Here’s what’s worth reading today, Friday, June 7, 2019:
Trophy hunting: Killing animals to save the species? Social media has brought fresh scrutiny to the centuries-old practice of trophy hunting. At a time when U.N. experts warn 1 million species face risk of extinction, and threats such as human encroachment, poaching, and climate change are mounting, the global conservation community is grappling with the role of trophy hunting in wildlife management. Trophy hunting advocates say that contrary to what you might think, their activities actually help ensure the long-term survival of species. “Unfortunately there’s a mischaracterization of what hunters do and hunters support,” Corey Mason, executive director of the pro-hunting organization the Dallas Safari Club, told CBS News. “I would argue that Dallas Safari Club has funded more conservation projects than probably, you know, most of them combined that are non-hunting or anti-hunting.”
Man infected with skin disease after fishing trip warns others: When Colby Milward got home from a recent fishing trip at Lake Texoma on the border between Oklahoma and Texas, he quickly realized something was not right with his hand. The Oklahoma fisherman said his red, swollen and hot hand made it clear to him he had an infection, but he had no idea how bad it would get. “I went to a local urgent care, confirmed [the] infection and [was] prescribed a five-day dose of…antibiotics,” Milward wrote in a Facebook post.
Excessive heat poses serious threat to Texas anglers, hunters
Rare black-tailed rattlesnake found in Central Texas county for the first time since 1953: Tim Cole, owner of Austin Reptile Service, got a bit of a surprise at the beginning of this week when he encountered a black-tailed rattlesnake in Travis County, the first to be documented in the area since 1953. The snake was found in a gated community near Lake Travis, just outside Austin in Central Texas.
Texas Rangers: Shelby Miller gets fishing lessons from pro angler Jacob Wheeler:Â Watch professional angler Jacob Wheeler, who recently won his first Bass Pro Tour event, take Texas Rangers pitcher Shelby Miller fishing. Then Miller returned the favor and showed Wheeler how to pitch.
Mary Kay Inc. partners with the Nature Conservancy to advance sustainable fishing in Gulf of Mexico: Mary Kay Inc., an international leader in corporate and social responsibility, announced its partnership with The Nature Conservancy to advance sustainable fishing practices in The Gulf of Mexico. The program, named the Texas Fisheries & Coastal Resilience Program, aims to tackle problems like overfishing, habitat damage, and bycatch—the incidental capture of non-target species during commercial fishing.
Good time outdoors can turn dangerous: This week, while camping in Yosemite, I was reminded of just how dangerous a good time outdoors can be. My campsite backs up to the Tuolumne River. Wednesday evening, a father and son decided that they were going to float their kayaks down the river. As I was sitting by the river, I watched the father pass by, and as soon as he passed by I heard screaming up the river. Apparently, the boy’s kayak had flipped, and he was being tossed around by the current. Fortunately, there was a college group of students camped right where the boy flipped his kayak. They immediately came to his rescue.
Group sues Trump administration for issuing fishing permits known to harm sea turtles: An environmental group sued the Trump administration on Thursday for issuing longline fishing permits known to ensnare endangered sea turtles off California’s coast. In its suit, the Center for Biological Diversity charged that by issuing the permits in May, the government violated multiple environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
Minnesota Moment: Fishing in a storm drain: A Stillwater boy showed he didn’t need a river to fish last week, using a storm drain instead. Melissa Kroll Dickhausen got video last Wednesday of Lance fishing in the storm drain, which was backed up due to recent flooding. With his rod and reel, he went to the storm drain on Anderson Street West, and Lance actually got a bite.
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