T H E OFFIC IA L PU B LIC ATION OF H OUS T ON S AFARI CLUB • S UMMER 2 0 1 7
The Legend
TABLE of
CONTENTS
FEATURES
16 SPORTSMEN SCORE MAJOR WIN:
IN FAVOR OF PROFESSIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
By Andy Treharne
18 LOST AND FOUND: TIPS FROM A GREEN BERET
By Global Rescue
22 REWRITING THE STORY OF EXOTICS IN TEXAS
By Brian Gilroy
66
30 HUNTING BIG WHITETAILS AT TWO HATS RANCH
By Anna Morrison
34 MEXICO MULE DEER By Keith Warren
40 STAYING RELEVANT
By Shane P. Mahoney
42 BETTER BURGERS By Scott Leysath
48 SPRING RIO TURKEY HUNT WITH TEXAS PARALYZED VETERANS
By David & Debbie Selby
52 THIS SUMMER'S TOP 5 DESTINATIONS From West University Travel
58 DAN L. DUNCAN SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS 2016-17
66 2017 HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB SPORTING CLAYS TOURNAMENT WRAP-UP
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4 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
34 40
SUMMER 2017
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22 18
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“Secret Waters” by David Langmead, 30” x 39 1/2”, Oil on canvas COVER ARTWORK:
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 5
OUR MISSION Preserving the
sport of hunting through
education,
conservation and the
protection of
hunters’ rights.
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2016–2017 HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB OFFICERS Mark King, President Scott Scheinin, MD, President Elect Kevin Ormston, Immediate Past President Deb Cunningham, Vice President Jeff Birmingham, Vice President John Pepper, Treasurer Jerry Henderson, Secretary
HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB DIRECTORS 2015–2017 Linda Cunningham Harold Inman Mitzy McCorvey Shaun Nelson Matt Pyle 2016–2018 Monica Williamson John Bowers JD Burrows Darrell Kainer HEADQUARTERS STAFF Joe Betar, Executive Director Dawn Fuselier, Office Manager Carla Nielsen, Marketing & Publications Manager Abby Rapp, Events & Membership Manager Charlotte Betar, Advertising Sales Vic Williams, Editorial Consultant Nate Silva, Design Consultant Alliance Printing and Graphics Hunter’s Horn is published quarterly by Houston Safari Club 9432 Katy Freeway, Suite 350 Houston, Texas 77055 713.623.8844 (p) 713.623.8866 (f) info@houstonsafariclub.org www.houstonsafariclub.org © Copyright 2017 Houston Safari Club
Houston Safari Club welcomes contributing articles, photos and research. Houston Safari Club reserves the right to edit submissions for spelling, grammar, clarity, organization and punctuation and to abridge length. Houston Safari Club reserves the right not to publish submissions. Content may not be repurposed without the express written consent of the author and publisher. Please submit materials with a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you wish materials to be returned. Houston Safari Club is not responsible for lost or unsolicited submissions. Digital submissions are preferred. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to Houston Safari Club, its members, employees or affiliates.
U PCOMING EV EN TS JUNE 7TH
Wild Game Cooking Demonstration with Scott Leysath, The Sporting Chef at Norris Conference Centers at CityCentre (Red Oak Ballroom)
JULY 13TH
HSC Night at Top Golf Katy
AUGUST 10TH
Larysa Switlyk from Larysa Unleashed at Gordy & Sons
SEPTEMBER 2ND
Opening Weekend Dove Hunt with Coastal Prairie Outdoors LLC
SEPTEMBER 22-24TH
Hawkeye Hunting Club Weekend
OCTOBER 14TH
45th Anniversary Event at Armadillo Palace Featuring Kimberly Dunn
NOVEMBER 9TH
Defense Against Personal Invasion at Athena Gun Club
NOVEMBER 17-19TH
Duck, Duck, Goose! Duck & Goose Hunt with Rockey Creek Retrievers, Inc.
DECEMBER 7TH
Christmas Party featuring Reckless Kelly at Redneck Country Club
JANUARY 26-28TH
Convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 7
WORLDWIDE CONVENTION & CONSERVATION EXPO GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE MARK KING, HSC PRESIDENT
I
t seems that the past year has gone by much more quickly than I had imagined. It has been my honor to serve as President of the Houston Safari Club. Working with our Board of Directors, Committee Chairs and members to expand our reach and grow our club has redefined, for me, what it means to be a member of this organization. Each of these volunteers dedicates a sizable portion of their time towards the betterment of our club. Even with our excellent staff, the Houston Safari Club would not be where it is today without the continued support of our volunteers. Your Houston Safari Club will be moving the annual Convention downtown to the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Hilton of the Americas in 2018. As you can imagine, this is a significant undertaking, involving numerous trips to the new venue and countless hours sorting through all the details of such a move. Most of the burden to affect such a change has been carried by our Executive Director, Joe Betar and his wonderful staff. Abby Rapp, Carla Nielsen, and Dawn Fuselier are phenomenal and it has been my pleasure to work with them. They have my gratitude and sincere appreciation. This is truly an exciting time to be involved with HSC. With the move downtown, we anticipate a renewed interest in our club and are hopeful to experience growth in both membership and volunteer participation. It is a great time to become a member, a great time to be a member and a great time to volunteer. Over the years, I have personally witnessed the kind of impact that new members and volunteers can bring to our club. If you recognize any opportunity to help, please reach out to other volunteers and/or the HSC staff. If you feel that you can have a positive impact, I guarantee you that there is a volunteer position for you. The exhibitor response to the move and increase in exhibit hall space has been excellent and we are hopeful that we can fill every booth. Compared to the Woodlands venue, the exhibit hall space at the GRB is approximately two and a half times larger. Many vendors will now have the option for a larger footprint instead of being limited to one booth. I look forward to seeing our legacy exhibitors and to welcoming many new ones. The success of HSC is directly tied to the success of our exhibitors – let’s make the new venue prosperous for all of us!
All your efforts for the Houston Safari Club are aimed at promoting our mission – to preserve the sport of hunting through education, conservation and the support of hunter’s rights. Our ability to do these things depends upon our continued growth in membership and fundraising. I look forward to working with our members, volunteers, and staff to achieve enormous success in the future. Sincerely,
Mark King HSC President
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 9
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR‘S MESSAGE JOE BETAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
H
unting is a means of conservation. How often have you heard these words? Could you defend this position if drawn into a debate by someone with the opinion that hunting is not a means to support the future of wildlife and habitats? It is always helpful to be knowledgeable about a position, to always “be at the ready” if you will. These are just a few facts that may be used to support your position (source: National Shooting Sports Foundation): • Sportsmen contribute nearly $8 million every day, adding more than $2.9 billion every year for conservation. • Hunters and target shooters have paid $6.8 billion in excise taxes since the inception of the Pittman-Robertson Act in 1937. • Hunting in America generates 600,000 jobs in the United States. • For more than 80 years, sportsmen have paid more than $13.7 billion for on-the-ground projects in every state, protecting our natural environment and our fish and wildlife. Even further, specific to wildlife, success stories include: • In 1900, less than half a million white-tailed deer remained in the nation. Today, conservation programs have returned the whitetail population to some 32 million. (source: QDMA, 2013) • In 1907, only about 41,000 elk could be counted in the United States. Today, populations in 23 states total approximately 1 million. (source: National Park Service, 2013) • About 50 years ago, the total U.S. population of pronghorn was only about 12,000. Today, herds total over 1,100,000 (source: Texas Parks & Wildlife, 2011) This trend has been consistent globally in areas where hunting has not been banned and where funds generated by hunting have been utilized appropriately. It is our responsibility as hunterconservationists to continue to support the future of hunting as a conservation tool and to be knowledgeable of the facts. On the legislative front, Ryan Zinke began his new role as Secretary of the Department of the Interior. On his first day, Secretary Zinke issued two orders. One which overturned the ban of lead ammunition and fishing tackle use on Fish and Wildlife Service lands, waters, and facilities. The second order directed bureaus and agencies to immediately identify areas where recreation and fishing can be expanded and requested input from the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council on possibly expanding public lands access for hunting, fishing and recreation, and improving habitat for fish and wildlife. On to Houston Safari Club news! The 2017 HSC Sporting
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Clays Tournament at Greater Houston Gun Club was a great event this year! Thanks to our shooters, sponsors, donors and supporters for helping make it a success. A special thanks to our tournament chair and HSC Board member, Jeff Birmingham, and his committee for their hard work. About HSC member events, many of you participated in our recent survey on events and what you would like to see in the future. The consensus was variety! Over the next year, you will notice HSC will be offering a big variety of monthly events: night at TopGolf, defense against personal invasion course taught by a U.S. Navy Seal (ret.), waterfowl weekend, SAAM long-range shooting course, HSC weekend at Hawkeye Hunting Club and much more. For an updated event listing, refer to the Bush Telegraph, the “Events” page on the HSC website or in this issue of Hunter’s Horn. Our 45th Anniversary Party will be held October 14 at the newly redesigned Armadillo Palace. Food, beverages and live entertainment will be provided. Also, we will return to Redneck Country Club on December 7 for our annual Christmas party. You don’t want to miss this one! Entertainment will be provided by Reckless Kelly. We hope to see each of you at these events! Be sure to call the office today to register. We would like to extend our congratulations to Melanie Pepper, past President of HSC, for her election to the NRA Board of Directors. Melanie will be a strong pro-hunting advocate for all of us. We look forward to hearing more about the NRA’s progress in their support of hunting as a conservation tool, their work on hunter safety, hunting legislation and more. The dog days of summer are almost upon us. Some of you will be lucky enough to escape the heat of North America as you embark on travel abroad to Africa, New Zealand, and other exotic destinations. As you travel, we wish you safety and success. Remember to spread the good word on why hunting is such an effective conservation method. Yours in Conservation,
Joe Betar Executive Director
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 11
HOUS T ON S A FA R I C L U B
COR POR ATE MEMBER S TH A NK YOU F OR SU PPORTING HSC
Capital Farm Credit capitalfarmcredit.com
Champion Ranch huntchampionranch.com
CEMEX cemex.com
Hawkeye Hunting Club hawkeyehunting.com
High Heel Huntress highheelhuntress.com
Palletized Trucking Inc. palletizedtrucking.com
Saddle River Range saddleriverrange.com
Safari Specialty Importers safarispecialtyimporters.com
Scendero Outfitters LLC scendero.com
South Texas Ranches – Ruple Properties southtexasranches.com
Tech-Mark Sales tech-marksales.com
West University Travel westuniversitytravel.com
Wildlife Partners wildlifepartners.com
RM
ER
EA
Y
Blake Wilcox Properties blakewilcoxproperties.com
FIR
Arkitektura Development arkdevinc.com
S & ARC
H
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Paul Allen Kandra Armstrong Jason Armstrong Bruce Bain Gary Bartels Ken Beer Anthony Benich Skipper Bettis Robert Black Thomas Bolsch Tyler Bond Michael Bradberry Christopher Bradberry Wade Bradford Bruce Bricarell Matthew Brogdon Billy Brown Colby Burks Brandon Burts Tony Cannata Chris Carter Bobby Caruthers John Christlieb Coy Christoffel Roger Clem Matthew Clem Gerard Contreras William Correa Bruce Culpepper Gerald Dasbach Steve Davidson Richard Dean Tom Dreyer Lucas Duffy Craig Edwards Matt Egan Karl Evans
Rebecca Evans Victor Flores Randal Garrett Clay Gaspar Tucker Gilbert George Gilbert Hunter Gilbert Bobby Gonzales Russell Gordy Jay Hahn Darrell Hall Bill Hart David Hayden Dow Heard Zac Henderson Wayne Hite Daryl Hoffman Steven Hollingsworth Steve Holmes Justin Itzel Brad Kaufman William Kinsel David Koch Kyle Kuntz Kyle Kuntz Ricardo Layton Colter Lewis Ernie Leyendecker Charles Mack Andrew MacKay Leo Martinez Tim McKewen Elliot Metzger Phil Miller Tim MIller Michael Miller Douglas Moore
