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TABLE of
CONTENTS
FEATURES 17 HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB FONDLY
2018 HS C CON V EN TION 19 CONVENTION
CHAIRS’ MESSAGE
Mark & Julianne King
REMEMBERS HAROLD INMAN
56 ADVOCATING FOR HUNTERS AND
26 2018 HSC HUNTRESS
45 2018 HSC CONVENTION
28 2018 HSC
46 2018 HSC CONVENTION
OF THE YEAR: DENISE E. WELKER
By Matt Napiltonia
EXPERIENCE BEYOND HUNTING
PROFESSIONAL HUNTER OF THE YEAR: PETER TAM
By Tim Herald
68 A WILD JOURNEY: FLIPPING SOCIAL MEDIA FROM ANTI-HUNTER TO HUNTER RECRUITMENT
30 2018 HSC YOUTH
HUNTER OF THE YEAR: TRISTAN PEPPER
By Brad Luttrell
76 ASIAN FLAVORS
By Scott Leysath, The Sporting Chef
82 A LAND ETHIC FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, IT'S ON YOU!
38
By Dr. Megan Clayton
86 LEAP OF FAITH: CAN HUNTING AND
CONSERVATION GROUPS WORK TOGETHER TO FORM A STRONG COALITION TO PROTECT OUR WILDLIFE AND HUNTING HERITAGE?
By Shane P. Mahoney
90 A TEXAS BIGHORN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME
By Hank Dorris
94 NEXT GENERATION OF HUNTERS By Abby Rapp
COVER ARTWORK:
2018 HSC Convention Photography Awards, Best in Show by Terry Rathert
4 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
CONSERVATION EXPERIENCE
38 2018 HSC CONVENTION
OF THE YEAR: WILLIAM B. NEWLIN
By Jeff Crane
62 BEZOAR IBEX IN TURKEY, AN
34 YOUTH WILDLIFE
24 2018 HSC HUNTER
WILDLIFE IN WASHINGTON, DC
58 AFRICA FIELD REPORT
SPRING 2018
90
PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
YOUTH HUNTING AWARDS
HUNTING AWARDS
54 HOUSTON SAFARI
CLUB PICKS PEPPERS AT ANNUAL CONVENTION
94
62
76 82
17
68 SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 5
OUR MISSION Preserving the
sport of hunting through
education,
conservation and the
protection of
hunters’ rights.
6 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
2017-2018 HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB OFFICERS Tommy Morrison – President Mark King – Immediate Past President Mitzy McCorvey – President Elect Patrick Bryan Anderson – Vice President Shaun Nelson – Vice President John Pepper – Treasurer Jerry Henderson – Secretary HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB DIRECTORS 2017–2019 Michael Van Ambrose Jeff Birmingham Linda Cunningham Travis Simpson Matt Mann 2016–2018 Monica Williamson JD Burrows John Bowers Darrell Kainer HEADQUARTERS STAFF Joe Betar, Executive Director Dawn Fuselier, Office Manager Carla Nielsen, Marketing & Publications Manager Abby Rapp, Membership & Youth Education Manager Nancy Oka, Events Manager Charlotte Betar, Advertising Sales Vic Williams, Editorial Consultant Nate Silva, Allyson Preble, Design Consultants 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 2018 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 APRIL 6-APRIL 8 HSC Turkey Hunt DEA Ranch
APRIL 14
Spring event; Crawfish Boil The Hideaway on Dunvale
MAY 11
HSC Annual Sporting Clays Tournament Greater Houston Gun Club
JUNE 7
Worldwide Trophy Adventures presents Understanding the Tag Process Houston Racquet Club
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 7
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE TOMMY MORRISON, HSC PRESIDENT
W
ow, what a Convention! Joe Betar, Executive Director, and staff, Nancy Oka, Dawn Fuselier, Carla Nielsen and Abby Rapp pulled off the best Convention, that I believe, we have ever had. They, along with Mark and Julianne King, co-chairpersons of the Convention, and our volunteers, did an outstanding job in coordinating the day to day events, extinguishing fires before they started and organizing the many details that it takes to present a Convention such as ours. They did it all flawlessly! I went straight to the SCI Convention directly after ours and I heard over and over again from exhibitors how great the Houston Safari Club Convention was and they looked forward to returning next year. Looking to the future, we now have a model to follow to make things bigger and better and to expand the club. When I walked into the hall for the first time, I stood there looking at the rows of exhibitors, signs above the aisles, our staff working tirelessly in organizing the setup, and people scurrying around setting up booths. I was amazed in what had finally come to fruition. The Houston Safari Club Convention would now be seen as a real Convention that exhibitors would strive to be included in. I cannot say enough about the work and dedication that Mark and Julianne King have done for this club and they were instrumental in the success of our Convention. They, along with our Convention chairs and volunteers deserve our thanks. I believe we are now on the threshold of expanding as a club and making a larger impact on the hunting and conservation worlds. Changing ACES name to the Houston Safari Club Foundation as a 501(c)3 organization and moving our operations under this will create an immense impact on our club. It will open new doors in fundraising, staging events and many other important endeavors. This is an exciting time to be involved with the club. The success of the Convention and our operations
8 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
becoming a 501(c)3 will certainly catapult the club forward towards our mission to preserve the sport of hunting. Jump on the wagon and be a part of our new history in the making. Sincerely,
Tommy Morrison HSC President
WildLife Partners is, first and foremost, a profit driven wildlife EE
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for threatened wildlife all over the world.
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innovative and will be the most successful method of conservation
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conservation company. We believe that our model is the most
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We place more exotic wildlife on private ranches than anyone in the United States.
L E A R N M O RE AT WI LD LIFEPARTNERS.CO M
CONTAC T US AT 8 6 6 . 3 7 7 . 3 0 0 0 SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 9
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR‘S MESSAGE JOE BETAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
W
e made it! The 2018 Houston Safari Club Convention is in the books and it was a big success! This issue of Hunter’s Horn provides a great Convention wrap-up in addition to other terrific and informative editorial content. You will hear more about Convention from your HSC President, Tommy Morrison. I would like to express my sincere thanks to each of you that attended, our volunteers, staff, and committee chairpersons for all they did to ensure our success. A special thanks to our 2018 Convention Chairpersons, Julianne and Mark King. You will hear more about Convention in their column as well. Most importantly, a huge thanks to my wife Charlotte, who always holds dinner for me, always greets me with a smile when I arrive home 30 minutes later than I say I would and tirelessly gives of herself to Houston Safari Club. Twenty-eighteen promises to be a busy year for Houston Safari Club and the hunting-conservation world. You may recall in my last message that a vote was pending to change the name of the American Conservation & Education Society to Houston Safari Club Foundation and to move operations and membership to the Foundation. In tandem, the vote included bylaw changes to support these changes. I am proud to report the membership of Houston Safari Club approved these changes. We are currently completing the processes necessary for this transition and plan to implement the changes effective July 1, 2018. Under our new structure, Houston Safari Club, a 501(c)(4), will be dedicated to an even greater hunting policy and legislative focus for our organization. Membership, operations, scholarship, youth education-shooting sports, Convention and other membership-related events will be moved to the Houston Safari Club Foundation, a 501(c)(3). We will conduct fundraising opportunities to support both branches of our organization. This new structure allows us to provide more focus on hunters’ rights through our 501(c)(4) and increases our potential for membership growth, fundraising and maximizes operational efficiencies through our 501(c)(3). We are busy getting ready for numerous upcoming member events. Among them are the annual crawfish boil and the 2018 HSC Sporting Clays Tournament to be held at Greater Houston Gun Club on Friday, May 11th. This years’ tournament is a 501(c) (3) event with funds being dedicated to our youth and shooting sports programs. Sponsorships are still available! Call your buddies and clients and get signed up now! All event details may be found at houstonsafariclub.org/upcoming-events/. You may register online or call the office at 713.623.8844. Hurry before spaces fill up! In the hunting-conservation world, there are many hotbeds of policy and legislative activity. The battle over importation of lion and elephant from Zimbabwe and Zambia continues as litigation continues between the federal government and pro-hunting and anti-hunting groups. Look for updates in member communications and HSC’s social media channels. HSC recently issued a letter supporting the National Park Service plan to manage the number of aoudad (Barbary sheep) and feral hogs and groundbased trapping of feral hogs in Big Bend National Park by aerial 10 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
control. The action is deemed necessary to minimize the aoudad’s effect on the vegetation of the Rio Grande corridor and the spread of feral hogs into the Chisos Mountains which hosts several rare and endangered species. Please remember, when the call comes, each of us should act, individually and collectively, to make our voice heard to legislators, policy makers and to the public. As you read this, I will be representing you at the spring meeting of the American Wildlife Conservation Partnership (AWCP) in Norfolk, VA. AWCP is a consortium of 47 organizations that represent the interests of America’s millions of dedicated hunter-conservationists, professional wildlife and natural resource managers, outdoor recreation users, conservation educators, and wildlife scientists. A great group with the future of conservation and hunting as its key directive. Have a wonderful spring! Take a kid fishing. Take a kid hunting. Even better — if such is the case, take them and their non-hunting parents or guardians with you. I have never seen someone hold back a smile when a young person pulls in their first bluegill or catfish while screaming with delight. One of the most critical parts of the equation, to protecting the future of hunting and outdoor recreation, is easy. Get out there and take someone with you! Yours in Conservation,
Joe Betar Executive Director
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HSC LIFE MEMBERS Bob Abernathy John Abraham Richard Alexander MD Charlotte Alexander MD Crystal Allison Shannon Alston Michael Ambrose Skip Avara Dannine Avara Jacob Avara Anne Avara Paul Babaz Kenneth Bailey Freddie Bailey Jr. Cope Bailey Camp Bailey Mike Baird Frank Baird Jo 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 12 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
Preston Cavner Chris Caywood 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 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 MD * 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 Donald French Jr. Warren Gallant Scott Garrett Zachary Garrett Tanya Garrett
Paul Geiger Frank Giacalone Gary Glesby Carl Godfrey Russell Gordy Jeff Gorski 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 Michelle Kangas John Kelsey Gaye Kelsey Mark King Julianne King Rick Kirk Robert Kneppler Philip Koehne George Kollitides Tommy Kolwes Phil Koonce George Kopecky Keith Lake Fred Lamas Wayne LaPierre Joel Latham Kyle Lehne Richard Leibman
HSC LIFE MEMBERS John Lindholm Jr. Tom Lipar Bryant Littlefield Mark Livesay Ricardo Longoria Cody Loverin Doug Luger David Mafrige Shane Mahoney Paige Manard John Martin III D Martin IV James Masten Chad Matherne Wyatt McBride Tony McCorvey Mitzy McCorvey Ed McCrory III Vickie McMillan-Hayes 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 B. 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 Will Perry Timothy Peter 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 William Sample Jr. Michael Sandeen Corey Schaefer Scott Scheinin MD Robert Scherer Wade Schindewolf George Severence 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 Mandy Smith Jason Smith Steve Smith Tom Snyder Norman Speer MD Kaylee Stacy Larry Stifflemire
Mark Stouse Randy Strickland H. Stuart Greg Stube David Swan Lloyd Swiedom Lloyd 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 SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 13
SCT CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE BRYAN ANDERSON, SPORTING CLAYS TOURNAMENT CHAIRMAN
T
he 2018 HSC Sporting Clays Tournament will be held on Friday, May 11, 2018, at the Greater Houston Gun Club. This tournament has grown into one of the largest charity clay shooting tournaments in the Houston area and has proven to be an extremely popular event with great sponsorship opportunities, prizes and networking capabilities for individuals and companies in the Houston area. Experienced shooters and novices are encouraged to attend. Bring your colleagues and clients out to enjoy a great day of shooting! The tournament will kick off at 11:00 a.m. with several challenging games before and after. Prizes will be awarded to the flurry team champions and individual prizes will be given to the winners of the other games. There will also be an opportunity at the end of the tournament for the top shooters to participate in an Annie Oakley Shootout. The day will conclude with a reception and an awards presentation. 14 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
Please note that this year’s tournament mission and goal has been changed. The 2018 Tournament is now a 501(c)(3) event! Proceeds will support our youth outdoor education and shooting sports programs to help introduce a new generation of young people to the outdoors through interactive experiences in the classroom, in the field, and on the water. We still have plenty of sponsorship opportunities and we would greatly appreciate your support. If you are interested please feel free to email me at bryana@upstintl.com. We guarantee that this event will continue to be one of the premier shooting events in the Houston area. So come out for a fun day of shooting and fundraising for a worthy cause. While you need not be an HSC member, we would love for you to become one! Thank You Bryan Anderson
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 15
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Will Deaton Manuel Del Valle Mitchell Dobbins Jennifer Doornbos Wade Edington Craig Ellington Tracy Ellington Robbie Fayle John Fields David Freeburn Kevin Fuller Jeff Gorski Cole Green Matthew Greenwood Corey Hart David Hayden Roger Herrscher Alan Heuser Shan Hodges Sue Ann Holland Ron Holley Ric Howard Toby Huerta Bart Huffaker Karen Huffaker Steve Huggins Michelle Jeffrey Clint Johnson Kevin Jones Marvin Jordan Deborah Jordan Michelle Kangas Chase Karl Essa Kawaja Richard Klingler Jacquelyn Koch Whitney Leavell Robert Line James Lofton Russell Lovemore Cody Loverin
Charlotte Alexander John Allred Cason Amos Frank Anderson Keith Ashley Phillip Asper Paul Babaz Robert Baker Timothy Basso Johannes Basson Fred Batts Louis Bergen Helgard Beukes Steve Bishop Shawn Blackmon Kali Blair Darren Boone Rebekah-Shandiz Boone Jeff Brandes Eric Bristol Gary Brown Aaron Bulkley Viola Bulkley Jimmy Burns Marva Burns Erin Burrows Brad Burrows John Butler Toni Cannata Cidney Cardenas Stephen Carlson Brian Cassens David Choate Rhoda Clark James Conner William Conner Alex Cosculluela Kyle Costlow John Crockett Chris Cunningham Buddy Davidson
Kenneth Maddox Lori Maddox Kurt Mannchen Cody Marr Kent Mayfield Shannon McAuliffe Gretchen McAuliffe Stephen McCrary Randy McGovern Sam McHard Jason McKey Ed Meaux Al Menconi Doc Monical Jim Morris Lowell Mower Thomas Munro Floyd Parr Jan Pawlewitz Deborah Peppers Will Perry Priscilla Pickett Jennifer Pickett William Pickett Nathan Pierce Corey Poydock Philip Price Kimberly Price Stockton Pyle Donna Quin Raymond Quinones Gary Raba Alexis Ranson Christina Ray John Reynal Edward Rhyne John Rickner Terry Roberson Kent Robinson Thomas Royce Ossie Rushing
John R. Russell Angelina Salinas Mark Sanders Joe Savoie Corey Schaefer Steve Scott Brenton Scott Jason Shaw Conley Sims Braxton Skipper Lee Skipper William Smith Quentin Smith Michael Soper Kaylee Stacy Ken Stadler Randy Stewart Ann Stewart Dan Sugulas Adam Suhr Matthew Sullivan Erin Swanson Chuck Thomason John Reily Thomason Danny Thornhill Leslie Tomlin Mark VanCleave Marie-Chantal Vera Jeff Vinson Kyle Walker Kathaleen Wall Lee Weiss Charles Wilson Mark Witte Larry Wright William Yoes Amanda Zimmermann
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Mon-Thurs: 9:00am - 9:00pm Friday: 9:00am - 8:00pm Saturday: 9:00am - 6:00pm Sunday: Closed
Mon-Thurs: 9:00am - 9:00pm Friday: 9:00am - 8:00pm Saturday: 9:00am - 6:00pm Sunday: Closed
Mon-Fri: 7:00am - 6:30pm Saturday: 7:00am - 4:00pm Sunday: Closed
Mon-Fri: 7:00am - 6:30pm Saturday: 7:00am - 4:00pm Sunday: Closed
Sales & Finance Hours
Service & Parts Hours
16 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
Sales & Finance Hours
Service & Parts Hours
Houston Safari Club Fondly Remembers
Harold Inman
H
arold Inman passed away Tuesday, January 2, in Richmond, Texas after a brief illness. Harold was a native of Wilmington, North Carolina and a graduate of New Hanover High School (’66) and Wake Forest University (’70) with a degree in Spanish. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was sent to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, where he learned Farsi. He later mastered Portuguese, French and Malay. While stationed at Fort Hood, he met his future wife Mollie (née Melone), who was a student at the University of Texas. He attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas and earned an MBA. ARCO petroleum company and later Enron recognized his language expertise and sent Harold all over the world working for them. After nearly 30 years in the oil industry, Harold retired to his ranch in West Texas. Unable to stay retired for long, Harold returned to college and earned his Masters degree in Education from Texas
Tech University. He taught at Rotan High School until his lifelong love of hunting got the better of him and he decided to turn it into a full-time profession. He and Mollie moved to South Texas and he managed customer relations at an Orvis-endorsed Five Star hunting resort in northern Mexico. He eventually settled in Richmond, Texas, where he was an adamant giver of his time and resources to the Houston Safari Club, Patrick Williamson Foundation and Sky High for St. Jude. Harold is survived by his wife of 44 years Mollie, his sons Ross and Charlie, their respective wives Hope and Fiona, his grandchildren Cash (7), Lucy (6), Austin (5) and Caroline (2), and his brothers Philip and Robert. A service was held on Monday, January 8, in Wilmington, North Carolina. He was buried at his family’s ancestral land in Ash, North Carolina. Please consider donating to the American Cancer Society in his name. ★ SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 17
2018 HSC CONVENTION
Convention Chairpersons 2018 CONVENTION CHAIRMEN
LIVE AUCTION COMMITTEE
Julianne King Mark King
Darrell Kainer
Julianne King
SILENT AUCTION COMMITTEE
CONVENTION SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE
FIREARMS COMMITTEE
Carrie Schwager
Deb Cunningham
BANQUET & DECORATIONS COMMITTEE
Mike Ambrose
