Cherokee Athletic Booster Club Skeet Shoot

This Saturday, September 5, The Athletic Booster Club will be hosting a Skeet Shoot and BBQ Meal. The entry fee and meal will be done on a donation basis, but early sign up would be appreciated.
You can sign up by calling the feed store 325.622.4004 or coming by the feed store.
The shoot will take place at the property of Jason Randolph and will begin at 11:00. Prizes will be given to the top three shooters.
If you have any question please contact
Corby Davis (512)944.4908.
Those of you who have frequent out-town
Hunters, please forward this info to them ASAP.

Agriculture and Green Industry Experts, LLC.
Cherokee Feed & Fertilizer
PO BOX 157
Cherokee, Texas 76832
325.622.4004 (office)
512.944.4906 (cell)
512.532.6313 (fax)

Some of my fondest memories are of attending Turkey Shoots and other shooting events in the Texas Hill Country. If you get a chance to attend any of the small town shooting events don't pass up the opportunity. Most of the time the food alone is worth the trip.

Have a great time, Wild Ed

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Cherokee Texas Archery Club Forming

Come join the newly formed Cherokee Archery Club. The membership fees are as follows:

Individual $25
Family $30

The membership is good for one year. You can sign up at the feed store in Cherokee, Texas. If you have any questions just go by the feed store and talk with Corby.

Have a great season guys, Wild Ed

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Texas Dove Season Right Around the Corner

I spent many years shooting competitive Sporting Clays and also as a National Sporting Clays Association Level II gunning instructor teaching others to hit more targets. I have helped lots of shooters to improve their shooting skills. In this article I want to give you some tips to make you a better wing shot and to help you have more fun in the field. Dove hunts in Texas are often a social event and a chance to be among friends. It is always more fun if you can out shoot your buddies. Here are a few ways that you can help you drop more doves with fewer shells fired.

1. Practice: Do not just go out and blast away, have someone that is a better shooter than you watch your style and help you along. A professional lesson or two are well worth the investment. If you have no one to help you get a good video or book to help you along. Practice your mount in front of a mirror until you become smooth and fluid. Always remember speed is not fast, smooth is fast.

2. Focus: Learn to focus on the eye of the bird or front of the target. Too many people focus on the whole target or on bird’s tails as they are easily seen. Have you ever shot at a bird and it leaves a trail of floating tail feathers. I wonder why? Focus on the head or eye of the bird; I have had people call me when they see a dove blink for the first time. It will happen if you focus on the eyes and you will be amazed as your bird count goes up.

3. Mount on the target or just in front: Many people practice the old style of pass through shooting where they come from behind the target and try to brush it out of the sky. No one with this method wins major competitions anymore. Your shot string is approximately six foot long, if the first pellet in the string goes behind the target guess where the rest of them go? If half of the shot string goes in front of the target you still get a kill. What does all this mean? It means you should always mount in front of the target and never get behind it in your swing and follow through. Shoot to miss in front of the bird and watch the doves hit the ground.

4. Move, Mount, Shoot: This phrase should be engraved in your mind. Move with the flight of the bird. This means move the gun with the flight of the bird in the ready to mount position (NOT MOUNTED) when the bird reaches the area where you wish to shoot simply mount the gun on the front of the target pull out in front of the target and pull the trigger. I see hunters every year that spot a dove coming in from a long way off and mount the gun and track the bird, shoot and miss. Yet when someone yells BIRD and they look up, see the bird and shoot, they crush it. If you track the bird you will almost always try to aim and miss the bird.

5. Do Not Aim: The bead on a shotgun is not to aim with unless you hunt turkeys or shoot slugs. Compare it to the hood ornament on a car; it is simply there for your subconscious to know you are on target. Focus only on the target so you can swing smoothly and stay in front of the target. If you feel like your swing is jerky in movement it means you are changing focus from the target to the front bead and back to the target. A shotgun swing is not jerky only your focus back and forth. This is one of the most important tips I can give you. Consider the shotgun bead the miss me bead and stay focused on the bird.

All of the above tips will help you be a better shot but there are also other tools and methods that you can use to bring the dove in closer to you and that will help you get more shots at those flighty dove.

Clothing: White or bright clothing is definitely out as it will scare the birds. Camo or dark earth tones that will match the terrain you are hunting in. As it is super hot this time of year remember to keep the clothing light in weight for coolness. Put on a good insect repellent as ticks and chiggers are out in force this time of year.

Decoys: I often carry a few plastic decoys that clip on to tree limbs or barbwire fences. It is amazing how many dove coming down a field will fly by and check the decoys. The new decoys with the moving wings are very effective in drawing dove within range.

