Emily emily@ttha.com713-389-0706Lilie
Contributing Writers
Volume 47, No. 5 www.ttha.com
If you hunt doves or deer in rattlesnake country, keep an eye open for rattlers returning to their winter dens. Snakes that have roamed during summer will be heading back to the rocks and crevices where they will hibernate for winter. It has been my experience to see more snakes in September and October when they’re ac tive around their dens. There’s really not much danger from snakes if you will wear proper clothing and watch where you step or put your hands. The only place I hear about snakebites is at snake shows.
'
Director of RelationsMedia
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
South Texas Field Editor
Jennifer jenn@ttha.com210-640-9554Beaman
Publisher Texas Trophy Hunters Association
Associate/Online Editor Martin Malacara
King James I of England said in 1616, “No news is better than bad news.” Well, we don’t have any bad news, and not a whole lot of good news. Dove season is upon us, and most dove hunters are hop ing for a good season. We’ve had a hot summer, and that’s good for doves and dove hunting.
Jim Heffelfinger
Kirby kirby@ttha.com210-809-6060Monroe
Faith Peña
To carry our magazine in your store, please call 210-288-9491 • deborah@ttha.com
Advertising Production
Football has been here a while, but serious games are close at hand. It’s also getting close to election time, and if I were a Democrat in the House or Senate, I wouldn’t buy anything on credit. One last thing—if you see an old man on the side of the road in a wheelchair, pick him up. It might be me!
Leighton Elliott, John Goodspeed, Francisco Gonzalez, Thomas Hale, Judy Jurek, Kristine Schmidt, Rhett Rohde, Ricardo Guardia Vazquez
Coastal Plains Field Editor Will Leschper
A Friendly Old Hunter’s Advice
“K
Dr. James C. Kroll
kidding. The majority of bucks killed in Texas are up to 3 years old. But don’t fret. At least half the hunters will be proud to bring home a 3-year-old eightpointer. I hunted several years before I killed a buck with eight points. A lot of deer hunters will pass up a young buck on Saturday and kill the same buck on Sunday or Wednesday. It’s just human nature.
700 E. Sonterra Blvd, Suite 1206 San Antonio, TX 78258 210-523-8500 • info@ttha.com
TTHA protects, promotes and preserves Texas wildlife resources and hunting heritage for future generations. Founded in 1975, TTHA is a membership-based organization. Its bimonthly magazine, The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters®, is available via membership and newsstands. TTHA hosts the Hunters Extravaganza® outdoor expositions, renowned as the largest whitetail hunting shows in the South. For membership information, please join at www.ttha.com or contact TTHA Membership Services at (877) 261-2541. EDITOR S LETTER
Schools are back in session and young hunters will have to do their thing on weekends. I can remember the old days when schools would close down when deer season opened on Nov. 16. Most schools had very little attendance because no kid from the sixth grade and up would be in school, anyway. The opening of deer season was very close in popularity to Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Brandon Ray
Deer seasons for archers and folks with MLDP permits will open in October, and the brush and timber will be teaming with Nimrods looking for a buck. All deer hunters want to bag the biggest buck they can find. But alas, most will find a buck less than 4 years old, and the antlers will make a good hat rack—but won’t win awards.I’mnot
Lauren lauren@ttha.com210-910-6344Conklin
Editor
Horace Gore • editor@ttha.com
Founder Jerry Johnston
2 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Official Publication of The Texas Trophy Hunters Association, Ltd.
President and Chief Executive Officer Christina Pittman 210-729-0993 • christina@ttha.com
Horace Gore
September/October 2022
First, doves do well in simmering summers because dove hatches and habitats seem to do well in the heat. For hunters, doves come to waterholes very regular in hot weather, and pothole shooting should be good. The biggest problem with dove hunters might be getting shotgun shells for Old Betsy.
North Texas Field Editor
Jason Shipman
Deborah deborah@ttha.com210-288-9491Keene
Hill Country Field Editor
Sales Representative
Membership Manager
Gary Roberson
Dust Devil Publishing/Todd & Tracey Woodard
ids hardly ever get in trouble when they’re hunting and fishing.” —Goreism
Assistant Manager of Events
Administrative Assistant Kelsey kelsey@ttha.com210-485-1386Morris
Executive Editor Deborah Keene
Graphic Designers
Southwest Field Editor
East Texas Field Editor
Field Editor At Large Ted Nugent
CONTENTS FEATURES [ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 20 Dr. Deer’s Prescription | By Dr. James Kroll 24 Tribute to Murry Burnham | By Horace Gore 30 Wyoming Winds & Pronghorn | By Jason Shipman 42 North Texas Dove Day | By Brandon Ray 48 Texas Hunting Forecast for 2022-23 | Will Leschper 58 Game Laws Protect Game | By Judy Jurek 76 Riflescope Roundup | By John Goodspeed 89 Medicinal Use of Antlers | By Jim Heffelfinger 97 What Are They Seeing? | By Gary Roberson 120 Up on a Stump | By The Old Dove Hunter 48 4276 30 89 4 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
CONTENTS MEMBER STORIES COLUMNS 10 Hunting Pioneers 14 Fence Posts 34 Beyond The Hunt 62 Nuge’s Soundboard 66 Must Haves 71 Jr. Trophy Hunters Corner 82 SCI Field Notes & News 100 Next Generation 104 Texas Women in the Outdoors 112 Knives in the Outdoors 116 The Draw 127 Blast from the Past 130 Kamp Kitchen 131 Feeding Times/ Moon Phases 132 Hunt’s End The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters, 1982 ISSN-08941602, is published bimonthly (a total of 6 issues) by The Texas Trophy Hunters Association Ltd., 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., Suite 1206, San Antonio, TX 78258, Phone (210) 523-8500. All rights reserved. Peri odical postage paid in San Antonio, Texas 78232-1220 and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscriptions: $35 per year includes membership in TTHA. Phone (210) 523-8500. Advertising: For information on rates, deadlines, mechanical requirements, etc., call (210) 523-8500. Insertion of advertising in this publication is a service to the readers and no endorsement or guarantees by the publisher are expressed or implied. Published material reflects the views of individual authors and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the association. Contributions: should be sent via email to editor@ttha.com, or mailed to the Editor, Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters, 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., Suite 1206, San Antonio, TX 78258. They must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope or return postage, and the publisher assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to unsolicited materials. Any material accepted is subject to revision as is necessary in our sole discretion to meet the requirements of our publication. The act of mailing a manuscript and/or material shall constitute an express warranty by the contributor that the material is original and in no way an infringement upon the rights of others. Photographs can either be RAW, TIFF, or JPEG formats, and should be high resolution and at least 300 dpi. All photographs submitted for publication in “Hunt’s End” become the sole property of the Texas Trophy Hunters Association Ltd. Moving? Please send notice of address change (new and old address) 6 weeks in advance to Texas Trophy Hunters Association, P.O. Box 3000, Big Sandy, TX 75755-9918. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters, Texas Trophy Hunters Association, P.O. Box 3000, Big Sandy, TX 75755-9918. [ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 ON THE COVER
By Kristine Schmidt By Thomas Hale By Ricardo Guardia Vazquez By Leighton Elliott Francisco Gonzalez
107 High Country Aoudad |
85 The Venezuelan Connection |
Let’s hope the weather cools down for the upcoming hunting season. See the forecast on page 48. 38 My Christmas Buck |
93 The Big Hunt |
Photo By: Marty Berry
54 A Tap on the Shoulder |
9338 10434 6 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 7
FacebookTwitter InstagramTumblr Send your story and photos to: Editor @ ttha.com.
And while you get ready for deer season to start—
National Hunting and Fishing DaySept. 24
WE ARE TTHA [ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
How will you celebrate?
YOUR Trophy Experience? Follow Us! www.TTHA.com
What’s
Don’t forget to make plans to take great pics of your hunting adven tures. On page 34, TTHA writer Will Leschper has tips and advice for taking great photos of your trophies. But don’t stop there. After your trophy is on the ground, take a little time out, sit down and write about your hunt and submit it to The Journal so we can share with our mem bers. And who knows—you could end up on the cover!
We want to know how you celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day. Will you be dove or hog hunting, or fishing on the lake, or even a pond in your neighborhood? Share your photos and stories with us. Send your info to editor@ttha.com or tag us on Instagram @txtrophyhntr or Facebook #ShowYour Skull. Do your part to recruit new hunters and anglers by encouraging participation. Get involved—get outside!
10 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
H ugo B erlanga p H otos
Former state representatives Hugo Berlanga has been a wildlife conservation advocate.
In 1975, Hugo was elected to the Texas House of Representa tives and by his fourth term, he was appointed Speaker Pro Tempore, becoming the highest level Hispanic elected state of ficial since the Texas Republic. “Speaker Gib Lewis and I forged a bond working closely together during the epic real estate and oil crashes of the mid 1980s,” Hugo said. “All our institutions from universities to health care were on the line. With Gov. Bill Clements, we enacted the state’s largest ever tax bill and no one lost their seat because of it.”
Hugo Berlanga is a pioneer of our hunting heritage. Hugo worked his way to the top and used his posi tion and influence to do good for the people. He’s a champion for coastal fisheries, private property rights, deer breeders, and wildlife in general. As a career politi cian, he has helped make a difference and has left a legacy for others to learn from and follow.
HUGO BERLANGA
Born in Robstown in 1948, Hugo grew up in nearby Corpus Christi. After high school, he served in the Army Reserves. In 1970 he married the love of his life, Laura M. Garza of Corpus Christi, and together they have one son, Omar Hugo Berlanga. Hugo earned an Associate of Arts degree from Del Mar College in 1971 and a Bachelor of Science in education from Texas A&I University-Kingsville in 1973.
Throughout his career, he served on the House Ways and Means Committee, Elections Committee, as chairman of the Calendars Committee, chairman of the Public Health Com mittee, and chairman of the Mexican American Caucus. The list of landmark legislation resulting from his efforts is quite impressive. Hugo worked for passage of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Uniform Wildlife Code and co-authored and secured passage of the landmark Redfish Conservation Act. He also worked to secure passage of the agricultural exemption for wildlife management. Considered one of his greater ac
Editor's note: This is the twenty-eighth in a series of pioneers to be recognized for their contributions, past and present, to Texas hunting.
By Jason Shipman
Do your part to preserve our hunting heritage. Share your passion with the next generation. Pass the torch.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 11
Hugo has hunted throughout Texas for a variety of game including but not limited to dove, quail, turkey, deer, and
nilgai. He also enjoys inshore coastal fishing for trout and redfish during the offseason.Witharemarkably successful and lengthy political career under his belt, Hugo has an extensive network of friends and associates and as such, he throws a mighty big loop. He’s a friend to Texas Trophy Hunters, and arguably through his work, a friend to all Texans. He and Jerry Johnston go way back. Jerry is among the many who are appreciative of Hugo’s efforts in the legislature, and recalled, “Hugo has gone to battle for us many times. Back in the day, he would get up to speak and start shaking that fist. He has always been there when we needed him!”
Hugo has been an advocate for the conservation of wildlife and habitat in Texas including Deepwater Horizon coastal restoration today. “I made it my personal mission to help protect wildlife, habitat, and the bay systems. I simply want future generations to be able to enjoy the outdoors as I have,” he said. “While Texas is plenty tough, a lot of our wildlife isn’t. How much fresh water will reach the coast when population reaches 50 million by 2036? We have to treat that as a right-now issue.”
Photos courtesy of Blake Barnett.
In the wildlife arena, he was named the First Honorary Life Member of the Texas Wildlife Association and inducted into the Muy Grande Hall of Fame. Hugo retired from the House of Representatives in 1997 and founded Berlanga Business Consultants to provide government affairs services to special interest groups andFamilynon-profits.andhis Mustang Ranch in Duval County continue to occupy his free time. Along with his wife and son, they have transformed Mustang Ranch into a premier hunting and outdoor photography destination. The ranch and its successful wildlife program have been acknowledged with several awards as well. “I enjoy my quality family time at the ranch. I like being outdoors hunting and fishing with my son, Omar. I really enjoy hunting in general. Name the game, I like it all,” he said.
complishments, Hugo authored the Coastal Management Program, a federally led and funded merousaccoladesincludedillustriousnationalTexas’eightanddedicatedpartnershiptoprotectionrestorationofovermillionacresofcoastalzoneasapriority.Hugo’slong,andcareerawardsandtoonutolist.Hewasnamed
Pass the Torch
to Texas Monthly magazine’s Ten Best Legislators list for three consecutive sessions. Under his leadership as chairman of the Public Health Committee, he was described in Texas Monthly as “a power base for the public good.”
We need folks like Hugo in office now more than ever. We owe him a debt of gratitude for his lasting efforts to protect our interests while serving in a legislative capacity. Because of his service and hard work, we are honored to acknowledge Hugo Berlanga as a pioneer of our hunt ing heritage.
Hugo is a long time friend of TTHA founder Jerry John ston. “He’s always been there when we needed him,” Jerry said.
He would later be named to their Ten Best Hall of Fame Legislators list. Many awards from other organizations followed, including those for Legislator of the Year, Outstanding Legislative Achievement, and Distinguished Legislative Service.
How do you pass the torch? Share your photos with us. Send them to editor@ttha. com. Make sure they’re 1-5 MB in file size.
Celebrate National Hunting And Fishing Day 2022
Americans all over the nation will celebrate National Hunting and Fish ing Day on Sept. 24, 2022. This day is set aside to remember the many days of hunting and fishing enjoyed by all who frequent the outdoors. On May 2, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed proclama tion 4128 designating the fourth Saturday of September as National Hunting and Fishing Day. Since 1972, Americans have celebrated the day by going hunting or
14 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
I spent a lot of time with TPWD, even when it was called Texas Game and Fish, and I’ve worked with several executive directors. I must admit they all had dif ferent attributes and handled the job very well, but I would have to put Carter close to the top as an effective and dedicated leader of the department.
Carter has a lot of years ahead of him, and I expect to see and hear from him as he takes the next step in a career filled with achievements. Texans owe a lot to Carter Smith, and we will miss him around the headquarters office in Austin after he retires in January 2023. Thanks, Carter. You done good!. —Horace Gore
Carter Smith, right, HoraceandGore
A few states recognized a day of celebra tion for hunting and fishing as early as the 1960s, but with Senate Joint Resolution 117, Congress requested the president to recognize a national day to celebrate the two outdoor sports.
FENCE POSTS NEWS ABOUT HUNTING, GUN RIGHTS, AND LEGISLATIVE ITEMS [ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 HUNTING NEWS
For the last 15 years, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has had an executive director that’s the epitome of par excellence for a sportsman and conservationist. Carter Smith has shown character, kindness, honesty, loyalty, and ability as the head of Texas’ agency that directs all activities of parks and wildlife in the state. I’ve known Carter as an executive and as a hunter, angler, and outdoorsman for many years. Texas and all Texas Trophy Hunters owe a vote of gratitude to Carter for adding much to the outdoor experiences that so many have enjoyed during his tenure as “lead dog” at TPWD.
As a country boy raised right in Gonzales County, Carter’s background in hunting and fishing, while roaming the family’s properties, gave him what he needed to be a wildlife biologist and have a professional career in fisheries and wildlife conservation. He’s educated to the hilt—Texas Tech and Yale universi ties—and you can’t get much stronger than that. Top that with all his experi ence in the Nature Conservancy and the wildlife work he has done with moose, waterfowl, mule deer and pronghorn antelope, and you have a pretty wellrounded individual in the person of Carter Smith.
Carter Smith, executive director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said:“National Hunting and Fishing Day is a time to celebrate two of Texas’ proudest and most cherished sporting traditions, as well as reflect on the vital role hunting and angling play in our state’s outdoor economy. Hunters and anglers have long been the backbone of conservation across our state, and thanks to their support of fisheries and wildlife management, con servation law enforcement, land steward ship, habitat protection, and strong fish and game laws, we are richly blessed with bountiful wild things and wild places for all outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. We want to remind all sportsmen and women that the most rewarding gift of all is to introduce someone new to the great Texas outdoors.”SafariClub International CEO W. Laird Hamberlin said: “The global hunting com munity owes a great deal to Texas, which
“Texas Trophy Hunters is proud to announce Sept. 24, 2022, as National Hunting and Fishing Day,” said Christina Pittman, TTHA’s president and CEO. “As the Voice of Texas Hunting, we stand as a tribute to hunting and fishing in a state that is known far and wide for its outdoor values. I hope all Texans will go out and enjoy all of the outdoor recreation that Texas has to offer.”
TPWD’s Carter Smith To Retire in January 2023
fishing. Many Texans take the day off to hunt doves or go to the lake.
Muy Grande co-owners, Kenneth and Imelda Sharber, presented awards to many lucky hunters, as well as guests of special honor and distinction. The Muy Grande Hall of Fame award is the most prestigious award reserved for those who have made significant contributions to Muy Grande or the hunting industry. This year’s sole inductee was none other than Leonel “Muy” Garza himself, and there’s no one more deserving of such recognition.Leonel’svision, strong work ethic, and personal friendships helped him trans form the Center Circle Gas Station into the legendary deer contest and legacy it has become today. In the early 1960s, Leonel ran the gas station when he helped a stranded hunter. The hunter offered him a reward, but Leonel declined and simply replied, “Tell your buddies that I’m the ‘hunter’s friend.’” Leonel didn’t know the man he helped just happened to be a sportswriter. Much to his surprise, a few weeks later a newspaper ran an article about “The Hunter’s Friend in Freer,” and business at the gas station picked up overnight.Asbusiness grew, Leonel had an idea to start a deer contest to continue to increase traffic at the gas station. He began the contest with only one division: widest spread. The category was appropriate at the time because the Boone & Crockett scoring system was hardly known by deerMike Swierc
Mike Swierc of Falls City passed away June 5 at the age of 100 years and 7 months. Mike worked for Kraft Foods for 33 years, and retired to cattle and farming at age 62. He was an outdoors man of the first order, and hunted white-tailed deer most of his long life. Mike was probably the oldest active deer hunter in Texas, having taken his last 10-point buck at the age of Mike100.was a close friend of Benny Lyssy of Karnes City and Ralph Winingham of San Antonio. Benny recently told me about making sausage for Mike out of the big buck from last season. Let’s all hope we’re still hunting whitetails when we reach 100 years. —HG
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 15
Amen to that, Christina, Carter, and Laird. We hope everyone will go out Sept. 24 and enjoy the variety of adventures waiting in the Texas wilds. When you go, take an active role in acquainting young hunters and anglers about the responsibil ities of caring for the beauty of nature and the creatures that live there. Remember, today’s youth are the hunters and anglers of tomorrow. —HG
TPWD Deer Slaughter on Hold
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
Mike Swierc Dies at 100
The attempt by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to depopulate (kill) deer breeder Robert Williams’ herd is at a standstill after the Fifth Court of Ap peals in Dallas refused to hear the case. The 500-deer herd is being held on the Williams property in Kaufman County under high fence while TPWD decides to do next. The original action to kill the deer herd was an “emergency” measure, according to TPWD. But that was about 18 months ago, and the case has not been satisfied.Thedeer herd fiasco began when Wil liams found a case of CWD in his breeder herd, and TPWD wanted to give him a herd plan that would have put Williams out of business as a deer breeder. Wil liams filed suit against TPWD and the Texas Animal Health Commission for failure to give due rights under the law. Williams got a temporary restraining order from the Kaufman County Court. TPWD appealed to the Fifth Court of Appeals, which denied any action on the case. Today, the court case remains pend ing in the Kaufman County Court, while Williams continues feeding 500 deer he can’t use in any way.
HUNTING
Deer Hunting Icon Leonel “Muy” Garza Dies
of quality deer hunting in Texas. The following is an article written before his death about him being named to the Muy Grande Hall of Fame, which he initiated 16 years ago to honor many of the Muy Grande winners and contributors to deer hunting in Texas. Leonel, an icon in deer hunting circles, will be sorely missed. A feature celebrating his life will appear in the November/December Journal.—HG
“We’re trying to work with them,” Wil liams said, “but they won’t work with us.” Williams has said repeatedly he would be glad to keep all of his deer in the 1,500acre high fenced property, but TPWD refuses. “My deer can’t go anywhere. They’re enclosed by an 8-foot-high fence around my property.” Williams attorney said she and her client will continue to fight in TPWDcourt.appears to be waiting until Wil liams succumbs to the expense of main taining a deer herd that’s useless to him. Expect to hear more about the killing of a deer herd over an “insidious” deer disease that apparently does not exist. —HG
NEWS
has a long history of exemplary habitat and wildlife conservation that’s made possible by the Lone Star state’s outdoor sporting community. Texan hunters, anglers, and outdoorsmen and women deserve this day of celebration and I look forward to seeing all the ways the com munity will come together and get outside this season and the many to come!”
The Muy Grande Deer Contest held its 57th Anniversary Awards Ceremony at Freer in June. A large crowd enjoyed the hunting celebration, with fun for all. An afternoon shared with good company, BBQ, musical entertainment that’s hard to beat, and the oldest deer contest in Texas that’s still going strong.
The Texas deer hunting community, along with many others in Texas, mourn the passing of Leonel “Muy” Garza, whose name has been synonymous with big Texas whitetails for 57 years. Leonel founded the Muy Grande Deer Contest in Freer, which has been the epitome
hunters. Homer Garza was the lucky winner that first year, and with no appropriate prize, Leonel simply gave Homer a wrist watch he had won for selling Goodyear tires. It was a successful endeavor, and ev eryone was happy, but the contest needed a name. According to their website, Leonel thought about it and said, “South Texas deer are as wide as the Rio Grande and as big as the state of Texas. They are Muy Grande.”TheMuy Grande name took hold in Muy Grande Village, and has grown and
For ducks, mergansers and coots, the season will be Oct. 8, 2022-Jan. 4, 2023, in Oklahoma’s Panhandle counties. Special youth, active military and veterans hunting days will be Oct. 1, 2022, and Feb. 4, 2023, in those counties.
15.Hunting dates for light and dark geese will be Nov. 5-27, 2022, and Dec. 3, 2022-Feb. 12, 2023. White-fronted geese may be taken Nov. 5-27, 2022, and Dec. 3, 2022-Feb. 5, 2023. Sandhill crane hunting will run from Oct. 22, 2022-Jan. 22, 2023, west of I-35 only. —courtesy Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation
Resident Canada Goose — Sept. 10-19, 2022. Limit is eight daily, 16 in possession after the first day, 24 in posses sion after the second day.
Waterfowl Zones 1 and 2 will again share the same season dates and bag limits this year. Season will be Nov. 12-27, 2022, and Dec. 3, 2022-Jan. 29, 2023. Special youth, active military and veterans hunting days will be Nov. 5, 2022, and Feb. 4, Daily2023.baglimit for ducks and mer gansers is six; there is no separate limit for mergansers this year. Daily bag may include no more than five mallards (only
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 HUNTING NEWS
“As assaults against Americans’ Second Amendment freedoms continue to emerge, so do treacherous threats that seek to weaponize taxation in order to price this constitutional right out of the reach of average Americans. I firmly believe that no American should be taxed on their enumerated rights, which is why I intend to stop the Left’s tyranny in its tracks by eliminating the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition.”
Clyde, a Republican, issued a statement giving his reasons for the bill. He said: “In case my Democrat colleagues forgot, the Bill of Rights enumerates rights to which the government cannot infringe. Unques tionably, infringement exists when the government taxes those rights to limit the people’s ability to exercise them.”
Congratulations to “Muy” on his recent induction into the Hall of Fame, which he started in 2007, honoring his lifetime of achievement in the hunting industry. Ken
two may be hens), three wood ducks, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one scaup, and one northern pintail. Daily coot limit is
This proposal is still in its infancy, but revolves around constitutional rights and the legality of taxing them. Clyde believes inalienable rights and the products associ ated with those rights can’t be taxed. The claim, according to him, is a direct affront to the Second Amendment. Clyde said,
During their regular June meet ing, Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commissioners approved additional opportunities to harvest antlerless deer and approved hunting season dates and bag limits for this year’s migratory bird hunting seasons. This coming December, Oklahoma’s holiday antlerless deer gun season will now be open in Zone 10, which is in the southeastern corner of the state. Zone 10 has traditionally been closed for the holiday season. There will be a limit of two antlerless deer in Zone 10 during the holiday antlerless deer gun season.Commissioners also approved migra tory bird hunting dates and bag limits for 2022-23 as follows:
On June 22, U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia introduced H.R. 8167, the RETURN (Repealing Excise Taxes on Unalienable Rights Now) Our Constitu tional Rights Act of 2022, a bill that would gut the nation’s most successful wildlife conservation funding and hunting and shooting access program—the PittmanRobertson Act.
