Issuu

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

EDITOR'S LETTER May/June 2026 Volume 51, No. 3

www.ttha.com

A Time For Celebration

ast year, we celebrated 50 years of Texas Trophy Hunters Association, and its impact on everything hunting, and hunting related, in the Lone Star state and beyond. This year, we celebrate 50 years of our Hunters Extravaganzas, which have been bringing the hunting community together for fellowship, nostalgia, camaraderie, family fun, and the latest and greatest in hunting gear for five decades. Be sure to join the excitement, starting at our Houston show, Jul. 31-Aug. 2; San Antonio on Aug. 7-9; and Fort Worth on Aug. 21-23. We might have a surprise or two in store for you. In late March, a few of us celebrated the life of The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters’ longtime editor, Horace Gore. Family and friends gathered in Gonzales at the Elk Lodge No. 2143, of which Horace was a member, to reminisce on great memories of a great individual who left his mark on Texas wildlife and Texas hunting. Horace would be the first one to tell you he was far from perfect, but his sharp wit, honesty, vast knowledge on hunting and wildlife biology, and his wisdom, more than made up for his shortcomings. His writings which featured all these attributes, will endure, ensuring he’ll never be forgotten. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 9, you can celebrate the outdoors and a bit of Texas history at the Legacy Lakeside Event in Fort Parker State Park, located in Limestone County near Mexia, Texas. It’ll feature archery, boat tours, baby gators, snakes, owls, face painting, Dutch oven cooking demonstration, the Texas Buffalo Soldiers, cowboys, and more. The event is free. Visit tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ fort-parker for information. On June 21, we celebrate the summer solstice, the official beginning of summer, at precisely 3:24 a.m. Central Daylight Time. Of course, most Texans will tell you summer unofficially begins much sooner when the thermometer consistently reaches 90-plus degrees—usually in mid spring. The bluebonnets fade away and you’ll soon be picking stickers off your shoes, socks, or your bare legs—ouch! My suggestion for staying cool—celebrate the outdoors by doing some stargazing with your naked eye or your binoculars. For stargazing tips, visit mcdonaldobservatory. org/learn/stargazing. If you want to really keep your eyes sharp, why not celebrate summer by going hog hunting? Your neighbors will celebrate you for helping to keep the feral hog population in check. Just keep your eyes open for rattlesnakes. The celebration continues once you turn those hogs into summer sausage. Or if you prefer to celebrate the start of summer near water, visit the Texas Gulf Coast for some fishing. Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi has recently reopened after repairing the damage from Hurricane Hanna nearly six years ago. Lakes and rivers might be a good option, too, depending on how much rain the state receives. Don’t forget sunscreen, snacks, plenty of water to stay hydrated, and your fishing license. Remember, a slow or bad day of fishing—or hunting—is always better than a good day at work!

Official Publication of The Texas Trophy Hunters Association, Ltd.

654 Richland Hills Dr., Suite 160 San Antonio, TX 78245 210-523-8500 • info@ttha.com

Founder Jerry Johnston Publisher Texas Trophy Hunters Association President and Chief Executive Officer Christina Pittman • christina@ttha.com Editor Emeritus Horace Gore Editor Martin Malacara editor@ttha.com Executive Editor Debbie Keene

Hill Country Field Editor Gary Roberson

East Texas Field Editor Dr. James C. Kroll

Coastal Plains Field Editor Will Leschper

South Texas Field Editor Jason Shipman

Southwest Field Editor Jim Heffelfinger

Newsstand Consultants

JK Associates Joe Luca & Triva Bridges Graphic Designers Faith Peña Dust Devil Publishing/Todd & Tracey Woodard Contributing Writers Carol Heughan, John Goodspeed, Judy Jurek, Lee Leschper, Tyler Link, Julia Pearson, Brandon Ray, Will Sexton, David Scott, Eric Stanosheck, Matt Williams

Advertising Production Debbie Keene 210-288-9491 deborah@ttha.com

Events Manager Jennifer Beaman 210-640-9554 jenn@ttha.com

Sales Representative Tristan Summy 210-685-1205 tristan@ttha.com

Events Assistant Manager Natasha Delgado 210-512-8045 natasha@ttha.com

Marketing Manager Logan Hall 210-910-6344 logan@ttha.com

Membership Manager Valkyrie Myklebust 210-767-9759 valkyrie@ttha.com

Finance & Administration Manager Laura Garcia 210-512-4927 laura@ttha.com

Martin Malacara, Editor Texas Trophy Hunters Association

2 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

To carry our magazine in your store, please call 210-288-9491 • deborah@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 five 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.

CONTENTS

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

109

FEATURES 20 | Dr. Deer’s Prescription By Dr. James Kroll

75 |

Typical of a Lifetime

92 |

24 |

By Jason Shipman 33 |

42 |

Deer Contests Results 2025-2026 Compound Bow Roundup 2026 By John Goodspeed

Big Boys By Matt Williams

101 | Trophy Photography Tips By Martin Malacara and staff

The Natural Progression of Shooting Accuracy

109 | Denizens of the Desert Jim Heffelfinger

By Gary Roberson

113 | Life with Arctic Wolves By Lee Leschper

50 | Axis in Spring By Judy Jurek

118 | Up on A Stump By Martin Malacara

54 | Coastal Rooters By Will Leschper

4 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

113

CONTENTS

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

122

COLUMNS 10 |

Wildlife For Texas

88 | Eye on Nature

14 |

Fence Posts

122 | The Draw

38 | Connecting with Texas

Parks & Wildlife

58 | Next Generation 62 | Muzzleloaders in the Hunt

130 | Moon Phases 131 | Kamp Kitchen 132 | Hunt’s End

66 | Must Haves 71 |

Jr. Trophy Hunter Corner

ON THE COVER Photo By: Jason Shipman After 30 hunts, Anthony Alvarado finally took his trophy buck, a 1984⁄8 net B&C typical.

MEMBER STORIES 28 |

Londyn’s Hunting Story By Tyler Link

46 | Missouri Milestone By Will Sexton 97 |

Living the Dream in Retirement By David Scott

105 | It’s Worth Repeating By Carol Heughan

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., 654 Richland Hills Dr., Suite 160, San Antonio, TX, 78245; Phone (210) 523-8500. All rights reserved. Periodical postage paid in San Antonio, Texas, 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, 654 Richland Hills Dr., Suite 160, San Antonio, TX, 78245. 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 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.

6 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

WE ARE TTHA

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

TTHA Travels To Nashville

he Texas Trophy Hunters Association team stood prominently positioned at the entrance to the show floor of the 2026 SCI Convention to meet and greet attendees. In partnership with SCI, TTHA introduced an exclusive dual-membership opportunity that generated tremendous engagement, contributing to record-setting attendance and a memorable celebration of hunting heritage and conservation. “The momentum we experienced at the 2026 Outdoors Extravaganza carried straight into Nashville for the 2026 SCI Convention, and it was incredible to see the energy and passion of the hunting community on such a national stage,” said TTHA President and CEO Christina Pittman. “Together, we celebrated our shared mission of protecting and preserving our hunting heritage, and we are honored to have played a role in what was truly a record-setting SCI Convention.” —Logan Hall

Family Fun This Spring from TPWD Looking for some fun-filled activity for you and the family this spring? Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has you covered for May and June.

TPWD photo

Top photo: Christina Pittman amongst the convention displays. Bottom photo, left to right: RaeAnna Brown, Shannon Ralston, Raymie Grimm, Christina Pittman, Maria Davidson, Kristy Titus, Logan Hall, Valkyrie Myklebust.

Sat. May 16: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in College Station Learn to Fish – Gary Halter Nature Center in Lick Creek Park • Introduction to the sport of fishing for ages 6 and up.

Sat. & Sun. June 13 & 14 in Guadalupe River State Park Texas Outdoor Family – Camping in your Texas State Parks • Includes tent setup demonstration, fire building, Junior Ranger journal, and more. More info at tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/parks/things-to-do

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Send your story and photos to: Editor@ttha.com.

Photo Courtesy of Ben Masters

Texas native mule deer call Elephant Mountain WMA home as well as sharing the landscape and terrain with desert bighorn sheep.

Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area

onations help make the world go round, but perhaps none equals contributing land for the preservation of wildlife, the benefit of research, and public use. Gifted in 1985 to Texas by C. G. Johnson, Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area is quite unique to our great Texas Parks and Wildlife Department system. It’s primarily for the restoration of desert bighorn sheep by providing brood stock for other areas. Covering 23,147 acres in Brewster County’s Trans-Pecos ecosystem, it’s located approximately 26 miles from Alpine, and Sul Ross University. Its most prominent feature is the flat-topped Elephant Mountain, named for its resemblance to the back of an elephant. Elephant Mountain is 6,225 feet above sea level with its flat tabletop area, covering 2,200 acres, rising 2,000 feet above the surrounding land. The mountain top is closed to the public to prevent disturbance of the bighorn sheep calling it home. The Del Norte Mountains, on the eastern property range, boast elevations of 4,800 – 5,300 feet above sea level.

10 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Cody McEntire is the area biologist. He began his 14-year TPWD career as a technician, but moved to Elephant Mountain in 2020. “The mountain itself is what we call a skyline ecosystem with high desert grasslands,” he said. “It’s much different than the desert areas below it.” “In 1987, 20 bighorn sheep were brought from the propagation pens at Sierra Diablo WMA to Elephant Mountain,” he added. “Five more rams were released to supplement the new herd in 1989. Portions of EMWMA are closed to the public to minimize disturbance. The bighorns desire to be here is the only thing keeping them on the mountain.” Currently the bighorn population is providing animals for reintroducing to other areas and bolstering existing populations. McEntire says the Elephant Mountain herd is disease free as is the Franklin Mountains herd. “We constantly test for bacteria pneumonia, as that’s one of the most serious threats to bighorns. We watch the bighorns intensely. Exotics such as aoudad are controlled, as they pose a high transmission risk as vectors to the pneumonia,” he said. “Habitat is continuously monitored while we provide multiple water sources so bighorns and others don’t have to travel so far for water. The WMA’s carrying capacity is also carefully analyzed

Photos Courtesy TPWD Chase Fountain

throughout the year,” McEntire added. Like all other TPWD WMAs, research projects are a part of Elephant Mountain. It’s a designated wildlife research and demonstration area. The Borderlands Research Institute, Tarleton State University, Texas A&M University, Sul Ross University, and Abilene Christian University are but a few institutes with past or present studies at Elephant Mountain WMA. Currently one research survey is monitoring the interactions Mature bighorn sheep rams command attention of mule deer and bighorn sheep. when posing for a prepared photographer. It’s important to understand what each species eats, where for special hunts each year. Those hunts consist of archery and when they water, how mulies and bighorns react to each and gun mule deer, gun and youth only gun management other during the two species’ rutting periods, and otherwise deer (whitetail or mule deer), javelina, and a guided exotic coexist in the West Texas atmosphere. hunt package added this past year for one bull elk. The sustainability and habitat management of cattle grazMost hunts include unlimited feral hogs and coyotes as ing is an ongoing survey. The encroachment of woody spewell. McEntire said EMWMA hunts aren’t for the faint heartcies into the WMA is yet another study. Water shed developed or those with physical disabilities, as medical services are ment and rain catchment are also ongoing missions. a long way away. It’s rugged country often requiring walk“Elephant Mountain offers a great opportunity for wildlife ing in tough terrain. Success rates vary, of course, based on with limited hunting while featuring amazing views. We weather conditions and hunter abilities. have elk that move through here though not in high numThose who have hunted there most always say it was an bers. Occasionally there may be weird animals, like markopportunity of a lifetime whether successful or not. The hor with twisted horns (a goat species from Pakistan), that archery and gun mule deer hunts attract the most applicasuddenly appear. No idea where they came from,” McEntire tions. In the 2024-2025 season, over 6,000 applied for those said. respective hunts (latest statistics available). Over 65 species of mammals, eight kinds of amphibian Public access is limited but Elephant Mountain does offer species, 40 types of reptiles, 50 different butterflies, and 160 camping within a designated primitive campground. A drivvarieties of birds have been documented at Elephant Mouning tour is open May 1 through Aug. 31, but closed othertain WMA. If you look, there’s lots to see. wise for bighorn lambing season and all hunting seasons. TPWD’s Texas Public Hunt System offers several drawings High clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended because the roads are also quite primitive and rough. There is a Wildlife Viewing Site where visitors can scan the mountain slopes for bighorn sheep and mule deer. Binoculars and spotting scopes are highly recommended. There are no hiking trails but hikers may use the WMA roadways in non-restricted areas. Check out Elephant Mountain WMA to see if perhaps it’s a place you’d like to visit, or submit an application for a hunt package. You may discover an entirely new place to enjoy in the Lone Star state. Call 432-364-2228 or search for Elephant Mountain WMA on the TPWD webThe entrance to Elephant Mountain WMA clearly stands site for more information. out against a bright blue sky and mountain background.

THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

HUNTING NEWS

FENCE POSTS

NEWS ABOUT HUNTING, GUN RIGHTS, AND LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioners passed amendments to its CWD detection and response rules at its January commission meeting. The rule amendments were deemed necessary because TPWD is now solely responsible for CWD management in the state’s native CWD-susceptible species. The Texas Animal Health Commission will only be responsible for CWD management for the state’s CWD-susceptible exotic species. In August 2025, TAHC repealed its participation in the voluntary USDA Herd Certification Program. The TPWD rule amendments: • eliminate references to TAHC where appropriate • alter definitions and provisions referring to TAHC hold orders, quarantines and herd plans • modify definitions to provide for the transition to TPWD of functions previously discharged by or in conjunction with TAHC for CWD-exposed and

TPWD Commission Chairman Paul Foster

CWD-positive facilities of all kinds • provide for TPWD disease management plans to replace TAHC herd plans • apply statewide carcass disposal rules to all dead deer or parts of deer in a person’s possession and specific requirements for disposal of dead deer in exposed or CWD-positive breeder facilities • implement a documentation requirement for breeder deer carcasses transported to public landfills for disposal • stipulate that changes in land ownership do not affect trace-out release facility status; and • make non-substantive conforming and housekeeping-type changes as appropriate and necessary Before the vote and public comments, Commission Chairman Paul Foster instructed TPWD Executive Director David Yoskowitz and staff to reconvene the CWD task force and stakeholder committees for development of minimum standards for the CWD management plan, noting that if any noteworthy departure from minimum standards occurs, approval of the plan would have to come back through Yoskowitz. Also, Foster told Yoskowitz and staff to pause using authority on the rule pertaining to deer movement from CWD positive facilities until the commission can gain a consensus on language related to that. At the commission work session held a day before the commission meeting, Commissioner Anna Galo expressed concerns with language in the rule about deer movement from CWD positive facilities. “I think we all here have reservations about the discretionary part of implementing these management plans,” Galo

14 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

said. “We have a commitment to go back and define criteria of these plans so they work as they’re intended to.” In his presentation to the commission, Big Game Program Director Kory Gann noted the agency received nearly 95% of negative public comment about the overall CWD management plan. Gann listed the reasons for the negative comments as: • Rules perceived not to be science based • CWD is overregulated • The proposal doesn’t sufficiently protect native deer or Texas hunting traditions • Stakeholders should be engaged to develop minimum standards for disease management plans Commissioner Oliver Bell said he wants the process to move forward successfuly. “We’re not trying to mess anyone over,” Bell said. “We’re in this trying to help.” Commissioner William “Leslie” Doggett added, “We need to get this right. We’re going to re-establish the new task force. The situation is so complex. If it weren’t it would be fixed.” In other news, commissioners approved including aoudad to the list of species able to be taken by hunting from a helicopter. This makes the agency comply with the passage of SB1245 during last year’s legislative session. Qualified landowners or their agents may hire helicopter owners or pilots with an Aerial Wildlife Management Permit from TPWD for aoudad sheep control. TPWD’s previous rule only applied to feral hogs and coyotes. Aoudad have been deemed a threat to efforts to restore Texas’ bighorn sheep population, mainly TPWD Photo

Parks and Wildlife Commission Passes Amendments to CWD Rules

HUNTING NEWS

Feds Conduct Simulation Exercise in Preparation for Screwworm Numerous federal agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Homeland Security, announced Jan. 30 that they had conducted a New World screwworm simulation exercise earlier in January in preparation for the pest’s possible arrival. The exercise went over three different possible scenarios for the pest’s spread, including Illegal cattle smuggling, via wild animals, and by way of a human with an infested wound. “This is the first exercise of its kind,” said Acting DHS Chief Medical Officer and Acting Director of the Office of Health Security Dr. Sean Conley. “The sessions provided participants with a shared operational baseline and an opportunity to test coordination and identify decision points critical to an effective government response.” White House officials held a two-hour meeting over screwworm and its risks to the nation on Thursday, according to CBS News Senior White House Reporter Jennifer Jacobs. After a meeting with Trump’s Cabinet, six members and senior staff met to figure out how to contain the pest. “It is certainly an all-hands-on-deck issue,” US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins reportedly told Jacobs. “If it does end up on our side of the border, we’re ready for that.” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration Jan. 29, which enables state agencies to mobilize additional resources to prevent the spread into the state. Arizona and New Mexico agriculture officials have also issued separate alerts on screwworm. “State law authorizes me to act to prevent a threat of infestation that could

cause severe damage to Texas property, and I will not wait for such harm to reach our livestock and wildlife,” Abbott said in a release. “Texas is prepared to fully eradicate this pest if need be.” Numerous cases of New World screwworm have recently been identified in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, some as close as 70 miles from Texas’ border. The cases are the closest the pest has been to entering the U.S. in generations. —courtesy KENS5.com

Sterile Screwworm Fly Dispersal Facility Opens in Rio Grande Valley The ribbon cutting of a sterile fly distribution facility Feb. 9 in the Rio Grande Valley marked a major milestone in the effort to prevent the spread of New World screwworm into Texas and the United States. The facility will support the strategic dispersal of sterile flies, a proven tool used to halt the spread of the destructive pest. Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) leaders attended the event alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, highlighting the coordinated federal and state response to protect agriculture as New World screwworm cases have been identified closer to the Texas border. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will open a nearby facility by the end of n ‌ ext year that produces sterile flies intended to fi ‌ ght the flesh-eating parasite New World screwworm, Sec. Rollins said. Rollins gave an update on the $750 million plant being constructed in Edin-

Texas Farm Bureau photo

because aoudads transmit Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, which causes pneumonia in bighorn sheep, devastating the bighorn population. Stay tuned for more TPWD Commission news updates in the July-August Journal. —Martin Malacara

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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins (with the scissors) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, along with Texas Farm Bureau leaders, attended the ribbon cutting of a sterile fly distribution facility in the Rio Grande Valley.

burg near Moor Air Base, after announcing last August that ‌USDA planned to build it in response to northward spread of the pest in Mexico toward the U.S. border. The facility represents a long-term investment in animal health, rural communities and the nation’s food supply, TFB President Russell Boening said. “Texas Farm Bureau is encouraged by USDA’s decisive action in delivering a new sterile fly distribution facility on schedule,” he said. “This facility is a critical component of the New World screwworm response plan and strengthens our ability to respond quickly and effectively as cases move closer to Texas.” —courtesy Texas Farm Bureau and Reuters

South Dakota Leads Way To Deregulate Suppressors As of Jan. 1, the $200 tax stamp no longer applies when purchasing a gun suppressor. Thanks to President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill, gun owners wanting to purchase one or more can save some of their hard-earned cash. However, those wanting one still have to fill out the necessary federal paperwork and adhere to regulations, including a waiting period, in order to own a suppressor. With the tax stamp going from $200 to $0, the possibility of removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA) now exists. “The Supreme Court upheld the National Firearms Act many years ago, based on the argument Congress has the authority to tax. Now that the tax is $0, the National Firearms Act is vulnerable to court challenges,” Mark Jones, a national director for Gun Owners of America, told the Cowboy State Daily newspaper. According to Shooting News Weekly, a couple of lawsuits have already begun making their way through the courts, using the argument that suppressors should be regulated just like any other firearm. Currently, suppressors are classified under the NFA as Title II weapons. The Big, Beautiful Bill didn’t remove suppressors from that classification. Shooting News Weekly also stated if NFA regulation gets struck down by

THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

the courts, laws in 16 states will have a problem. Laws, as currently written in those states, would outlaw owning suppressors there. Recent legislation passed by South Dakota lawmakers appears to have solved that problem. On Feb. 10, South Dakota’s Gov. Larry Rhoden signed SB2A into law. The law, which passed unanimously in both state houses, deregulates silencers in that state in anticipation of suppressors being removed from the NFA. This law says suppressors are not controlled weapons and don’t require regulation from the NFA for South Dakota residents to own one. With the work legislators put into carefully crafting the law, it could be used as a template for the other 15 states to do the same. However, not all of those 15 states are as gun-friendly as South Dakota. —courtesy Shooting News Daily and Cowboy State Daily.com

A Win for Conservation: Looking Back on Florida’s 2025 Bear Hunt The recent conclusion of Florida’s first bear hunt in a decade marks an important milestone for science-based wildlife management in the Sunshine State and conservation writ large. This win for conservation was made possible through the leadership of the staff and Commissioners with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the dedication of hunting advocates throughout the state and nationwide. Despite misleading campaigns from anti-hunting groups, the 52 bears legally harvested during this year’s season represent a successful beginning of active management of black bears in Florida. The hunt marked a significant step forward toward the FWC’s longterm population management goals that will ultimately help to slow population growth in targeted areas despite the overall harvest falling short of the allocated tag total. It also reaffirmed the FWC’s commitment to letting sound science, not emotion, drive wildlife policy. Activists tried to use Florida courts to stop the hunt. SCI responded swiftly to help defend the FWC’s decisions, based on the recommendations of Florida’s wildlife science officials. SCI’s argu-

HUNTING NEWS

ments and those of the FWC ultimately prevailed in court, defeating a proposed injunction and allowing the hunt to move forward as planned. If the detractors had gotten their way, Florida would have lost a proven wildlife management tool. Regulated black bear hunting would have been shut down, populations would continue to expand unchecked, and human-bear conflict would have continued to rise. The 2025 Florida black bear hunt shows that science-based wildlife management can withstand pressure campaigns and misinformation. The FWC followed the data and delivered a safe, highly regulated hunt that prioritized conservation, public safety, and transparency. In addition to our legal work, SCI proudly supported the FWC through our local chapter leaders, state advocacy team, and Foundation biologist and large carnivore specialist. Collectively, the team helped rally our members from across Florida’s seven SCI chapters to vocally support the hunt, provided multiple in-person testimonies to the FWC, and served as a constant resource for local and national media who wanted to understand why a hunt was a necessary wildlife management tool. As we repeatedly explained, regulated hunting is the only way to manage an abundant bear population. That is not advocacy— it is science and science drives wildlife policy. In approving the hunt, Florida joined every other state with a sizable black bear population in relying on regulated hunting as a proven, sciencebased management approach. SCI applauds the FWC for standing firm in the face of opposition and remains committed to supporting Florida’s bear management program in the coming years, as the FWC works to promote the health and sustainability of Florida’s black bear population for generations to come. This year’s bear hunt has been a massive first step towards protecting the Freedom to Hunt in Florida and ensuring that science-based conservation prevails over emotional sentiment in wildlife management. —W. Laird Hamberlin, CEO, Safari Club International and Safari Club International Foundation

16 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Zinke Named 2026 Federal Legislator of the Year Safari Club International announces U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke as its 2026 Federal Legislator of the Year in recognition of his leadership and unwavering support for America’s sportsmen and women, conservation U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke efforts, and access to public lands. As an advocate for hunters in the Treasure state and across the country, Zinke has consistently advanced policies that support America’s sporting heritage. Throughout his career, he has championed science-based wildlife management and pushed back against efforts that would limit opportunities to hunt. During his tenure as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 2017 to 2019, Zinke took action to expand hunting and fishing access on federal lands. He reversed a baseless ban on lead ammunition and fishing tackle on National Wildlife Refuge System lands, and issued Secretarial Orders to increase hunting and fishing opportunities nationwide. He also prioritized conservation of big game migration corridors and winter range across Western public lands. Now serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Zinke has co-sponsored the Grizzly Bear State Management Act, legislation that would remove the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear population from the Endangered Species Act and restore management authority to the states. He also co-founded the Bipartisan Public Lands Caucus in vehement opposition to attempts to sell off public lands. “Representative Zinke has demonstrated a deep commitment to the right to hunt, science-based conservation, and access to public lands,” said SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin. “His leadership at both

HUNTING NEWS the Department of the Interior and in Congress constitutes a legendary résumé as a warrior for hunters and anglers across the country.” —courtesy SCI

Mule Deer Foundation Opposes Catalina Island Extermination Bill Mule Deer Foundation President and CEO Greg Sheehan released a statement on the recent legislation passed for exterminating mule deer on Catalina Island in California: “The Mule Deer Foundation is aware that mule deer were introduced to Catalina Island in the 1920s and are not historically native. However, their long presence has made them a valued part of the landscape to many Californians for ecotourism and recreation. As mule deer across the West and California have been in decline for more than 60 years, it is disappointing to see deer entirely removed from yet another location rather than being managed at sustainable levels. Science shows that some grazing can be compatible with healthy ecosystems, and experts have raised concerns that complete removal could unintentionally increase wildfire risk by allowing fine fuels to accumulate. The Mule Deer Foundation stands ready to help develop science-based management frameworks for Catalina Island that reduce impacts while maintaining a controlled deer presence consistent with public values.”

