routine special section entry

West Kerr Hunters Guide 2013


WEST KERRCurrent

107-A Hwy. 39 Ingram, Texas 78025

Tel: (830) 367-3501 Fax: (830) 367-3064E-mail: [email protected] www.wkcurrent.com

Editor and Publisher Clint Schroeder Advertising Director Phyllis Landin Ad Sales Sheri Baker, Phyllis Landin, Irene Van WinkleContributing writers: Clint Schroeder, Irene Van Winkle, John Wootters Photographers: John Wootters, Irene Van Winkle, Jim Campbell, Clint Schroeder

West Kerr Current Annual Subscription RatesIn county $30Out-of-county $35

Any erroneous reflection upon the character or standing of any person or firm appearing in these columns will begladly and promptly corrected upon calling the attention of the management to the article in question. Publisher’sLiability for Error: The publisher’s liability for errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publicationof the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement.

West Kerr Current 2013Hunters Guide

A publication of the

About the cover:Cover design by Campbell's Art Studio, 367-1308.The cover photo was taken by photographer and graphic designer Jim Campbell thisOctober at Tierra Linda Ranch.

Hunters, welcome to West Kerr County and the 2013 West KerrCurrent Hunters Guide, which this year is dedicated to the late outdoorswriter John Wootters.

Wootters, a nationally known outdoors writer and whitetail deer author-ity, retired to Ingram and wrote a weekly column, “Currently Outdoors,”for the West Kerr Current for 10 years. He died Jan. 29, 2013. Becausehis columns are timeless, we are reprinting some of them in this guide forour readers’ enjoyment and edification.

The Hunters Guide is published by the West Kerr Current — a weeklynewspaper that serves Ingram, Hunt, Mountain Home and the Divide, oneof the finest hunting areas in the world.

West Kerr County has world-class hunting all year round, thanks toabundant exotic game on area ranches that augment the native whitetaildeer season.

This publication aims to make your West Kerr hunting experience evenmore enjoyable with authoritative stories about hunting and whitetailbehavior, photographs, solunar tables, a restaurant and lodging guide, andadvertising — some with discounts and free items — to serve your needs.

Advertisers make the guide possible; please take advantage of thegoods and services they offer— many are specifically for hunters.

Good hunting!

Clint Schroeder,Editor and Publisher

Welcome!

5 Points Antiques ...........................A 1 Transmission .............................Bernhards Meat Market.................Books to Share ...............................Broken Arrow Ranch ....................Camp Verde General Store ........Capital Farm Credit ........................Celia’s Closet.....................................Del Norte Restaurant ...................Double L Ranch & Feed ................Five Star Rental.................................Grape & Grain Liquor Store.........Heart of the Hills Taxidermy.........Hunt Store..........................................Ingram Lake Dam Store ...............JDS Wrecker ....................................Jim Campbell’s Art Studio.............J P Liquor ........................................K & G Meat Market........................Kerrville Main Street ........................Kerrville Ranch & Pet Center.......

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By Clint SchroederWest Kerr Current

The 2013-14 Kerr County huntingseason may start slow before it picks uparound Thanksgiving, but conditionshave been good for antler development,a wildlife biologist reported.

Johnny Arredondo, the Texas Parks& Wildlife Department wildlife biolo-gist for Kerr, Bandera and Real coun-ties, said deer sightings have gone downas acorns become plentiful.

“I’ve been getting a lot of reportsfrom individual ranchers and landown-ers saying they’re not seeing as manydeer now out in the field as there hadbeen early in the summertime,”Arredondo said recently, adding that ishis experience, too.

“I had been seeing more deer early inthe summertime versus now because ofthe acorns,” he said in mid-October,“but this has just been happening overthe last couple of weeks.”

He said when the general huntingseason begins in November, “it may bea little slow at first, but hopefully it’llpick up after Thanksgiving, especiallywhen the rut peaks out and bucks startmoving around.”

Arredondo noted that last year, thehunting season was a little slow, too,because of a big acorn crop at the start.

“People weren’t seeing animals untillate in the year,” he said.

He also said many people wereexpecting deer last year to be in poorcondition, but the general health of thepopulation was pretty good.

“I got a lot of reports from peoplesaying they were very impressed with

how healthy the deer were,” he said.“Last year was a little better year in

the springtime with the rainfall com-pared to the year before ... 2011 waskind of dry.

“They were expecting the deer wouldbe in poor condition because of thatdrought but the range conditions wereimproving, so they were in a lot betterhealth than most people were expecting.”

This year, the area received rains inthe springtime and into the summer, agood sign for antler development.

“That definitely helped antler devel-opment because they do normally growtheir antlers starting about March all theway up to August, so we got the rainswhen we really needed them to producegood antlers, “ he said.

Arredondo said fawns did exception-ally well this year.

“We were getting reports from 60percent to 80 percent fawn crops andeven some areas were up in the 100s,”he said. “It almost seems impossible,but I guess that’s what the numbersshow when you see as many fawns asyou do does.”

He said predation, disease anddrought will cause some fawn mortality,but “with a high fawn crop, a good per-centage will survive for the followingyear.”

Ranchers and landowners will wantto consider supplemental feed for theirdeer in the event the area doesn’t getmuch rain this winter, he said.

Arredondo said they also should keeptheir eyes peeled for anything out of theordinary, “whether it be deer diseases,predators — mountain lions, blackbears — all that stuff.”


Outlook favorable for Texas deer seasonTexas Parks & Wildlife Department

While not clear of the drought, thingsare looking up in many parts of the statethis year and the outlook for deer anddeer hunting is much brighter.

Archery-only deer season openedSaturday, Sept. 28 and runs through Nov.1. The general firearms season beginsNov. 2. The special youth-only deer sea-sons are Oct. 26-27 and Jan. 6-19.

Biologists can provide some generalpredictions each year based on rainfall andgeneral habitat conditions that are applica-ble at a landscape level scale, but whetherthose predictions hold true for individualproperties is like trying to guess the Lottonumbers on the Saturday night drawing.

Factors like rainfall, availability ofnative foods like acorns or mesquite beancrops, habitat quality and availability,even hunting pressure, play a role inshaping your hunting success.

Aside from rainfall and general habitatconditions, biologists also consider previ-ous year’s deer population characteristicsto make predictions for the upcomingseason.

“Statewide population trends remain

stable and hunters should expect goodnumbers of deer year in and year out,”said Alan Cain, TPWD whitetail deerprogram leader. “I would predict thestatewide deer population to be close toor slightly above the long-term averageand hover around that 3.6 million deermark for 2013.”

Kerr season looks good, too

See Outlook, Page 5

Photo by Jim Campbell

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“One factor hunters should also keepin mind is the good carryover of deerfrom the 2012 season as harvest wasdown, resulting from heavy acorn andmast crops in several regions of thestate,” Cain noted. “For hunters, thistranslates into plenty of opportunities toharvest a deer.”

Though deer population numbers areexpected to be good this year, Cain pre-dicts the recent September rains thatresulted in a flush of green vegetationmay cause bow hunters to rethink theirearly season hunting strategies as deermay spend less time visiting feeders. Awell-traveled game trail may be more pro-ductive than hunting at the deer feeder.

Dry conditions in 2011 resulted in asignificant decline in fawn production,down to 29 percent for the statewide esti-mate, a 24 percent departure from thelong term average.

Fawn crops bounced back in 2012 at47 percent and Cain anticipates surveyresults will show a higher fawn crop thisyear. In fact, Cain is hearing reports fromlandowners as well as TPWD biologistsof fawn production in the 60 to 80 per-cent range in the Hill Country and similarreports of good fawn production in otherareas of the state.

For hunters, fawn crops may not be asmeaningful since harvest is generallyfocused on older age class deer, butremember those fawns this year translateinto your adult deer several years into thefuture.

Another aspect of typical hunting sea-son forecast is the prediction of antlerquality and how many big bucks are outthere across the landscape.

“As far as antler quality goes, rainfallplays a key role by influencing thenative habitat and forage, ultimatelyaffecting the quality of nutrition a buckreceives in order to grow antlers,” Cainexplained. “In dry years, we typicallysee a decline in overall antler quality andincreases in wet years much related tonutrition.”

Some managers provide supplementalfeed to buffer against nutritional impactresulting from drought. However,research in South Texas has shown thatnative habitat is crucial to deer nutritioneven when supplemental feed is provid-ed. So maintaining quality native habitaton your property is important.

Judging from the phone calls andemails Cain has received from landown-ers around the state, bucks look to be ingood body condition, antlers are in greatshape and they are expecting a much bet-

ter season than the last two years.”Cain predicts antler quality to be above

average for those areas receiving goodspring rains and average for those thatwere a little drier this spring and summer.The good news is that drought or nodrought, Texas still produces some whop-per bucks each year.

According to an article published byBoone and Crockett several years back,Texas ranks fifth all time for entries intoB&C record books. Based on 40-plusyears of data collected by TPWD biolo-gists each season, the average B&C scorefor a 5-1/2 year old buck is 124, with 9.1points, and a 15.8 inch inside spread.Even the younger bucks at 3-1/2 years ofage average a 13.5 inch inside spread and8 points.

While areas like South Texas areknown for producing exceptional bucks,most anywhere in the state is capable ofproducing good bucks every year. In factin 2012, two archery hunters were luckyenough to connect on a couple of largenon-typical bucks scoring about 250Boone and Crockett. Both bucks werewild, free-ranging deer taken on low-fenced properties, one in North Texasand the other in Southeast Texas.Hopefully, that trend will continue in2013.

“Another positive trend we haveobserved in the last few years is that theproportion of young bucks in the harvesthas declined across the state, and mostnoticeably in the eastern third of the statewhere bucks had a hard time surviving to3-1/2 years of age,” Cain points out. “In2012, bucks 3-1/2 years old and oldercomprised 65 percent of bucks checkedduring TPWD surveys which are a reflec-tion of the deer harvested each season.”

Digging a little deeper into the dataCain explains that in antler-restrictioncounties, 59 percent of bucks checkedduring TPWD surveys were 3-1/2 orolder, a dramatic improvement in agestructure when those older age classbucks represented only 30-35 percent ofthe harvest before antler restrictions wereimplemented.

“This shift towards harvesting olderbucks in the Pineywoods, Post OakSavannah, and Cross Timbers andPrairies regions is a direct result of theantler-restriction regulation,” Cain says.“That harvest strategy has been veryeffective at allowing many more bucks toreach maturity. We have received manypositive reports from landowners andhunters in those regions who are excitedabout the number and quality of bucksthey are observing on their properties. “

Overall, the 2013 season is expected tobe a good one with great opportunities toharvest a deer.

OutlookContinued from Page 4


Hunters Guide dedicated to John Henry Wootters

This year’s 2013West Kerr CurrentHunters Guide isdedicated to writer,photographer, hunterand master story-teller John HenryWootters, who diedJan. 29, 2013.