John Moreno Louis Muller Charlie O’Hara Jason Overall Gus Pankonien George Petersen David Putegnat Scendero Ranch Mark Randall John Reynolds Stacey Rice Anita Richardson John Riddle Trent Roberts Eric Rooth Brad Sheffield Kenneth Sherman Dawn Simpson Christine Smith Mike Stark Travis Stinson Gaylon Surratt Jason Tabansky Trent Tellepsen Cory Trautner Joe Ursino Bradley Vaughan Kellie Vazquez Robert Verde David Wagner Paul Watson Brent Watts Don Webb Brian Welsh Clay Whitfill Derek Ybarra
HSC'S PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE Thank you 2016-2017 Members! • Michael Ambrose • Steve Bozeman • JW “Brook” Brookshire • Robert Burke • Turner Butts • Deb & Ralph Cunningham • Randy Fowler
• Terry and Tanya Hurlburt • John Kelsey • Mitzy & Tony McCorvey • Rudy Nix • Steve Pate • Chad Peter
To learn more, contact the HSC office at 713.623.8844. SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 13
HSC LIFE MEMBERS Bob Abernathy John Abraham Richard Alexander MD Crystal Allison Shannon Alston Michael Ambrose Skip Avara Dannine Avara Jacob Avara Anne Avara Kenneth Bailey Freddie Bailey Jr. Cope Bailey Camp Bailey Frank Baird Jack Barksdale Wendy Barnhart L. Barnhart* James Bell Lyndel Berry Tony Bessette Charlotte Betar Joe Betar James Biggerstaff Craig Boddington Werner Boeer Jay Bonano E. Bond Greg Bond Pete Bonora Jeri Booth Frederick (Tony) Box James Braus John Bridgwater Jack Brittingham Joe Bruno Robert Burke Matt Burke Byron Burris II Quint Burris Grady Burris Prentiss Burt Daniel Butler Turner Butts MD Don Byrne C. Cagle Thomas Cain Jr. Dennis Cain Rick Callison Alex Campbell Bill Carter Paul Carter Ivan Carter Ben Case Barbara Cavender-Lewis Preston Cavner Chris Caywood 14 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
Tracey Cearley Alan Cegielski Steve Clark James Clark Craig Clendenin Stephen Coale Russell Coleman Randall Coleman Joe Collett Dwayne Collier Frank Comiskey Kevin Comiskey Alan “Bink” Cooke Rocky Cooper Dian Cooper George Councill Steve Crawford Kenneth Crockett Gary Crouch Ralph Cunningham Deb Cunningham Ford Cunningham Linda Cunningham Mandy Daigle Ralph Daigle Joe Davis Laurent Delagrange Armando DeLeon III Armando DeLeon IV Gregory Desautels Elliot Desautels Charlie Desautels Perry Dillon Jr. Randy Donato Barry Donoho Tim Doucet MD James (Red) Duke* Jan Duncan Scott Duncan Bruce Edwards Robert Elkins Walton Eller Susan Ellerbeck* Gary Ellison Will Ellison Shaun Essery Travis Findley Charlene Floyd Tommy Fogle Randy Fowler Nathan Foyil Bobby Frederick Aaron Freeman Warren Gallant Scott Garrett Zachary Garrett Tanya Garrett
Paul Geiger Frank Giacalone Gary Glesby Carl Godfrey Russell Gordy William Gouldin Sandra Green Kevin Gregory Edward Guinn Dodd Hackman Clayton Hagerman Cory Hall James Halley Greg Harvey Charles Head Jr. Jerry Henderson Mark Herfort Heinert Hertling Robert Hibbert II Steven Hill Greg Hill Edward Hoffman William Holder III Bill Honza Gene Human Terry Hurlburt Tanya Hurlburt Harold Inman Keith Itzel John Jackson III Jack Jensen MD W.A. Jentsch Jr. Todd Johnson Clay Johnson Robert Jones III Harris Junell Darrell Kainer David Kalich Susan Kalich Kirk Kanady John Kelsey Gaye Kelsey Mark King Julianne King Robert Kneppler Philip Koehne George Kollitides Tommy Kolwes Phil Koonce George Kopecky Keith Lake Fred Lamas Wayne LaPierre Joel Latham Kyle Lehne Richard Leibman John Lindholm Jr.
HSC LIFE MEMBERS Tom Lipar Bryant Littlefield Mark Livesay Ricardo Longoria Doug Luger David Mafrige Paige Manard John Martin III D. Leigh Martin IV James Masten Chad Matherne Wyatt McBride Tony McCorvey Mitzy McCorvey Ed McCrory III Vickie McMillan Travis McWilliams Gerald Meinecke Lewis Metzger Greg Mills Brook Minx Howard Monsour Paul Montealegre Sr. Forrest Montealegre G.L. Moore Reed Morian Tommy Morrison Ron Mostyn Dustin Mykyte Shannon Nash Bob Neese Rob Neilson Scott Nelson Shaun Nelson William “Bill” Newlin Rudy Nix K. Nunnally Kerry O’Day Carol O’Day Charles Onstead Kevin Ormston Neal Overstreet John Painter Michael Park Michael Parr Steve Pate Trevor Penny John Pepper Melanie Pepper Timothy Peter George Petersen Wilson (Woody) Phillips Jr. Bryce Phillips Carson Phillips Dusty Phillips Thomas Powell Kevin Poynter
Andrew Pratt Kymberly Pratt Charles Prince Jr. Sharon Propes Carlos Ramirez Lawrence Rearick William Reed Sr. Gayle Rettig MD Keith Riggs John Robberson Larry Robinson Mike Robinson* Chuck Rod Robert Rod Stephen Rogers William Rohrbach William Roosevelt Gary Rose Mark Rose Jerry Rubenstein Chris Ruhman John Rulon Gerald Russell Byron Sadler Sandra Sadler Michael Sample Scott Scheinin MD Robert Scherer Wade Schindewolf Wayne Sheets John Shelby Richard Shepherd Jason Shrieve William Simmons Jody Simpson Travis Simpson Barret Simpson Mike Simpson Becky Simpson Weston Simpson Michael Simpson Autumn Simpson Austin Simpson Jacob Simpson Tristan Simpson Dawn Simpson Sam Skipper Jason Smith Steve Smith Tom Snyder Norman Speer MD Larry Stifflemire Mark Stouse Randy Strickland H. Stuart Greg Stube David Swan
Lloyd Swiedom Sally Swiedom Leah Symens Tyler Symens Peter Tam Larry Tatom Terry Taylor Mark Terpstra Heidi Thomas Robert Thomas J.B. Tinney John Tobin Pete Trammell Ted Trout* Hal Tryon Don Turner Phillip Veale Thom Venus William Vick Amanda Vick Juan Villaveces Glenn Vincent Pierre Vorster Joshua Walker Greg Walla Rob Walsh John Waltz Dana Weber Rick Weber Larry Weishuhn Brian Welker Denise Welker Robert Wells Brian Welsh Lawrence West Matt West Bruce Whitmire Bill Wilkinson* Steve Willenborg Ron Willenborg Gregory Williamson Alan Winslette Robby Winstead Kurt Wiseman John Wood Bill Woodall J.D. (Des) Woods Jr. Patricia Woods Preston Young Debi Young Brian Zaitz
*Deceased SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 15
Sportsmen Score Major Win: In Favor of Professional Fish and Wildlife Management BY ANDY TREHARNE SENIOR DIRECTOR, FEDERAL LAND POLICY AND WESTERN STATES, CONGRESSIONAL SPORTSMEN’S FOUNDATION
O
n April 3, President Donald Trump signed into law House Joint (H.J.) Resolution 69, legislation striking a 2016 rule from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) rule that restricted the state of Alaska’s ability to manage fish and wildlife on National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) within the state’s borders. HJR 69 – sponsored by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Congressman Don Young (AK) – passed with bipartisan support in the House of Representatives on February 16 and passed the Senate on March 21. The legislation received wide support from the sportsmen’s community, with 27 sportsmen’s conservation organizations from the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, Jeff Crane hunting caribou in Alaska including the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), writing to Speaker of the House Paul Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council, Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin which represents 48 state legislative McCarthy in support of HJR 69 on sportsmen’s caucuses and over 2,000 February 6. Additionally, a support letstate legislators. ter on the Resolution was submitted by By passing this Resolution, Congress the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s and the President ensured that the Alaska
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Department of Fish and Game (AKFG) will continue to be able to employ proven and commonly used predator management practices on NWR lands in the state of Alaska, allowing AKFG to manage game animals for sustained yield as
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16 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
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Alaska landscape
dictated in the Alaska State Constitution. The original rule adopted by the FWS in 2016 had barred the Department from conducting such management actions on NWR lands, despite the Department’s long and effective track record in managing fish and wildlife within its borders, and the fact that AKFG’s fish and wildlife management primacy authority is affirmed in the Alaska Statehood Act, the Alaska National Interests Land Conservation Act, and the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act. Passage of HJR 69 also struck down this dangerous precedent of displacing state fish and wildlife management authority, despite the fact that state agencies have long been known to be the most effective on-the-ground managers of our fish and wildlife resources. In the United
States, state fish and wildlife agencies employ professionals specially trained in areas such as biology, ecology, and law enforcement who are responsible for the management of both game and non-game species. This vital conservation work is funded overwhelmingly by sportsmen and women through the purchase of hunting and angling licenses and tags, as well as federal excise taxes generated through the sale of firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing tackle, motorboat fuel, and other hunting and angling-related items. This unique “userpays, public-benefits” dynamic is known as the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF), a funding structure which conserves fish and wildlife, provides clean water and healthy landscapes, and maintains access to these resources for
hunters and anglers as well as the nonhunting and angling public. CSF recently developed ASCF fact sheets for each of the 50 states, which provide historical license and excise tax revenue data for every state, in addition to some of the unique projects and programs that ASCF dollars have funded over the years. These state-specific sheets serve to highlight the critical importance of the American System of Conservation Funding and the need to continue to protect the integrity of state fish and wildlife management. For more information on the American System of Conservation Funding and its role in support of state fish and wildlife conservation, visit CSF’s ASCF web page at http://sportsmenslink.org/policies/state/ascf. ★ SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 17
Lost and Found Tips from a Green Beret BY GLOBAL RESCUE
18 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
Most people who go out and enjoy the outdoors don’t think they will become lost, but it can happen shockingly fast. Trails peter out or become overgrown. All the rocks you try to remember as landmarks look alike when you are in a canyon or above the tree line. Even if you have a map, you might walk for hours without looking at it, confident in your bearing, when in fact, you have gone way off course.
Becoming disoriented in the wilderness does not have to be disastrous. Following these simple rules from Global Rescue Senior Ops Manager Drew Pache, a former Green Beret, will help you stay safe and get found again, at the slim cost of having to tell an embarrassing story. Don’t panic. People rarely make good decisions when they are hysterical, so once you realize the pickle you are in, take some deep breaths and chill. Assess your situation. What gear, food and clothing do you have with you? Would someone know you’re missing? Stay put. All instincts will tell you to keep moving, to keep looking for that last place you recognize. This instinct is lying to you. A little backtracking is fine, and maybe you can move to some high ground to try and get your bearings (or a cell signal). But if you do this and determine that yes, you are well and truly lost, now is the time to get comfortable. Moving without knowing where you are headed simply makes you tired, and being tired increases your risk of injury. You go through whatever food and water you have faster too. So now your priorities are water, shelter, fire, and food – in that order. …except when you shouldn’t. There is one exception to the “Stay Put” rule: if you messed up and didn’t tell anyone where 20 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
you are going. They won’t find you if they don’t know you’re missing and they don’t know where to even look. A general rule to follow here is to head downhill. Eventually, you will hit a stream. Now you have water to drink and a terrain feature you can use as a guide. This stream will eventually flow into a larger stream, and then a larger one, and so on. You will usually find people near a water source, and this increases your odds of finding help. Advertise your dilemma. Whether staying put or on the move, call out and do your best to make yourself seen. If you have a whistle, use it. Bright colored clothing or tents should be as visible as possible, and yes, if you must move a bit to get to a field or clearing so you are visible from the air, that’s OK. Also, start a fire. It will keep you warm, and burning green leaves will make lots of smoke that can be seen from a long distance. Avoid getting lost in the first place. With a little bit of planning and knowledge, there is little reason to get lost in this day and age. • Always tell someone where you are going and when to expect either your return or a phone call. • Have a GPS and/or map of the area. You
• • • •
don’t need to be a whiz with a compass but you need to at least know how to use it to orient a map to north and follow a cardinal direction. Use the My Global Rescue mobile app to leave breadcrumbs along the way (and to call us for help if you need it!) Dress for the weather, have a container for water and means to purify it. Have fire starters, and the knowledge to use them. Be prepared to spend the night, even an uncomfortable one, outside.