Coyote Swims To Alcatraz A passenger on a tourist ferry to Alcatraz Island got more than he bargained for. The tourist shot video of a coyote swimming in San Francisco Bay and making its way onto the island. The unidentified tourist shared the video with Aidan Moore, an employee of Alcatraz City Cruises. Moore told park rangers about the sighting, but the rangers couldn’t locate the coyote. The video made its way onto social media outlets, and showed the coyote struggling to reach the shore. The coyote then struggled to get itself onto land, but once it did, it tried to warm itself in the sun as it shivered, exhausted from the cold swim. “Coyotes can be commonly seen

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VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

throughout our San Francisco and Marin parklands but never before on Alcatraz,” Julian Espinoza, a spokesperson for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, told SFGATE. “This was the first time our park biologists observed anything like this.” Christine Wilkinson, a conservation scientist who has studied Bay Area coyotes for the University of California, Santa Cruz and the California Academy of Sciences, told SFGATE that the coyote in the video was likely trying to establish its own territory. Wilkinson suspects that the coyote came from a pack in the Coit Tower, which is on the mainland south of Alcatraz, and where there is little green space for coyotes. Furthermore, coyotes wanting to disperse south of Coit Tower would face Interstate 280 and the risk of being struck by a vehicle, so taking to the water might have seemed like a safer option. Coyotes typically look for new territory in the fall and early winter, but it’s not unheard of for this to happen in January, Wilkinson said. —courtesy SFGATE

USDA Forest Service Issues Revised Oil and Gas Leasing Rule The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service finalized revisions to its regulation governing federal oil and gas resources on National Forest System lands. The revision modernizes and streamlines the process for managing energy development across millions of acres. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the updated rule today, emphasizing the Trump Administration’s joint commitment to eliminating outdated and burdensome processes and advancing President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Orders on Declaring a National Energy Emergency and Unleashing American Energy. “President Trump has made it clear that unleashing American energy requires a government that works at the speed of the American people, not one slowed by bureaucratic red tape,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “This rule gives

energy producers the certainty they need to expand supply to make energy more affordable, create jobs, and ensure America remains the dominant force in global energy markets - all while safeguarding forests and communities. Energy security is national security. These revisions create clarity and alignment across federal agencies, allowing our teams to move swiftly on leasing and permitting so American families and businesses can rely on affordable, dependable energy, while continuing to be good stewards of our public lands.” “We are replacing the Biden administration’s bureaucratic delays with American innovation and efficiency,” said Secretary Doug Burgum. “These new rules provide the certainty needed to boost production, slash energy costs, and guarantee our global leadership. By streamlining permitting and cutting bureaucracy, we are lowering costs for families, creating jobs, and securing our nation all while protecting our public lands.” The final rule (36 CFR 228 Subpart E), now published in the Federal Register, updates and simplifies federal oil and gas leasing procedures, allowing the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to seamlessly coordinate when issuing permits. By establishing a single, clearly defined leasing decision point and reducing duplicative analysis, the rule improves response times to industry requests, helps reduce longstanding backlogs, accelerates lease issuance, and supports the timely processing of applications for permits to drill. Under federal law, the Forest Service manages the surface estate of National Forest System lands, while the BLM manages the subsurface mineral estate. The two agencies work together to develop permitting conditions under their respective authorities. Currently, 5,154 federal oil and gas leases cover approximately 3.8 million acres (about 2%) of National Forest System lands. Of these, roughly 2,850 leases spanning 1.8 million acres across 39 national forests and grasslands contain producing federal oil or gas wells. —courtesy USDA Forest Service

THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

18 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

By Dr. James C. Kroll

SCI Foundation Photo

DR. DEER’S PRESCRIPTION

Mountain lions are the most consistently documented predator of white-tailed deer in Mexico, according to the author. They’re widely distributed across the country.

Predator Impacts on White-tailed Deer in Mexico What we know—and what we don’t

have worked in Mexico on everything from white-tailed deer to reptiles and birds since the 1960s. I have a deep love and appreciation for the country, its people and the diverse wildlife. The connection between the Texas Trophy Hunters Association and Mexico goes back to the very beginnings of the magazine and our organization. Even the TTHA logo can be traced back to Mexico. In an earlier column, I discussed how, as a young student biologist at Baylor University, I spent many weeks exploring Mexico and Central America, collecting specimens for the Strecker Museum at Baylor. Some years later, I returned

20 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

to Mexico while pursuing my doctoral degree at Texas A&M University in pursuit of knowledge about the huge diversity of species and habitats found in the mountains and deserts of northern Mexico. Those were exciting days when I experienced what had to have been the closest thing to what the U.S. was like during the late 1800s. Two things captured my attention most during those days: the diversity of whitetail subspecies, 14 to be exact, and the richness of predator species cohabiting pristine Mexico habitats. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were among the most widespread and ecologically important large mammals

Gary Roberson Photo

in Mexico. Found from the desert grasslands and thornscrub of the north to the tropical forests and coastal plains of the south, deer occupied an extraordinary range of habitats and management challenges. The opportunities to learn about natural deer ecosystems became a magnet I could not resist. In those early days of my education, I learned that in Mexico, white-tailed deer coexisted with a diverse guild of native predators, including coyotes, pumas (mountain lions), bears and even jaguars, in more limited areas. In those days, predaCoyotes are now nearly ubiquitous across Mexico, including regions tor populations in the U.S. were just beginning to where they were historically absent. increase, and there was considerable debate on the impacts of predation, even the coyote. I considered understanding how predators influence deer populations as within 100 miles of the U.S. border. an important question for wildlife managers, landowners, and Multiple studies from northern, western, and central Mexico conservationists alike. I looked to Mexico to be a great place report deer as a major prey species for pumas, often contribto learn about predator-prey relationships. Yet research from uting substantially to total prey biomass. In regions such as Mexico, even to this day, remains relatively limited. Sonora, scat-based studies regularly identify deer remains, In most cases, Mexican studies have documented the basics, confirming that pumas actively hunt and consume adult deer such as predator diets and prey use rather than direct popuwhere available. In western Mexico, classic comparative diet lation-level impacts on deer. As a result, the ecological role of studies have shown that deer can represent one of the most predators in shaping deer numbers, behavior, and recruitment important prey categories for pumas, sometimes exceeding remains only partly understood. smaller mammals in energetic contribution. A critical distinction must be made at the outset. Most predaThese findings establish clearly pumas are a significant tor research in Mexico falls into the category of diet studies, natural source of deer mortality in much of Mexico. However, not demographic impact studies. Diet studies—based on scat the larger question—whether puma predation regulates deer analysis, stomach contents, or prey remains—tell us what populations—remains unresolved. Unlike many U.S. studies predators eat and how frequently deer appear in the prey base. that track survival of radio-collared deer or quantify causeDemographic studies, by contrast, evaluate whether predation specific mortality, comparable work in Mexico is scarce. As a measurably affects deer survival, fawn recruitment, or popularesult, puma impacts are best described as ecologically importion growth. tant but not yet quantified at the population level. In the Mexican literature, diet-based evidence is relatively The jaguar (Panthera onca) represents Mexico’s largest native common for large cats, but rigorous studies linking predation feline predator and historically ranged across much of the counto deer population limitation are rare. Thus, much of what try. Today, jaguars persist primarily in southern and western is known about predator “impacts” on deer in Mexico is best strongholds, including tropical forests, thornscrub, and rugged interpreted as evidence of predation occurring, rather than coastal regions. Their current distribution is fragmented, and proof of predation controlling population size. I can say with densities are generally low compared to pumas. confidence that deer remains show up significantly in the diet Where jaguars remain, deer are frequently documented as of puma. prey. Diet studies from western Mexico demonstrate whiteAmong Mexico’s predators, the puma (Puma concolor) is the tailed deer contribute meaningfully to jaguar prey, often most consistently documented as a predator of white-tailed alongside peccaries and other large-bodied mammals. In some deer. Pumas remain widely distributed across much of the protected landscapes, deer appear to be a regular component country, occupying deserts, mountains, forests, and mixed of jaguar diets, confirming their role as an important predator– agricultural landscapes. This broad distribution means pumas prey interaction. overlap with deer populations more extensively than jaguars do However, jaguar impacts on deer populations are likely to be today. I manage a large 50,000-acre ranch in northern Mexico, highly localized, limited to areas of strong jaguar persistence. and quickly discovered pumas are significant predators even Unlike pumas, jaguars do not exert broad nationwide predation THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

Marcus Obal Photo

pressure on deer. Still, in regions such as the Yucatán Peninsula or western coastal forests, jaguar predation may influence deer behavior, habitat use, and local mortality risk. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are now nearly ubiquitous across northern Mexico, including regions where they were historically absent. Their expansion has been facilitated by landuse change, agricultural development, and the decline of larger apex predators in some areas. Coyotes are highly adaptable, occupying rangelands, scrub, farmland, and even periurban environments. Despite their widespread distribution, Mexico-specific studies quantifying coyote impacts on white-tailed deer are surprisingly scarce. In North America more broadly, coyotes are well known as significant predators of deer fawns, particularly during the first weeks of life. In some systems, high coyote predation can reduce recruitment, especially when habitat cover is limited or alternative prey is scarce. In Mexico, however, comparable fawn survival studies using radio-collared animals are largely lacking. This means that while coyotes almost certainly prey on fawns and scavenge deer carcasses, the magnitude of their impact remains poorly measured. Their effects likely vary greatly by region, depending on vegetation cover, deer density, rainfall patterns, and human harvest pressure. My experience with coyotes in Mexico supports they are significant fawn predators, and coyote populations tend to oscillate due to climatic conditions and periodic outbreaks of disease such as distemper. Coyote management is generally supported by most deer managers in Mexico. Most hunters north of the Mexico border would be surprised at the proximity of bears to the Rio Grande. The American black bear (Ursus americanus) occurs primarily in northeastern Mexico, especially along the Sierra Madre Oriental. Unlike large cats, black bears are overwhelmingly omnivorous. Diet

Jaguars are the largest native feline predator in Mexico. Where jaguars remain, deer are frequently documented as prey.

Alejandro Gómez Nísino Photo

studies consistently show plant material dominating bear scats, with animal matter contributing only occasionally. White-tailed deer remains do appear in some analyses, but interpretation is difficult. Scat studies cannot reliably distinguish between predation and scavenging, and most authors caution against assuming bears are actively killing deer. Overall, the evidence suggests black bears are minor, opportunistic contributors to deer mortality, rather than major predators shaping deer population dynamics. I have considerable experience with black bears in Mexico, and have found them to be more of a nuisance than a significant predator up until now. My biggest issue with them is the damage they do to deer feeders. In general, I have learned that bears tend to move large distances principally from the Sierra Madre Oriental. There appears to be no predictability in their movements or appearances north of the mountains. Perhaps the most striking feature of the Mexican literature is what it lacks: long-term, large-scale demographic studies of predation impacts. In the United States, predator-deer research often includes telemetry-based survival analysis, predator density estimation, and experimental evaluation of limiting factors. In Mexico, such studies remain rare due to Diet studies on bears do show deer remains appear in bear logistical, financial, and institutional constraints. scat. But the studies can’t reliably distinguish between The best-supported conclusions are cautious. Pumas scavenging and predation. and jaguars regularly prey on white-tailed deer where they overlap; coyotes are widespread and are likely important fawn predators, but their demographic effects remain poorly quantified; black bears play a limited and opportunistic role; and no predator species has been shown to consistently regulate deer populations across broad regions of Mexico. For managers and landowners, these findings suggest that habitat quality, land use, and harvest pressure often exert stronger influences on deer populations than predation alone. Predators are clearly part of the ecological context, but their population-level effects vary widely and remain incompletely understood.

22 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Author Photos

Anthony Alvarado’s buck measured 2221⁄8 gross, and 1984⁄8 net.

24 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

his hunting season was a tough one by any measure for most hunters in Texas. The season started out slowly and never seemed to gain momentum. Huge acorn crops and unseasonably warm temperatures made for difficult hunting across the state. Sure, we had a few little cold fronts, but nothing really substantial to speak of. It wasn’t until late January before South Texas got hit with a freeze. Warmer temps kept deer in nocturnal patterns, resulting in less daylight movement and a trickle rut. Many hunters were left scratching their heads, trying to figure out what to do next. Successful hunters had to put in the work, and Anthony Alvarado was one of them. Having hunted his entire life, Anthony is an accomplished outdoorsman who also happens to be TTHA Platinum Life Member No. 1060. “I grew up hunting in the Hill Country near Harper on a family lease,” Anthony said. “Eventually I ended up in South Texas, and hunting bigger deer became sort of an obsession.” Anthony has been close with the Flores family for years and hunts at their Pearsall ranch, Flores Ranch Whitetails, every season. A couple of years ago, while hunting with Bobby Flores at the family’s ranch, Anthony saw a giant deer. “I was bowhunting and saw this awesome buck. He was absolutely beautiful,” Anthony said. “He was wide, symmetrical, and just amazing. I asked Bobby about the deer, and he said he needed another year, but I could hunt for him when the time was right.” Strict management guidelines at the ranch would not condone taking a buck of such caliber until post maturity. Fast forward to this hunting season. “Early on we got a few trail camera photos of the buck, and I was blown away,” Anthony said. “He had a larger frame and was just so much bigger. What a difference another year made!” Anthony got the green light to hunt the big deer and wasted no time starting. “I wanted to get him with my bow before he had a chance to break any tines,” he said. About 10 years ago, Anthony transitioned from rifle hunting to bowhunting and never looked back. “I enjoy the challenge of getting close to deer and being on their level,” Anthony said. He knew going into this particular hunt that it would be the ultimate experience. Early in October, Bobby set up a blind in an area where the buck was known to frequent, and began to monitor the buck’s pattern with trail cameras. “He primarily moved at night. We never saw him in the morning, and he only showed up a few times in the evening during the last minutes of legal shooting light,” Anthony said. Despite the odds, Anthony hunted every chance he could. “It was really hot! Too hot! Way too hot to be comfortable!” Anthony said. “I sweated a lot of days hunting that deer.” Misery loves company, so Anthony’s girlfriend, Abigail Rios, accompanied him to video the hunt. After several weeks and approximately 30 hunts for the buck, they began to question their sanity while rethinking their strategy. “I started walking to the blind and arriving about an hour earlier,” Anthony said. “I felt like the buck was onto us. I saw him pass through the brush on one hunt. I think he was circling us to get downwind. We started watching the cameras to see how he would react to our actions. He always traveled with another younger buck – a running buddy.” The hunters paid close attention to every detail in an effort to outsmart the witty, old buck. Finally, the hunters got the break they needed. An ever-soTHE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® | www.TTHA.com

slight change in the weather brought the temperature down just a few degrees. “Abigail couldn’t make the hunt due to work obligations,” Anthony said. “I had a feeling that afternoon while walking to the stand alone that it might happen.” Anthony arrived at the blind, set up the camera on a tripod, and settled in for a long afternoon hunt. As the afternoon progressed, movement was better than it had previously been, and several deer were out feeding earlier. Then it happened. “The big buck’s running buddy stepped out. I hit record on the camera and quickly got ready,” Anthony said. “I knew the buck I was after was close.” Anthony’s intuition was right, and he nervously watched as the giant buck slipped out of the brush and began to feed. “He knew something was wrong Anthony and Abigail pose with his buck the day after the hunt. and was on high alert,” he said. With a Mathews bow in hand and an arrow already nocked, Anthony drew and keep my composure as I released my arrow.” held at the first opportunity. “I could hear my heart pounding The arrow zipped through the air, traveling 28 yards before and I started shaking,” he said. “I remember thinking after all of hitting the buck in the shoulder. “It looked like I hit him a little this time, I’ve got to make this happen!” Suddenly, some of the forward, but I saw the arrow go through the opposite shoulder deer spooked, and began to leave. Only the giant remained and when the buck wheeled around to leave.” The huge buck made it was picture perfect. “He turned to leave, then stopped and a laborious exit before quickly disappearing into the dense turned broadside for one last look,” Anthony said. “I tried to brush. Anthony called Bobby for help and waited for him to arrive. Upon arrival, the two decided enough time had passed and decided to make a quick search. “I found my arrow and it showed good blood, but there was no blood trail at the point of impact,” Anthony said. It was getting dark, and they were cautious as they made a couple of small circles in the brush in an effort to recover the buck. “We picked up the blood trail pretty quickly, and he only went maybe another 20 or 30 yards before piling up,” he said. After all the hard work, time, and effort dedicated to producing and harvesting such an incredible animal, the hunters were overwhelmed. “When I walked up to the buck, I was simply amazed, and I immediately started yelling!” Anthony said. “I felt blessed to have had the opportunity and couldn’t believe that I had taken such a magnificent deer!” The typical 8x7 buck had a huge frame with only 6 3⁄8" of abnormal points. He was later measured, grossing 2221⁄8" and netting 198 4⁄8". He was indeed the typical of a lifetime. “He was so much bigger than I had imagined, and I’ll probably never see a deer like that again,” Anthony Anthony’s typical 8x7 buck had a said. “I know I can’t top it, but I’ll still spend the huge frame with only 63⁄8" of abnormal next 20 years trying!” points.

26 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Author Photos

Londyn with her first big buck, which she nicknamed, “Bucky.”

28 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

y dad and grandfather have been taking me into the woods for as long as I can remember. I grew up walking beside them with whatever gear marked the next stage of my life: a BB gun, then a .22, a .270, and eventually a compound bow. Those memories shaped who I am, so when my first daughter was born, I couldn’t wait to pass down that tradition. Now she has a sister and a brother, and the outdoors has become our family’s gathering place. It has become the backdrop for laughter, stories, and lessons I hope they’ll carry into adulthood. Somewhere along the way, I got it in my head that each of my kids could attempt to take their first animal when they turned nine. It sounded reasonable enough, at least to me. So when my oldest daughter, Londyn, turned nine, she began practicing with a crossbow. I expected her to enjoy it. I didn’t expect her to have natural talent. We started at 10 yards, then 20, and at 30 yards she was drilling the bull’s eye over and over again. It was one of those quiet, proud parenting moments where you realize your kid is actually better at something than you were at their age.

We’re fortunate to have a little patch of family land in Central Texas. As summer ended, Londyn spent a few evenings at my parents’ house watching deer melt out of the brush as the daylight disappeared. One day she came home grinning ear to ear. “Dad,” she said. “There’s a huge eight-pointer that showed up and I named him Bucky!” From that moment on, Bucky was all she could talk about. Opening day finally arrived on Sept. 27, and she was beyond ready. She had the skills, she had the confidence, and I trusted her with the safety side of things. The only hiccup: My wife was hosting a gender-reveal party for one of her friends at our house. So Londyn and I formed a plan worthy of a heist movie. Show up, smile, congratulate the parents-to-be, and the second the confetti dropped from the piñata, make a run for the blind. Within minutes, Londyn transformed from a sparkly pink princess into a camouflaged hunter with face paint, determination, and a crossbow. We made it to the blind with an hour of legal shooting light left. We saw a few does and a very young eight-pointer, but not Bucky. I could feel her excitement draining on the way home.

