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2 | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E

Published by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC.TEXAS FISH & GAME is the largest independent,

family-owned outdoor publication in America.Owned by Ron & Stephanie Ward and Roy & Ardia Neves.

ROY NEVESPUBLISHER

DON ZAIDLEEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CHESTER MOOREEXECUTIVE EDITOR

C O N T R I B U T O R S

JOE DOGGETT SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITORDOUG PIKE SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

TED NUGENT EDITOR AT LARGEBOB HOOD HUNTING EDITOR

MATT WILLIAMS FRESHWATER EDITORCALIXTO GONZALES SALTWATER EDITOR

LENNY RUDOW BOATING EDITORSTEVE LAMASCUS FIREARMS EDITOR

LOU MARULLO BOWHUNTING EDITORKENDAL HEMPHILL POLITICAL COMMENTATOR

TOM BEHRENS CONTRIBUTING EDITORGREG BERLOCHER CONTRIBUTING EDITORPAUL BRADSHAW CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

CAPT. MIKE HOLMES CONTRIBUTING EDITORREAVIS WORTHAM HUMOR EDITOR

JOHN GISEL WEBSITE CONTENT MANAGER

A D V E R T I S I N G

ARDIA NEVESVICE PRESIDENT/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

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TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published monthly by Texas Fish &Game Publishing Co., LLC., 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. TexasFish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprint-ed or otherwise reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes noresponsibility for unsolicited photographs and manuscripts. Subscription rates: 1year $19.00: 2 years $34.75; 3 years $48.50. Address all subscription inquiries toTexas Fish & Game, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. Allow 4 to 6weeks for response. Give old and new address and enclose latest mailing addresslabel when writing about your subscription. POSTMASTER: Send address changesto: TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Address allsubscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX77032. Email change of address to: [email protected] Email new ordersto: [email protected] Email subscription questions to:[email protected].

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40 PUBLIC FISHINGIn the final installment in our WalkaboutAngler series, we look at the use of publicand nominal fee-access fishing as an alterna-tive to big-lake, big boat, big expense trips.

by Bob Hood

DECEMBER 2010 Volume XXVI NO. 8

COVER STORY:

DROP TINE BUCKSCompetition amongtrophy hunters isfierce for the brag-ging rights to a

high-scoring typical antlerrack.

But in some hunting circles,the unique majesty of a one-of-a-kind non-typical set of horns,characterized by one or moredrop tines, trumps the obsses-sion with balanced symetry.

In these circles, huntersstrive for imperfection.

by Paul Bradshaw

FEATURES

www.FishGame.com

24 CHRISTMAS TREE CRAPPIEBrush piles are to crappie what 24-hour Mex-ican food joints are to af ter hours honkytonk crowds. Here, one of Toledo Bendsbrush pile experts shares his brush-buildingskills in a step-by-step rundown.

by Matt Williams

28 THE DUCK-FISH CONNECTIONJust because a certain conservation effort isaimed at one species, say waterfowl, doesntmean it cant also have significant benefits toother species, say those with scales and fins.

by Chester Moore

36 WINTER WHITINGLooking for fish to fry? Not so easy in a con-servation spirited world of catch-and-release and reduced bag limits. Well, there isthe gulf whiting, a plentiful fish that makesa tasty and sporting alternative.

by Greg Berlocher

44 LATE SEASON DOVE This year s late dove season starts on Christ-mas Day in all three Texas Zones, and runsthrough January 9.

by Ralph Winingham

STORY:

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COLUMNS and DEPARTMENTS

COLUMNS

DECEMBER 2010 Volume XXVI NO. 8

9 Editors NotesThe Riches of Povertyby DON ZAIDLE TF&G Editor-in-Chief

12 Chesters NotesThe Giftof Timeby CHESTER MOORE, JR.TF&G Executive Editor

14 Doggett at LargeTime andTrophiesby JOE DOGGETTTF&G Senior Contributing Editor

15 Pike On the EdgeA Ganderat Geeseby DOUG PIKETF&G Senior Contributing Editor

16 TexasWildArcheryfor Allby TED NUGENTTF&G Editor at Large

17 CommentaryConcealed CarryQuestionsby KENDAL HEMPHILLTF&G Political Commentator

35 Texas FreshwaterEthicalor Not?by MATT WILLIAMSTF&G Freshwater Editor

39 Texas SaltwaterDeepThinkingby CALIXTO GONZALESTF&G Saltwater Editor

47 Hunt TexasThe GameClockby BOB HOODTF&G Hunting Editor

48 Open SeasonLittle LeagueChew by REAVIS WORTHAMTF&G Humor Editor

DEPARTMENTS

8 LETTERS

10 TF&G REPORT

10 BIG BAGS &CATCHES

32 TRUE GREEN

www.FishGame.com


Border SkirmishesHerman Brunes two-part article on the

Mexican border situation was excellent. Iwould comment on quoting Keith Bowdenstrip--which took place in 2007. Much haschanged since then. I also felt the last linewas too open ended. It left the reader withthe impression that going to Mexico was upto the individual. That, in my opinion, is nottrue. Anytime you go across the border,there is a possibility you will run into vio-lence no matter why you went across.

Jeff BurkettVia email

Family Deer CampTed Nugents column on Family Deer

Camp is 100 percent on target. I havealways thought there is nothing more impor-tant than family and the time spent with fam-ily.

Growing up hunting with my father andfishing with my grandfather, I have learnedto cherish those moments. Even in the mod-ern world of Facebook, Twitter, PS3, andX-Boxes, my sons and daughter are alwayswith me, whether it be stalking redfish in theflats of Lower Laguna Madre or in thebrush tracking those pesky hogs. I knowthose memories are going to last forever inthem, more than their virtual world of noth-ingness.

David FuentesVia email

I enjoyed Ted Nugents Family DeerCamp column almost as much as the firsttime I saw him live--cheek to cheek withAerosmith at the Cotton Bowl, probably in1976.

I have since replaced those days with thedeer camp and hunting. We are at theRedline Hunting Club in Newton, Texas,every weekend from bow season until muz-

zleloader seasons ends--established (for meat least) in 2001.

One member that is aged 41 claims hismother was at the Hunting Club when shewas pregnant with him. One set of guys hasfour generations represented.

I can still remember like it was yesterdaymy sons first doe, his first buck (a nice eight-point), his first bow kill, and the list goes onand on. We look ahead with great anticipa-tion to each new season and become sad-dened when its closure sneaks up on us. Heis off at college up near your neck of thewoods (Tarleton @ Stephenville), but hewill arrive for opening weekend just likeclockwork, Im sure.

As you know, there is nothing like thesmell of the camp breakfast (the local gamewardens claim we have the best breakfast inthe county). Happy hunting, and if youreever in the area, stop on by for some goodold Cat Scratch Fever--or some scrambledeggs.

Steve ThompsonVia email

P.S. When the season closes, we switchback to Sabine Lake and chase a differentquarry, namely redfish, speckled trout, andmy old college buddy Chester Mooresfavorite, saddle-blanket flounder.

I liked Ted Nugents Family Deer Campcolumn. Thats the way I was brought up--love nature, love what God gives us to enjoy,and love family.

I have two daughters , Stormie andHannah, who love the outdoors. On ourcamping and fishing trips, I would tell themits about the adventure of the trip, andcatching fish is the bonus. Keep Texas wild.

Kimuel HaygoodVia email

In Praise of 13 InchesI am 33 years old and have been hunting

on the same stretch of 200 acres in eastTexas since I was old enough to walk. Mygrandparents bought this property in 1970.Since I have been tromping around on ourlittle piece of the great state of Texas, I havenoticed a lot.

We had troubles with poachers killingeverything they saw, and our deer popula-tion went to near zero. We once shot anybuck that moved because it was all we had totag, as does were not legal for many years.Since the antler restrictions, I have gonefrom seeing maybe 10 deer in an entire sea-son to seeing 10 to 15 deer in the morningand another 10 in the evening.

My son will be 8 in December and sits inthe deer stand quite frequently. He is able tosee decent deer in the 120-130 B&C rangedue to antler restrictions. Thanks to it, hewill be able to kill a much better deer than Idid when I was a youngster.

I enjoy being able to video and photo-graph deer bigger than I have mounted onmy living room wall, all thanks to the restric-tions. Our herd has done nothing butimprove

I am a seasoned hunter and now chooseto let legal deer walk in hopes they will actu-ally reach a mature 5-1/2 years old. Thisdoes two things: it teaches my son that notevery deer needs to be shot, and it improvesthe herd he will hunt for years to come.

Thats why we are still hunting.

S. WardVia email

SEND YOUR LETTERS ANDCOMMENTS TO:

Texas Fish & GameLetters1745 Greens Rd.Houston, TX 77032

Email:[email protected]


P R E S E N T S

Letters to the Editor

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T E X A S F I S H & G A M E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | 9

The Richesof Poverty

Due to a harried schedule and reader inter-est, I decided to reprise in this issue a columnI wrote in 2003. May it resonate a sharedchord in those reading it for the first time, andrekindle dormant flames in those reading itagain.

