ET Farm & Ranch 9-2014 (Outdoor Edition)

The only local voice for rural living.

The sport of hand fishing has gone by many names.

Noodling. Tickling.

Catfisting.

But, in Texas, it's traditionally been known simply as “illegal.”

Until three years ago, hand fishing was a Class C Misdemeanor in Texas, punishable by a fine for anyone caught pulling a catfish out of the water with their bare hands.

But in 2011, the Texas Legislature introduced House Bill 2189, which made it legal to fish in Texas with “the use of hands only and without any other fishing device such as a gaff, pole hook, trap or spear.”

The bill was seen by most as a quaint piece of legislation. A light-hearted break from the bitter budgetary debates that were ongoing, most dismissed the bill as unimportant.

However, a small segment of Texas anglers were

staunchly opposed to the measure, claiming that hand fishing would spell doom for the population of Texas' flathead catfish. According to the bill's detractors, Noodlers target one of the rarest catfish types in the states, and fish in such a manner that negatively impacts the population growth.

That's where Richard Ott, and Kris Bodane come in.

As researchers with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, they have access to incredible amounts of data concerning animals in Texas. And, they have to agree with some of the anglers who opposed hand fishing on one point — there's not a lot of knowledge about Flathead catfish

in Texas.

“We know that they're out there,” jokes Ott, “but we don't have a lot of individual information about those populations.”

As time passed, detractors of hand fishing quieted, and Noodling enthusiasts experienced a renaissance in Texas. In just a few years, it turned from a relatively unknown method of landing catfish, into a thriving fishing community, with annual tournaments held in some parts of the state.

One of those competitions takes place every year in Lake Palestine — the Lonestar Noodling Tournament.

And it's for that reason, that Ott and Bodane chose Lake Palestine for an in-depth

study into flathead catfish, and the implications of hand fishing in Texas.

Officials with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department became aware that people across the state were expressing concern over the native populations of catfish in Texas' lakes and rivers.

And so TPWD began putting together research material to implement a Statewide Catfish Management Plan.

Ott and Bodane are part of a team gathering information to flesh out the details needed for the plan.

“I would say it's still in it's infancy phase, there's still a

lot of pieces to the puzzle,” Bodane explains. “For (flathead catfish), the pieces just weren't there.”

And so in 2013, the two researchers set out to identify, catalog, and unlock the mysteries of Lake Palestine's population of Flathead Catfish. They began with a few, basic facts about the species.

“We know that there are just not as many flathead in the ecosystem as there are blue catfish and channel catfish,” Ott says” “They're an Apex Predator, they don't school, and they're very solitary.” Unlike their more popular blue

and channel brethren, flatheads aren't omnivores.

They are specialized predators they only eat other fish, unlike most catfish who will eat nearly anything.

The percentage of a fish population which is caught by humans is referred to as a species “exploitation,” which includes everything from sport fishing to river sustenance. Exploitation rates for blue and channel catfish, which have large, sturdy populations, can be sustained in some areas at rates up to 20 percent.

Whereas for specialized, rarer fish, much smaller yields are possible.

For example, another Texas' lake predator, the alligator gar, can usually only

Continued

HANDS-ON 8A

Re-open for Business Grapeland Safari offers view of unique wildlife

By ALEX HUDDLESTON Palestine Herald-Press

“We began in Ponta, in 1988, with Herring's Wilderness,” explains Tracey Herring. “My dad built a fence, and went to an exotic animal auction.”

Tracey is the co-owner of Grapeland Safari, in Grapeland. He shares the business with his mother, Nona Herring. Together, they offer visitors a glimpse of the impossible. African zebras racing across Texas grasslands. Scottish highland cattle chewing cud under mesquite trees. Even Australian wallabies bounding across American plains.

For the Herrings, exotic animals are a tradition. The family has operated animal parks off and on for almost

30 years.

However, Grapeland Safari only recently reopened, earlier this year, after the death of Tracey's father closed the business three years ago.

According to Tracey, he never had much to do with the family business before, but that all changed three years ago.

“It's hard to explain... it's kind of, living his legacy,” he says. “In the Bible it says honor your mother and your father. For 90 percent of my life, I didn't. I'm getting older, so I gotta start doing something right.”

Thanks to the expertise of his mother and brother, Tracey quickly learned the ropes of handling exotic animals and began rebuilding his father's business.

Starting from nothing more

than a fence, and a small herd of zebra, Tracey has filled Grapeland Safari with over 140 animals. Over 20 species, ranging from goats and sheep to yaks and beefalo, can be found within.

And he's not done yet. Expansion is ongoing, with new animals arriving from across the world, and over 100 additional animals expected to arrive over the next year.

Of course, it hasn't been easy restarting a business after three years of inactivity. Turnouts are modest, at best, and often potential customers don't even stop in.

“People will drive up, not see any animals, and then leave,” Tracey adds. “This time of year they all stay in the back, under the shade trees!”

Tracey has also had to cut the hours of the Safari, from seven days a week to five.

The start of school has cut down on free time for local families, and so the park now stays closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Winter is a tough time of year, but it just gives Tracey an opportunity to continue enhancing the Safari.

“If we wanna have a good

spring, a good summer, right now is the time to be getting out and hustling,” he said.

Grapeland Safari, located at 13440 U.S. 287 North in Grapeland, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

The $8 per person admission covers the drive-thru

route, as well as a kid's petting zoo for some of the more docile species. Children under 2 years old get in for free.

For more information about Grapeland Safari, you can check their facebook at facebook.com/grapelandsafari, or call 936-687-5292.

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OUTDOOR GUIDE

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September-October 2014

(Guy dove hunting) Results from a national survey of dove hunters indicates that dove hunters are typically white males, 45 or older, and well-educated with higherthan-average incomes.

(Photo by Matt Williams)

Read Your Rulebook: New Regs in store this Fall for Anglers, Hunters

By MATT WILLIAMS Outdoor Writer

Beginning this fall, anglers who fish in freshwater and saltwater in Texas well as select groups of hunters will have some new rules to go by when playing their respective games.

Last March, the TPW Commission approved several regulation changes impacting everything from squirrel hunting season to catfish and spotted sea trout limits. Here is a synopsis of the new rules, which go into effect on

been in effect across the Lower Laguna Madre since 2007. The current 10-fish trout limit will remain in effect on coastal waters above the Highway 457 bridge.

• Flounder Limits: The Commission tacked on two additional weeks to the two flounder per day limit that currently spans the month of November. Harvest will be allowed by any legal means during the first two

In a much welcomed change, catfish anglers on Texas/Louisiana border waters will now be able to retain 50 channel and blue cat in any combination with no size limit.

However, only five of those fish may be longer than 30 inches.

(Photo by Matt Williams)

Sept. 1: • ET Squirrel Season: The fall squirrel season, which gets underway Oct. 1, will be extended through the end of February this year. Also, hunters can use air rifles to hunt squirrels, provided the rifle has a 600 feet per second muzzle velocity and fires projectiles of at least .177 caliber. Bag and possession limits were eliminated in 12 counties in north-central Texas.

• Eastern Turkey Check-In: Effective with the Spring 2015 season, hunters who take eastern wild turkey gobblers can report their kill over the Internet rather than taking the bird to a mandatory check-in station. The department is currently developing a mobile phone app to simplify the mandatory check-in process.

• Firearm Possession: During the archery only season, archery hunters will no longer be prohibited from possessing firearms while in the field. However, lawful archery gear and/or crossbows are the only means by which hunters can take deer or turkeys during that season.

• Trout Limits: For saltwater, commissioners approved a proposal to implement a five-fish daily limit on spotted sea trout on coastal waters between the Highway 457 bridge near Sargent and the Texas/Mexico border where the Rio Grande dumps into the Gulf. The reg has

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

weeks of December.

• Catfish Limits: On Texas/ Louisiana border waters, anglers will be able to retain 50 channel and blue cat in any combination with no size limit. However, only five of those fish may be longer than 30 inches. The limit applies to Toledo Bend, Caddo Lake and the Lower Sabine River in Newton and Orange counties.

• Gar Rule: Citing concerns that potential overharvest could damage what looks to be one of the last strongholds for alligator gar populations, commissioners passed a reg that gives the TPWD Executive Director authority to impose temporary closures for fishing for the prehistoric-looking fish on certain waters during spawning periods. Any closures will be limited to 30 days.

Other fishing reg change are as follows: • A approved changes to the rainbow and brown trout fishery along a section of the Guadalupe River below Canyon Reservoir establishing a 12-18 inch slot length limit with a five-fish daily bag limit, harvest by artificial lures only, and only one trout over 18 inches could be re-

tained. The new regulation zone would begin 800 yards downstream from the Canyon Dam release and extend downstream to the easternmost Highway 306 bridge crossing.

• Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir: The special limits for freshwater lakes where red drum have been stocked are removed and regulations revert to statewide length limits (20-inch minimum length limit, 28-inch maximum length limit, and harvest of up to two red drum 28 inches or longer per year with trophy drum tag). Bag limit remains at three.

• Lake Kyle: regulations changed to catch and release (no harvest) of channel and blue catfish, largemouth bass, or any sunfish species.

• Canyon Lake Project #6: Harvest regulation for channel and blue catfish changed to no minimum length limit and a five-fish daily bag and anglers restricted to only two poles.

• North Concho River from O. C. Fisher Dam to Bell Street Dam and the South Concho River from Lone Wolf Dam to Bell Street Dam: Anglers restricted to using two poles.

• Recreational anglers who fish with jug lines will be allowed to use floats of any color except orange. Commercial anglers will continue to be restricted to using orange-colored floats.

By MATT WILLIAMS Outdoor Writer

The results from a national survey of more than 12,000 dove hunters provides some informative insight on the typical American dove hunter and how they feel about the future on of the sport as well as other topics such as the lead/non-toxic shot debate.

The survey was conducted as a joint project between the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, National Flyaway Council and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The survey was sent to randomly selected hunters in 40 states, averaging about

800 per hunters per state.

There were 30,3832 surveys delivered with drew 12,631 responses -- a 41.6 percent response rate Key findings of the survey include: • Dove hunters are typically white males, 45 years of age and older and are well-educated with higher-than-average incomes.

• Dove hunters responding to the survey said that the top hindrances to their participation in dove hunting are financial, including the cost of gasoline, shotshells, other dove hunting gear and hunting permits.

• Dove hunters mostly har-

vest fewer than 30 birds per season and hunt on private land. They typically travel 50 miles or more to get their hunting spots.

• Dove hunters responding to the survey aren't sure about the impacts of spent lead shot on dove health and believe they don't have enough scientific information about its potential effects. They are concerned that hunter participation could be impacted if nonlead shot were to be required at some point in the future.

The full survey results of the survey are available at www.fishwildlife.org.

Rebuilding The Beef Herd - It Will Take Time

Cattle numbers are short — best estimates are that we lost close to a million cows due to drouth since 2011.

The last time beef cow numbers nationwide were this low was in 1941. Restoring the herds is not going to be an easy process. With the record prices being paid for cattle at the marketplace, many producers are taking the dollars and going home.

