Thanks, GaTor Gods ... - The Baytown Sun

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4 Coastal Outdoors 2013OurWelcome toCoast•Howdy from Southeast Texas,where water and land createthe ultimate outdoor adventure.Whether it flies, dives or hides,the bayous of the Lone Star State haveplenty to offer for any sportsman. Home toworld-class fishing and some of the nation’sfinest fields of ducks, Harris and Chamberscounties have what you are looking for.If you are a resident or just passingthrough, we welcome you to take part in andenjoy our little piece of the world.– The Baytown SunMason Henicke, 13, an 8th grade student at Anahuac MiddleSchool, took this picture of baby alligators in East Texas.Coastal Outdoor MagazineTABLE of CONTENTSAnahuac’s Gator Guy.................................Pg 6-7Wildlife picture pages.........................Pg 8, 10, 14Will the dove please rise?...............................Pg 9Top 10 hunting states....................................Pg 11Hunting contests...........................................Pg 11Baytown’s Duckman....................................Pg 12“Whack ‘em, stack ‘emand pack ‘em.” Ted NugentMason Owens shows off his flock along with lab Ryleigh in the Trinity River bottoms.2013-2014 Hunting Season Dates• Alligator22 counties and special properties (By permit only),Sept. 10-30, 2013, Remainder of state, April 1-June 30,2013.• Blue/Green-winged, and Cinnamon TealSeptember Teal Only Season, Statewide, Sept. 14-29,2013.• DucksHigh Plains Mallard Management Unit: Youth:Oct. 19 - Oct. 20, Regular: Oct. 26 - Oct. 27 andNov. 1 - Jan. 26, “Dusky” Duck: Nov.4 - Jan. 26South Zone: Youth: Oct.26 - Oct. 27, Regular: Nov.2 - Dec. 1 and Dec. 14 -Jan. 26, “Dusky” Duck:Nov. 7 - Dec. 1 andDec. 14 - Jan. 26North Zone:Youth: Oct. 26 -Oct. 27, Regular:Nov. 2 - Dec. 8and Dec. 21 - Jan.26, “Dusky” Duck:Nov. 7 - Dec. 8 andDec. 21 - Jan. 2.• GeeseEast Zone Goose:Light Geese: Nov. 2 - Jan.26, Jan. 27 - Mar. 23 (conservationorder), Canada Geese:Nov. 2 - Jan. 26, White-frontedGeese: Nov. 2 - Jan. 12, West Zone Goose:Light Geese: Nov. 2 - Feb. 2, Feb. 3 - March 23 (ConservationOrder), Dark Geese: Nov. 2 - Feb. 2.• DoveRegular season, North Zone, Sept. 1-Oct. 23, 2013 andDec. 20, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014, Central Zone, Sept. 1-Oct.23, 2013 and Dec. 20, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014, South Zone,Sept. 20-Oct. 27, 2013 and Dec. 20, 2013-Jan. 20, 2014• Special White-winged DoveSept. 20-Oct. 23, 2013, and Dec. 20, 2013-Jan. 20,2014, Special Season, Special White-winged DoveArea, Sept. 1, 2, 7 and 8, 2013, Legal shooting hoursare noon to sunset. Eastern Turkey: Spring season only(Rio Grande and Eastern Turkey may be hunted in thesecounties), East Texas (28 counties,) Apr. 15-May 14,2014.• JavelinaRegular Season, Northern (43 counties) Oct. 1, 2013-Feb. 23, 2014, Southern (50 counties) No closed season.• Mule DeerArchery, In counties thathave an open archery onlyseason for that species.Sept. 28-Nov. 1, 2013,General Panhandle (38counties) Nov. 23-Dec. 8, 2013, SouthwesternPanhandle(12 counties) Nov.23-Dec. 1, 2013,Trans-Pecos (19counties) Nov. 29-Dec. 15, 2013.• PheasantPanhandle (37 counties),Dec. 7, 2013-Jan. 5,2014.• White-tailed DeerArchery: Statewide, Sept. 28-Nov. 1,2013, General, North Texas (212 counties), Nov. 2, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014, South Texas (30 counties) Nov. 2, 2013-Jan. 19,2014, Special Antler Restrictions (117 counties) 13” insidespread or one unbranched antler, Special Youth Season, Inall counties that have an open season for these species, Oct.26-27, 2013 and Jan. 6-19, 2014, Late Antlerless and Spike,North Texas (106 counties) Jan. 6-19, 2014, South Texas (30counties) Jan. 20-Feb. 2, 2014, Muzzleloader (57 counties)Jan. 6-19, 2014.