ART DONATION COMMITTEE
HUNTING AWARDS COMMITTEE
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Shaun Nelson
Melanie Pepper John Pepper
SCHOLARSHIP SPONSOR COMMITTEE
CONVENTION RAFFLE COMMITTEE
PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS COMMITTEE
Kevin Ormston
Matt Mann
DAN L. DUNCAN SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION COMMITTEE
CONVENTION BANQUET TABLE SALES COMMITTEE
HUNTER OF YEAR COMMITTEE
Barret Simpson
Michael Ambrose
EXHIBITS COMMITTEE
HUNTRESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Deb Cunningham
Gary Rose
YOUTH EDUCATION & HUNTING COMMITTEE
Lloyd Swiedom
Jerry Henderson
SusanKalich David Kalich
GAZELLES LUNCHEON COMMITTEE
Jody Simpson Dawn Simpson
CONVENTION VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE
JD Burrows
Mitzy McCorvey Carolyn Newlin
YOUTH HUNTER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Deb Cunningham
CONVENTION ACTIVITIES CHAIRMAN
Barret Simpson
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2018 HSC CONVENTION
Convention Chairs’ Message
I
t’s hard to believe that Convention season has come and gone and we have our first Convention at the George R. Brown and Hilton of the Americas under our belt. What a memorable weekend it was! To see the culmination of many years of work positioning Houston Safari Club to make this move come to fruition and in such a hugely successful way, is remarkable. We experienced a surge in day traffic, with Saturday alone accounting for more than all our visitors combined in all three days at last year’s Convention. We welcomed numerous new members and life members over the weekend. So many fresh faces and many, many longtime members that we’ve been missing, spent their weekend with us. Our banquets were standouts, with crowd rousing entertainment by The Bellamy Brothers and Roger Creager. If you missed it, well, you missed out on a fun time — they were definitely the highlights of the weekend. Thank you to all our donors for continuing to give so generously, and to the buyers for opening your hearts and your wallets to support Houston Safari Club and our mission. Thanks to their tremendous support, our fundraising auctions set a new record this year. A big thank you to our HSC staff. All the late-night hours, long work weeks and weekends spent at the office have truly paid off. Without Joe, Dawn, Nancy, Carla and Abby — none of this would have been possible. The workload was tremendous shuttling between two facilities, all the while keeping a gracious spirit and positive attitude. To our volunteers: We are forever in your debt. The number of new people who heeded our call for help was inspiring. Phone calls and emails asking to volunteer were answered even hours prior to the doors opening. We met so many new
people and rekindled friendships with folks we hadn’t seen in a while. It was a weekend of demanding work but great camaraderie. Very special thanks to Bryan and Christina Ray and the Aggies from Texas A&M-Galveston. To our Committee chairs: We are forever indebted. We certainly stacked the deck and had an impressive crew this year. Some of you stepped in when life took an unplanned turn for a few of our other chairmen, thank you for stepping up to the plate. JD, Jeff, Kevin, Matt, Barret, John and Melanie, Deb, Gary, Susan and David, Lloyd, Jerry, Laurie-Leigh, Dawn and Jody, Carrie, and Shaun, your tireless dedication to Houston Safari Club has not gone unnoticed. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Mark & Julianne King 2018 HSC Convention Chairmen
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 19
2018 HSC CONVENTION
Convention Sponsors CORPORATE S PONS OR S
PLATINUM S PONS OR S
GOLD S PONS OR
S I LVE R S PONS OR S
B RONZ E S PONS OR S
E O
XIDER TA M M OM C CO YY..
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UNDE RWRITING S PONS OR S
MIKE SIMPSON (281) 367-2745
Matt Mann of
20 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 21
2018 HSC CONVENTION PHOTOS
Thursday Evening S neak Peek & Volunteer Reception
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7 1: 2018 ATV raffle. 2: Country Legends 97.1 was broadcasting live from the event! 3: Tommy Morrison, Mike Simpson, Barrett Simpson, Becky Simpson, Jody Simpson, Michael Simpson 4: Suzie Fabricius & Ralph Fabricius 5: Cape To Cairo exhibitors enjoying the new Thursday night “sneak peek” 6: John Baran, Ann Anderson & David Anderson 7: Earle & Christina "Tina" Freeman. 8: Shane Johnston, Tana McBride & son Sam Johnston. 9: Tony Box & Mike Simpson
2018 HSC CONVENTION PHOTOS
Exhibit Hall
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1: Kathryn Brown & Sierra Bishop of High Heel Huntress. 2: Impressive taxidermy in the exhibit hall! 3: Our Corporate Partner, Wildlife Partners, spectacular booth. 4: HSC’s official merchandiser, FRIO. 5: HSC’s membership booth.
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 23
2018 HSC Hunter of the Year
William B. Newlin
24 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
I
was born and raised in southwest Louisiana in Lake Charles to a family that both hunted and fished all of my young life. I hunted birds, ducks, geese, rabbits, squirrels, deer, and anything that moved. Hunting in marshland for frogs, alligators, and trapping fur-bearing animals on the weekends. The summers were too short and I spent most of my days fishing for speckled trout and red fish, trawling for shrimp, and catching crabs. As a young boy, I made some money at these hobbies. We moved in early every year at the “summer” home, and by the time the other families came, they were ready for fresh seafood, which I supplied them. I served in the United States Army before joining my father and brother in the family business. We were contractors for installation of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and electrical work. We served five parishes, including several military bases. Most of our work was large contracts for schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, and much later casinos. My father invited my wife, Carolyn, to join our company in 1964 for her accounting and office skills. The business was large and time consuming, which left little time for recreation, and when my father died in 1980, it was a trying time. Carolyn said I was depressed and needed a change. She suggested an African safari. We flew to Salisbury, Rhodesia, which is now Harare, Zimbabwe. The war had recently ended. What a trip! We had a great time with Fanie Pretorius and his wife Joyce. My guide was Paul Kruger who put me on some fine animals. Sad to say, all three have since passed away. Carolyn and our daughter, Julye, who was in high school, accompanied me. The high school agreed to the three-week trip, if Julye returned with photos and information of the trip. Somehow, Carolyn got biltong through for Julye to let the students and teachers try. It was all a great success, only to be followed by many more. The next year I was fortunate to get thirty species,
including the Big 5 within seven days. Two years later I got 24 species in Zambia. It’s been a roller-coaster! Fifteen trips to seven African countries, three Asian countries of Russia, China, Sumatra, seven European countries, seven Canadian Provinces, seven states within the U.S., two South American countries, and three South Pacific countries. As a hunter, you remember a certain safari. For me, it’s CAR. The country was a mess after the French left, but the game returned in great numbers. Carolyn and I were told it was impossible to get both Lord Derby eland, bongo, and yellow-backed duiker on one safari. Well “they” were wrong! I not only did get them, but roan, Savanna Buffalo, red flanked duiker, giant forest hog, bushbuck, Lelwel hartebeest, Sing-sing waterbuck, plus five other species. It was this trip that my lovely wife, Carolyn, left me in the treetop canopy, because she opted to sleep in camp that night. A tremendous rain storm with thunder and a lot of lightning came while she was in camp with no gun. The following morning, she discovered why the little dog in her hut barked all night: a large leopard had circled her hut several times! When she climbed up into the tree canopy she instructed me to buy her a gun and teach her to shoot. This began a new era for both hunting and loving every minute of it together. I have enjoyed hunting birds in various countries with our daughter. She is an excellent shot and great fun to hunt alongside. We don’t get to do it often enough as she is still busy working. Being a Life Member of Houston Safari Club is an honor. The club works very hard to make things go smoothly. I must say “Thank You” to the Awards Committee for selecting me as your Hunter of the Year 2018. It is a great honor for me. ★ SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 25
2018 HSC Huntress of the Year
Denise E. Welker
26 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
I
wasn’t born into a hunting family, but I always loved the outdoors. Growing up, my parents took me water skiing and snow skiing, and it was through these activities I found my passion for the outdoors. To explore my growing interest in the outdoors, I joined the Girl Scouts. When I entered high school, I met a senior football player, Brian Welker. As our friendship grew, I realized this guy was crazy about the outdoors. Brian went on summer trips with his friend to Colorado to hike the mountains every summer, and he was an avid scuba diver, but his favorite outdoor activity was hunting. I didn’t understand hunting at the time, but I knew every hunting season he would be gone. He began to take me on outdoor excursions like to his parent’s property to walk around, dove hunting, and goose hunting. It was fun but I still didn’t quite get it. We decided to get married in 1977, when I had just turned 20 and Brian was 22. We wanted to start a family right away and had our first son, Josh, in December 1978. As a new father, Brian was eager to share his passion for hunting with our son, and he encouraged me to join. At the time I declined, my focus was on having more children and raising my family. In October 1980, we had our second son, Kyle, followed by our third son in December 1982, Ellis. After Ellis was born, I started to think about future hunting seasons and Brian taking the boys without me. The next time Brian asked me to join him and the boys in the field, I said yes. Brian was ecstatic, and the first time I shot a deer in the fall 1984, I was eight months pregnant with our fourth son, Daniel. I didn’t miss a hunting trip from that point on. In February 1987, we completed our family with the birth of our daughter, Tiffany. While we were raising our children from 1982 to 2005, hunting was nothing but fun every year. The property we leased in Texas had no high fences, and we never used blinds or corn feeders. We still hunted and sat on what we felt were good deer “highways,” it was true, simple deer hunting. As a family, Brian always talked about conservation through hunting; we never abused the land or the animals. Once all of our kids were out of the house in 2006, Brian purchased five hunts where I would be the only hunter. He did not carry a rifle, only his binoculars. I was nervous about it, but jumped into the experiences head first. He took me to New Mexico’s mountains for mule deer, the Chianti Mountains in Texas for mule deer, Missouri’s farmland for whitetail, Shane Quinn’s Alpine Hunting Adventures in New Zealand for a red stag, and we rounded out the year with a great hunt at Sanctuary Ranch in Michigan for a giant whitetail. To this day one of my most amusing hunts was the whitetail in Missouri. They stuffed both of us in a one-man blind for five days, and it was raining all day, every day the entire hunt. We never ended up seeing a buck, only does. In spite of the conditions, we had an absolute blast making the best of our trip and laughing at the predicament we were in. We have enjoyed hunting in New Zealand with Shane Quinn so much we have been back six more times with our sons, nieces, nephews, and friends. We’ve also continued to hunt at the Sanctuary Ranch with much of our family every year since 2006. One thing I have always been grateful for: Brian always by my side, letting me have first choice to shoot the main
animal, or animals, on a safari or hunt. Brian is a firm believer that there are some things you don’t need two of in a trophy room just because you can. He has no problem letting me shoot the bigger, or high-profile animals on a hunt because he still enjoys hunting what he calls the “riffraff ”: pigs, hyenas, baboons, night critters, etc. Since 2006, we have been hunting all over the world. Some of the places we have been include eight countries in Africa where we have experienced the exciting deserts, beautiful plains, sweeping savannas, lush jungles and impressive mountains. We have also been to Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, South America, as well as the Arctic. I am looking forward to new hunts we are going to experience in 2018 including a Marco Polo sheep in Kyrgyzstan, and a country we have never been to in Africa, Uganda. Brian wants to begin to concentrate on what North America has to offer for me. Although he has hunted just about every North American species, I haven’t, so I am looking forward to hunting our incredible continent. As much joy as traveling the globe hunting has brought to me, I have found a true passion in welcoming women, in particular young ladies, to the hunting world. In the last five years, one of my favorite things on our trips has been to embrace the daughters of the professional hunters and guides we have hunted with who never thought about hunting and showing them how fun it is. Another fun thing we have looked forward to is taking our grandchildren hunting. We agreed with our children to wait until their kids turn twelve to begin to take them on hunting adventures outside of Texas so that their parents can teach them the essence of hunting and safety first. This year we got to take our oldest granddaughters, Ripley and Peyton, on a hunting adventure in Wyoming for pronghorn antelope. Both girls were successful, and the four of us had not only enjoyed hunting, but sightseeing and spending time together. Next year we get to take our oldest grandson Coltin, and we couldn’t be more excited. In closing, I cannot express my gratitude enough to all the professional hunters and guides who have been with Brian and I through thick and thin. To each and every one of you, know that we love you and all you’ve done for us, and we will always be grateful and supporting of your outfit. Thank you to Houston Safari Club, and your decision to choose me as the 2018 Huntress of the Year, it is humbling and incredibly appreciated. Lastly, I would like to say thank you to all of our military troops and first responders for all they do for us and our freedoms. ★ SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 27
2018 HSC Professional Hunter of the Year
Peter Tam
28 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
I
had the pleasure of growing up in one of the most pastoral and beautiful parts of South Africa, steeped in historical significance and beauty. Cradock, located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa known as the Karoo, is where I call home. I am a fourth generation South African Asian and am privileged to say that my family has lived in Africa for over 100 years. Growing up in this wilderness has instilled in me a love for the outdoors. Hunting, camping and wildlife has always been my passion. I am extremely fortunate to capture this into my profession. From a young age I always dreamt of becoming a big game hunter and to take people on Safari adventures. I enjoyed reading about the great adventurers (or trekkers as we call them back home) such as Frederick Courtney Selous and Teddy Roosevelt. It is an extraordinary experience to have these childhood dreams come true. It started in the early 1990s when my father invested in a game ranch and re-introduced wildlife to the over-farmed and desolate region. This was an investment made out of love for the wildlife — as a family we never dreamed of growing this into a Safari operation. We were involved in other businesses such as a family grocery store, which took up most of my family’s time. This sacrifice was the cornerstone to our family values — to learn the value of money through hard work. Fortunately through this very same hard work our outfitting business grew as well and I was put in a position to make this a career. Hunting is my passion. But I would have to say that dangerous game hunting is by far my favorite. I have hunted all of the Dangerous Seven on multiple occasions and the challenge and the excitement never seems to fade. I was fortunate to have been able to acquire my dangerous game license at a fairly young age based on my experience. Hunting these dangerous creatures has taught me some invaluable lessons in life. First, to always be aware of your surroundings and second, to never let your guard down. You can find yourself in challenging situations but the most important is to keep focus and remain calm. Together with my father Irvin and my mother Therese we established Tam Safaris in 2001 with Stephen, my younger brother, joining in 2007. It was also important for us to be verified and connected with reputable and responsible hunting organizations and so we became members of Houston Safari Club, Dallas Safari club, Safari Club International, the NRA and the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa (PHASA). In 2016 Tam Safaris was awarded the Dallas Safari Club Outfitter of the Year. Tam Safaris is involved in a number of charitable projects. Together with a few partners in the wildlife community and many generous hunters from the U.S., we have dedicated our time and resources in caring for over 150 orphaned children, donating land and the construction of various schools and providing high school and college scholarships for the less
fortunate. This is over and above the nature conservation projects we practice as part of the responsible hunting profession. The Philosophy of Tam Safaris is to provide a true hunting experience in the Karoo, while at the same time affording our guests a safe, pampered and unforgettable African adventure. It is important to state here our unabiding principal: Tam Safaris will continue to: • Protect our natural resources and its occupants • To ensure that future generations will enjoy our land and animal heritage • Implement and teach sustainability practices to the community and guests alike Coming to Houston is the best way to start my year — the annual convention is always a success and a great experience to attend. Exhibitors, organizers and attendees — thank you for always putting together such a wonderful convention. A special thanks to all our clients for your friendship, loyalty, and support and for the nomination for this special award. Thank you to HSC for honoring my labors and the passion I have for what I do. I would like to thank my parents for helping me achieve my dreams through their hard work and dedication. My brother Stephen, my business partner, my friend — thank you for always being there for me. Our team at Tam Safaris along with our camp manager, Henriette — thank you for going the extra mile to ensure that our guests are always well taken care of. A family friend from Topeka, Kansas, Marc Bunting — thank you for everything you have done for my family and Tam Safaris, but most of all your friendship. To my beautiful wife, thank you for holding down the fort in my absence; for your love that keeps this family strong and for your faith in me that keeps me going. And, God’s gifts to me, my children — McKenzie, Kayla and Chase — thank you for lighting up my world, you are my inspiration. It is a great honor to be awarded the Houston Safari Club’s Professional Hunter of the Year. I am so humbled by this. To all the hunters out there — until we share our next campfire together, happy hunting and Godspeed. ★ SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 29