Londyn with her grandparents, celebrating Londyn’s success. THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

The next morning, we were back in the blind before the first hint of sunrise. As the world grew from gray to color, four does stepped into view, standing just 20 yards from us. “Dad, can I harvest one?” she whispered. I reminded her Bucky might show, but she had made up her mind. She wanted to put all those hours of practice to use. When I said, “OK,” I watched nerves wash over her. Her breathing changed, her leg started to shake, and she asked me to look through the scope to double-check her aim. Then, she squeezed the trigger. It was a perfect shot! The doe ran 40 yards and dropped within sight of the blind. The look on her face was something I’ll never forget. In that moment, I wasn’t just a dad. I was a grateful hunting dad watching a tradition move one generation further. I didn’t bring up hunting for a while after that. You never really know how a kid will feel after doing something for the first time. I wasn’t going to push her. But every time we visited my parents, Londyn’s first question was always the same: “Have y’all seen Bucky?” One day my dad told her he had seen him two nights in a row. That was all it took. Londyn begged me to take her back. On Oct. 13, we headed to the blind again, this time with her grandfather joining us. It felt like everything came full circle before anything even happened. After about an hour, Bucky appeared, standing 20 yards in front of us like he had stepped out of one of her dreams. Londyn aimed her crossbow, steadied the crosshairs, and took the shot. Another perfect hit. Bucky fell just 50 yards from where he stood. Watching a 50-pound little girl walk up and grab hold of the antlers of her first big buck is a moment my dad and I will carry with us forever. Three generations, one tradition, and a memory etched deeper than any hunting story I’ve ever lived. I hope every father and grandfather get to experience something like that.

Londyn with her dad. He couldn’t be more proud.

30 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Brody Chapin Photos

Brody Chapin’s 19 pointer out of Anderson County is sure to rank among the top scoring free range non-typicals taken statewide this season. Brody poses with his wife, Madison, and son, Waylon.

THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® | www.TTHA.com

nderson County in eastern Texas has a rich history of producing some outstanding bucks over the years, but it had a really hot hand last season. Through November, the county had produced lifetime bucks for at least three hunters: Joe Parker of Jacksonville, Luke Johnson of Elkhart, and Brody Chapin, also of Elkhart. There’s a great story behind each deer, but Chapin’s tale is particularly noteworthy.

Small tract bruiser

usually at night, and then he’d disappear. I got one daylight picture of him on Nov. 1 this year and that’s it. But I could tell he was big — way bigger than last year. I was pretty excited.” Chapin said he hunted the property twice with no luck during first week of the general season. He hunted opening morning and never saw a single deer. “I always tried to be careful about going in there,” he said. “It’s really hard getting in there in the dark, because the brush is so thick. You can’t hardly do it without a light. Every time I tried, there was deer in there and they would blow out on me. I was pretty sure he was hanging around the area and I didn’t want to pressure him too much.”

For starters, the remarkable buck was taken on a tract of property so small you could probably see from one side to the other if not for the dense woods that cover it. The low-fence property spans a meager five acres, according to the 25-year-old Rattled to 1 yard archer. November’s Beaver Moon was shining bright that fateful It’s hardly the kind of place where you might not expect a Saturday morning, so Chapin chose to make the short hike record book whitetail to come calling, but that’s exactly what happened on the morning of Nov. 8 shortly after Chapin settled into his tree saddle 15 feet above ground in a post oak tree. Interestingly, Chapin secured rights to hunt the land the old-fashioned way. “I never saw anybody around there, so I found out who owned it and went and did a little door knockin’,” he said. “I was initially hoping to buy the land. That didn’t work out, but the landowner did give me permission to hunt out there beginning in 2023. It didn’t cost me a dime. I definitely owe her a nice dinner after this buck.” The monster whitetail Chapin arrowed on the property was indeed the deer of a lifetime, but it wasn’t a total surprise. The hunter first saw on the Brody’s buck has been green scored for Texas Big Game Awards at 2213 ⁄ 8 gross and 213 7⁄ 8 net buck on a game camera Boone and Crockett. soon after he gained access to the land during August unassisted without the aid of his red light. He said it was about 2023. He believes the deer was 31/2 years old at the time. It was 6 a.m. when he made it to his tree and took a seat in his saddle. plain to see the buck had a wealth of potential if he lived long A lone doe showed up not long after he got set. enough. Chapin said the doe was acting skittish, but stuck around for “I got a few several pictures of him in 2023-24, but actually about 30 minutes before trotting off into in a yaupon thicket. saw him the alive on-the-hoof only once before I shot him,” he “By the way she was acting, I thought something was up,” he said. “It seems like he’d always show up around Halloween,

34 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

said. “About 10 minutes later a young buck ran past my tree, scented the doe, and took off the same direction she did.” Thinking the doe might be in estrus, Chapin reached for his rattling horns and grunt call in an attempt a to make something happen. The idea was to simulate the sounds of a buck fight Brody used rattling horns and a grunt call to lure the buck to within 1 yard of his stand on the morning of Nov. 8 while hunting a tiny, five-acre tract.

inches in mass measurements including bases greater than 6 inches, plus a 77⁄8 -inch drop tine. Chapin said the buck was green scored for Texas Big Game Awards at 2214⁄8 gross and 213 7⁄8 Boone and Crockett inches by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Wildlife biologist Jeff Gunnels of Streetman. Gunnels, an official B&C scorer, will rescore the enormous non-typical rack after it dries for a mandatory 60 days. It’s sure to make the 195 minimum required for non-typical entry to the B&C All-Time record book. It will also be among the top free ranging whitetails taken by archery gear or firearm statewide this season.

A neighborly act

and cause another buck within earshot to think others had infringed on its turf. Chapin said it wasn’t long after he completed the first sequence when he heard the sound of a distant grunt call that wasn’t his. “I’d been hearing a corn feeder going off on the property next to me for quite a while, so I honestly thought the grunt I heard was coming from another hunter who may have heard mine,” Chapin said. “I grunted back, thinking I was just messing with them.” Moments later, the unexpected happened. Chapin’s target buck came barreling through the nearby brush with hair bristled and in a fit of rage. “Just about the time I put my grunt call down, there he was, raking through the yaupons,” he said. “I could tell I had teed him off pretty bad.” Chapin said the deer made a beeline straight to the tree he was in and stopped just a few feet away. “He was right below me, a yard or less from the base of the tree,” he said. “He was so close that I had to lean as far back as I could in my saddle to get any kind of angle on him. The last thing I wanted to do was make a bad shot on that deer. He was a giant. I’d never seen anything like that before.”

World-class whopper Neither have most hunters. The buck was world class. The rack carried 19 scoreable points, an inside spread of 25 1⁄8 inches, main beams longer than 24 inches and more than 40

Chapin’s story gets even better. The archer’s initial shot was a good one. The arrow passed through the lungs and buried up 10 inches in the ground. He said the deer ran about 40 yards and stopped. “There was lots of blood,” Chapin said. “I could see him through a little opening, so I nocked another arrow and shot him again.” Chapin said the second shot was a tad high and spooked the buck onto an adjacent tract of property. The hunter played it smart and contacted the landowner before attempting to retrieve the deer. “It was just the right thing to do,” Chapin said. “I wasn’t about to go in there without permission, so I contacted the local game warden for some advice. He told me there wasn’t much he could do — that I needed to find out who the landowner was and get permission before I could legally access the property.” Chapin said he spent about 30 minutes researching on the internet before locating the owner the 30-acre tract by phone. Luckily, he lived just across the road. Turns out the landowner was equally familiar with the whopper whitetail. “When I told him what had happened, the first thing he asked was if it was a that big drop tine buck,” said Chapin. “I told him yes and he was nice as can be about it. He said he would be more than happy to help me retrieve him. He had pictures of the deer, too, and he had been feeding protein all year long.” Chapin said the landowner brought his golf cart over the assist in the recovery. They located the buck about 30 yards inside the fenceline. “It’s definitely a buck of a lifetime,” Chapin said. “I’ll have a hard time ever topping this one.”

THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING® | www.TTHA.com

Big Bass Dreams

TPWD courtesy photos

n a quiet winter morning at Lake Fork, the water onto keeper-size papermouths (aka sac-a-lait) when he literally still carries a reputation heavier than any lunker hooked into the biggest bass anyone had ever seen. largemouth swimming beneath its surface. For more After taking it to be weighed at a nearby marina, the fish was than four decades, anglers from across the Lone Star state and certified at 18.18 pounds and history was made. The fish would the world have launched boats at the East Texas reservoir, all be collected by the late David Campbell, longtime coordinator chasing a ghost — an 18.18-pound bass pulled from Fork’s of the ShareLunker program, and taken to the Texas Parks and stained waters Wildlife Department’s in 1992 — a fish Tyler Fish Hatchery that still stands as to be used in selective the official state breeding, which was record. It’s a numstill relatively new at ber etched into the time. Texas fishing lore, While St. Clair’s repeated in bait unintentional target shops and dockturned out to be one side conversations for the record books, long before social the attention and effort media entered the put into making Texas chat. the premier bass fishTexas certainly ing destination in the has no shortage world would go far beof lunker largeyond luck for TPWD mouth lairs. fisheries officials. From Sam Fork, impounded Barry St. Clair’s state-record largemouth was caught in January 1992 from Rayburn, Toledo in 1980, was still Lake Fork. While that record has been challenged in recent decades, it has Bend and Conroe a relatively young stood the test of time. to Alan Henry, reservoir in the early Falcon and O.H. Ivie, the state’s differing reservoirs consistently 1990s, flooded with fresh habitat and stocked heavily with produce fish that would be once-in-a-lifetime catches anywhere Florida-strain largemouths — fish genetically inclined to grow else in the country. Yet despite better electronics, improved larger than their northern counterparts. The lake had abundant fisheries management and an increasingly knowledgeable forage, limited fishing pressure compared to today and a growangling population, that 18-pound benchmark remains uning culture of catch-and-release ethics. touched all these years later. That convergence of factors produced not just one giant, but The question also certainly echoes louder every year: Will an era of giants. Texas ever produce another record-breaking bass? It also produced something else: the ShareLunker program. The answer, according to biologists, avid anglers and conBackbone of big bass conservation servationists, lies not in luck — but in deliberate, evolving Launched in 1986 by TPWD and first dubbed “Operation stewardship of the overall Texas bass fishery itself. Share A Lunker,” the Toyota ShareLunker program is typically Texas’ record bass cited as one of the most successful fisheries conservation initiaThe Lake Fork record didn’t happen by accident. tives in the country. The first premise was simple but powerful: Well, yes and no. anglers who caught bass weighing 13 pounds or more could The long-told account of Barry St. Clair’s record-breaking donate the fish for selective breeding before being returned to largemouth itself has been etched into lore far and wide in the the lake from where they were caught. years since he landed the gargantuan bass — while fishing for Those donated fish become broodstock, their genetics used the much more dainty crappie. St. Clair was dunking minto produce fingerlings stocked into public waters across Texas. nows with fishing buddies in January 1992, hoping to latch Dubbed “Lone Star Bass,” the fish are pure Florida strain large-

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mouth bass exclusively from broodfish produced from Legacy Class (13-plus pound) entries into the ShareLunker program. The program in recent years adopted a year-round option offering anglers three additional levels of participation for catching bass over 8, 10, and 13 pounds in Texas public waters. Anglers simply must have a qualifying fish and enter some data points into the ShareLunker app or at TexasShareLunker. com and will be in the running for prizes administered by TPWD. In addition to providing basic catch information, anglers have the option to send a DNA scale sample from their bass to TPWD researchers for genetic analysis. Each of these options provide vital data to fisheries biologists, helping them continue their quest to create bigger, better bass in Texas. Mark Stevenson’s November 1986 state-record bass was the first Jan. 1, 2026, marked a special milestone with the largemouth entered into the ShareLunker program. start of the 40th season of the Toyota ShareLunker Program. It has come a long way since the first sponsors, and the collaborative fisheries conservation efforts 17.67-pound lunker caught by Mark Stevenson at Fork in Nothat make these incredible catches possible.” vember 1986, which at the time was the state record, and stood In essence, Texas anglers aren’t just catching trophy bass — until St. Clair’s fortuitous flip of a shiner into the same lake. they’re helping create the next generation of them. “For 40 years, the Toyota ShareLunker Program has part“The 2025 collection season was another standout year for nered with anglers to grow bigger, better bass and elevate Texas the Toyota ShareLunker program, and it’s all thanks to the into a world-class fishing destination” said Natalie Goldstrohm, dedication and passion of ShareLunker anglers,” Goldstrohm Toyota ShareLunker Program Coordinator. “Every Legacy said. “With new lakes joining the Legacy Class ranks, and reClass fish shared with TPWD helps advance selective breeding turning favorites like O.H. Ivie continuing to impress, it’s clear and stocking efforts that benefit bass fisheries statewide. This that lunker bass fishing in Texas is thriving.” milestone season is a celebration of the participating anglers, In recent years, the program has evolved with new technolTPWD Inland Fisheries Division employees, our partners and ogy. Genetic testing now helps identify pure Florida-strain bass and hybrids, allowing TPWD to fine-tune stockings with unprecedented precision. The result is smarter, more targeted efforts to grow trophy-class fish in lakes that can support them.

Fishing at night can be a great way to beat the heat and forego extra traffic on Texas’ best bass lakes. Always ensure you have proper safety gear and lights as dictated by law.

Will the record ever fall? Ask 100 Texas bass anglers, and you’ll get 100 confident yeses — each convinced they’ll be the one holding the fish. Biologists are more cautious but far from pessimistic. The ingredients still exist: world-class reservoirs, proven genetics, a conservation-minded angling culture, and programs like ShareLunker that actively push the fishery forward. If anything, Texas has more tools than ever to grow big bass. What’s missing is predictability. The next record fish may already be swimming somewhere deep, old and unseen — feeding at night, avoiding hooks, growing ounce by ounce. Or it may never come at all, an outlier that belonged to a perfect moment in time. Either way, Texas bass fishing isn’t defined by a single number on a scale. It’s defined by the belief that the next cast could be the one — and by the collective effort to ensure that, record or not, the state’s waters continue to produce fish worth dreaming about. And somewhere out there, under a glassy spring surface, that dream still has gills. THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

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The rifle on the left is the Crosman .22 caliber pellet gun Gary purchased after wearing out a couple of Red Ryder BB guns. About 50 years ago, he decided to rework the stock and add a recoil pad to give a little extra length, as he had grown a little since the original purchase. The one in the middle is a Mossberg 342KB that he won at age 13 for selling the most magazine subscriptions for a 4-H fundraiser. The rifle on the right is a Winchester Model 06 that his great grandmother hunted squirrels with along Black Creek. Notice the original barrel has been replaced and the rifling is about gone in this one as well. Gary no longer owns the single shot Stevens, his first purchase of a rifle that wasn’t air powered. As a teenager, he sold it to a ranch hand from Mexico.

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few months before Horace Gore’s passing, we discussed the future of hunting in Texas. We agreed rising costs, fewer hunting opportunities, and the advancing age of the hunting public were key factors in a declining hunting population. Another thing we agreed upon is that kids no longer grow up shooting and don’t get into hunting until later in life. When attempting to master any skill that requires hand-eye coordination and motor skills, I believe a natural progression should occur. The art of shooting accurately is no different than learning to play baseball, golf, or riding a bike. I grew up on a ranch in South Texas and I got a lever action Daisy BB gun for Christmas when I was 6 years old. While I shot at a few targets such as cans or rocks, my favorite targets were birds, especially meadow larks with the yellow breasts. It seemed the contrast of the bright yellow breasts with the crude iron sights of the Daisy created a great sight picture. We were taught you should eat whatever you killed, so we breasted several of the early casualties. Unfortunately, I never found the recipe for cooking a meadow lark over an open fire that appealed to me. The barn cats that followed along when I went hunting made sure nothing went to waste. After a couple of years of shooting the Daisy BB gun, I graduated to a Crosman .22 caliber pellet rifle. This rifle was powered by CO2 cartridges and had two different power selections. I could half-cock and it was fine for target shooting and would save CO2. If I was in a sure enough hunting situation, I would

fully cock it and the rifle was powerful enough to kill a big boar raccoon. I purchased my first .22 rimfire, a Stevens single shot bolt action from Loggins and Lilly’s when I was 9 years old. While I had killed about a half dozen whitetails hunting by myself with my grandfather’s Winchester Model 94, this rifle was truly mine and the one I carried when varmint hunting around the ranch. Our favorite varmint hunting was to take “Archie,” a Weimaraner, and “Becky,” a border collie, along Black Creek where they would find coons in the brush piles and log jams. We would help the dogs dig the coons out and the fight was on. The two dogs could dispatch most of the smaller coons, but the .22 rimfire would finish off the old boars. We hunted rabbits, primarily cottontails that migrated to senderos where green pickings were the best. We stalked or hunted from the bed of a pickup where we learned to find a rest, or to shoot from a kneeling position to improve accuracy. Possibly the greatest teacher of accuracy with a rifle was the time I spent hunting fox squirrels along Black Creek. You never knew where the target would appear, or at what distance. Shooting with iron sights, I was limited to no more than 30 steps and that was after I secured a rest from a limb or tree trunk. It was not until Deb and I moved to Madisonville, Texas, where I hunted gray squirrels with a good friend, E. T. Barrett, when I realized the greatest shooting training. Mr. Barrett and I

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would hunt along Bedias Creek with .22 rifles. This was in the one rifle because he’s going to know how to use it.” I believe it’s early ’80s and both of us had scopes mounted to our rifles that important for youngsters to shoot one rifle until they become improved our accuracy and increased effective shooting range. comfortable and accurate with it. Once this occurs, youngsters Mr. Barrett and I were huge fans of eating tender gray squirrels. A shot placed anywhere other than the head drew heavy criticism and was judged slightly higher than a clean miss. In my opinion, shooting a nervous cat squirrel in the head with a .22 rimfire rifle is the second most difficult target I have experienced. Making a clean kill on a “called up” coyote in tight cover with a rifle is the most challenging to me. While the coyote is no doubt the larger target, he is also more intimidating. When you take a youngster into the woods, time spent stalking and hunting small game such as rabbits and squirrels rather than sitting in a blind looking at a feeder will pay dividends in the long run. If small game is in short supply, set up targets along a trail. Coach them on how to find a rest or shooting position that will improve accuracy. Hunting with a single shot or bolt action rifle teaches the importance of patience to be sure you have the best opportunity to make a clean kill. Knowing you can take multiple shots in a short period of time can cause the young hunter to believe that firepower can help overcome inaccuracy, which is never the case. Another reason for starting a youngster with a single shot or bolt action rifle is the simplicity of operation. When a youngster starts out shooting and Gary with his granddaughter, Selah, soon to be 6 years old. He’s showing her his great grandmother’s Winchester .22 that she hunted squirhunting, many things go through his or her mind. rels with along Black Creek. The original barrel was “shot out” and Do not complicate the situation further by asking replaced with this stainless one back in the ’40s. He hopes he can take them to operate an AR-styled rifle with oversized Selah squirrel hunting and she will be able to kill a squirrel with the magazines. same rifle her great, great, great grandmother hunted with. Start out using firearms with little to no recoil. There is nothing that can affect a young shooter’s accuracy more than excessive recoil. Unfortunately, once a shooter will be more confident handling other firearms. experiences recoil, it may take several years to overcome. Be sure to stress safety when handling the firearm. Don’t When shooting with centerfire rifles, use hearing protection. pressure youngsters into doing something they’re uncomfortable I much prefer to employ earmuffs or earplugs than suppressing doing. Make a special effort to ensure these training sessions are the rifle. The suppressor adds weight and length to the rifle, as fun as they are educational. making it more difficult for a youngster to handle. Shooting safely and accurately are skills that cannot be Stick with one gun. There’s an old saying: “Fear the man with learned over a couple of sessions, but from years spent in the field. Organizations such as 4-H Shooting Sports are excellent at teaching these skills to youngsters who might not be afforded this opportunity. The need for practice to improve accuracy is no different than it is for any other activity that involves hand-eye coordination. While checking the accuracy of your rifle before deer season is an excellent idea, shooting off a bench may not improve your accuracy in a hunting situation. Dang, I sure miss my conversations with Horace.

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Wyatt with his trophy buck, nicknamed “Chocolate.” Wyatt’s first attempt at the buck hadn’t been successful.

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y little man Wyatt has been through the highest highs and the lowest lows of emotions while chasing this buck, and that is putting it lightly. Hunting has never just been a hobby for him. It’s something he pours his whole heart into. He started hunting three years ago, wide-eyed and excited, and each season he has grown a little more and pushed himself a little further. This year he took things to a new level. Instead of sticking only to rifle season like he had before, he decided on his own that he wanted to expand his season by learning how to hunt with a crossbow. That was his big goal. He practiced, he listened, and he asked questions. But he would not stop until he was confident. That’s simply the kind of kid he is. Of course, he still planned to rifle hunt too, because rifle season has a magic all its own for him. But the crossbow represented something different. It meant growth, challenge, and doing something that required more patience and skill. And he has plenty of both. On Oct. 19, his practice finally came to the test. He took the shot on the buck he had nicknamed “Chocolate,” a name he picked out himself because the buck’s antlers had a rich, dark coloring and also because Wyatt loves chocolate. It could not have been a more fitting name. Chocolate stood at 31 yards when Wyatt squeezed the trigger on the crossbow. I watched the bolt fly, and in the moment, the shot looked marginal. Not terrible. Not perfect. Just one of those shots that makes your stomach tighten and your mind start working overtime. Still, when we walked up and found a good blood trail at first, our hope shot back up. After a little bit of time, the blood trail thinned, then thinned again, and before long it dwindled into nothing. We weren’t ready to give up. Good friends and neighbors stepped in without hesitation, offering their dog to track, and even bringing out a drone. We searched, we circled, and we tried everything we knew to do. But that evening, we struck out. None of it was their fault. I had provided information that later proved to be less accurate than I believed. And if you’ve ever tracked a deer with misinformation, you know it’s like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing. The next morning, Wyatt and I headed right back out at first light. You could see the determination in his face. He wanted to get back on that trail. And we actually did find the correct blood trail this time. But just as things were looking up, work forced us to stop the search, and leaving that trail broke his little heart. Later that evening, a neighbor, my wife, Wyatt, and I went back out determined to finish the job. At one point, we ended up watching Chocolate himself walk off into thick brush like nothing had ever happened. He was not stumbling. He was not even bleeding much. He looked like he would persevere. The disappointment on Wyatt’s face said everything. To say he was bummed is an understatement. When you’re 9 years old, moments like that feel enormous. You feel them all the way down to your toes.

Wyatt and his dad trekking through the woods.