But for those who plan to stay in the business there will be opportunities to grow. That’s the purpose of a number of meetings coming up in our area over the next month or so.

One of the featured programs takes place next week at the Camp Cooley Ranch near Franklin. It takes place Thursday, Sept. 25 and starts with registration at 7:30 a.m. and should be over by 5 p.m. Those who have attended the program in past years, call it one of the “best ever.� Top notch

speakers will be discussing pasture restocking, weed management and more.

Another topic will be cattle prices — now and in years to come. This speaker will start off by asking if “buying

$3,000 cows can be profitable?� There is lots more coming at the field day — and will include trailers to take those attending to several stops on the ranch. Cost of registration is $25 and in-

cludes a great barbeque lunch and lots of printed information to take home and read. Pre-register by calling 979-828-4270 — just pay the registration fee when you arrive.

Another upcoming program will dwell on winter pastures. Truman Lamb, county agent in Palestine, will be hosting a winter pasture and legume program this Thursday, September

18th at the Ben E. Keith building at 2019 West Oak St. — that’s next door to Little Mexico restaurant. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. and includes supper sponsored by Heritage Land Bank. Speakers will talk about the many options for winter pastures and also about including clovers in the mix. Cost is $10 and Truman asks that you call his office at 903-723-3735 by this afternoon to pre-register.

President Obama has stuck foot in mouth again. Several new revelations show that the President considers himself above and beyond all Americans. One former aide said Obama told him, “I think I could do every job on the campaign better than the people I hire to do it.�

He told another insider that, “I know more on policy issues than my White House policy directors.� Again, in a show of arrogance, Obama

Lessons of the Slop Jar

By DINAH HATTON

Editor's Note: This column originally ran in the Op-Ed section of the Sunday, March 4, 2014, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

If you’re a City Person, you might only have read of chamber pots, an inconvenient though useful contraption from an earlier time. In the part of Texas where I grew up, the term “chamber pot� was a tad too genteel.

We called these essentials “slop jars� or just “the pot.�

Whatever you called it, I had to empty it.

Our house sat on a slight rise facing busy Highway 31. The outhouse was back of the house, toward the woods, maybe 50 feet away.

It was tricky running with the pot to the outhouse. I

had learned through experience to leave the cover at the house. I had a special Slop Jar Samba, where I took many small, fast steps, as smoothly as I could, and held the contents away from me, my arms stiff. I was terrified that I would be seen by people in cars passing on the highway below. It didn’t matter that all along the highway there were other people also emptying their nightly pots.

This was late 1950’s America. Whenever I read attacks on President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, I wonder if these people ever lived in rural Texas. FDR’s vision brought electricity to widely separated houses, where kerosene had reigned supreme. But not even his mighty Rural Electrification Administration or the New Deal could influence where

water congregated.

My family’s lack of an indoor toilet was not because of finances. In fact, my father had drilled at least three times in failed attempts to hit enough water to support a flush toilet. But the elusive Carrizon-Wilcox Aquifer of northeastern Texas was too deep where our house stood.

Not everybody had outhouses; it was strictly dependent on the depth of the aquifer under your property.

Our neighbors about a quarter of mile to the west had an outhouse. Our neighbors about a quarter of a mile to the east had an indoor toilet; and so it went.

My father built the outhouse to last, with thick, heavy boards. The door had a powerful self-closing spring on it with a lock on the inside. As soon as you were in and took your hand off the door, it closed fast

told one aide ,“I am a better speechwriter than my speechwriters.�

Since Obama is smarter — and wiser — than all his high paid advisors, save us taxpayers some money by firing them all!

And these gems, collected from a number of sources, sent to us by Palestine friend Bert Duerer, “A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country.�

From the mouth of Tex Guinan.

From Will Rogers: “If we got one-tenth of what was promised to us in these State of the Union speeches, there wouldn’t be any inducement to go to heaven.�

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FARM & RANCH

September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

Growing up without indoor plumbing leads to a lifelong respect for water

and hard. His intent was to keep out wasps, granddaddy long legs, dirt daubers, bees and other insects, including a seasonal parade of big dung beetles that could grow as big as 2 inches. My father used to say they had saddles on them for the spiders.

There is no way that a prepubescent girl could want anybody to see her emptying a pot. But I was an only child and never complained about this chore. Who would empty it if not I? Oh, but how I hated it.

Then, in 1959, a bond passed in Henderson County, Texas.

The Leagueville Water Cooperative was formed and a giant water well was drilled, far deeper than most individuals could afford to go. Water pipes were laid to all the houses in the area. The first time I washed my hair with

the “new� water, I filled a gallon jug to rinse in case the water ran out while I was washing. I was reluctant to take a real bath at first; what if I used too much and we had to go back to the pot?

When I sold my parents’ home in 2001, I also sold their founding share in the cooperative. Today, it is still the way people who live outside the limits of cityprovided water pipes get their water.

But the days of pot emptying, and the appreciation of water, have stayed with me.

Whenever I use a toilet at a rest stop or a park that has an opening to the outside, I always look around to see what insects are there. I can take a shower, including washing my hair, in three minutes. This skill served me well when I lived in more austere Europe, where

water sometimes is available on a schedule.

In 1984, I moved to Manhattan in the midst of Mayor Ed Koch’s water conservation campaign, and I instantly identified with his motto: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.� Whenever New Yorkers grumbled, I did not.

Now I live in California and find myself again worrying about water. We are careless with this most treasured gift from the planet. We may learn what I knew as a kid in rural Texas doing my morning chores: Water on demand, and water to flush away our waste, is a luxury. Can we dig deep enough to keep it flowing?

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OUTDOOR GUIDE

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From DU Reports The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently its report on 2014 Trends in Duck Breeding Populations, based on surveys conducted in May and early June. Total populations were estimated at 49.2 million breeding ducks in the surveyed area.

This estimate represents an 8-percent increase from last year's estimate of 45.6 million birds, and is 43 percent higher than the 1955-2013 long-term average. This continues a three-year trend of exceptional water conditions and population numbers for many species.

“It looks like another good waterfowl breeding year for a good portion of the prairies and the boreal forest,” said DU CEO Dale Hall. “Precipitation in the form of snow and rain has provided sufficient water to fill important wetlands in key breeding habitats. We hope this will result in good production and another great flight of birds migrating in the fall. DU and its partners continue to work hard to protect and restore habitat to provide for the needs of these birds and so much more. While we still have much work to do in delivering habitat and securing key conservation policies

September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

DUCK DYNASTY? for sustaining these populations, we are heartened by the good results we have seen in the past few years.”

The main determining factor for duck breeding success is wetland and upland habitat conditions in the key breeding landscapes of the prairies and the boreal forest. Conditions observed across the U.S. and Canadian survey areas during the 2014 breeding population survey were improved or similar to last year. Total pond counts for the U.S. and Canada combined showed 7.2 million ponds, which is similar to the 2013 estimate and 40 percent above the long-term average.

“Reports from DU biologists indicate a strong breeding effort across the prairies,” said DU Chief Conservation Officer Paul Schmidt. “This is despite late winter conditions that delayed nesting activity in some areas by one to two weeks. We need more moisture in the Western Boreal Forest and in parts of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, and higherthan-usual water levels have posed some challenges for nesters in the Eastern Region. But overall this is a good breeding season, and depending on local conditions hunters across North America should look forward to another strong fall flight.”

“This spring, as has been the case for the past several years, saw abundant moisture across much of North America's most important duck breeding areas,” said DU Chief Biologist Scott Yaich. “That bodes well for duck breeding success this summer and, we hope, for hunting this fall. But we remain concerned with the continuing and escalating loss of nesting habitat in these areas. Because ducks need water, wetlands to hold the water and upland habitats to successfully raise their young, the ongoing loss of grasslands and wetlands across the Prairie Pothole Region will increasingly impact the number of ducks in the fall

flight in the long-term.”

The spring surveys provide the scientific basis for many management programs across the continent, including hunting season dates and bag limits. The four flyway councils and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Regulations Committee

will meet in late July to recommend the season structure and bag limits for 2014-15. Individual states will make their specific selections within a federal framework of season length, bag limit and dates. Hunters should check the rules in their states for final dates.

Surveys indicate mallard populations are holding steady at 10.9 million, which is 42 percent above the long-term average.

Photo by Jo Anne Embleton

BHS Adds Green House to Campus

By Cristin Reece Contributing Writer

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FARM & RANCH

September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

The agriculture program at Bullard High School is adding a new greenhouse (pictured), thanks to a grant from the Bullard Education Foundation.

BULLARD -- Bullard High School's horticulture class is growing like, well, weeds.

BHS's agriculture program is currently adding a green house to its facilities and BHS horticulture teach Charlotte Main said construction of the 30 by 40foot space could be completed as early as end the of this month. "(The structure) is there and the utilities are getting pretty soon," Main said.

Main, who has taught horticulture at Bullard for two years, sought and received a $5,000 grant from the Bullard Education Foundation (BEF) for the project earlier this year. The BEF is a non-profit group of volunteers "working together to provide the resources to enhance the learning environ-

ment in Bullard's schools," according to the Foundation's website, www.bullardeducationfoundation.org.

"I want to thank everyone who helped make this possible, from the Foundation to the faculty to the community and the students," she said.

Her reasoning behind getting a district greenhouse built was simple, Main said.

"We didn't have one," she said. "And we need one -especially in this area, where there are so many commercial growers and producers. It's hugely important for students to be hands-on in learning, especially in horticulture and other agricultural subjects."

Main said her curriculum includes classes on growing garden veggies, bedding plants and flowers; land-

scaping sciences; and even floral design, both in the ground and in a vase.

"Yes, it's a green house, but all the other ag classes will be able to use the space, too," Main said. "Because so many parts of ag bleed over into other parts of ag - I want this space to illustrate that natural circle, too."

There's another, bigger 'circle' Main is hoping the new green house will help propagate, as well.

"Right now the agriculture community is in critical need of young people to take an interest in growing and producing our sustainable food sources -- most especially in the research and development of improvements across the industry," she said. "If we don't keep the interest there or keep helping it to grow, we won't

be able to produce enough food for everyone in the future."

Recent census data suggests more and more of the country's youth are opting out of agriculture related careers, causing concern as more and more of the country's farmers and ranchers reach retirement age.

“According to USDA, the average age of Texas farmers and ranchers is 59, with only six percent of them under the age of 35," Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said recently in a release published at the Commission's website, http://www.texasagriculure.gov/. “Leadership development in the classroom, the lab, at home and in the field is vitally important to give students the training and experience needed to re-

main competitive in today’s global job market.

“Many people may not realize there are more than 200 different agriculture-related careers out there for our young people to explore.

Agriculture today is technically advanced, diverse, efficient and innovative. It takes a close partnership with education to grow the knowledge and skills necessary to produce the clothes we wear, the homes we live in, the food we eat, the medicines that heal us and the energy that powers our lives.”

Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture released preliminary data collected via the 2012 Census of Agriculture in February this year, and while the numbers show a "strong rural America," according to

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

"While the aging nature of the farming population is a concern, we are hopeful that as we attract and retain the next generation of talent into rural America, this trend can also be reversed," Vilsack stated.

