Texas Sportsman Dec 2015

Page 1

Choosing the right bullet for the job

COOKING WITH DURIVAGE

TWO SEASONS AT ONCE

A BAD HARE DAY



300 N. Cage Pharr, TX 78577 (956) 402-4500

WINTER FANTASY SATURDAY, DEC. 26

ELY YOUNG BAND WEDNESDAY, DEC. 30

300 W. Nolana Loop, Pharr, Texas 78577 (956) 781-1116

205 W. Nolana Loop, Pharr, Texas 78577 (956) 259-7829

4603 North Cage, Pharr, Texas 78577 (956) 787-2900 and 4607 North Cage, Pharr, Texas 78577 (956) 782-8832

4401 N. Cage Blvd., Pharr, Texas 78577 (956) 782-8880

2706 N. Cage Blvd., Pharr, Texas 78577 (956) 783-7777




INSIDE 20

The bullet... “A lot of people like bullets that are real accurate with a lot of hyper extension. They shoot a deer at 100 yards broadside and it destroys a lot and causes a lot of shock and usually the deer falls down because the shock it great. But if you ever have to shoot something that’s durable or your angle is poor, you need something that penetrate. This bullet does that.” Bob Glick, owner Glick Twins

The hunting place...

five steps he’s going to disappear around the corner. His shot rang true as he fired away at the base of the tail. “I was about 4 inches off to the right and low and broke his femur and went through his chest cavity,” Glick said. “He must’ve been doing one of his bounces because it went through the hip and in the gut through the chest cavity but then came up through the ribs and I found the bullet in the very top end of the backstrap. “I was eager to test this bullet. I never dreamed I’d be able to come back with the bullet. There’s not many bullets that penetrate and penetrate straight. This one definitely does.” Glick is a firm believer that spending the little extra on a great constructed bullet is actually a value. “I’ve beenguiding people all my life and poor bullet construction causes us to lose game even when the shots are good,” he said. “Great bullet construction results in dead game, sometimes even when the shots aren’t very good because it always exits and that gives you a chance gto follow the trial and maybe get a second shot. It raises your chances dramatically. “I use this bullet all the time. The cost is very insignificant in our hunting. We all get the expensive lease, the nice truck, the blind, the feeders, the corn every week - and the cost to have dead animals instead of lost animals is minimal.” Glick said the Federal Ammunition is what he now recommends at his store. He said a bullet that doesn’t exit is a failure, except for extreme circumstances - like going through all the bone his bullet wenr through to capture his 300-pound, Class 160 mule deer. “This is the second season Federl has this bullet,” Glick said. “It’s out match made in heaven. It was the first one of these bulletsused I’ve retrieved, they go through everything.”

BULLET PHOTO BY TIKI TILLMAN (TIKITILLMANPHOTOS.COM) STORY BY HENRY MILLER

When it comes to bullets,

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

Bob Glick, owner of Glick Twins in Pharr, took a trip to West Lake, Colorado with two goals in mind - bring back a trophy deer and bring it back using a Federal Ammunition Vital Shok bullet - a 300 WIN. Magnum, 180 grain trophy copper bullet, to be precise He succeeded on both accounts. In fact, if he wasn’t using the highly penetrating ammunition, his trip could’ve been a lot different. “If I would’ve used a hyper expansion bullet, he (the mule deer buck) would’ve broke his leg and he would’ve run off and on the steep mountain side with all the brush we would’ve lost him,” Glick said, “I was supposed to come home that day and I wouldn’t have and would’ve spent the next day looking for him and still would’ve lost him.” The point of the story? “You have to pick your bullet for what you are going to do,” Glick said. “If you’re just killing does almost any bullet will do. If you’re hunting ta trophy you need to realize that all you may see is his butt runing off.” That’s exactly what Glick saw on during his final day on the trophy hunt. The buck was about 50 feet below him and 140 yards when we he jumped up and started running. “I threw my gun up and he just needed to make it around one little ridge to be out of sight. I could only shoot at his running butt because he was running away and literally in

20

WHAT’S INSIDE The trophy...

MY CHRISTMAS BUCK

Layout_64834_Layout_00000 8/10/15 12:38 PM Page 7

Volume 2, Isssue 6. December 2015. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are strictly those of the writers, photographers and contributors, and are not necessarily those of Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors or its publisher. Every effort has been taken to ensure the correctness and accuracy in the material published in this magazine. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors reserves the right to edit, rewrite and refuse editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions or consequence arising from it. Texas

JAN. 2016 LUNAR TRANSIT TIMES

DEC. 2015 LUNAR TRANSIT TIMES DAY

Sportsman Tracking Outdoors shall be held harmless and indemnified against any third-party claims. Advertisements appearing in Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors present only the viewpoint of the advertisers. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors is printed in the U.S.A. All correspondence to the publication become the property of Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors is published by H&J Publications. Copyright 2014. To advertise in Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors call (956) 607-0853 or email joey.texassportsman@gmail.com

1

T

2

W

3 4 5

MOON

T

COMMENTS

S

BY MIKE COX OK, I feel better now. For someone who has been hunting in Texas since he was old enough to shoulder a rifle, I had begun to feel guilty about all the jackrabbits I plinked away at as a youngster. And I must modestly say I did more hitting than plinking at those fast, gray hoppers with ears as long as their legs. Just about every Baby Boomer boy who grew up in the Lone Star State, providing they did so in families with a hunting tradition, has shot a few of the mule-eared critters, which, despite their common name, are actually hares, not rabbits. Of course, when I was in the sixth grade at T.A. Brown Elementary School in Austin (this was before educators thought it was a good idea to mix sixth graders with seventh and eighth graders and call it "middle school"), I didn't care about the zoological distinction between cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits. If they twitched their noses, wiggled their ears and hopped, they were fair game. Actually, jackrabbits are "game" only in the sense of being "fair game," since they are not legally considered game animals in Texas. They can be taken year-round, day or night. There's no season, no size restriction and no limit. All you need to make it legal is a valid Texas hunting license and proof of having taken a hunter safety course if you were born after 1971. Well, unless you own your own land, you need a landowner's permission to hunt on his property. By January 1961, I had shot a fair number of Central Texas cottontails with my granddad's .22, a Remington Model 550. He had it mounted with a Weaver scope, a low-power-if-state-of-the-art optic back

Fred Rodriguez The Texas Sportsman fredrsportsman@yahoo.com (956) 776-4623

Joey Dowden Advertising Director joey.texassportsman @gmail.com (956) 607-0853

Tiki Tillman Photographer tikitillmanphotos.com (956)572-6132 Bob Glick Contributing Editor myglicktwins.com (956) 787-4291

8

then. Soon, however, I would become acquainted with a .22 on steroids, the Winchester Model 61 .22 Magnum. One day Granddad asked if I'd like to "star" in a movie to be filmed by Winchester Arms. He called it a movie; today, we'd call it an infomercial. The venerable firearms manufacturer had just introduced a .22 magnum pump rifle. Winchester's marketing folks came up with the idea of doing a film to demonstrate the new rifle's effectiveness at taking varmints. At the time, my granddad was editor of the Texas Game and Fish Magazine in Austin. Someone with Winchester had contacted him to ask where they could shoot the film -- and jackrabbits -- in Texas. Granddad suggested the South Texas brush country of Kinney County and they liked the idea. So, early in the John F. Kennedy administration, I went with Granddad to the Fort Clark Guest Ranch (now Fort Clark Springs) at Brackettville to be the child actor in Winchester's film. For the next several days, in company with the Winchester film crew, Granddad and I bounced around in a pickup truck on the old military reservation, abandoned by the Army following the end of World War II. As the camera rolled, I used that new .22 Magnum to provide action footage for the New Yorkers. I had no speaking role, the corporate types content with letting their pump do its own talking. And it did. At this distant date, I have no idea how many jackrabbits I shot, but it was in the scores. I think I was born with a spring-powered Daisy BB gun in my hands, and by the time I was 12, I was a pretty good shot with a long arm. I didn't miss very many times.

At the time, my brain still another 12 or 13 years from its full development, I thought it was incredibly fun to be able to shoot every jackrabbit we ran across. The contest was one-sided, but Mother Nature did not leave jackrabbits completely helpless. As the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department notes in its jackrabbit fact sheet, "Jackrabbits always seem to be on their guard. They are very alert to their surroundings and watchful of potential threats. They rely on their speed to elude predators and, if they are lucky enough to escape, they will flash the white underside of their tail to alert other jackrabbits in the area." Even as a young newspaper reporter in West Texas, I liked to go out at night with friends and shoot jackrabbits. (No comment on what we were drinking at the time or where we were doing the shooting.) Alas, I grew older. In time, not only did I come to realize that consuming certain beverages while shooting is not a safe practice, and that it is illegal to discharge a firearm in certain areas such as public roadways, I began to feel guilty about all those jackrabbits I had knocked down in the name of corporate PR all those years ago. Not to mention all those I shot around San Angelo. My angst grew as I began to realize that I was seeing fewer and fewer jackrabbits in the wild. Over the years, it has seemed to me that Texas doesn't have as many jackrabbits as it once did. That opinion is not based on any biological study, merely observation. In fact, TPWD still considers jackrabbits to be common, as they are over most of the Western half of the nation. Probably it was just my guilty conscience. So, not only are jackrabbits not threatened, given their storied ability to repro-

3 4

F

19

S

12:19

M

12

2:31 3:25

PERIGEE

S

FIRST QUARTER

S 18 M 19 T

7:44 8:37

9:02

9:31

9:56

10:27

10:52

11:24

11:49

25

F

12:21

12:46

26

S

1:17

1:42

S 28 M 29 T

3:02

3:27

3:50

4:15

30 W 31 T

4:35

5:00

5:19

5:44

FULL MOON/CHRISTMAS

2:11

2:36

17

S

24

S

Supports and stabilizes weapons

SIMPLE DESIGN Effective No-maintenance Easy on/off

Fits most hunting rifles & shotguns

7:26 8:20 9:15

9:40

10:11 11:06

11:31

12:00 1:17

25 M 26 T

1:41

2:06

2:28

2:53

27 W 28 T

3:13

3:38

3:56

4:21

29

F

4:39

5:04

30

S

5:21

5:46

31

S

6:04

6:29

APOGEE

BEST MORNINGS OR AFTERNOONS Visit us online: www.osoteloskincancer.com

Did you know that skin cancer is the most common of all types of cancers? Nearly two million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. every year.

