9:27 p.m. 1.0L Dec 17 9:01 a.m. -0.5L 7:16 p.m. 1.8H 25 Fri 11:54 5:43 ----- 6:05 7:25 5:40 12:43p 1:05a Dec 18 12:08 a.m. 1.5H 9:41 a.m. -0.5L 6:21 p.m. 1.5H 9:37 p.m. 0.9L Dec 18 9:38 a.m. -0.3L 7:52 p.m. 1.7H 26 Sat 12:13 6:25 12:37 6:49 7:25 5:41 1:17p 2:03a Dec 19 12:38 a.m. 1.4H 10:15 a.m. -0.4L 6:55 p.m. 1.4H 10:23 p.m. 0.9L Dec 19 10:13 a.m. -0.2L 8:15 p.m. 1.7H 27 Sun 12:57 7:10 1:23 7:36 7:26 5:42 1:57p 3:04a Dec 20 12:54 a.m. 1.4H 10:48 a.m. -0.3L 7:24 p.m. 1.4H Dec 20 10:44 a.m. 0.0L 8:22 p.m. 1.6H 28 Mon 1:43 7:58 2:12 8:26 7:26 5:42 2:44p 4:09a Dec 21 11:21 a.m. -0.1L 7:48 p.m. 1.2H Dec 21 11:12 a.m. 0.2L 8:18 p.m. 1.5H 29 Tue 2:35 8:50 3:05 9:21 7:27 5:43 3:39p 5:16a Dec 22 11:54 a.m. 0.0L 8:08 p.m. 1.2H Dec 22 11:40 a.m. 0.4L 8:06 p.m. 1.4H 30 Wed > 3:31 9:47 4:03 10:19 7:27 5:43 4:42p 6:20a Dec 23 12:28 p.m. 0.2L 8:22 p.m. 1.1H Dec 23 12:07 p.m. 0.6L 7:51 p.m. 1.3H 31 Thu > 4:32 10:48 5:04 11:20 7:27 5:44 5:52p 7:21a Dec 24 4:08 a.m. 0.3L 9:29 a.m. 0.7H 1:10 p.m. 0.5L 8:28 p.m. 1.1H Dec 24 3:29 a.m. 0.7L 9:10 a.m. 0.9H 12:33 p.m. 0.8L 7:32 p.m. 1.2H 01 Fri F 5:36 11:52 6:07 ----- 7:27 5:45 7:04p 8:16a Dec 25 4:15 a.m. 0.1L 11:40 a.m. 0.9H 2:19 p.m. 0.5L 8:24 p.m. 1.1H Dec 25 3:40 a.m. 0.4L 7:01 p.m. 1.2H Dec 26 4:37 a.m. -0.2L 12:58 p.m. 1.1H 4:53 p.m. 0.7L 7:51 p.m. 1.1H Dec 26 4:08 a.m. 0.0L 2:13 p.m. 1.2H Amarillo 2009 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Dec Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets 12 Sat 1:48 8:00 2:13 8:25 7:46 5:34 4:09a 2:42p 13 Sun 2:32 8:45 2:58 9:10 7:46 5:34 5:14a 3:20p Name ______14 Mon 3:18 9:32 3:45 9:58 7:47 5:35 6:16a 4:04p JOIN US TODAY 15 Tue > 4:08 10:21 4:34 10:47 7:48 5:35 7:14a 4:53p Address______16 Wed N 4:59 11:12 5:25 11:38 7:48 5:35 8:06a 5:47p 17 Thu > 5:52 11:35 6:17 12:04 7:49 5:36 8:53a 6:44p City/State/Zip______18 Fri > 6:45 12:33 7:09 12:57 7:50 5:36 9:34a 7:42p 19 Sat > 7:37 1:25 8:00 1:48 7:50 5:36 10:09a 8:41p 20 Sun 8:27 2:16 8:48 2:37 7:51 5:37 10:40a 9:38p Texas’ Premier E-mail______21 Mon 9:14 3:04 9:35 3:25 7:51 5:37 11:07a 10:34p 22 Tue 10:00 3:50 10:20 4:10 7:52 5:38 11:33a 11:30p Phone______23 Wed 10:43 4:33 11:03 4:53 7:52 5:38 11:57a NoMoon Outdoor Newspaper ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ 24 Thu Q 11:25 5:15 11:46 5:36 7:53 5:39 12:23p 12:26a Master Card VISA American Express Discover 25 Fri ----- 5:56 12:07 6:18 7:53 5:39 12:50p 1:24a 26 Sat 12:27 6:38 12:50 7:02 7:53 5:40 1:21p 2:25a Credit Card No.______27 Sun 1:10 7:23 1:36 7:49 7:54 5:40 1:58p 3:30a Expiration Date______28 Mon 1:57 8:11 2:25 8:40 7:54 5:41 2:42p 4:38a 24 issues for $30 29 Tue 2:48 9:04 3:19 9:34 7:54 5:42 3:36p 5:46a Signature______Major=2 hours. 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OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen Solution on Page 28 FOR THE TABLE ACROSS Venison Enchiladas 1. Icefi shing gear 4. A keen-eyed bird 1 pound ground venison through. Stir in garlic, sugar, ol- 8. A type of gunsight 1/2 medium onion ives and salt and pepper to taste. 9. Parts of antlers Oil or bacon fat Heat enchilada sauce in large 10. Type of camp fi replace Salt and pepper round pan. 11. A species of deer 1 teaspoon garlic powder Dip each tortilla in the hot 13. This will spook game 1 tablespoon sugar sauce, remove almost at once 16. An animal hideaway 18. The female deer 2 cans enchilada sauce and place on fl at surface. Spoon 20. The trapper’s interest 1 dozen corn tortillas 1 tablespoon of meat mixture on 21. Concealment for wildlife 1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated the tortilla, roll up and place in 25. Very large on 11 across 4 green onions, chopped greased 9x13 baking dish. 27. A top breed of hunting dog 6 black olives, chopped Repeat with all tortillas and 31. A fi shing lure make single layer in dish, top with 32. Some fi sh are _____ dwellers 33. A deer gun Place venison and onion in cheese and green onions. Bake 34. The salmon skillet, and saute in oil until meat 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees F. 35. Newborn elk is browned and onion cooked — wildgamerecipes.org 37. The _____ of a shotgun 38. A female bear 40. Hunting quarry in Hawaii 41. Used for still hunting 42. Ring that controls a campfi re Dove Tetrazzini DOWN 1 1/2 cups boned doves onions and mushrooms over 1. Gun breech mechanism 3 tablespoon butter or margarine low heat until tender. Add dove 2. He repairs fi rearms 3. The oxidation on gun parts 3 tablespoon onion, chopped broth and cornstarch and stir 4. Food source of pheasants 1/3 cup mushrooms, sliced until thickened. Add dove and 5. Muskies usually attack from here 1 1/2 cups dove broth spaghetti. Heat mixture until 6. Perch are classed as this 2 tablespoon cornstarch bubbling, stirring frequently. 7. Deer like to hide in this type area 22. Deer meat 30. Scaup, scoter, gadwall 2 cups thin spaghetti Turn into baking dish and 12. The snowshoe ____ 23. Best lure color to attract fi sh 32. Of a bow with backing 14. A whirlpool in the water 24. A game bird 33. Deer markings 1 cup parmesan cheese top with parmesan cheese and 15. A good bear scent bait 26. A species of duck 36. A type of gunsight 1/2 cup crumbled, crisp bacon bacon. Place under broiler until 17. A species of duck 28. A big game of the plains 39. A fl y fi shed below the surface cheese melts. 19. A mouth lure 29. Cold weather cover Melt butter in saucepan; cook — wildgamerecipes.org Page 24 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