2018 HSC Youth Hunter of the Year
Tristan Pepper
30 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
I
remember my first hunt. I was 5 years old, finally getting to go hunting with my grandparents, Pa and Mimi, and my older brother Maxim. Maxim had been hunting for a couple years and each time he left with Pa and Mimi I wondered what they did, what happened on this thing called a “hunt” and then wish I had gone when I saw the neat trophies that Maxim always brought back! And now I was finally getting to go – to FTW Ranch where Maxim had hunted once before, telling me all kinds of cool things to do there. I didn’t know it, but Pa and Mimi had been given strict orders from my parents that because I was only 5, I could watch but “No Hunting!” That first hunt was really great because FTW Ranch is a boy’s dream — actually it’s every man’s dream hunting place too. It is located in rugged country with lots of shooting ranges, lots of shooting and best of all, lots of animals. That hunt was a Whitetail cull hunt and I spent the entire time with Pa as he made a serious dent in Mr. Tim’s (Fallon) Whitetail population. Every deer Pa shot I helped load in the truck (or at least Pa acted like I helped) — it was my first hunt and I knew then that this hunting thing was for me. But the best part of this first hunt trip was still to come. At that time Mr. Tim had a serious pig problem, so a lot of pig traps were set at the protein feeders. My heart skipped a beat when Mr. Tim asked if I wanted to help him “clean out the pig traps!” Note the word “hunting” was missing; Pa had already warned Mr. Tim I couldn’t “hunt.” But I could “clean out” pig traps —kind of like cleaning up the ranch. So my first trophy was a big, black boar pig I shot with Mr. Tim’s pistol! As Pa wisely told me, “You were cleaning out pig traps, right?” I nodded in agreement but of course, being a typical 5-year-old, I couldn’t wait to tell my Dad that I had finally really gone hunting and had my first trophy, blurting out when I got home, “I shot a big black pig!” Although I later found out that Pa and Mimi got in big trouble, they both agreed that “It was worth it!” I agree. From that small start I’ve been fortunate to have hunted all over Texas — places such as the historic Y.O. Ranch which in the 1800s was one of the largest ranches in Texas, to brand new hunting ranches like the AC Ranch in Fort McKavett. I’ve taken many Texas trophies on these ranches including Blackbuck, Aoudad, Four Horn Sheep, Axis, Sika, Red Sheep, Scimitar Horn Oryx and many more. Even better than hunting in Texas is hunting in Africa. I’ve been lucky to hunt Zambia and Mozambique. These are my best memories because I really enjoy seeing each country, how the local people live, what they eat and really just enjoy being in cultures that are so different than mine in Austin, Texas. For example, on my first African safari in Zambia I helped three local men dig up and catch field mice and field rats that they would cook to eat. This made an impression on me I’ll never forget — something as simple as protein, that I take for granted, is so valuable in Africa that field mice are dinner! I hunted several areas of Zambia including the Bangweulu Swamp where I took a great Black Lechwe that was larger than Mimi’s. She acted like it hurt her feelings but I know
better — she’s my biggest supporter and always the first to congratulate me on a good shot. Even though I was only 9 on that first African safari, I’ll always remember the impression that my first sights, sounds and smells of Africa had on me. My recent safari in Mozambique was especially memorable because I was guided and mentored by the legendary PH Johan Calitz. Mr. Johan’s steady hand and incredible bush knowledge not only made me a better hunter, it also made me appreciate the importance hunting has on wildlife conservation and its positive effect on the well-being of the local populations. He had me distribute meat from our trophies to a local village. Watching the entire village quietly gather around the Cape Buffalo and Hartebeest carcasses as the village elders chopped them up is another impression I’ll always remember. The meat that each family received that day would probably be the only meat that they’d get for at least another week. The appreciation in each mother’s face as I dropped the slabs of meat into their plastic bowls is something I’ll always remember and be proud of doing. Also in Mozambique, Mr. Johan had me fly patrol in the Dallas Safari Club’s anti-poaching helicopter. On that flight we located a poacher camp with three huts — burning down those three huts was very satisfying, knowing that we saved many animals from a slow death in snares and gin traps. My Mozambique safari will always be a cherished memory — anti-poaching activities, distributing meat and school supplies to the local villages and even taking my first Big Five Trophy, a great Cape Buffalo. Thank You, Houston Safari Club, for choosing me to be the 2018 HSC Youth Hunter of the Year. I am truly honored to receive it and look forward to attending many, many more Houston Safari Club Conventions in the future. ★ SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 31
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SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 33
2018 HSC CONVENTION
BY ABBY RAPP Have you ever been excited about something but still not know what to expect? That’s how I felt on Friday, January 26th, when I was met with a wave of approximately 150 high school students coming up the escalator of the Hilton of the Americas. This was my first chance to see the YWCE Program in action and I was thrilled to share my love of wildlife with others. Over the past five years, Susan and David Kalich have been working tirelessly to build the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE) Program into what it is today. With the help of the Midway USA Foundation and Houston Safari Club, they’ve brought their vision of getting youth involved in conservation into a reality. YWCE introduces Houston-area high school students to the many possibilities their love of the outdoors can hold, including the many aspects of hunting as conservation and careers in community service involving wildlife conservation. This year, we kicked off the YWCE Program with a keynote address from Wesley Fleming of Wildlife Partners, LLC. He spoke about his lifelong love of animals and the methods for increasing animal populations using the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Wildlife Partners, LLC has developed an innovative and sustainable program by marrying conservation with capitalism. Wesley went on to explain how their programs are specifically designed towards breeding sustainable populations of threatened and endangered wildlife from all over the world. He was also the leader of the “Wildlife Conservation” workshop, one of six conservation topics discussed at YWCE. Prior to the Convention, each student chooses to attend three of the six given workshops. This year, the six 34 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
1 presenters included: • The Art of Taxidermy — Caleb Townley (Conroe Taxidermy) • Wildlife Conservation — Wesley Fleming (Wildlife Partners, LLC) • Law Enforcement — Officer Hennie Volschenk • Wildlife & Biology Management — Gary Rose • Firearms Evolution: Function to Ignition — Mike Clark (Collectors Firearms) • Hunting Opportunities for Texas Youth – Heidi Rao (North American Outdoors) Each of our wonderful presenters graciously volunteered their time to speak to the students about their love of the outdoors and how they began to influence their respective fields. Along with conservation of wildlife, students had the chance to discuss the importance of community involvement, safe handling of firearms, sportsmanlike and ethical hunting, and much more. After the workshops, we reconvened in
the general assembly area for lunch and our special guest speakers: Captain Christy Vales and her K-9 Partner, Ruger. Capt. Vales and Ruger are certified in search and rescue, collapsed buildings, article evidence recovery, and narcotics recovery. Following a lesson on the matter with only a few minor interruptions from an excited K-9, we were fortunate to see a demonstration of Ruger’s recovery skills when Capt. Vales hid a student’s keys inside of the assembly room. After approximately 30 seconds of intense onlooking by 150 students, the room broke out in applause. Ruger had recovered the keys within a minute! As the room began to calm down, students began asking how they could become a search and rescue officer like Capt. Vales. It was a heartwarming moment for anyone with a passion for wildlife. Just before the Experience came to an end, the students had the opportunity to visit with famous wildlife artist, Vickie McMillan-Hayes. Every year, students from YWCE contribute a stroke to the
2 canvas of a painting to be auctioned off during the Friday Awards Banquet Auction. The 2018 Convention & Hunting Expo marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Houston Safari Club. We’ve officially moved our Convention from The Woodlands to downtown Houston, with even bigger plans in store for the organization as a whole. The Kaliches have invested countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears into the growing youth activities programs, and during the 5th Annual YWCE Program, they passed the youth activities torch over to me. In order to grow the current program, HSC has decided to appoint me as the new Youth Education Manager. I am honored and thrilled to be able to expand upon their previous work. In celebration of the expansion, Houston Safari Club is hosting an essay contest for students ages 13-18. Students are asked to draw from previous knowledge and personal experience to explain the importance of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and how they plan to positively impact the hunting industry as the next generation of hunter-conservationists. The contest is open to students in the Houston area until March 31st, 2018, with four winners to be chosen to participate in the HSC Annual Clay Shoot at the Greater Houston Gun Club on May 11th, 2018. Contest details can be found at: http:// www.houstonsafariclub.org/giving-back/ youth-programs/ HSC sincerely thanks our YWCE sponsor, Midway U.S.A. We are appreciative of their interest in developing the next generation of hunters and we are grateful for their continued support. With the help of sponsors and countless volunteers, Houston Safari Club is able to introduce new generations of students to hunting as conservation. It’s not always easy to grow such a community, but it’s paramount in growing a legacy. ★
3 1: Gary Rose teaches students about wildlife biology 2: Wesley Fleming of Wildlife Partners giving the keynote address 3: Pasadena Memorial students showing off their YWCE gift bags 4: Ruger finding keys hidden by Capt. Vales 5: Students collaborate with Wildlife Artist, Vickie McMillan-Hayes
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5 SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 35
2018 HSC CONVENTION PHOTOS
Friday Night 2
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6 1: Charlotte Burrows & JD Burrows 2: 2018 PH of the Year Peter Tam & 2017 PH of the Year Bruno Rosich 3: Max Goodgame & Matt Mann 4: 2018 Hunting Awards 5: Shaun Nelson & Angie Nelson 6: Dan L. Duncan 2017 Scholarship recipients. 7: The Pepper family.
7 36 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
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2018 HSC CONVENTION PHOTOS
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11 8: Jerry Henderson & Carole Henderson. 9: Julianne King & Barret Simpson 10: Anna Morrison, Mike Baird & Jo Baird. 11: 2018 Photography award winners. 12: Entertainment provided by The Bellamy Brothers.
12 SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 37
2018 HSC CONVENTION
PHOTO AWARDS PHOTO AWAR D S S PON S OR
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BEST IN SHOW: Terry Rathert 38 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
20 18 WINNE R S
ADVENTURE | FIRST PLACE: Angie Burrows
HUNTING | FIRST PLACE: Suzanne Hixson
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 39
20 18 WINNE R S
FISHING FIRST PLACE: Douglas Moore
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FIRST PLACE: Hunter Comiskey
YOUTH | FIRST PLACE : Charlotte Burrows
40 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
WILDLIFE | FIRST PLACE: Jim Whitty
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 41
20 18 WINNE R S 20 18 HONOR ABLE ME N TION S
LANDSCAPE | FIRST PLACE: Douglas Moore
HUNTING HONORABLE MENTION: Angie Burrows
42 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
20 18 HONOR ABLE ME N TION S
YOUTH HONORABLE MENTION: Grayson King
ADVENTURE HONORABLE MENTION: Suzanne Hixson WILDLIFE HONORABLE MENTION: Patricia Power
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 43
20 18 HONOR ABLE ME N TION S
FISHING HONORABLE MENTION: Michael Simpson
LANDSCAPE HONORABLE MENTION: Jim Whitty
44 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
2018 HSC CONVENTION
Youth Hunting Awards YOUTH 13 & BELOW
Dylan Anderson Beceite Ibex
GOLD:
Zane Brown European Mouflon
BRONZE:
SILVER:
Forrest Montealegre Black Bear
BRONZE: Charlotte Burrows White Blesbok & Black Springbok
Owen Baadsgaard Puku & Whitetail Deer
Baden Brink Whitetail Deer
BRONZE:
BRONZE:
Emeric Pepper Blackbuck
BRONZE: Tristan Pepper Cape Buffalo & Blue Duiker
BRONZE:
YOUTH (14-18)
Raybourne Burt Black Springbok
GOLD:
Maxim Pepper Livingstone Eland
SILVER:
BRONZE: Dalton Burrows Impala & White Springbok
Trevor Burrows Black Wildebeest & Common Springbok
BRONZE:
Adelaide Brink Whitetail Deer
Samuel Brink Whitetail Deer
BRONZE:
BRONZE:
Stockton Pyle Fallow Deer
BRONZE:
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 45
2018 HSC CONVENTION
2018 Hunting Awards WHITETAIL WHITETAIL, RIFLE FREE RANGE Ron Mostyn
ALTERNATIVE METHODS GOLD:
John Henderson Gemsbok
CONTINENTS EUROPE GOLD:
Richard Alexander Spanish Ibex
WHITETAIL, RIFLE ESTATE
SILVER:
Scott Garrett
Linda Donaho Muntjac
WHITETAIL, ARCHERY FREE RANGE Cope Bailey
NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA ESTATE GOLD:
WHITETAIL, CROSSBOW FREE RANGE Lee Phillips WHITETAIL, MUZZLELOADER FREE RANGE Barret Simpson
Leah Symens Rocky Mountain Elk NORTH AMERICA FREE RANGE GOLD:
Herb Atkinson Quebec-Labrador Caribou SILVER:
ARCHERY ARCHERY FREE RANGE GOLD:
Stephen Coale Chobe Bushbuck SILVER:
Byron Sadler Kri Kri Ibex BRONZE:
Dr. Lloyd Swiedom Whitetail Deer ARCHERY ESTATE GOLD:
Byron Sadler Moluccan Rusa
Sandy Cunningham Coastal Black Bear BRONZE:
Dallas Munroe American Alligator NORTH AMERICA INTRODUCED GOLD:
Stephen Coale Nilgai SILVER:
Jason Baadsgaard Axis Deer BRONZE:
Jason Baadsgaard Texas Dall Sheep
BRONZE:
Anthony J. Butts Iberian Mouflon SOUTH PACIFIC GOLD:
Terry Hurlburt Red Deer SILVER:
Keith Albright Asian Water Buffalo AFRICA PLAINS GAME GOLD:
Mitzy McCorvey Western Roan SILVER:
Denise Welker Sable BRONZE:
Melanie Pepper Red Duiker AFRICA DANGEROUS GAME GOLD:
William Jentsch, Jr. Leopard SILVER:
Sandra Sadler Cape Buffalo BRONZE:
Stephen Coale Nile Crocodile 46 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
2018 HSC CONVENTION
Hunting Award Sponsors Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Suzanne & Michael Ambrose
Alliance Graphics & Printing
Charlotte & Joe Betar
Australian Outfitters
B & B Taxidermy
Angie & JD Burrows
Connie & Steve Coale
Anita & John Colglazier
Susie & Matt Pyle
Frank & Hunter Comiskey
Gsell’s Whitetails
Meredith & Brent Watts
Deb & Ralph Cunningham
Arlette & Fred Lamas
Stacie & Mark Erickson
Carolyn & William B. Newlin
Ricardo Longoria
Craig Phillips
Mitzy & Tony McCorvey Stephen Rogers
Supporting Sponsors Marla & Herb Atkinson Kevin Comiskey Julianne & Mark King Cheryl & Kevin Ormston Sally & Lloyd Swiedom
Dan L. Duncan Scholarship Program Sponsors Deb & Ralph Cunningham Legacy Sponsor In Honor of Bill Brookshire Randy Fowler Legacy Sponsor Marty & Edwin Smith Legacy Sponsor Sandra & Byron Sadler Legacy Sponsor
Mitzy & Tony McCorvey Legacy Sponsor Ellen & Hank Bachman Patron Sponsor Welker Inc / WFMS Patron Sponsor Cokinos Young Patron Sponsor Rudy Nix Patron Sponsor
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 47
2018 HSC CONVENTION PHOTOS
Gazelles Luncheon
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Gazelles Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor Conroe Taxidermy Platinum Sponsor
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Deb & Ralph Cunningham
Pug & Ron Mostyn Silver Sponsor
Sandra & Byron Sadler
Carolyn & William B. Newlin
Ann and Marc Laird/ Cornerstone Home Lending
Silver Sponsor
Melanie & John Pepper Silver Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Angie & JD Burrows
High Heel Huntress
Silver Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Anna & Tommy Morrison
WELL Worldwide Energy Logistics Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Gay & Bob Rod
Amazing Landscaping and Lawn Care
Gold Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Julianne & Mark King
Susie & Matt Pyle
Silver Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Town Center Automotive
Robin & Gene Human
Silver Sponsor
Cheryl & Darrell Kainer
Mitzy & Tony McCorvey
Bronze Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
48 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
Silver Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
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Laurie-Leigh & Trey White
Bronze Sponsor
Jack Daniels Underwriting Sponsor
2018 HSC CONVENTION PHOTOS
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1: Entertainment provided by Willow Creek Junction 2: Greg & Monica Mills. 3: Mackenzie Nix, Laurie-Leigh White, & Adrianne Sifuentes 4: Gazelles Chairs, Becky & Jody Simpson. 5: Sally Swiedom, Lloyd Swiedom, Terri Smith & Scott Scheinin 6: President Elect Mitzy McCorvey & Anna Morrison 7: Gene Human, Julianne King, Arlette Lamas & Fred Lamas 8: Kathryn Brown, Catherine Kruse, Sierra Bishop, & Amanda LaBat 9: Ralph Cunningham & Carole Henderson 10: Linda Cunningham & Cheryl Ormston 11: Soly Lachterman & Luanne Bozeman 12: Front: Rebecca Parsons & Melanie Pepper Back: Jody Simpson & Dawn Simpson
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2018 HSC CONVENTION PHOTOS
Saturday Night Gala
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7: Pete Stewart & Jack Russell Terrier puppy. 8: Saturday entertainment provided by Roger Creager 9: Tana McBride, Sandra Sadler & Chrissie Jackson 10: Charlotte Betar & HSC Executive Director Joe Betar 11: Sutton King & Mark King 12: Evan Heusinkveld & Shane Mahoney 13: Charlotte, JD & Angela Burrows 14: Charlotte Betar, Paul Bamber,Ron Holley, Erin Swanson, Sierra Bishop, Leanda Rock, Christine Woodley, & HSC Executive Director Joe Betar 15: Julianne & Mark King
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2018 HSC CONVENTION PHOTOS
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19 16: Keith Itzel, Dary Itzel, Arlette Lamas & Fred Lamas 17: Dennis Cain, Dr. Joe Agris & Michael Berry 18: Dylan, Bryan & Maya Anderson. 19: Shaun & Angie Nelson 20: Cori Gilroy, Brian Gilroy, & Melanie Pepper 21: Deb & Ralph Cunningham 22: John Bowers & Dianne Bowers with representatives from the Foundation For Exceptional Warriors.