These simple rules apply pretty much across the board for wilderness travel and they will keep you happy, safe, and most importantly not lost the next time you head out into the woods. ★ Global Rescue has provided travelers all over the world with medical advisory and evacuation services since 2004, with more than 12,000 missions completed. Before your next trip, consider a Global Rescue membership as part of your survival plan. Global Rescue www.GlobalRescue.com Member Services 617-459-4200 memberservices@globalrescue.com
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 21
Arabian Oryx 22 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
Impala
Rewriting the Story of
ExoticsinTexas BY BRIAN GILROY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN VERRIPS
For many hunters from around the world, when discussing the exotic wildlife industry in Texas, phrases such as “canned hunt,” “pen raised,” and “high fence” are used quite frequently. The conservationist, the purist, and the globetrotting outdoor enthusiast have failed to give Texas a fair shake of the stick due to the tainted reputation established by a few commercial hunting operations. It is no secret that there have been animals shot and entered into record books that don’t meet fair chase standards, and there have been operations that have encouraged these practices. Despite these poor examples being a minuscule segment of a much larger industry, their representation is carried forward, and has caused some of the greatest contributors to snub, degrade, and cast aside what will potentially become the greatest story
of species preservation and growth of all time. While many people have been fooled by the belief that the exotic wildlife industry in Texas is primarily fueled by commercial ranchers shooting trophy animals, a closer look reveals a booming conservation story that can be compared to the success of the Bubye Conservancy in Zimbabwe. There, after the Parks and Wildlife Act of 1975 gave SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 23
Addax
Bongo
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control and ownership of wildlife to landowners, the wildlife ranching business was born. Later, in the 1990s, after a large cattle rancher had gone bankrupt, a property the size of the King Ranch (approximately 875,000 acres), was purchased by a group of international investors. The intention was to convert the land from a cattle ranch, void of wildlife, into a preserve that would generate income through venison sales and sport hunting. The property went through a tremendous restocking program. Thousands of kilometers of electrified high fence were installed surrounding the preserve. Anti-poaching operations were developed and international efforts began protecting the conservancies black and white rhinos. After repopulating 82 rhinos, today, the Bubye has the only wild population that is stable and growing in the world. In a recent count, it is estimated that there are close to 800 rhinos on the property. This success has occurred for numerous species and the property has been called Africa’s Garden of Eden. With a capitalistic motive in mind, these investors began a conservation project that has impacted numerous species and provided a model for others all over the world. The lesson learned in the Bubye is that once privatization of wildlife occurs, money flows in due to the economic benefits and populations flourish. The same story has been told in South Africa after the Game Theft Act of 1991 was established. There, 50 million acres of marginal farmland have been converted into game farms. Wildlife populations have grown from 100,000 animals to over 24 million. Once again, when privatization occurs, successful conservation follows. With very favorable private property laws already in place, and with the intention of offsetting the cyclical fluctuations of cattle prices, in 1930, the King Ranch imported nilgai antelope as the first exotic game species to freely roam a private ranch. The tremendous success of the operation led to other species, which originated from local zoos. This introduction was the birth of the exotic wildlife industry in Texas. After 30 years of steady growth, in 1965, Charlie Schreiner of the famous YO Ranch realized that a hunting industry could be created with the sale of a blackbuck antelope from India. His realization ignited a trend of more and more landowners pursuing ownership of exotics. They did this both for personal enjoyment as well as the potential cash flow generated through the sale of hunts. Little by little this industry has spread its
roots and grown vast branches. With the foundation of private ownership offering the freedoms to profit from preserving and protecting exotic wildlife, the industry currently has more than 5,500 ranches with exotics and more than 125 species. There are free ranging herds of axis, blackbuck, aoudad, mouflon, nilgai, fallow, and red deer. One recent estimate suggests that there could be as many as 5 million axis deer in the state, but accurate counts have not been conducted. Although hunting has contributed tremendously to the growth of the industry, it has become more prevalent for landowners to purchase exotics primarily for the enjoyment derived from owning and watching them flourish. During the oil boom between the late 1990s through 2014, enormous investment was made by ranchers without regard for the financial benefits they would receive from owning exotics. Due to the massive influx of money, the demand for animals increased. This has had an enormous impact on the prices and live animals sales have exploded. After seeing 50 percent increases in values over just a few years, ranchers are now incentivized to move away from shooting their stock and instead only sell live animals to other ranches. Many have asked themselves the question, “Why take the risk of bringing paying clients when I can sell the same animal alive to another ranch for the same money?” This trend is nothing new. In an article written by Wildlife Biologist William Armstrong, in 1981, he cited a survey, “More than 35 percent of landowners who reported having exotics on their land do not harvest them.” As of 2016, it is believed that more than half of the ranches with exotics, prefer to sell them live versus offering hunts commercially. Live sales to private ranches have become the single biggest market for exotics in Texas. Essentially there are thousands of ranches in Texas, with more abandoning traditional livestock every day. These ranches serve as private wildlife sanctuaries, but have the added benefit of being incentivized to sell their excess stock to other ranches. Although these ranches might occasionally allow a friend or a family member to hunt exotics, they have discovered greater value in breeding and selling these animals to other landowners. The benefits to conservation as the result of this movement are astonishing. As documented, in 2007, Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Economics conducted an economic impact study of the exotic wildlife industry.
Cape Buffalo
How is it reasonable, that while private landowners are working so hard to preserve these species, that we continue to allow the world to see our practices as immoral or unethical? The study revealed that of 500 participants surveyed, 38 percent were strictly breeding, 42 percent were private breeding and hunting ranches and 20 percent were hunting operations. Since this survey, the number of conservation-minded landowners has grown. As was documented in 2007, commercial hunting ranches make up a very small segment of this industry. Instead, the industry is dominated by ranches that are primarily motivated to own exotics for the emotional gratification and more recently the tremendous cash flow that can be generated from selling live animals. These benefits have motivated Texans to pour billions of dollars into the exotic wildlife business. At the time of the survey, it was estimated that the industry, excluding all economic aspects related to native wildlife, accounted for
$1.3 billion annually. Today, 10 years later, this number is believed to be over $3 billion. As the demand for exotic wildlife has grown, numerous other industries have developed and countless companies have been started that provide helicopter capture services. Hundreds of brokers have started buying and selling game between ranches and online as well as live auctions have been established. Manufacturers of trapping systems also have emerged. Veterinarians are forced to become more versed in the care of species they never envisioned working with. These facets of the industry are exploding as landowners discover the joy and more recently, the huge economic benefit derived from breeding exotics. For anyone looking for the truth about this industry, versus listening to the status quo story that has been associated with the exotic wildlife business in Texas, all you need to do is look at the countless news articles that have been published in the last few years. The exotic wildlife industry in Texas deserves to have its story retold to better represent the actual status. While trophy hunting has played a crucial role in the initial development and continued support of the industry, it is unquestionable that the hobbyist, the breeder, and the conservationist are playing a far more significant role than the canned hunt that continues to impose its poor reputation on this business. The enormous growth that the industry is experiencing is not being built upon unethical hunting practices or illegitimate tactics. SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 25
Nile Lechwev
Waterbuck
Eland
It is being fueled by landowners who love wildlife, love to hunt, and are committing their properties to the growth and well-being of endangered wildlife from all over the world. Between the joy of ownership and the financial gain associated with breeding, it’s not hard to understand why more and more land is becoming shelter to non-native species such as giraffe, addax, and Nile lechwe. Since the humble beginnings in 1930, our industry has transformed itself. We should no longer be associated with the stigma that was attached as the result of poor principles. In a recent article in the San Antonio Business Journal, Texas has been referred to as the “Noah’s Ark” for any species that is in danger. Currently, several breeding ranches are focused on importing additional rhinos to mitigate the long-term risk of extinction. Here in Texas, these animals will be bred, protected and like the countless other threatened or endangered species, the population of rhinos will grow for years to come. How is it reasonable, that while private landowners are working so hard to preserve these species, that we continue to allow the world to see our practices as immoral or unethical? It is my hope, that rather than allowing the 26 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
uninformed populist to develop a negative idea of this beautiful industry by associating Texas with canned hunts and unethical practices, we need to work together to communicate an accurate representation of the incredible conservation story that dominates the industry. Hunting is, in fact, a portion of this business and the industry would not have been developed had it not been for sport hunting. But today, the exotic wildlife business is not in any way what the negative press
has spewed. Nor is it what the hunting elitist that condemns the high fence portrays as he lifts his nose in arrogance while recanting visions from the past. The glory days of hunting in areas without fences, while pursuing vast herds of free-ranging wildlife are not nearly as prevalent as they might have been 50 years ago. With the never-ending problem of poaching, human encroachment, political corruption, and the antics getting in the way of virtually any sector that makes use of
Greater Kudu
animals, if we don’t unite behind all forms of conservation that work, we will lose more species every year. As Texas has proven itself to be a spearhead of conservation, having already saved species such as the addax, dama gazelle, Arabian oryx, Père David, and many others from certain extinction, you can agree that it is time to start communicating on a global level the historic accomplishments that are and will continue to occur as the result of privatization of wildlife and the investment that follows. Rather than associating Texas with high fence, unethical hunts, I implore you to stand up and speak loudly about the incredible movement that is underway that could potentially ensure your children and grandchildren the gift of seeing the species that we have had the privilege to hunt. ★ Brian Gilroy Wildlife Partners LLC Director of Ranch Operations (210) 888-4388 brian@wildlifepartners.com
Nubian Ibex
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 27
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P R E S E RVAT I O N 28 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
PROTECTION
PROFITS
夀⸀伀⸀ 刀愀渀挀栀 䠀攀愀搀焀甀愀爀琀攀爀猀 椀猀 氀漀挀愀琀攀搀 椀渀 䴀漀甀渀琀愀椀渀 䠀漀洀攀Ⰰ 吀堀 愀渀搀 漀昀昀攀爀猀 瘀椀猀椀琀漀爀猀 愀 琀爀甀攀 眀椀氀搀氀椀昀攀 攀砀瀀攀爀椀攀渀挀攀 琀栀爀漀甀最栀 栀甀渀琀椀渀最 攀砀瀀攀搀椀琀椀漀渀猀Ⰰ 琀漀甀爀猀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 漀琀栀攀爀 漀甀琀搀漀漀爀 愀挀琀椀瘀椀琀椀攀猀⸀
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倀氀攀愀猀攀 樀漀椀渀 礀漀甀爀 䠀匀䌀 昀爀椀攀渀搀猀 䈀礀爀漀渀 愀渀搀 匀愀渀搀爀愀 匀愀搀氀攀爀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 渀攀眀 漀眀渀攀爀猀 愀渀搀 洀愀渀愀最椀渀最 瀀愀爀琀渀攀爀猀 漀昀 琀栀攀 夀⸀伀⸀ 刀愀渀挀栀 䠀攀愀搀焀甀愀爀琀攀爀猀Ⰰ 昀漀爀 礀漀甀爀 渀攀砀琀 栀甀渀琀 漀爀 昀愀洀椀氀礀 漀甀琀椀渀最⸀
㠀㌀ ⸀㘀㐀 ⸀㌀㈀㈀㈀⼀㠀㐀㐀⸀㠀㌀㔀⸀㌀㈀㈀㈀ SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 29
眀眀眀⸀夀伀刀愀渀挀栀䠀攀愀搀焀甀愀爀琀攀爀猀⸀挀漀洀
Hunting Big Whitetails At
Two Hats Ranch
Making Lifelong Memories With A Grandson BY ANNA MORRISON
I
n 2016, at the Safari Club International Convention in Las Vegas, Tommy and I spoke with our good friend Skipper Bettis about hunting big whitetails. A Texas native, Skipper grew up roaming the swamps and rice fields hunting ducks and geese in Winnie, Texas. After taking his first deer he caught the big game hunting fever. In 1975, Skipper’s dream of the wild north began to materialize as he traveled to the Northwest Territories to become a guide/outfitter. He settled in Northern British Columbia where he spent the next several years developing the 3.5 million acres of Turnagain River Outfitters into a successful, hunting concession. Seeing the demand for northern white-tailed trophy deer, he relocated permanently to the Michigan area and began developing the Sanctuary in 1986. Over the years, Skipper’s knowledge of what it takes to be a good outfitter and guide grew by hunting all over North America and parts of Africa, as well as guiding for brown bear with renowned Alaskan Master Guide,
30 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
Keith Johnson. Skipper, with his new knowledge of the hunting industry, began to take northern whitetails to a new level with advanced nutrition, genetics, age and innovative management techniques. In 1998, he started Legends Ranch and took the next step in producing trophy whitetails by joining with James “Dr. Deer” Kroll and developed Legends Deer Feeds using the latest nutrition technology available to hunters and deer managers alike. The Skipper we know today began to take shape. Never satisfied, Skipper with his wife, Glenna, son Colby, and daughter Cassie, began their next step in the ultimate family hunting operation. In 2014, they acquired the Legends Ranch East property and started Two Hats Ranch, combining approximately 55 years of knowledge and experience in every aspect of the hunting world. He continues to pass a lifetime of knowledge to the second generation of the family business and is blessed to prepare the up-and-coming third generation of Bettises to carry on their tradition of hunting.
