SPORTS
Protecting yourself from the sun’s rays
By Luke Clayton
You will find this week’s outdoor column a bit differently from what I normally share with you. I will give a bit of advice about protecting yourself from the sun’s harmful rays but I promise not to dwell on the subject long, just enough to cause you to this keeping yourself safe while outdoors. Then, I promise we will jump right into some current outdoor adventures!
Skin cancer is extremely common among those of us that spend a lot of time in the outdoors. People with fair completions are more apt to develop skin cancer that those with darker skin but everyone should know how to stay safe when exposed to the sun. I was prompted to share this with you after having a couple of Basic Cell Carcinomas removed through the years. These skin cancers usually present little problem when detected early and are easily removed. A yearly check up by a dermatologist is very important and is key to detecting skin cancer early. I considered myself too busy a few years ago and missed my yearly checkups for 3 year. Then I noticed a small brown blotch on my forehead. Passing it off as an ‘age spot’, I kept on hunting and fishing, wearing only a ball cap and no sunscreen. Then at a regular doctor’s check up, the doc inquired if I had been making my yearly appointments at the dermatologist. He pointed out that that little spot needed to be seen by my skin doctor. Even to her trained eye, it only looked slightly suspicious but she ordered a lab test and it was diagnosed as a melanoma, the kind of skin cancer that spreads more rapidly and can cause some very serious problems. She scheduled me with a surgeon and another lab test rated the spot as possibly the very early stage of melanoma. Without removal it could spread and turn into full blown cancer. After about thirty minutes on the surgeon’s table, it was removed and the skin was all stitched up. A day later, I had a shiner around my eye as big as a silver dollar, I looked like I had lost a skirmish with a wild boar but the spot, along with the risk of of serious skin cancer was gone.
So, here’s what I want you to give some serious consideration to doing when you are outdoors for an extended period of time: Wear a wide brimmed hat and long sleeves shirts made to block RV rays and always wear a good sun blocker of at least SPF 50. If you see me out on the lake, I’ll be the old guy with the funky white wide brimmed hat with the flap that covers the ears and a cool looking long sleeve shirt made of very lightweight material.
TIME TO HUNT TURKEYS This past week was largely devoted to getting this skin problem taken care of but I’ll be fully back in action by the time you read this doing two things I dearly love; hunting spring gobblers and catching and cooking fish. In last week’s column, I mentioned a turkey hunt/fishing outing I had planned with a good friend up in Grayson County. This I had to put on hold but in a couple days plan to make it happen. The gobblers have been sounding off on my buddies place and his pond is full of chunky bass in the 2 to 3 pound range, just right for a mid day blackening in the shade of a big oak on the banks of the remote pond. Who knows, we might just add a few well seasoned and fried turkey breast fillets to the menu!
If you’re planning a turkey hunt, remember that the period from about mid morning to mid afternoon can provide some very good action. Turkeys usually do a lot of their breeding early mornings and when hens have headed to their nest, gobblers are on the prowl. This is a great time to set up a decoy in a visible spot along the edge of a woodline and begin calling. Calling to frequently is a common mistake made by novice turkey hunters. I usually let the gobblers dictate how much to call. If I get a response from a gobbler back in the woods or across a field, I will call more frequently. I try to track his approach by his gobbles and call every minute or so. Once I hear him close, within 75 yards or so, I usually only give a few subtle hen purrs rather than a full blown loud yelp. Turkeys have a built in GPS and I’ve often watched them pop up out of the brush within a few yards of my position.
A decoy that is visible to approaching turkeys can be worth its weight in gold, the gobbler’s attention is taken off where the hen yelps are originating when he actually sees what he perceives to be his next romantic encounter! By the time the old gobbler figures out the lady love he is attempting to court is made of plastic, if the shot is true, Ole’ Luke will be attaching his turkey tag to the birds leg just above the spur!
CHANNEL CATFISH BITE RED HOT IN SHALLOW WATER Now is one of the best times of the year to catch channel catfish from the shore. For the next month or so, catching will be easy in shallow water on a variety of catfish baits fished under a cork. It’s hard to beat a good cheese based punch bait but anything from crickets to earthworms will put plenty of eater size channel catfish on your stringer. The best fishing is usually during the first couple hours of daylight when catfish and just about every other species in the lake are us shallow feeding on shad. Catfish feed a lot by smell and very often the longer the punch bait is I the water, the better the action.
A coffee can full of range cubes or better yet, soured grain often helps concentrate the fish quickly but this time of year, especially when fishing around rock rip rap in the vicinity of boat ramps, a limit of channel catfish is often accomplished in a couple hours or less when the fish are on a strong bite. Some mornings, the fish will strike hard, one minute you will see your cork and the next, it’s gone. But on the days when the fish bite softly, watch your cork and when it jiggles the slightest bit, set the hook!
Next week, I hope to have an account of a successful turkey hunt and noon fish fry on a remote pond to relate to you. Until then, remember to protect yourself from the sun while out there having fun!
Contact Outdoors writer Luke Clayton via his website www.catfishradio.org email lukeclayton1950@gmail.com. Listen to Luke’s weekly podcast , “Catfish Radio with Luke Clayton and friends” everywhere podcast are heard and watch the weekly outdoor show “A Sportsmans Life” on CarbonTv.com and YouTube.
Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Lady Panthers again made a come back win against Perrin-Whitt in a high scoring affair that ended early.
The Lady Panthers won 20-10 against the Lady Pirates, winning after six innings due to run-rule.
