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Huntin
February 2015$3.95
How Demand forWater Could Pit Texas Anglers AgainstTexas
Hunters
The Rise ofHighSchoolBassFishing
5 Saltwater Spoilers to Avoid
DippinforCat sh
HillCountryBighorns
ValentinesDayFlounder
The TexasSnow GooseSituatiion
THE TEXAS OUTDOOR AUTHORITY www.FishGame.com
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2 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M
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www.FishGame.comPublished by Texas Fish & Game Publishing
Co., LLC.
TEXAS FISH & GAME is the largest independent,family-owned
outdoor publication in America.
Owned by Ron & Stephanie Ward and Roy & Ardia Neves.
ROY NEVESPUBLISHER
CHESTER MOOREEDITOR IN CHIEF
C O N T R I B U T O R S
JOE DOGGETT SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR DOUG PIKE SENIOR
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR TED NUGENT EDITOR AT LARGE LOU MARULLO HUNTING
EDITOR MATT WILLIAMS FRESHWATER EDITOR CALIXTO GONZALES SALTWATER
EDITOR LENNY RUDOW BOATING EDITOR STEVE LAMASCUS FIREARMS EDITOR
DUSTIN ELLERMANN SHOOTING EDITOR KENDAL HEMPHILL POLITICAL
COMMENTATOR WILL LESCHPER CONSERVATION EDITOR REAVIS WORTHAM HUMOR
EDITOR TOM BEHRENS CONTRIBUTING EDITOR GREG BERLOCHER CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR PAUL BRADSHAW CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CAPT. MIKE HOLMES
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR DUSTIN WARNCKE CONTRIBUTING EDITOR STAN SKINNER
COPY EDITOR LISA MOORE CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR JOHN GISEL
STRATEGIC ADVISOR
A D V E R T I S I N G
ARDIA NEVESVICE PRESIDENT/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
LARRY DALTON ADVERTISING COORDINATOR 1745 GREENS ROAD HOUSTON,
TX 77032 PHONE: (281) 227-3001 FAX (281) 227-3002
REPRESENTATIONTHE OMNI GROUP
BRIAN THURSTON PRESIDENT LEAHA WIRTH VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES
PHONE: (971) 322-7548 EMAIL: [email protected]
C R E A T I V E
ELLIOTT DONNELLYDIGITAL PUBLISHER
ANNA CAMPBELL GRAPHIC DESIGNER MELINDA BUSS GRAPHIC DESIGNER
WENDY KIPFMILLER-OBRIEN DIGITAL ISSUES DESIGNER
S U B S C R I P T I O N S
1745 GREENS ROAD, HOUSTON, TX 77032PHONE (800) 725-1134
TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published monthly by
Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC., 1745 Greens Road,
Houston, Texas 77032. Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC.
All rights reserved. Content is not to be reprinted or otherwise
reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes no
responsibility for unsolicited photographs and manuscripts.
Subscription rates: 1 year $19.00: 2 years $34.75; 3 years $48.50.
Address all subscription inquiries to Texas Fish & Game, 1745
Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for response.
Give old and new address and enclose latest mail-ing address label
when writing about your subscription. POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to: TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX
77032. Address all subscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME,
1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Email change of address to:
[email protected] Email new orders to: [email protected]
Email subscription questions to: [email protected].
Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX 77267-9946 and at
additional mailing offices.
Paid Distribution of over 90,000Verified by Independent
Audit
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FEBRUARY 2015Volume 31 NO. 10
COVER:Bass vs. Bucks
STORY:
20 As Texass water needs spur a land grab for new reser-voirs, a
boon for
anglers may become a bust for deer hunters.
Story: Matt WilliamsPhoto: Ranger Boats
FEATURES
COVER:
4 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M
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HILL COUNTRY BIG HORNSWhy pay tens of thousands of dollars for
exotic hunts in equally exotic (and distant) places when you can
bag big horn sheep and other exotics right here in the Texas Hill
Country?
by Chester Moore
DIPPIN FOR CATFISHCatfish dip is a smelly concoction made of
indredients youd rather not think about. Its also one of the most
effective baits for putting tasty catfish in the boatand in a
frying pan.
by TF&G Staff with Chad Ferguson
VALENTINES DAY FLOUNDERNo need to wait for March and the spring
flounder run: big flatfish are already making their way from the
Gulf into the bays by Valentines day.
by Chester Moore
30
36
44
THE RISE OF HIGH SCHOOL BASS FISHINGWhen over 700 kids enter a
regional tournament, its no wonder competitive fishing is becoming
one of the fast-est growing activities in Texas high schools.
by Paul Bradshaw
26
Table ofContents
Table ofContents
Table of
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
The Show Goose Situation
STORY:
48 Light goose num-bers are exploding. Why arent we seeing more
of
them in Texas?
by Chester Moore
Saltwater SpoilersSaltwater SpoilersSTORY:
52 Here are five things to avoid when saltwater fishing.
by Chester Moore
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Thieving S.O.B. Update
THE SONS OF B*****S IN OREGON THAT WE WROTE about several months
ago have not stopped their assult on subscribers to magazines and
newspapers all over the countryincluding Texas Fish & Game and
Texas Parks & Wildlife. In fact, they seem to have rolled out
even more efforts to defraud unsus-
pecting subscribers with bogus renewal notices.They are
apparently so secure in their fortress of invincibility under
the
enforcement jurisdiction of the Oregon Attorney General that
they have begun to take on some extremely big targetssuch as the
Wall Street Journal.
Federal investigations have thus far led nowhere, and Oregonian
authori-ties have accomplished even less.
Many of you have started receiving a new batch of the fraudulent
renewal notices in recent weeks. If you havent seen one yet, they
look like this:
One tip-off: Theyre charging $49.95 for a one-year subscription.
Thats more than twice our current basic rate.
They are being mailed under several different company names:
Magazine Distribution Service, Platinum Publishing Service, or
Publishers Periodical Service. The mailings are based in White
City, Oregon, although some pub-lishers have seen mailings sent
from addresses in Nevada and Florida.
If you get a notice that looks like the one pictured above, or
from any of the above named companies, DO NOT RESPOND. It is
fraudulent.
If you have any questions about your TF&G subscription, call
us at (800) 725-1134 and we can quickly check the status of your
account.
Meanwhile, if you have received one of the fraudulent renewal
notices, call the Oregon Attorney Generals of ce and le a
complaint.
Their toll-free number is: (877) 877-9392.If they get bombarded
by a slew of calls from angry Texans, maybe theyll
get off their asses and go make an arrest, and stop this
nonsense.
Email Roy and Ardia Neves atContactUs@ shgame.com
by ROY and ARDIA NEVESTF&G Owners
InsideFISH & GAME
InsideInsideFISH & GAME
InsideFISH & GAME
S IN OREGON THAT WE WROTE about several months ago have not
stopped their assult on
ARDIA NEVES
FISH & GAMEFISH & GAME COLUMNS10 Editors Notes by
Chester Moore TF&G Editor in Chief
14 Doggett at Large by Joe Doggett TF&G Senior Contributing
Editor
16 Pike on the Edge by Doug Pike TF&G Senior Contributing
Editor
18 Nugent in the Wild by Ted Nugent TF&G Editor At Large
19 Commentary by Kendal Hemphill TF&G Politcal
Commentator
33 Bare Bones Hunting by Lou Marullo TF&G Hunting Editor
47 Texas Saltwater by Calixto Gonzales TF&G Saltwater
Editor
50 Texas Freshwater by Matt Williams TF&G Freshwater
Editor
51 Open Season by Reavis Wortham TF&G Freshwater Editor
54 Texas Boating by Lenny Rudow TF&G Boating Editor
58 Practical Angler by Paul Bradshaw TF&G Contributing
Editor
60 Texas Guns by Steve LaMascus TF&G Firearms Editor
92 Texas Tasted by Bryan Slaven The Texas Gourmet
by Kendal Hemphill
Bare Bones
by Calixto Gonzales
Texas Freshwater
8 LETTERS12 TF&G REPORT34 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE
40 TRUE GREEN62 TEXAS TESTED64 INDUSTRY INSIDER
66 FISH AND GAME GEAR
68 HOTSPOT FOCUS
76 TEXAS HOTSPOTS
86 TIDES & PRIME TIMES
94 TF&G PHOTOS
DEPARTMENTS
Contents (continued)
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www.FishGame.com
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8 LETTERS12 TF&G REPORT34 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE
40 TRUE GREEN62 TEXAS TESTED64 INDUSTRY INSIDER
66 FISH AND GAME GEAR
68 HOTSPOT FOCUS
76 TEXAS HOTSPOTS
86 TIDES & PRIME TIMES
94 TF&G PHOTOS
DEPARTMENTS
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LETTERS to the EditorLETTERS LETTERS LETTERS LETTERS LETTERS to
the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto
the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto
the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editor
F.L.E.X. SuccessLET ME START THIS EMAIL BY telling you just how
much I have enjoyed your articles over the years. I always fi nd
your writings informative, captivating, and for lack of a better
word, just plain awe-some! I fi nd true genius in your F.L.E.X.
Fishing system the angling insights you have shown in quantifying
these principles are impressive to say the least. Elegant,
simplistic and sensible are all adjec-tives I would use in my
description of your program. Your most recent article,
F.L.E.X.ability (December, 2014) has provoked my
correspondence.
