Hunters Journal

Hunter’s Journal Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

UVALDE COUNTY

FALL 2023

South Texas is a wildlife photographer’s dream destination PAGE 18

Two-day hunter’s roundup will kick off local deer season PAGE 4

Visiting black bear weak for warm cinnamon rolls PAGE 12

Keep four-legged hunting partners safe PAGE 6

Uvalde Leader-News

Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

On the cover: Photo by Bob Zaiglin | On this page: Bob Shackleford’s images of wild hogs crossing the road and two bucks tangling over territory. Read more about Shackleford’s photography efforts on Page 18.

CONTENTS Hunter’s Journal •Fall 2023 4 5 6 7 9 10

HUNTER’S ROUNDUP

Barbecue cook-off joins lineup GAME WARDENS CITE VIOLATORS

Know the rules FOUR-LEGGED COMPANIONS

Porcupines can end a hunting trip AGRILIFE BIRDING WORKSHOP

Two-day event set in November PUBLIC HUNTING PERMITS

ADVERTISING INDEX

Garner State Park open BIRDS IN UVALDE COUNTY

See this handy guide

12 15 16 18 22 24

BLACK BEAR CAPTURED

Cinnamon rolls prove too enticing CRITTER COUNTRY

Pets have their own hijinks FISHING AREA RIVERS

Opportunities abound for anglers SHACKLEFORD SHOOTS FOR POSTERITY

Wildlife photographer shares gift HUNTER’S EDUCATION IS MANDATORY

Course can be a family affair

26 28 31 32 38

FIND THE PERFECT WINE

Area stores have great pairings ACCOMODATIONS HAVE CHANGED

From roughing it to five-star sites DON’T FORGET THE LICENSE

Game wardens patrol Uvalde County SWTJC WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Students have hands-on experiences BLACK BEARS HAVE PROTECTIONS

It’s a crime to kill one

SET THE TABLE

Seek recipes that leave no waste

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THIS MAGAZINE IS A PRODUCTION OF THE UVALDE LEADER-NEWS • 110 N. EAST ST. UVALDE, TX 78801 • PHONE: 830-278-3335 Publisher/Owner: Craig Garnett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cgarnett@ulnnow .com General manager: Pete Luna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pluna@ulnnow .com Managing editor: Meghann Garcia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mgarcia@ulnnow .com Advertising executives: Kimberly Mata-Rubio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . krubio@ulnnow .com Skylar Scott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .sscott@ulnnow .com

Staff writers: Melissa Federspill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mfederspill@ulnnow .com Julye Keeble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .jkeeble@ulnnow .com Sofi Zeman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . szeman@ulnnow .com Classifieds manager: Norma Ybarra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nybarra@ulnnow .com Graphic designer: Neil Sturdevant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nsturdevant@ulnnow .com

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Uvalde Leader-News

HUNTER’S ROUNDUP Annual event adds barbecue cook-off to popular lineup JULYE KEEBLE STAFF WRITER JULYE KEEBLE|LEADER-NEWS

Attendees mill at the 2022 Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce Hunter’s Roundup. The event, held Nov. 5, 2022, was attended by approximately 750 people.

The Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce will present the 42nd-annual Hunter’s Roundup on Nov. 3-4, this year making it a two-day event by incorporating a Champions Barbecue Alliance sanctioned cook-off with a guaranteed $15,000 payout.

The event will kick off Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. at the Uvalde County Fairplex, 215 Veterans Lane. It is expected to wrap up around 11 p.m. There is no charge for admission.

“We’re thrilled to announce live music performances, vendors, a wild game dinner supporting the Uvalde 4-H Club, and refreshing ice cold beer benefiting the Uvalde Border Patrol Morale Welfare and Rec,” said Chamber CEO Mario “MJ” Miller.

“This year, we aim to attract a larger gathering of hunters visiting our community. We’re collaborating with local ranches to encourage their hunters to join us before the hunting season begins. Who knows, they might even win a new ‘toy’ to enjoy this deer season!”

A 40-gun prize drawing, including handguns, shotguns and rifles will be held beginning around 9 p.m. Tickets for the drawing will be on sale at the event, and also may be purchased at the Uvalde Chamber of Commerce, 300 E. Main St., open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Miller said to participate, individuals must be 21 years or older, and winners of the raffle must complete ATF form 4473, firearms transaction record, and pass the NICS, National Instant Criminal Background Check System, before receiving their firearm.

“I believe this event is a splendid showcase of our community, highlighting the charm of South Texas hunting and the uniqueness of Uvalde County,” Miller said.

“Longhorn Sports Bar & Saloon will host the Official HRU After party on Nov. 3, concluding the Friday event.”

PLEASE SEE ROUNDUP, PAGE 39

Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

Avoid running afoul of the law JULYE KEEBLE STAFF WRITER

Uvalde County Game Wardens saw various violations when dove season opened the first weekend of September but many could have been easily avoided, according to district Captain Shea Guinn.

He said game wardens issued approximately 20 citations and 20 warnings.

Common offenses included no hunting license, no hunter education certificate, unplugged shotgun, exceeding the bag limit, and no migratory game bird endorsement.

Both pump action and semi-automatic shotguns have tubular magazines. Per Texas Parks and Wildlife,

Scan this QR code with the camera app on any smartphone or tablet to download the Texas Outdoor Annual in the Apple App Store or on Google Play.

“When hunting migratory birds, the tubular magazine must have a plug inserted so that the total holding capacity of the shotgun does not exceed three shells (one in

the chamber, two in the magazine).”

He said those are the main violations wardens see during dove season, with those holding over the bag limit and hunter education violations being the most prevalent.

Guinn recommended hunters help educate themselves before heading out.

“Most all of the hunting violations could be avoided if everyone was familiar with the laws. They are there to help protect the valuable resources of the state and hunters have an important and essential role in that protection,” Guinn said.

He said all of the information that explains how to avoid these common violations is listed in the TPWD

5

Outdoor Annual.

“The Outdoor Annual is a valuable source of information for anyone that is going to hunt or fish in Texas,” Guinn said.