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SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 53
2018 HSC CONVENTION
Houston Safari Club
PICKS PEPPERS at Annual Convention BY KAREN MEHALL PHILLIPS
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erhaps you heard how Houston’s Melanie Pepper made a successful run for the NRA Board last year with her catchy “Pick a Pepper” campaign. Well, the Houston Safari Club (HSC) picked two “Peppers” as both her husband, HSC past president John Pepper, and grandson, Tristan Pepper, 13, received prestigious awards at HSC’s Grand Gala at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center to wrap up evening events during its 46th Worldwide Hunting Expo and Convention, Jan. 26-28. First up was John Pepper, a member of the NRA Hunters’ Leadership Forum (HLF) President’s Founders Club, who received the 2018 HSC Frank Greene Award of Commitment. Named for president and founding member Frank Greene, the award is voted on by HSC past presidents and presented to the HSC member who most exemplifies service above self. In introducing Pepper, Morrison said, “This person has continuously given extra time and effort—years of devotion and hard work. This Life member served for the past 22 years as president, vice president and director of the club,” adding how Pepper and wife Melanie, also an HSC past president, have co-chaired the HSC convention and served on numerous HSC committees—“and he is still 54 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
Jack Russel puppy donated by Sporting International, Mapassa Big Game Hounds Hunting and the Good Manners Dog Obedience School.
one of the driving forces of the Houston Safari Club.” Clearly humbled, Pepper said, “Since this award is presented by past presidents— my friends—it is especially meaningful to me. Houston has a long history of wildlife conservation and the Houston Safari Club has been part of that for 46 years—home to five Weatherby Award winners, five Diana Award winners [including wife Melanie], and six have served as its [HSC’s] president.” Further acknowledging Houston’s leadership role in advancing wildlife conservation and the shooting sports, Pepper added, “So the next time you put on your
[HSC] shirt or cap or pick up your gun case, remember you are part of one of the oldest hunting and conservation organizations in the world. Thank you, Houston Safari Club, and thank you to my wife, Melanie, whose love helped to guide me. …God Bless America!” You would think no one could rival Pepper’s gracious remarks, but then HSC past president and Dan L. Duncan Scholarship Fund Chairman Deb Cunningham presented the HSC Outstanding Young Hunter Award to Tristan Pepper. “He loves to hunt and is passionate about wildlife conservation,”
she said. “He is a true young gentleman and an incredible asset to the Houston Safari Club.” You could hear a pin drop as the crowd watched a video of young Tristan talking about his award before walking on stage. He explained how he started hunting at age 5 with his grandparents, that his first big game hunt was for Cape buffalo in Mozambique and that his favorite hunts are the most difficult ones in which a hunter must work hard to succeed. “Hunting with my family feels great,” he said, “and when people say, ‘Wow, he’s a good shot and a good hunter,’ I thank my grandparents and others who have helped me to grow as a hunter — and as a person. Thank you, Houston Safari Club, and thank you, Mrs. Cunningham. Thank you to all the guides and PHs who taught me so much, and my grandparents. Without them I would not be receiving this award.” And just for fun, he added, “I think I’m a better shot than my grandpa.” More mature than his years, this young hunter shared how he has seen first-hand how hunters fund anti-poaching efforts in Africa and how he has experienced bringing much-needed game meat to local African villages to feed those less fortunate. Clearly, young Tristan represents America’s core values and family traditions. My husband, Phil, was so impressed with Tristan’s passion for hunting that he thought it was only fitting to offer him the opportunity to get into bow hunting. Tristan was very excited so it looks like it will cost Grandfather John as I’m sure he will want to repeat his hunts with a bow.
HITTING NEW HEIGHTS
The evening included remarks from HSC President Tommy Morrison, who recalled the HSC’s first social more than four decades ago when the club raised $1,500 for wildlife conservation. Forty-six years later, the HSC’s annual Worldwide Hunting Expo and Convention has grown to the point it had to move to downtown Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center to accommodate the increasing number of attendees. It now raises nearly $2 million annually through its live and silent auctions and sold-out fundraising banquets over its three-day run. The crowd enjoyed remarks from HSC Executive Director Joe Betar, who referred to 2018 as a great year of progress. He recognized the convention sponsors, who he said never stop asking, “What can we do to help?” starting with thanking HSC’s
Tristan Pepper helping to distribute meat in Africa.
HSC President Tommy Morrison & 2018 Frank Green Award winner John Pepper.
top-tier corporate sponsors Wildlife Partners — developers of an innovative conservation breeding program to create sustainable populations of threatened and endangered wildlife worldwide — and Capital Farm Credit. “As we enjoy the camaraderie,” he added, leading into the start of the live auction, “remember: “You’re not just bidding on cool stuff — you’re bidding on the future of hunting.”
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
While more than 50 items were auctioned Saturday night to raise money for HSC’s wildlife conservation initiatives and youth scholarships, HSC saved my favorite for last: a Jack Russell terrier puppy straight out of dog-obedience school. Donated by Sporting International, Mapassa Big Game Hounds Hunting and the Good Manners Dog Obedience School, the puppy was from a line of Jack Russells bred over 40 years for the hunting
and tracking of leopard, lion, caracal, jackal and wounded game. I met the pup on the show floor and witnessed his sweet and loveable demeanor — making him ideal as both a family pet and a hunting dog. Fortunately, my friends bought this dog — for more than $8,000 — so I will see him again. Worth noting, evening entertainment was provided by Texas country music singer Roger Creager, who had quite the accordion player in his band. When I suggested I bring my own accordion and play at next year’s gala for free, I somehow got the impression HSC intends to go another route. There goes the polka party. Actually, I should focus on getting a paid gig anyway. I have my eye on a Spanish ibex or mouflon hunt with last year’s 2017 HSC Professional Hunter of the Year, Bruno Rosich of Trophy Hunting Spain. As for what song to start with, how about “Lady of Spain?” ★ SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 55
Advocating for Hunters and Wildlife in Washington, DC New Opportunities in 2018 BY JEFF CRANE, PRESIDENT, CONGRESSIONAL SPORTSMEN’S FOUNDATION (CSF)
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new year always provides the sportsmen’s community with the chance to look ahead at new opportunities to advance our outdoor heritage along with the many challenges that we will undoubtedly face in the days ahead. When it comes to 2018, there are a few notable changes to the landscape in our nation’s capital that could factor into how hunters — and the organizations that represent them — pursue policies that benefit wildlife, habitat and those that love the outdoors. Given the nature of these changes and their potential impact in the West, mule deer enthusiasts should take note. First and foremost, the Department of the Interior has taken steps to create a new Federal Advisory Council that will give the hunting and shooting sports a formally recognized voice within the agency. In early January, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced the formation of the Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council, stating that “Hunters and anglers are the backbone of wildlife and habitat conservation in America.” The new Council replaces the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council, and its predecessor the Sporting Conservation Council, and the new charter directs it to provide the Interior and Agriculture Secretaries with formal recommendations related to wildlife and habitat conservation. The Council will also emphasize the shooting sports which are popular activities on many of our nation’s federal public lands and membership will consist of representatives from big game organizations, wildlife and habitat conservation organizations along with many other elements of the hunting and shooting sports communities. It is critical that sportsmen and women have a Federal Advisory Council tasked to work with these agencies because their decisions have a tremendous impact on hunting and wildlife across our nation’s 56 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
Conservation leaders, including CSF President Jeff Crane join Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to discuss sportsmen’s issues.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, wildlife refuges and National Forests. Federal Advisory Committees like the Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council can also submit formal comments on federal agency regulations and land management plans on an ongoing basis, year-round, unlike members of the public who are limited to weighing in only during specified times throughout the regulatory process. Once new members are appointed to the Council, it is likely that they will work alongside the Federal Lands Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Sports Roundtable for assistance with identifying relevant issues and developing recommendations for federal land managers. The Roundtable was established nearly 20 years ago through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that includes 42 sportsmen’s groups (including Houston Safari Club and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation) and federal
agencies including the BLM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service. The purpose of the MOU is to develop and expand a framework of cooperation among the members at the national, regional, and local levels for planning and implementing mutually beneficial projects and activities related to hunting, fishing, and shooting sports conducted on federal lands. In 2018, CSF’s Senior Director of Federal Land Policy Andy Treharne will take over as Chair of the Roundtable, providing opportunities to elevate the priorities of organizations such as HSC and other sportsmen’s community partners while developing a strong working relationship with the new Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council. As new issues of importance to America’s hunters emerge in 2018 and beyond, organizations like CSF and HSC will continue working to advance conservation goals and protect our outdoor heritage. ★
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 57
AFRICA FIELD REPORT MATT NAPILTONIA, FORMER NAVY SEAL AND MEDICAL SERVICES OFFICER, OPERATIONS MANAGER, MEDICAL OPERATIONS, GLOBAL RESCUE LLC
Global Rescue mapping out logistics for evacuation from a remote location 58 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
A Cape buffalo spotted on a reserve tour
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lobal Rescue’s medical, security, and intelligence teams of critical care paramedics, physicians and special operations veterans routinely perform boots-on-the-ground assessments of destinations important to our traveling members. Comprehensive in-country reconnaissance and on-going intelligence reporting are just a few of the reasons why serious travelers trust Global Rescue.
SECURITY / AVIATION / MEDICAL AWARENESS FOR OUR TRAVELERS TO AFRICA: KENYA Security — Kenya is a large country with many remote areas. The employment of security assets is frequently assessed through the lens of distance. The capital, Nairobi, is large, densely populated and poor, as are many of the large cities. Navigation is difficult. A local driver with local knowledge should always be used if possible. Vetted drivers can usually be contracted through reputable hotels. Aviation — There are numerous aviation providers that support local tourism. Global Rescue has numerous assets under contract and our recent site visit reinforced the quality of maintenance and professionalism of these aviation outfits. The airport that supports local tourism is not co-located at the international airport. Visitors to Kenya via Nairobi have to arrive at the international airport and take ground transportation to a regional airport. Travel during the day is best. Medical — Excellent hospitals are available, particularly in Nairobi, which provide tertiary care approaching western standards.
Elephants along the Zambezi
TANZANIA Security — Tanzania is a large country with many remote areas. The employment of security assets is frequently assessed depending on the distance one needs to travel from the areas with a visible security presence. The capital, Dar-es-Salaam, is large, densely populated and poor, as are many of the large cities. Navigation is difficult. A local driver with local knowledge should always be used if possible. Vetted drivers can usually be contracted through reputable hotels. Aviation — There are numerous aviation providers that support local tourism. We have numerous assets under contract and availability of air resources is good. Visitors to Tanzania via Dar-es-Salaam will arrive at the international airport but may have to move to the domestic airport for travel inland. This will require ground transportation. The domestic airport is not easy to find. Employ a local driver. Travel during the day is best. Interior aviation assets that support tourism are adequate but surrounding towns can be a security risk. Always employ a local, vetted guide. Medical — Depending on the location, there is a wide range of hospital capabilities. We have surveyed many facilities in Tanzania. In the capital, Dar-es-Salaam, in particular, there are several facilities that provide high quality care, but that changes dramatically outside the capital.
MOZAMBIQUE Security — We have physically surveyed nearly all coastal airports in Mozambique. Most are outdated. Towns in which the airports are located are very poor and potentially dangerous to tourists, especially at night. Local drivers are highly recommended. Use of reputable hotels is required. Aviation — The planes our survey
teams traveled in — into the country and out to camps — appeared well maintained and crewed. Mozambique is a large country with little infrastructure. Aviation assets used in support of extraction require local relationships for best results and significant contingency planning. Immediate availability is not guaranteed. Medical — Medical facilities in Nampula and Beira have been vetted by our teams. There are some new facilities being built, but currently these areas have a few more challenges. Medevac to a higher level of care is necessary for serious medical conditions.
CAMEROON Security — Cameroon is a large country with many remote areas. By and large, Cameroon is safe to travel except for a few remote regions, particularly in the North where there is ongoing conflict with Islamic extremists. Travelers would still need to take precautions operating after 10 p.m. due to generalized crime. Global Rescue has security assets in place to assist our members as needed. Aviation — Aviation assets in support of tourism are modern and well maintained, but limited in number. Currently, there is only one reputable air provider operating in the country, so availability can be limited. Aircraft used in support of extraction operations are located at a smaller airport than the international airport in Yaoundé, and their offices are not easy to locate. The international airport is small but efficient and has regular service to Africa, Middle East, and Europe. Global Rescue’s medevac provider has both fixed wing and rotary aircraft. Medical — Facilities have been vetted by our teams in Cameroon. Members that require hospitalization have several options for stabilization particularly in Yaoundé, although SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 59
Global Rescue personnel en route to a hunting lodge
Aerial view of Africa.
medevac to a higher level of care will be necessary for serious medical conditions.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) Security — The DRC is a large country with many remote areas and many security challenges. The employment of security assets is frequently utilized by private citizens, corporations, universities, and NGOs operating in the DRC. Global Rescue has local security assets in-country and has security evacuation plans in place to assist our members in the event they need to be evacuated. It is advised that travelers utilize reputable international hotel chains. Aviation — Aviation assets in support of tourism are modern and well maintained. Aircraft used in support of extraction operations are located at the international 60 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
Inspection of an ambulance from a local provider
airport and their offices are easy to locate. The international airport is small but efficient and has regular service to Africa, Middle East, and Europe. Global Rescue’s aviation provider in Kinshasa utilizes various assets, but availability can be limited. Medical — Our teams have evaluated medical facilities in the DRC and evacuation for serious medical issues is recommended. There are private facilities in Kinshasa that can provide appropriate care for minor medical issues.