I myself am an avid, dedicated, well informed crappie fi
sherman. In your article you touch on a few points that I have been
preaching for many years, starting with the fi rst paragraph in the
Ecology section. I fi sh for crappie at night, not totally
exclusively but more often than not. All of my best crap-pie fi
shing has been done at night.
A lot of folks look at me like I have 10 heads when nighttime fi
shing is discussed for the fi rst time. I believe its a
fact-crappie fi shing is best done at night. I cannot tell you how
many times I have reached my fi shing grounds after dark and caught
limits of crap-pie for them to go shut-mouth at daylight. I fi sh
the solunar tables in Texas Fish & Game magazine quite heavily.
Anyone who follows these tables will fi nd themselves fi shing at
night often. Having done so has paid off for me in spades.
I also agree with your section on Senses where you remind us
that crappie eyes are designed to look up. ABSOLUTELY! In my
experience crappie will come up a little, but they do not feed
down. Depth is every-thing when it comes to crappie.
I love everything in X Factors, but regarding your reference to
setting the hook. I believe this conveys the wrong message to
anglers reading your article. I tell people never set the hook
while crappie fi shing. I feel setting the hook to most means
jerking on the rod to drive the hook point home. When it comes to
crappie who can be
moochers jerking on the rod will lose you more fi sh than a
gaping hole in your fi sh basket! Slow and steady wins the race
here.
Let them commit, be gentle. When straight-lining minnows let the
fi sh pull on the rod before simply reeling up, letting the fi sh
and the rod do all the work. When fi sh-ing with fl oats, always
wait until the fl oat is completely submerged before simply reeling
up. I am not convinced that you meant to tell readers to jerk on
the rod. Just in my opinion there may have been a better choice of
words.
Please forgive me, my enthusiasm in writing this has carried me
away and I have neglected to introduce myself. My name is Bill
Hooker Harwell. I guide for crappies on Lake Conroe, and I am the
only guide I know of who does so at night.
Bill Hooker Harwell
Editor: Thanks so much for the kind words Bill. I appreciate
your thoughts, enthusiasm and love for crappie. Setting the hook
can be sort of a relative term, and with crappie you are rightit
should be done lightly. An angler defi nitely doesnt want to put
the same kind of hookset as they would on a bass or fl ounder. Feel
free to send us pics of your crappie catches. Wed love to see
them.
CM
Disagreement on Zoos
To Kendal Hemphill, in response to the article; Merry Christmas,
PETA, (Dec. Issue) I AM NO FAN OF PETA AND I agree with most of
what you say in the arti-cle, but you make two statements which I
fi nd to be in direct confl ict with each other: I believe we are
stewards of the wildlife on earth, and should not be abusive or
cruel, ever. I wholeheartedly agree. However, in the following
sentence you state: I also agree with PETAs opinion on zoos and
circuses, most of which are, in my opin-ion, cruel and inhumane.
This statement
dismisses the truth that while there are a few public zoos in
the US that may treat the animals in ways deemed inhumane (though I
do not know of any), the major-ity of animals in public zoos in our
country are well cared for. Indeed, we are fortunate that Texas has
a number of very fi ne zoos. The Dallas Zoo, Houston Zoo and San
Antonio Zoo in particular are distinguished examples of modern
animal husbandry at its best. Their displays are educational, clean
and more than adequate for the optimum care of the animals. Most
wild animals adapt well to captivity, especially those that are
captive-born, and nearly all of the animals kept in zoos today were
born in captivity.
Zoos have a crucially important role in educating a public which
is increasingly out of touch with nature, and giving them a close
view of animals they would never have an opportunity to see
otherwise. Whats more, zoos serve as valuable reserves for spe-cies
which are critically endangered, many of which will soon be extinct
in the wild. Animal rights organizations would argue that keeping
wild (or even domestic) animals in captivity is wrong under any
circumstanc-es. It is my opinion that, as stewards of the wildlife
on earth, we are obligated to keep some wild animals in captivity;
to preserve them, and to promote their conservation by showing
people fi rsthand how amazing they are.Respectfully,
Bill Montgomery
Send Your Comments to:MAIL:
EditorTexas Fish & Game1745 Greens RdHouston TX 77032
EMAIL:
editor@ shgame.com
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Reality Check
AFRICAN ELEPHANTS HAVE been at the forefront of interna-tional
wildlife conservation efforts for the last 30 years. When ivory
poaching was brought to the publics con-sciousness in the
mid-1980s, the world was rightly appalled and millions of dollars
have gone toward their cause.
Currently there are an estimated 400,000 African elephants
throughout the continent. Thats a huge drop from at least two
million in the 1940s, but it is large in comparison to the Asian
elephant with a best estimate standing at around 35,000 animals
scattered throughout Asia.
And the giraffe with an estimated 40,000 individuals in
Africa.
Or tigers (of all subspecies) standing at around 2,000
animals.
I dare say if any of these species had received a tenth of the
attention that African
elephants have gotten, then they might not be in their current
state.
Big conservation is like anything else: it can become big
bureaucracy and the publics fascination with the African elephant
helps generate fundinglots of it.
I am all for helping this species, but shouldnt a bigger focus
be on Asian ele-phant populations which stand at a tenth of that in
Africa?
Tigers are at an even worse placea much worse place.
In 2015, a good question for those of us who support wildlife
conservation is which areas to prioritize and which groups to
support. At my Kingdom Zoo, we are looking at doing something with
tigers and are searching out effective, well-managed projects to
support with the limited resources we have available.
The clock is ticking and extinction is a real possibility for
some of the creatures on this list. And if were honest about it,
the African elephant, even with increased poaching, will likely be
the last of these to vanish while it receives the majority of media
attention.
Hopefully that will not be at the expense of other species
closer to the brink of eradi-cation.
You might be wondering why I am writ-ing about elephants and
giraffes in a Texas publication. Well the fact is there are more
Africa hunters from Texas than any other state and many read this
publication.
Another reason is these are vastly impor-tant species that are
symbolic of the worlds wildlife. If we cant keep them alive, then
where are we headed in the future?
And fi nally it is indicative of problems we have with
conservation right here in the good old US of A.
When I entered this industry at age 19, I was proud that the
hunting community was talking about not only helping game animals,
but all species. Although hunting-related conservation work has
truly helped every-thing from the red-cockaded woodpecker to the
whitetail deer, the reality is the words are I was reading were
just words.
On the same note, much of the same segment of the industry that
purported to be saviors of all species, also is touted to be for
all sportsmen.
Yeah, right.
by CHESTER MOORE :: TF&G Editor-in-Chief
EDITORS Notes
These are important
species that aresymbolic of the
worlds wildlife... and indicative of
problems withconservation here in
the US of A.
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PHOTOS: VERA KUTTELVASEROVA, DPC; VENERATIO, BIGSTOCK
Let some sort of import ban on lion or elephant parts (species
that cost like $25,000 plus to hunt) even be mentioned and the
outcry from the hunting media and conservation organizations sounds
off like a sonic boom.
However, let duck hunting be heavily restricted on some public
land in Mississippi or some place and no one even sounds out a
press release condemning it. Delta Waterfowl might get involved but
you can bet the rest of the community will be silent.
Why?Duck hunters are the wrong crowd. Well,
not really duck hunters, but anyone who hunts on public land and
doesnt have a trophy room the size of a convenience store.
And there are wrong species as well.Take the Mexican gray wolf,
a unique
subspecies that was nearly extinct and has been stocked at
various locations in New Mexico. You would have thought someone was
releasing smallpox in some circles of the hunting industry when
this fi rst occurred in the 1990s.
Why?They eat some of the elk the aforemen-
tioned trophy room guys pursue. Despite that being the natural
order, the program has been plagued with problems, including many
wolves being shot. Yes, a truly endan-gered species.
And Im not even talking about the big gray wolf recovery effort
in Yellowstone and its various controversies and legalities. This
is the little old Mexican gray wolf that will be lucky to establish
any kind of wild foothold, much less wipe out all of the elk and
cattle in the Southwest.
In 1994, I tried to work out a joint sup-port project with
Mexican wolf supporters and hunting groups, and neither side wanted
in. The Mexican wolf people rejected my idea they should not take
funding from ani-mal rights groups, and the hunting commu-nity
didnt want to look like animal rightists by supporting wolves.
Insanity!The hunting community has a lot to be
proud of with stellar conservation accom-plishments, but it
could do more to gain PR with the non-hunting public by being
proac-tive in something like Mexican wolf recovery or aiding some
other endangered species than all of the wild turkey releases
combined.
Those free-thinking non-hunters who just happen to vote
understand intentions and
also have a pretty good BS detector. And so do those rank and fi
le hunters who often lose out because certain leaders in the
industry spend more time hunting in Mongolia or wherever than they
do standing up for all hunters.
Part of my awakening I wrote of last year involves me not
balking at speaking out against problems in our own camp and that
is exactly what we are dealing with.
What is the solution?Honesty-in the message we send to the
public and in the actions we take for wildlife and those who
pursue it.
Thats a good place to start.