Teal — Sept. 10-25, 2022. Limit is six daily, 12 in possession after first day, 18 in possession after second day.
Dove — Sept. 1-Oct. 31, 2022, and Dec. 1-29, 2022. Limit is 15 daily, 30 in possession after first day, 45 in possession after second day.
The bill has 53 co-sponsors, all of whom are Republican.
Oklahoma Commission Approves Waterfowl Dates, Opens Holiday Antlerless Deer Season in Zone 10
Congressman Introduces Bill to Pittman-RobertsonEliminate Act
Jerry Johnston, standing, and Elda and the late Leonel “Muy” Garza.
neth, Imelda, and the rest of the Garza family should be commended for their hard work to keep the contest and tradi tion going. Everyone is looking forward to another great hunting season and 58 years of Muy Grande. —Jason Shipman
prospered over the years. Leonel is known to many, and now often referred to as “Muy.” Much has changed from its humble beginnings at the old gas station in 1965. The contest moved to a very nice commer cial storefront at the corner of US 59 and TX 16, and numerous contest categories have been added.
Upon accepting his award, Leonel replied, “Thank you, but I thought George Strait was supposed to win this year.” The crowd erupted into laughter, cheers, and applause. Leonel continued, “If it wasn’t for you deer hunters, I would still be fix ing flats at the old gas station.”
16 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
If the Act advances further, it will likely undergo several changes and revisions. Here are some things currently proposed in the bill:
In order to included airguns in the Pittman-Robertson Act, it would require a change in federal tax statute. This route usually takes years. But states looking to legalize the use of airguns for hunt ing could implement state-level funding mechanisms such as a Conservation Airgun Stamp to ensure all legal methods of take for hunting contribute into the conservation funding matrix. This is what Utah chose to implement.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 17
To continue covering conservation costs, Clyde suggests redirecting unallo cated lease revenue generated by onshore and offshore energy development on federal lands. Because leases constantly change and the revenue from them is split and rerouted in countless directions, it’s hard to say for certain what amount would be left over for conservation programming.TheCongressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) opposes this legislation and urges members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus to oppose it. In May, CSF helped lead a letter signed by 43 of the top hunting and recreational shooting organizations in strong support of the Pittman-Robertson Act in its current form.
—courtesy Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
CSF Submits Comments on New Initiative to End Hunting, Fishing, Trapping in Oregon
Passed in 1937, the Pittman-Robertson Act functions as a way for hunters and fishermen to help fund conservation programs aimed at preserving the tradi tions in which they participate. It placed a 10-11% excise tax on hunting- and fishing-related goods. The Department of the Treasury holds this money before being turning it over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to appropriate to the states. In 2021, the Pittman-Robertson Act brought in a record-breaking $1.5 billion for conservation. It is, by far, the leading funding source for all wildlife conserva tion in the United States.
Hunters, anglers, and conservationists have all been working together against IP 13 and now IP 3, with CSF serving on the frontlines as a member of the steering committee for the opposition campaign, and on the board of directors for the recently formed Oregon Sportsmen’s Conversation Partnership. —courtesy Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
On May 26, the Congressional Sports men’s Foundation (CSF) submitted com ments on Initiative Petition 3, the latest iteration of the ballot initiative designed to end all hunting, fishing, and trapping in Oregon. As you may recall, the “End Animal Cruelty” campaign had previously filed a similar initiative, Initiative Petition 13, for the 2022 ballot, but that effort has since been abandoned and the proposal has been refiled for 2024. On April 20, proponents submitted the required 1,000 sponsorship signatures to Oregon’s sec retary of state to formally request a ballot title from the Oregon attorney general, which was then released by Secretary Fagan on May 12. CSF submitted com ments on the draft title, which will then be reviewed by the attorney general before making any revisions and certifying the final ballot language. Once certified, proponents can begin signature gathering to qualify the initiative for the 2024 ballot.
Interest in airgun technology has been steadily increasing in recent years. Airguns are a tempting option as they are considered to be “hearing safe” because they lack an explosive charge that has been well documented to cause heading damage. Regulations surrounding the use of airguns vary significantly from state to state, as discussions surrounding efficacy and their lack of inclusion as taxable equipment through the Pittman-Robert son Act commence.
• Limitation on tax imposed on fish ing rods and poles
Oregon’s hunters, anglers, and trappers have long played a vital role in funding conservation and wildlife management efforts throughout the state. Under the American System of Conservation Fund ing (ASCF), a unique “user pays-public benefits” structure, Oregon’s sportsmen and women generate tens of millions of dollars each year for ODFW. These funds are generated through fishing and hunting
Utah Legalizes Air Rifles For Hunting
• Excise taxes on firearms and am munition repealed
• 3% rate of tax for tackle boxes
NEWS
• 3% rate of tax for electric outboard motors
During its 2022 legislative session, Utah became the first state to allow using air rifles for huting. Utah Senate Bill 205— Air Rifle Hunting Amendments—requires individuals obtain a permit to be able to use an air rife while hunting approved game species. To be approved for use, air rifles must be pressurized to a minimum of 2,000 pounds per square inch.
John Gale, conservation director for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, said: “This bill is not only offensive to conser vation-minded companies in the hunting and shooting sports industry that oppose such a careless waste of time in Congress, it’s an affront to hunters and recreational shooters that proudly support the legacy of Pittman-Robertson—legislation that the hunting community and gun industry leaders advocated for in the first place to give back to the wildlife resources that are the foundation of our cherished outdoor traditions.” — courtesy GearJunkie.com and Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation
If passed, IP 3 would end all hunt ing, fishing, and trapping, which would immediately impact Oregon’s 940,000 sportsmen and women who participate in the outdoors in support of conservation efforts, food procurement, and tradition. The proposed initiative would also signifi cantly impact the state’s ability to manage and protect its natural resources, wildlife, and public lands. Without sportsmengenerated revenue through license and tag sales, along with excise the tax revenue generated through Pittman-Robertson for sporting-related purchases, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) would have their budget drastically cut by one half. ODFW, the primary stewards of protecting and enhancing our states wildlife and their habitat, would lose over $50 million dollars annually from hunting and fishing license sales alone.
HUNTING
• Excise taxes on bows and arrows repealed
license sales and through an 11% excise tax paid on sportingrelated goods via the Pittman-Robertson Act. Ongoing attempts to restrict Oregon’s 940,000 sportsmen and women from their outdoor pursuits of hunting, fishing, and trapping threatens funding revenue for Oregon’s conservation, habitat restora tion, and wildlife management of all species, not just game.
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
18 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
In
G ary r oberson P hoto 20 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
My supervising committee expected to me to arrive at my dissertation defense, ready and able to discuss every known aspect of the topics presented in my paper. To do so meant
1972, I was finishing my doctoral dissertation in wildlife management at Texas A&M University. As a scientist in training at that time, being aware of the scientific literature was imperative. Keeping up on historical studies and the latest findings were considerably more difficult than in this age of Google searches.
In the last two decades, southeastern deer biologists have literally come to “call for the heads” of coyotes. Several studies have shown coyotes do negatively impact deer herds.
By Dr. James C. Kroll
Coyotes Have To Be Managed Too
hours of poring through hard copies of the various journals, as well as reading theses and dissertations produced by other graduate students from around the globe. My research was about as far away from coyotes as you could imagine, but while digging through a copy of an old bound thesis, I ran across one completed in the 1930s on sheep and goat ranching in the Texas Hill Country.
In those days, a thesis was not the polished, printed docu ment it is today. Photographs had been carefully pasted in
In the last two decades, the southeastern deer biologists, who once argued coyote predation is negligible, have literally come to “call for the heads” of coyotes. Several studies have shown coyotes can and do indeed negatively impact deer herds. Research studies on predation generally focus on a single predator species’ impact. As the original suite of predators returned—coyotes, bobcats, bears, etc.—scientists discovered the concept of additive impacts, that is, considering the sum of contributions by all predators. You also have to factor in nonpredator mortality agents such as disease, automobile accidents and habitat deterioration.
Focusing just on the coyote for now, I assert we are dealing
The idea that the entire predator-deer ecosystem has to be managed is alien to professionals and the public alike. Predators often are consid ered as “charismatic megafauna,” not unlike public perception of inva sive wild horse populations. The idea of killing them is repugnant.
One of my favorite aspects of the annual meeting was the opportunity for passionate young biologists to argue biological concepts. One of these was the impact of predation on deer, in most cases by the coyote. In the early days, only the Texas biologists considered coyotes as a significant threat to white tails. After all, they had not yet spread across the South and up the Atlantic Coast.
a uthor P hoto www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 21
place using rubber cement, and some fell out when I opened the copy. I was much more “sophisticated” in producing my dissertation, by using offset printing.
The result is a new way of looking at deer management that I refer to as Ecosystem Deer Management. As I learned quite clearly during my stint as Wisconsin’s Deer Trustee, the idea that the entire predator-deer ecosystem has to be managed is alien to professionals and the public alike. Predators often are considered as “charismatic megafauna,” not unlike public per ception of invasive wild horse populations. The idea of killing them is repugnant.
We really ran into a “firestorm” in Wisconsin. We supported setting population goals for wolves, a super-charismatic mega fauna, in spite of the fact populations are growing alarmingly throughout the Great Lakes states. Yet to date, I don’t know of a single state that has produced a deer ecosystem management plan, that simultaneously considers impacts of habitat on deer herds, impacts of deer herds on predators and vice-versa.
As a young deer biologist in the 1970s, I became a member of the Southeast Deer Study Group, made up of government and university biologists across the Southeast. Each year we gathered at a different state to present preliminary findings on a host of exciting studies on whitetails. Those were “heady” times, since much of what folks now take for granted as “estab lished facts,” were discovered by that group of scientists.
prey species for coyotes exist, including rabbits, rats, mice and birds. However, there’s a rule in predator-prey theory that states predators will focus their efforts on the prey that provide the most amount of food per unit pursuit effort. Whitetails and coyotes became members of the same ecosystem.
The author made an interesting recommendation in his conclusions. He urged that sheep and goat ranching be discour aged because it would allow the coyote to bridge the Edwards Plateau into the southern United States. Some 70 years later, the coyote was well-entrenched all the way to New England and had spread northeastward through the Great Lakes states. Coy otes became totally ubiquitous to North America by following a two-front invasion. Small livestock ranching may have given coyotes a boost across the Edwards Plateau.
The prediction made by that Texas A&M graduate student that coyotes would spread southeastward in response to sheep and goat ranching was just beginning to materialize. Yet, once coyotes crossed the Texas Hill Country, I became convinced about a direct correlation between rapidly growing deer populations and coyote range expansion. Yes, many potential
by the U.S. Forest Service concluded in southeastern deer management, you have to consider the impact of coyotes on recruitment and the hunter harvest. It’s possible to collapse herds if you do not. In my early days, when a landowner asked how many does he should kill, the flippant answer often was, “Can you get .30-06 shells in barrels?” That attitude came back to bite us when coyotes joined the ecosystem.
Modern deer biologists are changing their attitudes about coyote predation, but they still fall into the same old trap. The concept of setting predator man agement goals, along with strategies to accomplish them, remains ignored. Some biologists try to use habitat management to increase fawning cover. Yet, although it helps, studies also show not by much.
We do the same thing here at our research center in East Texas. When rabbit counts decline, we step up coyote removals until rabbits return. This does not require eradication of coyotes, only numbers man agement. But it takes more than casual opportunity shooting. At Grand Rack Club, biologist Adam Osmun has become particularly skilled at coyote manage ment, using monitoring, legal trapping and shooting stations. Prior to initiating the program, true recruitment rate for the deer herd was below 30%. In 2022, recruitment rate was an unheard of 94%—not fawn crop, but true recruitment. Of course, we use sound habitat and deer herd management strategies, but it’s clear coyote management works when it’s part of an ecosystem plan.
with two distinctly different situations regarding deer ecosys tem management: mesic (wet) and xeric (dry) climates. Note that coyotes once occurred primarily in dry climates, where ex tremes create highly dynamic prey population fluctuations. For some time, we have been conducting a deer ecosystem man agement/research program on a very large ranch near Piedras Negras. This work includes intensively monitoring recruitment rates of whitetails, which as with South Texas, often fluctuate significantly.Wehavelearned water availability and distribution is the greatest recruitment driver. That should come as no surprise to you. In addition, we are doing all the standard practices such as supplemental feeding and brush management. We have generally considered coyote predation as acceptable in most cases. However, we have come to the position, careful moni toring of coyote numbers and making selective reductions in numbers is the best approach.It’sanentirely different story within the new range of coyotes. Remember, they only arrived in the eastern U.S. during the last 50 years or so (see map), and although the climate may be more stable, the deer ecosystems are not. Recent studies have shown coyote predation has a much larger impact on recruitment than ever imagined. A study in South Carolina
Again, it takes an integrated and targeted approach. Predator management in many states is extremely dif ficult, due to regulations aimed at protecting rather than managing predators. At Turtle Lake and Grand Rack Hunting Clubs in Michigan, we have developed a monitoring system to determine the extent of predator management needed. We use small mammals, particularly rabbits, as our “canaries in a coal mine!”
sciencemaG orG maP 22 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Deer management is far more complicated than when I began my career some 50 years ago. It was easy to manage deer then, with growing herds, few predators and other mortality agents. Today, we have to learn to develop management strate gies aimed at the deer ecosystem and each of its component parts.
M
PBMurryurnhaMhotos
urry Burnham of Spicewood brought a new twist to Texas hunting in 1952—call ing varmints. He and his brother, Winston—the famous Burnham Brothers—caused a hoard of hunters to pick up a rifle and a Black Magic varmint call and go coyote hunt ing when bumper stickers and lapel badges said, “I Like Ike.” Murry and Winston brought a new and exciting method of hunting—calling coyotes and bobcats to within shooting range with a mouth call that sounded like a wounded rabbit. The brothers led the field in making game calls and teach ing hunters how to use them. It was a turning point in hunting history. I met Murry in the late ’60s when I worked out of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s regional office in Waco. Through the years, we fashioned some hunting stories and did some gun trading. It was always a pleasure to visit with Murry and talk about guns and hunting. He wrote for The Journal many times, telling tales of hunts from South Texas to Africa. Murry was a pioneer of our hunting heritage.BornJuly 1928, Murry came into the world in the Burnham “man sion”—as I call it—a 165-year-old home that sits a few miles northwest of present-day Spicewood, Texas, near Double Horn Creek. In 1855, Murry’s great, great grandfather, Jesse Burn ham, left the Colorado River and his
The late Murry Burnham developed one of the very first predator calls. That achievement cemented his place as a hunting legend.
24 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Murry’s keen interest in the outdoors and hunting kept him off the streets. “By today’s standards, I was as clean as a hound’s tooth. I didn’t smoke or drink,” he said. “I was content to stay on the ranch or in the woods, hunting and enjoying the wild things. Later on, in the business world, I think it paid off.”
As the years went by, Murry’s father, Morton, also grew up on the place. As a hunter, he taught Murry the “ways of the woods.” Murry said he followed his dad everywhere and learned to survive by imitating everything his dad did.“He taught me how to hunt deer at night with a light on little patches of oats,” Murry said. “He didn’t just shine the light on the deer. He would shine the light up high over them, on and off, so that the deer would think it was light ning. When he got ready to shoot, he put the light right on them, and they didn’t even raise their heads.”
ferry operation near La Grange and moved his family to Burnet County just east of Marble Falls. The property was his second land grant for his service in the Texas Revolution with Sam Houston.
Murry said, “Everybody thought we were crazy, spending our time and money, making calls that sounded like dying cottontails. We spent $90 on a rig that would make a call out of two slices of plastic and the metal ‘whiner’ out of a rubber dolly that the girls liked to get for Christmas. You remember, the doll would cry when you turned it a certain way. Well, we put that little ‘crier’ in a varmint call and made it sound like something good to eat for a coyote or bobcat.
“There were very few deer back in the ’30s and ’40s. We often hunted several times before even seeing one deer. We got most of our meat by hunting—deer, squir rels, and even a half-grown ’coon now and then. I was a good shot with my .22, when I had shells, and squirrels were plentiful. We might butcher a goat or two each year, but no money—just country survival.’’Murrywent to grade school a couple of years at the Double Horn School, and then went to Marble Falls through high school. As a teenager, he made some cash by trapping all manner of varmints— raccoons, ringtails, possums, skunks, bobcats, and anything else that had a good fur. “I would skin the animals and stretch and dry the hides and make them look real pretty,” Murry said. “I would get a good batch of hides ready and send them to Sears and Roebuck for cash money, which was hard to get in those depression days.”
Predators weren’t the only game Murry hunted. He enjoyed hunting animals with big antlers, too.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 25
Some will say Morton Burnham originated calling up a varmint by sucking on his hand and making a squealing sound that imitated a wounded mouse or rabbit. It was a close-range calling method, but it’s amazing how far away a coyote or bob cat can hear a faint squealing sound. Morton taught the boys how to call in this manner, and they later developed mouth calls that did the job even better.
Out of high school, Murry and Winston spent most of their time doing things related to hunting and the outdoors. Murry wrote a few columns for the agriculture page of the old Austin American newspaper, and he and Winston toyed with the idea of making a mouth call out of plastic that sounded like a wounded rabbit. This began a long career in the varmint hunt
ing business, which, in many ways, made the brothers famous in the hunting world.
Murry also chronicled his one-of-a-kind hunting adventures, which he kindly shared with Journal readers.
that I could call up so many different animals with that old call.”Today, the Burnham Brothers name is synonymous with varmint hunting in Texas. Gary and Deb Roberson bought Burnham Brothers Inc., expanded the line, and now enjoy a thriving business out of Menard.
Murry moved from the Burnham Ranch, west of Spicewood, to Three Rivers in 2009 then he and Jolene thought they would settle down for a long spell. Then, along came an oil company that wanted the Burnham’s house for an expanded office dur ing the oil boom of 2013. Murry sold out and returned to the Burnham Ranch and built a lavish home about 400 yards from the old Burnham two-story home place. Soon, he was feeding the deer and turkey again, and enjoying life in the woods on the ranch where he was born.
“After we moved to Menard in 1985, Murry and I did some photography while calling varmints and turkey hunting,” Gary said. “He asked if I was interested in purchasing Burnham Brothers. We bought Murry out in 1991, and the rest is history.”
Murry passed to greener pastures in late April. I thought back to when I went to the Burnham Ranch to buy a .375 Win chester that Murry had used on dangerous game, and wanted to sell. He was 90 then and feeding a few deer every day and occasionally shooting a wild hog stealing his deer and turkey feed. I remember him telling me his shooting eye was still good.
In 1957, the future looked bright enough for Murry and Jolene to get married and live in the Burnham home just East of Double Horn Creek.
26 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
“Varmint calling was new, and a novelty to most hunters of the day, and the ‘big’ outdoor writers came and hunted with us. The excitement of calling coyotes and bobcats was so thrilling to the writers that they gave us some valuable public ity, and soon the cash register began to ring.”
“We took the outdoor writers hunting everywhere—Mexico, Canada, Colorado, and most of the states surrounding Texas. We expanded our merchandise to include tapes of various wildlife sounds, different calls, and all things needed to hunt varmints. We got so popular that we got a call from Roy Rog ers in California, inviting us out there for a few days to make a series of movies hunting coyotes and bobcats on Roy’s ranch and the nearby area. Rick Schroeder loved to hunt coyotes with us, along with other Hollywood folks.
“We put in a store at Marble Falls called “Burnham Broth ers,” and by the ’70s and ’80s, things were booming. We hunted Africa and called everything with hair on it with an old Black Magic mouth call that I still have today. I was amazed
“I can put a bullet in a hog’s ear,” he said. That’s the Murry we hunters have known and admired for so many years. We will miss Murry Burnham.
“We made calls and tried to sell them to stores and other places, but it didn’t work. We were spending more money on gas than we were making on the calls. Our big break came when we decided to contact some of the major sportswriters like Pete Brown of Field and Stream, Jack O’Connor of Outdoor Life, and many others. We invited them down to Texas for some varmint hunts using our calls.
28 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
PRONGHORN
BY JASON SHIPMAN
& 30 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Wyoming Winds
a ut H or p H otos
hen it comes to hunting out West, the pronghorn antelope is highly underrated. American prong horn, or Antilocapra americana, are not really antelope at all, but instead the only living members of the family Antilocapridae. Pronghorn are endemic to North America, rang ing across the western half of the United States. Plains, valleys, and rugged badlands are home to the fastest land mammal in North America. They rely on keen eyesight, followed by a fleet-footed, swift departure and can reach speeds upwards of 55 mph. A combination of adept senses and challenging terrain makes the pronghorn a uniquely attractive game animal.
he next day we tried some new areas known to hold good groups of pronghorn. Our efforts were rewarded, and a
T
In terms of big game hunting, pronghorn seasons are generally early when compared to other game and often take place in August, September, and October. Weather during this time of the year is often hot and conditions are usually dry. Wind, dust, and long hours of glassing are sure to leave you blurry eyed at the end of the day. It’s the excite ment of locating and studying groups of pronghorn that keeps you going.
Hunting pronghorn is a unique experience all its own. Unlike most big game hunting where you hunt solo, pronghorn hunting can be enjoyed with friends in a small group. Having more eyes in your hunting group is advantageous with long days in the field spent constantly moving and glassing. The key to a successful pronghorn hunt is covering as much ground as possible. Finding them is one thing, but judging pronghorn may be the most dif ficult part of hunting them. Studying them through quality glass and having a few opinions helps.
W
“What about this one?” I asked as I diverted the group’s atten tion. After some discussion, one of the guys decided to try for him, but ended up missing him. A little dejected, but still very optimistic, we ran out of daylight and headed back to camp.
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Wyoming produce exceptional qual ity animals each year. Throughout the years, I have hunted several of these Western states in pursuit of elk, mule deer, and pronghorn. I enjoy hunt ing pronghorn when the opportunity presents itself and have been fortu nate enough to take some really nice trophies.Lastyear I returned to Wyoming with a group of friends in search of big pronghorns and we had a blast. We hunted in late August, just as the TTHA Hunters Extravaganzas wrapped up. Arriving in Wyoming, conditions were normal for the time of the year—windy, hot, dry, and dusty. The anticipation of the hunt had excitement running high as we quickly unloaded our gear in preparation for the afternoon outing. From past experience, we knew our chances of taking a legitimate trophy would be good if we put in the work and hunted hard.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 31
The author found the big-pronged buck on the middle of the floor of the giant valley. But there was virtually no way to get to him.
The first afternoon out, we didn’t have much time. And quite honestly, we weren’t expecting much. We had several days to hunt, and I don’t think anyone was really in a hurry to shoot. We started out in some rolling sagebrush hills and found a vantage point from which to look down into a huge valley. A large group of pronghorn stood on the valley floor. We looked them over through the glass and studied a few of the averagesizedNothingbucks.in the valley held my interest, so I turned and began glassing the rolling hills behind us and found a buck. He stood several hundred yards out, but seemed curious and walked in our direction. He had great prongs projecting outwards, and I could tell right away he was a good one.
We closed the distance as much as possible, within about 500 yards. We were out of cover, and about as close as we were going to get. I readied for the shot, getting into a prone position on the ground. The wind ripped through the valley as the buck stood up to stretch. I had him dialed in and squeezed the trigger, but likely due to wind drift, I missed. I chambered another round and missed again. There’s simply no end to the wind in Wyo ming. Not sure exactly what was happening, the big buck moved farther up the side we were on and topped out over the ridge above us.
Our hunting group erupted in whoops, shouts, and high fives. We made our way over to him and he just kept getting bigger as we got closer. There was no mistaking it was the one we were after. “It’s him!” One of the guys shouted. “Sometimes you just have to take a chance,” I jokingly exclaimed as we walked up to him. He was a real trophy, and just like that, I had another pronghorn well over 80. He had it all with good length, great mass, and outstanding prongs. The celebration was on as the photo session began.
We spent the rest of the day, and trip for that matter, repeat ing the process until everyone tagged out. It was a great hunt amongst friends and a trip that won’t soon be forgotten. The trophies taken were memorable but perhaps overshadowed by the experiences and camaraderie shared in the field. I’m sure we’ll be heading west again in search of trophy pronghorn and to relive the experience to its fullest.
couple of the guys filled their tags. On the third day I was up to shoot, and we decided to go back to the area where we had seen the big-pronged buck on the first evening. As we neared the loca tion, one of my buddies said, “If you don’t want to shoot him, I’m going to.” I replied, “If we see him, you can shoot him if you like, but I’m not gonna pass him!” We laughed, carrying on as usual, while we continued to glass.
