Lone Star Outdoor News Raffle

Written by Craig Nyhus

Thursday, 24 January 2008

Action picks up for duck hunt winners on second day. Mike Pace of Montgomery received a call from his niece, Tiffany, during the final day of the Texas Trophy Hunters show in Fort Worth, and she convinced him to buy some raffle tickets from the Lone Star Outdoor News booth at the show. A deer hunt was offered as first prize, and a duck hunt as second prize. Several hours later, he received a call that he had won the two-day duck hunt at Crosstimbers Hunting Club. He asked, “Can I bring a friend?” In late December, he and his friend made the trip to Comanche County. The hunting had been spotty, but they knew they would have a good time anyway. The first day brought strong northwest winds and no cooperation from the birds. Pace’s friend, James Scott of Huntsville, tried to be positive. “That’s why they call it hunting,” he said. The slow day left plenty of time for storytelling. Scott, who is a law enforcement officer with the U.S. Forest Service, topped the story list. “It’s like being a patrol officer, a game warden and a park ranger all wrapped up in one job,” he said. Stories of hunting and boating violations, portable meth labs on U.S. Forest property and poachers filled the time while the group searched the vacant sky for birds. Scott described Pace as one of his best friends, and the pair mostly hunt at Lake Conroe with Scott’s dog, Daisy. The clean-cut Scott fits the profile of a federal agent. Pace, however, sports a long, braided ponytail and tattoos. “People tend to judge people on their appearance when they meet them,” he said. “I like proving them wrong.” Pace, who has the not-so-popular job of cutting off customers’ power for an electric company, shared the hazards of his job. “I’ve been cussed out, I’ve been shot at more than once and I’ve been stabbed,” he said. After leaving the blind at the 5-acre tank, they were taken to six or seven jump tanks, thinking that with the wind some of them should hold some birds. The first stop was at the “wigeon” tank, and the pair brought down two gadwalls and a shoveler. A later stop was at the “box” tank, surrounded by high banks on all four sides. The tank held ducks, but each time the hunters took a peek over the bank, the ducks were in the middle and out of range. After several minutes, a large group of wigeon moved toward the shore. Pace and Scott came over the dam and, being dedicated duck hunters, took all four drakes, and Daisy followed with the multiple retrieves. The evening was capped off with elk and duck gumbo made by Pace’s wife. “She’s a Cajun,” he said. “And she’s not for sale.” The second morning brought a southerly breeze, and the ducks flew. Pace and Scott each brought down their 5-bird limits of mostly gadwall and wigeon, and Daisy stayed busy.

Last Updated ( Saturday, 26 January 2008 )

 

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