Sunday Morning, No Deer But Two Turkeys Will Do!

Sunday morning started slow.  We saw several bucks but none that met the 13" minimum.  Was able to video tape one small 4-Pointer. Video clip is low resolution and does not show the points clearly.  It does show that the deer did not know we were there....

Small 4-Pointer

One of us did manage to take a couple of Turkey; well in time for Thanksgiving!  Also, one Coyote was taken!  Not a bad weekend to begin the season, even with the temps in the high 70's/low 80's.

Two Turkey!

Saturday A Bust; Save for One 8 Pointer!

New rules in the county require legal bucks to have a 13" or greater inside spread or one unbranched antler.



That said, Saturday was a bust; save for one 8 pointer!   Buck had a 14" inside spread.



Others were able to take a few hogs, else no deer for the remainder on the Lease.

Home away from home!

8-Pointer

Day Before Deer Season!

It's the day before Regular Deer Season. We are at the Lease and camp is set up. Should be a fun weekend we hope.



Temperatures are warm with a highs forecasted in the 70's. Will play it by ear. Regardless, it is good to be out of the office and outside in the "Woods"!



May go for some hogs this evening. A lot of activity in the area. Would be good to have some meat hogs in the freezer.



Will keep posting results when we get anything!

One At Bethany Lakes

Able to make a quick trip to Bethany Lakes at lunch today. Bass were in the shallows with short-strikes on an Olive Wooley Bugger.  Did manage to hook and land one little Bass.

Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Tough Time Of Year!

Slight delay in posting fishing reports.  Always a tough time of year when fishing and hunting conflict.  Even have one field member working his metal detector searching for coins.

Duck Season has started and Deer Season opens this weekend for many parts of Texas!  Was out at Lake Lavon for ducks this past weekend.  Water is deeper than normal with the area we hunted easily 8' to 10' higher than it was in September!

That said, will see if we can post a few fishing updates while out and about.  Also, have been checking the TPWD website frequently for an updated Trout Stocking Schedule.  They normally post it later this month.

For now, bear with us as we enjoy the great outdoors!

Picture from 2008. Heard the Hogs are back again this year!

Duck Hunting Field Notes
Metal Detecting Finds

Season Opener: Blue Skies, No Wind, Tough To Hunt Ducks Today!

Went early in the morning to search for a huntable location.  Area has changed drastically in the last week due to recent rains.

Set up near the area hunted during Early Teal Season.  Glad to have rigged decoys for deeper water.  Depth ranged from 8 to 10 feet deep.

Between Legal Shooting Time and 8AM, saw a lot of activity; just hard to get them to come within range.  Blue skies and no wind made it tough.  Ducks opted to stay at "high altitude".

One flock of Widgeon skirted just within range but failed to connect.  Shots scared up a Coot near the brushline; dropped him easily with one shot (gonna have to pull out the gumbo recipe for this one).



Later, several flocks of Teal buzzed by "from way high" but no shots were taken.



Will be back for more later in the season. Shifting efforts to meat hunting with opening day of Deer Season next weekend - Deer and Hogs, then back to Ducks! 

Catfish and Bluegill/Sunfish on Corn!

Fished Celebration Park's North Pond using Corn for bait. Caught two small Catfish and twelve Bluegill/Sunfish. No Bruisers but still fun to catch! Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Celebration Park Catfish and Bullheads.

Fished Celebration Park again for another try for a Bruiser Catfish on Bread. Caught several small Catfish and Bullheads but nothing bigger than 12" with most going smaller. Next time! Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

October 25, 2009 - Sighted Rifles and Shot Skeet

Sighted in rifles and shot a few skeet in preparation for Deer and Duck Seasons. Rifles are "good to go", still need more work with the shotgun. But, ready to do my part once in the field!

Almost 22" Catfish in the East Pond @ Celebration Park!

Weather change and colder temps has us going back to fishing with Bread in the local community lakes and ponds. Caught 2 Catfish and 1 small Bluegill at Celebration Park's East Pond today. Larger Catfish went almost 22" in size. Going to submit to the COAF Fishing Leader Board! Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Two Sunfish, Three Bluegill, and Two Bass.

Caught 2 Sunfish, 3 Bluegill, and 2 Bass on an Olive Wooley Bugger at Bethany Lakes this evening. Slower presentation on the fly made for some light strikes.

Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Duck Calling Information

Here is one article to read in preparation for the upcoming Duck Season. Like the video demo that shows the Hail, Greeting, Comeback, and Feeding Calls. Check it out some time!

Duck Hunting Texas - Public Lands FAQs #3 - "How to use a Duck Call?"

One Keeper Trolling at Brockdale Park.

Decided to take the Jon Boat out to Lake Lavon. Launched at Brockdale Park and slow trolled for a couple hours. Only one hit but at least it was a Keeper. Hit a Rattle-Trap on a flatline. Video Clip: Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Short Story Break....

Upcoming Duck Season is near with the following dates noted in the 2009-2010 Texas Waterfowl Digest:

• High Plains Mallard Management Unit - Regular Gun: Oct.24-25 and Oct.30-Jan.24


• North Zone - Regular Gun: Oct.31-Nov.29 and Dec.12-Jan.24


• South Zone - Regular Gun: Oct.31-Nov.29 and Dec.12-Jan.24

Note: Refer to the 2009-2010 Texas Waterfowl Digest for additional restrictions/guidelines on Mottled Ducks, Falconry Season, and Youth Hunter additional days.

FYI: While waiting for the Season to start, ran across a short story by Zeke Rutledge recently published on Associated Content:
Ten Minutes: Short Story About a Decorated Veteran's Return Home.

8 Bass on an Oliver Wooley Bugger.

Fished Bethany Lakes this evening. Caught eight Bass flyfishing a "guess" - an Olive Wooley Bugger. Gotta like it! Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Two Little Bass on a Roadrunner.

Fished Bethany Lakes this evening. Caught two Bass using a White Roadrunner Curlytail Jig on spinning gear. Saw a few chasing the Jig but no solid hook-ups. Also, saw a Bruiser cruising the shallows! Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Five Bass on a Roadrunner.

Fished Bethany Lakes this evening. Caught five Bass using a White Roadrunner Curlytail Jig on spinning gear. Fish were active and readily striking jigs bounced off the bottom. New pattern may be emerging with the weather changes. Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Roadrunner and Wooley Bugger Rig.

Fished Bethany Lakes this morning. Caught one Bass using a Roadrunner and Wooley Bugger Rig on spinning gear. Had a couple more hits but no hookups!

Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

Rainy Day with more Ahead!

Forecast says rain and more rain. Did manage to stop by one of the ponds just off Luna Road and the George Bush Tollway. Had fished the pond several years ago and caught a few Bass and a Crappie then. This trip was a tough go with no luck using the Olive Wooley Bugger. Switched to a White Roadrunner Jig and had a couple of strikes but nothing solid. Kept casting but ended up breaking the line and losing the Jig. Even worse, it was the last one in the tackle box. Tried other lures but did not get another strike. Did see fish active off one point and something large was breaking/splashing on the surface frequently. Need to try the pond again; it looks promising. Click-on COAF Fishing Leader Board to checkout top fish caught this year by our readers.

No Luck This Morning.

Fished Bethany Lakes before the rain hit this morning. No luck on the Roadrunner. Better luck next time. Did post a couple of HubPage articles for our partner site - Duck Hunting Field Notes.

• Duck Hunting Texas - Public Lands FAQ#1
• Duck Hunting Texas - Public Lands FAQ#2

Check them out some time!