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Here’s what’s worth reading today, Thursday, February 27, 2020:
Hunter shoots, kills another man on Llano County ranch: The man who died while out hunting on Sunday evening was shot by the other hunter who was with him, according to the Llano County Sheriff’s Office. According to the sheriff’s office, Llano County Dispatch got a 911 call a little after 7:30 p.m. Sunday saying that the hunter had been shot on land near County Road 306. Llano County District Attorney Sonny McAfee says the men were hunting hogs on private land. LCSO Chief Deputy John Neff told KXAN Tuesday the hunters were legally on the ranch and there were no Texas Parks and Wildlife violations involved. First responders found them just before 8 p.m. At that time, the sheriff’s office says the hunter was already dead. Neff said the medical examiner performed an autopsy Tuesday.
Texas angler catches bizarre creature while fishing, recognizes it as dangerous: A woman in Texas made a bizarre catch while pier fishing in Port Isabel. Fortunately, she didn’t touch the creature as doing so could have left her in pain for hours. Alyssa Ramirez said she initially thought a piece of seaweed had become entangled in her line. Then she said she saw it start squirming and realized that it was a living creature. “My mom and I looked at each other like, ‘What is that?’” Ramirez told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. “I laughed because that was definitely not a fish.” According to USA Today, Texas Parks and Wildlife identified the creature from a video sent to them by Ramirez: It was a bearded fireworm. These animals are capable of injecting a powerful neurotoxin from its bristles. This can cause a burning pain that can reportedly last for hours.
Orfordville man finds antlers that may belong to Wisconsin’s highest-scoring buck: Hunting for shed deer antlers has been a ritual for Nathan Olsen each winter since he began hunting more than 20 years ago. The 33-year-old Orfordville man stumbled upon the find of a lifetime Feb. 1: not one, but two sets of gigantic antlers belonging to a pair of bucks that fought, got their antlers tangled and eventually died together. One of the deer, a 23-point buck with a 17½-inch spread, could be the highest-scoring buck ever recorded in Wisconsin. “Everything that’s happened in the last month, I don’t even know the words to say,” Olsen said. “It’s put a smile on my face, and I still can’t believe it.” The current record-holder is a 30-point Buffalo County buck killed in 1973 that scored 253. A representative from the Wisconsin Buck & Bear Club came out to see Olsen’s shed and felt confident after preliminary measurements that his buck would set a new record.
Ryan Newman shares ‘therapy’ fishing photo as he recovers from Daytona 500 crash: Ryan Newman shared a photo from a fishing trip he took recently while he recovers from his crash during the final lap of the Daytona 500. “Got a little therapy in yesterday,” Newman wrote in the post showing him holding a fish. Roush Fenway Racing said that Newman is being treated for a head injury but has no internal injuries. A statement from the driver says he’s grateful and humbled by all the support he’s received from across the country. The president of Roush Fenway Racing, Steve Newmark, says, “We don’t have a timetable for Ryan’s return,” and that Newman “has some other hoops he needs to jump through.”
TPWD seeking public input on freshwater fishing regulation proposals for 2020-2021: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is now accepting public comment on proposed changes to freshwater fishing regulations for 2020-2021. The proposed changes include modifying harvest regulations and gear restrictions at five water bodies located in Cooke, Williamson, Tom Green, Grayson and Starr/Zapata counties. TPWD will be taking public comment on the following proposed changes to the 2020-2021 Statewide Recreational and Commercial Fishing Proclamation, with input to be considered before any action by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its March 26 public hearing.
Home video captures mountain lion attack on raccoon in California family’s backyard: A Tarzana family was startled by the sight of nature intruding into their backyard, as a collared mountain lion attacked a raccoon only feet from their window. The family’s shocked reaction, screaming at the big cat, may have saved the would-be prey’s life. The mountain lion burst through the family’s back gate, raccoon in his mouth, about 1:30 a.m. Guy Elhanani’s surveillance camera captured the attack. “I see a big mountain lion holding some animal, I can tell it’s a raccoon. The mountain lion was really, really big!” Elhanani said. The raccoon was screeching as it struggled to get away. The noise from the ruckus caused the entire family to wake up and see what caused the commotion.
Chaperone identified in search and recovery of missing boaters on Pickwick Lake: Three missing boaters on Pickwick Lake have been identified as 43-year-old Kenneth Driver and two 15-year-old boys, according to TWRA. The search operation for Driver and the boys began over the weekend when they were last seen on a camera above Pickwick Dam. Due to extensive damage to the boat found Monday morning and other factors including water flow, temperature, and air temperature have led TWRA to transition to a recovery mission. The boaters were seen going through the floodgates at Pickwick Dam on Saturday in a 20-foot bass boat. The three were reported missing after they failed to return from an Obion County club bass tournament.
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