November 8, 2024
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Volume 21, Issue 6
Heavy Halloween buck By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News A lucky ticket had Sidney Junek’s number on it at the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation Wild Game Night in early October, when he won the deer hunt at a Stonewall County ranch. On Oct. 30, he headed to a Managed Lands Deer Program ranch for his prize. The Canyon Lake resident has hunted all his life, including in Africa, but has only taken a few white-tailed deer. After watching does and young bucks the evening before, on Halloween morning it had cooled with a light north wind. After watching some other deer, an old, big-bodied 11-pointer moved the other deer away and hung around for more than an hour. His guide, Lone Star Outdoor News’ founder David Sams, was no stranger to Junek. They had duck hunted together for several years on a Comanche County lease, and they both bird hunted in South Africa this summer. “You know, if I got to shoot that deer, it would be the biggest deer I’ve ever shot,” Junek told his guide. “Well, get your gun out the window and shoot when you’re ready,” Sams replied. An incoming doe got the attention of the buck and he walked within 45 yards of the blind. Junek made a good shot on the buck, which weighed 230 pounds (live weight) and had lots of fat on him. After some time for photos and then gutting and skinning the buck, Junek said it was nice to have some time to relax. “It was finally nice to be out on a cool morning with a little rain in the area — it was in the 50s with a light north wind,” Junek said. “I ended up with a very nice, heavy buck. It was a good day — and I slept really well that night.” On Nov. 1, after watching a few nice bucks from the blind in the morning, he was headed home, planning a stop in New Braunfels at the processor with his venison.
Capt. Chris Elliott caught and released this 7.5-pound speckled trout while wading grass beds with potholes in Baffin Bay. Photo from Chris Elliott.
Late fall on the coast Patterns holding By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News With the lack of frequent cold fronts, and above average air and water temperatures, fall patterns have been somewhat delayed along coastal estuaries and marshes. Tides have been well above normal, and conditions, as well as fish behavior, have resembled those usually experienced a month or so prior. Capt. Chris Phillips has been finding the best concentrations of fish along the edges of the channel in Sabine Pass. He said this pattern has remained relatively the same since the late summer months. “There are some birds working over schools of trout in the mouths of bayous and in Sabine Lake, but most of these fish are very small,” Phillips said. “The most consistent bite has been in the channel, which is really more of a summertime pattern than a fall pattern. Things are definitely running behind this year.” Phillips’ anglers have been catching quite a few trout, along with a few Please turn to page 25
Sidney Junek won a raffle hunt from Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation and, on Halloween at an MLDP ranch, took this 230-pound, 11-point buck. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Duck hunts begin South and High Plains zones open By Craig Nyhus
The South Zone duck opener wasn’t a barn-burner along the coast, but teal were plentiful on inland ponds. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.
South Zone waterfowl hunters opened their season on Nov. 2, and some were pleasantly surprised at the numbers of birds around — especially the teal remaining in prairie rice ponds. Aidan Flores, Delta Waterfowl’s R3 program coordinator, hunted
Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Outdoor Blotter . . . . . . . . Page 12 Grip & Grin . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 20 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 26 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 32 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 32
hunting a few times, but this was her first time shooting a shotgun and bird hunting.” McPhaul took to the new hunting experience like a duck to water. “It was a blast, and I’ll be back in the marsh soon to chase some more ducks,” she said. Teal were still around for hunters in the coastal prairies. At the Pintail Hunting Club in Garwood, the hunters had limits of bluewings, along with a few shovelers, pintail and wigeon. Please turn to page 18
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
Lone Star Outdoor News
saltwater near Port Aransas. “It was slow on opening morning but it was good for redheads,” he said. “With some good scouting and patience we were able to harvest a few early-migrating redheads and pintail in the Texas heat. The birds are starting to trickle in and the next front should push us a fair number of birds.” Flores took out a first-time duck hunter, Haley McPhaul. “She shot two redheads,” Flores said. “She said she had been deer
HUNTING
FISHING
Skipping school to hunt (P. 4)
Wading at 8 (P. 8)
Youngster bags first buck.
Girl lands two reds.
Deer season arrives (P. 17)
Book celebrates fishing life (P. 9)
Towns celebrate opener with events.
From minnow sales to world traveler.