MY EARLIEST MEMORIES INVOLVE FISHINGcamps, open-fire cooking, and the smellof my grandfathers hunting vest. Igrew up on a small ranch with a half-

dozen dogs and adult ranchers as friends, com-panions, and playmates. I was half feral, prowlingthe woods and creeks with a homemade spearfashioned from a broken hoe handle and an oldbutchers knife.

Culture shock doesnt begin to describewhat starting school was like. That waswhen I learned my family and I were poor.

The teachers insisted we play baseball, agame I had never seen let alone played. Theconcept of hitting the ball made sense, but allthe silly rules about running the bases inorder, and shoving the first baseman out ofthe way being bad form, took all the fun outof it. I quickly figured out that I needed afielders glove (I was too given to daydream-ing about trails and creeks to be trusted inthe infield). When I asked for one, we sim-ply couldnt afford it. Who would havethought a yard or so of stitched cowhide costas much as the monthly electric bill or a half-ton of cottonseed cake?

So, I played baseball without a glove,which was fine with me. I didnt really careabout the game, and knew who MickeyMantle was only because the other kidsraved about him every day. Besides, for theprice of one lousy fielders glove (which wasonly useful a few weeks of the year), I couldget three rods with Zebco 202 reels and a

respectful amount of tackle to boot--all usefulyear-round.

Santa always knew what I wanted, and Icould count on him for important stuff onChristmas morning--and no lousy baseballglove. At least two boxes of 20-gauge No.6s were a surety, along with some tackle,new socks, and maybe a pocketknife toreplace the one I lost. (Actually, the kids atschool thought it was neat, but the teacherdidnt. I thought *everybody* carried apocketknife. She promised to return it at theend of school, but meanwhile, I was out of aknife for the duration.)

Sometimes I got new clothes, but notoften. We did most of our clothes shoppingat Goodwill and the flea market across thestreet from the cattle auction in Bridgeporton Saturday. It is amazing what you can getat a flea market (we called it the sale),everything from hardly-worn boots to warmflannel shirts and housewares. May favoritefirst-grade ensemble was a pair of tan cor-duroy pants and brown-and-tan plaid shirt. Ithought it made me look appropriatelyrugged.

I always thought it a dirty rotten gyp thatthey planned school season to run concur-rently with hunting season. Where were theirpriorities, for Petes sake! The few shorthours of daylight left after the hour-long busride home left precious little hunting time,but I made the best of it. Homework had nopriority at all.

My prospects and mood always pickedup as Christmas drew nearer. The week ofparole from school for the holiday meantplenty of time in the woods during the day,and family time after sundown. The luscioussmells from my grandmothers kitchenpeaked during Christmas week. The usualscents of fried chicken (killed fresh thatmorning), cream gravy, and vegetablescanned fresh from that summers gardengave way to rare fragrances of pumpkin pie,smoked ham, dressing, and giblet gravy. Thescent of a red cedar Christmas tree cut freshthat very week accented the rest in olfactorysymphony.

I helped my grandmother retrieve the

ancient ornaments from the back porch clos-et to decorate the tree. We worked togetherstringing popcorn and making colorful paperchains for the final touches.

Each evening, Pop, Grandmother, and Isat in the living room, talking about the dayand what tomorrow held. Grandmother satnearest the Dearborn heater, crafting ordi-nary textile into works of crocheted, knitted,and embroidered art. When conversationwaned, Pop kicked back with a paperbackwestern novel while I poured over the latestcopy of Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, orSports Afield procured (sometimes illicitly)from the barber shop. The combinedwarmth of the heater, Christmas lights, andthe atmosphere made the drafty living rooma cocoon of unparalleled comfort. I washome.

Summers three-month parole fromschool meant long days prowling the creekand swimming in the deep, crystal poolbelow Whites Dam (a 3-foot wide con-crete barrier placed by a rancher namedWhite to provide a summer water hole forcattle), sometimes with a companion from aneighboring ranch, but usually not. Thewater was always cool and clear, the sun-and catfishes hungry, the bass an enigmaand great prize, and the beauty of it all minefor the taking. I was home then, too, andunimaginably rich, but didnt know it.

Pop and Grandmother are long sincegone; the ranch has new owners; the oldhouse and barn torn down; the creek bull-dozed, diverted, and dammed. My homeis gone, I can never go back. I have made anew home with my wife, one to which ourchildren and grandchildren can alwaysreturn so long as we live, and maybe beyond.The secret, I have learned, is to recognizethat today is one of the good old days theywill talk about in years to come.

May you realize the riches in your life,enjoy the prosperity of family, and find yourway home this holiday season.

Editors Notes

by Don Zaidle | TF&G Editor-in-Chief

E-mail Don Zaidle at [email protected].

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No-Kill DeerHuntingTournament

THE AMERICAN WHITETAIL AUTHORITY ORGANI-zation has launched a no-kill deer huntingtournament modeled after pro bass tourna-ments, which a report on the organizationswebsite bills as like Bassmasters, exceptwith deerand no bullets.

According to an AWA press release:Greg Koch is founder of the American

Whitetail Authority, a Tulsa, Okla.-basedendeavor that is launching a nationwidesearch for the countrys best whitetail deerhunter.

The wildlife specialist has come up with

a concept that will entertain and educate mil-lions of deer hunters across the country whiledetermining who the best deer hunters are inthe nation.

We believe in education and entertain-ment, Koch said.

To that end Koch is taking his family toevery Bass Pro Shops store in 22 states.Koch, his wife Kim, and childrenMackenzie, 4, Tucker, 2, Samantha, 7 andColt, 13, will travel in a 38-foot motor homecovered with 1000 square feet of high-defini-tion vinyl featuring pro bass angler KevinVanDam as spokesman.

Bass Pro Shops is letting AWA go tostores and recruit hunters, said AndrewGeorge of Bass Pro Shops Partnerships andBusiness Development segment.

Koch will be visiting Bass Pro Shops inTexas, Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania,

George said.We are excited to watch the organiza-

tion get off the ground and see where itleads, he said.

Koch approached Don Rucks in 2006with the idea to use digital scopes to create acompetitive deer hunting series. Kochs con-cept gives hunters a yardstick where deerhunters have measurable results during ahunt.

Following a marketing career with CitgoPetroleum, Rucks joined ESPN/BASS asvice president and general manager. ESPNteamed with the Bass Anglers SportsmanSociety to create the Bassmaster Elite fish-ing series that Rucks oversaw until 2006,when he joined Koch. Currently, Rucks is adirector of the AWA series.

The concept is a quantum leap forwardfor the sport, Rucks said.


Tyler Cecil, age 13, shot this 13-pointbuck on opening day of youth weekend onhis grandmothers property in HoustonCounty.

Bill Slavik of Burleson, and Scott Slavik of Southlake, hooked these 40+-inch bull redssimultaneously while night fishing at Port OConnor. Both were released.

P R E S E N T S

TF G Report&

BIG BAGS CATCHES&BIG BAGS CATCHES&

Port OConnor

Redfish

Houston County

Whitetail Buck

TFGReport.qxd:Layout 1 10/29/10 10:34 AM Page 10

I take a lot of kidding when I say that.But it is the most exciting development inwhitetail deer hunting because of how muchit will change and impact the sport, Ruckssaid. It is not just about the competition,but we hope to make the hunters better.

The result is better hunters and moreeffective deer herd management, Rucks said.

Like the pro bass fishing, we are creat-ing a platform that allows these hunters,under difficult, but equal conditions, to com-pete against each other.

Beginning in August, the 40 best hunterswill compete in regional events and on Oct.27, the top competitors will vie for the title ina championship event near Antlers in south-east Oklahoma.

Koch sees a parallel with bass fishingtournaments.

The nations top professional bass angleragrees. VanDam, the all-time money winneron the Bassmaster Tournament series, a five-time champion and three-time BassmasterClassic champion, has put his face and nameon the AWA Series.

The AWA Whitetails Pro Series createsa competition where no deer are killed, but

digital images from the scopes are evaluatedby judges. Hunters take an image of the deereach time the trigger is pulled. The rifle isloaded with blanks, which trips the shutter.

The moment the blank fires the scopetakes a digital image of what you are lookingat with the cross hairs on the photo, Kochsaid. Scoring will be based on shot place-ment, the size of the antlers and the age ofthe animal.

Koch has recruited four other investors.He declined to offer details other than to saythe investment is in six figures.

In five years, Koch expects to have200,000 members, with each paying a $25annual membership fee.

Education is the goal for the next twomonths, Koch said.

At our first event a year ago, about halfof the competitors said they were not sureabout the concept, Koch said.

That was before they went out on thehunt.

Deer hunters are the greatest. They arethe salt of the earth. They are slow to acceptthings but once they see it they understandand become enthusiastic about it, Kochsaid.

The event won over all of the hunters,Koch said.

Out of the few guys who were negativeto the idea, they all said they had a greattime. They had fun, Koch said.

Now, Kochs job as he hits the road willbe to generate interest among the rest of thedeer hunting nation.