Catch Chester on the radio Fridays, 6 pmon 560 KLVI Beaumont
(www.klvi.com) and Thurs-
days online on TF&G Radio (www. shgame.com) Email him at
CMoore@ shgame.com
1502 EdNotes.indd 11 1/9/15 10:02 AM
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Duck Stamp Fees to Increase, Online Purchase AvailableIN WHAT
OFFICIALS WITH DUCKS Unlimited (DU) call a major win for wetlands
and waterfowl conservation, President Obama has signed into law
both the Duck Stamp Act of 2014 and a bill making the federal duck
stamp permanently available for purchase online.
Its great that both Republicans and Democrats can come together
to pass leg-islation of such importance to conservation efforts
nationwide, said Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall.
The additional duck stamp funding provided by water-fowl
hunt-ers and o t h e r
conservationists will not only conserve criti-cal habitat, but
will also help ensure the future of our waterfowling
traditions.
Since 1991, the last time the price of the duck stamp was
increased, its purchasing power has declined due to infl ation and
rising land costs. The Duck Stamp Act of 2014 will increase the fee
from $15 to $25 and build on this programs long tradition of
helping to conserve vital waterfowl habitat across America,
especially in the Prairie Pothole Region, one of the continents
most important production areas.
Along with the Duck Stamp Act of 2014, President Obama also
signed into law the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act, which will
allow people to purchase the duck stamp online.
Physical stamps will still be mailed to buyers, but the online
proof of purchase
provides new convenience to sportsmen and women by immediately
fulfi lling the require-ment of possessing a stamp to hunt
water-fowl. After 45 days, the proof of purchase expires and
purchasers must carry the tradi-tional paper stamp when hunting
waterfowl.
Anyone with an internet connection and a credit card can now
purchase federal duck stamps from the comfort of their own home,
said Kellis Moss, DUs director of public policy.
State hunting and fi shing licenses have been available online
for years, and this is one more step in making waterfowl hunting
more accessible to everyone.
Game Wardens Make Huge Gillnet SeizureTEXAS GAME WARDENS
CONDUCT-ing an enhanced marine patrol of the lower
Rio Grande near Boca Chica along the TexasMexico bor-BIG BAGS
CATCHES
duck stamp online. Physical stamps will still be mailed to
buyers, but the online proof of purchase
The additional duck stamp funding provided by water-fowl
hunt-ers and o t h e r BIG BAGS CATCHESBIG BAGS CATCHES
ing an enhanced marine patrol of the lower Rio Grande near Boca
Chica along the TexasMexico bor-BIG BAGS CATCHESBIG BAGS CATCHESBIG
BAGS CATCHES&
FERAL HOG
San Saba County
CATFISH
Sam Rayburn
Lauren Iles landed this 41 lb blue cat on light tackle at Lake
Sam Rayburn with assist from Ryan, Lytle and Milo.
Brady Palermo shot his rst big game animal at age 5. He
har-vested the hog with a .223 The hunt took place in San Saba
County at Buck Horn Ranch.
12 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M
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The TF G ReportTF GTF GTF GTF GTF G
conservationists will not only conserve criti-
TF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF
GTF GTF GTF GTF G Report Report Report Report ReportTF G ReportTF
GTF G ReportTF GTF G ReportTF GTF G ReportTF GTF G ReportTF GTF GTF
GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF
GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF G
Visit FishGame.com to upload your Big Bags & Catches Photos
and Vote for our next Winners
1502 TFG Report.indd 12 1/8/15 1:55 PM
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der recently seized roughly 8,000 feet of illegal gill net.
Though no arrests were made, the gill net is believed to have
belonged to commercial fi shermen from Mexico. Fishing with a gill
net in Texas waters is a violation of state law.
Game wardens found hundreds of fi sh trapped in the netting,
including red drum, snook, black drum, sheepshead, tarpon, mullet,
jack crevalle, and gizzard shad. In addition to fi sh, the gill net
contained blue crabs, as well as cormorants and brown pelicans.
Game wardens were able to save two of the brown pelicans, but the
other birds had died.
Using a gill net in state waters is a Class B misdemeanor
punishable by a fi ne not to exceed $2,000, confi nement in jail
not to exceed 180 days or both. Taking the fi sh, crabs, and
protected birds would bring additional charges.
Illegal commercial fi shing activity from Mexico poses a signifi
cant threat toward the natural resources of Texas and we take the
threat extremely seriously, said Maj. Malcom Wilkes.
Anyone witnessing alleged illegal com-mercial fi shing or any
poaching activity is encouraged to call their local game warden
or Operation Game Thief at 800-792-GAME (4263).
Game Wardens working the Rio Grande, the Gulf of Mexico, and
bor-der lakes are working in a very complex, demanding, and
dangerous environment, said Grahame Jones, TPWD Chief of Special
Operations. In addition to routine interdiction of commercial fi
shermen from Mexico who are fi shing Texas waters ille-gally, our
game wardens encounter human smugglers and drug smugglers very
fre-quently.
It is important to realize that the same groups from Mexico that
utilize long-lines and gill nets in Texas waters to
indiscrimi-nately remove thousands of sharks, reef fi sh, turtles,
dolphins, and other species of marine life also take part in other
illegal smuggling activities, said Capt. James Dunks, who is based
in Brownsville. Our presence along the Texas Border helps to
protect our natu-ral resources signifi cantly while also helping to
protect Texas against other criminal activity.
Scientists Seek Help with Monarch MigrationWHERE HAVE ALL the
monarchs gone? This is becoming an oft repeated query, and Texas
Parks and Wildlife Depart-
ment biologists are asking for citizen help in answering the
question.
Since monitoring of overwintering monarch butterfl y (Danaus
plexip-pus) populations in the Mexican states of Michoacn and
Mxico
began in 1993, the World Wildlife Fund has documented a signifi
cant
decline in overwintering area (a sur-rogate for population size)
that reached an all-time low in the winter of 2013. Monarch decline
has been attributed to
multiple factors including illegal logging of Oyamel forests in
Mexico, extreme weather conditions in overwintering and breeding
grounds, and widespread decline in milk-weed abundance in the
United States.
Biologists from the departments Wildlife Diversity Program
recently launched a proj-ect to explore Texas milkweed and
deter-mine where it is, how much is out there and whether the
monarchs using it. The project
developed as a result of concerns arising from the Midwestern
U.S. that herbicide-resistant crops are resulting in increased use
of herbicide to control weeds and a resulting loss of milkweed in
that region. Loss of milk-weed is signifi cant since it is the only
plant monarch caterpillars can eat.
This project is housed on the internet app iNaturalist.org, a
platform being used by researchers worldwide who look for citi-zen
assistance in supporting their work. To participate, a volunteer
should fi rst join the project after creating a free account on
iNaturalist. When people then see milkweed in their travels, they
can snap a picture, add it to the project, and answer the four
brief questions about your observation. They do not even have to
know any of the 40-some species of milkweed found in Texas they can
simply say milkweed and ask for assis-tance in identifying the
plant.
Through this project, the Wildlife Diversity Program hopes to
produce a map showing where milk-weed is found in Texas, what
species of milk-weed people are finding,
whe the r it is natural or cultivated, and whether monarchs are
using it. Patterns in agricultural areas will be interesting, but
urban communities are a concern too.
People tend to want to remove weeds from their gardens, often by
using a her-bicide, says Mark Klym of TPWD, one of those involved
in the project. If we are using this in our gardens anywhere close
to where milkweed is growing, the wind could carry the product to
the plant; and the plant could be lost.
from Staff Reports
T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 |
13
mercial fi shing or any poaching activity is encouraged to call
their local game warden
Help with Monarch MigrationWHERE HAVE ALL the monarchs gone?
This is becoming an oft repeated query, and Texas Parks and
Wildlife Depart-
ment biologists are asking for citizen help in answering the
question.
began in 1993, the World Wildlife Fund has documented a signifi
cant
decline in overwintering area (a sur-rogate for population size)
that reached an all-time low in the winter of 2013. Monarch decline
has been attributed to
multiple factors including illegal logging of Oyamel forests in
Mexico, extreme weather conditions in overwintering and breeding
grounds, and widespread decline in milk-
WHITETAIL
Jasper County
Chris Cook bagged this 8-point buck while hunting in Jasper
County.
MONOARCH PHOTO: BIGSTOCK
the Texas Border helps to protect our natu-ral resources signifi
cantly while also helping to protect Texas against other
criminal
Scientists Seek Help with Monarch
WHERE HAVE ALL the monarchs gone? This is becoming an oft
repeated query, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart-
ment biologists are asking for citizen help in answering the
question.
Since monitoring of overwintering monarch butterfl y (Danaus
plexip-pus) populations in the Mexican
Through this project, the Wildlife Diversity Program hopes to
produce a map showing where milk-weed is found in Texas, what
species of milk-weed people are finding,
whe the r it is natural or cultivated, and whether monarchs are
using it. Patterns in
1502 TFG Report.indd 13 1/8/15 1:55 PM
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Quail Caution
HERE ARE TWO WORDS OF advice concerning quail hunting: Be
careful.
Here are two more: Be deliberate.February bird hunting can be
outstand-
ing, perhaps the best of the season (assuming winter die-offs
dont occur). This is because ground cover is reduced and typically
cooler weather allows better dog work.
But, regardless of calendar timing, quail hunting can be
dangerous.
First, the reaction to shoot usually is abrupt. Even over a
staunch point, the covey rise can be a blur of frantic action. The
urgency to shoot can be overwhelming. Even a single bird buzzing
from low grass can trig-ger a hasty refl ex. But noise and motion
do not always equate to great speed.