Mexico Motors Continued from Page 1 Continued from Page 8 ground while robbers stole their guns hull stringers. They also were available for testing on a Ranger and upwards of $50,000 in valuables. 520 and BassCat Puma. Boats were empty other than fuel and More than one of the hunters were two passengers. assaulted. Increased speed by 2 to 3 mph on the top end should result The attack, recently reported in the in an advantage by anglers getting to fishing areas faster. Houston Chronicle, took place near Vil- That gain may not sound like much, but it can pay off in, lit- la de Mendez, a village about 110 miles erally, the long run. south of McAllen. “There have been times when it definitely would be to my Although the incident was likely iso- advantage if I’m running a long distance against someone,” lated, its effect on hunting lodges may said Bassmaster Elite Series pro Dean Rojas of Arizona. “At a not be. tournament last season I took off to sight-fish for a 4-pounder “I can’t decide if it’s like being stabbed and realized I was running against someone going to the same in the heart or at the top of the brain,” fish. We crossed each other a couple of times, and finally I was said Dicky Norris, who operates Lago able to get in front of him, and I got there first. With the new Vista Lodge near Lake Vicente Guerre- SHO, that should increase my ability even more to get to where ro in Tamaulipas. “We haven’t had any I want to be faster.” trouble — the mafia hasn’t been mess- Taking a page from aircraft and high-performance autos, ing with the hunters.” Yamaha’s engineers used a plasma-fused sleeveless cylinder Norris said he felt the gunmen wall in the SHO lineup, resulting in less friction and gains in weren’t necessarily part of the orga- power and torque. Intake valves are 14-percent larger and ex- nized crime syndicate based in the Tam- haust valves are 10-percent larger. aulipas state. Another plus with the 4-strokes is not having to change oil as “I’ve heard the mafia took care of a often, resulting in savings and one less thing to worry about. few of the crooks,” he said. Others feel the attention and crack- downs on the cartels have caused the lower-tier drug runners to look for oth- Pattern er avenues to line their pockets. Continued from Page 9 Winter hunters may not be as suscep- OLD MEXICO: Some hunters believe the sun may be setting on their late summer trips to cloud cover rolled in. When he lost the sun, he lost the fish, he tible as the larger groups of dove hunt- Mexico to pursue white-winged dove. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News. said. ers in the fall. One lodge manager said Chuck Naiser, another guide, follows a similar routine: casting the dove hunters may be easier to target rience was enough. affected. natural colors in creeks draining tidal ponds after a cold front. as they head to the field in large groups “Until these guys disappear perma- “We have people coming in every “This year, apparently, we’re going to have a real winter and in early morning or mid-afternoon, nently, it isn’t safe,” Don Van Wart, 76, day,” said Ray Rushing with Mexico have some temperatures that have some differential to them,” making them easier to pattern. who acts as Rancho Acazar’s president, Bass Tours, who books fishing trips to Naiser said. “What they’re going to have to do is learn to fish af- Norris said winter is an excellent time told the Chronicle. The lodge, with busi- Lake El Salto. “We have the advantage ter a frontal passage.” for bird hunters, although most trips ness already down before the attacks, of flights direct from Houston to Mazat- Naiser suggested that after a front, anglers should fish when occur in the fall. has closed indefinitely. lan, and we pick up the fishermen there the wind drops and the sun comes out. “We hunt mourning doves through “I think they wanted us gringos gone and take them straight to the lodge.” For his go-to fly pattern, Naiser chooses a Borski bonefish slid- February,” he said. “And the quail hunt- and not coming down there,” Mark Rushing said now is the time to go. er and clousers. The Borski flies are his favorites this time of year. ing is good, too, not to mention the wa- Rand of Houston told the paper. Rand “We’re catching 100 to 110 fish per “I go through them like candy,” he said. terfowl and the fishing.” has hunted there for 21 years. “I’m not boat per day,” he said. Naiser said he has not fished much lately, perhaps because of Many of the lodges missed much of going back.” Other lodge owners are worried, the weather. On the day he spoke with Lone Star Outdoor News, the quail season, though. Several lodges It’s not just the hunting and fishing though, especially in Tamaulipas. a cold front battered parts of the coast with snow and sleet. But closed early this season because of a lack lodges that have been affected by the “People are negative on Mexico al- when he has fished, he generally finds fish in singles, pairs and of bookings, and one, Rancho Ala Blan- fear of violence. A pastor at a Tamauli- ready, and people getting robbed is not triples, but not big schools, he said. ca, is expected to be closed for at least pas orphanage had been operating for going to help,” Dean Putegnat, who Guide Eric Glass takes a slightly different tack during winter. another year. more than 26 years. After numerous owns Rancho Caracol, a hunting lodge He looks for tailing fish on flats during incoming tides, he said. And for the nine Houston men who threats to him and his family, they have also near Lake Vicente Guerrero, told But he also casts natural colors. were hunting out of Rancho Acazar, returned to the U.S. the Chronicle. “This is the first time in For Glass, the weather — or lack thereof — is key. a nonprofit lodge founded in the late But farther west in Mexico, at least my whole life something like this has “If the sun’s out and the wind’s light, you can expect the fish- 1950s by partners from Texas, the expe- one outfitter said business has not been happened.” ing to be excellent,” Glass said. LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 25