ETHIOPIA Security — Ethiopia is a large country with many remote areas. By and large, Ethiopia is safe for travel by visitors, except for a few remote regions. The infrastructure appears to be in good repair compared to many other African nations. Travelers
should still take precautions operating after 10 p.m. due to generalized crime. Global Rescue has security assets in place to assist our members. Aviation — Aviation assets in support of tourism are modern and well maintained. Aircraft used in support of extraction operations are located at the international airport and their offices are easy to locate. The international airport is small but efficient and has regular service to Africa and the Middle East. Our medical evacuation assets include both small fixed wing assets for bush rescue operations and access to one in-theater air ambulance; availability can be limited. Medical — There is one excellent clinic in the capital, Addis Ababa, but serious medical issues will require evacuation to a higher level of care. ★
“GLOBAL RESCUE PIONEERED WORLDWIDE FIELD RESCUE AND HAS EVACUATED MORE TRAVELING HUNTERS THAN ANY OTHER COMPANY. I KNOW THEY’LL BE THERE FOR MY FAMILY WHEN WE NEED THEM MOST.” CRAIG BODDINGTON OUTDOOR JOURNALIST & TV HOST
Field Rescue | Medical & Security Evacuation | Travel Insurance +1.617.459.4200 | globalrescue.com/hsc
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 61
An Experience
Beyond Hunting BY TIM HERALD
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Opposite: Waiting on the correct shot. Above: Tom Neiderer and his great 48-inch billy
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n October I did a Mid-Asian Ibex hunt in Kyrgyzstan that saw me return home with a giant billy, a broken rib and a severely torn muscle in my back. It was a great trip overall, but I was in a lot of pain during and after, and I was a bit apprehensive about the WTA (www.worldwidetrophyadventures.com) Bezoar ibex group hunt I had planned in Turkey in December. I knew that a Bezoar hunt wouldn’t be nearly as demanding as the Kyrgyzstan trip was. We would be staying in a local hotel, eating in restaurants, and most importantly, there would be no horses. I also knew that the hunt could be tailored to the physical abilities of each individual, but the Taurus Mountains we would be hunting are extremely steep, and I wanted to be as fit as possible to give myself the best chances at taking the best billy I could find. I wanted to be able to go hard in the mountains and not be miserable doing it. I took it easy for a couple of weeks and let my body heal, and then I got back to the gym training for Turkey. I concentrated on core exercises and lots of cardio, and I felt pretty good when we left the week after Thanksgiving. As always, my goal was a mature animal that was a “good” one for the area. I didn’t need any world record, but I also did not want to shoot a younger or smaller billy. After talking with our outfitter Kaan Karakaya of Shikar Safaris, I had settled in on looking for a male in the 45-46-inch range, I just didn’t realize how many ibex of that caliber are around. The first morning as we all were headed to check our rifles after the flights, we pulled over at a local market for some tea, and one of the guides pointed out a billy up in the cliffs above us. We were told that he would go about 45 inches, and I thought to myself, “I would be very happy to take a billy like that.” He was beautiful with long curving horns, a beautiful two-tone coat, and a full mature looking beard. He was exactly what I had pictured in my mind as a trophy ibex. SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 63
Old town Antalya
I started off hunting with my good friend Tom Neiderer whom I shared the Kyrgy hunt with, among many others over the past couple of years. The first day, we combed the mountains and saw many good billies. Neither Tom or I had expected the ibex population to be so high, so Tom wanted to look for something really special. Toward the end of the first day, Tom and a local guide made a stalk on a billy we glassed from about a mile away, but darkness ended the hunt before the pair could get into position to properly judge the billy or get a shot. My good friend Jay Cohea was the first to score with a great old billy on day one. That got us all pumped up for the next day, and we were raring to go. Tom and I split up on day two, and I went with a couple of the local guides to a remote area that saw us above the treeline where there was only rocks and snow. Luckily we were able to drive a 4x4 most of the way up, and then hike about a mile and a half to a wonderful glassing spot. After about an hour we found two big billies about 1,200 yards away, but there was some steep and nasty country between us. My main guide told me that one was over 48 inches, but he had a foot of horn broken off on one side. The second billy looked just about as good, so we began a slow cautious trek down and toward them. We crossed a scree slope where the footing crumbled down with every step, down and up a couple of steep drains, and finally we were 500 yards from where we last saw the billies. We spotted the broken billy making his way down the mountain, and we assumed the other was in front of him. We followed as best we could, but we were never able to catch up with the ibex. They have a much 64 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
easier time descending the mountains than we humans, and I am sure at some point our noise put them into a higher gear. It took us about six hours to get close to the bottom of the mountain, and my knees were hammered from the constant downhill walking. We walked into a bit of an opening, and I was literally blown away. We had come into a large ancient city complete with dozens of buildings, temples, and an amphitheater. Being a history buff, I was just amazed, and I spent the next hour wondering around taking photos and checking the place out. I vowed to come back with some of the others at the end of the trip, and we were able to do that on our last morning in the area. When our truck picked us up at the bottom of the mountain, I got the word that Tom had shot a billy, but they were not able to get to it before dark. He had shot it across a steep canyon, and there hadn’t been time to get up the sheer wall for recovery before light faded. The next morning, they were able to retrieve it with the help of some of the locals using many ropes and lowering it off the cliff. It was truly a super ibex. I was able to meet up with Tom midmorning, and I got to see his old billy that was 48.5 inches. Jay had decided since he had shot on day one, he would buy another tag and continue to hunt. He said he wanted a monster or nothing this time around, and that day he and I went to the highest point around trying to find a billy that one of us would be happy with. We found a huge group of 70-100 ibex up in the snow and rocks, but there were no big billies. We just couldn’t believe it as the rut seemed to be in full swing, and every small band of
Finicke where the hunt was based
Herald’s beautiful 48-incher
nannies had a big boy or two with them. We knew when some of these nannies came into estrus, there would be a giant male show up to take over the huge harem. The following day, our buddy Russell Marshall took a great ibex, so Jay and I were the only ones there with tags. Jay went with Tom, and I was on my own with my guides again. We saw a number of pretty good billies in the morning, but nothing that my guys wanted to pursue. In the afternoon, we were glassing as area and had only seen one female, when we heard crashing, and the guys told me that was ibex fighting. The area was quite brushy, and it took a while, but I finally spotted the billies 100 yards below the female. There was a hole in the brush, and periodically, the two would step into the open, rare up on their back legs and crash their horns together. Then they would push their way out of site. It was a full out brawl, and we watched as we could for 30 minutes, and when we left, they were still going at it. My guides didn’t think they were quite big enough, but it was one of the highlights of the trip.
We were driving down the highway headed to a new area when we got a call from Kaan who had Jay and Tom with him. He told me that they had found a very nice ibex that had unique horns that grew toward each other at the tips, but as Jay was looking for something in the 50-inch range, they weren’t going after it. He said they would stay where they were and keep an eye on it if I wanted to check it out. It was two hours before dark, and my guides said that we could be to Kaan’s location in 20 minutes, so I told them that I thought we should at least go look. We were just hitting the high spots on the rocky mountain roads as we hurriedly drove to the rendezvous point. We eventually parked the truck and made a short walk to where the guys had a spotting scope on the billy and his group of ladies. Kaan told me that he was sure the ibex was over 45 inches, but he was narrow and had the horns growing in. I looked at him in profile, and he looked great to me, and it took me about five seconds to tell the guys I wanted to try for him.
GUN/SCOPE/BULLET COMBO As I mentioned above, for this hunt I chose my Gunwerks (https://www. gunwerks.com )7MM topped with a Nikon Monarch 5 (http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/nikon-products// riflescopes/monarch-5-4-20x50edsf-nikoplex-custom-xr-turret.html) 4x20x50 scope that has a custom XR turret. It is setup where I can range my target with my Nikon LaserForce (http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/ nikon-products//binoculars/laserforce10x42.html) bino/rangefinder combo, and then simply turn the turret to the given yardage. My turret is marked from 200 yards to 850 yards. I took a red marker and colored the marks every 50 yards for easy and quick recognition. It literally takes me two seconds to set the turret for whatever range I want to shoot.
I am not a great long range shooter, but this system simplifies things so much, that it makes shooting at 400-500 yards very doable for me. Jay Cohea borrowed my rifle and shot his 50-inch ibex perfectly at about 450 yards, and that was the first time he had ever shot my gun. The ammo I am shooting is handloads topped with Cutting Edge Bullets 152 grain Maximus https://cuttingedgebullets.com/284-7mm-152gr-rifle-maximus . I have become a hug CEB fan over the years, and the Maximus is the best of all worlds in normal hunting caliber bullets in my opinion. This bullet was designed to have a high BC and produce massive trauma. It has deeper penetration and is more destructive than the Raptor series bullets that I have also had great results
from in the past. After 4-6 inches of penetration, 4-8 blades break off and create one large, massive wound channel. The number of blades shed is dependent upon velocity. 8 blades will break off at impact velocities over 2400 fps, and below that, 4 larger blades will break off down to 1400fps. Maximus bullets feature a sleek, smooth profile and a unique SealTite Band. This patented technology is a band slightly larger than caliber diameter around the body of the bullet which creates a complete seal as the bullet exits the case and maintains that seal until it exits the barrel. This in turn increases accuracy by eliminating gas blow-by and decreasing copper fouling. In short these bullets are supremely accurate and completely devastating on game animals. SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 65
Jay and crew glassing well above treeline
Dialing in for the shot
We were low in a steep canyon, and the ibex were about half way up the far side and moving up and to our left. They had gone around a fold in the canyon wall, so it gave us a chance to move around on our side and try to cut some distance. We went as fast as we could, and when they came into view, we were luckily hidden in a stand of big evergreens. Kaan motioned toward a boulder, and I was able to get a pack on it and have a pretty good rest. The ibex were 340 yards, but the billy was pushing the females around, and he never gave me a still broadside shot. Each step increased the distance, but finally he stopped at 388 yards slightly quartering. I dialed the turret on my 20 power Nikon Monarch 5 scope to 390, and I settled in. When I felt solid, I touched the trigger of my Gunwerks 7mm, and to my great relief I saw the billy collapse the instant the 152 grain CEB Maximus bullet hit his shoulder. After all the walking, hiking and glassing we had done, the stalk on the ibex I actually took was pretty darn easy and happened very fast. I learned a long time ago not to look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth when a nice animal presents an opportunity, and I am sure glad I didn’t in this case. My billy was incredible. Of course the first thing the guides want to do is break out the tape as bragging rights between them come with the longest horns. The old ibex stretched the tape to 48.5 inches, but he was just so unique with the narrow horns that actually crossed in the back. His coat was gorgeous with the very light blonde body and contrasting black shoulder saddle, face and
beard. His knobby horns were chipped from years of battles over breeding rights, and as I am virtually out of wall space at home, his being narrow actually works very well for me when considering a mount. The narrow crossing horns did present a challenge when taking photos as I couldn’t lay his head back and have horn tips straddling his body. It made things a bit awkward, but I got some decent photos anyway just before dark. The next day, Jay went out while Russell, Tom and I explored the coastal town of Finike where out hotel was. We hadn’t seen it in daylight, and we had a great time walking around the marina and sampling the local seafood. That evening we met Jay for dinner, and he told us he had taken an absolute giant up high where he and I had seen the large group of females a few days before. They spent the whole day making long stalk and waiting for the billy to get in a position for a shot, but he had dropped the 50-incher at 450 yards with a single CEB Maximus out of my Gunwerks rifle I had loaned him (his ammo was sent to the wrong airport, and he wasn’t able to use his rifle on the trip). I was able to see and photograph Jay’s ibex the next morning, and it was truly something to behold. I think everyone in the village had their photo taken with it, so you know it was special. It had a noticeably larger and bulkier body than any of the other billies, and of course those horns are the kind dreams are made of. It was a great way to end the ibex hunt, but it didn’t end the trip. We had three more hunters in our original group that had hunted
KUIU Yukon Jacket a World Class Outer Layer On our hunt in Kyrgyzstan, I dropped my pack and some clothes on a stalk and an hour later, I had to wait on ibex and got cold. My buddy Tom loaned me his Kuiu Yukon jacket (http://www. kuiu.com/clothing/vias-sale/yukon-rainjacket/50005.html ), and within a few minutes, I knew I was ordering one as soon as I got home. I got mine and wore it as my outer layer on a SD mule deer hunt and then as my main jacket on this ibex hunt. The 66 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
Yukon is 100 percent waterproof and is a fantastic rain coat, but it is also a great outer shell that really stops wind and cold. Technically, the Yukon Jacket uses a softshell-like abrasion-resistant face fabric that improved durability and reduced noise. It has three-layer, four-way stretch, reinforced and articulated elbows, and pit zips for breathability. Many hunters have completely replaced the need for a
softshell with this jacket. To top it all off, the Yukon Jacket uses the same proven Dermizax NX membrane which provides industry leading waterproofness and breathability. It is simply the best outer layer shell I have ever worn. The matching pants make for a great rugged outer layer that comes in awfully handy when you are hunting in rocky terrain and dealing with windy conditions as we often did in the Taurus mountains.