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Over the next week, Chocolate continued to show up here him. He stepped out into the driving trail, broadside, offering and there, just enough to keep us on our toes. We watched him, himself for a clean 40-yard shot. or had close encounters with him several times, almost like Wyatt did not hesitate. He squeezed the trigger. And the rest he wanted to remind us he was still around. At one point, my is history. wife even had him at 47 yards while bow hunting. He looked He made a perfect shot. Chocolate did not go far. When I healthy, alert, and very much like he was healing just fine. turned to look at him, his smile was bright enough to light up Youth rifle season arrived, and with it came a new burst the woods. He was ecstatic, absolutely over the moon. of hope for Wyatt. On the very first morning, a nice “freezer queen” walked out, a perfect confidence builder for a young hunter. But it all happened fast. Too fast. His shot ended up being a rushed shot. When we stepped out of the blind to confirm what we already suspected—a clean miss—Chocolate stood 60 yards behind us, locked in, and watching us. He busted us hard. In that moment, we both felt the same sinking feeling. We assumed that would be the last time we ever saw him. That disappointment could have easily knocked the wind out of Wyatt’s sails. But that boy has grit. He has a resilience that surprises people who do not know what he has already been through in his young life. So when he said he wanted to get back out that afternoon, he meant it. Originally, he wanted to hunt from a different blind for the evening sit. He’d made up his mind. But at the very last minute, while grabbing gear, Wyatt changed his mind and said he wanted to go back to the same blind from the morning. Something in his gut nudged him, and he Wyatt got a second chance at the buck, and was rewarded by being patient listened. and maintaining his grit. We settled in, and as the time ticked by, that familiar late evening quiet fell over the woods. Then, at about 6 p.m., Then came the part that struck me right in the heart. As we the deer appeared. Chocolate stepped out with a doe at his side. replayed the hunt out loud and talked about that last-minute My heart nearly stopped. blind change, Wyatt did not credit himself. He did not call it But deer have a sense for the exact worst moment to look luck. He said Jesus guided him there. Coming from a little boy your way. As we shifted to get into position, both deer caught who has faced a lot of medical adversity in his nine years, those us. And so began what felt like the longest five-minute staring words meant everything. He believes with all his heart, and I contest of our lives. admire that. Five minutes is an eternity when you’re grown. When you’re Watching him work so hard, stay determined, face disap9 years old, it’s something else entirely. It takes grit. It takes pointment, push through it, and finally succeed was a blessing patience. It takes your whole soul trying not to move a muscle. in every sense of the word. It was one of those moments you Eventually, the doe relaxed. Chocolate followed her lead and lock away forever. went back to the business he had in mind before we startled Good job son! Thank you for the lifelong memory.

48 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

AXIS IN SPRING

They offer a challenge, and make excellent table fare

BY JUDY JUREK

he green of spring was evident with sprinklings of colorful wildflowers adding to the landscape here and there. A few birds chattered and chirped with an occasional call of bobwhite quail. The day began warming a bit as the sun rose higher and a light breeze lessened. It was a lovely spring day in April. Chasing long bearded gobblers was the current hunting season underway, and the mission of two hunters that gorgeous

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spring morning. Suddenly, an indescribable scream of sorts broke through the quiet Hill Country brush. The sound came from an axis deer. If you’ve never heard one before, it’s very hard to describe. It’s a bellow. A sort of yelp-type screech as an alarm, alert, or signal searching for other axis deer. The noise will get your attention! The name axis conjures up a cornucopia of thoughts and images. A distinct red hide covered in white spots with a dark

Author Photos Yutzy Family Photo AUTHOR PHOTOS

streak down the back. A sort of humped back when walking or running. Tall, possibly wide antlers with main beams over 30 inches normally sporting three points to be called a six-point buck. Female axis do not grow antlers. Imported into Texas from India in 1932, axis were brought over as a game animal on high fence ranches in the Edwards Plateau. They may also be called chital or spotted deer. Due to flash floods knocking down fences, many escaped to roam free.

Above: Three axis bucks in spring. Note the one in the background standing on its legs reaching high for succulent green tree leaves. Left: McKenzie Yutzy proudly poses beside her axis buck taken on a spring hunt.

With few predators, axis have adapted well to the Texas climate and terrain, with many large herds continuing to spread across our vast area. At a Bandera RV park, this writer once lost count at 76 as axis continued to stream out of heavy cover into an open pasture near the Medina River. However, they compete with whitetails for forbs and browse, but unlike whitetails, axis will also graze on grass. As a larger, more dominant species able to breed year-round, axis can quickly overrun whitetails in an area. Axis can stand on their hind feet and browse higher than whitetails, again, out competing them. In many areas axis deer are considered a nuisance, an undesirable visitor and neighbor. One Brady Lake subdivision resident complained she cannot have scrubs or plants around her home because axis eat most anything, plus, they camp all over her driveway and yard. Bandera and Fredericksburg are just two places you may see axis anytime of the day or night, right in the middle of town. To say they’re here to stay is an understatement. Currently, free ranging axis have been reported and documented in over 30 counties with Real and Bandera hosting the highest number of animals. They’re adapting rapidly along several coastal areas as well. The extended freeze in 2021 took a toll on many axis because they don’t tolerate extreme cold. THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

An axis buck and doe peek out of brush cover on a nice spring day. Axis may breed all year round, so this doe was possibly in estrus.

Bucks in velvet died as the blood in their antlers froze. There are many reasons to hunt axis in the spring, or anytime of the year. As an exotic species, axis bucks and does are legal all year round. They offer delicious dining, as many people much prefer axis venison over whitetail because it’s lighter in color and a bit milder in flavor. Hunting axis is a challenge. Like many species, they possess keen hearing, a perceptive sense of smell, and sharp eyesight, thus you may experience hearing one scream as an alarm to others. When hunting, you may encounter a lone axis, a handful of animals, or a huge herd to choose from, depending on where you’re located. Their spotted hide blends in well with surroundings, especially in shaded areas, so you may easily pass right by some staying still, even in light cover. Perhaps one of the best incentives to hunting an axis buck is it may be in any stage of antler development. Bucks grow antlers based on when they’re born. An axis buck may be sporting hardened antlers, in velvet, or recently shed and just sprouting new growth. Considered one of the Texas Big Three, along with nilgai and aoudad, axis are the most popular exotic species to hunt in the Lone Star state. Axis deer are not attracted to feeders like whitetails. Much depends on the surrounding landscape’s browse and forbs.

Over-grazed areas will have axis looking for other food sources, so they might visit feeders. Scouting can pay off watching for travel trails while checking water sources and open grazing areas. As with any species, shot placement is critical to hunting success. Most likely whatever caliber or arrow you use for whitetails will work on an axis when aiming for vital areas. Don’t forget, practice makes perfect, and try not to get “buck fever.” When hunting in spring, keep in mind the weather may change unexpectedly, even if you checked the extended forecast. Weather folks can be wrong, as Mother Nature always does whatever she wants to do. Late season fronts may stall, producing much rainfall. The temperature can go from cold to hot, and back again in the same day. Protect yourself from ticks because they may be abundant in spring and summer. Depending on the area, you may also encounter poison ivy, so be careful where you walk and sit. Always watch for snakes, especially ground buzzers and cottonmouths, again, depending on the area you’re hunting. Possessing a hunting license and permission to hunt an area are the only things you need to hunt axis in spring or anytime. Enjoy the landscape with nature coming out of winter while hunting for spring axis. Best of luck, have fun, and be safe. Bedded axis deer blend in well with shaded cover. It’s easy to overlook them if you’re not intently searching the brush.

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Coastal Rooters

s a current South Texan, I can say one thing unequivocally: This area of the Lone Star state is a paradise like no other for hunters and anglers. Without question, the brush country, coastal bays and estuaries, and vast expanse that is the Rio Grande Valley are home to the most diverse amount of wildlife in the state. Short of mule deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep and pheasants, you

By Will Leschper

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Feral hogs destroy native habitats and crop lands to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars in damage annually. They can be hunted without a license on private property and without any bag limits or limited means and methods.

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“rooters,” specifically redfish, flounder and black drum that inhabit a variety of saltwater ecosystems. Unless you’ve lived under a rock, you know Texas’ feral hog story: they’ve taken root in every county and continue to thrive despite numerous efforts to snuff them out. A previous report compiled by Texas A&M University biologists that’s now more than a decade old forecast what we already know: no matter where

feral hogs are found, they are winning the war. That study deciphered that roughly two-thirds of the entire state population—now numbering in the millions—must be killed off just to keep the overall figure stable. As anyone knows, that simply won’t ever happen. A similar study from Texas Parks and Wildlife shows that even as recently as a decade ago, researchers estimated each wild pig carries a “damage” cost of $300 TAMU AgriLife Photo

can find almost anything and everything that walks, flies or swims, especially if you throw in exotic game ranches that harbor all types on non-native species. South Texas also offers the only locale for a variety of cast-and-blast outings that can’t be found anywhere else. One specific big game opportunity that can be conducted all year is targeting “rooters,” specifically feral hogs and javelinas on the hunting side and fishing

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and upping their success rate. Another “rooter” to consider pursuing may look like a hog, but in fact is a different species. The javelina, aka “collared peccary” is certainly a striking critter, standing much smaller than a big hog at about 2 feet at the shoulder and weighing roughly 50 pounds on the larger side. Javelinas can be found in other states such as New Mexico and Arizona, which have similar habitats to their favorite climate of the South Texas brush country. Javelinas thrive in groups in mesquite and prickly pear habitats, and feast on anything from roots and fruits to worms and small invertebrates and reptiles. They have poor eyesight, providing a great chance for spot-andstalk hunting with a variety of arms, including traditional archery gear and crossbows. Like feral hogs, they can be destructive to the native habitat, rooting up the habitat in search of food and wallowing in natural water sources, providing an opportunity to set up a hunt knowing where they’ve recently been. Javelinas do possess large tusks relative to their size though they typically aren’t aggressive unless cornered or feeling threatened. They also have continued to encroach on urban centers in South Texas, only adding to their destructive abilities in a new landscape. This annual javelina frameworks in the southern zone that spans south and west of San Antonio run through the end of August and opens back up Sept. 1 annually. I can say from firsthand knowledge that though javelinas get a bad rap for having a large and pungent scent gland on their back and many hunters won’t consider eating them, they actually are mighty tasty, with lean meat that doesn’t taste

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per year. That figure according to the best-guess U.S. feral hog estimates would equate to more than $2 billion annually, a massive hit to our native habitats and farmers’ pocketbooks. Again, the overall number is likely higher than reports likely indicate. The lone positive when talking wild pigs is they have gained notoriety in recent years, as more emphasis is put on hunters procuring their own protein in the quest to go from field to table. Some of the animals simply aren’t fit to eat based on size or the condition they’re in, but most of them are downright tasty, cooked up in all the same ways traditional farm-raised pork can be. The positive hunting aspect of wild pigs is they can be killed however you prefer to do it. In terms of opinions, most everyone at state and local levels of wildlife management, in addition to your local farmer, hopes you kill every one you see. As with other hunting pursuits, the cost of hog hunting has risen as well. Guides and outfitters certainly are looking to add any kind of profit to their bottom lines, though if you play your cards right, I guarantee there are opportunities to hunt on the cheap if not outright “on the house” if you can find someone who’s had enough of their farmland or ranch being torn up. Pigs are one tried and true way to introduce youngsters to hunting, as it doesn’t require much work to call the hogs. I can attest personally as one of my first “big game” experiences was thinning out pigs in elementary school at a local ranch near Brownwood. Any deer hunter knows if you’re feeding whitetails and pigs are anywhere around, you’re feeding the swine, too. That’s tailor-made to “calling your shots” for a youngster

The redfish limit remains three per day in a slot between 20 and 28 inches. Anglers may keep one oversize fish using the tag on their fishing license as part of their daily haul.

The Texas flounder fishery has seen some setbacks due to a number of factors, though the coast has plenty of fish of this size for willing anglers.

“gamey” if you take care with your cleaning. Thin strips can be fried or grilled quickly and tossed in a taco with tasty accoutrements for a fine field to table meal. In the salt this time of year, the prime “rooter” is the redfish, which can be found

across shallow, grassy flats up and down the coast, especially when they’re “tailing,” looking for small critters of all varieties unlucky enough to be found. Other rooters for the purpose of this article should include flounder, which as angler knows will find its own

TPWD photo

The state offers numerous Rio Grande Valley areas to hunt javelinas on public lands through its online draw system.

places to root and lay silently on the bottom, the flatfish blending into sandy holes, and black drum, a cousin of the redfish (red drum) that also will root around in many areas for shrimp of all hues and blue crabs. Red drum are the waterdwelling “hawgs” along the Texas coast that can be caught in multiple ways and provide

a fight unlike any other game fish we’ve got. Piers and passes, jetties and Gulf of Mexico beaches are prime areas during the summer and into the fall migration to find large numbers of large fish that will hit almost any natural or artificial offering. The rooting aspect of all of these fish is tailor-made for another amazing fishing experience: sight fishing in the shallows. Reds, flounder and drum eat a variety of forage than can be found this time of year on shimmering coastal seagrass flats. Reds and drum

often will give away their position by rooting around in the sand and among seagrass hoping to scare up a meal that’s hiding. While flounder are much more stealthy, they often congregate in certain locales depending on the weather and water conditions, and if you can crack the code, you’ll almost certainly find more than one flatfish. As a youngster, the preferred bait of choice was live shrimp under a popping cork, though cut bait also worked as well when simply anchoring up and looking to entice a hungry “bull red.” Nowadays, once you’ve flung an artificial at a fish you can actually see, whether it be a paddletail plastic, gold spoon or even a fly imitation, you’re hooked for life on that fishing tactic. The artificial tackle box for reds, flounder and drum only needs a handful of timetested fish-catchers. The No. 1 artificial in your arsenal

should be a gold spoon. I’ve caught big reds and drum on other colors, including silver and multi-colored fish pattern imitations, but the gold version just seems to taste better! Another go-to artificial for redfish are plugs imitating mullet and other baitfish that can be fished as topwaters while you simply can’t overlook scented baits for drum. For flounder, the myriad soft plastics that can now be found at any sporting goods store will always catch fish if they’re in the mood especially time-tested grub baits and even bucktail jigs. Now that we’re heading toward another summer and fall, it’s prime time to root out your next hunting and fishing combo trip up and down the coast and into the brush country. From a current South Texan, it’s worth the time and effort, no matter what species you’re pursuing!

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Hooked on Texas Brigades By Julia Pearson

Texas Brigades Photos

re you interested in land stewardship, protecting natural resources, hunting or fishing, leadership skills, or learning about all of these and more? Well, then, Texas Brigades is the program for you! Texas Brigades is a non-profit organization that focuses on creating conservation leaders in every community. They offer 10 different five-day summer camps for youth ages 13 through 17. Each camp focuses on a different species of wildlife and teaches all about habitat management, anatomy, and leadership. I’m 16 years old and from Plantersville, Texas. I started going to Brigades camps three years ago and have had a blast each summer. This past summer I was able to attend three Brigades camps: Ranch Brigade, North Texas Buckskin Brigade, and Bass Brigade. All three took place on the Warren Ranch, a beautiful, nearly 6,000-acre ranch in Santa Anna, Texas. At each camp, you have the opportunity to attend up to three years. The first year at that camp—Ranch Brigade for me—is as a cadet who gets to experience it as a camper. Throughout the school year following that summer, cadets have to opportunity to do outreach events and tell their local communities about what they learned at camp. They can then put all of this into a Book of Accomplishments (BOA) and apply to return to camp. If selected, the cadet will then return in a leadership position as an assistant leader, which is what I did at North Texas Buckskin Brigade. As an assistant leader, it’s their job to help their group of cadets through camp, make sure they’re on time to places, and encourage teambuilding. After submitting another

Julia Pearson took full advantage of her time spent at each Brigades camp.

BOA, assistant leaders can return for a final year at camp as a special agent, like I did at Bass Brigade. As a special agent, I took on a leadership role over the entire camp, not just one group of cadets. A special agent’s job consists of helping the instructors, helping in the kitchen, and being there if anyone needs anything. Each camp and each position come with

58 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

their own challenges and fun memories. At Ranch Brigade, our herd was the Angus herd. We started the week as total strangers, but throughout the course of camp, through teambuilding activities, late nights, and new experiences, we became good friends by the end. At camp we learned about sustainable cattle ranching. We learned about soil conser-

Julia attended Ranch Brigade, North Texas Buckskin Brigade, and Bass Brigade camps, all of which took place on the 6,000-acre Warren Ranch in Santa Anna, Texas. One of the things that she liked most at camp was waking up early one morning to watch the sunrise over Government Lake.

vation, about the plants that our cattle need in their habitat, about the anatomy of the cows themselves, and about processing a carcass for consumption. Throughout the week we learned about the whole process, from the soil that holds the plants, to cooking the finished steaks. One of my favorite parts of camp was the post hole digging competition. Each herd member dug for 30 seconds, and all four herds competed to dig the deepest post hole in that time. Our herd went first, and we began to dig into the rocky arena dirt. Everyone cheered for each other and digging their hardest. When we hit rocks, we kept digging to the point that sparks were flying while I dug the last little bit. When we finished, I pulled the tool out of the hole and we realized we had dug so hard, we broke part of the blade. It was a fun competition that drew our team closer together and fostered our teamwork. Our herd, the Angus herd, also won the post-holedigging competition. At the end of camp, each cadet makes a poster about something they found interesting throughout the week. They can use their poster to tell their community about what they learned and about conservation. I chose to make my poster this year on sustainable ranching. With North Texas Buckskin, I had the opportunity to be an assistant leader to the Antlered Outlaws herd. Being my second year at camp, I enjoyed reconnecting with the instructors and other assistant leaders who I met last year. The North Texas Buckskin Brigade focuses on whitetail deer, and cadets learn everything about deer anatomy from nose to tail, what makes a good deer habitat, the plants they eat, breaking down a carcass, and more. One of the things that we do at camp is wake up early one morning to go watch the sunrise over Government Lake. That was one of my favorite parts of camp this year, because it was very

peaceful to watch the sunrise over the lake. This was my last year at Bass Brigade because I was a special agent. I had a great time! As a special agent, I helped in the classroom during presentations and in the kitchen with meals and dishes. Every year, everyone goes to Government Lake for the morning. There are different rotations everyone does, including learning about nets, sonar and GPS, electrofishing, and water sampling. At the electrofishing station, cadets also learn about trash and pollution while they’re waiting to go out on the lake. As a special agent, I was able to

help teach about trash, which was really fun. We talked about how long it takes different items to break down and why it’s important to keep trash out of our waterways. Overall, I had a great experience at all three camps and cannot wait for more. The connections I made through the program with other cadets and professionals in each field are priceless. As an essentially first-generation Texan, Texas Brigades has given me the opportunity to meet people from all over the state and build a network of people I can count on if I ever have any questions. If you’re interested, visit texasbrigades.org.

Texas Brigades is a conservation-based leadership orga-

nization which organizes wildlife and natural resource-

based leadership camps for participants ranging in age from 13-17. Its mission is to educate and em-

power youths with leadership skills and knowledge

in wildlife, fisheries, and land stewardship to become

conservation ambassadors for a sustained natural resource

legacy. Texas Brigades hosts 10 summer camps throughout June

and July. The application period for camp runs Nov. 1 through March 15 of each year. Visit texasbrigades.org or call 210-556-1391 for more information.

THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

Muzzleloading in the Rain or nipple under the hammer. After these steps I put a waterproof gun cover over the entire gun. Solo Hunter and a few other companies make good waterproof covers with elastic that

pull off really quickly when you need to shoot. If you’re in a pinch, I have successfully used a black trash bag or my rain poncho for this. Before I became so vigilant in my rain protection process with my muzzleloaders, I had lost opportunities on caribou, “One of the wettest places I deer, and a trophy Dall sheep in Alaska. Like all things, the biggest have hunted is the Applegate lessons in life are learned through Unit in Oregon for Columbia experience. One of the wettest places I have blacktail deer. In late Novemhunted is the Applegate Unit in Oregon for Columbia blacktail ber, this is a muzzleloaderdeer. In late November, this is a only hunt during the rut muzzleloader-only hunt during the rut which is an incredible which is an incredible opporopportunity to chase these elusive rainforest ghosts. The one thing tunity to chase these elusive I’ve learned over three years huntrainforest ghosts. The one ing this area is that 90% of the days you hunt, it will be raining. thing I’ve learned over three Humidity will be 90% or higher the entire time, and if you aren’t years hunting this area is detail oriented in your process, it that 90% of the days you will cost you an opportunity. On my most recent hunt in Orehunt, it will be raining. Hugon, I had my sights set on finding a Boone and Crockett sized buck midity will be 90% or higher in the dense forests and steep the entire time, and if you mountains. I have good friends who own Eden Ridge Outfitters, aren’t detail oriented in your and they have a track record of finding and taking some tremenprocess, it will cost you an dous animals every year. This year opportunity.” was no different. They had been seeing a couple big trophy bucks Author Photos

he single worst weather condition to muzzleloader hunt in is rain. Even with today’s modern components and guns, the rain is the great equalizer in muzzleloader hunting. Powder protection is the No. 1 focus in rainy conditions but every component can, and will at times, fail in constant rain. If I know there is opportunity for even a little rain, I follow a list of preventative measures that have kept my weapon functioning in adverse weather. To give yourself the best chance at keeping everything dry, I recommend the following steps. Load your gun each morning and manually unload the powder, primer, and bullet each night you do not shoot, even if you think your gun stayed dry. It’s not worth the risk of moisture you don’t see. After loading, put black electrical tape over the barrel. The .45 and .50 caliber will take just one strip, whereas .54 or larger will need two strips side by side. Additionally, I tape a circle around the end of barrel to hold the ends of the other tape strips on tightly. At this point I cover the breech with a waxed leather wrap or black electric tape, depending on the gun model. Even if water can’t get in the end of the barrel, it can still seep into your primer pocket

by Eric Stanosheck

62 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

AUTHOR PHOTO

The author’s buck made the top 10 in the Longhunter Muzzleloader Record book and the Boone and Crockett Awards minimum.

off the logging roads in my unit. Oregon is an iron sights, loose powder, non-sabot muzzleloader state. Instead of bringing one of my Hawken rifles, I decided to just borrow one of John’s new muzzleloaders, which made it easier to fly without a weapon. John had just purchased two new CVA Accuras for clients to use. Once we got to camp, Tanner and I broke one of them out of the box and hit the range to find the sweet spot in powder/bullet combo. The gun had settled in very quickly with 90 grains of loose 777 powder and a .501 Thor 247-grain full-bore bullet. As we added more powder, the groups loosened up so we realized 90 grains is exactly what this gun liked. As I have covered in this column previously, every muzzleloader has a particular combination of powder and bullet that dials in accuracy. Take the time and dial in your gun and components because it’s worth the bench time. We cruised some logging roads to get to vantage points the remainder of

the day but were unable to turn up any bucks in the pouring rain. The second day, Tanner dropped me off on the mountainside an hour before sunrise in a place known for big buck activity. As expected, it was raining, not the downpours we have here in Texas but a solid steady rain similar to standing in the shower. I was muddy from the ride in the side by side up the mountain on the logging roads. However, I knew my gun was protected with all my rain preparations. Not too long after the sun peeked through the canopy I started to see deer. The densities aren’t great in this area, so seeing three deer by noon was fantastic in my books. John and Tanner had shown me pictures of two big mature bucks with solid forked racks in this area so I was content just watching the younger buck push the does around. Around 2:30 p.m. the rain stopped, but in the forest, the trees will continue to drip for hours even with no rain. I wasn’t

going to uncover my gun until I needed to shoot. I saw a glimpse of two deer farther down the mountainside and the body size of the second one was no doubt a big buck. It seemed like an hour passed before I saw the doe show up at 35 yards feeding. I silently removed the rain cover and propped the gun on my knees right as I saw the buck’s eye staring at me through the evergreens! He’d seen movement but the doe was still feeding. He curled his lip while lowering his head and pushed her right past me. The iron sights were already on him as he stopped, and the billowing white smoke hung heavy in the humid air after a crisp trigger squeeze. This was not a buck anyone had seen previously, but he’s definitely a buck anyone would have shot. Not only does he make the top 10 in the Longhunter Muzzleloader Record book, he easily made the Boone and Crockett Awards minimum. Keep your powder dry and shoot straight.