The application includes field hunting season dates, and bag limits, by county; means and methods restrictions; hunting and fishing news; and allows users to find license retailers, look up license purchase history, and in some cases, even purchase certain licenses.

To download the application, visit https://tpwd.texas. gov/regulations/outdoorannual/app/, or scan the QR code.

People may also just search for Texas Outdoor Annual in the application store of their choice and download it.

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Uvalde Leader-News

Four-legged hunters can get into trouble, too

SOUTHWEST TEXAS VETERINARY MEDICAL CENTER

Porcupine quills are a danger for dogs in the field.

Bird dogs are often in brush and are susceptible to encountering a porcupine. Lauren Tully, veterinarian at Southwest Texas Veteri Veterinary Medical Center in Uvalde, said the best thing to do if a dog has been injured with porcupine quills is to call a veteri veterinarian.

“This is especially true if there are a lot of quills (more than five to 10). Quill removal is painful and most dogs will Dr. Lauren not tolerate the procedure without pain Tully medication/sedation. Often there are quills in the mouth which usually are impossible to remove without anesthesia,” Tully said.

She said if there is only a few quills, dog owners can attempt to remove the quills with needle nose pliers and by quickly pulling in one motion. She recommends cleaning the area with mild soap and water.

“Owners should not give any medications – especially human medications – without speaking with a veterinarian,” Tully said. She said a doctor will prescribe a course of antibiotics – and, often, pain medication – after quill removal.

7

Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION

Two-day workshop is for novice and experienced birders Hunters in the Uvalde County area are likely to see a wide range of birds fluttering through the landscape, and those interested in learning more about what kinds of birds they’re looking at have the opportunity through a

birding workshop set Nov. 3-5 in Leakey.

The event, organized by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, is for new birders just starting out or for those who have been birding a while and are ready to take

the next step and travel for birding.

Workshops will feature birding trips by Barbara Pankratz, as well as educational presentations by researchers and other birding experts.

The two-day event will

74

start at River Haven Cabins in Leakey and will end after lunch on Sunday, Nov. 5.

Cost is $350 per participant, or $450 per participant for an individual room.

To register, visit https:// tinyurl.com/5kz355e

8

Uvalde Leader-News

Please Contact The 501 Ranch Office for additional information 830-278-3939 • Hunts@501ranch.com • www.501ranch.com

9

Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

GARNER STATE PARK

Texas Parks and Wildlife offers public hunting program Garner State Park is one of various Texas Parks and Wildlife locations offering a million acres of public hunting sites as part of the Annual Public Hunting Permit program.

An annual public hunting permit costs $48, and offers hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and other recreational uses at participating state owned or leased spaces during set times.

Texas Parks and Wildlife will offer public hunting days

for exotics at Garner State Park from Jan. 9-11, 2024, and though the application deadline was Oct. 15, standby reservations may be available.

The bag limit is unlimited for axis deer and feral hogs. It is limited to one fork antlered buck, with an $80 fee per adult and assigned blinds. Baiting is allowed.

Last year the park received 8,004 applications.

The application fee is $3 per adult, and archery hunting for deer is also offered,

though applications for that are required by mid-August.

The park offers 1,774 acres located about 31 miles north of Uvalde at 234 Ranch Road 1050, Concan, TX 78838.

Per park rules, hunters seeking standby access should report to the park by 10 a.m. on the first day of the desired hunt period to complete the application process. Standby spaces, if available, will be drawn as vacancies permit at 11 a.m.

Hunters must wear a mini-

mum of 400 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange material, with at least 144 square inches appearing on both the chest and back, and orange headwear. Use of dogs is prohibited.

Camping, charged at the normal overnight fee, is available on the park for permitted hunters. For site information call 830- 232-6132. Visit the TPWD website, https://tpwd. texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/ public/annual_public_hunting/ for more information.

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Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

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Uvalde Leader-News

MAX DORFLINGER

A black bear rests at ease in a Texas Parks and Wildlife drum trap with a belly full of Whataburger cinnamon rolls. The bear was safely caught and relocated on Sept. 29, and will now be part of a research study.

CAPTURED Black bear weak for sweets JULYE KEEBLE STAFF WRITER

He turned up his snout at Spam, but the 200-pound male black bear captured on Sept. 29 around 7 p.m. in north Uvalde was lured into a trap by a dozen warm Whataburger cinnamon rolls.

Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist David Rios said off-duty Uvalde Police Department detective Max

Dorflinger, volunteering with the bear recovery effort, drove into town and picked up the cinnamon rolls, which Whataburger donated.

Rios said the bear is the same one sighted on Farm to Market Road 481 in Zavala County, a little past the Uvalde County line, on Sept.

24.

Bears are native to the area, Rios said, and the prevalence of corn feeders – which can

be located in one-mile increments in many areas – as well as water tanks may play a part in bear migration now, as they offer an easy and convenient food and water sources.

At around 4 p.m., reports came in of sightings of the bear on Hacienda Road at Mumme’s feed plant. It later roamed onto Archie McFadin’s ranch, where it was trapped.

Using a barrel trap, which is two 55 gallon drums welded together with a trap door affixed, Rios first tried luring the bear with Spam, which was what he had with him.

Rios said Uvalde County Game wardens Dennis Gazaway Jr., Arturo Salinas and Miles Braesicke were on scene, as was Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ruben Hernandez.

13

Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023 “We put the trap about 75 yards upwind of him, and it wasn’t interested in the Spam,” Rios said.

“Dorflinger gets with Whataburger and Whataburger donated like a dozen cinnamon rolls,” Rios said.

He said they placed the trap about 50 yards from the bear, with the wind carrying the smell of the rolls.

Rios said the bear was smart. He first approached the opposite, barred, side of the trap, working his tongue between the bars to reach the cinnamon rolls.

“He was sticking his tongue through there and licking it up and doing all that, but he wouldn’t go in the trap. It’s very frustrating,” Rios said.

“It must have gone on for about 30 minutes, and then he finally, I guess, got to a point where he couldn’t get any cinnamon roll without going in the trap. And we got him.”

Once trapped, the bear laid down, and it took about four people to load the trap onto a truck.

The bear was relocated about 150 miles to stateowned land in Val Verde County.

