< Previous8 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 In Independent Living you can be who you were meant to be.... It’s never too late to discover new hobbies, start an exercise program, and make new life-long friends. Choose The Meridian Independent Living and let us take care of the little things ~ so you can live big! Enjoy our fine dining, coffee bar, on-site library, fitness room and movie theater. Spend some quiet time in our chapel. Participate in scheduled activities. Take a walk on the beach. Your days can be filled with all of this and more! The Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care gives the residents the support they need while they maintain their dignity and independence. On our Post-Acute Skilled Unit we provide Skilled Nursing and Therapy after a hospital stay where Medicare and Insurance will often cover your stay. We also offer Long-Term Care. At The Meridian, we are not just community... we are Family. Call us today or Book a Tour here! We can’t wait to meet you! www.themeridian-galveston.com Call today 409.763.6437 2228 Seawall Boulevard, Galveston Island, TX 77550 The Meridian is a Senior Living Community © Copyright: Coast Monthly is published by The Daily News. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher. editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. editorial and advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative. WEBSITE coastmonthly.com EDITOR Laura elder PUBLISHER Leonard Woolsey CREATIVE DIRECTOR/ DESIGN EDITOR Melissa rivera PHOTOGRAPHERS Jennifer reynolds Stuart villanueva CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Leslie Plaza Johnson Carla Peoples Capt. Nate Skinner CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Shannon Caldwell barbara Canetti Phil Newton Laura Pennino Sage Scott Capt. Nate Skinner GENERAL MANAGER/ CHIEF REVENUE DIRECTOR Michelle robinson ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Maureen beans Catherine boudoin Aymiel Fleming Jana Knoell Tara Mize Kristi Quigley MAILING ADDRESS P.O. box 1838 Texas City, TX 77592 EDITORIAL 409.683.5248 ADVERTISING INQUIRIES 409.683.5202 STORY IDEAS editor@coastmonthly.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to editor@coast monthly.com. be sure to include your full name, city, state and phone number. Coast Monthly reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. SUBSCRIPTIONS 409.683.5201GC.EDU | 409-944-GCGC | 4015 AVE. Q, GALVESTON, TX 77550 It is the policy of Galveston College to provide equal opportunities without regard to age, race, color, religion, national origin, sex,disability, genetic information or veteran status. SPRING 2026 REGISTER NOW! SPRING CLASSES BEGIN JAN. 12 TOMORROW Your BUILD GC WHITECAPS BASEBALL AND MASCOT, RIP TIDE10 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 M y husband likes to tell about child- hood hunting trips with his father. He remembers cold Hill Country morn- ings out in the junipers, hot thermos coffee, the smell of gun oil and never seeing a single deer, ever. It dawned on him in adult life that his father had ar- ranged the never-see-a-deer part very carefully. The child who became my husband chattered the whole time, kicked rocks along the way and never shot a thing. But those times with his father are among his most cherished memories. I don’t come from a hunting culture. My father was a saltwa- ter fisherman who spent his rare off time wading in the Gulf and bays. My mother, how- ever, welcomed our neighbors bearing gifts of venison. She grew up on a small farm in Leander and knew exactly how to cook deer meat, while her suburban children — reared on pre-packaged supermarket food and Whataburger — watched in amazement and trep- idation. The idea of shooting an animal was alien to us. We were far removed from nature. But as I grew older, I came to believe hunting was more humane than factory farming. As you’ll read in these pages, hunting is a way to connect on a very personal level with nature and with our food. And it’s also a way to connect with friends and family. Even with urbanization, Texas’ hunting population is growing, according to a report by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. And that’s important for conservation efforts. The number of hunters has risen: Although the percentage of hunters in the overall population has decreased, the total number of licensed hunters in Texas has trended upward over the past few decades. The total number of licensed hunters grew from 644,000 in 1966 to 1.25 million in 2017, according to the department. In 2024, the Texas Parks & Wildlife sold more than 3.9 million hunting and fishing licenses, a significant portion for hunting, which fund the state’s wildlife management and conservation efforts. With Thanksgiv- ing on the horizon, November is a month of reflecting on what makes us most grateful. We’re grateful for responsible hunters like Coast Monthly correspondent Nate Skinner, who follow a code of ethical conduct that makes the hunting experience better for every- one and who promote wildlife conservation efforts. We’re also grateful for all that Texas lands, rivers, lakes, bays and sea offer. We’re wishing everyone a happy and abundant Thanks- giving. LAURA ELDER Coast Monthly editor FROM THE EDITOR WE’RE THANKFUL FOR ALL THE LAND AND SEA OFFERShoustonmethodist.org/orthopedics 713.363.9090 THEIR ORTHOPEDIC EXPERTISE KEEPS ME MOVING When an injury puts you on the sidelines, your Houston Methodist orthopedic team puts expertise into play. We’ll customize a minimally invasive treatment plan to get you back out there — doing the things you love. That’s the difference between practicing