Staff Report

U.S. HunterNumbers GreaterThan Expected

A NEW STUDY FUNDED BY THE NATIONALShooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) car-ried out by Southwick Associates has foundthat the pool of American hunters is much

larger than previously thought. This discov-ery can lead to major conservation and eco-nomic benefits. If many "casual hunters"(hunters that do not purchase a huntinglicense on an annual basis) can be convertedinto annual license buyers, a major benefitwould be realized.

This report estimates that 21.8 millionAmericans hunted at least once over the pastfive years. Previous estimates have shownover 14 million youth and adults hunt eachyear, but not all hunters take to the fieldevery year. Conducted in partnership with17 state wildlife agencies, the study assessedlicense sales patterns and found that 78 per-cent of the U.S. hunters who bought alicense in a given year also purchased oneagain the following year. By examining pur-chasing patterns over multiple years, it wasdetermined that for every two hunters in thefield this year, one is taking the year off.

"Considering hunters' contribute over $1billion every year to wildlife conservation vialicenses and excise taxes, if half of thehunters who lapsed this year actually boughta license, conservation dollars would haveincreased by $97 million," reported RobSouthwick, President of SouthwickAssociates. "This estimate doesn't eveninclude the extra dollars possible fromincreased hunters' excise taxes. Consideringthe limited government dollars allocated forwildlife and the tremendous impact huntersprovide to rural communities, increasedefforts to boost hunter numbers would makesmart conservation and economic sense."

The NSSF study monitored license-buy-ing patterns over multiple years, and pro-duced demographics of various segments ofthe hunting community.

"We know there are many types ofhunters with a wide range of interests. Thisstudy reveals who our hunters are beyond theusual demographic descriptions. We nowhave a better idea of hunters' regional pur-chasing habits, recreational choices andoverall lifestyle preferences," said JimCurcuruto, Director of Research andAnalysis for NSSF. "The results will beused to strengthen existing hunting partici-pation programs and develop new programsdesigned to convert the casual hunter into anannual license buyer. Savvy industry market-ing and communications professionals willuse these data to enhance their advertisingefforts."


Kyle Mersinger, age 7, of San Antonio,caught this 38-inch redfish while fishingwith his dad and papaw in MatagordaBay. The red was caught on a BerkleyGulp! shrimp.

Matagorda Bay

Redfish

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The Gift of Time

CHRISTMAS 1986 WAS VERY SPECIAL FOR ME.My parents saved up and paid for threedays of deer hunting on the Winkle Ranchin Llano County, which allowed me to take

my first-ever deer, a young doe. I could not havebeen more excited, a record-book buck or not. At12 years old, even seeing a deer was a big thingfor me.

Something else happened that Christmasthat taught me a lot about the value of timeand thoughtfulness.

On Christmas Eve, we went to mygrandmother's house to exchange gifts withher side of the family. When it was time toget mine from my Uncle Jackie and AuntBrenda Moore, I was led out to the garage.When I opened the door, a large livetrap wassitting on a table. As my eyes widened, myuncle said, "That's for you."

I had wanted a livetrap for some time,but the ones they sold at the feed store weresmall. They might have held a small raccoonor opossum, but this one was big enough tocatch a bobcat or red fox. I was ecstatic!

The thing that hit me even at such ayoung age is that he would take so muchtime to make something just for me. My dadwas always making things so I knew the kindof hard work it would take to put togethersomething like this customized livetrap.

Twenty-five years later, thinking about itstill puts a smile on my face.

One of the greatest gifts you can give aperson is your time; spending it with them,or using your hands and ingenuity to createa special gift.

I know there are people reading this whocan barely afford their mortgages, much lessexpensive electronic gadgets and other things

high on most kids wish lists. My advice is tobe honest with them and let them know theeconomic reality, but then follow it with aninvitation to go on a special fishing trip orpresent them with their own custom builtlivetrap or something of the sort.

Kids crave our time.Over the last couple of years, my wife

Lisa and I have had the great privilege andhonor of serving as volunteers in our church'schildren's ministry, and have seen this firsthand.

Certain kids light up when you simplypat them on the head, say hello, and let themknow you are glad they are there. And asmuch as it warms my heart to see them smile,it also breaks it.

If that little attention fromsomeone they see for a few hours a

week gives them that much joy, what are theymissing at home? Most of our kids comefrom great, loving families, but some aredropped off as soon as the church doorsopen and picked up after the rest of the kidsare already home. It goes without sayingtheir home lives are lacking.

Giving the gift of time is not just for theeconomically disadvantaged, but for every-one. I have known several people that hadplenty of money and went hunting and fish-ing all the time, but spent very little timewith their kids.

Someone who logs 100 days on the waterbut only a few--if any--with their childrendoes not impress me. That is not a passionfor the outdoors, but the very definition ofselfishness. If this is you, change course this

Christmas. Put your family in focus and seewhat real living is all about.

Forty years from now, when you are in illhealth, those big bucks you shot are notgoing to matter much. But the time youspent with your children will mean every-thing, dictating what kind of relationship youhave as they assume the role of caregivers.

I say these things not to judge but to offerinspiration--and to remind myself of life'strue priorities.

Speaking of which, take time to makeChristmas traditions. Explain to your chil-dren the reason for the season and that ittruly is better to give than receive. Teachthem to use their time to make a gift forsomeone less fortunate, or spend time withthose in need during this very special time ofyear.

In my opinion, the reason our country isin the shape it is in now is because we lostpriority and linked our happiness to moneyand possessions; when in reality, true giftscannot be printed at a mint or sold on a storeshelf.

I will close with one of my favorite Biblepassages, one that explains this concept ofgiving our time and resources to help others:If anyone has material possessions and seeshis brother in need but has no pity on him,how can the love of God be in him? Dearchildren, let us not love with words or tonguebut with actions and in truth.

Actions really do speak louder thanwords, and whether we take our daughterfishing or build our nephew a livetrap likethe one I was blessed with 25 years ago, wecan rest assured time is the gift that keeps ongiving.


Chesters Notes

by Chester Moore | TF&G Executive Editor

E-mail Chester Moore at [email protected].

The gift of time is notjust for the economicallydisadvantaged. It is for

everyone.

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Time andTrophies

IF MEMORY SERVES, THE 1968 WHITE-TAILEDdeer season opened the fourth of November.It might as well have been the twelfth ofNever. Such were my odds of going deer

hunting.I was a student at the University of

Houston and, with several fraternity broth-ers, had access to dove and waterfowl day-hunts along the upper coast. But a deer huntto South Texas or the Hill Country--or eventhe Pineywoods--represented a differentleague.

You had to have contacts to open the gateon a private ranch or a seasonal lease.Money helped, too.

The situation changed during the fall of1972, my first year as an outdoor writer withthe Houston Chronicle. I bought my firstcenter-fire rifle (a bolt-action chambered for.270 Winchester and fitted with a 4Xscope) and went deer hunting.

My first buck was a forkhorn tagged on achill, damp morning on a lease nearJunction. The young buck looked as large asa royal elk as it stepped down a dry creekbed and paused about 75 yards from the boxblind.

The first mature buck was tagged the nextseason--a solid eight-pointer from a ranchnear Kerrville. I was really proud of thatdeer; I still have the "horn mount."

The Brush Country of South Texas beck-oned. The aura was as strong then as now--but things were a lot different.

For starters, the average trophy-class buckwas smaller, in both body weight and antlermass. Few ranches even in prime countiessuch as Webb, LaSalle, and Dimmit werehigh-fenced, and the concept of game man-agement was just getting started. For sure,nobody was selectively breeding big deer.

Leases were much cheaper (even factor-

ing inflation) and, size-wise, nobody muchcared what you shot. Every now and then,word of a "book" Boone & Crockett 170-netbuck would surface (usually through LeonelGarza's Freer-based El Muy Grande con-test), but bucks grossing an honest 140 to150 B&C were considered serious deer tomost hunters.

In truth, not as much emphasis wasplaced on the B&C scoring format duringthe mid-70s. What most Brush Countryhunters wanted was a "dark horned" 10-pointer with a 20-inch beam spread--insidemeasurement, of course.

Spread was a big deal in South Texas."How wide is he?" was the refrain aroundpickup trucks and meat lockers. A thin-horned eight-pointer with stubby tinesgained instant status with, say, a 22- or 23-inch inside spread.

It took several years and various so-so 8'sand young 10's before I got a shot at a legit-imate Brush Country trophy. Sadly, Iwounded and lost the buck--a terrible expe-rience. The heavy 10 was crossing a longsendero, just stepping back into the brush,and I pulled the shot too far back.

The .270 became the unfortunate scape-goat for my lousy performance and, right orwrong, confidence in the rifle was under-mined. The next season I upgraded to a7mm Remington Magnum. I still like theconcept of hitting hard with a big rifle and aheavy bullet on the big-bodied bucks of theBrush Country.

Of course, you must learn to shoot theharder-kicking caliber with accuracy andblah-blah-blah, but when the moment of alifetime is there, I'll take a big gun over a lit-tle one every time. This especially is true ona quartering shot--and these sketchy anglesare more common on wary Brush Countrybucks than the beginner might think. Youwant penetration and blood for an easyrecovery amid the thick stuff.