Hunters, fishermen and farmers since ancient times have known of a certain relationship between the moon and nature. They knew that at certain times of the day the world of the animal kingdom came alive with activity. This knowledge had been passed on from generation to generation and used for their basic needs: planting, hunting and fishing. Today we have come to understand the scientific basis for the moon’s biological effect on all wildlife and marine life. Very simply, it is peak gravitation of the moon that stimulates animal activity. That’s why deer, cattle and marine life feed at the same time of the day or night. This gravitational stimulus is at its greatest when the moon is let us take care of all your printingdirectly needs overhead or on the opposite side of the Earth. A law of physics MAGAZINES | CATALOGS | POSTCARDS states that for every pull there is an equal and opposite push. In other CALENDARS & BROCHURES words, as the Earth rotates on its axis, any location on Earth will each day pass under two peak gravitational forces occurring 12 ½ hours apart. These peak forces coincide with lunar transit times. The following lunar transit times coincide with high tide and increased game and fish activity. Just like at high tide, animal activity increases, peaks, then decreases around transit times. This “window” of activity usually lasts 2-4 hours. What this all means is that the best hunting and fishing occurs when gravitation is greatest at transit times of the moon.

Dr. Sotelo has more than 30 years of experience and has treated more than 50,000 skin cancers. If you have questions or concerns about your skin, call R. Sotelo now - don’t wait!

From Dr. Oscar Sotelo’s Lunar Transit Times, 23rd edition

ADJUSTABLE

4:50 5:41 6:33

8:45 10:36 12:25 FULL MOON

LIFE IS BETTER IN COLOR

SECONDARY ANCHOR POINT

Mitchell Ray Owner/Designer

3:58

6:06

12:52

BEST MORNINGS OR AFTERNOONS

Stratus Support Systems 232 Hickory Dr Huntsville, Texas (832) 594-7925 stratussupportsystems.com

2:11 3:05

5:15 6:58

F

23

1:17

1:42 2:36

7:51

20 W 21 T 22

12:47

3:30

F

16

8:09

10:09

4:23

15

6:52

7:17 SOLSTICE/PERIGEE

9:21

9:44

12:22 NEW MOON

T 13 W 14 T

5:09 6:01

4:17

8:35

8:56

S S

11

1:38

1:10 2:03 2:56 4:42 6:26

Visit us online: www.osoteloskincancer.com WHAT ARE LUNAR TRANSIT TIMES?

PATENT PENDING TECHNOLOHY & DESIGN

7:52

8:10

5:34

3:50

20

9 10

12:45

11:54 NEW MOON

FIRST QUARTER

M

BEST

6:26 7:09

11:00 11:53

27

HANDS FREE

P.M.

7:27

11:28

S

S 21 M 22 T

BEST

6:01 6:44

10:35

F

16 W 17 T F

A.M.

T

8

10:42

T

COMMENTS

LAST QUARTER/APOGEE

W

7

11:29

W

S S T

6

10:17

T

9

MOON

F

5

9:14 9:53

S 14 M 15 T

18

DAY

1 2

7:06 7:49 8:31

11:04

8 10

BEST

5:37 6:22

8:49 9:32

23 W 24 T

Not Likely

P.M.

7:24 8:06

M

11

Henry Miller Publisher henry.texassportsman @gmail.com (956) 607-9210

BEST

5:12 5:57 6:41

APOGEE

S

7

13

HARE TODAY....GONE TOMORROW?

A.M.

LAST QUARTER

F

6

12

This NEW PRODUCT transfers weight of a slinged weapon off of shoulders and backs and delivers to hips, REDUCING FATIGUE!

ON THE COVER Hunters have different reasons for wanting certain bullets. Some of those reasons, however, aren’t good enough. (tikitillmanphotos.com)

STAFF

28

21

Layout_64834_Layout_00000 8/10/15 12:38 PM Page 6

Go back in time with me – back to 1996. I was two years into my television show, then called SouthTexas Sportsman. My friend Bond Cosby introduced me to Robert King and Danny Sullivan and the 48,000-acre Mariposa Ranch. The first time I visited the Mariposa Ranch I was allowed to sit in a blind and look at the bucks, doe and hogs. My show was featuring how hunting brings money to the local economy and how it has a domino effect on rifles, guns, ammo and groceries. Places like where my good friends work at Glick Twins and Amigo Implement where they sell Polaris ATVs are affected positively by a flourishing hunting economy. I sat in the blind hoping for another invite to come and harvest a nice looking trophy. A year Fred Rodriguez is the Texas Sportslater it happened. Robert King called to invite man and has decades of experience me for a three-day, two-night hunt where I was and knowledge regarding hunting going to be able to shoot a trophy buck, a doe and fishing. You can watch his show, and a hog. I guess I had proven myself after The Texas Sportsman, on FOX in the producing two shows at Mariposa Ranch and Rio Grande Valley at 11:30 a.m on the ranch had received some calls from watchSaturdays. ing the show. My show then was on American One Satellite Network and locally on KVEO. Through the American One Satellite Network, the Mariposa Ranch booked four guys from Georgia to hunt South Texas Whitetails. After that the doors were open to come back. I call this Trophy Buck my Christmas Buck. My camera man, Narz Hernandez, and I arrived at the Mariposa Ranch and were greeted by Robert King and brought to one of their lodges. After a great meal we headed for bed, but sleep just wouldn’t come. I had been told that I could shoot ANY buck I wanted and the excitement grabbed hold of me. All I could think of were huge monster bucks from South Texas. The alarm blared at 4:30 a.m. and after coffee and a taco it was off to the deer blind. An Arctic Cold Front happened upon us and it was about 33 degrees with a slight drizzle. Not too long after being situated in the blind, Narz and I started seeing eight-pointers, 10-pointers and even 12-pointers along with some doe. About three hours in I caught site of the most beautiful buck I had ever seen. After viewing him through the binoculars I told Narz I wanted that buck. Keep in mind I was going to be there for two more days and had the opportunity to shoot any buck – but I wanted that one. It was special to me not only because of how it looked but it was Dec. 21 – my dad’s birthday. Sometimes things are just put in place for the taking. Using my trusty Ruger 270 caliber with a Remington 150 grain Core Lock I aimed and fired – the buck dropped right in its tracks. My Christmas Buck. When we arrived back to the lodge, Mr. King looked at the buck and said “well Fred, what are you going to do now?” “I guess I’ll go look for my doe and my hog,” I replied. Merry Christmas to everyone – I hope you too get your Christmas Buck. God Bless.

Choosing the right bullet is critical for the hunt you’re going on. After spending money on a lease, feeders, your nice truck, corn... why would you not spend a little more for a bullet that performs?

OSCAR SOTELO, M.D. Board Certified Dermatologist

30

6900 N. 10th St. Ste 3 McAllen, TX 78504 (956) 682-1591 osoteloskincancer.com

16

8 MEMORIES Fred looks back at bagging his “Christmas Buck”.

Hunts to Remember Carmen’s First Buck A Journal Entry From Alberto Santo CARMEN AND HER BUCK

Alberto Santos is the owner of Santos Ranch LLC and Las Lomas Ranch. Visit the website www. santosranch.com for more information.

16

26

HARE HARE Those wascally wabbits aren’t going anywhere.

LOOK AT ME See who caught what for dinner.

n

(956) 787-4291

Grubbage..

I

t was the winter of 1973 and I remember it well. My wife, Carmen and I had been married for a little more than four years. By that time she already knew that I really enjoyed hunting. Carmen, being a good wife, decided it was time to give hunting a try. Little did I know how important a hunt this would be.

THE CAMP The camp was just ok for seasoned deer hunters. I do not think anyone even referred to it as “the lodge.” The camp included three buildings. First, there was a kitchen/dining building that was affectionately called the kitchen. It was not a bad kitchen but the place was not known for its culinary achievements. It was ok considering it had no running water or electricity. The inside of the kitchen had two basic colors. The front half of the building, by the front door, was done in bare wood. The wood showed its age and was a gray/ brown but mostly gray. Nails were rusted and popping out here and there. Nobody hammered them back in since we used these projectiles to hand stuff. The back half of the room, by the cooking area, was done in your basic smoky black. Years and years of cooking had left their mark. Many a meal had been cooked there. Most of the fires were bigger than they had to be for

cooking. The big fires also had to keep the card players warm on those cold winter nights. Mornings in the kitchen usually saw coffee being brewed over a mesquite fire. The coals then served to cook eggs and bacon and to warm the flour tortillas brought from home. Lunch was not a cooked meal very often. It was usually an opportunity to eat the leftovers from the night before or fried chicken that was brought in from town. Dinner was usually beef fajitas grilled on a mesquite fire along with some green onions, guacamole, flour tortillas, and hot chile sauce. My mom’s chile was always a hit at deer camp. The cupboard was a simple set of shelves with the customary cracked green paint. They were stocked with the usual deer camp supplies. You could usually find a few cans of chili con carne (with beans of course). This and the cans of fruit cocktail were of course for emergencies. And the usual assortment of scotch, playing cards, and dominos. These, of course, were in case the hunting was slow. Other essentials in the cupboard included water bottles and toilet paper. The table was generally the cleanest part of the kitchen since it also served as the food preparation area. A well-worn oilcloth covered it. One side of the table (by the cooking area) was covered with salt, pepper, onion salt, catsup, three bottles of chili sauce, and more paper towels. We may have run out of salt or water but never ran out of toilet paper at this camp. Nothing can distract a true deer hunter than the side effects of not having used enough toilet paper. The frying pans hanging on the wall by the cooking area were the self-cleaning type. You put them over a roaring fire then wipe off the protective layer of grease from the last fried eggs and bacon and it was ready to delight your palate again. The cooking area was raised and below it you could find firewood and a small can of lamp oil and a box of matches. The wall opposite the table had a map of the ranch. The map had colored pushpins to show who was hunting where. Also by the wall were the camp safety rules. My dad and his hunting partners were always big on gun safety. The rest of the decor consisted of vari-

with Durivage

TIMES Take a look at Dr. Sotelo’s Lunar Transit Times.

