lone star outdoor news 081426 by Lone Star Outdoor News

HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL INSIDE August 14, 2026

Texas’ Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004

HUNTING texas AN N UAL 2 02 6

YEAR FOR A TROPHY BUCK

The mountain doesn’t lie P. 6 Primed and ready P. 12 Fake news, a perfect first buck P. 14 Advertising Section

Volume 22, Issue 24

Improving in the bays Go deep for coastal species with the heat By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News

TPWD Webless Migratory Game Bird Program Leader, Owen Fitzsimmons, said this season marks the third year in a row that dove numbers for both mourning and white-winged dove are in excellent shape. “This year ranks right up there as one the best years we have seen over the past two decades in regard to pure dove population numbers,” Fitzsimmons said. “We are sitting at around 37 million mourning dove, statewide. Last year, that number was around 36 million, and the only other year within the last 20 that experienced a higher number of mourning dove

Water and air temperatures are the warmest they have been all year, and multiple species of fish up and down the coast are retreating to deeper water to escape the heat. Yep, it’s a downright scorcher out there, and at times, redfish, speckled trout, and black drum have exhibited lethargic behavior because of it. The last full moon occurred at the end of July, and it coincided with westerly winds and low tides. This made for tough fishing conditions at the beginning of August, and many anglers struggled to consistently find actively feeding fish. Over the past week or so, water levels rose with the return of southeasterly breezes, and the bite improved significantly. Avid tournament angler David Blackwell said he found good numbers of redfish along the edges of the Intracoastal Waterway in the High Island area recently. He was targeting the edges of drop-offs in ditches down rocky banks and mud flats holding concentrations of baitfish and shrimp. “There were plenty of redfish in all sizes up and down the ICW,” Blackwell said. “We caught them in all ranges of the slot-size limit, and there were a bunch of undersized reds mixed in, as well.” Blackwell said the best bite came from chunking scented soft plastic shrimp imitation lures rigged under a popping cork. “We tried throwing spinnerbaits and crankbaits, but the water was pretty dirty,” he said. “I think the noise from the pooping cork combined with the scented bait made the

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The table is set for a record setting dove season. Bird numbers are at all-time highs. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Record numbers Population highest ever, but birds may be scattered By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News

Luke Battistoni shows off a nice trout he caught while fishing with his dad, Capt. Ryan Battistoni, near the ship channel in Galveston Bay. Photo by Capt. Ryan Battistoni.

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814

Running deep Largemouth in midsummer patterns By Cory Byrnes

Winston Steele and his dad, Heath, hold up a 9.86-pound bass caught recently on O.H. Ivie. Photo by Dalton Smith.

The Texas heat has the bass running deep. August is a time for anglers to start throwing huge worms and to build a deep well of patience. On Possum Kingdom Lake, the fishery has seen a rebound in the population since the state re-

Fishing reports . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 12 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18

flutter spoon in that flooded timber off of those deep ledges and hang on.” Be patient and keep mobile. It is a good time of year to build confidence with other baits. The thermocline develops, Kennedy said, and the fish will start to suspend just above it. “You pay attention to your electronics; you should get bit, and you should get bit good. But I will tell you, think. The dog days of summer, it’s going to be like winter fishing; you may only get Please turn to page 13

INSIDE

CONTENTS

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

For Lone Star Outdoor News

stocked a few years ago. Joseph Kennedy with J.K. Outdoors reported he and his clients have also enjoyed a strong early morning bite before they make their move offshore to deep ledges and flats. “Points are really good on PK,” Kennedy said. “A variety of bait has been effective right now. You can adapt about any fishing style a person has. In the deep water, worms and jigs dragged have been good. Another really good tactic is a flutter spoon. Put that

HUNTING

FISHING

Interesting results (P. 4)

Bad Braunig (P. 7)

DuckDNA project finding weird combos.

Anglers reporting slow redfish bite.

Displaced (P. 4)

Record blue cat (P. 6)

Exotics on the move after floods.

Lake Amistad gives up big blue.

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August 14, 2026

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August 14, 2026

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HUNTING

Exotics displaced

Many exotic species in flooded areas escaped high-fence enclosures, leading to widespread dispersal of non-native species. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Ranches hit by floods lose exotics By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News Almost exactly one year after the catastrophic July 2025 floods, Texas experienced another multi-day flood event. This time however, the raging floodwaters had a much larger footprint. The recent flash floods which occurred last month severely impacted several counties and communities throughout the Hill County and South Texas. The hardest hit areas included Kerr, Uvalde, Kendall, Bandera, and Medina counties. Massive rainfall caused the Guadalupe River in Kerr County to surge over 20 feet in

a matter of hours. In Uvalde, first responders conducted over 230 high-water rescues during the flood. Many ranches in Uvalde County experienced damages and lost exotic wildlife due to downed fences. Similar experiences took place in Comfort, as well as in communities across Bandera and Medina counties. The Executive Director of the Exotic Wildlife Association, Ken Yancy, stated that recent severe flooding across the Texas Hill Country and south Texas caused extensive damage and widespread disruption to valuable exotics such as axis deer, blackbuck antelope, fallow deer, and many others, which escaped onto neighboring properties or were washed downstream. “Rising waters along the Guadalupe Riv-

er and Pedernales River swept numerous animals from their habitats and left them stranded or dead on riverbanks,” Yancy said. “High-velocity floodwaters also tore down essential ranch fencing along the rivers, leaving various exotic wildlife scattered across the region. Flooding also cut off access to feed for many animals for an extended period of time, and heavily saturated ground significantly delayed ranchers from reaching properties to begin making repairs.” Despite the extensive destruction, Yancy noted the ranching community actively rallied together to provide support, with emergency holding pens, animal relocation efforts, and donated hay from local feed stores.

Interesting combinations, some issues

According to a post made by the Ox Ranch on their Instagram page, the flood caused massive damage on the 18,000-acre property. “Generations of hard work changed overnight,” they wrote in a post. “There are millions of dollars in repairs to be made, but if there’s one thing we know, it’s this — we don’t quit.” KENS5 reported that the Torres Family Property located in Kerr County suffered a catastrophic loss of exotic marsupials. The news report said the family lost several kangaroos that were swept away by rushing floodwaters.

College and conservation By Meghan Jackson

wild system participatory sciencebased studies ever attempted. Across all four major flyways, hunters who harvest a hybrid or mallard-like duck can register and contribute their harvests to a living dataset — submitting a small sample of tissue, corresponding data, and pictures of their harvest.

to come. “My Grandpa originally took me out hunting for the first time From growing up in Zapata to and would help me process the contributing to his family ranch deer afterwards,” Segovia said. in Cotulla, Javier Segovia is more “All of my uncles on my mom's side played a than familrole, as well, iar with the especially with South Texas fishing.” habitat and Once Segoanimals that via began call it home. attending Segovia Texas A&M killed his University in first deer Kingsville, he at 12 years joined the old, actively Department went fishof Range and ing, and Sciwould prior- Javier Segovia works on his project studying Wildlife cackling geese, a different species than the ences and realitize picking Canada goose. Photo from Javier Segovia. ized the way up trash in the area. This sparked his inter- he was raised prepared him for est in the conservation side of this phase of life. Little did he things and wanting to protect know, there would be one class these areas for future generations that would spark a similar, yet

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For Lone Star Outdoor News

The duckDNA project has been taking samples from Texas hunters and finding interesting results of hybridizations. Photo by Joseph Rochards.

DuckDNA Texas updating database as more info comes in By Joseph Richards Going forward into year four of collecting hunter harvest samples,

the duckDNA project is advancing knowledge of hybridization and genetic structure in North American waterfowl. A collaborative partnership between Ducks Unlimited and the Lavretsky Lab at the University of Texas at El Paso, duckDNA is regarded as one of the largest

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Summer success DSC Expo draws good crowds By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News

The Dallas Safari Club’s Summer Expo was a success for exhibitors, attendees and the organization. Held July 23–26 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, the second annual Summer Expo broke records in attendance, auctions, raffles, banquets, and hotel bookings, according to a press release. The crowds were good on Thursday and Friday, with guests enjoying the free happy hours provided at the show floor bars The aisles were filled for much of the DSC Summer Expo as patrons starting at 4 p.m. Saturday shopped for all things outdoors. Photo by Conor Harrison, saw an uptick in traffic, as Lone Star Outdoor News. exhibitors were speaking with people stopped in front of booths because of traffic in the aisles. Traffic slowed a bit on Sunday, as expected at most 4-day expos. "This year's success belongs to everyone who helped bring the event to life," said DSC & DSCF CEO Russell Stacy. "Our exhibitors, volunteers, sponsors, donors, attendees, staff, interns, and vendors each played a vital role. Seeing people from across the country and around the world gather in Grapevine was incredibly special. It gives us tremendous confidence in the future of DSC and this event." The Expo floor featured a wide range of exhibitors from around the world. Guests connected with outfitters, firearm manufacturers, wildlife artists, bronze sculptors, outdoor retailers, conservation organizations, and lifestyle brands. Raffle participation also reached record levels. Younger guests enjoyed the Passport to Adventure scavenger hunt, which encouraged them to explore the show floor and interact with exhibitors. The auctions did very well during both Friday and Saturday night banquets, with funds going to support the DSC Foundation. The weekend also featured one of the largest and most successful DSC Foundation Galas to date. Support from donors, bidders, and guests helped advance the Foundation's work in wildlife conservation, education and the future of hunting and our outdoor heritage.

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FISHING

Impressive resume Stephanie Hemphill builds fishing business By Meghan Jackson

For Lone Star Outdoor News

Fishing guide Stephanie Hemphill knows how to put clients on big fish like this one from Sam Rayburn. Photo from Stephanie Hemphill.

Army veteran, mother, professional angler, fishing guide. Stephani Hemphill is nothing short of legendary when reviewing her resume. Growing up on Sam Rayburn Reservoir with a rod in her hand, her success reflects years of dedication and a passion for making a positive impact. At just two years old, Hemphill

caught her first fish while sitting on her mom’s lap with just a Barbie fishing rod and reel. “That is where my love for the outdoors began,” Hemphill said. “My parents said the fish was a three pounder and that they made me reel it in all by myself.” When Hemphill was about 12 years old, she knew she wanted to become a professional angler. Although this was not as common at the time, she knew she could be the person to break the barrier. “I went fishing every weekend with my dad and grandfather and they

turned it into a little fishing tournament between my brother and I,” Hemphill said. “Whoever had the most pounds would get money… so I would win money often.” Hemphill still desired to enter the professional world of fishing but decided to break another barrier and go into the Army. At just 20 years old, she said this was a very transformative chapter in her life. “I went into the Army as a girl and I came out a woman,” Hemphill said. “I have a strong respect for anybody that goes out and serves our country. There is a place for everybody, and the Please turn to page 17

New blue cat record By Cory Byrnes

For Lone Star Outdoor News For Michael Shon Riley and family, fishing is a group activity. “We do everything together,” Riley said, including running a YouTube channel, Riley Bros Adventures. Michael, his wife Allison, and their three sons Jax, Sawyer, and Ridge, went out together the day they set their jugs for yellow cats. “We like to set lines and catch these yellow cats,” Riley explained. “We have been doing it for a while and we were really after the yellows more than anything.” This particular trip started off rough. The Rileys struggled to catch bait before they’d even set their lines. “We started catching a little bit of bait here and there, but nothing too great,” Riley said. “We didn’t have real high expectations.” They managed to catch enough perch to put some lines out and thought it would be a good time to explore. “We’d never really set any lines in this particular area, but we figured it’d be a good spot since so many people are setting lines up the Devils River here lately, and so we were kind of trying to get away from it,” Riley said. Then they let them soak overnight. “I don’t think any of us got a wink of sleep,” Riley said as their excitement built. The next day, they checked their lines. “We didn’t hardly catch much. We caught a couple of channel cats, but the first three or four lines were empty. So, we were kind of down about it,” he said. It wasn’t until the last line when Riley and his sons were working it back to the boat that things changed. Jax caught the first glimpse of a big catfish on the line and yelled “that’s a record!” Now everyone’s attention was on the fish and Jax. “He said it about three or four more times,” Riley said. “We were like, are you serious?” Jax responded, “The record blue cat is 25.6 pounds.” The Rileys all looked at each other as it began to register; this fish was bigger than 25.6 pounds. They pulled out a scale and sure enough, it was 25.8 pounds, besting the Lake Amistad record. Now it was a race to get it certified.

The Riley family, along with Texas game wardens, hold the record-breaking blue catfish they caught on Lake Amistad last month. Photo from Michael Riley.

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High tide the ticket PINS anglers catching multiple species, but timing key By Cory Byrnes

For Lone Star Outdoor News

Surf anglers along PINS are finding good numbers of sharks and other surf species this summer. Photo by Conor Harrison, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Anglers who keep moving and look for bait are finding success up and down the beach along the 50-plus mile long barrier island and National Park. “We’ll drive down the beach and kind of look for key things. We’re looking for birds. We’re looking for bait, looking for breaks in the gut,” said angler Bobby Kubin. Kubin and his family enjoyed catching a variety of species over a recent weeklong fishing trip on the beach.

“We caught 16 sharks one day. Speckled trout, redfish, Spanish mackerel, and a big box full of whiting too,” Kubin recalled of one especially good 12-hour stretch. The most productive bait for the Kubin family was cut mullet. “We had some dead shrimp,” he said. “We would catch a few whiting and then we would just cut those up for cut bait for smaller baits on like pompano rigs. We were fishing five rods at a time. We were pretty busy.” Two of his five rods were set up with pompano rigs fished in one of the closer guts for whiting while the other three were setup with a spider weight that could slide, allowing two feet of slack for the bait to move. “It looks kind of like a Carolina rig,” he

said. With baits placed, high tide seemed to be the most productive for Kubin. “All that week the best fishing was right off the high tide,” Kubin recalled. Wading shallow and casting to the second gut was also productive, but Kubin warned the currents were bad, often pushing baits away from productive areas. “The current was pretty stiff out of the south, and wading wasn’t very pleasant,” he said. “We walked out to the first bar to cast, and it was work.” Farther down the beach, Tim Hill with Silver Spoon Fishing reported a recent coldwater upwelling has kept the surf water temperatures at 80 degrees. For shark fisherman, that means optimal conditions for Please turn to page 17

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What’s up with Braunig?