Wootters was editor of Petersen’sHunting magazine and author of themonthly column “Buck Sense” and wrotethe all-time best selling book on deerhunting, “Hunting Trophy Deer.”

He served on the Board of Directors ofthe National Rifle Association, andwrote for Shooting Times, Rifle,Handloader, Guns & Ammo andPetersen’s Hunting magazines.

He was known for his books and sto-ries about hunting and fishing — and forhis knowledge of the outdoors, of animalspecies and of their behavior.

Wootters lived near Ingram with hiswife, fellow hunter and business manag-er, Jeanne, for nearly a decade, after mov-ing from their ranch outside Laredo.

His book, “Hunting Trophy Deer,”

helped establish him firmly as “Father ofQuality Whitetail Trophy Deer Hunting.”He contributed thousands of articles to vir-tually every magazine that publishes hunt-ing, fishing, shooting or technical firearmsmaterial.

He wrote a weekly outdoor column,“Currently Outdoors,” in the West KerrCurrent for almost 10 years.

From his vantage point of decades ofexperience in the businesses, the columnswere a delight to read. He consideredthem some of his finest work.

We are reprinting some of his latestcolumns, and others that are especiallypertinent to hunting whitetail deer,exotics and turkey.

“John was a master of his craft and oneof the most professional writers I’ve everworked with,” said Current Editor andPublisher Clint Schroeder. “His columnswere always a pleasure to read and a per-fect fit for West Kerr County’s rich hunt-ing heritage. I know some subscribersread our paper just for his column.

“It was my good fortune, and our read-ers’, that he chose to write for the localpaper,” he said.

Julia Garcia of Wisconsin harvested this chocolate fallow on the RoaringRock Ranch, hunting with David Lee of Mountain Home Hunting Service,who is shown behind her.

CChhooccoollaattee ffaalllloowwCourtesy photo

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John Wootters’ years at the CurrentEDITOR’S NOTE — I had the honor of

speaking at a memorial service for JohnWootters in April 2013. Here are theremarks I made, to relate a bit abouthow he came to write for the West KerrCurrent.

I first met John in October 2003, afew months after I started the West KerrCurrent newspaper.

I had a gentleman who wrote an out-doors column for me for a couple ofmonths ... and then he didn’t.

John walked into my office and intro-duced himself as a semi-retired outdoorswriter who might be interested in writ-ing a column for the Current.

When I read his resumé, my jaw musthave dropped to the floor. I told him, “Idon’t think I can afford you.”

He agreed to write it for a modestamount, which he later reduced to zero,and thus began his “semi-retired” phaseas a columnist in which he wrote 460columns — half a million words — toenlighten and entertain the Current’sreaders — primarily his neighbors.

I’ve never worked with more of aprofessional — his columns werealways on time and the prose was per-fect ... he certainly didn’t need me as aneditor, but he always referred, and

deferred, to me as his “boss.”It’s been one my great pleasures to

have him walk through the door, handme his latest column, and then get toread it and publish it.

Many times he would sit down andtalk awhile, always amazing me with histales of the life he lived and the experi-ences he’d had.

Last year, I received an e-mail from afreelance writer in Canada, inquiring ifJohn still does columns for the WestKerr Current. He said Wootters’ namecame up on an online forum, “Ask theGun Writers” at 24hourcampfire.com.

I showed John the e-mail and the linkto the forum, which has more than a 100comments — accolades — from JohnWootters fans.

When I saw him the next week, hewas truly surprised, in his humble way,that he was still remembered by somany, so fondly.

In fact, naturally enough, he wrote acolumn about it called “An unexpectedlook backward.”

In it, he wrote:“Reading what 30 or 40 shooters and

hunters had taken the trouble to say aboutme and my writings, 10 years after mybyline disappeared from national publica-tions, was, to put it mildly, awesome. I

had always assumed that readers wouldn’tremember my name a few months after Istopped writing for national media. I’dseen that happen to fellow writers duringmy long active career, and didn’t imaginethat I’d be any different.”

He was different. One man on theforum mentioned — in order — the firstfour models of rifles with which Johnhunted deer; several former readersreferred to rifle cartridges he had used,touted, or even invented, others remem-bered the names and locations of deercamps where he hunted in his teens —these are real fans.

The headline of one of the lastcolumns John wrote for the Current was“Don’t call hunting my ‘hobby.’

The first paragraph kind of sums uphis approach to outdoors writing:

Big game hunting and fishing are not,as sometimes styled by ignorant writersin the media, “hobbies” or “pastimes.”They are much too important for suchcasual, even superficial, characteriza-tion. Building model airplanes is ahobby; playing video games is a pas-time. Hunting and fishing are passionsor quests.”

— Clint Schroeder

Whitetailed DeerArchery Only: Sept. 28-Nov. 1,

2013. General Season: Nov. 2, 2013-

Jan. 5, 2014.Special Late General Season:

Jan. 6-19, 2014 (antlerless andspike buck deer only).

Bag limit: 5 (no more than 2bucks, all seasons combined.

Javelina:No closed season. Bag Limit: 2

per license year.

Squirrel:No closed season. No bag limit.

TurkeyArchery Season: Sept. 28-Nov. 1

(either sex)Fall Season: Nov. 2-Jan. 5 (either

sex)Spring Season: March 15-April

27 (gobblers or bearded hens).Bag limit: 4 (all seasons com-

bined).

Kerr County Hunting Seasons

These tables show when fish and animals are most likely to be active.Longitude 99.20W Latitude 30.04NMajor = 2 hours Minor = 1 hour Accurate within 1 minuteF = Full Moon N = New Moon Q = Quarter > = Peak activityLines marked > indicate best hunting at sunrise or sunset

* Daylight Saving Time

SPORTING TIMES LUNAR TIMESA. M. P. M. SUN TIMES MOON MOON

Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets Up DownNovember 201301 Fri> 3:56 10:09 4:21 10:34 07:49 06:49 5:50a 5:37p 11:46a NoMoon *02 Sat> 4:43 10:56 5:09 11:22 07:50 06:49 6:52a 6:19p 12:37p 12:11a * 03 SunN 5:34 11:48 6:02 12:16 07:51 06:48 7:55a 7:06p 1:32p 1:05a * 04 Mon> 5:31 11:13 6:01 ----- 06:52 05:47 8:00a 6:58p 1:30p 1:01a 05 Tue > 6:34 12:19 7:04 12:49 06:52 05:46 9:04a 7:55p 2:30p 2:00a 06 Wed 7:40 1:25 8:10 1:55 06:53 05:46 10:05a 8:56p 3:30p 3:00a 07 Thu 8:46 2:31 9:16 3:01 06:54 05:45 11:02a 10:00p 4:30p 4:00a 08 Fri 9:50 3:36 10:19 4:05 06:55 05:44 11:53a 11:04p 5:27p 4:59a 09 Sat 10:50 4:36 11:17 5:04 06:56 05:43 12:39p NoMoon 6:21p 5:55a 10 SunQ 11:44 5:31 ----- 5:57 06:56 05:43 1:21p 12:08a 7:13p 6:48a 11 Mon 12:08 6:21 12:33 6:46 06:57 05:42 2:00p 1:10a 8:03p 7:38a 12 Tue 12:54 7:06 1:18 7:30 06:58 05:42 2:38p 2:11a 8:51p 8:27a 13 Wed 1:37 7:49 2:01 8:13 06:59 05:41 3:15p 3:10a 9:39p 9:15a 14 Thu 2:19 8:31 2:43 8:55 07:00 05:41 3:53p 4:08a 10:27p 10:03a

A. M. P. M. SUN TIMES MOON MOONMinor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets Up Down

15 Fri 3:02 9:14 3:26 9:38 07:01 05:40 4:33p 5:06a 11:16p 10:51a 16 Sat> 3:47 9:59 4:11 10:23 07:02 05:40 5:14p 6:03a NoMoon 11:40a 17 Sun> 4:34 10:47 4:59 11:11 07:02 05:39 5:58p 6:59a 12:05a 12:29p 18 MonF 5:24 11:37 5:49 ----- 07:03 05:39 6:44p 7:53a 12:54a 1:19p 19 Tue> 6:17 12:04 6:41 12:29 07:04 05:38 7:32p 8:44a 1:44a 2:08p 20 Wed> 7:10 12:58 7:34 1:22 07:05 05:38 8:22p 9:32a 2:32a 2:57p 21 WedQ ---- 6:00 12:11 6:22 07:06 05:38 1:31p 12:53a 7:38p 7:15a 21 Thu 8:03 1:51 8:26 2:14 07:06 05:38 9:13p 10:16a 3:20a 3:44p 22 Fri 8:54 2:43 9:17 3:06 07:07 05:37 10:05p 10:57a 4:07a 4:29p 23 Sat 9:44 3:33 10:06 3:55 07:08 05:37 10:57p 11:34a 4:52a 5:14p 24 Sun 10:31 4:20 10:53 4:42 07:08 05:37 11:50p 12:10p 5:36a 5:58p 25 MonQ 11:17 5:06 11:38 5:27 07:09 05:36 NoMoon 12:44p 6:19a 6:41p 26 Tue ----- 5:49 12:00 6:11 07:10 05:36 12:43a 1:18p 7:03a 7:25p 27 Wed 12:19 6:31 12:42 6:53 07:11 05:36 1:37a 1:53p 7:48a 8:11p 28 Thu 1:01 7:13 1:24 7:36 07:12 05:36 2:34a 2:30p 8:34a 8:58p 29 Fri 1:43 7:56 2:08 8:21 07:13 05:36 3:33a 3:10p 9:24a 9:50p 30 Sat 2:28 8:42 2:55 9:09 07:13 05:36 4:35a 3:54p 10:16a 10:44p December 201301 Sun> 3:18 9:32 3:46 10:01 07:14 05:36 5:39a 4:44p 11:13a 11:42p 02 MonN 4:12 10:28 4:43 10:58 07:15 05:36 6:44a 5:39p 12:13p NoMoon

03 Tue> 5:13 11:28 5:44 11:59 07:16 05:36 7:48a 6:40p 1:14p 12:43a 04 Wed> 6:17 12:02 6:48 12:33 07:17 05:36 8:49a 7:45p 2:16p 1:45aA. M. P. M. SUN TIMES MOON MOON

Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets Up Down 05 Thu> 7:24 1:09 7:54 1:39 07:17 05:36 9:45a 8:51p 3:16p 2:46a 06 Fri 8:29 2:15 8:58 2:44 07:18 05:36 10:35a 9:57p 4:14p 3:45a 07 Sat 9:32 3:18 9:59 3:45 07:19 05:36 11:20a 11:02p 5:08p 4:42a 08 Sun 10:29 4:16 10:55 4:42 07:20 05:36 12:01p NoMoon 6:00p 5:35a 09 Mon 11:22 5:09 11:47 5:34 07:20 05:36 12:40p 12:05a 6:50p 6:25a 10 Tue Q ----- 5:58 12:10 6:22 07:21 05:36 1:17p 1:05a 7:38p 7:14a 11 Wed 12:31 6:43 12:55 7:07 07:22 05:36 1:55p 2:04a 8:25p 8:02a 12 Thu 1:14 7:26 1:38 7:49 07:22 05:37 2:33p 3:01a 9:13p 8:49a 13 Fri 1:56 8:08 2:20 8:32 07:23 05:37 3:13p 3:58a 10:01p 9:37a 14 Sat 2:39 8:51 3:03 9:15 07:24 05:37 3:56p 4:53a 10:50p 10:26a 15 Sun 3:23 9:35 3:47 10:00 07:24 05:37 4:41p 5:47a 11:39p 11:14a 16 Mon> 4:09 10:21 4:34 10:46 07:25 05:38 5:28p 6:39a NoMoon 12:03p 17 Tue> 4:57 11:09 5:21 11:33 07:25 05:38 6:17p 7:27a 12:28a 12:52p 18 WedF 5:46 11:58 6:10 ----- 07:26 05:39 7:08p 8:13a 1:16a 1:39p 19 Thu> 6:36 12:25 7:00 12:48 07:27 05:39 7:59p 8:55a 2:03a 2:26p

A. M. P. M. SUN TIMES MOON MOONMinor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets Up Down

20 Fri> 7:27 1:15 7:49 1:38 07:27 05:39 8:51p 9:34a 2:49a 3:11p 21 Sat 8:16 2:05 8:38 2:27 07:28 05:40 9:43p 10:10a 3:33a 3:55p 22 Sun 9:05 2:54 9:26 3:15 07:28 05:40 10:36p 10:44a 4:16a 4:38p 23 Mon 9:52 3:41 10:14 4:03 07:29 05:41 11:28p 11:18a 4:59a 5:21p 24 TueQ 10:38 4:27 11:00 4:49 07:29 05:41 NoMoon 11:51a 5:42a 6:04p 25 WedQ 11:24 5:13 11:47 5:35 07:29 05:42 12:22a 12:26p 6:27a 6:50p26 Thu ----- 5:58 12:10 6:22 07:30 05:42 1:19a 1:04p 7:13a 7:38p 27 Fri 12:31 6:44 12:56 7:09 07:30 05:43 2:17a 1:45p 8:03a 8:29p 28 Sat 1:17 7:31 1:45 7:58 07:30 05:44 3:19a 2:31p 8:56a 9:24p 29 Sun 2:06 8:21 2:35 8:50 07:31 05:44 4:23a 3:22p 9:53a 10:23p 30 Mon> 2:59 9:14 3:29 9:45 07:31 05:45 5:27a 4:20p 10:54a 11:25p 31 Tue> 3:56 10:11 4:27 10:42 07:31 05:46 6:30a 5:23p 11:56a NoMoon

January 201401 WedN 4:56 11:11 5:27 11:42 07:32 05:46 7:29a 6:30p 12:58p 12:27a 02 Thu> 5:59 11:40 6:29 12:14 07:32 05:47 8:23a 7:38p 1:58p 1:28a 03 Fri> 7:03 12:48 7:31 1:17 07:32 05:48 9:12a 8:46p 2:56p 2:28a 04 Sat 8:05 1:52 8:32 2:19 07:32 05:48 9:56a 9:52p 3:51p 3:24a 05 Sun 9:05 2:52 9:31 3:18 07:32 05:49 10:37a 10:55p 4:43p 4:18a 06 Mon 10:02 3:49 10:27 4:14 07:32 05:50 11:17a 11:56p 5:34p 5:09a 07 Tue 10:55 4:42 11:19 5:07 07:33 05:51 11:55a NoMoon 6:23p 5:58a 08 WedQ 11:44 5:32 ----- 5:56 07:33 05:51 12:34p 12:55a 7:11p 6:47a09 Thu 12:06 6:18 12:30 6:43 07:33 05:52 1:14p 1:53a 8:00p 7:35a 10 Fri 12:51 7:03 1:15 7:27 07:33 05:53 1:56p 2:49a 8:48p 8:24a 11 Sat 1:34 7:46 1:58 8:11 07:33 05:54 2:39p 3:43a 9:36p 9:12a 12 Sun 2:17 8:29 2:41 8:54 07:33 05:55 3:25p 4:35a 10:25p 10:01a 13 Mon 3:01 9:13 3:25 9:37 07:33 05:55 4:13p 5:24a 11:13p 10:49a 14 Tue> 3:45 9:57 4:09 10:20 07:32 05:56 5:03p 6:11a NoMoon 11:36a 15 Wed> 4:30 10:41 4:53 11:05 07:32 05:57 5:55p 6:54a NoMoon 12:23p16 Thu F 5:16 11:27 5:38 11:50 07:32 05:58 6:47p 7:34a 12:46a 1:09p 17 Fri> 6:02 ----- 6:24 12:13 07:32 05:59 7:39p 8:11a 1:31a 1:53p 18 Sat> 6:50 12:39 7:11 1:00 07:32 06:00 8:31p 8:46a 2:15a 2:37p 19 Sun 7:37 1:27 7:59 1:48 07:32 06:01 9:24p 9:20a 2:58a 3:20p

SOLUNAR/LUNAR TIMES for Hunt, Texas


Mon. - Fri., - 11:00 to 1:00

By John Wootters

The still hunter spends as much timestanding still as moving, and may coveronly a few hundred yards in a morning.But, ideally, he sees every deer within hisrange of vision during the stroll ... andalarms none of them!

Some might consider that impossible.That was my first reaction, too, but it’snot impossible — just very difficult.

It requires practice and patience — lotsof patience! — but there are greatrewards for a still hunter. For one, he maysee bucks which never come to a feeder,or even which do not move by daylight atall. There are more of the latter than youmay imagine!

For another, a buck taken by still-hunt-ing is the most satisfying and impressivewhitetail trophy imaginable, testifying tothe superior skills of a successful hunter.

Deep East Texas appears to be the onlyregion of the state where still-hunting iswidely practiced and regularly passeddown from father to son.

The hardest thing to learn is that “deadslow” isn’t slow enough. The still hunterstands still while he scans every place hecan see, then he glides forward one, two,maybe three slow steps, and stops again,close to something — a tree trunk, ashrub — that he can use to break up hisoutline and blend into the forest. There hestops again and probes the available vis-tas with his eyes before moving on.

In a particularly promising spot, hemay lean against a tree and scan for fiveor 10 minutes. When standing he keepsall movements, such as raising binocularsor turning the head, small and in slowmotion. With experience, he usually fallsautomatically into a “still-huntingrhythm” that allows him to move like aghost through the woods, not actuallyinvisible, of course, but very inconspicu-ously.

Many beginners are surprised at howclosely they can approach a whitetailwith these techniques — sometimes.They also learn that bucks are an entirelydifferent challenge, and the older the

buck, the greater the challenge.A heavy layer of fallen leaves can

complicate the operation, making ahuman walking through them sound likea bull in a potato-chip factory. Choosingwet days or planning still-hunting foraysfor very early mornings with a heavy dewcan help, but I have walked up on deer inthe worst of dry leaves, making no effortto be quiet. The secret is just that: don’ttry to be sneaky. There's a chance deerwill take the noise of your progress to bemade by livestock, or by a non-threaten-ing human like a farmhand going abouthis daily rounds. I’ve had them standaround and stare long enough for me tolift a rifle and fire.

Still hunting can be merged with othermethods of hunting with excellentresults. If you have a little walk to get toyour stand, you can still-hunt your way toand from the blind. If antler-rattling is onyour program that day, still-hunt yourway between rattling locations. In fact,this may be my own favorite huntingmode; it satisfies one of the primerequirements for rattling: a quiet, incon-spicuous approach to the intended rattlingspot.

Camouflage clothing is not regarded asessential by some of the best still-huntersI have known, but it certainly doesn’t hurtthe enterprise. I believe every little bithelps, and usually wear head-to-toecamo, with special emphasis on face andhands, which are not only the brightestparts of my exposed skin, but also theparts most apt to be in motion when a

buck is looking.Intense still-hunting — about the only

kind likely to be successful — isextremely tiring, both mentally and phys-ically, and difficult to sustain for longperiods. It makes sense to scout yourintended still-hunting routes in advance,taking both sun and wind direction intoaccount. Having a low sun at your back isas important as having the wind in yourfavor, since it makes it both easier for youto see deer and harder for the deer tomake you out.

Some terrains are better suited to still-hunting than others. Open forest, whereyou can move from place to place andsearch good new habitat at every stop isideal, provided it isn’t so open that youcan’t easily blend in with trees or bushesat most stops. It goes without saying thatit should contain habitat currentlyfavored by the local whitetails.

When still-hunting whitetails, Wootters dons full camouflage, especiallycovering face and hands, and carries his rifle with both hands in shootingposition so he can mount it instantly. The rifle must be light enough to becarried in this position for long periods without undue fatigue.

The fine art of still hunting

Photos by John Wootters


Still-hunting merges effectively with“walking and rattling antlers” andother hunting modes.

By John Wootters

What I know about turkeys and how Ilearned it:

1.) Not everything that comes to aturkey call wears feathers!

At dawn of the first day of the firsthunting season Texas ever held for thethen-recently-established Texas popula-tion of the eastern wild turkey, I sat in fullcamouflage with my back against a pinetree, listening to turkey talk in the roosttrees 50 yards to my front. I was thrilledby my impending encounter with thislegendary game bird, although I hadhunted Texas’ Rio Grande turkeys a fewtimes.

Figuring that the less I called, thefewer mistakes I might make, I limitedmy efforts to a few self-conscious yelps,hoping these Texas-born birds hadn’theard enough calling to be critical.

I did succeed in getting a gobbler toanswer, but before that relationship couldripen, I became aware of a movement inthe woods. Freezing, I realized that I wasnot alone. A human figure was furtivelyapproaching. In tattered overalls and agreasy fedora hat, he didn’t look like aturkey hunter. But he carried a worn sin-gle-shot 12-gauge, and had obviously notyet seen me.

I decided it was time he did. Withoutmoving, I said quietly, “If you point thatthing at me, I'm going to shoot first!”

He started as violently as if he’dstepped on a snake, and fled without aword. When I reported this episode, myhost admitted he had some neighborswho elevated trespass to an art form, andwho regarded a year wasted that they did-n’t spend a few weeks in jail. With myown Deep East Texas background, Icould only chuckle to learn that things

hadn’t changed much in the piney woods.Years later, when my turkey calling

had greatly improved, I was hunting inSouth Texas one morning when I again

sensed that I wasn’t alone. Scanning cau-tiously, I found myself eyeball-to-eyeball


.

What I know aboutturkeys — and how I learned it

The author, right, receives congratulations in Mississippi on his lifetime-first eastern-strain gobbler from guide Mark Drury, then National Turkey-Calling Champion.