We found the big-pronged buck on the middle of the floor of the giant valley where we had previously stopped to look. The odds were definitely in his favor because there was virtually no way to get to him. Patience ran thin within the group as I elected to watch the buck move about, hoping he would make a mis take. Eventually he moved up the valley to a narrow spot, before making his way up the side about halfway and bedding down. He had given me the opportunity I had been waiting for and we began a stalk.
We quickly maneuvered to flank him, and as we crested the ridge we looked down into a big bowl. There was nothing to be seen up close, but my attention was quickly drawn to movement on the far edge of the bowl. The distance was long, but there was no wind down in the bowl. I quickly got in position for a shot and found the buck in my scope. Through the scope, I got a glimpse of a big prong. “I’m not sure it’s him,” said one of the guys. It was too late for second guessing. The pronghorn had slowed to a trot as he came to a fence and turned to parallel it. The bullet was on its way, and he went down instantly.
32 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
The author’s pronghorn had it all with good length, great mass, and outstanding prongs.
Today’s outdoorsmen and women have the most advanced tools to document all aspects of their pursuits, but even with “auto-everything” features, great photos don’t simply just hap pen. Skill with any type of camera mirrors deftness with a rifle, fishing rod or turkey call — it takes equal parts of practice, preparation, and follow-through.
The overriding aspect of any great photo is lighting. The “good light” that makes shots glow in the early morning and late afternoon when the sun is slung low on the horizon is what
authorPhoto
can make any photo pop. Alas, that light quickly fades, which means most hunting and fishing photos are taken in lousy light —dawn or dusk, after dark or in sun-scorched midday hours. The key to maximizing quality is to start off by keeping the sun at your back or even to your side and working from there.
Almost everyone in outdoor photos wear hats, which pro tects from the sun and adds character, but it also adds shade and cuts down on the main component of good photos of people—eye contact. Sunglasses also do the same, so dispense with them, but instead of removing headgear, add light with fill flash, which will illuminate dark areas and keep eyes from disappearing in your photos. Almost all auto-exposure cam eras will do a superb job of this, which will provide dramatic improvement in a number of lighting situations.
34 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
In a perfect world, you’ve got plenty of time to carefully arrange everything before you depress the shutter, but even if you don’t, you still can set the stage nicely. Close-ups are more BY WILL
TakingLESCHPER Great Trophy Photos
The phrase, “Want to see pictures of my deer?” invariably invokes a variety of responses from the average hunter, but for me it always makes me do a double-take. I’ve probably seen thousands of photos snapped from a range of devices provided by readers, friends and others in my years of writing about outdoor pursuits. Each one documented a price less memory for young and old, but to be honest, some were downright disappointing.
Left:about.Making the most of the best light early and late can truly make a huntingrelated image pop, even without an expensive camera. Success in hunting and fishing pursuits here in Texas and elsewhere doesn’t al ways rest on filling a bag limit. Sometimes it’s gratifying to snap a quick picture and release a nice fish for someone else to hopefully catch and release.
The second rule of photography is simple: Take a lot of photos. Also, be prepared should your efforts catch someone’s eye. The usual response: “You must have a really expensive camera!”
The main aspect to remember is to present the animal with dignity and respect. That means field-dressing and wiping off blood before snapping your shots. For deer and other big game, position the animal as though it’s sleeping with its legs folded underneath and on its stomach rather than on the side. This should be done in natural terrain, not in the back of a vehicle.
Opposite page: Rusty Treider killed this Big Country beast of a buck, and the memory was captured on a smartphone. Notice the position of the ani mal and the absence of blood or a tongue sticking out. Honoring any game killed by your own hands is vital to displaying what ethical hunting is
or ridge and get below to shoot up. The antlers of a whitetail or muley will appear more dramatic this way and instead of hold ing the animal up by an antler, support behind the ears. Other variations of game shots include having the subject look at the animal rather than directly at the camera or perhaps walking up to Anotherit.
With practice comes great photography and the most impor tant rule is to always carry a camera. This is where a point-andshoot or even cellphone camera works great. I’ve had images printed in newspapers and magazines that I shot with either my pocket camera or even an iPhone, so clearly, it’s not just a matter of megapixels.
Great photographs truly seize a moment in time, the one that best sums up a trip or even a season. It could be a bird dog leaping through water or brush, a big bass bursting from the water in front of a wide-eyed angler or a proud parent admiring their son’s or daughter’s first duck, deer or turkey.
way to make great photos is to focus on places and people rather than just a limit of birds or fish. Perhaps it’s a hunter admiring a single brightly colored pheasant in the morning glow or a hunter packing out a turkey gobbler over her shoulder in the fading light. The grip and grin with a fish has been around as long as cameras have been used to document success. Instead, try to capture the moment of success, whether it’s a fishing buddy lipping a lunker largemouth near the water’s surface or a friend netting a hefty redfish.
Game shots always are most impressive against the natural background of the sky. If possible, position the subject on a rise
B ryan o ’ n eal P hoto www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 35
The most photographed scene is of the proud hunter posing with game they’ve killed. It’s also the most abused.
dramatic than wide shots, so fill the frame with your subject, getting as near as you can so there’s nothing extra on the edges. Speaking of edges, make sure there’s nothing out of place. I once saw a magnificent photo of a proud hunter with a massive West Texas buck, the kind of shot capturing a true once-in-alifetime moment. The lighting was perfect and the close-up was spot-on. The only problem was the man behind the lens didn’t account for the fence post that seemed to grow right out of the back of the hunter’s head!
36 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
authorPhotos 38 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
The author with her buck, and her father in-law, Henry “Bubba” Schmidt.
STORY
I made sure I had the Browning .243 that Bubba gave me, and I also came better prepared with camouflage, binoculars and my picnic basket. When I arrived at Bubba’s house, we hopped in the Mule and drove back to the blind in the food plot.Bubba scattered some corn in front of the blind leading to the feeder. I felt organized and I wouldn’t let the opportunity pass me by a second time. I was laser focused with no distractions, making sure my hair was in a ponytail. I practiced looking through my scope and aiming at some of the small bucks, visualizing that they were the “big boy.”
That night I couldn’t sleep and kept having flashbacks of the buck through my father-in-law’s riflescope. The red outline of his body through the illuminated Leupold scope haunted me that evening, after I had put out all the presents under the Christmas tree.
Kristine waiting patiently in the blind, alongside her father in-law.
I
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 39
I felt anxious and nervous. We continuously hushed my 4-year-old and eventually he fell asleep on our jackets on the floor of the blind. Over the next few hours, the wildlife began to appear. We counted over a dozen turkeys, a lot of deer and a gray fox in the oat field, but only a few small bucks.
The next day was Christmas and Bubba called me that morn ing after he had sat in the blind. He had gone out early to see if the buck would return. When I saw his missed call, my heart sank, and I anticipated one of the neighbors had killed my deer. But instead, Bubba told me he had seen a large buck at the top of the hill near the oat field. My hope was renewed, and I began to prepare for day two in the blind.
behind Bubba’s rifle, and he told me not to shoot until the buck was broadside. I had the perfect shot, but I hesitated, and the buck was gone.
On Christmas Eve, I arrived around 2:30 p.m. to get situ ated and get in the blind with Bubba. My son, Truitt—Bubba’s grandson—tagged along and we took the Mule to the blind about 3:15 p.m. I had come to the ranch from Gonzales, and my Browning .243 was at home in Shiner. Bubba said that I could shoot the buck with his rifle if it showed up, so we all got into the blind.
The day before Christmas, Bubba called and told H.C. he had seen a large buck in one of his pastures, and he wanted me to come hunting. I was immediately up for the challenge. Bubba had a feeder and a food plot for wildlife in the pasture, and I had seen a lot of deer and turkey there in the past. I had spent almost a decade venturing with my husband on this piece of property. I had even shot my maternity pictures with my daughter River in front of the majestic oak trees. We watched many sunrises and sunsets and worked cattle and hunted hogs on the place.
As the sun began to set, I felt a little frustrated the big buck had not shown himself, and then suddenly, he appeared! Bubba could see his big antlers with the binoculars, and he quickly got his rifle set up for me. “It’s him! He’s here!” he said. I immedi ately regretted not having my .243. I tried to get comfortable
I felt so ashamed I had missed my opportunity for the big buck. All the build-up, preparation, and anticipation had been a waste, and I didn’t have the .243 I was used to shooting. I had not had any experience hunting deer, and immediately felt embarrassed I had let Bubba and Truitt down.
We sat patiently as Bubba told stories about hunting in Africa, and we enjoyed cold tangerines out of my picnic basket.
After eight years of filling feeders and riding around in Little New York (the local community), I finally felt I was ready to learn the art of hunting from the best. H.C. helped me sight-in the .243 and I began to feel comfortable shooting my new Browning auto—no bolting—just load it and pull the trigger. We set up targets near the tank at Bubba’s house, and I began to gain more con fidence behind the scope. The rifle felt very comfortable, the perfect size with a classic, timeless look. I even loved the camouflage rifle case with corduroy inte rior. The ammunition I used is 100-grain Remington Core-Lokt, a good load for deer according to H.C. and Bubba.
married into a deer hunting family several years ago, and my husband, H.C. Schmidt and his dad, Henry (Bubba) have killed some good bucks on the ranch near Sandy Creek in Gonzales County. I had always wanted to start deer hunting, and last Christmas I got the chance. Bubba had given me a Browning BAR .243 with a 6X Leupold scope for my birthday in November. The gift was sentimental because it is the only rifle I’ve ever owned, and it came from Bubba. Also, my two sisters-in-law have the same gun, which has mild recoil and a fast bullet.
As nightfall came, the kids exclaimed to their dad that Mommy got a big buck with PoPo and when they grew up, they were going to hunt deer, too. I will always look back and remember my Christmas buck that I shot with my rifle, a present from Bubba. And, more important, getting the buck with him. I’m thankful for this memory, which is absolutely irreplaceable.
I moved the chair and tripod around and put the rifle barrel out the window. As soon as the buck stood still and broadside, I aimed behind his shoulder and squeezed the trigger. The 100-grain bullet found its mark, and the buck fell. I looked teary-eyed back at Bubba, as we stayed alert and I was ready to shoot again. “Keep a close eye on him in case he gets back on his feet,” Bubba said. But the deer did not get up. I had made a good lung shot behind the shoulder, and Bubba said the shock is what put the buck down so fast.
I felt proud and emotional. It had been a high priority to have this experience with my father-in-law, and now I finally had a beautiful buck to show for it. My husband carefully caped the deer for my mount and we placed the head and cape in the cooler. Bubba measured the antler width at 181/2 inches.
After taking pictures, we loaded him in the Mule and headed back to the house for gutting and skinning. I felt rather sporty in a pair of pink camo mud boots that Debbie and Bubba had given to me for Christmas eight years previous. River and Truitt were excited about my buck, as I filled out the tag and put it on the antlers.
We watched the sun go down behind the pecan orchard from the back of the truck and I put the deer meat—back straps, hind quarters, shoulders and tenderloins—in the cooler. We would have many good meals from all the venison.
40 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
We joked as we watched the pasture come alive with deer and turkeys. The sunset was spectacular, but the buck was a “noshow.” Bubba explained the rut was over and the buck may not show himself again. The wind went out of my sails as I realized I might never have the opportunity to get the buck with Bubba. But I said a little prayer that night in hope of my wish coming true.The day after Christmas I spent the morning taking down decorations and cleaning. By 2:30 I was ready to go back to the deer blind. I knew that this would be the last evening I would sit in the blind with Bubba. The season would end in one week, and time was running out. I drove from Shiner to Little New York and met Bubba at the house.
Kristine shot the buck with the rifle her father in-law gifted her. The buck’s inside spread measured 181⁄2 inches.
It was only five o’clock so we figured we had 45 minutes before any older bucks would come out. But we were wrong. The big buck had chased a doe into the field behind me and we could see him clear as day. Bubba counted his points and assured me this was indeed my buck. I began to prepare for the shot.
We were in the blind by 3 p.m., watching a group of turkeys as the evening was very quiet in comparison to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We saw nothing but the turkeys until about 4:30, when a few does came out very slowly to eat the corn Bubba had scattered. Eight does ran from the brush line, coming out in front of the blind. Bubba could see a few small bucks up by the big oak trees on the hill.
I called H.C. and told him I had finally killed my first buck, and then he headed towards the property. I calmly came down from the blind and we approached the deer from behind. The buck looked gorgeous as we admired the antlers.
A stringer of mourning dove next to a fine 20-gauge shotgun near the windmill that provided the fast action.
42 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
authorPhotos
G
rowing up in Dallas, adventures for big game like elk and mule deer seemed far away. But just past the city-limit sign, dove hunt ing was attainable. Fields dotted with colorful sunflowers and small stock ponds attracted birds by the drove. Luckily, a friend owned land we could hunt. With barely enough money for gas and a handful of shells, we drove there after school and on the weekends. Back then, a teenager could still have a shotgun on the gun rack in his pickup in the high school parking lot, if that tells you how long ago it was.
Like thousands of other Texans, Sept. 1 is a revered day on my calendar. What other tradition attracts doctors, mechanics, soccer moms, kids, and hairdressers to the outdoors? For some it’s a social event, but everyone loves fast ac tion. My favorite dove day tradition is an afternoon shoot over a windmill pond followed by a feast on the grill. Dove breasts will be wrapped with bacon, onion, and jalapeños and cooked over mesquite coals
Texas doves
With pride, I remember wearing a new Redhead, size XL camo vest on opening day. The vest was big and baggy, but it made me feel like a wellprepared hunter. The elastic holders held 12 shotgun shells and the two front pockets meant room for empty shells. Dead birds went in the larger pocket in the back. I don’t remember how much I paid for it at Oshman’s Sporting Goods, but I do remember it took some effort to save up enough money. Today, decades later, I wear that same vest on at least one dove shoot every September—a sort of bird hunting time machine. For “some reason,” it fits tighter today than it did back when I was captain of the track team. Those once vacant fields north of Dallas where I hunted in my youth are now covered in concrete and apartments. Thankfully, there are plenty of other places to shoot doves in Texas.
A hot grill loaded with bacon-wrapped dove breasts. Add a slice of onion and jalapeño between the breast and the bacon for more flavor.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 43
The author with a stringer of dove from an afternoon shoot in September 2021. Notice his favorite, vintage dove vest he bought back in 1985.
44 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
If you’re not squeamish, cut open the stomach of a dead dove to examine what seeds it has been eating. Learn to identify these seeds and you will learn where the birds are feeding, and where to focus your next hunt. Typically, the best field shooting is during the first two hours of the morning and late afternoon. On hot days, doves will loaf or roost in trees at midday.
Hunting near water is effective. Anywhere water is limited, guarding a windmill is a fine idea. Hide in the shade and wait near the water’s edge. In the Panhandle, I usually hunt after noons only at water. Leaving the birds alone in the mornings seems to make the afternoon action even better. In good years, a limit is expected over water on any two-hour afternoon sit.
Decoys have become as much a part of my dove gear list as the gun and shells. A few clip-ons, plastic fakes on a fence and a motorized Mojo decoy 20 yards from my location bring birds in for a close shot. Placement is key. Put the decoys where circling birds can see them easily. I typically bring
with venison sausage. Fried potatoes and a tossed salad add color to the buffet line. Watermelon slices and vanilla ice cream will cool the tongue after too many spicy dove poppers. Laugh ter and storytelling usually last well into the night. I love it.
Two primary tactics come to mind for shooting doves. Hunt ing fields is one way. Wild sunflowers attract doves. Find a twisted mesquite or tall elm tree near the field’s edge, then hide in the shade.
Dove basics
According to information from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas boasts an estimated 300,000 dove hunters each year. That’s about 30 percent of the national total. There are an estimated four to five million mourning doves harvested each year. About 80 percent of the doves harvested in Texas are shot in the first month of the season. There are 11 spe cies of doves and pigeons in Texas. Three species, mourning, white-winged and white-tipped, are considered migratory game birds with hunting seasons in Texas. Two species, Eurasian collared and rock pigeons, are federally unprotected and may be hunted year-round. Six species are non-hunted (Inca, com mon and ruddy ground doves; band-tailed, white-crowned and red-billed pigeons). To legally hunt doves in Texas, you need a hunting license and a Texas Migratory Game Bird Stamp en dorsement. Shooting is legal from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Download the Outdoor Annual for daily bag limits, possession limits and exact season dates for the 2022 season.
The small pond where I sat that afternoon sits in a low spot on the prairie in the Texas Panhandle. Three ancient cottonwood trees provide shade for a hiding hunter. Late in the day, the birds came in hot. The four of us burned up the sky, dropping a few and missing many more. Emma fetched the dead birds better than a Labrador retriever. My vintage, 1985 camo dove vest was full of empty shells and a fistful of plump mourning doves. At sunset, we had just enough birds for another lap around the grill. Because the only thing better than shooting doves on a hot September afternoon, is the feast and cold drinks waiting after dark.
Wear camo duds or neutral-colored clothes. Olive drab and khaki will blend in the shadows of a mesquite if you stay still. Wear a cap or wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off your face. Wear sunglasses and ear plugs.
Last year’s hunt
The hot sun sat on my neck like an anvil. The temperature hit 100 degrees. The moaning, grinding sound of the windmill pumping water to a small puddle tempted me for a drink. The nearby dirt pond was dry with cracks like old paint flaking off an abandoned house. Dreams of bacon-wrapped dove breasts sizzling on the grill kept me focused, despite the heat.
A few clip-on decoys like these can lure passing doves in for a close shot.
In high school, I shot birds north of Dallas. In college, I did so on the outskirts of Lubbock or Abilene. Today, I hunt mostly near Amarillo. Some years have more birds than others, but you can always bet on the heat.
In late afternoon, the birds finally started to fly. First, there were a few singles. My fancy over-under 20-gauge dropped two near the pond’s edge. Next, waves of three to 10 came from the north, dive-bombing my exact location like I had a landing strip on my back. The decoys did their job. Most shots were inside 20 yards. I shot and reloaded the gun as fast as I could. The gun’s barrel was hot to the touch. At sunset, I gathered my birds. I was just two doves shy of the daily limit. Fire up the grill!
Other gear requirements are minimal. I prefer an over-under 20-gauge, but a semi-auto or pump shotgun works, too. A 12-gauge will obviously work, but I don’t care for the extra thump in the shoulder.
On day three of the season, my daughter, Emma, and a few friends joined us to try a new spot. The crew included a carpen ter, vet technician, plumber, electrician, hairdresser and three teenagers. Proof of the varied audience that participates in dove hunting. We divided up to hunt two waterholes.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 45
Sunscreen, lip balm and a cooler full of water and sports drinks is smart. A stool keeps your butt out of the dirt. A vest or bird bag is handy for extra shells and for toting dead birds. Always pack more shells than you think you’ll need. There’s nothing worse than running out of ammo right when the action gets good. Your buddy sitting next to you may not be willing to share his shells.
six or seven clip-ons and one or two motorized decoys. The little bit of extra work it takes to set them up is worth it when birds are circling the spread for point-blank shots.
48 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
There should be plenty of nice eight-point bucks like this one across the state, based on landowners and hunters practicing better deer management techniques.
authorPhotos
WHITE-TAILED DEER
unters looking forward to another fall and winter are in store for another lineup of outstanding hunting sea sons here in Texas. While Mother Nature always can play a fickle hand in determining just how good a deer, dove or duck framework truly was, the overall outlook across the board looks favorable for numerous species. That’s especially true in the traditional hotbeds that harbor game even in the worst of range conditions. Here’s a glimpse at what Lone Star state hunt ing holds for the coming months.
Noting the potential for subpar range conditions due to the often unpredictable nature of summer rains, Cain noted an interesting piece of information that could actually bode well in terms of headgear.
Texas deer hunting is unrivaled, plain and simple, regardless if you’re hunting a small family tract behind the house or an intensive game-managed ranch. In fact, every year numerous monster bucks get killed on minute acreages and public lands that rival anything else across the state. Alan Cain, white-tailed deer program leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart ment, said there’s never been a better time to be a deer hunter anywhere in Texas.“Overall, the trends have indicated an increasing deer population in the Pineywoods, Cross Timbers, Post Oak Savannah and Rolling Plains regions,” he said. “Populations continue to remain stable in South Texas and the Edwards Plateau, and I would predict the statewide deer population to be close to or slightly above the long-term average (roughly 5 million).”Thepopulation estimates favor certain regions of the state, and for obvious reasons, those are the hunt ing hot spots, Cain noted. The Hill Country alone supports a whitetail population of more than 2 million animals, while the Cross Timbers region of Central Texas harbors more than a half-million deer in good years.“Ifyou want to increase your odds of harvesting a deer, I’d be looking to hunt the Hill Country,” Cain said. “I would encourage hunters to continue to fill their tags and reduce deer populations especially in drier areas of the state, including the Hill Coun try, where deer numbers are likely beyond what the habitat should be supporting. I also encourage hunters to harvest does each year. This not only keeps the population levels in check but helps to maintain a reasonable sex ratio.”
H
“I talk with ranchers across the state who have managed deer for a long time, and they’ll tell you that not in the real bad years, but the years it’s been a little drier—kind of like one of these—that they see antler quality go up,” he said. “It may be that it just forces the deer onto the feed and they’re simply seeing better antler size, but then I’ve also got other places that are just managing numbers and keeping habitat in shape, and they’re also growing good deer consistently year in and year out.”Cain said data compiled by biologists continues to show quality deer management has become a real thing across the state, no matter how large a tract is that’s being used for deer
hunting.“Themajority
White-winged dove hunting has become a statewide pursuit, as the birds have expanded their range out of the Rio Grande Valley. This September should again provide plenty of wingshooting opportunities.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 49
of the harvest is composed of bucks that are 31/2 or 4 1/2 years, based on survey and antler data we collect,” Cain said. “That’s good for hunters and that means they’re not killing a bunch of young bucks. They’re letting them walk and it’s also in part to the antler restrictions we have in many coun ties. I also think a large part is most hunters and landowners taking an interest in deer management, which is a good thing.”
“Long story short, December ended up being one of the dri est and warmest months in the history of Texas. That trans lated into some of the lowest success rates we’ve seen. The one silver lining is that signifi cant fronts in January brought in more birds and kind of saved the season for many hunters.
50 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
“Going into last season, we had a really wet and cooler June and July, and across the board, the state was looking really good,” Kraai said. “Then August hit and it got hot and dried up, and changed the landscape for the entire state overnight. High Plains playas and basins were gone, you had East Texas res ervoirs start to recede quickly and even down in the Gulf Coast prairies and marshes things changed rapidly.
He summed up another dove outlook this way: “I expect hunters may need to do a little more scouting this year, based on how September shapes up moisture-wise, but there will be ample opportunities in many places, per usual, to harvest good numbers of birds. That’s also especially true for many public and private locales near urban areas that always harbor lots of doves.”
The High Plains remains the prime spot for Canada goose hunting in Texas. The goose population has shifted in recent years to areas harboring consistent water such as ponds with local city limits.
Fitzsimmons noted that dove hunting remains a relatively inexpensive outdoor pursuit, one that provides a great opportu nity to introduce youngsters and novices to hunting pastimes.
Kevin Kraai, TPWD’s waterfowl program leader, said it’s tough to prognosticate on a duck and goose season with certainty, namely due to changing range conditions that can simply turn from great to bad quickly. However, hunters can look back at a previous fall and winter for context to gauge an upcoming framework.
Owen Fitzsimmons, TPWD’s dove program leader, said the Texas dove hunting outlook, as usual, should by sky-high. Even in years with lower production, the state still boasts exceptional numbers of birds—roughly 25 million mourning doves and 12 million whitewings, according to the long-term averages from springDependingsurveys.on
Cain summed up another deer outlook this way: “Regard less of where you hunt in Texas, there’s always a good chance you’ll see a great quality buck each season. Enhancing habitat to make your hunting lease or ranch more attractive to deer is always helpful to entice that big buck to your blind and hope fully in your crosshairs.”
DOVES
can push doves out of certain areas,” Fitzsimmons said. “How ever, if it’s still dry when the season starts, that can concentrate the birds in areas with dependable food and especially water sources.”Fitzsimmons pointed to the special White-Winged Dove Area that encompasses the entire South Zone as a hot spot that has gained notoriety for a number of reasons. Again, this year will be back-to-back weekends of Friday-Saturday-Sunday hunting to kick off September dove frameworks.
“That season had been only two days previously on those weekends, but we worked with U.S. Fish and Wildlife to implement those new days to add more opportunities for many hunters who don’t live in the South Zone but come down to hunt every season,” Fitzsimmons said.