If BHS's enrollment numbers are any indication, Main's effort, at least, is paying off.

"We held our first FFA meeting earlier this month," Main said, "and we had nearly 500 show up. Two years ago, there were maybe 275. We have 375 students in our ag program this year, up from 220 two years ago."

jacksonville progress.com

Smith County Garden Lecture Series Popular Among Area Residents

By Jo Anne Embleton Jacksonville Progress

TYLER – A garden lecture series sponsored by the Smith County Extension office at the Rose Garden Center in Tyler is proving to be popular among residents wanting guidance as they sink their fingers into the soil.

“People are just wanting to get out in yards and do work,” said Rae Meinen, a local Master Gardener who serves as administrative assistant for extension agent Keith Hansen.

“It's wonderful exercise, people getting their hands dirty.”

While the monthly series, which kicked off early in the year, is winding down, people are still signing up in throngs.

“Last Saturday, we of-

fered 'Enjoy Your Home Landscape – Make Your Landscape Fit Your Life,' and that drew 42 people.

We've got two more classes coming, and both of the speakers are very well known, very well sought-after speakers, so those classes will be even bigger,” Meinen said.

An October 25 program, “Forgotten and Underutilized Plants for East Texas,” will be presented

by Greg Grant, a research associate at Stephen F. Austin State University's Pineywoods Native Plant Center. Grant, who also is co-author of Heirloom Gardening in the South, “will discuss choice plants for the home landscape,” she said.

On Nov. 15, Dr. Dave Creech, director of Mast Arboretum at SFA, will present “Japanese Maples and Adapted Trees for Every Landscape.”

“They have the largest collection of Japanese maples in the region, and Dr. Creech will share some of his favorite selection, as well as discuss a wide selection of other trees adapted to East Texas, many which are not frequently seen in our area,” Meinen added.

Both classes will be held at the Tyler Rose Garden Center, with registration beginning at 8 a.m., followed by the 9 a.m. morning program.

Cost is $15 per person per program.

Meinen called the classes a “wonderful” way for individuals to learn how beautify and care for their personal outdoor space.

“People can hire landscapers, but some may only have a small area, and this is a wonderful way they can gain knowledge on how to create a place, or help them take care of or even highlight it,” she said.

Living in a favorable climate inspires people to get out and sink their fingers in the soil to create something beautiful and unique, she added.

“We're very fortunate here in East Texas – we can do a lot of things,” she said.

For more information about the East Texas Garden Lecture Series, contact Meinen at 903-590-2980, or visit http//smith.agrilife.org.

athens review.com

OUTDOOR GUIDE

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September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

Anglers encouraged to ramp up livewell fish care efforts

The popularity of bass fishing has exploded during the last 20 years. During this time many changes have taken place, including increases in fishing technology and the advent of more restrictive harvest regulations. However, one of the most important changes includes increased angler acceptance of catch and release practices.

There is no doubt that the popularity of catch and release has helped sustain and enhance bass fisheries throughout Texas. Currently, almost all bass tournaments require release of all live fish weighed in and penalize those with dead bass. In addition, conservation of the resource should be a major consideration of all tournament anglers. Therefore, tournament anglers should do everything possible to ensure survival of released fish. By following the guidelines below, anglers can minimize stress on bass while held in livewells.

All fish care recommendations are based on water temperature, oxygen, ammonia levels, and proper handling of fish. Stress in the livewell occurs as a result of low oxygen levels and ammonia buildup from fish waste. As water temperatures increase, water holds less oxygen, bass consume more oxygen, and ammonia becomes more toxic.

This implies that as the water temperatures increase, fish in a livewell require more attention and care in order to reduce stress.

When water temperatures are below 75 degrees and less than 10 pounds of bass are in the livewell, at a minimum anglers should run either the recirculating (aerating) pump or intake pump at timed intervals.

These timers should be set to run as often as possible.

By recirculating water, uniodized salt can be added to livewell water (1/3 cup per 5 gallons of water) to match the body fluid salt concentration of bass, which is 0.5 percent. Fish experiencing stress absorb excess water while in the livewell,

diluting body fluids below levels necessary for survival.

Maintaining the salinity of livewell water to that of fish body fluids minimizes effects of stress. Uniodized salt is cheap and can be purchased in bulk at your local feed store under the name â&#x20AC;&#x153;stock salt.â&#x20AC;? Pre-measured amounts of salt can be carried in ziplock bags.

Many commercial water conditioners (i.e., catch and release formulas) cannot be recommended by state agencies, not due to ineffectiveness, but because the ingredients have not been tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as safe for human consumption.

If water is recirculated, replace half of the livewell water every 3 hours to prevent toxic ammonia build up that results from fish waste.

When water is replaced, additional salt needs to be added. Pumping fresh water in on a timer with intake pumps prevents toxic ammonia buildup but prevents use of salt additives. When there are more than 10 pounds of bass in the livewell, anglers must run either recirculating or intake pumps continuously to ensure optimal livewell conditions. Adequate, fully charged boat batteries should have no problem providing continuous, allday power to the pumps.

When water temperatures are above 75 degrees, anglers must run their recirculating pumps continuously, even if there is only one bass in the livewell. As discussed above, uniodized salt must be added to keep fish in the best shape possible.

For boats equipped only with timer-operated pumps, the switches should be replaced to allow the pumps to operate in continuous mode.

Again, at these temperatures, running pumps on a timer does not maintain adequate oxygen levels in livewells. At these warmer temperatures, cooling the livewell water with ice is very important and allows it to hold more oxygen and reduces oxygen consumption by bass. Enough ice needs to be added to reduce the livewell temperature 5-10 degrees below reservoir surface temperature. However, excessive cooling beyond 10 degrees can cause heat shock and death when bass are released back into the lake.

Block ice is preferred (it lasts longer) and can be made by freezing water in half-gallon milk jugs or 12ounce water bottles. When using recirculating pumps half the livewell water needs to be exchanged every 3 hours to prevent ammonia buildup. When water is exchanged, additional ice and salt need to be added. As a

rule, eight pounds of ice will cool the typical livewell 510 degrees for three hours.

A frozen, half-gallon milk jug will weigh four pounds.

During a typical tournament day (8-9 hours), eight pounds of ice added every 3 hours when water is exchanged should maintain a cooler livewell temperature.

Thermometers are a must to insure water is not cooled more than 10 degrees. Thermometers used to measure vehicle air conditioning work well and can be purchased at auto stores.

Most of the electronic GPS/sonar units can support additional temperature sensors that can be permanently mounted in livewells. The ability to plot both livewell temperatures and the lake surface temperature on the GPS/sonar screen allows for continuous monitoring and adjustment of livewell temperatures.

To maintain livewell-held bass in the best possible shape, pure oxygen-injection systems (oxygen bottle, regulator, and fine-pore air diffuser) can be installed for approximately $300. By far, lack of oxygen is the primary reason fish die in livewells.

During the most extreme conditions, (15-plus pounds of bass in a livewell over 85 degrees), these systems are the only way to maintain optimum oxygen levels. I have this system installed in my boat, and would be happy to display and discuss this equipment with anyone that is interested. A TPWD presentation on these oxygen systems can be seen at www.slideshare.net/raminlandfish/livewell-oxygeninjection-8773301.

Fish hooked in the gills or stomach may die even with appropriate care due to excess bleeding. Dead fish will cause poor water quality conditions in the livewell and should be removed immediately and placed on ice.

However, as required by state game laws, dead fish must be retained as part of your daily limit. It is illegal to cull dead fish.

The weigh-in is an additional stress factor. Probably the most important thing anglers can do during this time is to not carry bass in dry bags from the boat to the holding tanks. As simple as this sounds, it is surprising how many anglers do not take the time to get enough water in the bags to prevent stress during the time the fish are put into the bag until they reach the life-support tanks or scales.

Fill your weigh-in bag with at least four gallons of water from your livewell, especially if you have been using ice to cool the livewell water. Holding tanks at the weigh-in line should be aerated, cooled with ice, and

by Todd Driscoll Guest Columnist

TPWD fisheries biologist Todd Driscoll say anglers can reduce stress on livewell-held bass by following the basic steps of livewell care.

(Photo by Matt Williams) treated with salt. Effort should be taken while in the line to exchange the original water in the bag with the aerated, treated water in the tanks and to keep your bag submerged in the holding tanks. Many tournaments now have multiple air stones in each holding tank for placement inside your weigh-in bag. Oxygenating your water in the weigh-in bag while in line is ab-

solutely critical, as oxygen in the weigh-in bag can drop to zero in just a couple of minutes.

If fish are held for pictures, wet your hands before touching the fish. Grasp fish by lower jaw but never bend the head down or hold horizontally by jaw. Avoid touching the body of the fish as this removes the protective mucous covering. When holding bigger fish, the

lower body should also be supported with a wet hand under the belly to prevent jaw damage. Do not keep fish out of water any longer than you can hold your breath. Air exposure is extremely stressful to fish.

Editor's Note: Todd Driscoll is a veteran fisheries biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and an avid tournament angler.

Popcorn Hi Y’all, Fall is almost here! Yea! I for one am looking forward to cool days and chilly nights. That’s a combination that makes me frisky all day and then ready to snooze all curled up on the couch in the evening. And

when it’s time for a fire, well that will even be better.

I know some of you like the warm temps better but not me.

And thank goodness PBR is back on tv from it’s summer break cause that means POPCORN! For some reason that’s the main time Mama fixes those luscious white morsels. When she puts that bag in the microwave I can hardly wait till a piece is thrown my way. If it were up to me we’d have it to snack on nightly, but since I can’t operate the microwave I guess I’ll just have to wait till bull riding comes on. For some reason Mr.P doesn’t care for the white stuff. He sniffed of a piece that I missed when it came my way and turned up his nose and walked away. Course that was fine with me since that means I don’t have to share with him, but I can’t understand how anyone can resist that wonderful treat. That and peanut butter are two of the wonders of the world as

far as I’m concerned.

Since my last letter we’ve been on a couple of trips.

One was to the mountains of New Mexico and oh how I love going there when it’s hot in Texas. We did some hiking and I dipped my paws in those chilly streams every chance I got. I met several other Texas dogs while out and about and ‘told’ them that we sure were lucky pups to get to travel to such nice cool places. We got a chance to visit with one of my aunts and uncles while in Red River. They stay there most of the summer along with my doggie cousin, Lucky. I think his name says it all.

Of course my folks got in some golf and I decided that strange game sure is a lot more fun when played in cool weather rather than hot. After a few days in Red River we headed down to Ruidoso. Mama calls it ‘Texas West’ since so many of us go there. One day we visited a Brangus ranch near there. We got a tour of

the whole place and saw lots of cattle. They’re having their first sale this October and Daddy wanted to get a look at some of the sale offerings. This ranch is huge – 60,000+ acres – and it took a while to drive over all of it. Mama said you know a place is big when it rains on one side of the ranch and not on the other.

A short while later we went to a cattle field day at Draggin’M Ranch in Arkansas.

Man was it ever hot there!

Even though the big barn had ceiling fans and chilled air blowing in, it was still too warm for my taste.

