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Here’s what’s worth reading today, Tuesday, July 2, 2019:
Texas’ Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Lake Fork Top 10 in Bassmaster 100 Best Bass Lakes: Texas remains among the absolute top destinations for bass fishing in these United States, something that Bassmaster Magazine again has recognized, with 10 lakes in the Lone Star State making its annual Top 100 rankings for best bass fisheries in the nation in 2019. Sam Rayburn Reservoir (No. 3 this year and No. 1 last year) and Lake Fork (No. 5) cracked the Top 10 of the Bassmaster list.
A local man is recovering in the hospital from a Vibrio infection:Â A 79-year-old Aransas County man is in the hospital after he came into contact with the deadly flesh-eating bacteria, Vibrio. It happened as the man and his son in law were fishing off Ransom Island in Aransas Pass a little more than a week ago. Since then, Marilyn Jones has been by her husband Daniel’s side, since he was admitted to the hospital. Their daughter says the ordeal started with a cut on her father’s hand.
A Florida woman dies after surgeries to cure her flesh-eating bacteria infection: A woman died two weeks after cutting her leg while walking along the coast on Anna Maria Island, Florida, according to her family. Her leg became infected with necrotizing fasciitis, commonly called flesh-eating bacteria. A life in Florida had long been the dream of Carolyn “Lynn” Fleming, who was originally from Pittsburgh but was most recently a resident of Ellenton, Florida.
Louisiana ups the price per tail for hunting large rodent:Â Louisiana wildlife officials are upping the price they’ll pay hunters who catch a large aquatic rodent known for harming marsh ecosystems. Louisiana’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has increased the bounty from $5 to $6 after fewer Nutrias have been caught than in the past. Nutrias are webbed-toed, buck-toothed rodents that are in between the size of muskrats and beavers.
They’re known for nibbling on tree roots and causing erosion and damage to marshes.
South Dakota poacher gets 12-year hunting ban after killing bear in Routt County: A South Dakota man who was convicted in 2018 of killing and wasting a black bear in Routt County has lost his hunting and fishing privileges for 12 years. Robert Stalley, 58, of Pierre, pleaded guilty in July 2018 in Routt County court to three misdemeanors, including failing to care for the edible portions of the bear, illegal take and illegal possession of the bear. He was ordered to pay a $3,415 fine, serve one year of unsupervised probation and forfeit his rifle. In an agreement with prosecutors, Stalley also received a one-year deferred sentence on a felony charge for the intentional take and abandonment of wildlife.
Mississippi man killed his friend in ‘alligator hunting’ accident, then fled, deputies say: A Mississippi man allegedly told deputies that he was “alligator hunting” when he accidentally shot and killed his friend. Stephen McLaurin, 53, was arrested and has multiple charges pending against him, including second degree — not premeditated — murder, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday. On Friday night, Jones County deputies responded to a call and found the body of a man lying on a closed bridge, just outside Ellisville city limits, authorities said.
La Grande father, son plead guilty to illegal hunting: A man and his father have pleaded guilty to illegal hunting in Eastern Oregon. Oregon State Police say Kyle Bowen pleaded guilty in June to hunting in violation of wildlife laws. He was sentenced to a three-year hunting license suspension, 10 days of jail and 18 months of probation including writing an apology letter to a private landowner. Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division in La Grande found that during the 2018 archery elk season Bowen with his father’s help harvested a trophy class bull elk in the Mount Emily wildlife unit without a proper tag.
Man, wife plead guilty to federal fishing crimes: A man and wife who sold fish for food from their Lincoln home have pleaded guilty to federal charges. Prosecutors say 48-year-old Phong Duong pleaded guilty Friday to conspiring to traffic wildlife. His spouse, 46-year-old Oanh Pham, pleaded guilty to illegally taking, transporting and selling fish. Both are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 20. Prosecutors say that between May 2013 and July 2016, Duong and Pham exceeded the limits on catching fish from the Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge in northern Kansas and other reservoirs. They’d take the fish back home to Nebraska, then clean and bag them at their home in Lincoln before selling the fish.
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