Right Top: Glassing from a tough location Right Bottom: The author was completely surprised to find these ruins while hunting
their ibex about two hours farther on around the coast from Finike, and Ken, Lee and Bob had all taken excellent billies as well. Russell, Tom and Ken departed for another area where they each took fantastic Anatolian red stags and wild boar. While Jay, Lee, Bob and I went back to the ruins of and then spent a day and a half looking around the city of Antalya. We had an unbelievable dinner with Kaan just before he headed out for Tajikistan to oversee a Marco Polo sheep hunt, and the following day we explored “old town” Antalya which was a treat. We all met back up the last evening in Istanbul where we shared yet another incredible seafood dinner and celebrated one of the most enjoyable trips any of us has ever been on. When I got home, I told a number of people about the trip, and many had interest in doing the hunt and asked if I would consider putting another WTA group together. Since then, I have indeed secured prime rut dates for 2019 with Shikar, and I even worked us out a $2,000 discount on the hunt price. There are a number of spots open, and I am happy to discuss details with anyone interested. If you like great hunting, wonderful culture, beautiful scenery, and excellent food, this is a trip you absolutely should not miss out on. I am counting the days until I can go back. ★ Tim Herald is an owner and hunt consultant at Worldwide Trophy Adventures (WTA). To book this or any other high-quality hunt anywhere in the world, contact Tim at tim@ trophyadventures.com. WTA’s services are free; WTA is paid directly by the outfitter, and your hunt cost is the same whether you book directly with an outfitter or through WTA. SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 67
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“D
A Wild Journey: Flipping Social Media From Anti-Hunter to Hunter Recruitment
o you feel like a man now?” That question hung heavy in my head like the lingering ring from a rifle’s bark. I’ve entertained plenty of conversations about hunting ethics, whether or not humans are designed to eat meat (we are), and why we smile after a kill. But for some reason this question, left in a social media comment on a photo of me with my harvested buck, would be the one to BY BRAD take root inside me. It would occasionally come back to taunt me over the next few years, leaving more questions. Was my grip-and-grin photo with this deer disrespectful somehow? Should I have not posted the photo on social media? Did I do something to make this person think I was posturing? Anyone who is honest with themselves will acknowledge at least pondering these questions from time to time. It doesn’t mean you concede to them. But even today, admitting this self-doubt brings embarrassment. After typing a response to the commenter, deleting it and retyping it another half dozen times, I ultimately settled on a snarky deflection which failed to tackle any of my real issues with their judgment. Most importantly, I failed to defend my right to hunt. Three years later, I am proud to officially respond. ••• I hunt in Southeastern Kentucky, where flat acreage is scarce. In lieu of large rolling fields, horses graze in small patches of depleted earth at the base of weathered mountains. Were my great grandfathers alive, they’d find the land largely undisturbed from their childhoods when coal camps and company stores were commonplace. Roads cling to cliff sides, lest they fall into the creek, ever-present in the parallel below. The occasional dimple in the mountainside makes room for a weathered barn, yet not a soul is seen as my 4x4 rumbles by. I leave with the truck blocking the drive to a farmhouse no one’s needed access to for generations. I doubt they’ll need it today, either. A chain wraps around a livestock gate and swings from a bent and rusted nail as I move through the field, seen by only cattle and crows. It’s early August. The air feels like hot breath on my skin. In the winter months, the sun sleeps late and retires early, leapfrogging from one hillside horizon to the next. But today, the sun knows no bounds, seemingly reaching under the shade of the canopy. Sweat creeps down my shirt and hat as I slowly move up to my first trail camera. I pull and replace the card before securing it back to the tree in a steel lockbox. The area is known for thieving bears. I pause at the sound of breaking brush and wonder if I’ve startled a black bear or if a squirrel has once again made a fool of me. The squirrel wins. As I begin my descent through the brush to cross the lower field and head to the back of the property, the question returns to my mind:
“Do you feel like a man now?” “What a shame” rings through my head so loudly, I’m not sure I didn’t say it to myself. That was the moment I decided to found GoWild. ••• I’m likely not the hunter you are. You’ve probably harvested more, larger and rarer animals than I ever will. But I’m the hunter I want to be. My LUTTRELL passion for this life lies in providing, participating and proclaiming. I provide meat for my family. I participate in the ecosystem and conservation efforts when I hunt. And I am passionate about educating people on the importance of hunting as a tool to protect and save our nation’s public lands and wildlife. GoWild was built on these beliefs. Somehow, we can pinpoint a drainage to glass 17 miles from a trailhead, via a satellite from a computer on the other side of the world, but no one had created a modern, geographic forum for hunters to engage, interact and learn. The attempts I found were merely carbon copies of Facebook (which is in itself a failed system for hunters), so we built the concept of GoWild from scratch to cater to the outdoors enthusiasts’ lifestyle. It’s easy to look at the superstars with hundreds of thousands of followers and the backing of major brands and say, “Wow, the hunting community is strong.” But these influencers, while important advocates, are not enough to shepherd in a new generation of outdoorsmen and women. They alone can’t protect the teenager from the harassment of armchair animal rights activists, after posting a photo of her first deer. To a young hunter, this is moment is filled with meaning. But when experiences like these become diminished or stained by hate, we risk losing these young conservationists-in-the-making forever. As a whole, the hunting community is a force no one can
Brad Luttrell, Co-Founder and CEO of GoWild, examines his Kentucky buck from 2017. One year after forming his team, he would be able to log this deer on the GoWild app.
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An admittedly lousy angler, Luttrell, the Co-Founder and CEO of GoWild, does enjoy to kayak and wet a line.
stop. But we have to be just that — a singular force, working together. We have to stop the infighting. No more criticizing one other for the size of a buck. No more busting the chops of the guy who chooses to shoot a crossbow instead of a compound (especially when he’s a stranger on social media). And we have to stop treating women who hunt like princesses in camo instead of what they actually are — hunters. In today’s political and social ecosystem, I’m left wondering what the future generation of hunters will look like. In 50 years, what will our children’s children think of our efforts? Will they say we sat by silently as the outdoorsman’s lifestyle succumbed to a death of a thousand cuts? Some of the largest social media platforms in the world have active anti-hunting policies right now, yet we continue to support them with advertising revenue and our usage of the platform (which makes them more advertising revenue, which in turn gives them more reach to spread their anti-hunting beliefs). Will our future generations say we lived in the glory days of conservation efforts and wonder how we let our public lands slip away to commercialization? With the lack of cohesion among us on these important topics, that’s exactly what is going to happen. I’m just a run-of-the-mill squirrel, deer and turkey hunter from Southeastern Kentucky. I grew up playing with dump trucks in piles of coal, shot my first rifle at age six, and spent the warm months with a nightly ritual of my mom plucking ticks from my head after a day of playing in the woods. I’m no one special, but that’s my point. Together, by uniting under one platform, folks who aren’t celebrities — folks like you and me — can be the strongest force to stand up to the policies, rhetoric and vile comments of the 70 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
anti-conservation movement. The GoWild app can be the conduit for these conversations and help formulate our unity. ••• Four co-founders sat in my basement with computers, snacks and drinks spread out across the coffee table, just five yards from my hunting gear storage room. The Drive-By Truckers played as softly as the southern rock group can while my lab/cattle dog mix surveyed the room for his next scratch. We decided to build a platform for the outdoors, but what would it be like? We didn’t want to build a utility app — something you can only use during hunting season to help find property lines, check weather or locate tree stands. Those apps have their place, but they’re also abundant and don’t tackle our mission of establishing a platform that could expand conservation efforts by getting more people into the woods. Utility apps have seasonal lifespans — GoWild needed to be year-round. We were also in agreement that we didn’t want to create “Facebook for the Outdoors.” You can’t compete with a company of nearly 20,000 employees at its own game, so we needed something new. At its core, GoWild is a social media app. We have a newsfeed called the Trail Mix (more on that in a second), but the app goes much deeper. When you sign up for GoWild, you’ll answer a few questions to determine what you like to do — hunt, fish or just enjoy the outdoors — and how involved you are, which helps us curate content for you. Based on your answers, we’ll provide recommended channels or forums with conversations about topics that are relevant to what we think you’d enjoy. We call these channels “Trails.” Users can customize what Trails to follow, so if you like to
Above: From Left to Right, Chris Gleim (Chief Development Officer), Brad Luttrell (CEO), Donovan Sears (Chief Product Designer) and Zack Grimes (Chief Analytics Officer). All are Co-Founders. Bottom: Brad Luttrell, CEO and Co-Founder, from a writeup with Extol Sports Magazine about what the app is doing for new hunters.
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Brad Luttrell, Co-Founder and CEO of GoWild, with his lifelong best friend, Blake Carpenter. The two grew up exploring the wilderness of Southeastern Kentucky, where Luttrell would eventually conceptualize GoWild.
fish bass and trout, but I like to hunt whitetail and elk, we may never see the same content. The app’s algorithm serves up content based on what you like to do. Consider that GoWild’s base layer. We customize content in a way no other hunting app does. Where we really differentiate, though, is how we handle trophies. Think about this: So much emphasis gets put on the score of a deer, but why do we only score antlers? When we tell a friend about our hunt, we talk about more than just the total of a series of additions and deductions of bone. With that in mind, we created the GoWild Legend scoring system. This proprietary, patent-pending algorithm captures the entirety of your hunt. For a whitetail buck, we would ask what kind of weapon you used, how far your shot was, what was the animal’s weight and length, and if you hunted on public or private land, plus a host of other questions. All of these factor into a score more representative of the whole hunt, beyond the animal. This score is universally applied to nearly 100 animal species ranging from bears and deer to fish and raccoons. Hunters can also log time for taking part in outdoor activities like target practice, scouting, cooking game and trail running. The time logs and the trophy scores all funnel into each user’s GoWild Legend Score — a metric that shows off outdoorsmanship in one all-inclusive score. The scoring system will grow and evolve to mean even more over the coming year. GoWild is also the only platform catering to wild game recipes. Users can share their own recipes with our easy-to-upload system, via 72 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
their phones. And finally, GoWild has weekly giveaways. So far, we’ve given away products from Vortex, Yeti, Ramcat Broadheads, and have many more great brands ahead. We’ve built this platform to be something we’d use ourselves. And I do use it — I love to log my time shooting my new Obsession bow and showcase my progress to new friends I’ve made through the app. My goal for GoWild is to give people a place where they can share their hunting, fishing and outdoors story unfiltered. We all need to think a little more before posting a photo of a bloody kill with a loose tongue on a social platform where it could be misinterpreted. Unfortunately, many people who see this content are already misguided and misinformed by news sources with flawed reporting (I can’t believe how often “hunter” and “poacher” are used as synonyms). So save those more-raw posts for GoWild, a social platform for likeminded individuals who understand and respect the process of hunting. When posting on mass-consumption platforms like Instagram and Facebook, be the best version of yourself and share a photo of you paying respect to your animal in a candid moment instead of a gripand-grin photo. I’d be willing to bet some folks just cringed at that request. But this isn’t about hiding who you are or being ashamed. Again, my message today is loud and clear: I am proud to be a hunter, but I also understand that hunting has a PR nightmare on its hands. A growing group of individuals believe hunters are bloodthirsty murderers who just enjoy the kill. By posting only bloody grip-and-grin
Luttrell had the idea for GoWild while checking his Trail Cameras one day in Southeastern Kentucky.
killshots, we’re risking validating their arguments. My number one goal for this column is not to compel you to pull out your phone and download my app. While we are trying to grow our community, if we don’t see a single new app user due to this article, I’ll be just fine. The more important goal is to shed light on behavioral changes we all need to make. The current status quo is not enough to sustain modern conservation. We need change, we need it now, and we need to maintain momentum for generations to come. How you carry yourself, how you interact with anti-hunters, how you present your harvested animals, how you follow the law even when no one is looking — it all matters. We are stewards of this lifestyle just like we are with our public lands. The debate is not about hunter versus anti-hunter. When you don’t carry the flame with honor and respect, you lose the people on the fence. There’s someone out there who could be convinced to try hunting for the first time, but a single snarky comment could lose them forever. Not only that, it could send them down a path of misconceptions about hunting. That may not matter in the vacuum of a single Instagram comment, but it matters when this person goes on to vote for leaders who don’t support conservation or Second Amendment rights. Or, maybe worse, when they don’t spend their own hard-earned dollars to keep our wilderness just that — wild. This is you. Your story matters. How you tell it matters. Stay
true to yourself, but also remember to always put forth the best version of self. Someone’s watching. ••• A gunshot echoes in the distance. A few minutes later, another. A third, or maybe fourth, fades into the clouds as I come to the conclusion I’m the last soul in Shelby County who hasn’t harvested a deer this morning. I grunt a few times. Wait. A few bleats, whispering sweet nothings to the Booner who I just know is lurking in the treeline. I get impatient and begin digging for my sheds to rattle in my buck. I realize I must have left them behind; I see a tine peek through the grass. Then another. My heart begins to drum as I see the shooter I’ve waited for coming straight to me, or maybe the small Tink’s Scent Bomb, or maybe he’s just to get away from all those gunshots. Moments later, I watch him expire, 60 yards away. I see his heavy final breaths fade away as I have my moment of remorse. A few quick photos, and I field dress him before the mile-long hike back to the truck. I wipe the blood from my knife and drag my hands across my coveralls until they’re dry. I pull out my phone and log my new trophy in the GoWild app. And finally, I have responded: Yeah, I feel like a man — an outdoorsman. I’m proud to participate in the ecosystem. I’m proud to provide for my family. And put simply, I’m proud to hunt. ★ SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 73
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Asian
Flavors BY SCOTT LEYSATH, THE SPORTING CHEF
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Y
ou might be surprised to learn how easy it is to prepare sensational Asian-inspired dishes at home. No special equipment is required and, best of all, the cooking part usually takes just a few minutes. Preparation before cooking can take a few extra minutes, but it’s worth it and you can do the prep work several hours in advance when it’s more convenient. Just before dinner time, fire up the wok or skillet and, in short order, let’s eat! Although a well-stocked Asian pantry will have ingredients that are…ahem, foreign to many of us, it’s not necessary to load up on items that you may only use once or twice a year. Soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, ginger, some fresh vegetables and something sweet like brown sugar or apricot preserves is all you need to turn your harvested game into a great tasting sweet and sour dish.
What I like the most about Asian dishes is their depth of flavor and bright, vibrant colors for added eye appeal. But as tasty as your favorite dish is at your local Asian restaurant, there’s a good chance that it’s fairly high in calories, carbs and fat. For instance, that sweet and sour pork can set you back 30 grams of fat and over 50 grams of carbs. By making it at home, you can greatly reduce the bad stuff without sacrificing flavor. Of critical importance when preparing stir fried dishes is to have all of your ingredients chopped and sliced as specified in the recipe before you fire up the wok or skillet. Once the wok is hot, it’s “dump and go” time. Ingredients are added in order based on how long it takes to cook them. With lean game meats, it’s often best to add the meat last so that it doesn’t overcook and get tough and chewy. It’s hot, fast and delicious. Tender meat or fish, crisp vegetables and a complementary sauce makes for a successful stir-fry..
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ASIAN VENISON SALAD I think it’s safe to assume that most venison doesn’t end up in a salad. Oh sure, you might pile some seasoned ground deer meat onto a taco salad, but really, it’s a rare occasion. Whatever you do with beef, you can do with venison, including this Asianinspired Americanized version of a main course salad. For those who don’t have any Asian fish sauce for the marinade and don’t feel like running down to the store, just leave it out, but it does add flavor. Consider picking up a bottle the next time you’re in the Asian section of your grocery store. When you open the bottle and give it a sniff, don’t be put off by the fishy aroma. It really does add a distinct element, and a good one, to the flavor of the meat.
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Marinade 4 servings • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and minced • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil • 1 tablespoon lime juice • 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 2 green onions, thinly sliced • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes • 1 pound (about 2 cups) venison, sliced thinly across the grain • Salt and pepper • 6 cups Romaine lettuce, dark green leaves removed, chopped into 1 to 2-inch pieces • 1 cup carrots, shredded • 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, minced • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced • Asian rice noodles for garnish • Vegetable oil for rice noodles
Preparation 1. W hisk marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl. Season venison with salt and pepper and place in a medium nonreactive bowl. Pour half of the marinade over, reserving other half. toss to coat evenly, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours. 2. Heat 2 inches of oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add rice noodles and fry for 15 seconds. Drain well. 3. Remove meat from marinade. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add venison and cook for 2 minutes or until meat is just cooked and not overcooked. 4. In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, carrots, cucumber, onion, mint, cilantro and reserved marinade. Add meat and toss again to distribute meat evenly. Arrange salads on plates and top with fried rice noodles.
If you don’t have an elk loin handy, try this sauce with waterfowl, wild pig or any antlered game. If you don’t have a scale handy to measure 2 pounds of elk loin, just eyeball it or measure about 4 cups of packed elk loin.
Ingrediants 4 servings • 2 pounds elk loin, gristle and silver skin removed Asian Barbecue Sauce • 1/2 cup dry red wine • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1/3 cup hoisin sauce • 2 tablespoons grainy or Dijon mustard • 4 garlic cloves, minced • 2 teaspoons fresh gingerroot, minced • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce • 1 teaspoon dark molasses • 2 tablespoons ketchup • 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
Preparation 1. Combine all barbecue sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Place elk loin in a zipper-lock bag and pour all but 1/2 cup of sauce into bag with elk. Squeeze out air and close securely. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. 2. Place marinated elk on a medium-hot grill and cook evenly until medium-rare. To serve, slice across the grain into medallions and serve with reserved sauce on the side.
MARINATED ELK LOIN WITH ASIAN BARBECUE SAUCE
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If it’s crispy, it’s fried. Start off with quick-fried morsels of meat that have been coated with either a dry mix or a wet batter. The browned meat is scooted to the high-side of the wok while vegetables are stir-fried with a zesty sauce. Think of it as twice-fried and delicious. You might notice that it doesn’t take too long for your food to arrive at an Asian restaurant. It takes infinitely longer to prepare the ingredients than it does to actually cook a complete dish. The cooking style is fast and hot, which lends itself well to lean waterfowl meats that can suffer from overcooking. If your first attempt at a duck stir-fry results in chewy meat, try it again but cut the cooking time in half.
Ingrediants 4 servings • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour • 2 tablespoons cornstarch • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 1/2 cups duck breast fillets, cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes • 1/4 cup peanut, safflower or canola oil • 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil • 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, minced • 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets • 2 cups bell pepper, any color, sliced into strips • 3 green onions, roughly chopped • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar • 1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds • Dash Sriracha (or any hot sauce) • 4 cups warm cooked rice
CRISPY DUCK STIR-FRY
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Preparation 1. Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Add cubed duck and toss to coat evenly. Shake off excess flour mixture. 2. Heat peanut and sesame oils in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add duck, a few pieces at a time and stir-fry into evenly browned and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, cover with foil and keep warm. 3. Add carrot and celery and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger root, broccoli, bell pepper and green onions. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. 5. Return meat to skillet. Add soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice concentrate and sesame seeds. Bring to a boil while stirring. 6. Remove skillet from heat and stir in reserved zest and basil and season to taste with Sriracha. To serve, mound rice in bowls or plates and spoon duck mixture over and serve with reserved sauce on the side.