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6 Coastal Outdoors 2013THANK YOUDear Gator gods,BY CODY TUCKERMark Porter, the “Texas gator man,” sits in the midst of hundreds of alligator heads that are sold and waiting to be claimed. Porter said he has handled “hundreds of thousands”of gators in his 30 years in the business. Baytown Sun photos/Albert VillegasIt’s 3 o’clock on a typical muggy EastTexas afternoon on day two of alligatorseason and the phone is ringing – again.“All right, eight or nine? Come ondown.”For just 20 days a year for more thanthree decades, Anahuac’s gator guy hasbeen in this routine. The phone rings off thehook, and the driveway is full of wheelers, dealersand thousands of teeth.It’s just another day in the September life ofMark Porter.“This will be the best year we have had inat least five years,” Porter said between phonecalls. “We will get more than 1,000 gators thisyear.”Porter is no stranger to the spotlight. With therising popularity in reality shows involving outdoors– mainly alligators – he has had the opportunityto show off his knowledge in recentmonths, including appearing on an episode of thetelevision series Call of the Wildman on AnimalPlanet, starring the Turtle Man.“I didn’t want to do it,” Porter said. “Mydaughter talked me into it. She said, ‘Yourgrandkids watch that show, you better do it.’ Itwas actually pretty fun.”Porter has also been featured in articles andhosted on radio shows around the country. Porterlaughed, saying, “they just like my accent.”The son of a trapper, Porter said he was thefirst child delivered in Port Acres, Texas, andwas paid for in full by muskrat hides. Porter wasalways a lifer in the outdoors, but even today,the gator wrangler has to pinch himself when hecashes checks.“I ain’t flying on a jet by any means, but I doOK,” he said. “I almost went to college for oneday, but I didn’t make it to registration. I wentto the rec center and played ping pong instead.”Since retiring from Chevron-Phillips inBaytown after a 33-year career in oil, Porter saidhe wanted to get into gators full time. It was alwaysa passion, but after a phone call and a storymade its way to The New York Times, the gatorguy’s life would change forever.After the feature appeared in the nationalnewspaper, which chronicled the Porter processingand gator farm, along with the day-to-dayoperation of a prehistoric preserver, Porter saidthe phone rang at 2 or 3 a.m.“God bless cell phones,” he said. “I neverwould have said that before, I used to hate them.”The call was from Paris, France, and it was apotential customer.“They wanted a pound of meat and a hat,”Porter laughed. “I said, ‘Where are you from?Paris, Texas?’ I thought it was a drunk friendmessing with me.”What started as a hobby is now a full-timeoperation with seasonal employees, incubators,man-made swamps, and a makeshift gator rescue.From July to October, Porter and his crew,which mainly consists of daughter Kristi andright-hand man Roger Abshier, hatch, gather andraise gator eggs for conservation and of course,a profit. When Porter isn’t dealing in eggs andplaying chicken with momma gators, he is preppingand selling meat or removing nuisancereptiles from yards, roads and pools. Porter alsosells skins and connects his customers with taxidermistand tanners, and leads guided hunts fortourists and wanna-be hunters from around theglobe.It comes with the territory, Porter said.When it involves alligators, only one namecomes to mind in Chambers County.“I am a one-stop shop,” Porter said with asmile. “You have to treat people right. I getthe majority of the work in Texas because Itreat people right. Remember, I was a hunterbefore I was a buyer. I know who does thework.”One thing that has surprised Porter as oflate is the rising popularity in alligator meat.Growing up, Porter said people just wanted tohunt the animal for its unique skin and heads,which can hold up to 80-plus sharp, unforgivingteeth.Now, he said the reptile is a delicacy inmany restaurants around the world, especiallyin Europe. Shocking to most however, it isnot a delicacy in the Porter household.“I eat it like turkey, twice a year,” he saidwith a laugh. “I like to trade the meat for ribeyes.I had no idea how far the gator meatmarket would evolve.”Just an hour or so before dusk, Abshierloads up the truck with bamboo, chickenbreasts, cold ones, and arguably the mostimportant supply this time of year, mosquitospray. The customers are on the way to the

