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Here’s what’s worth reading today, Monday, January 20, 2020:
Texas can’t quit the aoudad: Allen Smith decided long ago what to do about the aoudads that wander onto his family’s land. “The first four I saw, I shot,” he tells me. From 5,000 feet up, in Smith’s Cessna Skymaster, the choices other Texans have made for their land roll out below — the network of oil and gas wells, the reflective surfaces of solar farms, the sleepaway camps, rodeo arenas, and dried-up, gutter-like creek beds. Smith’s family acreage, once dedicated to cattle, is now a refuge for native wildlife. From this perch in the sky, only movement would distinguish the tawny body of an aoudad from its desert habitat. Fringed in long hair from throat to chest, aoudads travel in a massive herd called an anger and scale steep cliffsides with surprising agility and speed. Their curved horns can easily exceed two feet in length.
Texas Trophy Hunters Association enters acquisition agreement with Safari Club International: Safari Club International has announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase Texas Trophy Hunters Association. The acquisition is expected to close at the SCI Convention in Reno, Nevada next month. Founded in 1975, TTHA will celebrate its 45th anniversary this year as the state’s leading organization in promoting, protecting and preserving the Texas hunting heritage for future generations. TTHA will continue to operate independently as Texas Trophy Hunters Association with its members and corporate partners maintaining their full benefits.
Texas surf fishing excellent during fall, winter for multiple species
Texas, Colorado game wardens work together to convict Nacogdoches County man in ‘major’ poaching case: Nabbing poachers is Texas game warden Randy Stovall’s job. In Nacogdoches County, he never anticipated a hunting conviction in Colorado would lead him to what could be an investigation of a lifetime. “This has been a huge case. I’ve been working for eleven years. This is probably going to be the biggest case I’ll ever work,” said Stovall. The $53,000 fine Raymond Muse is required to pay is just part of the case’s uniqueness.
Shed hunting tips and regulations 2020: The winter lull is upon us as hunting seasons and the holidays wrap up across America. The days are shorter, the weather is colder, and—unless you are waterfowl hunting — you’re likely waiting on the lull on the couch watching football or YouTube hunting videos, awaiting the 2020 big game seasons. However, while elk and mule deer season seems to be months away, you can still get into the woods during shed season. Planning a proper shed hunt for your family or friends requires time and specific planning to increase your chances of success. Shed hunting is a great opportunity to get outdoors, work your legs, test your new gear and spend time with family and friends of any hunting skill level.
Deer caught shedding antlers in ‘spectacular and unique’ camera footage: Anyone looking for a pair of antlers? Footage shows a deer shedding its antlers in the middle of the night. Amazingly, the animal appeared to shake off the antlers quickly, despite their substantial size. The footage was uploaded to Facebook by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. In the video, the deer almost appears to be scratching an itch on its head before quickly shaking the antlers free and darting off camera.
Hunters hit with 20 citations for shooting ducks from boat in Texas lake: Two Bell County men who were seen shooting at game from a boat on Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir ended up with stiff fines after game wardens cited them for more than 20 violations. A Bell County game warden was notified by a man fishing on Stillhouse Hollow that he’d seen the two men in the boat shooting at ducks. The warden, assisted by another, located the two men as they were leaving a boat ramp parking lot and stopped them. “Upon further inspection, the individuals had more than 20 violations and had killed two buzzards along with three coots,” a news release issued by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says.
Python Bowl draws 500 hunters to reduce Everglades snake population: The annual Python Bowl, a ten-day hunt hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, is nearing its end. More than 500 professional and amateur Burmese python hunters have descended to South Florida for the annual challenge, which awards cash prizes up to $2,000 and all-terrain vehicles from Bass Pro Shops to those who capture the most pythons, the heaviest python and the longest python. The winners are also said to be receiving snakeskin footballs.
Outdoors programming, over the years, has featured people, places and products: YouTube and the many social media outlets available today to (mostly young) outdoors broadcasters essentially carry no overhead costs. Meaning a kid in North Dakota or Texas who uses an iPhone to film, say, a duck or deer hunt, is now competing with major outdoors TV broadcasters for “eyeballs.” Some of these new-age outdoors broadcasters also are getting paid by advertisers to be “social influencers” — product peddlers, by another name — further dividing advertising money.
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