Overall, Texas still boasts the largest number of dove hunters annually, with roughly a third of the nationwide tally of about 1 million in an average year, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service figures. Those hunters bag millions of birds each fall and winter, while also pumping hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue into the state economy.
“We always seem to be dry through the summer and then have those rains and storms in early to midSeptember, which
WATERFOWL
the moisture outlook, which again can prove fickle, there’s no reason to think the dove forecast won’t be a good one again this fall.
TPWD, as usual, is always looking to expand opportunities across the state for deer hunters, Cain said, and noted that there have never been more chances in more counties to take more deer by more methods.
Hunters will see some changes this fall to our Texas hunting frameworks. Among notable alterations approved by the TPW Commission are:
• Modify the definitions of “buck deer” and “antlerless deer.”
• Create definitions for two types of commercial cold stor age facilities.
• Establish a veterans and active-duty special waterfowl hunting season to occur concurrently during youth-only season in all duck zones.
• Reauthorize the requirement to possess a Federal Sand hill Crane Hunting Permit while hunting that species due to an administrative error.
And when we did our mid-winter survey, we saw a roughly 50 percent increase in the waterfowl counts from the previous year, which was the lowest on record for us.”
Kraai summed up another waterfowl outlook this way: “Texas hunters always expect a good season, and rightfully so. One thing we have seen from new telemetry projects is just how much ducks and geese move. We’ve always viewed waterfowl as moving from north to south, but that’s not necessarily the case. They could very well move from the east or west or even from the south. Habitat and weather conditions are what drives them so staying flexible can be the biggest indicator of success.”
“For dabbling ducks, we did see a couple of areas with more birds than we expected, with some of the highest counts we’d see recently,” he noted. “Those were the northern Rolling Plains and the South Texas brush country. The key element in those areas is the number of stock tanks and agricultural ponds that will typically hold steady water for livestock.”
• Modify tagging and proof of sex requirements, log pro cedures and destination regulations for commercial cold storage facilities.
• Remove the daily bag limit restriction (two) on hooded mergansers.
• Expand mule deer antler restrictions to an additional 21 counties in the Panhandle.
Kraai noted that despite frustration experienced by hunt ers in traditional waterfowl hotbeds, there were some good takeaways from surveys.
• Extend the general mule deer season in 15 southwest ern Panhandle counties from nine to 16 days and add a special archery season.
“We’re seeing geese not stretched out across the landscape but concentrated in areas where people are taking good care of them,” Kraai said. “They’re providing more roost ponds and not harassing them as much so they’re just not going to be as readily available to hunters just driving down the road for them to see. They’re very smart and they’re flocking to areas where landowners are actively managing for them.”
• Close the turkey season east of I-35 in Ellis County to support ongoing restocking efforts along the Trinity River.
• Establish a mule deer antler restriction in Terrell County within the Trans-Pecos.
areas tailor-made for them.
• Modify the West Zone for goose hunting to open a week earlier than current goose hunting regulations.
Notable hunting changes for 2022-23 seasons
The waterfowl hunting landscape in Texas has changed in recent seasons due to habitat practices and drought. This winter should provide good hunting opportunities for those with access to areas managed specifically for ducks and geese.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 51
In terms of geese, Kraai noted that recent estimates along the coast and other historically good hunting locales have been a fraction of what they typically have been. However, as with land management for other species, geese continue to frequent
• Modify the proof of sex requirements for harvested buck deer.
• Establish mandatory buck and antlerless white-tailed deer harvest reporting in Collin, Dallas, Grayson and Rockwall counties during white-tailed deer season.
• Combine the separate merganser and duck daily bag lim its into a single aggregate daily bag limit of six per day.
STORY
authorPhotos
The author’s wife, Brandi, with her very best trophy buck to date.
54 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Having already taken a nice, clean eight-pointer earlier in bow season myself, we entered the rut looking for something big and were not completely set on who would get it. We made as many trips down to the ranch as we could, passing on a few nice deer while holding out for something we would not pass over. Eventually, one evening in early December, we decided to split up and whoever struck first would get THE deer this season. I elected to stick with archery equipment and got dropped off at a treestand at one end of the ranch where I had never hunted before. Brandi, as she usually does, chose to go with Mark towards the middle of the ranch. I almost detected a snicker from Mark as they drove off, although he would later deny any prior knowledge of what they would see. It was a windy afternoon, but nevertheless I saw a few bucks that most hunters—including myself—would have been happy to shoot on any other day. But I was after something different today.
As we whispered back and forth, Mark told me he had spent over 30 years meticulously managing his herd the old-fash ioned way. “These are wild native deer,” he said, “never touched by a human. No artificial breeding, no pen raising. Just natural genetics with selective hunting and superior nutrition.”
As the sunlight began to fade, Mark continued to share a wealth of information with me about the ranches and hunting history in his area while we watched a few does and juvenile bucks moving until just before dark. Then we saw what we were looking for. My jaw probably dropped as we watched a 71⁄2 -year-old mid 170s non-typical walk into the clearing. Unfortunately, he got a pass that day because Brandi was hunt ing in another blind, although she did ultimately end up taking him later that season with Mark and her father.
A mutual friend introduced me to Mark, owner of the 406 Ranch. That friend told me about the possibility of hunting some truly amazing native Texas whitetails. At this stage of my life, I had been hunting for almost 20 years, but always on smaller acreage properties in the Texas Hill Country. I was a bit hesitant to explore the opportunity even considering the supe rior deer quality the South Texas brush country is known for.
“Well, where is he?” I asked. “Right there in the brush,” she said while pointing. I looked down the nearest game trail. At first glance, I thought I was looking at some beautifully sym
We made our first trip down to the ranch later that season. After our arrival, we made some introductions with Mark, took a quick tour, and set up for an evening hunt. Mark and I sat to gether and visited as I anxiously waited to see what would step out that evening. Our quiet deer blind conversation consisted mostly of me asking him questions about feeds, supplements, herd management, and more.
Based on what we were hunting for, as well as the smile on Mark’s face, I suspected we were about to roll up on a very nice deer. But the expression I saw on Brandi’s face as she stood on the edge of the brush when we pulled in confirmed it. As I got out of the buggy, I ran up to give a very excited Brandi a congratulatory hug. “Babe, he’s huge! He’s so amazing! I can’t even believe we saw him!” she exclaimed.
But that may have finally been eclipsed this past season by one buck even more special.
Mark’s approach to growing and managing a deer herd is a tried, proven, and simple method. It means optimum nutrition, adequate water sources, plenty of undisturbed native brush, and most important, letting them grow. As any experienced hunter will tell you, “If you want to shoot a 6-year-old 170, then you’ve got to pass on a 5-year-old 150.”
Fromtrue.thedirection in the middle of the ranch, I thought I heard a shot. I texted Mark, “Did Brandi shoot?” He replied with a simple “yes.” I figured they might be looking for it, so I sat tight waiting to hear back. Minutes felt like hours before I heard a buggy coming down the trail. It was Mark. “Well did she get him?” I asked. “Oh, she got one,” he replied and then joked with me a little about owing him my truck, which was kind of an ongoing joke between us, while we drove towards where they were hunting.
Over the years we have taken many family members down to shoot a dream buck on the ranch. Brandi had taken three altogether going into last season. Each deer had met her criteria for being old or wounded, and all were fantastic quality bucks worthy to hang on any wall. But nothing could have prepared us for the latest one.
After some discussion with Brandi, we decided to go forward and give it a shot. But we would make this opportunity for her to take her first deer ever. Brandi was very explicit in what she wanted. “I want a very old buck whose best years are behind him so I can give him a humane passing,” she said. Score was simply not that important to her.
F
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 55
rom the time I first met my wife Brandi, the daughter of a preacher, she has always insisted there are no mere coincidences in a person’s life. Every person you meet, every place you find yourself, and every situation you encounter has a purpose. And if needed, God will tap you on the shoul der to let you know. One special afternoon in December 2020 turned out to provide one of those blessings in the form of a once-in-a-lifetime, quality Texas whitetail.
From that day on, we knew this was a special place and have been fortunate enough to go back many times, making memo ries and taking spectacular deer. That first buck stood out as the most memorable for many years, and for obvious reasons.
Any day sitting in a tree with deer around you is a good way to pass the time. Of course, a little banter exchanged via silent text messages while hunting is a technological advancement we can all appreciate. The lack of replies from the other two members of our hunting party on the other side of the ranch led me to believe one of two things: either they were busy hav ing a conversation because they haven’t seen anything, or they saw something that had their undivided attention. The latter proved
The buck had not run more than 30 yards before piling up right where he fell. “Whatcha think, dig-dog?” Mark chuckled from just behind me. I had no reply. I got down on my knees and put my hand on the buck to see if he was real and put my arm around my giddy wife as she told me all the details of her hunt.“We watched him walk out and strut around for a bit in amazement,” Brandi said. After commenting to Mark about what an amazing deer it was, he smiled and asked, “Do you wanna take him?” She was overwhelmed and unsure. She had not expected him to say that.
Still a little uncertain from the flood of excitement and buck fever, Brandi suggested they pray about it and then, God will ing, she would take the shot. A short pre-shot prayer followed, as one always does in our family. When the buck turned broad side, Mark whispered his now trademark words of encourage ment. “Sometimes God presents you with an opportunity and gives you a little tap on the shoulder.”
Just like that, Brandi put a spectacular shot on the buck.
56 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
metrical tree branches before realizing it was the business end of an absolute tank of a buck.
With 12 points and at 7 years old, the buck scored 185 6⁄8 inches, smashing her previous best by almost 12 inches. I can honestly say this was one of those rare moments as a hunter when you’re more excited and happier for someone else to get the best deer of the season. While this buck was nowhere near the biggest deer ever taken on the ranch, not even the biggest of the season, I’m certain it will rank among one of Mark’s favor ites as well. What a deer, what a wife, what a special place.
Brandi’s buck smashed her previous best buck by almost 12 inches.
“I don’t know. Are you serious? He’s so big.” she said. Mark replied he had never seen this particular deer before and there were no guarantees we ever would again, so Brandi might as well take him if she liked.
Game wardens enforce game and fish laws. Being courteous and truthful can go a long way when encountering these law enforcement officers.
J udy J urek P hotos 58 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
BY JUDY JUREK
GAME PROTECTLAWSGAME
Jesse used foresight and determination to help bring back and improve the deer population of his youth. He had hunting season officially closed in parts of Live Oak and McMullen counties for several years. In 1936, Jesse was issued a game breeders license by Texas Game, Fish and Oyster Commission, enabling King Ranch and Hill Country deer to be re-introduced to South Texas. Gene proudly displayed the original documents, an example of game laws protecting game.
In 1907, the state created a game department, the Texas Office of Game, Fish, and Oyster Commission. The issuance of hunting licenses began in 1909 with 5,000 sold. Growth and expansion took place in 1923 when 45 game wardens were hired to enforce game laws being written to protect game as it was at that time. State leaders began realizing the importance of preservation and conservation of game sources.
W www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 59
An unidentified game warden holds the antlers of an illegally taken trophy buck. Many fines may result including the possible loss of hunting privileges.
lations were developed. Protection of all Texas’ wildlife, fish, and natural resources became clearer and more essential with the Lone Star state’s continued growth of population and industry.
The name changed in 1951 to the Texas Game and Fish Com mission. The Commission merged with the Texas State Parks board in 1963 and established the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department we know today. Along the way, more laws and regu
A dramatic turn was enacted in 1983 with Texas’ passage of the Wildlife Conservation Act. The legislature gave authority for managing fish and wildlife in all Texas counties to TPWD. Previ ously game and fish laws in many counties were set by Commis sioners Court while other counties had veto power over TPWD regulations. Game laws became vital to protecting game.
hy do game laws exist? Sorry to say, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand common sense reasoning. Game laws exist to protect game, which is wildlife on land, in the air, and in fresh and saltwater. Game is most often something humans desire to eat, thus laws and regulations prevent the over-harvest, depletion, and perhaps annihilation of a natural resource.
The late Gene Riser, lifelong Live Oak County rancher and cofounder of the Texas Deer Association, once told a story about his grandfather, Jesse Riser, purchasing a 2,300-acre ranch with no deer. Native whitetails had disappeared, decimated in the Great Depression by folks trying to feed families. Severe over-hunting, screwworms, drought, and ignorance regarding wildlife had decimated brush country whitetails.
Game laws are often written to protect certain species for a set time. Changes to speckled trout and red drum limits have occurred several times over the years. Flounder limits change during spawning season. Sometimes it’s not due to fishermen overharvesting, but Mother Nature bringing devastation through prolonged freezing temperatures along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Conservation efforts began in the late 1870s with the forma tion of the Texas Fish and Game Commission. Fish preservation legislation created the Texas Office of the Fish Commissioner in 1879. The Texas Legislature in 1895 established the Office of the Fish and Oyster Commission. Protecting marine life and oyster beds along Texas coastal waters and bays were its primary duties.
Texas was still very young. Communities, cities, and com merce were popping up along its Gulf of Mexico coastline while advancing inland. Besides fish and oysters, wildlife was also a staple among human inhabitants. Squirrels, rabbits, ducks, geese, wild turkey, quail, pheasant, pronghorn antelope, and whitetail deer were often the meat on a dinner table.
There will always be hunters and fishermen who violate regulations and game laws. Some people are truly ignorant. Others take chances, hoping not to get caught. Habitual law breakers are unable to resist temptation, such as a big buck standing broadside when deer season is closed, or at night. They some times trespass or illegally shoot from a roadway.
In addition to fines for violating game laws, Texas has restitution fees based on a wildlife resource’s value. All wildlife have worth to the state, and some judges may deliver their own verdict based on what, where, and number killed. A hunter or fisherman greatly exceeding the daily or aggregate limit may face costly restitution based on each animal, bird, fish, exceeding theThelimit.long and short of this article is simple: Buy your hunting/fishing license every year and check TPWD’s Outdoor Annual for new or updated game laws and regulations. When in doubt, call TPWD in Austin or a local game warden. Be legal, stay safe, make memories, enjoy the outdoors, and learn more about game and fishing laws. Remember, game laws protect game.
Every Aug. 31, hunting and fishing licenses expire, and new ones must be purchased.
A free smartphone app by the same name is also available, so current regulations are at your fingertips. You can also buy your licenses online with instant access should you decide not to carry a paper license on your person. There’s no excuse not to have the proper license.
Every season, game wardens issue citations to migra tory dove and waterfowl hunters, experienced and novice. Shooting over the limit is common especially when birds are plentiful, and action is swift.
LICENSE AND REGULATIONS INFO
TPWD’s website, www.tpwd.texas.gov, offers much information, including game wardens listed by county.
a species can be a problem, especial ly if many people do it. Different species have different limits, and it may be the number you’re allowed to have in a single day or in your possession (aggregate) if the season has been open several days. Additionally, fish may have size limits requiring measuring to be legal. Oysters and crabs must meet certain size regulations. Sometimes a licensed person allows another to use their tag, such as letting a child shoot their first deer with a parent’s tag. “I didn’t know they were going to shoot” is not a valid excuse. Your fishing license allows one over-sized red drum tag, but many fishermen fail to tag that big fish in their cooler.
Game wardens have heard every excuse: “I lost count.” “I didn’t know the limit.” “Six of those are Jim’s, not mine.” And of course, “I’m not hunting; that’s not my gun or birds.” Watch the television show “Lone Star Law” and you’ll see really interesting, sometimes creative,Anotherexplanations.violationfor migratory bird hunters is hunt ing over bait. Grains such as milo, wheat, corn, and other small grains are strewn where it wasn’t grown, enticing birds into shooting areas. It happens, and it’s against the Over-harvestinglaw.
New regulations and changes to old laws go into effect every Sept. 1. TPWD puts out press releases regarding changes throughout the year, but publishes online the “TPWD Outdoor Annual Hunting, Fishing, and Boating Regulations” for the current license year.
Fishing often requires identification and measurement of fish to stay legal. Know the laws for what ever game you pursue. Ignorance is no excuse.
The historic winter storm Uri in February 2021 resulted in the loss of thousands of saltwater fish and turtles along Texas’ coast. Trout, red and black drum, sheepshead, and other fish littered the entire coastline and inner bay shores. Fish limits change due to these type circumstances but may be increased later as these fish numbers rebound.
60 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
The Little Big Things
I have to start out a little earlier than the average hunter each hunt because I film every outing and there are a lot of extra little details I have to manage.Idress into my de-scented Mossy Oak hunt garb and boots, check over and clean out the video camera, check batteries, review the SD card, check the micro phone wires, clips and batteries, clean the lens, load up the camera bag and latch the tree-arm to it. Grab my bow, shoot a couple of well-timed, thoughtful ar rows, put a fresh bottle of water in my backpack, grab a bag of Big Tine feed, load up the ATV, do one last wind check, and head to the predetermined, ever so hopeful, dice-rolling right place right time!
nother day, another hunt! Hallelujah!
By Ted Nugent
the difference between the two proce dures, you would think a simple man like myself would just choose the easier route and have an other nice day of good old fashioned bowhunting. But it was also long ago that I came to realize
62 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
I park the vehicle a good distance away from my chosen ambush spot, shoulder all the gear, walk briskly yet cautiously to my tree, spray a little Signal 11 doe pee on my recent mock scrape, put out a little incentive attractant, clip my Mathews to the bow rope, carefully ascend the ladder, hook up my safety strap, pull up my bow, nock an arrow and clasp my release to the string, hang it on the bow-arm, then begin to silently and carefully assemble the SpiritWild vidcam setup onto the ladder rail, double check the camera settings, don my gloves and facemask, wiggle my butt into optimal shooting position and settle in for the ultimate fun, soul-cleansing ritual of another glori ous traditional seasonal daily Nugent bowhunting celebration.Now,there was a time, long, long ago, where my daily bowhunt preparation was but a fraction of such an elaborate, elongated procedure, and once in a while,
I lovingly reminisce the wonderful simplicity of those easy-going days of past falls when I just grabbed my bow and headed into the woods. That wasKnowingit!
A
day by going afield with mucho gusto, reveling in each and every step of the way, thanking God for it all.
It’s October after all, and the drive to leave the toxic modern world and escape into the spirit world of God’s miraculous natural creation as an actual participant is stronger for many of us than ever before.Ihave had to painfully say goodbye to a number of my lifelong buddies and friends as age and the coronavirus continue to take their toll. I think how lucky I am to have beaten the virus and celebrate my good health and hunting lifestyle each and every
We all know the incredible challenges associated with killing a deer with the bow and arrow, and it is surely these exciting challenges that drive us to keep at it. Add on the increased rules of engagement necessary to film each hunt and kill, and what we have here is the ultimate, often exasperating challenge of challenges.Thereare times where I momentarily shrug my shoulders and consider all that extra work to be a major pain in the ass, but I very quickly giggle a little giggle, know ing damn well how fortunate I am to have this phenomenal hunting lifestyle, and I carry on with vim and vigor.
We all know the incredible challenges associated with killing a deer with the bow and arrow, and it is surely these exciting challenges that drive us to keep at it. Add on the increased rules of engagement necessary to film each hunt and kill, and what we have here is the ultimate, often exasperating challenge of challenges.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 63
the growing culture war raging against our hunting lifestyle, and I decided to take it head-on by constantly promoting the perfection of hunting as the definitive conservation science of proven wildlife management, and the increased workload of videoing every hunt for our Spirit of the Wild TV show 30 years running was how I chose to do so.
A certain percentage of the deer herds on my properties and all properties must be killed each season, and performing my conservation responsibilities is not only the ultimate fun, but even more importantly delivers a very powerful sense of gratifi cation for balancing the herds, sharing precious venison to people who truly cherish it, and the whole time providing the best diet on earth for my own family and friends.When we honestly get right down to it, the unlim ited minutia and infinite details of what we accomplish as hunters is as vast and important as anything we do here on earth.Don’t let any of these exciting and stimulat ing details get away from you. Review and embrace them all and they will cumulatively enhance your sense of aliveness and truly make you a better hunter. Being a better hunter demands such detailed attention that such an overview will meld into every aspect of our lives, making us a better everything!Thereare so many little things that go into it all, that we must admit, they are all little big things called life.
MUST-HAVES
1. Feeder Antenna Extension
THE-REMOTE Antenna Extension is designed exclusively for THE-REMOTE and THE-REMOTE PRO. It extends the distance from which the feeder motor can be activated by THE-REMOTE’s hand-held transmitter. By raising the mounting height of the antenna and getting the antenna outside of the gridded wire varmint cage, the activation range distance is extended for the user. It’s the perfect addition for feeders with any varmint cages including manufactured feeders such as All Seasons Stand and Fills, HB Hunting Products, Outback Wildlife Feeders, and many more.
3. Whitetail Hunter crossbow
2. Cellular trail cam
3 2 66 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Visit barnettcrossbows.com for more info.
Barnett’s new Whitetail Hunter 400 XTR boasts features that complement any hunter at every experience level. Weighing 6.5 pounds, this most recent design is not only narrower but offers faster ballistics compared to its predecessors. It’s also 25 fps faster than the previous generation. Engineers also reduced the axelto-axel length by 3 inches to 10 inches overall. This improves maneuverability and offers excellent handling without sacrificing power.Forseamless and consistent firing, a TriggerTech 3-pound, zero-creep, frictionless release trigger is fitted. It engages with the anti-dry fire trigger system to prevent accidental discharge while unloaded. The trigger is manufactured from metal injection, providing consistent manufacturing and feel.
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 1
Visit cuddeback.com.
Visit THE-REMOTE.com.
Tracks is Cuddeback’s new stand-alone cellular trail camera and is packed with innovation and features users are looking for, including patented technology like Auto Camera Delay and Prime Time time lapse mode. The camera offers more user flexibility than any other camera on the market. Users can view their images and monitor their system in the newly designed app, or via the Cuddeback CAMP portal. Tracks delivers reliability via the two external antennas, ensuring maximum cellular connectivity. Fully designed in the USA.
The ergonomic pistol grip is covered in a soft, durable rubber that’s textured to provide maximum grip and control. The 5-position telescoping buttstock also features an elevation adjustable cheek rest that can be moved in 5mm increments up to 40mm tall, or it can be removed for low-profile optics.
The Q250 Buck Hut Shooting House is constructed of heavy-duty, water-resistant soft-shell material. The blind tower uses a reinforced tripod design for stability. A sturdy 10-step ladder supports the blind and creates easy access and puts a hunter nearly 10 feet above a deer’s field of view. The Hut’s 7'x4'x4' dimensions provide enough mobility space for the perfect shot while keeping the blind’s profile to a minimum.
Visit milleniumstands.com.
Visit hatsanusa.com for more info.
Visit outdooredge.com.
5. Buck Hut
Each window can be configured for hunting with a rifle, crossbow or vertical bow, and each window has an adjustable shooting rest. Black windows and an all-black interior provide the ultimate in hunter concealment. The blind offers a zip-open door in “walk-through” size with convenient handrails on each side for a safe entry and exit.
MUST-HAVES
6. Custom air rifle
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 6 www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 67
Outdoor Edge’s popular RazorWork utility knife allows you to go from work to skinning with the push of a button. It features a replaceable scalpel-sharp 3-inch utility blade made from Japanese 420J2 stainless steel, heat-treated and hand-finished to achieve its razor-sharp edge. The unique blade design transfers power directly to the cutting edge, making it ideal for tradesmen and everyday carry, offering three times the cutting edge when compared to a standard utility blade. The patented RazorSafe system allows you to change blades quickly, easily, and safely. It comes with two utility blades and one 3-inch drop point blade.
4. RazorWork knife
The Hatsan Factor RC is an all-new platform designed with competition and customization in mind. Available in .177, .22, and .25 calibers, it can be fine-tuned and tailored to various competitions and shooting styles. It can accept commercially available pistol grips and buttstocks made for modern sporting rifles and has a reversible cocking lever for ambidextrous operation.
Visit henryusa.com.
Visit spacepen.com for more info.
MUST-HAVES
8. Youth shotgun
Order at flashpointbooks.com.
7. Performance pens
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 79 68 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
The Henry Single Shot Youth Shotgun is now available in .410 bore, bringing the surprisingly versatile shotgun caliber to a premium youth platform that suits it well. With the development of heavy tungsten loads, .410 is more viable than ever for gobbler hunting providing lethality at increased range compared to lead shot and milder felt recoil than larger gauges. This shotgun features blued steel hardware and genuine American walnut furniture to start youngsters off on the right foot with the finest materials. Made in America.