The 7 Mag took my first big-league buck.The rut-juiced Webb County 10-pointer wasangling across a root-plowed field at 175yards. The 10-pointer grossed almost 160B&C and netted 153. It lacked the coveted

spread, just shy of 17 inches inside, butboasted 24- and 26-inch beams and high,curving tines.

That rack would be mediocre measuredagainst many of today's genetically spikedand carefully managed bucks, but back then,veteran hunters wearing dusty boots andsalty hats actually came around for a look.

It was the real deal, a beautiful SouthTexas warlord, and the shoulder mount stillrates a place of honor.

Over the next 15 or 20 years, I tagged adozen or more fine bucks, but I'm not ashungry as I used to be. I still enjoy the expe-rience of deer hunting, but I don't needanother 140- or 150-class buck. Maybethat's a sign of maturing as a hunter.

I'd rather just absorb being there, perhapsshooting a "cull buck" or a management doe,and saving the routine trophy for the young-ster or maybe the newcomer who would viewit as I once did. Of course, all hardcore deerhunters still hope for "The One."

I still dream of tagging a monster buck, abona-fide book deer netting the magical 170.Even a gross score would do. But I doubt itever will happen. Deer are, for better orworse, a cash crop and the gates to record-book whitetails simply are too rich for whatmy pocketbook is willing to pay.

I can live with that. It has always costmoney to hunt big deer in Texas. The num-bers were much less during late 60s, but theconcept was the same. If you have the horse-power, go for it.

But I sort of miss the old days, when mostof the fences were a lot lower and most of theleases were a lot cheaper, and all of the deerwere pure products of the native land. Andthe biggest buck on the place was fair gameunder the glowing promise of the next sun-rise.


Doggett At Large

by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

E-mail Joe Doggett at [email protected]

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A Gander atGeese

FOURTEEN YEARS OF GUIDING WATERFOWLhunts on the prairie west of Houston gen-erated plenty of outstanding memories, butthere were mornings also on which the

birds, figuratively and literally, left me holding anempty sack. This may be the winter in which Ieven the score.

Forecasts call for an exceptional percent-age of juvenile light geese to find their waydown the continent this season. That got methinking, all the way back in September,about returning to the rice fields and soy-bean fields and hallowed, fallow ground onwhich I logged so many cold, muddy hours.

Many of those fields are gone, of course,or at the least unrecognizable as what theywere. Agriculture has given way to architec-ture across much of the region in ourunachievable quest to sate suburban sprawl.With a little extra gas in the tank and a fewmore minutes on the road, however, anyonecanespecially this winterstill find plentyof geese and plenty of ground.

As much as the landscape has changedsince I last met handfuls of hopefuls overbuffet breakfasts in crowded cafes, so havehunting methods. And if not for thosechangesespecially the introduction ofATVs for moving gear and peopleIwouldnt be so quick to jump. Tired kneesand occasional backaches were sufficientmost mornings to keep me from answeringthe gosh-awful alarms, from rolling anothersack of wet rags onto my shoulders.

Instead, thanks to all-terrain transporta-tion, all Ive got to do now is slither into mywaders and find a comfortable spot on thetrailer between dog and decoys. That I cando, even on too little sleep, and still help setthe decoys.

Theres much bending and stoopinginvolved in setting a proper goose spread so

that each decoy is placed in its proper place.And once there is agreement that the spreadis right, there is the arranging of hunters,and eyeing of the line to be sure all arewell hidden within that sea of white andbrown and gray and black.

At this writing, opening day of the cur-rent waterfowl season is less than 12 hoursout. I will miss that kickoff, opting (wisely)instead to fulfill professional obligationbehind a radio microphone. Somewherebetween then and now, in all likelihood, Iwill have made at least a couple of goosehunts and made full effort to knock downevery lawful bird within range.

I wont mind swinging on gray-featheredjuveniles, but Ill take particular pleasure asalways in singling out older birds. Maturesnow geesewhite birds with pitch-blackwingtips or slate blue with snowy headsare the smart ones. Averaging 8 years of age,they have experienced all that hunters couldthrow at them. The see decoys all the waydown the flyway, and they see decoys all the

way back. They are migration-proven veter-ans fully capable of heaping a world of frus-tration on any hunter who doubts theirsearching eyes and tiny ears.

Under any clearer sky than heavy over-cast, lesser snow geese can make one or threeor five grown menregardless of their expe-riencelook downright silly. One over-turned decoy in a spread of 500. A singlemissed note in a two-minute callingsequence. The glint of sunshine off anuncovered cheek or gun barrel. These andany of six dozen other seemingly insignifi-cant mistakes can cause an older goose orgeese suddenly to reverse its commitmentand disappear within a few motivated wing-beats.

Its unfair, I suppose, to blame the birdsfor blunders and shortcomings attributableto inexperienced hunters in my spreads. Ormy own mistakes, which usually occurredwithin seconds after feeling over-confident.Perhapsprobablymy rediscoveredenthusiasm for goose hunting comes morefrom being away and simply missing it.

A small part of me wants to settle the tabfor all those bluebird days, under light north-east wind, when geese west of Houstonwouldnt give a spread a second look. A big-ger part, though, has forgotten the toughhunts and remembers vividly the ones onwhich more went right than wrong.

I crave the excitement, the rush thatbuilds when one circling bird attracts sixmore, and they are suddenly followed by sev-eral dozen right over the gun barrels. Solong as Im dreaming, lets put those geese at25 or 30 yards, right about where a Texasgoose hunter wants them. The shot patternhas opened enough to forgive a little swingerror but hasnt yet developed any bird-sizedholes.

In a way, I sort of miss the cold and themud, too. Especially now that I get to rideout and back on a 4-wheeler.

Pike on the Edge

by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

PHOTO RINUS BAAK, DREAMSTIME

E-mail Doug Pike at [email protected]

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Archery for All

IN NUMEROUS ARTICLES I HAVE WRITTEN OVERthe years, I have made the emphatic pointhow the mystical flight of the arrow hasalways turned me on, thrilled me, and

cleansed my soul. Amazingly, more now thanever. Those of us who celebrate the discipline ofarchery simply cannot get enough. Archery as aphysics of spirituality art form, and particularlythe ultimate Zen of bowhunting, brings us somuch joy and excitement as to be rather challeng-ing to describe. Take my bright-eyed bushytailedword for it.

Not being one to want to keep suchpleasurable pursuits of happiness to myself,and surely not one to simply complain with-out offering a solution, it is here and nowthat I will do all in my power to assist all par-ties so interested in joining the ranks of thebowhunter brotherhood.

I have witnessed so many potentialarchers ignore the basics, and then give it upafter a brief, feeble attempt at flinging arrowshither and yon. With all due respect, doplease pay close attention, as I am convincedthat when pursued properly, bowhunting isindeed for everybody who loves to hunt, andarchery for just plain everybody.

First and foremost, it will not come aseasily or as quickly as firearms marksman-ship or firearms hunting capability.Compared to rifle hunting, bowhunting isdownright difficult. Hence, the magicalallure. The rewards of gratification aredirectly linked to the efforts expended.

The absolute ultimate introduction to themystical flight of the arrow is best experi-enced with a lightweight traditional bow.The Genesis youth bow also falls into thisintroductory category because of its naturalarchery feel and basically unlimited drawlength capability. But lightweight draw, I say30-40 pounds for grown men, 20-30 for

kids and women, once again is the key sothat the new archer, young, old, strong,weak, no matter what, will develop their nat-ural hand eye coordination more naturallyand smoothly with such graceful equipment.

Another important element, especiallywith a first bow, is to use properly spinedarrows based on the archers draw length.These arrows should be fletched with feath-er fletching, not plastic vanes so arrow flightoff of a usually hard, unforgiving arrow restwill go where they are pointed instead ofkicking off erratically in flight.

Of equal importance is to shoot at agood, safe backstop target like bales of hayor straw, at close range, say about 20 feet,not 20 yards to begin with. A simple paperplate to draw your natural focus is perfect.

Start without a bow sight, what isreferred to as bare bow shooting. With theApache draw of three fingers under thearrow, properly knocked on the string forcenter shot, draw back so that the stringhand touches the face in the exact same spotevery time. This anchor is critical for consis-tent accuracy, as the anchor represents therear sight of your hand eye coordinationsight picture.

Tutored by an experienced archer, slowlyand patiently develop proper archery form,how to stand and address the target, how tolook at the target from behind the bow andarrow, how to draw, anchor, release and fol-low through properly.

These critical basics will be the founda-tion for ultimate archery. Anything less, willbe a hindrance.

Once your arrows group close togetherconstantly at close range, back off in five stepincrements until you extend your rangewhere your accuracy is solid. This is the test.Do not expect to shoot accurately beyond12-20 yards for a while. Be patient. It willcome in time.

