Lone Star Outdoor Show

Longtime Lake Fork Fishing Guide and newly elected member of the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Mark Stevenson joins us this weekend as we take a journey through the annals of bass fishing history – all the way back to 1986 when Mark pulled this 17.67 lb lunker out of Lake Fork. The new Texas state record bass, ‘Ethel’ would become the most popular fish ever caught.

She would be viewed by over 20 million people at original Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri up until her death in 1994. She changed the sport, changed the perception from release the grease to catch and release for bass & also changed the way state wildlife agencies managed their largemouth fisheries. Ethel became Texas Parks and Wildlife ShareLunker Program Lunker #1 – the fish and the angler who changed it all.

Then, the outdoor industry’s fastest rising star makes her return to show, and what a year 2014 was for Eva Shockey! In addition to continuing her role as co-host of Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures on Outdoor Channel, Eva also got engaged, was featured on the cover of Field & Stream Magazine, killed her biggest buck to date and dealt with a national firestorm surrounding the 510 lb black bear she harvested in North Carolina.

Well touch on all of that as well as her status as a role model for young women and aspiring huntresses and what that means to her. But the bulk of our visit will consist of how Eva deals with hunter harassment on her social media outlets. She runs her own pages and with 750,000 FB Followers, 50,000 Twitter followers and another 90,000 on Instagram- Eva continually draws the ire of anti hunters. Death threats and incredibly vile remarks are made on her pages on a daily basis. So how does Eva deal with it? I’m sure we can all learn from her take as the anti hunting faction continues to use the internet and technology to harass hunters with seemingly no consequences.

We wrap up the show when a couple West Texas good ‘ol boys stop by to give us the details on the predator hunt of a lifetime. Ladden Ledbetter and Jacky Heflin called in and killed a West Texas mountain lion while hunting in the West Texas Big Bobcat Contest last weekend! Harvesting a Texas big cat is a rare feat in and of itself, but this is the first time I’ve heard of hunters successfully calling in and putting one on the ground. Ladden and Jacky give us all the details from that hunt. From the distress sound they used, to how the cat responded and what caliber did her in. The full team with the trophy of a lifetime:

Texas State House of Representative Member Trent Ashby (R. Lufkin) joins us to discuss HJR 61 – commonly referred to as the “Texas Right To Hunt Amendment”. Sadly, it’s become necessary to pass such an amendment with the anti hunting faction relentlessly lobbying to end our outdoor lifestyle. If passed, the amendment would give Texas hunters/anglers the right to continue to hunt and fish in the court of law. Texas would become the 18th state to pass similar legislation. Representative Ashby breaks down the entire amendment for us and also reflects on some of his favorite hunting experiences from the past year.

Next up we talk winter crappie fishing with our longtime friend Wally Marshall- AKA ‘Mr. Crappie’. Wally sheds some light on the “Slow Troll” technique he uses to hammer huge schools of suspended crappie on Texas lakes during the winter months. He also talks about his favorite bait designs and colors for deep water winter slabs!

Outdoor Icon Larry and our good bud Larry Weishuhn then drops in to talk big game handgun hunting with us! ‘Mr. Whitetail’ has long been a pioneer of taking big game animals with a handgun. We discuss the evolution of the sport, Larry’s favorite caliber and what he believes is the minimum caliber necessary to hunt big game with a some sort of hand cannon. We are excited to break into the ranks very soon as our STI Perfect 10 is on back order!

Before we let Larry go, we also touch on ‘Traditions’- the 2015 Dallas Safari Club Convention. Over 45,000 folks are expected to join Larry, myself and hundreds of other outdoor folks from around the globe as we celebrate the outdoor lifestyle with the year’s greatest hunting show. Jan 15th-18th at the Dallas Convention Center- See ya there!

