Lone Star Outdoor Show

If you haven’t heard, we recently saw one of the largest poaching cases in a decade come out of Freeport, TX when 488 illegal red snapper were seized on a recreational fishing vessel. Texas Game Warden Captain Fred Ruiz drops by to talk about the bust and what the poachers were going to do with the catch. – usually a black market buyer or restaurant is already lined up. Luckily, the three anglers in this case will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Captain Ruiz gives us the details and his thoughts on the vitality of the red snapper fishery today, versus when he first became a Game Warden 13 years ago. We up our wild jerky games with Sean Callahan- host of ‘The Pursuit to the Plate” podcast. Whether you have leftover ground venison or cuts of muscle meat in the freezer, jerky is a tasty option for any wild game. We fire up the smoker and talk all things jerky with Sean. Next we have some fun with the Lone Star Outdoor Show audio vault. When telemarketers call the unlisted studio line, I try to get them interested in hunting and fishing. Makes for some uncomfortable and hilarious exchanges! Additional Telemarketer Tension calls are available on our Youtube Channel. We round out the broadcast by heading to the Texas/Louisiana border and talking big bass with longtime Toledo Bend Reservoir biologist Ricky Yeldell. After over 50 years, the South’s largest lake is having a bass fishing rebirth with over 130 ten plus pound lunker bass already caught this year! Ricky tell us why the lake is on fire and how long he expects it to last.

We start things off by discussing the perfect all around caliber for Western big game hunting when Horizon Firearms President and longtime custom rifle maker Derrick Ratliff drops in. We are looking for a flat shooting round that can knock down a mule deer or 700 lb elk at 500 plus yards. Derrick gives us his top 3 caliber choices. We also are excited to hear about the brand new product line up of innovative scope mounts and new Kremlin stocks from Iota Outdoors! Great design and practical stuff for hunters and shooters from Iota. Then we talk largemouth bass spawn with Private Water Fishing owner Steve Alexander. His club offers anglers a unique opportunity to fish well managed, private water bodies for big bass. Now through the end of April is prime time to land that lunker largemouth. We also take an inside look at how Private Water Fishing manages their lakes for big bass, from electro shock surveys, to habitat improvement, vegetation spraying and much more. (Steve with a lunker of his own) Next we discuss the plight of the iconic Lesser Prairie Chicken with Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Grassland Coordinator Bill Van Pelt. This beautiful game bird has fallen on such hard times that it was placed on the threatened species list in 2014, but due to a collaborative effort by Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado, and some timely precipitation, the bird seems to be well on the way to recovery. As a hunter and conservationist, we want to make sure this beautiful bird remains a vital part of the Western prairies. We wrap things up when 2005 Texas Longhorn National Champion and current Minnesota Vikings defensive end Brian Robison drops in. Brian is passionate about two things: destroying opposing quarterbacks and bass fishing! We discuss his new Reel Em In Foundation and it’s innagural non profit fishing tournament he is hosting on Lake Fork next weekend.

Spring is in the air and that means that papermouths are moving shallow to spawn. You’ll see cars and trucks parked off the side of roadways near creeks and lakes as anglers attempt to fill the cooler with delicious crappie fillets. So we are thrilled to have our old friend and 7 time Crappie Anglers of Texas Angler of the Year Paul O’Bier back on the show. Paul is regarded as the Lone Star State’s premiere crappie fisherman. We pick his brain on what indicators to look for as far as where crappie will spawn. Also, what bait and line does he prefer and what depth is he targeting? Lastly, Paul breaks down the differences between the black and white crappie, both of which are found in most southern reservoirs. Next, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation CEO David Allen drops by to discuss the RMEF and the difference this conservation organization has made for elk herds over the past 30 years. We also look back on last season and reflect on our own elk experiences from 2015. With RMEF chapters all over the country, there is no doubt you can find one near you to get plugged in with. Then in the next segment we discuss some troubling news out of Colorado. Organizations such as Defenders of Wildlife and the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) are pushing for wolf introduction in Colorado! And the most damning part of it all, is that they want to introduce the non native Mexican Gray Wolf into the Colorado Rockies because of the state’s abundance of elk herds. Can you imagine? This flies in the face of science and conservation when it comes to wildlife management. Have you ever stumbled across a large bass lying dead on the bank with his throat ripped out? If you have, that was likely the work of a river otter. These curious animals are expanding their range in Texas which is bad news for landowners trying to grow big bass. Coming up on this weekend’s show we are joined by Lone Star Outdoor News Executive Editor Craig Nyhus to discuss why river otters appear to be thriving in Texas and what recourse landowners have to get rid of them.