Rule One: Do not borrow a compoundbow. This simple mistake has caused morepeople to get a woefully mistaken misunder-standing of archery basics and give up beforethey even get started. With the modern com-pound bow, personal fit and feel is a make it

or break it issue. You must get a bow that fitsyou to a T, with the proper draw length andcomfortable, graceful draw weight.

I bet you that there are more bows gath-ering dust hanging up in Texas garages thananywhere in the world because so many bor-rowed a bow to give it a try.

Suffice it to say, that according to theworlds master bowmen, all agree that thedraw length is critical, and that a slightlyshorter than perfect draw length is still quiteshootable, but a too long a draw length is lit-erally anti-archery, and you will never knowif you can shoot accurately or not.

Visit a qualified archery pro-shop andtry as many different makes, models,poundage and draw lengths as possible, anddiscover the ultimate feel based on your owndimensions and physical properties. A littleextra time choosing the best bow for you ismore than worth it.

My pet peeve is the inexplicable phenom-ena where most archers purchase a bow thatthey have to lift above the line of sight todraw because someone sold them a bow thatis too heavy of draw weight. It is The Curseof American archery. I have witnessed it sooften I remain baffled.

And the most amazing part is that of thethousands of archery shops across the coun-try, the vast majority of wannabe archers willnot and cannot find a bow of the properlightweight draw in order to actually get intothe sport. Absolutely weird.

Stealth, grace, timing, and shot place-ment make venison. Know it, live it, enjoy it,and celebrate it.


by Ted Nugent | TF&G Editor-at-Large

E-mail Ted Nugent at [email protected].

Ted NugentsTexasWild

On the Web

For more Ted Nugent writings,visit www.tednugent.com

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ConcealedCarryQuestionsS

EVERAL YEARS AGO, A TEXAS COUNTY JUDGE,who happens to be a close friend, receivednumerous threats against his life and thelives of his family members. The judge had

sentenced a repeat offender to jail time on morethan one occasion, and career criminals tend totake that sort of thing personally. The policeregarded the threats as credible, and the perpetra-tor as both slippery and intelligent.

The judge called me to ask my advice onconcealed carry weapons. He was not ashooter, and owned only two guns: anancient Mauser he had bought because itwas cheap, and a sorely neglected .38revolver he had taken as collateral on a loan.Neither, he realized, was appropriate for hispurposes. The Mauser was not concealable,and the .38 was undependable.

My friend asked me, "Can you recom-mend a small, cheap pistol, maybe a .380,that I could use to defend myself if this guytries something?"

There are several serious problems withthis question, and obviously, some educationwas in order. I think many people who arenot familiar with firearms have been makingsimilar queries of their gun-owning friends oflate. Applications for concealed handgunpermits are on the rise and, especially alongour southern border, violence seems to bespilling into our everyday lives. America'scrime rate continues to drop overall, proba-bly because more people are realizing thepolice cannot protect them and they mustdefend themselves.

With record numbers of Texans applyingfor concealed carry permits, it stands to rea-son many of them could be first-time gun

owners. And one of the most common mis-takes new firearm buyers make when pur-chasing a weapon for self-defense is to spendtoo little. Our natural desire is to savemoney, like my friend the judge, but thereare certain areas of our lives where spendingmore is usually a better idea, and this is oneof them.

This does not mean you have to breakthe bank, but it's a good idea to buy as muchgun as you can afford. The way I put it tothe judge was: "If you decide to rappel froma 500-foot cliff, will you go to REI and askfor the cheapest rope they have?" When ourlives depend on our equipment, we shouldhave the best we can afford, even if it meansdoing without something else. After all, awide-screen television is nice, but it's noteasy to shoot a would-be rapist with one.

Another problem with myfriend's question is the issue of size.

Smaller is definitely more concealable, butmore concealable does not necessarily meanbetter. And once a gun is concealable, it willdo. For some, a too-small pistol may be moredifficult to control, and gun control is anabsolute must in a gunfight.

My favorite carry weapon is a 1911 .45ACP. I have two, a Smith & Wesson with a4-1/4-inch barrel, and a Kimber with a 4-inch barrel. Neither is necessarily diminu-tive, but they are both easily concealableunder a shirt. The single-stack 1911 maga-zine makes for a narrow grip that fits myhands very well, and makes the gun easier tocontrol. I like both these pistols so muchthat, if I absolutely had to sell one of them, I

would probably open bidding on a kidney.Another issue my friend's question raises

is that of caliber. His impression was that a.380 might be adequate for his protection,but he was probably thinking the diminutivecartridge would mean a lower sticker price,which is not necessarily the case. I recom-mended, at minimum, a .38 revolver, andthat with the caveat that he keep it loadedwith +P ammo made for inflicting maxi-mum damage, such as Federal Hydra-ShokJHPs. Bigger is definitely better if the timeever comes when your gun is needed to pro-tect you or a loved one. Remember the TexasRanger who, when asked why he carried a.45, said, "Because they don't make a .46."If a .380 will do the job, a .357 will do thejob better.

Anyone who plans to carry a weapon forself-defense must practice enough with it tobe proficient, but for those whose range timewill be limited, a factor to consider is ease ofuse. The more doo-dads, wing-dings, andwhatzits there are on a gun, the harder it isto learn to use, and the less likely the newshooter will be to remember how to make itgo bang!, especially under stressful circum-stances.

My judge friend decided on a hammer-less Smith & Wesson Airweight 5-shot .38revolver, which is about as simple as it gets.He carries it constantly in his trousers pock-et, and usually forgets he has it. If he everneeds it, there it will be, unlike a bigger,heavier gun that might get left at home forconvenience.

Choosing the right gun for concealedcarry might not be quick or easy, but theprocess can be enlightening and enjoyable.The most important choice, however, is theone we make when we decide not to be a vic-tim.


Commentary

by Kendal Hemphill | TF&G Political Commentator

E-mail Kendal Hemphill at [email protected].

Buy as much gun as youcan afford.

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18 | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E PHOTO: TEXAS FISH & GAME

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In the case of what we would consider astandard drop-tine buck, which has a typicalframe with a drop coming off the main beam,genetics may play the largest role in causingthe drop. Think of it this way, if your par-ents are both seven feet tall there is a goodchance you will in turn be tall. This is calleda heritable trait (big word of the day) whichis something passed down from parent to off-spring. Antler width, tine length, mainbeam length, and the propensity for droptines are all heritable traits. This is why deerbreeders choose bucks with certain antlercharacteristics to use as sires for their herds.

However, out here in the real worldwhere we hunt deer that arent behind fencesand breeding is done by natural selection thequestion is if we do have a drop tine buck inour hunting area what are the odds that itwill pass along those characteristics to therest of the herd? Sadly enough the answeris its not very likely based on statistics.

If you have a balanced deer herd with atwo to one doe to buck ratio then the oddsare that each buck will breed two does annu-ally on average (some three, others one, butwere going to work with the average of two).Thats it. The big monster drop-tine buckwill only pass along his genes to two fawns ayear. But wait, it gets worse. Making the

same assumption of a two to one doe to buckratio, and a herd popu-

lation that remainsrelatively constant, this

same buck will only havethree fawns that survive tomaturity(one to

replace itbecause it willeventually die andtwo to replace twodoes) So only three deerwill be passed along thetrait of drop tines, andeven then if the doeinvolved doesnt have anygenes for producing droptines then there is even lessof a chance the offspring willhave any. So banking on one

drop tine buck creating a whole herd of themin an uncontrolled environment is futile.

Keep in mind that these traits are passedalong from the par-ents but are affect-ed quite a bit byage and nutrition.Big bucks behind

f e n c e sd o n t

g e tthat large

by eating naturalbrowse. Theyhave the feed

poured tothem by the

truck load. The

SOME HUNTERS OBSESS ABOUT taking a white-tail buck with wide spread,tall tines, and an almost symmetrically perfect rack without any noticeable differencebetween the left and right sides. Their ultimate goal is to put a beautiful, huge, cleantypical buck on the wall, or better yet in the record books. Im not one of them. I wantto shoot something that looks like it has been drinking out of the cooling ponds of anuclear power plant. My ideal buck will look like the offspring of an angus bull anda live oak tree with a massive body and gnarly antlers that have points sticking in everydirection. The real coup de grace would be a monster buck with multiple drop tinesthat look like a collection of steak knives hanging down on each side of its head.

These kinds of bucks are rare, living up to their moniker of non-typical, whichmeans that there is something different about them that set them apart from all theother bucks in the woods. Exactly what causes their antler deformations is differentfor every buck but can be categorized into one of three groups, genetics, long or shortterm bodily injury, or damage to the antler itself during the growth process.

The authors ideal trophybuck: a cross between anangus bull and a gnarlylive oak tree.

Non-Typical

22 | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E PHOTO: PHOTOMYEYE, DREAMSTIME


makes the drop tines these bucks would grownaturally longer and thicker. Think of it thisway, Nolan Ryan was given the genetics tothrow 100 mph from his parents but had hebeen malnourished he never would havelived up to his potential. The same goes fordeer. If range conditions are less than opti-mum it is less likely a buck with the geneticsto grow drop tines will actually do so.

