Category Archives: Wildlife Wednesday

Wildlife Wednesday: Shark In A Yard, Hurricane-Wildlife Blackout & Mysterious Water Deaths

Greetings!

Last week we reported on possible wildlife impacts to Hurricane Ian, but the damage has been so bad on the infrastructure side that little info has come out of that part of the state.

Even the toll on people remains mysterious at the time of this writing. Hopefully there will not be as many dead as some officials predict.

This was an incredibly powerful and devastating storm..

One interesting wildlife note that has come out of Florida is a video of a shark in a backyard in Fort Meyers.

There are photos and videos that seem to pop up around every storm and most of them are fake, but this one seems legit.

You can watch it here.

We will have updates on Ian’s wildlife impact when we get them.

Dark Outdoors: Mysterious Water Deaths

If you think you’ve heard it all in true crime and outdoors mysteries, think again. Chester Moore interviews William Ramsey of William Ramsey Investigates about mysterious water deaths that have been puzzling police around the nation.

You can listen by clicking here.

This takes us into the “Smiley Face Killers” phenomenon and we also delve into death cults link to murders in the great outdoors.

*Here why police and forensics experts believe young men are being taken and then dumped in water days, sometimes weeks after abduction.

*Learn why a smiley face can be a sinister symbol when found in the outdoors.

*Hear about dangerous death cults who operate in wilderness areas and along the border.

Speaking For The Wildlife Society

Last week, I had the honor of speaking at Stephen F. Austin State University for The Wildlife Society.

My presentation was about how to make an impact on wildlife conservation.

I shared some of my adventures in the field from photographing bighorn sheep to working with sharks.

It was a fun evening and several students have connected with me since then to find ways to use their photography to help wildlife. We will publish some of their work here soon.

Saving Vietnam’s “Unicorn”

One of the world’s rarest animals—the saola, a type of wild cattle likely down to a few individuals—is getting a critical emergency boost from the European Union, Re:wild and WWF-Viet Nam to prevent its extinction.

According to a press release by Re:wild: the saola is the focus of the latest efforts by the Rapid Response for Ecosystems, Species and Communities Undergoing Emergencies (Rapid RESCUE) fund, established in 2020 by the EU, Leonardo DiCaprio and Re:wild to provide a swift response to emerging biodiversity threats.

 Saola photo by Toon Fey, WWF

The funding will support Re:wild and WWF-Viet Nam in their search for the last saola that survive in Viet Nam, as a first step in securing these animals for a conservation breeding program to ensure the species’ survival. As a result of the global covid pandemic, intensive search efforts to find the last Saola were effectively stopped for two years, greatly increasing the need for emergency support to quickly initiate surveys and conservation measures to save it from extinction.

“We have an amazing opportunity here to find and save the last saola in Viet Nam,” said Andrew Tilker, Re:wild’s Asian species officer.

“And as we are searching for saola, we will also be looking for some of the other special and endangered species that are found only in the Annamite Mountains. We are working with local stakeholders to start conservation breeding programs for a number of these species with the aim of someday returning them to the wild when it is safe to do so.”

The saola, which was only discovered by scientists in 1992, is so rare that no biologist has ever seen one in the wild. Their evasiveness has earned them the nickname Asian “unicorn.” Like other species in the Annamite Mountains, a rugged mountain chain on the border of Viet Nam and Laos, saola are the victims of unsustainable hunting through wire snares. Although the snares do not target saola, they indiscriminately kill ground-dwelling animals, and have emptied the forests of wildlife across the region.

“Protecting ecosystems is key for wildlife to flourish,” said Giorgio Aliberti, head of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam. “We all depend on it, as biodiversity is crucial to safeguard global food systems and ultimately food security. The European Union is proud to support conservation efforts to save species like saola from extinction, in line with the EU biodiversity strategy.”

Since the saola’s discovery, biologists have only photographed the species five times in the wild, all by camera traps—twice in Laos and three times in Viet Nam. The most recent camera trap photos were taken in 2013, when a WWF camera trap caught images of an animal in central Viet Nam. This year’s Southeast Asia Games, which ran from May 12 through May 23, featured the saola as its mascot.

For more information click here.

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Wildlife Wednesday: Bitten By A Cottonmouth!

Join Higher Calling Wildlife founder and Dark Outdoors host Chester Moore as he interviews veteran and outdoors lover Lucas Pelt who experienced a very serious cottonmouth bite. Learn how it happened and the experience Pelt had in the aftermath.

Listen to the episode here.

In our Dark Outdoors defense segment, we check in with renowned snake venom expert Dr. Spencer Greene and learn what to do if you do get bitten by a snake.

Oh, and we also cover what NOT to do.

The outdoors is a place of serenity and beauty but at times the outdoors experience goes dark. And it can go dark quickly for someone experiencing a venomous snake bite.

Learn more about Dr. Greene and his work at the link here.

Elk In TX Hill Country

A few weeks ago, we put out the word for free-ranging elk photos in the Texas Hill Country.

This is the first shot we got. It’s from Kennth Johnson and he got this near Rock Springs, TX.

Reader Rpy Heiderman photographed this elk near Utopia, TX.

If you have photos of free-ranging elk anywhere in Texas, email me at chester@chestermoore.com. I’d love to share the photos with others.

SFA Student Wins 2022 Tony Houseman Conservation Legacy Award

Borel is studying forestry with a wildlife management concentration.

“It’s such an honor and privilege to receive this award,” Borel said.

“I want to make an impact for wildlife and also get young people involved in conservation, hunting and fishing. This award inspires me to push even harder toward those goals.”