Hunting is Conservation. There is no better proof of this fact than the recent news out of Zimbabwe that wildlife officials will be forced to cull 200 lions from one area. Dallas Safari Club Executive Director Ben Carter joins the discussion to explain how exactly a once viable lion population, sustained by hunters and hunting dollars has been basically shut down. With hunters afraid to book lion hunts stemming from the “Cecil the Lion” backlash, the real loser here is the lions themselves. Pat yourselves on the back anti hunters, you’ve accomplished your goal- take away hunting, take away wildlife. Lets hope that science and sound wildlife management win out over this emotionally charged over reaction. Big Spring, Texas native Josh Helmstetler drops in next to discuss his recent state record catch. This 5.98 lb spotted bass shattered the old mark and helped Josh win the bass club tournament he was fishing that day. Known as an aggressive fish that with alot more fight than their bigger largemouth cousins, the spotted bass is native to many Texas lakes. Josh walks us through the events of that day leading up to his record catch and the ensuing nightmare of getting it weighed on a certified scale. Texas Parks and Wildlife Mule Deer and Pronghorn Program Leader Shawn Gray then makes his return to the broadcast. After heading up the most recent relocation project, we get Shawn’s take on how our mule deer and pronghorn herds are doing on the West Texas landscape. We discuss the most recent relocation efforts for both species and how this efforts will be monitored and studied. (2 of 70 mule deer does being moved to the Black Gap WMA in West Texas). It’s that time of year, the dogwoods are blooming and everything is greening up, so we wrap things up by talking all things sand bass when longtime fishing guide Carey Thorn. Nobody has studied the white bass spawn like Carey and he has them patterned to a science. Carey tells us where to find them as they run up the creeks and rivers. We also pick his brain on line choice, baits for both live and artificial applications and even fly fishing for the big females who lay their eggs and then immediately return to the lake.

We start things off by talking with the newly crowned Bassmaster Classic Champ- Edwin Evers. After bringing a 5 fish limit weighing 29.3 lbs to the final day weigh in, Edwin was able to claim his first championship and a $300,000 pay check in front of his hometown crowd in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His day 3 performance was one for the ages. Next we are joined by U.S. Army Ranger and Purple Heart Recipient Dave Hillary and Matt Klentzman- founders of Veterans Xtreme Adventures. I had the pleasure of hunting with these guys on a recent hog dogging outing and was able to see first hand how they use the Great Outdoors to get to the heart of what issues a Veteran might be dealing with. VXA is an amazing non profit and one that I am proud to be a part of. Dave and I with Dodge and Ivan, two of VXA’s awesome Dogo catch dogs! We round out the show by talking spring turkey with our Texas Parks and Wildlife Turkey Program Leader Jason Hardin. With the South zone opening on the 19th of March and the North Zone on April 2nd, longbeards are on every turkey hunter’s mind. Jason gives us an overview on what the rains of the past 12 months have meant for turkey production and what to expect in the woods this spring.