her father was selling. Mule deer With the county’s newfound popularity, more Continued from Page 6 hunters are knocking on doors to ask landowners for year, according to the Texas Big Game Awards. And permission to hunt, Hodges said. 2008 was the first season mule deer hunting was al- “Or they’re not even asking most of the time,” she lowed there. said. Clark, who grew up in Gaines County, had seen an- For Clark, the popularity will be a detriment to other large deer a few days earlier and hunted for it be- Gaines County’s quality. The county has many small fore his came out. He was hunting with his brother landowners who will not manage their land for deer. on his father-in-law’s farmland. The father-in-law did “If it’s got horns, they’re going to shoot it — no not charge his family members to hunt there, but he kind of managing,” Clark said, adding, “I want to could have asked for several thousand dollars from shoot a mature deer; I don’t want to just shoot any- paying hunters. With last season’s trophies, Gaines thing with a horn.” County became one of the top destinations for mule Lance Persyn, hunting in Yoakum County, did not deer hunting in the state. shoot the biggest mule deer he saw, but he was sat- At MW Wildlife Studio in Terry County, which is isfied with what he took home. Persyn’s deer, like immediately north of Gaines County, the taxider- Clark’s, came with a firearm mishap. mists have seen four large mule deer bucks. Four in When Persyn first saw the deer, he took aim to fire. their shop will score at least 200 by the time they dry, He did not like the position he was in and decided to said Jessica Hodges. move. When he moved, he bumped the .300 ultra Hodges said she heard that bigger deer had been mag, and it fired. shot in the area, but they had not been brought to her “It scared me when it went off,” said Persyn, of Po- family’s shop. teet. “We’re kind of upset about that,” Hodges said. The trigger was sensitive on the gun, and he had They might be upset about not working on the big- not shot it much, he said. gest of the big, but the shop is about 100 times busier Despite the noise, this deer did not run away ei- than last year, Hodges said. Last year, her father, Mike ther. Persyn took aim again and this time fired when Moore, had trouble selling hunts on land he bought he was ready. The deer fell, and Persyn had his first near Cedar Lake in Gaines County. This year, about mule deer. FORKED HORNS: The short mule deer season began late last month in Texas, and the last date 20 people called trying to buy one of the five hunts The buck had four points on each side. for hunting is Dec. 13 in the Trans-Pecos region. Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Gill nets Continued from Page 8 instead of by the gills,” he said. “Es- pecially with catfish, there is very little harm to the fish.” Heinsohn said his company also sells nets to people along the James River in Virginia, where they use the net to catch large shad for catfish bait, and to some offshore Atlantic fishermen. The company has not had any sales to Mexico, although some sales have occurred in Brownsville. “We definitely tell them to check the regulations wherever they are,” he said. The nets also are used by fisher- ies biologists for creel surveys and studies, especially along the coast, where miles of the nets are used in eight bay systems twice per year. “It’s the gold standard for captur- ing adult fish for surveys,” Lingo said. “You can’t use electroshocking in saltwater.” (Electroshocking is less effective in saltwater.) Law enforcement personnel pull thousands of feet of illegal net at a time, but sometimes their efforts are in vain. “It’s mostly in saltwater near the border, and at border lakes like Fal- con and Amistad,” Parrish said. The total length of gill nets re- moved in Texas is astounding. “It’s definitely hundreds of miles of it per year,” he said. Law enforcement personnel sometimes become frustrated af- ter a discovery of gill nets and after confiscating an illegal boat in Texas waters. “We turn them over to the Mexi- can authorities,” Parrish said. “The next day, we see them out there with another boat and more gill net.” Lingo was unaware of any efforts to ban sales of the nets to private us- ers — yet. “You can order it and have it de- livered next week,” he said. JOIN US TODAY on Facebook