We wrap up the broadcast with a ‘Cable’s Late Season Quick Hits’ segment. I am by no means a professional hunter but there are a few late season tactics I’ve successfully used for deer, ducks, bass and predators like this January coyote:

We get this week’s show going by talking clear water bass tactics with longtime guide and renown Texas tournament angler Charles Whited of Barefoot Fishing Tours. Winter time usually means clearer water, especially with the influx of invasive zebra mussels on many Texas reservoirs. Fishing clear water presents some issues for bass fisherman this time of year, but by changing your approach, plenty of big bass can still be caught.

Charles breaks down how to attack these fish. From, line choice and poundage to casting distance and baits/techniques. What about bait color? We also get his thoughts on dull vs vibrant baits for clear water. If anyone knows clear water, cold weather Texas bass it’s Charles. Not many guides can say that two 13 plus pound TPWD Sharelunkers have been caught on their boat in the past two years. We are certainly glad to have him share his expertise and years of experience with us.

Next we discuss the results of a recent study conducted by Texas Parks And Wildlife when TPWD Regional Director Corey Mason makes his return to the show. This in depth study spanned multiple seasons in 3 Texas counties. Dove hunters were given unmarked 12 gauge shot shells containing a standard 2 3/4 inch load with a #7 shot size. The hunters were oblivious to whether they were shooting steel or lead shot.

Every dove downed was collected, plucked and x-rayed/examined for wound channels, number of pellets that hit the bird, broken bones etc. Corey breaks down TPWD’s findings from the study. And I ask the tough question ‘Why would TPWD conduct such a study if they weren’t feeling pressured to move towards banning lead shot for dove hunting’? You won’t want to miss this one!

We round out the show by spending some time talking monster bucks with the outdoor industries leading couple when Lee and Tiffany Lakosky drop in. You probably recognize them from their long running hit show on Outdoor Channel – ‘The Crush With Lee and Tiffany’. Their names are synonymous with big racked, free ranging whitetail bucks. But most folks fail to realize that this is Lee’s life work.

We discuss the behind the scenes labor of love that goes into the food plots, haying alfalfa, running trail cameras year round etc. Lee puts in the work and it shows with the quality of bucks that roam his Iowa farms. We also discuss age structure and at what age he starts to target bucks as mature shooters. One of the 100 plus food plots Lee puts in on his Iowa farms each year:

We also are privy to a real treat when Tiffany reflects on her season which was highlighted when she harvested this 192 inch monarch known as ‘Wally’. The Lakosky’s had a 6 year history with this 8 1/2 year old buck. Heck, he’d even been wounded on two separate occasions. Still at 8 1/2 years old- Wally put on 20 extra inches of mass and was sporting his best rack ever. He is the biggest buck Tiffany has ever taken. Be sure to check out ‘The Crush With Lee and Tiffany’ Sunday evenings at 6:30 CST on Outdoor Channel. And, in case you hadn’t heard, a future big buck slayer will arrive March 2015! Congratulations Lee and Tiffany!

We start this week off by checking in with Lone Star Outdoor News Executive Editor Craig Nyhus who recently captured the below image of an illegal Mexican national strolling along the sendero of The Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation deer lease in Dimmit County. Sadly, Craig was in the blind with a father/son on their first hunt when this illegal ruined any hopes of a harvest.

The situation along the Texas border is a serious one and more and more ranches are having these types of run ins. Trash is being left everywhere, blinds slept in, fences cut and hunting affected. Luckily, no violent altercations have occurred but it’s painfully obvious to everyone (except the federal government) that something needs to change. Craig and I discuss their situation as well as the new Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation and how folks can get involved with this great non profit hunting operation.

Next up, we are joined by our good friend and striper guide Jacob Orr of Limitless Outdoor Adventures. Winter is prime time for landing those big wall hanger caliber striped bass and with nearly a decade of experience guiding striper trips on Lake Texoma, Jacob is always on the fish. He tells us how to locate cold weather fish and what baits he is catching them on, both artificial and live. Jacob with a pair of nice oversize fish on Lake Texoma.