Thankfully there were some living quarters attached to the barn and I spent some time in there cooling my tummy on the tile floor. I always enjoy those events since I get so much attention. Being hugged, petted and told how pretty you are never gets old. Hey, I am a female you know. There was one incident I not too proud of though and that was when I growled and

snapped at Buddy the ranch dog. Course there was a piece of Mc Donalds breakfast sandwich involved and I’m not too good at sharing my treats.

You know I mentioned how I enjoyed dipping my toes in the mountain streams. Well the other day while on our morning walk, I think I jumped in every puddle I came to. It had rained the night before and they were everywhere.

Mama said I’ve never met a puddle I didn’t like. Jumping in them takes me back to my puppy days, especially the time we were in Branson and there was a creek behind our cabin. I played and ran up and down that creek till I was ‘dog tired’ as they say. You know everyone should do things now and then that takes them back to their younger days. Who cares if you look foolish; it’s just plain fun.

The other day we were on

Continued Kodi 7B

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FARM & RANCH

September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Dove Breast Each fall we travel West Texas to go dove hunting this is something our family looks forward to every year.

The fellowship we share is priceless and the hunt sure makes for a great time as well. God knew what he was doing when he gave me all boys. I love the outdoors and so does the rest of my

family. With dove hunting comes Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Dove Breast. Don't knock it til you try it! Some people may turn their nose up to a dove breast. My reply to that..... you just don't know what you are missing. Oh well, that leaves more for those who enjoy it right!

Dee Wise Palestine Herald-Press

15 whole plucked dove breasts garlic salt black pepper 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese 15 jalapeño slices, each slice halved, fresh 2 packages regular-sliced bacon, cut in half With a paring knife, separate breasts from breastbones to make 30 lobes. Sprinkle very lightly with garlic salt and pepper. Take a breast, about a tablespoon of cream cheese, and a jalapeño slice and wrap in bacon. Secure with a toothpick. Grill until bacon is crisp. Serves 8 to 10.

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OUTDOOR GUIDE

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September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

EAST TEXAS 4-H CLUB BRINGS IT HOME

By Rich Flowers Athens Review

The Henderson County 4H Clubs have long been on target when it comes to shooting sports, whether its with firearms or a bow and arrow.

This summer, three Henderson County students earned the opportunity to be on the state team that brought home the first place trophy from the 2014 National Shooting Sports 4-H Invitational in Grand Island, Nebraska. Charles Smith, Noah Newman and Amanda Cooper were among the hundreds of participants in the

three day competition.

Newman also won individual accolades with a 4th place finish in recurve archery. A recurve bow is a bow with tips that curve away from the archer when it is strung.

Texas way of choosing must have merit because since the tournament begin 2000, Texas has won the sweepstakes trophy every year but one.

Texas is the only state that doesn’t have qualifiers, They send their competitors to state based on how good their references are and the quality of

the individual versus going strictly on the performance of the kids in their sport.

Noah is a senior this year and is involved in a number of 4-H and school activities.

He’s also eligible to go back to the national tournament if he’s chosen. He started using a bow when he was eight years old. His father Newman was the coach of the Henderson County archery contestants.

“My parents got me a bow at Bass Pro Shop and it kind of escalated from there,” Noah said.

HANDS-ON withstand up to 5 percent exploitation rates to maintain a healthy population.

And while most gar fishers are looking for trophies to mount, catfish are generally sought-after for a different reason. “ They're a very consumptious species,” Ott explains.

“Catfish are just really, really good to eat! People really like them.”

With these facts in mind, Ott and Bodane began by tagging, and recording fish from Lake Palestine. Most of the fish were caught by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, using a technique known as “Electrofishing.” Also called telephoning by some anglers, the technique involves pulsing electricity through a specific area of the lake, with the frequency and voltage specifically “dialed in” to affect a certain species.

Although large numbers of fish were tagged and released back into the lake, some had to be dissected to pave the way for studies into the age and size ranges for flatheads. They didn't go to waste, however.

Fish taken from the lake by researchers were donated to a local Anderson County group known as the Crawfish Boil Committee. Volunteers filleted and prepared the meat, before it was frozen, where it will stay

until next year's Crawfish Boil.

According to Tom Clamon, with the Committee, TPWD donated over 1,200 pounds of catfish for the celebration. The fish will be fried up, and sold to raise funds for local students, with the Crawfish Boil providing scholarships, supplies, and club equipment for all seven of Anderson County's school districts.

The research project has entered it's second phase, with surveying underway among Texas anglers for more information on how Texan's fish. But some conclusions have already begun to solidify from the initial data collected over the last year.

“Right now, it appears that harvest rates are pretty low,” Bodane says. “The exploitation of flathead catfish in Lake Palestine is around three to five percent.”

Although the researchers did add that there's still much more data to go through, these early findings could overturn some ideas about hand fishing. Lake Palestine is one of the premiere Noodling spots in Texas, yet with such a low rate of harvest the technique might be less of a danger to flathead populations than some believe.

The main point of the study, however, is simply to expand what is known about

this species of fish. With more information on survival rates, size ranges and how their ecosystem affects flatheads, a more comprehensive plan for how Texas should approach it's waterways, it's fish populations, and it's anglers can be devised.

TWPD expects to have their Statewide Catfish Management Plan completed by the end of next year.

Until then, however, there's several ways to advance the collective knowledge of catfish in Texas. Surveys are underway among select groups of anglers, with occasional open calls for anglers in certain areas. And, if you'd like to get hands-on, you can do your part to unlock the mysteries of the flathead catfish. Grab your fishing license, roll up your sleeve, and head out to Lake Palestine. Just make sure to watch out for snakes and turtles.

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He started shooting competitively when he was 14.

Sometimes the target is far as 70 meters away.

“It’s pretty difficult,” Noah said. “The target is about the size of an orange. It’s pretty difficult to hit the center every time. Any movements in your hand can be the difference between winning and not winning.”

The shooters were in Nebraska for a week. Smith and Cooper were on the compound team. Smith, in his last year of eligibility, brought home an individual sixth place ribbon and a team gold.

Cooper was an alternate and brought home a team gold medal.

“In my division, I came back with three bronze medals, ribbons for fourth place and a team gold,” Noah said.

He also liked the change of scenery from the rolling hills of East Texas to the flat

prairie land of Nebraska and pitting his skills against top shooters from around the nation.

“It was pretty awesome and cool to get to shoot against shooters from so many states all competing for the same thing,” Noah said.

The Texas team took first place in air pistol, compound archery, and was among the top finishers in all of the different categories at the event.

Every event was important in the close competition for the sweepstakes award. Texas finished with 205 points to Missouri’s 202. Kansas, Louisiana and Minnesota rounded out the top five.

Newman and Cooper had the honor of bringing the championship trophy to the Henderson County Commissioners Court meeting on September 2. The trophy is making its way to all of the counties represented by members of the Texas team.

Wildlife Profile: The Texas Brown Tarantula

By Billy Lambert TPWD Wildlife Biologist

Normally, when I show you a picture of a critter, I tell you what species it is, and then tell you something about it. But, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really tell you for sure what this one is, other than it is a tarantula from the genus Aphonopelma. Best guess is the Texas brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi). But, as it turns out, a positive identification can only be made through microscopic and postmortem examination of the genitalia (doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even sound fun when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dead). So letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just assume that it is a Texas brown.

As of 2009, over 900 species of tarantula have been identified worldwide and more species are added each year. There are over 50 species of tarantulas native to the United States (plus an introduced species in Florida), ranging from California to Utah in the west over to Missouri and south to Louisiana. About 15 species occur in Texas where they are found in every county in the state.

The Texas brown tarantula can be found in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, and Missouri.

Although color varies to

some degree, the body is typically black with black and brown hairs throughout the body. These sensitive hairs are used to detect prey items as well as potential threats as tarantulas do not have good eyesight.

An interesting defense mechanism unique to tarantulas found in North and South America, as opposed to those in old world countries is the ability to use their legs to fling hairs from their abdomen. These urticating hairs can cause potentially serious skin and eye irritation to unsuspecting predators.

Tarantulas do have an exoskeleton that is periodically shed or molted as the body grows. This occurs frequently in juveniles, but usually only yearly in adults. Freshly molted tarantulas may appear bluish in color, usually only lasting a few days. When a sexuallymature male molts for the final time, his body shape changes from stocky to long-legged and slim.

Tarantulas have a surprisingly long lifespan, although it does differ by sex. Females can live as long as 35 years while males are doing good to make it to 10 years.

The reason for the male's

shorter lifespan is it is constantly searching for females. This exposes them to much greater levels of predation.

Males do not reach maturity for 3-7 years and then die shortly thereafter. After their final molt, males spend considerable time searching for a mate so that they can reproduce before they die.

Separate from most true spiders, tarantulas are considered mygalomorphs, meaning, among other things, that tarantu- las do not construct webs to catch prey. They do, however, produce silk from spinnerets located on the abdomen.

The silk is used to line the burrows that they live in, detect prey at the entrance of the burrow, and females use it to create a protective housing for the eggs.

Tarantulas prey mostly on insects, although they will con- sume anything that they can catch, including mice and birds. Common food items include crickets, grasshoppers, scorpions, cockroaches, beetles, caterpillars, lizards, and even other tarantulas. Once caught, the tarantula injects venom into the prey to subdue it and the digestive enzymes also serve the

purpose of liquefying the tissues, which are then sucked out (kind of like a bug-gut smoothie).

Although there are arboreal tarantula species that spend considerable time in trees and shrubs, the Texas brown ta- rantula is more of a cave-dweller, spending most of its life in burrows either created or â&#x20AC;&#x153;borrowedâ&#x20AC;?. Other popular hangouts include rock crevices, deep soil cracks, and under fallen logs or rocks. Tarantulas are mostly nocturnal and while they may make small trips to search for prey when needed, most wait for potential food items to come to them. Females and immature males rarely desert their burrows unless forced out by other animals or due to flooding events. Mature males, however, leave the burrows and spend considerable time searching for females.

One fascinating aspect of behavior that is not well understood involves mass movements of tarantulas in which thousands of individuals move across the landscape at the same time. I was fortunate to observe one of these as a youngster in Dickens County. For several

miles, the road we were traveling contained too many tarantulas to even think about trying to count, all moving in the same direc- tion. While the exact cause of this unique phenomenon is not known, the leading theories center around simple mi- gration, males looking for mates, and the after-effects of large rainfall events.

The mating season for tarantulas typically occurs in the spring. Once the female is fertilized, she can lay anywhere from 100 to 1,000 eggs that are protected by silk webbing within the burrow. Incubation lasts for 1.5 to 2 months before the eggs hatch in mid-late summer. Newly born tarantulas will stay around the female for up to a week until they move off to create their own burrows. Due to a varie- ty of predators, mortality of the juvenile spiders is very high until they create their burrow.

Once past infancy, tarantulas face few predators, at least from the invertebrate world. The notable exceptionis the tarantula hawk, which is a wasp that, as the name implies, specializes in tarantulas. The wasp stings the tarantula to paralyze it,

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FARM & RANCH

ARACHNOPHOBIA September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

drags it to a depression or burrow, and then lays eggs on the spider. The hatching larvae then feed on the tarantula as they mature.