WILD HOG WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE This recipe deviates from the “fast and hot” style of typical wok cooking. Cubed feral swine is cooked for a couple of hours with low heat to turn them into tender morsels before adding ingredients to finish the dish. this dish can also be prepared with any antlered game or waterfowl.
Ingrediants 6 to 8 servings • 2 1/2 – 3 pounds wild pig shoulder, hindquarter or loin meat, trimmed and cut into 1 – 2 inch cubes • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil • 2 quarts beef broth • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced • 3 stalks celery, sliced diagonally • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced • 2 small hot peppers seeded and minced • 2 cups bell peppers or any sweet peppers, sliced or roughly chopped • 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce • 1/4 cup soy sauce • 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with equal part cold water. • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice • 4 green onions, shredded • 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped • Warm steamed rice • Fresh cilantro for garnish
Preparation 1. Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add cubed pig and brown evenly on all sides. Pour off any excess liquid rendered during browning. Add beef broth and next four ingredients to pot. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 2 – 3 hours or until meat breaks apart with moderate pressure. NOTE: Do not cook until meat falls apart! It should still be firm, but not tough and chewy. 2. Add remaining peppers, chili sauce, soy sauce, black beans and cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring often to thicken. Stir in lime juice. Place a mound of rice in bowls and spoon pig over. Top with green onions and peanuts. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
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Above: Learning about cattle with Papa.
A Land Ethic for T he Next Generation It’s on you! BY DR. MEGAN CLAYTON 82 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
I
have not woken up to a traditional alarm clock in years. In fact, the last time I did it was accidentally in a hotel room in the middle of the night to a blaring techno song. No, in this story I am a millennial who wakes up to a soothing cell phone alarm. My immediate need for coffee and tip-toe dance to the kitchen to avoid stepping on littered cars and trucks all over the floor also identifies me as a mom. We are raising our son in a suburb, as my husband and I were raised, much different than my parents who grew up on ranches. Our story is very typical of those who are generations removed from the land physically, but thankfully our hearts are grounded in a deep-rooted appreciation for land. My parents, grandparents, and organizations, such as 4-H, instilled a high value for agriculture, working lands, and wild things. Perhaps my parents purposely indoctrinated me with a land ethic or maybe it was just a result of their experiences, but either way it has served me well, even to the point of choosing land management as a career. Outside of the house I work a full-time job in an environment unprecedented. Five generations of people make up our workforce today, each full of rich experiences very unlike those of the other generations. As landowners age and children who left to pursue a career in the city return to the land, even rural life must learn to merge generations with different ideas, goals, and tools for a common purpose — to keep land intact so more distant generations can enjoy the same luxuries. Who are all these generations who must share and learn from one another? Meet the traditionalists. They were born before 1945 and have worked longer thanks to opportunity, work ethic, and good health care. The baby boomers, born from 1946-1964, may not be in a position to completely retire so many have remained in active working roles. Generation X was born between 1965 and 1976 and are likely just peaking in their careers. The millennials, born 1977 to 1995 are in the middle of their careers and likely have started families of their own. Finally we have the “iGeneration.” Born 1996 and after, they have come into the world at the height of technology and communication and likely see the world very differently. One of my summer interns once gasped, “How did you ever meet up with people in college if you didn’t have a cell phone?” After explaining that we planned our day ahead of time, I noticed that the look of bewilderment never left her face. The iGen likely views land as more of a recreational opportunity, not as the historic working lands that provided a living for farmers and ranchers. As many of you can relate, much of my joy and passion revolves around wide open spaces. Owning, managing, or having access to land is both a privilege and a burden. For those in agriculture, it is true that you can work long hours to produce products for the general public at a meager income, only to find that a percentage of that public thinks you are trying to kill them. In a state where 95 percent of land is privately owned and 83 percent of land is considered rural, less than 1 percent of Texans are landowners (Texaslandtrends.org). This is both a privilege and a burden. Our current culture, as a whole, lacks a land ethic. This concept,
developed by Aldo Leopold, identifies how people should regard the land and the wild things that depend upon it. Think about your own land ethic. Can you identify an experience or a person who helped to solidify a land ethic for you? Are there times when you are caught off guard by the beauty of land, even if you’re driving by it at 75 miles per hour? I distinctly remember driving down the highway feeling this way when a foster child in the back proclaimed, “Look at all those pokey trees and smelly animals out there!” The difference in our views was simply a difference in someone cultivating a land ethic — or not! So, in our busy lives, how are we supposed to foster a land ethic in others? Even if we wanted to, do we all really have the skills or ability to change the trajectory of poor ethics a person may have carried for years? Often we think about instilling traits in children, but with five generations of people who view the world through different lenses, our circle of influence goes well beyond the typical Boy Scout group. Have you heard of the circle of influence? In the very center of the circle is your circle of control. This may include close family or people who work for you. The next layer around the circle of control is the circle of influence. We often have more influence on others than we think. The outermost circle is the circle of concern. There are lots of things we may be concerned about in today’s world, but they lay outside our realm of influence. We make choices every day that either bring things into our circle of influence or keep them outside in our circle of concern. Some of you are probably already thinking about a list of reasons that you are not a person of great influence, why you do not have the time to be, or what skills you lack that you perceive others as having. Let’s look at four gifts that everybody possesses. First, you have unique relationships. Your family, friends, church members, neighbors, and coworkers are all people who you have fostered some sort of a relationship. When you include their circle of control, very quickly your circle of influence has grown substantially. Second, everyone has a unique personality or disposition. I believe it takes all kinds to reach all kinds. A friend of mine thought they would like to mentor high schoolers. I’ll never forget when a man, whom I really respected, told him that he did not have the outgoing personality required to mentor teens. Not only was this a deflating statement, but assumes that all teenagers respond well to loud, outgoing people. Perhaps you are not a gifted public speaker, but you may be able to read people well and connect best oneon-one. Some people like to teach skills, others like to just enjoy experiences. Determining how you are most comfortable will help you see ways to best instill a land ethic in others. A judge at a 4-H speaking contest saw that a young man was giving the next talk on circles. Not farming, fertilizer, deer, wild pigs, or fishing — but circles. He prepared himself to be bored for the next five minutes. To his amazement, he was sad when the talk ended. His excitement about circles was evident in his voice as he told me about the talk he had heard even months later. When you have a passion for something, it will be contagious to all who are around you. Sharing outdoor passions with those in your circle of influence will not only be beneficial for them, but fun for you!
When you have a passion for something, it will be contagious to all who are around you.
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The last gift is a tough one: Time. We stay so busy that taking someone with us who might slow us down or allowing others to do something we could do faster is a legitimate reason to not invest in developing a land ethic in others. I arrived early for a presentation I was to give at a land management workshop. A gentleman was already there to participate, so we started talking. He did not own land yet, but was looking to purchase some. We discussed different locations and acreage when I was finally led to ask if he had grown up on land or connected in some way to agriculture. I’ll never forget his response. “Yes!” he declared. His friend’s grandfather had allowed the two of them to ride around his ranch with him when they were little. I’m not even sure this happened more than a few times, but this experience solidified a land ethic and desire to own a large piece of land himself. Never discount the impact the smallest effort can achieve. Need a few ideas to get started? Whether you have access to ten thousand acres or one, there are many fun things you can do with children and adults alike. Instilling a land ethic does not mean you have to sit around reading Aldo Leopold’s Sand County Almanac (although I suggest it as a good read!). Here’s a few ideas you may already be doing and could easily develop to involve others in your fun. 1. Feed the livestock. How simple is this? When I polled several landowners to find out their go-to activities with people
Exploring for new plants with friends.
84 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
not connected to the land, this was the number one answer. Being close to agriculture is not a luxury many have, and although you may see it as work, it is a memory that will last a lifetime for them. If you do not have livestock, adapt this to be any number of daily chores you do on your property. 2. Game cameras. Back in the day I owned a game camera that required real film and processing. It was an expensive endeavor! Thanks to digital game cameras, the initial purchase investment is really the only cost, other than the gas to go check them regularly! Setting up a game camera and then checking the next day to see what was in the exact location you stood is an exciting project and is a great way to connect with wildlife. 3. Campfire building and cookout. Who taught you to build a fire? Not just light a fire, but I mean build a real fire that lasts! This is a fun activity that can even be paired with cooking some biscuits in the Dutch oven. I’m reminded of our last camping experience where we woke up to wet wood and my husband desperately trying to make coffee…for hours. He does not talk before coffee, so this was serious. Although things did not go as planned, it made for great memories! 4. Mapping. Have you ever been on a place and felt like you never knew where you were? Of course the owner usually knows each tree like the back of his hand, but to a newbie
(or directionally challenged person like me) it can just be a blur. Smartphone or tablet apps can be really helpful to explain different features of the property. Of course there is always Google Maps, but I enjoy GIS Explorer because you can really personalize your map. Another great one is onXhunt which can track your trip, but also shows you property boundaries and who owns that property. These features come at a cost — $30/year for Texas — but can be very useful for property identification. 5. Coyote calling. I’m not one to promote killing coyotes unless they are directly depredating livestock, simply based on science showing that they hold certain territories and more will just move in. However, calling in a coyote with a wounded rabbit call is an experience I would not want anyone to go without! My Mom asked “then what do you do after they come up? Run like hell!?” Yes Mom, run like hell. That would certainly add to the memory (although unnecessary!) 6. Plant collection and pressing. I am a certified plant nerd, but there is just something special about being able to really see a plant and name it. This connection to the land, understanding the role of even the smallest plant, gives great appreciation for all that nature accomplishes on its own. There are plenty of plant identification books available, plant websites (rangeplants.tamu.edu), and apps (leafsnap, BRIT Texas range plants) that can help with identification. Don’t worry if you do not know every plant — there’s only 5,000 in Texas! Learning together is part of the fun. A press can be made with two small pieces of plywood, newspaper, cut cardboard, and a rope or strap to hold it tightly together. Burn the ranch brand into the wood for a little personalization! 7. Watch the stars. This may sound corny, but thanks to fun apps like Star Chart or Skyview Free, your phone will help you identify constellations, satellites, and more! Seeing stars is something unique to rural lands and the fun integration with smartphone apps can make it an exciting nighttime activity. 8. Borrow educational materials. Did you know both Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas Wildlife Association have kits available for classrooms or groups? You can check them out for free. These are filled with tools, skins, skulls, and other materials to help educate about our wildlife and would be great for entertaining groups at your place. 9. Photography. Who doesn’t like to take the beauty back with them? Thanks to smartphones, we typically always have a camera on hand. You could either seek out framing quality pictures or develop a fun scavenger hunt with a list of items they have to find and snap a picture of as evidence. This is also a great way to introduce non-hunters to the thrill of “hunting.” 10. Animal counts. We discussed using trail cameras already, but deer spotlight counts, quail counts, or sitting and listening for animals is a great way to connect with nature
and collect valuable wildlife census data for the ranch. A lot of times it’s nice to have an extra pair of eyes or ears, so why not invite somebody along? 11. Bird watching/identification. Admittedly, I am not very good at bird identification, so I already know many of you will disregard this suggestion because you are in the same boat. The good news is that in addition to bird identification books, there are great smartphone or tablet apps that can help to identify birds. Check out Merlin Bird ID, Bird Snap, or Bird Song ID (USA Automatic) for help. 12. A stake in the game. This is more geared towards children or grandchildren, but why not keep them involved in the interest of the ranch by putting them in charge of a piece of it? The best way to learn is through experience and having to make critical decisions. Perhaps they could manage the hunting lease, allow them to purchase or give them one cow, or invite them to try other small operations that would complement what you are already doing. The best way to keep family land in the family is to foster a land ethic in the next generation. The 12 examples of how to share your love of the outdoors with others is only the beginning. There are countless ways to contribute to the cause, but why exactly would we want to develop a land ethic in everyone that we know? If you own property, the answer is easy. Your children or grandchildren will not want to work to keep the land profitable and well cared for if they have no connection with it. If you have no children to take over the land, consider putting your land in a trust to remain intact and undeveloped in the future. What about those outside your family? If they will never have the opportunity to own land, what is the importance in them having a land ethic? Consider what understanding our natural environment and how ecosystems function has to do with life — pretty much everything! The general public must understand where their food, clean air, and clean water comes from and what their role is in maintaining these life necessities. Additionally, we are talking about citizens who can vote (or will one day vote) and we need them to understand the importance of open spaces and wild things. Without cultivation, their concern for land will be like asking them to vote to put tax dollars towards changing the name of Mars. Let’s vow to leave a legacy, no matter how small it may seem. Each of you has gifts that others would love to experience. Just remember to keep your wood dry and your truck close in case you have to run. ★
Let’s vow to leave a legacy, no matter how small it may seem. Each of you has gifts that others would love to experience.
Dr. Megan Clayton is an Associate Professor and Extension Range Specialist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, based at the Corpus Christi Research & Extension Center and with the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Texas A&M University. During her graduate research with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, she was the recipient of multiple Houston Safari Club Scholarships. SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 85
LEAPofFAITH Part 3 of 3
Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, circa 1890
CAN HUNTING AND CONSERVATION GROUPS WORK TOGETHER TO FORM A STRONG COALITION TO PROTECT OUR WILDLIFE AND HUNTING HERITAGE? BY SHANE P. MAHONEY
I
n 1887, William F. Coady brought his great and already remarkably successful Wild West Show to Europe, landing his entourage of buffalos, mules, mustangs, cowboys, and Native Americans at Albert Dock and making his way to the great and grimy city of London. Here, he would begin an impressive tour of the continent with a command performance for Queen Victoria in a great arena built especially for the show. It would be during the performance that a little-remembered but spectacular gesture would occur — one that might remind us all that change may be painful but must eventually be embraced and honored. Our hunting community ought to pay heed.