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To advertise in this section, please contact Mike Hughs at (214) 361-2276 or [email protected]. LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 27 DATEBOOK Through Dec. 24 Graham Ducks Unlimited Bass Pro Shops Annual banquet Santa’s Wonderland Young County Arena Free photos with Santa (940) 521-0985 and other activities www.basspro.com Jan. 15-17 Houston Safari Club Dec. 11 Annual show Dallas Woods and Waters Club Woodlands Waterway Marriott Christmas party Hotel, The Woodlands Orvis, Preston Center www.houstonsafariclub.org. (214) 570-8700 Jan. 15 Dec. 12-13 National Wild Turkey Federation Cabela’s Gulf Coast Chapter fundraiser Free photos with Santa Claus Texas City, Charles T. Doyle www.cabelas.com Convention Center Dec. 19-20 (409) 682-5103 Cabela’s [email protected] Free photos with Santa Claus www.cabelas.com Jan. 22-24 Coastal Bend Marine Dealers Jan. 7-10 Boat Show & Sale Dallas Safari Club Corpus Christi, American Bank Convention and Convention Center Sporting Expo Dallas Convention Center Jan. 23-24 www.biggame.org Mud Hole Rod Building Class Marriott Houston Airport Texas Fishing, Hunting and Outdoors Show (866) 790-7637 Arlington Convention Center (469) 459-0673 Jan. 23 Eagle Lake Ducks Unlimited Jan. 8 Annual banquet National Wild Turkey Federation Eagle Lake Community Center Panhandle Leadership (281) 414-4597 Convention and Banquet Amarillo, Ambassador Hotel Jan. 27 (806) 353-7343 Cottonwood Creek Chapter National [email protected] Wild Turkey Federation Fundraiser Jan. 8-10 Stonebrier Country Club, Frisco Hill Country River Region (469) 525-6551 Trout Days Nueces River Feb. 5 (800) 210-0380 National Wild Turkey Federation www.thcrr.com April Awol VFW Hall, Nacogdoches Jan. 14 (936) 554-8421 Dallas Woods and Waters Club Monthly meeting and dinner with Feb. 6 Richie White, professional fishing guide Puddle for the DUCKS Bicycle Ride Sheraton North Dallas Hotel Sun & Ski Sports @ Katy Mills Mall, Katy (214) 570-8700 (713) 669-9810 2009 Hunting Season Dates

DOVE North Zone and Central Zone Sept. 1-Oct. 25, Dec. 26-Jan. 9 South Zone Sept. 18-Nov. 3, Dec. 26-Jan. 17 Bag limit: 15 birds and not more than two white-tipped doves. Special White-winged Dove Area Sept. 5, 6, 12-13, Sept. 18-Nov. 3, Dec. 26-Jan. 13 The daily bag limit in the SWWDA is 15 birds, not more than four mourning doves during the first two week- end splits and two white-tipped doves. Once the general season opens, the aggregate bag limit will be 15.

WHITE-TAILED DEER MULE DEER Archery-Only Season Oct. 3-Nov. 6 Archery-Only Season Oct. 3-Nov. 6 Special Youth Season* Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Jan. 4-17 General Season General Season Panhandle (38 counties) Nov. 21-Dec. 6 North Texas (206 counties) Nov. 7-Jan. 3 SW Panhandle (10 counties) Nov. 21-29 South Texas (30 counties) Nov. 7-Jan. 17 Trans-Pecos (19 counties) Nov. 28-Dec. 13 Late Antlerless and Spike Edwards Plateau (39 counties) Jan. 4-17 QUAIL South Texas (30 counties) Jan. 18-31 Statewide (all counties) Oct. 31-Feb. 28 Muzzleloader (57 counties) Jan. 4-17 RIO GRANDE TURKEY PHEASANT Archery-Only Season Oct. 3-Nov. 6 Panhandle (37 counties) Dec. 5-Jan. 3 Fall Season Chambers, Jefferson and Liberty Oct. 31-Feb. 28 Youth Season* Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Jan. 16-17 North Zone (122 counties) Nov. 7-Jan. 3 SQUIRREL South Zone (26 counties) Nov. 7-Jan. 17 Special Youth Season** Sept. 26-27 Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg, Willacy Nov. 7-Feb. 28 East Texas (51 counties) Oct. 1-Feb. 7, May 1-31 Other Open counties Sept. 1-Aug. 31 Page 28 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

popularity of East Matagorda Bay as a fishing desti- Matagorda nation grow over the years. Continued from Page 8 “The number of people using this resource is un- and they are fighting to keep it that way. believable, and yet, the bay is still highly produc- George Deshotels, commissioner for Precinct 2 tive,” Stavinoha said. “We don’t know what open- Matagorda County, wants to open a natural cut lead- ing a cut on the southwest side would do. If it’s not ing from the southwest corner of East Matagorda Bay broke, why fix it?” to the natural Colorado River channel, commonly Texas Parks and Wildlife gill net surveys show that known as Rawlings Cut or Southwest Cut. speckled trout and redfish counts are the highest in One reason Deshotels gives for wanting to open East Matagorda since records have been kept. Mem- the cut is to prevent flooding of Farm-to-Market bers of the East Matagorda Bay Foundation believe Road 2031 after heavy rainfall. FM 2031 is a two-lane the high numbers are because of a balanced habitat. road on land separating the cut from the former riv- They fear opening Southwest Cut will change the er channel. salinity, deposit sediment on oyster reefs and dam- Deshotels’ proposed bridge and cut would help age the ecology of the bay in other ways yet un- drain rainfall runoff from East Matagorda Bay into the known. channel. In addition to improving tidal flow through Deshotels submitted an application in 2008 to East Matagorda Bay, the cut will help reduce the accu- build a bridge and dredge out Southwest Cut. But mulation of silt between the jetties 2 miles away at the that application, which did not call for public input, mouth of the Colorado River. Another reason to open was denied by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. the cut is to help barge traffic at the intersection of the East Matagorda Bay Foundation hired the law firm former river channel and the Intracoastal Waterway. of Blackburn and Carter, which sent a letter to the Studies show that opening Southwest Cut will reduce Corps of Engineers showing the permit was flawed. water current at this point. Deshotels submitted a new application in 2009. Ed Stavinoha, a board member of the East This application requires a public notice, which Matagorda Bay Foundation, has owned property in should appear on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CUTTING CLOSE: A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers map shows the proposed location of the South- Sargent since the early 1970s and has watched the Web site in mid-January. west Cut and other nearby landmarks.

