Schools & Sports

The 2021 season opener was a night to remember for the Jackrabbits. Supported by excellent performances from the Forney Cheerleaders, Highsteppers, Forney Band, and Color Guard, the Forney Jackrabbit spirit was palpable throughout the game.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Toyota ShareLunker Program is experiencing a banner year in its goal to create, bigger, better bass in Texas. After obtaining 18 successful spawns from 19 of the 23 13-pound or larger Legacy Class fish loaned to the selective-breeding program in 2021, the department’s hatchery staff produced 271,872 fingerlings to benefit Texas public waters.

I’m often asked what caliber I prefer for hunting hog. Although this might sound like a pretty straightforward question, it really is a bit complex and one for which there is no ‘pat’ answer. My reply used to be something like, “Grab the largest caliber you own, load it with the heaviest bullet and you are ready to go.” While this answer certainly still suffices, it doesn’t do justice to all the different ways hogs are hunted today nor the many actions of rifles used. For instance, if hog control is one’s singular goal, the heavier the caliber the better, right? Well, maybe not. The heavier calibers are not normally used in the AR style rifles that are so popular today with hog hunters, especially those that go after wild porkers after dark with thermal or digital optics. Shooting multiple wild hogs running across a wheat field at night requires a semi auto rifle and a night scope that facilitates quick target acquisition and the ability to recover from recoil quickly. Although very heavy calibers such as the 500 Auto Max or .450 Bushmaster are available, they haven’t become popular with the majority of hog hunters using the AR platform.

“The Kaufman County A&M Club awarded $50,000 in scholarships on July 31 to area Aggies attending the College Station campus in the fall, along with $4400 awarded by the Kaufman County A&M Mothers Club. In addition, $36,000 was raised at the auction for future scholarships. Pictured are some of our very deserving local scholarship recipients. Way to go, Ags!”

I love striper fishing at Texoma during the dead of winter, using oversized jigs to entice greedily feeding stripers that drive bait to the surface and eat like there is no tomorrow. The sight of a few hundred sea gulls dipping and diving over a several acres of feeding stripers is the stuff great fishing memories are made of. I also like catching them in midsummer during the first few hours of the day when they are feeding upon shad that have completed their spawn and dispersed to the waters of the mid to lower lake.

On July 23, the City of Mesquite and local businesses recognized 18 summer interns, celebrating the end of the City of Mesquite’s Summer Youth Internship Program. The program allows income eligible Mesquite students, ages 15-17, to gain meaningful job experience beyond the classroom and the opportunity to acquire skills to secure future employment.

During the pandemic, Texans headed back to nature in record numbers, with more people visiting state parks, hunting, fishing, and boating than ever before. A new congressional proposal aims to tap that exploding interest by investing more than $50 million per year in Texas for wildlife recovery and related public education and recreation, a move expected to boost the state’s already booming naturebased economy into overdrive.

If a survey was given to fishermen throughout the state and the question posed, “What do you consider to be the most ‘fished for’ species in the state?”, Which species do you think would rank at the top? I’d think the fish would need to be numerous and widespread, easy to catch and provide the makings of a tasty fish fry. Some would say catfish; it’s hard to beat a big platter of crispy fried catfish fillets and most lakes support a healthy population of catfish. Fishing for largemouth bass is hugely popular but bass are definitely not the easiest fish to catch much of the time and can be challenging for youngsters learning to fish. Besides, few people consider them a food fish these days. Crappies are notoriously ‘good eating’ and definitely widespread across the state but they too can be challenging to locate and catch by the rank and file angler. This leaves the schooling open water species, stripers, hybrid striper and white and yellow bass. Which of these species is most widely distributed across the state? Definitely white bass, I’d say. I think you know where I’m going with this little ‘unofficial’ survey! YES I believe white bass (sandbass) gets my nod as the most popular freshwater species in the state to be targeted by the largest number of anglers. Why? Well, their numbers are high in many lakes and they are easy to catch by even the youngest anglers, once they are located.

I read a news report that stated the following: “….. other gymnasts’ coaches motioned to the crowd to give her (Biles) a standing ovation!” When does something extraordinary like that happen? Why does it happen?

Last week we left Mr. Dan Hill being paid with money by some and valuable goods by others as he “taught” his private school during the summer time.

One big reason I so enjoy going to the State Fair of Texas each fall is spelled— FLETCHER’S! Fresh and steaming right out of the fryer, slathered with mustard, almost blistering my tongue, this delicacy, at least for a few minutes, makes me forget that it is hot outside, plus the yard needs mowing; my legs hurt; there will probably be a traffic jam leaving the Fair area!

I will admit that I do not think I would “totally” enjoy sitting at a race track weekend after week-end to watch long distance racing cars, but I would really like to attend one of the more prestigious events sometime before I die. (I have been at races down on Lawson Road and in the Crandall and DFW areas upon occasions and enjoyed them.) But I do enjoy being able to watch “on the tube,” as my uncle was accustomed to saying, and at one time during my younger years, I could name the winners of major events. Parnelli Jones, Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, Eddie Rickenbacker, Carroll Shelby, Mario Andretti, Al Unser, and A. J. Foyt were some of my favorite drivers!

Lake Ray Hubbard is in Spring and early summer mode for sure . It has been a busy time on Lake Ray Hubbard since my last report. Thank goodness the COVID news is looking better, people are getting vaccinated and trying to return to a somewhat normal life. The weather was crazy with all the rain, cloud cover and on some days down right cold. Never fear, summer is here and we will be begging for that forecast in the coming heat of our Texas summers.