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[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

MUST-HAVES

ftknox.com

Xtra Deep security Fort Knox’s XD Series Safe is built for hunters who know their collection won’t stay small. Upgrade to the Extra Deep (XD) and expand your safe’s depth from 27 inches to 40 inches, creating room for longer rifles, larger optics, and future growth. The 7251XD measures 72" x 51" x 40" and holds up to 126 firearms, while the 7261XD measures 72" x 61" x 40" with capacity for up to 150. Fort Knox safes protect against fire with ratings up to 1,800°F for 2.5 hours. Modular interior systems are designed to evolve with your expanding collection, including the new cabinet system and integrated watch winders. Built with additional inner layers of steel and upgrade options to add even more, the XD Series delivers long-term protection focused on safeguarding firearms, family, and legacy. Visit ftknox.com.

American-made kitchen cutlery

Bear & Son Cutlery celebrates its 40th anniversary by introducing its new 10-piece Luxury Kitchen White Smooth Bone Block Set. The set comes with fillet, chef, chopper, boning, and santoku knives, and four steak knives, safely stored in a walnut wood block. The chef’s knife has a white smooth bone handle, while the other knives have handles composed of white smooth bone and G10. The chef’s knife has Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel blade, while the other blades are stone washed Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel. Made in the USA. Visit bearandsoncutlery.com.

bearandsoncutlery.com

Cartridge reloading handbook With data for more than 400 cartridges across over two dozen calibers, the 12th Edition Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading is the most comprehensive resource ever produced for reloading Hornady bullets. This edition introduces groundbreaking bullet lines, including the CX, ELD-VT, and Sub-X, alongside expanded data for proven favorites such as the ELD Match, FTX, SST, and more. Propellants have been updated and expanded, with popular new powders like Winchester’s StaBall Match, StaBall 6.5, and StaBall HD included with a wide range of cartridges. To complement the new powders, the 12th Edition includes many new cartridge additions such as the 22 ARC, 22 Creedmoor, 6mm GT, 25 Creedmoor, 7mm PRC, 338 ARC, 400 Legend and others. Visit hornady.com. hornady.com

66 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

WE ARE TTHA MUST-HAVES

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

Take a seat

Avian-X’s new Adjustable Blind Chair delivers stability, comfort, and portability in a single, easy-to-haul package. Its three-leg design features four nylon ball-and-socket feet that adapt quickly to uneven ground and is topped with a 900-denier fabric seat with high-density foam for lasting support during extended sits. It collapses in seconds, simplifying transport thanks to its heavy-duty 38mm nylon carry strap. Visit Avian-X.com. Avian-X.com

Out-of-sight storage Built from durable, high-impact polypropylene, the Truck Underseat Gear Crate features a water-resistant O-ring seal, two removable dividers for flexible organization, and a rugged carry handle for grab-and-go use. With 19.2 quarts of capacity, and designed to fit neatly beneath most crew cab back seats, this low-profile crate keeps gear secure and out of sight. Visit mtmcase-gard.com. mtmcase-gard.com

blaser-group.com

New rifle, old-world craftsmanship Mauser introduces the new Mauser 98 Das Original bolt-action rifle. The original M98 was prized for its controlled round feed, extreme strength, reliability and safety. The new M98 Das Original is designed with these same features along with improvements including a Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating on the bolt for extra protection from wear, a gold-colored trigger, and elegant hand-selected Grade 5 wood. Available in .308 Win., .30-06, and .300 Win. Mag., which has never been offered in a Mauser 98. The Magnum configurations come with a red safari recoil pad system for improved comfort. Visit blaser-group.com. THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

MUST-HAVES 3-D printed suppressors Primary Weapons Systems’ BDE series of suppressors combines traditional baffle architecture with precision direct metal fusion 3-D printing. The series uses aerospace-grade titanium for the baffle core and features a hard PVD exterior coating for increased wear resistance. Modularity sits at the center of the design: each model features a serialized entrance chamber and removable titanium baffle sections, allowing users to configure the overall length, weight, and back pressure to match the suppressor’s intended caliber category. Rather than a single model spanning multiple weapon classes, each suppressor within the series is purpose-built for its designated caliber range and can be adjusted within that class for optimal performance. Visit primaryweapons.com for more info.

primaryweapons.com

Shed Stacker

SkullHooker.com

Skull Hooker introduces their new Shed Stacker display rack. The rugged display rack turns found elk sheds into a striking conversation piece, with 16-inch steel pegs that hold up to 60 pounds of antlers and offer a clean, natural presentation for singles or full sets. Users simply slide each shed between the first and second tine to create a distinctive centerpiece that can grow with each hunting season. Visit SkullHooker.com.

Marine-grade chair Constructed from aluminum and with a breathable mesh design, the D-100 Deck Chair provides all-day comfort. It’s height adjustable up to 4 inches and features a removable tripod. It also has a ComfortMax seat that swivels 360 degrees to ensure the angler can face any fish in any direction and features self-leveling feet for added stability. The D-100 Deck Chair is mold and mildewresistant, will hold up to all saltwater elements, and is UV-resistant to the sun and other elements. It’s also available in a choice of white or gray and comes with a 1-year warranty. For more information, please visit millenniummarine.com. millenniummarine.com

68 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

WE ARE TTHA MUST-HAVES

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

Ladies camo wear Próis’ Tintri camo wear line features lightweight comfort, ultraquiet performance, and a fit tailored specifically for women. The Tintri Freedom-Fit Pant has a durable double weave fabric and PRÒI-Stretch 4-way stretch technology, articulated knees, and provides additional room through the seat, hips and thighs. The Tintri Performance Mid-Weight Fleece Hooded Half-Zip features an attached snug-fit scuba hood that doesn’t block peripheral vision. Its fleece helps regulate body temperature and disperses moisture. Its Pursuit Fit with articulated elbows ensures comfort and mobility. The Tintri Ball Cap and Performance Multi-Use Gaiter provide lightweight concealment and protection. The breathable, quickdrying cap features PRÒI-Shield water repellent technology and an adjustable Velcro closure with ponytail opening. The moisturewicking, quick drying gaiter made with PRÒI-Stretch four-way stretch fabric can be worn as a neck gaiter, face mask or headband for sun protection, warmth and concealment. Visit proishunting.com. proishunting.com

bondarms.com

Patriotic pistols Bond Arms commemorates America’s 250th anniversary with its America 250th Special Edition Hand Cannon. It has dual-caliber versatility, chambered for .45 Colt and .410 bore, premium stainless-steel frame, singleaction operation with cross bolt safety, retracting firing pin and spring-loaded locking lever, B6 resin extended grips, and choice of finish options in Rough Series or Black Cerakote. Visit bondarms.com.

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Author Photos

Summertime in Texas

t’s hard to believe that we are back in the heat of the summer once again. It seems like time flies by, and right when you are getting used to the cold weather, here comes the Texas heat. The great thing about our Texas heat is that we have all kinds of ways to cool off with friends and family. There are so many rivers, lakes, and springs to explore, and you can do it in a tube, boat, kayak, or just plain swimming. As a kid, I loved the whitetail deer season and would get so upset as the season would end each year. I had no idea as a young hunter what we were going to do outdoors next. A lot of times we played golf, baseball, tennis, and swam. As I started getting older, I started figuring out all the hunting and fishing activities that were available to us during the summer. Nowadays, we never seem to have a time we can’t go hunting or fishing. With all the exotics, pigs, and predators, we have lots to target. Now with all the thermal scopes and suppressed firearms, we are able

Cora Marta with her wild hog. Summertime can be a good time for hog hunting—if you do so before it gets too hot outside. THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

to hunt at night when the temperature is cooler and the hogs and predators are active. The thermal scopes allow us to see all the critters around us, and the suppressed guns keep things quiet so we can target more critters and pigs without scaring them out of the area. The nice thing about hunting pigs and predators in Texas is we have lots of places we can go. Most of the ranches will welcome people for a small fee, or even sometimes for free, to help manage some pesky animals tearing up the landscape or killing the young fawns and turkey poults. Another fun activity that we do at the COA Ranch is set snares and traps for the coyotes and bobcats. It can be quite challenging to trick an animal into your trap, and it takes a lot of care and preparation to be successful. We hire professional trappers on our ranches to help us with predator and hog control. So a professional trapper might be a fun career path to look at one day. We also have all the amazing exotics that roam our Texas landscapes, both free range and fenced. There are very few antlered animals in the summertime, but there are lots of horned species to hunt. For instance, all your oryx, blackbuck, aoudad, and African species are hard horned year-round. Our antlered animals like whitetail, elk, fallow, sika, and red stag shed their antlers each winter and grow them back again each summer. However, the axis deer is one species that has antlers in the summer and winter times. This allows us to hunt a super unique animal during the summertime heat. The different ram species are a summertime favorite at our summer camps. We have all four rams on our places as we have Texas Dall sheep, black Hawaiian, Corsican, and mouflon. The kids love to spot-and-stalk the rams, and it can be done really at any time of day. A lot of times we will hunt the exotics and pigs in the morning and evening and then spot-and-stalk the rams mid-morning. It goes without saying, but the kids will be in the water the first chance they get. It depends on the age level, but some love to fish, some want to play on all the different water toys and features, and some want to wrestle and play “king of the dock.” We like taking a river exploration day, and the Guadalupe River allows for us to walk and look around. We traverse the rivers in our quest to find the right rock or cliff to jump from. Never fear, we can put your mind at ease because we have certified lifeguards that have received waterfront lifeguard training.

72 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Graeme Clayton with his aoudad. Exotics can be hunted year-round in Texas.

Lynkin Cochran with a nice bass. Summertime fishing is fun and a good way to relax.

You have to take very special care of your game in the summertime to preserve not only the cape, but the meat. Our goal is to get the hide off the animals quickly and to get them quartered and literally on ice inside of our walk-in cooler. If possible, we like to freeze the head and hide or at least keep it really cold just in case we want to have a critter mounted. It does not matter what time of year it is. The meat from these animals is over-the-top, high-quality protein, and spending time cooking, smoking, or processing the wild game is a lot of fun. We love taking an entire pig and smoking it in our COA pit. But probably the most favorite delicacy the kids like the most is the chicken-fried backstrap, mashed potatoes and gravy. Now that you have the insight to the summertime activities, it’s time to start planning for yours. Send me an email and I can get you all kinds of ideas on places to go and things to see. I can share with you the places that are “free,” and the ones that are inexpensive. I will see you in the field, and I’m looking forward to sharing an adventure together. Michael Marbach is the CEO of the Christian Outdoor Alliance, 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. Cameron Plaisteds with his trophy aoudad.

THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

DEER CONTESTS

RESULTS 20252025-2026 eer contests are a rite of passage across the state. You could also say they’re equivalent to an annual Olympic event, where many deer hunters want to prove their mettle against each other in such a unique competition. It’s hard to say which honor is more important to deer hunters—the bragging rights, or the tangible prize for winning a particular category. In either case, deer hunters enjoy showing off their big bucks and telling their big-buck stories to the rest of the deer-hunting community. According to South Texas Field Editor Jason Shipman, the 2025-26 deer season was average at best. “Year in and year out, big deer are harvested. What fluctuates are the overall averages,” he said. “Drought conditions were tough and unseasonably warm temperatures made for difficult hunting. Additionally, bumper acorn crops slowed deer movement across much of the state.” “It was a tough season and hunters had to work for their deer. A rumored possible shift in the weather pattern to El Niño would bring an end to the present drought and would be welcomed. Regardless, when fall arrives we will all be back in deer stands doing what we love.” Deer contests had their fill with entries from South Texas and the Hill Country. Contests like Muy Grande in Freer—the oldest contest; Los Cazadores in Pearsall; ANGADI Los Gigantes in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; and Trophy Game Records in Ingram. We thank them for sharing all their results with us. By the way, you’ll have three more chances to enter your bucks into our Annual Deer Competition in Houston, San Antonio, and Fort Worth at our Hunters Extravaganza shows in each city. This year, we’re celebrating 50 years of Hunters Extravaganzas, so don’t miss out. We’ll be waiting for you! —Martin Malacara

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THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

ANGADI LOS GIGANTES TYPICAL LOW FENCE Michael J. Huddleston................................................1761⁄8 Fernando Paramo Hinojosa.......................................1756⁄8 Edmond Jasinski........................................................1742⁄8

TYPICAL HIGH FENCE Shane Shipman..........................................................1927⁄8 Robby L. Carr.............................................................1747⁄8 Francisco Usobiaga....................................................1725⁄8

Mic h ae l J. Hu d d le s ton

Sh an e Sh ip m an

Dan ie l Elis

Ke n n e th Wille n b e rg

Lu is Es cu d e ro Vid ale s

Ju s tin Clay Be n n e tt

Lu is R.S. Garcia

Fran cis co De La Garz a Martin e z

NON-TYPICAL LOW FENCE Daniel Elis.....................................................................185 Hector Mario Hinojosa Orozco...................................1824⁄8 Emilio Andres Juarez Niño.........................................1762⁄8

NON-TYPICAL HIGH FENCE Kenneth Willenberg....................................................2165⁄8 Carlos Alberto Fernandez Martinez...............................208 Brett Bloomfield..........................................................2027⁄8

9 POINTS Luis Escudero Vidales................................................1731⁄8 Christopher Woodward...............................................1624⁄8 Chuck Jordan................................................................158

8 POINTS Justin Clay Bennett....................................................1676⁄8 Todd Searcy................................................................1494⁄8 Dale David Kimch.......................................................1491⁄8

7 POINTS Luis Raymundo Serna Garcia.................................... 1164⁄8 Jerry S. Hare..................................................................111 Will Jones...................................................................1061⁄8

6 POINTS Francisco Javier De La Garza Martinez........................ 118 Jesús Adrian Rodriguez Canales...............................1075⁄8 Kline Springs................................................................915⁄8

ARCHERY Pablo Blair..................................................................1723⁄8 Todd C. Steele............................................................1721⁄8 Brian J. Quebedeaux..................................................1684⁄8

Pab lo Blair

76 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

ANGADI LOS GIGANTES YOUTH DIVISION Kynlee Laquay...............................................................162 Colt Knippa.................................................................1482⁄8 Charlotte R. Riley.......................................................1427⁄8

FEMALE DIVISION Rachel Naylor.............................................................1666⁄8 Maggie Ancira Guadiana...............................................165 Kristie Hopson............................................................1293⁄8

Ky n le e Laqu ay

Rach e l Nay lor

Ju s tin Bau e r

He ctor O. B. Agu irre

He in z Blatz Dy ck

Le lv e J. Gay le

Je re m y Klin ke r

Is id ro Ce s ar Lav in Garcia

LARGEST NUMBER OF POINTS Justin Bauer............................................................170, 18 Anonimo...............................................................1673⁄8, 17 David Stanley.......................................................1883⁄8, 16

GREATEST SPREAD Hector Osvaldo Barberena Aguirre.................... 1634⁄8, 262⁄8 Brandon Ball...................................................... 1361⁄8, 246⁄8 Esteban Larragain................................................171, 243⁄8

HEAVIEST MASS Heinz Blatz Dyck..................................................172, 367⁄8 John S. Myrick................................................... 1666⁄8, 364⁄8 Timoti Waldrip.................................................... 1634⁄8, 363⁄8

LARGEST TINE Lelve J. Gayle.................................................... 1703⁄8, 142⁄8 Brad Justiss..........................................................1386⁄8, 14 Eugenio Gomez................................................. 1412⁄8, 133⁄8

LARGEST DROP TINE Jeremy Klinker..................................................... 1656⁄8, 65⁄8 Francisco Martin Del Campo..................................1522⁄8, 6 Domenico Lagana............................................... 1601⁄8, 57⁄8

LARGEST MAIN BEAM Isidro Cesar Lavin Garcia.....................................157, 283⁄8 Jeremy N. Lacy................................................. 1731⁄8, 281⁄8 Rodrigo Perez......................................................1573⁄8, 28

GENETIC IMPROVEMENT Eduardo Verduzco......................................................2987⁄8 Gregorio Ramiro Villarreal Alanis................................2945⁄8 Alberto Elizondo.........................................................2861⁄8

Ed u ard o Ve rd u z co

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LOS CAZADORES HIGH FENCE Denton Hadley........................................ 3083⁄8 Alyssa Wasek......................................... 2723⁄8

LOW FENCE Kyle Hope..................................................214 Gary Farmer*.......................................... 2054⁄8 Stephen Mogonye*................................. 2004⁄8

De n ton Had le y

Aly s s a Was e k

Ky le Hop e

Nath an Kru d w ig

Dou glas Sch n itz e r

An th on y Alv arad o

Ju lia n Cle p p e r

Corb in Dav e n p ort

Dav id Biv in s

Skip Prie s s

Hu n te r Con le e

Ry on Cam e ron

ARCHERY HIGH FENCE Nathan Krudwig.........................................266 Douglas Schnitzer.................................. 2484⁄8 Anthony Alvarado................................... 2221⁄8

ARCHERY LOW FENCE Julian Clepper........................................ 1822⁄8 Corbin Davenport................................... 1764⁄8 Sonny Thompson*.................................. 1703⁄8

OPEN CATEGORY David Bivins............................................ 4724⁄8 Skip Priess............................................. 4157⁄8 Neal Hahn*............................................. 3846⁄8

HILL COUNTRY HIGH FENCE Hunter Conlee........................................ 3007⁄8 Ryon Cameron....................................... 2855⁄8 Curtis Brawley........................................ 2825⁄8

80 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Cu rtis Braw le y

LOS CAZADORES HILL COUNTRY LOW FENCE Chaztin Futrell...........................................184 Tanner Keith*.......................................... 1623⁄8 Will Coronado......................................... 1566⁄8 Ch az tin Fu tre ll

Will Coron ad o

Bria n Be ld e n

Dan ie lle Be ld e n

Gric e ld a Garcia

Jos e p h Jon e s

Bry an Brig gs

Salv ad or Cis n e ros

VETERANS LOW FENCE Brian Belden........................................... 1294⁄8 Danielle Belden.......................................1135⁄8

VETERANS HIGH FENCE Gricelda Garcia...................................... 1762⁄8

TEXAS TROPHY HUNTERS HIGH FENCE Joseph Jones......................................... 2086⁄8 Jason Krumrey....................................... 2077⁄8

Jas on Kru m re y

TEXAS TROPHY HUNTERS LOW FENCE Sean Weatherford*................................. 1756⁄8 Bryan Briggs........................................... 1484⁄8 Teddy Stewart*........................................ 1421⁄8

MEXICO Kenneth Willenberg*............................... 2281⁄8 Brett Bloomfield*..................................... 2136⁄8 Salvador Cisneros.................................. 2093⁄8

All measurements shown are gross scores.