Two Hats Ranch spans across 1,300 acres of open fields, mature hardwood ridges and misty hemlock bottoms of Central Michigan. It is an ideal deer habitat and even more ideal deer hunting ground. For the past seventeen years, they have intensively managed the deer herd for producing big framed northern whitetails and carefully cultivated the ground for unparalleled hunting experiences. Through the years, they have learned there is more to it than just a deer for the wall. At Two Hats Ranch, they call it “Going Beyond the Trophy.” With our hunt booked back at the SCI convention, November 14 was the date! My grandson, Wesley Pratka and I flew to Grand Rapids, Michigan. We were so excited because we had never hunted together just the two of us. We were ready for our big adventure! When we arrived in Grand Rapids, we were picked up by Skipper and headed north. At the ranch, we met the other hunters, two of which were Kristy Lee Cook and Chase Rice. Kristy is a girl of adventure; she sings, she rides, she hunts and much more. One of her adventures was as a finalist with “American Idol,” placing seventh. This trip was to take care of one of her bucket list items at Two Hats Ranch. She brought her good friend, country singer and songwriter, Chase Rice to shoot a buck of a lifetime and to film the TV show, “The Most Wanted,” to be televised later in the spring on the Sportsman Channel. Wesley and I, being country music fans, enjoyed spending time with each of them. We had a nice group of hunters at the lodge and we all enjoyed the easy camaraderie. As you enter the ranch, the pressures of your world quickly disappear. You feel a calm that can only be found in nature by just being outdoors in God's country. You quickly become part of the “hunting camp” and part of the Two Hats family. The ranch house is located on top of a hill with a great view overlooking a valley where we spotted several nice whitetails as soon as we arrived. That really had us excited! After we had unpacked and settled in, Skipper met with the hunters to go over what to expect. He told us to get up around five and have breakfast in order to leave at six, except for me — I could leave around ten! I thought, “WOW! This is my kind of hunting!” Of course, he was not serious but it got my attention. Each morning began at five and after a hearty breakfast, the guides picked which part of the ranch they would take their client to hunt then they were off to search for that perfect trophy deer. We came back to the lodge around noon to have our main meal of the day, which is known as “supper.” The chef always prepared an outstanding meal with dessert. One day we had delicious fried shrimp! What a surprise, in the middle of Michigan where you just don’t expect to find jumbo shrimp. Another favorite was their chicken fried backstrap, some of the best I’ve had. You can’t help but gain a few pounds while there. We hunted out of adequate stands with plenty of room for two people. Each stand has wheelchair accessibility, as well as propane heaters for those early cold mornings. We saw so many deer, larger than I had ever seen before. The first morning I counted over twenty deer at one sitting. I couldn’t believe some of these deer, starting in the 200-and-up class, truly amazing. It was impossible
My “trophy buck of a lifetime” taken the last day, last hour of my hunt with Skipper!
My Grandson, Wesley Pratka’s “Monster Buck” with his guide Uncle Dave.
to count all their points. Skipper and Colby work hard to manage their deer population by keeping their doe population down. We had a couple of foggy mornings where we could hardly see the deer in the field. We could tell they were feeding but could not make out their antlers. As we were driving back one morning we passed up a beautiful wide “Presidential” buck with lots of points and drop tines. It was only about twenty yards inside the brush line, just watching us. It is so exciting to see these huge Michigan bucks. When we returned at night we had a light meal and then relaxed by the fire with a beverage to talk about our day. There are many activities to enjoy. There is always a ping-pong tournament going on the back porch, an in-house massage therapist for those who feel the need to relax following a long day in the great outdoors, and even a hot sauna. Chase was thrilled later to have shot his trophy buck, what a beauty. He was fortunate since he had to return to Nashville that very afternoon. After all the video and pictures were complete we all departed for our hunt, each of us hoping it was going to be our lucky day too. Earlier, two of the other hunters also shot the same day, one taking a beautiful Presidential Whitetail. After a great supper, Wesley and his guide, Uncle Dave, SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 31
the self-proclaimed and undisputed Guide of the Decade, chose where they wanted to hunt. They were fifth to pick an area and Wes had his eye on the “Big Field.” Uncle Dave and Wesley had seen two mature management bucks there the evening before. The Big Field is the largest open field on the ranch, the longest shot being about 268 yards out. It was about one in the afternoon when they left the lodge. Guns loaded, they set out for the Big Field. Uncle Dave liked to drive around the ranch before heading to the stand. He would always say, “You never know what you might see laying around in the middle of the day.” They saw does, small bucks, and more black squirrels than you could possibly imagine. They were talking and listening to some fine country music while driving around. Not seeing any management deer they were looking for, they headed to the stand. They made it to the top of a hill and at about five hundred yards from the stand, Wesley spotted a monster buck. He asked Uncle Dave to stop the jeep. Uncle Dave hurried and raised his binoculars and told Wesley to get his gun ready. He said they had been hunting this buck for multiple years — a great management buck. Wesley got in position to take his shot, Uncle Dave asked Wesley what he thought about it. All he could say was “It’s a monster!” Uncle Dave said, “If you like it, you better shoot it!” That’s all Wes needed to hear before he was on it with his .300 Weatherby Magnum and squeezing the trigger. Uncle Dave looked at Wes with a huge smile and said, “Congratulations, you’ve just harvested a deer that has been avoiding hunters on this ranch for several years.” Wesley has shot many deer in Texas, but with most of them, they tended to shrink some when you got closer. Wesley said this deer kept getting bigger and bigger as he approached.! He admitted “buck fever” had kicked in by this point. As they reached his deer, Darren, another of the Two Hats guides, pulled up after hearing the shot. Bob, his hunter said, “Man if that’s a management buck, I want one of those!” Darren and Bob offered Wesley congratulations and continued with their hunt. Uncle Dave and Wesley loaded up their prized trophy and drove back to the hunting lodge. Everyone was still at the lodge waiting to congratulate them on such a great trophy. Chase was just getting ready to depart so Wes could get a photo with him and his trophy buck. Wes was one excited young man and so was his grandmother. They all helped with taking care of his deer and later Wesley and Uncle Dave celebrated with a few beverages. The pressure was off. His deer was a beautiful heavy main framed eight-pointer with kickers that scored 174. This was definitely Wesley’s lucky day. By Thursday morning everyone had shot their trophy buck except me. This was our last day to hunt. I was beginning to get worried because time was running out and I had not shot my deer yet. I was starting to think I may go home without a buck. Skipper knew I was worried, but assured me he was not worried at all. We drove around hoping to see that special buck. We didn’t spot one on the drive, so we decided to head to the stand and see what might show up in the field. We barely sat down and started glassing when we saw a buck up at the watering hole. Watching him with a doe, he kept himself 32 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
The legendary Keith Johnson and Skipper taken at Wildman Lake Lodge, in Alaska.
just inside the tree line. It seemed like forever but they slowly slipped into the field. The buck had not yet presented me with a shot and as we watched to see what else might be coming into the field the doe took off with him following behind. As we waited, I couldn’t believe it — out came four Texas Longhorn steers. Turns out Skipper and Glenna bought four longhorns, one for each grandchild. After drinking their fill of water they came out into the field. I started thinking, “this isn’t good.” Finally, the longhorns started walking away and the deer started coming in. With only one hour left of daylight, Skipper was steadily glassing and studying the field. Then he spotted the same buck we had seen earlier now coming straight toward us. He told me to get ready, when he turns broadside, shoot him. I was so excited but tried to stay as calm as possible, ready to shoot as soon as he turned broadside. I finally got my chance as soon as he turned, I shot. He hunched up and took off running up the hill. He ran through the trees making more noise than you can imagine with those wide antlers of his. Shocked, I turned to Skipper and told him I was right on his shoulder and felt good about my shot but I was concerned with the way he ran off, maybe I did make a bad shot. Skipper guaranteed me that I had hit him and pointed to his elbow to show me where the shot landed. Then he smiled and reassured me that he saw the buck fall up in the trees. Thank goodness! Anyone who knows Skipper knows he loves to joke around. But at this point, it just wasn’t very appropriate, I’m just saying. I was already nervous because that deer had so many points. I’ve never been lucky enough to shoot a deer that size, and indeed, that buck was exactly where Skipper said it was. What a hunt! A hunt of a lifetime for sure! I want to thank Skipper, Colby and the family of Two Hats Ranch, on behalf of Wesley and myself for making this hunt a memory to cherish forever with my grandson. Without a doubt, anyone in the market for a hunt with first-class accommodations at an amazing property and opportunity to hunt large Michigan whitetail we recommend Skipper and Colby Bettis at Two Hats Ranch. Contact Tommy Morrison at Sporting International at (281)452-6223 or direct to Colby Bettis at the ranch, (231)796-4287. ★
It’s one of the oldest sports. But it sure never gets old.
O U T H E R E A L L problems seem so far away. That gives us the freedom to improve ourselves, down to the smallest detail in technique and gear. We want to share that experience and hear all about yours as well. That’s how we’ll outfit you for your next adventure, whether that’s on your ranch or on the other side of the world. Visit us at gordyandsons.com or at our grand showroom at 22 Waugh in Houston.
The finest shop for hunting and fly fishing to be found. SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 33
Author with his best mule deer to date.
Mexico
Mule Deer BY KEITH WARREN I’ve always had a passion for mule deer. Don’t now if it was hearing the stories shared by my father from his adventures out west more than fifty years ago or not. But, something caused me to want to hunt for big mule deer more than just about anything else found in this country. Over the years, I’ve had an opportunity to hunt for mule deer in lots of places and taken some pretty good ones. But, I’ve never taken a big one. To me, a big one would be one that had a 30-inch spread. I know that width is one of the least important things in obtaining a large scoring buck. But width is something that has always impressed me and until this past season, I’d never taken a mulie that even came close to 30 inches wide.
