I recently became aware of the fact that we have some special events around the corner in September and we need to be prepared for them.
The first thing that struck me recently was that hunting and fishing licenses are now on sale for the 2022-23 seasons, so don’t rush and get yours now. You can go to your local sporting goods or marina store and purchase your license. Or get them online at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website.
Keep in mind that no matter what your age, if you were born after September 2, 1971, you must have a hunter education certificate to legally hunt in Texas. As always there are other bureaucratic circumstances defined to that declaration. You can find all of the branches on the TPWD website at Hunter Education.
I can remember a time when you could ask a simple question and get a simple “Yes or No” answer. I can also remember the time when lawyers were not allowed to serve in the Texas legislature. Now that was the good old days!
The next thing that crossed my mind is that Labor Day is coming up very soon, the first Monday in September, and this year it’s September 5th. That will be the last hurray for many boaters on our East Texas lakes, so don’t forget that before you put your boat away for the winter, there are a few things you need to do if you want it to start and run properly the next time you want to use it. , possibly next Memorial Day.
One thing you should do is get rid of all the fuel in your fuel system or put fuel stabilizer in the tank and make sure you have enough for the volume of fuel in the tank. It never hurts to change your fuel filter and in-line water filter as well.
The next thing you have to do is clean the boat very well. You should be doing that every time you leave the jetty to prevent migratory parasites from spreading from lake to lake. In case you don’t remember, the main ones are hydrilla, giant salvinia, and zebra mussels. So when the year is done, you should thoroughly clean your boat livewells and anything else that holds water, like coolers and bait buckets. Also, clean and dry your personal flotation devices and it’s a good idea to check the straps, fasteners and sizes, noting any that may need replacing.
While you’re in maintenance mode, don’t forget that the trailer needs it, too. If the wheel bearings can be lubricated, do so. Don’t forget your trailer hitch that connects to your truck and clean and lubricate any moving parts that need it.
It wouldn’t hurt to check your boat’s electrical cables and connectors and retrofit them to make sure all your high-tech, oversized toys can get power and are properly grounded.
We also have some hunting seasons fast approaching and the first one is pigeon hunting. In the North and Central Zones it opens on September 1 and in the South Zone on September 14. Naturally there are some special seasons and other strange bovine droppings, but that’s the basics. The bag limit this year is 15 birds in all three zones. Again, for specific information on where you plan to hunt, visit the TPWD website.
The next season that I see of interest to us locally here in Montgomery County and Walker County is the teal season. Teal season this year runs from September 10-25 and the bag limit is six this year.
In East Texas, there is also a youth-only squirrel season and it is on Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25. This is a great opportunity for the youngsters in your life to get serious about hunting because squirrels in the wild are a real challenge to hunt.
When you take a step back and take a look at what lies ahead, there isn’t much time to get the supplies needed for ship maintenance, but that’s not enough as long as you don’t forget.
I already mentioned hunter education and that it’s time to purchase your hunting license and don’t forget any special stamps and tags you may need. I always buy a Super Combo license because it has just about everything I’ll ever need except a duck stamp.
Sort, clean, and inventory your hunting gear to ensure you have everything you need for a successful hunt. Some of those items are a GPS unit, if you have one, a compass, fire starters, a trainer’s whistle, and a camel or water container. Oh change the batteries in everything that uses them and get some backups.
Anyone who has a firearm that requires a gunsmith’s attention this time of year, all I can say is good luck. If your problem just happened, someone might take pity on you and try to fix it. However, if it’s something that happened at the end of last season, you may be able to bring it back in the spring.