Eye Wear: During the early and late shooting hours I like to wear amber shooting lenses as the contrast gives me better target acquisition. During the bright part of the day I wear brown, green or smoke lens colors to kill the glare.

Choke Choice: Unless you are shooting high flying pass over doves you should leave the modified and full chokes in the case. Improved cylinder will help most hunters increase the number of birds in the game bag. If I am sitting at a tank or a feeding area I will shoot a skeet or cylinder choke for the more open pattern.

Shot size: I carry two sizes with me to change the density and distance. I mostly shoot 8 shot as it has good distance and a dense pattern without many holes. If I need to extend my distance just a bit I will use 7 ½ shot. The pattern has a few more holes in it but it will get me another 10 yards of kill distance.

Barrel length: I am a fan of longer shotgun barrels as I find it is harder to mess up a good swing and follow through with a long barrel. A short barrel tends to increase poking or spot shooting. Remember to insert the barrel in front of the bird pull out and shoot while keeping the gun moving until the target falls. Follow through is very important and hard to maintain with short barrels.

Hydration: The temperatures this time of year can be extremely hot so drink lots of water or sport drinks. Keep the alcoholic beverages locked away until after the guns are cased for the day. Don’t forget to keep fluids in your canine buddy as dogs can get heat stressed easily this time of year.


Above all be safe and have a great hunt.

Good Shooting, Wild Ed

Dove Hunting Zones in Texas

North Zone
That portion of the state north of a line beginning at the International Bridge south of Fort Hancock; thence north along FM 1088 to State Highway 20; thence west along State Highway 20 to State Highway 148; thence north along State Highway 148 to Interstate Highway 10 at Fort Hancock; thence east along Interstate Highway 10 to Interstate Highway 20; thence northeast along Interstate Highway 20 to Interstate Highway 30 at Fort Worth; thence northeast along Interstate Highway 30 to the Texas-Arkansas state line.

Central Zone
That portion of the state between the North Zone and the South Zone.

South Zone
That portion of the state south of a line beginning at the International Toll Bridge in Del Rio; thence northeast along U.S. Highway 277 Spur to U.S. Highway 90 in Del Rio; thence east along U.S. Highway 90 to State Loop 1604; thence following Loop 1604 south and east, then north, to Interstate Highway 10; thence east along Interstate Highway 10 to the Texas-Louisiana Line.
Special white-winged dove area
That portion of the state south and west of a line beginning at the International Toll Bridge in Del Rio; thence northeast along U.S. Highway 277 Spur to U.S. Highway 90 in Del Rio, thence east along U.S. Highway 90 to State Loop 1604 in Bexar County; thence south and east along Loop 1604 to Interstate Highway 35; thence south along IH 35 to State Highway 44; thence east along State Highway 44 to State Highway 16 at Freer; thence south along State Highway 16 to FM 649 at Randado; thence south along FM 649 to FM 2686; thence east along FM 2686 to FM 1017 at La Gloria; thence east along FM 1017 to State Highway 186 at Linn; thence east along State Highway 186 to the Mansfield Channel at Port Mansfield; thence east along the Mansfield Channel to the Gulf of Mexico.

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Texas Style Jug Lining for Catfish

Frank Sansalone, a member of a bowhunting forum to which we both belong is our guest sportsman this week; with a story about Jug-lining for catfish on Texas Rivers and Lakes. It has been many years since I ran some jug lines but I want to get out and do it soon. Maybe Frank will take me some time. I hope you enjoy Frank’s story. Good fishing, Wild Ed