34 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 35
Each year I apply for mule deer tags all over the place and each year I take off hoping for that 30-inch buck. But, after scratching in Montana, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, I have to admit that reality was setting in that maybe I had set my goal too high. It’s not that I wasn’t hunting in good areas either. It’s just that it seemed that no matter where I went, lady luck was not on my side. Over the years I’ve taken lots of nice mule deer that actually score well. But, they were not wide bucks. They had mass and deep forks, But spread was just not there. I did have an opportunity at a sure enough giant two years ago when I traveled south of the border to the Sonora Desert. Hunting about 100 miles from Hermasillo, I had a shot at a monster. It was what I thought was a chip shot. At 310 yards the buck stood sideways and I patiently waited for my cameraman to say when I could pull the trigger. The footage was incredible with the afternoon sun gleaming off his body and the antlers were more than what I could have hoped for. Well over 30 inches wide, chocolate colored heavy antlers with deep forks and several cheater points. It was the fourth day of a seven-day hunt and the weather had been cold the entire four days. I was tired of riding on the high rack. But, that was the only way we could see into the heavy brush. The old truck we were on top of was rough and the ride was miserable. At the end of the day, I had had enough and was exhausted from trying to hang on to the rail and my rifle at the same time. There was no gun rack and it was next to impossible to hold the rifle without it banging around. This particular day had been the coldest so far with morning temperatures in the upper 20’s. Riding around on the high rack had taken its toll on me. But the afternoon sun did feel good. Anybody who has ever spent time atop a high rack for days on end can relate to this experience. My rifle had a few new dings on it from where it hit the metal high rack railing system. A few times it had hit with more than just a small ding. It hit with enough force that I actually thought that it might have knocked it off zero. But, I have a good scope and good mounts and had never had any problems like that before. So I chose not to ever check zero after my initial test upon my arrival. An hour before dark on day four, the biggest mule deer I’d ever seen was in my crosshairs. I was solid as a rock. I settled the crosshairs on the buck and waited patiently for instructions from the cameraman. I 36 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
Author used “The Professional” in .300 Win Mag by Legendary Arms Works.
was calm and maintained my cool much more so than I could have imagined. Finally, the cameraman said, “I’m ready when you are. Let him have it.” I took a deep breath, settled the crosshairs on his shoulder and squeezed the trigger on the .300 Win Mag, expecting the buck to fold instantly. Instead, he stood there never even flinching. I watched the shot miss the buck by 10 feet. And couldn’t believe it. Neither could my cameraman. “You missed,” he said. “Shoot again.” The buck was looking around trying to figure out what was going on and I could not believe what happened. There was no way I could have missed. Much less by that far. “Shoot again,” he yelled as the buck just stood there. I jacked another round in the chamber and this time sent the 180 grain bullet downrange like it was the most important shot of my life, because it was. I watched the impact of the bullet strike the side hill in the same spot as before. This time the buck had enough and was gone. Never to be seen again. I was sick and could not believe that the buck of my dreams had quickly become a nightmare. The cameraman was equally upset as if we’d have knocked this buck down, it would have been a feather in his cap too. Instead it was a lesson we both will never forget. I had all the confidence in my shooting ability, especially after attending FTW’s SAAM shooting school. FTW owner Tim
Fallon and his instructors worked their magic with me six months earlier. I was confident that if I pulled the trigger on something 500 yards or less, I better have my pocketknife handy, because it was going to be on the ground. The SAAM course trains shooters to become more confident in taking ethical shots in hunting situations. Fallon and his crew do not encourage shooting animals at super long distances as some shooting schools may. In my opinion, it is irresponsible for a hunter to take a shot unless they know without a shadow of a doubt they can make it. Fallon and his instructors make sure that all students know it is the hunter’s responsibility to take down an animal quickly and ethically with one shot. All too many times we see shots on television and videos where hunters are shooting 800 to 1,000 yards and even more at animals. This is something that in my opinion should be discouraged, though as some shooters may be confident in making this long of a shot. It encourages viewers to take shots like this when they are not trained to do so. The end result may be one where a beautiful animal is wounded and not recovered. After missing this giant buck at what should have been an easy shot, I put the hunt on hold until I could figure out what went wrong with my rifle. I ranged a rock on the side hill at 100 yards and took a shot
to see exactly where I was hitting. The dirt flew up several feet from the small rock. At that distance I would have missed the deer too. Clearly, something catastrophic had happened. I made an adjustment on the scope and took another shot and hit in the same place. I made another adjustment and again, hit in the same place. I was blown away to say the least. The next adjustment I turned the scope as many clicks as it would go and the point of impact still didn’t change. Somehow when I hit the scope on the high rack it had managed to completely ruin it. I don’t know if it happened the first day or ten minutes before I missed the shots. All I know is that I was out of business and needed to borrow a rifle to complete this hunt. On the last day, I did shoot a decent buck. But, he was far from what I hoped for. As I left the Sonoran Desert, I made a decision to return someday and hopefully my luck would improve. After not drawing a mule deer tag in a good area out west, I decided this year to head back to the Sonora Desert to try my luck again for mule deer. This time I chose a different outfitter. I’d heard about his incredible success putting a high percentage of hunters on giant Mexico mule deer. His name is Abram Garcia. I’ve known Abram for more than twenty years. He is a quiet man and although I knew he had some good mule deer country, I knew him more from his reputation taking quite a few whitetail hunters into Mexico and regularly putting them on big deer. Abram is the kind of guy that under promises and over delivers. Most outfitters are just the opposite and all too many times hunters leave disappointed. But, Abram Cactus towers above the desert floor.
Hunters find comfortable yet rustic conditions in houses that are powered by generators.
is different. If you talk with him you will know it instantly. He is a class act. He speaks softly and articulately and knows what he’s doing too, especially with mule deer in Mexico. Although the best time to hunt the Sonora desert mule deer is during the rut in January, the only available opening he had for me was mid-December. I decided to book a weeklong trip hoping that my luck would change this time around. Abram took care of everything well ahead of time. He processed the necessary paperwork and in no time I had cleared customs in Hermasillo and we were headed to the ranch. It was a short 90-minute drive and I felt just as safe traveling there as I do traveling to my lease in Webb County Texas.
The accommodations were nice. Not too over the top, but nice and comfortable. The best thing about it (at least in my opinion) was there was no wifi or cell service. I welcomed the quiet and the stars of the desert sky. The roads were dusty and it looked like a perfect spot to film a western movie. Lots of cacti, thick brush and country like this has a romantic lure to me. I love it. This trip I packed my .300 Win Mag made by Legendary Arms Works. It’s topped off with a 4x30-44 mm Pinnacle scope that is as clear as any scope I’ve ever looked through. To prepare for this hunt, I had once again attended the SAAM shooting course and I was ready. No excuses this time. The country was rugged, much more so than the country I’d hunted in before. The ranch was 12,000 acres and on the west side had big rugged mountains. The game cameras revealed some good bucks but also, lots of predators, including a mountain lion. This country is rough and tough and Mother Nature is cruel far beyond what most people would think. It’s arid with what seems like little deer food and it’s hard for anything to make a living there. But somehow, the big mule deer survive and get old. The strategy was to climb to higher ground under the cover of darkness in the morning, do some glassing over the desert floor, hoping to catch a buck before he headed to bed in the thick brush. We did manage to spot an old buck but he was not what I was hoping for. He did have the age on him and his antlers were dark, tall and massive. But, he was narrow. While many SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 37
hunters would not have hesitated one second and shot him, I chose to pass. Heck, it was the first hour of the first day and I’ve got a week to hunt. Over the next few days, we covered lots of ground checking game cameras that were at the feeders and did see quite a few nice bucks. The country was picturesque and the cooler weather was deceiving as it was quite comfortable. But temperatures here will often be over 110 degrees for many days on end during summer months and honestly, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere around after about mid-May. So far, I hadn’t seen the buck I had come to Mexico for. Of course, it was early and the rut was still three to four weeks Many hours are spent daily glassing from hilltops overlooking flat lands. away. But this hunt was now past its halfway point. At the end of each day I’d watch the sunset behind the mountain and This way at least something gets knocked he would be back in the brush and likely I realize that unlike the other areas I’d mule down on video and we don’t produce a show wouldn’t get another opportunity at him. deer hunted in the past, this land was more with no kill. No kill shows are good maybe I told the cameraman to get ready and remote and unforgiving. I couldn’t help but once a season. But I don’t like to go home I decided to yell at him hoping he’d stop think of how tough these people that live empty handed. to see what the noise was. He did and at here year round must be and also, how easy We stopped the truck on the next hilltop 120 yards as he was quartering towards us, Americans have it. If you aren’t tough down and glassed the brush. The brush was mov- I fired. He kicked and went only about 10 here, you will die. ing in the wind as we caught a glimpse of yards and hit the deck. I had prepared for By mid-afternoon on day five, the wind movement at several hundred yards. It was and expected a long shot on a dream buck was howling. Driving into the wind, we a big buck and he was walking straight at in Mexico. But this buck was so close that topped a hill and surprised a big buck that us. This old buck was easily over 30 inches I couldn’t believe it. The old saying, "I'd was all alone staring right at us. At about wide and was exactly what I’d come down rather be lucky than good," is true. 400 yards away he stood in the road facing here for. The cameraman was gathering asAs I knelt by my buck it was exactly what as though he was going to run away. But he sets for our show as the buck continued to I had hoped for. Wide dark antlers with was motionless and as we evaluated him, I head our direction. At 250 yards he stopped just enough character points to be unique. imagined what he was thinking. It was as and I was ready to squeeze the trigger. He This old buck had done everything perfect though he had no clue that we were driving had now left the heavy brush and was in for the camera. He had lived his entire life up on him and it took him by total surprise. an open area. I chose to hold off so that we in the most desolate mule deer habitat one Like he didn’t know whether to flee into the could get more footage. could imagine. And somehow defied the brush or stand still hoping we wouldn’t see Once again he was on the move walk- odds to survive. I took his life in the most him. This buck was near the 30-inch mark ing our way. The wind had helped us on ethical manner as swiftly as possible and in spread and was old. But he only had this hunt as it covered up our sound as we documented it on video. three points per side. I was very tempted to had driven into his area. At 200 yards the I was happy. Not just because this old ground check him, but decided to pass. As cameraman asked if I was going to shoot buck was mine. But, because we were able he disappeared into the sea of thorn brush, or not. Although this seemed to transpire to capture the entire hunt on video the way he never looked back and then the camera- over a long period of time, it was only min- we did. We strive to gather more than just man said, “You should have shot him. I got utes and when the buck was at 150 yards I a great kill shot on every episode. Our goal some great footage.” Then he reminded me decided enough was enough. is to try to bring out the reason hunters of the motto I try to live by when choosing I slid the three way safety of the model hunt. And that reason to us is what keeps an animal to shoot for video. 704 rifle forward and tried to stop the buck us going back time and time again. Hunting After way too many years of passing with a quick whistle. But he couldn’t hear is not about the kill. It’s all about The Joy up bucks like this early in the hunt (hop- it as the wind was howling. I tried again to of the Hunt. ing for something bigger) and then going stop him and again he didn’t hear me. I was For more information on mule deer home empty handed, I now try to shoot on now in a panic, as I didn’t want to shoot him hunting opportunities in Mexico, contact the first day what I’d shoot on the last day. as he was walking. If I didn’t shoot soon, Abram Garcia at 956-334-9085. ★ 38 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
PROUD SPONSOR OF
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 39
The reasons we hunt go far beyond enjoying the outdoors or spending time with friends. The deeply personal motivations that lead us afield and the sense of connection with our quarry are much more difficult concepts to put into words.