Take a look at the standard-issue bobwhite or scaled (blue)
quail. Any ground-loving bird with a profi le like a Royal Riviera
pear is not exactly noted for blinding velocity. Wild quail have
been clocked with top-end speed of approximately 30 miles per hour.
Conversely, several duck species can push 60.
The typical shot at a quail is going away and rising at a slight
angle. The bird may dip or veerbut nothing like a fl aring
greenwing teal or a wind-swept mourning dove. A big factorthe fl
ush usually occurs within 10 or 15 yards of your gun. And quail
holding in the grass usually launch from a dead start. Even if a
running bird takes fl ight, the initial lob is a cupcake.
This is assuming you take the time to gather your wits, plant
your feet and properly shoulder the shotgun. You have time to
settle down and take the fi rst shot within easy range.
The safety should be pushed off during the fl uid motion as the
gun comes up. A premature release prior to shouldering can
be dangerous for two reasons: You might trip while high-stepping
after the birds; and if no rise occurs, you might forget you have a
hot gun in your hands.
Second, the shots at fl ushing quail often are taken at low
angles (opposed to, say, incoming ducks or passing doves). A
careless shotgun can sweep past another hunter, a dog, or a nearby
hunting buggy.
Wild quail may lack dazzling speed but they are survivors. This
is because everything in the brush except maybe a horned lizard
wants a piece of one. When fl ying, they relate to thick coverno
doubt a conditioned dodge against hawks.
A bird can dip to a fence row or levee or mesquite clump, aiding
and abetting the treacherous low-shot angle. Also worth note, damp,
heavy air encourages low fl ight. For various reasons, a wild quail
against nothing but open blue sky seems to be the exception on many
South Texas leases.
On the subject of proper fi eld procedure, it is poor form to
shoulder the gun before the fl ush occurs. This is not a skeet
range. The quail hunter is moving, scanning the ground cover as he
approaches the point. Walking stiffl y across a fi eld while
staring over a mounted shotgun looks ridiculous and invites
problems.
Keep the gun pointed out and away from troubleand dont stare fi
xedly at the bug-eyed dog. The covey almost certainly will be
poised some yards out in front, so step lively and move in a line
with other shooters past the rigid dog.
When the covey erupts, pick one promi-nent quail within a clear
fi eld of fi re amid the whirring melee. The fl ock shot is a
rookie mistake. Weve all done it and, trust me, nothing falls
except your batting average.
Finally, brush might obscure other hunt-ers. This especially is
true if a covey of wild quail starts running ahead of the dogs, or
if the hunting party elects to follow up on scattered singles. The
regimented advance of shooters approaching the point can break down
as the pace quickens.
Most experienced quail hunters insist on no more than three guns
on a point. This is an effective rule. The three shooters spread
out and walk together to the dog. The classic rise of 12 to 15
birds is straight away and fanning out, so you have right, center,
and left zones for safe shooting.
Of course, classic does not always trans-late into typical in
the jumbled brush coun-try. The covey may squirt hard left or hard
right. Or the birds may run. Or they might fl ush in a staggered
rise fi ve or six here, three or four out ahead, that sort of
thing. In thick underbrush you might even walk past a skulk-ing
coveyif the birds whir out behind you, be extra cautious when
turning for a shot. The rest of the hunting party might be back
there somewhere.
The traditional magazine-cover drill can break down quickly.
Safety considerations aside, swinging across the rise and into
anoth-er hunters zone is a gross breach of gunning etiquette. When
a shooter starts poaching from his partners and the rise becomes a
quick-draw contest, hard feelings can develop. If fate fails to
present you with an open shot, then so be it. Stand fi rm and watch
the show.
Getting a bad rise or being brushed out is common on wild birds,
but shooting oppor-tunities have a way of balancing out.
Following singles that have scattered in thick brush can
fragment the group. This is where a bright orange cap and
shirt/vest are mandatory. So, too, are voice signals (Im over
here!) to coordinate movements through screening cover.
And, covey or single, when you muff a creampuff, dont beat
yourself up. A compre-hensive survey done years ago on the King
Ranch concluded that a three-gun tally of two birds per covey rise
is about average. In short, every bird hunter misses.
The main thing is to be aware and to use safe judgment.
Email Joe Doggett atContactUs@ shgame.com
by JOE DOGGETT :: TF&G Contributing Editor
14 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M
E
DOGGETT at Large
1502 Doggett.indd 14 1/9/15 10:17 AM
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1502 Doggett.indd 15 1/7/15 8:33 PM
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Dont Sweat the Small Stuff
SO IM LEANING OVER THE side of the boat this past fall, star-ing
at my refl ection in calm water and wondering about the world
Not really. Actually, I was standing shin-deep off the north
shore of a little bay island, trying to see through muddy water and
locate the jig head Id just dropped. But I
was thinking about the world. And the more I thought, the more I
realized how much silt Id stirred and how long were the odds of fi
nding that hook.
No worry. There were, as always, others in the box. I stepped
carefully backward so as not to puncture my own wading booty and/or
foot with an accidental recovery of the fumble, and got back to fi
shing.
Its so often little things, like a dropped jig head, that remind
us to count our blessings. (It was a blessing, just then, amid big
trout, that I could count one extra chunk of lead.)
Dig deeply enough into any life, and theres likely reason to
whine or moan or otherwise get caught up in some whimpering waste
of time better spent doing anything but
those things. I tried whining and moaning once when I was a kid.
They did nothing but get me in trouble and annoy the people around
me.
Im not telling anyone to go Mary Poppins or Mr. Rogers, but even
when you havent caught a fi sh on your past 10 fi shing trips,
youve still been fi shing 10 times.
This year, and for all years to come, I am determined to present
a more positive, appreciative me to everyone I meet. Some of that
better attitude will come from a sec-ondary self-promise that
includes more time outdoors, especially with my son. The rest will
emerge from inside, from wherever the human self-discovery closet
is located.
Perhaps, before a man can feel truly com-
by DOUG PIKE :: TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
PIKE on the Edge
1502 Pike.indd 16 1/7/15 8:33 PM
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T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 |
17
fortable under uncomfortable circumstances, hes got to witness a
minimum number of sunrises or sunsets that dont include manmade
structures more substantial than barbed-wire fences. Those are the
special beginnings and ends of days, a minute or two when it
honestly can be said that nothing else matters. If that quota
system is real, then I must fi nally have met it. And it feels
great.
Dont mistake this calmer, gentler me for any change in attitude
toward the outdoors or fi sh or wildlife. Im not taking up yoga or
climbing a mountain in search of some dude sitting cross-legged in
a bath towel. Im just refl ecting, like that wrinkled face looking
back at me from calm water, so I can see a little good in
everything.
If only there were good in everyone. More than once this year,
and about as
often in years past, I read stories of poach-ers who poached so
long they probably forgot it was wrongand not just backwoods
goofballs. More than one television-outdoor-show host has run afoul
of the law lately, presumably in the name of putting a show in the
can no matter the cost.
Double shame on them. Now my pres-sures beginning to rise.
Ooooohhhmmm. Inhale. Exhale.
It would serve the industry wella good thingto purge a few of
the shows being aired now and hold on to a tighter, higher-quality
lineup. Id rather watch Honey Boo-Boo do cartwheels than see
another hunter squeal like a middle-school cheerleader over a dead
turkey.
The good that hides even within those bizarre episodes is that
we, as a nation, are still OK with hunting and shooting shows on
television. I intend to live a really long time, and I dont think
Ill outlive outdoor shows on television.
Nor do I worry excessively any longer over broad-reaching
threats to private gun ownership here. Despite exhaustive efforts
at the local, state (except Texas) and national levels, theres
still no hard evidence that restricted gun ownership among
law-abiding folks results in a reduction of gun violence. In fact,
criminal use of guns seems worst where gun ownership is most
heavily restricted.
Hang a Guns welcome sign in one store window and a Guns
prohibited sign in the store next door, and see which one gets
robbed fi rst. The predictable result gives me peace.
For six or eight seconds, I was a touch
worried in December about a proposed ban of soft-plastic lures
that was introduced by a state representative in Maine. Then I
remembered that it was Maineand that the elected legislators ban
would impact lures made of rubber, and I cant recall when the last
soft-plastic lure was made of rubber. That wasnt necessarily good,
but it was funny.
Things are looking good in the outdoors, generally, and not just
for me. Were all blessed, especially Texans, to live in a time
when game and fi sh are plentiful despite human and political
encroachment into wild space.
Im encouraged routinely by stories of improved fi sheries,
higher duck numbers, thriving deer populations and increased
participation in outdoor activities. Times genuinely are good for
outdoorsmen. Pass the word.
Email Doug Pike atContactUs@ shgame.com
1502 Pike.indd 17 1/7/15 8:33 PM
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Joyous 2015
HAPPY 2015 EVERYONE! Even though we are already throt-tling on
with mucho gusto into a brand new year, all my hunting
buddies and I dont really actually see it that way. Our
calendars dont go from January to January, as we see our years
through an American hunter lens, usually kicking off the offi cial
New Year on September 1st with the opening day of dove season!
Now thats a New Years party where I come from if ever there was
one!
But for a well-rounded inclusive celebra-tion of the actual New
Year 2015, let us all wish everyone we know a very happy, healthy
2015 for the best year of our lives.