Borel has contributed online articles to fishgame.com and has a feature entitled “Why This College Girl Huns” in the Sept/Oct. edition of Texas Fish & Game.

Emily Odom was inspired by her 2020 turkey release experience. She began doing conservation art for Higher Calling Wildlife and won the 2021 Tony Houseman Conservation Legacy Award.

The award is given annually by Higher Calling Wildlife®, founded by Chester Moore.

“Tony Houseman was a mentor of mine at a very young age. I met him when I was 20 and he made a tremendous impact on me and my career. This honor is for his long-standing legacy of conservation and helps give young people going above and beyond the call of duty a boost to carry on in what can be very hard work,” Moore said.

Borel is the third recipient of the award and was chosen because of her heart for serving and conservation.

“Grades are wonderful. Academics are important and she has those but then there is heart and commitment on top of that. We watched Amber not only serve relentlessly helping some projects we did with young children and wildlife but also write a book about shark conservation she wants to give to kids. She’s a special young lady and me and my wife Lisa are honored to know her,” Moore said.

Tony Houseman was a dedicated conservationist who at different times served as president of the @houstonsafariclubfoundation and Dallas Safari Club. He helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for conservation work across North America and Africa.

His last major hunt was a “green hunt” to extract DNA from a white rhino for conservation purposes, which is why the award itself is a bronze rhinoceros.

Higher Calling Wildlife® is proud that Amber Borel is the third recipient of the Tony Houseman Conservation Legacy Award.

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

@thechestermoore on Instagram

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To subscribe to this blog and get weekly cutting edge wildlife news and commentary, enter your email at the prompt on the top right of the page

Wildlife Wednesday Black Tiger Captured On Video In India

In a rare sighting, a majestic black tiger was spotted in Odisha’s Similipal National Park according to India Times.

The tiger was seen marking its territory, leaving scratch marks on a tree in the 15-second clip posted on Twitter on the occasion of International Tigers Day. The clip was posted by Indian Forest Service Officer Susanta Nanda. He wrote in the caption, “Sharing an interesting clip of a rare melanistic tiger marking its territory on international Tigers day.”

I was blown away at this news.

You can see an image from the photo in this screen shot from the man who captured the video footage’s Twitter account.

I’m grateful for him sharing this with the world and making tiger issues more known to the public. You can see more of his posts on Twitter here.

Tiger color phases have intrigued me for years since my friend renown wildlife artist Bill Rebsamen showed me prints he did of both a melanistic (black) tiger and a blue tiger. We’ll get to the blue in another story later this fall.

You can get custom work done from Bill Rebsamen. Click here to check out this website.

I had this image from Bill Rebsamen on my wall for years but lost it during a Hurricane.

This tiger isn’t fully melanistic but it’s the first image captured like this for years-at least that I am aware of.

It’s interesting this video comes as India’s tiger population is on the rise. Much work has been done with habitat connectivity with neighboring countries and overall protection from poaching.

Will increasing numbers mean we see more of these and other color phases?

It’s fascinating and as a big fan of this species I’m excited.

Dark Outdoors Podcast; Shark Numbers Rising! New Tech To Deter Shark Attacks

In episode four of Dark Outdoors, host Chester Moore digs deep into the rising shark numbers in the Gulf of Mexico, shark attacks and shark deterrent technology.

You can listen to the episode here.

Learn the following:

*Which shark species are on the rise and how sharks are a vital part of the ecosystem

*The truth about the bull shark’s attitude

*Which species never gets mentioned on top shark attacks list, but is really just below the bull shark.

*What caused a massive great white to turn away when encountering a surfer.

*How Shark Banz is giving many more confidence in shark infested waters.

Plus much, much more

Dark Outdoors is brought to you by the following:

*Texas Frightmare Weekend, The Southwest’s Premier Horror Convention and Film Festival.

*Hog Hunt USA-A Forthcoming App For Hog Hunting

*Texas Fish & Game magazine

Searching For TX Hill Country Elk

In an article at Texas Fish & Game last week, I discussed the history of elk in East Texas and put the word out for photos and accounts of elk in that region.

This week we’re looking at elk in the Hill Country.

A study by Richardson B. Gill, Christopher Gill, Reeda Peel, and Javier Vasquez gives a deep look at Texas elk history, including in the Panhandle and Hill Country.

The earliest recorded sighting of elk in Texas occurred in 1601 according to the authors. The Spanish governor of New Mexico, don Juan de Oñate, embarked on an exploration of lands to the northeast of Santa Fe.

“This river [the Canadian] is thickly covered on all sides with these cattle [bison] and with another not less wonderful, consisting of deer which are as large as large horses. They travel in droves of two and three hundred and their deformity causes one to wonder whether they are deer or some other animal.”

Translation: Elk.

You can read the full article at Texas Fish & Game here.

I’m looking for photographic evidence of free-ranging elk in the Texas Hill Country. If you have photos email chester@chestermoore.com.

Wild Sheep Foundation Providing $1.22 Million In Grants

The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) Board of Directors has approved funding for its FY2022-23 slate of Grant-in-Aid projects.

WSF will be contributing $1,222,637.00 toward 14 projects that in total will exceed $5 million to benefit wild sheep populations across North America. This Conservation Grant funding is one component of the expected $6 Million in mission program funding WSF will direct this fiscal year.

“As the trusted facilitator for raising and directing funds for wild sheep conservation, we receive a number of grant requests,” explained Gray N. Thornton, President, and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation.

“This means a lot of agencies, universities, individuals, and other conservation partners are focusing on wild sheep, which is a good thing. We’re excited about this level of commitment and the quality of projects these experts have identified and brought forth.”