Saint Jo’s last game had been 12 days earlier against the same Perrin-Whitt team it had also beaten in a high-scoring game 35-20. Another win would secure the Lady Panthers district title.
Saint Jo started off the game well, scoring five runs in the first inning and one more in the top of the second inning to go up 6-0. The Lady Pirates then reeled off nine runs in the bottom of the second inning which usually would change the whole momentum of the game with them up 9-6.
Perrin-Whitt added one more run in the third inning after holding Saint Jo scoreless, which is another rare feat in the team’s history of playing the other. The Lady Pirates led 10-6 and had momentum.
Then the Lady Panthers scored six runs in the fourth inning to take the lead back. Saint Jo’s pitching and defense tightened up to not allow any more runs in the final three innings while the Lady Panthers added four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.
It was enough to end the game early by one inning, with Saint Jo winning 20-10.
Symbri Evans and Reagan Wilson each had four RBIs to lead the team while Mercedes Diaz was second with three RBIs. The team finished with 20 hits while drawing nine walks.
Defensively, Saint Jo allowed only seven walks, a good improvement from a lot of games where the total in the double-digits while the Lady Panther defense committed four fielding errors and allowed 15 hits.
The win wrapped up a district title for the team. For the girl’s program, it is the fourth team district title this season, having already secured one in volleyball, basketball and track.
Nocona
The Nocona Lady Indians ended their regular season on a sour note against one of the top teams in the district last week.
The Lady Indians lost to Lindsay 12-2, with the game ending after five innings due to run-rule.
Nocona was coming off of securing its first playoff appearance the previous week, but knew it would be tested against a Lady Knights team they had previously lost to handily in late March. The Lady Indians hoped they could competed better and try to treat the game like a playoff game.
Lindsay led after the first inning 1-0. Nocona came back in the second inning with two runs scored by RBI singles from Ashlynn Brown and Gwyndelyn Forsyth to take the lead 2-1. The Lady Knights tied the game with one run in the same inning to make it 2-2.
Unfortunately, the next three innings belonged to Lindsay. The Lady Knights scored six runs in the third inning to grab momentum. Lindsay then scored three runs in the fourth inning and one more in the fifth inning to end the game early due to run-rule.
The Lady Knights won 12-2.
Nocona ended with four hits while drawing six walks in the game. Lindsay finished with 11 hits and the Lady Indians committed four fielding errors.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona
The Nocona Indians picked up wins against Era last week to secure their second straight playoff appearance with one more game to play.
The Indians beat the Hornets 12-5 and by run-rule 10-0 after four and half innings.
Nocona was coming off of a tough series against Muenster, losing both games, playing well in one but not the other.
The Indians knew they had a good chance to beat Era if they played up to their potential and they showed it from the first inning in game one.
Nocona rallied off seven runs in the first inning before the Hornets had even bat to put itself in a good situation to possibly end the game early.
The only downside was the Indians were not able to offensively keep up the pressure. Nocona added one run in the seventh inning, two in the sixth and two more in the seventh inning.
Era scored four of its five runs in the final inning to put a bit of a sour note on an Indians win that could have finished stronger as Nocona won 12-5.
Miller Jentry led the team with four RBIs while Walker Murphey and Jayce Lehde each drove in two runs. The team had 16 total hits and drew five walks.
On the mound, RJ Walker pitched three innings and allowed no runs on two hits while striking out seven. The defense committed three fielding errors.
While letting the Hornets off the hook in the first game, Nocona made up for it in game two.
The Indians scored seven runs in one inning again, this time it coming in the second inning. Nocona added three runs the next two innings and shut out Era to secure the win by run-rule after four and half innings. The Indians won 10-0.
Brody Langford and Murphey each drove in two runs each to lead the team. Nocona finished with 10 hits, with four going for extra base hits while Era committed three fielding errors.
On the mound, Walker pitched all five innings and allowed no runs on two hits while striking out eight and walking two. The defense committed two fielding errors.
Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Panthers lost a tough game at Perrin-Whitt last week, with most of the damage coming in the sixth and final inning.
The Pirates scored eight runs in the sixth inning to win the game one inning early due to run-rule 16-6.
The Panthers were coming off an uplifting win against Bellevue that saw them come back several times the previous week on the road. Saint Jo had played Perrin-Whitt in late March and had lost both games in close fashion so the Panthers hoped this time would be a different outcome for them.
The Pirates scored four runs in the first two innings before Saint Jo answered with three runs scored in the third inning. Perrin-Whitt added one run in the same inning and three in the fourth inning.
The Panthers cut the lead down to two runs after scoring three more runs in the fifth inning, making the score 8-6 heading into the sixth inning.
Unfortunately, Saint Jo had an inning from hell, allowing eight runs on five singles, a triple, two walks and a hit batter. The final run scored ended the game early.
Perrin-Whitt won 16-6.
Charlie Barclay led the team with two RBIs while Devin Stewart, Trent Gaston, Charlie Evans and Rylan Forrester each drove in one run. Saint Jo finished with eight hits and drew seven walks.
Unfortunately, the Panthers gave up 12 hits and walked seven batters while committing two fielding errors.
Bellevue
The Bellevue Eagles only played one game last week due to weather concerns later in the week and lost to Perrin-Whitt.
The Pirates won 15-0 after four innings, winning by run-rule in a game the Eagles hopes to forget.
Bellevue had one from Brycen Bancroft and River Trail drew the only walk in a game where not much went right. Eight fielding errors from the Eagles, eight walks issues and six hits added up really fast.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
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