Grilling has been a passion of mine for many years. It started as a teenager when I would watch my Grandmother cook many five-course meals while working on the farm. My grilling adventures have always been on a trial-and-error basis, honing my skills of over the years. Meat tenderness and the seasoning you use are the

keys. I've used many types of seasonings; my favorite is Chupacabra rub. Chupacabra rub can be used on anything, and Im not shy when it comes to its uses. I use it on popcorn, salads, - it seems that I add Chupacabra to almost anything I eat. Here are three of my favorite recipes, hope you enjoy.

Smoked Baby Back Ribs Baby Back Ribs 3-2-1 method 1 or 2 racks of ribs Brown sugar Honey Chupacabra seasoning Squeeze butter Favorite BBQ sauce Rub down ribs with Chupacabra and refrigerate 45 minutes. (Sometime prior to the rub I will rub the meat with yellow mustard. This makes the dry rub stick to the meat easier). Heat smoker to 225 degrees. Once temperature hits 225, place ribs in smoker. Add wood chips every 30-40 minutes for 3 hours (I prefer pecan wood). At the 3-hour mark remove ribs from the smoker. Place ribs in aluminum foil and add honey, brown sugar, and squeeze butter. re-wrap ribs and return to smoker for 2 hours. Pull out at the 2-hour mark and remove from aluminum foil. Add more seasoning (to your taste) and lather the ribs in your favorite sauce. Return to smoker for another hour. Remove ribs, let rest for 20 minutes and serve with your favorite sides.

By Alberto Santos We lived in San Antonio and traveled to Laredo frequently. Laredo, in those days, was the mecca for deer hunting. It was at the heart of the South Texas big brush deer country. I was visiting in Laredo with my Mom and Dad when I casually mentioned to my Dad that Carmen wanted to go on a hunt. Dad thought it was great that she wanted to go on a deer hunt. My dad always liked Carmen and he was tickled she wanted to go hunt. In those days my father had a hunting lease in Zapata County. His lease partners were two of his good friends and he knew it would be no problem taking Carmen to the deer lease. The arrangement the lease holders had with the land owner was that they could hunt with family members provided the total number of hunters was not more than three. Dad wanted to make sure Carmen knew that the hunting camp was not up to the “Holiday Inn” standard. Carmen said she did not mind camping out. I knew that she had done some “camping” in a cabana on South Padre Island and she also said she had some “roughing it” experiences when she was younger and had visited her cousins who lived on a ranch in Mexico. Now she was about to experience a classic deer camp in south Texas.

419 W. US Highway 83, Pharr, TX 78577

30

4954 Space Center Dr. San Antonio, TX 78218 512.480.0860 | www.shweiki.com

ous other necessities hanging on the walls like rattling horns, fly paper, a flashlight, a cap, one glove, and a snake bit kit. Then there was the bunkhouse. It was just a few feet from the kitchen/dining room and it looked like a storage shed. It had corrugated tin on the roof and all around the sides too. The inside was simple too. Plain unpainted boards gave the place a cozy feel and the crushed newspaper in the cracks kept the big gusts of wind out. Flashlights were found here and there. These were very important in case you had to go the outhouse about 30 yards behind the bunk house in the middle of the night. A barbwire fence surrounded the three buildings that made up the camp. The purpose of the fence was to keep the cows from messing up the bare ground and to keep the really big snakes out of our woodpile. Getting wood especially at night was a bit risky. You always wanted to make sure you made a lot of noise so you would not surprise any sleeping snakes. You did not have to worry about snakes in the woodpile if it was really cold because they were probably in the kitchen or bunk house. When Carmen saw the camp she thought it was quaint but said it needed a lot of cleaning. When we arrived late one afternoon Carmen set off cleaning. She first concentrated on the bunkhouse since were going to sleep there. She put quite a dent in what needed cleaning. I remember that I had never seen the sleeping quarters that clean - ever.

21

THE GUN We had gone to Laredo to visit my parents and had not planned on hunting so we had no rifle in Laredo. My dad suggested I take one of the extra guns in his gun rack. There were several guns to pick from but I selected the gun that belonged to my Padrino (godfather) Fidel. It was an old lever action 30-30 made by Savage. I picked it because it had a scope that I new was sighted in and if she hit the deer with the 30-30 were going to find it. I did think of the kick but I thought it best not to tell her since it might affect her concentration the thus affect her accuracy.

BAGGED If you sent us photos, you may find yourself and your hunting trophy on this page.

32

Most Insurance Accepted

8521 N. 10th Street McAllen, TX

Walk-ins & Crawl-ins Welcome

956.686.9355

www.healthyrgv.com

THE OUTDOORS IS CALLING YOU DON’T LET PAIN GET IN YOUR WAY

Suffering From: ● Neck/Back Pain ● Headaches ● Joint Stiffness ● Muscle Spasms ● Numbness or Tingling

Call Our Office

Chiropractic May Help

TIDES Nothing better than knowing what times are the best for fishing. Dr. Orlando Villarreal

Certified by the National and Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners

Chiropractor

34 LODGING Looking for a restful getaway - or maybe not so restul? Check out our listings.

TWO BIRDS, ONE STONE

It’s the most wonderful time of the year when fishing and hunting seasons are both upon us BY BRENT JOHNSON

Bacon-Wrapped Dove Dove Apple wood bacon Jalapenos Cream cheese (if desired) Marinate dove in Chupacabra Marigate for one hour. Remove from marigate and season with chupacabra rub. Add jalapeno and cream cheese if desired and wrap birds with bacon. Season wrapped birds with more chupacabra. Once coals are ready add about two handfuls of pecan wood to the fire and place birds on the grill. Grill for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. Remove from grill when done and enjoy.

Grilled Fish Tacos 4-5 trout filets Olive oil Coleslaw Hidden Valley Southwest Chipotle Chupacabra seasoning Pico de gallo Corn tortillas Rub down fish with olive oil and season both sides with Chupacara rub. Light grill and let coals turn white. Place fish on the grill in medium size baking sheet. Grill for 30-40 minutes or until fish is done. Mix coleslaw with dressing and lightly fry tortillas. Remove fish, load up tacos and enjoy.

THE PLAN While Carmen stayed to clean the bunkhouse, my Dad and I went to do some

The other day I was working in my garage when I looked over and noticed my fishing gear. Suddenly my focus becomes attention deficit disorder and for the next hour I am changing line, cleaning reels, and organizing tackle. It is a beautiful Sunday outside with cooler temperature and a light breeze out of the North. My soul is at peace staring out of the garage at the oak motts and the grass flowing in the breeze. “I bet they’re biting today” I say to myself. After all the fishing tackle is put up, I find myself wading through hunting gear. Well might as well pull this out, gonna be needing that soon. Hey I thought I was supposed to clean the garage! Instead of a one hour chore this is now becoming an all day event. Why? Because it seems Johnson wants it all! Yep, I am happier than a clam having this peaceful day off, but I’m also thinking about my next fishing trip, which coincidentally happens to be the next hunting trip. It is cast and blast season, when the best of both worlds come together like dog and cat. About the time this article comes out I will be working a duck call while staring at tailing reds. The mornings will start off with a cup of coffee, spread out the deaks, and hop in the blind. Before it is light enough to see, the sound of duck wings flaring as they land starts my blood pumping. Soon, the sounds of 12-gauge music will echo across the bay. Ducks will fly in and out of the spread like vintage fighter planes. Down they go as we hit our targets. The Laguna Madre seldom disappoints. For the next five months these waterfowl will call this area home. The ducks are so thick they can be seen on radar. After shooting our limits, we will put up the guns in exchange for rod and reel. The air is pure and feels good as we glide

across the flats searching for Redfish and Trout. On a nearby spoil bank a flock of sea birds lifts up as the bite turns on. Double and triple hookups tell us we are on the school. Back in the day we camped in a shack near the Land Cut. There weren’t many boats this time of year. Sometimes the only ties to civilization was the clockwork passing of the gauge checker, or a barge that seemed to appear out of nowhere. I have to say the best siestas I have ever taken were slept out there. Making a duck blind is as easy as stacking turtle grass that has drifted on the shore. We usually do a three-sided bunker with palm leaves as an added touch. Back then we had the best dog to ever fetch a duck. His name was Tac and he was a big American Black Lab. He was 110 pounds of best friend, discipline, and no quit. A good dog only breaks on command and follows hand signals when chasing down wounded birds that can easily be lost in choppy conditions. If you’re looking to experience some of the best duck hunting around, call Jeff and Danny Neu of Neu Outfitters in Port Mansfield, Texas. These guys are true professionals who know a thing or two about putting clients on ducks. Whether it be feather or fin these guys are a sure bet for a memorable experience. Book a trip by calling (956) 942-0615, or reach them by email at dneucharters@yahoo.com. Duck season is a split season from Oct. 31-Nov. 29, and Dec. 12-Jan. 24, 2016. I shoot a Winchester model 1200 12-gauge with either a modified, or improved modified choke. The shells I use are Winchester Super X high velocity steel shot in either a 6, or 4 size shot. Whatever you do, make sure none of your dove loads make it into your bird bag as lead is illegal and could be a hefty fine. When it comes to decoys the more the better.