OUTDOOR BUSINESS Puzzle solution from Page 23

Texins Archery Club EXPERIENCE ARCHERY! Texas’ Premier Outdoor Northeast corner of Hwys. 75 & 635 Newspaper ... Convenient, Interesting, Safe & Economical Place to Shoot. online Youth and Adult Programs. LSONews.com Clint Montgomery www.DallasArchery.com Club President 214-827-7000

To advertise in this section, please contact Mike Hughs at (214) 361-2276 or [email protected]. LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 29 FISHING REPORT

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; frozen shrimp, liver and stinkbait. Yellow GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 51-55 PROCTOR: Water stained; 65 degrees; 53 degrees; 1.78’ low. Black bass are catfish are fair on live perch. degrees; 0.75’ high. Black bass are fair 6.98’ low. Striped bass are fair on min- fair on shad-colored crankbaits and COLEMAN: Water clear; 65 degrees; to good on Texas rigs, shaky head rigs nows and silver spoons. White bass are HOT BITES black/blue soft plastic lures suspended 10.29’ low. Black bass are good on wa- and medium diving crankbaits. Crappie good on minnows and jigging spoons. SALTWATER in trees. Catfish are fair on live bait. termelon spinnerbaits and crankbaits. are fair to good. White bass are fair. Crappie are good on minnows and AMISTAD: Water clear; 66 degrees; 2.11’ Crappie are good on live minnows. Catfish are fair. green/white tube jigs. Channel and blue low. Black bass are good on crankbaits Channel and blue catfish are fair on HOUSTON COUNTY: Water clear; 65 catfish are very good on stinkbait and frozen shrimp. SCENE LARGEMOUTH and soft plastics. White bass are good stinkbait and liver. degrees; 0.50’ high. Black bass to 6 on slabs, jigging spoons and Rat-L- COLETO CREEK: Water stained; 67 de- pounds are fair on tiger-colored deep RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 50-56 NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under BASS Traps. Catfish are good on cheesebait, grees (81 degrees at discharge); 0.06’ running crankbaits in the creek channel degrees; 0.04’ high. Black bass are fair birds and pods of shad on soft plastics. shrimp and nightcrawlers in 40-80 feet low. Black bass are slow. Striped bass in 13 feet. Crappie are fair on live min- to good on Rat-L-Traps, Carolina rigs, Redfish and flounder are good in the marsh over baited holes. Yellow catfish are are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie nows near the dam over brush piles. crankbaits and drop-shot rigs. Crappie on shrimp. Trout are good over mud and good on trotlines baited with live perch. are slow. Bream are good on live crickets in 1 are fair to good. White bass are fair. shell. foot. Channel and blue catfish are fair ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; Hybrid striper are fair. Catfish are fair. SOUTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under COLORADO CITY: Water clear; 58 de- on stinkbait and on trotlines baited with 58 degrees. Black bass are fair on RAY ROBERTS: Water stained; 53-56 birds and pods of shad. Redfish are good at grees; 11.86’ low. Black bass are slow. shad and perch. crankbaits or jigs 1-4 feet deep near Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. degrees; 0.57’ high. Black bass are fair the jetty on live bait and cracked crabs. HUBBARD CREEK: Water lightly stained; BASTROP: Very good on watermelon red rocky structures. Crappie are good on Catfish are slow. on shad pattern crankbaits and jigs. BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good while drifting black and green plastics. White bass 57 degrees; 7.79’ low. Black bass are Crappie are good on jigs and minnows and watermelon gold soft plastics. COLORADO RIVER: (Above Lake shell on plastics. Bull redfish are good on the are good off rocky points. Blue catfish fair on shad-colored spinnerbaits and over brush piles below 25 feet. Catfish beachfront. PROCTOR: Very good on chartreuse/ are fair on cheese bait while drift fishing Buchanan) Water fairly clear. Black soft jerkbaits worked along grass lines are excellent on cut and prepared baits. Trout are good for drifters black and chartreuse/blue soft plastic anchored in 8-10 feet depth. bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. and watermelon red soft plastics worms TRINITY BAY: Water off-color; worms and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish worked along timber. Crappie are good RICHLAND CHAMBERS: working pods of shad and mullet on Bass BASTROP: Water clear. Crappie are fair are good on liver, stinkbait and shrimp on jigs and minnows. White bass are 52-57 degrees; 0.08’ high. Black bass Assassins, Trout AMISTAD: Good on crankbaits and soft on minnows and green tube jigs. Chan- in deep holes. good on live bait. Catfish are fair. are fair on Carolina rigs, crankbaits and Killers and plastics. nel and blue catfish are good on liver drop-shot rigs. White bass are good on Sand Eels. CONROE: Water stained; 0.02’ low. Black JOE POOL: Water off-color; 50-56 BELTON: Good on spinnerbaits and and stinkbait. slabs and live minnows. Hybrid striper Trout are bass are good on watermelon red soft degrees; 0.22’ high. Black bass are fair Rat-L-Traps in coves. BELTON: Water clear; 65 degrees; 0.47’ are fair on large slabs and live shad. good under birds on high. Hybrid striper are good on live Crappie are fair to good on minnows the north shoreline. CADDO: Good on Texas-rigged worms and jigs around bridges. Catfish are fair and Senkos. shad. White bass are slow. Crappie are EAST GALVESTON BAY: Redfish and flounder slow. Channel and blue catfish are good HOT SPOT on prepared baits and nightcrawlers. are fair to good in the marsh around drains LBJ: Good on 1/8-ounce buzzbaits on hot dogs and stinkbait. SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 66 on shrimp. Trout and redfish are good under and wacky-rigged green pumpkin soft BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 52-56 de- degrees; 1.55’ low. Black bass are fair the birds when the wind allows. plastics along lay downs and stumps grees; 0.06’ high. Black bass are fair on on tequila sunrise soft plastic worms, WEST GALVESTON BAY: Bull redfish and floun- in 4-6 feet early and late and all day Texas rigs, Rat-L-Traps and jigs. Crappie spinnerbaits and crankbaits and on der are good at San Luis Pass on shrimp and under cloud cover. are fair to good on jigs under bridges watermelon red topwaters in 20-35 feet. shad. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum and over brush piles in 20-35 feet. White bass are good on minnows. Crap- are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs. White bass are fair on slabs and jigging pie are fair on minnows and blue tube TEXAS CITY: Gulf trout are good in the chan- spoons. Catfish are fair to good. jigs. Bream are fair on worms. Catfish nel on fresh shrimp. Flounder are good on are good on stinkbait, shrimp and liver. WHITE, BRAUNIG: Water stained; 65 degrees. the edge of the channel. Black bass are good on crankbaits and STILLHOUSE: Water stained; 64 degrees; FREEPORT: Bull redfish are good around dark soft plastic worms. Striped bass 1.02’ high. Black bass are fair on Surfside and at the Quintana jetty on crabs, HYBRID, are good on liver and shad. Redfish are minnows, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. shrimp and mullet. Flounder are fair to good good on bait and silver spoons. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair at San Luis Pass on jigs tipped with shrimp. on minnows. Channel and blue catfish STRIPER EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout and redfish are BRIDGEPORT: Water fairly clear; 51-56 are fair on minnows, hot dogs and fair under the birds when the degrees; 8.6’ low. Black bass are fair nightcrawlers. to good on Texas rigs, crankbaits and wind allows. Trout are jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and SWEETWATER: Water lightly stained; 54 fair for drifters on jigs under bridges. White bass are fair degrees; 7.13’ low. Black bass are fair live shrimp over on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on live on live bait and black/chartreuse soft humps and scat- shad. Channel catfish are fair to good plastic lures. Crappie are good on min- tered shell. Trout on punchbait over baited holes. nows and jigs. White bass are good on and flounder are fair RAY ROBERTS: White bass are good to live bait. Catfish are fair on live bait. to good on muddy shorelines BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 59 on soft plastics. excellent on jigging spoons in 25-40 feet. degrees; 7.57’ low. Black bass are TAWAKONI: Water fairly clear; 51-57 Calaveras WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair on COLEMAN: Hybrid striper are good on live good on plastic worms, 3/8-ounce Water stained; 65 degrees. Black bass are very good on dark soft plastic worms, degrees; 0.77’ high. Black bass are sand and grass humps on soft plastics and minnows and chartreuse Rat-L-Traps. spinnerbaits, craw-colored 5/16-ounce spinnerbaits, and crankbaits around reed beds. Striped bass are slow. Redfish are fair fair on shad pattern crankbaits, Rat-L- topwaters. Redfish are fair on live shrimp at jigs and craw-colored crankbaits. on live bait, and on crawfish and tilapia near the dam. Crappie are slow. Channel and Traps and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair COLORADO RIVER: White bass are good on Shell Island and Mad Island. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are blue catfish are good on liver, shrimp, cheesebait and shad. on minnows and jigs around bridge minnows. good. Crappie are good on soft plastics pilings. Catfish are good on live shad PORT O’CONNOR: Redfish are best at the and nightcrawlers. White bass are fair. FORT PHANTOM HILL: White bass are good and tube jigs. plastics, spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps in to good on Texas rigs, crankbaits and mouths of the back lakes on the falling tide Striped bass and hybrid striper are fair. on shrimp and mullet. Bull redfish are good on live bait and small crankbaits. BUCHANAN: Water clear; 65 degrees; 20-30 feet. Striped bass are fair on live jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and at the jetty on crabs, mullet and shad. Trout AMISTAD: Striped bass are good on slabs, 24.63’ low. Black bass are good on minnows. Catfish are fair. jigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs TEXOMA: Water off-color; 51-56 degrees; 0.23’ high. Black bass are are fair on the reefs in San Antonio Bay. jigging spoons and Rat-L-Traps. 1/4-ounce Bleeding Shad Rat-L-Traps, COOPER: Water off-color; 51-55 degrees; and live minnows. Catfish are fair on fair to good on Texas and Carolina ROCKPORT: Redfish are good in Redfish Bay topwaters and Texas-rigged weightless 0.95’ high. Black bass are fair on prepared bait and cut shad. rigs, medium to deep diving shad on mullet and crabs. Bull redfish are good silver flake soft plastics at daylight in Rat-L-Traps, Texas and drop-shot rigs. LBJ: Water stained; 66 degrees; 0.32’ pattern crankbaits and drop-shot rigs. in the Lydia Ann Channel and around Mud 8-15 feet. Striped bass are fair. White Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows low. Striped bass are slow to fair trolling Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs Island on shrimp and crabs. Slot redfish are bass are fair. Crappie are fair. over brush piles. White bass are fair to crankbaits on downriggers and drifting ATFISH around bridges. Striped bass are