Before being relocated, the bear became part of a research study with Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University in Alpine. Rios said the researchers are studying the movements and dispersal of black bears. He said the researchers will moniMAX DORFLINGER

A bear stands in Jama Brown’s feed barn off Hacienda Road. Texas Parks and Wildlife personnel, along with a lawman volunteering on his day off, and Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office deputies harried the bear off the ranch on Sept. 28.

tor what the bear does after being relocated.

“So it’s now part of that research project that will give us more information about what happens to these bears and how they move when we translocate them,” he said.

THE HUMAN FACTOR Though it took hours – and the right bait – the bear will now have a second chance to survive in the wild, away from human interference.

Rios said people are a major complicating factor in the trapping, relocation and safety of bears. This bear was unconcerned by people, Rios said, and that is a problem.

“We don’t want to approach bears, and we don’t want to be nice to bears. And we definitely don’t want to feed bears, because that causes problems for the bear,” Rios said.

He asked that people be respectful of nature, and avoid feeding or approaching bears for photos and the like.

“A fed bear is a dead bear,” he said, adding that if a bear

eral reports across all the border counties,” Rios said.

He said it has been that way for at least the approximately 15 years he has been on the job.

David Rios

Max Dorflinger

loses its fear of humans and learns to approach them for food, sooner or later it will misbehave and have to be euthanized.

Rios said the ongoing drought can contribute to bear migration and drive them to move further afield while searching for resources.

People may think the bears solely inhabit Mexico, but that’s just not true, Rios said.

“It’s important to realize that black bears are native to both sides of the river. And I have reports on our side every year. I wouldn’t say that Uvalde County has a report every year, but all of our border counties, through all my records, there’s sev-

A BEAR’S TALE Rios said report of the bear was first called in the day before, on Sept. 28, late in the day. He said he received a call from Gazaway, who reported the bear in a feed barn at Jama Brown’s ranch on Hacienda Road.

Rios said when he arrived, Dorflinger and Gazaway as well as Uvalde County Sheriff’s Deputy Cruz Santos were on scene. He said Brown was concerned by and disapproving of the bear’s presence.

He said the bear appeared food-motivated, likely moving into a phase called hyperphagia to fatten himself up for the winter.

Rios said the bear was seeking grains and vegetation and did not appear to have PLEASE SEE NATIVE, PAGE 38

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Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

CRITTER COUNTRY Uvalde County is home to a variety of wildlife that draws hunters to the area, but many residents keep a variety of animals domestically, which can lead to hijinks. Stuck ferrets and escaped tortoises, lemurs and lost donkeys are just some of the animal escapades featured in the LeaderNews over the last 10 years.

On Aug. 15, 2013, a wily ferret named Frilly dodged her owner while exercising at their Uvalde home and wiggled into a small hole in a bottom kitchen cabinet.

Unable to escape, the ferret was stuck. Her owner, Lori Vasquez, called animal control for help, but it was afterhours. Instead, four Uvalde Police Department officers showed up, crawling on the floor, and working to increase the space and eventually free the ferret.

Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department members stand ready to assist the public in a multitude of circumstances, and on Aug. 1, 2021, they freed a trapped puppy.

Five firefighters worked

September of 2019: Pierce Radicke, 6, of Uvalde examines an African spurred tortoise that he and his father, Holden, discovered ambling down the middle of Highway 55. for about 45 minutes to free the 2- to 3-month-old brindle puppy, who got his head wedged between two large tree roots in the backyard where he lived.

“We just never know what

the call is going to bring, really. On that day it was rescuing a little puppy,” said Mario Rangel, UVFD chief, who noted the canine was safe and sound after the adventure.

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Uvalde Leader-News

Region rich for fishing

Opportunities abound for those interested in fishing in Uvalde County, from area rivers, state parks, the national fish hatchery, and with the Uvalde Bass Club.

The Nueces, Frio and Sabinal rivers are all options for finding a fishing spot. Fish that can be found in Uvalde County’s rivers include black bass, Rio Grande cichlid, spotted gar, and carp.

Lost Maples State Park in Vanderpool, if there’s not a drought and rain has filled the rivers, allows fishing on the Sabinal River which runs through the park, while Garner State Park in Concan also allows fishing on the Frio River.

Garner State Park also participates in the Texas Parks

and Wildlife on-site fishing tackle loaner program, which allows visitors to borrow rods, reels and tackle boxes complete with hooks, sinkers and bobbers.

Individuals fishing in state parks do not need a license to fish from a shore or pier, per Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

To fish on the Nueces River, Uvalde County’s Wes Cooksey Park in Camp Wood offers a day use option for visitors. Although there is a pier near the boat ramp at the park, fishing is perhaps more successful by boat or kayak.

A fishing license is required to fish at this location, as it is not a state park.

PLEASE SEE FISHING, PAGE 35

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Imani Dunn takes a break from fishing to color a rainbow trout during a fishing derby at the Uvalde National Fish Hatchery.

The hatchery also offers younger participants coloring books and crayons free of charge during the derbies.

17

Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

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Hector Romo reels in a channel catfish in June during a fishing derby at the Uvalde National Fish Hatchery.

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Uvalde Leader-News

SHOOTING DIFFERENTLY Shackleford delights friends with love of, eye for photography MELISSA FEDERSPILL STAFF WRITER

Though wildlife photographer Bob Shackleford is married to his true love, he has taken more than half a million pictures of wildlife over the years, a sure sign that nature’s bounty also has a piece of his heart.

On any given day, but especially on not-so-hot days, Shackleford spends time watching, listening, and photographing the world around him. His wife, Anne, is often by his side. As of late he said, she’s also started taking pictures.

Shackleford, who has lived in Uvalde since 1956, said he and his wife, along with their dogs, spend time driving around the coun-

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Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF BOB SHACKLEFORD

Phainopepla, bobcat family, wild hog, racoon, and fox.

tryside, just seeing what they can find.

He said his wife got into photography about a year ago.

“Used to, if we were driving down the road and saw a bird, I’d have pull over, turn around go back and take the picture. Not anymore. I stop and she takes the picture. Sometimes I get upset because I didn’t get to take it,” he laughed.