See Turkeys, Page 11

with a big dog coyote. Whether myturkey-calling was so bad that he mistookit for a wounded rabbit, or he was justcurious about the noise, I never knew.However, having seen coyotes respond torattling of deer antlers, nothing surprisesme.

On yet another morning, my wife andI were opening the turkey season on ourdeer lease in Val Verde County. I waspurring, clucking and yelping in fine stylewhen six wetbacks (excuse me: “undocu-mented aliens”) appeared in the brush,apparently seeking the source of thesounds. I stood up, covered them with myrevolver, and suggested, in Spanish, theylook somewhere else. They hastily tookthe suggestion and departed.

(Note: I don’t recommend this actiontoday; you might find yourself outnum-bered and outgunned.)

2.) How not to shoot turkeys.While still-hunting for deer along the

banks of Sycamore Creek on the ValVerde County lease, and carrying a .45-70 Ruger single-shot carbine, I noticed a

file of turkeys approaching from my righton a heading to pass before me withineasy gunshot.

I quickly knelt and slipped the safetyoff and started trying to think where Icould shoot a turkey with a .45-70 with-out reducing him to turkey hash beforecooking. I had only seconds to cogitatebefore the chance was gone.

I aimed and fired at the first gobbler inline, creating an instant pandemonium offlailing turkey wings, big bodies launch-ing in all directions, and a few driftingfeathers.

In minutes the scene was serene again,and my target gobbler lay inert. I ginger-ly picked him up by one leg. My .45 bul-let had gone through his abdomen behindhis thighs — and touched not a shred ofedible meat! I gave him a good shake andall his internals (except lungs) fell out onthe ground, leaving him neatly pre-fielddressed!

Of course I declared in camp that itwas all on purpose, to save me the messytask of cleaning him.

Contrast that with my very first wildturkey many years earlier, which I pottedoff a tree limb in the cold light of pre-

dawn when I was about 16. I can makeno excuse for having done that reprehen-sible and illegal thing except that I wasalone and he was the first turkey I’d everseen in the wild. I simply knew no bet-ter.

It was also the last wild turkey I evershot with a 180-grain bullet from a .300Savage rifle, and I quickly regretted it

when I ran to claim my prize.There was no “prize” left. I had cen-

tered the bird and driven the expandingslug squarely through the muscularbreast. The remains looked as if the birdhad stepped on a land mine. I suddenlysaw myself as a wanton destroyer ofwildlife and the image repulsed me.

It still does.


WELCOME HUNTERS!

Turkeys Continued from Page 10

This majestic Rio Grandegobbler from the NuecesRiver basin near CampWood was flattened whenhe took a full charge of #4buckshot at 12 yards, butmanaged to get up andtake to the air, flying about300 yards before drop-ping dead. Fortunately,Wootters saw him fall andquickly recovered thebird.

By Irene Van WinkleWest Kerr Current

Hunting and animal conservation arenot mutually exclusive, and when addedto a business that caters to an audiencethat loves the outdoors — it’s a winningcombination.

Since 1984, for Ron and Susi Bell, thisformula has been a driving force for suc-cess in their venture, WildgooseManufacturing.

The retail store on Junction Highwayin Ingram has 2,200 square feet of floorspace — the factory is next door.

At the retail store, there is plenty ofevidence of their love for the outdoors onthe shelves, walls and floors.

A regal caribou head from a huntingtrip to Alaska is mounted high on theback wall, while white tail deer andpronghorn antelope are above the desk.

The couple has enjoyed hunting inAlaska, Canada (British Columbia),Texas and New Mexico.

They are members of several associa-tions involved with conservation as wellas hunting — Texas Bighorn Society,Safari Club International and TexasWildlife Association.

Their merchandise, made for outdooruses, ranges from gear and boot bags, togun cases, luggage and backpacks madefrom leather and other rugged materials.

Items such as appointment books, cal-endars, and other leather covers can beembossed with corporate logos or ranchbrands, Ron said.

“We can even do specialty orders withimprints of animals,” he added.“Whatever you like.”

Everything in the store reflects theirtaste and love of the outdoors. Dozens ofcow hides decorate the floors and hangon racks, there are antler chandeliers anddishware incorporates prehistoric fos-sils.

“Susi has always liked the outdoors,


Wildgoose store reflectsowners’ love of outdoors

See Wildgoose, Page 13

Gear and boot bags, to gun cases, luggage and backpacks made fromleather and other rugged materials are just some of the items sold at theWildgoose retail store on Junction Highway in Ingram.

Photo by Irene Van Winkle


and we’ve hunted together,” Ron said. “Sometimes wejust like watching the critters.”

Susi grew up around horses, 4-H and FHA. “My father, Amos, started the 4-H in Navajo County

where we lived. Mom was involved in FHA.”She had four brothers, but she became the only

hunter.“My mom’s dad hunted ... I always loved to watch

him with his dogs.”Ron grew up in the Dallas area while Susi spent her

childhood in Holbrook, northern Arizona.“It’s near the Painted Desert,” Ron said. Her dad,

Amos Underwood, was the county agent.Ron and Susi met while they were both living in

Carrollton and shared an interest in making leather goods.Their hunting trip in Alaska was quite memorable. A bushpilot flew them into a very remote area and left.

“It was just the two of us. He dropped us off in thewilderness,” Ron said. “We were there for about 20days, and in that period of time, we saw three seasons.”

Starting in early August, it was still summer, whichturned into fall, and living in a tent got a bit cool.

“By the time we were leaving, the temperatures werefalling to where our water was freezing in our pots,” hesaid.

The pair were left for about 10 days, then flown outto a lodge so they could clean up.

“We stayed at the Hayes River Lodge, “ he said “Thatgave us a chance to really bathe. There were no roads,so they flew in and landed on a lake in the Alaskan

Range, the mountains west of Denali.”The lodge was operated by the bush pilot, Chris

Branham, who was a master guide. His parents, Dennisand Millie, had homesteaded there back in the 1940s.

“They were real pioneers,” Ron added.

In Alaska, the Parkers squirrels, which Ron said liveunderground and look like prairie dogs, got very aggres-sive.

“You have to tie anything you don’t want them to getto the rafters. They will ransack all your stuff looking forfood — they’ll even eat the foam under the bed.”

Ron got the scare of his life once when Susi wasshooting outside the tent behind him at one of them.

Besides their Alaskan adventure, they have hunted inthe Canadian wilderness, north of British Columbia, andat Atlin Lake on the Yukon border. They also visitedparts of Canada as tourists as well.

In British Columbia, Susi was trying to bag a moose,which she didn’t get in Alaska.

“She got up to within 30 feet, but decided not to shootit — it just wasn’t big enough.”

Since moving to Ingram in 1992, they took the south-ern route. A change of pace — and much warmer.

“We’ve gone hunting in Texas, New Mexico andColorado.

In Texas, they have hunted axis, whitetail deer, javeli-na, and Ron has hunted dove.

“When we go hunting, really it’s just more an excuseto get outside. We’ve never hunted Texas Big Hornsheep. It’s expensive, unless you get in the drawings thestate offers. We can watch them at their water holes.”

There are four North American wild sheep the Bellshave seen — desert bighorn in Texas, rocky mountainin Colorado and Canada, dall in Alaska — which arepure white — and stone sheep, north British Columbia.

Ron and Susi enjoy helping preserve the big horn inTexas ... and enhancing the wildlife, and the land her-itage in Texas.

WildgooseContinued from Page 12

Ron and Susi Bell in their retail store, in front ofsome of the luggage they manufacture.

SECOR EQUIPMENT COMPANY2026 Junction Hwy. • Kerrville, Texas 78028

830-895-2228Authorized Dealer

By Clint SchroederWest Kerr Current

Hill Country hunters have new optionsin hunting blinds — locally manufac-tured blinds built to look like trees thatblend into the landscape and don’t fazedeer.

Nature Blinds has been manufacturingthe blinds in a plant between Ingram andKerrville since 2011 and recently fin-ished its 2,000th blind. Attesting to theirproducts’ success, the company now hasa network of 100 dealers across thenation.

Clint Morris, marketing director forNature Blinds, said the product is the ideaof company founder Tim Thomason.

Thomason had experience in design-ing lifelike sets and decided — sitting ina cold, windy box blind one morning —he could build a better one. So, he set outto build a deer blind that looks like a tree.

The result is a natural looking, insulat-

ed, carpeted blind that blocks sound andscent.

Thomason has been working on theconcept since 2005, and it’s taken a whileto develop the proprietary manufacturing

process that creates a blind that so close-ly resembles a tree.

Thomason and Max Duncan, thefirm’s chief executive officer, met, andDuncan liked the concept, so NatureBlinds was born. It now has about local25 employees turning out a recentlyexpanded line of products.

“As a company, Nature Blindsbelieves strongly in the American worker.Each TreeBlind is handcrafted right herein Kerrville,” Morris said.

He said when the blinds were intro-duced at a national trade show last year,

“the response was just overwhelming.”The company’s new products are a

feeder that looks like a tree stump, a soloblind and lightweight shields that alsolook like the bark of a tree.

Morris said landowners like the prod-ucts because they blend in with the land-scape and are extremely effective forhunting.

“Some people enjoy being in the out-doors, but consider box blinds and tradi-tional deer feeders an interruption to the


Nature Blinds productsnaturals for the Hill Country

The TreeBlind is Nature Blinds’ two-man deer blind and features a realis-tic bark exterior, silent windows, carpeted floor, insulated interior and fullylocking door.

West Kerr Current photo

See Blinds, Page 15

A hunter crouches behind a newproduct, the StalkingShield.

Courtesy photo

landscape,” he said. “Nature Blinds prod-ucts help maintain the visual beauty ofthe Hill Country.”

When conventional blinds are placedin the field, it takes deer a week or two tobecome accustomed to them in the envi-ronment.

“It’s amazing some of the results ourcustomers have had, because they areable to hunt the same day they put a blinddown,” Morris said. “We get deer andother game incredibly close to theseblinds.”

He said the blinds also are used forbirdwatching, photography and otheroutdoor pursuits.

They are made of a very high-strengthfoam, which resembles a hard plasticwhen finished.

“When you think of foam, you think ofthings that are pretty fragile, but these aredurable,” he said.

“We’ve done quite a bit of testing withthem,” he said, including hitting themwith hammers without damaging them.

The nature of the material used tomake them provide an insulated environ-ment, which dampens sounds and scentsemanating from the blind, further lendingto their unobtrusiveness in the field.

The blinds are hand-painted, and evendetails like lichen and moss are added tothe bark. Taking a bit of editorial license,this writer can say the exteriors reallylook like tree bark.

The original product is the TreeBlind,a two-man blind that’s over six feet tallwith multiple silent-action windows, afully locking door, and carpeted floor. Itweighs 350 pounds and sells for $3,995.