Coastal Outdoors 2013 7Mark Porter looks out on one of his many “honey holes” at Jackson Ranch in ChambersCounty. This sprawling land was once home to thousands of alligators before the devastationof Hurricane Ike in 2008. Baytown Sun photos/Cody Tucker“Gator Capital of Texas.”Today, tourists from France, Oregon, Dallasand Jackson Hole, Wyo., have made the longtrip to southern Chambers County to try theirhand at hunting one of the oldest creatures onearth.Born and raised in Anahuac, Abshier hasworked for Porter for more than 10 years. Hesaid this kind of work gets in your blood, not tomention it can be pretty fun when you are guidingwith a jokester like Porter.“I work a regular job, but I would rather be uphere,” Abshier said. “Mark is a great guy, and heis more like a dad than a boss. We hunt, we fish,we work, we do everything together.“He would give you the shirt right off of hisback.”Porter isn’t doing anything with his shirt onthis night, the mosquitoes are thick and the sunis going down. He is on a mission to find whathe came looking for.According to the guide, dusk is one of twotimes the animals feast during the long, hotsummer days. Porter pulls the caravan up to a“honey hole” on the Jackson Ranch, a sprawlingparcel of land in the county that goes on formiles before fading off into the bodies of waterthat surround it.There wasn’t much luck on this night, butPorter was reminded of a time when thisbarren land was crawling with not onlygators, but all coastal wildlife.That was before a Category 2 hurricanechanged the landscape forever.“We were very close to losing it all,” Portersaid of Hurricane Ike, which depleted the entirecoast in September of 2008. “It wasn’t supposedto be that bad, but you forget about all of thelittle tornadoes and stuff like that. Ike hit on Gatorfestweekend and flooded all the way to my“In 20-some days, I will be kicking back on theporch with a light summer drink and saying alittle toast to the gator gods.It’s a good life. ”- Mark Porterhouse. We had to use boats to get people off oftheir roofs.”As we drove down dusty, ranch roads, Porterand Abshier both recalled a time in which thevery trail they were on was once 12 to 20 feetunder saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico.“Gators were up where the top of those treesare,” Abshier said. “We would come by on boatsand have to put them out of their misery becausethey were so out of it and dehydrated from thesalt.”What once was a major source of income hasnow been deemed a project, according to Porter.One plot that once produced more than 100 nestsper season, now is only home to nine. Althoughthe ecosystem has not yet fully returned, Portersaid his neck of the woods is making a comeback. And Porter credits that to preservation.His daughter Kristi, who recently movedback to Texas from Florida, said she loves whatshe does and her dad is the “coolest man in theworld.” She also has fallen in love with her father’spassion for gators.“We hatched more than 6,000 (this year)in anincubator,” Kristi said. “It’s a neat job and it’sfun to be around. I love everything he does.”Porter said it still amazes him year in and yearout who comes into his life because of this passionfor alligators. He claims he was in the “rightplace at the right time.”Even after a two-and-a-half year span that includeda major natural disaster, the death of hiswife, parents and a grandchild, Porter still haswhat it takes to muster up a smile and see thegood that is his life.No matter the heartache or the cards he hasbeen dealt, Porter will always have his passionclose and his loved ones closer.“Gators have a unique smell to them, somepeople say. I just think they smell like money,”Porter said with a smile, coming out of the fielddressgarage. “In a million years when they aredigging for oil on my property they will be inshock.“I bet there have been over 100,000 gatorsback there.”Porter said this is the time of year when heputs in the work. In less than a month, the realfun begins. But until then, Porter and Co. are goingto keep pulling in their prizes from the fruitfulwaters around the small Texas town.“In October, it’s all over,” he said. “In 20-some days, I will be kicking back on the porchwith a light summer drink and saying a littletoast to the gator gods.“It’s a good life.”

