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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 1979)
spjooau o etBed Hunters can look for new duck AUSTIN—Hunters and conser vationists can take heart at the re turn of the fulvous whistling (tree) duck in Texas. Once common in Texas’ coastal areas, the birds suffered a post-war population decline which biologists attributed to pesticide use. The banning of these chemicals in the mid-1960s made gradual recovery possible. The return of the fulvous whist ling duck underscores the concept that the environment and habitat re- quirementrs are the determining factors in a wildlife species’ suc cess or failure. Controlled hunting, on the other hand, has minimal im pact on an established gamebird population if the vital habitat is pre sent. With this in mind, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has included the fulvous whistling duck with other legal waterfowl for this year’s hunting season. They carry a 20-point designation in the Parks and Wildlife Department’s 100- point system of bag limits. The fulvous whistling duck— which is known by a number of in formal names such as tree duck, Mexican squealer, etc.—is a rather odd-looking bird which resembles a cross between a duck and a goose. Hunters should be aware that there is a similar whistling duck spe cies which remains protected. It’s the black-bellied whistling (tree) duck. The popular tree duck appel lation for both species results from the black-bellied habit of perching in trees or on fence posts. The two species have overlap ping ranges and both are found on and near the Texas Gulf Coast dur ing the waterfowl seasons, biologist C. D. Stutzenbaker of Port Arthur said. The fulvous winters in Mexico, and the largest segment of its popu lation already is south of the Rio Grande by the opening day of the Texas hunting season, Stuzenbak- er said. “However, the black-bellied whistling duck has a smaller range and may be more likely to be seen during the season along the Lower Coast,” he said. Both ducks have a rather odd erect posture when standing, appearing more like a goose in that position. Unlike other ducks, both fly with their legs extended behind their tails. The two species are disting uished by several easily-seen markings. The fulvous is a rusty brown bird with a dark back and bill. The black-bellied has distinctive white patches on the upper surface of its wings, and an equally distinc tive black area on the breast. Under good light conditions, the black- bellied can be identified by its bright orange bill and pink legs. Identification of the fulvous whitl- ing duck may be easier than with other ducks, since they are often rather unwary and easy to decoy. Hunters should be able to get a close enough look at the bird for positive identificatin before firing. Contrary to persistent legend, the fulvous whistling duck is quite edi ble and as tasty as most other duck species. Texas Reports ‘Ruby Red’ retires to life of leisure AUSTIN—Ruby Red has been put out ot pasture. The 50-pound red drum (redfish) was one of the first to respond to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s light-photoperiod experi ments at th Palacios Marine Laboratory and produce young redfish for restocking Texas’ bays. Department biologists transported her by truck to the Se Arama Marine World at Galveston where she retires after producing more than five million offspring for stocking. Biologist Bob Colura said Ruby’s egg production was exceeded later by a smaller female named Scarlet, but Ruby remained the symbolic “bell cow” of the successful program. When full of eggs, Ruby probably weighed more than the current state record redfish, a 51-pounder caught in 1967. Her exact weight, however, is not known because the weighing process would cause unnecessary stress. Dry winter months ahead spawn dangerous fires AUSTIN—As fall hunting seasons approach, much of Texas is lush and green from a rainy spring and summer. But all that vegation will be dry in a few short weeks, creating many potential fire hazards. Hunters and other outdoorsmen should use caution and good judgement with campfires and cigarettes. Vehicles equippeds with catalytic converters should be parked in areas free of tall grass. i *-:a - Battalion photo by Lee Roy Leschper Jr. Deer hunters taking last-minute target high bank like this one to catch stray bul- practice to sight-in their faithful deer-slayer lets, never atop a hill or bank like this beer should should keep their target before a can. “Over-the-hill” shots can kill. Weather, oil keep anglers away Few anglers catch more fish LA PORTE—Severe weather, the spring gasoline shortages and the Mexican oil spill combined to dampen bay angling efforts by weekend boat fishermen, accord ing to results from the annual sur vey of sportfishing harvest con ducted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “Between September 1978 and August, 1979, the coastwide fishing pressure by weekend boaters deadlined 18 percent from the pre vious year,” PW&D creel survey di rector Larry McEachron, said. Citing poor weather, scarce gas supplies and the appearance of oil on Texas water, McEachron said the declines in pressure was most evident on the middle and lower Texas coast. At the same time weekend boat fishermen were turning out in fewer numbers, those fishing were having greater success. “During the last annual survey period, the weekend fishermen har vested 2,250,300 pounds of fish, 28 percent more than the previous year,” McEachron said. The apparent puzzle of fewer fishermen catching more fish is due to an great increase in the harvest of black drum, which was several times greater than the previous uyear. The coastwide pattern of angler effort and fish harvest did not com pletely hold true for the Galveston Bay complex. Fishing effort by weekend boat fishermen in Galveston Bay actual ly increased slightly during the past survey period McEachron said. “Apparently some fishermen in the Houston area who were travel ing to other coastal areas to fish stayed close to their home bay dur ing the past year,” he explained. Along with the slight increase in fishing pressure was both a signifi cant increase in the catch per hour of fishing effort and in the total fish harvest. “The pounds of fish caught per hour of fishing effort by Galveston Bay boat fishermen last year was double the previous year and the total harvest was up some 60 per cent, but both increases were almost entirely due to fishermen cashing in on the black drum run last fall and spring,” McEachron said. While emphasizing that this data excluded jetty, pier, surf and bank fishermen, McEachraon said the survey statistics for the redfish and speckled trout harvest in the big bay by boat fishermen were somewhat different from the overall picture. DXKIS CHICKEN SALOON 307 University Drive College Station Beer on Crushed Ice Progressive Country Music Hangdown Sausage Cheddar Cheese on the Wheel Authentic Turn of the Century Texana