9. Waterfowl book
Fisher’s First Responders Collection presents an ultimate choice for service professionals who frequently work in some of the most unusual conditions. Each pen in this collection is equipped with a medium-point pressurized PR4 black ink cartridge. This cartridge provides its user with incredible reliability even underwater or in zero gravity, regardless of the angle. Additionally, the PR4 cartridge boasts smooth performance in extreme temperatures ranging from -30° F to 250° F. The singlehand activation by cap and the 5.27-inch open length make these pens versatile and convenient simultaneously. Pens are customizable.
“Wings Over Water: The Vital Magic of North America’s Prairie Wetlands” features 300 still photographs captured during filming of the latest IMAX film, accompanied by essays from experts in conservation, birds and wildlife. The book tells the story of The Prairie Pothole Region, a critical breeding and nesting habitat for the birds of North America. Over 60 percent of America’s ducks are hatched there, as well as hundreds of other shore and songbirds. It immerses the reader into one of Earth’s most important ecosystems, following the breeding and migrations of sandhill cranes, mallards, and yellow warblers from their southern wintering grounds back to the prairie wetlands to nest and raise the next generation of the species.
10. Skeeter Hawk
For smaller spaces, the small fly trap does the same job as its bigger cousin, but it is more suited for indoor and smaller outdoor spaces. The small fly trap is a perfect chemical-free solution to insect issues, while its long cord and foldaway hook make it as versatile as the outdoor version.
The new Huk Women’s Rogue Wave Boots in River Runs are slip-on style boots constructed of incredibly durable neoprene rubber for protection from the elements and reliable strength. The Grip-X Slice outsole traction pattern ensures stable footing that grabs in all directions. At the same time, micro channel openings allow water to escape.
12. Secure lock box
Visit hornadysecurity.com.
MUST-HAVES
11. Ladies’ wet-weather boots
Heel and toe reinforced grab loops make for easy on and off slip-on style boots. Breathable mesh liners help ensure the boots stay dry on the inside. The comfortable rounded toe and non-marking outer sole help make the boots the right fit for wet weather. Sizes: 5-11. Colors: Set Sail, Coral Reef.
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 11 www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 69
Skeeter Hawk’s large and small fly traps attract and kill flies, gnats, mosquitoes and thousands of other flying pests. The large fly trap’s dual band LED UV light attracts the insects, while the whisper-quiet fan sucks them in where they dehydrate and die. It effectively protects larger spaces, while the foldaway hook and long cord allow for versatile placement.
It fits two full-sized handguns, letter-sized documents or other valuables. It includes egg crate foam padding on the lid and bottom that holds contents firm and protected. Dual 4-digit TSA locks located on opposite corners prevent prying and unauthorized opening. TSA locks allow security checkpoint inspection quickly and hassle-free.
The TrekLite Lock Box XXL is an advanced-security container with traveler-friendly features. It weighs one-third less than the Standard Lock Box. Impactresistant polycarbonate forms the tough-as-nails shell. A durable, non-slip over mold provides added impact protection and prevents the container from shifting. A 1,500-pound rated security cable attaches it to any solid object for additional security. And its patented cable connector maximizes precious cargo space and installs quickly.
Visit hukgear.com.
Visit skh.acgbrands.com/en_US/find-your-system/ to learn more.
purchase a hunting license. Hunters born after Sept. 2, 1971, must have successfully completed a Hunter’s Education course. In addition to your license, be sure to
forward to a lot of outdoor activities each month, as Texas has so much to offer when it comes to getting outside. September brings us some fun-filled, family and friends time while hunt ing doves. You can hunt doves in Texas lots of ways, and depending upon your geographic location, you will have to do a little research to find out what is the most effective and legal way to hunt these tasty critters. I personally have hunted doves over big fields, known fly ways, and near water. All these methods are a lot of fun and can be very productive, if Mother Nature cooperates and gives you an avenue for suc cess. What I mean is, doves can move around at a moment’s notice. A big rain or a strong cool front can move the doves hundreds of miles. That change in the weather can either help or hinder your hunting days, but nonetheless, it’s great to be outdoors. Try and get out as much as possible and watch the patterns of the doves so when your day comes to hunt, you can make the most of it.
Get a license
In order to hunt migratory birds in Texas, you must
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 71
Ilook
Five Things to Know About Dove Hunting
You should know a few more things when planning your trip so not only will you have a ton of fun, you’ll also be legal. The last thing you want to do on a great day outdoors is violate of one of the hunting laws. It can be a real downer to have a great hunting day fol lowed up with a citation. You can download the Texas Outdoor Annual to your cell phone, so you’ll have the do’s and don’ts at your fingertips. Here are a few help ful tips from Huntshield Basecamp News to assist you.
The daily bag limit for doves in Texas is 15, with a maximum possession limit of 45. Broken down, that means you’re only allowed to harvest 15 total birds per day, not per half-day and not per outing, but 15 for the entire day. Possession is different than your daily bag limit. Let’s say you’re on a five-day hunt, and you intend on bringing home your doves. Despite the daily bag limit of being 15, you can’t have 75 doves on you at once. The total amount of doves you’re able to have with you, at any given time, is 45. Also remember to keep your doves in a clean and edible condition at all times.
get your HIP certification. The Harvest Information Program is used by Texas Parks and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife to generate estimates which helps these agencies manage wildlife populations.
Over the past few years, my family has shown great interest in dove hunting, not to mention other outdoor activities. A lot of this had to do with COVID. Although that time in our history was quite puzzling, it did get a lot of people outdoors and as of right now, they’re stay ing outdoors. The camaraderie, laughter, and sense of accomplishment of taking a few or even a limit of doves is very rewarding and makes for a great meal. If you have a retriever, it makes it fun to watch your dog do what they love, too!
As a rule of thumb, you should only start hunting 30 minutes after sunrise, and stop hunting 30 minutes be fore sunset. There are many apps and websites you can use to determine the sunrise and sunset for your area. So there you have it. The top five most important things to remember during dove season.
72 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Keep track of time
Know the area you’re hunting
Due to the large size of Texas, the area is broken up by three different zones: the North Zone, the Cen tral Zone and the South Zone. Knowing where you’re hunting is essential to knowing the dates when you’re able to hunt. For instance, the North and Cen tral zones allow hunting starting Sept. 1, while the South Zone doesn’t begin until Sept. 14. The South Zone also includes a special white-winged dove days for a select few days in September. Before you head out to hunt, be certain which zone you’re in.
Know your birds
How do you like to cook your doves? We have tried a
Know your limits
There are eight different types of dove species in Texas, and only three are considered legal game birds. The most hunted common dove is the mourning dove. You should familiarize yourself with the different types of doves, as you could find yourself in trouble with the law if you can’t tell the difference.
Gary E. Mobley soaks his doves in Dr. Pepper for 24 hours in the fridge. Then he slices each dove open, puts a slice of jalapeño inside, along with fajita seasoning, wraps it in bacon and cooks it over coals until done. This is one recipe I will have to try.
bunch of ways and no matter what, they’re all good. The most popular way is wrapped with bacon and jalapeños. I like to add a little cheese. Or we cut the breast away from the bone then add a pepper and a slice of cheese in two dove breasts and dip in cornmeal and fry. We call those dove balls. The cheese melts through the bird ball and is extremely good.
Another great way is to put the entire cleaned bird in a deep dish, about 12 to 15 side by side. If you can squeeze more in the pan, then get after it. I cook rice to pour over the top of the doves then I take cream of mushroom soup and layer on top of that. I garnish it with bacon pieces and cook for a couple hours. The dove meat falls off the bone and you have one heck of a meal.
When we dove hunt, we love to eat all we can at camp when they’re fresh. The doves do freeze well, but fresh birds on the table are just like fresh fish. You cannot go wrong. Rub-a-dub-dub, show me the grub.
Did you know there are Youth Only hunting seasons? Yes, licensed hunters 16 years of age or younger are eligible to participate in youth seasons, which generally occur before (or directly after) general hunting seasons. Youth Only hunting seasons occur for turkeys, squirrels, white-tailed deer, and waterfowl. Special requirements, bag limits, and restrictions may apply for Youth Only white-tailed deer hunting seasons. See details at www.tpwd.gov www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 73
Michael Marbach is the CEO of the Christian Outdoor Alliance, www.mycoa.org; 210-827-9802. COA’s mission is to guide youth and outdoorsmen to a relationship with Jesus Christ through experience in God’s great outdoors.
s I g sauer p H oto
nterest in long-range hunting continues to grow and so does the number of riflescopes to meet the demand, including a 5-30X56 model that almost could double as a spotting scope.
BY JOHN GOODSPEED
76 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
commonplace today are models with a six-power range such as that 5-30X56.Larger, 30mm main tubes — which allow greater range in eleva tion and windage adjustments — also are growing in number. Some sport 34mm and one of the latest is 40mm.Alsomore
the power setting of the zoom.
Where once 3-9X40 riflescopes were the norm with a mere threepower magnification range, more
RoundupRiflescope
I
commonplace are rifle scopes with first-focal-plane reticles, which do not change in respect to
M anu Fa C turer P hotos
Optics continue to improve, too, with many manufacturers using extra-low dispersion glass (ED), high transmittance glass (HT) and high definition (HD), meaning special lenses or coatings. Many are covered by a lifetime warranty, and some are transferable. FOV stands for field of view in feet at 100 yards. Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail prices.
The first-focal-plane line expands with this high-magnification riflescope with a six-power zoom range for long-range shooting. The optical system uses a 50mm Double HD objective lens coupled with GPObright high-transmission lens coatings. A Double HD lens is created with laminated ED lenses to minimize reflection and enhance resolution, color and contrast. It features a 34mm tube that allows 115 inches of elevation adjustment and an illuminated LRpro reticle powered with the GPO iCON TROL illumination system. The un capped turrets are mil-based and include a zero stop. The magnification lever is
Intensity 4-16X44 Long Range Riflescope, $299.99
are coated with the EXO Barrier, which repels water, oil, fog and dust. Each also features a 30mm tube, fast-focus eyepiece, extend eye relief and capped windage and elevation turrets. Eye relief for the 4-16X50 is 4.3 inches. It’s 14.1 inches long and weighs 20 ounces. FOV ranges from 25 feet to 6.2 feet.
transmission. Outer lenses get LotuTec coatings to repel water, dust, dirt and fingerprints. The 318-50’s eye relief is 3½ inches. It’s 13½ inches long and weighs 32.8 ounces. FOV ranges from 30 feet to 6 feet.
This new model features a four-power magnification range up to 16 for closeand long-distance performance. Aiding in fast target acquisition are the long eye relief of 3.6 inches and a fast-focus eyepiece. The zero-stop elevation turret and low-profile capped zero-reset wind age turret pair with the long-range MOA reticle. The 30mm main tube allows a wider range of elevation travel for longer shots. A side parallax knob provides quick adjustment. Lenses are multicoated. Other features include a rubber eye guard and easy-grip power selector. FOV ranges from 28.3 feet to 7.03. It’s 14 inches long and weighs 25 ounces.
Cabela’s www.cabelas.com
BushnellProductsOutdoor
Elite 4500 4X 4-16X50, $299.99
www.zeiss.com/consumer-products/us/ hunting.html
www.gpo-usa.com
German Precision Optics
Carl Zeiss Sports Optics
LRP S5 318-50 MOA 3-18X50, $3,499.99
GPOTAC 4.5-27X50i FFP, $1,578.94
Bushnell reintroduced its Elite 4500 line that features a four-power magni fication range for close- and long-range hunting. Besides this 16-power model, the others are a 2.5-10X40 ($269.99) and a 1-4X24 ($229.99). Each boasts im proved contrast and clarity thanks to en hanced glass design, multi-coatings and wide-band coatings and a Multi-X reticle for fast target acquisition. Outer lenses
www.bushnell.com
This new line of first-focal-plane, longrange riflescopes features high-perfor mance optics, best-in-class total elevation travel of 140 MOA, 24mm tubes, repeat able tactile turrets and an illuminated reticle. They are available with either MRAD or MOA reticles. The 525-56 5-25x56 model is $3,799.99 with either option. The optics use Zeiss Fluoride lens elements, Schott glass and proprietary TStar coatings for color fidelity, brightness, resolution and edge-to-edge sharpness. Zeiss says they deliver 90 percent light
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 77
Primary Arms
SLX 4-12x40
Second Focal Plane, $229.99
CRS.1 3-12X40 SFP, $450
Sightron www.sightron.com
Leica Sport Optics
This model is designed for hunters seeking value and performance. It fea tures a 30mm main tube with Europeanquality optics that perform in low-light situations, a five-power zoom range, a side focus from 10 yards to infinity, exposed 0.1 Mil windage and elevation adjustments with locking zero-reset turrets and an illuminated red dot reticle. MeoBright lens coating delivers bright, crisp, and clear images. MeoDrop coating repels rain, dust and grease. Light trans mission is rated at 80 percent. It’s 13.9 inches long and weighs 23.1 ounces. Eye relief is 3.94 inches. FOV ranges from 37½ feet to 7½ feet.
While designed as a tactical scope, this lightweight, low-profile, low-power variable optic can double for hunting situations from tight brush to open fields. While both riflescopes in the line have 30mm tubes, this model features ¼-MOA adjustments using a capped dial and is equipped with an Illuminated FireDot Duplex reticle. The other ($1,499.99) comes with the CDS-ZL2 dial system, al lowing two full turns of elevation adjust ment with a locking dial and making it
Following last year’s launch of Leica Amplus 6 in MIL, the model now is available in MOA. Featuring six-power magnification range, second-focal-plane reticle illumination and a 30mm tube, it provides light transmission of more than 90 percent, according to Leica. The L-Ballistics reticle with hold-over and windage marks enables quick adjust ments. The illuminated reticle provides a fine dot. The side parallax adjustment ranges from 65 feet to infinity. Elevation adjustment is 80 MOA. Eye relief is 3½ inches. Exit pupil is up to 12mm. It’s 12½ inches long and weighs 16.9 ounces.
Patrol 6HD 1-6X24 Illuminated FireDot Duplex, $1,399.99
removable. Eye relief is 4 inches. FOV ranges from 75 feet to 13 feet. It’s 14.1 inches long and weighs 31.8 ounces.
holdovers. Light transmission is rated at 88 percent. With a one-inch tube and a length of 12.44 inches, it weighs 14.2 ounces. Elevation and windage adjust ments cover 50 MOA each. Exit pupil is up to 13.2mm. FOV ranges from 34 feet to 8½ feet. It includes a neoprene cover. Maven sells directly to customers.
https://us.leica-camera.com/sport-optics
Amplus 6 3-18X44i L-Ballistic, MoA BDC, $1,499
S6 5-30X56 ED SFP, $1,599.99
www.primaryarms.com
This new line for long-range hunters offers a second-focal-plane illuminated reticle as shown here and one with the same specifications but with a first-focalplane reticle ($1,699.99). They feature Japanese ED glass to enhance contrast, improve clarity and reduce chromatic aberration and Zact-7 Plus anti-reflection multi-coatings to improve light transmis sion and reduce flare. The 34mm tube supports tactical turrets with resettable zeros and 80 MOA of elevation and 60 MOA of windage adjustments. The side parallax dial ranges from 10 yards to infinity. It’s 16.7 inches long and weighs 33.3 ounces. Eye relief is 3.6 inches to 3.4 inches. FOV ranges from 74.4 feet to 12.4 feet.
Leupold & Stevens www.leupold.com
78 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Primary Arms introduces a pair of affordable riflescopes with 1-inch tubes, the one shown here and the SLX 4-12X50 ($259.99). Both feature duplex reticles, 3½ inches of eye relief, 80 MOA of total windage and elevation adjust ment, ¼-inch click adjustments and a FOV of 23.27 feet to 7.9 feet. Exit pupil on the 4-12X40 ranges from 10mm to 3½mm. It measures 14 inches long and weighs 16.23 ounces. Exit pupil on the 4-12X50 ranges from 12½ mm to 4.1 mm. It measures 14¼ inches long and weighs 18.52 ounces.
Meopta USA Sport Optics www.meoptasportsoptics.com/us/ MeoSport R 3-15X50 RD with illuminated 4C reticle, $449.99
This is the do-it-all, second-focal-plane model in the new CRS Series. It features Maven’s C Series glass while offering clear, bright and high-contrast images and a new CSHR reticle developed for the CRS Series. A unique version of Maven’s Simplified Holdover Reticle, the CSHR offers ¼-MOA clicks for adjustments and
compatible with the Custom Dial System. The CDS-ZL2 model has an Illuminated CM-R2 reticle. An electronic reticle level simplifies mounting. The FireDot model is 10.8 inches long and weighs 16.2 ounces.
Maven Outdoor Equipment www.mavenbuilt.com
Tenmile HX 6-24X50, $1,399
dS Gen II 5-25X52P, $5,221
www.swarovskioptik.com
Vortex Optics
www.tractoptics.com
www.VortexOptics Razor HD LHT 4.5-22X50 FFP Riflescope, $1,999.99
s I g sauer p H oto www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 79
Swarovski Optik
MOA ranging reticle with either red or green illumination. Other models feature first-focal-plane reticles. Features for all include 30mm tube, windage and eleva tion adjusters that are capped or have a zero stop, up to 100 MOA of adjustment and repositionable magnification lever. Adjustment range for the 6-24X50 is up to 70 MOA. It’s 14.45 inches long and weighs 24.9 ounces. Eye relief is 3.8 inches to 3.1 inches. Exit pupil ranges from 7.37mm to 2.03mm. FOV ranges from 19 feet to 4.7 feet.
Vortex built on last year’s Razor HD LHT 3-15X42 ($1,799) to create a more powerful optic that still is among the lightest in its class, weighing in at 21.7 ounces, and adding a choice of two illu minated first-focal-plane reticles — XLR2 MRAD and XLR-2 MOA. The reticle has elevation and windage subtensions. The riflescope features an HD optical system, XR Plus lens coatings, ArmorTek coatings to protect exterior lenses from scratches, oil and dirt, a locking elevation turret and Revstop Zero System. It’s 13.3 inches long. Eye relief is 4 inches. FOV ranges from 23.5 feet to 4.7 feet.
This line for long-range hunting is available in four models from the firstfocal-plane 3-18X44 ($2,199) to the one shown here with a second-focal-plane
TANGO6T $1,429.99-$1,588.991-6X24,
TORIC 2.5-15X44 MOA, $1,094
Customers asked for a scaled-down version of the TORIC 4-20X50 so TRACT answered with the TORIC 30mm Hunt
www.sigoptics.com
pocketbook while still incorporating the optical and mechani cal qualities of a target riflescope. Two models are in the first focal plane with MOA (shown here) and MRAD reticles for the same price and two in the second focal plane with illuminated BDC and T-Plex reticles ($1,194). All feature Schott HT glass, ED lens, locking elevation turret with zero stop and 100 MOA of elevation and windage adjustments. All share these specifications — eye relief, 4 inches to 3.9 inches; exit pupil, 11.4mm to 2.9mm; and FOV, 41.7 feet to 7.1 feet. The FFP models are 14 inches long and weigh 28.3 ounces while the SFP models are 13.8 inches and 27.2 ounces. TRACT sells direct to consumers.
andweightlighterarewhichscopes,RifleSeriesabitinonthe
This new design of the “smart” riflescope is slimmer and has a roomier magnification adjustment ring for easier operation. It can range up to 1,500 yards. The heads-up display shows the aim ing point and ballistic data including distance, muzzle velocity, energy, bullet flight time and an indicator to show if the scope is level. Data is exchanged with an app on a smartphone via Bluetooth. The app offers six reticles and the ability to adjust the thickness of the lines and dots. The main tube is 40mm. It’s 15.87 inches long and weighs 39.3 ounces. Eye relief is 3.7 inches. Exit pupil ranges from 9.6mm to 2.1mm. FOV ranges from 65.7 feet to 13.5 feet.
Trijicon www.trijicon.com
TRACT Optics
Sig Sauer
The TANGO6T was selected for the U.S. Army Squad Designated Marksman Rifle and now is available to civilians. The riflescope with a 30mm tube is avail able in the first- and second-focal-plane with various reticles including 5.56/7.62 Horseshoe Dot, HELLFIRE MOA Milling, HELLFIRE FL-6 and the new DWLR6. All models feature HDX optics, ED glass with HT glass for high light transmission and clarity, fast-focus eyepiece, night vision illuminated reticle settings with locking illumination dial and laser-en graved mounting line to align it to scope rings. Weights range from 20.9 ounces to 22.1 ounces. Eye relief ranges from 3.9 inches to 4.1 inches. FOV ranges from 105.8 feet to 17.7 feet.
Wildlife management policy is based on managing popula tion impacts, not on preventing isolated instances of harm to specific individual animals in a species. Absent sound scientific evidence demonstrating a population impact caused by the use of traditional ammunition, there is no justification for restrict ing or banning its use.
With very limited exceptions, such as waterfowl, there is simply no sound scientific evidence that the use by hunters of traditional ammunition is causing harm to wildlife populations. In the case of raptors, there is a total lack of any scientific evi dence of a population impact. In fact, just the opposite is true.
PB.kPerterurianhoto
82 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Considering that traditional ammuni tion accounts for only about 5% of all domestic uses of lead, it’s no surprise that traditional ammunition does not cause harm to animal populations. It’s further worth noting that the lead used in ammu nition is elemental, meaning its chemical structure is not altered after mining. The most damaging uses of lead that have been eliminated, such as in gasoline and paint, involved lead that was modified after mining to make it soluble, which in turn greatly increased its bio-availability for uptake by humans.
The 11% excise tax that hunters pay on the sale of ammunition is the primary source of wildlife conservation funding
Editor’s note: This column, courtesy of TTHA’s new partner, SCI, highlights the organization’s advocacy for hunting rights.
P rotecting hunting usually requires some education of policymakers. It’s a staple of our advocacy to point out that well-intended hunting restrictions will actually harm wildlife populations, usually by cutting off the conservation funding that hunters otherwise gladly provide. This argument comes up most often in battling proposed bans on importing hunting trophies, but now it must come into play at the national level right here at home.
Hunters have long used traditional ammunition, yet raptor populations have significantly increased all across North America—a trend that shows no sign of letting up. If the use of traditional am munition was the threat to raptor popula tions some claim it is, these populations would not be soaring as they are.
The bald eagle’s recovery was made possible by hunters purchasing traditional ammuition.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service released its draft of the 2022-2023 Hunt-Fish Rule in June, which proposes a mod est expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities that SCI supports. But the proposal comes with a giant price tag, in
By Ben Cassidy, SCI executive vice president of international government and public affairs.
the form of a sweeping ban on traditional ammunition. The rule would ban the use of lead ammunition in all new hunting opportunities, creating a precedent for a total ban on lead am munition on federal lands. The rule would also prohibit the use of lead fishing tackle.
SCI’s CEO W. Laird Hamberlin has issued a clarion call for hunters to band together to oppose the proposed rule. “Safari Club International will continue fighting against misguided federal restrictions and regulations on lead that have no basis in science. We call on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to remove this unwarranted poison pill from its latest Hunt-Fish Rule before untold damage is done to the freedom to hunt, and to the hunting community’s access to public lands,” Hamberlin said.
Mandating the adoption of alternatives to traditional ammunition is simply not practical. The higher costs associated with this ammunition will price everyday consumers out of the market. This is evidenced by the low 1% market share of metallic non-traditional ammunition.
A ban on traditional ammunition would have a serious negative impact on wildlife conservation. The higher cost of alternative ammunition will price everyday consumers out of the market. Needlessly restricting or banning traditional ammunition absent sound science will hurt wildlife conservation efforts as fewer hunters take to the field, thus reducing overall financial wildlife management resources.
Fewer financial resources would mean fewer fish and fisherman in future generations.
Banning traditional ammunition would negatively impact the future of hunting.
in the United States, and the financial backbone of the North American Model of wildlife conservation. The bald eagle’s recovery, a truly great conservation success story, was made possible and funded by hunters using traditional ammunition.
A study from 2008 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preven tion (CDC) on blood lead levels of North Dakota hunters confirmed that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition does not pose a human health risk. In looking more closely at the CDC study results, perhaps most telling is the fact that the average lead level of the hunters tested was lower than that of the average American. In other words, if you were to randomly pick someone on the street, chances are they would have a higher background blood lead level than the hunters in this study.
We urge all hunters to join us in answering this call, and we’ve made it easy for you. Just text “SCI” to 73075 to get started, or visit the Hunter Advocacy Action Center online at safariclub.org/hunter-advocacy-actioncenter. Make your voice heard!