The Nugent family is still hard at it hunting pretty much every
day. With our Managed Land Deer Permit program still in full swing
right up to March 1st, the whitetail hunting in Texas remains
challenging and as exciting as ever.
And of course anyone who hasnt come to Texas to hunt the
ubiquitous exotic big game is missing out on some of the most
challenging and fun hunting to be experienced anywhere on
earth.
I have been on safari in Africa more than twenty times and Texas
exotic hunting ranks right up there with the greatest African
dyna-mo ever. Honest to God real world hunting is available on
private high fence operations as well as free range properties all
across the Lone Star state, and it is truly amazing.
With a dangerous overpopulation of wild hogs tearing up the
place statewide, Texas offers wild boar hunting at its fi nest. We
keep after these elusive swine all year long. If you havent booked
a helicopter hog hunt, you have no idea what a thrill youre
missing. Such an aerial assault may well be the most
exciting hunting in the history of the chase.We are diligently
running our year round
trapline to keep the varmints and furbearers under control and
in balance with the land. Thank the good Lord that here in Texas a
landowner has the power to keep such crit-ters from overpopulating
and wreaking havoc on the land and all other wildlife in general.
When coyotes and bobcats get out of control, fawn production can be
dramatically reduced, and along with unmanaged fox, coons, pos-sums
and skunks, there is little hope for any smallgame or songbirds to
fl ourish.
Like hunters and fi shermen, trappers bring about essential
balance and healthy bio-diversity overall, and Im proud to be part
of the conservation brotherhood.
We the people politics in America impact everything in our lives
including our hunt-ing rights, private property rights, 2nd
Amendment rights, allthings conservation and freedom, so we should
celebrate the GOP victory back in November by remain-ing engaged
hardcore to demand account-ability from the party that claims to be
our ally. Just because we reduced the scourge of leftwing freaks
does not mean our we the people job is complete. Not by a long
shot.
As we plan our 2015 calendar, it is impor-tant now more than
ever to increase pressure on our elected offi cials to get back to
a US Constitutionally guided path for all policy and lawmaking.
Even here in the Great Republic of Texas with the best governor,
best attorney general, and some of the best representation in the
country, we still have our work cut out for us due to the fact that
the America-hating left would like nothing more than to turn this
great state into a suburb of California like they did in
Colorado.
We shut down the hate and lies of Wendy Davis and her gang of
America haters, but we still have anti-Texans like Sheila Jackson
Lee doing all they can on a daily basis to end the Texas Dream.
Stay vigilant my friends. A disengaged Texan is by all counts not a
real Texan at all. If youre not driving the idiots
crazy, you are probably an idiot.And that goes for every state,
every citizen,
every American who knows what is going on and how critical it is
for us to correct the abuse, corruption and sheer criminality that
us running amok in the government of our great nation. It is a do
or die moment in America my friends. This sacred experi-ment in
self-government is not supposed to be a spectator sport, its
supposed to be the ultimate hands on duty of real freedom
loving/demanding Americans everywhere.
Then theres this little ditty we call high energy MotorCity
Madman rock-n-roll that keeps me titillated throughout the year.
Ive had the runaway Chuck Berry bug for 66 years now and there is
no end in sight.
My SHUTUP&JAM! tour in 2014 was by far the most intense,
outrageous tour of my life, so there is no telling when or where I
may unleash my sonic bombast beast upon an unsuspecting civilian
public. My guitar does not gently weep, and I feel it is my duty to
taunt and abuse my mighty arsenal of feral Gibson Byrdlands on a
daily basis. Think of it as eargasm waterboarding, but with a
lov-ing, tender touch.
So I dont know about you all, but the Nugent calendar throbs
eternally all 12 months for 2015, and I wish all my Spirit
BloodBrothers, wherever you may be, the best year of your
lives.
Life is a nonstop series of choices, and by now all the wrong
choices should be ridicu-lously obvious to everyone with half a
brain. With that in mind, the quality of our new year and every
year is clearly in our own hands, and I for one know exactly what
2015 holds in store for me and my family.
More fun, more work, more play, more hunting, more fi shing,
more rocking, more shooting, more activism, more hell raising, more
gungho American stuff, but bigger, bad-der, louder and crazier.
Doesnt that sound like a plan? Happy New Year to everyone. Life
is what you make of it. So make it already.
by TED NUGENT :: TF&G Editor-at-Large
18 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M
E
NUGENT in the WildNUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT
NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT
1502 Nugent.indd 18 1/7/15 8:32 PM
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Open and Shut Case
THE GAME SEEMS TO BE changing. That isnt always the norm when
there is a regime shift after a big political election, but it
certainly seems to be whats been happening since last November
in Texas.
One of the most discussed and debated topics of recent years,
that of open carry of handguns, was moved from the back burner to
front and center, when Governor-elect Greg Abbot announced, shortly
after the last vote was counted, that he would sign just about any
bill that crossed his desk allowing open carrying of fi rearms in
the Lone Star State. Done deal.
Of course, weve heard it all before, from previous occupants of
government housing, and it never happened. And when Abbot claimed,
prior to the election, that he was ready to sign such a bill, his
announcement could easily be construed as a fi shing expedi-tion
for votes. When he said it again after the election, and then again
a few days later, the fog seemed to be clearing for those who have
pushed for open carry for a long time.
The big question is whether an open carry bill will cross the
new governors desk during the upcoming legislative session, and
give him the chance to make good on his claim. And the answer is
maybe.
Some, however, say the bigger issue is whether open carry is a
good idea for Texas at all. Few readers wonder where this
colum-nist stands on gun rights, but to be perfectly fair, it seems
sensible to consider both sides of the question before a decision
is made. The antis have some valid concerns which should be
addressed.
The main objection to open carry of hand-guns is that there will
be pandemonium in the streets. People will start shooting one
another
over ketchup packets at Wendys, and blue light specials at
K-Mart. Our society, which is so safe and cordial now, will
suddenly erupt into anarchy if citizens are allowed to walk around
with their guns exposed.
The problem with that scenario is that it hasnt happened in any
of the other states where open carry has been adopted. Several
other states are ahead of Texas on open carry of handguns, and
their streets have not run with blood, as was predicted. There is
no rea-son to believe Texas would be any different.
The antis apparently believe the air will suddenly fi ll with
lead just because of some ink on a piece of paper in Austin.
Granted,
there may be more people carrying guns if open carry is passed,
but it would seem that those who intend to break one law in order
to do harm to others would not hesitate to break another law in
order to carry the weapon with which they intend to do that harm.
The values people hold dont change when a new law is passed.
Another objection is that accidents will be more frequent,
because of guns being carried in plain view. This actually seems
logical, but that hasnt happened, either, where open carry is
practiced. Why would Texans be less responsible, or respectful,
than the citizens of other states?
Of course, our society is not necessarily safe and cordial now,
and the idea that more guns will improve things is completely
rejected
by some, and totally embraced by others. Robert Heinleins
assertion that an armed society is a safe society notwithstanding,
guns make some people feel more secure, and cause others to shake
in their boots. You cant please everybody, no matter what you
do.
Even among advocates of open carry, some concerns are too
logical to ignore. Any criminal who plans to rob a bank or
con-venience store, or commit a mass shooting, would have an easy
time choosing whom to shoot fi rst, if all of the armed citizens in
the vicinity were carrying in plain view.
The best defense against any potential crime is the one that
remains hidden until needed. Carrying a gun openly paints a tar-get
on the back of the average armed citizen. This writer plans to
continue to hide his guns, thanks all the same.
There is also the question of what bill, if any, might show up
on Abbots desk. Legalized open carry is one thing, constitu-tional
carry quite another. Under an open carry law, a citizen without a
concealed hand-gun license would be in violation with a hid-den
gun. Under constitutional carry fi rearms could be carried
concealed or in plain view, with no permit at all.
Which brings up the issue of whether citizens should be required
to pay the state to purchase a right they already have. The Bill of
Rights either applies to citizens or it doesnt. With permit
requirements to exer-cise Second Amendment rights, it stands to
reason citizens should have to buy permits to avail themselves of
the freedom of speech, or the right to peaceably assemble, or to
worship God (or not) however they see fi t. Buying rights is a
slippery slope with jagged shards of despotism at the bottom.
Every American already has the right to carry arms, openly or
otherwise, according to our federal laws. It might not be a good
idea to openly exercise that right all the time, but we have
it.
Email Kendal Hemphill atContactUs@ shgame.com
by KENDAL HEMPHILL :: TF&G Political Editor
T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | I S S U E Y E A R | 19
TF&G COMMENTARY
Few readers
wonder where this columnist stands on
gun rights.
1502 Commentary.indd 19 1/7/15 8:30 PM
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As Texass Water Needs Spur a Land Grab for
New Reservoirs, a Boon for Anglers May Become
a Bust for Deer Hunters | story by matt williams20 | F E B R U A
R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E PHOTOS: CANSTOCK
Fea 1-BassVsBucks.indd 20 1/9/15 12:41 PM
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WATER IS FAST BECOMING A very valuable commodity in Texas as
many census pundits call for the Texas population to double within
the next 50 years. Some experts believe Texass growing thirst for
what is arguably the
most taken-for-granted natural resource on the planet may
eventually outweigh the available supplies unless measures are
taken to shore things up for the future.Theres been plenty of
talk about the development of more
projects aimed at looking for untapped water sources
under-ground, as well as building more facilities for converting
waste water and saltwater into drinking water.