We talk winter blue cat fishing with longtime guide Greg Pavur of Pavur Outdoors. March is a great time to target giant blues in the shallows. Greg tells us where to find them and how to catch them. One of his recent clients with a 48 lb blue, caught in less than 2 feet of water. Then we hear a story of how turkey hunting resulted in a hunter donating one of his kidneys to a landowner he barely knew. Rob Robison then founded “Forever Outdoors” as a way to further his message of becoming an organ donor. In addition to donating his kidney, Rob also holds the record for the biggest Eastern turkey ever killed in Kansas at 26 lbs with a 17 inch beard! Next we talk pre spawn largemouth bass with guide and tournament angler Charles Whited of Barefoot Fishing Tours. The warm winter means the lunkers should be moving shallow early this spring. Charles pulled this fat girl out of Lady Bird Lake this week. We wrap things up when Texas Parks and Wildlife Deputy of Communications Tom Harvey drops in to talk about a 90 million dollar facelift our state park system will receive over the next two years. The 2016-2017 budget is up from only $11 million last time. That’s a $79 million dollar increase in funding for state and local parks. Tom tells us how this will benefit hunters, anlgers and outdoor enthusiasts all over the state.

Dr. James Kroll – AKA ‘Dr. Deer’ kicks things off for this week. The longtime whitetail deer expert breaks down what Chronic Wasting Disease means for the future of Texas deer hunters. The whitetail industry has taken a major hit in the past 12 months due to positive CWD tests, what does it mean for them compared to the average low fence Texas deer hunter? Plus we talk spring food plot planting and trail cameras among other things. Be sure to sign up for the 12th annual Dr. Deer Field Day in Nacodoches as well. It’s Saturday, March 12th and is a day dedicated to all things pertaining to whitetail deer and managing your property to ensure you have as healthy a herd as you can. We are then joined live in studio by the Texas country band Prophets and Outlaws. Matt, Steven and James are all passionate about the outdoors and also are writing and performing some of the best new country/blues infused music out there. Get ready to talk big bass, trout fishing, and dove hunting with the guys- PLUS we take a listen to some brand spanking new tunes! We wrap things up by heading down to the coast with our old buddy Captain Len Girard. The big black drum have made their way into the shallows in large numbers. Captain Len tells us what they are biting and where to find them. Trout are also on fire and we find out what artificials are resulting in the most strikes. Plus, we get into some in shore red snapper and take a look as to why the redfish are currently spread out. (Big black drum caught by one of Captain Len’s anglers)

We visit with James Henderson who killed the biggest buck (free range) in Texas this year. Taken on public land no less! 229 6/8 inches and 28 points. Then we check in with the best tournament angler ever to wet a line when Kevin Van Dam drops by. We talk about the upcoming BassMaster Classic- which will be his 25th! He has won 4 already and is hungry for #5. We finish up by hitting the Northeast Texas woods with our friend Clay Ashby and his hounds. A lifelong houndsman, I had the pleasure of tagging along with Clay, his son Colt and their hounds on a recent coon hunt. Raccoon hunting is a dying past time but folks like Clay that keep hanging onto this way of life are keeping the fire flickering for future generations of houndsmen.

We talk ice fishing for giant walleye with Freshwater Fishing Hall of Famer and renown outdoor writer Gord Pyzer. Gord, the longtime fishing editor for In Fisherman magazine, is a native of Northern Ontario where ice fishing is a way of life. I’m not sure if it’s the nostalgia created from the classic comedy ‘Grump Old Men’ that has long made me want to drop a line under the ice but it’s long been on my bucketlist. Gord tells us what it’s really like. Beer and bratwursts or frostbite and misery??? Either way, sign me up! (Gord with a nice walleye pulled from under 18 inches of ice) Then, we get a landowner’s perspective on the whitetail deer hunting industry in Texas with Stillwater’s Ranch owner Clayton Leverett. He provides some insight as to why many landowners get into the commercial hunting side of things. Plus, we talk about his ranch, a beautiful piece of the Texas Hill Country with amazing views and giant bucks. Stillwaters Ranch has been in the Leverett family since 1882! I took this buck while hunting with Clayton on his ranch 2 weeks ago – my biggest buck to date. We then discuss snow goose hunting the conservation season with Ducks Unlimited author John Pollman. Now is the time where you can hunt snow geese without bag limits or a plug in your shotgun. These geese are eating themselves out of their house and home and the USFWS is encouraging hunters to kill as many as they can each spring. (John’s lab Murphy bringing back a white devil). We wrap things up by visiting with Texas Parks and Wildlife Land Conservation Director Ted Hollingsworth. There is $2 million dollars earmarked for private landowners to use on conservation projects on their property. Ted tells us how landowners can apply and how the conservation funds are appropriated.