Sometimes their trips are more focused, looking for a bird or creature they heard was making a special appearance in the area – a task that, for many, is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but they get lucky.

“We were driving one day, and we decided we’d go to

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Del Rio. So we got to Del Rio, and I said, ‘You know, last year they saw a Phainopepla in Sanderson.’ I said, ‘Why don’t we see if we can find it?’

But it had been a year ago,” Shackleford recalled.

A Phainopepla, per Cornell University, is a bird of the southwest, that mostly occur in desert washes and the woodlands of California and Arizona.

The males are silky black and, as Shackleford described, look almost like a cardinal.

“So we took off from Del Rio. It was already the middle of the day – it’s a long way [169 miles from Uvalde] to Sanderson. We got out there, and we didn’t know where to look. So I asked somebody

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in a Stripes, ‘Have you ever heard of this bird? Do you know where I might find it?’ and they looked at me like I was crazy. So I walked back out in the parking lot, and there he was, in a bush.”

“It was unbelievable,’ Shackleford said. When asked if that made his day, he laughed and said, “Oh yeah.

But then I had to drive back.”

Shackleford is well known for his images of windmills, old houses and landscapes but also for his stunning images of birds, from those in flight, at a bird feeder, bath, or peacefully perching on a tree limb.

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Uvalde Leader-News

Susan Rios, David Rios and Texas Parks and Wildlife Maverick County Game Warden Cooper Wolken with children who recently completed a hunters education class at the Uvalde County Fairplex.

Hunter ed is a great way to spend quality time with your children As volunteer hunter education instructors,we – Susan and David Rios – have been teaching hunter education for 10 and 20 years, respectively.

One question we often hear from parents is, “Can I attend the class with my child?” The answer is an emphatic, “Yes!” It is a great way to spend quality time with your children in a positive learning environment that emphasizes respect and accountability.

It is a wonderful opportunity for parents to bond with their children since they won’t have the distraction of cell phones, video games, and social media for several hours.

In fact, attending a hunter education course is a lot like going to church.

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Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023 After all, we do cover the 10 commandments of shooting safety, and the hunter ethics portion of the class always generates exciting banter between the kids about right and wrong and what is expected of us as hunters in the field as well as in public.

Carving out several hours can be difficult for busy parents, but being a positive role model and example in class has a profound effect on the students.

It is also important to note that grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other loved ones are often the mentors that introduce our youth to hunting and shooting sports, and they too are welcome to attend.

Hunter education teaches more than safety. Safety is a large part of the class, but you will also learn about game laws, ethics, and hunting heritage.

Learning and spending time together doesn’t stop in the classroom. Hunting with your family serves as a gateway to learning about, and spending time together in, nature! Family hunting excursions show our youth, firsthand, the meaning of hunting heritage. Experiencing the outdoors with friends and loved ones creates memories that will last a lifetime.

Knowing how to conduct yourself in as safe, legal, and ethical manner while hunting

ensures that those memories will be good ones.

The next question we usually hear from parents is, “Do I need to register myself for the class in addition to my child?” The answer is probably yes.

Hunter education is required of all Texas hunters born on or after Sept. 2, 1971, and if you hunt out state you will find that some of the more popular states to hunt have much more stringent hunter education requirements than we do here in Texas. So yes, it is a good idea to register and get certified along with your child, but you are encouraged to attend either way.

ADVANCED COURSES We taught three basic hunter education courses earlier this year, and are transitioning to advanced workshops called Hunting 101 Courses.

Basic classes will continue to be provided by instructors across the state.

Hunting is a very complex sport. Sometimes young and new hunters just don’t have that special person in their life who can show them all the ins and outs.

Hunting 101 Courses fill that void, and they are of great value to hunters of all types, prospective on up to well-seasoned.

These optional workshops

are often species or method specific and are designed to provide specialized knowledge and skills to those who need a little bit more guidance and those who would like to learn more about a specific subject.

Hunting 101 courses are offered across the state for species such as dove, turkey, waterfowl, and deer in addition to feral hog, exotics, and small game.

Method workshops include topics such as archery, handgun, and muzzleloader. Other types of Hunting 101s offered include wilderness survival, and the most popular workshop of all, game care and processing.

A Handgun Hunting 101 class is scheduled for Nov. 4 in Uvalde.

This advanced workshop will develop and enhance the student’s knowledge, skills, and confidence when hunting with a handgun. It is intended

to provide a solid introduction for hunters who would like to pursue game with a handgun.

Topics will include handgun safety, basic handgun marksmanship, types of handguns and ammunition for hunting, effective range of the handgun and the hunter, ethics, and safe storage.

A live-fire exercise will conclude the class and determine the hunter’s effective range with a handgun.

To register for a basic hunter education course or any of the various Hunting 101 workshops being offered across the state, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website at www.tpwd.texas. gov/education.

Those looking to become a Hunter Education Instructor may contact us at 830-275-7879 or visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website: www.tpwd. texas.gov/education/huntereducation/instructor.

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Uvalde Leader-News

SET THE TABLE SOFI ZEMAN STAFF WRITER

A popular prey of the hunt, venison offers numerous opportunities for creativity at the dinner table.

A surefire way to avoid wasting quality meat is making sure there’s a way to use what you have. Cook-

ing and hunting groups alike offer several ideas and recipes for how to make the most of this season’s hunt.

If you have a buck on your hands but are strapped for ideas, here are a few chefrecommended dishes that can help minimize waste and optimize resourcefulness in the kitchen.

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Recipes to make the most of your hunt

VENISON ROAST Meat from a deer’s neck, if prepared well, can make for a tender roast that pairs well with most homestyle sides, according to wild game cooking site A Ranch Mom. The high quantity of meat on this part of the body makes it ideal for feeding larger groups, or saving some over time.

Like most good things, this meal comes best with time. To successfully marinate and prepare a roast that feeds six people, it’ll take a total 14 hours combined.

For the full recipe, go to: https://www.aranchmom. com/deer/neck-roast/

BONELESS VENISON RIBS If you love the tenderness of a rack of ribs but hate the mess, boneless may be for

you. Cooking venison ribs on can a while, according to Forager Chef. Although delicious after slow cooking, cutting down the large bones to a decent size can be a slow moving process. Preparing, cooking and setting your ribs will be a full-day event, anticipated to take about 12 hours total.