8 Coastal Outdoors 2013Jamie Owens (above right) captures his lab Ryleigh at the Trinity River bottom. Baytown resident A.D. Moyersnapped photos of a river otter (far left) as well as a tufted titmouse (middle) taken in the backyard. Moyer alsocaptured the brown pelican diving for lunch at the Trinity River.Animal Instincts - photos from our readersMason Henicke, an 8th grade student at Anahuac Middle School, obviouslyhas a talent for photography in nature. Henicke snapped boththe shot of the hummingbird and the baby alligators.Jerold Cates went to the edge to get this photo of an elk at Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes, Colo.

Coastal Outdoors 2013 9Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia grew up an avid outdoorsman in the place he still calls home.When he isn’t behind the bench, Sylvia can be found in the bayous and marshes of east Texas.HOMEADVANTAGECOURTJudge Sylvia talkshunting, fishing andhis love of his labBy MARK FLEMINGChambers County Judge JimmySylvia grew up on the banksof the river in the Old Rivercommunity – and the call of thecounty’s waterways and marshlandsis still a big part of the avid sportsman’slife.“I was running a boat way before I couldeven think about driving a car,” he said.“We fished, bass-fished, catfished, trotline,we picked up crawfish in the spring,”he said.“We duck-hunted a lot back when it waseasy to walk through all that mush andmud,” he said, but knee surgery has slowedhim down on that, he said.“I grew up fishing Trinity Bay,” the judgesaid. “Actually, we shrimped when I was akid. My dad had a big, nice wooden boatand we’d shrimp for personal use – notcommercially.”He continues to enjoy hunting ducks,geese and doves.“My favorite’s probably dove hunting asI get older, because I don’t have to get upearly and don’t have to get muddy.”As part of his passion for hunting, Sylviasaid he’s had Labrador retrievers all his life.“As I get older, I enjoy the dog and theexperience as much as the kill – hangingout with the guys and that kind of thing.”Sylvia is big on Chambers County as ahunting location.For someone who is an all-around sportsman,he said, “Chambers County is one ofthe premier places to live.”He and his son and friends go huntingin El Campo sometimes, but that’s morefor time with friends than for the hunting.A friend there has a nice lodge. “You cancook, you can play dominoes. Here you justgo hunting and you go home, but there youhave the interaction with the guys.”When Sylvia’s son, now 30, was young,he was introduced to hunting and fishingearly, too. He was taking a boat down thefamily’s hunting lodge before he coulddrive.“I was carrying him on my shouldersout to the duck blind before he could walkthrough the stuff. I was carrying his gun,my gun and him through the muck andmush out to the duck blind.”His 3-year-old grandson is eager to gethis own start hunting, too, he said.Sylvia said he goes deer hunting, but hasnever enjoyed it as much as bird hunting.His duties as county judge don’t leave asmuch time as he would like for hunting andfishing, but Sylvia still makes time.“You’ve got to make time for what youenjoy,” he said.Hunting memorabilia surrounds Sylviain his Anahuac office, with decoys, stuffedbirds, a deer hide and even a hunting rifle.Sometimes, he’ll even work in some timefor hunting before coming to work in themorning to preside over court. “I’ve put myrobe on and had camo under it before.”NO CATERING TOO BIGOR TOO SMALLSOMETHING FORTHE ENTIRE FAMILYBaytown: 4603 Garth Rd.281-420-1637LaPorte: 500 W. Main St.281-470-8358Deer Park: 1322 Underwood281-478-6851You need to know a Dignity Memorial provider.EarthmanFuneral HomeMEMORY GARDENS CEMETERY(281) 422-81813919 Garth Road, Baytown, TX 77521Texas Dept. of Baking Consumer website: www.prepaidfunerals.texas.gov.earthmanbaytown.com

10 Coastal Outdoors 2013Ronnie Gersteman Jr. and J. Edward Mitchell II (above), proudly pose with the geese they shot in thisvintage photo, shot in the mid-1980s when they were both about 3 years old.Zack Thompson (top left) shows off his Aoudad that he shot in Big Bend Country. E.H. Gregory (left)holds up a 51-pound bobcat he shot near Rye in 1985.It’s a wild world - photos from our readersAustin Bell, a 17-year-oldSterling High School student(above), proudly shows off hiswild hogs in the front of hisboat. Brianna Fry (left) showsoff her giant Red Fish that shecaught in Baytown.Duck hunter Jared Hampton holds up his bounty of ducks on the shores of Trinity Bay.David Wood shows off a drum fish caught in southeastern Texaswaters.