The largest threats to tarantulas, though, center around human encroachment, loss of habitat, and pesticide use.

Texas brown tarantulas are very docile and may be the least aggressive of all the tarantulas. This makes them a popular choice among exotic pet owners as they require little care and are easy to feed. Females are a better choice as they live much longer than males. They are easily handled once you get past the scary appearance and are considered harmless to both people and most pets, including dogs and cats. Bites from tarantulas are rare and there has never been a documented fatality from a tarantula bite (commonly de- scribed as similar to a bee sting).

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OUTDOOR GUIDE

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September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

Serving more than 100,000 people,

Jacksonville Progress Staff Reports

selling more than 100,000 items

Been wondering what that "Stackin Bills" decal is on the back of area pickup trucks?

The business was formed in 2009 in Jacksonville, and offers several outdoor items and apparel.

A group of hunters in Jacksonville decided to open a business in 2009, and it has grown in popularity far surpassing expectations.

Stackin Bills serves more than 100,000 people, selling more than 100,000 items.

"It began with an order of tshirts and decals that sold out within hours. After many requests for more products and a lot of planning Stackin Bills LLC was formed," according to the website www.stackinbills.com.

Today Stackin Bills carries a range of products including duck calls, hats, hoodies, shirts, decals and other accessories.

"We have many repeat customers and a lot of our busi-

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ness comes by way of customers telling their friends about us. You will be hard pressed to find another business more committed than Stackin Bills at making sure each customer is satisfied with every purchase they make," the website said.

Stackin Bills carries several styles of duck calls made from acrylic and wood. The flagship call, known as the “Money Call," is an acrylic double reed call made from

shredded U.S. currency. It is a one of a kind call that will definitely turn some heads, and ducks.

Another popular call is the Black Smoke Dymondwood call, which is also a double reed call with a raspy low end and good range.

The apparel line is also popular with not only hunters but everyone who lives and promotes the outdoor lifestyle.

There are many styles of tshirts, caps and hoodies and

new items are being added.

"We now have several customers, turned friends, in the public eye who are promoting Stackin Bills apparel, including several pro athletes, and musicians," according to the website.

So, if you see a Stackin Bills logo on the back of a pickup ... now you know!

Visit www.stackinbills.com to get onboard with the cleverly-named outdoor business.

9B

Unlawful acts are often performed to make them lift their feet higher Visiting the Doris Day Equine Center is always a pleasure. The facilities and the staff are wonderful.

I had spoken to Aubrey Gaines, Trainer at the facility, and I was excited to see the horses that are the subject of the article. As I sat at her desk, she asked me if I understood soring, or if I had seen the undercover video that resulted in the seizure of these horses.

The short answer was, No. We watched the undercover video on the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) website before we went out to meet the horses. It is very difficult to watch, and I had absolutely no idea this practice was going on. I am guilty of watching those horse shows

and drooling over the horses, thinking that exaggerated gait was all natural, and just a matter of training. It was this video that led to a federal investigation, which resulted in seizing the horses and filing charges on the trainers.

Three years after the federal investigation revealed illegal and abusive training methods, eight Tennessee Walking Horses were rescued in March 2012. Three of them have since found a home at the Doris Day Equine Center located in Murchison. They have been here for a year now, and the progress they have made is remarkable, said Trainer Aubrey Gaines. The other five may be joining them in the near future.

These eight horses were not

the typical abuse cases we usually see, said Gaines.

Physically, they looked healthy and well-taken-care of, as they were show horses. The abuse was discovered via an undercover video that showed the horses thrashing in pain, being beaten in the face with an axe handle and shocked with a cattle prod.

Their ankles had been chemically-sored by applying anything from mustard oil to diesel fuel, and then wrapping their ankles in cellophane to drive in the heat. Heavy chains were placed around the ankles, so that when the chain strikes the ankle, the pain causes them to raise that front leg higher, causing the exaggerated movement seen in these shows.

Using a 6-ounce chain around the front ankles is legal in the industry, as are the stacks, and they are shown in competition with these chains and stacks. A metal band around the hoof is used to secure the stacks in place.

What is illegal is the chemical soring as described above, and the additional illegal practice of soring the hoof by placing putty, steel ball bearings or nails directly into the center or frog of the hoof, which is the most sensitive part of the hoof.

The horses are then taught to ignore the pain by beating or shocking them, because an inspector will check for soring before the competition, and if

the horse reacts, they are not allowed to compete.

Some horses had resorted to chewing their tongues to hide the pain. All of this is done to forcibly enhance or exaggerate the horses’ natural gait to achieve a big showy gait known as the Big Lick seen in the Tennessee Walking Horse shows.

Imagine wearing highheeled shoes 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and that is what it’s like wearing these stacks said Ben Callison, executive director. And then it took a month or so to get them off the stacks after they were rescued. The stacks are lowered a little at a time, so as not to in-

jure the tendons and ligaments, as they are stretched back to normal. Seeing them run for the first time without the stacks is a breath-taking moment.

There is a video on the HSUS website, should anyone wish to view it.

The horses sent to Doris Day Equine Center all have evidence of chemical soring on their ankles. When they first arrived, Gaines described how pensive and/or aggressive the horses were. The biggest scar they bore was emotional ones.

At first it was very difficult to work with their feet. One

Continued

Unlawful 7B

Kathi Nailling Staff Writer

“Horses are a commitment,” say Flores. “Emotionally and financially.”

Linda Flores lives north of Mabank on 23 acres in Prarieville. Flores a horse lover currently has nine horses on her property. She got her first when she was 13-years old living in Maine. The seasoned horse owner says “too many firsttime horse owners select a horse that isn't right for them.” The frustration will eventually cause the horse owner to give up on horses.

Linda along with her husband Jose have been raising and racing horses for 30

years.

Flores suggest doing some research before your purchase your first horse.

As much as you and your child want a horse, take your time. “Not everyone should own horses.” Flores said.

“Horses are a commitment,” say Flores. “Emotionally and financially.”

Flores suggestion before buying a horse know how to ride. If you are not a regular rider of horse, enroll in riding lessons with a reputable trainer.

Decide what you want to achieve with the horse before you make the purchase.

Will this be a pleasure riding horse? Do you want to breed or possibly show the horse?

If you have competition aspirations, the horse will costs more.

The purchase of the horse is just a small financial part of ownership. Some other expenses will include: • Boarding this can range from full care, which will include feedings and stall cleaning to self-care. Selfcare includes only a place to keep the horse. The boarder does all the work for selfcare including feeding and bedding.

• Lessons evening if you already know how to ride.

Plan on several years of lessons.

• Competition competing your horse will include entry fees, transportation, special outfits and equip-

ment.

• Feed and supplements. It is best to consult a veterinarian for specific nutrition advice.

Decide the kind of the horse you should buy. Flores said “Most people want to buy a horse their child can grow up with.” “This is not always the wises decision,” Flores said. When a young inexperienced rider buys a young inexperienced horse, the horse tends to run roughshod over the owner.

The horse may become spoiled and dangerous.

Some experts say if you are buying a horse for a child the age of the horse and the child's age should add up to 20. Younger horse are not quiet and experienced enough for first-time buyers. Many horses live over 25-years some as long at 30 years.

According to Flores older horses are much more easy to ride. Flores suggestion

buying a horse the is welltrained and well-mannered with a good temperament.

Perhaps think about buying a horse about 10-years old.

If you are going to use your horse for trail riding, buy one that is an experienced trail rider. If you want to show your horse, find a horse that is already competing.

Experts say your first horse should be one nearly anyone can handle and ride.

There are many breeds of horses to choose from.

Horses have been bred for generations to develop particular breeds. Flores' horse of choice is the Quarter Horse.

The Quarter Horse tends to be more docile. “They are just an all around good breed horse,” Flores said.

More spirited horses include Arabians and Thoroughbreds.

Many of the experts say a

stallion is never a good horse for first time horse owners. A more appropriate choice would be a gelding or a mare. Geldings tend to be more reliable and less moody.

Horses you want to try to avoid are pregnant mares, horses not suitable for a beginner, hyper horses, horses that are not well trained and horses that have health issues.

A finally suggestion, once you have identified the horse to fit your lifestyle you should always make arrangements to have a veterinarian check the health of the horse.

Buying a new horse may be exciting. If you have explored all the dos and don'ts of horse ownership. You are aware of the responsibility of owning a horse including financial and time commitment. It's

OUTDOOR GUIDE

2B

September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

NEAR & ABROAD

By MATT WILLIAMS Outdoor Writer

A big buck is prone to show up when you least expect it. Just ask Shelton Booth of Marshall.

Last December, Booth was hunting on 300-acres of open range property in Harrison County when he shot a whopper buck that wound up ranking among the biggest turned into the Texas Big Game Awards program last season. The deer came as a total surprise because his game cameras had captured pictures of only two bucks all season long; one of them was legal shooter, but way too scrubby to get Booth very excited.

Soon after shooting the big deer, Booth did what many lucky deer hunters would have done. He went looking for a big buck contest that would accept his deer as an official entry.

That's when he learned he'd flubbed the dub. Most contests require contestants to be pre-registered in order to enter a deer. In short, Booth missed out on winning some pretty cool prizes.

"I learned a pretty hard lesson," Booth said. "None of the local contests would

let me enter my deer because I wasn't pre-registered. I understand why they do that, but boy it made me sick."

Booth did find one contest that would allow him to enter. It was at Simmons Sporting Goods in Bastrop, La. He wound up winning the non-typical "Open" division, which is open to deer killed beyond 200 miles. He took home some buckshot for his shotgun and a few other prizes.

In most cases, getting preregistered in big buck contest means filling out a form with pertinent contact information. Some contests are free to enter, while others require that a nominal entry fee be paid upfront. Some contests require that pre-registration be completed before the season gets underway. Others are a little more relaxed.

The prizes available vary from one contest to another.

Some offer cash for big bucks, while others award deer stands, game cameras, shotguns, knives, plaques, jackets, scopes, binoculars and other hunting related stuff.

Contest formats can vary, too. Some contests have multiple divisions such as open range, high fence, big 8 pointer, most points, youth and women. Other are more streamlined with one primo prize going to the hunter who brings down the biggest buck of the season.

A few are county specific while others are open to deer taken statewide.

Here is a our annual rundown of big buck contests, rules and what they will offer in terms of prizes in 2014: Merchant Insta-Cash Pawn andArchery Location: Nacogdoches, Tx. Prizes: Two prizes awarded

Shelton Booth of Marshall missed out on a grand opportunity to collect some neat prizes from local big buck contests last season because he wasn't pre-registered when he brought down this Harrison County bruiser.

(Courtesy Photo)

in one category *Archery Division:(Archery Only Season) Entry Fee: $5 First Place (Big Buck) $250 Insta-Cash Gift Certificate Most Unusual Buck (as determined by Insta-Cash judges): 1 dozen carbon arrows Contest Rules: Contest is open only to legal deer harvested in Nacogdoches, Angelina, Shelby, Rusk, Cherokee, Panola, Houston, Trinity, Tyler, Polk, Sabine, Jasper and San Augustine counties. No high fence deer or deer taken by crossbow are eligible. MLD open range deer are allowed, so long as the deer is killed during statewide Archery Only season. Hunters must be pre-registered to be eligible. All racks will taped P&Y. Antlers must be on the skull.