The project submission period was July 2022. WSF’s Conservation Staff conducted the initial review of funding requests received, followed by an independent review by WSF’s Professional Resource Advisory Board.

Final funding recommendations were made to the WSF Board of Directors, giving special consideration to funding requests submitted by or through its network of 36 Chapters and Affiliates.

Funding was awarded to a diversity of projects spanning from British Columbia to Mexico, focusing on:

• Population Restoration – Trap & Transplants, GPS Radio Collaring
• Habitat Enhancement – Water Development, Prescribed Burns
• Disease Management – Test & Remove, Pathogen Surveillance
“This level of funding would not be possible without the unwavering generosity of our membership, industry partners, Chapters and Affiliates, and other wild sheep enthusiasts,” Thornton concluded.

Over the past ten years WSF has invested over $50 million in wild sheep conservation funding.

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

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Wildlife Wednesday: Is This A Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) Or Something Else?

A woman claims she spotted a mysterious animal resembling the long-extinct Tasmanian Tiger while out on a bush walk with her son and sister according to a report in The Daily Mail.

Jessie Milde was on the hike in Belair National Park in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, when her family noticed a strange animal ‘lolloping’ around. 

Ms Milde first thought the creature was either a ‘weird looking kangaroo’ or a ‘really scraggy looking dog’ but her sister was convinced it was a Tasmanian Tiger. 

You can check out the video here.
Public Domain Photo

The thylacine has been considered extinct since the 1930s although a fair amount of reports exist.

They are without question in my opinion the most intriguing of possibly still alive-considered extinct creatures. The video (linked above) is interesting, but what interests me more is there seems to be an uptick in sightings and possible videos in recent years.

My good friend Todd Jurasek has made several expeditions into Australia and New Guinea. He believes there is a high chance of thylacines still existing.

“I think there are definitely still some thylacine living in Australia and Tasmania,” he said.

Sept. 13 Higher Calling Wildlife the podcast and this blog will begin a three-part series on mysterious wildlife. The thylacine will be the subject of one of these episodes. We will also cover the ivory-billed woodpecker, blue and black tigers and some other obscure animals.

It’s going to be a fun fall with super cool topics.

Defending Against Guys Likes This In The Great Outdoors

In this epic, hour-long episode, Dark Outdoors host Chester Moore dives into the iconic unsolved Moonlight Murders and the Phantom Killer made famous in 1976’s classic “The Town That Dreaded Sundown”.

The Phantom Killer as portrayed by Bud Davis in The Town That Dreaded Sundown.

This show examines how the phantom operated and compares it to dangers lurking today in sububan forest areas from similar predators.

It begins with a personal brush with danger from me and then goes into an interview with John Tennison, a cousin once removed from one of the chief Phantom killer suspects.

Click here to listen.

Hear a super rare and historic revelation of an eyewitness to seeing a white-masked figure in the night of Texarkana during the Phantom’s reign of terror.

We also interview Pamula Pierce Barcelou, daughter of “The Town that Dreaded Sundown” director Charles B. Pierce. She shares fascinating insight into this cult classic and her Dad’s role creating it nearly 50 years ago.

And learn why we should be super cautious in urban and suburan parks, greenbelts and forests. 

This is a can’t miss episode!

Water For People and Bighorns

The San Francisco Mountains south of the Arizona border in Sonora, MX, barely receive 3” of annual precipitation according to officials with The Wild Sheep Foundation.

WSF Photo

WSF, along with $10,000 from the Dallas Safari Club Foundation, has contributed $82,500 to drill a well to supply water to local people and provide a close and reliable water source for transport to fill water tanks for desert bighorn sheep and other desert-dwelling wildlife.

Before this well, water had to be trucked daily 30 miles to supply the 78 families living in the area according to WSF reports.

For nearly 25 years, residents have worked to conserve and re-populate desert bighorn sheep in this ejido. As a result of their program’s success, desert bighorn hunting on the ejido has expanded, as six permits were offered in 2020. Four of these permits were sold to generate money to pay for additional transplants of free-ranging desert bighorn sheep.

For more information click here.

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

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To subscribe to this blog and get weekly cutting edge wildlife news and commentary, enter your email at the prompt on the top right of the page

Wildlife Wednesday: TX Bear Sightings Increase In A Big Way

The big increase in bear sightings across my native state of Texas inspired Higher Calling Wildlife to focus heavily on black bears throughout our launch year of 2019.

This year there have been many more sightings, especially in West Texas. In fact, there were closures in some areas of Big Bend due to high bear activity.

This South Texas black bear photo was submitted to us by a hunter that was surprised to see this on his game camera.

In the podcast we did with Stephen F. Austin University officials, we learned in the eastern third of Texas, the best migrational routes in terms of undisturbed habitat for bears to preoccupy Texas comes from Oklahoma.

My close friend and research partner Todd Jurasek got some incredible game camera videos of black bears in the Kiamichi Mountains in Southeastern Oklahoma, showing the Sooner State has a burgeoning bear population in some areas.

Check out the clips by clicking on the links below.

Oklahoma Black Bear 1

Oklahoma Black Bear 2

Oklahoma Black Bear 3

People in states that have had large bear populations for decades like Oregon, Montana, and Alaska understand these animals.

But all forest-loving Americans need to become bear aware and realize these apex animals are increasing in the southern and eastern portions of the country.

Enjoy the above clips. Bear coverage in Texas and non-traditional bear states will continue.

Rogue Waves!

The latest episode of my Dark Outdoors podcast is up and it talks about dangerous rogue waves in Texas bays. You don’t want to miss hearing these firsthand testimonies of fishermen that encountered waves up to 15 feet in Texas bays.

