Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Laguna Atascosa Rifle Hunt 2016/17

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Originally posted by mikeyb_23 View Post
    We were out there as a visitor today and had cell service. I have verizon.
    Did you have any luck today?

    Comment


      Nice!

      Comment


        Shot a nilgai calf
        Attached Files

        Comment


          That's gonna be some fine eating right there!

          Comment


            No joke, Tender meat. Did you see anything else?

            Comment


              I shot a little doe this afternoon. Most of the game we have seen has been while we are walking. Its been low to mid 30's with 20+mph winds.

              Comment


                Have you heard many shots? I'm assuming the game is getting pretty skittish?

                Comment


                  This is what the board looked like around 5:45 today. The first two day were bad weather wise. Not a lot of shots, game didn't really seem overly skittish.
                  Attached Files

                  Comment


                    One really nice bull. Did anyone venture out of 8?

                    Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

                    Comment


                      Who all is headed down this weekend? Where are you staying?

                      Comment


                        Here's how they are going to increase funding to remove the nilgia from the refuge. Seems ridiculous that they don't just increase public hunting access and add more nilgia hunts. Seems like it would be a win win. Make money and decrease nilgia numbers while letting the public utilize public land.

                        Comment


                          Should any of you care to contact the fws about the refuge shooting the nilgia out of helicopters rather than allowing the public to hunt them. Here is the contact email.

                          Dr. Benjamin Tuggle
                          RDTuggle@fws.gov

                          Comment


                            Once again the refuge lets down its surrounding community! I am so disappointed in the refuge, its management, and its lack of support for the people who live around it. There are countless people in need around the rio grande valley who could benefit from the meat harvested from these animals. Loaves and Fishes comes to mind, but just drive around and see all the colonias. Its rediculous to send the meat to a high end meat market around San Antonio instead of feeding the needy in the area. I have nothing against the meat market and have heard good things about it. Escpecially its support for our wounded veterans. However, there are people here that the refuge could help. I guess that's too inconvenient! It seems like the almighty dollar has spoken and influenced big brother on this one. Shouldn't the community have any influence? Is this the Refuge's animals or the tax payers? If man is their main concern, I for one would volunteer to help process these animals instead of having it shipped!

                            Comment


                              Over the last few years it has gone to hell. It was a hometown know everybody kind of place. It's turned into a freaking circus now, an absolute joke. I've emailed the above individual and will post that on social media

                              Comment


                                This from a recently retired warden that worked the refuge for years



                                I could write and write with information on all of this, but it would do no good. People will argue no matter what, particularly those who have hunted there and talked with some FWS employees who tow the party line, and therefore think this makes them experts. I was the supervisory game warden there for years, retired now. The FWS managers could use hunters to control hogs and nilgai more effectively year-around in a targeted manner, and I encouraged them to do so over the years, but they wouldn't. They do not need any further hunt plan approvals to do so either (that's B.S.). They could use smaller hunter numbers, using rifle hunts, open up access more, and it would not require much monitoring or FWS personnel. Those are just excuses. They claim they don't have personnel or resources. However, they have no problem with using personnel and volunteers in conducting tram tours, birding tours, kayaking tours, etc...and some of these tours are in areas closed to public vehicle access. Also, while nilgai are a fever tick host, so are whitetail deer! Are they going to shoot all the deer? No! The reason not many nilgai are taken by hunters is simply because rifle hunts are limited (5 hunts of 35 permits more or less, for 3 days each per year) and access is strictly limited. Plus, they are going more and more toward non monitored hunts, no check out, etc...anyway!

                                Interestingly enough, they will not allow USDA to place feeders on refuge with corn laced with a treatment to kill fever ticks from the deer. USDA is setting hundreds of feeder outside Refuge boundaries, yet they want to kill all the nilgai by helicopter!

                                I have no problem with killing the nilgai by copter, but why use a single approach? Why not sell hunts for weekends in limited numbers for rifle hunts year around and allow greater drive in access? If they had been doing this, the numbers would have already been more controlled.

                                Special Use Permits (SUPs) are issued in large numbers every year allowing all kinds of access for biological studies, nature reporters, colleges, etc...to go where the public can't and do what normal visitors can't (including trapping animals, collecting bugs, taking plants, etc...).

                                Puro pinche excuses is why they don't. They pander to environmentalist, biologist, birders, nature watchers, etc...and pretty much everyone, except hunters. There is a real anti-hunter sentiment with many of the managers, biologist, and employees.

                                Yes, some hunters commit violations, but every user group has violators. I've arrested non-hunting college professors, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and people from all walks of life committing violations. Hunters as a group have a very low violator rate, particularly on the rifle hunts.

                                So let them just keep feeding y'all the excuses and B.S.! Lol

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X