Contact: Jeff 936-569-7210 Merchant: Walker County Hardware Location: Huntsville, Tx. Prizes: Awarded in three divisions, Adult Gun, Youth and Big 8.

Adult Division Entry Fee: Free First Place Adult General Season: $300 Gift Certificate

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Second Place: $150 Gift Certificate Third Place - Hunting knife.

Big 8 Point: Decided by B&C gross score First Place: Gift Certificate.

Youth Division (17 and under) First Place: Game Camera Note: All Youth Division entrants will receive consolation prizes.

Contest Rules: The contest is open to free ranging whitetails taken in Walker County, only. No high fence entries. All entrants will be subject to a lie detector test.

Deer will be scored according to the Boone and Crockett system.

Contact: Jimmy Harding, 936-295-7751 Merchant: Timpson Quick Stop Location: Timpson, Tx. Prizes: Multiple prizes awarded in three divisions; Gun, Archery and Youth Only.

Note: All entrants will be included in an end-of-the-year drawing for $100. Caps given to all contest entries.

Gun Division: Entry Fee: $10 First Place: Smith & Wesson .223 AR15 Second Place: Smith & Wesson Glock, Model 22, .40 caliber Third Place: Ruger 10/22 rifle Archery Division: Entry Fee: $10, Archery and General Season First Place: $100 Contest Rules: Open only to deer taken in Shelby, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, Panola and Rusk counties.

Pre-registration required, except for Youth Only weekends. No high fence deer will be allowed.

No MLD property deer allowed, unless the deer is taken during the general season. Deer can be measured at the Timpson or

Joaquin stores.

Contact: Duncan Connell or Robin Crawford: 936-2542423 Merchant: Los Cazadores Location: Pearsall, Tx. Entry Fee: $35 Prizes: Multiple prizes awarded in High Fence, Low Fence, Archery, Mexico, Open, Special Youth and Trophy Club.

First Place All Around (Highest Grossing Score): Los Cazadores jacket and belt buckle.

First Place All Around Typical: Rifle and jacket First Place in each division: Belt buckle and jacket.

Second Place: Jacket and plaque.

Special Youth winners in each category wins a jacket, buckle, binoculars and trophy.

Top 3 within each category in Special Youth win a jacket, binoculars and a trophy.

Los Cazadores Pick wins the special Don Keller Memorial Award Los Cazadores jackets awarded to all bucks that the meet minimum gross scores set for the Archery, Open, Mexico, Low Fence and High Fence divisions.

Statewide Contest Rules: Pre-registration is required.

Contest is open to statewide and Mexico entries that meet minimum scores for each division. All deer must be brought to contest head

Continued

Bucks 6B

September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

3B

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OUTDOOR GUIDE

4B

September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

Don't Feed the Pigs

Daylight breaks on opening morning of the Texas deer season. Chances are good that you are in a blind overlooking a deer feeder designed to scatter shelled corn. The feeder goes off and the brush soon comes to life.

But wait, while you remain vigilant for that big buck to appear among the does and fawns, the critters scatter in all directions for no apparent reasonâ&#x20AC;Ś. then a hungry sounder of hogs appears and scarves up the â&#x20AC;&#x153;yellow goldâ&#x20AC;? meant for your white-tailed deer.

Sound familiar? It should, since whitetails and wild pigs share some 83 million acres of habitat in the state of Texas. In fact, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension estimates that the majority of the Texas landscape is capable of supporting wild pigs now estimated to number approximately 2.6 million head. They have also been documented in 253 of our 254 counties, with El Paso County the lone exception.

The destructive nature of wild pigs is well documented since their arrival in Texas some 450 years ago courtesy of Hernando De Sotoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expedition. The toll they take on Texas agriculture alone is conservatively estimated at some $52 million per year, with an additional $7 million spent by Texas landowners on removing the pesky porcines or repairing the damage they cause.

Those figures do not include damage to humans and vehicles via collisions, parks, recreational sports fields, cemeteries, green spaces and homeowner lawns as wild pigs have increasingly invited themselves into Texas suburbia.

Texas hunters feed some 300 million pounds of shelled corn to non-migratory wildlife every yearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; not to mention an additional 100 million pounds or so of protein pellets and seed crops such as whole cottonseed that are also fed regularly to white-tails on many Texas ranches.

Much of the corn is fed as

by Billy Higginbotham Guest Columnist

Study shows that fenced feeding stations help prevent costly corn consumption by feral hogs â&#x20AC;&#x153;baitâ&#x20AC;? as a means to aid in deer harvest. There is nothing wrong with that as it is as legal as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;right turn on redâ&#x20AC;? in our state and helps us remove at least some of the excess production of our 4 million plus white-tails roaming the Texas landscape.

However, anyone who has priced a 50-pound sack of corn lately knows that the cost of filling a 55 gallon (or larger) feeder can cause a little sticker shock. But there are other equally compelling reasons to exclude pigs from the feeders/bait stations.

One is the aforementioned disruption of deer behavior when pigs show up at feeding time. I have literally thousands of remote-sensing camera images of critters coming to bait stations. I can count on one hand the number of images where I captured deer and wild pigs in the same frame. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it, behaviorally speaking, deer donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be around wild pigs!

The other reason is the potential impact of increasing the nutritional plane of wild pigs via a phenomenon known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;flushingâ&#x20AC;?. Sows coming into estrus on good nutrition tend to produce more eggs and are likely to have larger litters and better pig survival than their sisters that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enjoy a free meal at the trough. In other words, we may be making our wild pig problem worse by supplementing whitetailed deer.

Whoaaa! But hold on-them are fighting words!

This is Texas and I know that we are not going to stop supplementing our whitetailed deerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;period! However, for the reasons previously mentioned, it

might behoove us to examine ways to limit wild pig access to that supplement intended for targeted species.

Enter the â&#x20AC;&#x153;How High Is High Enoughâ&#x20AC;? fence study designed to evaluate fence enclosures around deer feeders. The effort was conducted in 2009 and led by TAMU-Kingsville student Justin Rattan and my partners David Long and Dr. Tyler Campbell - USDA APHIS Wildlife Services /National Wildlife Research Center at Kingsville.

Simply stated, I have always believed that the height of a fence necessary to keep wild pigs out was lower than the height necessary to keep wild pigs in. We designed the study to determine just how high was high enough when it came to fencing deer feeder enclosures to keep wild pigs outâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;hopefully without reducing deer access.

The study was conducted on the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Refuge near Sinton, Texas. We established bait sites using automatic feeders to dispense shelled corn. For a two week period in July 2009, the feeder sites were monitored with remote-sensing cameras and all wildlife activity was recorded. Then after two weeks, enclosures were erected around each of the six feeders.

The variable in this experiment was enclosure height.

Two of the enclosures were constructed using panels 20 inches in height, two were 28 inches and two were 34 inches in height (a standard swine panel).

All enclosures consisted of six 16 foot long panels secured in a circular pattern around each feeder with

(Feral hogs outside fence) By monitoring feeding stations using game cameras biologists learned that feral pigs did not breech enclosures built with panels that were either 28 or 34 inches in height. However, hogs did breech enclosures built with 20 inch panels. (Courtesy Photo) twelve t-posts placed approximately eight feet apart.

Accounting for a slight overlap where panels were joined together with wire at the t-posts, the circular enclosure resulted in a pen of approximately 28 feet in diameter.

I consider this to be an absolute minimum size for a feeder enclosureâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;more panels would obviously increase the area within the pen allowing an increased number of deer to feed at the same time.

Once the enclosures were in place, the remote-sensing cameras again recorded all wildlife activity at the bait sites for another two week period. To account for seasonal differences, the whole process was repeated in November 2009.

So what did we learn from this effort? First and foremost, we found that wild pigs can be successfully excluded from bait stations

without significantly reducing deer access.

We also discovered that wild pigs were able to breech the lowest (20 inch high) enclosure panels and access the feed. However, no pigs were â&#x20AC;&#x153;photo-capturedâ&#x20AC;? inside the enclosures that were either 28 or 34 inches in height during our summer and fall trials.

An additional issue we wanted to examine during the November trial was whether our enclosure heights hampered fawn access to supplement. Unfortunately, the prolonged drought that did not break until that fall resulted in a minimal 2009 fawn crop.

Therefore, we were not able to ascertain the impacts of enclosure height on fawn access to bait stations.

However, a separate study conducted by Dr. David Hewitt and his colleagues at Texas A&M-Kingsville found that enclosure heights

above 33 inches could indeed hamper fawn access to bait stations. As a result of their findings, we now recommend â&#x20AC;&#x153;notchingâ&#x20AC;? out the top panel mesh 6 inches deep and about 4 feet wide in a couple of locations around the perimeter of a 34 inch high swine panel enclosure to enhance fawn access.

This is easy to accomplish using the standard swine panels by placing the small mesh nearest the ground.

This maintains the â&#x20AC;&#x153;notch heightâ&#x20AC;? at 28 inches which was also a sufficient height in our study to prevent pig access.

One word of caution, four-inch square mesh appears to be ideal but certainly the standard swine panel with graduated mesh worked fine in our study.

However, panels employing mesh sizes too large near the

Continued Pigs 8B

Ed Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

5B

YOUR EAST TEXAS

STOCK PRICES ATHENS COMMISSION CO. Updated: 9/2/2014 Head Count: 688 Sellers: 143 Sale EVERY Friday At 11am

ANDERSON CO. LIVESTOCK Updated: 9/17/2014 Head Count: 476 Buyers: 43 Sellers: 49

STEERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $2.00-$3.60 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $2.00-$3.20 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.75-$2.90 lb 500 lbs - UP: $1.50-$2.55 lb

STEERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $2.60-$3.53 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $2.47-$2.93 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $2.30-$2.85 lb 500 lbs - 600 lbs: $2.25-$2.57 lb

HEIFERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $2.00-$3.30 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $2.00-$2.90 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.75-$2.60 lb 500 lbs - UP: $1.50-$2.35 lb

HEIFERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $2.40-$3.50 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $2.31-$2.79 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $2.25-$2.72 lb 500 lbs - 600 lbs: $2.20-$2.42 lb

SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.43 - $1.26 lb Heavy Bulls: $1.10 - $1.45 lb

SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.80 - $1.29 lb Bulls: $1.15 - $1.44 lb

PAIRS Top: $2000 - $2500 Low - Middle: $1000 - $2000

PAIRS $1250 - $2400

Stocker Cows: $1.10 - $2.10 Lb Baby calves: NONE Horses: NONE Goats: $25 - $300 hd TRI-COUNTY LIVESTOCK MARKET Updated: 9/13/2014 Head Count: 1245

Replacement Heifers: NONE Stocker Cows: $1150 - $2100 hd Goats: $45 - $150 hd

NACOGDOCHES LIVESTOCK EX. Updated:9/11/2014 Head Count: 1057 Buyers: 71 Sellers: 154