Once known for its impressive redfish fishery, Braunig Lake near San Antonio is now earning a reputation as a tough reservoir to catch fish due to reduced power plant activity over the past year. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News Victor Braunig Lake is a 1,350-acre reservoir located about 17 miles southeast of downtown San Antonio that serves as a power plant cooling pond and is managed by CPS Energy. Because it maintains a relatively warm water temperature year-round due to power plant activity, Braunig is annually stocked with red drum fingerlings by TPWD, making it one of the few freshwater reservoirs in Texas where anglers can target redfish. In 2025, TPWD stocked just over 400,000 fingerlings in the lake. In 2024 Braunig received another 437,000 fingerlings, and in 2023 over 600,000 red drum fingerlings were again deposited into the reservoir. Late summertime is typically a popular time for anglers to target redfish on Braunig, as the fish tend to school up over various points, humps, drop-offs, and well-known hotspots across the lake that contain structure along the bottom, as well as along the dam. However, it seems the regular angling crowd on Braunig has recently chosen to focus their efforts on Calaveras Lake, a neighboring power plant lake also managed by CPS Energy. Many have reported the action from redfish on Braunig has been nearly non-existent this summer. According to ERCOT, power plant activity at the Braunig power station over the last year has been significantly reduced. CPS Energy moved to retire the facility’s three aging, natural-gas-fired units due to high maintenance costs and old age. ERCOT pushed back and attempted to force operation and conduct emergency repairs to keep the units online to prevent transmission overloads on the region’s power grid, but they encountered severe delays and other equipment hurdles. CPS was thus given approval to transition away from the existing, aging units, by utilizing mobile backup generators to manage local transmission constraints. This significant reduction in power plant activity at Braunig has also significantly reduced the circulation of water throughout the lake. Since the power plant is now operating at a much lower capacity than it once was, it is not circulating water at the rate it used to when the facility was generating in full force. Former TPWD Inland Fisheries San Antonio District Supervisor Mitch Nisbet said the behavior of redfish in Braunig Lake is a direct result of how frequently the plant is running. He said reduced water circulation typically makes the fish more lethargic. “As the power plant is run less and less, there is less water circulation,” Nisbet said. “Over the years, we have determined that the water circulation is what drives the fishing activity on Braunig. The fish just seem to be more active when the power plant is generating at full capacity.” Nisbet said he thinks the redfish on Braunig are now only feeding during specific, short windows since the power plant activity has been significantly reduced. This explains why many anglers have reported tough fishing conditions on the lake. “There’s plenty of baitfish in Braunig for those populations of redfish to live off of,” Nisbet said. “With less water circulation, they are going to be more lethargic, and more calculated about when they decide to eat. This can make targeting them from an angling standpoint quite difficult.” Many local San Antonio fishing guides have completely written off targeting redfish on Braunig recently. Full-time San Antonio area fishing guide TJ Whitworth said he hasn’t run a guided trip with clients on Braunig since the spring. “I’ve been running all of my San Antonio area trips on Calaveras,” Whitworth said. “There’s just nothing happening on Braunig right now. With the way CPS is running that plant, those fish are almost impossible to catch.”

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August 14, 2026

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TIFT draws a crowd By Tony Vindell

For Lone Star Outdoor News The Texas International Fishing Tournament is an annual event that reels in plenty of stars in all categories and divisions. The tournament is held each year on South Padre Island. Anglers such as Marshal Hardin, the TIFT Offshore Grand Champion this year who caught more than a half dozen billfish over 60 miles off the tip of the South Padre jetty during the two days of fishing held Friday, July 31 and Saturday, Aug. 1, love the event. “It was awesome,” he said during Sunday’s awards presentation. “I have been participating in TIFT since 2014, and this is my first time to achieve this. It was a big surprise for me.” Hardin said it took him about 45 minutes to reel the 250-pound blue marlin aboard the Semper Fish on which he and four family members fished together. There was also Carrie Lee Buchen, the Bay Grand Champion who caught 39.75 total pounds of fish. Another star of the tournament was Jackson Wernecke, a 12-year-old angler from Mineola who hooked the tournament’s most unusual fish – a gaspergou. The fish is commonly known as the freshwater drum, as it’s rarely found in waters where its cousin the black drum lives. But the young angler managed to finds one on the end of the line. Tony Reisinger, an emeritus county marine agent, said the fish probably made its way from an inland reservoir into the Gulf due to recent rains. “I felt good about,” the young Wernecke said. “I also caught one of the biggest stringers.” Two other brothers fished in the tournament, too. But besides the many anglers – 1,480 altogether – the real tournament stars are the dozens of volunteers who give their time and sweat during the Grand champion Marshal Hardin shows off his trophies, top. Below, brothers Jackson, left, and Luke Wernecke, along with Grady Jennings, pose with their four days of the event. Some of them are new while others are seasoned trophies. Photos by Tony Vindell, for Lone Star Outdoor News. volunteers like Laura Flores, who said she began stuffing the angler baggies as young as six and now has four youngsters, ages 19 to eight, doing the same. Her daughter, Mallory Lohr, said she has been doing everything needed for several years now. Lohr said this includes doing the bags, working the merchandise booth, carrying the angler catches from the docks to the weigh-in and back, among many other things that come up unexpectedly during the tournament. She and a brother, Larry, were two of 34 TIFT scholarship recipients, each of whom gets $2,000 to pay for tuition expenses. Kristie Collier, the tournament director, said they are so grateful to have these volunteers helping out. “They are the heart of TIFT,” she said. “They come from all over the Rio Grande Valley and throughout Texas.” Here is list of TIFT the winners: BARRACUDA 1 Brandon Limon 2 Tessa P Hudson 3 Eli Salazar

16.95 16.4 14.30

BLACKFIN TUNA 1 Debbie McNair 2 Terry Volkmer 3 Max Nichols

12.05 11.55 11.50

BONITO 1 Gunnar F Schill 2 Max Nichols

8.10 6.15

DOLPHIN 1 Javier Villarreal 2 Leslie Maybin 3 Woodrow Salinas

35.00 33.70 29.55

JACK CREVALLE 1 Breyer A Tice 2 Ryan Maza 3 Colton Neuhaus

14.40 5.50 4.05

KING MACKERAL 1 Vicki L Chrysler Hinojosa 19.55 2 Vicki L Chrysler Hinojosa 19.05 3 Gunnar F Schill 14.15 LING (COBIA) 1 Vicki L Chrysler Hinojosa 30.45 2 Caralina Deluna 1 7.55 3 Brandon Limon 1 6.55 SAILFISH 1 Parke Greeson 2 Dax Wright 3 Daniel Kollwitz

48.50 47.00 44.00

WAHOO 1 Fisher Douglas 2 Miya Whittington 3 Erika Kinney

39.35 35.25 31.45

WHITE MARLIN 1 Thomas Stroman

71.50

YELLOWFIN TUNA 1 Joshua Zachman

40.60

OVERALL TROPHY POINTS FOR SAILFISH 1 Marlin Johnson 1000 2 Zach Swanberg 800 3 Daniel Kollwitz 776 TROPHY POINTS FOR WHITE MARLIN 1 Matthew Garza 750 2 Marshal Hardin 750 3 Daniel Kollwitz 500 TROPHY POINTS FOR BLUE MARLIN 1 Halle Bryant 2000 2 Miles Stamper 2000 3 Marshal Hardin 2000 OFFSHORE POINTS LEADER 1 Nate Forbes 6900 2 Momi Bean 6400 3 Chris Wood 4876 TAG & RELEASE BY BOAT 1 Poured Out 6900 2 Big Trouble 6400 3 The Edge 4700 TROPHY POINTS FOR BAY GRAND CHAMP 1 Carrie Lee Buchen 30.75 2 Cody Barton 29.85 3 Buck Garcia 29.00 OFFSHORE POINTS GRAND CHAMPION 1 Marshal Hardin 3350 2 Miles Stamper 2700 3 Halle Bryant 2024

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LONE STAR FISHING REPORTS SALTWATER FISHING

•

By Chuck Uzzle

For Lone Star Outdoor News

SABINE LAKE • •

• •

Current water temps are 90 to 91 degrees with clear water Fishing for speckled trout remains consistent in deeper water near the channels Live bait has been the best bite overall for both numbers and size Redfish are good near the jetty on live shrimp, both on the bottom and under rattling corks Black drum and sheepshead are also good near the jetty The beachfront and short rigs have been fair when the wind allows

Live croaker and soft plastics are getting the most action.

BAFFIN BAY •

• • •

High water temps (90 degrees and up) and clear water have slowed the bite down for speckled trout Best bite has been early in 2- to 3-feet of water along grass edges Throw paddle tail soft plastics or slowsinking mullet imitating plugs Redfish have been a prime target for sight casters as the water clarity is outstanding and the numbers of fish are good

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND • • •

• •

Water temps are in the upper 80s Solid redfish and trout bite being reported Live shrimp under a popping cork fished near the bottom has been working Top-water bite is decent before the sun gets up Focus on deeper structure later in the day

LEWISVILLE LAKE • • •

•

• •

•

Water level is 0.67 feet below pool at 96.8% full Water temps are around 90 degrees Lake Lewisville is fishing fair to good; Fish before 9 a.m. if possible; Look for windblown points where baitfish are concentrated Largemouth bass are fair to good; Early morning top-water bites can be productive around points, docks, and shallow grass; After that, target ledges, creek channels and brush piles in 15 to 25 feet with Texas-rigged worms, football jigs, deep-diving crankbaits or drop shots. White bass & hybrid stripers are good if you can find schools chasing shad Crappie fishing is fair; Fish are holding on bridge pilings, submerged timber and brush piles in 15 to 25 feet; Small jigs and live minnows are producing Blue catfish are good; Fresh cut shad is producing quality fish on channel edges, flats adjacent to the river channel and deeper humps, especially at dawn, dusk and after dark

HAWKINS •

GALVESTON / TRINITY BAYS • • •

Bays are around 88 to 89 degrees with off-color water Speckled trout fishing has been slow due to the heat and water clarity Beachfront conditions deteriorated when the west wind switched to east and that will take a little time to clear up

•

FRESHWATER FISHING By Vivian Leopold

• •

For Lone Star Outdoor News

HUBBARD CREEK •

•

Inshore the best bite for speckled trout and redfish has been on open water over shell using soft plastics rigged on 3/16- or 1/18-ounce jig heads. Wading anglers are reporting lots of sharks, so take that into consideration

EAST MATAGORDA BAY • • •

• • • • •

•

Water temp is 86 degrees Trout action is good over deep reefs on live shrimp Waders have found good trout while using MirrOlure She Pups and soft plastic Hogie’s over mid-bay reefs Tides have rebounded with the shift to easterly winds West Matagorda Bay Overall fishing picked up with fresh southeast winds Beachfront conditions allowed for a good bite when the winds subsided Best bite for trout and redfish has been fishing deep reefs with live shrimp and pink or orange shrimp imitation lures under popping corks Redfish have also been fair on live or cut bait

ROCKPORT • • •

Overall water condition is good with temps of 87 to 89 degrees Black drum fishing has been excellent on both live and dead shrimp Speckled trout and redfish have been good in deeper water over shell

• • •

•

Water level is 15.56 feet below pool at 40.4% full Water temps are about 86 degrees Current conditions suggest fair to good summer fishing with the best action occurring early in the morning and around submerged structure Largemouth bass are best found around brush piles, standing timber, creek channels and main-lake points; At first light, use top-water lures then switch to soft plastics, Texas-rigged

•

Midday, target deeper points, roadbeds and drop-offs in 10 to 20 feet. Best lure colors are watermelon red, green pumpkin, Junebug, black/blue and white shad-pattern crankbaits and swimbaits in clearer water Crappie fishing is typically excellent during summer at Coleto; Fish are holding in submerged timber, brush and creek channels in 10 to 20 feet. Best colors for lures are chartreuse/black, monkey milk, blue/white, pink/chartreuse and natural shad colors in clear water; Live minnows are still producing well

Channel and blue catfish are providing steady action; Best baits are cut shad, fresh shrimp, punch bait/stink bait and live perch or bluegill for larger flatheads

LAKE LBJ • • •

•

Water level is 0.39 feet below pool at 97.8% full Water temps are around 89 degrees Largemouth Bass overall are fair to good; Early morning, fish in 2 to 8 feet around docks, seawalls and grass edges Best lure colors are watermelon red, green pumpkin, black/blue, shad patterns (white, pearl, silver) and Sexy Shad crankbaits in clearer water; Use weightless stick worms, Texas-rigged worms, top-waters at daylight, football jigs around rock and docks and swimbaits around baitfish schools Crappie are best in 12 to 18 feet around brush piles and submerged timber and deep docks with brush nearby; Live minnows are producing consistently; For lures, best colors are blue/white tube jigs, chartreuse/black, monkey milk and natural shad colors

COLETO CREEK •

worm, green pumpkin creature baits around brush and rocks or deep-diving crankbaits as the sun gets higher White bass fishing is generally good; Look for schooling fish early or troll open-water areas Crappie are holding in 10 to 20 feet of water on brush piles; The go-to baits are minnows and small jigs Catfish – blue catfish remain a solid option especially with cut bait or fresh shad, punch bait or chicken liver near deeper structure and channel edges; Fish after sunset

Water level is 160 feet below pool at 57.2% full Water temps are about 90 degrees; The lake is relatively clear making naturalcolored lures a good choice; With heavy vegetation, fish around grass lines, lily pads and submerged timber for success. The best bite is from daylight until about 9 a.m. and again in the evening Largemouth bass are the top draw at Lake Hawkins; Fish are holding around hydrilla edges, docks, standing timber and deeper weed lines. Early-morning top-waters (frogs, walking baits, buzzbaits) are productive, followed by Texas-rigged worms, weightless stick baits and jigs once the sun gets higher Crappie are fair but inconsistent; Focus on brush piles and standing timber in 12 to 20 feet with live minnows or small jigs. Bluegill are active around vegetation and make a good option if you're fishing with kids

•

Water level is 2.47 feet below pool at 81.1% full Water temps are about 89 degrees, clear to lightly stained water

Early morning and late evening bites are strongest; Fish are concentrating around deeper structure, creek channels, submerged timber and vegetation edges. Largemouth bass are frequently caught in the 5- to 8-pound range, as reported by TPWD; Early morning, use top-waters over grass and vegetation After sunrise, work submerged timber, creek-channel edges and brush piles

•

Catfish action is good around brush piles, channel edges and deeper flats. Flatheads are being caught around the outside edges of brush where baitfish gather; Best baits are fresh cut shad, shrimp, stink bait and live sunfish for flatheads

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LoneOStar Outdoor News

More positive than negative

Flooding displaced some native white-tailed deer, but most came through just fine. Photo by Jack Morgan, Texas Public Radio.

Native whitetails come through weather just fine By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News Portions of the Texas Hill Country and South Texas were plagued by catastrophic flooding last month. While there were some localized negative impacts on wildlife specific to properties located within these watersheds, it seems the most significant negative impacts were felt from a human perspective. The long-term effects from these floods are positive, especially in terms of range conditions for white-tailed deer. According to the TPWD White-tailed Deer Program Leader Blaise Korzekwa, any negative impacts from the flood event in regard to deer and wildlife were extremely localized to properties located directly in the path of the floodwaters. “There were definitely some localized cases where deer, fawns, and other wildlife were swept away by floodwaters where flash flooding occurred,” Korzekwa said. “However, for the most part, adult deer are pretty good swimmers. So, the biggest concern

when floods like these occur are the fawns.” While flash flooding may have taken some deer and fawns by surprise in the hill country, Korzekwa said floodwaters rose at a more gradual pace in portions of South Texas. “In areas of South Texas that experienced flooding, many of the deer and wildlife had time to react, as water levels rose along riparian areas at a slower and steadier rate,” Korzekwa said. “These floods may have temporarily displaced some deer and wildlife, but the mortality rate was not super high.” Korzekwa said high mortality rates amongst deer as a result of these floods in South Texas were localized to narrow properties located directly within the path of the floodwaters with high fences, preventing the animals from escaping the rising water. “With that being said, many stretches of fences undertook damage, which allowed deer and other wildlife to escape the rising water,” Korzekwa said. “Nevertheless, if deer are able to move to higher ground without being blocked by some sort of a physical barrier like a high fence, they will do so instinctively.”