For step-by-step instructions, go to: https://www. foragerchef.com/bonelessvenison-ribs/

VENISON STEW As temperatures slowly begin drop into autumn and winter weather, venison stew works as a great, home-y dish for nights at home.

According to North American Whitetail, shoulder, rump or shank work well

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Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023 when cooking most venison soups or stews.

Tender meat, a solid broth and vegetables of your choice just might make the meal. Preparing a stew that feeds six to eight people will take about two hours, according to Miss Allie’s Kitchen.

For instructions, go to: https://www.missallieskitchen.com/venisonstew.

JERKY Dehydrated flank steaks and a little bit of time and seasoning can make for a quality snack for someone spending a day in the outdoors or relaxing at home.

Mountain Girl Camp, a wild food website by Texas native Kasy Allen, provides step-by-step directions on how to make a peppery, protein-rich jerky.

Detailed instructions can be found at: https://www. mountaingirl.camp/venisonjerky/

PAN-SEARED TENDERLOIN Venison tenderloins or back strap are easy-to-use and simple-to-cook meats to prepare in a pan or skillet.

Searing the meat on the stove and sticking it in the oven with some basic spices will produce a fine cut with a subtly-glazed exterior and tender inside.

For a quick, beginnerfriendly recipe, go to: https:// eatsimplefood.com/perfectseared-baked-deer-tenderloin/

SOFI ZEMAN (szeman@ulnnow. com, 830-278-3335) is a Report for America corps member. Report for America (www.reportforamerica.org) is a national service program that places talented emerging journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered topics and communities across the United States and its territories.

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Find the perfect wine for the day’s hunt

Uvalde Leader-News

SOFI ZEMAN STAFF WRITER

For food and wine fanatics alike, a perfect pairing can make the meal. And in Uvalde County, there are plenty of opportunities to match wild game with lowcost blends that can be found in liquor stores and most grocery spots.

With hunting season comes an opportunity to elevate things at the dinner table. We selected a few basic wines that can be found in town and will complement game hunted locally.

tougher meat, we recommend a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or Pinot Noir.

1. DOVE

2. VENISON

Dove offer a rich, sometimes gamy flavor. For this

A popular prey of the hunt, many sources recom-

mend a full-bodied red wine for venison. A syrah, cabernet sauvignon, grenache or pinot noir would likely do the trick.

3. QUAIL MGM Wine & Spirits recommends marrying either a red or white with your quail.

Reds that work well include a merlot or pinot noir; white wine lovers, opt for an oaky chardonnay.

4. DUCK Duck offers a tender and moist taste that offers a bit more flavor, and fattiness, than chicken. The Wine Society recommends a spicy syrah or shiraz for reds, or a

pinot gris if opting for white.

5. BOAR Boar is best served with a sweeter wine to add balance to its powerful flavoring, according to SecondBottle.

The site recommends opting for a fruity red with spices.

A traditional cabernet will also serve you well, it said.

6. TURKEY Wild turkey is darker than your traditional storebought. This offers a more intense flavor that can be married with a fruitier wine.

Arrowood Winery, based in California, suggests trying a malbec. Zinfadel is also a popular pairing for turkey.

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Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

Welcome Hunters to Uvalde County

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28

Uvalde Leader-News

From roughing it to five-star accommodations While many families were enjoying Labor Day weekend, the last big holiday of the summer, seasoned hunters were beginning their mighty preparaALLENE tions for MANDRY the upcoming hunting season. More trucks were observed on the highway, hauling all types of four-wheel vehicles, bags of corn, various types and sizes of barbecue pits, and even an occasional deer blind. Hunting season is upon us!

Hunting preparations have certainly changed over the last 100 years. My brother Bob Saunders, now 89, recalls his hunting trips

with brother-in-law Tom May when they would walk along the Nueces hoping for a kill.

Accommodations at night consisted of rolling up in a blanket on the ground. Saunders recalls that there were few deer in Uvalde County during the 1950s because of the severe drought.

When I was dating my husband, Arthur, back in the ‘60s, he took me out to his grandfather’s place south of Castroville so he could reinforce his deer blind. Actually, it turned out to be a row of limbs and cactus pads, forming a low wall where the deer would not see him. It was not enclosed and there was no roof. Arthur had killed his first deer from that “blind” when he was just 16. It was just a three-pointer, but, again, there were few deer

because of the drought. His grandfather had an enclosed deer blind, but the uncles hunted by tracking deer on foot or sitting in a tree.

As for sleeping quarters, my husband, his dad, uncles, and cousins would sleep in a 25-by-25-foot wooden building which they called “the mad house.” It accommodated about eight hunters but had no running water or indoor plumbing but did have a wood stove. Arthur’s Uncle Weldon did some of the cooking over an open campfire.

Early hunting camps were primitive to say the least, ranging from lean-to’s to tents to small camp houses.

Steve Suttle, a 1958 UHS graduate, recalls the Cactus Jack camp house on U.S. Vice President John Nance Garner’s ranch near Encinal. Suttle

describes the camp house as a white, wooden, one-car garage that was hauled down to the Cactus Jack. It had four two-level bunk beds, a long rectangular table with benches on each side, a wood fired cook stove, no running water, and an outdoor toilet.

Drinking and dish water were hauled in by the hunters.

There was no electricity, just kerosene lanterns. The camp house was 19 miles from the nearest telephone and about 16 miles from the Rio Grande.

After WWII, Garner’s friend Acree Carlisle hauled in one-half of a wooden military barracks, which was placed immediately to the back of the white garage. A gutter was hung along the roof of the garage which ran into a 55-gallon barrel to collect rainwater for washing

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Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023 dishes. A wood stove with a flue was put in the middle of the barracks to provide heat, and a propane cook stove was added. Later, a small portable generator, which ran on gasoline, was brought down, and an extension wire with electric light bulbs was hung in the garage and barracks.