After the introductions, it was customary that a lone horseman would circle the arena holding aloft the American flag. It was during this command performance in London that as the standard bearer passed in front of the Queen, her majesty arose and bowed to the emblem of American independence — a bold and extraordinary gesture that had her entire assembly of ladies, gentlemen, and military personnel scrambling to their feet and bowing and saluting with fervor. It was a signal moment. Perhaps for the first time since the defeat of the great British war machine by the ragtag militias of America, the British Empire’s sovereign office stood to honor the Stars and Stripes. Somehow, a new relationship was born, honoring what
the two countries shared, leaving aside the differences and misvoting force, the politically transformative power of our conserunderstandings that had led them to tension and ultimately to vation community to accomplish truly great things. Ponder for war. The new bonds have proven strong. just a moment the achievements we could attain for wildlife and Like the relationships between nations, those within the conask yourself if any of the petty excuses we offer up every day as servation movement are sometimes conflicted and always complex. to why this cannot occur are so real, so compelling, that we canComposed of an extraordinary range of institutions and actors, it not rise above them. is inevitable that the movement possesses a chemistry of tension, In the first two parts of this series, I argued that hunters must competition, argument, and even mistrust. The divide between begin a dialogue with the general public explaining the modern hunters and those opposed is well known, but the reality is that relevance and societal value of hunting and angling. I made sugcompetition and antagonism exist to some degree across the entire gestions for some of the means by which we could do this and conservation spectrum. When viewed from the perspective of the how such means should be focused on engaging with society at wildlife that we are all ostensibly trying to save, it most certainly large, rather than just within our own chosen groups. appears that the conservation community is deeply fissured. This But in this essay, I am obviously suggesting something much is a reality that wildlife and the conservation movement simply larger, something much bolder and hopefully more inspiring. I cannot afford. am suggesting that the hunting community step up to lead a broad new conservation coalition — one that will include former While we might be tempted to accept this reality as an ineviantagonists, competitors, and old friends alike, one that can and table part of the human condition, we cannot and must not let will communicate effectively with the broad public. the issue stand there. Far too much is at stake — for hunting, By doing so, not only will we explain the core challenges to angling, and conservation. We cannot forget that the conservation movement harbors deep conserving wildlife, but also the relevance and value of hunting within its core one of the great, hopeful, and beautiful ideas of from its biological, economic, and social perspectives. Remember, mankind: Humans can live and prosper in a world where wildlife too, that our new coalition would address the same “general public” and wild places also thrive. There is inspiwho will determine the future of hunting ration in this, and in the very fact that it We cannot forget that the and angling, and indeed all conservation efforts, either by their support, their opstill remains possible to maintain those conservation movement position — or their indifference. wild others whose lives and beauty have inspired us for so long. To do so, however, The question for the hunting and harbors deep within its will require not just reaching out to the angling community is: Who will step core one of the great, up to lead this coalition of the center? general public. Along with this, the diverse conservation community must join Who will eventually emerge as the leadhopeful, and beautiful hands in common purpose. It will not of what is now inevitable — a New ideas of mankind: Humans ers be enough to make the public aware, as Conservation Order where the old rules can live and prosper in a will not apply and where new strategies large a task as that is. I am convinced it be won or the battle will be lost? Will will also require the formation of a bold world where wildlife and will the hunting community slowly decline in new coalition for conservation. wild places also thrive. Any why is this necessary? It is necesrelevance and importance, or will it shake sary because the current state of conflict free of its retreat to fortress mentality and within the conservation movement is incredibly wasteful of seize the opportunity to, yet again, carry the banner of conservaresources, suffocates idea-sharing and progress, serves as an imtion before the inspired citizens of our nations? pediment to rapid strategic improvements in conservation policy, It will require both courage of conviction and boldness of and comes at a time when financial resources are and will be action to make such transformations, and not all institutions constrained for the foreseeable future. It is necessary because we or individuals are possessed of the grit it takes to do this. I am live in a time when ever-greater pressures are being placed on convinced, however, that such leaders will arise; indeed, I believe wildlife, when fewer people are taking up hunting and angling, they are already rising. when, increasingly, citizens are becoming more distant from nature Of course, there will be many who will say this is imposand less knowledgeable of just what it takes to maintain wildlife. sible, just a pipe dream that can never become a reality. But I It is necessary because the conflicts within the conservation would remind such naysayers of a British Queen standing to movement are confusing to the general public and because the honor the flag of upstart America and the handful of citizen relevance of hunting is becoming less and less clear to the broad hunters who launched a crusade over one hundred years ago to majority of citizens. It is necessary, above all else, because we save the wildlife of this continent. There were many who said simply cannot — we must not — lose wildlife! these, too, were fantasies of fools and idealists. How gloriously Just imagine for a moment that such conflict in our ranks did wrong they were. not exist. Imagine if all of us — hunter and nonhunter alike — could set aside those differences we feel and focus on those things we hold in common: things like abundant wildlife, clean water, Born and raised in Newfoundland, Shane Mahoney is a leading international healthy ecosystems, beautiful landscapes, humane treatment of all authority on wildlife conservation. A animals, opportunities for children to enjoy the outdoors. Imagine rare combination of scientist, hunter, is we decided that our collective human and financial resources angler, historian and philosopher, he were united in common cause and that our political strength could brings a unique perspective to wildlife be centered on the truly critical issues about which we could all issues that has motivated and inspired or in majority agree. Think of the power of this alliance, the sheer audiences around the world. SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 87
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Hank's ram was 9 years old with a green score of 182 5/8.
90 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
A Texas
Bighorn Experience
of a Lifetime By Hank Dorris
I
n a 2001 Houston Chronicle article by S. Tompkins titled “Group Is Major Force Behind Bighorn Restoration,” Jerrell Coburn is quoted as saying, “Our wish and hope is that the sheep herds continue thriving, particularly at Black Gap. We’d love to see the herds expand to where the state can offer more public drawings for sheep permits. Somewhere down the line — maybe three to five years from now — someone is going to have the experience of a lifetime because of the work we’re doing today.” The desert bighorn sheep is indigenous to Texas but by 1960 there were no
Sunrise at Elephant Mountain WMA.
sheep left. Through the efforts of the Texas Bighorn Society, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and private funds the desert bighorn is making a comeback. According to the Texas Bighorn Society website, there are 1,500 sheep that roam in seven locations in the Trans-Pecos region of west Texas. On Elephant Mountain where my hunt took place 23 sheep were introduced in 1987 and 1988. Today there are approximately 200 sheep on the mountain, with another 200 transported from Elephant Mountain to other regions. Mark Garrett, TPWD’s project leader
of the Trans-Pecos WMA, and Froylan Hernandez, TPWD’s bighorn sheep program leader, keep a close eye on the herd. Money raised from the Houston Safari Club’s auction, permit sales to private landowners and the lottery for the Grand Slam hunt fund surveys and the transportation of sheep to other ranges. Corey Knowlton and I discussed the idea of bidding on the permit for weeks before the auction. We set a limit and asked Nathan Olmstead to bid for the sheep tag on my behalf. Corey sent a text late that night that we won! I could not believe it. A few months later Mark Garrett and I worked out a hunt date over the phone that was good for everyone. Corey and Nathan accompanied me to help judge the rams. They have guided over seventy successful sheep hunts between them and their experience would prove valuable. My goal for the hunt was to harvest a mature heavy ram that would make Boone and Crockett. Our day began by meeting Dewey Stockbridge and Cody McEntire, who would be my guides and Mark who was our hunt coordinator. I signed the appropriate paperwork and sighted in my rifle. We threw our gear in “the Big House” where we would be staying and started scouting for sheep immediately. Within a few minutes, we started glassing sheep. By the end of the first afternoon, we spotted a ram that would possibly make the B&C book. At first light the next morning we began our drive to the top of Elephant Mountain. SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 91
Dewey Stockbridge and Nathan Olmstead observe Corey Knowlton and getting a quick field measurement.
Cody McEntire, Nathan Olmstead, Dewey Stockbridge and Corey Knowlton glassing from the top. 92 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
Truck loaded after packing sheep and gear off Elephant Mountain.
My ram shown with Cody McEntire, Dewey Stockbridge, Corey Knowlton, and Froylan Hernandez.
The view from the top is beautiful any time of day but at sunrise it is unbelievable. Working our way along the edge, we glassed below. There were several groups of rams but one group really stood out. This group of six rams had two possible B&C shooters and deserved a closer look. The plan was to glass rams at least three times before making a decision to harvest. We descended about 300 feet and moved closer to a bench for a better look. At this point, there was a discussion that the larger of the two rams would score between 168 and 172. We backtracked several hundred yards then descended to another bench for the third look. Dewey received a call from one of the scouts that the rams were getting nervous. By now it was getting hot. We found a little shade and sat for about 30 minutes. Once the rams settled down we moved to within 300 yards and started glassing again. I settled into position while Dewey, Cody, Nathan and Corey began their evaluation. There was all kind of discussion about mass, length and age. The consensus was the larger ram would score about 172 and he was at least 8 years old. The other ram would score in the high 160s. After quite a bit of banter, one of them said, “why don’t we ask Hank what he thinks”? to which I replied, “if he is book let’s shoot him.” There was no ground shrinkage. I was fortunate to harvest a ram that green scored 182-5/8 inches, second largest ever taken from Elephant Mountain. In my opinion, anyone can pull a trigger. The size of this ram is a testament to all the hard work, commitment and love that the guys at TPWD and The Texas Bighorn Society put into the Texas Desert Bighorn Sheep restoration program. They deserve all the credit. There are many people who I would like to thank for making this trip an “experience of a lifetime”: Rick Warren (who gave me the idea to hunt Desert Bighorn), Corey Knowlton, Nathan Olmstead, Mark Garrett, Froylan Hernandez, Dewey Stockbridge, Cody McEntire, Will Rhodes, Brandon White, Benny Benavides, Colten Nolan, Travis White, John Jackson III with Conservation Force, The Texas Bighorn Society, Legendary Arms and The Houston Safari Club. And most importantly many thanks to Gib Lewis and Perry Bass for making desert bighorn sheep hunting a possibility. My “experience” was more than just a hunt, it was a celebration. A celebration of how private and public entities can come together in the name of conservation. ★ SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 93
Emily, Zoe, Nick, and Shelton
NEXT
Generation of Hunters BY ABBY RAPP
FAMILY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT part of my life. Hunting and being in the wild has always been a time for us to escape the chaos of daily life together and get back to the basics. I have fond memories of going on hog hunts with my dad since I was 8 years old, but I’ll never forget my first hunt with my mom. At the time, I lived in Anchorage, Alaska, and I was fortunate enough to go on a black bear hunt with my coach from the high school riflery team. When I took my bear, I distinctly remember my mom calling my dad to tell him that she was upset with him for keeping “this feeling” from her for so long. I didn’t know it at the time, but she was talking about that sense of pride you get from being with a young hunter when they take an animal for the first time, a feeling that I’ve just recently been able to experience. 94 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
I graduated from Texas A&M University in 2014 and last October, I was approached about taking over as the manager of Youth Education for Houston Safari Club. Having a background in shooting sports, hunting, and rifle instruction, I happily accepted the position. In November I went on my first ever youth hunt ... as the adult. I had met Emily, Zoe, Nick, and Shelton from Huffman Hargrave High School at a range day a couple of weeks prior to the hunt. Each student was crack shot at the range, but I’ve found that skills on the range don’t always translate into being a steady hunter. I was nervous and excited to see how they’d do on the actual hunt. Not knowing what to expect, I spent the entire ride out to the ranch talking the ears off of Susan & David Kalich in an attempt to prepare myself for the coming weekend. Their calm
Zoe and her aoudad
Below left: Emily and Dozer, an African tortoise
Below right: Emily excited to participate in the blooding ritual
SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 95
Zoe & Emily ringing the bell at the Patio Ranch to signify a successful hunt
96 HUNTER'S HORN SPRING 2018
demeanor was genuinely reassuring as it helped me to settle into my new role. We arrived at the Patio Ranch in the mid-afternoon allowing for just enough time to sight-in before the hunt. With everyone on target, we split up and headed out to the stands. The ride felt like driving through a different country. I’ve been hunting in the Texas Hill Country for about 12 years but this was the first time I had ever laid my eyes on an addax deer, Nubian ibex, Manchurian sika, barasingha, or gemsbok. I have to admit, I felt like I hadn’t studied for the test when Nick and Zoe started asking what kinds of animals we saw and I had no idea of the answer. Luckily, the Patio Ranch outfitted us with a wildlife biologist guide who answered all of their questions without hesitation. About a quarter of a mile away from the stand, our guide spotted a blackbuck with a horn abnormality. Nick and Zoe shot up in their seats, attempting to control their nerves. The blackbuck would have been perfect, but he was too far away. David, Zoe, and I were dropped off at a stand and Nick went off with the guide to another. While hoping to see the blackbuck we spotted earlier, a herd of aoudad followed by another herd of four-horned sheep made their way through the field toward the feeders. This was Zoe’s first hunt and she handled her buck fever with poise. We sat in the stand watching countless animals go by before Zoe asked David, “So which kind of animal are we looking for?” David explained that we were looking for whitetail deer culls, whitetail does, and the blackbuck we saw earlier so that we could improve the genetics of the entire herd. Zoe intensely scanned the treeline until it was too dark to see and we were forced to head back to the lodge. While settling into the main lodge, we learned about the rich history associated with the Patio Ranch. We learned about the legacy of the ranch, their contributions to exotic wildlife conservation, listened to stories of people like John Wayne heading to the lodge to get away from the city, and we even got to listen to a fully functional 1920s nickelodeon piano while playing a few rounds of pool. It was an amazing way to unplug from the fast-paced world in which we currently live. To stay fully engaged in the experience, we kept up with the Kalich’s rule of no cell phones at the dinner table (something I had to be reminded of as well as the kids). After a hearty meal of wild game meat loaf and mashed potatoes, we retired to the living area for a few more rounds of pool and a review of the day. We relaxed around the fire while listening to more stories about the ranch’s history. Everything about the Patio Ranch makes you feel more connected to the previous generations, from the aged game mounts on the walls to the ammonite fossils in the custom built fireplace. You could tell that many generations of families have cared for this land and the wildlife on it. Our second day of hunting was spent learning something every hunter has to learn — patience. Yet again, we were passed by herds of aoudad and four-horned sheep, but no whitetail. We ended up watching a beautiful adolescent blackbuck strutting around a doe that had just given birth to a fawn, but she seemed more interested in breakfast than finding a new boyfriend. Though it was another unsuccessful hunt for us, Emily took a blackbuck
with a slightly deformed horn, making a great first trophy. We cleaned up and headed back to the main lodge for some exquisite sika deer breakfast sausage, eggs, and mountains of biscuits with homemade gravy. We had some downtime before the afternoon hunt so we took advantage of it by driving around the property and looking at all of the amazing wildlife including an African tortoise named Dozer. Emily was especially fond of Dozer. She would rub the back of his shell which would make him wiggle his rear end like a dog. While driving around the property, we learned about the Stumberg Sheep which originated at the Patio Ranch. The current owners of the ranch, the Stumberg Family, bred Mouflon ewes to Argali rams due to a lack of Argali ewes during Argali conservation efforts. It was nice to be able to show the students that animal conservation truly is a long term investment, but ultimately worth it. We headed back to the lodge to prepare for our last evening hunt. David had spoken with one of the guides and decided that since we had seen so many aoudad in our previous two hunts, we were going to let Zoe take an older ewe to help manage the herd. We made our way out to the stand and got situated. The first animals to arrive were the four-horned sheep followed by a few gemsbok and the same blackbuck from our morning hunt. About half an hour passed and we still hadn’t seen any aoudad. That always seems to be the case, doesn’t it? You change your hunt plan to try to increase your odds of taking an animal, but then the animal changes the plan on you. We watched the blackbuck stomp around the doe and fawn, unsuccessfully trying to get her attention for at least an hour. Just before the sun began to set, the herd of aoudad started to come through the treeline. Zoe perked up in her chair searching for the right ewe. David and I knew that the light was fading and that we were going to have to get Zoe onto the animal as fast as possible. The problem was that all of the aoudad kept huddling together in the herd making a clear shot impossible. David had Zoe bring up my .270 rifle to prepare for the shot. After about 10 minutes of searching for a female separated away from the herd, a large older ewe started walking back towards the treeline. Zoe positioned the rifle and waited for her to come to a stop. The shot was so perfect and still that you wouldn’t know she had never been hunting before. The ewe reared up on its hind legs before running behind the treeline down a rocky hill. Zoe asked, “Did I miss?” I giggled and said, “No, you definitely hit it.” We waited a few minutes and then started the search. The aoudad had stood just behind a cedar tree so we started the search there. It had been a few minutes and we still couldn’t find any blood. I could see Zoe starting to get nervous, so we spread out and I started looking for hoof prints instead of blood. I walked down the hill behind the treeline and no more than 50 yards away from where she shot was a large bodied sheep laying down. I called for David and Zoe and we had just enough time to take a few low-light photos before the sun was set. We loaded the animal into the truck and headed back to the camp. It was a successful hunt. We got back to the main property and began dressing the animal, a rite of passage within itself. The other
Zoe carefully cleaning the backstrap of her aoudad
kids gathered as Susan ritually smeared a bit of the animal’s blood onto Zoe’s face signifying her first successful hunt, when we suddenly realized that we hadn’t blooded Emily while cleaning her blackbuck earlier. Susan went into the cooler where the blackbuck was located, dipped her hand in and spread a bit of the animal’s blood onto Emily’s forehead. She could barely contain the excitement of taking part in this long standing tradition. I was proud to see Zoe help clean and dress the animal before placing the backstraps, along with her new aoudad trophy, into the cooler. We headed back to the lodge with a successful hunt under our belts. Watching as everyone gathered around after the hunt and discussing the events of the day made me realize just what my Mom had meant after my bear hunt. Seeing a young hunter take an animal is much more than just tradition, it’s a verification that the next generation will be able to provide for itself. Hunting is primal. Our ancestors did it to survive and to grow communities. We do it to preserve eons of tradition and to ensure the future of the ritual. The two girls on the trip took animals, while the boys had to learn the tough lesson that hunting is more about the pursuit than the trophy. Even with only half of the students going home with a trophy, I felt that the trip was successful. Nick had a chance to shoot a sika doe and Shelton showed great restraint when passing on an axis. The attitudes of these young hunters reassures me that the future of hunting and conservation is in good hands. With the help of Houston Safari Club, the Patio Ranch, Huffman Hargrave High School, and Susan & David Kalich, we were able to bring four students out for a truly memorable experience, and we hope to be able to teach many more about animal conservation in the future. ★ SPRING 2018 HUNTER'S HORN 97
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