Conservation Continued from page 4

different interest. “During my senior year of college, I took Dr. Bart Ballard’s wetland waterfowl management class and was introduced to all the species of waterfowl that exist within the southern U.S. during the winter," Segovia said. “It hit close to home on how I had seen ducks and sandhill cranes in Zapata before, but I did not fully know what I am grateful to know now.” He explained how eye-opening the class was and how he learned what wetland management truly consists of. With Ballard as his current advisor as a master’s student, this motivated him to now pursue this as a career. Segovia has a goal of joining the Ducks Unlimited team and currently studies cackling geese as part of his graduate research, according to @tamuk_rwsc on Instagram. Through his research, he would want everyone to take away from the fact that the cackling goose is actually its own species of goose. “The Canada goose that everyone might automatically correlate it to is a separate species from their cousin species, the cackling goose. There are has four separate subspecies within its species,” Segovia said. “The Canada goose is its own separate thing, so that's one important fact I would love for people to take away from my research.” TAMUK RWSC is known to provide opportunities to students so they can further their education. Segovia said the university is one of the few to provide real hands-on experiences through various courses. “I personally only know of one other university that provides similar opportunities,” Segovia said. “You can get hands-on deer capture experience, unique research project opportunities, or be recruited by other graduate studies that are going on.” With a passion for conservation, Segovia believes that everyone can contribute toward making a positive impact within our environment. Litter adds up and it is important to challenge that with your dedication to clean and inspire others to do the same. “People do not realize that what may feel like doing small tasks is really contributing to a much greater impact,” Segovia said. “Just by prioritizing picking up your own trash, it all starts with you.” No matter what career you pursue, finding something you love is what Segovia encourages others to strive for. While he discovered the outdoors at a young age, he now strives as an adult to make discoveries that leave a positive impact for generations to come.

August 14, 2026

Page 9

DuckDNA Continued from page 4

The project helps hunters with identifying their harvest with genetic analysis, and the pictures are incorporated into a growing dataset for building an AI application that will eventually give hunters a new tool for identifying waterfowl including tricky hybrids. The duckDNA team has analyzed 86 duckDNA samples harvested in Texas and have identified 17 unique taxa and 19 different hybrid combinations within Texas. Some unique hybrids received from Texas include an American wigeon x redhead and a redhead x ring-necked duck. From the submitted samples, the duckDNA team also identified four American black duck x wild mallard hybrids in Texas. Texas is outside of the range for American black ducks, but the preliminary results from duckDNA demonstrate that American black duck and mallard hybrids can occur far outside of the black duck's range. Conserving genetic diversity is an important factor in long-term conservation. Researchers hope that this first-of-itskind approach will help answer complex questions about the genetic structure and consequences of wild crossed with released farm-raised mallards. The current hypothesis is that hybridization between birds with game farm ancestry and wild mallards are at least partially driving regional population declines. “We're seeing either stability or increases in game farm mallard ancestry, and in particular regions, those are the same exact regions that we are seeing declines in mallard populations like the Great Lakes and the Northeast or Atlantic Flyway,” said Dr. Philip Lavretsky, associate professor of Biological Sciences and primary investigator at UTEP. “[Farm-raised mallards] are captivebred animals, so they already have naturally high inbreeding loads. The releases have been at large scale and for so long

that they’re having a true effect. So, we're artificially inbreeding our own populations with these birds that have long term lasting effects,” said Lavretsky. According to Lavretsky, any bird under 75% wild ancestry shows a strong correlation with reduced migratory capacity, foraging behavior and survival. “The more of those types of birds that are in your population, the lower the survival and fecundity of your population is. In fact, we've got a study showing that you need a substantial number of feral and feral x hybrid females to match a single wild female output,” said Lavretsky. Preliminary results show the Central Flyway as seeing the lowest prevalence rate of wild farm-raised mallards. With every hunting season, the duckDNA dataset amasses new information to help contribute to our understanding of habitat use and migration patterns at scales that would be impossible to obtain without voluntary hunters. Across all years, “We've had 44 participants in duckDNA from Texas with five in the 2023-24 season, 19 in the 2024-25 season, and 22 in the 2025-26 season. Next year, the project will again be accepting participants from Texas,” said Ty Sharrow, conservation science assistant with Ducks Unlimited. The duckDNA project will be accepting hybrids and mallards (and mallard-like ducks) as usual. The project will also be accepting Northern Pintails to help answer questions about population structuring in this species. “Waterfowl are now the largest wild genetic repository outside of humans. It would not be possible without the hunters, landowners and conservationists providing the donations to make this publicly available,” said Lavretsky. Hunters interested in learning more about the research project or registering for a sampling kit can visit the project website at duckdna.com.

Page 10

August 14, 2026

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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GRIP & GRIN

Kyle Smith was wearing his lucky shirt when he caught two trout near Port Mansfield recently – this 29.5-incher from the pier and another 28-inch fish from the boat. Anyssa Perez of East Bernard shot this 8-point buck in Jackson County as her first buck.

Kaiya Cabello, 18, caught this bass in a private pond near Weatherford.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE

n Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers? Email them with contact and caption information to editor@ lonestaroutdoornews.com. Highresolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Grip & Grin, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.

Charlie Humphreys and his son, Charlie, with a pair of catfish noodled out of Lake Tawakoni.

Anglers John and Ray Rawl with a multiple spot, 30-inch redfish caught in Port Mansfield.

HUNTING texas ANNUAL 2 026

YEAR FOR A TROPHY BUCK

The mountain doesn’t lie P. 6 Primed and ready P. 12 Fake news, a perfect first buck P. 14 Advertising Section

THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE HUNTING RIFLE

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YEAR FOR A TROPHY BUCK

About the Cover:

A great first buck makes one of the best trophies.

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David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News

THE MOUNTAIN DOESN'T LIE……………………………………………………… 6 SUNRISE/SUNSET TABLE…………………………………………………………

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Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 2162-8300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $35 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are $3, in certain markets copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2026 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/or use of any photographic or written material without written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or email them to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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THE MOUNTAIN DOESN'T LIE

By Tony Vindell Jr. The mountain goat is truly the king of the highest elevations, and the mountain doesn’t lie is a saying that will get repeated often on a mountain goat hunt. The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) is a North American big game animal that should be at the top of every outdoorsman's bucket list, as it provides a true test of both physical and mental fortitude. With their home range stretching from southeast Alaska, across multiple Canadian provinces, and into numerous states in the lower 48, there are ample opportunities available for hunters to get their boots up the mountains in pursuit of these majestic animals. While goats can be hunted in the lower 48, these coveted tags can take years and years of applying and preference points, so some choose to forgo the draw system and head north into Canada. Hunt styles can vary from full on backpack/horseback hunts, boat-based hunts, and some outfits even have the ability to offer helicopter drop hunts. British Columbia is often viewed by many as the mecca of goat hunting as it contains the largest population of goats and many good outfitters to choose from. I had an unbelievable opportunity to chase these amazing creatures this past September in the coastal mountains of British Columbia with Scott Miller of Miller's Outdoors. I had always dreamed of a backpack mountain goat hunt as it always seemed as if it was the truest form of a mountain hunt. While down on a hunt in Sonora, I met a friend by the name of Jimmy Powell who put me in contact with Scott, and I was booked to head into the mountains in 7 months’ time. I remember Jimmy telling me, "You better workout harder than you ever have before" and boy, was he right. Coming from the South Texas coast, nothing could have prepared me for the difficulty of the daily ascents and descents with full packs over the 5 days of hunting. I remember thinking to myself mul-

tiple times, "Why the heck am I doing this?" and debating my life's choices as I stared down sheer vertical mountain faces trying to keep my cramping legs from sending me tumbling down. But luckily, I had a great outfit and the guides kept pushing me along the way. Really, it was either keep going or fall all the way down and start back up again. After 45 miles on the boots, I was able to harvest a great Billy. After all the hard work I had put in before and during the hunt, watching the Billy fall in my scope was a feeling like no other and a highlight of my hunting career. After loading up our packs, we made the last grueling hike off the mountain. It was a bittersweet moment seeing the truck. The sad realization that the hunt had come to an end, but at the same time, joy that I would not have to scale another mountain! A strong recommendation for anyone looking into their first goat hunt. Train, train, train. This is not one of those hunts you can just "get by" and head up the mountain and be successful. They live in truly beautiful, but at the same time, dangerous country and being in the best physical shape possible will make your hunt more enjoyable and ultimately, safer. As important as the physical preparation, is the mental prep. I've heard so many stories of guys throwing in the towel in the middle of a goat hunt because they were mentally tapped out and I was determined to not be one of them. And of course, without saying, choosing the right quality gear is of utmost importance based on where and when you'll be hunting. Whether you're chasing your slam, super 10, or just looking for an amazing adventure, a mountain goat should be at the top of every hunter's list. It definitely may not seem like you made the right choice as you are in the middle of a sheer vertical ascent, but once you notch that tag for your goat, you will be glad you did!

Some of the most rugged country in the world is where mountain goats call home, and hunters need to be as tough as the goats to be successful. Photos by Tony Vindell Jr.

HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

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hunting Products Dead Air Silencers Dead Air Silencers continues to push the boundaries of suppressor innovation with the Nomad Ti OTB. Building on the proven Nomad Ti XC lineage, the OTB variant introduces an over-the-barrel design that minimizes overall length when attached to the firearm, enhances balance, maximizes recoil reduction, and delivers uncompromising sound suppression—all while maintaining the ultralight performance the American hunter relies on. Designed for hunters, precision shooters, and professionals who demand extreme performance without compromise. The Nomad Ti OTB only adds 4.6 inches to the overall length of the firearm without compromising on sound reduction and hearing protection for barrels up to 1 inch in diameter. The added length behind the muzzle reduces the overall length of the silencer in front of the muzzle without compromising sound quality, allowing for excellent suppression for calibers up to 300 RUM and 7mm Backcountry.

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Built for technical terrain, the Wildfire NXT Mid GORE-TEX offers the stability and protection of a lightweight hiking boot with the agility of an approach shoe. Its seamless Kevlar-reinforced Matryx upper delivers exceptional durability without unnecessary bulk, while the Vibram Megagrip outsole provides dependable traction across rocky, wet, and uneven terrain. A PFAS-free GORETEX Invisible Fit membrane helps keep feet dry through wet grass, mud, and changing late-summer conditions.

Add a layer of protection to your clothing and gear with Permethrin insect and tick repellent spray — perfect for use on shirts, jackets, pants, socks, shoes, boots, sleeping bags, tents, netting, when outdoors, camping, hunting, or on travel. Once your treatment of Sawyer Permethrin has fully dried and bonded with your fabric fibers, the amount that can come out via physical contact or water exposure is indeterminately small. Extended UV exposure or the heavy agitation of a washing machine degrades the insect repellent treatment much like the dye in a t-shirt. The EPA recommends using 4.5 ounces of Permethrin to spray each outfit, Treats 5 outfits

Streamlight, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting, announced the launch of the ProTac 2.0 Ducks Unlimited headlamp, a limited-edition, co-branded rechargeable headlamp designed for hunters, outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who requires dependable, hands-free lighting in low-light environments. The ProTac 2.0 Ducks Unlimited headlamp offers three output levels to match a range of lighting needs. On High, it delivers 2,000 lumens, 14,500 candela, a 241-meter beam distance, and a 2.25-hour run time. Medium provides 650 lumens, 4,200 candela, a 130-meter beam distance, and a 4.5-hour run time. Low offers 110 lumens, 750 candela, a 55-meter beam distance, and up to 25 hours of run time. The headlamp measures 4.92 inches in length and weighs 10.48 ounces with battery.

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RETAY ACE UPLAND ULTRALIGHT A DREAM TO SHOOT The Ace Upland Ultralight is attractive, stylish, and lightweight with serious smooth shooting. Weighing in at just 5.3 pounds for the 20 gauge and 6.3 pounds for the 12 gauge, the Ace Upland Ultralight is the perfect choice for fast-flying dove or fast-flushing bobwhite quail. The Ace Upland Ultralight — loveat-first-shouldering with quality to last a lifetime. Featuring the famous RETAY Inertia Plus/Rollover bolt system that eliminates out-of-battery misfires and bolt rattle and the AIRY Recoil System. The AIRY Recoil System revolutionizes

shooting comfort with a design inspired by high-performance sports footwear. Integrated with an internal air pocket mechanism, AIRY absorbs and disperses recoil energy like never before. The result is a softer, smoother shooting experience — minimizing shoulder impact and maximizing control. Whether you're in the field or at the range, AIRY delivers consistent comfort and confidence with every shot. Key Features: Advanced air-pocket technology for superior recoil absorption Lightweight, durable, and ergonomically shaped pad ideal for long shooting sessions

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

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battery, a problem that can cost you shot opportunities. RETAY'S exclusive “Inertia Plus” Bolt uses a patented “Rollover” internal torsion spring to forcefully rotate the bolt head into the battery and keep it from ever being jarred out of battery. This system promotes quiet closing, practically eliminates bolt rattle, and most importantly, means virtually no more missed shot opportunities.

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sunrise/sunset 2026-2027 SEPTEMBER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

RISE

SET

RISE

SET

RISE

SET

RISE

SET

RISE

SET

RISE

SET

7:01 7:02 7:03 7:03 7:04 7:05 7:05 7:06 7:07 7:07 7:08 7:09 7:09 7:10 7:10 7:11 7:12 7:12 7:13 7:14 7:14 7:15 7:16 7:16 7:17 7:18 7:18 7:19 7:20 7:20

7:51 7:50 7:49 7:47 7:46 7:45 7:43 7:42 7:41 7:39 7:38 7:37 7:35 7:34 7:33 7:31 7:30 7:29 7:27 7:26 7:25 7:23 7:22 7:20 7:19 7:18 7:16 7:15 7:14 7:12

7:21 7:22 7:22 7:23 7:24 7:24 7:25 7:26 7:26 7:27 7:28 7:29 7:29 7:30 7:31 7:32 7:32 7:33 7:34 7:35 7:36 7:36 7:37 7:38 7:39 7:40 7:40 7:41 7:42 7:43 7:44

7:11 7:10 7:08 7:07 7:06 7:05 7:03 7:02 7:01 7:00 6:58 6:57 6:56 6:55 6:53 6:52 6:51 6:50 6:49 6:48 6:47 6:46 6:44 6:43 6:42 6:41 6:40 6:39 6:38 6:37

6:45 6:45 6:46 6:47 6:48 6:49 6:50 6:51 6:52 6:52 6:53 6:54 6:55 6:56 6:57 6:58 6:59 7:00 7:01 7:02 7:02 7:03 7:04 7:05 7:06 7:07 7:08 7:09 7:09 7:10

5:36 5:35 5:34 5:33 5:32 5:31 5:31 5:30 5:29 5:28 5:28 5:27 5:27 5:26 5:25 5:25 5:24 5:24 5:23 5:23 5:23 5:22 5:22 5:22 5:21 5:21 5:21 5:21 5:20 5:20

7:11 7:12 7:13 7:14 7:14 7:15 7:16 7:17 7:18 7:18 7:19 7:20 7:20 7:21 7:22 7:22 7:23 7:24 7:24 7:25 7:25 7:26 7:26 7:27 7:27 7:27 7:28 7:28 7:28 7:29 7:29

5:20 5:20 5:20 5:20 5:20 5:20 5:20 5:20 5:21 5:21 5:21 5:21 5:21 5:22 5:22 5:22 5:23 5:23 5:24 5:24 5:25 5:25 5:26 5:26 5:27 5:27 5:28 5:29 5:29 5:30 5:31

7:29 7:29 7:29 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:29 7:29 7:29 7:29 7:28 7:28 7:28 7:27 7:27 7:27 7:26 7:26 7:25 7:25 7:24 7:24 7:23 7:22

5:32 5:32 5:33 5:34 5:35 5:35 5:36 5:37 5:38 5:39 5:40 5:41 5:41 5:42 5:43 5:44 5:45 5:46 5:47 5:48 5:49 5:50 5:51 5:52 5:53 5:54 5:55 5:55 5:56 5:57 5:58

7:22 7:21 7:20 7:19 7:19 7:18 7:17 7:16 7:15 7:15 7:14 7:13 7:12 7:11 7:10 7:09 7:08 7:07 7:06 7:05 7:04 7:03 7:02 7:00 6:59 6:58 6:57 6:56