Suttle’s family had their own hunting camp house in Real County. Made of corrugated tin, Suttle recalls the metal military bunk beds and how cold it could get. Water was taken from a nearby spring at the headwaters of Indian Creek but had to be retrieved with a bucket lowered into the spring. A donkey or bicycle was used to haul game back to the camp house.

Back then, there were no big fancy Ford, Chevy, or Dodge Ram trucks in which to haul your deer home. Deer were often tied to the fender of the family car as fender design provided a cradle of sorts for the deer. In the case of my Uncle Louis Knippa, however, in 1950, he put his deer in the back seat of his Cadillac, only to suddenly discover, while driving home, that the deer was not dead.

He found the deer looking at him in his rearview mirror.

A handy hammer under the front seat solved the problem. Louis’ daughter Freda Knippa Schueler, who now lives in Uvalde, was 13 at the time and remembers her mother warning her dad not to put the deer inside of the car.

As for deer blinds today, hunters often sit in fancy insulated blinds with windows that slide open. Some of the blinds are even heated.

Many of the hunting blinds back in the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s were open at the top and exposed to the weather. I recall the time my husband fell through the bottom of

The Suttle camp house in Real County around 1950. one of these elevated rotted blinds filled with owl droppings down at Big Wells. The incident was followed by medical attention and a tetanus shot.

Hunting gear today is big business. There are all kinds of hunting ATV’s, some heated and air-conditioned; game cameras; all types of camouflaged clothing; warm sleeping bags; deer attractants; deer feeders with timers; protein feeders; fancy guns with powerful scopes; and an array of deer dressing devices.

And, for those hunters who don’t have a lease or own land, there are dozens of extravagant hunting lodges in South Texas, but you’ll have to shell out a little money. There, one can enjoy home cooked meals, comfortable beds at night, and basically all the modern conveniences. You might even have a guide who takes you out to the blind and sits with you during the hunt. The number of points or Boone and Crockett score from your kill will influence the amount of money you have to pay for the excursion.

However, whether you’re

sleeping in a tent or simple camp house or staying at one of the big hunting lodges, hunting all boils down to one thing: camaraderie. It’s being with your friends, sharing hunting stories, and simply enjoying the great outdoors.

ALLENE MANDRY was born in Uvalde where she attended elementary school before moving to San Antonio. Now a retired teacher who lives on a ranch near Camp Verde, she spends her time doing genealogy research and giving presentations on genealogy.

at your e l b a l i a Av stores! favorite During the 1870’s settlers began the process of developing and establishing farms in ranches in the uvalde county area. It was then that they discovered large amounts of bees and honey in the caves and in the hollow of native trees.

The southwestern portions of Texas was nicknamed the Texas brush country because of the large of amount of cat claw, white brush, kinnikinnick and huajilla (guajillo) brush.

The huajilla plant is the main honey plant that bees feed on. It produces a mild, light colored delicious honey.

The honey bees play an important role in the pollination of many crops that are grown in the brush county, especially cucumbers and cantaloupe.

Uvalde honey was entered into competition at the 1900 Paris world’s fair and came back to Texas with the first place ribbon. During the 1890’s honey producer James Whitecotton was nationally recognized with annual sales of honey estimated at a million pounds.

Being tagged as the “honey capital of the world,” southern pacific railroad played a major role in the marketing of honey as beekeepers traveled to uvalde to ship their honey all over the world.

During the huajilla blooming season bees seek out the light colored blossoms that gives uvalde honey is unique flavor and color. Huajilla honey has a delicate and distinctive taste that is very light, mild, rich, smooth and sweet.

The huajilla plant is a wild desert bush that is only native to southwest Texas and to northern Mexico. It is a spreading shrub that sprouts from the base when disturbed. The white flowers are found blooming from November to march. The huajilla plant grows in sandy soils and shallow ridges in Texas, especially the southern portion of the Texas hill country.

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30

Uvalde Leader-News

Historic Downtown Uvalde These businesses among others, offer you a great selection of items and great customer service.

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Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

License, education required to hunt JULYE KEEBLE STAFF WRITER

Completing a required hunter education course and purchasing a hunting license with all needed upgrades can help keep hunters here to enjoy plethora of abundant wildlife in Uvalde County from meeting the ticket books of local game wardens.

Hunter education is required of any hunter born on or after Sept. 2, 1971, and affected hunters must be able to prove they have completed the course and possess a valid Texas hunting license to legally hunt in Texas.

Classes typically have a $15 fee. The minimum age for certification is 9 years old.

Hunters 17 years of age or older may be able to complete

the course online.

Hunters under 9 years of age must be accompanied by someone 17 or older, who is licensed to hunt in Texas and has either passed or is exempt from hunter education requirements. Any hunter age 9-17 must complete a hunter education course or be similarly accompanied.

HUNTING LICENSE In Texas you are not required to show an education certification when purchasing a hunting license.

For state residents, a general hunting license costs $25. For non-residents, the cost is $315.

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age 17 and above at a cost of $10, is required to be on your person while hunting.

Game wardens suggest examining hunting licenses to verify all information is correct and all necessary endorsements are listed before they complete the license purchase.

Texas recognizes hunter education certificates from all other states and provinces.

In Uvalde, hunting licenses may be purchased at locations including Texas Farm Store, 236 E. Nopal St.; Minits No. 108 convenience store, 1301 N. Getty St.; Oasis Outback, 2900 E. Main St.; Minits No. 102/Country Junction store, 2204 Milam St.; and Walmart, 3100 E. Main St. To find a retailer near you,

or purchase a license online, visit https://tpwd.texas.gov/ regulations/outdoor-annual/ licenses/hunting-licensesand-permits/huntinglicenses.

GAME WARDEN INFO In addition to enforcing safety rules, if you find yourself in a sticky situation and need help, local game wardens may offer assistance.

County game wardens include Miles Braesicke, Dennis R. Gazaway Jr., and Arturo Salinas. To contact a warden, call 512-389-4848.

The Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office may be reached at 830-278-4111, and they are dispatched by the police department, which may be contacted at the non-emergency line at 830-278-9147.

32

Uvalde Leader-News

SWTJC wildlife students flourish The hue of the morning sun reaching across the mesquite laden brush, students from the SWTJC Wildlife Management Program eagerly watch helicopters DEAN navigate the WIEMERS thorn scrub looking for a large antlered buck on a privately-owned ranch.