Then, a semi regular guest makes his return with Dallas Safari Club Executive Director Ben Carter joins us. We talk big game hunting and conservation before diving into the upcoming Dallas Safari Club Convention. ‘Traditions’ 2015 takes place January 15th-18th at the Dallas Convention Center. The show will feature over 1,700 booths with over 3 1/2 miles of isle’s to walk. Hunting & Fishing guides, outfitters, gun and knife makers and outdoor clothiers from all over the globe will converge in Dallas for the biggest hunting show of the season.

We round out the broadcast when Derek Orr and Rob Campbell join us to discuss ‘The Reluctant Outdoorsman’ – the brand new show which just premiered on Outdoor Channel. Derek is the star of the show and Rob the producer. Here’s the spin though- Derek has never hunted a day in his life. He has a cushy desk job with Outdoor Channel as a bean counter and enjoys sipping lattes and tennis. So, a new show was born when his peers challenged him to step into their shoes and hunt. The result is painfully funny but you’ll end up cheering for the affable Derek by the end of each episode!

With the end of Texas’ duck season on the horizon we examine some tips for decoying those wary late season birds. This is prime time to harvest those fully plumed out, wallhanger drakes! This week, outdoor writer Will Brantley makes his return to the show as we break down his feature in Ducks Unlimited Magazine- “10 Tips for Late Season Ducks”.

By January, ducks have started to change their behavior and are pairing off. Selecting a mate for the upcoming migration back north and subsequent breeding season are front and center in their life cycle. You won’t want to miss Will’s tips on bringing those pairs and singles into shotgun range.

Next we are joined in studio by Fannin County whitetail hunter Jason Sluder for a whitetail tale for the ages. His 21 point bruiser is the biggest buck ever reported killed in Fannin County. Estimated to be 6 1/2 years old, the buck sported almost 50 inches in mass measurements, and scored 214 6/8 gross, 199 6/8 net. Jason with the buck of a lifetime:

During our visit, Jason talks about hunting this beast through bow season and on into the Texas general gun season. What kind of blind did he use? Did he harvest the deer coming to feed? We get all the details on this once in a lifetime monster! Jason even brought the rack over to the studio so we could put our hands on it! Too cool.

We wrap up the show by visiting with Dr. Megan Clayton- Assistant Professor and Extension Range Specialist for the Texas AgriLife Extension Center at Corpus Christi, TX. It’s no secret that cattle and wildlife (specifically whitetail deer) co-exist on many Texas ranches and deer leases. So today we discuss the value of introduced vs native pastures and the benefits of each for both cattle and wildlife.

We jump right into things this week when Ducks Unlimited’s Chief Conservation Officer Paul Schmidt joins us to discuss the 2014 Duck Stamp Act which was just passed through the Senate and now awaits the President’s signature. This act will raise the price of the annual Duck Stamp from $15 to $25. So a significant increase in price, but one that is long overdue. The last time the price of the stamp was raised was in 1991. With the ever increasing price of land- the purchasing power of the Duck Stamp’s revenue had significantly decreased.( For reference- the national average for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $1.14 in 1991)

Enacted in 1934, the Federal Duck Stamp has raised over a billion dollars and conserved over 6 million acres – it’s time hunters stepped up once again. It’s painfully obvious that the anti hunters have no intention of doing so. Paul breaks it down for us and explains where the money goes and what percentage goes directly back into conservation. (2014 Duck Stamp- the last of the $15 variety)

Next, a real treat when former U.S. Navy SEAL, survival skills expert and contributing writer for Field & Stream Magazine- Nick Hays joins is live in studio. His recent piece titled ‘Post Plunge Protocol’, offers insight on what steps to take should an accident occur while on the water during the cold weather months of the year. Whether you’re duck hunting or fishing, falling overboard or going in over your waders can result in very serious situations that require quick thinking. Nick tells us what do in each situation. Sometimes accidents happen and it’s imperative that we are armed with the knowledge that could save our own lives or that of a hunting/fishing buddy.