5:59 6:00 6:01 6:02 6:03 6:04 6:05 6:06 6:07 6:08 6:09 6:09 6:10 6:11 6:12 6:13 6:14 6:15 6:16 6:16 6:17 6:18 6:19 6:20 6:21 6:21 6:22 6:23

6:36

Times given above are for Dallas. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of Dallas, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of Dallas. The table below gives adjustments for some Texas cities. Information provided is the longitudinal distance from Dallas and the time adjustment for sunrise and sunset. Abilene / 165 miles west / + 14 minutes Alpine / 405 miles west / + 24 minutes Beaumont / 160 miles east / - 13 minutes Corpus Christi / 35 miles west / + 3 minutes Austin / 55 miles west / + 5 minutes

10 |

HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

Del Rio / 235 miles west / + 20 minutes El Paso / 555 miles west / - 23 minutes Houston / 170 miles east / - 5 minutes Laredo / 160 miles west / + 14 minutes Lubbock / 280 miles west / + 24 minutes

Lone Star Outdoor News

San Angelo / 215 miles west / + 18 minutes San Antonio / 95 miles west / + 8 minutes Tyler / 75 miles east / - 6 minutes

Rockport’s Dove Gear has your new vest It’s a sad fact that every bird hunting vest or belt rig makes some kind of compromise. Most vests feel like a plastic garbage bag in the September heat. Belt rigs are cooler, but they pull your pants down and the bird and shell bags flop all over the place. A passionate dove hunter for over 60 years, Terry Koehler solved all these issues with Dove Gear’s Ultimate Bird Vest, and it addresses every detail that makes a day in the dove field as efficient as possible. The strap and mesh construction will keep you as cool and comfortable as possible on a September shoot. And Dove Gear’s exclusive six-way adjustability ensures a perfect fit for any shooter, from pre-teen to 3XL. It also allows a quick adjustment to fit over a jacket during a late October front or the winter split. And you’ll get performance features you won’t find on any vest or belt rig. • A safe place to stow your phone, glasses or anything else you don’t want to lose in the field. • Carries up to two 32-ounce bottles of water for you and your dog. • A rear pouch for your empties so you can leave the field as clean as you found it. If this all sounds too good to be true, it’s not. Check it out for yourself with no risk – Dove Gear backs every vest with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

Five Reasons to Choose Glen Dene Hunting & Fishing Nestled between Lake Hāwea and Lake Wānaka, Glen Dene offers an authentic New Zealand hunting experience unlike any other. 1.

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World-Class Hunting – Hunt Red Stag, Tahr, Chamois and more across breathtaking alpine landscapes. Authentic Kiwi Hospitality – Enjoy genuine family hospitality with owners Richard and Sarah Burdon, whose family has called this land home for generations. Purpose-Driven Conservation – Every stay supports habitat restoration, responsible land management and the future of New Zealand's environment. Tailored Adventures – Whether you're an experienced hunter or a first-time visitor, every trip is customised to your goals, abilities and interests. A True Connection to Place – More than just a hunting trip, Glen Dene offers the chance to connect with remarkable landscapes, rich heritage and lasting memories.

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Where the Marsh Meets the Hunt: Discover Hunting Around Port Arthur

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By Callie Summerlin For hunters, Port Arthur offers something increasingly rare in Texas—expansive public marshlands where wild landscapes still dictate the experience. Located where the Sabine and Neches rivers meet the Gulf of America, the region is a destination for waterfowl enthusiasts Justin DeYoung seeking authentic coastal hunting. The crown jewel is McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, a nearly 59,000-acre expanse of freshwater, intermediate and brackish marsh that attracts more than 100,000 ducks each fall. Large portions of the refuge are open to public hunting, with opportunities for teal, gadwall, mottled ducks, northern shovelers and scaup. The refuge's shallow marshes reward hunters willing to wade or paddle into remote areas, creating the kind of traditional hunt that has drawn generations of Texas sportsmen. Just minutes from downtown Port Arthur, J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area provides additional public hunting opportunities through Texas Parks and Wildlife, including managed waterfowl hunts, feral hog and alligator seasons. Hunters can also apply for special public hunts offered throughout the year. Combined with world-class saltwater fishing, Port Arthur is one of the few places where visitors can spend the morning in a duck blind and the afternoon chasing flounder or redfish on Sabine Lake. What makes hunting here memorable isn't simply the harvest—it's the landscape itself. Sunrise over endless coastal marsh, flights of teal skimming the reeds, distant alligators sliding through the water and the unmistakable call of migrating ducks create an experience rooted in the wild character of the Texas coast. Whether you're planning a weekend hunt or an extended outdoor getaway, Port Arthur delivers one of the Gulf Coast's most authentic sporting traditions.

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PORTARTHURTX.GOV HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

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PRIMED AND READY Outfitters anticipate an exciting and productive dove season

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News For the first time in the Lone Star State’s modern day hunting history, the North, Central, and South Zone dove seasons will all collectively commence on September 1. North and Central Zone hunters are accustomed to hitting the field to kick off the ninth month of the calendar year and fall hunting seasons. Outside of the occurrence of Special White-Wing Dove Days over the years, the regular dove season has never opened prior to September 14 in the South Zone. With the amount of birds folks are seeing and the excellent condition of both native and planted crop fields, outfitters across the state are chomping at the bits to get the 2026 season underway. Steve Mooney with Texas 4S Hunts said things are shaping up for a phenomenal start to dove season in the North Zone around Quail and its surrounding areas. “Our fields have already been loading up with birds,” Mooney said. “We are seeing both white-wings and mourning doves in hay fields, pastures with native weeds and ponds, and wheat fields.” Mooney said the birds appear to have had an extremely productive nesting season, and he expects their hunters to have plenty of wing shooting opportunities throughout the entire fall season. According to Jason Schneemann with Down South Adventures, dove have been piling into their milo fields around

Uvalde, Knippa, Sabinal, and La Pryor. “We have also been seeing good numbers of dove over native vegetation,” Schneemann said. “There is currently a lot of harvesting efforts taking place, so I expect the birds’ patterns will change over the next couple of weeks leading up to opening day, especially as our sesame fields come into play.” Schneemann said the white-wings are fairly consistent over dryland sunflowers in the Crystal City area. “Our irrigated sunflower fields under pivots are about two weeks behind, as planting them was delayed due to heavy rain events,” Schneemann said. “We also had damage to one of our fields that borders the Nueces River, due to the recent flooding. It will definitely be a different season for us in terms of white-wings due to flooding, but I anticipate some excellent white-winged dove shoots to take place around mid-September, once our fields are finally ready.” Overall, Schneemann said the flooding has thrown their operation for a bit of a loop this year. However, with the amount of grain they have planted and the amount of birds he’s seeing, he expects for their hunters to enjoy another memorable season. Clayton Roth of Dilley Dove said he expects pastures with native, seedbearing crops to be just as productive as planted and irrigated crop fields this season. “The birds have plenty to eat out there across the landscape right now with the rainfall we received this year,” Roth said.

“We are going to have to be very mindful of how much pressure we put on fields, because there will be plenty of other places for the birds to go to feed if they are over-hunted. That being said, there are a ton of birds around, and the hunting should be consistent throughout the fall season.” Roth did say he is interested to see how putting pressure on the birds two weeks earlier than ever before in the South Zone will affect their behavior. “There is always a point during the fall season where we are waiting for a cool front or two to push more doves into South Texas,” he admitted. “I’m anxious to see what this will look like with a September first opener. The good news is, with the excellent pasture conditions, we have a lot of options to spread out and manage the pressure on our properties.” Zach Montalvo with 4 Bar C Outdoors said their fields in Medina and Atascosa counties are in great shape, and that more and more dove are arriving with each passing day. “Our milo crops are better than we’ve ever seen before, and our sesame fields are coming in nicely, too,” Montalvo said. “There are plenty of groceries for the birds, and we are expecting to have an incredible season.” Texas dove hunters will all start the season on the same day for the first time ever. Photos by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

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FAKE NEWS, THE PERFECT FIRST DEER By David J. Sams Lone Star Outdoor News

Adrienne had hunted big game in Africa but never tried for whitetails. Her family had been hoping to change that, although they didn't tell her exactly how they planned to make it happen. For four years, a particular buck had been seen on part of the ranch. He had appeared on trail cameras, disappeared for stretches, been watched chasing does and, more than once, simply gotten away. They called him “Fake News,” a name that came from the first trailcamera photos son-in-law Carson saw back in 2019. One of the photos was run through a scoring app and came back at 203 inches. A second photo produced an estimate of 182 inches. The buck never reached either of those numbers, eventually scoring 163 5/8 inches, but the name stuck. So did the buck. The hunt had been building for months. During Thanksgiving weekend, Adrienne and her daughters, Mimi, and Lili, had made several sits in the Tequila blind. Lili wanted her mother to shoot her first buck, but Mimi kept passing, knowing there were better deer. They saw plenty of bucks but never saw Fake News. As the season progressed, Adrienne's husband had several encounters with the buck. One of the most memorable came at the Tequila blind, where Fake News was following the No. 6 ear-tagged doe. “I just watched him chase her and follow her until she was ready,” he said. “It was prob-

ably one of the best things I’ve seen since I bought the ranch.” He knew the buck spent most of his time in an area between three blinds — Waterline, Goldfish and Tequila. In late January, Fake News appeared at the Goldfish blind. Several deer moved out of his way as he walked toward the feeder, where he ate a few kernels of corn before standing for about a minute and walking away. At least he was still around. Another encounter came when her husband was hunting with another son-in-law, Dean. Fake News appeared around 8 a.m. and spent about 15 minutes milling around with the other deer. “Wow, that’s the largest deer I’ve ever seen on your ranch,” Dean said. “Yeah, you’re right,” his father-in-law replied. “I’d really like Adrienne to shoot that deer.” Dean didn't hesitate. “She deserves it.” From there, the plan was to get Adrienne to the ranch and keep hunting until the opportunity came. On a cold Saturday morning, four years of watching finally came together. Adrienne and her husband were sitting in the Goldfish blind when, at about 8:02 a.m., he looked to the left. “There’s your buck,” he told her. Fake News was walking toward the feeder. Her husband knew immediately what the opportunity meant. His heart started pounding and his leg started shaking as he opened the window. “Get your gun out the window. Get it on your shoulder. Get it ready.” “Where is he?” Adrienne asked.

David J. Sams

Please turn to page 28

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

Lone Star Outdoor News

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YOUR TEXAS HUNTING, SPORTING DESTINATION Perched atop a mesa just west of Fort Worth, Greystone Castle is a sight to behold. With four turrets peeking above the tree line, this majestic sight is one to be remembered. From its award-winning wingshooting program to trophy whitetail and exotics, world-class bass fishing and our national champion sporting clays instructor, there is something for everyone at Greystone Castle. The Gold Medal whitetail deer program offers an allinclusive package based on the opportunity to hunt the opening weekend of the season. Not restricted by score, it is an exclusive chance to hunt for the whitetail of your dreams. As evidenced by being named the Orvis 2015 Wingshooting Lodge of the Year, Greystone has mastered the art of bird hunting. The ever-popular mixed bag hunt includes quail, pheasant, chukar and Hungarian partridge. This upland walking hunt allows guests to experience great pointing dogs working over rolling terrain specially farmed for optimal bird habitat. The European pheasant hunt is a great way to get lots of shooting action and watch Labradors do what they do best — retrieve birds. The mallard hunts offer a great chance to improve your skills over water while the fastflying dove hunts offer an adrenaline rush every hunter craves. If you are looking for something different, you will find it in the exotic pasture full of animals from around the world. Species from Africa, Asia, South America and Europe roam the North Texas plains and thrive in the southern climate. Breeding herds of axis deer, aoudad, blackbuck antelope, sika and fallow deer mean there are plenty of trophies to be taken. For those looking to relax and enjoy the water, Greystone offers more than 120 acres of stocked bass lakes. From small private lakes to the 80-acre Thurber

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Lake, every type of fishing opportunity exists. From fly-fishing to spincasters or simple hook and bobber, there is a method for everyone. Kayaks and paddleboards let you go off on your own adventure or you can jump on a pontoon boat to sneak to the honey holes. Two championship sporting clays courses, two 5-stands, a training course and a wobble deck challenge every level of shooter. Our new 400-yard rifle and pistol range offers steel targets at a variety of distances. Hone your skills on the new archery course featuring a tri-level static range and a three dimensional walking course. Or just enjoy the scenic hiking and biking trails. What appeals to Greystone visitors is its top-of-theline accommodations and gourmet meals. Guests enjoy 26 private rooms, gourmet dining from an executive chef, conference facilities and a swimming pool with a hot tub and a steam room. Along with this is the 2,600 square-foot pavilion facility with a custom bar, large seating areas, 65-inch TVs, carved limestone fireplace, Laser Shot, billiards and an overlook terrace with a custom outdoor fire pit. The ownership and staff are dedicated to creating one of the finest sporting experiences found anywhere in the world. Long-term habitat improvements and wildlife management have made Greystone an extraordinary hunting venue.

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Dove outfitter list NORTH ZONE Abilene Area Tony (325) 665-2813 Collingsworth and Wheeler counties Salt Fork Outfitters (806) 205-0800 Throckmorton County, Woodson Burns Ranch JW Burns (817) 228-0002 DFW Metro Area Numerous leases (817) 825-3586 30 minutes SW of Ft. Worth Day and seasonal (817) 309-3814 Collin County Nevada, TX 10,000 acres (214) 325-7203 or (214) 502-2413 Stephens & Throckmorton counties Randy (817) 597-5208

CENTRAL ZONE

Medina County Rio Medina, Castroville & Hondo (830) 426-6540

McCulloch County - Brady Doug (806) 280-0168

Concho County; Paint Rock Mac Hartgrove (325) 660-7471

Nolan County/Sweetwater 15 acres Scott (325) 338-1841

Bexar County 80 acres Ed (210) 317-6151 Johnson and Tarrant County 3,000 acres David (817) 917-2780 Guadalupe County 300 acres (210) 846-2006 Hamilton County, Hamilton Dylan (254) 386-6970 Runnels County 1000 acres Charlie Drennan (325) 650-9087 Uvalde County 750 acres Cody (361) 571-6540

D'hanis/Hondo Medina County Steven (210) 844-3536

Uvalde County Donny (210) 467-2358

Coleman County (469) 951-5133

Uvalde County (830) 275-9532

Austin County Scott Clary (281) 433-7782

Uvalde County 30 acres Tim (830) 275-9542

Bexar County - Adkins 35 acres Charlie (210) 685-0577 Bexar County - Schertz 80 acres Ricky (210) 325-2028 Coleman County Lee (469) 951-5133 Coleman County Seth Bailey (903) 824-8346

Kaufman County 200-500 acres Anthony (972) 730-7607 Ellis & Navarro County 550 acres Brett (214) 455-0940 Navarro County / Frost 315 acres Andres (972) 809-9803 Navarro County - Emmett (817) 557-6471

Medina County, Rio Medina, Castroville, Hondo & Sabinal Alidor Thienpont (830) 426-6540 Sutton County; Sonora 13,000 acres Cody (512) 944-3828 Williamson County 250 acres (512) 468-6360

Waller County 200 acres Joe (936) 524-9787 Waller County 6000 acres Scott Clary (281) 443-7782

Upton County 35 miles from Midland Randy (432) 557-5594

Waller County 2,000 acres (832) 330-6770

SOUTH ZONE

Waller/Katy/Harris County 900 acres Dan (832) 374-4468

Coleman County 2500 acres Scotty (325) 636-3586

Waller County 2,000 acres (281) 382-3291

Cameron County, San Benito San Jose Ranch (956) 572-0099 Cameron County (956) 832-9063 Colorado County 5,000 acres Chris (832) 466-9646 Duval County 1,000 acres (210) 478-6360 Frio County/Dilley 300 acres Dwayne (979) 482-3619 Frio County Dilley, Cotulla and San Antonio (210) 286-7388 Guadalupe County (830) 660-4933 Hidalgo County (254) 913-2465 Hidalgo County (956) 457-7356