Click here to listen

Ever seen a 10 foot wave that went across an entire bay?

How about a 15 footer with a sheer wall that hit a 15 foot boat?

We have these stories and more from eyewitnesses/survivors, plus some information from a boating group trying to raise awareness to this growing issue.

We explain what is causing these waves and show how they can make the outdoors experience go dark-very dark.

Permit in Texas

While we’re talking about bears in Texas, we might as well talk about something unusual on the aquatic side of things.

Permit are stunning sea flats-dwelling species that get big. They are said to be the moodiest of flats slam species (includes bonefish and tarpon) and will often ignore the most perfectly placed lure or fly.

Permit are indeed present in Texas in small numbers.

permit in Texas

Rider Colvin caught this juvenile permit while fishing with Capt. Brian Barerra in the South Padre area. Catches like this are rare in Texas.

Jared Guinn caught the Texas state record in the Gulf of Mexico in 1993. It only weighed 1.50 pounds. I’ve heard anecdotal evidence of permit close to this size caught in the Galveston Bay complex in recent years, from very informed anglers.

One of Capt. Brian Barerra’s young clients (pictured above) caught a permit in the South Padre area. It wasn’t a monster but in a very real way, it was the catch of a lifetime.

Have you ever caught a permit in Texas? We’d love to see the photo. Email photos to chester@chestermoore.com.

Gulf temperatures have been gradually warming and species like permit and even bonefish have been showing up in small numbers on the Texas Coast.

Duck Counts Are In

There has not been a duck population/pond count since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Delta Waterfowl has put out a graphic of the numbers in comparison to the 2019 numbers (when they were counted last time). There is some interesting data here that reflects interesting trends in habitat conditions.

We will address that on an upcoming episode if the Higher Calling Wildlife® podcast and post it here.

Chester Moore

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

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Wildlife Wednesday: Mega Drought Gets Worse, Asian Elephants And The Gale Force Twins

“Drought conditions are approaching 2011 levels.”

Those words shook me to the core.

Yesterday I exchanged texts with a private biologist in Texas who owns land in the Hill Country and surveys everywhere from East Texas to remote desert in the Trans Pecos.

What’s happening in my home state is bad, but it’s even worse in other places.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor

The following is from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Central Washington, Idaho, and northwest Montana also saw increases in drought extent or severity as short-term dryness continues to build upon long-term moisture deficits extending back to last year. Many parts of southern Idaho, and the rest of the West, have set records for the driest 3-month period (January to March) going back 100 years or more. Meanwhile near record warmth increased evaporative demand from plants and soils.

Farther south, extreme drought expanded in parts of California, Nevada, and New Mexico while moderate and severe drought expanded across Arizona. In California, Cooperative Extension reports impacts to agriculture including reduced forage, livestock stress, decreased water allocation, and the selling livestock earlier than normal. Data such as reduced stream flows and declines in satellite-based vegetation health and soil moisture indicators confirm these reports.

This is already having a big impact on wildlife. As early as last summer, wildlife officials in Nevada in conjunction with partners like The Wild Sheep Foundation were dropping water on manmade guzzlers (water tanks) to supplement water for desert bighorns and other wildlife.

Photo Courtesy Nevada Dept. of Wildlife

There are concerns across much of Texas for wild turkey and quail production in much of the state.

This will end up being the United States biggest wildlife story of 2022 and we will do our best to keep you up to date.

Helping Asian Elephants

Since 2007 I have been writing about the need to get more attention to Asian elephants and their dire conservation needs.

There are literally 10 times as many African elephants yet they seem to get the bulk of attention.

Public Domain Photo

I was excited to learn of the Center of Asian Elephant Conservation at the St. Louis Zoo.

Check out what they’re doing.

The Center for Asian Elephant Conservation’s partnership with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and others will significantly enhance our scientific understanding of rewilding elephants. Through a ground-breaking research project based in Myanmar, a framework will be developed for elephant release that incorporates a diversity of scientific approaches at all decision stages. To test this framework, approximately 30-50 elephants will be released into the wild in the near future to gain a deeper understanding of which animals are most likely to succeed in the wild and which management choices can ensure success. This project will be a tool for environmental managers to use when designing future elephant reintroduction programs across Asian elephant range countries.

Between 2005 and 2021, they contributed more than $420,000 to the International Elephant Foundation to support Asian elephant conservation in Asia and has supported projects in Sumatra, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and India.

The Zoo is also eading the fight against Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV), a viral infection that affects elephants in the wild and in zoos, by contributing to prognosis and treatment protocols that have saved elephants. In 2021, the Zoo established its own EEHV lab to further our commitment to fighting this disease. 

You can learn more here.

An Interview With The Gale Force Twins

Growing up in South Florida, Emily and Amanda Gale, The Gale Force Twins, discovered their love and passion for the water.

Last weekend I had a chance to hang out with them and interview them for the Higher Calling Wildlife podcast at the Hunt-Fish Podcast Summit.

Photo by Chester Moore

“At an early age, we started fishing off the docks of Islamorda wanting nothing more than to go deep sea fishing. We attended the University of Miami, earning degrees in Microbiology and Immunology while competing on the track and field team as pole vaulters. The two of us spent our summer breaks and long weekends working on a busy fishing charter boat out of Key West,” they said.

“It was there that we finished our sea time, honed in on our skills and earned our USCG 50 Ton Captains Licenses. With that we started our own business, Gale Force Twins LLC.”

Listen to an inspiring interview with Emily and Amanda Gale (The Gale Force Twins

Upon graduating, the girils left the academic world to pursue careers in the sportfishing industry.