10deer huntsTopBy Matt WilliamsWith a total deer population greater than anyother state and roughly 500,000 licensedhunters who like to chase them, you wouldthink that Texas would rank among the topdeer hunting states in America for killing abig buck.Not so. Or at least that is what the editors at Outdoor LifeMagazine say.The New York-based magazine recently released its Top10 picks for killing a trophy-class whitetail and Texas didn’tmake the list. States that did include: Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana,Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohioand Oklahoma.The editors used what they call a “New Whitetail Scale”to assess trophy deer trends nationwide. The list weighedheaviest on the number of Boone and Crockett bucks enteredfrom each state over the last three years. Also considered werehunter densities for each state in order to gauge the amount ofcompetition in the woods for big bucks, the average cost ofa guided fair chase five-day hunt during the rut in each state,costs of a non-resident hunting licenses and each state’s hunterfriendliness.“Every year there are stories about which state has becomethe latest trophy-whitetail destination, but frankly the equationhas been wrong all along,” says Andrew McKean, editor ofOutdoor Life. “If you only look at the total number of deerkilled, it gives an unfair advantage to states with high numbersof hunters and deer. When you’re considering investing thetime and money it can often take to go on a trophy hunt it’simportant to consider all the factors to get the most accuratepicture – which is what we’ve done.”Kentucky ranked second among all states in the numberof B&C bucks produced. The Bluegrass State also offers lowhunter densities, low cost guided hunts and hunter friendlylaws and regulations.Coastal Outdoors 2013 11The Texas Trophy Hunters Extravaganza deer competition is one of the few annual bigbuck contests in Texas where pre-registration is not required. Hunters can bring theirtrophy mounts to the late summer expos and win all sorts of neat prizes including binoculars,scopes and crossbows, etc.Hunt, winBy Matt Williams rack in hand and a fistful ofOutdoors Writer regrets that business wasn’ttaken care of sooner.It doesn’t happen every Most merchants requireyear, but it does happenfrom time to time. pre-registered in order tothat all contestants beSome lucky deer huntergoes out a kills a buck taking a whopper white-be eligible to win prizes forfor the ages, then decides to tail. The process typicallygo door knocking hoping to means filling out a formscore big in a local big buck with pertinent contact information.Some contestscontest.Talk about putting the are free to enter, while othersrequire that a nominalcart before the horse. Thisis about as backwards as it entry fee be paid upfront.gets when it comes to enteringa big buck contest. And pre-registration be com-Some contests require thatit usually doesn’t turn out pleted before the seasonvery well. Not for the lucky gets underway. Others are ahunter, anyway. In most instanceshe or she winds uplittle more relaxed.walking away with a large see HUNT, WIN • Page 13“No, I’m not a good shot,but I shoot often.”Teddy Roosevelt

12 Coastal Outdoors 2013TheDUCKMANBaytown man shareslove of duck huntingBy CODY TUCKERTo say that Bruce Risneris excited aboutthe opening of duckseason would be theunderstatement of the century.His passion is outward andcontagious. If you have a pulse,he wants to tell you about hislove of all that is mallards.“I am obsessed,” Risner saidwith a smile while his wife andoldest daughter shook theirheads in agreement. “Today isthe beginning of my 40th duckseason. It’s driving me nuts notto be out there.”Don’t worry, Risner madea quick trip down the coastto get in a morning hunt. Hisonly concern now is losing hisspot in the marsh while he isin Anahuac for the annual Gatorfest,running his Duckmanbooth.Loaded with shirts, hats,duck calls and stickers, amongother things, Risner is not onlyusing his prime spot on themain street of the small Texastown to push merchandise, butto spread the good word. Theduck gospel if you will.“It’s duck season,” he reiterated.