A ban on lead tackle would also be detrimental to the future of fishing.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 83
The author took a trip to Venezuela to hunt for a subspecies of whitetail. Needless to say, his quest was quite successful.
authorPhotos
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 85
Tony was there at the terminal to meet me in his armored vehicle and introduced me to Dr. Francisco Carelli, a medical surgeon and traumatologist, who was to be my guide.
A
The author waits from atop the truck.
But it would be a couple of more years before I could go to Venezuela. Towards the end of 2017, Tony phoned, inform ing me he had bought a hunting ranch southwest of Valencia, which was rife with game and that I should make every effort to come hunting.
The two couples came to Costa Rica and after some sightseeing, we all flew to the Río Indio Lodge in Nicaragua, on the border with Costa Rica. We had a wonderful time catching snook and tarpon, and swapping stories about hunts.
Like they say, the next best thing to being rich is having a friend who is. After assuring me that he would fly me into his 12,000-hectare domain in his private plane and that if we needed to drive to the nearest town for provisions, we would do so in his armored Toyota, I was convinced to go. All I had to do was convince my wife, sons and older brother, that I would not get assassinated or kidnapped.
I packed a Leupold Golden Ring variable scope and a cheaper glass for the .22 Magnum. And, as Julius Caesar said upon crossing the Rubicon River between Italy and Gaul, “Alea iacta est” – “The die is cast.” I booked my flight, anxious to see the game on the big Venezuelan ranch.
Next morning, we departed to his cattle and water buffalo ranch, Corralito, in his Toyota Land Cruiser, along with his wife, Alba, and of course, the good doctor, who would be with me during my stay.
A guide cuts brush to hide the truck.
few years ago, I wrote a book titled, “My Main Obsession.” Royalties were to cover the expenses of a full-fledged African safari. Unfortunately the royalties didn’t cover the safari, but a copy did end in the hands of a Venezuelan jaguar expert, who after reading it and wanting other people to enjoy it, gave it as a present to Antonio “Tony” Padrín, of Valenda, Venezuela.
So, instead I asked Tony if he would be interested in com ing to Costa Rica, not to hunt but to fish. He readily accepted, asking if he could come with his cousin and partner in his building company, along with their wives. I immediately agreed, whereupon Tony said that he would like to corre spond and invite me to hunt in Venezuela.
Tony informed me that he would lodge me for the night in a four-star hotel and that he hoped I would like it. I ended up in a beautiful air-conditioned room in his own home and that night at dinner, I got to meet the rest of his family.
After a long ride over a good road, and passing through a locked gate, we arrived at the ranch house, a quaint build ing over 100 years old with a beautiful swimming pool in the front. What struck me when I got out of the air-conditioned vehicle was the temperature. The air shimmered with heat. The
I was pretty leery of going, especially since I couldn’t take my own rifle. Tony assured me he had a Savage bolt-action in .308 caliber, with a see-through high mount, on which a Tasco scope was mounted. He had plenty of ammunition and a .22 Magnum bolt-action, which I could also use. I played it coy until Tony called me again in February 2018, to come, and we set a date of March 3.
After hearing Tony’s stories relative to the abundance of game in Venezuela, including a bigger sub-species of whitetailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus gymnotis), white-lipped peccary (Tayasu tajacu), capybara (Hydrochoerus hydro chaeris), and greater curassow (Crax rubra), I was ready for an invitation but too shy to ask.
Tony called me at my office and after a long chat, we were the best of friends. I don’t know what it is with hunters, but there’s a special bond, which only forms, I am told, among companions in arms.
86 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
I noticed these tropical whitetails were about the same size as those in Costa Rica—I don’t think the bucks exceeded 120 pounds—but of a lighter, tawnier color. The antlers, however, were considerably larger, although they did not grow upwards and forward, like North American whitetails, but in a more upward manner.
Upon returning to the house, I noticed something which I hadn’t seen before: both household dogs were sleeping under the sprinklers to quench the heat!
I proceeded to exchange the Tasco for my Leupold. I had brought a couple of paper targets to sight-in the rifle, and Tony provided a Bog-Pod tripod, which I had suggested, and a fold ing chair. We proceeded to sight in the rifle in the sweltering heat, and I had 16 rounds of Hornady ammo left for the hunt.
As the sun began to go down, a few light clouds floated like small islands in a lavender sky. A breath of cool air swept past my face and I decided it was time to drive around and see if deer were stirring elsewhere.
After a quick bite and dunking my head in water for a few seconds to appease the heat, Francisco and I departed in a Toyota pick-up truck to the northern part of the huge ranch. Fifteen minutes later and after getting into the wilds of Cor ralito, we started seeing deer.
Francisco and I stood in the bed of the vehicle, while Augus to slowly toured the countryside. It was close to sundown when I noticed two deer in the distance. Through my binoculars, the two bucks looked good.
temperature was over 105 degrees in the shade. I was assigned an air-conditioned room, but it wasn’t very cool because of the oppressive heat.
morning I was out again with Francisco, our driver, Augusto, and one of the ranch hands to look for a promising buck, but we didn’t see anything. In the
The rifle had a see-through scope mount. and the previous owner had frayed the stock so that it didn’t fit me. But like they say in my country, “I had only these oxen to till the soil!”
evening, we sat near a vast open field, hoping for a big buck, but only does and small bucks showed up.
I instructed Augusto to approach slowly, not to alarm the bucks, until we could get to a big, leafy tree between us and the deer. He veered in the direction of the tree to reduce the distance to the bucks, for a reasonable shot. Upon reaching the tree, Augusto veered slowly until the two deer came into view.
Tony had authorized me to collect two specimens and, of course, I wanted the two biggest bucks on the ranch. I saw about 50 deer that afternoon, but I refrained from shoot ing. As is common to the species, they acted wild and skittish.Earlynext
Once settled, I was presented with the Savage .308 rifle, along with the usual four or five boxes of “Heinz” ammunition. Yes, all 57 varieties, with different bullets. I selected a box of Hornady 150-grain soft points.
I held my breath and took another shot. At the roar of the .308, the buck collapsed as if its feet had been pulled from un der him. Francisco gave out a whoop of triumph as we walked toward the buck. The nearer we got, the bigger it looked. When I picked up the head and sized-up the gnarled nine-point rack, Francisco assured me he had never seen a buck that big, and that I had truly taken the biggest deer on the ranch. That put an end to my tropical white-tailed deer hunt, and I couldn’t have been happier.
The best buck stood broadside at 140 yards—I later paced the distance. I had a solid rest and held the crosshairs on the middle of the shoulder, and squeezed the hard trigger on the Savage. At the shot, the buck took two steps and gave me a puzzled look. I couldn’t believe I had missed, and worked the bolt frantically.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 87
F requent association with ceremonial settings shows that antlers have amazed hunters long before we started scor ing antlers in inches and points. Some of the spiritual mystique of antlers comes from the fact they’re cast off and regrown every year, and that has been viewed by just about every culture on Earth as a symbol of rebirth and healing. Evidence of the spiritual significance of antlers can be seen in their prevalence in graves, ceremonies, and religious beliefs.
Velvet antlers are often sliced thin and dried for direct use or preparation of powders, tinctures, or other compounds.
Wooden sculptures of stylized deer or people with antlers were found in the tombs of Zhou Dynasty in China 2,0003,000 years ago. Antlers were carefully placed at the head of the tombs and thought to guard the grave and ward off evil spirits. Antlered gods, deer masks, and antler headdresses were common in religious rituals throughout the world and this widespread use shows the powerful force antlers have had on humans worldwide.
PWJazzixikiMediahoto www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 89
The cartilage-like protein core wrapped in velvet skin has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes.
Antlers have also been widely seen as a symbol of masculin ity because, with the exception of caribou, they are exclusively a male appendage. This notion of masculinity is probably the origin of partially grown antlers being used for medicinal cures and supplements. Since antlers are made of protein, calcium, phosphorus, and contain growth factors and hormones, it seems intuitive that they might have beneficial properties. One particular compound, Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF1), is often mentioned as an active ingredient in antler-based supplements.
Velvet antlers
When people refer to “velvet” it’s not just the velvet skin, but dried cross-sections or pulverized pieces of the cartilage and skin of growing antlers. The young growing antlers of deer, usually elk and red deer, are cut off when about two-thirds grown and dried. The medicinal use of velvet antler was first mentioned in writing on a Chinese silk scroll dated to 168 B.C. and containing a wide range of medical treatments and prescriptions using velvet antler in some form. Since that time, velvet antlers have factored heavily in traditional Chinese medicine. The list of ailments treated with velvet antler prod ucts covers just about everything you would see in a medical dictionary. Because of the above-mentioned connection with masculinity, it’s often purported to increase sex drive, improve fertility, and other related issues.
Antlers are still used as a component of traditional Chinese medicine but are also now sold worldwide for the same pur poses. The most famous recent example of their use surfaced in 2013 when Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis found himself in trouble just prior to the Super Bowl. Allegedly, he
used deer antler spray containing IGF-1, a banned substance by the NFL. It’s not even clear if natural velvet antler has enough IGF-1 to produce any beneficial effects, or if it can be absorbed orally.One medical doctor commented if a spray can deliver IGF-1 orally, the medical profession would be using that for patients who currently receive IGF-1 injections for various medical issues. One study showed there was indeed IGF-1 in a com mercial antler product, but it did not originate from deer. Like all supplements—antlers contain compounds that have been shown in laboratory settings to aid certain medical condi tions, but scientific evidence that any particular velvet antler derivative actually helped human patients is rare. Claims are rarely based on rigorous scientific research with experimental controls, human trials, and adequate sample sizes. Much more quality research would have to be conducted before these supplements could be integrated into mainstream medical practices.
Recent research shows antlers regenerate using a completely different process—stem cells—than amphibian limbs. Antlers
Limb regeneration
Remarkably, amphibians like salamanders can completely regenerate an arm or leg from a healed stump. Researchers were astounded to learn one salamander, the axolotl, is capable of re-growing a spinal cord, heart and limbs. Mammals cannot regenerate limbs, but antlers represent the only mammalian structure that can completely regenerate, which makes them a good model for medical research. If researchers can learn how antlers regrow themselves in the same shape, maybe we can duplicate the process with humans’ appendages.
PlB.drrendaneehoto
90 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Antler growth more closely resembles bone cancer growth than regular bone growth. In fact, antlers grow even faster than cancer cell growth. To grow bone that fast, the body would have to be able to suppress the growth so it doesn’t get out of control. Allowing such rapid antler growth and then slowing it down and stopping it takes some regulation so it was not surprising when researchers found the deer family has more active tumor suppressing genes. Surveys of cancer in captive mammals found members of the deer family are five times less likely to get cancer, undoubtedly because of their ability to suppress tumor-like growth. Here again, if we can unlock the secrets to suppressing the incredible summer growth of bone, skin, nerves, and blood vessels of antlers, we might be able to apply that to stop or slow cancer cell growth.
tissue, cartilage—this AP tissue has been the focus of research to unlock the clues to regenerating limbs. Think about the future possibilities of being able to regenerate limbs of human amputees.
Medical research continues to move at a blinding pace and deer are helping to advance the cause. Given the importance of the medical research outlined here, it’s not out of the question that deer may someday save humanity.
After the antlers are fully mineralized, the buck’s body then replenishes the bone density loss in the skeleton through di etary intake. The seasonal loss in bone density and replacement serves as a model for investigating osteoporosis. This skeletonantler cycle might teach us how to replenish lost skeletal bone density.
When antlers are shed, they immediately begin a healing process that marks the beginning of complete regeneration of the lost appendage.
When stem cells were discovered in the antlerogenic perios teum, researchers hatched a plan to regenerate more than just a limb. Using antler stem cells, they cloned two genetically identi cal red deer in New Zealand along with nine more deer clones using stem cells from other tissues. This may not have a direct human medicinal connection, but cloning could be used in sav ing endangered deer species. Also, when researching medicinal uses of antlers, identical deer clones would eliminate individual variation in traits, allowing researchers to better identify the effects of the factors they study.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 91
Specialized tissue at the ends of the pedicles of the skull contain stem cells that can become hair, bone, nerves, or skin.
Since bucks cannot eat enough calcium and phosphorous during antler growing to supply these fast-growing structures, they mobilize calcium from their skeleton to supply the antlers.
authorPhoto austinkillaMPhoto
Cloning
Bone and cancer research
Antler material has shown promise as a material to use in bone grafts. When a bone is badly damaged from trauma or
disease, it needs a structural bridge to heal back together. Be cause of their similarity in chemistry, structure, and biological properties, antler material has been shown to be accepted and integrated into the bone healing process.
are initiated from a pad of tissue under the forehead skin of fawns called the “antlerogeneic periosteum” (AP) which sit on top of two boney protuberances that eventually grow into the antler pedicles. Unlike skin cells or bone cells, this AP tissue contains stem cells that are general cells with the ability to develop into any kind of tissue. Since antlers are made of a va riety of tissues—skin, bones, nerves, blood vessels, connective
Leighton with his buck he took while on a “surprise” hunt with his dad.
authorPhotos www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 93
STORY
After practice, Mom picked me up and we headed home. The only thing I could think was, “Where in the world could we be going?”
We headed over to where the deer was, and I saw my first ever deer. I was so pumped up to tell my brother I shot my first deer! I thought I was just as cool as him. That night, we ate summer sausage and crackers as I told my story to everyone.
We watched them for about 5 minutes until my dad told me, “Leighton, grab your gun and see if you can aim your sight at the top of the feeder.” So I did just that. I lifted my gun from the ground, pointed it at the feeder and I could see it perfectly. After a few seconds I told him, “I can see it “OK,”clearly.”hesaid. “Point your gun at that four-point nearest to the feeder and put your sight right behind its shoulder.” I nodded, pointed my gun at the four-point, locked in the crosshairs, took the gun off safety, put my finger on the trigger and shot it right
behind the shoulder. The deer scattered with the four-point nowhere in sight.
I told Coach Hodges I wouldn’t be at school the next day for athletics. He told me I would have to come back and work much harder in the weight room because I would miss a day.
I said, “Yes, sir,” and then I worked out with my team.
94 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Leighton with his dad, after making a new hunting memory.
We saw nothing—no blood, not even a little sliver of deer hair. I was worried and sad that I may have missed my shot on this deer, but that didn’t stop us from looking. We walked into the back of the woods, and we couldn’t find anything. And then I spotted a little brown lump behind a tree. I screamed, “OVER THERE, DAD! OVER THERE!”
We pulled up to the house and my dogs “Buster,” “Bailey,” and the little dog, “Baxter,” greeted me. I went to my room, put my backpack on the floor and went outside to talk to Dad. I said, “Dad, you have to tell me where we’re going.” He said, “Just don’t worry about it and go pack some jeans and some camo.”
I’ve been going hunting for as long as I can remember with Dad, my brother, and Grandpa. My first ever big hunt was in 2013 when I was given the opportunity to shoot a deer. We hunted at Dr. Klein’s vineyard outside Austin. We camped out in a big red barn and had barbeques and shared a lot of great hunting stories.
One day, we woke up at 7 a.m. to go on a hunting trip with Uncle Mark, my brother Brendan, and Dad. We drove about 2½ hours to the ranch with nothing on our minds but shooting a big doe. Eventually we arrived at the camp and were greeted by Uncle Mark and “Maggie,” the best dog in the world.
Eight years later, I sat in class talking to my buddies when I got a text from Dad, saying, “Tell your coaches you won’t be there tomorrow.” Confused, I asked him why. He said it’s a surprise and he’d explain more later. I texted “okay” to him and went on with my day.
Around 3:30, Uncle Mark told us to grab our guns and he would take us to our blind. We grabbed our guns, got inside the pickup, and headed to the blind where my dad and I would be hunting. We arrived at the blind and sat there for an hour before the feeder went off. We sat there for another 30 minutes till a couple of does and a four-point walked out.
I got super disappointed because I thought I’d missed my shot. My dad then told me when you shoot deer behind the shoulder, they tend to wander off a little bit. After a few min utes, which seemed like forever, we decided to go look for this deer. We walked down the hill and walked towards the feeder.
goodbye to my dogs and got inside the truck. We drove for about 2½ hours to the ranch. We drove through the big metal gate and pulled up to the ranch house. We were greeted by their big yellow Lab and Mr. Glen. We talked to Mr. Glen for a couple minutes, then he asked us, “Y’all ready to go shoot a buck?” I said yes, then we got into his pickup and drove to the blind. He showed us the stock tanks, a one-antlered deer they call “Elliot,” and a lot of other places around the property. Twenty minutes later we arrived at the blind. We walked up those steps and played musical chairs trying to find a good place for me to sit so I could have the best possible angle to shoot this trophy buck. I whispered to my dad, “Game on.” He chuckled and we high-fived each other. Mr. Glen looked at me and said, “When this buck comes out, don’t shoot until I tell you to do so.” I nodded yes.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 95
We were going hunting, but where? Maybe Poco, maybe the Houston Ranch. I went inside, ate my dinner, took a shower and went to bed. I woke up the next morning still outbagon,trophychanceIbecausewithturnedrano?”toyouHeandholdingitmyheard30someworkgoing.wherewonderingwewereIdidmyonlineandwatchedTV.AboutminuteslaterIaknockatdoor.Iopenedandsawmydadaguncasewearingcamo.thensaid,“ArereadytogoCharcoMarMyfacebrightredexcitementIknewwouldgetthetoshootabuck!Igotmybootsgrabbedmyandheadedthedoor.Isaid
The deer ran off a little bit then dropped like a rock. I was so pumped. I wanted to go see it right away. Mr. Glen gave us an option. He said, “We can wait in this blind and see if anything else comes, or we can go see the buck.”
Dad said the same thing he asked me when I shot my first deer. “Can you see the top of the feeder?” I whispered “yes” and then Mr. Glen said, “OK, then point your sight behind his shoulder and blast him.” I whispered, “My sights are on him.” He gave me a countdown “3, 2, 1…” BOOM!
After 15 minutes the feeder went off and two huge does walked out along with a 2-year-old buck. I looked at Mr. Glen and asked, “Is that the buck?” He said, “No, that’s not even close to how big the one you’re gonna shoot is.” I chuckled and turned around. When I turned around, I saw the buck he was talking about.
Of course, I said, “Let’s go see the buck.” We walked over to see my trophy buck. I had the biggest smile on my face.
Mr. Glen looked at me and said, “That’s the one, buddy.” I looked at my dad and he said, “Well, what are you wait ing for? Grab the gun.” I picked up that gun and set it on the windowsill.
We took pictures, talked about how pumped I was, then we put the buck in the truck bed. We arrived at camp and cleaned the buck. We went inside, ate some dinner, then watched the camera footage of me shooting the buck. They made the most perfect video ever. You could even see the bullet in the frames.
We went to bed, and I still thought about the buck. We woke up the next morning and went for a drive to check out the feed ers and see if some of the batteries were charged. We headed back to the camp, walked inside and caught the smell of fresh pancakes and peanut butter syrup. We sat down, ate breakfast then told the ranch owners, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter, about the buck. We talked for about an hour and said thank you for everything, grabbed the meat and the head then we headed home. This is a day I will never forget!
According to Leighton, this hunt won’t be forgotten.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 97
B yron s cott p H oto
BY GARY ROBERSON
Searching for the “elusive” black panther
Dark-color-phase coyotes could be mistaken for lions in low-light conditions.
WHAT ARESEEING?THEY
While I have heard stories of black panthers being sighted across all of Texas, it seems the great majority occur in East Texas. Now, I’m not one to tell these folks they’re mistaken be cause it’s obvious by their sincerity that they genuinely believe they did see a black cat of some sort. My question is, “What are these folks seeing?”
just returned from the NRA Convention in Houston where I had the opportunity to work a booth with Ruger and Marlin firearms. The Ruger and Marlin brands are very popular, therefore we had heavy traffic flowing through our booth, which gave me the ability to meet and visit with a lot of good people from across the country. Many attendees were from East Texas and were aware that I’m a predator hunter. For this reason, many of these folks feel obligated to tell me stories about hunting, calling predators, and unusual things they have seen. On many occasions, this is where the conversation turns to the sightings of black panthers.
I will readily admit there are more lions in Texas today than at any time in my life. I’m sure there are a few living in the dense vegetation along the rivers. The feral hog population has exploded across Texas, and I know lions would prey on a small hog, if given the opportunity. I’m also wondering if many of the black panther sightings are not, in actuality, feral hogs.
I
V assel W I k I ped I a p H oto 98 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
I remember Dad telling me, “You can see what you want to see.” I believe most hunters want to see a mountain lion or panther, but true sightings are extremely rare. While visiting
It would be rare to see the whole body of a lion or hog liv ing in the brush along the Trinity or Brazos rivers, unless it’s
with the late Hap Blackston, renowned lion and bear outfit ter from New Mexico, I asked if he had ever seen a lion in the wild. Hap lived and outfitted for deer and elk and ranched in lion country all his life. If anyone had seen a lion in the wild, it should be him. He shocked me when he said the only lions he ever saw in the wild were put in trees or on rock or in caves by his hounds. If just seeing a lion in the wild is that rare, how wild would it be to see a black one?
The jaguarundi will weigh 15-20 pounds and measure about 2½ feet in length, with a tail that’s a foot and a half long. With a little imagination, it could be a miniature black panther.
Hap evidently didn’t spend much time in East Texas be cause I visited with a gentleman last Saturday who said, “The panthers were so thick along the Brazos and Trinity rivers that they will run over you.” And yes, some of them are black.
While I have never killed a black coyote, I know many buddies who have. The dark-color-phased coyotes occur in the same general areas where many of the black panthers are seen. In low light conditions, it’s possible someone could mistake a coyote for a lion.
panther.Perhaps
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 99
crossing a road or other open right of way. A feral hog and a black panther would be of similar height and length.
I believe black panther sightings are on the increase as more folks move into rural areas. Many of these rural residents were raised in the cities and are “looking for a Booger.” As Dad said, “You can see what you want to see.” If you have enough desire to see a black panther in the wild, a hog, coyote, bobcat or jaguarundi will do.
J udy J urek p H oto
The author wonders if many black panther sightings are actually feral hogs. A feral hog and a black panther would be of similar height and length.
I have never seen a black bobcat, melanism can occur in bobcats. Again, melanism in the stubby-tailed felines seems to occur most often in the eastern part of the state. While most mature bobcats weigh 18-25 pounds, a minority of the popula tion will exceed 30 pounds. I can understand why a melanistic bobcat weighing 30-plus pounds could be mistaken for a black
the one critter that could be easily mistaken for a black panther would be the jaguarundi. While the last con firmed sighting of a jaguarundi occurred near Brownsville in 1986, I personally have seen two in my lifetime. A few years ago, I received a very creditable report of one on a ranch in Menard County. In fact, there were several sightings of the same jaguarundi in the same location over a couple of months, leading me to believe that it may have been a female with kittens.Thejaguarundi is dark gray or dark brown and will weigh 15-20 pounds. It measures about 2½ feet long, with a tail that’s a foot and a half long. Add a little imagination and presto, you have a miniature black panther.
Jaguars were native to Texas over 100 years ago but were thought to be wiped out because of their predation on live stock. Jaguars are typically spotted but melanism does occur fairly often. While I’m not aware of any documented jaguar sightings in Texas in the last 50 years, I do know several hunters who have treed jaguars in southern New Mexico and Arizona.While
That evening we went hunting. Even though I didn’t see the axis or fallow, I had a good time watching oryx, mou
The hunt was at El Tesoro Ranch in Charlotte, Texas, where we had the opportunity to take management whitetails and exotics. Unfortunately, I had to wait seven months. The anticipation felt like a lifetime to me. The weekend finally came, and I was so excited that I actually wanted to go to school so that tomorrow would come. The next day, I threw my stuff in the truck before my dad was evenWhenawake.we
My Trophy Axis
W
a uthor P hotos
100 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Once everyone arrived, we went to the shooting range to make sure we were sighted in. This was the first time I got to use my custom Remington 7 Mag. with Win chester 140-grain ballistic tips. Once sighted in, the ranch manager gave us a tour. We saw blackbucks, gazelles and whitetails running around everywhere.
hen my dad told me I was going to the South Texas Buckskin Brigade, I hated the idea. But while I was there, I changed my mind. I learned about whitetail habitat and nutrition, and leader ship roles. My herd, El Gauchos, won the Top Herd award, and boy, were we all excited when we learned we earned a free hunt!
By Rhett Rohde
Rhett also enjoys doing some bowhunting.
finally got to the ranch, I couldn’t wait to jump out and get started. The place is huge! Blaise Korzekwa, Texas Brigades board director and the camp coordinator of South Texas Buckskin Brigade, met us at the door. Rodney Glaze, the ranch manager, greeted us with open arms.