Photo Courtesy Gale Force Twins

“After a few years of running our own charter business. We began vlogging our adventures as female captains on the water. The response was exponentailly positive. We now film, edit and produce educational yet entertaining videos on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Although each video is unique they all share the same goal: to Educate, Explain and Entertain. We take pride in keeping our pages family friendly while we take our viewers with us to experience the variety of fishing opportunities that the world has to offer.”

Turkey Release

The folks at Spring Creek Outdoors, LLC were kind enough to ask if I wanted to release one of the Rio Grande turkeys I had been photographing them release on the Rafter K Ranch. It was cool being on this side of a release. They are working on a TPWD-permitted turkey restoration project.

I never take moments like this for granted and thank God for them in a very literal sense.

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

@thechestermoore on Instagram

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

To subscribe to this blog and get weekly cutting edge wildlife news and commentary, enter your email at the prompt on the top right of the page

Wildlife Wednesday: Elk East Of The Mississippi, Rogue Waves In Bays Endanger Fishermen, Grizzly Attack & More

Greetings from the Higher Calling Wildlife® headquarters!

Did you know several states of East of the Mississippi River have thriving and growing elk herds?

Photo by Chester Moore

One state has an estimated 13,000 elk and offers some non-resident hunting opportunities.

Listen to the latest episode of Higher Calling Wildlife and learn all about elk restoration in the eastern United States. Host Chester Moore interviews the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Conservation Program Manager for the Eastern United States (Steven Dobey).

Click to listen.

In this program we discuss the following:

*Elk history in the eastern United States

*Elk translocation and restoration efforts

*Population estimates in Kentucky and hunting opportunities.

*Travel and migration issues

*Opportunities for future elk restoration

*Plus, much more.

Rogue Waves In Channels and Bays

A large segment of our readership fishes along the Gulf Coast of the United States.

And due to my own experience I have been conducting an investigation on large rogue waves produced by oil tankers and other large cargo ships.

Public Domain Photo

These can be life threatening so I am raising awareness to the issue through Texas Fish & Game as well as a future edition of the podcast.

Here’s an encounter I shared in a recent story at fishgame.com.

Reader Chris Polnick recently shared this harrowing encounter with us.

“Across from the dike quite a few years back, a buddy and I were doing some night fishing. We were out at the end of the small jetty. The waters were fairy calm. We were out there a few hours and I estimate the water line at the time to be at least three feet below the top of the jetty. All of a sudden a wave hit the jetty and the water pulled way back off the rocks and wave number was enough to splash us,” he said.

Polnick said as the water pulled even further back the second wave had just enough time to grab what we could just before the third wave washed across the top of the jetty, luckily only about mid-shin level.

“Luckily for us we were able to maintain our footing. Much higher and we would have been pushed off the jetty for sure. We lost some tackle boxes a rod and a few other items. You don’t think much about a life jacket on the jetty but we came real close to needing one that night!”

Have you ever encountered a wave like this in a bay or channel? If so, please share with me at chester@chestermoore.com. Sharing your story could help save someone’s life.

Fatal Grizzly Bear Attack

According to a report at CNN.com, a grizzly bear fatally attacked a father of four in Montana.

Sheriff Brad Bichler of the Park County Sheriff’s Office told CNN Craig Clouatre, 40, was hiking with a friend Wednesday in the Six Mile Creek area, which is about 20-25 miles north of Yellowstone National Park, when they split up.

“It is with a very heavy heart that I am writing this update. After an extensive search this morning we have located Craig,” Bichler said in a Facebook post. 

“It appears he had an encounter with a grizzly and unfortunately did not survive,” Bicher’s post said.

Grizzly numbers are rising in Montana and Wyoming and black bear numbers are increasing across much of their range. Many times these are attacks are simply people being in the wrong place at the wrong time and meeting the wrong bear.

But there are things you can do to avoid attack. Check out these bear safety tips from the National Park Service.

Persian Fallow Deer Released In Israel

Photo Courtesy Biblical Zoo-Jerusalem

We were excited to get an update from our friend Rachael Risby Raz with the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem about the Persian fallow deer restoration project we have supported for the last eight years.

At the beginning of March, we released a large group of nine Persian Fallow deer from the breeding center at the Zoo into the wild at the Nahal Sorek Nature Reserve in the Jerusalem hills.

Three females and six males were released, and of these, seven deer were fitted with GPS tracking collars.

In the past, only the females are fitted with GPS collars. This is because the males’ necks can expand during the breeding season which means that the collars can snap and break.

This year we have acquired special elastic collars that expand when needed and thus were able to fit collars to some of the males as well.

Nadav Ganot, the Zoo’s conservation project coordinator, reports that all the deer are doing well in the acclimatization enclosure and in the coming weeks, the gates to the enclosure will be opened and the deer will be free to go into the wild. This process usually takes a few days. 

The project is in partnership with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

If you would like to support this project click here.

Podcast Summit

The second annual Hunt-Fish Podcast Summit kicks off Thursday at the Warren Ranch near Santa Anna, TX.

The event brings together outdoors podcasters from around the country and matches them with high-level guests from the hunting, fishing and conservation worlds.

I will be participating and can’t wait for the great fellowship and podcasting opportunities.

“Our inaugural event at the Double Draw Ranch last year was a big success,” said founder Derek York of the Impact Outdoors Podcast.

“This year it’s grown to another level and we are excited to bring together some of the top people in the outdoors world to share our common love for fishing, hunting and wildlife conservation.”

