Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations First time in Texas, wheres the water?

Hello all. Came to sonora texas to visit my great aunt have to say its a lot differnt then pa. I was looking to do some fishing but I can't find any water left? Any one on here know the area to help

There's still a puddle of water just south of Houston - called the Gulf of Mexico. Otherwise, good luck!!!!

I got plenty. But it is further from my place to Sonora Texas than it is from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.

Welcome to Texas.

By the way the fishing is GREAT on our pond!!

Thanks guys or all the help just kidding I was all excited to see texas bought a nice rod that fits perfect in my suit case wanted to catch a real texas bg and lmb. I talked to a rancher that lives in junction, knows my aunt very well he says he has a place or me to get on some. Oh ps HOW DO YOU GUYS DRIVE SO FAR! 120 miles is nothing! My aunt is 90 no kidding she drove from sonora to san angelo to pick us up at the airport and thought nothing of it. That's like me driving from harrisbug to atlantic city! She's a sparky one, she took me to her old ranch it took a hour to get there on paved road another 45 mins to get back the dirt road. The poor deer look like zombies with this draught. In pa we broke the all time rain fall record... its so strange to see such extreams.

Cody:

I hear ya! I visited a friend in Dallas and wanted to see the Alamo. I ended up catching a plane to fly to San Antonio, then flew back home. Too far to drive for a day trip!!

Last year I drove from east central Indiana to near Brownsville,TX pulling a small sailboat for a 200 mile 5 day sailing event in the gulf. But the real event was the drive there in two days. I drove 1300 miles the first day. I found much of the Interstate roads in terrible condition. The highlight of the trip was three dolphins swimming along side me and bigger then my 8 foot boat.

We just had the driest Sep to Oct since 1895. Also one of the hottest summers.

You'll need an altered scale of perspective when touring Texas. It's 1,400 miles from Orange to El Paso (East to West), and the same distance from Dalhart to Brownsville (North to South).
Unfortunately for your visit, Sonora is known for oil and gas production rather than its fishing opportunities.

I will be honest, I was never one o these green tree huggers not wanting gas and oild pipe lines and digging... but. I have seen pictures of my aunts ranch before the gas lines then seen it in person with the gas. It does look like hell afterwards. She said the. Horn toads got whiped out from spraying the ants. the armadillos and jack rabbits are almost all gone around here as well.

Cody, I know some folks that think those well sites and pipelines are real purty - they don�t call the well heads Christmas trees for nuthin�...

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder?

Well I do understand that a lot o these ranches would not be around anymore if it were not for the drilling.

I would counter that the ants themselves (red imported fireants - an exotic specie) have decimated the horned toad population, along with many other critters and birds that nest or brood their young on the ground. The sheer expanse of Texas prohibits the theory that localized ant-treatment programs bear any responsibility for the dwindling populations of horned toads, quail and many other ground-dwellers - especially in light of the fire-ant's rapidly expanding range.
For anyone who hasn't witnessed the reaction of livestock when they unknowingly disturb a fire-ant mound, it is a scary sight to behold. The defensive-strategy used by these tiny ants is very effective. They'll quickly swarm the offending creature, but delay their potent stinger-assault until the "everyone sting" signal is given (via pheromones) - which happens once the victim is sufficiently covered by ants. By the time a calf knows it stepped into a mound of serious trouble, it's too late to get away with only a few stings.
Of course, SOME HUMANS simply have no excuse for their stupid actions - even if they're FISHERMEN .

We used have a lot of jackrabbits around and horny toads. Now there is a fair amount of jackrabbits and very few horny toads. There are a lot of ducks and geese around. The coyotes are getting thicker and thicker. Weird how it runs in cycles.

I haven't seen a horny toad in years. And very little has changed on my place in the last 30 years. However a friend 10 miles away still has them. I've also quit seeing armadillos and possums. Tarantulas and the long black centipedes are really rare and they used to be everywhere.

During the last 4 years hogs have moved in and they aren't welcome. A friend who was hunting with me last weekend popped one that had to go way over 200 pounds. I also seem to be raising a bumper crop of coyotes and coons.

What's that song line, "another one bites the dust?"

Good eating size!

Scott, the bigger boars are inedible. They are like a rancid old goat.

You know, like Ken.

My buddy shot one a few years ago, and while the chops were pretty bad, the sausage was great. I've whacked a sow that never showed any signs that she had young 'uns that was in the 300# range, and she was fine - chops and all. I whacked a slightly bigger sow the next year with the same taste results.

Sort like big old bucks, sausage and jerky, no steaks.

You ate Ken?

I can't believe no one has mentioned headcheese?

I have never been a "big" game hunter, preferring small game instead, but I must confess to harboring a secret desire to go after a hog. I doubt I ever will, seeing as how there aren't any around here, but the idea certainly appeals to me. I wouldn't kill it if I couldn't eat it, so I guess that would mean a smaller animal for me.

What caliber is needed to reliably put one down?

Bigger the better, but .223 will do it. I prefer .308 or aught 6.

Hogs might be closer than you think. There are some pockets of them in Indiana where they escaped from hog farms, or high fenced operations. Not much is said about them, but if you search enough on the DNR website, you can find where those pockets are located. Private land, so asking permission is a must.

As for caliber, it all depends on where you hit 'em. My buddy used a .44 Mag pistol, and went thru 2 reloads before putting it down. In the excitement he put his trigger finger too far onto the trigger and was pulling the shots right. .223 with good bullets work, but I'd want something heavier if the hogs are bigger and you haven't done a LOT of practicing shooting. Last few times I've used my Savage Muzzleloader, .50 cal and I was shooting a 350g .458" Barnes "X" bullet or the .458" 300g Barnes "X" Bullet, both moving around 2400 fps. or a tad quicker. They never moved once they got hit.

I wouldn't hesitate to use my .243 with a Barnes TSX bullet.

Sounds like some range time is in someone's future, a .44 Mag is more than enough to stop a hog if under 100 yards. I like my M1 in 30-06 and I will only use my AR-15 if I have 77 grain or heavier bullets. But if given a choice, I go for the M1 every time, the fact is sometimes I have to use what I have on me at the time, that is where practice comes in.

Scoped too. I was next to him and asked him if he wanted to use my muzzleloader. When the pig was dead he said "the scope must have moved". He reloaded and asked me to try it. I hit what I was aiming at, and so did he with the next shot. It's hard to shoot straight when you have the 2nd joint of your index finger pulling the trigger........ He needs range time under stress!