The bigger spread says “there’s lots of food here, come on in!” My duck call of choice for the bay is a Teal call. Short bursts that sound like “Pete…Pete” will bring in the Pin Tail, and a three-note second high for the Widgeon. Most common ducks in the bay are Redheads, Pintails, Widgeons, Teal and an occasional Snow goose. It is at this time of the year the Bull Reds have come to spawn. Chances of catching a trophy fish increase as everything swimming has fattened up on the mullet run which also is in session. The big Bull Reds are running through the pass so the jetties

a message of feast or famine to the fish. With that said, always keep a good eye on the weather as it can roll in freight train fast with little notice. I’ve had friends who have been stranded and had to endure a freezing cold night because the water they had been floating in became mud after the wind pushed out all the water, or another time when they had to be airlifted by chopper because the waves were so fierce it rolled their vessel. Being stranded in the bay can be a life and death situation during a weather event such as this. Always have a plan and adequate

life vests. This holiday season I am really looking forward to hanging out with friends and family and enjoying the outdoors. I remember the first time I duck hunted it was cold and misty, and I was thinking to myself “Wow most people are indoors complaining about the weather yet here I am in this blind with a sip of moonshine having the best time ever!” As Fred would say, “Gotta have it!” Here’s to a great holidays with time spent in the field. See you on the water my friends.

is always a sure bet to hold large numbers of fish. Shrimp and mullet under a popping cork, or on the bottom will do the trick. Fourinch KWiggler Paddle Tails and Corky Fat Boys are my lures of choice when the water temp drops. A slower retrieve works best on winter fish. It may seem like the fish are lazy with the slower retrieve, but just think of how lazy you are after a big Thanksgiving feast. As lazy as this seems they are anything but lazy once that hook is set. In fact these cold water fish seem to be more aggressive on the line than they were a few months ago. The bite is always best before a cold front when the barometric pressure drops sending

11

22

10

22

24

THE MONSTER

BE RESPONSIBLE

THE PERFECT TIME

Another memorable hunting trip for Albero Santos, this time harvesting Carmen’s first buck.

Make sure you don’t drool on the magazine while reading Michael Durivage’s amazing recipes.

It’s this time of year when fishing and hunting overlap, truly making it the most wonderful time of the year.

6


Looking for big buck country?

Rural Land Loans Residential Home Loans Farm & Ranch Loans Livestock & Equipment Loans

We’re the answer.

Operating Capital Real Estate Appraisal Services

Capital Farm Credit has made agricultural production, real estate

and agribusiness loans for nearly a century. We embrace our cooperative structure and our commitment to return profits to our customers. Through our patronage program, we return almost 100 percent of our net earnings back to our customers - a distinct benefit of doing business with us.

Agribusiness Financing Leasing

Edinburg | 956.383.1488 | 4704 S. Jackson Harlingen | 956.440.1676 | 8122 W. Expressway 83, Ste. A CapitalFarmCredit.com T E X A S’

L A R G E S T

R U R A L

L E N D E R


MY CHRISTMAS BUCK Go back in time with me – back to 1996. I was two years into my television show, then called SouthTexas Sportsman. My friend Bond Cosby introduced me to Robert King and Danny Sullivan and the 48,000-acre Mariposa Ranch. The first time I visited the Mariposa Ranch I was allowed to sit in a blind and look at the bucks, doe and hogs. My show was featuring how hunting brings money to the local economy and how it has a domino effect on rifles, guns, ammo and groceries. Places like where my good friends work at Glick Twins and Amigo Implement where they sell Polaris ATVs are affected positively by a flourishing hunting economy. I sat in the blind hoping for another invite to come and harvest a nice looking trophy. A year Fred Rodriguez is the Texas Sportslater it happened. Robert King called to invite man and has decades of experience me for a three-day, two-night hunt where I was and knowledge regarding hunting going to be able to shoot a trophy buck, a doe and fishing. You can watch his show, and a hog. I guess I had proven myself after The Texas Sportsman, on FOX in the producing two shows at Mariposa Ranch and Rio Grande Valley at 11:30 a.m on the ranch had received some calls from watchSaturdays. ing the show. My show then was on American One Satellite Network and locally on KVEO. Through the American One Satellite Network, the Mariposa Ranch booked four guys from Georgia to hunt South Texas Whitetails. After that the doors were open to come back. I call this Trophy Buck my Christmas Buck. My camera man, Narz Hernandez, and I arrived at the Mariposa Ranch and were greeted by Robert King and brought to one of their lodges. After a great meal we headed for bed, but sleep just wouldn’t come. I had been told that I could shoot ANY buck I wanted and the excitement grabbed hold of me. All I could think of were huge monster bucks from South Texas. The alarm blared at 4:30 a.m. and after coffee and a taco it was off to the deer blind. An Arctic Cold Front happened upon us and it was about 33 degrees with a slight drizzle. Not too long after being situated in the blind, Narz and I started seeing eight-pointers, 10-pointers and even 12-pointers along with some doe. About three hours in I caught site of the most beautiful buck I had ever seen. After viewing him through the binoculars I told Narz I wanted that buck. Keep in mind I was going to be there for two more days and had the opportunity to shoot any buck – but I wanted that one. It was special to me not only because of how it looked but it was Dec. 21 – my dad’s birthday. Sometimes things are just put in place for the taking. Using my trusty Ruger 270 caliber with a Remington 150 grain Core Lock I aimed and fired – the buck dropped right in its tracks. My Christmas Buck. When we arrived back to the lodge, Mr. King looked at the buck and said “well Fred, what are you going to do now?” “I guess I’ll go look for my doe and my hog,” I replied. Merry Christmas to everyone – I hope you too get your Christmas Buck. God Bless. Volume 2, Isssue 6. December 2015. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are strictly those of the writers, photographers and contributors, and are not necessarily those of Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors or its publisher. Every effort has been taken to ensure the correctness and accuracy in the material published in this magazine. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors reserves the right to edit, rewrite and refuse editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions or consequence arising from it. Texas

8

Sportsman Tracking Outdoors shall be held harmless and indemnified against any third-party claims. Advertisements appearing in Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors present only the viewpoint of the advertisers. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors is printed in the U.S.A. All correspondence to the publication become the property of Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors is published by H&J Publications. Copyright 2014. To advertise in Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors call (956) 607-0853 or email joey.texassportsman@gmail.com

ON THE COVER Hunters have different reasons for wanting certain bullets. Some of those reasons, however, aren’t good enough. (tikitillmanphotos.com)

STAFF Henry Miller Publisher henry.texassportsman @gmail.com (956) 607-9210

Fred Rodriguez The Texas Sportsman fredrsportsman@yahoo.com (956) 776-4623

Joey Dowden Advertising Director joey.texassportsman @gmail.com (956) 607-0853

Tiki Tillman Photographer tikitillmanphotos.com (956)572-6132 Bob Glick Contributing Editor myglicktwins.com (956) 787-4291



Hunts to Remember Carmen’s First Buck A Journal Entry From Alberto Santo CARMEN AND HER BUCK

Alberto Santos is the owner of Santos Ranch LLC and Las Lomas Ranch. Visit the website www. santosranch.com for more information.


I

t was the winter of 1973 and I remember it well. My wife, Carmen and I had been married for a little more than four years. By that time she already knew that I really enjoyed hunting. Carmen, being a good wife, decided it was time to give hunting a try. Little did I know how important a hunt this would be.

By Alberto Santos We lived in San Antonio and traveled to Laredo frequently. Laredo, in those days, was the mecca for deer hunting. It was at the heart of the South Texas big brush deer country. I was visiting in Laredo with my Mom and Dad when I casually mentioned to my Dad that Carmen wanted to go on a hunt. Dad thought it was great that she wanted to go on a deer hunt. My dad always liked Carmen and he was tickled she wanted to go hunt. In those days my father had a hunting lease in Zapata County. His lease partners were two of his good friends and he knew it would be no problem taking Carmen to the deer lease. The arrangement the lease holders had with the land owner was that they could hunt with family members provided the total number of hunters was not more than three. Dad wanted to make sure Carmen knew that the hunting camp was not up to the “Holiday Inn” standard. Carmen said she did not mind camping out. I knew that she had done some “camping” in a cabana on South Padre Island and she also said she had some “roughing it” experiences when she was younger and had visited her cousins who lived on a ranch in Mexico. Now she was about to experience a classic deer camp in south Texas. THE CAMP The camp was just ok for seasoned deer hunters. I do not think anyone even referred to it as “the lodge.” The camp included three buildings. First, there was a kitchen/dining building that was affectionately called the kitchen. It was not a bad kitchen but the place was not known for its culinary achievements. It was ok considering it had no running water or electricity. The inside of the kitchen had two basic colors. The front half of the building, by the front door, was done in bare wood. The wood showed its age and was a gray/ brown but mostly gray. Nails were rusted and popping out here and there. Nobody hammered them back in since we used these projectiles to hand stuff. The back half of the room, by the cooking area, was done in your basic smoky black. Years and years of cooking had left their mark. Many a meal had been cooked there. Most of the fires were bigger than they had to be for

cooking. The big fires also had to keep the card players warm on those cold winter nights. Mornings in the kitchen usually saw coffee being brewed over a mesquite fire. The coals then served to cook eggs and bacon and to warm the flour tortillas brought from home. Lunch was not a cooked meal very often. It was usually an opportunity to eat the leftovers from the night before or fried chicken that was brought in from town. Dinner was usually beef fajitas grilled on a mesquite fire along with some green onions, guacamole, flour tortillas, and hot chile sauce. My mom’s chile was always a hit at deer camp. The cupboard was a simple set of shelves with the customary cracked green paint. They were stocked with the usual deer camp supplies. You could usually find a few cans of chili con carne (with beans of course). This and the cans of fruit cocktail were of course for emergencies. And the usual assortment of scotch, playing cards, and dominos. These, of course, were in case the hunting was slow. Other essentials in the cupboard included water bottles and toilet paper. The table was generally the cleanest part of the kitchen since it also served as the food preparation area. A well-worn oilcloth covered it. One side of the table (by the cooking area) was covered with salt, pepper, onion salt, catsup, three bottles of chili sauce, and more paper towels. We may have run out of salt or water but never ran out of toilet paper at this camp. Nothing can distract a true deer hunter than the side effects of not having used enough toilet paper. The frying pans hanging on the wall by the cooking area were the self-cleaning type. You put them over a roaring fire then wipe off the protective layer of grease from the last fried eggs and bacon and it was ready to delight your palate again. The cooking area was raised and below it you could find firewood and a small can of lamp oil and a box of matches. The wall opposite the table had a map of the ranch. The map had colored pushpins to show who was hunting where. Also by the wall were the camp safety rules. My dad and his hunting partners were always big on gun safety. The rest of the decor consisted of vari-

ous other necessities hanging on the walls like rattling horns, fly paper, a flashlight, a cap, one glove, and a snake bit kit. Then there was the bunkhouse. It was just a few feet from the kitchen/dining room and it looked like a storage shed. It had corrugated tin on the roof and all around the sides too. The inside was simple too. Plain unpainted boards gave the place a cozy feel and the crushed newspaper in the cracks kept the big gusts of wind out. Flashlights were found here and there. These were very important in case you had to go the outhouse about 30 yards behind the bunk house in the middle of the night. A barbwire fence surrounded the three buildings that made up the camp. The purpose of the fence was to keep the cows from messing up the bare ground and to keep the really big snakes out of our woodpile. Getting wood especially at night was a bit risky. You always wanted to make sure you made a lot of noise so you would not surprise any sleeping snakes. You did not have to worry about snakes in the woodpile if it was really cold because they were probably in the kitchen or bunk house. When Carmen saw the camp she thought it was quaint but said it needed a lot of cleaning. When we arrived late one afternoon Carmen set off cleaning. She first concentrated on the bunkhouse since were going to sleep there. She put quite a dent in what needed cleaning. I remember that I had never seen the sleeping quarters that clean - ever. THE GUN We had gone to Laredo to visit my parents and had not planned on hunting so we had no rifle in Laredo. My dad suggested I take one of the extra guns in his gun rack. There were several guns to pick from but I selected the gun that belonged to my Padrino (godfather) Fidel. It was an old lever action 30-30 made by Savage. I picked it because it had a scope that I new was sighted in and if she hit the deer with the 30-30 were going to find it. I did think of the kick but I thought it best not to tell her since it might affect her concentration the thus affect her accuracy. THE PLAN While Carmen stayed to clean the bunkhouse, my Dad and I went to do some