After the tour, we all gathered in their impressive trophy room, which didn’t have any more room for another mount. We discussed what we wanted to hunt for, and the owner asked me if I would like to go after an old mature axis or fallow deer. I wasn’t going to pass up the opportu nity to harvest with either one, so I said yes.
the same blind another try, but we had no luck. When we got back to the lodge, we ate breakfast and went scouting. We saw a lot of blackbucks, gazelles, oryx and mou
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 101
flon and a big trophy axis passing through. After the hunt, we stayed up until 11 p.m. playing pool, shuffleboard and listening to stories from the ranch manager. The next morning, we gave
brouGht to you by
Rhett with his axis, alongside Roy Hindes and Rhett’s guide. Rhett earned his axis hunt because his Buckskin Brigade group won the Top Herd award at camp.
102 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
flon that we lost in the back corner of the field. As we headed back to the lodge, the guide said there was a huge axis in the field next to the lodge that he’d never seen before. At that point, we decided to go to that field to see if he was still there. While looking for the axis, the guide showed me a spot where he used to find arrowheads. He also showed us his deer pens and breeder buck and does.
how tired I was and looked forward to a hot shower and bed. By the time I got in bed, it was 1 a.m. I felt so grateful. Hunting is not the outcome of the hunt. It’s the journey you go on, and this day was a great example. I thanked God for the opportunity and for being with Roy Hindes. I had a hard time leaving the next day, but after thanking everyone one last time, I went home grateful and knowing I just experienced a once-ina-lifetime opportunity.
Texas Brigades is a conservation-based leadership organization which organizes wildlife and natural resource-based leadership camps for participants ranging in age from 13-17. Its mission is to educate and empower youths with lead ership skills and knowledge in wildlife, fisheries, and land stewardship to become conservation ambassadors for a sustained natural resource legacy. There are multiple camps scheduled in the summers, focusing on different animal species while incorporating leadership development. Summer camps include Rolling Plains and South Texas Bobwhite Brigade, South and North Texas Buckskin Brigade, Bass Brigade, Waterfowl Brigade, Coastal Brigade, and Ranch Brigade. Visit texasbrigades.org or call 210-556-1391 for more information.
Axis are one of the most popular exotics to hunt in Texas.
While tracking, Mr. Hindes shared a story about tracking another male axis. He said he tracked another male axis at this same spot and found it dead. But the axis fell in the middle of the pond, so he had to jump in and drag it out in 40-degree weather. Once he got it out, it had no antlers. But when he went to get the truck, he found both antlers in the middle of the road.
It was finally time to get back to hunting. This time we tried a blind where we scouted mouflon. At first, hunting was slow and I didn’t think we would see anything. Then the action started. A hog came out, then does, a buck, an oryx and a ga zelle, but no fallow. I was losing hope because the sun was set ting. Out of nowhere, an old mature axis walked out. The guide and I looked at him for what seemed like forever when he finally asked me, “Do you want to shoot him?” I thought my heart skipped a few beats. After I got the axis in the crosshairs, I heard the guide say, “Aim in front of the front shoulder and squeeze the trigger when you’re ready.” I squeezed the trigger and saw the axis rear up on his hind legs and do a 180-degree turn. The last thing I saw was the top of his antlers running away from us and into theOncebrush.itgot dark, we got out of the blind and started looking for blood. When we found our first sign of blood, it didn’t look promising, but as we continued, we found more and more. I thought our tracking went well, until the guide said, “Let’s head back, so I can call a friend that has dogs.” While we waited for his friend to arrive, we ateHisdinner.friend arrived—the legend him self, Roy Hindes. I was starstruck and couldn’t believe I stood in his pres ence. We first went to the spot where we first found blood.
Mr. Hindes said, “We can let it die and come back in the morning, or I can shoot it right now and you’ll have your first axis.” We decided to shoot it. Once Mr. Hindes shot it, the anticipation lifted off my shoulders and I could finally breathe again. I couldn’t believe I killed my first axis with the help of legendary Roy Hindes. We shook hands and I thanked him for hisThenhelp.came the final task of skinning, cleaning and scoring the deer. While doing all this, we told jokes and stories until I could finish. While I was cleaning, the guide scored the buck and told me it was 30 inches, which qualifies as a trophy. My first axis was a trophy. After so much excitement, I realized
After finishing his story, Mr. Hindes, said “Hey, hey, hey. Shush. You hear that?” We got quiet and heard the dogs barking like crazy. We started sprinting to the dogs and found the axis
bedded down, but still alive!
J ason s hi P man P hoto
Peggy York: DiverseOutdoors Lady
P e GG y y ork P hotos
Peggy proudly displays her 145 B&C mule deer, taken near Alpine.
jack of all trades is a multi-skilled man able to mechanic, weld, plumb, and more. In a similar sense, Peggy York is a “Jane” of all outdoors. This lady can shoot, hunt, fish, guide, track, kayak, write, teach, process and cook her bounty while ready to assist anyone with anything, and do so with a smile.
“Ladale says he never really had a job but always got to play,” Peggy said. “He’s an outdoors enthusiast who’s inspired and encouraged me more than I can explain. Ladale never gets upset. He just goes with the flow.” Early on as avid fishermen, they competed in tournaments before Peggy formed a ladies group and association with Bass ’n’ Gals. Documenting her adventures led to earning Texas Outdoor Writers As sociation awards.
By Judy Jurek
Peggy York, born and raised in San Antonio, is the oldest of three kids. Her dad taught her to fish, shoot, and hunt. After graduating business school, she moved around before meeting Ladale York, an Air Force man who spent his entire career in firearms from the range to instructing to writing and managing curriculum. They recently celebrated 36 years of marriage.
This lady has great energy and deter mination. Peggy became an angler education instructor for when TPWD introduced the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program. A few years later, the agency approached her to be their shooting instructor. The Colorado Outdoor Adventure Guide School came to a South Texas ranch where Peggy earned
a hunting guide certificate.
Currently she’s a certified NRA pistol, rifle, and shotgun in structor, a chief range safety officer, and a Refuse to be a Victim instructor. Peggy is a Lake Fork Chapter of Armed Women of America (AWA) and state chapter leader. Texas’ AWA has 15 chapters.
104 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
A
After retiring, the couple moved from San Antonio to Alba, a small East Texas town near Lake Fork. Fishing once again gained their attention, because their longtime Rocksprings hunting lease had been sold.
because her rifle wasn’t sight ed for such distance. Locat ing another buck, one guide offered his 6.5 PRC, telling Peggy to put the crosshairs on its neck. She surprised both guides by doing just that—at 330Peggyyards.said the mule deer hunt filled her “wall of horns,” although it’ll be months before her mount is com pleted. At the moment, she has no hunting adventures planned. The couple concentrates on participating in next year’s Texas State Sporting Clays Championship.“Nowadayswe’re
Peggy once took a Colorado non-typical elk, after practic ing for months, shooting a 7mm gifted for the hunt. The recoil was brutal. Peggy could manage only three shots per session because each shot knocked her back several inches. “When the elk appeared, I fired, it went down,” she said. “Ladale asked about the recoil. I replied, ‘What recoil?’”
Many of Peggy’s firearms are specifically customized for her. Currently, her favorites include a Glock 9mm pistol, a Ruger Precision .22LR for long range and standard silhouette matches, a Browning BT88Plus for trap shooting, and a Beretta A400 Xcel Multitarget for five-stand and sporting clays. She’s waiting on a Caesar Guerini Syren model Julia shotgun. “It’s pretty and classy,” she added.
Peggy shares her advice for novice females desiring to hunt or participate in shooting sports:
This past year Peggy booked a mule deer hunt near Alpine before New Year’s. The second day she missed a 250-yard shot
“Buy your own firearm, one fitting your hand, shoulder (rifle and shotgun), and pocketbook. Everyone handles a firearm differently. You must have one that fits the way you hold and shoot it. TPWD’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman and NRA’s Women’s Wilderness Escape are great courses. Go on every excursion you can afford. Learn everything possible. Journal your adventures for memories and history of your experiences. Join a shooting chapter offer ing various opportunities, as it keeps you shooting often.”
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 105
Peggy York excels using all types of firearms from pistols and rifles to shotguns for trap, five-stand, and sporting clays.
converting our retirement funds into noise,” Peggy said. “Until COVID and Ladale’s health issues, we shot rifles, pistols or shotguns almost daily.” They belong to many shooting clubs and organizations, some which Peggy initiated as ladies-only events to engage more women into shooting. Together and individually, the pair has an impressive array of awards.
“I’m up for any adventure. I love it all, but I miss spring turkey season calling in birds,” Peggy said. At 17, her dad took her turkey hunting, leaving her alone in a blind before sunrise while he went deer hunting. Peggy fell asleep but awoke to two dozen birds oblivious to her presence. She killed one with a .22 Hornet.“Ionce had four hens come to my calling and perch in a nearby tree,” Peggy said. “As a gobbler approached, they began talking to him for me. I dropped him in his tracks. The moral of that story: I had a little help from my friends. It was awe some!” A photo of Peggy with a gobbler hangs in San Antonio’s Bass Pro store.
“I’ve been fortunate throughout my life to be in the right place at the right time, accepting opportunities others wouldn’t,” Peggy said. She also held a full-time job working for the Department of Defense in civilian personnel management, initially linking paperwork to electronic files. Peggy retired as an information management specialist after 21 years.
authorPhotos
The author went to the mountains of Mexico to get this aoudad.
STORY
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 107
Day two
verything started with a bad feeling. The hired hunting guides did not show up at 6 a.m. as they agreed to do the night before. So on Friday morning, May 2, 2021, I quickly had to rethink the plan for this hunt. By 7 a.m. at the El Candido Ranch in Coahuila, the owner, Jorge Delgado, secured new guides from the nearby town of Candela, approximately 25 minutes from the ranch. An hour later, Álvaro Robles, head guide, and his partner, el cuñado (brother-in-law) Arnoldo San Miguel, arrived in an old Ford pickup. After a short introduc tion, my hunting partner, Carlos González, and I got the feeling of familiarity, sense of humor and more important, the experi ence of these two men.
Half an hour later and deep into the low-fenced ranch, we spotted some aoudad, far up on a steep mountain about 1,000 yards from the road. We decided to go around from the back and do some climbing on the opposite side of the mountain, looking to get a better angle. This was our first climbing test, and it was exhausting, with the noon sun and temperatures above 95° F.
Right away we headed down a dirt road to the mountains of Pájaros Azules (blue birds) for that elusive aoudad. Carlos carried a short barrel Browning rifle, chambered in .308 Win. I shouldered my old and trusted Remington BDL in 7mm Rem. Mag. with a scope, a more suited caliber for this hunt where shot distances can be as long as 650 yards.
My first aoudad hunt started out on the wrong foot but turned into a great opportunity with the help of one of the best hunting guide teams I’ve ever hunted with. Their dedication to finding the herds, and their confidence in how they walked the rough terrain, made us more motivated in every step we took forward on shooting a big trophy. The second day of our adventure started at 6 a.m. We arrived at the arroyo crossing a few minutes before sunrise, packed our gear, and started our way up in to the mountains, arriving at the spot we had seen the aoudad the night before in a 30-minute walk.
We stopped at the back side of the mountain inside a small canyon, glassing the top to look for more aoudad to show up. Every stop was also a chance to drink some water. With no luck, the guides advised us to go back to the truck and look farther inside the large ranch’s desert mountain territories.
A steep climb is a little more difficult with only two legs.
E
Our walk up the dry creek ended at approximately 500 meters from where we had parked the truck. An hour before sunset, we found a herd of five aoudad near the top of the
Right away we saw activity on the same side of the mountain. This time, more aoudad were on the top and rocky cliffs. We glassed for a while before Carlos and Álvaro went across the arroyo to climb the steep side of the mountain, while we waited and continued Communicatingglassing.with our walkie-talkies we receive the signal to climb up the steep slope and meet up Alvaro.
Arnoldo and I started climbing a little past 9 a.m., following Álvaro who was approximately 200 yards ahead of us. This was the starting point of the real challenge, step after step, up the most demanding climbing conditions for a hill that never ended. Finally making it to the top, we found a flat spot of ground with amazing views of grasslands full of small ash trees and encinos (oaks). By then Arnoldo had discovered tracks and I smelled the particular odor of wet hair and droppings.
mountain. They were around 800 yards away, and we knew if we approached them, nighttime would catch up on us. Excited to have located a bigger herd, we marked the spot and decided this was the place to start the hunt the next morning. We called it a day and went down the creek to our pickup.
108 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Past four o’clock that evening we started up a dry arroyo (creek) to do more glassing, looking for aoudad. Ammotragus lervia, its scientific name, is not a sheep nor a goat. Biologists consider it biologically between a sheep and a goat. Its chromo some number is 58, and chromosome 60 is universal among goats.Aoudads can hybridize with domestic goats, but not with sheep. Introduced in the north of México and Texas at the be ginning of the 20th century, these animals are originally from northern Africa. They’re well adapted because they’ve done better than in their place of origin. They’ve developed thicker, larger horns and bigger bodies than their African brothers.
Once we crossed the creek, in the back side of the hill that divided the valley where the aoudad was bedded, we rested for about 15 minutes. We drank water and cooled down in the shadows. We prepared for the best place to rest my 7mm, on a
Arnoldo received a call, and with a wink of an eye, told me Alvaro had spotted a big aoudad down in the valley and we should rendezvous about 200 yards down the side of the mountain. When we got there, we started to glass down the valley of palms, bushes, and oregano grass for the aoudad that was bedded inside a bush beneath the shadow of a palm tree. After locating the big aoudad, we planned our stalk for down wind along the side of the mountain and into the valley behind a small hill, up an arroyo.
rock beside an agave-like plant about 250 yards from the aoudad.The20-minute wait for the aoudad to stand up and give me a side-angle shot felt like 2 hours. The aoudad finally got up and started to climb. We saw the real size of this enormous aoudad and its massive horns.
The guide quickly asked for my rifle and told me to fol low him in a hurry down across the valley. We positioned ourselves closer to the animal and waited for him to show up. Crashing through all sorts of thorned bushes, we ar rived and stood in position to glass the aoudad about 150 yards on the opposite hill, hidden in a bush. He started moving to my right when I made a third shot. Not know ing where my third shot hit, the aoudad kept moving to my right, 20 yards ahead. I made my fourth and last shot, aiming ahead of his body, hitting the side of his neck and dropping him to the ground.
“It’s hit! That animal is hit!” Álvaro shouted. What was a high-shoulder aim shot ended up hitting the aoudad’s quarter hind and it started to move away fast from us. As soon as it stopped around the 400-yard mark, I made a second shot, this time hitting the ground at about 1 yard from the animal. Then the injured aoudad got inside a bush far from us.
The aoudad’s longest horn measured 363⁄8".
Trying to control my breathing and heart rate, which seemed impossible as I looked in the crosshairs of my scope at this exotic beast, I slowly reached for the safety and placed my finger on the trigger. I waited for the right broadside angle, then my rifle ended the silence in the val ley, sending a 139-grain Hornady SST bullet directly to the target. I immediately heard the distinctive thump of the hit.
Alvaro and I screamed with great joy on what we just had achieved, a once-in-a-lifetime trophy aoudad with impressive horns, long beard, and chaps. Its longest horn measured 36 3⁄8", while the animal scored 1524⁄8" SCI. The aoudad, without a doubt, is a magnificent game animal and most challenging in free-range hunting conditions. It was one of the most exciting and demanding hunts I ever experienced.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 109
Patiently waiting within the brush for a good shot.
Developed
out of necessity, knives are arguably one the greatest tools ever invented. Think for a moment exactly where we would be without them. The evolution of knives throughout the history of mankind is nothing short of amazing. Archaeologists have documented this progression with the very first knives fashioned from flint. The Copper, Bronze, and Iron ages followed with new metallurgic materials for knife making. These new knives proved more durable than their previous stone counterparts. Improvements over time, including al loys and tempered steel, helped create the knives we know and use today.
By Jason Shipman
a ut H or p H otos 112 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
In addition to advancements in materials and knife making processes, over time, specialized knives were developed to meet specific needs. Knives are tools, and as such, specialized knives were developed to fill niches and achieve certain tasks. Examples include boning, caping, skinning, and fillet knives, to name a few. Shorter, pointed knives are more suitable for caping while broader blades are more suited for skinning. Long, thin blades are more appropriate for filleting a trout or redfish. As you can see, each has a purpose and has been enhanced or modified to simplify a job.
When considering hunting knives to carry in the field, and more specifically for game animals like deer and pronghorn, it’s wise to consider a versatile hunting knife that can handle a variety of tasks. It’s just not practical to carry a number of knives to meet multiple specific tasks. A good, sharp knife with a
Best Knives for Deer and Pronghorn
Sharp, folding, lock blade knives made of good steel are the author’s favorite.
Good, sharp knives are essential for game care in the field.
first four sharpening the axe.” All kidding aside, I prefer a folding knife for convenience, with a locking blade for safety. Some of us are a bit old school and have probably been carrying around the same knife for decades.Fixedblade or folding, style is irrelevant with function being the key. It must be made of good steel that can be sharpened relatively eas ily and hold an edge. To meet these criteria, some hunters swear by certain brand names such as Buck or Puma, while some opt to use high quality custom-made knives. Others choose to use the newer, scalpelstyle knives with replaceable blades, such as those made by Havalon. The advantage with these newer style knives is always having a sharp blade, but the disadvantages include having to carry extra blades as well as having to change out the blades, which can sometimes be a little dicey. In the end, it all comes down to personal preference and what you are comfortable using.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 113
One thing is certain. Everyone always thinks they have it figured better than the next guy, and of course, they have the best knife. If this happens to be the case with your hunting buddies, the next time you shoot a deer or pronghorn, be smart and play your cards right. Ask to see their knife, and brag on their choice. Usually, they will jump at the chance to show off, and you can stand back and watch as they clean your game for you. After all, there’s no use in both of you getting dirty.
3- to 5-inch blade will suffice, and in the hands of an experienced and capable per son, will get the job done. After all, caring for your game and getting your harvest from the field to the table is paramount and ultimately the goal of your hunting experience.Imaginefor a minute, after months of planning and preparation for your hunt, you have been fortunate enough to be suc cessful. You pause for a moment to reflect on the hunt as you admire your trophy buck in the field. You’ve taken photos and all that’s left to do is the work of caring for your game. Circumstances will dictate the manner in which the task is accomplished.
of their game in the field before returning to camp. Sometimes the animal is simply too large, or in the case of pronghorn, special care must be taken to not dam age the cape. In these circumstances, the animals are often skinned and quartered on the spot. If everything must be packed out, the meat may even be boned out. Whatever the case, you must have the right tools to do the job and a good, sharp knife is Whenessential.itcomes to knives, an endless number of options exist in the market place to choose from. Like anything else today, there’s always something newer or better being offered by those looking to sell something. Knives are no exception. My favorite knife is a good, sharp one. Abraham Lincoln once said, “If I had six hours to cut a tree down, I’d spend the
In Texas, it’s fairly common to load the animal and take it to a designated on-site location for cleaning game. Oftentimes hunters field dress or remove the entrails
Brandon with a fine aoudad ram from 2017. Gear included a Bear Arena 34 bow, HHA Optimizer Lite sight and an Iron Will broadhead.
116 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
By Brandon Ray
Thirty-seven years of bowhunting leads to strong preferences on gear WORKS FOR ME
author P hotos
t was a quick stalk. The big, blackcolored boar wandered down a Panhandle river bottom at sunset, so I abandoned my blind and took off on foot. When I peeked around a short cedar, the wild hog sensed my presence. He stopped broadside to glare my way. I had no time for a rangefinder, just enough time to jerk the bow to full draw, estimate the distance and cut the shot.The arrow hit the big boar low in the chest with an audible whack! He took off down the creek like a banshee with half the arrow sticking out, wagging back and forth with each stride. Any concerns about penetration were soon forgotten when I saw the hog tip over just 60 yards down the trail. With a scary-sharp broadhead through his heart, death came swift.
Arrows
A close-up of the string loop and fletching the author prefers. The number on the vane is what that arrow weighs in grains. Add a 100-grain broadhead to that arrow, and it’s a 424-grain, hunt-ready arrow.
I fletch mine with three, AAE Max Hunter vanes at a slight offset using AAE Max Bond glue on a right helical Bitzenberger jig. I like bright colors like orange, pink and fluorescent yellow so I can see where my arrow impacts an animal and recover the arrow after a pass through. I prefer titanium, stainless steel, or brass inserts. Softer aluminum inserts have a higher chance of bending on hard impact.
For more than 10 years, I’ve been hunting with “skinny” carbon arrows. Benefits to a skinny shaft include less wind drift at longer distances due to less surface area and improved penetration. The best of these are designs like the Victory VAP, Victory VAP TKO, Easton 4mm Long Range and Gold Tip’s Air Strike. Especially from a modest poundage bow rig like mine, I believe these skinny shafts penetrate better.
I
A smooth, comfortable draw cycle and good shot placement
It must be quiet at the shot. I like a solid wall at full draw with just a little valley. Something in the 75-85 percent let-off range suits me. A slim grip ensures consistent hand placement.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 117
I load more weight on the front of my arrows for a higher front-of-center balance (FOC) which also aids with deep penetration. Last year’s deer arrows were 28-inch Victory VAP TKO shafts in size 350 with an Easton 4mm Microlite nock, Easton Titanium half out (55 grains) and a 100-grain point. Total arrow weight was 425 grains. Something in the 400-450 grain finished weight range seems well-suited for deer-sized game.
Most of the questions I get from readers regarding this column are about equipment. I certainly don’t claim to be an expert on anything, but after 37 years of being obsessed with all things bows and arrows and having a decent amount of success, I’m glad to share my views on what works. Most of my experience is on game like whitetails, mule deer, antelope, hogs, aoudad and turkeys, but I’ve also taken a few black bears, elk and assorted plains game in Africa. What works for me might be different than what works for you.
For both ground blind hunting and spot-and-stalk, I like designs with a 30- to 34-inch axle-to-axle length. A brace height of 6 to 7 inches is ideal. At my 28-inch draw length, I usually shoot 58-63 pounds of draw weight. You don’t need 70 pounds to kill a deer.
More so than any specific brand or bow model, I look for certain attributes when choosing a new bow. The draw cycle is important. For hunting, I want something that rolls over smoothly, no sudden “drop” or jerk at full draw. It must also let down easily, no jerky movements.
are way more important than heavy draw weight on deer-sized game. Coupled with my hunting arrows, such a rig usually shoots 260-275 fps. I would trust my one shot of the fall at a big buck to multiple flag ship bows from brands like Hoyt, Mathews, Prime, PSE, BowTech, Bear or Elite. A few favorites for 2022 include the Mathews V3X, Prime Inline, PSE Levitate and the Hoyt RX-7. A custom string, like the Ghost XV from Gas Bowstrings, is a nice upgrade to ensure no string stretch over the course of the season.
Bows
I’ve shot a lot of feral hogs over the years. With thick, mudcrusted hide and stout bones, a mature boar is a real test for any bow rig. On that day last November, my 61-pound draw weight bow delivered a stiff, 425-grain carbon arrow led by an Iron Will broadhead across 37 yards to the hog’s chest. Despite a glancing blow to the leg bone, it still had enough energy to penetrate 12 inches for a quick kill.
With that one aiming point, less of the target was blocked and I could focus on that one pin more precisely. My groups tightened immediately. Today, I use an HHA Optimizer Lite sight with a .019 pin size. For hunting deer, wild hogs and turkeys from blinds in Texas, I leave the sight set on 20 yards. For spot-and-stalk hunting, you must remember to move the sight for the exact yardage before taking the shot. However, I also practice at longer distances with the sight still set on 20 yards, learning the holdover for different distances, for hunts like that stalk on the big boar at the river when there is no time to move the sight.Other details of my current setup include a peep with either a 7⁄ 32 inch or ¼-inch hole. I center the bow sight’s round housing inside the peep at full draw. I’ve tried smaller peeps, but they don’t let in enough light at dawn and dusk. I like Tru-Peeps from Fletcher and Raptor Peeps from Hamskea Archery.
Broadheads
118 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
I’ve invested a small fortune in testing broadheads. I’ve shot them through plywood, carpet, hog carcasses and foam. I keep coming back to a similar design. I prefer a compact, fixed-blade 100-grain head with four razor sharp blades.
About 10 years ago, I noticed trouble with my vision. At the time I was using a sight with five pins set for 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 yards. All the fiber optic pins blurred together, blocking most of the target and making precise aiming difficult. At the encouragement of a friend going through something similar, I switched to a moveable, single pin sight.