Slowly the helicopters disappear from eyesight as they search, but the brief intermittent sound of the helicopter rotor wash can be heard.

Finally, students hear a helicopter approaching and look below the skids of the helicopter. With excitement,

students see a large antlered buck carried by the helicopter towards them.

The helicopter gently lowers the buck to the ground and releases the rope sling to allow the helicopter to move away. Students quickly move to the buck that has been hobbled with a rope that secures the legs and a blindfold to reduce stress.

Daniel Tidwell and I assist students with the collection of age by evaluating tooth wear of the buck and then collect antler measurements to acquire the gross Boone and Crockett score. After all data is collected, the antlers are removed to prevent the buck from injuring does while in the enclosure. The students release the deer

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with a careful eye on the buck to ensure he is without injury.

Deer captures in November each year keep SWTJC wildlife students busy. An estimated six captures over nine days are planned for 2023. The wildlife program has these opportunities primarily through the network that Bob Zaiglin has created over 40 years within the wildlife management field.

Processing and releasing over 200 deer provides students valuable insight into the wildlife management field. With the knowledge of aging, antler scoring, and techniques to release deer each student has the development of a skill set that can be used in the future whether in the private sector

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or pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Factually, freshman and sophomore students at four-year universities have very little opportunity attending field activities because upperclassman have seniority. These universities also have few outside the classroom opportunities.

After SWTJC wildlife students complete their Associate of Applied Science degree they have more outside the classroom and field activities than most students receiving a bachelor’s degree. They also understand the current wildlife management practices that landowners are currently performing, such as deer captures, prescribed fires, and helicopter or spotlight surveys.

Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023 Landowners with highfenced properties can acquire a deer management permit that is issued by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. This permit allows the capture of a large antlered buck and as many as 20 does in a high-fenced enclosure.

These deer are temporarily detained in an enclosure that is between five and 100 acres. The purpose of the DMP is to allow a genetically superior large antlered buck to breed females thereby enhancing the number of offspring that have enhanced genetics.

This information and other skill sets acquired while in the field and in the classroom allow the SWTJC wildlife management program to continually develop and train wildlife professionals that will be ready to enter the wildlife management field. Acquiring a job

33

Southwest Texas Junior College wildlife management students quickly take a photo of a buck that will be released into an enclosure with does. Landowners acquire a deer management permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to capture and release the buck with does in an enclosure. in wildlife management can be difficult. Yet, the SWTJC wildlife students have field experience as well as the

academic knowledge to outperform other candidates when applying for future employment.

DEAN WIEMERS, Ph.D., is a wildlife management instructor at Southwest Texas Junior College.

34

Uvalde Leader-News

An axis buck stands alongside a herd of females in a pasture in Uvalde County near Reagan Wells. Axis deer were introduced into Texas in 1932, per Texas Tech University, and now occur in counties in the central and southern part of the state.

Photos: Shackleford willing to share tips, photos FROM PAGE 19

River. Shackleford has a bird blind where he often snaps photographs. He said he and his wife enjoy having birds to watch and, as a result, they have perfected bird feed recipes to keep them coming back.

Shackleford said his love of nature was instilled in him by his father, Thurman Shackleford, who died in 2020 at the age of 95. Thurmond worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working and living at the Uvalde National Fish Hatchery.

Shackleford said his father would often tag along on his wildlife and photography adventures. “My mom had passed away earlier. So that was daddy’s life,” he said.

Shackleford is also well versed in species, and identifies the birds he captures.

He shares a lot of his work on social media providing a glimpse of the surrounding beauty, offering a reminder that Uvalde County is a nature lovers’ destination.

His knowledge and skills

A blackbuck Antelope stands out among a group of females in a field north of Uvalde near Concan. Female antelope, according to Texas Tech University’s Natural Science Research Laboratory, are hornless. All blackbuck have white eye rings, chin patch, chest, belly and inner legs, per TTU. In Texas, adult males average 38kg in weight, while females average 27kg. have made him a go-to source for visitors. Birders from around the area and country follow his work and reach out to him about coming to Uvalde. He often will share his bird blind and bird feed recipes.

Lately, he said, he has diversified his focus, and is taking more photographs of animals such as deer, bobcats, and

raccoons. He said his work is featured in calendars, magazines, newspapers, including the Leader-News, and often for promotional materials.

“I even had people from Spain using some of my pictures. One of my windmill pictures was on the cover of the Texas Hereford Association magazine. And I’ve had a few more,” Shackleford said.

He said he does not try to get his work out there, “but if somebody asks me, I’ll let them.”

Shackleford retired from Health and Human Services about 20 years ago, and he got more serious about photography after retirement. He said he got his start by collecting camera equipment and learning about birds and wildlife.

35

Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

Fishing: Rivers await anglers

UVALDE BASS CLUB|FACEBOOK

In this 2020 photo, Uvalde Bass Club member Clarence McNiel holds a winning fish caught at Falcon Lake during a twoday tournament where he caught 19.07 pounds of fish.

FROM PAGE 16

NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY Every year, the Uvalde National Fish Hatchery offers hopeful anglers a chance to participate in youth, senior, and veteran fishing derbies hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Uvalde National Fish Hatchery produces channel catfish for these fishing events.

The annual fishing derbies, which are held about five times a year around holidays such Veterans Day and Labor Day, are free to attend, but participants bring their own tackle, and coolers. Live bait is not permitted. Anglers wanting to keep their catches are allowed up to five fish.

The hatchery also offers Color-A-Fish coloring books and crayons to younger participants who might need a break from fishing.

When the hatchery is not hosting derbies, staff works with threatened or endangered species. The facility is also open for bird watching.

There’s a two-acre wildlife pond, across from the visitor center, that features a walking path and bird watching stations. The hatchery is located at 754 County Road 203 and open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. To schedule a tour, call 830-278-2419.

UVALDE BASS CLUB For more than two decades, the Uvalde Bass Club has been gathering for fishing contests. The anglers visit Amistad Lake in Del Rio, Falcon International Reservoir near Laredo, and Choke Canyon Reservoir near Three Rivers. Check out the Uvalde Bass Club Facebook page.