Participating Podcasters

Higher Calling Wildlife (Chester Moore)

Impact Outdoors (Derek York)

Aptitude Outdoors (Paul Fuzinski)

The Wildlife Experience Podcast (Andrew Austin)

Red Beard Outdoors Podcast (Jonathan McCormick)

Special guests for the event include Gray Thornton, President & CEO The Wild Sheep Foundation, Renee Thornton, Chair Women Hunt, Dale Rollins (Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch), Brittany Perry, biologist for the National Wild Turkey Federation, Gale Force Twins (Emily and Amanda), Captain Stacy Lynn, Captain Eric Trout, Heroes On the Water, Laura Lindsey and Camille Null.

We will post a special updates with links to the first podcast to come from the event. All podcasters will interview the special guests and there will be special round-table discussions as well.

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

@thechestermoore on Instagram

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Wildlife Wednesday: Monster Black Bear Captured, The Most Dangerous Thing In The Woods, Drugs In Bonefish & More

A monster black bear has been captured and relocated in Tennessee.

A 500-pound black bear living near Tusculum college in Greeneville had become habituated to human and unnatural foods and was relocated to a remote area of the Cherokee National Forest according to officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

Wildlife Sgt. David Carpenter said the bear had regular access to garbage, birdseed, and pet food had and been in the area for a few years but ramped up its activity and property damage last year on the agency’s Facebook page.

Wildlife Officers decided to trap it then due to the increasing potential for negative interaction, but were unsuccessful after the bear changed its travel routine. Recent activity indicated it was back to its old ways and Officers Ryan Rosier, Austin Wilson, and Sgt. Carpenter located the bear in a small vacant wood lot and were able to free-range tranquilize it. They worked the bear up and requested the assistance of the Greeneville Fire Department to help move it to the transport cage due to its size. They were glad to help and were able to use some of their specialized equipment to expedite the process.

Kudos to TWRA officials for the successful relocation of a monster bear and reminding us how big black bears can get.

The Most Dangerous Thing In The Woods

A couple of years ago someone asked me what was the most dangerous thing to encounter in the woods.

Since I’ve written and broadcasted extensively on cougars, snakes, feral hogs and bears they were expecting one of those as the answer.

“People, ” I said.

“There is nothing more dangerous than people, especially in remote forests and mountainous regions.”

Deep woods can sometimes mean big dangers. (Public Domain Photo)
The answer came from collecting stories as a journalist over the years and my own personal experiences which I will discuss in upcoming posts and broadcasts.

The stories are omnipresent.

Take for example the caller to my radio program “Moore Outdoors” on Newtalk AM 560 KLVI who found a body burning while teal hunting with his son south of Houston.

Another caller revealed that in the 70s he and his father were out night fishing near High Islalnd, TX and see someone against the shoreline burying something and decided to leave.

Turns out it was monstrous serial killer Dean Corll who brutalized dozens of teenage boys.

Remote areas are often the most peaceful but due to the isolation can be extremely dangerous.

My goal is to educate people on what can happen in these areas and how to be prepared so that all deep woods hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing trips are safe.

That will require bringing to light some uncomfortable facts. And it will also involve creating a system of proactive safety.

I see these human-related threats falling into four categories.

*Idiot Hunters: These are those rare , unethical, clueless hunters who should not be in the woods (and give the rest of us a bad name). Every years stories of people shooting someone because they heard something coming through the bushes. This is probably statistically the most dangerous human threat because of the widespread nature of hunters in America.

*Poachers: Encountering a poacher in the woods can be dangerous if they assume you will turn them in or if you make the mistake of confronting them instead of law enforcement handling the duties. It’s not as dangerous as it is in Africa where organized crime and even terror cells are involved in high stakes rhino and elephant poaching but it is a potential threat.

*Drug Trade: Finding meth labs and pot farms is not good. People do not want their operations found out and will go to any length to stop someone from squealing.

*Predators: This is the highest level. This is coming across someone hunting humans whether to rape, kill or terrorize.

I will be doing a podcast series on this topic. Have you had a crazy human encounter in the woods or on the water?

Email chester@chestermoore.com to share.

Sharing your encounter might help save someone’s life.

Drugs In Bonefish

A three-year study by Florida International University (FIU) and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) has discovered pharmaceutical contaminants in the blood and other tissues of bonefish in Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys.

“Coastal fisheries face increasing threats associated with human-based contaminants,” said Jim McDuffie, BTT President and CEO.

“Pharmaceuticals are an often overlooked dimension of water quality and their presence in South Florida bonefish is cause for concern. These contaminants pose a significant threat to the flats fishery, an important part of Florida’s recreational saltwater fishery, which has an annual economic impact of $9.2 billion and directly supports 88,500 jobs.”

Since the study began in 2018, FIU scientists and BTT research associates, in partnership with Sweden’s Umeå University and the University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), have sampled 93 fish in South Florida, finding an average of seven pharmaceuticals per bonefish, and a whopping 17 pharmaceuticals in a single fish. The list includes blood pressure medications, antidepressants, prostate treatment medications, antibiotics, and pain relievers. Researchers also found pharmaceuticals in bonefish prey—crabs, shrimp and fish—suggesting that many of Florida’s valuable fisheries are exposed, and not only the bonefish fishery.

At a BTT panel event in Tallahassee, FL, lead researcher Dr. Jennifer Rehage presented the study’s findings.

“These findings are truly alarming,” said Dr. Rehage. “Pharmaceuticals are an invisible threat, unlike algal blooms or turbid waters. Yet these results tell us that they are a formidable threat to our fisheries, and highlight the pressing need to address our longstanding wastewater infrastructure issues.”

