This 7mm Magnum case was once fired in a 300 Win Mag rifle and exploded. I cleaned the bottom of the case with IOSSO Metal Polish and in just a second it shined like new.

Well folks, today I'm going to be talking about a product that is new to me, as well as some information that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has come out with; some of it giving us important hunting information and some of it asking for feedback about black bass. As much as the TPWD does for us, we need to help them as much as possible. We are the ones who will benefit in the end. 

To start with, I would like to share with you a product that's new to me that has worked fantastically on everything I've tried it on. It's called IOSSO Metal Polish and the product I tried I like because it is a bio-based formula. So far, It has worked on every surface and metal that I've tried it on, which includes chrome, stainless steel, brass, copper and aluminum. I also used it on fiberglass, a Plexiglas boat windshield and some painted surfaces.

I used it on some stainless steel parts on my guns that were a little corroded are stained looking and it just cleaned it right up.  I don't know how it would work on some of the plastic guns and mystery metals that they're using on some of the firearms, but I know a few stainless steel parts on one of my shotguns, the polish cleaned all the stain off of them and just left them looking like new.

So as it's time of year to get out and do some cleaning on your boat or anything else you can think of outdoorsy, and it's importantly biodegradable and it's best I can tell nonabrasive. If you would like to get your hands on some of this polish and see other products they make go to www.iosso.com and that will get you to their website.

Next, I would like to address the hunting prospects for this upcoming quail season.

Except for extreme South Texas, the general prospects for a productive quail hunt are slim throughout the rest of the state. The dry weather and destruction of habitat has caused a decline in the hatch again for a second year, so 2022 quail season is not looking too good.

Extreme habitat conditions could present challenges for waterfowl hunters this season also.

Dry conditions across the state poses some challenges for waterfowl hunters for the start of the duck and goose season. TPWD biologists indicate habitat conditions are not ideal for ducks and duck hunters in many parts of Texas this year. However, weather pattern changes in addition to timely cold fronts and significant rain events could help improve hunter’s success.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) completed its May Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Unfortunately, the survey revealed that most duck species saw substantial decreases since the last survey, conducted in 2019. Drought conditions over most of the prairie-parklands, the most important breeding area for ducks coming to Texas, played a significant role in the decline. Blue winged-teal and redheads are the only duck species that saw population increases since 2019.

Last year, Texas saw a significant decrease in total duck harvest compared to the previous hunting season. The total estimated duck harvest was down 41 percent in 2021 compared to 2020. Something that remains unanswered in my mind is whether the hunters population was also down due to COVID, or impact that the hellish inflation we are experiencing might have had, if any.

Currently, most of the state is well below seasonal precipitation averages, except for South Texas and parts of the Texas Panhandle. These conditions across the state haven’t been seen since the record drought in 2010.

Typically, when there is less water spread out across the landscape, it concentrates birds in areas where hunters tend to be waiting, increasing hunting success. However, ducks are very intolerant of excessive disturbance and move on quickly after hunting begins if habitat conditions don’t improve substantially before or during the hunting season.

In East Texas, reservoir levels are very low due to the dry and hot summer. This can be a good thing when it starts to rain again because vegetation that produces small seeds has grown along the exposed shorelines. When water levels rise and the vegetation is flooded, it will provide a substantial increase in the foods available for wintering ducks.

The Texas coast is one of those places that has taken a real hit for hunters. The region still needs a lot of rain as the marshes are very salty, many of the wetlands are dry and the overall amount of freshwater is extremely limited. The hunt clubs and leases that are fortunate enough to have access to water to flood rice fields or wetlands will have an advantage this fall if current conditions persist.

Last but not least anglers across the nation are asked to report signs of Blotchy Bass Syndrome (BBS) in black bass to support research being conducted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and West Virginia University (WVU).

To offer incentives for anglers to participate, Bass Pro Shops is partnering with WVU and USGS by giving gift cards for weekly drawings, including $3,000 in gift cards specifically for Texas anglers.

Anglers are encouraged to report signs of BBS to the MyCatch app. To be eligible for the Texas-specific prizes provided by Bass Pro Shops, anglers who suspect that their fish has symptoms of BBS must submit photos, name of the water body where it was caught, and the date of the catch to Cynthia Fox-Holt (Cynthia.fox@tpwd.gov).

In support of informed voting, the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board interviewed candidates in more than 60 races to make the following recommendations in contested Harris County races.