Daily Texas Outdoor Digest: Wednesday, August 7, 2019

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Here’s what’s worth reading today, Wednesday, August 7, 2019:

From Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Game Warden reports: Oh, Deer, Did You See That? While driving down I-35 near Belton, a caller reached out to let game wardens know he observed two live white-tailed deer fawns in the backseat of a Toyota Prius. The warden got the vehicle information and contacted its owner, who resided in Limestone County, and instructed him to meet at the sheriff’s office and turn over the two deer. Upon arrival, the warden seized the two fawns and noticed one had a hole in its ear due to a missing ear tag. The driver admitted that he worked at a deer breeder facility/ranch in Dimmit County, and that he took both fawns (one from within the breeder facility without a valid permit and the other from outside the facility) without permission from the ranch manager. The warden took the driver into custody for Triple T Violation (Trap/Transport/Transplant Game Animal without permit-Class B Misdemeanor) and Possession of a Live Game Animal. The driver was booked into the Limestone County Jail. Wardens contacted the ranch manager at the breeder facility and received authorization to file additional charges on the subject for taking both deer without landowner consent. Cases are pending.

On the water, be safe and be nice, too: The high-pitched hum of an unseen boat’s wide-open engine somewhere up the narrow bayou grew louder and so did the buzz of alarms in my head. “They can’t be that stupid,” I thought out loud before wariness born of experience instantly overrode incredulity. Yes, the person operating that boat could be that stupid. Or inexperienced, ignorant, impaired or infused with hubris. Most boaters aren’t. But some are. This guy proved to be among the latter. He came blasting down the bayou, a waterway less than 10 yards wide in most places and sprinkled with obstructions, sharp bends and blind curves, where thick forest and foliage further obscured what was ahead.

Incredible aerial footage shows orcas hunting down a dolphin: Whale watchers off the coast of Orange County recently witnessed firsthand the hunting prowess of killer whales when a pod, believed to belong to a population from the Eastern Tropical Pacific that is rarely seen in waters around California, dispatched a dolphin calf after a high-speed chase. Photographer Matt Larmand witnessed the hunt from a Dana Wharf Whale Watching boat and used a drone to capture amazing aerial footage of the action.

Algae in Lady Bird Lake possible cause of death for at least two dogs: The city of Austin is warning pet owners to keep their animals from swimming in and drinking out of Lady Bird Lake. The city is sending out the warning after reports of two dogs dying after swimming in Lady Bird Lake. While the city can’t confirm the dogs’ causes of death, city scientists examined the water after receiving those reports and found an abundance of algae, especially near Red Bud Isle. Nearly 40% of the water around Red Bud Isle is covered in algae, they say. According to the city’s Watershed Protection Department, preliminary tests indicate the algae is a type of blue-green algae. Blue-green algae can release a neurotoxin that is harmful to people and animals. City officials say while Austin waters have had some blue-green algae in the past, they are not aware of any that ever released neurotoxins.

Michael Jordan competing in huge fishing tourney … On ‘Catch 23’ Yacht: The G.O.A.T. is on a boat — Michael Jordan is competing in a massive fishing tournament this week … and he’s doing it in style, on his “Catch 23” yacht!!! Our solid fishing sources (yeah, we’ve got those) tell TMZ Sports … His Airness took his talents to Ocean City, Maryland for the White Marlin Open where he’s facing off against some of the best anglers in the world. FYI — this event is huge and there’s more than $6 million in prize money at stake. The competitors are fishing for everything from white marlin to blue marlin along with tuna, wahoo, dolphin (usually mahi-mahi) and shark. The 56-year-old NBA legend hasn’t had much luck so far — the official stats show his boat has yet to reel in anything. As for the Catch 23 yacht — it’s 80-feet long and decked out in MJs famous elephant print from his Air Jordan 3 sneakers.

Strongest Men VS Strongest Fish: In this episode of BlacktipH, I go fishing with some of the strongest men in the world to try battle one the strongest fish in the world! I invited JujiMufu (fitness freak and social media celebrity), Devon Larratt (World Arm Wrestling Champion and ex-special forces), and Layne Norton (World Champion powerlifter and fitness expert) on a quest to catch some monster Goliath groupers using stand-up tackle. Everyone quickly discovered how difficult it is to catch goliath groupers using stand-up tackle. All three men had very intense battles with these sea monsters!

Men are wearing fishing vests in the city (really): IN “THE FAREWELL,” a recently released film about multiple generations of a Chinese family, an elderly character named Mr. Li shuffles around his apartment wearing a cropped, abundantly pocketed fishing vest over a polo shirt and khakis. The Saturday afternoon I saw the movie in Brooklyn, I wore a nearly identical vest over my T-shirt. Mr. Li is on-screen for maybe five minutes total so we never learn what, if anything, he’s got stuffed in those pockets, but I’d like to believe that he and I could bond over the practicality of such a thoroughly compartmentalized vest. For my trip to the theater, I’d stashed mine with a crossword puzzle, two pens, a camera, my phone, my wallet and a pack of pretzels to smuggle past the attendant (concession prices being what they are). This summer, my vintage vest has basically become a wearable storage locker and it’s in good company. Hoity labels like Gucci and Louis Vuitton offer pricey zip-up vests with prominent pouches. Los Angeles streetwear brands like Stussy and John Elliott market fishing-style vests with a breathable mesh lining or vintage-esque distressing. Even the elegant Australian tailoring specialist Patrick Johnson makes a natty all-navy version in a crisp cotton blend.

Conservation groups seek injunction to stop border wall construction in 3 Arizona preserves: The Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity and two other conservation groups filed for a court injunction Tuesday to halt border-wall construction in three federal preserves in Arizona. The center, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Legal Defense Fund want construction to be blocked in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area until a lawsuit challenging the project can be heard. The three groups filed their motion for a preliminary injunction in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to stop work they claim could begin as early as next week.

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