W
e need to convey a clearer mesthe great hallmarks of our humanity. In this sage about hunting’s benefits to the sense, it can be argued that modern art and non-hunting community. religion were born in a womb of unThe desire to understand our place certainty, an intense and shadowed BY in nature is an ancient human preoccuplace where man’s sense of uniqueness SHANE P. pation, arising long before our earliest conflicted with his inescapable depenMAHONEY recognized civilizations. Indeed, the dence upon the wild others he pursued emphasis given to this by hunter-gathand killed. It would appear little has erer societies, our longest and most successful changed, and modern debates over our dual social enterprise by far, gave rise to the extraorcitizenship, as both nature’s consumers and cusdinary world of myth and ritual that are among todians all, are unlikely to go away anytime soon. 40 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
ALEXEY KOLDUNOV
Staying Relevant
In this conceptual struggle, hunting has emerged as one of the most contentious issues of all. Why in the modern world, it is asked, should the willful pursuit and taking of wild creatures be allowed? Obviously, for many people, experiences with wildlife can include the stalking and voyeuristic capture of the animal, visually or with camera, but not extend to predatory engagement. Many individuals thus condemn hunting as an anachronism and unnecessary cruelty. By focusing on the animal’s death, they come to condemn the hunting process that leads to it. While it may be convenient for hunters to condemn such ideas outright, or ascribe them to a fringe “animal rights crowd,” the reality is that many people who hold such oppositional views towards hunting are neither fringe elements nor animal rights activists. They simply don’t see any societal value in hunting, and therefore see the pain and death of wild creatures that result as unnecessary and unacceptable. Many of these individuals care deeply about wildlife and conservation. In this sense, they rightfully deserve both our respect and willingness to explain. They are, after all, on our side — though not on the same team. If they are led to honestly ask us, “Why do you hunt?” and “What relevance does hunting have today?” then I believe, as hunters, we have a responsibility to answer truthfully. But this, it appears, is not such an easy task. Most often, hunters respond to the question of “why” by explaining some of the benefits they personally derive while hunting, rather than the deeply personal motivations that lead them to pursue it. Thus, they will cite time outdoors, or the exercise benefits, or the opportunity to spend some time with friends and family as the reasons for their hunting activities — to which the opponents of hunting respond, but why do these things need to end in the death of a beautiful creature? Can you not derive these pleasantries without killing things? The truthful answer, of course, is we can and often do. These perspectives obviously frustrate hunters, believing as we do that our engagements with wild animals lead us to become elite advocates for their conservation and protection. We see the economic and political support that hunters have so long provided as critical to wildlife. We further point out that under many
circumstances hunting can help reduce negative wildlife impacts that can undermine crucial public support for this resource. We point to animal diseases, threats to human property and safety, and habitat destruction or alteration as just some of the negative impacts that unrestrained wildlife populations, native or invasive, can inflict on society. Hunting, we argue, can help deal with these issues, at no cost to the taxpayer. So, doesn’t everybody win? And if hunters don’t do this, who will? This is all true, at least in part. Unfortunately for hunting, there are also many exceptions to these arguments. In fact, we hunt only a tiny percentage of the wildlife species in North America. Most animal populations rise and fall with no influence from hunting whatsoever, and relatively few examples of hunting effectively regulating animal populations can be found. Furthermore, many hunted species have reached incredible numbers, far beyond what hunting can reasonably control. Certainly, it is true that hunters, through license sales and tax levies, do fund an incredible array of conservation programs, supporting game and non-game species management and research, and purchasing extensive amounts of habitat for biodiversity in general. However, considerable public funding from general revenues is also applied to wildlife conservation in North America, often far more than hunters are aware of or will acknowledge. Yet, there can be no doubt that, per capita, hunters pay the greatest freight, and this fact we emphasize too little. So, where does this leave us? It leaves us in desperate need of a more fundamental debate and dialogue on the issues of why we hunt and the relevance of hunting in modern times. It may be fashionable or convenient to reduce arguments in favor of hunting to simplistic categories or half-truths, but in the end these arguments will fail us where it matters most: in the fight for the hearts of the public majority who still support hunting, for the support of those who may be opposed but are truly open-minded, and for our own lifelong commitments to our greatest engagement with nature. In support of hunting, we need strong, clear arguments, based on real evidence and delivered with enlightened passion. What organization will rise to lead this charge, I wonder? ★
Born and raised in Newfoundland, Shane Mahoney is a leading international authority on wildlife conservation. A rare combination of scientist, hunter, angler, historian and philosopher, he brings a unique perspective to wildlife issues that has motivated and inspired audiences around the world.
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 41
Grinding Venison with Pork
Burger Press
Better Burgers BY SCOTT LEYSATH
T
rendy foods may come and go, but burgers will always
be in style. When most people think of a burger, it is beef, but what many home game cooks don’t realize is
that burgers can be made from any game meat. If you have a meat grinder, that’s best. However, good results can be had by
simply pulsing chopped breast fillets in a food processor or, if you are up for it, chopping with a sharp chef ’s knife. Once
chopped, the possibilities for what you put inside, or on top of your burger are limitless.
42 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
Opinions vary on whether it’s best to add some kind of fat to lean ground deer meat. Some prefer not to add beef or pork fat to the mix, often because they don’t buy commercially raised meats from the supermarket. They tell me that their burgers taste just fine without added fat. Others, myself included, add 15 to 25 percent fatty ground beef or pork for juicier and more flavorful burgers that hold together better when cooked. Start by loading a meat grinder (with a coarse grinding plate) with chunks of trimmed game. Add enough pork or beef trim to the grind to add moisture and flavor. Season well with salt and pepper and form the meat into baseballsized balls. Throw them back and forth between your hands several times to compact the mixture. Press into inch-thick patties or use a burger press that compacts the ground meat into equal-sized portions. Place them on a clean, hot and well-greased grill. When juice starts to pool on the top of the burger, it’s time to flip. If they stick to the grill, leave them alone for a few more minutes, allowing them to get seared on the bottom. Once they’re properly browned on
one side, flip them over and give them just a few minutes more before topping with your favorite cheese. Resist the urge to make giant-sized burger patties. The thicker the burger, the better the chance that it will be burnt on the outside before it’s medium-rare and juicy on the inside. In general, the proper temperature for cooking meats, whole or ground, is determined by its thickness. If you must build a bigger burger, turn the heat down so that it cooks a little slower, giving the center a chance to cook before the outside is overcooked. Many recipes call for “one pound of ground venison.” Since most of us don’t have a scale in the kitchen, it helps to know that pound of ground meat equals about two cups, moderately packed. Three cups of ground meat will make four adult-sized patties, especially when other ingredients are added to the mix. To make room for more recipes, I have omitted the usual instructions with each recipe about placing the cooked burgers into buns and adding lettuce, tomato, and your favorite condiments.
VENISON, MUSHROOM AND BLUE CHEESE BURGER
If you are not a fan of pungent blue cheese, substitute your personal favorite cheese into the mix. This recipe works well any ground game. Butter, cheese, onions and mushrooms add moisture and flavor to lean game meat. ingredients
• • • • • • • •
3 cups ground venison 2 tablespoons butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium onion, finely diced 2 cups mushrooms, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs salt and pepper
preparation
1. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and sauté until soft. Transfer to a medium bowl and allow to cool. 2. Add ground venison, blue cheese, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and mix well with your hands to blend. Form into 4 large patties. Grill, pan-fry or broil patties until browned.
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 43
ELK, CILANTRO AND JALAPENO BURGER
Mild heat and ingredients enhance the natural goodness of ground elk. A sprinkling of masa flour helps to bind the burger while adding a hint of tamale flavor with the pepper jelly balancing the tartness of the lime juice. A slice of your favorite cheese on top completes the recipe. ingredients
• • • • • • • • • •
2 1/4 cups ground elk 3/4 cup ground pork 3 tablespoons masa flour (masa harina) 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tablespoons pepper jelly 1/4 cup jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 1/4 cup onion, minced 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, minced
preparation
1. Combine ground elk and pork and mix well. While mixing, sprinkle masa flour, garlic powder, and Kosher salt over to distribute evenly. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Form into 4 equal-sized patties. Cook to desired doneness.
WILD TURKEY AND BASIL BURGER WITH LEMON GARLIC MAYONNAISE Wild turkey often gets a bad rap for being dry. It’s true. If you overcook your wild turkey it will be dry, however, a properly cooked wild turkey burger is moist and flavorful.
ingredients (4 servings)
• • • • • • • •
3 cups ground wild turkey breast fillets 3 tablespoons Japanese bread crumbs 2 green onions, minced 1 egg white, lightly beaten 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced 1/3 teaspoon Kosher salt pinch or two ground white pepper olive oil
Lemon Garlic Mayonnaise • 3/4 cup mayonnaise • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 2 teaspoons lemon zest preparation
1. In a bowl, combine turkey burger ingredients and mix well. Form into 4 equal-sized balls and pack firmly. Lightly coat each with olive oil and press into patties. Cook to desired doneness. Best at 145–155 degree internal temperature. 2. Combine mayonnaise ingredients and mix well. Place a dollop of the mayonnaise mixture on the top and bottom of the burger buns.
44 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
DUCK BURGER WITH FRIED EGG
People who claim not to like the taste of wild duck can’t help but love the taste of these burgers. And while any duck will do, a duck burger tastes best when made with puddlers like mallard, pintail, and wigeon rather than dark-fleshed sea ducks and divers. It’s always best to soak ducks, and duck parts, in a brine for several hours to replace the blood with the mild, salty solution. Combine 1/2 gallon water with 1/2 cup each Kosher salt (or any coarse salt) and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Heat a cup or two of the water in a saucepan and stir in the salt and brown sugar until dissolved. Add to the remaining water and cool to below 40 degrees before adding duck to brine. Once brined, rinse and pat dry. ingredients
• • • • • • • • • •
3/4 cup ground or finely chopped bacon 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced 2 1/4 cups ground duck breast fillets 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon flour 4 eggs, fried over-easy
preparation
1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until it is lightly browned, but not fully cooked. Add butter, onion, garlic and rosemary and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer contents of the skillet to a bowl and allow to cool completely. Add ground duck, pepper, and salt. Sprinkle flour evenly over mixture. Mix well and form into 4 equalsized patties. Cook to desired doneness and top each with a warm fried egg.
VENISON HORSERADISH BURGER
This recipe also works well with other antlered game, waterfowl, and beef. The combination of horseradish, bacon and ground venison packs a powerful punch to your taste buds. ingredients
• 2 cups ground venison • 3/4 cup ground fatty beef or pork • 1/4 cup minced onion • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper • dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup • 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs • 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish • 4 slices bacon • 4 slices cheese, any
preparation
1. Mix venison well with next 8 ingredients. Shape into four patties. Wrap a piece of bacon around each patty and secure with toothpick or skewer. Broil, grill or pan sear each side until done. Melt cheese over top.
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 45
MUSHROOM RUB
Coat any burger with this earthy mixture for an added dimension of flavor and texture. ingredients
• • • •
2 cups dried mushrooms (shiitake, etc.) 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder
preparation
1. Place mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until ground into a coarse powder. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder and pulse a few more times. 2. Mixture can be added to loose ground meat for extra flavor. Liberally rub venison steaks and burgers with the mushroom rub and pan-sear, broil or grill until cooked to desired doneness. ★
46 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
Prairie Mountain Wildlife Studio prairiemountain@goldenwest.net www.prairiemountainwildlife.com Cell 605.490.2711 | Fax 605.985.5213
Brush Country Studios office@brushcountrystudios.com www.brushcountrystudios.com Cell 713.202.8956 | 281.256.0742
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 47
Above: Rio Bonito Ranch Staff, Guides, and TX Paralyzed Veteran hunters. Below: Consistently shooting the 10-ring at 450 - 500 yards, TX Paralyzed Veterans.
48 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
Armen Gamayen (TX Paralyzed Veteran) Evening hunt harvest with new custom AR-556 built on ranch.
Josue Lopez (TX Paralyzed Veteran) with first pig of the hunt.
Spring Rio Turkey Hunt with Texas Paralyzed Veterans BY DAVID & DEBBIE SELBY
When winter has finally departed, and spring is in the air, Blue Bonnet and Indian Paint Brush flowers are making their annual grand appearance, and father time has leaped ahead. Spring Rio Turkey Hunting Season is upon us. Twenty-seventeen is the fourth year Houston Safari Club, Hunting with Heroes Committee has hosted combat wounded veterans to a hunting opportunity at Rio Bonito Ranch (RBR) Junction, Texas. Every year the committee’s goal is to provide a select group of our nation’s warriors with a positive opportunity, filled with laughter, experiences, and a fresh new occasion for memories, which lead to stories to be shared with family, and friends unlike any other they’ve ever told.
SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 49
“Band of Brothers”
This year HSC teamed up with Texas Paralyzed Veterans (TPV). We met up with our warriors at Bass Pro Shop on I-10 West of San Antonio. Our hunting warriors for this trip were; David Bradshaw, Josue Lopez, Fioreamonte (Monte) Bernardo, Armen Gamayen, and Johnny ( Jimmy) Nguyen, all true patriots, and men of honor. After our initial meet and greet we checked and verified all participants were licensed, and adequate ammunition was in hand for each weapon. We then proceeded to the original Rudy’s BBQ just up the road for lunch prior to commencing our 90-minute westward journey to RBR. Upon arriving the ranch, all warriors were given 30 minutes to unpack, get settled, and change into proper hunting attire. We had our formal introduction, HSC and RBR safety orientation briefing, and rules of the hunt before heading out to the shooting range to sight in and check “zero” for each gun, then move quickly to our first evening hunt. Everyone in attendance had an incredible time thanks entirely to the professional staff assembled under the leadership of Gwen Hughes (RBR Manager). The guides (George, Gary, Marty and Nathan) each went far above and beyond expectations. They ensured each hunting warrior on every early morning and evening hunt were on 50 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
Johnny Nguyen (TX Paralyzed Veteran) and first Rio Tom of the hunt
time, comfortable, and positioned in such a way to experience the constant procession of the ranches diverse animal population, and true grandeur of RBR (over 18,000 acres of West Texas Hill Country). This made every hunt a story in and of itself. Upon returning to the lodge at the conclusion of each of the six hunts, every member of the hunting party was met by an exquisite meal fit for a king (or in our case, a hero). The hunt allowed each warrior the opportunity to harvest two Toms and unlimited pigs. There was also time for bass fishing (catch and release) in the stocked lake. In the last six months, RBR has opened Rio Bonito Adventures. This new endeavor includes a three-gun competition shooting range, as well as a 550-yard long range shooting area. After being shown “how it’s done” by Pat Hughes (RBR Asst. Manager), our own “Band of Brothers” moved in to show off their military skills, dropping repeated bull’s eye shots from 400 and 550 yards with seemingly little effort. During a short break in between hunts, TPV presented a custom 5.56 assault rifle to one of its newest members, Fioreamonte (Monte) Bernardo. There was one catch: he had to assemble it. Each component was donated, or offered at a greatly discounted price to TPV and presented as a kit, containing hundreds of pieces and parts. TPV does
this for returning warriors who have persevered through their own personal challenges and recovery process, being an inspiration, motivator, and role model to other combat wounded veterans who have returned home with their own diverse challenges. The weapon assembly process quickly became a team effort with each warrior in our group having been a platoon/squad armorer (a true alpha-male). Each one had input on how to perform each step in a better “different” way, adding lots of laughter, ribbing, and stories that drew a lot of attention from other hunting parties and ranch staff. At the same time, David Bradshaw and Josue Lopez were building another custom rifle TPV will donate to HSC to be raffled off to a lucky winner at the Houston Safari Club Sporting Clays Tournament at the Greater Houston Gun Club. All proceeds go directly to TVP and their ongoing work with returning combat warriors. With everything that took place during our hunt, time seemed to fly by, bringing to conclusion a hunt with memories that will last a lifetime. Having experienced tranquility in the heart of God’s country, everyone left the hunt at Rio Bonito Ranch refreshed, renewed, and strengthened, ready to meet life’s challenges head on. We all left with what we came to RBR in search of — mission accomplished! ★
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Mont-Tremblant, Québec, Canada | 819 687-9111 | info@laurentianwildlife.com | laurentianwildlife.com SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 51
Italy
52 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
This Summer's
Top 5 Destinations
From West University Travel
V
acations are often the family memories that we look back on most fondly. Unfortunately, those trips aren’t always the easiest to plan. Finding something for different ages, different interests, and different activity levels can be challenging. That’s where we at West University Travel come in. Read ahead to see our top five hottest destinations for family travel that can be combined pre- or post-safari, or just taken as a stand-alone vacation, then contact us to start planning your next trip! ITALY
Italy is one of our most beloved travel destinations, and it’s a perfect place to take the family along! With its rich history and culture, there are plenty of things to see and do (and a gelato shop on every corner to satisfy every sweet tooth). For a first-time trip, we recommend splitting your time between the “Big Three” of Rome, Florence, and Venice. Start off with Rome, the Eternal City. Kids will enjoy running around the ruins of the Imperial Forums and Palatine Hill, while parents can read up on the extensive history. A great guide can bring the stories of the Colosseum to life, with tales filled with gladiator fights and ferocious animals. For a truly unique experience, get hands-on with gladiator lessons at the Gruppo Storico Romano, where a team of athletes, actors, and historians will guide your kids through the basic moves of gladiatorial combat (while sneaking in some history lessons too!). If museums are more your style, try doing a scavenger hunt through the Vatican Museum, where various riddles and clues will introduce your child to some of the most famous works of art in the world. For your second city, move on to Florence. While typically viewed as more of an adult city, there is still plenty to do for families. Climb to the top of Bunelleschi’s dome on the Duomo for a stunning panorama of the
city, or take a boat tour down the Arno River. With its great location in central Italy, Florence is also the perfect starting point for day trips to the Leaning Tower of Pisa or Tuscan-style cooking classes. Venice marks your final stop and is the grand finale for your Italian family adventure. The fun begins right upon arrival, as you hop in a vaporetto for a ride to your hotel. The city itself is a fascinating maze of alleys, waterways, and majestic palaces, and the best way to experience the city is on a classic black gondola. After touring from the water, head over to Venice’s Lido beach to splash around yourself if the weather is warm enough!
THE UNITED KINGDOM
As the land of Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, and King Arthur, the U.K. is the perfect family destination. Start off in London, where you’ll need several days to see even part of what the city has to offer. Marvel at Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, then enjoy a ride to the top of the London Eye (the largest Ferris wheel in Europe!). Kids will love the lively Beefeater tours of the Tower of London, while parents can enjoy learning about the Tower’s dark and fascinating history. Once life in the city starts to tire, head into the English countryside for a more relaxing pace. Stay in one of the country’s many glamorous country houses, where working farms and
Japan
Galapagos
54 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
The United Kingdom
acres of lawns ensure plenty of space for kids to roam and play. After spending time in England, take the scenic train North to Edinburgh to visit Scotland. Take a bike tour of the city, tour Edinburgh Castle, and send teens on a ghost tour by night. Then grab a car and drive out to see somber Culloden or try to spy Nessie in Loch Ness. If traveling during the summer months, try to experience some Highland Games, thrilling spectacles of dancing, pipe band marches, and acts of strength.
GALAPAGOS
If you’re looking for a truly unforgettable family vacation, look no further than a cruise through the Galapagos Islands. The diversity within this small archipelago provides something for everyone. For those seeking wild destinations and adventures, we encourage you to snorkel with sea turtles and swimming iguanas, walk among sunbathing sea lions, or embark on a one-night camping trip among giant tortoises! Marine scientists and expert naturalists will lead the way on excursions and provide on-board lectures
and programming. For those eager to share their love of the natural world with their family, a Galapagos cruise provides a safe and rewarding trip for children and adults alike. Cruising between these enchanted islands is truly the best way to immerse yourself in a remarkable Galapagos experience with your family. After your cruise, spend a few days in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, dramatically situated high in the Andes. Here you can explore the Plaza Grande square and the ultra-ornate Compañia de Jesús church and revel in the unique blend of European, Moorish, and indigenous styles.
JAPAN
With its unique combination of timeless tradition and modern lifestyle, Japan enthralls travelers of all ages. Start in Tokyo, where you’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories from retired sumo wrestlers before you try your hand at sumo wrestling. After that, meet with someone from a longstanding historic family of spies! Younger kids will love the private ninja lesson, and adults may appreciate the skills and techniques that the ninjas
use to maintain peace. Have older kids? Take a tour of Tokyo after 5 p.m. and go “yakitori hopping” — between sips of sake, you’ll take a skewer of this Japanese chicken from one of the several local restaurants. Next up, make your way to Kyoto where you can see the Tofukuji Temple and Fushimi Inari Shrine, home to an endless stretch of iconic red tori gates spread throughout a heavily wooded mountain. Then experience the traditional Japanese cultural practice of a tea ceremony. You’ll be introduced to the tea ceremony by the Tea Master, who will then demonstrate how to make and enjoy the traditional green tea. At the end of the lesson, put your skills to the test by making your very own batch. Before ending your trip, head to Hakone and spend a night in a traditional Japanese ryokan. With a direct flight from Houston to Tokyo, there’s no reason not to grab your family and head to Japan to create some memories that will last a lifetime.
ICELAND
Iceland is a hot travel destination this year, and it’s easy to see why. Though the SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 55
Northern Lights are a major draw, there is so much more to see on this breathtaking Nordic island. Start in Reykjavik and explore the National and Saga museums, taking time to trace Iceland’s Viking history. Though younger kids may be enthralled by the stories of Vikings, the older teens may appreciate the indie art and music scene that has started to take root in the capital city. Venture out of Reykjavik, and you’ll really begin to see the dramatic landscape with volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, and lava fields. There’s ample opportunity for guided hikes and ice climbs over the 4,500 miles of glacier that the country has to offer. Visit Europe’s largest national park, Vatnajökull National Park, where you’ll find the Öræfajökull volcano and Iceland’s tallest peak. Iceland can be a perfect stopover on your way to Europe, or a trip all on its own. West University Travel offers you the opportunity to see the world in a different way, by customizing and personalizing your travel experiences. You’ll see the world as you want to see it. Our extensive, proficient, and worldwide travel expertise means that you will get firsthand knowledge for all seven continents. Our diversity also brings with
Iceland
it a passion for travel and fosters unbridled enthusiasm for learning while exploring our diverse planet. Whether it’s a family cruise through the Galapagos or a once-in-a-lifetime African safari, your West University Travel advisor can make it happen and will create an exclusive itinerary personalized exactly for you. Leave the planning to us.
Interested in exploring more of the world’s top destinations? Need help planning your pre- or post safari adventures? West University Travel can provide inspiration, planning, resources, and support from start to finish. Contact us at info@westutravel.com to speak to one of our knowledgeable travel advisors. ★
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SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 57
DAN L. DUNCAN
Scholarship Recipients 2016-17 Caitlin J. Curry April 14, 2017
Dear Houston Safari Club Members, I have had the honor of being a two-time recipient of the Dan L. Duncan Scholarship (2015-2016 & 2016-2017). I am nearing the completion of my fifth year as a doctoral student, meaning I am fully immersed in my dissertation research, collecting and analyzing data for my research project “A Century of Conservation Genetics: Reconstructing Historic Population Size & Genetic Diversity of African Lions (Panthera leo) to Ensure their Future.” I have accomplished a lot with my education and research during my tenure as a Scholarship recipient. I have become a Ph.D. candidate, having completed my written and oral preliminary examinations in September 2015. I have been a teaching assistant for Biomedical Genetics (GENE 320) and the Comprehensive Genetics Lab (GENE 312). And, in December 2015, I published my first manuscript as part of my dissertation research. It can be found at: Curry CJ, White PA, Derr JN (2015) Mitochondrial Haplotype Diversity in Zambian Lions: Bridging a Gap in the Biogeography of an Iconic Species. PLoS ONE 10(12): e0143827. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0143827 Although I am finished with my formal coursework, I have attended various short courses and certificate programs to keep actively learning. Over the past two years, I have attended two major conferences to present my research, the Wildlife Society Annual Conference and the Society for Conservation Biology’s North
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American Congress. I was awarded a travel grant to present my research at the Wildlife Society Annual Conference. To spread the word of my research outside of academia, I participated in a “Cat Challenge” crowdfunding campaign through Experiment.com. My project came in second place among 21 projects. The promo video of my research project can be found at Experiment.com/liondiversity. Earlier this year I traveled to the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven, Connecticut and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to collect historical lion samples from their mammal collections. My project currently has more than 130 historical lion specimens dating from the 1880s to the 1930s from natural history museums around the world. I have completed the design of the biotechnology this project will use for looking at genetic diversity from historic and modern lion populations and, currently, I am vigorously working in the lab to process all these samples and uncover the information held in their DNA. My long-term goal is to aide in the development of innovative strategies to help with the issues of humancarnivore conflict. By understanding the characterization
of wild carnivore populations appropriate strategies can be developed to allow for the coexistence of humans and carnivores in the natural environment. I am greatly appreciative of the support I have received from this scholarship and the Houston Safari Club. The association has been immensely helpful in achieving my goals. With sincere gratitude, Caitlin J. Curry Doctoral Candidate
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DAN L. DUNCAN
| Scholarship Recipients 2016-17