Athough those are certainly viable solutions to help stretch the
states water supply, most will agree a more logical alterna-tive is
to be more conservative with the water weve already got.
T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 |
21
Fea 1-BassVsBucks.indd 21 1/9/15 12:41 PM
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Take a look around. Examine your own habits for a day or two and
youll see what I mean.
CASE IN POINT: Little things mean a lot when it comes to water
use. With millions of people being wasteful every day, the amount
of water going down the drain in this state would probably be
staggering if somebody could put a number on it.
In my book, soaking golf greens, street medians and thirsty
lawns isnt any more conservative than taking a 20-minute shower or
using the toilet as a trash can.
We can all do better. The same is true for agricultural, mining
and other industries. Although some of these operations have made
huge strides in water conservation in recent times, others havent
done so well.
Another viable solution to meeting the coming water challenge is
to build more dams along creeks, rivers and other bot-tomland
drainages. This will create more reservoirs, basins and other
holding tanks to capture surface water that can later be used later
on by residents, businesses and agricultural operations, etc.
As much as Texas freshwater fi shing and boating junkies will
favor that idea, plenty of folks are adamantly opposed to it.
Thats
because it would invariably result in the taking of hundreds or
thousands of acres of private propertymuch of it hardwood-rich
bottomlandsfrom folks who arent all too excited about giving it
up.
Being from a family that surrendered a signifi cant chunk of
property to the U.S Army Corp of Engineers I can certainly feel
their pain. We were paid only chump change back in the early 1950s,
when the East Fork of the Trinity River was dammed up to build Lake
Lavon,
My grandparents fought fi ercely to hold on to their land, but
lost. So did many other Texas landowners who were forced to sell
all or portions of their family farms and homes during an ensuing
reservoir boom that resulted in the construction of more than 200
reservoirs around the state in the wake of the epic drought of the
1950s.
Hunting lease operators are concerned about the topic, too. As
are wildlife and environmental advocates, who say the con-struction
of more new reservoirs would gobble up pristine bottomland habitat
that is vital for deer, squirrels, turkeys, river otters, ducks and
other migratory birds. Environmentalists also say it would do
irreparable harm to rare forests and plant life while altering
river and stream fl ows
that are critical to maintaining ecosystems downstream.
Another argument hinges on money. Building a reservoir is a
costly project that can require hundreds of millions or billions of
dollars to complete, depending on its size.
To wit:Lake Ralph Hall will be a 12,000-acre
reservoir that the Upper Trinity Regional District is pushing to
build in Fannin County northeast of Dallas. It has been projected
to cost around $300 million to build.
Meanwhile, the North Texas Municipal Water District is
recommending another Fannin County impoundment called Bois d Arc at
a projected cost of around $700 million. An even bigger northeast
lake is being talked about by water planners. The 62,000-acre
Marvin Nichols comes with a signifi cantly higher price tag of $3.4
billion.
When lakes are built for water supplyas these and nearly a dozen
others recommend-ed by the 2007 State Water Plan would
becontrolling authorities often look to local municipalities to
help recoup those costs. In turn, those costs trickle down to
consumers, who are largely divided on the subject.
As mentioned earlier, new reservoirs also bring a host of benefi
ts to the table. In terms of fi shing, the potential economic
benefi ts
22 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E
PHOTO: US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Construction of Lake Lavon in the
early 1950sduring a reservoir con-
struction boom that built more than
200 major lakesforced the authors
grandparents to sell much of the familys land for
chump change. Is another such boom
on the horizon?
Fea 1-BassVsBucks.indd 22 1/7/15 7:45 PM
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can be extremely high because good fi shing lakes attract lots
of fi shermen. This, in turn, spurs local economies and can drive
adjacent property values straight through the roof.
One of the best examples around is Lake Fork. Built for water
supply by Texas Utilities and the Sabine River Authority in the
late 1970s, Fork eventually became one of the best big bass lakes
the world has ever seen. Its a driving force for local economies. A
1996 economic survey indicated that the lake generated more than
$27 million annu-ally for the three counties around it and that it
attracted as many as 325,000 bass fi shing visitors each year.
One of the main reasons why is that the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Departments Inland Fisheries division got involved with the lake
early on. The agency implemented a fi sheries management plan that
came together more beautifully than any other before it, or
since.
The plan involved making recommenda-tions to engineers as to how
much timber and other cover to leave in the lake (at Fork it was a
lot) during the construction process. It also hinged on plentiful
stockings
of Florida bass (many of them retired brood fi sh) and a bounty
of forage to support them during the pre-inundation stages.
According to Dave Terre, TPWDs management and research chief,
that pretty much summarizes TPWDs involvement with proposed new
reservoirs. He empha-sized the state agency has no involvement in
determining where lakes are built, which ones get built or when
they get built.
TPWD is neither a proponent nor opponent of reservoir
development, Terre said. Our role is to provide science-based
information to decision-makers on how alter-ation of natural
landscapes will affect fi sh and wildlife resources. Once a
decision is made to construct a new reservoir, TPWD has a role in
ensuring that impact to native fi sh, wildlife, and their habitats
are appro-priately mitigated. We also take a voluntary and
proactive role in working with control-ling authorities to maximize
habitat value to sport fi shes and associated recreational benefi
ts to anglers and other resource users of newly developed
reservoirs.
Terre added that TPWDs inland fi sh-eries division has a proven
track record
for providing quality fi sheries management on public
reservoirs. He added that the agency stands ready to use that
experience to bolster fi shing on any and all new lakes in the
future. The biologist says there are numerous potential reservoir
projects on the books in Texas. All of them hold promise for
providing quality bass fi shing, he said, especially if the
department is allowed to get involved during the early stages.
We know what to do, how to do it, and we stand ready to get
working on a project once a decision is made to build one, he said.
We will use all our existing knowledge, past experience, and
hatchery resources to make sure that fi shing is the best that it
can be.
Of course, the crux to all of this is rain. Water developers can
throw up all the dams they want, but without rain to fi ll up new
impoundments and recharge existing ones as well as our dwindling
aquifers, were all going to be in world of hurt.
Some areas of the state already are.
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| story by Paul BradshawFea 6-HSBass.indd 26 1/7/15 7:55 PM
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I DONT KNOW HOW TO BREAK this to you gently, but things have
changed a lot since you left high school.
Sure, you can walk down the hall and some things will still look
the same. There are still letterman jacket wearing football
players
(this is Texas after all), students worrying about the calculus
test they forgot about until ten minutes before class started, and
over-due library books that are checked out but never read.
However, if you want to see where things have changed youll need
to step into room B103 at Lumberton High School after the final
bell of the day has rung. Here youll find members of the Lumberton
High School Fishing Team getting ready for their next
tournament.
T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 |
27
Alton Jones withthe top two 2014 TexasState High School
Basschampionship teams.
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You read that right; they have a high school fi shing team. How
often did you will-ingly stay late at school to talk boater safety,
fi shing etiquette, the best places to fi sh and the right rigs to
use for an upcoming tourna-ment? See, I told you things had changed
since you graduated and it is a change for the better.
There is a good chance you never even knew that competitive high
school fi shing existed, but it is one of the fastest growing
activities in most high schools today. While participation in
traditional sporting activities has remained relatively stable for
the last decade, participation in tournament fi shing among
teenagers has increased exponentially over the past few years.
Need proof? Look no farther than the school mentioned earlier.
Lumberton High School is in the southeastern part of the state.
Bryan Thomas is their fi shing team advisor. Bryan and I fi rst met
in college more than two decades ago. He found out I lived less
than 30 minutes for Lake Fork, and we became instant friends.
DURING THE 2012-2013 SCHOOL year, Bryan decided to start a fi
shing club at his school with the hope of introducing a handful of
kids to the outdoors. That fi rst year he had 47 students in the
club where they competed in three tournaments that averaged around
50 boats each. That can easily be considered a success for a fl
edgling organization. Now the Lumberton Fishing Club has more than
80 members, and Bryan has become President of the South East Texas
High School Fishing Associationone of the largest high school fi
shing organiza-tions in the country.
When I called Bryan recently to talk fi shing he was in the
middle of planning the fi rst tournament for the 2014-2015 school
year. The tournament, which is put on by the South East Texas High
School Fishing Association on December 6th at Lake Sam Rayburn,
already had 355 teams signed up.
No, thats not a typo. More than 700 teenagers (two anglers per
team) plus an adult boat captain for each team repre-senting 42
schools, including one from Louisiana, had signed up to fi sh a
bass tour-nament in the middle of the winter. High school fi shing
is clearly here to stay.
The explosion in high school fi shing clubs and tournaments can
be linked to a few key factors. The fi rst is obvious, kids love to
fi sh and many dedicated men and women have
given their time to make sure they have this opportunity.
For every boat in a tournament there must be an adult captain
driving since stu-dents are not allowed to drive the big motors
during competition. There are countless others that work weigh-ins,
direct traffi c, solicit sponsors, and do all the behind the scene
work to make sure these tournaments run fl awlessly.
The other reason high school fi shing is booming is that the
students can win schol-arship money doing it. In 2013-2014, the
SETX High School Fishing Association gave away $60,000 in
scholarships and priz-es to anglers. For the 20142015 season they
will host six tournaments, fi ve qualifying tournaments (each
having individual prizes and money) and a season ending
champion-ship where they are paying out a guaranteed $75,000 in
scholarship money.