Uvalde County Tony (830) 279-8925

Waller and Harris County Tim (832) 876-3727

Bexar County - Adkins 300 acres Charlie (210) 685-0577 Bigfoot and Pearsall Fields 2,500 acres Darrell (210) 710-8145

Navarro County 3000 acres Scott (830) 660-3698

Coleman County Shyler (325) 214-3094

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McLennan County Charlie Brown (254) 709-0867

Uvalde, Zavala, & Dimmit Counties South Tx Bucks and Bows Jeff Griffith (806) 441-3655

Jim Wells County / Premont 325 acres Philip (940) 328-4781 Jim Wells County / Premont 1000 acres John (361) 701-5955

Atascosa County 500 acres Lacey (210) 952-0964

Karnes County - Runge Season lease also available Charlie (210) 685-0577

Atascosa County, Charlotte 100 acres Jeremy Moffitt (361) 876-0058

Kleberg County 20 acres Alex (214) 789-8877

HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

Lone Star Outdoor News

LaSalle County 3,000 acres (210) 710-8145 Live Oak County 1200 acres Matthew Murphy (361) 449-6159 Live Oak County 14 mi. NE of Three Rivers George Gonzales (956) 693-1908 Lytle Bob (210) 414-2020 Medina County Rio Medina, Castroville & Hondo (830) 426-6540 Frio County, Dilley 350 Acres Austin (830) 965-5465 Sabinal 25 acres (210) 363-0373 Kleberg County 2000 acres Les Cobb (361) 548-5511 Medina County; Lytle 600 acres Marvin (210) 215-5606 Medina County; Hondo The Dupont Ranch Tony Dupont (210) 325-2981 Presidio County, Presidio Rio Bravo Ranch Lauren Cecil (432) 229-3302 Uvalde County Larry Langer (830) 261-1921 Webb County Juan Martinez (956) 763-3365 Wharton County, El Campo Brian (979) 541-3448 Zapata County 3,000 acres (210) 315-1320

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

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Pantera eX 640: The only thermal you’ll ever need There’s something different about hunting at night. The world slows down. Sounds carry farther. Every movement matters. In those moments, you need equipment you trust without thinking about it. The Pantera eX 640 was built for that kind of confidence. From wide scanning to precise shot placement, it handles the entire process without compromise. With NETD sensitivity at or below 14mK, it picks up subtle temperature differences that other optics can miss. Heat stands out cleanly from the background. Animals separate clearly from brush and terrain. You spend less time guessing and more time making decisions. The viewing experience feels natural and sharp. The upgraded 2560 by 2560 circular display creates a crisp, immersive image that feels closer to traditional glass than a digital screen. Integrated directly into the lens is a 1,000-meter laser rangefinder, giving you accurate distance without adding bulk or disrupting the scope’s classic profile. In real hunting situations, small design details matter. The side focus knob lets you fine tune quickly while staying steady behind the rifle. Larger concave buttons follow the natural shape of your fingers and remain easy to use with gloves on. Power is handled by a dual battery system with a built in 21700 and a removable 18650, so long nights are not a concern and quick swaps are simple. The image adapts to the environment. Six thermal color palettes let you choose what your eyes prefer. Three scene modes help optimize clarity whether you are in open country, timber, rain, or near developed areas. Multiple reticle shapes and color options allow you to set it up the way you like to shoot. It is built to handle real use. The aluminum alloy housing is lightweight yet durable and rated IP67 for weather resistance. The magnetic lens cap stays quiet. Recoil activated recording captures the moment automatically and built in Wi-Fi makes it easy to view footage on your phone. The Pantera eX 640 is not just another thermal optic. It is a tool designed to work when conditions are tough and the stakes are high.

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

Lone Star Outdoor News

PANTERA eX 640 LRF THERMAL

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

Lone Star Outdoor News

Dead Air Silencers Announces the Sandman X High-Performance Suppressor January 2025 – Dead Air Silencers, manufacturer of the next evolution and quiet purpose-built suppressors on the market today, celebrates the 10th year anniversary of the heralded Sandman series of professional-grade suppressors with the announcement of the new Sandman X. Constructed of premium materials and finished in high-temp Black or FDE Cerakote to ensure the kind of dependability serious shooters and defense professionals demand in combat and hard-use environments, the new Sandman X is the pinnacle of suppressor engineering and performance. The Sandman X utilizes Dead Air’s advanced Triskelion™ Gas Management System™ technology — an innovative, 3D printed baffle system that reduces weight, boosts strength, improves thermal performance, and greatly minimizes gas blowback. This is the first model in the Sandman series to incorporate this Triskelion™ Gas Management System™. The result is a ready-foranything suppressor optimally balanced to deliver best-in-class sound reduction both at the muzzle and at the shooter’s ear, as well as reduced recoil and cleaner operation. In short, the Sandman X is the new go-to, hard-use suppressor for shooters and operators working in extreme conditions and at high rates of fire. Developed for semi-auto and full-auto use in 7.62 NATO rifles, the Sandman X retains its optimal performance characteristics across multiple calibers. The unit features the Dead Air R-series flash hider front cap, making it compatible for use on 5.56 NATO platforms when paired with the Dead Air 5.56 flash hider. For mounting, the Sandman X accepts all Dead Air HUB adapters, including the KeyMo, Xeno, and Direct Thread mounting systems, and is compatible with many of the 1.37524 adapters on the market today. This, combined with the Flash Hider R-series front cap modularity, allows the Sandman X to easily integrate with most setups. Defense professionals, hunters, and competitive shooters will find the Sandman X’s exquisite blend of maximum sound suppression, low-back pressure, felt recoil, subdued muzzle flash, modularity, and reduced weight to be the ultimate solution for a dependable, hard-use suppressor. Dead Air backs the Sandman X with a lifetime warranty, certifying that this suppressor is built to work reliably for years to come.

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

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Bowie Bunker Ranch Bowie Bunker Ranch is a 325-acre hunting and timber property for sale in Bowie County, Texas, in the heart of East Texas timber country. The ranch sits off CR 4316 with additional access via Hwy 259, 10 miles from De Kalb, 35 miles from Texarkana, and 39 miles from Mount Pleasant. The tract is predominantly flat with 85% in healthy standing timber and 15% cleared for trails and food plot areas. The property sits on high ground less than 1 mile from the Sulphur River, which runs along the adjacent corridor and draws wildlife up onto the ranch to bed, browse, and forage on dry ground. Holly Creek runs 4,000 feet through the property, with an additional one, 1,000-feet of an intermittent tributary branch. A 1-acre stocked fishing pond with a small floating pier anchors the water features. The Sulphur River also provides additional recreational access for new owners. The property carries no pipeline easements, transmission lines, or energy infrastructure. The timber stand represents both a functional habitat component and a long-term investment asset for the right buyer. The heavy timber cover and creek frontage create natural movement corridors and bedding cover for resident wildlife. Wild hogs are present and provide year-round varmint hunting. Seven box blinds and tower stands, ten corn feeders, a designated bow blind, and a 500-yard gun range convey with the sale. A 3BR/2BA manufactured home with a covered front porch serves as the primary residence. Two metal shop buildings with electricity and covered tractor parking support equipment and storage needs. A caliche driveway and staging area, low perimeter fencing, and a locked gate are all in place. An electric water well in an enclosed well house handles water. A hardened underground bunker is also on the property. Bowie Bunker Ranch suits a buyer looking for a functional, hunt-ready East Texas timber tract with infrastructure already in place. The combination of creek frontage, standing timber, and a fully equipped hunting setup makes this a property that works from day one.

Hill Country escape

This 52-acre scenic ranch between Burnet and Marble Falls features live water along Hairston Creek, abundant wildlife, and Hill Country views only one hour from Austin. Improvements include a 4,000-square foot metal building with kitchenette and full bath, a well-maintained mobile home, and a 14,000-gallon rainwater catchment system. Convert half of the building into a 3-bed, 2-bath barndo with a screened porch facing the draw, and you still have 2,000 square feet of storage, or build a home or pavilion on one of the higher elevations for sweeping views. This ranch packs a bigger punch than you might expect! With its varied terrain, Hairston Creek, a wet weather creek, and numerous tree and animal species, it’s a whole lot of Texas to explore in any season. Currently under a wildlife appraisal, the plentiful native grasses, legumes and forbs could support cattle or other livestock, as well. This cozy ranch offers privacy, hunting, and room to expand while still being able to shop for groceries at HEB, supplies at Home Depot, and dinner at restaurants in the Burnet Historic Square or in Marble Falls just 20 minutes away. It’s the best of all worlds. Come out and walk the creeks and draw that attract deer and turkey, enjoy the view and birds, and see how peaceful yet convenient this ranch feels.

HILL COUNTRY ESCAPE CR335RANCH.COM

THOMAS A.C. DAVIS

☎ (832) 977-0071

TDAVIS@TEXASRANCHSALES.COM

20 bucks for a trophy buck Raffle supports LSON foundation By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News

Don’t miss your chance to come on a $20 buck hunt with the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation. For the cost of lunch, you can have a chance to hunt at the famous Three Amigos Ranch near Woodson, Texas for a trophy 8-point buck. It’s one of the best weekends of the year. Last season, Vivian Leopold from Lake Fork was drawn as the winner and had a fantastic hunt, taking her first white-tailed buck. “Wow — such hospitality! My hunt was a warm and welcoming experience, from the comfortable ranch house, the fabulous meals to the beauty of the 800-plus acre property with whitetail deer and exotics,” she said. “I was the only hunter at the ranch for my deer hunt mid-December.” Leopold expressed her gratitude and good fortune making the trip to Dallas for the LSON Foundation event. “I was very fortunate to win this whitetail hunt at Three Amigos Ranch (and a separate duck hunt at Port Bay Club in Rockport) by attending Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation’s fundraiser and purchasing raffle tickets,” she said. “The event is a chance to mingle with like-minded sportsmen, eat wild game appetizers and have a drink. Whether you win a prize or not, it helps support the Foundation’s mission to provide hunting and fishing opportunities to youth and people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to experience the outdoors. And we need continued generations of outdoorsmen (and women) to ensure our 2nd Amendment rights.” The money raised from the $20 Buck Hunt raffle sales will go directly toward giving hunting and fishing trips to deserving and aspiring outdoorsmen and women who want to learn about the outdoor lifestyle. The winner will be drawn during the opening weekend of the Texas rifle deer season, and the hunt will take place sometime during the 2026-27 season. 24 |

For only $20, hunters can purchase a raffle ticket to support the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation and enter to win a trophy buck hunt later this season. Photo by LSON.

HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

Lone Star Outdoor News

HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

Lone Star Outdoor News

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Bootlegger Hill Ranch Bootlegger Hill Ranch is a spectacular 188± acre Lamar County hunting land and live water tract in the Northeast Texas Blackland Prairie, with a 10± acre stocked private lake, 3,310± feet of spring-fed Maxwell Creek frontage, AgriDrain-managed flooded corn and millet fields configured for waterfowl, two barndominium structures, and an established row crop production base. The property carries native game including whitetail, dove, and waterfowl, with the lake stocked for Florida bass and bluegill alongside historical features on site: the McGlasson Cemetery within the property boundaries and a roughly 100-year-old moonshiner shack adjacent to the lake, the namesake feature of the ranch.

BACKCOUNTRY HUNTS Elk Cow Hunts Only 10 spots available All free range Aoudad and Scimitar Oryx Hunts available Contact information: Steve Jones: 575-361-1053 BackCountryHunts.com SteveJones@BackCountryHunts.com

Other features include: • 10-ACRE STOCKED PRIVATE LAKE Bootlegger Lake (government-built) is stocked with Florida bass and bluegill, equipped with a dock and a Texas Hunter Products fish feeder. • 3,310± FEET OF MAXWELL CREEK FRONTAGE The spring-fed live water creek runs along the eastern boundary with steady, slow flow and year-round pooling. • WATERFOWL HUNTING LAND SETUP AgriDrain-managed 10+ acres of flooded corn and millet fields, a flooded timber hole, and a converted-pontoon duck blind support an established waterfowl program. • CONVERTIBLE PONTOON DUCK BLIND INCLUDED A Hotwoods Aluma Sport 15 pontoon with trailer, walkway, tan paint, and a structure for full duck-blind conversion conveys with the property. • TWO BARNDOMINIUM STRUCTURES WITH CENTRAL AC Barn A (40' x 50', 2,000± sq/ft with a shop and HVAC served living quarters) and Barn B (bunkhouse with full bath and fully HVAC-served) sit side by side. • MCGLASSON CEMETERY AND HISTORIC MOONSHINER SHACK ON SITE The 19th-century cemetery and the namesake roughly 100-year-old moonshiner shack contribute to the property's frontier-era character.

THOMAS A.C. DAVIS

☎ (832) 977-0071

TDAVIS@TEXASRANCHSALES.COM

KIMBLE COUNTY

2026

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

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HUNTING TEXAS ANNUAL 2026

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Fake News Continued from page 14

“Behind the cedar tree to the left.” The buck stepped into view. Adrienne looked at him. “That deer?” “Yes. That’s him.” Fake News walked toward one of several piles of corn her husband had been placing to encourage the deer to stand broadside. The buck stopped in the perfect position, but another deer was in the way. They waited. When the smaller buck moved, Fake News repositioned himself over another pile of corn and, again, stood perfectly broadside. Adrienne was ready. Her husband told her, “Remember what Frikkie (her PH) taught you in Africa?” Then two ravens flew over the blind, calling as they went. The sound added another bit of tension to the already long moment. And we all know ravens are alarms in the wild. “Adrienne, you need to pull the trigger now.” The Sako 85 in 6.5 Creedmoor cracked. Fake News buckled and fell straight to the ground. The shot had taken the top of his heart. Her husband was shaking. Adrienne wasn't. “She was steady as ice,” he said. “I was buck fever city.” They hugged in the blind and stayed there and watching the buck for several minutes. There was no reason to hurry. Fake News wasn't going anywhere. “I told her, ‘You just shot the largest deer on the ranch,’” he said. “We had been watching him for four years. It was the perfect deer for her first buck.”

Adrienne gave her husband a sly smile after knocking down the buck they called Fake News for her first buck ever. Photos by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

SINCE 1998 Since 1998, ForEverlast has been dedicated to creating innovative products for hunters and anglers who demand gear they can depend on. What began with a passion for the outdoors has grown into a diverse lineup of more than 100 unique products designed to help outdoor enthusiasts make the most of every adventure. From game processing equipment and deer feeders to fish feeders, wading gear, and outdoor accessories, we've continued to evolve while staying true to one mission — b uilding quality products that perform in the field. As we enter our next chapter, we're excited to introduce new innovations that reflect our commitment to serving the outdoor community. Leading the way this year is the all-new 600-pound Game Changer Feeder. Designed to make feeding easier and more efficient, it features a stand-and-fill design, rugged galvanized construction, an easy-slide lid, heavy-duty 12-volt digital control unit, NoWaste centrifugal force spinner, sight glass, and a durable skid-mounted base. With an MSRP of just $699, the Game Changer is built to become a favorite in deer camps across the country this fall. With ponds once again full across much of the state, now is also the perfect time to upgrade your fish feeding program. Our dependable lineup of fish feeders delivers quality construction, reliable performance, and exceptional value, everything you need to keep your fishery thriving season after season. For anglers heading to the coast, we're also proud to introduce our new Teal Fishing Collection, featuring several new products designed specifically for coastal fishing while complementing our already popular lineup of fishing gear. At ForEverlast, innovation never stops. We're excited about what's ahead and grateful for the customers who have supported us for nearly three decades. Your trust continues to inspire every new product we build. Visit your favorite ForEverlast retailer or shop online at ForEverlast.com to learn more about our complete lineup.