Approximately 5 billion prescriptions are filled each year in the US, yet there are no environmental regulations for the disposal of pharmaceuticals worldwide.

Pharmaceutical contaminants originate most often from human wastewater and are not sufficiently removed by conventional water treatment. They remain active at low doses, can be released constantly, and exposure can affect all aspects of fish behavior, with negative consequences for their reproduction and survival. Pharmaceutical contaminants have been shown to affect all aspects of the life of fish, including their feeding, activity, sociability, and migratory behavior.

For more information click here.

Arabian Oryx In Israel

We are midway through our 40 days of raising awareness to the wildlife of Israel on our Facebook page.

The beautiful Arabian oryx was eliminate from the Holy Land but in recent years, restoration efforts have helped bring it back to several areas.

We love celebrating great wildlife conservation success stories!

Chester Moore

(Public Domain Photo)

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Wildlife Wednesday: Saving America’s Micro Deer, Rewards For Turkey Photos, Louisiana Elk & More

Saving America’s Micro Deer

The Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) is the smallest whitetail subspecies topping out at 60 pounds and living exclusively in their namesake islands on the Florida coast.

Seeing a herd of Key deer on my honeymoon in 1999 was a special moment that fulfilled a childhood dream born out of a fascination with all things wildlife—especially the rare and unusual. Seeing them last July during a Florida fishing expedition was just as exciting.

I would love to share photos of the massive (by Key deer standards) buck from that expedition, but they were destroyed along with many others when Hurricane Ike ravaged my hometown in 2008. Just as those photos washed away with storm surge, a series of hurricanes have played havoc on Key deer.

A Key deer mom and her fawn. (Photo by Faith Moore)

Most recently, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officials, Hurricane Irma in 2017 killed 21 deer with an additional dozen killed in the chaotic aftermath. With the latest estimates showing only 949, that hurts.

For perspective, I have hunted on a single 5,000 acre low-fence Texas ranch with more whitetails than that.

Additionally, an old foe last seen in the U.S. more than 30 years ago, hit the Keys hard in 2016. But Texans came to the rescue.

“Screwworms infested the population, which is spread across more than 20 islands. It led to 135 Key deer deaths, including 83 that were euthanized to reduce the risk of further infection,” said Dr. Roel Lopez. “This was a significant blow to a species, which is uniquely located in that area.”

These tiny dee keep drawing me back to the Keys. Of course the awesome flats fishing might be a factor too. (Photo by Lisa Moore)

Doctor Lopez is director and co-principal investigator for the Key deer study, San Antonio, a project of Texas A&M University (TAMU). TAMU, along with various agencies including USFWS, alleviated the crisis by preventive treatment and fly eradication efforts. This included feed stations lined with anti-parasitic medications and releasing 60 million sterile male screwworms to mate with wild female flies and curb reproduction.

That is a big effort for a little deer, but there is much love for them among those who understand their delicate existence. A single disease outbreak or storm could literally wipe out the population.

Then again, the species has proven resilient. The screwworms mainly took out mature males and researchers believe there are enough young bucks to replace them. At the five-year mark of the outbreak things are looking up.

You can read my full story in Texas Fish & Game by clicking here.

Challenge Tokens For Eastern Turkey Photos

Through our Higher Calling Wildlife® outreach, we have created a new Eastern Turkey Aware challenge token.

If you have photographed eastern turkeys in East Texas or Louisiana on a game camera or by traditional photography, email the photos with the county or parish the photo was taken to chester@chestermoore.com. We will send you one of these cool wooden challenge tokens and a special edition Higher Calling Wildlife® turkey decal.

Thanks to the National Wild Turkey Federation-Montgomery County Chapter for their help on this project.

We will share these in posts at highercalling.net and in the Texas Fish & Game e-newsletter.

Higher Calling Wildlife mentors teens facing special challenges to become wildlife conservationists. Several of the teens we work with will be promoting this challenge via social media and helping in other ways.

It’s our way of helping create a NOW generation of conservationists.

Elk in Louisiana (Cool Reader Feedback)

In last week’s Wildlife Wednesday, I wrote about elk in Texas and solicited photos and information about elk in the eastern United States.

Reader Gary Pool sent in this super cool find.

I don’t have a picture but I have a book on the history of the Wyatt Family (my maternal grandmother’s maiden name). Her Uncle, Sillenger Wyatt was interviewed by a local newspaper in Jackson Parish of Louisiana around the time of WWII. He was in his 90’s at the time and died at 102 in the late 1940s.

As you can tell by the terrain, this ain’t in Louisiana! It’s in Montana. But there are breeding elk populations in the Eastern United States. (Photo by Chester Moore)

In it he says in response to a question about changes he had seen. He stated that before all the logging of the early 1900’s he remembered being able to SEE AN ELK OVER A MILE AWAY.

I’m sure you know north-central Louisiana is much like the Pineywoods of East Texas. I was not surprised to read that climax forests had less undergrowth and thus greater visibility and I do realize the “mile away” may not be accurate. But, ELK really got my attention.

I just thought you might find it interesting. I am in possession of the book.

If anyone has documentation or photos of free-ranging elk in Texas or anywhere east of here, please email chester@chestermoore.com.

Goosebumps anyone?

Ever feel as if something’s watching you in the woods? Well, it could be a cougar.

They are one of the most elusive predators in the world and can live in a populated area with virtually no one seeing them. In the woods, its as if they live in stealth mode.

I took this photo back in 2007 and thought I would share with you.

(Photo by Chester Moore)

Free E-Mag

We are beginning to work on our 2022 Higher Calling Wildlife® annual magazine. This is a labor of love for me.