As far as age is concerned, the older abuck becomes the more likely he will growdrop tines if genetically predisposed. Youngbucks use the nutrition they receive to growbody structure (bone and muscle) notantlers. After a buck hits four years old itputs less nutrition into building body struc-ture and more into antler development,meaning that it has a better chance of grow-ing drops if it is genetically inclined to do so.

The less traditional drop tine is onecaused by an injury to the antlers while theyare in velvet. About 15 years ago I was onstand late in the season, like last day of the

season late,and I stillhadnt shot

anything. Not holding out much hope forfilling my tag I looked across the frozen haymeadow and saw what looked like a moosewearing a rocking chair on its head. Thegrizzled old buck was cutting the corner ofthe field trying to get to his bedding areabefore the sun got all the way up; he justchose to do it on the wrong day. One shotfrom my .270 put him down and as I walkedup to him I could see his left main beam wasseverely deformed. The main beam startedout normal with a brow tine and G2 then itmade a hard turn south, not a true drop tinebut a deformation that could have lead toone.

This buck did not start out growing anon-typical antler but bumped his rack hardagainst something while still in velvet turningwhat had initially been a normal main beaminto a mangled wreck. Had the buck made

it through the season it would have devel-oped a normal rack the next year.

The other way a buck might grow a droptine is through an injury to its body, eitherlong term, or during the antler growthprocess. Many documented cases haveshown that an injury to a hind leg will causea deformation on the antler on the oppositeside of the deers head. (a left rear leg injurywill cause the right antler to be deformed).If the injury is a one time affair (like a break)it may only cause the deformation one time.If it is a life-long injury (like amputation) thebuck will grow a deformed antler every year.

A true monster drop tine buck roamingaround the woods is a rarity, and those ofyou who have one on the wall should feelprivileged because there are a lot of out therestill looking for ours.


The characteristic droptine of a non-typicalantler spread adds adegree of unique majesty.

Poetic Asymetry

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24 | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E PHOTO: MAIN, MATT WILLIAMSINSET, IROCHKA, DREAMSTIME

BUILDING AND SINKING BRUSH

piles to attract crappie is definitely no piece ofcake. Its hard work. The type that will make browssweat, muscles ache and consume vast amountsof spare time. But rest assured, the fruits to bereaped from the drill can be well worth it for anglerswho are willing to put forth the effort to do it right.


by Matt Williams




Brush piles are to crap-pie what 24-hour Mexicanfood joints are to afterhours honkey tonk crowds.Build one at a favorablelocation and chances arepretty good youll pack thehouse.

Perhaps no one is more familiar with thisalluring labor of love than Stephen Johnstonof Hemphill. Johnston works full-time as afishing guide on Toledo Bend Reservoir. Heis also a crackerjack bass pro with a passel ofTop 10 tournament finishes wins under his

belt.The 40-year old guide has been building

fish hotels on his home lake for more thantwo decades now. Like many in his profes-sion, he was quick to admit that brush pilesplay a huge role in his ability to consistentlykeep his crappie fishing clientele happy.

Brush piles are a big part of my busi-ness, mainly because it helps concentrate the

fish to one specific spot, he said. Withoutit the fish would really scatter out and youwould have to hunt and peck to find them.Brush helps take the guesswork out of it. Itis pretty much a guaranteed catch so long asthe weather is right.

The crappies attraction to brush comesnatural. In addition to providing the fishwith cover, brush serves as a foundation forthe formation of zooplankton and othermicroorganisms on which shad, minnowsand other bait fish feed. Once the bait showsup, the crappie usually wont be far behind.

As earlier mentioned, constructing fishhotels is a demanding chore that means hardwork and dirty hands. It also calls for a littleingenuity on the builders part when it comesto selecting materials, putting them together,choosing a location and securing the goodsto bottom in a way that they will last for thelong haul.

In the segments that follow, Johnston

takes TF&G readers step-by-stepthrough the process of building andsinking a brush pile for crappie:

Material SelectionJohnston says crappie will gravitate to

just about any type of brush, provided itsnot cedar or pine. The guide believes thosetrees displace a funk into the water that actu-

ally repels fish instead of attracting them.Christmas trees are an excellent choice.

These should be readily available on streetcorners everywhere after Dec. 25. Check theritzy neighborhoods first. Often times thatswhere the taller trees will be. It might be wiseto check with retail outlets, too. Unsold sur-plus can usually be purchased for next tonothing.

The only problem I have withChristmas trees is the limbs are so thick thefish cant get in them good, Johnston said.Be sure to prune some limbs to create somecavities so the crappie can get inside.

Johnstons favorite trees include willowsand sweet gums. When using willows, hewill pluck a few limbs off several individualtrees and bond them together as opposed toaxing an entire tree. That way he doesntexhaust his stock. Sweet gums can be bediced into sections or utilized whole if thewater depth is sufficient.

The guide said it is important to checkwith local authorities and/or property ownersbefore cutting any trees along the shores of apublic reservoir. In many cases it is illegal. I

PHOTO: MATT WILLIAMS

Toledo Bend crappie guide Stephen Johnstonis an expert on the placement and construc-tion of brushpiles.

Brushpile Builder


get all my trees off of a friends private prop-erty and haul them to the lake, Johnstonsaid. Thats the neat thing about Christmastrees. In a few weeks they will be layingaround everywhere.

Store bought or homemade fish treesconstructed from scrap plastic and PVC areviable alternative for those who may not bephysically able cut and sink cumbersomebrush.

Size MattersJohnston likes small piles over big ones.

Anything larger than 8-10 feet in diametercan cause the fish scatter out too much.

The ideal height hinges on the depth ofthe water. The best depth range can vary

from one lake to the next, according tothe season of the year and water level.On Toledo Bend, Johnston likes his

piles situated at depth ranges from 20-32 feet. He usually prefers to have 10-15foot window between the top of the brushand the surface.

For springtime fishing youll want brushin shallower water, say 10 feet deep, hesaid. Id use a five-foot tall tree for that, sothe fish can get on top of it.

Erecting A HomeThe best brush piles for crappie are

those that stand vertical. Trees must beweighted at the bottom and equipped withsome type of float on top to accomplish thisstance. Christmas tree sets or willow limbsshould be snugged tight at the base usingnylon rope.

When weighting trees, use somethingheavy enough to sink it and hold it in placein turbulent conditions. It takes about 100pounds to secure an 8X15 tree.

Cinder blocks and buckets of concretewill work, but this can get expensive whensinking multiple brush piles. Johnson sayswoven polypropylene sandbags equippedwith ties are a much cheaper alternative.

He fills the bags for free using sand fromthe shoreline, then cuts a hole in both sidesbefore tying them shut. He loops a second-ary rope through the holes, which is used forsecuring the bag to tree base.

Johnston uses one-liter Coke bottles ormilk jugs to float the top. He attaches themto the crown using zip ties.

Ideally, you should have everythingexcept the weight attached before the boatever leaves the bank, Johnston said. Its alot easier that way.

Pulling MaintenanceBrush will rot in time. For that reason,

Johnston will re-brush his most productivespots once a year. Im always careful todrop the new brush right in the middle of theold stuff, he explained. Otherwise, thebrush it will spread out too far and the fishwont group up as well.

Location, Location, LocationSubmerged points, humps and ridges are

great places to sink brush. However, theyalso are among the most obvious, whichmeans they probably wont be secret for verylong. Johnston likes to sink his piles increeksbeds, usually in S-bends, in areaswhere hydrilla is not overly abundant. Eachspot is marked GPS for future reference.

It is interesting to note that just becausea spot looks good does not mean it willattract fish. On average, Johnston said aboutone in four brush piles will become a reliablefishing hole.

Sinking brush piles is trial and error,he said. Its sort of like street corner conven-ience stores. One store might not see muchtraffic at all, whereas another one located amile down the road might stay covered upwith business all the time.


Crappie are naturally drawn to submergedbrush, for the cover and for the bait that isalso attracted to the structure.

Structure Lovers

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PHOTOS: FISH, CHOICE GRAPHX, ISTOCK;

DUCK, VERNERF, DREAMSTIME

BY CHESTER MOORE



Like many spots on the coast, channeliza-tion had allowed saltwater to intrude intothese marshes and turn what was oncebrackish into an unproductive, dying saltmarsh.

Now, you are probably thinking saltmarsh and saltwater fish go hand in hand.Well, not necessarily. In many areas, idealestuary habitat for fish, crabs and shrimp isactually brackish leaning toward freshwater.

One of the things people have to realizeis that good marsh is not always super salty,and species like redfish thrive in brackishmarsh that can sustain good vegetation.When the Intracoastal Canal was put in anda lot of these areas had channels cut for var-ious things it degraded the habitat for specieslike redfish and also for ducks, said the lateEd Holder, a respected outdoor writer andavid redfish angler and duck hunter.

Holder was my mentor and when he firsttook me under his wing, he took me into theback of the Keith Lake chain where theMcFaddin National Wildlife Refuge(NWR) and J.D. Murphree WMA inter-sect to drive home this point.

On that day, we were able to sight cast toredfish in shallow water that were swimmingnext to largemouth bass.

