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Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

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FlatsFisher

FlatsFisher

Well-known member
Would any of you be interested in having a clean-up weekend at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge?

It's my understanding that there are a lot of areas covered in debris from old duck blinds, and leftovers from Hurricane Ike.

Just testing the waters...seemed like it could be a good opportunity to get some positive publicity.

I would like to get some feedback...is this a possibility, or should I just leave it alone?
 
It's looking like February would be the best time, and it will take airboats to get the job done. There are old blinds out there that the legs are just under the water, and a good low tide is needed to find them all. There are also temporary blinds built with t-post that people just leave out there. It's a dangerous mess to say the least.

I was thinking that maybe we could have a TAA clean up day, and as an added bonus have a fish fry dinner. It would be a great way to get volunteer hours, and show that we are willing to step up without being asked.

This idea may never get off the ground, but its at least worth discussion.
 
Tell me why--They have paid folks, equipment and lots of money Most important to me they are an airboater's worst enemy. I do not understand? Help clean up the bay OK. Helping TPW OK. Do your home work on Department of Interior policy and history. Give your time and money to the poor, children , Wounded Warriors, SPCA, just about anything.
 
I would be interested in helping out and riding around to learn the area. Spend most of my time from West Galveston bay South to Rockport. Due to the nature of my profession I would need some time to plan to be there.
 
rbjscott said:
Tell me why--They have paid folks, equipment and lots of money Most important to me they are an airboater's worst enemy. I do not understand? Help clean up the bay OK. Helping TPW OK. Do your home work on Department of Interior policy and history. Give your time and money to the poor, children , Wounded Warriors, SPCA, just about anything.
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I'll do my homework, but I can't see where it could do anything other than help the relationship. My primary reasons for trying to do this is because it's a safety issue, and people are going to get hurt out there...there's no law that I know of that prevents us from doing the right thing, and having a little fun while doing it.

This may never take place...I'm just putting the idea out there, and if enough people are interested I can't see what it could hurt. I thank you for your suggestions, and understand if you're not interested.
 
Iv been victim to old duck blind legs and hit an old t-post the other day a few inches below the water it tears stuff up, not out on the refuge but elsewhere. I think its a good idea if they will let airboats out there they might stick strict to rules tho. Who knows! id say the effort is worth it :salute:
 
swampsquatch09 said:
Iv been victim to old duck blind legs and hit an old t-post the other day a few inches below the water it tears stuff up, not out on the refuge but elsewhere. I think its a good idea if they will let airboats out there they might stick strict to rules tho. Who knows! id say the effort is worth it :salute:
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What area did you hit the obstructions? Maybe we can focus there...I just want to make a point that airboaters are good people, and that we are willing to go above and beyond to help maintain our public property.
 
i have always heard that annawhack refuge hates mudmotors. i'm sure they hate airboats too.
let them clean it up.

same goes for ladwf, they don't allow airboats on wma's, so they will never see me using my airboat to help them. they hate mudmotors as well.


the only time most refuge possum cops like airboats is when they have one and you don't.
 
The subject really needs to be changed to say Anahuac, or something different...I was trying to give a general area that most people would know, and wasn't as as specific as I should've been.

It's true that you can't use an airboat or mud motors over 25 HP inside the actual refuge. The target locations are outside of the refuge around Anahuac. There will be a lot of people running airboats up there at Gator Fest, and I'm sure they can point out some dangerous areas.

The areas that I've been told were really bad are the flats between Reds Bayou east to Anahuac Pocket, Jacks Pocket, the flats at the mouth of Long Island Bayou, and around the mouth of the Trinity River.

I've heard several people talk about the hazards...figured it would be a good opportunity for some of us to meet up, and do something to keep our waters safe.

Also, we can't hunt waterfowl via airboats on Texas WMA's, but we can run airboats anytime we want in most. Don't really make any sense to me.
 
A few months back my brother had my airboat down near the refuge, he was in legal waters and doing nothing illegal, when he was surrounded by law enforcement officials, and was threatened with arrest and having my boat impounded, after some heated discussions they let him go after making him feel like he was a terrorists. He was just down there trying to get some bowfishing for big gar.

Unlike Florida we live in a very AIRBOAT UNFRIENDLY state, the only time any form of law enforcement is cordial to me is when they need me for flood rescue.

So in response to this thread, your intentions are admirable but if they wont allow us to run in the restricted area, why should we help?

Just my 2 cents worth

KO
 
I don't want anyone to think that I am above volunteering, because I am not, I went to Anahuac back in February in 30 degree weather and between the airboats and a few other boats removed almost 500 old crab traps from the bay and surrounding areas

ko
 
kwowens1963 said:
I don't want anyone to think that I am above volunteering, because I am not, I went to Anahuac back in February in 30 degree weather and between the airboats and a few other boats removed almost 500 old crab traps from the bay and surrounding areas

ko
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I completely understand.

I'm pretty sure the areas that have the old blinds I'm talking about are in airboat friendly waters. If you put in at Ft. Anahuac Park and head north instead of south toward the bay you can't miss them.

I plan to participate in the crab trap clean up, and may work on some blind removals at the same time.
 
FlatsFisher said:
swampsquatch09 said:
Iv been victim to old duck blind legs and hit an old t-post the other day a few inches below the water it tears stuff up, not out on the refuge but elsewhere. I think its a good idea if they will let airboats out there they might stick strict to rules tho. Who knows! id say the effort is worth it :salute:
Click to expand...

What area did you hit the obstructions? Maybe we can focus there...I just want to make a point that airboaters are good people, and that we are willing to go above and beyond to help maintain our public property.
Click to expand...

The wallisville project and surrounding bay areas iv hit here and there. Iv personally a few weeks ago put reflectors on anything that could be hit above water at night where il be running in the mornings, the trinity is a different story it's best just to keep in the middle there's a lot of trees. We put a few PVC with reflectors around submerged objects "old duck blinds in the middle of waterways"but there's alot more out there
 
we could always do a cleanup around the lost lake/old river army corps area, they've let other groups do it before and they're not totally against airboats
 
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