Not only do I get to write cool stories on my favorite wildlife but more than half of the content (stories, photos, artwork) comes from teens we work with in our ministry.

In the forthcoming edition, we have what I believe is the strongest collection of content we’ve produced.

Thank you for your suppor!

If you would like to view or download or 2021 edition click here.

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Wildlife Wednesday: Giant Rattlesnakes, Elk in Texas And Comeback of the Markhor

Snakes intrigue the public.

Even though most fear snakes, people can’t help but click on videos and photos of snakes, especially big ones.

Images of people holding large, dead rattlesnakes are all over the Internet and with spring arriving and snakes on the move, I thought we would address this issue.

A while back I asked my friend renown snake expert Austin Stevens of Austin Stevens Snakemaster and Austin Stevens Adventures about these claims of giant rattlers.

Q: There are rumors of gigantic eastern diamondbacks killed and seen over the years. What do you think the maximum potential size is for this species?

A: As mentioned before, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest venomous snake in North America, and is known to average around 5.5 feet in length. The largest specimens found have been closer to eight feet, weighing in at about 10 pounds—a formidable snake, to say the least.

Snakes grow all their lives, though the process slows as they get older. An eastern diamondback rattlesnake may live to be 20 years old. No one knows for sure in the wild. Its rate of growth would most commonly depend on the availability of food, though some specimens just simply do grow faster and bigger than others. (As noted in captive specimens)

I am often asked to comment about dead snakes in photographs being held up to the camera with exaggerated claims to their size. In these instances it is immediately obvious that the snake is extended close to the lens, making it look bigger, while the person holding out the specimen, usually on a pole, looks that much smaller in the back ground.

Claims of 15-foot rattlers being spotted have never been substantiated, and are ludicrous. Having said this, it is not unrealistic to imagine that in some uninhabited wilderness area where humans have not made their presence over abundant, there might still be unrecorded eastern diamondbacks in excess of 8.5 feet in length.

In 2020, I did a podcast on this topic and addressed a long forgotten “giant rattlesnake” photo that appeared in a 1970s edition of Sports Afield.

You can check it out here.

A printout from a friend’s copy of the magazine shows the alleged 11 foot eastern diamondback killed in Florida in the early 1900s.

Markhor Comeback

The markhor is one of the most striking wild goats on the planet. And in the mid 1990s their numbers were down to near 2,000 in their native Pakistan.

Recent conservation efforts have seen a big surge in numbers with an estimated 5,000-6000.

An article in the Express-Tribute detailed how controlled hunting of older billies has brought incentive to protect the species.

The government uses the license money, which is in US dollars, to support local communities by building schools, mosques, health centres, and even providing scholarships to local students, the official said.

These incentives encourage local communities to avoid killing markhor and instead push them to care for the wild goats, he explained.

“The most recent markhor hunt license was sold for $160,000,” Salahuddin Jamaluddin, a divisional forest officer in Wildlife Department’s Peshawar office, told Anadolu Agency.

“We spend 80% of the money on the local community, who help us with our conservation efforts, and 20% on the government for administrative expenses,” he explained.

Markhor are rare but present on some hunting ranches in Texas and are being very carefully managed. Guide Austin Pressy darted this big billy and extracted semen to put in a cryogenic facility for future breeding purposes. “I want to do what I can to conserve the species. They have become my favorite animal after working around them,” he said.

To read more click here.

Share Our Wild Sheep Pandemic PSA

I recently created a public service announcement about wild sheep and their struggle with exposure to pneumonia through domestic sheep. It has been airing on Newstalk AM 560 KLVI and other stations in Texas.

We now have a video version on Youtube. By sharing this video on your social media, you can help get the word out on what’s going on with wild sheep in North America.

Elk Research Project Begins

Elk are one of the most regal animals on the planet.

They are are the second largest deer next to moose and have a fascinating history.

Did you know elk are native to Texas and also other states east of here?

I’m working on a series of articles and podcasts on this topic for this year and thought I would start by sharing this

Elk are not considered a game animal in Texas (so there are no official TPWD population estimates) but by all accounts from landowners in the region, their numbers in the Trans Pecos are increasing.

Photo by Chester Moore

But their history in Texas stretches to the Hill Country and even the Pineywoods region.

In 1759, Captain Juan Angel de Oyarzún reported elk near Menard.

“This watering place was recognized as that of the buros (what they called elk at the time) for the many it maintains. This species resembles deer, although its body and antlers are larger. As a rule they are, when grown, like a medium-sized horse, and the antlers ordinarily attain the height of two varas [1.7 meters (m) or 5.5 feet (ft)]. For this reason the Comanche Indians use them to make bows for their arrows.”

In 1772, French captain Athanase de Mézières reported elk by calling them red deer (the elk’s close European cousin) between modern day Nacogodches and the Sabine River.

“This very large province can compete with the most fertile and productive. It produces in abundance beans, maize, large and small stock, buffalo, deer, red deer, wild goats, turkeys, wild hogs, partridges, hares, rabbits, and other species of both quadrupeds and birds, which has served us in this long journey for recreations as well as for sustenance.”

There are many, many more historical accounts in their study but just as fascinating is the DNA evidence they show of today’s free-ranging Texas elk origins.

“DNA research indicates that today’s free-ranging elk in the Davis and Glass mountains are the result of the natural immigration of elk from the Lincoln National Forest of New Mexico, just north of the Texas border, to recolonize areas of their former native range in the Trans-Pecos. The evidence presented substantiates the presence of native elk throughout Texas prior to their extirpation in the 20th century…”

If you have any photos or videos of elk in Texas or any Eastern state, please email me at chester@chestermoore.com.

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