We wrap things up by talking hunting dogs with our friend and dog trainer Angie Becker of Tioga Retrievers. This is also the time of the year where we ask the most of our 4 legged hunting companions. From breaking through a sheet of ice to fetch a duck, crashing into a briar patch to retrieve a winged pheasant or any other job that they are asked to do…And they gladly answer the call again and again. But what about pushing your dog to hard, to the point where it is a detriment to their well being? It’s important to know your dog’s limits. Angie also offers some tips on in the field veterinarian care and how to hunt your retriever in extreme freezing conditions. Belle got dinged up earlier this season and had to sit a few hunts out:

Dan Infalt is a whitetail hunting junkie, plain and simple. It’s what he lives for. He’s harvested over 30 Pope & Young bucks with the majority of them coming off highly pressured public land. This week, we are thrilled to have Dan back on the show to discuss a variety of topics related to killing mature bucks. Specifically, what are some common mistakes that hunters make during the peak of the rut? We also spend a fair amount of time patterning post rut whitetails. Like some whitetail hunting ninja, Dan has a knack for sneaking up on bedded bucks and putting them to bed- PERMANENTLY. Get ready for one of the best to share his expertise with us.

Greg Hackney is on fire! Not only did Greg win the BASS Elite Series Angler of the Year Title in 2014, he also won tournaments on both the Elite Series and FLW Tour while still finding time to compete on Major League Fishing. But for Greg, it’s all business as usual as he now adds a BASS AOY Title to his BASS Rookie of the Year, FLW Angler of the Year and FLW Forrest Wood Cup Championship. Elite company indeed!

Greg also provides tips on his signature technique of fishing a swim jig. Does he prefer fluorocarbon line or braid? Under what circumstances does he use each? And what about lb test and jig weight? Greg lays it all out for us. Great stuff with one of the nicest guys on tour.

We round out the broadcast by checking in with our good friend and longtime sponsor – Craig Smith of Game Guard Outdoors. Now in it’s 12th year, Game Guard is widely considered to be the official camo of the Lone Star State. In addition to the wildly successful outerwear and fishing shirts, Game Guard recently released it’s signature line of high end leather/Camo luggage and accessories. 100% of the proceeds from this line will go to charity.

Craig talks about the calling to give back and his families’ involvement in the mission field. Also, we have some exciting news to discuss concerning the Gulf Coast Cooler line as well! Of course, we’ll get into some mule deer discussion as well. Big mule deer are Craig’s real passion. He took this one in Colorado this fall:

Texas Parks and Wildlife Executive Director Carter Smith makes his return to the show this weekend. If you haven’t heard, TPWD recently acquired the 17,000 acre Powderhorn Ranch- an pristine and diverse stretch of coastline and oak flats along the Texas coast near Matagorda Bay. Carter talks about when the property will open to the public and how the agency raised $50 million dollars to fund the purchase. Designated to be a future WMA (Wildlife Management Area), Carter also discusses the diverse species available to hunters and anglers. This is the most expensive piece of property ever acquired by Texas Parks and Wildlife and it’s prime location makes it a true sportsman’s paradise.

Next, we check in with Ozona whitetail hunter Jeff Trout who recently had a surreal experience while sitting in a ground blind south of Ozona, TX. The 1,500 acre high fence lease has some great whitetails and axis deer on it, but to Jeff’s surprise it was a male mountain lion that busted out of the brush in pursuit of a deer during Thanksgiving week! Jeff breaks down what happened next and how he ended up putting this Texas big cat on the ground! The trail camera photo shows the tom just moments after Jeff’s first bullet grazed his back hip. The second shot found vitals and put the apex predator down for good!

We then change things up with twin brothers Brent and Brian Jackson drop in with a big buck tale almost too far fetched to believe! Last year, Brent killed a Rusk County, TX free ranging monster with 22 points that grossed over 185 inches! Then, this fall Brian dropped a 22 point Rusk County bruiser of his own, not 7 miles from where Brent shot his buck last fall. What are the odds of two brother knocking down 22 point free ranging bruisers in back to back seasons? I’d probably buy a couple lottery tickets fellas!