“I only wish I could findsomeone with the same passionfor ducks that I have.”Not only did Risner purchasethe trademark Duckman,he frantically awaited for theBruce Risner (from left) shows off the rewards of a successful hunt with Garrett and Gerald Payne after aNew Year’s Day of hunting “red heads” at his favorite spot in Port O’Connor.state to go to seven digit licenseplates so he could plasterhis new nickname on his rattle-canned,camouflage truck.Risner also proudly displaysa necklace made only fromduck calls and 24 metal anklebands that he pulled off of migratorybirds in the marsh.His wife Cindy, who Risnersaid has always been supportiveof his obsession, couldeven recite the date and yearthe plates came out.“Oct. 7, 2012,” Cindysmiled. “He just had to havethose plates.”He also trademarked theword “full limits,” which donsthe shirts he sells.Risner, who works forChambers County buildingmaintenance, said his love ofhunting began in high schoolin Alabama.Bruce Risner stands in his “man cave,” which shows awards,trophies and pictures from the cast of Duck Dynasty. Risnersaid, “I don’t know if the Robertson’s are as dedicated asme.” Risner’s new sign for his company sits in front of his camoChevy.“Gregg Lowery, a friend ofmine who I used to play baseballwith,” he said. “He askedme to go hunting with him oneday and I said, sure. We shotone duck and I was hooked.”Now at 55, he said his passionhas never been stronger.see DUCKMAN • Page 15“If you aretoo busyto hunt,you’re toobusy.”Jace RobertsonKarla Opryshek,CRS, ABRBROKER/ASSOCIATEASR, NHS, CNE281-433-2281karla@krishermckay.comwww.karlaopryshek.comKRISHER McKayInc. REALTORS1000 Massey TompkinsBaytown, TX 7752110425 Eagle Dr. Ste. 5Mont Belvieu, TX 77523Art Walk by the Bay1st Fridays of the MonthLive Bands6:00pm-9:00pmFriday & Saturday NightsFree Wine TastingsThursdays5:00pm-7:00pmwww.mainlydrinks.com8:00pm-11:00pm223 W. Main Street, La Porte, Texas281.867.1700Open Mon-Thu 9:00am - 9:00pmFri & Sat 9:00am - Midnight - Closed SundayPerfectTheComplementto anyoccasion

HUNT, WINContinued from page 11The Quick Stop contest is one of the longest standing big buckcontests in the Piney woods. Crawford says the contest has beenaround for 32 years. “We did miss one year in 1999, but that’sbecause of a fire at the store.”The prizes available vary from one contest to another. Someoffer cash for big bucks, while others award deer stands, gamecameras, shotguns, knives, plaques, jackets, scopes, binocularsand other hunting related stuff.Here is a rundown of big buck contests, rules and what they willoffer in terms of prizes in 2013:Merchant: Insta-Cash Pawn and ArcheryLocation: NacogdochesPrizes: Multiple prizes awarded in one category.* Archery Division: Contest runs Sept. 28-Nov. 1 (Archery Only Season)Entry Fee: $5First Place (Big Buck) - $250 Insta-Cash Gift CertificateSecond Place: 1 dozen carbon arrowsContest Rules: Contest is open only to legal deer harvested in Nacogdoches, Angelina, Shelby, Rusk, Cherokee, Panola,Houston, Trinity, Tyler, Polk, Sabine, Jasper and San Augustine counties. No high fence deer or deer taken by crossbow are eligible.MLD open range deer are allowed, so long as the deer is killed during statewide Archery Only season. Hunters must be pre-registeredto be eligible. All racks will taped P&Y. Antlers must be on the skull.Contact: David Pritchard, 936-569-7210Coastal Outdoors 2013 13Jerold Cates got up close and personal with an elk during atrip to Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes, Colo.Merchant: Walker County HardwareLocation: HuntsvillePrizes: Awarded in three divisions, Adult Gun, Youth and Big 8.Entry Fee: FreeFirst Place Adult General Season: Gift Certificate, Second Place: Gift Certificate, ThirdPlace: Hunting knife.* Big 8 Point: Decided by B&C gross score, First Place: Gift Certificate.* Youth Division (17 and under), First Place: Moultrie Game CameraNote: All Youth Division entrants will receive consolation prizes.Contest Rules: The contest is open to free ranging whitetails taken in Walker County, only. No high fence entries. Allentrants will be subject to a lie detector test. Deer will be scored according to the Boone and Crockett system.Contact: Jimmy Harding, 936-295-7751Merchant: Texas Big Game AwardsLocation: StatewideEntry Fee: Free• TBGA is more about promoting wildlife management than it is a contest, yet it still offers hunters to the opportunity to see howtheir whitetail, pronghorn or mule deer sizes up against others. The program divides the state