We talk bow hunting for big brown bears with archery icon John Dudley. The gold medal archer recently had to have reconstructive shoulder surgery…so he taught himself to draw his bow with his MOUTH!!! Incredibly that is how he took this 8 ft British Columbia grizzly. Then, things get even harrier when John discusses his recent encounter with a pack of aggressive Alberta wolves. The encounter ended up with 13 wolves interested in John’s elk kill. By the time the charge was over, only 11 wolves remained and John and his two guides were out of bullets and only had a couple arrows left and had resulted in picking up sticks and rocks to defend themselves. Surreal experience! Next, we talk state water red snapper with Captain Ryan Warhola. The lifelong resident of the Texas coast has been fishing the blue waters off the Texas coast since he was 6 years old. Captain Warhola tells us where to find big fish inside the 9 mile mark (state waters) and how to catch them on artificials with bait being hard to acquire during the winter months. He also sheds some light on some new research that might prove snapper actually migrate into state waters to do most of their spawning. We wrap things up by pulling up next to off shore shrimp boats and targeting black fin tuna that are feeding on their by catch. (Captain Warhola with a giant state water red snapper) Then our old friend Mark Boardman of Vortex Optics joins us to talk about what Vortex is doing in 2016! New scopes, binos, and accessories plus we dive into our February 2016 Photo of the Month Contest – Grand Prize is a new Vortex Diamondback HP 3-12 Rifle Scope! Tune in to find out more and all the details on how you can win.

We talk whitetail deer regulation changes for the 2016-17 season- including a two week muzzleloader only late season for 32 Texas counties. Our Texas Parks and Wildlife Whitetail Program Leader Alan Cain gives us the details on that and other proposed changes for next season. Next, our old friend Captain Mike Holliday drops in to talk all things snook fishing. These highly prized trophy fish put up a hell of a fight and Mike tells us where to find them and how to catch them this time of year. We then put a bow on the 2015-16 Texas waterfowl season when Ducks Unlimited Southern Region Biologist Kirby Brown makes his return. With record duck numbers on the continent, this should have been a banner year for Texas duck/goose hunters. Sadly, it didn’t pan out the way many thought it would. Kirby breaks down the reasons for such a poor year despite great conditions and record duck numbers. (shovelers were one of the few duck species to show up in big numbers across the Lone Star State this fall) We round out the show by discussing a real threat to our coastal fisheries when Matagorda Bay Ecosystem Program Leader Leslie Hartman stops by. The invasive lionfish is starting to show up in big concentrations throughout the Gulf of Mexico. This Pacific Ocean native has no natural predators due to their venomous spines. With no predatory threat and a voracious appetite, they are of major concern. Leslie talks about what TPWD and the private sector can do to help combat their spread. Much like feral hogs, it will be impossible to get rid of them but we might be able to control their numbers to some extent.

Our old friend and the king of Blue Collar Comedy makes his return to the show this weekend! It’s always a riot to have Jeff Foxworthy join us and this week is no different. We recap the whitetail season that was, look forward to spring turkey season, hear a couple one liners and Jeff also talks about his recent archery hunt for Alaskan bull moose! Next, our hunting buddy and Texas honky tonker Ray Johnston drops by the studio. We talk some waterfowl hunting with this passionate bird hunter- From dove to ducks and even his recent wingshooting trip to Argentina! Ray also breaks out his guitar to play a couple songs for us, including a brand new one that is all about getting into the woods! (Ray and his Boykin Spaniel ‘Lil Dude’ after a recent duck hunting trip) (Ray doing what he does best) We wrap things up by catching up with our old friend Captain Len Girard. We get into the current redfish and trout pattern, as well as hit on the giant black drum and big schools of sheepshead that are currently making up a big part of the catch.