Grant Lawrence April 11, 2017 Dear Houston Safari Club Members, Thank you for the blessing of being selected as a recipient of the 2016– 2017 Dan L. Duncan scholarship. Please accept the following update of my graduate studies and my life since the September monthly meeting. Several accomplishments occurred in the fall shortly after accepting the scholarship. Among these was my authorship of an article entitled “Feral Pig Toxicants in Texas: An Additional Control Technique,” which was published in Texas Wildlife Association’s November magazine. I also successfully defended my thesis in November in front of an audience of my peers. In addition to my feral pig graduate research, I also presented my research conducted as a scaled quail technician for Borderlands Research Institute. These results will assist future quail management plans for Cibolo Creek Ranch as well as other
properties in the Trans-Pecos region. December was an exciting time as I completed the final two courses of my graduate work, finishing my graduate career with a 3.84 GPA. Just a few days after the semester ended, I officially accepted the full-time position of Ranch Foreman at Shield Ranch in Travis County. This position focuses on wildlife habitat improvements, utilizing brush management, proper grazing
techniques, rangeland conservation, riparian health, invasive species control, as well as education and outreach with the surrounding schools and community. After entering the job field, I continued to present my research findings. In February, I gave an oral presentation at Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society in San Antonio and was awarded second place for the Clarence Cottam Award. I will graduate with my M.S. Natural Resource Management degree from Sul Ross State University in May 2017. Thank you, Houston Safari Club for the Dan L. Duncan scholarship. Your generous contribution fueled the completion of this degree and enabled the pursuit of my dreams. If I can be of any assistance to HSC members, or if questions arise regarding my research, please do not hesitate to contact me. In gratitude, Grant Lawrence
Heather Sanders March 7, 2017 Members of the Houston Safari Club: I was one of the many fortunate recipients of the Dan L. Duncan Scholarship in 2016-2017. Since the reception last fall, much has happened in my research investigating the impacts of feral swine on wild turkey reproductive success. During my 2016 field season, we monitored the movements of 36 feral swine and more than 350 simulated wild turkey nests. We determined that feral swine were the most significant nest predator for wild turkey at my field site near San Antonio, Texas. While feral swine spend more time in turkey nesting habitat during the seasonal peak of turkey nesting, it does not appear that feral swine respond to increased nest density. I am just beginning my second field season. We have equipped 36 feral swine and 21 wild turkey hens with GPS monitors earlier this year. I will spend the next three months following the hens to locate their nests which I will monitor with motion sensing cameras. This year’s study will allow us to investigate the influence of the 60 HUNTER'S HORN SUMMER 2017
incubating hen on nest depredation by feral swine as well as the impact of feral swine on other turkey breeding behaviors. My work at Texas A&M University-Kingsville has allowed me to participate in several courses over the past six months. I took a course in statistical regression for the biological sciences, a course in the use of geographic information systems for spatial analyses, and a course on ecosystem functions and management. As a part of the latter, I took part in a service learning program, in which I spoke to Kingsville high school students about career options in wildlife sciences. Working at the university has also allowed me to present my research at a variety of venues, including the South Texas Wildlife Conference, Caesar Kleberg Houston Partners’ Meeting, the National Meeting of the Wildlife Society, and the Meeting of the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society. I have also had many opportunities to
share my research with landowners, as interest in feral swine, the damages they cause, and ways to reduce their numbers as the population continues to increase. My first year at Texas A&M UniversityKingsville has provided me with a great number of opportunities and experiences that will, without a doubt, be invaluable to my career in wildlife research, and I am eager to see what year two has in store. Thank you for your continued support of wildlife research and game management. Your generous donations have been a blessing both to me and my fellow scholarship recipients. Kindest Regards, Heather Sanders Graduate Research Assistant Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute Texas A&M University-Kingsville
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DAN L. DUNCAN
| Scholarship Recipients 2016-17
Jason Vincent Lombardi April 14, 2017 Houston Safari Club, First and foremost, I was grateful and honored to be selected as a recipient of the Dan L. Duncan Scholarship last fall. The following is an update on the progress of my doctoral research, which is investigating “Habitat Factors Affecting Ocelot Occupancy and Conservation in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.” Since I was recognized at the September meeting of the Houston Safari Club, I have been busy with my doctoral research, taking classes, and presenting completed and preliminary data at different meetings in Texas. In the fall of 2016, I completed analyses for my final dissertation chapter, which examines change and fragmentation of woody cover in the Lower Rio Grande Valley from 1984–2016. This year I have been busy with capturing small cats. As of April 13, we have been fortunate to capture and collar four ocelots (three males and one female) as well as three bobcats (two males and one female) with GPS and Satellite collars. The collars, which record locations of the cats every half hour, have so far yielded >5,000 GPS locations in three months, with up to two to three months of data collection remaining on each collar. This information, combined with data from 2016 and 2018, will be incorporated into a seasonal habitat suitability index for male and female ocelots in southern Texas. Besides the captures, I have been collecting camera data on two ranches in Willacy County, Texas, including the East Foundation’s El Sauz Ranch. Data is revealing macro and microhabitat and intra-guild factors that influence ocelot occupancy in the Lower Rio Grande Valley from 2011–present. In February 2017, I presented data at three regional conferences in Texas. I presented a poster over my completed land-cover change analysis and gave talks over my preliminary camera data on ocelot occupancy at the 71st Annual Meeting of the Subtropical Environments and Agriculture Society, the
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Doctoral student Jason Lombardi, holding a sedated male bobcat fitted with a GPS collar on the East Foundations’ El Sauz Ranch in Willacy County, Texas. Photo Credit: Matthew Hewitt.
Annual Meeting of the Texas Mammal Society, and the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society. Furthermore, I will be giving an oral presentation over the ocelot occupancy study at the 98th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists in Moscow, Idaho at the end of June and plan to present a poster at the 23rd Annual Meeting of The Wildlife Society at the end of September in Albuquerque, New Mexico. My dissertation research will yield new insights into ocelot ecology, which is critical for ocelot conservation in Southern Texas. These research efforts are enhancing ocelot conservation on private lands at the northern extent of their geographical range. If you have any questions or want more information on my research, feel free to contact me. Best, Jason Vincent Lombardi Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University – Kingsville
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DAN L. DUNCAN
| Scholarship Recipients 2016-17
Laura Warner
Performing a rump fat ultrasound on a mule deer. Photo credit: David Hewitt
April 14, 2017 Houston Safari Club, Last fall, I was honored to be chosen as one of the recipients of the Dan L. Duncan Scholarship. I have recently completed my first year of graduate research in the Master’s Program in Range and Wildlife Management at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. With the help of your generous scholarship, I was able to focus on my classes and my research project and gain valuable knowledge and skills for my future career. My research studies the influence of agriculture on mule deer movement and survival in the Texas Panhandle. Throughout the year, I monitored radio-collared mule deer using radio telemetry. Being out in the field was an incredible learning experience. Observing the movement patterns and behaviors of the deer was exciting since the project is the first of its kind to study mule deer movement on a large scale in the area. I also learned a lot about the native vegetation in the Rolling Plains by helping a fellow grad student on the project with his plant sampling for nutritional analysis. In October 2016 I experienced my first deer capture to recapture collared deer and download GPS data from the collars. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the captured deer and getting to see them up close after observing them from a distance for nearly a year. During the capture, we took body and antler measurements to track the growth and production of the deer over time. My advisor, Dr. Dave Hewitt, taught me
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Posing with a captured mule deer buck with my advisor, Dr. David Hewitt. Photo credit: Thomas Janke
how to assess the body condition of a deer by assigning a body condition score to the animal and performing a rump fat ultrasound to measure the thickness of fat on the rump. Learning and implementing a specialized skill was satisfying and rewarding, and I am excited to continue learning as my project progresses. Since the capture, I have presented some of my results at multiple venues, including the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society annual meeting in San Antonio, the Texas Mule Deer Foundation Leadership Conference in Fredericksburg, and the Boone and Crockett Club annual meeting in Spokane, Washington. I will also be presenting at the upcoming Deer and Elk Workshop for the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in Sun Valley, Idaho. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to travel and present my research around the United States while getting to meet some amazing people across a variety of disciplines. My graduate education has proven to be a challenging and rewarding experience. I am grateful to be able to learn, not only from my professors and fellow students, but also from my hands-on work in the field. I cannot thank the Houston Safari Club enough for its generosity to me and countless other wildlife students. Kind regards, Laura Warner
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2017 Houston Safari Club Sporting Clays Tournament Wrap-up BY JEFF BIRMINGHAM 2017 SPORTING CLAYS TOURNAMENT CHAIRMAN
HOA & TEAM WINNERS HOA Veteran: Stacey Rice (88) HOA Lady: Haley Dunn (96) HOA Junior: Forrest Montealegre (103) HOA Male: Zach Klenbaum (104) HOA Shoot Off Champion: Pablo Montealegre • A CLASS • 1st Place Team: Core Lab (407) Jim Gresham Bobby Fowler Clay Gaspar Randall Garrett 2nd Place Team: Alliance Team (401) Carlos Vaquero Clay Shock Jeff Birmingham Jeff Sizemore • B CLASS •
Every year the goal for the annual Sporting Clays shoot is to enjoy a fun day of fellowship with our members, their families, and the many friends of Houston Safari Club. The 2017 event was no exception; the beautiful Houston weather allowed for a perfect day to raise money for HSC’s mission of preserving the sport of hunting through education, conservation, and the protection of hunters' rights. This year we had over 250 shooters competing at Greater Houston Gun Club and the management and staff of GHGC went out of their way to make sure the event ran smoothly. It was an amazing thing to watch as fathers and sons, husbands and wives, and many of our friends came together for the day of fun and fellowship. A special thanks to Matt Pyle for coordinating the Veterans participation in the shoot. This was another amazing aspect of the day and it was truly an honor to spend the day with these heroes. During the awards ceremony several veterans were presented their mounted trophies from HSC hunts throughout the year. Our exhibitors added to the festive atmosphere, and we truly appreciate their participation. A big thank you goes out to everyone associated with the outstanding raffles and auctions. It was an impressive lineup of items and the monies raised are for programs benefiting habitat & species preservation, youth education, veterans programs and more. The shoot committee would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all of our sponsors, members, exhibitors, volunteers, staff and attendees for making the 2017 shoot a big success. Sincerely, Jeff Birmingham 2017 Sporting Clays Tournament Chairman
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1st Place Team: Cokinos/Young #2 (334) Russell Barnett Patrick Garner Covey Power Craig Power 2nd Place Team: Texas Floor Covering Inc. (331) Judene Deakle Holly Patton Marilv Robbins Kim Shapiro • C CLASS • 1st Place Team: Cascade Ammo (291) Ramon Navarro Armando Ortiz Jorge Adlrett Carlos Martinez 2nd Place Team: Bayou City Industrial (291) Jason Miller Brandon Bearden Preston Bearden Jeff Bearden
GAME WINNERS Mixed Target: David Esslinger (31) Flurry: Cokinos/Yount #1 (87) John C. Warren Chris Schwarz Todd Buster David Esslinger
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1: Haley Dunn & Ed Arrighi from American Shooting Centers 2: The audience gathers as the top 10 shooters compete for the championship belt 3: High Heel Huntress team (cart sponsor) Taylor Birmingham, Pamela Halverson, Jody Simpson, and Estelle Mostyn 4: Josh Flowers (Owner of Little J’s Bar) 5: Henderson Team 6: Oilfield Po’ Boys Team: Pablo Montealegre, Bill Long, Bryan Anderson, and David Hayden 7: The ladies of High Heel Huntress supporting their team on the course
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8: Corporate Sponsor team: Capital Farm Credit 9: Jeff Birmingham and Carlos Vaquero 10: Forrest Montealegre and Dylan Anderson play a round of cornhole before the top 10 shoot-off 11: Jody Simpson 12: Sporting Clay Tournament Chairman, Jeff Birmingham with Chris Gilroy of our Corporate Sponsor, Wildlife Partners 13: Mark King presents HOA Junior Top Shooter to Forrest Montealegre 14: Taylor Birmingham takes aim 15: Hunter Comiskey, Melanie Pepper, and John Bowers 16: 2017 HSC Championship Belt - Awarded to Pablo Montelagre (Awards Sponsored by Wildlife Partners) SUMMER 2017 HUNTER'S HORN 69
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17: SSG Kisha Makerney of the Patriot Warrior Foundation 18: HOA Top Male Shooter, Zach Klenbaum receives award from Mark King 19: Josue Lopez of the Patriot Warrior Foundation 20: 2nd place Team - Clay Shock, Carlos Vaquero, Mark King, Jeff Birmingham, Jeff Sizemore 21: Corporate Sponsor team: Wildlife Partners LLC 22: Doug’s Clay Dusters Team: Erec Isaacson, Megan Gosnell, and Stephen Loving 23: Double D/Borderlands Team: Ryan Luna, Ryan O’Shaughnessy, Clay Waneck, Gary Rose, and Chris Nelly
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24: Mark King presents HOA Junior Top Shooter to Forrest Montealegre 25: Printing sponsor team: Alliance 26: Mark King presents HOA Top Female Shooter to Haley Dunn 27: Jeff Birmingham presents Pablo Montealegre with the championship belt 28: Jeff Birmingham takes aim 29: Oil Field Bratz Team: Kalar Latin, Blake Bajjali, Dylan Anderson, and Forrest Montealegre 30: Dylan Anderson
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