It has no right angles, no straight linesand nothing appears man-made.

Users say the dark interior concealshunters even when the windows are open.

Nature Blinds has introduced four newproducts this year.

The TreeBlind Solo is a one-man blind— a smaller version of the originalTreeBlind. It weighs 250 pounds andsells for $2,895.

A TreeFeeder has been developed thatlooks like a tree stump. It has an integrat-ed solar battery charger, shoots feed morethan 20 yards, has an optional remote andcan also be used as a fish feeder.

“These products represent a a signifi-cant leap in concealment technology. Thereal-world results with all types ofhunters have been extraordinary,” Morrissaid.

The feeder sells for $1,295.Also new this year is the HideOut, a

self-standing modular two-piece systemthat is portable, with three shooting restsand eight stake-down points.One sideweights 40 pounds the other 32; the costis $995.

Another new product is theStalkingShield, which is lightweight andportable for use by stalking, or still

hunters.“We created this with Larry

Weishuhn, who is also known as ‘Mr.Whitetail.’ He has a popular show on theSportsman Channel, and is a very well-respected whitetail hunter,” Morris said.

The stalking shield has an easy to griphandle and a rotating kickstand forupright or prone use. It weighs eightpounds and sells for $259.

For more information, go to nature-blinds.com on the web.


Tim Cantwell, of Nature Blinds, shows how the two pieces of the newproduct HideOut fit together to keep a hunter hidden from three sides.

West Kerr Current photos

A forest of TreeBlinds sit at the Kerrville Nature Blinds plant, withTreeFeeders shown at the center and at right

West Kerr Current photo

Clint Morris demonstrates the silentoperation of TreeBlind windows.

BlindsContinued from Page 14


Divide School wild gamedinner on Friday, Nov. 1

A longtime West Kerr County traditionwill continue this year when the DivideSchool serves its annual Wild GameDinner on Friday, Nov. 1, 5-9 p.m.

The dinner is a regular draw forhunters headed out to West Kerr Countyand beyond for the opening of whitetaildeer season.

The event also features a raffle withmany items up for grabs, and a bake sale.

The “all you can eat” meal is offeredfor a $10 donation for adults and $5 forchildren.

This year’s menu will include wild hog,blackbuck antelope, barasingha deer,chili, meat loaf and chicken-fried axisdeer, roasted bear, barbecued pork amongother delicacies, and some surprises.

In addition to the exotic meats, sidedishes will be plentiful and desserts alsowill be served.

Dutch oven cornbread will again becooked on site by the Haynie Family.There also will be a bake sale featuringpies, cakes, fudge, pralines and more.

Raffle items include a .243 deer rifle,Yeti ice chest, a hand-made giraffe bone-handled knife, hat rack and hay rack.

Divide ISD Superintendent Bill Baconsaid donated raffle items have been pour-ing in, so expect a lot more.

Divide School is located on Hwy. 41,about 16 miles west of Hwy. 27 and sixmiles east of U.S. 83.

Beth Haynie serves up her special-ty, dutch oven cornbread.

More than just lumberat Moore’s

T.J. Moore Lumber Yard112 Highway 39, Ingram, TX 78025 — (830) 367-4900 — Fax (830) 367-2976

Established 1892 • Located at the “Y” in Ingram • www.tjmoorrelumber.com

• Quality Lumber• Hardware• Ranch Supplies• Doors/Windows• Plumbing Supplies

• Tools, Hand and Power

• Electrical Supplies• Paint• Roofing Materials

West Kerr Current file photo


By John Wootters

Big game hunting and fishingare not, as sometimes styled byignorant writers in the media,

“hobbies” or “pastimes.” They are muchtoo important for such casual, evensuperficial, characterization. Buildingmodel airplanes is a hobby; playingvideo games is a pastime. Hunting andfishing are passions or quests.

Novelist Zane Grey’s all-consuming,world-wide pursuit of giant marlin andswordfish caused him to have built aspecial motor launch which he shippedall over the world, along with the crewand equipment, so that he could pioneerunknown sport fishing waters in areasremote in his day, such as Tahiti, NewZealand and Hawaii.

He had the money and time to devel-op completely new concepts in fishingtackle and techniques and to test themon months-long excursions to “farawayplaces with strange-sounding names” onwhich he landed species of game fishunknown to science at the time, and setrecord after new record for billfishspecies that were known. Althoughfamous for his western novels, his booksrecounting his big-game angling adven-tures were perhaps even more excitingand absorbing, certainly to me when Iwas a teenager.

To call Zane Grey’s passion for thechallenge of hours-long struggles withbig-game fish a “hobby” completelydegrades the intensity and seriousnesswith which he pursued his personal quest.

The allure of big-game hunting is noless compelling to those who follow itthan Grey’s obsession with what hecalled “the royal purple game of thesea.” There is, if anything, even greatervariety of potential quarry, infinitelygreater challenge in the physical terrain

to be traversed to approach the desiredgame animal closely enough to shoot it,and, obviously, more personal dangerinvolved.

A fisherman must get close enough toa broadbill swordfish for the fish to seehis bait to draw a strike, but an elephanthunter must get close enough for the ele-phant to see him, knowing that he maydraw a charge. Because of the difficultyin placing vital shots in the huge body,most elephants are shot from 25 yards orless, often much less (mine was at about12 paces.)

The appeal of big-game hunting liesas much in the remote and beautifulplaces in the natural world inhabited bythe animals as the chase. Every strangespecies is a new challenge, requiringnew strategies, hours of research into theanimal’s habits, nature and habitat.

In many cases, merely getting there isan adventure in itself. Climate andweather may be a challenge, as well.The rain forests of western Africa forBongo and the mountain strongholds ofMarco Polo and other giant wild sheepcome to mind, often at elevations above20,000 feet. Non-target wildlife species— crocodile or hippo, for example —may pose unexpected collateral dangersto the foreign hunter.

All this in addition to the potentialhazards inherent in hunting such speciesas the African “Big Five” — elephant,lion, leopard, Cape buffalo and blackrhinocerus.

These and others are categorized as“dangerous-game, the hunting of whichhas a wholly separate appeal. Actually,almost any animal, no matter how mild-mannered, even deer, may defend itselfif cornered or hurt. Some antelopes,although seldom thought of as haz-ardous to hunt, are known to beextremely pugnacious if wounded and

approached too closely, notably theAfrican sable, gemsbok and bushbuck.

But animals are not the only source ofdanger in big-game hunting; mountainsmust be climbed for many game species,mainly mountain sheep and goats. But afew years ago a very prominent interna-tional big-game hunter fell to his deathwhile stalking a goat-antelope called atur on a Russian mountain.

And, of course, mountain hunters aresubject to all the same weather hazardsas any other climbers.

Dangerous-game hunting is simply aform of self-testing, like single-handedocean sailing, sport parachuting ormountaineering. There is a certain satis-faction in having faced a large animal,known to be capable of and willing tofight back. In Biblical times, a greatking of Babylon boasted of his couragein an era when hand-held spears werethe weapon of choice for big game, by

having chiseled on his funeral monu-ment, “He has hunted the lion.”

Well, so have I — but not with aspear!

To its followers, big-game hunting is anever-ending passion, a reason for living,an obsession for whatever time in ahunter’s life not otherwise occupied withmaking a living or family. There isalways another kind of creature to hunt,another land not yet seen, a grander set ofantlers or horns or tusks. There arestrange, wild peoples who worshipstrange gods to meet, wild and beautifulplaces on Earth to explore, perhaps undis-covered animal species to find. Parts ofour planet are not totally tamed yet.

Explorers, fortune hunters and sol-diers may have been the discoverers ofcontinents, but hunters, seeking expand-ed hunting grounds, are the spearhead ofcivilization!

Just don’t call us “hobbyists”!

Don’t call hunting my ‘hobby’

300 Junction HighwayKerrville, Texas 78028

830-257-8424

Wayne O’BryantProprietor


By John Wootters

At least five different major systemsfor scoring deer antlers exist. The twomost popular are the Boone & CrockettClub’s, which is the oldest and the one onwhich the most recognized record bookof North American big game species isbased, and that of Safari ClubInternational (SCI), which maintains itsown record book of game animals world-wide.

Other respected trophy measuring sys-tems include the oldest of all, fromRowland Ward in Great Britain whichwas for years the only record book listingAfrican and Asian species, and the C.l.C.which originated in France but is widelyused in Europe.

Several individual states in the U.S.maintain records of big-game animalstaken within their borders, most com-monly with a modification of the Boone& Crockett measuring system. When lastI heard, the Exotic Game Association,headquartered in Kerrville, had adopted ameasuring system called the Burkett sys-tem, in which I happen to be trained as ameasurer (a skill I no longer practice.)

The Burkett is probably the most accurateand repeatable, but is complicated andrequires instruments for a proper total.

All these systems, as applied toAmerican deer species, have much incommon. All give credit for number andlength of antler tines and beams, andmass as measured as circumferences atspecified places, although protocols fortaking measurements vary.

Some systems credit antler width andsome don’t. Some call for measurementof some features which others ignore,and treatment of irregular or “non-typi-cal” formations is quite varied.

But a big rack in any system will usu-ally add up to a fine trophy when meas-ured in another system as well, althoughthe order of ranking may change prettywidely. This is because different systemsplace more emphasis on certain featuresthan do others. There is no perfect sys-tem, and not even a “best” system, whichis why there are so many different sys-tems.

The value in any system is that it giveshunters a framework within which to

This buck grew 15 long points, all but one paired on the other beam, 20.5inches inside spread, and excellent mass. He gross-scores 186, but failsto make book minimums for either typical or non-typical listings due tothe Boone-&-Crockett insistence on symmetry. He scores much better inthe Burkett system.

Scoring whitetails


See Scoring, Page 19

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This is the whitetail deer scoring form used by the Boone-and-Crockett Club records-keeping system.

compare their own trophies to the animal popu-lation in general, and to know whether theirs isabove or below average.

Of course, human nature being what it is, thiswill inevitably lead to abuses of the game. As theprestige of having one’s name in “The Book”rises, some people will do almost anything toachieve that status.

“Anything” might include shooting deer out ofseason, at night, on public highways, on privateproperty without permission, or even in captivi-ty. Most Texas hunting guides can tell stories ofclients who killed a big buck and, finding that hedidn’t quite qualify for the record book, tried tobribe the guide to allow them to shoot another,hopefully bigger one.

It can and has included buying or stealing a bigrack in Canada and smuggling it into Texas to beentered in a big-buck contest or measured for thealmighty “book.” A so-called “hunter” whoneeds recognition that badly is simply pitiful.

For these and many other reasons, I havenever been a record-book hunter. If you lookhard enough, you may find my name in any ofseveral different record books, but you may becertain that I didn’t fill out an entry form or paya fee to put it there. In every case, my guide, out-fitter or professional hunter did so, sometimeswith my permission and sometimes not.