We start things off by talking big whitetails and what it takes to film and produce a successful hunting television show with Tom McMillan- host of “McMillan” on Sportsman Channel. Next we talk duck hunting the Texas coast with Ben Mallon- founder of Hell or Highwater Outdoors. This 501c3 non profit organization is dedicated to taking handicapped vets, terminally ill kids and other seriously injured individuals on waterfowl hunts on the Texas coast. (Ben with 2 wounded vets who were hit by IED’s in Afghanistan) We then have Forbes.com contributor and New York Times best selling author Frank Miniter on to tackle Obama’s Executive Order on gun control that came down last week. What does it mean, what will congress do to prevent it passing and much more. We round out the broadcast with a predator trapping 101 crash course from professional trapper Casey Shoopman. Trapping is a dying art but still a very valuable management tool for ranches or individuals trying to keep predator numbers down so that the deer, turkey and quail thrive.

Our longtime friend and fishing guide Charles Whited of Barefoot Fishing Tours stops in to talk winter white bass with us. Charles is catching solid limits of big fish despite the cooler temps. He tells us where to key in on large schools of sandies and what to catch them on. He even offers up a tip to he implores that catches them two at a time. Next, 14 year old Carsten Cook and his father John drop by to tell the tale of an axis buck like none of us have ever seen. “Clubhead” as they affectionately called him, had been seen from time to time on their Rocksprings, TX low fence ranch over a three year period. However, the freak buck had only shown up on trail cameras at night. So when Carsten and his younger brother Christian had him show up one morning, John was in disbelief that his son had actually killed the ghost like buck. We get both of their takes on the experience as well as dive into what could be the cause for this buck never shedding his velvet mess of a rack each year like every other axis buck does. (Carsten and Christian with “ClubHead”) Outdoor writer Josh Glovinsky of Midwest Fishing Adventures joins us next to talk winter fly fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass. There is a misconception out there that these fish go deep during the winter, and while some do suspend in the main lake, there are still plenty of fish to be caught in the shallows. From smallies or Guadelupe’s in the river systems to big bucketmouths off docks and other shallow structure- there are plenty of winter fish to pursue with the long rod. Josh gives us his favorite fly patterns and rod/reel weight combination. Plus, he offers some up insight on how to skip all those fancy fly tying knots this time of year. (Photo by Gink and Gasoline) We round out the broadcast by checking in with renown big game Professional Hunter and television show host Ivan Carter. Native son of Zimbabwe, Ivan Carter stands alone as the one man who can peel back the complex layers of African human/wildlife conflict, including rampant poaching of elephants and rhinos. Having grown up in the bush and after 25 years as a professional photographic guide, hunting guide and leading voice of conservation, Carter brings an unmatched breadth and depth of knowledge regarding Africa and her complex political, cultural and human development issues. Carter’s newest show, Carter’s W.A.R. (Wild Animal Response), produced by Shockey Productions, aims to shed new light into the Dark Continent:

Fishing guide and FLW Angler Paul Bailey of Northern California gets things going for us when he jumps on to discuss his new world record spotted bass! The big girl was weighed on 3 different scales before being released back into the water. BUT, there were a few issues with getting this fish certified. Paul talks about the ridiculous regulations placed on anglers by the IGFA and the California Game & Fish’s lack of effort in helping Paul get his fish certified. At the end of the day, I admire him for making the decision not to kill this once in a lifetime fish. Next, a very special in studio treat when 14 Year old Brooke Bateman and her father Mike drop by to discuss a special hunt on their Stephens County, TX lease. Not only did Brooke harvest her first ever deer, but it also happened to be a solid black melanistic buck! A deer so rare that an average of one is shot in Texas each season and less than 5 are harvested throughout the entire country. The 6 point black whitetail deer was aged at 3.5 and had been seen on camera only one time previously- exactly a year to the date from the day Brooke harvested him! Then we talk mountain lion hunting and sheep hunting with Dallas Safari Club Executive Director Ben Carter. After a heavy dose of chasing game through the mountains, we shift gears and discuss the upcoming Dallas Safari Club Convention. “CONSERVATION” takes place Jan 7-10 in downtown Dallas and over 50,000 attendees will enjoy over 1,800 booths from over 1,000 exhibitors this year.