medicine and leading it. For you. 59 45 8 610 8 288 Clear Lake League City Pasadena12 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 SHORELINES WE ASKED ON FACEBOOK: What about living on the upper Texas coast are you most grateful for? The ever-changing sky and daily new beach treasures. Rachel Wiley-Janota beautiful sunsets and beautiful water some of the time. Albert Choate The swaying palm trees, the pelicans flying over in their group and the smell of coconut suntan lotion just sitting on your porch. Chriss Sendejas The people. Texas hospitality that moves on island time. Elizabeth Duffy Wilson Generations of family with sand between their toes! Kathy Van Dewalli The incredible feeling of community here on the island that only comes from living and supporting each other — no matter what the challenges our island may face. Mary Ann Salch Murphy Island time. Carla Davis McLaughlin Sunrises and sunsets over the water, the absolute best thing for your soul. Heather MacBeth Estrada To ignore the phrase that “the shortest distance between two points is a straight line,” embrace the fact that I live on this island, and go out of my way to see the beach while out running errands. Tom Rice Gorgeous sunsets, sound of the waves, beautiful birds, historical buildings, palm trees, coffee on the deck with a view of the Gulf. Dagmar Anderson Hohnstein being close to the beach. Alissia G. Salcido The total environment of Galveston — beaches, history/buildings, sunrise and sunsets! Most of all, the sense of community that is a result of neighbors who care about each other and where we are lucky enough to live. Karen White The pure beauty I see every single day from my balcony. The sea brings peace to my soul. I love Galveston! Patricia Forbes Tewksbury The fact it only takes about 20 minutes to get to the port for cruises! Denise Sowell Shead All of God’s nature, birds, water, beaches — he is the master painter of the sky. Gaylynn Wall Naiser Delicious seafood, beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Stacey Gottlob Photographers share what they love about the upper Texas coast. See Shutterbugs on Page 84. PHOTO: J e ANNI e PLASS COLLI erBET JENNINGS 2022-2025 Real Trends America’s Best Real Estate Pros in Galveston & Texas 281.773.3477 | bjennings@greenwoodking.com Chase Jennings, Associate RSPS | chasejennings@greenwoodking.com Breathtaking Panoramic Views in Laffite’s Cove 13415 Jibstay Court SOLD SOLD14 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 FEATURE HUNTING AND GATHERING Outdoor sport builds deep connections with friends and nature story and photos by CAPT. NATE SKINNER T he sport of hunting has roots that run deep. It’s rich with tradition and teaches core values, such as responsibility and respect for nature. Far more than just the act of taking an animal’s life, hunting is about the experience, and who you share that experience with. It creates lifelong memories and brings people together through an incredible bond, as well as a shared love and passion for the outdoors. In Texas, there’s no better time than the present to truly experience what hunting is all about. The general or regular seasons for both white-tailed deer and waterfowl commence this month, creating plenty of opportunities for hunters to enjoy incredible encounters with nature and wildlife in the woods and field. Hunters can share those encounters with friends and family, which only adds to their experiences. Perhaps the most cherished aspect of hunting by many is the communal atmosphere and camaraderie the sport brings about. The most iconic example of this is the gathering of hunters around a campfire or firepit back at hunting camp after a day spent in the woods or the field. Ask any hunter out there and they’ll agree some of their fondest hunting memories have occurred around a fire with other fellow hunters. The campfire just seems to bring folks out of their shell. Stories are told, jokes are exchanged and friendships and relationships are strengthened. Throw in some good food and beverages, and the atmo- sphere around a fire at hunting camp is hard to beat. There isn’t anything in the world much better than talking about COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 15 Some of the best moments take place back at hunting camp around a fire. (Opposite) Hunting brings people together and strengthens friendships and relationships.16 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 FEATURE the experiences you shared in the outdoors with your friends and family around a campfire. The conversation will shift from how many deer, ducks or geese were seen, to who made a great shot, and maybe even who didn’t shoot so well at all. The antics and laughs will be plentiful, and when the fire finally dies down to a pile of ashes and coals, you’ll be left with a sense of peace and fulfillment. The sport of hunting also brings people together with the wild game that it produces. Hunters typically gather together to help clean and pro- cess the harvest to produce delicious cuts of meat. This is followed by the opportunity for fellow hunters, family and friends to gather for a meal to enjoy the wild game. There’s something to be said about knowing where your meat comes from. When you put food on the table (From top) Regardless of how many ducks and geese are harvested, time shared in the blind with folks you care about is time well spent; hunting is about bringing people together and developing camaraderie among outdoor enthusiasts. (Opposite) The sport of hunting teaches core values, like responsibility and respect for nature. COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2025 17Next >