There are a few ways to qualify for the championship and be
eligible for the scholar-ship money. One is simply fi shing in all
fi ve of the qualifying tournaments. So even if a student doesnt
catch a fi sh at all during the year, they still have the
opportunity to com-pete for a scholarship at the end.
A student can easily pay for some, or all of their education by
catching little green fi sh. As my wife put it plainly, you can get
a scholarship for throwing a ball, why not for catching a fi sh?
Great point, and now YOU can.
These kids can fi sh!Its not like when we were kids and
would
get excited about catching a few bass. In
those days anything over a pound or two was a good one.
Nowadays, if you want to be competitive in one of the SETX
tourna-ments, youd better be able to put fi ve quality fi sh in the
boat with a lot of other anglers on the water.
Although the SETX High School Fishing Association is one of the
largest in the nation in terms of angler participation per
tournament, it is not the only one in the state doing good things
for high school fi sh-ing. According to Jeff Lobaugh of the Texas
High School Bass Association (THSBA), there has been exponential
growth in young tournament anglers in the northern part of the
state as well. Lobaugh is also the fi shing team advisor at Rains
High School
Originating during the 2012-2013 school year, the THSBA roughly
encompasses an area outlined by a line starting at Wichita Falls,
going south to Stephenville, east to Carthage and north to
Texarkana. The fi rst year they had eight participating schools, 85
members, hosted four tournaments and gave out $3,000 in scholarship
money. Now in their third season of operation their par-ticipation
has grown to 54 schools and over 800 members. Theyll host 12
tournaments in 2014-2015 with an average of 125 boats per
tournament and plan to award between $40,000 and $45,000 in
scholarships.
With the growth in participation, they expanded into two
divisions for the 2014-2015 season (east and west) and anticipate
100 schools and 2,000 students joining for the 2015-2016 season.
This will necessitate four divisions and 22 tournaments to handle
all of the participants. They also plan to increase scholarships
awarded to between $70,000 and $75,000.
For as long as there have been fi sh, there have been kids
chasing them with hooks and lines. Now, they can do so for more
than just a few fi llets, they can also do it to pay for their
future.
Even if your kid cant throw or dribble a ball, if they can work
a jig or wind a crankbait they can still have the experience of
playing on a team (without the threat of injury) and have their
education paid for. Where was this when we were in school?
28 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M
E
Competitive
shing is oneof the fastest
growingactivities in
most high schools today.
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IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST striking animals I have ever seen.
CAUTIOUSLY EASING down a rocky draw in, the limestone cliffs of
Real County, a magnificent ram made its way toward my position.
With a full deep curl, gigantic bases and a tall body, it was an
animal any hunter would want to take.
Its coat was a mix of deep brown, black but it had a
partial white saddle patch across its back.
As the animal disappeared behind a bush, I raised my
camera to get a photo as the beautiful creature looked right
at me with an intense look of wildness in its eye, snorted
and bolted away.
This was my first sighting of a Hill Country bighorn.
These are a species developed by exotic hunting inno-
vator Thompson Temple.
30 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E
PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE
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Storyby
chestermoore
The Texas Dall is a beautifulalternative to the super expen-sive
to hunt Dall sheep of Alaska.
T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 |
31
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Milt Sanburg outside of Montrose, Co. had a herd of moufl on
sheep. Rocky Mountain bighorn rams from the nearby national forest
periodically came over and bred a number of ewes. The result was 10
to 15 rams and ewes that were 1/2 bighorn and 1/2 moufl on. The
rams were very impres-sive, Temple said.
Alan Baier of Collbran, Co. and I met with the Colorado Fish and
Game. They were anxious to get the crossbreeds out of Colorado. An
agreement was reached to transport the sheep to my ranch in
Texas.
In recent years he has attempted to replace the moufl on portion
of the sheep with a larger breed of sheep-Stumberg Sheep.
I have also purchased Urial rams to do the same thing, Temple
noted.
His goal is for hunters to have a species very similar to Rocky
Mountain Bighorns that hunters can pursue for an affordable fee.
Bighorns cost upwards of $50,000 in some cases to hunt. Temple
wants hunters to have a bighorn-like experience at a minute
fraction of the cost.
My experience at the ranch showed these animals are super wild
and have a very much Bighorn-like demeanor. I was just there to
photograph them and thought it was such an interesting story to
bring to hunters who like to do something different.
And while these creatures are not yet a common sighting on Texas
ranches, there are numerous species that are and offer fun,
affordable hunting on a year round basis.
CORSICAN This is the classic exotic sheep with horns that curl
outward and often in a full double position. Their coats can range
from burn orange to nearly deer color and some specimens sport an
impressive mane of fur that makes them as attractive as any North
American game.
TEXAS DALL While most hunters will never be able to hunt Alaskas
dall sheep, the Texas dall is an affordable alternative that is
essentially a white Corsican. The horn confi guration is the same
although the horns of this ram tend to be a light color. Some Texas
dalls are pure white while others have a mixed reddish/orange in
their coat.
HAWAIIAN BLAC Theres something majestic about a large, black ram
walking up a hillside and that is what makes this one of the most
popular of the exotic sheep. They
are often noted for sporting a heavy coat of wool although some
have a thin coat and will occasionally have a chocolate brown color
mixed in the coat.
MOUFLON A truly wild sheep, they are small but have large
heart-shaped horns that almost never spiral outward like the
Corsican. True mou-fl ons are fairly rare on Texas ranches but they
do exist. Besides the horn confi gura-tion, the classic trait is a
large white sad-dle patch on the back and a short tail.
MERINO A huge, wooly domes-tic breed from the Pacifi c, merinos
often called Rambo Rams are the largest horned by far. Forty plus
inch horns are not uncommon on these animals that can weigh upwards
of 250 pounds on the hoof. Merinos seem to come in two varieties.
They are either almost entirely tame or super wary. And while the
wool may turn off some hunters, the horns are undeniably
impressive.
FOUR HORN Also called Jacobs Sheep, these unique animals are
men-tioned in the Bible and date back to the earliest period of the
Old Testament. They have goat-like horns on the top of their heads
that typically rise straight up with a slight bowing and then
regular ram horns on the side. Colors range from white to red
although most are a mix of colors.
Many fourhorns have sort of mutated looking horns with one
growing tight to the head or not at all. If you take one of these
with all four horns large and well-defi ned you have taken a
noteworthy trophy.
AOUDAD Aoudad (Barbary sheep) were offi cially released into the
Palo Duro Canyon in the Panhandle decades ago and have been stocked
on hundreds of exotic ranches in the Hill Country and beyond.
Aoudad will tear up deer feeders and could potentially outcompete
native desert bighorn for food but they certainly do more damage
than domestic sheep and goats and they are highly embraced by the
hunting community.
Texas hunters looking for off-season action can fi nd plenty on
Texas ranches.
Most of these ani-mals are available to hunt for a fairly
affordable fee and pro-vide great action espe-cially for young
hunters or those using crossbows or archery equipment.
The Grand Slam is the collection of all four species of North
American wild sheep. The Texas Slam is the taking of a Corsican,
Texas dall, Hawaiian black and moufl on. While it might not be as
glam-orous as shooting Stones sheep in Canada, hunting Texas rams
can be every bit as fun and it is far more affordable.
As the deer hunting season ends you might want to look at some
of these exotic hunting alternatives as in many cases they are
affordable and available year-round.
And believe it or not, the meat of these sheep tastes great if
cooked properly. The late great bowhunting legend Fred Bear once
said the freshly cooked ribs of wild sheep was his favorite of all
wild game.
For more information visit the websits
www.hillcountrybighorns.com
32 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E
PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE
have a thin coat
A Hill Country Bighorn in full glory.
and will occasionally have a chocolate brown color mixed in the
coat.
A truly wild sheep, they are small but have large heart-shaped
horns that almost never spiral outward like the Corsican. True
mou-fl ons are fairly rare on Texas ranches but they do exist.
Besides the horn confi gura-tion, the classic trait is a large
white sad-dle patch on the back and a short tail.
A huge, wooly domes-tic breed from the Pacifi c, merinos often
called Rambo Rams are the largest horned by far. Forty plus inch
horns are not uncommon on these animals that can weigh upwards of
250 pounds on the hoof. Merinos seem to come in two varieties. They
are either almost entirely tame or super wary. And while the wool
may turn off some hunters, the horns are undeniably impressive.
Also called Jacobs Sheep, these unique animals are men-tioned in
the Bible and date back to the earliest period of the Old
Testament. They
Most of these ani-mals are available to hunt for a fairly
affordable fee and pro-vide great action espe-cially for young
hunters or those using crossbows or archery equipment.
The Grand Slam
A Hill Country Bighorn in full glory.
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Hunter Tech, Part 1
I WAS THE FIRST HUNTER AT THE hunting camp. No problem fi nding
it at all, I simply turned on my GPS, typed in an address and like
magic, you have
arrived at your destination.I took my rifl e out of the vehicle
and checked
my scope. I am not sure if I like the red illumi-nation or the
green one. I think my eye likes the green crosshairs.
I searched my pocket for my smart phone and opened up the
ScoutLook app. I can see from the warmth of the hunting camp what
the wind is doing at each of my hunting locations. I can also see
how cold it is out there. Hmmm. Do I need my boots with 1,000 grams
of Thinsulate?