When the first SCI record book came out, itincluded a number of my African trophies, noneof which had — or have — ever been officiallymeasured!

I sat on the SCI national board of directors atthe time, and somebody thought it would beharmless, and would flatter me, to have thoseanimals recorded.

“Somebody” was wrong, and the later editionsof the SCI book have omitted those trophies atmy insistence.

My lion and leopard, and a few other speciesare properly listed in the Rowland Ward book,only because I had been given free safaris, and itseemed ungrateful to deny those firms whateverbenefit they might derive from the listings.Many of my book-qualified trophies have nevereven been mounted.

All things considered, I regard the recordbooks and their scoring systems as a negativeinfluence in sport hunting, and regret that theyexist.

I shoot what excites me, and if someone elsethinks differently, it’s their problem, not mine.However, for better or for worse, they do exist,and we can only live with them, realizing thatthey aren’t the final word on anything, least ofall how you should feel about your own tro-phies!

Scoring whitetailsContinued from Page 18

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830-634-7207 or 830-370-1476 Cell

By John Wootters

Port Aransas waters had never seemed so dead as in the sum-mer of 1950. I couldn’t buy a bite anywhere … surf, piers, jet-ties, passes or bays.

So I went to see Bill Ellis, the owner-in-residence of the his-toric Tarpon Inn. Bill was also the Angling Oracle of MustangIsland. From his favorite chair on the Inn’s porch, he seemedeerily aware of where and what kind of fish were being caught,by whom, on what kind of bait, how big, together with prevail-ing status of tide, moon and weather. He didn’t fish much, buthis knack for knowing what was going on was uncanny.

He listened to my litany of frustration and said, “Sometimesthere are pike running on an outgoing tide this time of day downon Kline’s Point.”

“Pike” was the name commonly used for snook in SouthTexas in those days.

Today, Kline’s Point sports high-priced condominiums, but in1950 it was just a deserted strip of beach separated from theCorpus Christi Ship Channel by a low breakwater of graniteboulders. Except for a heron and a couple of gulls, I had it all tomyself.

I stood at the water’s edge and studied the scene. The sun wassetting and the evening onshore breeze was calming. The onlysounds were of the tide boiling against the breakwater rocks.

Or … was that a fish striking? The longer I stood there, themore strongly I felt – well, maybe a premonition – a sense that

Upon acceptance of the snookstory, Bill Rae, the legendary editorof Outdoor Life in 1950, requestedthat I furnish reference materialfrom which his artist could work toproduce an illustration. I went backto Port Aransas and made a seriesof photographs of myself in theactual setting where the episodehad occurred and showing me, myclothes, equipment, and tackleexactly as it all had been that night.Here is one of the pictures from theseries I posed for the artist, and itexplains why the artist achievedsuch accurate detail in his painting,even making the fisherman’s faceresemble mine.


How it all began

This is the illustration commissioned by the OutdoorLife magazine editor for my snook story.See Beginnings, Page 21

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this was the place to be, a feeling thatsomething exciting was going to happenhere … I hurried to rig up, with a bigTony Acetta #7 spoon and 15 inches ofstainless steel leader wire between thespoon and the line. The lure was stampedfrom thick brass, heavily chrome plated.It cast like a bullet and would give megive me extra range.

Dark had settled now, and I strappedon a headlight. Also, remembering warn-ings in snook-fishing articles about thespecies’ razor-sharp gill covers, I hung asmall finger-gaff – made by pushing a bigshark hook with the barb flattened thougha tapered cork to serve as a handle –through a belt-loop on my pants.

I tested the drag setting and wadedcautiously into the warm water, feelingthe tidal tug against my legs as areminder that I was on my own. Therewould be nobody to hear a call for help ifI stumbled into a tidal washout or steppedon a big sting ray.

Wading knee-deep, I fired a cast towardthe line of foam marking the breakwater.After a few feet of retrieve, somethingslammed the spoon and the fight was on. Ithought I heard the fish jump but couldn’tget the headlight beam on the action.

After a few minutes’ struggle, I couldregain line and was thrilled to see the sig-nature bold black horizontal side stripe ofthe snook in the gleam of my headlight.It was only about a four-pounder, but itwas still my very first snook and quicklywent into the ice chest.

The next strike came only a few castslater and felt like a bigger fish. It quicklydemonstrated that my major problem onthis night would be keeping hooked fishfrom making it into a break in the break-water, where the rocks were encrustedwith razor-sharp barnacles.

I learned to bear down on every strikeinstantly, turning the fish out of the pow-erful current and guiding it away from therocks into an area where I could wear itdown.

The second snook looked almost twicethe size of the first and quickly joined itin the ice chest. The next two were sosmall that I released them even thoughTexas had no minimum legal sizes onsaltwater species at that time.

Then came a much stronger fish that Iguessed might be the fish of the night. Ialso discovered that my finger-gaff wasgone, probably having floated off when Iwaded a bit too deep.

I managed to land the snook – maybenine or 10 pounds – by beaching it by theleader wire.

After a slow stretch that almost con-

vinced me that the run was over, therecame a solid strike that made me wonderif I’d hung a big redfish. After retreatingto shallower water, I slugged it out withthe fish, feeling none of the red’s trade-mark bull-rushes and tailbanging on theleader. If this was a snook, it was biggerthan any I’d felt until now – a lot bigger!

And it was boring straight for thedeadly break in the rocks. I risked tight-ening the drag but found that it could stilltake line at will. I couldn’t stop or turn thefish until it was well into the break. I cal-culated that if it got another inch of linethe steel leader would no longer protectthe line from the barnacles, the battlewould be over, and I’d be the loser.

Grimly, I clamped down the reel spool,determined to break the fish off beforeletting it cut me off. With teeth clenched,I held desperately, not yielding an inch,hearing the guitar-string tight line singingin the breeze and expecting it to snap atany second.

But everything held and suddenly Isaw a broad tail rise slowly above thewater and execute a slow arc. My pres-sure had turned the fish, but the size ofthat tail scared me. I wasted no time lead-ing the fish out of the current. It wastotally whipped, lying on its broad sideon the surface.

Then I noticed something that mademy blood run cold; one of the treble

hooks was holding only in a tiny fila-ment of skin. I dared not try to drag it inby the leader. A single vigorous flop andit would be gone.

With my finger-gaff missing, Iwatched the exhausted fish gasping, hisbig mouth opening and closing as itregained strength. Still reluctant to riskserious cuts on the gill covers, I timed thejaws and when they were at maximumgape I thrust my hand deep into the tooth-less mouth and grabbed a fistful of what-ever I could. Then I turned and ran for thecar, throwing sheets of water in all direc-tions. Far above the water’s edge, I laidmy prize down on the sand and sankdown beside it.

How big was it? Having no scale avail-able, I can only offer an estimate – andwe all know about fishermen’s estimates,don’t we? Still, during the interveningyears I’ve caught snook in Mexico aboutas long as that one and no less bulky andweighed them on certified scales atbetween 20 and 25 pounds.Aftermath: I wrote this story and sub-

mitted it to Outdoor Life magazine, whereit was accepted and published in the June,1955, issue. It was my first sale to anational magazine and the launching of a50-year career that has seen more than 4-1/2 million words in print in virtuallyevery periodical that published huntingand fishing material during those years.

BeginningsContinued from Page 20

By John Wootters

Most of my hunting friends and Iregard any old buck as a trophy buck,regardless of antler size. The reason isthat any buck that has survived four ormore hunting seasons has obviouslydeveloped all the hunter-evasion skillsand is just as hard to get a shot at asone with a Boone & Crockett rack.Taking him in fair chase, then, is justas challenging and worthy of pride andadmiration as collecting 200-pointhead.

Judging the age of a whitetail buckwith reasonable accuracy is not all that

difficult, and you don’t have to have awildlife Ph.D. to do it.

The hardest thing about aging abuck on the hoof is tearing your eyesaway from his antlers. No reliableclues to his age are to be found there;

the evidence of age appears on hisface, neck and body.

For practical purposes, however, itisn’t necessary to pinpoint his age tothe exact year. You only need to sepa-rate the bucks you see into three cate-

gories – 1.) yearlings (18 months oldand younger); 2.) mature (5-1/2 yearsand older); and 3.) everything inbetween.


Agingdeer on thehoof

This 2-1/2-year-old buck shows all the signs of youth… slim body, slender neck, taut belly, straight nose-bridge and skinny rump.

Note the pot belly on this mature buck. Less obviousis the deep neck base, but those two marks alone tellhis age group.


See Aging, Page 23


To oversimplify, a hunter or rancherserious about improving his deer herd(i.e.: growing bigger antlers) nevershoots anything in group three, whichis made up of middle-aged bucks 2-1/2, 3-1/2, and 4-1/2 years old. Theonly animals culled from group onewill be spikes or small freakish forked-horn heads.

The harvest will fall mainly on theold bucks in group two. Regulating thebuck kill thus while reducing the doepopulation to about 50 percent of theadult deer population, will get theresults a deer manager is looking for.

Obviously, there’s a lot more to theprocess than this – the owner’s goals,hunting history on the property, weath-er over the last full year, habitat con-siderations, and many more, but I onlyhave room here for this synopsis.

Many hunters take refuge in theclaim that they can’t (read: “nobodycan … “) look at a wild deer and tellhis age. Wrong! Some Europeanhunters are issued a tag only for ananimal of a certain species, age andsex. A mistake means a major fine andloss of license – which took two yearsto earn! I hate to think those guys cando something that Texans can’t. It onlytakes a little effort and practice, and itgives you something to do while wait-ing for a “shooter” buck to show up.

Look first at how a buck’s neckjoins his body. A young buck’s neck isslender like a doe’s and there’s visiblespace between the lower line of hisneck and his brisket. On a maturebuck, the neck extends from the topline of his withers to the bottom line ofhis chest in a broadside view, givinghim a burly, heavy-shouldered look.

Notice also the line of his belly frombroadside. An old buck is like an oldman, paunchy and sagging, even actu-ally pot-bellied. Next, check the skinunder his jaw. If it’s a little loose andthere’s a slight dewlap, he’s got someyears on him.

Overall, an old buck seems blockyand heavy in the hams and shoulders,deep-bodied and bull-necked (evenoutside the rut).

His legs look too short because hisbody is so deep, and his ears often looktoo short because of the thickness ofhis neck and the spread of his antlers.

The profile of his nose may getarched with age, becoming a classic

“roman nose.” Some suggest that olderdeer seem “squinty-eyed.”

The point is that no single indicatoris definitive; you have to look at allthese areas together, preferably atleisure and from several angles, and gowith the preponderance of the evi-dence, as the lawyers say.

Shoot pictures or videotape of bucksaround a feeder and discuss their ageswith your hunting buddies. By nextseason you’ll be as good as the aver-age professional biologists at agingbucks on the hoof. The knowledge willgreatly enhance your hunting pleasure.