11


scouting. A plan developed. Carmen wanted to sleep late. My Dad and I would go hunt early in the morning and let Carmen sleep late. Carmen would then cook a big breakfast and have it ready at about 10:00AM. After breakfast, my Dad would get a little rest (sleep) and Carmen and I would go hunting. My dad and I left early in the morning and we decided to ride around in the truck. We saw many does and a few bucks but we did not get any chances to shoot. The terrain at this ranch was typical south Texas brush on sandy soil. Cactus, mesquite brush and an assortment of grasses covered most of the land. This particular year, there had been good rains so the grass and brush was extra high. The cacti were so big that a full grown buck could easily hide behind a single plant. In the areas near the arroyos and tanks, the mesquite grew into medium size trees. That season you almost had to look under the trees to see the deer. Dad and I rode around most of the mooring but did not see any shooters. We stopped a few times at known deer crossings but we had no luck. We came in at 10:00 AM to find a great breakfast waiting. After breakfast my Dad decided to take a nap as planned and Carmen and I decided to go sit in a blind. READY, AIM, SHOOT Conventional hunting wisdom said that the best times to hunt deer were early in the morning or late in the evening. Thus you can understand that my low level of optimism on this outing. I did not think we would find any buck out for a mid day stroll. I picked the deer blind based on scientific data. It was the only one big enough for me to sleep on the floor and Carmen could

hunt. We got to the blind and I parked the truck out of the way. The blind was a high box and it overlooked a wide sendero that run from north to south. I told Carmen we are looking for any deer as long as it had antlers. I gave her the unloaded gun and we practiced aiming and squeezing the trigger. She practiced on pads of cactus at 50 and 100 yards and her confidence soared. She was ready. I loaded three shells in the magazine (none in the chamber) and I told her to let me know when she saw a deer with horns. Then I curled up on the floor of the blind and began my late morning nap. I guess it was 20 minutes after I went down for my nap when Carmen nudged me and says �Beto, there is a deer out



there.” I get up, put on my glasses and look down the sendero. The deer is on the left side of the sendero and looking to the other side. I saw no horns so I said. “Don’t shoot it.” It is a doe.” Then I went back down for my nap. “Beto!” “It does have horns!” she said in a loud whisper. Well, this time I was really awake. It turns out that the spike had big ears that hid his horns when his earns were up. Not a big buck but it was a legal shooter. “Take your time, load a shell like we practiced, aim and shoot.” I said in a calm whisper. I may have appeared to her to be a calm hunting coach but inside, I was getting excited. Carmen acted rather calmly. she got a comfortable rest just like we had practiced. “Click!” The safety went off. Ka-Boom! The buck went down. Carmen cheers then screams with excitement. As I am congratulating her, the deer got up and ran to our left, back where it came from. Carmen was worried she will loose it so we climbed down to go look for a sign that the deer was hit. When we got to the spot where she shot the deer (about 100 yards away) I saw a very good sign that we would soon have her buck. There was a broad red line about two feet off the ground through the brush. It was as if a painter took his biggest paint brush and walked through the tall grass with bright red paint. I knew the old 30-30 had done its work. Carmen had also done a good job and out the bullet in the kill zone. A mere 20 yards ahead laid Carmen’s first buck. One day hunt-

ing, one shot fired and one buck on the ground. I congratulated her on a fine one-shot-kill. I gave her a big hug and a kiss. After a few minutes of admiring her trophy, it was time to get the spike buck back to camp. I grabbed the hind legs of the little buck and started to drag it out to the sendero. Carmen yelled “Be careful. I do not want you to break off the horns.” I chuckled but respected the hunter’s wishes and grabbed the buck from the head and dragged him out to the sendero. Carmen was very excited about her first deer hunt. I could see that she had a taste of the hunt and liked it. She got to experience a real South Texas deer camp and experience the thrill of the hunt. We came home and showed off Carmen first buck. Carmen proudly posed for pictures with her trophy spike. She was happy and we were all very proud of her. LOOKING BACK This was a very important hunt in many ways. The hunt formed a very positive foundation on deer hunting and built some great memories for both Carmen and me. No doubt this hunt also laid the foundation for me being allowed to go on many many other hunts in the years to come. She knows that little something that stirs inside the heart of a hunter when the first cold front comes down to South Texas. She knows the pride of a hunter when game is taken. Today she still has fond memories of her first “big buck” and smiles when our grandsons get excited about going on a deer hunt. I love going on someone’s first hunt.

215 East Monte Cristo Road, Edinburg n (956) 383-4949 n M-F, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.. Closed Major Holidays. n www.facebook.com/MartinFarmRanch n Martinfarmandranch.com n

DEER PROTEIN

RANCH FENCING

DEER BLINDS

WE HAVE THE BEST PRICES ON DEER CORN!


Most Insurance Accepted

8521 N. 10th Street McAllen, TX

Walk-ins & Crawl-ins Welcome

956.686.9355 www.healthyrgv.com

THE OUTDOORS IS CALLING YOU DON’T LET PAIN GET IN YOUR WAY

Suffering From: ● ● ● ● ●

Neck/Back Pain Headaches Joint Stiffness Muscle Spasms Numbness or Tingling

Call Our Office

Chiropractic May Help

Dr. Orlando Villarreal Certified by the National and Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners

Chiropractor


HARE TODAY....GONE TOMORROW? Not Likely

BY MIKE COX OK, I feel better now. For someone who has been hunting in Texas since he was old enough to shoulder a rifle, I had begun to feel guilty about all the jackrabbits I plinked away at as a youngster. And I must modestly say I did more hitting than plinking at those fast, gray hoppers with ears as long as their legs. Just about every Baby Boomer boy who grew up in the Lone Star State, providing they did so in families with a hunting tradition, has shot a few of the mule-eared critters, which, despite their common name, are actually hares, not rabbits. Of course, when I was in the sixth grade at T.A. Brown Elementary School in Austin (this was before educators thought it was a good idea to mix sixth graders with seventh and eighth graders and call it "middle school"), I didn't care about the zoological distinction between cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits. If they twitched their noses, wiggled their ears and hopped, they were fair game. Actually, jackrabbits are "game" only in the sense of being "fair game," since they are not legally considered game animals in Texas. They can be taken year-round, day or night. There's no season, no size restriction and no limit. All you need to make it legal is a valid Texas hunting license and proof of having taken a hunter safety course if you were born after 1971. Well, unless you own your own land, you need a landowner's permission to hunt on his property. By January 1961, I had shot a fair number of Central Texas cottontails with my granddad's .22, a Remington Model 550. He had it mounted with a Weaver scope, a low-power-if-state-of-the-art optic back

16

then. Soon, however, I would become acquainted with a .22 on steroids, the Winchester Model 61 .22 Magnum. One day Granddad asked if I'd like to "star" in a movie to be filmed by Winchester Arms. He called it a movie; today, we'd call it an infomercial. The venerable firearms manufacturer had just introduced a .22 magnum pump rifle. Winchester's marketing folks came up with the idea of doing a film to demonstrate the new rifle's effectiveness at taking varmints. At the time, my granddad was editor of the Texas Game and Fish Magazine in Austin. Someone with Winchester had contacted him to ask where they could shoot the film -- and jackrabbits -- in Texas. Granddad suggested the South Texas brush country of Kinney County and they liked the idea. So, early in the John F. Kennedy administration, I went with Granddad to the Fort Clark Guest Ranch (now Fort Clark Springs) at Brackettville to be the child actor in Winchester's film. For the next several days, in company with the Winchester film crew, Granddad and I bounced around in a pickup truck on the old military reservation, abandoned by the Army following the end of World War II. As the camera rolled, I used that new .22 Magnum to provide action footage for the New Yorkers. I had no speaking role, the corporate types content with letting their pump do its own talking. And it did. At this distant date, I have no idea how many jackrabbits I shot, but it was in the scores. I think I was born with a spring-powered Daisy BB gun in my hands, and by the time I was 12, I was a pretty good shot with a long arm. I didn't miss very many times.

At the time, my brain still another 12 or 13 years from its full development, I thought it was incredibly fun to be able to shoot every jackrabbit we ran across. The contest was one-sided, but Mother Nature did not leave jackrabbits completely helpless. As the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department notes in its jackrabbit fact sheet, "Jackrabbits always seem to be on their guard. They are very alert to their surroundings and watchful of potential threats. They rely on their speed to elude predators and, if they are lucky enough to escape, they will flash the white underside of their tail to alert other jackrabbits in the area." Even as a young newspaper reporter in West Texas, I liked to go out at night with friends and shoot jackrabbits. (No comment on what we were drinking at the time or where we were doing the shooting.) Alas, I grew older. In time, not only did I come to realize that consuming certain beverages while shooting is not a safe practice, and that it is illegal to discharge a firearm in certain areas such as public roadways, I began to feel guilty about all those jackrabbits I had knocked down in the name of corporate PR all those years ago. Not to mention all those I shot around San Angelo. My angst grew as I began to realize that I was seeing fewer and fewer jackrabbits in the wild. Over the years, it has seemed to me that Texas doesn't have as many jackrabbits as it once did. That opinion is not based on any biological study, merely observation. In fact, TPWD still considers jackrabbits to be common, as they are over most of the Western half of the nation. Probably it was just my guilty conscience. So, not only are jackrabbits not threatened, given their storied ability to repro-


This NEW PRODUCT transfers weight of a slinged weapon off of shoulders and backs and delivers to hips, REDUCING FATIGUE!