HUNTS LIVESTOCK EX. Updated: 9/8/2014 Head Count: 770

STEERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $2.75-$3.70 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $2.60-$3.60 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $2.20-$3.30 lb 500 lbs - UP: $1.90-$2.75 lb

STEERS 299 lbs - DOWN: $2.10-$3.85 300 lbs - 399 lbs: $1.90-$3.25 400 lbs - 499 lbs: $1.85-$2.99 500 lbs - 599 lbs: $1.69-$2.95

HEIFERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $2.40-$3.50 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $2.20-$3.05 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $2.00-$2.97 lb 500 lbs - UP: $1.65-$2.42 lb

HEIFERS 299 lbs - DOWN: $1.80-$3.20 300 lbs - 399 lbs: $1.83-$3.20 400 lbs - 499 lbs: $1.43-$2.99 500 lbs - 599 lbs: $1.20-$2.33

SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.80 - $1.22 lb Heavy Bulls: $1.15 - $1.43 lb

SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.79 - $1.25 lb Heavy Bulls: $1.15 - $1.41 lb

PAIRS Top: $1800 - $2640

PAIRS $1500 - $3850

PAIRS $1520 - $2660

Stocker Cows: $950- $2290 hd Baby calves: NONE

Stocker Cows: $1250-$2550 hd Baby Calves: $100 - $400 hd Horses: $0.25 - $0.35 Goats: $40 - $150 hd

Stocker Cows: $550-$2560 hd baby calves: $309

STEERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $2.10-$4.00 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.95-$3.65 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.85-$2.95 lb 500 lbs - 600 lbs: $1.75-$2.49 lb HEIFERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $1.75-$4.00 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.65-$2.95 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.55-$2.95 lb 500 lbs - 600 lbs: $1.45-$2.61 lb SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.85 - $1.19 lb Heavy Bulls: $1.10 - $1.40 lb

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned something from yesterday.â&#x20AC;?

- John Wayne

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#% & ($#)" *)&$ ) ! ) ( &$ *' "#(&%

This report is a GUIDE only. It is provided to show market trends and is NOT INFLATED to deceive producers or the general public.

OUTDOOR GUIDE

6B

September-October 2014

East Texas Farm & Ranch News - Outdoor Guide

IT'S SHOWTIME: (Quail on fence) While quail numbers continue to lag, biologists say timely rainfall and improved nesting conditions have populations moving in the right direction in parts of the state.

(TPWD Photo)

By MATT WILLIAMS Outdoor Writer

With fall hunting seasons fast approaching, hunters all across the state are anxiously waiting to learn what type of hand Mother Nature will deal out this year.

As a rule, the of quality of

hunting seasons in Texas are highly dependent on past and present habitat conditions which are dictated largely by the amount of rainfall received the previous spring and summer. The timeliness of the moisture can make a huge difference, as well. Especially where whitetail deer, turkeys and quail are concerned.

Those factors, combined with a long list of other variables, can at times make it difficult to paint accurate season forecasts from one year to the next. Even so, somebody's gotta' do it.

To find out what Texas hunters can expect when they head to the woods water this fall and winter, I leaned on Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Bucks

quarters for scoring according to the Boone and Crockett system.

Contact: Zach Akin 830-334-5959 or loscazadorez.com.

Merchant: Muy Grande Location: Freer, Tx. Entry Fee: $25 The legendary Muy Grande Big Buck contest turns 49 this year and is considered by many to be Texas longest standing big buck contest.

Multiple prizes including trophies, jackets and plaque are awarded in dozens of categories in multiple divisions including Mens, Macho Grande, Women's, Youth, Mexico, Low Fence, Pope and Young, Heavyweight, Longest, Open, Pur-

ple Heart, Active Military, Kids Korner and 150-plus Club.

Contest Rules: Pre-registration is required before a deer can be entered. It is preferred that the animal be brought to contest headquarters for scoring, but an official TBGA score sheet will be accepted so long as it is received in a timely fashion.

For additional rules see muygrandevillage.com.

Contact: 361-394-5383 Merchant: Texas Trophy Hunters Location: Hunter's Extravaganza - Houston, San Antonio or Ft. Worth Entry Fee: No entry fee, but you must be a current TTHA member ($24.95 an-

Texas wildlife experts offer input about upcoming hunting seasons

wildlife biologists from the state's eight ecological regions. Here's what they had to say: Region: Post Oak Savannah Wildlife Biologist: John Silovsky WHITETAIL DEER The Post Oak Savannah region was just below average to average on rainfall for the past year but several areas did receive significant rains in May and early June.

These timely rains have provided higher quality habitat conditions as we headed into the summer. With any additional summer rains habitat conditions should be good to excellent as we approach fall hunting seasons.

The estimated average deer population in the Post Oak Savannah is 350 –

400,000 deer and research indicates a slow but steady population increase since 2008. As the deer population continues to increase hunter participation and total harvest have also increased. Individual participation is now over 110,000 individuals with a total harvest of more than 75,000 deer. Hunter success averages slightly better than fifty percent.

Harvest data from the past few years suggests a trend of increasing numbers of older bucks in the annual harvest. Bucks make up more than 50% of this harvest and nearly half of those are 4.5 years old.

The timely rainfall stimulates a good forb response and mast crops provide

abundant forage resources for white-tailed deer during the hunting season. These readily available forage resources may affect deer movements and reduce the effectiveness of feeders and food plots. These same resources should improve fawn survival, antler growth and overall deer health.

DOVE Good dove hunting opportunities in the district will be scattered with the best hunts located where food, water and cover are located in close proximity. Sunflower fields, harvested corn, milo, and fallow farm fields are always a good early season bet. With late season action heating up on goat/dove weed patches.

Continued

Showtime 8B

nually) Contests are held each summer during the TTHA's Hunter Extravaganza shows held in Houston, Ft. Worth and San Antonio. It is open to deer killed during the previous year's season in a variety of divisions including modern arms open range and high fence, archery open range and high fence.

There are regional subdivisions for North Texas, South Texas and out-of-state for adult males, adult female, youth male and youth female. There also are awards for Best Whitetail in previous five seasons, best Texas mule deer (typical and nontypical), high overall Adult female, high overall youth,

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Best of Show, People's Choice and Perfect 8 point whitetail.

Contest Rules: A TTHA membership is your ticket to enter. Just bring your trophy to the show by 4 p.m. on the Saturday of the Hunter Extravaganza.

Contest Prizes: All sorts of cool stuff including jackets, binoculars, scopes, crossbows, archery gear, trophies and TTHA memberships.

Merchant: Texas Big Game Awards Location: Statewide Entry Fee: Free TBGA is more about promoting wildlife management than it is a contest, yet it still offers hunters to the opportunity to see how their

whitetail, pronghorn or mule deer sizes up against others.

The program divides the state into eight regions. Successful hunters can enter an animal by locating a TBGA scorer in their area. Antlers must meet the minimum score to for the specific region to qualify as a scored entry and receive the customary recognition certificate.

Hunters from each region are invited to attend regional TBGA banquets and those who take the top ranking animals are invited to bring them to a statewide banquet where they will receive a special award. TBGA also give the special "Texas Slam Award" to hunters who take

a qualifying whitetail deer, mule deer and pronghorn antelope all within the same season. For more information, tbga.org.

Merchant: Chapman Hardware Location: Grapeland, Tx. Entry Fee: $1 Prizes: One overall winner wins a gun Contest Rules: Pre-registration is required. Only one deer per contestant. Deer must be killed in Houston County or an adjoining county. Contestants must notify Chapman's within 24 hours of the kill and present the antlers for scoring, still attached to the skull.

Contact: Frank Chapman, 936-687-2315

Max and Brake Job

Horses and cowboys go together. There are occasions when a cowboy and a horse are spoken of as one.

In the heavenly world of cutting horses, Buster Welch and Little Peppy shine on each other. Charmayne James and Scamper are carved into PRCA history by winning the World Champion Barrel Racing buckle 11 times. We could also include Trigger and Roy, Seabiscuit and his trainer Sunny Fitzsimmons

Unlawful was aggressive to both people and horses, and another would hide in the back of the barn and kick the walls. As trust between the trainers and horses has been established, some of the emotional scars are beginning to heal as well. Their names have been changed, and Luna has a best buddy now that she likes to hang out with, and will be adopted out with.

Apollo is a great babysitter for yearlings, and gently teaches them manners. He loves all the staff, and he really loves the ladies.

Pride who was at one time aggressive with humans, still remains aggressive with other horses. He gets to interact with them through the fence, so he is not isolated, but cannot be turned out with any of them.

All three are very friendly,

or Robert E. Lee and Traveler in this list of wellknown horse and rider combinations.

And when you get in the shallower end of the pool there are up and comers who might someday be associated with that one horse that put them in the spotlight.

Max was trying to put a little polish on a 4-year old gelding he’d given two trailer tires and $350 for. He had an opportunity to show him off. Max was a wrangler on a trail ride. Nate was

a pretty good horseman. He came on the ride every year.

He owned several Tire, Muffler and Brake shops in the city.

“Nice lookin’ horse,” he said as Max sidled up beside him.

“Thanks,” said Max, “He’s just four and comin’ along good; gentle, easy to catch, got a little cow in him.”

“Is he for sale?” asked Nate.

“Oh, I don’t know, He’s gonna make a good one.

You outta see him comin’ out the box…I’m thinkin’ he’ll make a great team ropin’ horse, maybe reining even. He’s not just pretty, he can do it! But, I guess if I was gonna sell him, I’d be lookin’ at fifteen hunnerd.”

“Whattya call him?”

Max opened his mouth,

but all that came out was a “WHOOOA!” The unnamed horse had bogged his head and pitched his rider up on the horse’s neck! Max lit on his back in the trail but still held a rein in his hand, “Look cool,” he said to himself, “…look cool.”

After the commotion and everybody was back in the saddle, Max remarked that he might consider an even

loves scratches and are looking for treats. The transformation is nothing less than remarkable, thanks to the intervention of HSUS and the great trainers at Doris Day Equine Center.

Not everyone who shows sores their horses. In fact, the majority of owners does not.

But most know someone who is guilty of illegally soring a horse. Two different farriers I spoke with had knowledge or had actually shod these horses, but have since refused to do so.

And, according to them, there is big money for a good farrier in this industry.

It also creates unfair competition, by deceiving the spectating public and horse buyers, and by negatively-impacting horse sales. Another fallacy or failure in a Breed show is the purpose is to pick a horse that best represents the breed stan-

dards and encourage breeding them to maintain or improve the breed. Soring, extreme shoeing, breaking of tails, other tail mutilation, fake tails – all this is to make horses seem like they are quality. But there is no way to tell for sure using all these practices.

The result is breeding to Champions that have little or no quality, thus harming the breed. The rule of form to function is lost. The bottom line is money – prize money for winning and stud fees for champion horses.

Dickey Vest, DVM and member of American Association of Equine Practitioners, states their association strictly forbids this type of soring. He said that many of the practices performed, such as breaking of tails, is done by a trainer, rather than being

properly done by an equine veterinarian.