FOREVERLAST INC.

☎ (361) 798-1531

FOREVERLAST.COM

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TEXAS SUN, MOON AND TIDES Moon Phases Houston

First

Full

Last

New

Aug 19

Aug 27

Sept 4

Sept 10

Solunar Sun times Moon times Dallas

2026 Aug

A.M. Minor Major

P.M. Minor Major

SUN Rises Sets

MOON Rises Sets

2026 Aug

A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets

14 Fri 15 Sat 16 Sun 17 Mon 18 Tue 19 Wed 20 Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23 Sun 24 Mon 25 Tue 26 Wed 27 Thu 28 Fri

7:18 1:06 8:10 1:58 9:00 2:49 9:51 3:40 10:41 4:29 11:30 5:18 ----- 6:07 12:42 6:54 1:29 7:41 2:15 8:27 3:00 9:12 3:44 9:56 4:28 10:40 5:12 11:23 5:56 -----

7:41 1:30 8:32 2:21 9:23 3:12 10:13 4:02 11:04 4:52 11:54 5:42 12:19 6:31 1:07 7:20 1:54 8:07 2:40 8:53 3:25 9:37 4:09 10:21 4:51 11:03 5:34 11:45 6:18 12:07

06:47 08:03 06:48 08:02 06:48 08:01 06:49 08:00 06:50 07:59 06:50 07:58 06:51 07:57 06:51 07:56 06:52 07:55 06:52 07:54 06:53 07:53 06:54 07:52 06:54 07:51 06:55 07:50 06:55 07:48

8:46a 9:21p 9:48a 9:51p 10:48a 10:21p 11:47a 10:52p 12:47p 11:26p 1:46p NoMoon 2:43p 12:04a 3:38p 12:47a 4:29p 1:34a 5:16p 2:26a 5:58p 3:22a 6:35p 4:21a 7:09p 5:21a 7:40p 6:20a 8:09p 7:19a

14 Fri 15 Sat 16 Sun 17 Mon 18 Tue 19 Wed 20 Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23 Sun 24 Mon 25 Tue 26 Wed 27 Thu 28 Fri

7:24 1:12 8:15 2:04 9:06 2:55 9:57 3:45 10:47 4:35 11:36 5:24 12:01 6:12 12:48 7:00 1:34 7:47 2:21 8:33 3:06 9:18 3:50 10:02 4:34 10:46 5:18 11:29 6:02 -----

7:47 1:35 8:38 2:27 9:29 3:17 10:19 4:08 11:10 4:58 ----5:48 12:25 6:37 1:13 7:25 2:00 8:12 2:46 8:58 3:31 9:43 4:14 10:26 4:57 11:09 5:40 11:51 6:24 12:13

06:49 08:13 06:50 08:12 06:50 08:11 06:51 08:10 06:52 08:09 06:52 08:08 06:53 08:06 06:54 08:05 06:54 08:04 06:55 08:03 06:56 08:02 06:56 08:01 06:57 07:59 06:58 07:58 06:58 07:57

San Antonio

8:51a 9:27p 9:54a 9:55p 10:56a 10:23p 11:58a 10:53p 12:59p 11:25p 1:59p NoMoon 2:58p 12:02a 3:53p 12:44a 4:45p 1:31a 5:31p 2:23a 6:11p 3:20a 6:47p 4:20a 7:20p 5:21a 7:49p 6:22a 8:16p 7:22a

Amarillo

2026 Aug

A.M. Minor Major

P.M. SUN MOON Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets

2026 Aug

A.M. Minor Major

P.M. Minor Major

SUN Rises Sets

MOON Rises Sets

14 Fri 15 Sat 16 Sun 17 Mon 18 Tue 19 Wed 20 Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23 Sun 24 Mon 25 Tue 26 Wed 27 Thu 28 Fri

7:30 1:19 8:22 2:11 9:13 3:02 10:03 3:52 10:53 4:42 11:43 5:31 12:07 6:19 12:54 7:07 1:41 7:54 2:27 8:40 3:12 9:25 3:57 10:09 4:41 10:52 5:24 11:36 6:08 -----

7:54 1:42 8:45 2:33 9:35 3:24 10:26 4:15 11:17 5:05 ----- 5:55 12:31 6:44 1:19 7:32 2:06 8:19 2:52 9:05 3:37 9:50 4:21 10:33 5:04 11:16 5:47 11:58 6:30 12:19

14 Fri 15 Sat 16 Sun 17 Mon 18 Tue 19 Wed 20 Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23 Sun 24 Mon 25 Tue 26 Wed 27 Thu 28 Fri

7:44 1:32 8:35 2:24 9:26 3:15 10:17 4:06 11:07 4:55 11:56 5:44 12:21 6:33 1:08 7:20 1:55 8:07 2:41 8:53 3:26 9:38 4:10 10:22 4:54 11:06 5:38 11:49 6:22 12:09

8:07 1:56 8:58 2:47 9:49 3:38 10:39 4:28 11:30 5:18 ----- 6:08 12:45 6:57 1:33 7:45 2:20 8:33 3:06 9:19 3:51 10:03 4:35 10:47 5:17 11:29 6:00 ----6:44 12:33

07:05 08:37 07:06 08:36 07:07 08:34 07:08 08:33 07:08 08:32 07:09 08:31 07:10 08:30 07:11 08:28 07:11 08:27 07:12 08:26 07:13 08:25 07:14 08:23 07:14 08:22 07:15 08:21 07:16 08:19

9:11a 9:48p 10:16a 10:14p 11:20a 10:41p 12:23p 11:09p 1:25p 11:40p 2:27p NoMoon 3:27p 12:16a 4:23p 12:56a 5:14p 1:43a 5:59p 2:36a 6:39p 3:33a 7:14p 4:34a 7:44p 5:37a 8:12p 6:40a 8:38p 7:42a

07:00 08:15 07:01 08:14 07:01 08:13 07:02 08:12 07:03 08:11 07:03 08:10 07:04 08:09 07:04 08:08 07:05 08:07 07:05 08:06 07:06 08:05 07:06 08:04 07:07 08:03 07:08 08:02 07:08 08:00

8:59a 9:33p 10:01a 10:04p 11:00a 10:34p 11:59a 11:06p 12:59p 11:40p 1:58p NoMoon 2:55p 12:18a 3:50p 1:01a 4:41p 1:49a 5:27p 2:41a 6:09p 3:37a 6:47p 4:35a 7:21p 5:35a 7:52p 6:34a 8:22p 7:32a

Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of a location.

Sabine Pass, north Date Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28

Time 6:03 AM 6:26 AM 12:24 AM 1:11 AM 2:02 AM 3:45 PM 1:34 AM 2:44 AM 3:28 AM 3:58 AM 4:20 AM 4:35 AM 4:47 AM 4:59 AM 5:12 AM

Height 1.62H 1.56H 0.60L 0.93L 1.22L 0.11L 1.64H 1.73H 1.77H 1.77H 1.75H 1.73H 1.71H 1.69H 1.67H

Time 11:30 AM 12:19 PM 6:47 AM 7:01 AM 6:57 AM 10:40 AM 4:41 PM 5:38 PM 6:31 PM 7:21 PM 8:05 PM 9:53 AM 9:45 AM 10:05 AM 10:34 AM

Height 0.84L 0.62L 1.50H 1.45H 1.42H 1.30L 0.07L 0.04L 0.01L -0.01L -0.02L 1.45L 1.35L 1.20L 1.02L

Time 5:13 PM 6:31 PM 1:08 PM 1:59 PM 2:51 PM 2:06 PM 3:04 PM 4:07 PM 5:19 PM 1:12 PM 1:58 PM 1:04 PM 2:05 PM 3:01 PM 3:57 PM

Height 1.56H 1.49H 0.43L 0.28L 0.17L 1.39H 1.36H 1.31H 1.25H 0.67L 0.43L 1.50H 1.53H 1.56H 1.57H

Time 11:40 PM 7:42 PM 7:59 PM 9:40 PM 11:39 PM 10:18 PM 10:54 PM 11:29 PM 7:47 PM 6:44 PM 8:24 PM 8:45 PM 9:22 PM 9:58 PM 10:34 PM

Height 0.25L -0.85L 1.44H 1.45H 1.52H -0.23L -0.11L 0.06L 1.20H 1.22H 1.24H 0.00L 0.06L 0.18L 0.35L

Date Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28

Time 6:28 AM 12:05 AM 12:50 AM 1:40 AM 2:59 AM 3:48 PM 1:25 AM 2:44 AM 3:42 AM 4:25 AM 4:53 AM 5:10 AM 5:23 AM 5:33 AM 5:40 AM

Height 1.53H 0.26L 0.59L 0.92L 1.20L 0.01L 1.65H 1.74H 1.79H 1.81H 1.79H 1.75H 1.70H 1.66H 1.61H

Time 12:01 PM 6:47 AM 7:02 AM 7:09 AM 7:05 AM

Height 0.92L 1.44H 1.38H 1.36H 1.36H

Time 5:24 PM 12:38 PM 1:21 PM 2:09 PM 2:59 PM

Height 1.53H 0.66L 0.43L 0.25L 0.11L

Time

Height

6:41 PM 8:19 PM 9:53 PM 11:24 PM

1.47H 1.43H 1.47H 1.54H

4:39 PM 5:36 PM 6:31 PM 7:20 PM 8:04 PM 8:45 PM 11:11 AM 11:18 AM 11:28 AM

-0.04L -0.07L -0.09L -0.09L -0.06L -0.01L 1.40L 1.27L 1.10L

1:32 PM 2:48 PM 3:59 PM

1.44H 1.44H 1.45H

9:25 PM 10:06 PM 10:45 PM

0.08L 0.21L 0.38L

Height 1.50H 1.35H 0.64L 0.98L 0.19L 0.11L 1.71H 1.80H 1.85H 1.88H 1.88H 1.86H 1.81H 1.75H 1.66H

Time 12:06 PM 12:29 PM 6:15 AM 6:12 AM 11:29 PM

Height 0.94L 0.70L 1.26H 1.22H 1.58H

Time 4:49 PM 6:04 PM 1:00 PM 1:39 PM

Height 1.40H 1.38H 0.48L 0.31L

Time 11:33 PM

Height 0.28L

Time 6:06 AM 6:12 AM 12:25 AM 1:35 AM 2:24 PM 3:12 PM 12:57 AM 1:53 AM 2:41 AM 3:28 AM 4:09 AM 4:39 AM 4:59 AM 5:10 AM 5:14 AM

7:31 PM 9:41 PM

1.38H 1.45H

4:01 PM 4:58 PM 6:07 PM 7:06 PM 7:49 PM 8:26 PM 9:02 PM 11:10 AM 11:00 AM

0.07L 0.05L 0.03L -0.01L -0.02L 0.01L 0.08L 1.31L 1.17L

2:15 PM 3:28 PM

1.42H 1.45H

9:40 PM 10:22 PM

0.22L 0.42L

Time 10:54 AM 10:02 AM 7:31 AM 3:56 PM 4:52 PM 5:54 PM 6:58 PM 8:02 PM 9:05 PM 10:01 PM 10:49 PM 11:27 PM

Height 0.60H 0.52H 0.53H 0.18L 0.11L 0.07L 0.06L 0.06L 0.05L 0.04L 0.05L 0.07L

Time 1:16 PM 2:12 PM 3:04 PM

Height 0.58L 0.43L 0.29L

Time 4:54 PM 7:34 PM

Height 0.64H 0.54H

10:32 AM 9:44 AM

0.85H 0.77H

1:00 PM

0.74L

3:28 PM

0.75H

Port O’Connor Date Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28

Time 1:21 AM 1:52 AM 2:12 AM 6:30 AM 5:59 AM 5:55 AM 6:21 AM 7:05 AM 7:59 AM 8:53 AM 9:41 AM 10:19 AM 10:43 AM 12:00 AM 12:28 AM

Time 4:58 AM 5:41 AM 6:22 AM 7:00 AM 2:37 AM 9:15 AM 9:56 AM 11:02 AM 12:32 PM 12:44 AM 1:26 AM 2:00 AM 2:30 AM 3:00 AM 3:32 AM

San Luis Pass Date Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28

Time 6:48 AM 12:11 AM 1:04 AM 2:10 AM 4:04 AM 1:43 AM 2:55 AM 3:47 AM 4:33 AM 5:14 AM 5:47 AM 6:00 AM 6:00 AM 5:59 AM 5:56 AM

Height 0.09L 0.40L 0.72L 1.14H 1.32H 1.46H 1.56H 1.61H 1.65H 1.66H 1.65H 0.10L 0.11L 0.18L 0.31L

Time 10:17 AM 10:16 AM 10:16 AM 3:52 AM 6:59 PM 7:36 PM 8:21 PM 9:27 PM 10:45 PM 11:44 PM

Height 1.32H 1.28H 1.27H 1.02L 0.18L 0.14L 0.14L 0.17L 0.16L 0.13L

Time 4:42 PM 5:13 PM 5:49 PM 10:08 AM

Height 0.94L 0.69L 0.46L 1.28H

Time 8:57 PM 10:22 PM

Height 1.19H 1.14H

6:24 PM

0.29L

10:35 AM 10:19 AM 10:04 AM 9:46 AM

1.61H 1.56H 1.50H 1.43H

3:32 PM 3:33 PM

1.24L 1.06L

5:56 PM 7:31 PM

1.29H 1.27H

Height 1.03H 0.26L 0.54L 0.79L 0.99L 1.19H 1.30H 1.36H 1.38H 1.38H 1.36H 1.33H 1.28H 1.24H 1.19H

Time 12:09 PM 6:46 AM 6:43 AM 6:39 AM 6:24 AM 3:52 PM 4:45 PM 5:41 PM 6:37 PM 7:29 PM 8:15 PM 8:57 PM 9:36 PM 10:43 AM 10:42 AM

Height 0.77L 0.97H 0.95H 0.97H 1.02H 0.07L 0.04L 0.03L 0.02L 0.02L 0.03L 0.06L 0.12L 1.11L 0.98L

Time 5:02 PM 12:49 PM 1:33 PM 2:17 PM 3:03 PM

Height 1.10H 0.57L 0.39L 0.24L 0.14L

Time

Height

6:26 PM 8:12 PM 10:56 PM

1.04H 1.00H 1.06H

2:21 PM 3:40 PM

1.18H 1.17H

10:14 PM 10:53 PM

0.23L 0.38L

Date Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28

Time 1:19 AM 1:53 AM 2:19 AM 2:01 AM 5:43 AM 5:36 AM 6:06 AM 6:54 AM 7:57 AM 9:06 AM 10:08 AM 11:12 AM 2:16 PM 3:33 PM 12:30 AM

Height 0.16L 0.25L 0.34L 0.41L 0.49H 0.51H 0.52H 0.52H 0.51H 0.51H 0.52H 0.53H 0.54H 0.55H 0.21L

Time 10:57 AM 7:08 AM 6:48 AM 6:28 AM 4:47 PM 5:54 PM 6:58 PM 7:58 PM 8:56 PM 9:51 PM 10:39 PM 11:21 PM 11:58 PM

Height 0.43H 0.39H 0.42H 0.45H 0.16L 0.14L 0.13L 0.13L 0.12L 0.11L 0.10L 0.12L 0.15L