HANDS FREE

PATENT PENDING TECHNOLOHY & DESIGN

Mitchell Ray Owner/Designer

SECONDARY ANCHOR POINT Supports and stabilizes weapons

SIMPLE DESIGN Stratus Support Systems 232 Hickory Dr Huntsville, Texas (832) 594-7925 stratussupportsystems.com

Effective No-maintenance Easy on/off

ADJUSTABLE

Fits most hunting rifles & shotguns


...when deer season winds down, winter’s a good time to do some jackrabbit hunting. You can help keep populations stable, stay in good hunting shape by exercising your body’s motor memory and hand-eye coordination and have some fun shooting relatively inexpensive ammunition. duce speedily, keeping their numbers in balance is a good thing. That's because they are not total innocents, ecologically speaking. This is addressed in a current publication produced by the Texas A&M's AgriLife Extension Service, "Controlling Cottontail & Jackrabbit Damage." In the first paragraph of this two-page overview, it says, "the presence of cottontails and jackrabbits frequently conflicts with agricultural or forestry interests. They also can damage gardens, ornamental trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables and lawns." Jackrabbits being vegetarians with hearty appetites, they compete with livestock for forage. So, when deer season winds down, winter's a good time to do some jackrabbit hunting. You can help keep populations stable, stay in good hunting shape by exercising your body's motor memory and hand-eye coordination and have some fun shooting relatively inexpensive ammunition. And as long as you keep sportsmanship in mind, you can have some fun without having to feel guilty about it.

JACKRABBIT FACTS Their Full Name In Texas, we just call ‘em jackrabbits. Technically, they are black-tailed jackrabbits. More technically, they are zoologically known as Lepus californicus.

What They Look Like Silly wabbit, they look like large rabbits with extra-long ears. Except they are hares, not rabbits. The Numbers A grown jackrabbit weighs x to y pounds. Biologists have calculated that 128 jackrabbits can eat as much forage as one cow or seven sheep. Which is why they can be a problem for landowners. Jackrabbits mate year-round, producing one to four litters annually, each with one to eight young. In other words, they live up to their frisky reputation. Their average life span is eight years, assuming they don’t become dinner for a coyote or other predators. How to Hunt ‘Em Like most animals, jackrabbits tend to be more active in the morning and evening than during the day. In the heat of the day, they lay

up in the brush, but will run if startled and likely stop at some point to take a look-see. In the winter, they’re likely to be out and about more often, looking for scarcer food. Jackrabbits really like to chow down at night, and its legal to hunt them in the dark as long as you’re on private property and not shooting at them from a public roadway. The best technique is simply to drive around until you jump one. A .22 with a scope is all you need, though a .22 Magnum gets out that faster and with more oomph.

KILLINGER’S Water Well Drilling (956) 279-8543 (956) 279-1045

FREE ESTIMATES

Residential n Commercial n Farm/Ranch

NORIAS DE AGUA

Now accepting credit cards



The bullet...

The place...

When it comes to bullets,

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES? 20

Bullet photo by Tiki Tillman (tikitillmanphotos.com) Story by Henry Miller Bob Glick, owner of Glick Twins in Pharr, took a trip to West Lake, Colorado with two goals in mind - bring back a trophy deer and bring it back using a Federal Ammunition Vital Shok bullet - a 300 WIN. Magnum, 180 grain trophy copper bullet, to be precise. He succeeded on both accounts. In fact, if he wasn’t using the highly penetrating ammunition, his trip could’ve been a lot different. “If I would’ve used a hyper expansion bullet, he (the mule deer buck) would’ve broke his leg and run off, and on the steep mountain side with all the brush, we would’ve lost him,” Glick said, “I was supposed to come home that day and I wouldn’t have and would’ve spent the next day looking for him and still lost him.” The point of the story? “You have to pick your bullet for what you are going to do,” Glick said. “If you’re just killing does almost any bullet will do. If you’re hunting ta trophy you need to realize that all you may see is his butt runing off.” That’s exactly what Glick saw on during his final day on the trophy hunt. The buck was about 50 feet below him and 140 yards when we he jumped up and started running. “I threw my gun up and he just needed to make it around one little ridge to be out of sight. I could only shoot at his running butt because he was running away and literally in


“A lot of people like bullets that are real accurate with a lot of hyper extension. They shoot a deer at 100 yards broadside and it destroys a lot, causes a lot of shock and usually the deer falls down because the shock it great. But if you ever have to shoot something that’s durable or your angle is poor, you need something that penetrates. This bullet does that.” Bob Glick, owner Glick Twins five steps he’s going to disappear around the corner. His shot rang true as he fired away at the base of the tail. “I was about 4 inches off to the right and low and broke his femur and went through his chest cavity,” Glick said. “He must’ve been doing one of his bounces because it went through the hip and in the gut through the chest cavity but then came up through the ribs and I found the bullet in the very top end of the backstrap. “I was eager to test this bullet. I never dreamed I’d be able to come back with the it. There’s not many bullets that penetrate and penetrate straight. This one definitely does.” Glick is a firm believer that spending the little extra on a great constructed bullet is actually a value. “I’ve been guiding people all my life and poor bullet construction causes us to lose game even when the shots are good,” he said. “Great bullet construction results in dead game, sometimes even when the shots aren’t very good because it always exits and that gives you a chance to follow the trail and maybe get a second shot. It raises your chances dramatically. “I use this bullet all the time. The cost is very insignificant in our hunting. We all get the expensive lease, the nice truck, the blind, the feeders, the corn every week - and the cost to have dead animals instead of lost animals is minimal.” Glick said the Federal Ammunition is what he now recommends at his store. He said a bullet that doesn’t exit is a failure, except for extreme circumstances - like going through all the bone his bullet went through to capture his 300-pound, Class 160 mule deer. “This is the second season Federal has this bullet,” Glick said. “It’s our match made in heaven. It was the first one of these bullets used I’ve retrieved, they go through everything.”

The trophy... 21


Grubbage..

21

22

with Durivage


Grilling has been a passion of mine for many years. It started as a teenager when I would watch my Grandmother cook many five-course meals while working on the farm. My grilling adventures have always been on a trial-and-error basis, honing my skills of over the years. Meat tenderness and the seasoning you use are the

keys. I've used many types of seasonings; my favorite is Chupacabra rub. Chupacabra rub can be used on anything, and Im not shy when it comes to its uses. I use it on popcorn, salads, - it seems that I add Chupacabra to almost anything I eat. Here are three of my favorite recipes, hope you enjoy.

Smoked Baby Back Ribs Baby Back Ribs 3-2-1 method 1 or 2 racks of ribs Brown sugar Honey Chupacabra seasoning Squeeze butter Favorite BBQ sauce Rub down ribs with Chupacabra and refrigerate 45 minutes. (Sometime prior to the rub I will rub the meat with yellow mustard. This makes the dry rub stick to the meat easier). Heat smoker to 225 degrees. Once temperature hits 225, place ribs in smoker. Add wood chips every 30-40 minutes for 3 hours (I prefer pecan wood). At the 3-hour mark remove ribs from the smoker. Place ribs in aluminum foil and add honey, brown sugar, and squeeze butter. re-wrap ribs and return to smoker for 2 hours. Pull out at the 2-hour mark and remove from aluminum foil. Add more seasoning (to your taste) and lather the ribs in your favorite sauce. Return to smoker for another hour. Remove ribs, let rest for 20 minutes and serve with your favorite sides.

Bacon-Wrapped Dove Dove Apple wood bacon Jalapenos Cream cheese (if desired) Marinate dove in Chupacabra Marigate for one hour. Remove from marigate and season with chupacabra rub. Add jalapeno and cream cheese if desired and wrap birds with bacon. Season wrapped birds with more chupacabra. Once coals are ready add about two handfuls of pecan wood to the fire and place birds on the grill. Grill for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. Remove from grill when done and enjoy.

Grilled Fish Tacos 4-5 trout filets Olive oil Coleslaw Hidden Valley Southwest Chipotle Chupacabra seasoning Pico de gallo Corn tortillas Rub down fish with olive oil and season both sides with Chupacara rub. Light grill and let coals turn white. Place fish on the grill in medium size baking sheet. Grill for 30-40 minutes or until fish is done. Mix coleslaw with dressing and lightly fry tortillas. Remove fish, load up tacos and enjoy.