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Uvalde Leader-News

Roger Ramsey is pictured with six of his son Chris Ramsey’s 12 lemurs. Chris says visitors should BYOB – bring your own banana, for the lemurs, of course – when visiting Little Creek Exotics Ranch

Lemurs: Primates didn’t love tomatoes FROM PAGE 15

toise ambling down the center stripe of State Highway 55 near 19-Mile crossing.

Radicke pulled over, looked over what turned out to be an African spurred tortoise, and then phoned game warden Dennis Gazaway with Texas Parks and Wildlife, who advised him to bring it to Uvalde.

Another motorist stopped, and they were able to load it in the vehicle.

Upon inspection, the warden determined it resembled a tortoise missing for a year, and the roving reptile was returned to owner Glenn Staack.

LEMURS ON THE LAM On April 7, 2021, lemurs living at the 1,600-acre Little Creek Exotics Ranch in Utopia waited for their 5 p.m. snack before some bolted, turning up four miles away in the town of Utopia.

Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023 Ranch owner and wildlife biologist Chris Ramsey and his daughter, Julie Ramsey Chambers, said they have worked to domesticate the creatures.

As the lemurs roamed Utopia, area residents embraced their presence and began feeding them. Several members of the Facebook group Utopia Community News also began posting pictures of the lemurs roaming and in trees.

With all the treats, when the Ramseys got to Utopia to round up the lemurs, they struggled to get them to come out of trees.

“I’ve heard they ate strawberries, bananas and some cherry tomatoes, which turned out to not be their favorite,” Julie said, adding that at the ranch, they normally feed them fruits such as raisins and craisins, vegetables and Froot Loops cereal.

She says her dad has a rule for when guests come over: it’s BYOB, or bring your own banana.

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A sort of town-wide scavenger hunt ensued, and by noon the next day, most of the lemurs had been rounded up, with two still stubbornly clinging to trees and refusing to depart.

DONKEY SEEKS SHEPHERD In June of this year, a lost donkey turned up at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. Before 6 a.m., Uvalde County Sheriff’s deputies received a call about the donkey, wandering North Getty Street.

Deputies checked with a local family, who verified their Jenny was still home. They offered to foster the lost boy, who they christened Ben T. Once he was there, Jenny wasn’t too sure she liked her new friend.

“She hasn’t been around another donkey, and they had a little Hee-Haw,” Reyes said.

“Now they are just the best of A donkey, who moments before this picture was roamfriends.” ing the streets of downtown, stands tied to the side gate at St. Philip's Episcopal Church on June 6, 2023.

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Uvalde Leader-News

Native: Officers tried hazing visitor FROM PAGE 13

interest in or harm any other animals.

“Jama Brown’s ranch is a goat ranch, primarily, but it never had any interest in her goats, it was interested in the feed in the barn,” Rios said.

He said analysis of the bear scat showed a diet primarily consisting of prickly pears.

“There was a lot of roadkill in the area that it never went to, so it really wasn’t interested in meat and protein, it was interested in vegetative matter.”

To move the bear off Brown’s ranch, they began a process called hazing, which involves coming in loudly and aggressively, with yelling, honking horns, and even shooting rubber buckshot at the bear.

“It’s not something that

would kill the bear or even hurt it in any serious way.

But it gets its attention,” Rios said.

The bear left the feed barn immediately, and officials used the hazing methods to push it around the property until the bear was seen crossing the road and the railroad tracks around sunset, and efforts ceased for the evening.

BLACK BEARS IN TEXAS By the 1950s, black bears had been driven from Texas into the mountains of Mexico, but they began returning in the 1990s.

The H-E-B Our Texas, Our Future film, “Second Chance” highlights this return and work done by the The Borderlands Research Institute. View the 22-minute film at https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=F0TdfmuZjpg.

Bears are protected in Texas “Black bears are native to the areas on both sides of the border, but they are more common in Mexico. Sometimes Mexican bears tend to wander into Texas in search of resources, particularly during droughty summers,” said Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist David Rios, Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist.

He said anyone sighting a bear, especially on or around the road, should slow down, remain in their vehicle at a distance and let the bear cross the road safely.

“Black bears are prone to being hit by cars on highways. In fact, my first assignment on my first day on the job 15 years ago was to pick up a bear that had been hit in Kinney County at the intersection of Highway 90 and 3008,” Rios said.

The black bear is a protected and rare species in the state of Texas. A small bear population is located in western Texas and a few individual bears have been sighted in other parts of the state, according to TPWD. It is a violation of law to kill a black bear in Texas, with penalties including up to $10,000, added civil restitution fines, jail time and loss of hunting privileges.

He asked anyone sighting a bear in the area report it to him by calling 361-205-7314. For more information on the black bear contact the Black Bear Conservation Committee, 225-763-5425, www.bbcc.org.

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Hunter’s Journal • Fall 2023

Event: Tickets on sale for 40-gun prize drawing FROM PAGE 4

BARBECUE CONTEST Miller said the barbecue contest will bring together some of the best cooks in the region to showcase their culinary skills as they compete for top honor.

Check in begins on Nov. 3, and the contest will be held Nov. 4.

The cook-off features three categories: chicken, ribs, and brisket, and there’s a guaranteed divided payout of $15,000. The public is invited to the event, and some positions for tasting judges will likely be open the day of the contest. Turn in times, subject to change depending upon how many teams enter, are noon for chicken, 1 p.m. for pork, and 2 p.m. for brisket. The award ceremony is set for 4 p.m.

Garnishes are not allowed, and all items must serve at least six judges.

No pulled or shredded chicken is allowed; sliced brisket and/or burned ends are allowed; and pork spare ribs, St. Louis cut, or baby back ribs are allowed. Cost of entry is $175.

Entries will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Nov. 2. To enter visit https://tinyurl.com/HRU2023 and see rules at https://tinyurl.com/ym2wafv9.

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UVALDE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce staff members are (left to right) MJ Miller, Adam Ocasio, Olga Charles, and John Yeackle.

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Uvalde Leader-News