People get the idea that redfish have tobe in this super salty water but healthymarshes are just not that way. And this isreally good duck country in here, he said.

A few years after Holder set me straighton the status of healthy marshes, the TexasParks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) set

up a series of saltwater barriers at the LowerNeches WMA. At first, the response fromlocal anglers was not good.

TPWD just wants to coddle theducks.

They are going to ruin the fish-ing.

However, it did not take long forthe anglers to realize the fishing did notdecline, it got better. The marsh began tocome alive with all kinds of vegetation good

for fish and ducks and the very saltwater bar-rier that people complain about became thefavorite fishing hole in the area.

A few years later, Ducks Unlimited(DU) worked with TPWD on a program to

create grass terraces in that marsh to halterosion. That combined with the saltwaterbarriers turned the marsh into a haven for

IN TODAYS WORLD OF SPECIALIZED news coverage and increasing threatsto all of our natural resources, we tend to think about conservation efforts as having asingular aim. However, in most cases many species benefit and in the case of coastalhabitat conservation what helps scaled creatures also benefits those with feathers andvice versa.

The Lower Neches Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a fine case in point.I grew up fishing this area before it was under control of the state and saw it go from

a thriving marsh to a series of open lakes intersected by chunks of marsh, particularlyon the western side of the unit. During that time, the fishing declined and so did thewaterfowl hunting. What was once heaven for gadwalls with acres of widgeon grassbecame mud flats as saltwater intruded the area.

PHOTO KAMENSKY, DREAMSTIME

Coastal habitat conservation efforts aimed atducks benefit multiple species, includingthose with scales and fins.

Whats Good for the Waterfowl...


waterfowl. Last year just before the secondsplit of the duck season opened I stoppedalong the side of Highway 87 to do a roughduck count. I stopped counting at around300 and that was only in one section of themarsh.

The projects that we do along the coastare certainly designed to help ducks butthere is a real benefit to everything from red-fish to speckled trout and blue crabs in manyof them. Good coastal waterfowl habitat inmost cases is good coastal fishing habitat,said David Schuessler with DU.

Often times these habitat needs will meetin a single, politically charged issue and thatwas the case with interbasin water transfer.

Officials with the Coastal ConservationAssociation (CCA) believed it would causeserious damage to estuaries by reducing cru-cial freshwater inflows and that is exactlywhat waterfowlers feared would happen. Attimes, there have been conflicts betweenwaterfowlers and anglers even within stateand federal bureaucracies but in most caseshabitat conservation is mutually beneficial.

A fine example is the seagrass conserva-tion initiatives forwarded by TPWD recent-

ly for the Redfish Bay complex.Seagrass meadow supplies everything

that many marine organisms need. It pro-vides food for grazing animals at the base ofthe food chain, surfaces to cling on for smallcrawling critters, shelter and hiding placesfor small invertebrates and fish, and ambushpoints for the larger predators and game fish.For them its the nursery, the roof over theirheads and the grocery store all rolled intoone, TPWD officials said.

Duck hunters know that seagrass is animportant factor in the wintering of duckspecies on the Middle and Lower Texascoasts.

The grass is our bread and butter andwhat keeps us in ducks when other placesdont have them, said Keith Walberg ofPort Aransas, TX.

For redheads, it is even more importantthan that as the Texas coast winters 80 per-cent of the continents population.

The Laguna Madre de Tamaulipas,just south of the delta of the Rio Grande, isan integral part of the winter life-support sys-tem of redheads. In most years, more red-heads overwinter in Texas than Mexico;

however, in years of drought in Texas, moreducks continue south into Mexico, saidChristopher P. Onuf of the NationalBiological Service in a paper on the impor-tance of seagrass.

The large geographic extent of availablehabitat apparently buffers the population byincreasing the probability that suitable con-ditions prevail somewhere in the systemevery year.

Onuf wrote that Mexico is pushing forthe extension of the Intracoastal Waterwayinto Mexican Laguna territory.

In all likelihood, this development willreduce the support capacity of the Laguna inMexico for redheads, further increasing thereliance of the ducks on the laguna inTexas.

And that will make the projects beingconducted by groups like DU and CCAeven more important to not only redheads,but the fish they share their habitat with.



Big LakeBluesA NEW BAYLOR UNIVERSITY STUDY HAS FOUNDBIG RESERVOIRS WITH LARGE SURFACE AREASPROVIDE OPTIMUM CONDITIONS FOR BLUECATFISH REPRODUCTION AND SURVIVABILITY.

TPWD stocking records indi-cate more than 10 million catfishstocked in reservoirs since 1993,some producing established fish-eries, others failing to produceestablished populations.

Researchers sampled 30 reser-voirs across Texasand comparedblue catfish abun-dance, condition,and natural repro-duction with mul-tiple physicochem-ical and biologicalvariables at each reservoir.

The study found environmentalfactors such as surface area of thelake, climate, and nutrients influ-ence blue catfish populations. Sur-face area and nutrients showedthe most influence, but the cor-rect combination of the two pro-vides optimal conditions for bluecatfish to thrive.

The combination of high nutri-ent productivity of phosphorusand chlorophyll in large reservoirsprovides optimum conditions tosupport blue catfish populations.

Reservoirs that showed no evi-dence of catfish reproduction hadrelatively very small surface areas.

Staff Report

GREEN

tists from Loughborough University,Great Britain, have discovered differentcolored turbines are more or less likely toattract bugs.

Currently, the vast majority of windturbines are painted either white or lightgrey, and only the color yellow is moreattractive to insects.

For the study, 2012 bug observationswere made over three years, monitoringwhat colors insects preferred to land on.

The color purple attracted fewer

insects than any of the other color tested,suggesting turbines that color would stopflying animals from hitting them.

A spokeswoman for the universitysaid: In recent years, concern has been

PAINTING WIND TURBINES PURPLE COULD HELP

CUT THE NUMBER OF BIRDS AND BATS KILLED BY

FLYING INTO THEM, NEW RESEARCH CLAIMS.

Birds and bats are attracted to insectsthat collect around the turbines, and scien-

TheColorPurple

PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS


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Scientists at the Autonomous JuarezUniversity of Tabasco in Mexico are tryingto use wild fish as a broodstock to crankout juveniles in captivity. The universityaims to sell young snook to fishermen-turned-fish farmers as a way to relieve fish-ing pressure on wild stocks. It also hopes tosell them to the government to release intocoastal lagoons and rivers.

We need to increase the population inthe wild. They're overfished. There hasalso been a lot of habitat degradation fromcutting down mangroves and from oilrefineries and wells, said Kevin Fitzsim-mons, a professor at the University of Ari-zona and former president of the WorldAquaculture Society.

Snook, robalo in Spanish, are highlyoverfished in Mexico.

In Texas there's anecdotal evidencethat they're making a comeback, said Rey-naldo Patino, Texas Cooperative Fish andWildlife Research Unit leader at TexasTech.

Staff Report

Stocking theSnookeryA COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT INCLUDES TEXAS

TECH UNIVERSITY IS LOOKING TO DEVELOP

SNOOK AQUACULTURE WITH AN EYE TO PROVID-

ING MARKET FISH AND RESTOCKING WILD POPU-

LATIONS.

PHOTO: COURTESY TIFFANY WOODS

TG

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RESEARCHERS AT OHIO STATE HAVE BEENcomparing the behavior of twoexperimental marshes on the cam-pus, one that was planted in 1994

with wetland vegetation and another thatwas left to colonize plant and animal life onits own. The 2.5-acre marshes are part ofthe Wilma H. Schiermeier OlentangyRiver Wetland Research Park, a 30-acrecomplex that functions as a living labora-tory in ecological science.

After year 15, the two wetlands con-tained nearly the same number of plantspecies, and their rates of retaining phos-phorus and nitrates nutrients that canbecome potential water contaminants were almost identical. Both wetlands alsohold carbon in their soil, with this functionincreasing steadily over the years.

Plant productivity and greenhouse gasemissions were two ways in which the wet-lands differed at this stage in their lives:The naturally developing wetland producedmore plant biomass and emits more of thegreenhouse gas methane, the latter becauseit contains more decayed organic materialfrom the higher biomass production. Bacte-ria that produce methane during thatdecaying process cause wetlands to releasethe gas into the atmosphere.

These experimental wetlands haveenabled us to start new ecosystems fromscratch. You don't get to do that veryoften, said William Mitsch, an environ-

ment and natural resources professor atOhio State and director of the wetlandresearch park.

Often called the kidneys of the envi-ronment, wetlands act as buffer zonesbetween land and waterways. In additionto absorbing carbon and holding onto it foryears a process called sequestration wetlands filter out chemicals in water thatruns off from farm fields, roads, parkinglots and other surfaces.

When the two experimental wetlandswere created in 1994, researchers planted13 common wetland species in one marshand left the other to develop as a naturalwetland. Water from the nearby OlentangyRiver has been continually pumped intoboth marshes at rates to mimic water flowin a freshwater river wetland setting.