I like both a chisel tip or a knife-edge tip with two bleeders. My current favorites include Slick Trick standard, Wasp Dart, Iron Will Solid and Iron Will Wide. From a well-tuned bow, I have no trouble getting these designs to hit in fist-sized groups at 50 yards. They penetrate deep, usually pass throughs, and produce good blood trails. I’ve tried multiple mechanical broadhead designs over the years, some with spectacular results and others experiencing complete failure. Fixed-blade heads seem to offer more consistent performance. For spring turkeys, I prefer something totally different. I like head and neck shots versus a body shot. For this specific application, I use a 100-grain Magnus Bullhead or 100-grain Gobbler Guillotine. A stiff carbon shaft with three, 4-inch real barred turkey feathers steer that arrow better than small vanes.
Most of my recent bow rigs were outfitted with a 10-inch stabilizer, although if I know I’ll be hunting from a tight ground blind, I use an 8-inch stabilizer. A few top brands here include Bee Stinger’s Microhex, assorted designs from Doinker and Mathews Flatline. I include a wrist sling with my stabilizer so I can shoot with a slightly relaxed grip. My go-to rest for the last few years has been either a QAD Ultrarest HDX or a QAD Integrate MX drop-away. I prefer an index finger release to trigger the shot combined with a fluorescent green string loop. The flo green string loop is more visible in low light, making hook-ups easier at first and last light. I’ve had good luck with the Scott Echo release. I always carry an extra release in my backpack.
A close-up of the QAD Ultrarest HDX on the author’s Prime Inline bow. You can also see the single pin sight he prefers, an HHA Optimizer Lite.
Accessories
A close-up of a 100-grain, 4-blade Wasp Dart broadhead next to a whitetail buck’s antler base. It’s one of the author’s favorite broadheads for deer-sized game.
Today’s archer has lots of gear to choose from. There are certainly other options, but this works for me.
Texans have several reasons why they like dove hunting. It’s the first season of the year, it can be a family affair, the weather is usually warm—sometimes hot, the hunts are usually com fortable, you can use your good retriever, and doves are easy to carry and dress for the table. The average dove hunter gets a lot of shooting, with at least three shots per bird, which means a limit of 15 doves will take about 45 to 50 shells. When you sum it up, dove hunting is hard to beat for action. And doves wrapped in bacon with a slice of jalapeño or bell pepper and onion are yummy!
TEXAS DOVES: TOPS FOR WINGSHOOTING
When I look back at all the deer, turkey, exotics, and even rabbits and squirrels I’ve bagged through the years, I could’ve killed most of them with a single-shot rifle or shotgun. There’s just not much shooting with all that I’ve named—usually one shot. If hunters want to get a lot of action at difficult targets, they have to hunt birds, and doves are the best bet for your money in Texas.
I’ve had some good duck and goose hunts, and occasionally I might shoot six to 10 shells per hunt and bag the limit—all 12-gauge with 3-inch shells—but no chance for a favorite .410 or 20-gauge. So, if you want to get the most shooting with a variety of shotguns, the answer is doves.
much shooting you’ll get. For fall shooting fun, dove hunting beats them all.
T
According to the author, if hunters want to get a lot of action at difficult targets, they have to hunt birds, and doves are the best bet for your money in Texas.
exas hunters like to smell gun powder, and there’s a lot of difference in how much you’ll shoot at various species. If you look at everything that’s available in Texas—deer, turkey, exotics, rabbits and squirrels, waterfowl, doves, or even turtles in the pond—you can visualize how
By The Old Dove Hunter
a ut H or p H oto
Each season, some 400,000 dove hunters go to the fields and water holes, hunt about three times, shoot about 15 million shells in a variety of shotguns, and bag about five- to six-million doves. The weather has a lot to do with doves, but it would be safe to say that Texas has the best—and the most—dove hunt ing in the U.S.A. After the hunt, Texans fry, broil, stew, bake, and fricassee doves to the delight of the dove-loving crowd.
The hunting scene usually picks up steam during the last week of August. Shotguns get checked and cleaned, and hunt ers start looking for the best bargain in shotshells. A few phone
120 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
A good dog makes for a better hunt. However, hunters should get permission to bring a retriever to the hunt, and make sure the dog is under complete control. I have used good Labs for years, and I wouldn’t want to hunt without a dog. A good re triever, or even the family schnauzer can find a lot of lost birds and make the hunt more satisfying.
Hunters in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and even Lou isiana enjoy dove hunting. Through the years, I’ve seen many hunters from these states at Abilene, Brownwood, Goldthwaite, Junction, Karnes City, Laredo, and Pearsall. There’s something about Texas dove hunting that lures out-of-state hunters every year. It might be the good hunting, the partying, or just coming to Texas, but whatever it is, hunters come and join their friends to enjoy one of the best wing-shooting sports in America, Texas dove hunting.
The author’s friend, Ralph Winingham, has accompanied him to many a Lonesome Dove Fest for friendly competition. r
“I have big dove hunts each year at Creedmoor and Pilot Knob, and my hunting friends show with their guns and ice boxes from everywhere. We have a good cook-out and plenty of shooting. And it’s about the only time I ever see some of them!”
alp H W I n I ng H am p H oto www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 121
The objective is to be ready for Sept. 1 in the North Zone, which is most of Texas north of I-10. The South Zone opens about three weeks later, and the same hustle and bustle takes place with hunt ers coming from far-away places to shoot Texas’ “gray ghosts” in grain fields and at stock tanks. If you wonder about the season dates and number of hunting days, it’s all set by the migratory bird treaty with Canada and Mexico.
calls will be made to old friends who have good dove hunting—the ones you haven’t called since last dove season.
Abilene affair is the annual Legends Dove Hunt, which raises money for the Hendrick Children’s Hospital. During the last 17 years, Lanny Vinson and his team have raised $3.7 million for the children’s hospital facility. Local supporters, volunteers, celebrities, and hunters have made the Legends Dove Hunt a huge success, and the biggest genuine dove hunt in Texas, with 400-500 participants.
Some big social affairs last two or three days, with a Sunday morning skeet shoot and a big cookout of hundreds of doves, big skillets of cream gravy, and hot biscuits served at brunch time, or maybe a broiled dove lunch. This is sometimes the best part of the hunt, with a lot of bragging, lying, and comparing shotguns and shells. Bobby Schmidt has a big dove shoot at Creedmoor I have attended many times. And some big hunts are held annually at Abilene, Brackettville, Brownwood, Cotulla, Karnes City, Pearsall, and Uvalde, to name a few.The
Texas dove hunts can be had in small or large packages. Hardly anybody hunts alone, and hunts can involve two or three people, or the crowd may be 50 to 100 hunters on some big social dove hunts. I have hunted in small groups of four or five, and in large gatherings of up to 75 or more hunters. More often than not, dove hunting is a social event, with a lot of shooting and visiting. The usually hot weather means having a lot of Lone Star longnecks, or an occasional margarita at the end of the hunt.
The Karnes City hunt is associated with the annual Lone some Dove Fest, held each year on the opening weekend of the South Zone. It’s a big wingding, hosted by Benny Lyssy and his team, which will celebrate 30 years in 2022. Thousands of dove hunters and friends come to the Youth Livestock Barn between Karnes City and Kenedy to celebrate the opening of dove season, enjoy competitive shooting, do a little visiting, and more. On Saturday evening, many hunters go to the dove fields, and after dark, the party begins. All the money goes to county school
Texasscholarships.dovehunters use a lot of field etiquette, picking up cans, shell hulls, and other trash after the hunts are over. Many hunters take a case of shotgun shells or a liberal number of ready-to-cook doves to their landowner host. They may invite the family to dinner as appreciation for the dove hunt. Through the years, most hunters have learned that keeping in good with the host helps to get a dove hunt next year.
Bobby Schmidt of Niederwald laughingly sums it up.
Gov. Rick Perry, Gen. Leroy Sisco and I have joined those elite hunters many times.
126 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
First, put up an object at 25 yards—a beer can, target, or a spot that you can see through the rifle bore. Next, you’ll need something to keep the rifle sturdy, and high enough for the eye to see through the bore. I’ve used a suitable cardboard box on a waist-high table or bench. I cut a deep V in the front and back of the box so the rifle can be placed on top of the box in the V cuts, fore end out front, and pistol grip next to the shooter’s eye. The same can be done by using a commercial rifle rest, so you can look straight through the barrel at your object.
The shooter removes the bolt from the rifle and rests it so the shooter can look through the barrel at the object. About 25 yards is best. This operation is best done by two people—one to keep the bore on the object and the other to turn the scope knobs to make the reticle move to the object. Of course, the rifle will need a few shots, usually less than five, to sight for hunting. I’ve used this method for years after putting on a new scope.
ifle ammunition is scarce as hen’s teeth these days, and hunters need to save ammo as much as they can. Some of you may not be familiar with bore sighting a bolt-action rifle, which is simply looking through the rifle bore from the rear, viewing a close object, and while the rifle is held perfectly still, adjusting the scope reticle to come to the object. This will save hard-to-find ammo and will work on all rifles from .22s to .300 Mags.
Editor’s Note: The farther along we crawl through the 21st century, the more we crave just a little bit of nostalgia. If you would like to share some vintage hunting photos (anything before 1960) with our readers, please send them our way, along with a brief description or story.
eye target. Remember the correction at 100 yards is the number of clicks to move the reticle 1 inch. If you do this right, you can have your rifle sighted in with less than 10 shells, saving money, time, and recoil. If you’re smart, you will sight in a deer rifle 3-inches high at 100 yards, and you’re ready for a shot at 50 yards or 300 yards. Just put the crosshair where you want to hit. The bullet trajectory will be such that you can kill a deer at the feeder or on the hillside.Better yet, if you shoot several different rifles with scopes, you probably should take some of your party money and buy a bore sighter. Several models and brands are made to allow you to look through the scope at the sighter and adjust the scope very close to zero at 100 yards.
Horace Gore
Try bore sighting. It will save time, ammo, and money.
R
a ut H or p H oto www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 127
Give bore sighting some thought. It will save time, ammo, and money. And sighting in at 3-inches high at 100 yards will let you put a lot of deer, pronghorns, and hogs on the skinning rack. This is not just hearsay. I’ve done it for 60 years.
Bore Sight Your RifLe the Old Fashion Way
You replace the bolt and fire a round at a 25-yard bull’s-
Look through the barrel at your 25-yard object. While someone holds the rifle steady, turn the scope knobs to go right, left, up or down. While they hold the bore of the rifle right on the object, the scope gets adjusted until the reticle of the scope is directly on the object.
Before you start, find out how many clicks are needed to move your scope reticle 1 inch at 100 yards. You will need this to fine tune the scope after you bore sight in at 25 yards.
128 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
DOVE GUMBO
INGREDIENTS • 12-16 picked whole doves • 1½ cups chopped bell pepper • 1½ cups chopped celery • ½ tsp. black pepper • ½ tsp. red pepper • 1 cup onion, chopped • 1 cup green onions and tops, chopped • 1 cup parsley, chopped • ¼ cup corn oil • ¼ cup flour • 4-5 cups cooked white rice • Cold water
DIRECTIONS
Note: This recipe can be used with three large or six teal ducks, or the breast meat of one sandhill crane.
In a large pot on medium heat, make a roux by heating the oil and adding flour. Stir continuously until very brown. Turn heat to low, and add chopped onion and cook untilAddsoft.whole doves and bell pepper, celery, black pepper, red pepper, and 3 cups of water. Cover tightly with lid or foil and simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Add 1½ quarts of water, parsley and green onions. Return heat to medium and cook covered until meat falls off the bone. Add more water if needed. Debone meat as much as possible and discard bones. Serve with white rice. Feeds six.
Do you have a favorite Wild Game recipe that you would like to share with our readers? If so, please type or print recipe and send to: Texas Trophy Hunters Association ATTN: Editor 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., Suite 1206 San Antonio, TX 78258 130 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Oct 25 Oct 02 Oct 09 Oct 17 SEPTEMBER FQFQLQNFLQNFOCTOBER SEPTEMBER 2022 OCTOBER 2022 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 BEST GOOD FAIR POOR Annual vest pocket books, which show all the major and minor periods, can be ordered by sending a check or money order for $19.95 per book. For shipping and handling, please add $4.95 to an order of 1 to 4 books. Make check or money order payable to Feeding Times. Send to Feeding Times, P.O. Box 2240, Covington, GA 30015. After October 1, please indicate book year in your order. For questions or comments, call 404-373-7151. Fish and game move in search of food in cycles relative to the moon’s location to the Earth. The time spans listed are the prime or major period times to start each day and along each time zone meridian of longitude 75° (Eastern), 90° (Central), 105° (Mountain) and 120° (Pacific). To determine the feeding cycle time for fishing and hunting in the area you plan to fish or hunt, advance the sum of 4 minutes for each degree west and back up 4 minutes for each degree east. The next prime feeding cycle (not listed on the calendar) will be approximately 121/2 hours later. There are minor periods that occur between the prime or major periods. The moon’s phases are shown as New, First Quarter (FQ), Full and Last Quarter (LQ). The feeding times are not a cure-all. Weather and other environmental conditions affect wildlife feeding activity. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 3:50P - 8:50P 4:10A - 9:10A 5:05A - 10:05A 6:00A - 11:00A 6:55A - 11:55A 7:50A - 12:50P 8:45A - 1:45P 9:40A - 2:40P 10:30A - 3:30P 11:15A - 4:15P 12:10P - 5:10P 1:05P - 6:05P 1:50P - 6:50P 2:45P - 7:45P 3:40P - 8:40P 4:10A - 9:10A 5:05A - 10:05A 5:05A - 10:05A 5:55A - 10:55A 6:45A - 11:45A 7:30A - 12:30P 8:15A - 1:15P 8:55A - 1:55P 9:45A - 2:45P 5:55A - 10:55A 6:40A - 11:40A 7:20A - 12:20P 8:00A - 1:00P 8:40A - 1:40P 9:20A - 2:20P 10:05A - 3:05P 10:40A - 3:40P 11:30A - 4:30P 12:20P - 5:20P 1:05P - 6:05P 1:55P - 6:55P 2:55P - 7:55P 3:55P - 8:55P 4:30A - 9:30A 5:30A - 10:30A 6:20A - 11:20A 7:05A - 12:05P 7:45A - 12:45P 8:20A - 1:20P 8:55A - 1:55P 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 9:35A - 2:35P 10:15A - 3:15P 11:00A - 4:00P 12:00P - 5:00P 1:00P - 6:00P 2:05P - 7:05P 3:15P - 8:15P FULLLQ FULL FQ NEWFQ LQ 10:50A - 3:50P 11:40A - 4:40P 12:35P - 5:35P 1:35P - 6:35P 2:40P - 7:40P 3:45P - 8:45P Sep 25 Sep 03 Sep 10 Sep 17 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 4:25P - 9:25P 5:00A - 10:00A 4:10A - 9:10A NEW www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 131
OUTFITTER: family ranch.
GEAR: 7mm-08, Redfield scope.
132 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
OUTFITTER: Dad.
OUTFITTER: Hellickson Trophy Whitetails.
RIO HELLICKSON: whitetail doe (first deer) taken 12/8/21 in Union County, Iowa.
RYLEE COOKE: whitetail 10-point taken 12/10/21 in La Salle County.
GEAR: Nana’s .270.
GEAR: Breton 350 Bushmaster, Leupold scope.
REAGAN McWILLIAMS: whitetail 12-point with 17-inch inside spread taken 12/4/21 in San Saba County.
GEAR: .300 Blackout, Barnes TTX ammo, Leupold scope.
OUTFITTER: Dad.
MICHAEL LOGAN: whitetail 15-point with 192⁄8-inch inside spread, scoring 1601⁄8 B&C, taken 11/25/21 in Baylor County.
GEAR: Barnett Stalker.
OUTFITTER: Relord Buck Ranch.
OUTFITTER: family ranch. TX 78258
JAKE MOREJON: javelina boar taken 9/4/21 in Medina County.
BRIANNA HUNTER: whitetail 12-point taken 1/2/22 in La Salle County.
GEAR: rifle.
GEAR: Browning .270.
OUTFITTER: Charco Marrano Ranch.
GEAR: Obsession bow, 75-grain Wasp, Black Gold sights.
OUTFITTER: self.
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 133
JESUS BANDA: whitetail 10-point taken 12/28/21 in La Salle County.
RACHEL BELLETT: whitetail 10-point with 145⁄8-inch inside spread, scoring 1372⁄8 B&C, taken 11/23/21 in Tom Green County.
SEND US YOUR HUNTING PHOTOS! NOTE: Only members of Texas Trophy Hunters Association or immediate family may submit photos. Out of fairness to all members, only one photo of each family member will be accepted each year. Do not paper clip or staple photos as this can damage them. Prints must be no larger than 4x6 inches and printed on photo-quality paper. No photos will be returned. Photos may also be e-mailed to HuntsEnd@ttha.com. If sent by e-mail, please make sure to include all information from the form below and limit your photo size to less than 5MB. Send a separate e-mail for each entry. NO ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED UNLESS THIS FORM IS COMPLETED PROPERLY. Hunter’s Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Please Circle One: Youth Adult Member’s Name (if different): ________________________________________________________ Member ID Number: ___________________________ Email: __________________________________________ Species Taken: _______________________________ Number of Points: ________________ Date Taken: __________________________ Inside Spread: _______________________ Net or Gross B&C Score (if known): _______________________ Phone Number: (___________)__________________________________ State or County: _________________________ Projectile: _________________________ Sighting System: _________________________ Weapon: ________________________________________ Outfitter: ___________________________________________ Comments: ___________________________________________________________ Send To: Hunt’s End, 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., Suite 1206, San Antonio,
THE ROUND-UP[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 134 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Texas Trophy Hunters Association Round-Up ads provide excellent exposure at a minimal cost. For more information on placing your ad in the Round-Up, please contact Debbie Keene at 210-288-9491 or deborah@ttha.com.
FOR SALE in South Texas, Starr Co. In the heart of great deer hunting country, bordered by East Foundation and Tecomate Ranch. House and buildings on property. Call 956-534-7654 for RANCHinformation.MAPS
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022CLASSIFIED
DEER HUNTING Lease – Open fence HUGE VALUED COLLECTION of 150-plus TTHA magazines for sale dating from 1976 to 2010. Will sell all or part. Can email details and pics. Nearly all in perfect condition. Email DEERkenarmke@gmail.com.HUNTINGLease – Open fence 650 ac. working cattle ranch in Comal Co. Whitetail, hogs. Newly remodeled 1200 sq. ft. cabin, electricity, water, stock tank. Contact John 210-3265082 9 am – 9 pm.
- Get the highest quality, fully customizable aerial maps of your property, today! Large Maps, Field Maps, CoolerTop Maps, etc. www.MapMyRanch.com. 713-302RUSTY2028.
FEED THE HOMELESS –donate excess game animals to feed the homeless, orphans, and needy families. Go to www.trinityoaks.org “contact us” tab.
THE LONE STAR Bowhunters Association. Preserving and Promoting bow hunting in Texas since 1974. Join today at www. lonestarbowhunter.com. Take a kid Shunting.&DWHITETAILS
TEXANSTexasHunter.com.ARCHERY
www.TTHA.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® September/October 2022 | 135
in 1 week. Lodging, meals, open bar, guide, airport transfers and trophy fees included!! Call 956-867-4964 for details. www.matorisafaris.com.
FISH FEEDERS create ‘feeding zones’ that make catching fish fun for the whole family. Project fish feed up to 45ft. into the water to feed fish on a regular basis which helps you grow bigger fish faster. Call 800-969-3337 or www.
FREE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING!
4600-AC. HIGH-FENCED lease near San Ygnacio. Year-round feeding & hunting. MLDP since 2008. Ten members & guests share all facilities, stands & costs. House sleeps 6. Few spots 325-451-7120.Fencing.NetSMContact:RequestedAccommodations1,000WANTED:Please8MLDPhighLeaseSOUTHLaPurisimaRanchTX@gmail.com.available.TEXASTROPHYDeerinZapataCo.3,000acres,fence.Noguestsallowedduringseason.$3750.00pergun.members.CallBill713-202-7205.notexts.4openingsavailable.HUNTINGLEASE(plusorminus)acres.Niceforupto6people.Duration:3to5years.972/754-2686.FENCING,WeldingandDozing.wire,Barbedwire&GameContactShawnMangham
HINGE Ranch offers whitetail, hogs, squirrels, rabbits, coon, fox, duck hunting, fishing. Blinds, treestands, feeders & water year-round. 70 mi. north of Houston. $100/day or $800/year. 713-823-7139.
– Limited hunts avail. Booking 2021 now. All native S TX deer from 140-230 class. Deer & Dove hunts Central TX. Over 7500 ac. 24-yrs experience. 5 Star rating. TEXAS325-642-7596.HUNTER
WILDLIFE & HABITAT Consulting. Commercial hunts available. Contact Certified Wildlife Biologist Jason Shipman 210-508-8447 or jasonashipman@gmail.com.
3 animals
Don’t forget to use your free classified ad! It’s once per year and you must have an active membership in good standing. Send to:
You may fax your ad to (210) 523-8871, Attn: Debbie Keene or e-mail to Deborah@ttha.com. Send your ad in by September 9 to run in the next issue!
PREDATOR CONTROL Service. 25-yrs. Experienced. Specialized in removal of Coyotes, Bobcats and Feral Hogs. Contact Ronnie 830-739HELP5336.
Available to current members of Texas Trophy Hunters Association only! Limit 25 words per ad. Each member may run 1 FREE ad in one issue per year. 25 word ads after FREE issue are $40 each. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT OR REFUSE ANY AD.
28 YR. OUTFITTER in search of more land to outfit and hunt in Central TX. Looking for high fence with deer from 150-200”. We are outgrowing ourselves! Will also consider So. TX. Call Dale 325-642-7596 SDWhitetails. 980com.ACRES
CLUB wants to expand our state’s archery range infrastructure. Looking for local partners/land to expand our network. www.TexasArchery.info 501c3.
700 E. Sonterra Blvd., Suite 1206, San Antonio, TX 78258
MEXICO RANCH 8,500 ac. Available for group of 4 or 5 hunters. Trophy Whitetail, hogs, birds. 4-1/2 mi. of flowing river. 4 BR house w/ electricity, blinds, feeders – Hunt Ready! 210-379-7510, email AFRICANjharlan29@gmail.com.SAFARI$2,995
CAPTAIN SCOTT’S ADVENTURES - 956 Glenn Dr., Canyon Lake Texas 78133. Port O’Connor or Local lakes. Call 830-456-6061 for information or to book your trip.
TTHA Classified
“MEMBERS ONLY” Benefit!
The-Eliminator 134
TPWD Gear Up for Game Wardens 134
TTHA Bucks & BBQ 2023 126
Jason A. Shipman 92
Texas Hunter Products 33
Charco Marrano Ranch 36
The-Timer 134
TTHA Digital Series 74, 75
The-Remote 18
TTHA Jr. Trophy Hunters 73
TTHA Licensing Opportunities 110
Berry Whitetails 13
Rebecca Creek Distillery 129
South Texas Tripods & Feeders 134
Speer Ag 36
TTHA Chapter Spotlight 106
TTHA Membership 64, 65
TTHA Write A Story 96, 132
Paradise Trophy Ranch 27 Ranch Investments 88 Ranch King Blinds IFC
SCI Convention 80 Sig Sauer 8, 9
TTHA Hunters Extravaganza Save the Date 2023 37
West Texas Feeder Supply IFC, BC Whittaker Country 119
SCI Membership 23
Lone Star Ag Credit 28
Lyssy & Eckel 103 MyPlates 134
Big & J........................................................... 3
G2 Ranch 1
Cuddeback 29
[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 AD INDEX
TTHA PLM Listing 123, 124, 125, 126
Briscoe-Cochina & Catarina Ranches 22
Remington 81
TTHA Podcast 111
Christian Outdoor Alliance 70
Family Tradition Treestands 41
Grainger Ranch Recruiting 126
Outback Feeders 114, 115
TTHA Gear 46, 47, 134
Jerry Johnston 12
TTHA Platinum Life Membership 122
Capital Farm Credit 53
Bruton Trailers 61
Texas State Rifle Association 128
136 | September/October 2022 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® www.TTHA.com
Hornady 57
JOURNAL ADVERTISERS
Tina Kahlig & Associates 5
Safe Gun Storage 134
Case IH Agriculture 48
Reata Insurance Group 128
HB Hunting Products 84
HuntStand 18
Dullnig Ranch Sales 52
FEATURED ADVERTISERS IN THE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE
Atascosa Wildlife Supply 19