Time 1:06 PM 1:59 PM 2:49 PM 3:44 PM

Height 0.41 0.33L 0.26L 0.20L

Time 5:37 PM 7:12 PM 10:27 PM

Height 0.51H 0.45H 0.42H

9:30 AM

0.48H

12:06 PM

0.47L

4:35 PM

0.55H

Height 0.77H 0.77H 0.47L 0.68L 0.86 1.01H 1.10H 1.16H 1.19H 1.19H 1.17H 1.14H 1.13H 1.11H 0.98H

Time 11:16 AM 12:17 PM 5:48 AM 5:51 AM 5:39 AM 3:19 PM 4:10 PM 5:09 PM 6:08 PM 7:01 PM 7:47 PM 8:28 PM 9:07 PM 9:47 PM 9:05 AM

Height 0.73L 0.55L 0.80H 0.85H 0.92H 0.09L 0.07L 0.07L 0.07L 0.07L 0.08L 0.11L 0.17L 0.27L 0.91L

Time 4:16 PM 5:33 PM 1:05 PM 1:50 PM 2:33 PM

Height 0.99H 0.92H 0.38L 0.24L 0.15L

Time 11:50 PM

Height 0.24L

7:07 PM 10:31 PM

0.86H 0.88H

2:48 PM

1.09H

10:28 PM

0.40L

Port Aransas Height 0.01L 0.19L 0.39L 0.63H 0.75H 0.84H 0.90H 0.94H 0.96H 0.97H 0.98H 0.96H 0.92H 0.14 0.23L

Nueces Bay Date Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28

Time 3:15 AM 3:43 AM 3:58 AM 12:09 AM 9:26 AM 7:24 AM 8:05 AM 8:48 AM 9:26 AM 10:01 AM 10:27 AM 12:32 AM 1:13 AM 1:48 AM 2:20 AM

East Matagorda

Freeport Harbor Date Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28

Date Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28

Time 5:56 AM 5:44 AM 12:41 AM 1:26 AM 1:57 AM 4:24 AM 4:11 AM 4:44 AM 5:24 AM 6:07 AM 6:58 AM 10:11 AM 12:02 PM 1:28 PM 5:02 AM

South Padre Island Height -0.02L 0.10L 0.23L 0.36L 0.51H 0.54H 0.58H 0.61H 0.64H -0.01L -0.03L -0.04L -0.02 0.01L 0.09L

Time 8:10 PM 9:44 PM 2:14 PM 11:00 AM 7:16 AM 9:43 PM 10:55 PM 11:54 PM

Height 0.74H 0.63H 0.37H 0.41H 0.47L 0.09L 0.04L 0.01L

1:40 PM 2:29 PM 3:13 PM 4:02 PM 5:05 PM 6:30 PM

0.68H 0.72H 0.77H 0.79H 0.79H 0.76H

Time

Height

Time

Height

5:30 PM 7:01 PM 9:53 AM

0.35L 0.24L 0.47H

11:45 PM

0.54H

8:22 PM

0.15L

Date Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28

Time 6:36 AM 6:04 AM 12:15 AM 1:08 AM 2:10 AM 12:31 AM 2:08 AM 3:16 AM 4:07 AM 4:50 AM 5:27 AM 5:54 AM 6:09 AM 6:00 AM 5:29 AM

Height 1.14H 1.08H 0.63L 0.92L 1.15L 1.34H 1.43H 1.49H 1.52H 1.53H 1.53H 1.51H 1.47H 1.41H 1.35H

Time 11:17 AM 11:53 AM 5:54 AM 5:43 AM 4:57 AM 2:47 PM 3:38 PM 4:36 PM 5:37 PM 6:35 PM 7:26 PM 8:11 PM 8:52 PM 10:08 AM 10:10 AM

Height 0.97L 0.73L 1.08H 1.11H 1.18H 0.04L -0.03L -0.07L -0.10L -0.11L -0.08L -0.01L 0.10L 1.30L 1.18L

Time 4:13 PM 5:42 PM 12:34 PM 1:16 PM 2:00 PM

Height 1.25H 1.22H 0.50L 0.31L 0.15L

Time 11:24 PM

Height 0.30L

7:22 PM 10:03 PM

1.20H 1.23H

12:50 PM 2:45 PM

1.33H 1.34H

9:33 PM 10:16 PM

0.27L 0.47L

Texas Coast Tides

Galveston Bay entrance, north jetty

High Island

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LoneOStar Outdoor News

PUBLIC NOTICE

August 14, 2026

Page 13

Coast action Continued from page 1

Comment sought on Gulf regs The Gulf Council will meet at The Golden Nugget in Biloxi, Mississippi from August 24-27, 2026. Public comment will be held on Wednesday, August 26, from 2 - 5 p.m. CDT. The Council welcomes public comment from both in-person and virtual participants. During this meeting, the Council plans to take final action on an amendment to establish electronic reporting requirements for vessels with federal for-hire reef fish or coastal migratory pelagic permits. The Council also plans to work on several other issues including two draft amendments that consider modifying for-hire red snapper management. One considers delegating federal for-hire red snapper management to the Gulf States, while the other document considers maintaining federal management and developing additional flexibility measures and triggers for the Regional Administrator to utilize. The Council will work on a draft amendment to modify mutton snapper and yellowtail snapper catch limits and the allowable harvest apportioned between the Gulf and South Atlantic Councils. Additionally, NOAA staff will present the results of the MRIP-FES pilot study conducted to determine whether changes to survey design would improve recreational fishing effort estimates. —Gulf Council

Cat record Continued from page 6

Young anglers are finding opportunity on the coast with black drum, redfish and trout. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

“Then we started trying to call Allie and the game wardens, trying to get ahold of them,” Riley said. “We got a hold of a guy, and he said, ‘Yeah, bring it in,’” he recounted. They made their way to the boat ramp, where they were greeted by a crowd of people and a game warden. They were able to get the fish weighed. “You could hear a pin drop,” Riley said, referring to everyone watching as the game warden weighed the fish. “It was nerve-wracking,” Jax said. Then the crowd erupted as the game warden confirmed they had the new lake record blue cat at 25.8 pounds. “We found out that the guy who held the blue cat record also holds the yellow (catfish record),” Riley said, making plans The Riley family is on a mission to catch lake records for all to hunt that record next. Now members of the family. Photo by Michael Riley. they are all on the hunt. “The black bass record, Jax is trying to break it. He is our black bass guy, and Sawyer’s our striper guy,” Riley said of the two oldest. “It’s just a matter of time on the water before all three get their record.”

difference.” Galveston Bay Complex fishing guide Capt. Ryan Battistoni said his anglers have been enjoying a consistent trout bite during the first hour or so of daylight in the early morning hours, before things really heat up over well pads off of the ship channel in 8 to 12 feet of water. “The best action has occurred during the end of the incoming tide, especially when the incoming tide has been peaking right around sunrise,” Battistoni said. “The bite doesn’t last long. You really have to make sure you are right on top of where the fish want to be to take advantage of the short window of opportunity.” Battistoni said live shrimp bounced along the bottom over the oyster shell pads at old gas well locations has been the ticket. Most of the specks have been in the 15- to 18-inch range. Other Galveston Bay anglers also confirmed the best trout action has been occurring in deeper water in short spurts. Those consistently catching specks have been focused on shell reefs near the Houston Ship Channel during small windows when the current from the tide begins to gradually pick up or slow down. One angler reported he saw another angler fishing from the rocks of the bulkhead around the boat ramp near the end of the Texas City Dike land a 26-inch trout on a live shrimp rigged under a popping cork. He was launching his boat when the fish was landed, and before leaving the harbor, docked his boat and fished alongside the other angler for about 20 minutes in hopes of duplicating his luck. Further south, anglers are reporting black drum, redfish, and speckled trout have begun staging out off the edges of grass flats where there is a transition towards deeper water, due to the extreme heat. Devin Leissner recently made a trip out of Marker 37 in Corpus Christi and caught limits of black drum with some buddies on shrimp. He said the fish were stacked up in a deeper gut between shallow flats.

Largemouth Continued from page 1

five bites, but they’re going to be five of the right bites,” Kennedy said. On O.H. Ivie Reservoir, Dalton Smith with D Smith Guide Service reports the fishing has been good, but it didn’t start on time. “We had a mild beginning of the summer, and the water temperatures weren’t where they needed to be to really make a big push for fish to go offshore,” Smith said. “Only in the last couple of weeks have the fish really begun to move.” Now that the bass have settled into their true summer pattern, Smith and his clients have made the move offshore. “We have been catching a lot of fish without forward-facing sonar, you know, just dragging around,” Smith said. He has mainly focused on 10- to 35-feet of water where the gizzard shad are schooling up. “You find those gizzard shad, and that’s what they're keying in on now that it’s hot,” he said. Early morning and late evening have been the most productive times for Smith and his clients. Occasionally, there is a short top-water bite, Smith reported. “There are still a lot of shad fry in the lake, so they’re busting the surface,” Smith said. “But they’re, you know, the bucks, the 3- to 4-pounders. You’ll catch a big one now and again out there doing that, but the big ones like those gizzard shad.”

For the big bite, he prefers a natural-color worm drug along on the bottom. “We try to throw the biggest one we can out there,” Smith said. This time of year, anglers will have to move around to find the active fish, so be mobile. On Twin Buttes Reservoir, the lower water levels have the largemouth bass confined to the main lake. Jack Brinley with Brinley Outdoors Company reported that he and his clients have enjoyed an early morning top-water bite over riprap and rock where bait is being pushed closer to shore. White has been the most productive colored top-water for Brinley and his clients. But color isn’t everything. “They’re just getting things that are in the vicinity that are loud,” Brinley added. As the sun comes up, the top-water bite will go cold, and anglers will have to move to deep-dragging green pumpkin worms and other soft plastics. Brinely and his clients have been keying in on big rock humps and drop-offs. “If you find those humps with chunk rock, then you’re really in the juice. But right now, any structure they can ambush prey has been good,” Brinely said. “Find those cooler pockets of water; those fish are typically super active. Just don’t get married to a spot.” Anglers are catching big summer bass this month, although bites might be fewer than other times of year. Photo by Dalton Smith.

Page 14

August 14, 2026

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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INDUSTRY

LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER

Traditions appoints Evans

Solution on Page 18

Traditions Performance Firearms appointed Jason Evans as Vice President of Sales. Evans brings extensive leadership experience from executive positions at Benelli, Weatherby, and Blaser, and will oversee all sales operations and manage the company's nationwide network of independent sales representatives.

Murray Road Agency searching The Murray Road Agency, a marketing firm serving the outdoor industry, is hiring a senior communications specialist in Charleston, S.C. The role requires 3-5 years of PR and marketing experience, with responsibilities including client relations, campaign strategy, and media outreach. Knowledge of fishing, hunting, camping, shooting, and boating is preferred.

MidwayUSA hiring MidwayUSA is hiring two Product Specialists in Columbia, MO for Optics and Clothing, Footwear & Marketplaces categories. Positions offer $55,000-$71,500 annually with benefits including 401(k) matching, flexible PTO, and professional development opportunities.

B&C hires Clark The Boone and Crockett Club appointed Al Clark as chief development officer. Clark ACROSS

DOWN

4. Food sources for wildlife 6. Another name for a doe 7. Important for archers in the field 9. Holds fishing line 10. Type of hunting K9 11. Curved portion of a river 13. Group of quail 14. Versatile treestand type 15. Works on firearms 17. Used to push projectile down barrel 19. Baby deer 20. Bait species for bass 21. A quiet boat used for fishing 24. Technique used for getting baits under docks 27. Offshore strategy targeting snapper and grouper 29. Used to initiate the firing sequence 31. Smaller stream flowing into a river 32. Colorado prize fish 33. Feathers on a fly 34. Dogs do this to hogs 35. Quiets the sound of a shot 36. Famous region of South Texas

1. King of the north woods 2. The bluewing variety will be here soon 3. Invasive lake dweller 5. Challenging forest bird 8. Used to lure waterfowl 10. Where birds sleep 12. Fast open ocean species 13. Attracting sharks 16. LSON Foundation $20 ___ ___ 18. Nuisance animal 19. Beautiful exotic species 22. Giants of the Trinity River 23. A good one is always appreciated 25. Great time to kill a buck 26. Losing the battle to aoudads in WTX 28. Call for a deer 30. Classic offshore gamefish 34. Primitive Texas fish

brings over two decades of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience, including previous roles at Ducks Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

Traditions hires manager Traditions Firearms announced Keith Heinlein as product manager, bringing nearly two decades of shooting sports industry experience. Heinlein, an avid hunter and fisherman, will lead product development initiatives and help expand Traditions' firearms and accessories portfolio.

HEVI signs Shoemaker HEVI Ammunition announced Wade Shoemaker, an outdoor media personality and professional lifestyle photographer, as its brand ambassador and community manager.

Darton hiring Darton Archery, Black Eagle Arrows and Conquest Archery are hiring a Southeast Sales Representative to lead growth across the region. The ideal candidate will build dealer relationships, expand market presence, and represent all three brands with professionalism and expertise in the archery industry.

Puzzle by Conor Harrison, Lone Star Outdoor News

FOR THE TABLE *email LSON your favorite recipe to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

Blackened redfish 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled 1 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. salt 4 (4 ounce) fillets red drum 1 1/4 cups Italian-style salad dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place melted butter in a shallow bowl. Mix cayenne pepper, black pepper, lemon-pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Dip fillets into butter, then sprinkle with seasoning mixture on both sides. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add fish and sear until slightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer fillets to an 11x7-inch baking dish and pour Italian dressing over top. Cover and bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Asian duck legs 4 duck legs 1/4 cup rice wine 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 Tbsp. Chinese 5 spice 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce 1 Tbsp. shallot minced 2 cloves garlic minced 6 sprigs cilantro chopped

Prick the skin of the duck legs with a fork or score with a knife. Be careful to only score the skin and not the meat of the duck. Mix together the ingredients for the marinade. Marinate the duck overnight (12 – 24 hours) in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge or a cooler. Heat grill or fire to low heat (180 degrees). Place legs directly on grate and smoke covered (use foil if on the fire) for 4 1/2 hours.