TWO BIRDS, ONE STONE

It’s the most wonderful time of the year when fishing and hunting seasons are both upon us BY BRENT JOHNSON The other day I was working in my garage when I looked over and noticed my fishing gear. Suddenly my focus becomes attention deficit disorder and for the next hour I am changing line, cleaning reels, and organizing tackle. It is a beautiful Sunday outside with cooler temperature and a light breeze out of the North. My soul is at peace staring out of the garage at the oak motts and the grass flowing in the breeze. “I bet they’re biting today” I say to myself. After all the fishing tackle is put up, I find myself wading through hunting gear. Well might as well pull this out, gonna be needing that soon. Hey I thought I was supposed to clean the garage! Instead of a one hour chore this is now becoming an all day event. Why? Because it seems Johnson wants it all! Yep, I am happier than a clam having this peaceful day off, but I’m also thinking about my next fishing trip, which coincidentally happens to be the next hunting trip. It is cast and blast season, when the best of both worlds come together like dog and cat. About the time this article comes out I will be working a duck call while staring at tailing reds. The mornings will start off with a cup of coffee, spread out the deaks, and hop in the blind. Before it is light enough to see, the sound of duck wings flaring as they land starts my blood pumping. Soon, the sounds of 12-gauge music will echo across the bay. Ducks will fly in and out of the spread like vintage fighter planes. Down they go as we hit our targets. The Laguna Madre seldom disappoints. For the next five months these waterfowl will call this area home. The ducks are so thick they can be seen on radar. After shooting our limits, we will put up the guns in exchange for rod and reel. The air is pure and feels good as we glide

across the flats searching for Redfish and Trout. On a nearby spoil bank a flock of sea birds lifts up as the bite turns on. Double and triple hookups tell us we are on the school. Back in the day we camped in a shack near the Land Cut. There weren’t many boats this time of year. Sometimes the only ties to civilization was the clockwork passing of the gauge checker, or a barge that seemed to appear out of nowhere. I have to say the best siestas I have ever taken were slept out there. Making a duck blind is as easy as stacking turtle grass that has drifted on the shore. We usually do a three-sided bunker with palm leaves as an added touch. Back then we had the best dog to ever fetch a duck. His name was Tac and he was a big American Black Lab. He was 110 pounds of best friend, discipline, and no quit. A good dog only breaks on command and follows hand signals when chasing down wounded birds that can easily be lost in choppy conditions. If you’re looking to experience some of the best duck hunting around, call Jeff and Danny Neu of Neu Outfitters in Port Mansfield, Texas. These guys are true professionals who know a thing or two about putting clients on ducks. Whether it be feather or fin these guys are a sure bet for a memorable experience. Book a trip by calling (956) 942-0615, or reach them by email at dneucharters@yahoo.com. Duck season is a split season from Oct. 31-Nov. 29, and Dec. 12-Jan. 24, 2016. I shoot a Winchester model 1200 12-gauge with either a modified, or improved modified choke. The shells I use are Winchester Super X high velocity steel shot in either a 6, or 4 size shot. Whatever you do, make sure none of your dove loads make it into your bird bag as lead is illegal and could be a hefty fine. When it comes to decoys the more the better.

The bigger spread says “there’s lots of food here, come on in!” My duck call of choice for the bay is a Teal call. Short bursts that sound like “Pete…Pete” will bring in the Pin Tail, and a three-note second high for the Widgeon. Most common ducks in the bay are Redheads, Pintails, Widgeons, Teal and an occasional Snow goose. It is at this time of the year the Bull Reds have come to spawn. Chances of catching a trophy fish increase as everything swimming has fattened up on the mullet run which also is in session. The big Bull Reds are running through the pass so the jetties

is always a sure bet to hold large numbers of fish. Shrimp and mullet under a popping cork, or on the bottom will do the trick. Fourinch KWiggler Paddle Tails and Corky Fat Boys are my lures of choice when the water temp drops. A slower retrieve works best on winter fish. It may seem like the fish are lazy with the slower retrieve, but just think of how lazy you are after a big Thanksgiving feast. As lazy as this seems they are anything but lazy once that hook is set. In fact these cold water fish seem to be more aggressive on the line than they were a few months ago. The bite is always best before a cold front when the barometric pressure drops sending


a message of feast or famine to the fish. With that said, always keep a good eye on the weather as it can roll in freight train fast with little notice. I’ve had friends who have been stranded and had to endure a freezing cold night because the water they had been floating in became mud after the wind pushed out all the water, or another time when they had to be airlifted by chopper because the waves were so fierce it rolled their vessel. Being stranded in the bay can be a life and death situation during a weather event such as this. Always have a plan and adequate

life vests. This holiday season I am really looking forward to hanging out with friends and family and enjoying the outdoors. I remember the first time I duck hunted it was cold and misty, and I was thinking to myself “Wow most people are indoors complaining about the weather yet here I am in this blind with a sip of moonshine having the best time ever!” As Fred would say, “Gotta have it!” Here’s to a great holidays with time spent in the field. See you on the water my friends.



Captain Cesar Anguiano

LIFE IS BETTER IN COLOR let us take care of all your printing needs MAGAZINES | CATALOGS | POSTCARDS CALENDARS & BROCHURES

Stay in Style Boutique & Spa 1101 W. Pecan Blvd., McAllen, TX 78501 (956) 992-9230, Owner: Dolores Gonzalez A fasion boutique with unique styles, like “Flash and Trash, constructed and naturally dyed in the Texas Hill Country. Each piece is uniquely designed using vintage and antique linen lace and doilies to be completely one of a kind - just like our customers!

4954 Space Center Dr. San Antonio, TX 78218 512.480.0860 | www.shweiki.com

Selected Clothing Pieces Classy, sophisticated jewelry Accessories Gifts


SEND YOUR HUNTING PHOTOS TO : HENRY.TEXASSPORTSMAN @GMAIL.COM

34


pairodiceranch.com - Family owned/operated - 800 acres of wildlife habitat/hunting grounds - Bird watching and other ecotourism explorations

- Whitetail Deer, Axis Deer, Black Buck, South Texas Antelope (Nilgai), Wild Turkey, Javelina, Texas Bison, Alligator, Wild hogs, Bobcats, Quail and other native animals

PAIR-O-DICE RANCH n RIO HONDO, TEXAS CONTACT LANCE SWANBERG (956) 605-8097

PALMS CROSSING

3400 Exp. 83, Suite 780 McAllen, Texas 78501 (956) 800-6279

NORTH MCALLEN

www.cornerbakerycafe.com

4021 N. 10th St. (10th & Nolana) McAllen, Texas 78504 (956) 278-8270


JAN. 2016 LUNAR TRANSIT TIMES

DEC. 2015 LUNAR TRANSIT TIMES DAY

MOON

COMMENTS

A.M.

BEST

P.M.

BEST

DAY

1

T

5:12

5:37

1

2

W

5:57

6:22

2

S

3

T

6:41

7:06

3

4

F

7:24

7:49

5

S

8:06

LAST QUARTER APOGEE

F

MOON

COMMENTS

A.M.

BEST

P.M.

6:01

6:26

6:44

7:09

S

7:27

7:52

4

M

8:10

8:35

8:31

5

T

8:56

9:21

LAST QUARTER/APOGEE

6

S

8:49

9:14

6

W

9:44

10:09

7

M

9:32

9:53

7

T

10:35

11:00

8

T

10:17

10:42

8

F

11:28

9

W

11:04

11:29

9

S

10

T

11

F

10

11:54 NEW MOON

12:19

12:45

S 11 M 12 T

11:53 12:22

NEW MOON

12:47

1:17

1:42

2:11

2:36

3:05

3:30

3:58

4:23

4:50

12

S

1:10

1:38

13

S

2:03

2:31

14 M 15 T

2:56

3:25

13 W 14 T

3:50

4:17

15

F

PERIGEE

5:15

5:41

4:42

5:09

16

S

FIRST QUARTER

6:06

6:33

5:34

6:01

17

S

6:58

7:26

6:26

6:52

7:51

8:20

7:17

7:44

18 M 19 T

8:45

9:15

9:40

10:11

16 W 17 T 18

F

19

S

FIRST QUARTER

20

S 21 M 22 T

SOLSTICE/PERIGEE

23 W 24 T 25

F

26 27

8:09

8:37

9:02

9:31

20 W 21 T

10:36

11:06

9:56

10:27

22

F

11:31

12:00

10:52

11:24

23

S

12:25

11:49 12:21

12:46

S

1:17

1:42

S

2:11

2:36

28 M 29 T

3:02

3:27

3:50

4:15

4:35

5:00

5:19

5:44

30 W 31 T

FULL MOON/CHRISTMAS

BEST MORNINGS OR AFTERNOONS Visit us online: www.osoteloskincancer.com WHAT ARE LUNAR TRANSIT TIMES?

24

S 25 M 26 T

FULL MOON

12:52

1:17

1:41

2:06

2:28

2:53

27 W 28 T

3:13

3:38

3:56

4:21

29

F

4:39

5:04

30

S

5:21

5:46

31

S

6:04

6:29

APOGEE

BEST MORNINGS OR AFTERNOONS Visit us online: www.osoteloskincancer.com

Did you know that skin cancer is the most common of all types of cancers? Nearly two million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. every year.

Hunters, fishermen and farmers since ancient times have known of a certain relationship between the moon and nature. They knew that at certain times of the day the world of the animal kingdom came alive with activity. This knowledge had been passed on from generation to generation and used for their basic needs: planting, hunting and fishing. Today we have come to understand the scientific basis for the moon’s biological effect on all wildlife and marine life. Very simply, it is peak gravitation of the moon that stimulates animal activity. That’s why deer, cattle and marine life feed at the same time of the day or night. This gravitational stimulus is at its greatest when the moon is directly overhead or on the opposite side of the Earth. A law of physics states that for every pull there is an equal and opposite push. In other words, as the Earth rotates on its axis, any location on Earth will each day pass under two peak gravitational forces occurring 12 ½ hours apart. These peak forces coincide with lunar transit times. The following lunar transit times coincide with high tide and increased game and fish activity. Just like at high tide, animal activity increases, peaks, then decreases around transit times. This “window” of activity usually lasts 2-4 hours. What this all means is that the best hunting and fishing occurs when gravitation is greatest at transit times of the moon.

Dr. Sotelo has more than 30 years of experience and has treated more than 50,000 skin cancers. If you have questions or concerns about your skin, call R. Sotelo now - don’t wait!