Things sure have changed since our fathers hunting days. In
order for him to fi nd the hunt-ing camp he had to actually pull
his vehicle over and look at a map (for the younger hunters out
there, a map is a piece of paper that has lines representing the
roads in the area). More often than not, the back country roads
that lead to those remote hunting spots were not even on the
map.
Bowhunting or rifl e hunting, it matters not. Both sports have
had more than their share of technological advances that have made
success much easier.
Every year, a new and improved bow hits the market and with it
comes a promise to be the fastest and quietest bow out there.
Faster bows mean fewer mistakes judging distance. That is a good
thing. A faster bow means a fl atter trajectory and a better chance
at hitting the target within inches of your aim.
There seems to be less and less of a need for a range fi nder,
but it still is sure nice to have just in case. A range fi nder is
another one of those technological advancements that our father
never had. At the end of the day, a fast bow combined with a range
fi nder means
more success in the fi eld with fewer wounded deer. And to a
hunter, that should be the important thing.
Rifl es have improved as well. Lighter syn-thetic stocks on some
rifl es make the fi rearm comfortable to carry. A heavier gun is
better for a steady aim on your target. On the same token, if you
have to hold the rifl e on a target for any length of time, a
lighter rifl e will be much easier. Some rifl e stocks and forearms
are coated in a rubber material that improves the grip and control
of the gun. On a personal level, that is what sold me on my 30-06.
It just felt better than all the others that I tried.
There are many different new and improved bullets available to
the outdoors-man. Some seem to do a better job than others. For me,
it is tough to beat a hollow point bullet. It seems to explode once
it enters the target ensuring a quick and humane kill.
There has been an increased number of calibers over the years.
Different manufactur-ers would come out with a new rifl e and then
a new caliber bullet made for that fi rearm. One of the latest ones
that I know of is a .17 WSM (Winchester Short Magnum) made by
Winchester. Some hunters still prefer to load their own bullets.
With the newer high-tech scales available, loading your own hotter
load is fairly common.
Scopes have also come a long way over the years. The glass used
for the scopes is improved with a much greater magnifi cation than
ever before. Some of the better scopes today also come with what is
known as a BDC (ballistic drop compensator). Hunters can choose
which line to use in the scope depend-ing on the distance of the
shot which drastically improves accuracy. Now THAT is something Dad
never had.
Keeping warm while hunting especially in the northern States has
always been a chal-lenge. Well that challenge has been addressed.
Warm face masks made of fl eece keep the chill off your face, but
your extremities are tough to keep warm. There are times when I
feel like my fi ngers are frozen. I can handle cold weather, but
when my fi ngers lose all sense of feeling, it
is time to get serious about warming up. Chemical hand warming
packs have
replaced the old fashioned charcoal burning hand warmers. Not
only do they last longer, but unlike those charcoal warmers, there
is no scent to warn the deer of my presence.
I have saved the best for last. In days gone by, the hunter had
to dress in layers (and sometimes many of them) to keep comfortable
while hunting. No longer! I have discovered a new company that has
developed a coat that heats up. It works and it works very well.
They call themselves My Core Control hunting gear.
Finally, a coat that actually DOES keep you warm for your entire
hunt. It is a hunting parka/coat equipped with a rechargeable
bat-tery pack in one upper pocket. On the other side of the coat is
a charger. The ingenious idea behind this hunting miracle is
generated heat modules that are located on the wrist area.
The gentle heat warms blood vessels on your wrists and, in turn,
the warmed blood rushes throughout your body. The result is a coat
that is keeping you warm from your own core body temperature.
Genius!
A microprocessor controller is conveniently located on the chest
area of the jacket allow-ing you to adjust the amount of heat
needed. Depending on the weather of the day, you can change it from
low, medium or high. The battery on the low setting will last for
12 hours. Medium is nine hours and set on high will give you a
whopping six hours of controlled heat. Now THIS really is something
that Dad never had. For that matter, I never had it either but I
will from now on.
There are so many new ideas for hunters our predecessors never
had that I cannot list them all here. Next month I will continue.
It really is amazing how far technology has come, which leaves us
with the question of how far will it go in the years to come.
For more information on My Core Control hunting gear, visit
mycorecontrol.com.
Email Lou Marullo atContactUs@ shgame.com
by LOU MARULLO :: TF&G Hunting Editor
T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | I S S U E Y E A R | 33
Bare Bones HUNTING
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Self Defense by STEVE LAMASCUSTactical :: Concealed Carry &
DUSTIN ELLERMANN
TEXAS Dept. of DEFENSEby &
Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of
Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of
Dept. of DEFENSEDEFENSEDEFENSEDEFENSEDEFENSE
The .40 Smith and Wesson
THE .40 SMITH & WESSON caliber is relatively new. New that
is in comparison to such other modern cartridges as the .357
Magnum (1934), .45 ACP (1905), 9mm Parabellum (1902), or even
the mighty .44 Magnum (1955).
The .40 S&W was produced in 1989 as a joint venture of
Winchester and Smith & Wesson, in response to some testing done
by the FBI using the 10mm auto. The FBI was apparently loading the
10mm down to attain specifi c criteria for bullet weight, diameter,
and velocity.
According to Cartridges of the World,
Winchester and Smith & Wesson realized that the fi gures the
FBI was looking for could be attained in a shorter cartridge case
than the 10mm. They began experimenting and within six months had
completed develop-ment of the .40 Smith & Wesson, which was
ready for use in 1990.
The .40 S&W is a wonderful self-defense cartridge. Shortly
before I retired from the U.S. Border Patrol, the Patrol adopted
the .40 S&W in a Beretta double-action-only semi-auto, and to
standardize the weaponry carried by its agents, withdrew all
authoriza-tion for personally owned fi rearms in other
calibers.
Before this time the agents were allowed to carry either
personally owned semi-autos in 9mm or .45 ACP, or the standard
issue revolver in .357 Magnum. I thought the .40 S&W was a fi
ne caliber, but that the huge Beretta handgun was a terrible
choice. However, I wasnt
asked for my input. Since that time the BP has moved on to
other, more appropriate handguns, but has stayed with the .40
S&W caliber.
To clarify things, no matter what you may have heard, the Border
Patrol did not, ever, issue fi rearms in either .45 ACP or 9mm
Luger. Agents who carried weapons in those calibers bought them
with their own funds and wrote memos requesting authorization to
carry them. If the weapons met the Border Patrols standards, the
weapon was autho-rized for carry. Sadly, the Colt 1911 was not on
the list of accepted weapons, but Glocks, Sig-Sauers, and a couple
of others were. I carried a Glock 17 for several years.
I suppose the hunt for a cartridge like the .40 S&W really
began when gunwriter Elmer Keith and U.S. Border Patrol,
retired
Protecting the FamilyHaving a family means having
responsibility. One of those responsibili-ties is to protect your
family to protect them from outside evil and harm, but also to
protect young ones from acci-dents in case they ignore parental
advice.
Having a fi rearm readily accessible in your home is one of the
greatest equal-izers against violence and evil that might target
your household. However, safe storage needs to be a priority if you
have young children around.
Dont get me wrong. Proper gun
training is fi rst and foremost. As soon as my kids can speak, I
drill them constantly not to touch daddys guns. I also satisfy
their curiosity by letting them handle a fi rearm in a safe manner
as we discuss gun safety. But the only way to guarantee no
accidents will happen is with redundancy, and part of that is safe
storage.
With most traditional fi rearms storage solutions you sacrifi ce
speed and acces-sibility. For instance, the cable locks that are
included with most fi rearms are pretty child-proof, but if a home
invader kicks in your front door it will take you too long to fi nd
the key, clear the cable,
load the pistol and eliminate the threat. However GunBox is a
product that ensures safety yet is quickly accessible, and it looks
pretty slick too.
The GunBox is constructed from an aircraft-strength aluminum
alloy, and it has a dual moving motorized lock that will hold up to
quite a bit of force. It has enough storage space to hold my
threaded S&W M&P 9mm with a Trijicon RMR on the slide. If I
add my
34 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E
PHOTOS: DUSTIN ELLERMANN
The GunBox, strong, secure, sleek, and...
1502 Tx Dept of Def.indd 34 1/8/15 1:55 PM
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Assistant Chief Patrol Agent, Bill Jordan, at an NRA convention,
approached the gun and ammunition manufactures and per-suaded them
to develop a revolver in .41 caliber. At that time revolvers in
either .38 Special or .357 Magnum were the ubiquitous police
weapons.
Semi-autos of that era were not considered suffi ciently
dependable for daily carry by police offi cers. When the .41 Magnum
was produced, the weapon, an N-Frame like the .44 Magnun -- but a
bit heavier because of the smaller holes in the barrel and cylinder
-- turned out to be too heavy, and the ammu-nition too powerful for
the average police offi cer, and was never very popular.
If it had been loaded down, as a sort of .41 Special, as Jordan
really wanted, with a lighter bullet of around 165 grains, at a
velocity of around a 1000 to 1100 feet per second, and chambered in
a smaller, lighter handgun, like the S&W L-Frame 686, it would
have been exactly was Jordan was look-ing for. For that matter, it
would have been, in a revolver, exactly what the .40 S&W now is
in a semi-auto.
As a reloader