DEER hunting ANNUAL INSIDE October 11, 2024
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Deer HUNTING
texas ANNUAL 2 024
He’s getting ready,
are you?
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Volume 21, Issue 4
Archery season off and running Brian King caught this 43-pound flathead catfish on Sam Rayburn Reservoir on a live bream. Photo by Blake Oestreich.
Big cats moving in By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Decreases in air and water temperatures, however slight they seem, have prompted larger catfish to stage in shallower depths. Traditional holes and structures out in deeper water continue to hold plenty of smaller, eating-sized cats. On Lake Tawakoni, Tony Pennebaker said the blue catfish bite has been pretty steady with the recent gradual decrease in temperatures. “I’m targeting eating-sized fish, but we are still catching some fish pushing 30 to 35 pounds on every trip,” Pennebaker said. “A lot of our keeper fish have been in the 8to 15-pound range.” The blue cats have been staging in fairly shallow water that is 10 feet deep or less. Most of the fish have been hanging around standing timber near
Jordan Walker harvested his first whitetail with a bow on a family property in Angelina County. The buck has 152 5/8 inches of antler. Photo from Jordan Walker.
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News The archery season for whitetailed deer commenced Sept. 28, and bow hunters took to their stands with hopes of scoring early season success. Some hunters were in the right place at the right time, and most reported the animals’ body condition appeared to be in great shape. In most areas, morning temper-
atures were mild and comfortable on opening weekend; however, it was a scorcher during the afternoons. Some hunters encountered little to no deer activity with the warm temperatures and lush pasture conditions that provided an abundance of food sources. Others found themselves in the right place at the right time and were able to let an arrow fly. Colten Walla harvested a mature 10-point buck on his in-law’s
property in Montgomery County on opening morning. Walla said he had been watching the deer for two years on trail cameras, and that the buck came into his setup following a doe. “He came in pushing a doe around right at legal shooting light,” Walla said. “He was pretty spooky and kept moving in and out of bow range. I actually drew my bow three different times before I was able to get a shot off.”
Walla said he was finally able to stop the buck at about 27 yards. “He was slightly quartering away and I knew this was my chance,” Walla said. “I took the shot, and then watched him run and crash into the brush about 70 yards away from where my arrow hit him right behind his shoulder.” Walla said all of the deer he encountered on opening weekend in Montgomery County seemed
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Fun in schools Sand trout, Spanish mackerel hitting By Tony Vindell
Spanish mackerel, sand trout and whiting are active in South Padre Island jetties and bays. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Bay fishing out of South Padre Island was as good as it gets. For head boat operators, the daily 4-hour trips for whiting and sand trout provided plenty of fish, and added new culprits caught off the jetties in this part of the Texas Gulf Coast. Spanish mackerel readily consumed freshly caught shrimp. During several days as the
Please turn to page 9 Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 22 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 26 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 26
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calendar approached October, dozens of the feisty silvery-colored fish were caught, although the number of sand trout surpassed their counterparts by almost 10 to 1. “We caught some 450 fish in one trip,” said deckhand Cesar Garza, referring to the 20plus anglers on the Hard Bottom head boat. “It was a great day of fishing.” Days later, another 20-plus men and women caught more than 400 fish, and the trip stopped after just 3 hours of fishing. There were mackerel, sand trout and some whiting. Was it a normal fishing day or a special day? Anglers, such as Roberto Garcia, of
HUNTING
FISHING
Pronghorn surprise (P. 4)
Night bass under lights (P. 8)
Hartley County numbers down.
Lights bring in baitfish, bass closeby.
Lab Macy makes HOF (P. 4)
Fly-fishing tripletail (P. 8)
Dog owners’ decades-long journey.
Found near crab pot bouys, floating debris.