Many of these horses suffer bowed tendons as they have to stand under themselves in the rear, and just generally contort their body in unnatural positions to perform the big showy gait. When started early, at 2 years of age, or kept too long in the stacks and chains, these horses tend to develop arthritis in their hips and joints. Vest also pointed out that some of these practices are prevalent with Spotted Saddle Horses and Racking Horses as well.

However, the gentle temperament of the Tennessee walking horse is being taken advantage of with these practices.

A bill was introduced in April 2013 to amend the Horse Protection Act. This is H.R. 1518 or PAST (Prevent All Soring Tactics) Act. This

ventured in there one time, but didn’t say long. Whatever ‘it’ was made my neck hairs bristle up and I got the feeling I was being watched.

Now I always do some of my “I’m Bad” barking about

then so ‘it’ will know not to mess with me. But nowdays I stay on the edge of those woods in sight of my folks.

No sense in tempting fate.

Well I guess I’d better sign off for now. Another load of

ET calves are here. I need to go out and give them my ‘welcome to the ranch’ speech and let them know I speak ‘MOOOOOO’ so as not to say anything they might regret later.

thousand. He calmed the horse down and was convincing Nate that the horse really had potential.

“Watch this,” he said. They were crossing a ranch road.

An electric company truck was parked along side with the door open. The cherry picker was run up the pole.

The whole rig was painted yellow. Max eased the pony

up next to the open door.

“See,” he said, “You can take him anywhere.”

At that moment, Max’s horse wheeled, and went to kickin’ the door like he was tryin’ to kick the shoes off his feet! It took a while to recover from the incident.

Max straightened the saddle, gathered up the reins and mounted.

“I guess I could come off that thousand a little,” offered Max. Nate said, “How ‘bout I trade you for a brake job?”

For the next 6 months everywhere Max took his horse trying to sell him, he knew his chances were less if the prospective buyer said, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard of him..Brake Job, right?” www.baxterblack.com

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would include any action device, meaning any boot, collar, chain, roller or other device that encircles or is placed upon the lower extremity of the leg of a horse in such a manner that it can rotate around the leg or slide up and down the leg, so as to cause friction – or strike the hoof, coronet band, fetlock joint or pastern of the horse.

It does not include soft rubber or soft leather bell boots or quarter boots that are used as protective devices.

Historically, Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses have been subjected to soring. And despite regulations in effect related to inspection for purposes of ensuring that horses are not sore, violations of this Act continue to be prevalent in the Tennessee Walking Horse, Racking

Horse, and Spotted Saddle Horse breeds.

Readers are urged to watch the videos on such sites as HSUS or You Tube, and then asked to contact your congressman to vote for the PAST act. Most horse owners are not aware or have experienced this type abuse in horses. But education is key to passing the PAST act. The entire bill is available to read online.

The next open house events scheduled for Doris Day Equine Center is scheduled for Oct. 11 and Oct. 18. There will be many fine horses available for adoption. Or just come by to view the facilities and pet the horses. They even have a couple of mules, too. The location is 12250 County Road 3806, Murchison, TX 75778.

For additional information please call 903-469-3811.

Your friend, Kodi

PS: Try and remember something that makes you feel like a kid again and just go do it. I bet that’ll put a spring in your step. Be sure and tell me all about what you did, too.

Kodi the golf course around the 9th fairway. That’s when I usually get out for a little run. No matter what anyone says I still think there’s something strange lurking in those deep,dark woods. I

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OUTDOOR GUIDE

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Showtime

Pigs

The Blackland Prairie counties in the northern part of the district have traditionally offered better dove hunting.

Hunters should purchase an annual public hunting permit and take advantage of the numerous dove hunting opportunities in that program. A little pre-season scouting will provide the best chances for good dove hunting opportunities early in the season.

SQUIRREL Squirrel hunting opportunities for the 2014-15 seasons should be good to excellent; primarily due to the fact that enough rainfall has fallen to indicate a good acorn crop should be produced in most of the district. Generally we saw good conditions throughout the Post Oak and late spring rains have fallen in many areas which should produce some mast. Years with good mast production are typically followed by years with good squirrel reproduction."

Region: Pineywoods Wildlife Biologist: Micah Poteet

bottom will likely allow access by juvenile pigs that can squeeze through the openings. Keep that in mind when planning your material purchases.

The estimated cost of fencing one feeding station with a six panel enclosure made up of the standard 34 inch high swine panels and twelve short t-posts is in the neighborhood of $175. That may be a small price to pay in order to lower your feed bill, reduce the disruption of your deer herd and perhaps

reduce the number of little piggies on the landscape.

The vast majority of Texas deer hunters choose to employ deer feeders and the fall ritual of â&#x20AC;&#x153;filling feedersâ&#x20AC;? has begun in earnest, especially with the dry conditions across much of the state. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see any downside of properly designed feeder enclosures where wild pigs and white-tails share the habitat.

Recreational hunting alone will not curb a wild pig population. A significant prob-

Whitetail Deer

The number of deer entered into the Texas Big Game Awards (TBGA) program for the 2013-14 season supports what most deer hunters already knew; it was a banner year for big buck harvest. In fact, the highest scoring low fence deer ever entered (statewide) into TBGA was harvested during the 2013 season in the Pineywoods region.

A near record number of bucks (203) taken during the 2013-14 season met the minimum qualifications to be entered into TBGA. In contrast, 98 bucks met the eligibility requirements during the 2012-13 season.

The increased harvest of quality bucks during the 2013 season was likely due to decreased harvest during the 2012 season, which resulted in higher than normal â&#x20AC;&#x153;carry-overâ&#x20AC;? going into the 2013 season. With the increased harvest, carry-over from last year should return to a more normal level, which may lead to a lower harvest of bucks when compared to 2013. lem with pigs can exist on a property and they may seldom be seen during normal hunting hours. Landowners and hunters specifically managing for deer, turkey and/or quail should have a low tolerance for wild pig populations.

Strategic shooting, trapping and snaring are all additional tools that are necessary beyond recreational hunting in our current War on Wild Pigs!

Meanwhile, I am on a campaign advising landowners and hunters that wherever

However, a minimal amount of carry-over is almost guaranteed in the Pineywoods due to the antler restrictions, which protects many bucks from harvest in a given year. In addition to stabilizing carry-over from one year to the next (assuming reliable fawn crops), the antler restrictions continue to improve the age structure of the buck segment of the herd.

I would predict both fawn and antler production this summer to be at least average. Deer were subjected to a longer winter stress period this year due to lower temperatures which delayed spring green-up. Although rainfall amounts for January through April were below normal, many areas received â&#x20AC;&#x153;timelyâ&#x20AC;? periodic rains. In other words, although â&#x20AC;&#x153;totalâ&#x20AC;? rainfall may have been lacking, there were rain events that were well spaced in time that kept plants actively growing, which is important for lactating does and antler growing bucks.

Rainfall amounts during May and June returned to deer and wild pigs coexist and supplementation is a standard practice to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fence your Feedersâ&#x20AC;?! Hmmmâ&#x20AC;Ś., perhaps I should have some bumper stickers made up in time for the fall hunting season!

Editor's Note: Billy Higginbotham is professor and extension wildlife and fisheries specialist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and is considered one of the nation's leading authorities on feral hogs.

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more normal levels which bodes well for deer going into the summer stress period. As of early July, most of the region is not considered to be under drought condition. However, some counties are classified as â&#x20AC;&#x153;abnormally dry.â&#x20AC;? As always, moving forward, if the rain stops, antler growth and fawn survival could be negatively impacted, but habitat conditions are pretty good right now.

As usual, the acorn crop and weather conditions could positively or negatively influence deer movements and hunter success during the upcoming season.

Mild weather and heavy acorn production can potentially lead to reduced deer movement/visibility/harvest, especially for hunters that concentrate hunting efforts around corn feeders.

Squirrel

Squirrel populations tend to fluctuate up and down in concert with mast production. Given the heavy mast crops over recent years, squirrel numbers should be fairly abundant in habitats

that contain an abundance of mast producing trees.

Waterfowl

Surface water in the Pineywoods should be sufficient to support migrating waterfowl.

According to recent surveys, waterfowl numbers remain high and are reportedly 43 percent above the long term average for overall numbers.

However, the number of ducks wintering in East Texas has been unpredictable in recent years.

I believe there is potential for decent hunts if weather to the north is harsh enough to push ducks south. The early teal season shows promise as blue-winged teal numbers remain high (75 percent above the long term average) and are second only to mallards as the most numerous duck species in North America. As a result, the daily bag for the early teal season was recently increased from four to six. calized situations.

We hope the rain continues and would love to string together multiple years of rainfall like 2014.

UT Tyler Awarded National Science Foundation Grant to Study Leafcutter Ants The University of Texas at Tyler was awarded a researchgrant from the National Science FoundationDivision of Environmental Biology to study leafcutter ant populations, Dr. Michael Odell, vice president for research and technology transfer, announced.

With the three-year $417,000 award, UT Tyler and collaborating biologists from three other universities in Germany, Argentina, Uruguay and Texas will examine the leafcutter ant populations around the Southwestern U.S. and South America in response to climate change.

The project will specifically focus on the insect-fungus mutualism, as these types of ants cultivate fungi as their

only food source.

“Many of these ants are ecologically important species and known agricultural pests in the Southwestern U.S.A. and throughout South America,” said Dr. Katrin Kellner, UT Tyler research associate and project investigator. “The research will examine whether temperature stress determines range-limits at the northern and southern distribution limits of leafcutterants. An improved understanding of how interacting species respond to climate change has scientific and societal benefits.

“For example, this work will contribute to the development of models for conservation of species in marginal habitats and to models pre-

dicting whether pest species may become more problematic under climate change.”

Other collaborators are Dr.Flavio Roces from University of Würzburg, Dr. Pablo Schilman from University of Buenos Aires, Dr. Martin Bollazzi from Universidad de la República and Dr. Ulrich Mueller from UT Austin.

Collaborations with researchers in Uruguay and Argentina will provide networking and training of U.S. researchers with international colleagues. The group also will conduct important outreach inEast Texas by involving students from Jarvis Christian College, she added.

Courtesy Photo

By Hannah Buchanan UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

Dr. Katrin Kellner, UT Tyler research associate with the university's Department of Biology, collaborates internationally in study of leafcutter ants.

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Jacksonville Tackles Bahia Grass Jacksonville Progress Staff Reports

Progress staff reports The City of Jacksonville recently purchased equipment to assist in spraying for Bahia grass in the city.

Work crews recently mowed, maintained and sprayed an herbicide at the Jacksonville City Cemetery in hopes of curbing the bothersome weed, according to Ben Bril e y , Jacksonville’s Parks and Recreation Director. “We are specifically targeting Bahia grass, but the herbicide will kill other weed varieties as

well,” Briley said. Briley said by preventing the grass from growing in the cemetery, city crews will reduce mowing times by 30 to 40 percent, therefore reducing wear and expenses on equipment.

Other areas the city has sprayed so far include: Lake Jacksonville camp-

ground and concession areas, a greenbelt approach to lake, baseball/ softball/soccer complexes, Nichols Green parks Phase 1, 2 and 3, Buckner Park, U.S. Hwy. 69 medians, Jacksonville Public Library and the city cemetery.