fair on good in California Hole on live bait. C CADDO: Water murky; 50-56 degrees; good on Humdingers and slabs. Hybrid live shad along the river channel close slow-rolled Sassy Shad and live shad. 1.67’ high. White bass are fair in the striper are fair on slabs and live shad. to the dam. White bass are fair vertically PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair at Shamrock Catfish are fair to good on cut shad and main channels on spoons. Yellow Catfish are fair on prepared bait. jigging under birds. Crappie to 16” are Cove and Pelican Island nightcrawlers. bass are fair to good on jigs and small good on crappie jigs and live minnows on topwaters and FALCON: Water clear; 67 degrees. Black Gulps. Look for spoons. Channel catfish are good on bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. over brush piles in 12-15 feet. TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.64’ low. Black bass are fair reds to fall to nightcrawlers and prepared bait. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 50-57 on watermelon red and watermelon deeper water CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 63 degrees; catfish are good on cut bait and shrimp. degrees; 0.55’ high. Black bass are fair gold soft plastics, spinnerbaits and with the falling tides. BROWNWOOD: Channel catfish are 10.24’ low. Black bass are fair to good to good on shaky head rigs, jigs, drop- FAYETTE: Water clear; 67 degrees. Black crankbaits. Striped bass are fair. White Bull redfish are good at the jetty and on the excellent over baited holes in 5-15 feet. on Rat-L-Traps and white spinnerbaits shot rigs, jigs and crankbaits. Crappie bass are good on watermelon gold, bass are good on minnows and silver beachfront on natural baits. along creeks and ditches in bays in are fair to good. White bass are fair to BRAUNIG: Channel catfish are good on watermelon red and plum Carolina- spoons. Crappie are fair. Bream are fair CORPUS CHRISTI: Bull redfish are good in 6-15 feet and on watermelon red soft good. Hybrid striper are fair. Catfish are liver, shrimp, cut bait and cheesebait near rigged Finesse worms and on topwaters on worms. Channel and blue catfish are the surf on mullet and shrimp. Trout are fair plastics on jigheads and Texas-rigged fair to good. the dam and the intake. Blue catfish are over grass. Channel and blue catfish good on minnows, shrimp and stinkbait. for waders working mud and grass on small grape worms on shaky head jigs along good on cut bait. are slow. LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 64 de- topwaters and Corkies. main lake bluffs and on topwaters, TRAVIS: Water stained; 65 degrees; grees; 0.47’ high. Black bass are slow. COLETO CREEK: Channel and blue catfish FORK: Water stained; 51-56 degrees; 28.56’ low. Black bass to 4 pounds BAFFIN BAY: Trout are good on topwaters and wacky-rigged watermelon red soft plas- Striped bass are slow. White bass are are good on trotlines baited with live 0.16’ high. Black bass are good on 10” are good on chrome crankbaits, red plum plastics around rocks and grass. Trout tics and Texas-rigged blue flake worms good on crankbaits. Crappie are good perch and worms. Yellow catfish are good Texas-rigged worms, Carolina rigs and shad worms and grubs in 10-28 feet. are good while drifting deep rocks on plum tight to lay downs upriver. Striped on minnows in creeks. on trotlines baited with perch. bass are fair. White bass are slow. heavy jigs. Crappie are fair to good on Striped bass are slow. White bass are plastics. Redfish are fair on the edge of the Smallmouth bass are good. Crappie are minnows and jigs over brush piles and O.H. IVIE: Water lightly stained; 57 de- fair on silver spoons, white grubs and Intracoastal. GRANGER: Blue catfish are good on around bridge columns. Catfish are fair prepared baits in 6-15 feet. fair on minnows. grees; 21.02’ low. Black bass are fair on minnows in 30-40 feet. Crappie are fair PORT MANSFIELD: Redfish are good while to good on prepared bait and cut shad. shad-colored crankbaits, black/blue soft on minnows and blue and white tube drifting holes on natural baits under a pop- CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 51-56 LIVINGSTON: Blue catfish are good on shad. plastic lures and live bait worked points. jigs in 15-25 feet. Channel and blue ping cork. Trout and redfish are fair to good degrees; 0.05’ high. Black bass are FORT PHANTOM HILL: Water clear; 59 Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. catfish are fair. on the spoils on slow-sinking MirrOlures and good on finesse worms, Rat-L-Traps, degrees; 5.11’ low. Black bass are fair White bass are good on live bait and Corkies. Carolina rigs and jigs. White bass are on live bait and white spinnerbaits. WHITE RIVER: Water lightly stained; 54 white crankbaits. Smallmouth bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. degrees; 25.57’ low. Black bass are fair SOUTH PADRE: Trout are good around Long fair on live bait. Channel catfish are RAPPIE live bait and slabs. Crappie are fair on Catfish are fair on live bait. on live bait and slow-rolled spinnerbaits. Bar and on the edges of the ICW on soft C good on live and prepared bait. minnows and jigs over brush piles. GRANBURY: Water stained; 0.41’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. plastics. Redfish and trout are good near the Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait Black bass are fair on watermelon OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 56 Walleye are fair on live bait and chrome Lookout and Stover Point. and cut shad. red soft plastics, spinnerbaits and degrees; 7.72’ low. Black bass are fair jerkbaits. Channel catfish are good. PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfish are good at on live