AgingContinued from Page 22

Double L Ranch and Wildlife Feed,located at 3225 Junction Hwy. inIngram, will host a HuntersAppreciation Day on Friday, Nov. 1, 10a.m. to 5:30 p.m., featuring food, dis-plays and giveaways.

There will be a live broadcast by TheRanch Radio 92.3 FM and Harper ProjectGraduation will have a fundraiser. Bill’sB-B-Q will sell food at the event.

Double L owner Steve Bauer said theevent will feature specials on huntingequipment and supplies, and vendorswill have drawings and giveaways.

Vendors include Lamco feeders, Hi-Pro feeds, In-Sights game attractants,Back 40 Supply, Chaffhaye, KerrCounty Soil and Water ConservationDistrict, T-Hanger, Acco, Nutrina andHunter Specialties.

Double L Ranch & Wildlife FeedHunters Appreciation Day Nov. 1

By John Wootters

In the solid rock of the bed of JohnsonCreek, not far from my house, are sever-al washtub-sized tracks marked by terri-ble, ten-inch talons. The prints are atleast 60 million years old, left by a pass-ing Allosaurus, a predatory dinosaurrelated to that walking nightmare we call“T-Rex.”

They are the ultimate expression of mylifelong fascination with wildlife tracksand trails.

As a teenager in a New Hampshireschool during the ’40s, I’d sneak off intothe woods after every fresh snow andspend an afternoon reading the stories ofthe wildlife written in the snow. Evencreatures as tiny as mice and chickadeesleft records of their lives – and, some-times, deaths – written on the snowypages of the forest floor.

From then ’til now I’ve remainedacutely conscious of tracks and trails, andthroughout my hunting career such marksin the earth have led me to game I maynever have seen otherwise, to say nothingof enhancing my general pleasure in theoutdoors.

Tracks and trails can tell us what ananimal was doing when the prints weremade, whether it was standing, walking,trotting, or running, and even, perhaps,what it was thinking. When I find a run-ning deer track, for example, I immedi-ately wonder: why was it in such ahurry? Chasing a doe, or running from alusty buck? Other tracks nearby shouldprovide the answer. We can knowwhether it was a bigger buck, a human(who may or may not belong there), or acoyote or free-running dog. With a littlepractice and decent prints, it’s not impos-sible to tell the difference, and the detec-tive work is exhilarating.

Aging tracks is trickier, but worth theeffort to learn. Much depends upon thenature of the soil — sand, mud, loam, etc.— and whether the track was made in sunor shade. A sunny track in moist soil driesfaster and looks older than it is.(Shortcut: make tracks of your own inlocal soils and study them as they ageover a couple of days.)

Sharp, clean prints look, and probablyare, fresh. Blurred, softened prints maybe older, or may have been dulled bywind or light rain.

Note whether leaves, grass stems, orcrumbles of earth have fallen into theimpression. Is the leaf green or brown?When did the wind last blow hard enoughto move leaves? That may tell you howold the print is.

Can a deer track be “sexed”?Sometimes, but not by size alone. Bigbucks tend to drag their toes into thetracks, but this mark is reliable only if thetrack is in a thin layer of sand, dust, mud,or light snow. In deep, soft snow or soil,all deer tracks show the drag mark.

The “straddle” of an old buck’s trail(space between the lines of tracks of theleft and right hooves) is slightly wider thanthat of lesser deer, and his hind hoovesmay fall short of the front-hoof tracks,unlike those of does and young buckswhich usually overlap when walking.

Sheer size can be deceptive, but a veryfew bucks of exceptional age and weightcan make bigger and deeper tracks thanany female. Also, clear prints from an oldbuck will normally reveal broader hooveswith rounded tips – but never as blunt ashog tracks.

I’ve witnessed some amazing feats oftracking around the world. I remembertrailing an African lion for the better partof three days across sand, rocks, deepgrass, and firm soil. Part of the time he

was wounded and looking for me aboutas hard as I was looking for him …which, believe me, makes a trailing job alot more exciting.

Tracking is a learned skill, neither

inherited nor exclusive to native peoples.Some folks do seem to have a natural tal-ent for it (oddly, women are often amongthose), but the main key to success is sim-ply trying.


JDS Wrecker Service

Tracks and trails

The author studies running tracks of a doe or young buck in semi-driedmud, trying to divine why the animal was in such a hurry.

Photo by John Wootters

Texas hunters can help hungryTexans in need throughHunters for the Hungry, astatewide hunger reliefprogram dedicated to pro-viding a healthy source ofprotein to needy Texans.

And, by harvesting asmany deer as allowed,hunters can improve futurehunting by reducing the num-bers of deer competing for naturalresources.

The mission of Hunters for the Hungryis to alleviate hunger and malnutrition inTexas by distributing donated venison tothose in need, to provide a meaningfuloutlet for hunters to help their communi-ties, and to promote environmental stew-ardship through wildlife management.

In Texas, one in five people struggle toafford food. In fact, Texas has the secondhighest rate of food insecurity in thenation. But hunger in Texas affects

everyone, not just those in need– food insecurity costs the

state $9 billion per year.To donate deer to

Hunters for the Hungry,bring your legallytagged, field dressed deerto a participating meat

processor. Pay the reducedprocessing fee. Hunters will

receive a receipt for your dona-tion. The fee for the two local par-

ticipating processors is $35, which paysfor the processor’s labor. The processingfee may be tax-deductible; consult a taxadvisor for details.

There is nothing else hunters need todo; the meat processor will prepare themeat and provide it to a local food assis-tance provider.

Local participating Hunters for theHungry processors are:

Woodbury Taxidermy & WildgameProcessing, 3286 Junction Hwy., Ingram,

(830) 367-5855; andBernhard Meat Processing & Market,

2920 Junction Hwy., Kerrville, (830)367-2995.

Due to state regulations, other wildgame is not accepted through the pro-gram. Hunters for the Hungry cannotaccept meat that has already beenprocessed, but the program can helphunters find a food assistance providerwho may be able to accept it directly.Contact Hunters for the Hungry forhelp.

The Texas Food Bank manages theHunters for the Hungry program, coordi-nating with meat processors, food assis-tance providers, landowners, hunters andstate agencies.

Last year, the program donated over140,000 pounds of venison to hungerrelief organizations across the state.This is the same as more than a half mil-lion servings of high-quality, low-fat pro-tein for folks that are in need.

Since the program’s inception morethan 20 years ago, it has provided overtwo million pounds of meat – nearly ninemillion servings – to hungry Texans.

With the number of Americans wholack dependable access to adequatefood on the rise, food assistanceproviders need the program’s help morethan ever. More than 62 percent of foodassistance providers reported needingmore protein sources (meat, poultry,fish, beans, eggs, nuts) to serve theirclients.

To learn more about Hunters for theHungry, call Lee Pipkin at 1-325-617-2228, or visit http://hfth.tfbn.org.

“We encourage sportsmen to considercontributing their extra venison to theprogram to benefit their fellow hungryTexans,” Pipkin said.

The Texas Food Bank Network worksthrough a network of over 3600 non-profit hunger relief organizations acrossall 254 Texas counties.


: wkcurrent.com

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Our new e-Edition is a paid service forsubscribers only and will be delivered toyour e-mail to be viewed on tablets,phones or other mobile devices. Subscribeto the e-Edition only (no print edition)for just $25 a year.

Hunters can help hungry Texans


West Kerr Visitors Guide: Restaurants, Lodging, Old Ingram Loop

RESTAURANTSThe Hunt Store Cafe

The Hunt Store, 1634 Hwy. 39,Hunt, (830) 238-4410

One of the few “real countrystores” in the Texas Hill Country;established in 1946. It’s the place toget groceries, beer, and ice. Greatcafe with burgers, pit Bar B-Q and livemusic. Hours: Monday - Wednesday,7 a.m. - 8 p.m., Thursday - Saturday: 7a.m. - 9 p.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m. - 8p.m. Look for more details at thewebsite -- www.thehuntstore.com --and on Facebook.Elaine’s Table

Downtown Hunt, (830) 238-4484 Casual fine dining in a warm and

inviting atmosphere overlooking theGuadalupe River. Opened in 1998,they incorporate the finest in locally-grown produce, exotic wild game,daily specials and lavish desserts.Beer and wine available. OpenTuesday-Sunday for lunch, 11 a.m. -2:30 p.m. Dinner is served Tuesday-Saturday, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Rio Rancho Cafe & Taqueria

Downtown Hunt, (830) 238-5181Dine on picnic tables beside the

Guadalupe River, or order to-go.Wide selecton of Mexican food,including breakfast, which is serveduntil 11 a.m. Also burgers and a vari-ety of sandwiches and salads. OpenMonday-Saturday, 7 a.m.- 2 p.m.The Antler Grill at StablewoodSprings

Cardinal Hill Rd. off State Highway39, Hunt, Texas, (830) 238-5861/238-4646

Casual fine dining featuring wildgame, steak, seafood, fine wines, fullbar. Open Wednesday 4-6 p.m.(happy hour-drinks specials and freehors d’oeuvres); Thursday-Saturday,10 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-9 p.m.; Sunday, 9a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner reservations rec-ommended.Taqueria San Miguel Mexican FoodTo Go

Hwy. 39, Ingram, (830) 367-7933All of your favorite breakfast tacos

filled with eggs, sausage, potatoesand many other choices. Fajitas,tacos, plates, menudo, posele,carne guisada are just a few of the

authentic Mexican foods offered.Get your food to go or sit outsideunder the umbrellas. Open Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.Hunter House Cafe

316 Hwy. 39 Ingram, (830) 367-3069

Good home-cooking style restau-rant serving breakfast anytime, lunchspecials available. Hours are 7 daysa week, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.Spirit Wind Java

109 Hwy. 39, Ingram, (830) 367-7585

Specialty coffee house style,comfortable and filled with ambi-ence and aromatic coffee. Servingfresh roasted coffees of all styles,cappuccinos, specialty breads,sandwiches filled with the finestmeats, cheeses and fresh vegeta-bles, fresh crisp salads, breakfastpastries. Gifts and more. Cateringavailable. Lunch served from 11a.m.- 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday.Open Monday-Saturday, 6:30-a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sunset Inn B&B

Mountain Home, (830) 866-3336Meals are considered an event at

the Sunset Inn. Food trends towardSouthwestern-style cooking. Mealtimes, especially breakfast and din-ner, are designed to be a throwbackto the “good old times” where friendsdined and conversed on life in gener-al. By reservation only. Please call atleast 48 hours in advance. Alcoholicbeverages are complimentary. Tollfree (877) 739-1214Whataburger

3215 Junction Hwy., Ingram, (830)367-3557

Serving burgers and more just theway you like them.Taqueria Altos de Jalisco MexicanRestaurant