From Dr. Oscar Sotelo’s Lunar Transit Times, 23rd edition

30

BEST

OSCAR SOTELO, M.D. Board Certified Dermatologist

6900 N. 10th St. Ste 3 McAllen, TX 78504 (956) 682-1591 osoteloskincancer.com


Most Insurance Accepted

8521 N. 10th Street McAllen, TX

Walk-ins & Crawl-ins Welcome

956.686.9355 www.healthyrgv.com

THE OUTDOORS IS CALLING YOU DON’T LET PAIN GET IN YOUR WAY

Suffering From: ● ● ● ● ●

Neck/Back Pain Headaches Joint Stiffness Muscle Spasms Numbness or Tingling

Call Our Office

Chiropractic May Help

Dr. Orlando Villarreal Certified by the National and Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners

Chiropractor



Texas, Padre Island, Port Isabel

January 2016

N 26° 03.6' / W 97° 12.9' Date

Day

Sunrise

Sunset

1

Fr

7:59a

High Tide 0.7

8:30p

High Tide 1.1

3:58a

Low Tide 0.7

1:26p

Low Tide 0.6

7:16a

5:48p

Moonrise

Moonset

2

Sa

11:13a

0.8

8:28p

1.0

4:27a

0.5

1:55p

0.8

7:16a

5:49p

12:36a

12:39p

3

Su

8:20p

1.0

4:58a

0.3

7:16a

5:50p

1:26a

1:15p

4

Mo

7:57p

1.0

5:30a

0.1

7:17a

5:50p

2:17a

1:52p

5

Tu

3:30p

1.1

6:02a

-0.1

7:17a

5:51p

3:08a

2:33p

6

We

3:57p

1.2

6:35a

-0.3

7:17a

5:52p

4:01a

3:17p

7

Th

4:26p

1.3

7:09a

-0.4

7:17a

5:53p

4:55a

4:05p

8

Fr

4:56p

1.3

7:44a

-0.6

7:17a

5:53p

5:49a

4:57p

9

Sa

5:28p

1.4

8:22a

-0.6

7:17a

5:54p

6:42a

5:53p

10

Su

5:59p

1.4

9:02a

-0.7

7:17a

5:55p

7:34a

6:52p

11

Mo

6:28p

1.3

9:44a

-0.6

7:17a

5:56p

8:23a

7:53p

12

Tu

6:52p

1.2

10:28a

-0.5

7:18a

5:56p

9:10a

8:54p

13

We

7:12p

1.1

11:14a

-0.3

7:18a

5:57p

9:55a

9:56p

14

Th

4:03a

0.7

7:25p

1.0

1:30a

0.7

12:02p

-0.1

7:18a

5:58p

10:38a

10:57p

15

Fr

6:19a

0.6

7:33p

0.9

2:02a

0.5

12:53p

0.2

7:17a

5:59p

11:20a

11:58p

16

Sa

8:52a

0.6

7:37p

0.9

2:46a

0.2

1:50p

0.5

7:17a

5:59p

12:03p

17

Su

11:32a

0.8

7:36p

0.9

3:36a

-0.1

3:03p

0.8

7:17a

6:00p

12:47p

12:59a

18

Mo

1:34p

1.0

7:21p

0.9

4:28a

-0.4

5:08p

0.9

7:17a

6:01p

1:34p

2:01a

19

Tu

2:45p

1.1

5:21a

-0.6

7:17a

6:02p

2:23p

3:01a

20

We

3:36p

1.2

6:13a

-0.8

7:17a

6:02p

3:15p

4:01a

21

Th

4:18p

1.2

7:03a

-0.8

7:17a

6:03p

4:10p

4:58a

22

Fr

4:55p

1.2

7:51a

-0.8

7:16a

6:04p

5:06p

5:53a

23

Sa

5:26p

1.2

8:37a

-0.8

7:16a

6:05p

6:02p

6:43a

24

Su

5:53p

1.1

9:21a

-0.6

7:16a

6:06p

6:58p

7:29a

25

Mo

6:16p

1.1

10:02a

-0.4

7:16a

6:06p

7:52p

8:11a

26

Tu

2:00a

0.9

6:33p

1.0

10:41a

-0.2

8:50a

27

We

3:13a

0.8

6:45p

0.9

12:03a

28

Th

4:29a

0.7

6:52p

0.9

29

Fr

6:00a

0.6

6:53p

30

Sa

8:02a

0.6

6:49p

31

Su

6:41p

0.8

Phase

12:04p 3rd

New

1st

11:34p

0.9

7:15a

6:07p

8:45p

0.8

11:17a

0.0

7:15a

6:08p

9:36p

9:27a

12:39a

0.7

11:50a

0.2

7:15a

6:09p

10:27p

10:03a

0.8

1:21a

0.6

12:19p

0.4

7:14a

6:09p

11:17p

10:38a

0.8

2:07a

0.4

12:42p

0.6

7:14a

6:10p

2:54a

0.3

7:13a

6:11p

Full

11:13a 12:07a

11:49a

©2015 FreeTideTables.com - For comparison only - Times are local - Tides in feet from MLLW

NOW OFFERING

AND MORE!


RANCH AND LODGE LISTINGS Double Shot Outfitters: Harlingen, Tx. 956-792-6460 956-367-5778 doubleshotoutfitters.com El Canelo Ranch: Raymondville, Tx. 78580 956-607-7200 www.huntelcanelo.com El Sauz Ranch: Raymondville, Tx. 78580 956-248-5593 www.elsauzranch.com Gravick Ranch: 4985 FM-1017 San Isidro, Tx. 78588 956-481-3273 www.gravickranch.com Horn, Fin and Feather: 32369 State Highway 186 E Raymondville, Tx. 78580 956-428-7006 hornfinandfeather.com

King Ranch: 2205 Highway 141 West PO Box 1090 Kingsville, Texas 78364 361-592-8055 www.king-ranch.com Lomas Chicas Outfitters: Sarita, Tx. 956-232-0107 lomaschicasoutfitters.com Lonesome Bull Ranch: 203 Lang Road Portland, Texas 78374 361-683-9744 361-547-3840 lonesomebullranch.com Los Encinos Ranch: Kingsville, Tx. 78364 956-207-9154 www.losencinosranch.com Mariposa Ranch: 906 CR Road 225

Falfurrias, Tx. 78355 361-325-5827 www.mariposaranch.net McAllen Ranch: 33820 FM 1017 Linn, Tx. 78563 956-383-1960 www.mcallenranch.com Pair-O-Dice Ranch: Rio Hondo, Tx. 956-605-8097 www.pairodiceranch.com White Wing Ranch: 827 South Oklahoma Brownsville, Tx. 78521 956-838-5222 whitewingranch.com Santos Ranch /Las Lomas: Frio County, Tx. 210-844-3637 www.santosranch.com

777 Ranch: 5420 County Road 531 Hondo, TX 78861 830-426-3476 www.777ranch.com South Texas Ranch: San Isidro,Tx. 956-467-9057 southtexasranch.com Texas Hunt Lodge: 120 Lakehouse Trail Ingram, Tx. 78025 830-367-7611 texashuntlodge.com Y.O. Ranch: 1736 Y.O. Ranch Road Mountain Home, Texas 78058 800-967-2624 – Main No. 830-640-3222 www.yoranch.com

To have your ranch/lodge listed in Texas Sportsman Magazine, email joey.texassportsman@gmail.com Landers Marine & Outdoors 424 E. Bus. 83 Weslaco, TX 78596 956-867-1337

Landers Marine & Outdoors 424 U.S. 83 Business Weslaco, TX 78596 P: 956-867-1337

38

620 N. McColl McAllen, Tx 78501 (956) 682 -5223


GinaEvinsLargeWideAd_Layout 1 5/7/15 2:18 PM Page 1

Financial Planning & Retirement Services • Tax Free Retirement Strategies and Income Plan Design • Public and Private Employees and Small Business Plans • Certified 403(b) and 457 Plan Specialist • Rollovers and Transfers Gina Evins ginaevins.com

By Appointment ginaevins@gmail.com 3827 N. 10th St. Suite 102 McAllen, Texas 78501 956-682-9922 office 956-330-6100 cell 956-682-4612 fax

• Eliminate Market Risks with a fresh look at Guaranteed Lifetime Annuities

look at Guaranteed Lifetime Annuities

• Control your own Financial Destiny

Retirement Together” “Let’s“Let’s Plan Plan YourYour Retirement Together”

EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SERVICES

Eddie Ruiz 956-648-8467 Owner / Taxidermist

Exotic Game N. American Game

5115 S. US 281 Suite H Edinburg Tx. 78539

Salt and Fresh Water Fish Fiberglass and Skin Mounts

“Fast Turnaround Time”


JUST THE FACTS - AND MAYBE A LITTLE TMI horizontally where the sailors would go out Back in the Venetian days of sailors and and do their business. The waves would scoundrels, they had all kinds of words sometimes hit them from underneath and they used to use to convey what they were do an automatic cleaning job. doing and where they were going. One Maybe a little bit more information than particular word has stuck throughout the you might want to know, decades and centuries. but factual and historical. That word is the head. Here is some more. Have you ever been on a Anotherquestion I get boat and someone asked often is why is it called the you where the head was? port and the starboard? Well in nautical terms, it Well a long time ago even means the bathroom. How when the sail boats didn’t did they come upon that have rudders, they had a word instead of maybe “the board that was placed on john?” Back in the olden the right side of the vessel days, there wasn’t really a with another plank to conbathroom, or John per se, trol it. This piece of wood to go and do your business. went all the way into the Then, #1 was easy enough water which would control to do for the men as they the direction of the vessel. were all men back then This was the very first on the vessels. How about Not exactly sailors and scoundrels, rudder system. When they doing the business of #2? but you get the picture right? steered with these things, This is where the head they navigated by using a comes in. On the front of most sailing vessels back sextant which is an instrument they used by looking at the stars. then, there were net riggings in the front. With all this in place, they needed a I mean really on the front. The front of the name for that side of the boat, so they boat was the front or commonly called in decided that since they used the stars to those days the head of the boat. This is all navigate with and a board to steer with, the way over the bow where a net hangs

they called that side of the boat the STARBOARD. Since they didn’t want to ruin their precious steerboard, they always parked on the left side, hence the PORT side. On another historical note, I am proud to say that I am the narrator on the historical trips at Breakaway cruises. There are several large ships from the Pacific fleet in our own back yard and they can be seen up close in one of our tours. These tours will bring tears to your eyes if you are a real American and love this country.

Master Captain Alan Stewart owns and operates Stewart Training Center and holds a Master license with the U.S.C.G. Stewart Training Center is located at 39572 Loop Road, Bayview, Tx., 78566.


2015-2016 Season GOTTA HAVE IT

GOTTA HAVE IT


WANTED: CAPTAINS Tired of waiting to earn your Captain’s License? Don’t wait any longer! Make Big Bucks! Done Locally!

Call Capt. Alan Stewart is the owner & operator of Stewart Training Center and holds a Master license with the United States Coast Guard CALL (956) 639-8697 Stewart Training Center is located at 39572 Loop Road, Bayview, Tx., 78566.

BE YOUR OWN CAPTAIN! FIRST AID / CPR CLASSES FORMING EVERY WEEK




Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.