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MUY GRANDE ALL AROUND DIVISION MEN''S Thomas Hughes............................. 190 Gross

ALL AROUND DIVISION WOMEN'S Hannah Jarvis............................. 1664⁄8 Gross

ALL AROUND DIVISION YOUTH BOY''S

Th om as Hu gh e s

Han n ah Jarv is

Jake Sch n au tz

Ju lia n a Dou glas

Gary Sors b y

Tracy Le Blan c

Pie rs on Pras e k

Ch e ls i Ly n ch

Dav id Sh as h y

Paig e Lott

Con w ay Ad am s

Em e ry Ke n n e d y

Brad Hild e b ran d

Kris te n Jarv is

Jas e Ran d e rm an n

Jake Schnautz..............................1835⁄8 Gross

ALL AROUND DIVISION YOUTH GIRL'S Juliana Douglas.............................. 121 Gross

HIGH FENCE DIVISION--TYPICAL NET MEN'S Gary Sorsby.................................... 1904⁄8 Net

HIGH FENCE DIVISION--TYPICAL NET WOMEN''S Tracy Le Blanc................................. 1864⁄8 Net

HIGH FENCE DIVISION--TYPICAL NET YOUTH BOY'S Pierson Prasek.................................1707⁄8 Net

HIGH FENCE DIVISION--TYPICAL NET YOUTH GIRL'S Chelsi Lynch.................................... 1472⁄8 Net

HIGH FENCE DIVISION--NON-TYP. GROSS MEN'S David Shashy.............................. 2212⁄8 Gross

HIGH FENCE DIVISION--NON-TYP. GROSS WOMEN'S Paige Lott.................................... 2123⁄8 Gross

HIGH FENCE DIVISION--NON-TYP. GROSS YOUTH BOY'S Conway Adams............................ 2173⁄8 Gross

HIGH FENCE DIVISION--NON-TYP. GROSS YOUTH GIRL'S Emery Kennedy............................1875⁄8 Gross

LOW FENCE DIVISION-TYPICAL NET MEN'S Brad Hildebrand.............................. 1733⁄8 Net

LOW FENCE DIVISION-TYPICAL NET WOMEN'S Kristen Jarvis....................................1597⁄8 Net

LOW FENCE DIVISION--TYPICAL NET YOUTH BOY'S Jase Randermann........................... 1582⁄8 Net

LOW FENCE DIVISION--TYPICAL NET YOUTH GIRL'''S Kynleigh Tegeler.............................. 1484⁄8 Net Ky n le ig h Te ge le r

82 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

MUY GRANDE LOW FENCE DIVISION---NON-TYP. GROSS MEN'''S Kyle Hope.................................... 2041⁄8 Gross

LOW FENCE DIVISION---NON-TYP. GROSS WOMEN'''S Grace Dirks...................................1625⁄8 Gross

LOW FENCE DIVISION---NON-TYP. GROSS YOUTH BOY''S Jaxon Mogonye........................... 1656⁄8 Gross

Ky le Hop e

Grace Dirks

Jax on Mogon y e

Ke n n e d y Tarrillio n

Cole Man s ou r

Be n tle y Cotton

Colton Blakle y

Brooke Man s ou r

Ton y Hawk

Cin d y Hawk

Cas h Gatlin

Fis h e r Krie ts ch

Haisley Boultinghouse

Jacob Pe re z

Kin le y Ne u m an n

LOW FENCE DIVISION---NON-TYP. GROSS YOUTH GIRL’S Kennedy Tarrillion.........................1215⁄8 Gross

POPE&&YOUNG DIVISION---TYPICAL NET MEN''S Cole Mansour...................................1675⁄8 Net

POPE&&YOUNG DIVISION--TYPICAL NET WOMEN'''S Bentley Cotton................................. 1716⁄8 Net

POPE&&YOUNG DIVISION--TYPICAL NET YOUTH BOY'''S Colton Blakley................................. 1516⁄8 Net

POPE&&YOUNG DIVISION-TYPICAL NET YOUTH GIRL’'S Brooke Mansour...............................1515⁄8 Net

POPE&&YOUNG DIVISION-NON-TYP. GROSS MEN'''S Tony Hawk................................... 2394⁄8 Gross

POPE&YOUNG DIVISION-NON-TYP. GROSS WOMEN'S Cindy Hawk................................. 1981⁄8 Gross

POPE&&YOUNG DIVISION--NON-TYP. GROSS YOUTH BOY''S Cash Gatlin.................................. 1556⁄8 Gross

YOUTH DIVISION YOUNGEST MOST SUCCESSFUL HUNTER Boy's Category: Fisher Krietsch Girl’s Category: Haisley Boultinghouse

OPEN DIVISION MR. DUVAL COUNTY WIDEST SPREAD Jacob Perez............ 204⁄8 Inches, 1295⁄8 Gross

OPEN DIVISION MISS DUVAL COUNTY WIDEST SPREAD Kinley Neumann.........204⁄8 Inches, 133 Gross

OPEN DIVISION NO GUTS-NO GLORY Braden Richter............................... 134 Gross Brad e n Ric h te r

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TROPHY GAME RECORDS OF THE WORLD

OPEN DIVISION Men’s Diamond Buck Henry Adams Women’s Diamond Buck Jamie Sperry Youth Diamond Buck Case Ferguson

He n ry Ad am s

Jam ie Sp e rry

Cas e Fe rgu s on

Mik e Gilb ow

Joan Joh n s on

Vio la Bu lkle y

1ST PLACE WINNERS Men’s Mike Gilbow Women’s Joan Johnson Youth Viola Bulkley

HIGH FENCE DIVISION Men’s Diamond Buck Jason Clayton Women’s Diamond Buck Corbynn Lewis Youth Diamond Buck Hunter Conlee

Jas on Clay ton Hu n te r Con le e Corb y n n Le w is

1ST PLACE WINNERS Men’s Rick Davis Women’s Gricelda Garcia Youth Cavitt Krumrey Ric k Dav is

86 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Gric e ld a Garcia

Cav itt Kru m re y

TROPHY GAME RECORDS OF THE WORLD

LOW FENCE DIVISION Men’s Diamond Buck Curt Schiebel Women’s Diamond Buck Sharlotte Peterson Youth Diamond Buck

Chaztin “Boo” Futrell

Cu rt Sch ie b e l

Sh arlotte Pe te rs on

Ch az tin “Boo ” Fu tre ll

Ky le Hop e

Be th an y Cain

Cali Ge n try

De rric k Ard

Blain e Joh n s on

He s ton Hie rh olz e r

Le e Ph illip s

Ke n n on Doy al

Can y on Kru m re y

1ST PLACE WINNERS Men’s Kyle Hope Women’s Bethany Cain Youth Cali Gentry

HILL COUNTRY DIVISION Men’s Division Winning Buck Derrick Ard Women’s Division Winning Buck Blaine Johnson Youth Division Winning Buck Heston Hierholzer

OUT OF STATE DIVISION Men’s Division Winning Lee Phillips

MULE DEER DIVISION Adult Kennon Doyal Youth Canyon Krumrey

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Casa Grande Peak R

ising majestically 7,325 feet above sea level, Casa Grande Peak awaits visitors to Big Bend National Park in far West Texas. The peak, part of the Chisos Mountains, is the fifth highest peak in the park, and the 26th highest in Texas. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the peak is an extra-caldera vent, or volcanic dome, of the Pine Canyon caldera, which formed about 32–35 million years ago during a period of volcanic activity. In February, various media had reported about an online U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) map, which showed a border wall cutting through Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. Local residents, conservationists, and tourism businesses expressed opposition to the border wall project. They share a concern about the wall’s effect on the delicate ecosystem within the parks, the Rio Grande’s ecosystem, wildlife corridors for black bears and bighorn sheep, and the region’s natural beauty. Marfa Public Radio reported CBP officials updated the map March 5 and no longer shows border wall system projects. CBP officials released a statement March 6, saying the agency continues to “develop and finalize its execution plan for border barrier construction.” If you want to voice your concerns, contact your elected state and federal officials. Office of Gov. Greg Abbott: 512-463-2000 Office of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn: 202-224-2934 Office of U.S. Sen. Rafael “Ted” Cruz: 202-224-5922 U.S. House of Representatives: house.gov/representatives/ find-your-representative

88 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

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Compound Bow

ROUNDUP 2026

BY JOHN GOODSPEED

he lineup of new compound bows for 2026 continues the trend for manufacturers to lure archers with the promise of more tunability, shootability and precision, faster arrow speeds and smaller size for greater maneuverability. Some introduced new tuning systems for quick adjustments in the field. Cams continue to provide smoother draws and increased let offs at full draw for better aim without fatigue. Other enhancements contribute to less vibration and felt recoil and better balance and stability. One designed for youths and small-framed adults comes in at $399 and weighs 2.9 pounds while still shooting up to 305 feet per second. The fastest flings arrows up to 357 fps. The lightest bow weighs 3.6 pounds while several are the heaviest at 4¾ pounds. The most expensive one is $2,149 while three cost less than $1,000. The fps speeds are the manufacturers’ ratings using the International Bowhunting Organization standards. Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail prices.

ELITE ARCHERY PHOTO

92 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s

basspro.com; cabelas.com BlackOut NV-S, $999.99 This new flagship bow for BlackOut at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s delivers highend performance and takes the power and balance of the proven Tri-Track cam design to a new level. With a smooth, silent draw cycle, the synchronized cam system can launch arrows up to 338 fps. The NV2 cams maintain the efficiency of the three-track design to provide balance and forgiveness while spreading the load to improve stability. The system also allows for a shorter bow measuring 31 inches axle to axle. The machined-aluminum riser boasts Vibration Reducing Technology and an integrated Picatinny mount for a sight. The adjustable roller guard helps the smooth draw and reduces vibration and dampens noise. A rotating VX draw-length module offers ¼-inch pull length adjustments between 24½ inches and 30 inches. Let-off can be set between 70% and 90%. Brace height is 63⁄8 inches. It weighs 4.7 pounds. It comes in black, shown here, and TrueTimber VSX.

MANUFACTURER PHOTOS

Bear Archery

BowTech Archery

Darton Archery

With its compact 30-inch axle-to-axle measurement and a 6½-inch brace height, the Legend 30 strikes a balance between maneuverability and forgiveness. The heart of the Legend 30 is the DHC-XR Hybrid Cam, which allows for with draw lengths ranging from 18 inches to 31 inches at an 85% let off. Draw weights are adjustable from 14 pounds to 70 pounds. It can shoot up to 320 fps. The bow features the ultimate Ready-To-Hunt package from Trophy Ridge with an IMS V-Biscuit rest, a Picatinny-mounted four-pin sight, a fivearrow quiver, a stabilizer, peep sight and wrist sling. The Bear Paw Grip provides comfort and control, while the Cable Roller System ensures smooth draws. It comes in Mossy Oak Bottomland, shown here, Veil Whitetail, Olive, Throwback Green and Stone.

This model was awarded Best New Bow when it was launched at the 2026 Archery Trade Association Show in January in Indianapolis. The bow weighs just more than 4 pounds, reaches speeds up to 338 fps and features a 30½-inch axle-toaxle measurement. It includes BowTech’s updated DeadLock Cam System, which features double-locking security, larger screws, finer adjustment and laser-etched reference marks for consistent tuning and a customizable GripLock for a personalized grip angle. The riser also was reimagined for better balance and stability for a comfortable and steady hold on target. Draw length ranges from 26 inches to 31 inches while draw weight can be set to 60, 65, 70 and 75 pounds. Brace height is 6.43 inches. The bow also is available in a slightly larger Alliance 33 ($1,499), which measures 33 inches axle to axle. It shares the same features and many of the same specifications as the 30-inch model.

This bow features the largest axle-toaxle measurement — 351⁄8 inches — in Darton’s new flagship line, the TriTech. The others are the TriTech 31, measuring 313⁄16 inches axle to axle, and the TriTech 33, which is 333⁄16 axle to axle. All models are the same price, $1,349.99. The line features three patent-pending technologies — a Micro Adjust Roller Guard, improved Perfect-Timing Adjustable Yoke Hangers and the Perfect-Tune Adjustable Limb Pocket System, ¼-inch adjustable draw lengths, two draw stop posts and a Picatinny sight mount. Darton says these technologies deliver the smoothest draw cycle imaginable and unmatched consistency—making the TriTech series the most tunable bows around. The new Sanoprene Grip insert makes Darton bows more comfortable. Three options customize the grip angle. The TriTech 35 can shoot up to 336 fps. Draw lengths range from 26 inches to 31½ inches with draw weights of 50, 60, 70 and 80 pounds. Brace height is 63⁄8 inches. It weighs 4¾ pounds. Specifications for the other two models are slightly different.

beararchery.com Legend 30 RTH, $649.99

dartonarchery.com TriTech 35, $1,349.99

bowtecharchery.com Alliance, $1,499

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Diamond Archery by BowTech

diamondarchery.com Radian, $399.99 This model is designed for youths and small-framed adults with rotating modules giving draw lengths ranging from 16½ inches to 29½ inches. With draw weights ranging from 10 pounds to 55 pounds, beginners can start with a light and easy pull and then increase the poundage as strength and skill improves. Speeds can reach 305 fps. It weighs 2.9 pounds and measures 28 inches axle to axle. Brace height is 6 inches. The Radian includes such premium features as aluminum cams, wide quad limbs, a caged riser and upgraded finishes — Mossy Oak Bottomland, shown here, black, sandstone and forest green.

Elite Archery elitearchery.com Varos, $1,299.99

This model blends speed, control and confidence in a refined tunable platform anchored by Elite’s SP2 Cam System, VX Mods and new Micro Splitters, which allow cam timing adjustment in the field with the turn of a screw. The cam system allows the finetuning of the draw cycle, holding weight and feel while the VX Mods allow adjustments for holding weight, draw cycle and shot feel in ¼-inch draw length increments. It can reach speeds up to 338 fps. Axle-toaxle length is 32 inches. Brace height is 65⁄8 inches. Draw lengths range from 25½ inches to 31 inches. Draw weights are 40, 50, 60, 65, 70 and 75 pounds with a 90% let off. It weighs 4¾ pounds. It comes in 19 colors including Ninja black, shown here.

94 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Hoyt Archery hoyt.com RX-10, starting at $2,149

The patent-pending XTS Tuning System delivers a major upgrade for the 2026 Carbon REDWRX line. The system uses the popular paper tuning method, which involves shooting through a paper target and examining the tear where the arrow passed through to determine whether the bow is tuned or shooting the arrow high, low, left or right. While most systems only fix left and right tears, XTS also corrects high and low tears. The RX-10 comes in three other models: RX-10 Ultra, RX-10 Ultra LD (Long Draw) and RX-10 SD (Short Draw). Prices and specifications vary. The RX-10 shoots up to 342 fps. It measures 30½ inches axle to axle. Brace height is 61⁄8 inches. Draw lengths range from 25 inches to 30 inches, and draw weights go from 40 to 80 pounds. The bow weighs 4.1 pounds. It comes in 11 colors and camo patterns including sandstorm, shown here.

Mathews Archery mathewsinc.com ARC 30, $1,459

The 2026 ARC line, which includes the ARC 34 ($1,569), gets a number of enhancements including a redesigned cam, new mod system, a redesigned limb assembly and a reinforced riser. The SWX-2 Cam features Perimeter Weight Technology which helps reduce felt recoil. The new SWX-Z mod system provides a smooth draw with a modest tradeoff in peak speed ratings, which top out at 348 fps. New limb geometry creates a parallel limb path to enhance feel, increase efficiency and decrease vibration. Paired with a redesigned limb cup, the ARC limb assembly reduces weight while adding stability. The reinforced riser provides added strength and rigidity while retaining a lightweight platform that comes in at 3.99 pounds. The axle-to-axle measurement is 30 inches. Draw lengths range from 25 inches to 30½ inches. Draw weights are 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 pounds. Let off is 80% or 85%. Brace height is 6 inches.

Mission Archery

PrimeArchery missionarchery.com by G5 Range, $699 Launched for 2026, the latest Outdoors flagship model from Mission Archery promises a high-performance bow with premium results without the premium price tag. With speeds up to 325 fps, it’s powered by the MB Switchweight Cam, which allows adjustments via two rotating mods of draw lengths from 22 inches to 30 inches and draw weights from 30 pounds to 50 pounds or 50 pounds to 70 pounds. Let off is 80%. The new machinedaluminum riser delivers a strong foundation while keeping the overall weight to 4.06 pounds. The ergonomic slim grip is compatible with the new side plates, which allow for a custom fit. The axle-toaxle length is 31 inches. Brace height is 7 inches. It comes in three finishes — black, Earth and Mossy Oak Bottomland, shown here.

g5prime.com Divide, $1,699-$1,799 This new series for 2026 promises to fit every hunter and every style with four axleto-axle lengths — 31 inches, 33 inches, 35 inches and 37 inches — with 6-inch and 7-inch brace heights available. The Divide uses Prime Archery’s Center Grip riser and Advanced Structures Technology (AST), which includes carbon rods to manufacture some of the stiffest, most consistent risers while keeping the bows lightweight. They range from 4 pounds to 4.3 pounds. Prime’s Core Cam System allows for draw length specific mods for the maximum efficiency at every draw length. The adjustable stop goes from 83% to 65%. The Picatinny sight mount introduced in 2024 provides easy mounting. Also included is the integrated SherpaLite Quiver system. New for 2026 is the integrated Trilite Bow Stand, in either a two- or threeleg option.

PSE Archery

Xpedition Archery

PSE archery bills this 2026 model as the fastest carbon bow ever built with speeds up to 357 fps. At 33 inches axle to axle with a 5¼-inch brace height, the Sicario promises flat trajectories and tighter pin gaps. The new FDS Cam System provides a draw length range of 24½ inches to 30 inches and distributes power evenly through a draw cycle that is smooth and linear with no surprises while it steadies the pin, tames torque and drives arrows harder. Draw weights are 50, 60, 70 and 80 pounds with a 75-85% let off. The Dead Frequency Carbon riser kills vibration for a dead-in-the-hand feel and near-silent release. The bow weighs 3.9 pounds. It comes in seven colors and camo patterns including black, shown here.

The riser design of the new NexLite series of compound bows creates optimum strength and light weight while maintaining stiffness. The NexLite 33 shoots up to 330 fps while the NexLite 30 ($1,499.99) is rated for up to 336 fps. Xpedition Archery says the bows’ risers are constructed with Magnite, which offers a greater strength-to-weight ratio and more vibration dampening than 6061 aluminum or carbon. The NexLite 33 weighs 3¾ pounds while the NexLite 30 weighs 3.6 pounds. The draw cycle of the NXB Cam system has three module sizes, ¼-inch draw length adjustments, a 10% let-off adjustment and a draw dampener. Draw weights of the NexLite 33 are 50, 60, 65, 70 and 80 pounds. Draw lengths are 24½ to 31 inches. Brace height is 63⁄8 inches. Other features include a machined Picatinny rail, QAD and COR rest mounts, quad mini dampeners, three stabilizer mounting locations and a new hex quiver mount.

pse-archery.com Sicario Carbon, $2,099

xpeditionarchery.com NexLite 33, $1,599.99

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Author Photos

David with his trophy Kansas buck. It’s the biggest buck he’s taken in over 50 years of hunting.

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purchased a lifetime hunting license in Kansas when I lived there many years ago. Kansas still recognizes hunters that moved out of state. I have been hunting on my sister’s neighbor’s land for many years. He only had a couple of people who were bowhunters that he allowed to hunt here. The other hunter passed away last year. This is the perfect property nestled between crops. Very seldom any human presence is here. It has water, open timber, and lots of brush. Normally I have to take a weed whacker to open up a way to get to my hunting area. During the rut I see many big deer chasing the does around all day long. I have taken many bucks here, but not as big as this one. I was trying to get a 150-class buck, but always just a little bit shy of that 150 mark. You can sit here all day during the November rut, just rocking in the trees in the 30 mph Kansas winds. This year he put the property up for sale. So I decided to put a treestand on the hill behind my sister’s house. She

has many does and fawns right behind their house every day, helping the cattle eat their food. This makes a great view from their large picture window in the living room. My sister and brother-in-law always send me trail cam pictures of big bucks, taken mostly at night. My brotherin-law always sees big bucks while he’s out working with his cattle. I got to my treestand like any other day. About an hour later, I watched my brother-in-law leave in his truck. I thought the deer would be scared away. Five minutes later the does and fawns returned, and a big buck showed up to chase this doe. The doe went up the hill right past me. He walked straight up the hill toward my treestand, while keeping an eye on this doe. As he headed in a straight line toward me, I kept considering what shot would kill this huge buck with my Ravin R10. He kept coming directly toward me. He was almost under my stand, so I took a shot at him as he walked right

David with an aoudad he took on a previous hunt in South Africa. He plans on taking a Cape buffalo next time.

98 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

under my stand. Any closer and I would have hit the platform. I watched him go up the hill and he stood there for a while. I kept watching and he walked a bit to the right, then he turned to the left and he walked out of sight. I climbed down, found my bolt, and it was full of blood. Normally, there isn’t a trace of blood with my crossbow. I started up the hill, and my inner voice said, “WAIT!” Usually, I would head up there and mark any blood that I find. The sun began to set. I did not get much sleep that night worrying about coyotes, or if he actually had died. Did he go down the other side of the hill? I called my wife, and she wanted to drive 4 hours up here with our dog. Our dog is an amazing tracker. If there is a dead animal on the property, she will find it. My wife taught her how to track in Colorado when we first got her as a 9-month-old, while I was elk hunting. You can’t hide anything dead from her. She knows how to blood trail, but she prefers to put her nose to the wind and go straight for the deer. I woke up before sunrise, grabbed a quick coffee and breakfast, then headed up the hill. I found blood where the buck had stood looking toward me down the hill, then a little more to the right. I marked the blood and started walking around, then I found my buck all curled up waiting on me in the tall grass. I took my pictures, called my wife, who was bowhunting herself at our property. We dragged the buck down the hill and started processing him. Some neighborhood schoolboys that had been hunting instead of going to school showed up. We exchanged stories and they gave me pictures from their trail cams of this big boy, before he broke off one of his tines. When I finally measured

David’s buck had been spotted on a neighbor’s trail cam.

him, I found out this is the biggest that I have shot in over 50 years of bow hunting. We have hunted all over the U.S. and South Africa. All of the animals have been taken with our bows, and just recently my crossbow. We hunted elk in Wyoming and Colorado, antelope in Wyoming, turkey all over the Midwest, and caribou off the Dalton Highway pipeline in Alaska. We have made four trips to South Africa, and will be making another one in 2026 at Bos en Dal Safaris, our favorite South Africa outfitter. Our last trip, I took an SCI Top 5 Record with a bow, a Barbary sheep, spot-and-stalk in the Free State, South Africa, and also a gold medal common reedbuck at the same property. Next fall, I will be attempting to take a Cape buffalo with my crossbow. This will be the first trip using a crossbow. At 69 years old, however, my eyesight is not what it used to be. But I’m living the dream in retirement, with David shot his trophy buck with his crossbow. After a long wait, he found the buck my bow. curled up in some tall grass.

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TTHA staff photos

Make sure you’re focusing on your subject and not anything else in the background.

n this Internet age, the digital photograph can be more important than the story itself. After all, the picture is the first thing that Journal readers see, and surely influences whether or not they’ll decide to read the story. Therefore, a good picture is essential to the story. Here’s what you need to know to make one. First, a camera should always be part of your hunting gear. If you don’t want to carry around a dedicated camera, there’s nothing wrong with relying on your smartphone’s camera. Smartphone technology has reached a point where it’s possible to take a great photo that’s good enough for sharing and printing in the pages of The Journal. The trick, of course, is learning how to use that fancy camera built right into your phone. Depending on which phone you’ve bought, it’ll come with two or three lenses built right into its backside. Usually, those extra lenses are specifically designed for wide-angle and close-up shots, which are great for capturing broader landscape views or the finer details on a set of antlers.

