October 25, 2024
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Volume 21, Issue 5
Changing pattern emerging along the coast Mitzi Harvey caught this trout on a soft plastic while drifting in East Matagorda Bay. Photo by Capt. Glenn Ging.
Is it finally fall? By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News It’s been a rather warm start to the fall season along the Texas coast, with the arrival of cold fronts having been few and far between. Water temperatures
have just recently started to dip but fall fishing patterns are slowly gaining momentum. Capt. Glenn Ging said the speckled trout bite has been fairly steady in East Matagorda Bay while drift-fishing along the edges of mid-bay reefs in stretches with 5-6 feet of water. “Most of the trout have been in the
18-20 inch range, with a few larger ones mixed in, and they have been holding tight to the bottom,” Ging said. “Light-colored soft plastics rigged on a 1/4-ounce jig head have been producing the most strikes.” The fish have not been concentrated in one area, and Ging has been making long drifts to consistently catch Please turn to page 9
Memorable main frame eight By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Hunter Hortenstine watched this buck walk away on the first evening he saw him, but he returned the next afternoon. Photo by Hunter Hortenstine.
The definition of a trophy buck is different for every hunter. There are a ton of impressive deer across the state, and some might argue that 8-point main frame bucks don’t get the attention they deserve, as many folks are in pursuit of a deer sporting more tines. However, there is still a population of deer hunters that truly appreciate a large, mature buck. Hunter Hortenstine is one of those and recently his goal of harvesting one came true when he was able to get a shot at a 7-year-old buck on his family’s low fence ranch in Shackelford County. The deer scored a little more than 150 inches, which many consider the pinnacle of a nice buck in Texas. “This deer was extremely special to me,” Hortenstine said. “A 150-class 8-pointer just doesn’t come around often.” Hortenstine was hunting from a rifle blind with his longtime buddy, Lane Reed, when he first encountered the buck. His family’s ranch is a part of the Managed Lands Deer Program, which allows deer on the property to be harvested by any legal means, starting with the opening day of archery season. “The first evening I hunted for him, I went with the goal of just laying eyes on him,” Hortenstine said. “I took a bunch of pictures of him and really studied him to make sure I had his age right. By the Please turn to page 21
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Promising outlook for waterfowlers If the success of Texas waterfowl hunters who travel north is any indication, hunters, especially snow goose hunters, could have a good season when the birds arrive. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists indicated that the May duck population survey yielded
positive results for the first time in years. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service May Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey revealed the total number of ducks increased 5 percent from the previous year and multiple key species showed notable gains. Mallards were up 8 percent, American wigeon 55 percent, green-winged
teal 20 percent and scaup 16 percent. Conditions in the breeding grounds also improved significantly due to consistent rainfall in June and July. “As a result of these factors, we anticipate the best duck production in many years,” said Kevin Kraai, waterfowl program leader. “Hunting success typically improves when there are plentiful
It may be later in the duck season, but hunters hope the mallards make it to Texas in good numbers. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Please turn to page 13 Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . Page 12 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 23 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 24 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 24
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
Lone Star Outdoor News
HUNTING
FISHING
Big bull (P. 4)
Hybrids schooling early (P. 8)
Stalk after elk bugles.
Bite picking up
Friends and prairie chickens (P. 4)
Low but productive (P. 8)
Bringing back the past.
Choke Canyon crappie grouped up.