Within five years, both wetlands con-tained almost 100 different species each,and that plant diversity was maintainedthrough the study period's end in 2008.

By 1998, the planted wetland hosted96 species and the naturally developingmarsh was home to 87 species. Thosenumbers increased to 101 and 97 species,respectively, by 2008.

Seven dominant plant types were grow-ing in year 15 in the created wetland: bur-reed, a variety of cattails, river bulrush andsoftstem bulrush, American lotus, sagopondweed and rice cutgrass. The threedominant plant types in the natural wetland

at year 15 were the rice cutgrass, softstembulrush and cattails.

The naturally developing wetland wasmore powerful, the planted wetland stillslightly more diverse, Mitsch said.

Even with that growth, Mitsch calls thewetlands unfinished.

I foresee that they will become moreand more tree-like every year, Mitsch said.We've got forest developing on the edges.We think they will be much more dominat-ed by woody vegetation in 50 years.

The researchers have predicted thatboth wetlands' ability to sequester carbon intheir soil will increase at a steady pacethrough year 50. At the 15-year mark,these two wetlands were sequestering car-bon about 40 percent faster than was asimilar reference natural wetland 200grams of carbon per square meter per yearvs. 140 grams of carbon per square meterper year. This could be because of the highbiomass production in the created wetlands,Mitsch said.

Though almost all freshwater wetlandsare known to release methane, a green-house gas, into the atmosphere, Mitschasserts that wetlands are valuable carbondioxide sinks and that more than compen-sates for the methane emissions. Methaneoxidizes in the atmosphere while carbondioxide does not, tipping the balance ofvalue for protection against greenhousegases in favor of wetlands because of theircarbon storage capacity, he said.

I think wetlands' value as carbon sinksis gigantic, but it is still under-appreciat-ed, Mitsch said.

Phosphorus is problematic in inlandfreshwater systems, where, in excess, it canstimulate the growth of algae. The experi-mental wetlands at Ohio State startedstrong at retaining phosphorus, but theretention rate has declined over time, from60 percent to 10 percent over the course ofthe 15 years of study.

For nitrates, which can lead to algaeblooms and kill some fish species in coastalwaters, the rate of retention in the wetlandshas decreased some from the early yearsbut remains consistent, from about 35 per-cent to 25 percent.

Staff Report

GREEN

Planted vs. Unplanted Wetlands

growing over the phenomenonof avian and bat mortality at windturbine installations.

The finding that the commonturbine colors white and light greywere amongst the most attractivecolors to insects, independent oftime of day, is of significant impor-tance.

Insects attracted to a turbinemast and rotor present a foragingopportunity to local insectivores,and thus this is likely to greatlyincrease the time spent in thevicinity of the turbine, which inturn increases the risk of fatalinteraction with operationalrotors.

Staff Report

Continued from page 32

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Ethical orNot?

WHEN IT COMES TO FISHING ANDfishermen, some things just fray myline.

I hate it when a tournamentangler constantly digs for ways to bend therules, or snoops around looking for loop-holes to exploit voids in the system. Whilesome might call it fishing smart, experiencehas taught me that once an angler goes downthat trail there is a good chance a rocky end-ing is in store. Eventually, he might evencross a line that can tarnish a reputation forlife.

Equally annoying is the potlicker whopurposely shadows a fishing guide with thesole intention of learning his sweet spots sohe can hammer the fish therein when theguide is not around. Or the loser whohedges in on another angler's fishing spot thesecond he sees someone catch a fish. In bassfishing arenas, we call this running the "bentpole pattern."

Not everyone may see things the same asme, but that's all right. Everyone is entitledto their own opinion, and fishermen can beamong the most opinionated, bullheadedsouls in the crowd.

What follows are a few more fishing sce-narios that are sure to stoke some fires onboth sides of the fence. What's your opin-ion? Ethical or not? We want to know.

- Let's say a crappie fishing guide spendshours cutting brush, hauling it to the lake,and securing it to bottom at a strategic loca-tion for the sole purpose of creating a per-sonal honey hole.

The guide takes a group of clients to thespot one morning, only to discover it is nolonger a secret. Another boat is camped overthe brush pile and its occupants are catchingfish one after another. Rage sets in and the

guide proceeds to give the anglers a tongue-lashing for fishing "his" spot without permis-sion.

While it is easy to understand the guide'sgrief, in no way does he have the right toaggressively defend the spot as his own. Infact, doing so could be interpreted as anglerharassment in the eyes of the law, whichcould result in a fine and/or jail time if theother party decides to press charges.

Here's the deal: Once a brush top leavesa boat deck and goes into public water, itautomatically becomes community property.It is sort of like building a permanent duckblind in a Texas saltwater bay. Exclusivitydoes not exist. Anyone can use it.

Such confrontations among anglers havebecome commonplace on lakes SamRayburn and Toledo Bend these days,largely due to the advent of side-imaging anddown-scan sonar technology introduced byHumminbird and Lowrance. If there areany secrets out there, they probably will notremain that way for long.

Now, ask yourself these two questions: Ifyou accidentally stumbled across a brushpile that you didn't construct, would you fishit? What would your reaction be if you wereapproached by an angler who claims he didthe dirty work and politely asked you toleave?

- A weekend bass angler hires a fishingguide/tournament pro for a day trip on hishome water. As he should, the guide doeshis best to put the client on fish and, in the

process, introduces him to some of his bestspots.

Unbeknownst to the fishing guide, theclient is packing a handheld GPS. Hesecretly marks each location so he can returnlater.

A year later, the client and guide sepa-rately enter the same bass tournament. Theclient gets the earliest boat draw of the two,beats the pro to his very best hole, and even-tually wins the tournament there. Dirty poolor not?

- It is early spring and a group of bassanglers pays a visit to a public reservoir,where they experience what turns out to be amagical day. Together they hook and land

nearly a dozen trophy-class fish. Amongthem are several bass weighing upwards of 8pounds.

While most of the fish are released, theyelect to retain nearly a half-dozen of thebiggest bass so they can be stocked into aprivate pond. While no laws were broken inthe process, most fisheries scientists willagree that such exploitation could take a seri-ous toll on a fragile trophy fishery, especiallyif repeated multiple times.

What's your take?


Texas Freshwater

by Matt Williams| TF&G Freshwater Editor

PHOTO CREDIT: FOTOLIA

E-mail Matt Williams at [email protected].

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The problem is keeping enough fishlegally to feed a large gathering of people.Winter whiting are a tasty solution to thisproblem.

Whiting are members of the drum family,making them relatives to speckled trout, red-fish, black drum, and croaker. It is no won-der that they taste so good. Whiting is actu-ally the common name for a kingfish, whichcauses a lot of confusion as king mackerel onthe Texas coast are also called kingfish. Thegulf kingfish (Menticirrhus littoralis) and thesouthern kingfish (Menticirrhus ameri-canus) are both sleek fish with a humpedback and sharply tapered snout. Theirunder-slung mouth is small and designed fortaking their meals on the bottom. The gulfkingfish is primarily silvery-gray while thesouthern kingfish is dusky brown, withsplotches of color that become very vibrantwhen the fish is excited. Kingfish enjoy anumber of common names, with whiting themost popular on the Texas coast.

Although whiting inhabit all of Texasmajor bay systems, they are abundant in thesurf. There isnt a wealth of scientific litera-ture on whiting but one study utilizing atowed shrimp trawl along the beach revealedthat whiting were found in coastal waters lessthan 5 meters to 27 meters in depth, with themajority of fish captured nearer the beach.Whiting favor areas scientists describe ashigh energy, such as sand bars with wavescrashing over them. When a wave washesacross a bar, the moving water scours thebottom and dislodges crabs, crustaceans,and marine worms hidden in the top inch ofsediment. Whiting station themselves in thetrough behind the bar and rush in after thewave has passed to eat the dislodged marineorganisms.

When the mercury drops in the late fall,

many species abandon the surf and dropback into deeper water or migrate to differ-ent regions. Fortunately, whiting never leavethe surf making them an ideal target ofopportunity during the winter.

If there is one knock against whiting it istheir size. They are a small fish, with mostadults ranging in size from 10 16 inches.The current state record for the gulf kingfishweighed just 2.3 pounds and southern king-fish weighed 3.6 pounds.

What whiting lack in size they make up inattitude. They dont tap at a bait, theysmash it. Since whiting only have preciousseconds between the wash of one wave andthe next to scope out dislodged invertebrateson the bottom, they dont have the luxury ofeyeballing potential meals. When they spotsomething to eat, they take decided action.

Tackle requirements are as basic as itgets: Whatever rod and reel you have willwork fine. Trout tackle is a good option.Limber surf rods are also good, providingthe angler added casting distance. If youhave more than one rod in your quiver,choose a long rod with a limber tip and a reelspooled with light line.

Terminal tackle needed to take whiting isalso very basic; a simple bottom rig with oneor two droppers. There is no need for steelleaders adorned with gaudy, fluorescentbeads. Instead, fold a short length of 20-pound test in half, tie an overhand knot inthe doubled line to form a loop you can tieyour main line to, and then attach a hook toone tag and a sinker t

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