bait. Crappie are fair on minnows CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 66 de- crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on WHITNEY: Water stained; 1.37’ low. Laguna Vista and jigs. Catfish are good on live bait. grees; 9.41’ low. Black bass are fair on minnows and chartreuse striper jigs. Black bass are fair on chartreuse and Holly ALAN HENRY: Good on minnows and jigs. watermelon, pumpkinseed and tequila White bass are fair on minnows and POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 56 and chartreuse/white spinnerbaits, Beach on sunrise soft plastics and spinnerbaits in small spinnerbaits. Catfish are good on degrees; 4.65’ low. Black bass are fair crankbaits and topwaters. Striped bass swimming CONROE: Good on minnows and green shrimp, stinkbait and live minnows. baits and tube jigs. 10-20 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie on shad-colored spinnerbaits and live are fair on live minnows and white are good on minnows and white/pink GRANGER: Water murky; 60 degrees; bait. Crappie are fair on live bait and jigs. striper jigs. White bass are fair on min- shrimp under GRANBURY: Good on minnows. tube jigs. Drum are fair on live worms. 0.29’ high. Black bass are slow. White White bass are good on silver jigging nows. Crappie are good on minnows a popping cork. Snook and mangrove snap- per are good in the Brownsville Ship Channel. Channel and blue catfish are good on bass are slow. Crappie are slow. spoons. Stripers are good. Catfish are fair. and blue tube jigs. Page 30 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com

CLASSIFIEDS

Hunting Season is Here! Beautiful South Texas Ranch priced to sell, 1 hour from McAllen, Place your 7 miles north of Rio Grande City. Game fenced, city water, electric- classified ity, small cabin, large pastures, Place a classified ad in 1 gated entry off county road, and Lone Star Outdoor News outstanding wildlife. Great family recreation. Excellent investment. and experience the Reduced to sell from $2,800 per results of a new look. acre NOW $2,200 per acre The 2”x 2” ad will get (1.32 million). Serious inquiries only. Call (956) 207-3297. the attention necessary to say SOLD! Trophy whitetail deer hunts $50 per month (two issues) Brackettville, Texas: See lots of deer on every Call (214) 361-2276. Ask for Mike hunt. Surrounded by large ranches. Hughs or e-mail ad to m h u g h s @ 2 days $600 l o n e s t a r o u t d o o r n e w s . c o m . 3 days $900 6 days $1,200 Wife or child 1/2 price Free lodging Also excellent spring turkey hunting in April: $550 for 2 days HOT LAKE: The cooling towers at the Comanche Peak nuclear power station www.coxcountry.net rise above Squaw Creek Reservoir. Photo Free DVD (830) 563-2658 by Luminant. [email protected] Squaw Creek to Does Bred to the Maxbo Bloodline Doe Fawns out of Maxbo Bloodline reopen $2,500 each Contact Steve 972-880-5212 Power company will relax security Deer Stocking beginning in 2010 Luminant is developing plans to 2009 doe fawns bred from reopen Comanche Peak Nuclear 180-class parents & exposed Power Plant’s Squaw Creek Reser - voir on a limited basis to employees, to trophy buck. 6 doe fawns charitable events and eventually to for $5,000 or 5 buck fawns t he public for fishing. “We know t hat employees and for $5,000. Delivery available. our plant neighbors have been looking forward to t he opportunity (512) 715-8511 to fish on Squaw Creek once again, and we are excited to be able to www.threadgillranches.com share this great news,” said Coman- che Peak Site Vice President Mitch Lucas. ”While we still have a lot of planning to do and park infrastruc- ture upgrades to make, we will share updates as they are available. “We’ve watched as other nuclear facilities have reopened t heir lakes for fishing. And now, after careful consideration and an extensive re - view, we have started planning to reopen the reservoir by mid-2010.” As part of its commitment to sur- rounding communities, Luminant intends to initially provide access to t he public t hrough fishing tourna - ments t hat benefit charitable orga - nizations. Broader public access be- yond this will be decided in 2010. TX Hill Country The company is exploring sever - Executive Home al angler registration options and 8+ acres, Helotes, Texas regulations for t he number of boats t hat will be allowed on the reservoir. NISD Schools Decisions have not been made on Hardwoods + Pasture public access fees. Secluded & Private The company closed the lake after 4 Bed/3.5 Ba + Inground Pool t he Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Since Wet Weather Creek t hen, security precautions have kept anglers off t he water at t he once- Indian Artifact Site popular lake. Leslie Brown 210-845-4484 “In t he past eight years, we have [email protected] significantly enhanced our securi - ty measures to protect Comanche Peak,” the company wrote in a press release. “There has been strong in - CHEATERS terest from within our company, What is your spouse doing our community and t hroughout while you are hunting? t he state to allow access for recre - ational fishing at Squaw Creek Res - AXXION F.R. INVESTIGATORS ervoir.” PRIVATE DETECTIVES Squaw Creek Reservoir, located in Whitetail Deer Hunts Somervell County, is owned and op- 170” Whitetail $4,000 HOUSTON-DALLAS-SAN ANTONIO erated by Luminant as t he cooling 130” Mgmt $1,200 source for two nuclear power units. 713-818-2330 Its surface area is about 3,200 acres, High-fenced MR. WILD and it has an average depth of about Meals & Lodging Included [email protected] 46 feet. Contact Steve 972-880-5212 [email protected] — Luminant report LSONews.com Lone✯Star Outdoor News December 11, 2009 Page 31 Page 32 December 11, 2009 Lone✯Star Outdoor News LSONews.com