into eight regions. Successful hunterscan enter an animal by locating a TBGA scorer in their area. Antlers must meet the minimum score to for the specific region to qualifyas a scored entry and receive the customary recognition certificate. Hunters from each region are invited to attend regional TBGAbanquets and those who take the top ranking animals are invited to bring them to a statewide banquet where they will receive a specialaward. TBGA also give the special “Texas Slam Award” to hunters who take a qualifying whitetail deer, mule deer and pronghornantelope all within the same season. For more information, tbga.org.Merchant: Texas Trophy HuntersLocation: Hunter’s Extravaganza - Houston, San Antonio or Fort WorthEntry Fee: No entry fee, but you must be a current TTHA member ($24.95 annually)• Contests are held each summer during the TTHA’s Hunter Extravaganza shows held in Houston, Fort Worth and San Antonio.It is open to deer killed during the previous year’s season in a variety of divisions including modern arms open range and high fence,archery open range and high fence. There are regional subdivisions for North Texas, South Texas and out-of-state for adult males,adult female, youth male and youth female. There also are awards for Best Whitetail in previous five seasons, best Texas mule deer(typical and non-typical), high overall Adult female, high overall youth, Best of Show, People’s Choice and Perfect 8 point whitetail.* Contest Rules: A TTHA membership is your ticket to enter. Just bring your trophy to the show by 4 p.m. on theSaturday of the Hunter Extravaganza.* Contest Prizes: All sorts of cool stuff including jackets, binoculars, scopes, crossbows,archery gear, trophies and TTHA memberships.AUTOGROUPwww.SmartChoiceAutoGroup.comSALESFINANCESERVICE5333 EAST FREEWAYBAYTOWN, TX 77521281-421-2800

14 Coastal Outdoors 2013Jamie Owens (above), latches onto a 9-foot250-pound lemon shark in Key West, Fla.Alejandro Navarro (below) holds up an alligatorgar that he reeled in at the Baytown Nature Center.Cody Vestal smiles as he holds up a pair of Lesser Scaups last fall outside of Baytown at Trinity Bay.In February of 1951, Emmitt Gregory (above left), hauled in a half dozen large mouth bass out Highland Reservoir.Klayton Kristoff of Dayton, shows of this latest catch in August at Trinity Bay.Outdoor Adventures - photos from our readersToni Gelske gets some help holding up her black drum in TabbsBay this summer.Fred Skinner and granddaughter Taylor June Webb enjoy a watermelonat the beach on Taylor’s 2nd birthday this summer.Tommy Jones of Baytown captured this woodpecker feeding her young at dusk in Monarch, Colo., in July.

Coastal Outdoors 2013 15DUCKMANContinued from page 12And you can tell by hisenthusiasm and energywhen talking to customersat his booth.“Grab it, it won’t bite,”Risner said to a customerabout a duck call.The hunting tale of theday is a new one. One evenCindy and daughter Brookeare interested in. Risner’s3-year-old lab finally retrievedducks that morning.“I asked him right awayhow Reece did,” Cindysaid. “I couldn’t believeit.”Now that his huntingpartner is doing work,Risner is now looking formore enthusiastic wanna-behunters to step up.The Duckman takes peopleon hunts all the time, includingthe neighborhoodkids. He said he not onlyenjoys the company, butloves to share his love ofduck hunting in hopes thathe can pass it on to the nextgeneration.“I teach all the kids I takeout that the early bird getsthe worm,” he said. “That ismy motto. Hunters need toget away from the ramp andgo the extra mile.You won’t get any duckslying in bed.”With only a couple ofweeks left in the short, fallteal season, Risner said hehas a few more stops on hismerchandise-selling tour.Once complete, he looksforward to getting back to hispassion on a full-time basis.As the old saying goes, Abad day of fishing is betterthan a good day of work.For Risner, that sayingcouldn’t be any more true.“When it’s good, it’sgood,” he smiled. “Whenit’s bad, it’s still good.”Since 1970Eastex Farm & HomeWe have the Largest Variety ofTractor Packages AvailableCustomize anypackage to fit yourneeds. Call today!Toll Free: 888-869-6202 | www.TractorPackages.comBeaumont, Texas409-842-1128Liberty, Texas936-336-7226Hockley, Texas281-256-6900POWER EQUIPMENT

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