We wrap up this week’s broadcast when everybody’s favorite- Captain Len Girard joins us live from Corpus Christi Bay for our Coastal Fishing Report. Flounder and redfish are on fire in addition to good numbers of trout and sheepshead with black drum starting to show up in good numbers as well. Captain Len tells us where to find ’em and what to catch ’em on! The results of a recent trip with Captain Len:

Podcast:

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We kick things off by talking meat care with Outdoor Life Contributing Writer Chris Batin. A native of Alaska for over 40 years, Chris knows how important it is to get your harvest cooled down ASAP and also has decades worth of tips to share regarding protecting that harvest from insects and bacteria. Lets face it, the blood, sweat, tears, time and money that often goes into harvesting a big game animal is monumental. Chris offers some valuable tips and insight protecting that hard earned harvest while in the field. This is especially applicable in remote or primitive hunting situations.

Next, we talk big bass and big bucks with one of Pro Bass Fishing’s living legends! Former BASS AOY, FLW AOY and Bassmaster Classic Champion Denny Brauer drops in. We discuss Denny’s forte as the best jig fisherman ever to wet a line as well as winter bass patterns.

Denny is equally as passionate about big bucks as he is big bass and so in this segment we talk all things whitetails with the fishing icon. Specifically, we’ll hear the tale of how Denny put down a 240 inch East Texas monster this season! 21 points- and would you look at that mass? What a buck!!!

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We then round out the broadcast by discussing an alarming and somewhat disturbing trend in Wildlife Biology Majors among college undergrads. Sull Ross State University’s Dr. Louis Harveson has seen and done it all when it comes to teaching the future leaders of North American wildlife management. He’s currently is the director of the highly successful Borderlands Research Institute.

Sadly though, Dr. Harveson has seen an alarming trend over the past 5 years among his students…where 90% were male, owned guns and hunted 15 years ago- today we see the trend is 50% female and fewer and fewer wildlife biology majors actually have any hunting experience. You can understand the level of concern we have for this situation considering that anti hunters and PETA/HSUS freaks are infiltrating the ranks of those responsible for harvest recommendations and season dates. Not a good situation!

This week we get the ball rolling by talking shotguns with our good friend and Field & Stream Shooting Editor – Phil Bourjaily. Specifically, we discuss the status of the pump shotgun. With duck hunters and wingshooters seemingly turning to semi autos with more frequency than ever, what does the future hold for the pump? We discuss the pros and cons of the reliable pump shotgun vs the fancy new semi autos paving the way in today’s market. Is the iconic pump scattergun truly becoming obsolete, or is there still a place for it in every hunter’s gun safe?

Next up we are joined by Predator Pursuit host Jeff Thomason. The native Texan and longtime professional predator hunter made national headlines last summer when he arrowed an 808 lb world record mako shark! One of the pioneers of bowfishing for huge sharks, Jeff talks about the gear and technique used for this style of fishing. How close do you have to get to the shark in order to have enough penetration to reel the fish in? We get all the details on this fish tale of a lifetime! Jeff with his world record mako. 11 feet long and 808 lbs!!!

We then shift gears as we continue visiting with Jeff Thomason, but in this segment we pick this longtime predator hunter’s brain on calling winter coyotes. With 4 DVD’s and 5 years experience filming Predator Pursuit for both Sportsman and Pursuit Channel, Jeff is about as an accomplished a coyote hunter as there is out there. He breaks down his favorite weather conditions, distress sounds, and calling tips for big, furred up winter song dogs.

We round out the broadcast by talking big cold water blue cats with our longtime friend and fishing guide Greg Pavur of Pavur Outdoors. November and December are prime months to catch huge blue catfish roaming shallow flats, even in as little as a foot of water. Greg explains why these monsters of the deep move shallow. He tells us what temps to look for, what geographic areas to target and what bait to use. Greg with a 48 lb blue caught in less than 5 feet of water on a recent trip!