422 Junction Hwy., Ingram, (830)367-7820

Breakfast, lunch and dinner fea-turing all of your favorite Mexicanfood, including crispy tacos, hotcheese, beef or chicken enchiladas,warm tortillas, fajitas, salads, beans;seafood, more. Chips and salsa arebrought to your table to begin yourmeal. Beer and wine available, along

with fresh Mexican pastries fordesserts. Open 7 days a week, 6a.m.-10 p.m.Rita’s Famous Tacos II

3106 Junction Highway, 830-367-3088

Authentic Mexican cuisine, servingbreakfast and lunch like the restau-rant in downtown Kerrville. Open 7days a week, 6 a.m.-2 p.m.West Kerrville RestaurantsRio Ranch Cafe

2590 B-7 Junction Hwy., (830)367-1850

Offering a wide selection ofbreakfast, lunch and dinner items.Loads of lunch and dinner entreesincluding burgers, sandwiches, sal-ads, Mexican plates, steaks, porkchops, chicken and salmon. OpenTuesday-Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-8:30p.m., Monday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.Taqueria Jalisco MexicanRestaurant

2190 Junction Hwy.South Texas fine Jalisco style

Mexican food. Daily lunch specials.Open 7 days a week, 6 a.m.-10 p.m.Bill’s BBQ

1909 Junction Hwy., (830) 895-5733

Famous barbecue brisket,sausage, pork loin, ribs, chicken,turkey, cole slaw, potato salad,beans all the Texas trimmings hasbeen served from this location forover 35 years. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.Billy Gene’s Restaurant

1489 Junction Hwy, (830) 895-7377

By the Guadalupe River, specializ-ing in Angus steaks, seafood, chick-en and salads. Hours are 11 a.m.-9p.m., 7 days a week.LODGINGAl Lado del Rio

P. O. Box 658, Ingram, TX 78025,Nancy Fridell. (830) 367-5853Atypical Cottage

P. O. Box 345, Ingram, TX 78025,Evelyn & Eddie Miller.Armadillo Junction RV Park

P. O. Box 31, Hwy. 27, Ingram, TX78025. (830) 367-3200, 800-288-2848.

Bluff TrailsP. O. Box 690. Ingram, TX 78025,

R. E. & Sandra Warren, (830) 367-5656.Bumblebee Lodge

117 Easy St. W., Ingram, TX 78025,Johnny McAshan, (830) 238-3482.Cabin By The Lake

P. O. Box 185, Ingram, TX 78025,Deborah Simpson, (830) 367-4953.Casa del Rio

1929 Hwy. 39, Hunt, TX 78024(830) 238-4424, Buster & BettyMatteson, [email protected],wkcc.com/casadelrio. htm.Cuv'ee Cottage

302 Scenic Hills Kerrville TX 78028.Peter and Cynthia Beeman,830.895. 2868; www.thecuveecot-tage.comElm Cottage B&B

1985 Bear Creek Rd., Kerrville, TX78028. Willie & Lana McDaniel, (830)367-4783, on the web at:wkcc.com/Elmcottage .htm.Hallelujah Hut B&B

2955 Hwy. 39, Hunt, TX 78024,Bonnie Spillers, (830) 238-3496Hunter House Inn

314 Hwy 39 W., Ingram, TX 78025,(830) 367-2377, (800) 655-2377.Mo Ranch

2229 FM 1340, Hunt, TX 78024(830) 238-4455, 1-800-460-4401,Fax: (830) 238-4531, and on theweb at: salesmoranch.com.Riverside RV Park

211 Old Ingram Loop, Ingram, TX78025. Spend the night or a monthin your RV on the banks of theGuadalupe River. Full Hook-ups.Reservations recommended, butnot required. (830) 367-4843.Price’s Joy Spring Ranch

B&B 361 Rock Bottom Rd., Hunt,TX 78024 Don & June Price, (830)238-4531, Fax: (830) 238-4531.River Inn Resort

2960 Hwy. 39, Hunt, TX 78024,(830) 238-4226, Fax: (830) 238-3015, [email protected],riverinnresort. com.River Lodging

1120 Hwy 39, Ingram, TX 78025,(830) 367-5216.

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West Kerr Visitors Guide: Restaurants, Lodging, Old Ingram Loop

River Oaks Lodge B&B1120 Hwy 39, Ingram, TX 78025,

(830) 367-4214, [email protected], riveroakslodge.com.Riverhouse Cottage

Hwy. 39, Hunt, TX 78024, (817)735-1059.River Road B&B

P. O. Box 498, Hunt, TX 78024,Lacy Gilbert, (830) 238-4244.Roddy Tree Ranch

P. O Box 820, Hunt, TX 78024,Keith & Gretchen Asbury, (830) 367-2871, (800)309-9868, [email protected], roddytree.com.Stowers Ranch

Rt. 1 Box 175, Hunt, TX 78024.Jimmy Harrell, (830) 238-4346.Sundown Carriage House B&B

Rt. 2 Box 263 A, Hunt, TX 78024,(830) 238-4169. 1-800-878-1670,thesundown. com.Sunset Inn

Sunset Studio/Jane Gay, 124Oehler Rd, Mountain Home, TX78058, (830) 866-3336, (877) 739-1214, www.sunsetinnstudio.com.The Brush and Pallette

200 Hwy. 39, Ingram, Texas, (830)367-4155.The Getaway Cottage

P. O. Box 379, Hunt, TX 78024,Danny & Lana Edwards, (830) 238-3401.The Little House/The Tree House

166 Dowling Rd., Ingram, TX78025, Dee & Joe Marino, (830)367-4624.Top of the Hills B&B

200 Hilltop, Ingram, TX 78028, Bill& Carol Tiff, (830) 367-2818,tiffee@ktc .com, topofthehill.com.Waltonia Lodges

120 Waltonia Dr., Ingram, TX78025, Thornton Secor, (830) 367-5613. waltonia lodges.com.Wishing Well B&B

Old Ingram Loop behind PerfectSurroundings boutique. Two cabins,four persons per cabin. Continentalbreakfast. Close to the river. (830)-367-4688YO Ranch

Mountain Home, TX 78025, GusSchreiner, (830) 640-3222 or (830)640-3227.

Old Ingram LoopBearstone Ltd

A rustic setting reveals lovely furni-ture and accent pieces; Hours:Thurs.-Sat., 11-5. 830-367-7997Blue Moon Antiques

Brand new shop with greatantiques, plus beads, jewelry, art.Open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 817-919-4284

Clint Orms, Silversmith andEngravers

Handcrafted and engraved ster-ling silver western belt buckles andaccessories made on site. Hours:Monday-Friday, 8-4; Saturday, 10-4.830-367-7949Copper Cactus & River WoodStudio

Owner and artist Darren Potterstays busy in this 20,000 sq. feetshopping adventure. Handcraftedfurniture, “stuff” and accessoriesmade on site. Cypress driftwood,copper and glass that fits any homedecor. Jewelry ready for purchase orcustom made. Hours through 2013:Mon.-Sun., 10-5:30. 830-367-7711,830-377-3029 (cell)Hair Etc.

A full service salon in an antiquesetting that provides old-fashioned,unhurried service. Located on Hwy.39 side. Hours: Tue.-Fri., 7-5; Sat., 9-1; 830-367-4140Horsefeathers

Special Latin American decor withemphasis on vintage Mexican crafts;clothing; courtyard featuring carvedstone, clay pots and statuary. Hours:Tues.-Fri., 10-5, Sat., 10-6, Some

Sun., 1-4. 830-367-5020Kathleen Cook Art Studio andGallery

Original pastels and print repro-ductions. Open Thurs.-Sat., 10-6,and by appt. Occasional small class-es held. 830-329-3046Lamps and Shades

Custom made lamps and shadescreated from the most unexpectedsources. Expanded floor space,much more decor/event merchan-dise, including Caspari paper. Lamprepair available. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 10-5; Sat. 10-4; 830-367-2826Old Ingram Gallery

Lavinia’s fine art gallery and studio,coupled with a lovely collection ofvintage clothing. Hours: Fri.- Sat., 10-6. 830-367-4104Our House, Texas BBQ

Serving fresh BBQ sandwiches,brisket, ribs, sausage and turkeybreast, and more. Catfish on Fridaysand Saturdays. Catering also avail-able. Hours: Tues.-Wed.-Thur.-Sat.,10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Fri., 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. 830-739-0396Ozuna’s Hidden Treasures andCustom Woodwork

Bargains by the score -- greatclothing for women, children andmen, as well as fun jewelry, pursesand shoes. Decor items includequality handmade woodwork bylocal craftsman. Hours: Tue.-Sat., 10-5. 830-370-9798.Palms Party Room

On the river. Rent for weddings,parties, receptions, meetings andbridge groups. To inquire, call Haroldor Judy Wunsch, 830-367-4843.

Perfect Surroundings & WishingWell B&B

The Hill Country women’s boutique.Gifts, jewelry, fashions and acces-sories, flip-flops, sunglasses andmuch more. Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10-5.830-367-4688 (367-HOTT). B&B hastwo cabins that accommodate up tofour guests each; close to the river;continental breakfast. Call 830-367-4688 to reserve or for information.Riverside RV Park

Spend a night or a month in yourRV on the tranquil banks of theGuadalupe River. Full Hook-ups.Reservations recommended, butnot required. 830-367-4843Seraphina Studio/Gallery

Original artwork and jewelry byLaurie Billetter, also offering SacredSoul Painting classes and more.Open Tues.-Sat., noon-6 p.m. 512-288-2277Southwestern Elegance

Since 1983. 3 buildings full of rus-tic and antique furniture, acces-sories and unusual gifts from all overthe world. Check them out onFacebook. Hours: Tue.-Sat., 10-5;Sun. 11-3. 830-367-4749Southwestern Elegance Vintage Rentals

For that special occasion, rent thatspecial look — chandeliers, furniture,accessories. Perfect for event plan-ners, weddings, photographers,designers and entertainment indus-try. 367-4840Tom Moss Studio

Award-winning, limited edition,Western and wildlife bronze sculp-ture is created on site by this mastersculptor. Hours are Mon.-Sat., 8-5.830-367-3430Winters Gallery & Studio

Showcasing the expressive origi-nal watercolor paintings of ToddAbbott Winters. Paintings of theSouthwest, Gulf Coast, RockyMountains, Hill Country andContemporary including gicleereproductions. Open Tues.-Sat., 10-5. 229C Old Ingram Loop. 830-285-1382. www.wintersgallery.com.Nenah Stone Designs

Handpainted needlepoint andaccessories, custom pet portraits.Located inside Winters Studio. 830-890-1811. On the web at: www.nenahstonedesigns.com

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Old Ingram Loop has the quiet, friendly ambience of a trip back in time,with fine, original artwork and unique shopping opportunities within walk-ing distance.

routine special section entry

Documents

west kerr hunters guide

west kerr county

west kerrcurrent hunters

west kerrcurrent107

lodging guide

guide possible

hunters guidea publication

worldclass hunting