Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine October 2014

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Antler restrictions results, mom and son gain from youth hunt, poachers try long lines in Gulf and more Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

October 2014 - Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine

Antler restrictions in East Texas pay off for game and hunter, and time spent learning to hunt pays off for mother and son. Game wardens patrol Texas coastal waters to thwart poachers who use long-lines and gill nets that decimate sharks and game fish. Three Hill Country state parks offer natural wonders for a relaxing weekend and three Texas ghost stories offer a scare. Educators along the Texas/Mexico border coordinate conservation activities. Visit swampy Palmetto State Park to see unique plant and animal life. Read about butterflies and mistflowers and ominous-looking giant redheaded centipedes. Learn how to take close-up photos by “digiscoping" and make a plan for safe gun storage at home.

Feature Articles

Growing Bigger Trophies

Restrictions in East Texas counties are leading to better antler production.

By Russell A. Graves

“That’s five mature bucks we’ve seen so far,” my brother whispers to me as we hunt through the wet understory, watching a nice eight-point drift through the woods.

Since Thanksgiving Day, rain has slowly fallen, soaking and softening the otherwise dry and crunchy oak and ash leaves that carpet the creek bottom. Just two days past the holiday, the Fannin County whitetail rut is in full swing. Read more.

First Hunt

Youth hunting event changes the lives of young participants, including my son.

By Karen Loke

As we drive up a dirt road into a sea of orange, I glance at my son Eli, 12, sitting quietly in borrowed camouflage. It’s his first deer hunt, and he’s more than a little apprehensive.

“But, mom, why do I have to shoot a deer?” he asks me.

“See all these people in hunter orange caps and vests?” I ask him. “They’re master hunters, and they’re going to show you how to hunt safely and use your great-grandfather’s rifle.” Read more.

Hooking Poachers

Game wardens thwart illegal long-line fishing in the Gulf.

large battered hook, blue ocean background

By Mike Cox

Game warden Carmen Perez stood outside the wheelhouse of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department patrol vessel Captain Williams, salt spray flying into her face as the 65-footer cut through a choppy sea.

The Gulf water stung her eyes, but at least it had a cooling effect. On a hot August day during shrimp season, she and three other game wardens were cruising in U.S. waters off the southern tip of Texas not far from the international line — a liquid border visible only on the navigational map displayed on the screen inside the air-conditioned cabin where Sgt. Luis Sosa sat at the helm. Read more.

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