—Staff report

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August 14, 2026

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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Updated license rules Updated identity verification rules took effect Aug. 3 for most Texas hunting and fishing license purchases. While current licenses remain active, 2026/27 licenses that went on sale Aug. 15 will be subject to these new identification guidelines. If you are a Texas resident, please note the following requirements: • Primary Identification: You must present an unexpired Texas Driver's License or Texas State Personal ID Card • Temporary / Limited Term ID: If your Texas ID is marked "temporary" or "Limited Term", you will need to provide, in person, one of the following, in addition to your ID: Original birth certificate, original birth certificate abroad, unexpired Texas Handgun License, unexpired US Passport or passport card, or unexpired US Military ID; Online transactions are unavailable • In-Person Purchase (Physical Presence): If you are buying your license at a local retail agent or TPWD, everyone ages 17 and older must be physically present and show valid proof of identification —TPWD

Dove Continued from page 1

was 2016 with 37.5 million.” Speaking about white-winged dove, Fitzsimmons said the statewide population is estimated at about 13 million birds. This number is slightly elevated from last year and represents an all-time high for Texas. “These phenomenal dove population numbers are a direct result of timely rains and excellent range conditions,” Fitzsimmons said. “The birds had a successful nesting season, and all variables are pointing toward another successful season for dove hunters across the state.” According to TPWD District 5 Senior Biologist Evan McCoy, mild temperatures and abundant precipitation has resulted in the tremendous growth of native forage, such as sunflowers, croton, and ragweed across much of the region. “Repeated rain events also helped replenish water sources,” McCoy said. “Abundant food and water resources have resulted in successful recruitment from dove to maintain healthy populations, which have been recovering from previous drought conditions.” McCoy said widespread availability of food and water for the birds may keep them more scattered this season. “Hunters should expect to consistently find dove, but they may not be as concentrated in traditional hotspots in comparison to years past,” McCoy said. District 3 Senior Biologist for TPWD, Jesse Oetgen, said conditions for dove are looking great due to timely spring rains. “Native sunflowers are flourishing in many places throughout the region, and there are plenty of water sources for the birds across the landscape,” Oetgen said. “This may result in dove being more scattered at the beginning of the season, rather than concentrated in specific areas.” TPWD Frio County Wildlife Biologist Audrey Taulli said the brush country bird numbers are looking excellent. “We received a good amount of rain between April and June, and it seems

nesting efforts have been pretty successful for both white-wing and mourning dove,” Taulli said. “As far as dove season goes, it’s going to be interesting to see what happens.” With more abundant food and water resources across the landscape, Taulli said the birds won’t have to rely as much on human-made resources. “That being said, I believe it’s going to be a great season for south Texas hunters,” Taulli said. “Scouting may play a key role in how successful hunters are this year, at least early on in the season.” The regular dove season will begin on September 1 for all three dove hunting zones in Texas this year, including the North, Central, and South zones. This is the first time all three zones will open on the same day to kick off fall hunting seasons. Many south zone outfitters have expressed they are interested to see how this earlier start to the season will impact the birds. The regular dove season has never began before September 14 in the South Zone. Many are curious as to what an additional two more weeks of pressure will mean for flight and feeding patterns on resident birds in the southern portion of the state, as they wait for cooler weather to push more birds down from northern locales. While scouting may be essential with the amount of food and water sources scattered across the state, Uvalde-based dove hunting outfitter Joe Elder of Eldorado Hunting Lodge said he is optimistic this year is going to be one for the books. “The hunting is just better throughout the entire season when the birds have plenty of food and water out there,” Elder said. “This allows outfitters to better manage the pressure their hunters put on fields and gives the birds more options to choose from when looking for food and water. They may be more scattered at times, but overall, I think it will make for an awesome season from a long-term perspective.”

Flood

OHIO

YouTube poachers sentenced An Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife poaching investigation, conducted in collaboration with Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, resulted in a combined 40 guilty pleas from William I. Bethel, 28, of Columbus and Justin A. Booth, 23, of Columbus. The two central Ohio men were known on YouTube as Creek Kings Outdoors. The investigation, which spanned more than a year, uncovered evidence of poaching by Booth and Bethel from 2019 through 2024 in Three Creeks Metro Park and on other properties where the men did not have permission to hunt. The pair’s YouTube channel featured videos of poached white-tailed deer. Among the violations, Bethel and Booth claimed to have harvested deer in Kentucky, but the investigation found those deer were unlawfully taken in Ohio. Bethel and Booth were charged in September 2025 at the conclusion of the investigation. In May 2026, they each pleaded guilty to 20 counts and were ordered to pay a combined $29,219.32 in restitution. Their total financial penalties reached $37,051.32 after fines, fees, and court costs. Both men were ordered to serve nine days in jail during the upcoming 2026-27 hunting season, with an additional 531 days suspended. —ODNR

MONTANA

State’s biggest paddlefish Trevor Swisse of Sidney not only harvested the biggest paddlefish in Montana in 2026, but the nearly 117-pound female had avoided recapture by fisheries crews and anglers in Montana and North Dakota for 22 years. "That's the biggest one I've ever caught," Swisse said. Montana's state-record paddlefish, caught in 1973 in the Missouri River, was 142.5 pounds, but 117 pounds is definitely on the larger end of fish harvested. Regional fisheries manager Mike Backes also was excited with Swisse's catch, but more for scientific reasons. "The fish is noteworthy considering its large size and the jaw tag being at large for 22 years," Backes said. Backes shared the story behind that jaw tag. The fish was originally caught on April 27, 2004 by North Dakota Fish & Game. Staff were drifting gill nets on the Missouri River about 3 miles upstream of the Highway 85 bridge at Williston. At minimum, Backes estimates ND7570 at 40-42 years old. He explained that female paddlefish do not make their first spawning migration out of North Dakota's Sakakawea Reservoir until reaching age 18-20, and the fish was at large for 22 years. —MFWP

Wolf recovery blocked

Continued from page 9

Korzekwa said the disturbance on the landscape caused from heavy rains and flooding events like this, tends to have many positive impacts on range conditions. “The impacts from floodwaters like this can be similar to those experienced from a prescribed burn,” Korzekwa said. “It takes a little time for stretches of landscape to recover from the flood, but when they begin to green back up again, wildlife tend to return to them quickly. This is due to new plant and vegetation growth that never would have occurred, had the disturbance from the floodwaters not taken place.” TPWD Assistant District Leader and Wildlife Biologist for Medina County, Matt Reidy, said the riparian areas of the Hill Country and South Texas are designed to undergo floods like these. “These ecosystems responded just like they were supposed to,” Reidy said. “Any localized negative impacts to wildlife in

NATIONAL

regard to these floods are negligible, at least when looking at deer populations as a whole. There were some unfortunate negative impacts that were very property specific, but overall, the only negative impacts from these floods were to human activity or ranching activity. Ranch owners lives and infrastructure were negatively impacted, but overall, the majority of deer and wildlife are doing just fine in the aftermath of this catastrophic event.” TPWD wildlife biologist Daniel Kunz also confirmed that the positive impacts from these floods, at least from a wildlife perspective, largely outweigh the negative impacts. “We are already seeing deer and other wildlife thriving in areas that were underwater during the flood event,” he said. “And the range conditions in these areas are also already responding in a very positive way.”

Safari Club International expressed its disappointment after an objection by Senator Cory Booker prevented the Senate from advancing an effort to remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and return management authority to the states. Gray wolf recovery represents one of the nation's greatest conservation success stories. After decades of conservation efforts, wolf populations have far exceeded recovery goals. Thousands of wolves now inhabit the lower 48 states and connect with healthy populations throughout Canada and Alaska. But despite this remarkable recovery, gray wolves remain listed under the ESA, largely due to years of litigation that have repeatedly overturned

science-based delisting decisions. "The science is clear: gray wolves have recovered," said SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin. "It is deeply disappointing that efforts to restore state management were blocked despite overwhelming evidence that recovery goals have been achieved and exceeded." —SCI

TENNESSEE

DU Expo draws huge crowds Ducks Unlimited is celebrating another successful Ducks Unlimited Expo, welcoming more than 30,000 attendees to the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. The three-day event brought together duck hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, conservation supporters, industry leaders, exhibitors, and families from across the country to experience the nation's largest consumer event dedicated to duck hunting, waterfowl, conservation, and the outdoor lifestyle. —DU

IDAHO

New cutthroat record When Luke Anderson headed to the St. Maries River in search of Westslope cutthroat trout, setting a new state record was probably the last thing on his mind. Or was it? While Luke is officially Idaho's newest certified-weight state record holder, Westslope cutthroat trout in Idaho grow much larger than his 13.6-inch, sub-one-pound fish. Idaho's current catch-and-release state record, caught in Lake Pend Oreille, measured 27 inches, while the certified-weight record just across the border in Washington stands at 4.71 pounds. For the longest time, the certified-weight record "cutthroat trout" was the 18.94-pound lunker caught at Bear Lake by Roger Grunig in 1970. Starting in 2016, Fish and Game revamped the State Record Fish Program. Changes included the new category of catch-and-release state records and also included new separate record categories for all four sub-species of cutthroat trout found in Idaho: Westslope, Bonneville, Yellowstone and Lahontan cutthroat trout. The standing record from Bear Lake continues to hold the top spot for Bonneville cutthroat trout, but this opened opportunities for three new cutthroats — which have only been available since the 2016 changes. —IFG

FLORIDA

Spiny lobster season open The 2026 Florida spiny lobster season began Aug. 6, continuing through March 31, 2027. Before heading out, be sure you have a valid Florida saltwater fishing license, spiny lobster permit, and are familiar with current lobster harvest regulations. Harvesters must follow these requirements: • Lobsters must have a carapace length larger than three inches, measured in the water, and a measuring device must be carried at all times • Egg-bearing female lobsters may not be harvested • Lobsters must remain whole; separating tails from the body is prohibited • It is unlawful to use devices that puncture, penetrate, or crush the lobster shell A bag limit of 12 lobster per licensed harvester applies. —FWC

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Hemphill Continued from page 6

Department of Transportation - State of Texas endorsed, a certiﬁed Small Business Enterprise and licensed for commercial herbicide application.

THE ORIGINAL DEER BLIND WINDOW CO.

An accomplished tournament angler, Stephanie Hemphill now spends her time putting clients on big bass. Photo from Stephanie Hemphill.

(flip open)

experience will change you.” When reflecting on her experiences, Hemphill's message is to keep things simple. Fully understanding the basics can produce great results and because of this, she fulfilled her dream of becoming a professional angler. “I prioritize the preparation and lessons that come with fishing,” Hemphill said. “I do my homework beforehand and make sure to study the challenge ahead of me.” Hemphill said she is the only woman to have ever fished in the National Professional Fishing League and is extremely proud of her performance. “It was on Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma, and I came in seventh place and a top 10,” Hemphill said. “I thought that was going be my worst tournament of the season, but it ended up being my best and because it was not expected made it even more special.” Now proud to be a mother, Hemphill decided to take a break from competing and serve as a full-time Sam Rayburn bass fishing guide. Hemphill said you will meet people who impact your career. Mason Henderson did and after passing away from brain cancer at 21 years old, she strives to honor him. Henderson's family put on a memorial tournament for him and Hemphill participated but knew she had to get off the water earlier than everyone else. “I was on the water from 6 to 11:30 a.m. while everybody else got to be out there to 2:30 p.m.,” Hemphill said. “The whole time I was out there, I had thoughts of him fishing with me and how anytime he'd get in my boat, he would always try to lead me toward God.” Despite not being able to fulfill the entire time limit, Hemphill still managed to earn second place. “That was my most memorable tournament because it was for him and the way fishing can unite people,” Hemphill said. “This was for someone I deeply cared about and will continue to try to bring more people to this sport.” As Hemphill continues to wear many hats, overall, her resilience and dedication will continue to inspire more people for generations to come.

PINS

Continued from page 6

dusky sharks. “I know of 15 dusky sharks caught, and I mean there probably even more that didn’t even get reported,” Hill said about last weekend. Hill says serious shark anglers are dropping their baits 800 to 1,000 yards off the beach. “Look for that blue, that teal toothpaste water, not necessarily the green stuff,” Hill said, refAnglers fishing from the shore off of PINS are catching lots of erencing the water-color transisharks this month. Photo by Bobby Kubin. tion further out off the beach. That distance can change depending on how far down the beach you are. The further south you go, the closer that transition is to shore. “That color change can happen at 300 to 500 [yards] down PINS,” Hill said. For bait, Hill reported that most were using jack crevalle and other large cut bait.

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NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FERDERATION Kaufman County Hunting Heritage Banquet 3000 FM 429, North Terrell tammywomack@anbtx.com your.nwtf.org

DUCKS UNLIMITED Lavaca County Banquet Knights of Columbus Hall, Hallettsville (979) 702-2181 ducks.org/events

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION Southeast Texas Big Game Banquet Beaumont Elks Lodge (409) 594-6208 tickets.rmef.org

SEPTEMBER 17

AUGUST 15

DUCKS UNLIMITED The Lonestar Banquet Kuykendall Arena, Llano (512) 756-3655 ducks.org/events

Puzzle solution from Page 14

DUCKS UNLIMITED Angelina County Banquet Lufkin Convention Center (903) 733-7838 ducks.org/events

SEPTEMBER 19

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TEXAS FLY FISHERS Redfish Rodeo 2026 Rockport texasflyfishers.org

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OCTOBER 2

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AUGUST 22

SOUTH TEXAS QUAIL COALITION Borchard Regional Fairgrounds, Robstown (918) 287-7757 southtexasquailcoalition.org

FORT WORTH FLY FISHERS FWFF Annual Auction and Dinner Elks Lodge of Ft. Worth fortworthflyfishers.org

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY Wildlife Toxicology Lab Research Demonstration Day Stonewall County Civic Center, Aspermont ron.kendall@ttu.edu wildlifetoxicologylab.org

AUGUST 27

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION Parker County Chapter Banquet Shep’s, Weatherford (719) 580-3359 tickets.rmef.org

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AUGUST 28-29

TEXAS DEER ASSOCIATION Annual Convention JW Marriott Hill Country Resort, San Antonio (512) 499-0466 texasdeerassociation.com

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For home or office delivery, go to LSONews.com, or call (214) 361-2276, or send a check or money order to the address below. Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 2162-8300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $35 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are $3, in certain markets copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2026 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/ or use of any photographic or written material without written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or email them to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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CCA Star leaderboard Texas Ford Dealers Red Tag Division • Matthew Silvas, Sr., Beeville, TX • Michael King, League City, TX • Conner Stevens, Richmond, TX • Bradley Sutton, San Leon, TX Tags of Texas Division • Alejandro Gonzalez, Bay City, TX • Riley Kutach, Hallettsville, TX • Andres Garcia, Port Arthur, TX • Karem Garza, Le Marque, TX INSHORE DIVISION Sheepshead 1. Ramon Zapata, Baytown, TX, 9 lbs., 15 ozs. 2. Luis Ibarra, Baytown, TX, 9 lbs., 6 ozs. 3. Aaron Serrano Texas City, TX, 7 lbs., 8 ozs. Gafftop 1. Orin Ellis, Jr., Houston, TX, 5 lbs., 15 ozs. 2. Brad Smelley, Livingston, TX, 5 lbs., 12 ozs. 3. John Ivey III, New Braunfels, TX, 5 lbs., 6 ozs. Black drum 1. Roselyn Biano, Sour Lake, TX, 14 lbs., 2 ozs. 2. Drake Jordan, Winnie, TX, 13 lbs., 5 ozs. 3. Mitchell Donaldson, Canada, 13 lbs., 2 ozs. HOFFPAUIR OFFSHORE DIVISION Kingfish 1. Daniel Rowe, Corpus Christi, TX, 43 lbs., 5 ozs. 2. Vincent Oliver, Rio Medina, TX, 34 lbs., 14 ozs.

Bradley Sutton of San Leon, TX, caught his tagged red of a lifetime in Campbell Bayou near Texas City. Photo from CCA STAR.

Red snapper 1. Robert Bage, Baytown, TX, 22 lbs., 0 ozs. 2. Liz Christensen, Galveston, TX, 21 lbs., 10 ozs. 3. David Kohlhofer, Beaumont, TX, 21 lbs., 6 ozs. STAR KIDS SCHOLARSHIP DIVISION Sheepshead 1. Faith Lavender, 6, Alvin, TX, 5 lbs., 11 ozs.

Dorado 1. Tate Schuster, McAllen, TX, 41 lbs., 10 ozs. 2. Reid Jones, Bandera, TX, 37 lbs. 0 ozs. 3. Derrick Jasek, Fayetteville, TX, 35 lbs., 9 ozs. Ling 1. Ruben Hinojosa, Jr., Mission, TX, 68 lbs., 6 ozs. 2. Chase Starling, El Campo, TX, 64 lbs., 2 ozs. 3. Katelyn Stone, Bay City, TX, 57 lbs., 0 ozs.

Gafftop 1. Jake Tortorice, 17, Sour Lake, TX, 6 lbs., 0 ozs. STAR TEENS SCHOLARSHIP DIVISION Sheepshead 1. Zoey DuBois, 17, Montgomery, LA, 8 lbs., 14 ozs.

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