Using your camera Take some time to familiarize yourself with the camera settings on your particular smartphone. If you need a bit more help, YouTube is a wonderful place to learn about your phone’s camera functions and settings. The best part: you can watch those how-to videos right from your phone. Don’t be afraid to take a deep dive into your phone’s camera app. That’s where you’ll need to go to customize your camera settings anyway. The camera app will let you select how to save your photos, which means using more or less storage on your phone, as well as choosing which lens to use if you have two or three to choose from. When you believe you’re ready, go out and take some practice shots. Any subject will work. When you do, here are a few things to consider: Framing: No, we’re not talking about what you do after you take the photo, we’re talking about filling the camera’s frame or screen with your subject. This means moving yourself closer or THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

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farther away from your subject in order to get what you need onto the image. The lens already does this to some extent, but it’s up to you to do the rest. Focus: Most cameras automatically do this, too, but you have to make sure it knows exactly where to focus. You don’t want whatever’s in the background to be in focus, you want whatever’s in front to have sharp focus. Don’t worry, just aim the camera and verify what’s in focus on your phone’s screen. (Tip: if it’s really bright outside and you can’t see what’s on the screen, make yourself a hood out of a dark, disposable plastic cup. Just cut out the bottom and place the larger opening over the screen.) Take the time to pose your trophy buck. Things like folding its legs and cutting off Lighting: Pictures should always the tongue help make the buck look its best for a great looking photo. be well lit. But the weather, particularly the sun, can create You didn’t hunt a sub-par buck, so why shoot sub-par photos? certain problems. Ideally, a cloudy day will be optimum—no Here’s a short list of what not to photograph: shadows—but a flash might be necessary. Try to shoot during early morning or late evening hours when the sun is at a 40- to • Don’t photograph your animal lying in the back of a 60-degree angle. (Tip: if it’s really bright outside and there’s pickup. (We can’t stress this one enough.) shadow on your subject’s face, you can make yourself a reflector • Don’t photograph your animal lying in your front or back to use for fill-in light out of an old pie tin or inexpensive hand yard. mirror.) • Don’t photograph just the head. Keeping these three things in mind will go a long way in • Don’t include extra people in the picture unless they’re actually mentioned in the story. improving your photos. • No photos of sitting on or straddling the animal’s back. Pose your trophy • No photos of the animal strung up, either by the legs or “Position the buck in a spot where the antlers can be silantlers. houetted on the sky,” says Brandon Ray, Journal writer and • Don’t show the animal gutted (no blood). Try, if possible, photographer. “A pond dam or hill works best. You don’t want to take your pictures before you gut the animal. If you any brush behind the antlers in the pictures to distract your eye already have, pose the animal so the exposed, open area isn’t visible. from seeing every detail on the buck’s rack. The photographer should get down at a low angle, maybe laying on his stomach, • Don’t show anyone holding a cigarette or an alcoholic to get the antlers silhouetted.” beverage. When positioning the hunter, he or she should be either off • Don’t show the animal’s tongue hanging out. Just cut it to the side of the animal or directly behind its body holding off. • Don’t hide the hunter’s face. This means no sunglasses up the antlers. Don’t get behind the head and the antlers. The and no camo make-up. Remove or adjust hats or caps antlers will blend in with a camouflaged outfit or, worse, it’ll accordingly. look like one of the tines is coming out of the hunter’s head. • If there’s a weapon in the picture, make sure it’s pointing Also, shoot both horizontal and vertical shots for variety in away from the hunter and camera. composition. While you’re at it, take as many pictures as possible of other things and surroundings that you might encounter. This will Picture resolution add color and variety, and perhaps a bit of humor to your story. A digital picture’s resolution refers to its clarity and detail— Think of it as telling a complete story with your photos, not just how it will look on your computer screen or HDTV. You may the end result. have heard the term megapixels in regard to resolution. We’ll Also consider using a tripod. It’s much more sturdy than trybriefly explain it here for clarification. ing to hold your phone by hand. Amazon has plenty of tripods A photograph is essentially a series of dots (squares actually). and phone mounts for tripods to choose from. They’re called pixels. One million of them equals 1 megapixel. The more dots, the sharper the image is. Inversely, the fewer The “don’t” list dots, the less sharp the picture is. You always want to show off or submit your best photos. The reason that matters is when a photograph gets enlarged.

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Make sure you’re taking the photo from the same level as your subject.

Adequate lighting is the key to any good photo. Make things easier for yourself by avoiding taking nighttime photos of your buck.

As the picture size increases, the dots spread apart. That’s why you need to have a high resolution to start with, so the digital pictures maintain their clarity and won’t look fuzzy when enlarged. Most smartphones today have cameras that have 12 to 16 megapixels. The more expensive phones have cameras that have a higher megapixel count. The 12-16-megapixel range will reproduce well in print. But, it helps tremendously to have your camera app at its best resolution format. On your phone, that means using HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) on Android phones, or HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) which is what iPhones use. These formats are a bit more efficient in saving space on your phone but preserve photo quality and also produce better color. You may still have JPEG format set on your phone, which is fine.

Sending us your photos Once you’ve selected photos to go with your story, simply

send them—one at a time—to editor@ttha.com. At the magazine, we need photos that are at minimum 2-3 MB (megabytes) in file size. Also, please don’t send us a phone screenshot of the photo. Just email us the actual, original photo from your phone’s photo app. When emailing the photos from your phone, make sure to select “actual size” before clicking the send button. If you don’t, the phone will pick the fastest way to send the photos, which means they will be too small for print. Choosing “actual size” ensures we receive the biggest file size photo that’s big enough for printing. Also, you may send us photos from services like Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive, or WeTransfer. Whichever storage service you use, please be sure to send us a link that works so we can download the photos. Remember, we don’t expect you to be a professional photographer. Although better pictures will definitely enhance your story, these are just helpful tips to make the pictures of your hunt even better—whether you submit them with a story or not.

Left photo: A smartphone camera with extra lenses for wide angle and telephoto shots. Right photo: Use the grid function on your smartphone camera to help line up three dominant points on your subject to maximize the photo’s impact.

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Author Photos

Carol and her husband Paul with their turkeys. Dennis Montecinos, their friend and guide, kneels behind them.

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ast year’s turkey season in Uvalde County had a great turkey crop, thanks to the wet winter, as predicted by the Almanac, which brought much needed rain. Our unofficial turkey guide Dennis Montecinos had been calling. He fished with Paul and me during the summer, but we had not talked to him since. He stays busy with the Houston Rodeo BBQ cookoff. I suspected the reason of his call—a great turkey hunting season is worth repeating. Paul, Dennis and I have hunted together for over three seasons. We headed to the lease right when the season opened. The great spring weather could not have been better. Hopes were high because we had seen lots of turkey on camera. Other lease members shared their sightings with us, too. We got to the lease in time for Paul and Dennis to do some late afternoon scouting or hunting. It’s a good thing Dennis videos his hunts because I was not with them that evening. He shot a large, beautiful Rio Grande turkey. Its feathers had a blue hue to them. Paul and Dennis had set up in the front pasture in a reliable field. They had not been there very long when Dennis’ call brought in some action! Three large turkeys came parading in from their left. Dennis was able to bag a nice blue hued gobbler turkey that evening. After the hunt, we planned for the next day. We decided to go to the back of the lease and hunt by Paul’s water feature. Because the windmill in the back was not working, he had bought a tote from a place in San Antonio and filled it up with water for the thirsty animals. We fill it up and haul it back there every time we are at the lease. Since he has had this tote (water feature) there, the

pasture has come alive again with lots of great sights. The turkeys have come back to roost there. We arrived at the pasture well before daylight. We quietly set up and patiently waited a while before Dennis started to gently use the hen call. It was not long before he got a response from three turkeys. Suddenly, the quiet pasture was alive with turkey talk, and beyond exciting. The turkeys were very interested in Dennis’ “dating” call.

Carol has hunted turkeys with Paul and Dennis for more than three seasons.

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Dennis with his own trophy turkey.

The conversation went on with the three turkeys. Paul joined in with his slate call. Dennis was using the mouth call and slate call. Then five hens flew over us from behind and settled in another pasture. The boss hen just came walking in from behind us like she was in charge, talking all the while. Behind her was a nice big gobbler, but we did not get a shot at him because he walked away into the bushes out of sight. Paul and Dennis still had a heated conversation going on with the three male turkeys. Dennis had just put out one hen decoy and it paid off. The three turkeys fell for his pillow talk and decoy. I got the okay to shoot and took the lead bird. I shot him once but decided to shoot again because he looked like he was going to fly off. Once they fly off, they disappear fast, so that was why I took the shot. Unfortunately, I had “Barney Fifed” myself with only two shells, so I did not get a shot at another one. Paul shot one but Dennis had his hands full, so he did not shoot this time. It was an exciting hunt but was over before you knew it. We had such a great time. We were planning to hunt at the water feature again the next day. But a front came through that night with lots of wind and heavy rain. The next morning, nothing was talking back to Dennis. It was like the turkeys just shut up. I don’t know if the wild weather shut them up, but it sure was a coincidence. Once again, another great hunt went into the books. And it certainly is worth repeating next year.

Three Fast Turkey Facts Good eyes and ears

If wild turkeys could smell, they’d be nearly impossible to hunt. The eyes and ears of a turkey make it one of the toughest of all Texas game animals. Their vision is the keenest among all Texas game animals. They’re especially astute at pinpointing movement and can home in on noises from a mile away.

Wild turkey revival

A hundred years ago, turkeys almost disappeared from Texas due to unregulated hunting and loss of habitat. Now, thanks to hunter and landowner support, bag limits, and a restocking program, Texas has some of the highest densities in the country.

Where wild turkeys roam

Turkeys now inhabit 223 of the 254 counties in Texas. You can see them roam at many Texas State Parks. One of the most substantial and oldest winter turkey roosts is at South Llano River State Park near Junction. Want to bag your own turkey? You can hunt for them on many of the state’s Wildlife Management Areas and other public hunting lands. Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Paul with the turkey he called in. THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

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George Andrejko Photo

Coues’ deer are actually a small southwestern subspecies of the common whitetail that’s found throughout North and Central America and parts of South America.

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What’s the difference? All native deer north of central Mexico are either mule deer or whitetails. There are many areas where these two types of deer coexist on the same range, which means hunters must be able to tell them apart. When we look at a mature buck of either species the differences seem obvious, but that’s not always the case. Because our deer are generally named after their tails and ears, we often think about those characters to tell the difference. However, there is a lot of individual variation in tails and ears to make even experienced hunters hesitate at times. The wide variation in antlers of both species make them the least useful characteristic when trying to identify these two deer species. Mule deer antlers typically have small brow tines, if they have them at all. The main beams sweep out and upward, forking once and then each fork

divides again in mature bucks. Typical whitetail antlers have several antler tines that all arise independently from a main beam that sweeps outward and forward. The brow tines are nearly always present. It is not unusual for whitetails to have forked tines like a mule deer or to see a young mule deer with all tines arising from the main beam. Mule deer were named for their large ears, reminding early explorers of mules. Later scientists agreed, giving the mule deer the scientific name “hemionus” meaning half mule. Whitetail ears are certainly shorter than those of mule deer, but the difference is only obvious when you compare the two types of deer side by side which isn’t going to happen very often. Mule deer tails are rope-like and are usually (not always) white on the back side with a distinctive black tip sur-

Mature desert mule deer antlers have a distinctive shape with beams forking and then forking again.

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Brad Fulk Photo

hite-tailed deer and mule deer are closely related and both the evolutionary product of the same primitive deer lineage. An early ancestor of both species came into North America through Alaska about 7 million years ago. These primitive deer started to differentiate into whitetails in the East and mule deer in the West because they were separated by the effects of glaciers at various times during the Pleistocene. We don’t fully understand exactly how it happened, but it is clear mule deer and white-tailed deer evolved differently because they were isolated from one another in very different environments until coming back into contact at the end of the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. Mule deer are a symbol of the wide-open spaces in the West, but they are not as abundant as whitetails. Mule deer struggle and periodically undergo widespread declines in abundance due to a wide range of factors, primarily weather related. They seem more robust than whitetails in physical appearance, but need our help to persist in abundance on the landscape.

rounded by a large, obvious white rump. The mule deer does not “flag” its tail and normally bounces away in a motion called “stotting” where all four hooves push off at the same time. This mule deer escape behavior is not as fast as the whitetail’s running, but in open and rugged terrain it is effective in keeping obstacles between the predator and itself. There are also several genetic differences that can be tested in the lab to differentiate between whitetails and mulies, but that doesn’t help us when we are looking through a scope. These genetic tests are also valuable for determining if a deer is a hybrid between the two species. This is important because a hybrid with a desert mule deer and Coues whitetail could easily score higher than the current world record Coues whitetail.

George Andrejko Photo

Southwestern flavors The deserts in the Southwest are home to some of the most interesting versions of North America’s big game animals. Even the nationally common deer species have a southwestern flavor that has been forged in the blazing hot summers and fragmented into smaller populations. There is only one “species” of white-tailed deer on the planet, but there are areas where whitetails look different because of regional environmental variations that result in physical, genetic, or other differences in how they make a living in their habitat. The miniature version, called the Coues white-tailed deer, is just a subspecies. Coues whitetails have adapted to an arid, less-fertile, and less-pro-

ductive habitat, which accounts for their small size. They have found it to be much more efficient to live in that environment by running a smaller body size. It follows the general rule that if fuel is expensive or hard to come by, you want to run a smaller-bodied car to make that fuel go farther. A very mature Coues buck may field dress at about 100 pounds, which would be a runt yearling in Wisconsin. Mule deer living in arid, desert environments are also smaller in skull and overall body size than those in the higher-elevation forested regions. These differences reflect centuries of natural selection favoring animals that can maintain themselves easier in the dusty Mexican borderlands. Desert mule deer yearlings average about 90 pounds field dressed, with mature bucks averaging about 165 pounds. Some desert mule deer bucks reach 200 pounds, whereas Rocky Mountain mule deer bucks can tip the scales at 300 pounds. Interestingly, recent mule deer research in the Texas Panhandle is documenting mature mule deer bucks reaching 300 pounds, raising the question of just how much this is influenced by the Rocky Mountain mule deer translocated into Oklahoma in the mid-1900s. Coues whitetails and desert mule deer generally use different types of habitat, or live at different elevations, in the areas where their ranges overlap. For example, mule deer in the Rocky Mountains stay in the higher-elevation mountain areas and whitetails are found primarily along the river courses and valleys. In the Southwest, that is reversed with desert mule

Hunting Coues white-tailed deer is not for beginners. They will not stand around to give you time to shoot like a mule deer might. THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

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David Rigo Photo

Young mule deer commonly have antlers that make them look like whitetails.

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deer living in the desert valleys and whitetails occupying the mountains. These relationships can change for complex reasons we don’t always understand. In some parts of the Southwest, when desert mule deer herds decline in the lower-elevation habitat, whitetails move down and use the valley and desert shrubland habitat formerly considered mule deer country. It is very hard to pinpoint the cause of changes to deer distribution in most cases; it is a complex and dynamic situation and varies on a case by case basis. In areas where Coues whitetails and desert mule deer coexist in the same habitat, studies find that their diets are very similar. Their spatial separation in most areas is probably the only thing that keeps them from competing with one another for food. Picking favorites For deer biologists, types of deer are like our children, and if we have favorites, maybe we should keep that to ourselves. After working in South Texas researching and managing trophy whitetails, I became a biologist in southeastern Arizona and continued conducting annual helicopter surveys there. On my first survey flight, a seasoned agency biologist in the front seat became excited and told the helicopter pilot to go back so he could look at a giant buck. When we circled around, all I saw was a dinky whitetail that would score about 110 Boone & Crockett points. I later learned that such a buck would make the all-time record book! I was not impressed, that is, until I saw my first mature desert mule deer buck. I realized then and there, the Coues whitetail was my second favorite deer in the Southwest!

Aaron Bloomquist Photo

A mature Alaska wolf is a stunningly beautiful creature. Luke Tyrell took this beautiful wolf on an Alaska hunt.

“W

olf!” The very word, maybe the first we spoke since man first walked the earth, has always invoked awe and thrill and fear. From my first wolves, seen trailing migrating caribou across Quebec’s vast tundra, to those I hear howling from my Anchorage backyard today, I feel it still. It’s a sound as wild, true, and chilling today as ever. It’s life with wolves and it’s nothing like Disney. It’d be hard to find a wild animal more misunderstood, more loved, and more hated than the wolf. Most of America’s wolves live in Alaska and the state has been managing the complex relationship between people

and wolves continuously for more than a century. Alaskans respect wolves as the smartest, wariest animal in the woods, as well as direct competitors for the game they depend on for survival. And it’s a complex, evolving task—compared to a growing number of Lower 48 states reintroducing gray wolves where they’d been gone for most of a century. The core of Alaska predator control is the mandate that game, especially moose, caribou, and deer, are managed as the primary food source for Alaskans. Article VIII of the Alaska Constitution directs that “fish, forests, wildlife, grasslands, and all other replenishable resources belonging to the State shall be utilized, develTHE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

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“Wolves are a very polarizing animal in the state—preserving versus eliminating them.” “They definitely eat moose – I’ve darted wolves off moose carcasses. They eat a lot of stuff, even Dall sheep, mountain goats, beavers, and grab a snowshoe hare when there’s the opportunity. But they will eat a decent amount of moose in the wintertime when they’re slower in deep snow. “Wolves do have an impact on moose or caribou population, but it’s just one of a lot of driving factors like habitat quality and population density, which makes predator control a very complicated thing.” He’s tracked collared wolves more than 500 miles, and because packs won’t share range, there’s lots of space between wolves. Ryan Scott is director of Alaska’s Division of Wildlife Conservation, which oversees all wildlife management including predator control. A longtime resident of Southeast Alaska and ADFG employee, he’s lived and worked with wolves most of his life. “We manage wolves under the umbrella term of intensive management and predator control can be a part of that. We are responsible for developing intensive management plans.” Intensive management is very much not traditional hunting, he added. “We put a wide gulf between hunting and predator control.” For decades biologists have estimated Alaska has 7,000 to 11,000 wolves, but nobody really knows how

Alaska guide Aaron Bloomquist and hunter with an Alaska wolf. They can be almost every color from white to black. This wolf, like most taken by hunters, was a surprise bonus to another hunt.

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Aaron Bloomquist Photo

oped, and maintained on the sustained yield principle, subject to preferences among beneficial uses.” Understand that a wolf is not a wild dog, but is far larger, smarter, and focused on killing, eating, and making more little wolves. Males weigh 115 to 130 pounds, and bitches 80 to 100 pounds. And every ounce of it a wily, efficient killer. They can lope for dozens of miles until they kill, then gorging up to a quarter their weight in fresh meat. One wolf is powerful enough to take down a caribou or deer, while a pack will kill the largest moose on Earth with ease. Wolves range across 85% of Alaska’s 586,000 square miles, from the Southeast rain forests to the arctic tundra on the North Slope, and make regular appearances in the cities of Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. They’re social animals in packs that include parents, yearlings, and pups of the year. The average pack size is six or seven animals. Packs are very territorial. Killing other outsider wolves is one of the highest mortality factors. It’s a common error among preservationists to ascribe personality to animals like wolves and bears, guide Caleb Martin said. “They try to see animals with human emotion. But Nature doesn’t care. For example, it’s common for a pack to wipe out a herd of caribou, not for food, but to teach their pups how to hunt,” Martin, executive director of the Alaska Outdoor Council, said. Dr. David Saalfeld is an Alaska wildlife biologist who has studied the wolves on the Kenai Peninsula for many years.

How to Hunt Wolves In Alaska, wolves are classified as both big game and as furbearers, with bag limit of five per day, and the season runs through fall and winter (August to April). Most of the 1,200 wolves harvested in Alaska each year are caught in leghold traps or snares. For traditional hunters, it might be the lowest percentage hunt in Alaska. Many of us will spend thousands of days, lifetimes in wild Alaska and never see or hear a wolf. Most are taken as a fluke when hunting caribou or moose.

Traveling in winter via snowmachine increases odds of seeing a pack of wolves. Predator callers will lure in and harvest a few. Shooters must be ready for long 400- to 600-yard shots at moving targets because wolves seldom stop. They’re relatively easy to kill once hit and accuracy and speed is more essential than stopping power. Most are taken in wire snares, by trappers willing to string and manage long traplines in subzero winter.

USFWS Photo

Marc Cameron Photo

many wolves are in the state. “That was an old estimate,” Scott said. “We really don’t know how many wolves we have, but we have no shortage of wolves. Wolves inhabit about every part of Alaska except the highest icy mountain ranges. We know they move back and forth a lot and also can reproduce very quickly with a litter and multiple pups every year.” Scott is adamant Alaska is doing it right regarding predators, far from the view depicted in social media. “Since 1960 when we became a state, there’s been a big improvement. When Alaska was a territory, the Feds had a poison program and killed everything. “Our approach is very systematic, with the entire system and whatever predator population we’re dealing With a track as large as a man’s hand, a mature wolf is far with. There are all kinds of opinions and philosophies larger than domestic dogs. regarding, especially predators. We know we are doing a way better job than in territorial days.” “What it comes down to is determining what is the driving The impact of wolf predation on struggling moose and carifactor for the decline of a particular population. We have ways bou herds decimated by hard winters may demand more predato measure that, from reproductive success to the weight of tor control. The Nelchina caribou herd in the Alaska interior, calves and fawns, to the impact of predation.” for example, has declined by 75 percent in the past few years. Alaska’s predator control is focused on the predators on the “What’s really happening (with Nelchina caribou) is the calving grounds. calves are not doing well. It’s habitat, weather, everything. “That first six to eight weeks are key when the calves are Many of the calves born are not surviving and added predation most susceptible to predators.” on those that do survive makes it worse.” Make no mistake, wolves love to kill and eat dogs. Some Alaska’s vast patchwork of state, federal and Native lands packs near urban areas like Anchorage become specialists at make the state’s management job challenging. Many manageluring dogs into range, then efficiently killing them. ment tools including predator control are banned by the feds While seldom attacking humans, the threat is real. In 2010, on millions of acres of federal land. a 32-year-old schoolteacher was killed by wolves in rural Alaska near Chignik Lake. It was her first day in Alaska, starting a new teaching adventure and she decided to jog down a four-wheeler trail. The next day her body was found torn and still guarded by several wolves. ADFG biologists eventually killed a half dozen wolves positively identified as part of the killing pack. All were mature and in excellent health. Regardless of where they are encountered, wolves are wary, wily, and elusive. They are the essence of wild Alaska. “There’s a perception outside that they’re easy to kill,” Martin said. “People have no idea the amount of work it takes to kill a wolf. They are by far the smartest animal in the woods in Alaska.” There are an estimated 10,000 or more wolves in Alaska, although there are no surveys done and many experts say there are far more than that.