I've been after catfish most of this summer. It's been my latest project. I started on the rivers nearby and learned how to catch Channel Cats. I have fished with some trophy cat fishermen a few times who taught me a lot. Lately I've been running jug lines in the Guadalupe River below Mcqueeny and Placid and am really getting good at it. I've caught a 14 pound Flathead and a few Blue Cats around 20 pounds.I started fishing Lake Travis and getting into bigger fish. My jugs are now fitted with 200 pound fluorocarbon mono that I got dirt cheap in the bargain cave at Cabela’s. Travis has lots of catfish in there. Last night I went out in my kayak. I already have a freezer full of fish so I had 12 big jugs set up with huge 10/0 circle hooks, 200 pound line and 4 pound weights. In the bait well I had 15 live hand sized perch and some huge 7 or 8 inch goldfish I got at a bait store on the way out. I used my motor to get to a wind blown point that is covered with freshwater muscles. I set out the jugs along the point in 12 to 18 foot of water. It was calm so I made good time. I was done by 9:30 pm so I decided to rod and reel fish with some cut shad. By 11 pm the wind started picking up so I reeled in the lines and headed to the jugs. They were not where I left them. Most of the fun with jug lines and a kayak is chasing the fish down. I pulled 6 jugs in and landed 3 fish. A 6 pound blue, a small Flathead and a real nice 24 lb blue cat.
About this time the wind picked up like crazy. I couldn't paddle around so I retreated into some flooded timber. I paddled across from the jugs and then would paddle real hard into the wind and pick them up. I retrieved two more jugs like that but it was getting even worse. Back in the timber I paddled across to another jug and then sat in the dark a while waiting on the wind to die. I was bored so I hit the light to see it again and it was gone. I spotted it way on my left. The big jugs have a 4 pound pipe that holds them in place. This fish towed it away. I paddled across from it once again and decided to go for it. I paddled hard into the wind and caught up to it. When I pulled on the line I felt a slow huge head shake like big sharks do. I was taking in water as wave caps crashed over my yak. I pulled the monster to the surface. It was a huge Flathead around 60 pounds. His head looked to be as wide as my shoulders, just huge. I couldn't get him in and the yak was over ankle deep in water. I let go and paddled to shore. I dumped all the gear and went back after him. Last time the fish was on the wind side of the yak so when I pulled, it tilted the hull and water was getting in. This time I was going to pull him up with the wind at my back so when the yak tilted it would be higher and not take in so much water, big mistake. I almost flipped the yak when he made a run. I decided it's just not worth it so I pulled him up and said goodbye as I cut him loose. What an awesome fish!!!
My problems were not over. I retrieved my gear and jugs and had to track and cut the wind all the way back to the truck because my motor broke. It took 2 hours to get back. In all I paddled almost non stop for 4 hours. I submerged everything in the yak, my camera, wallet, and lots of gear. I have an SD card with lots of cool pics I hope to salvage. I won’t be lake fishing in my yak again. There were some cool falling stars all night long...it was a good trip over all. Frank

Here is a neat video on making catfish jugs. You may wish to scroll to the bottom of the page and pause the music on the playlist before playing the video.

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Texas Hunting-Fishing License on Sale August 15TH

A reminder to Texas hunters and fisherman that Texas hunting and fishing licenses for 2009-2010 season go on sale August 15th. Remember that all licenses except the year to date fishing license will expire on August 31st. The best deal is the Super Combo which includes hunting, fishing and all the state stamps required to hunt and fish in Texas. The super combo costs $68.00 this year. Be sure and request HIP certification if you plan on hunting migratory birds of any type. Hunter Education Certification is also required of any hunter born on or after Sept. 2, 1971 and who is at least 17 years old.
There are quite a few changes in the laws and regulations this year so be sure and pickup a copy of the TPWD Outdoor Annual which has most anything you need to know about seasons, laws and regulations for hunting and fishing in Texas. They are available anywhere license are sold.
Be legal and have a safe season, Wild Ed


Here is what's new for 2009-2010

Hunting and Fishing Regulations:

License & Registration Fees
Hunting and fishing licenses for the 2009-2010 license year go on sale August 15, 2009. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has approved increases to license fees. Most fees will increase by five percent. New prices for the most popular items are listed below:
Resident hunting license, $25. Senior and youth hunting licenses, $7.
Non-resident hunting license, $315.
Resident freshwater fishing package, $30. Senior freshwater package $12.
Resident saltwater fishing package, $35. Senior saltwater package, $17.
Non-resident freshwater package, $58.
Non-resident saltwater package, $63.
One-day all-water fishing license, $11 for residents, $16 for non-residents.
Super Combo all-inclusive hunting and fishing license, $68. Senior Super Combo, $32.
Lifetime hunting or fishing license, $1,000; lifetime combination license, $1,800.
Fishing Guide License
Fresh water only: $132 (resident or non-resident)
All water: $210 Texas resident; $1,050 non-resident
Guides who utilize paddle craft (canoes, kayaks) in salt water will have a new option: the All-Water Paddle Craft Guide License. A person may qualify for this license by completing an approved series of kayak training courses, along with CPR/First Aid and a TPWD boater safety course. A Paddle Craft guide who does not utilize motorized vessels is not required to have a U.S. Coast Guard Operator's License.
Fishing Regulations
These changes take effect September 1, 2009.
Salt water
For flounder, the recreational daily bag limit will decrease from 10 to 5 fish, and the commercial bag limit from 60 to 30 fish. During the month of November, hook and line anglers will be permitted to take 2 flounder per day, with take by all other gear prohibited. Possession limit cannot exceed the daily bag limit. These new regulations represent an attempt to reverse a long-term downward trend in the abundance of southern flounder.
For sharks:
The minimum total length for most species will increase from 24 inches to 64 inches. However, the minimum for Atlantic sharpnose, Blacktip and Bonnethead sharks will remain at 24 inches total length.
A prohibited list (zero bag limit) will be established for the following 21 species: Atlantic angel, Basking, Bigeye sand tiger, Bigeye sixgill, Bigeye thresher, Bignose, Caribbean reef, Caribbean sharpnose, Dusky, Galapagos, Longfin mako, Narrowtooth, Night, Sandbar, Sand tiger, Sevengill, Silky, Sixgill, Smalltail, Whale, and White.
For allowable shark species, the bag limit will remain one shark per person per day, with a two shark possession limit.
Limits will change for the following species, with possession limit set at twice the daily bag limit:
For greater amberjack, the minimum total length will change from 32 inches to 34 inches.
Gray triggerfish will have a minimum total length of 16 inches and a daily bag limit of 20 fish per person.
Gag grouper will have a minimum total length of 22 inches and a daily bag limit of 2 fish per person.
Fresh water
For alligator gar, a new bag limit of one fish per day goes into effect September 1. The bag limit will apply to both recreational and commercial fishing. Read news release
Lakes Lewisville (Denton County), Richland Chambers (Navarro and Freestone Counties), and Waco (McLennan County) will have a 30- to 45-inch slot limit for blue catfish. Daily bag for channel and blue catfish will remain 25 fish per day, but only one blue catfish over 45 inches may be retained. No harvest of blue catfish between 30 and 45 inches will be allowed.
On Ray Roberts Lake (Cooke, Denton, and Grayson Counties), there is no longer a slot limit for largemouth bass. Anglers must comply with the statewide minimum of 14 inches, and may retain up to five bass per day.
On Lake Texoma:
The daily bag limit on blue and channel catfish is still 15 fish. However, as of September 1, only one blue catfish 30 inches or longer may be retained.
During May, taking alligator gar is prohibited in the portion of the lake that lies within the boundaries of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and from the U.S. 377 bridge (Willis Bridge) upstream to the IH 35 bridge.
Hunting Regulations
These changes take effect September 1, 2009.
Panhandle counties that had the special short season for white-tailed deer now get the full north Texas season, the first Saturday in November through the first Sunday in January. Those counties are: Dallam, Hartley, Moore, Oldham, Potter, and Sherman. Dawson, Deaf Smith, and Martin counties, which had no open season on whitetailed deer, now get the regular open season.
52 counties are added to the list of counties with antler restrictions.
New crossbow rules approved. Crossbows are now allowed for use by all hunters during the archery-only season, except in Grayson County. Grayson retains the old restriction to persons with an upper-limb disability during the archery season. See News Release
Laser sighting devices approved for hunters with a disability making it impossible to use conventional sighting devices. Remember that if the head and the carcass of a deer are separated, the tag goes with the carcass and the head must be accompanied by a Wildlife Resource Document.

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A Good Country Song or Two

If you ever felt like Untanglin' your mind you will like this Old Clint Black Song






Wolves by Garth Brooks

Hunting the Old Way

I pulled the back trigger of the double set until it audibly clicked setting the front to a hair trigger. Taking aim with the iron sights down the long barrel, I moved my finger to the front trigger of the rifle. The iron sights settled on the head of the fox squirrel hiding on top of a pecan limb forty feet up in the tree. I barely touched the front trigger and heard the crack of the rifle. A cloud of white smoke shot out the barrel hiding the squirrel from view and then drifted downwind as the squirrel made a few last kicks in the leaves where he had dropped down from the limb at the shot. I poured powder from a horn worn on my shoulder, centered a round ball on the patch at the muzzle and pushed it part way into the barrel. Drawing the long ramrod from its place under the rifle barrel I rammed the ball down on top of the powder charge. Setting the hammer to half cock I placed a percussion cap on the nipple of the rifle lock. It took me a couple of minutes to reload, but now the rifle was ready to continue on my hunt. It could have been a scene from the early 1800s as the rifle I was using was a copy of a black powder Southern Mountain Long Rifle used by early settlers of the southern mountain ranges of the new frontier. In a morning of hunting I took three squirrels with four shots and had a great time. What a change in the method and speed in which my morning hunt took place from my usual style of hunting. Using the old style gun had slowed the pace and made every shot more challenging. I made a real effort to make each shot good, as reloading would take a couple of minutes with the muzzleloader and second shots on the same squirrel would be few and far between. Normally I would hunt squirrels with a modern .22 caliber rifle with a high power scope and take a larger bag limit in a lot less time. I believe I now enjoy the old ways better and will spend more time in the woods with a black powder firearm. I even think the game taken in this way tastes better or maybe I am just more proud of the game I take with the old style guns.
If you would like to try shooting one of the old type guns there are many companies out there making replicas of the old guns and quite a few gun builders building custom rifles in the old styles. They are available in flintlock or percussion ignition. Many of these are not only accurate firearms but also works of art. Check out Track of the Wolf at the following link to take a look at some of these works of art.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(1pdpobys3m5wqs2b2wgwftn2))/Index.aspx

