Outdoors

This year, hunters in Texas will notice an increase in messaging about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and its impacts to the state as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) launches a new public awareness campaign. The campaign aims to share information with hunters and the public about how they can help protect Texas deer and stop the spread of this deadly disease.

The friends and family of Ronnie Mundy of Broaddus, Texas gathered together on Sunday July 2nd to celebrate his life and love of fishing. The fund raising event was to help his family Courtney and Cody through this sudden and unexpected tragedy. Ronnie and Cody were looking forward to going to South Carolina to the Bassmaster National High School Championship at the end of July. Cody had recently qualified for the prestigious event where over 15,000 student anglers began the season with around 300 teams making the final cut and a trip to Lake Hartwell. Through the efforts of those friends and family over $5,000 was raised to help Cody participate in this year's Championship. The theme of the event was a bible verse 'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way'. Ronnie was a good man and his legacy was played out for all to see. He was well known for his passion for bass fishing and teaching kids the joy of fishing and passing on his own love of the outdoors. As one of the Deep East Texas High School Fishing Series boat captains Ronnie not only inspired and taught his son Cody but also the entire Broaddus Bass Club and any kid who he encountered. When Cody's girl friend Kayden showed interest Ronnie included her in his fishing trips, taught her, encouraged her and always told her that if she stuck with it one day she would catch the big one. Who could know that the day she did was on his day of honor. Fishing with Denise Sustaita with the sun rising and only her third cast of the day Kayden got the thrill of her life when a giant 8.8 lb Rayburn Beauty pounded her bait and gave her and all of us a memory of a lifetime.