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Ocelots: Texas’ Tiny Wildcat Researchers work to restore ocelot population By Martin Malacara

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Steve Sinclair Photo

n deep South Texas near the Rio Grande Valley and Laguna Madre lies the home of a unique and endangered species of cat. Ocelots once roamed most of South Texas, but the past 200 years hasn’t been so kind to them. Ocelots were prized for their fur, which caused their numbers to dwindle. As more people settled into Texas, the people reshaped the landscape without the ocelot in mind. Fewer than 100 ocelots call Texas home, but there has been a big project underway to change that. At the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Center (CKWRI) of Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), Fewer than 100 ocelots live in Texas, but efforts to revive the population will get a big a new facility—The Ocelot Conboost once the Ocelot Conservation Facility opens for business. servation Facility—is nearing completion. It will work to keep these wildcats from disappear- of an iconic South Texas species.” ing from Texas altogether. According to a CKWRI press release, The facility will be the first in the nation dedicated to housthe $20 million facility, which broke ground in 2024, will ing ocelots for breeding purposes, while providing medical occupy nearly 30,000 square feet and will serve as a breeding and reproductive care, and an environment for young ocelots program and reintroduce more ocelots into the wild. to learn hunting skills and other natural behaviors that will “This state-of-the-art facility fills a critical need to establish prepare them for release into new habitats for ocelot restoration. a new ocelot population in South Texas which will help secure “Having a facility dedicated to understanding ocelot reprothe ocelot’s future in the United States,” said Dr. David Hewitt, duction and behavior provides opportunities not available anyCKWRI executive director and research scientist. “The new where else,” Hewitt said. “The veterinarian and animal housing facility will provide unique research and teaching opportunities facilities are second to none. Having adjacent native habitat into for TAMUK students and faculty. For me and CKWRI, we are which ocelots can be released and learn behaviors important honored to have this facility as a tool to promote conservation in the wild, is unique. This facility will be a game changer in

clk architects & associatiates illustration

Dr. Ashley Reeves, a research veterinarian for the East Foundation that collaborates with CKWRI on ocelot research, points out time will be the facility’s biggest challenge. “Ocelots are slow reproducers as they only have 1 to 2 kittens—typically 1—every 1 to 2 years. Additionally, they are slow to sexually mature, around 2-3 years of age,” she said. “Then, the genetically suitable offspring will need to be raised to a point where they can be separated from their mother, then must continue to learn and develop wild behaviors such as hunting that they hopefully learned from their mother. Once they can demonstrate these behaviors consistently, they are ready to move to the release location.” She added, “This timeline from breeding to release of the first ocelots could be as short as 3 years but as long as 5 years. The beginning will be slow and steady with hopes of it picking up once breeding is successful and kittens are maturing.” If you’re thinking about paying the ocelots a visit, you’re out of luck. “The new facility will not be open for visitation, as breeding and raising ocelots requires minimizing human contact,” Reeves said. “Ocelots need to learn to develop behaviors suitable for wild cats, and should have limited human interaction. If anything, ocelots being prepared for the wild should fear and avoid humans.” “We will have camera monitoring of our ocelots and can share footage with the public. Additionally, we will have planned research that is mainly centered around behavior monitoring and reproductive technologies. We will share publications and updates on our website, RecoveryTexasOcelots.org. Following our website and our partners’ social media platforms (partner links found on the website) will allow the public to stay engaged with the program.” Those partners include the National Resources Institute at Texas A&M University-College Station; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services; Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Duquesne University; and the Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. “Although science is a great way to satisfy the inquisitive mind and advance management of the land and species that depend on it,” Reeves said, “you do not have to be a scientist to be involved in conservation, and I believe our group of partners shows just that.”

Architectural rendering of the Ocelot Conservation Facility.

conservation of ocelots and other small cats.” The primary research building will provide space for surgery, exams, offices, outreach, and education. There will be 16 ocelot enclosures that include separate spaces offering interior and exterior holding areas. Enclosures will be dedicated to breeding female and male ocelots, new mothers with offspring during the first weeks of life, and ocelots being quarantined. Hewitt gave two reasons for keeping ocelots in the environment. “First, ocelots in South Texas complement bobcats and coyotes by preferring thick brush, a habitat type that bobcats and coyotes do not use as readily,” he said. “Ocelots are also more nocturnal than bobcats and coyotes. Because of these differences, ocelots can help maintain small mammal populations in the brush at reasonable densities which may influence plant communities and their productivity.” “Second, having ocelots in the environment enriches the outdoor experience for people, increasing their interest in the natural world and providing additional impetus to conserve native habitat, especially the thick brush that ocelots prefer. Such conservation efforts benefit all wildlife.” Hewitt shared his excitement about the project. “I most look forward to the various milestones we have ahead of us,” he said. “The first ocelot in the facility, the first litter, the first kittens and mother who are released into the wilding enclosures, and the first ocelot from the facility that will step out into the wild in its new South Texas home.” The Kingsville facility is expected to be completed in 2026, but it will take some time to get the whole process started. “A timeline is difficult to predict because the techniques we will be using are novel and will take time to develop and fine tune,” How you can help Hewitt said. “We will • Visit RecoveryTexasOcelots.org/giving, or ckwri.tamuk.edu/giving to donate financially. be starting soon after • Attend events like Ocelot Conservation Day and the Ocelot Fun Run in Brownsville, Texas. the facility’s opening • Visit ourtexasourfuture.com/stories/ocelots/ to watch a short video on ocelot because producing ocelots for release is conservation. critical.

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Season Review

Future looks bright in the author’s corner of Texas comforting aroma of a scented candle. A large bowl with steam rising off the top and a thick slice of French bread, toasted and slathered with butter, will be my lunch. It’s the perfect meal on a cold day in the Texas Panhandle. And the right

Deer hunting highlights The work starts in early August under a burning sun. Blinds get set, feeders get filled, and trail cameras get hung.

Author Photos

Here’s the author with the big Texas eight-point he arrowed on Nov. 6, 2025. The shot was 20 yards near a Panhandle creek.

time to reflect on the past deer season.

Author Photos

here’s a fresh pot of homemade venison soup in the kitchen. The smell of cut carrots, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, celery, and ground venison hamburger meat simmering on the stove fills my old farmhouse like the

122 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

September and October mean guiding aoudad hunters. Last year, five happy archery clients left with trophy rams. The biggest was a heavy-horned beast with horns almost 33 inches long. It’s not until late October when I get time to focus on deer. Nov. 6 was a busy day. That morning, seven different bucks, four of them mature, passed within 30 yards of my brush blind. The best one was a 150-class typical 12-point. He lingered for only a few minutes in the early morning light, then he was gone. Another familiar buck, this one a big eight-point with a distinctive double throat patch, also sniffed around for just a minute or two, then walked to the creek. That afternoon, excited by the spur in buck activity and signs the rut was cranking up, I returned to the same brush blind. At sunset, I spotted the big eight-point with the double throat patch coming down a ravine from the north. The buck trailed a doe until he was broadside at 20 yards. My arrow zipped through the ribs like he was only dense fog. The buck trotted 70 yards, stopped, then tipped over. It ended in seconds. That fine Panhandle whitetail was hefty at 200 pounds live weight. Tooth wear indicated he was 5½ years old. For three years I’d been monitoring that buck. It was easy to identify him from year to year because of the double white throat patch. I passed him several times at close range in 2024 because of a broken brow tine. His rack was always a bigframed eight-point from ages 3½ to 5½ and very similar in size each year. I got that buck on my sixth sit of the season in a deer blind. Despite many more sits in that area in November and December, I never saw the typical 12-point again. That makes three seasons I’ve been aware of him, but I’ve never got a shot. It would be six long weeks before I would release another arrow at a deer. On the afternoon of Dec. 20, my 25th sit of the season for deer, a post-mature buck I’d also been tracking for multiple seasons came by my blind. It was only the second time in two seasons I’d seen him, despite numerous pictures on trail cameras, across more than a mile of river bottom habitat. He came by with a smaller eight-point early in the after-

This is an old 11-point the author arrowed on Dec. 20, 2025 and gear used on the hunt. Shot distance was 16 yards. The shed antler was found two years earlier.

noon. Broadside at 16 yards, my arrow zipped through the ribs at 3:50 p.m. I watched him trot nonchalantly towards the creek, then lost sight of him. There wasn’t much blood, so it took me a while to sort out his line of travel, but I finally found him 180 yards away, dead as a stone in the middle of the creek. He slightly quartered towards me more than I realized, so the arrow caught lung on entry, but exited farther back. Hunting solo as I usually do, it was a workout to

slide down the muddy riverbank, gut the buck to reduce his weight and then drag him up the steep, slippery embankment. A long rope tied to his antlers helped me drag him all the way up the bank to the base of a large cottonwood tree. I maneuvered my old Toyota Tacoma pickup through the trees so I wouldn’t have to drag the buck any further. I was soaked from the knees down, my leather boots full of cold water, but I wasAuthor relieved to Photos have the buck in the truck bed. Tooth

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wear indicated the 11-point deer was 8½ years old, or older. I have one of his sheds from two years earlier. He politely dropped that antler under the feeder where a blind man could have found it. Good gear, good news for future My setup for last year’s deer included a sweet-shooting Prime Form 34 bow rigged with Gas custom strings and cables. Accessories included a QAD Ultrarest Integrate MX2, HHA Optimizer Lite sight, B Stinger stabilizer and the draw weight set at a comfortable 57 pounds. I used Easton Axis 4mm Long Range Match Grade shafts tipped with a titanium outsert and a 100-grain broadhead for a total weight of 410 grains. I used a standard Slick Trick broadhead for the eight-point in November and an Iron Will Wide broadhead for the 11-point in late December. Other gear included an Ozonics HR600 unit, Browning trail cameras, and Sig Sauer Kilo HD10X32

optics. I hunted from Primos Double Bull pop-up blinds, brush blinds built out of cedars and broomweeds and a short Millennium tripod stand. I keep a journal at the end of every season. In it, I detail bucks to look for next year. I record details like a torn ear, scars, or a double throat patch so it’s easier to identify that buck next season, regardless of what his rack looks like. I record my guess on the buck’s age and antler size and what time of year or blind that buck frequented. Those notes help me decide where and when to hunt. I hunt in a low deer density area, so there’s not that many bucks, but I like tracking their growth whenever possible. Three things have made me excited for the 2026 season: old bucks, mulie fawns and turkeys. Several older bucks made it through the season. I have plans to meet them again. After many years of drought and low fawn and poult production in the Texas Panhandle, both mule deer and

That big rack is the top view of the author’s Texas eightpoint from last November and the gear he used on the hunt.

124 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

turkey numbers are up. I’ve never seen as many mule deer fawns as I witnessed in the fall of 2025. At one blind near a windmill, I counted 14 fawns. At another blind roughly one mile away, and at the same time frame on a trail camera so I know it’s different deer, there were eight more fawns. Turkey numbers are up. I saw two big flocks of turkeys multiple times while deer hunting. One flock had 16 longbearded gobblers. The second flock of 30 birds had 23 hens and seven jakes. What a welcome sight after so many years of low numbers. Until next deer season, I’ll try to stay warm by the fire and enjoy plenty of homemade venison soup. I’ll reflect on last year’s memories and count my blessings. Getting to hunt wild, rugged canyon-country where big bucks never come easy, but the chase is always an adventure, is worth celebrating.

First Quarter:

May 24 • June 23 MOON PHASES

MAY/JUNE 2026

New:

Full:

May 17 • June 15

May 2 • May 31 • June 30

Last Quarter:

May 9 • June 8

130 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

Source: spaceweatherlive.com

Nilgai Texas Chili By Faith Davis

Serves: 20 Ingredients: • 6.5 lbs. ground nilgai (or combined with venison)

• .625 cup tomato paste

• ½ lb. lard (to offset lean meat)

• 5 Tbs. Beef Better Than Bouillon

• 6 medium yellow onions, diced

• 3 amber ale beers (12 oz. ea.)

• 21 garlic cloves, crushed

• 3 ½ cups water

• 10½ Tbs. San Antonio chili powder (HEB)

• 7 Tbs. corn starch

• 7 Tbs. ground cumin

• Toppings

• 3½ Tbs. smoked paprika

• 4 cups cheddar cheese

• 3½ Tbs. dried oregano

• 16 oz. sour cream

• 7 tsp. salt

• 1 red onion, diced

• 7 tsp. pepper

• 1 bunch green onions, diced

• 7 bay leaves

• 4 jalapeños, sliced in rounds

Author Photo

• 3½ 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes (98 oz. total)

Tools Needed • Giant pot (tamale size) • Paper towels Directions • In a large stock pot (tamale pot, turkey frying pot size), brown nilgai and/ or venison, crumbling it as it cooks. You will need to work in batches. Remove meat and place to the side in a bowl. • Leave any residual fat in the pot and add ½ cup lard. Add onion and cook 12-15 mins or until browned and soft. • Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano, cooking and stirring constantly until fragrant (1-2 mins). • Return meat to the pot and add the salt, pepper, bay leaves, crushed tomato, tomato paste, beef bouillon paste, 2 of the amber ale beers, 2 cups water. Simmer 30 mins. • Add the remaining beer, and cornstarch dissolved in the remaining cup of water. Simmer for 40 mins, stirring occasionally until thickened. Serve with toppings.

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 | 654 Richland Hills, Suite 160 | San Antonio, TX 78245 | editor@ttha.com THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING ® | www.TTHA.com

131

Hunt’s End

CANNON KLOSTERMANN: whitetail nine-point taken 11/7/25 in Duval County. GEAR: rifle. OUTFITTER: Silver Horn Ranch.

EMMALEE COOKE: whitetail spike buck (first deer) taken 11/25/25 in La Salle County. GEAR: 6.5mm Creedmoor. OUTFITTER: family ranch.

HENRY SMITH: whitetail nine-point taken 10/24/25. GEAR: rifle. OUTFITTER: family lease.

CARSON KLOSTERMANN: whitetail 10-point taken 11/7/25 in Duval County. GEAR: rifle. OUTFITTER: Silver Horn Ranch.

132 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

RONNIE HERRERA: whitetail 10-point taken 12/22/24 in Uvalde County. GEAR: .257 Weatherby Magnum OUTFITTER: self.

KAROL SMITH: whitetail 11-point with 17-inch inside spread, scoring 1481/8 B&C, taken 10/26/24 in Palo Pinto County. GEAR: TenPoint crossbow, TenPoint EVO-X bolt, Oracle X scope. OUTFITTER: self.

SCOT DANNHAUS: axis six-point with 23-inch inside spread taken 4/12/25 in Austin County. GEAR: Stevens 25-06, Hornady American Whitetail 117-grain ammo, Bushnell scope. OUTFITTER: Eberly Ranch. Net or Gross B&C Score (if known): State or County:

Email:

Phone Number: (

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Send To: Hunt’s End, 654 Richland Hills, Suite 160, San Antonio, TX 78245

Comments:

Outfitter:

Weapon:

Sighting System:

Projectile:

OR EMAIL: HUNTSEND@TTHA.COM. PLEASE INCLUDE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.

Inside Spread:

Member ID Number:

)

Date Taken:

Species Taken:

Member’s Name (if different):

Adult Number of Points:

Youth

Hunter’s Name:

Please Circle One:

YOUR PHOTO COULD BE HERE! SEND US YOUR PHOTO FOR HUNT’S END!

LISA MARKHAM: whitetail 11-point with 14-inch inside spread, scoring 1264/8 B&C, taken 10/18/25 in Anderson County. GEAR: Ruger M77, .270 Hornady ELDX ammo. OUTFITTER: Bird Mountain Hunting Club.

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NOTE: Only TTHA members or immediate family may submit photos. Do not paperclip or staple photos, as this can damage them. Prints must be no larger than 4x6 inches and printed on photo-quality paper. Photos may also be emailed to HuntsEnd@ttha.com. If sent by email, please make sure to include all information from the form and limit your photo size to less than 5MB. Send a separate e-mail for each entry. No photos will be returned. Photos become the property of Texas Trophy Hunters Association.

[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

THE ROUND-UP

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.

134 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026

CLASSIFIED

[ THE JOURNAL ]

VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

“MEMBERS ONLY” Benefit!

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:

TTHA Classified 654 Richland Hills, Ste. 160, San Antonio, TX 78245 You may fax your ad to (210) 523-8871, Attn: Debbie Keene or e-mail to Deborah@ttha.com. Send your ad in by May 8 to run in the next issue!

FREE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING!

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.

THE BLUE HERON FISHING CABIN Rental nestled by the Arroyo Colorado in Arroyo City, Tx. Two Bedroom 2 bath private lighted fishing dock. Call 956-3420113 for details. AOUDAD HUNT! Hunt free ranging aoudad in Llano County. Hunts begin in late August thru late October, 2026. Nice accommodations. For additional info, email darrellsteffek@gmail.com. HUNT WEST TEXAS: NW of Abilene, Free Range Whitetails, Wild Quail (also released Pheasant), Dove, Multiple Exotic Species. Individual or Corporate. www. saltforkranch.com or 325.518.4345. OWN A BUSINESS IN THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY - We can help you sell your ag/ outdoor business or buy your dream business. Commission-only! Chip Miller, Senior Business Advisor (License #643275). Call or text: 512-677-7750. WILDLIFE EXEMPTIONS – Texas Rangeland Management provides Turn-Key Wildlife Services to keep your Property Taxes LOW! Contact Wildlife Biologist Sergio Morales: 210-526-1522 | www.TexasRangeManagement.com. HUNT SOUTH TEXAS Deer, Hogs, Turkey, Quail, Dove, Javelina, Varmints. 350 acres near Freer. Low fence. Fully equipped 3 BR, 2ba ranch house with satellite TV. Starting at 150.00 per person per day. Trophy buck, 2500.00. References. 361-947-0584. MACS MOBILE GUN CARE in DFW - Expert Cleaning/Maintenance, and Premium Accessories with Install for Top Tier Firearms. All at Your Front Door! Book Now: CLEANMYGUNS.COM. TXN HOME SERVICES - America’s Toughest Gutter Guards with Leaf Blaster Pro. Built to last. Proven to protect. 40-Year Warranty. Gutters that got you covered. 346-460-9199 | TXNHomeServices.com.

BIG TIME HUNTS – World-Class adventures across Southern & Northern BC, Canada! Hunt Stone Sheep, Moose, Goat, Cougar & more. All-inclusive, guided packages. Book your hunt today! www.bigtimehunts.com | bigtimehunts@ gmail.com. WILDLIFE & HABITAT Consulting. Commercial hunts available. Contact Certified Wildlife Biologist Jason Shipman 210-508-8447 or jasonashipman@gmail. com. S.M FENCING, Welding and Bulldozing. Contact Shawn Mangham. 325-451-7120. WELDED STRUCTURES: Custom Clearing and Fab LLC handles metal buildings, welded structures, and livestock pens throughout the hill country and south Texas. Call Dustin Stareck 316323-7673. www.customclearingandfab. com. KEI VALLEY SAFARIS offering plains game in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Package hunts or build your safari. Deep sea fishing, photo safaris, and park excursions available upon request. Keivalleysafaris@gmail.com. Keivalleysafaris.com.

full service hunts for Whitetail Deer, Red Stag, Dove and Quail to individuals and Corporate clients. www.reserveranch. com. JOIN THE MISSION! Support our veterans and first responders with outdoor adventures through Patriots First Outdoors. Donate or become a member today at www.patriotsfirstoutdoors.org. MAP MY RANCH specializes in developing printed maps for all your outdoor needs. We can create basic boundary maps, or those with customized features - locations of deer blinds, feeders, food plots, ponds, etc. Contact today to get started! www. MapMyRanch.com or 713-302-2028. VETERANS CREED OUTDOORS Team Texas. Outdoor Trips for Veterans and First Responders. Find us on Facebook on our page and group. HELP FEED THE HOMELESS – donate excess game animals to feed the homeless, orphans, and needy families. Go to www.trinityoaks.org “contact us” tab.

WANTED: A WHITETAIL HUNTER/Private Plane Owner that loves to hunt trophy deer. I have 1300 acres in the Flint Hills of Kansas. 512.365.8205 OR 512.970.5477.

S & D WHITETAILS – 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. 325-642-7596.

THERMAL DRONE WILDLIFE SURVEYS by premier wildlife consulting firm Spring Creek Outdoors! Professional full time wildlife biologists. Contact matthew. nuernberg@gmail.com.

TEXANS ARCHERY CLUB wants to expand our state’s archery range infrastructure. Looking for local partners/ land to expand our network. www. TexasArchery.info 501c3.

AMERICAN FEEDER - Fish Feeders. Catch and grow larger, healthier fish. All new aluminum fish and deer feeders from American Feeder. Visit http://www. american-feeder.com for details.

SPECIALIZED INSURANCE for outdoor recreation & hospitality businesses. Hunting & fishing lodges/preserves, guides, outfitters, ranges, & more. Comprehensive coverages incl. property, general liability, business auto. Contact Devin 361-208-4404 or devinp@jacobsweber.com.

RESERVE RANCH, a Sportsman’s Paradise near La Pryor, Texas offering

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[ THE JOURNAL ] VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 MAY/JUNE 2026

AD INDEX

JOURNAL ADVERTISERS FEATURED ADVERTISERS IN THE MAY/JUNE 2026 ISSUE

Atascosa Wildlife Supply.................................23

Jerry Johnston................................................104

TTHA Hunters Extravaganza

B & B Taxidermy.............................................41

Madubula, LLC..................................................5

Attractions...................................................29

Bellville Meat Market...............................18, 134

Magnum Research Inc.....................................96

Become an Exhibitor.................................134

Berry Whitetails...............................................13

Outback Feeders........................................78, 79

Save the Date...............................................27

Big Time Hunts..............................................112

Ranch King Blinds......................................... IFC

TTHA Hunting & Fishing Extravaganza...9, 130

Briscoe-Cochina & Catarina Ranches..............44

Reserve Ranch..................................................18

TTHA Membership....................................64, 65

Bruton Trailers.................................................40

Safari Club International..................................74

Military Discount.......................................130

Capital Farm Credit...................................... 3

Safe Gun Storage...........................................134

School Chapters.............................................8

Charco Marrano Ranch..................................121

Spin Tech.........................................................85

TTHA Merchandise.................................36, 134

Christian Outdoor Alliance..............................70

Texas Hunter Products.....................................37

TTHA Outdoors Extravaganza

Dullnig Ranch Sales.........................................32

Texas State Rifle Association..........................121

Become an Exhibitor 2027..........................45

Forager Outdoors............................................73

The-Remote.....................................................57

Sponsor Thank You...............................60, 61

Fort Knox......................................................117

Titan Hunting Blinds................................... 12

TTHA Platinum Life Membership.................125

G2 Ranch....................................................... 1

TPWD Gear Up for Game Wardens...............134

TTHA PLM Listing................ 126, 127, 128, 129

Gun & Trophy Insurance..............................116

TTHA Credit Card.........................................120

TTHA Podcast.................................................84

HB Hunting Products......................................49

TTHA Digital Series...................................90, 91

TTHA Write a Story...............................100, 132

Hornady..........................................................53

Waypoint TV.............................................. 108

Jason Shipman.................................................19

West Texas Feeder Supply...................... IBC, BC

136 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters | May/June 2026