Cabelas and Bass Pro have some of the replicas advertised in the pages of their catalogs that they will send you upon request.

http://www.cabelas.com/home.jsp;jsessionid=XVYHVTTQQXUHTLAQBBJSCNVMCAEFIIWE?_requestid=128105

http://www.basspro.com/homepage.html?CMID=&cm_mmc=&cm_guid=&hvarAID=&hvarEID=&cm_ven=&cm_cat=&cm_pla=&cm_ite=

Here is a link to a forum with a bunch of people that can help you learn more about muzzleloading and all that goes with it. Feel free to drop in an look around.

http://traditionalmuzzleloadingcheap.com/forum/index.php

Shooting and hunting with the old black powder guns is truly a step back in time. You can become Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett or The Long Carbine of Last of the Mohicans. No matter your age no one but you will know who you are when you step back in time.

Enjoy the trip, Wild Ed

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A Place to Hunt in Texas

Texas Parks and Wildlife has set up a new online site with the purpose of bringing private landowners and hunters together. I hear from lots of hunters that can not find a place to hunt every year. On the other side of the coin are landowners that have hunting available and not many ways to get that information out to the hunters around the State. Many landowners only advertise locally which leaves out the rest of the hunters that don’t get the local publications. TPWD is providing a place for landowners to post what they have available and all pertinent contact information. Hunters may browse through and contact those landowners and outfitters that spike their curiosity. Here is the link to the listings: https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/planning/hunt_lease/

Remember these are private lands and owners, they have not been checked out by TPWD so it is up to you to do your own homework. This service is intended only to bring hunters and landowners together; it is however another service you can use to find your own place to hunt. Good hunting, Wild Ed

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New Texas Hunting and Fishing License Fees

Texas new hunting and fishing license go on sale August 15th Statewide. Be sure and get your new license before hitting the field and waters for the new season. Don't forget to check the new regulations manual as there are some changes. You can pick them up anywhere license are sold or at TPWD offices.
Have a great season, Wild Ed



What's New for 2009-2010
License & Registration Fees:


Hunting and fishing licenses for the 2009-2010 license year go on sale August 15, 2009. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has approved increases to license fees. Most fees will increase by five percent. New prices for the most popular items are listed below:
Resident hunting license, $25. Senior and youth hunting licenses, $7.
Non-resident hunting license, $315.
Resident freshwater fishing package, $30. Senior freshwater package $12.
Resident saltwater fishing package, $35. Senior saltwater package, $17.
Non-resident freshwater package, $58.
Non-resident saltwater package, $63.
One-day all-water fishing license, $11 for residents, $16 for non-residents.
Super Combo all-inclusive hunting and fishing license, $68. Senior Super Combo, $32.
Lifetime hunting or fishing license, $1,000; lifetime combination license, $1,800.

















Poachers are stealing from you! Help stop to illegal hunting and fishing in Texas. If you have information which will assist game wardens in apprehending persons who are violating the hunting and fishing regulations of this state, Operation Game Thief needs your help! Call immediately! Dial toll-free, 1-800-792-GAME (4263), any time, day or night and provide the following information to the Texas Parks and Wildlife police communications officer:
the nature of the violation
the location of the violation
the name and/or description of the violator
a description of any vehicle or boat involved in the violation
any other important information which will assist in apprehending the violatorIf you wish to remain anonymous, a code number will be assigned to you. You do not have to give your name if you do not want to. The more information you can provide at the earliest opportunity will increase the probability of and arrest and conviction. Report illegal hunting and fishing – call 1-800-792-GAME (4263). "This information will not be used for any purpose other than to attempt to apprehend the offender being reported."
"If this violation is currently in progress,please call 800 792-4263 (GAME) immediately."

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