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HUNTER'S HORN™ 3
TABLE of
CONTENTS
FALL 2020
FEATURES 24 STEWARDING WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AND BEYOND
By Jeff Crane
28 TOP TEN GIFT IDEAS FOR 2020 By Ashley Burgess Gall
31 LOOKING BACK
By Tommy Morrison
34 YOUR GUIDE TO OUTDOOR RECREATION DURING SOCIAL DISTANCING
By Global Rescue
38 HUNTING WITH A SUPPRESSOR
AND THE BENEFITS OF BUYING FROM SILENCER CENTRAL
42 GOOD BOURBON, GOOD CAUSE
By Blake Bauserman
50 SO, DO YOU KNOW? By Rob Neilson
56 BIG BATCH COOKING By Scott Leysath
62 ONE ON ONE WITH JACK CARR By Gayne C. Young
68 DISCOVER REMOTE NATURAL BEAUTY IN SOUTH AMERICA
By Esplanade Travel
110 94 A VERY PLEASANT CONCEIT By John Wootters
100 HIGHER CALLING: GUADALUPE BASS, NATIVE TROUT, AND TEEN CONSERVATIONISTS
By Chester Moore
106 THE ZAMBEZE DELTA: THEN & NOW
By Mark Haldane
110 DIVINE PROVIDENCE: A
TRINITY OAKS HUNT WITH ONE OF TEXAS FINEST
By Derek Ham
24
78 MARK HALDANE:
PROFESSIONAL HUNTER AND CONSERVATIONIST
By M. Arnold
86 HSCF MEMBER SPOTLIGHT By Susan Kalich
87 HSCF PH SPOTLIGHT
By Aaron Bulkley of Texas Hunt Lodge
90 LION MOON
By Tyler Sharp
COVER ARTWORK:
Grand Teton National Park, by Seth Royal Kroft www.sethroyalkroft.com | sethroyalkroft@gmail.com
4 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ FALL 2020
68
62
38
78
56
28
34 100
42 FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ 5
OUR MISSION Preserving the sport of
hunting through education,
TM
2020-2021 HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB FOUNDATION OFFICERS Matt Pyle –President Jeff Birmingham –President-Elect JD Burrows –Immediate Past President Will Perry–Vice President Jamison Smith –Vice President Mark King–Treasurer Monica Mills–Secretary HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB FOUNDATION DIRECTORS 2019-2021 Jeff Birmingham Hunter Comiskey Bryan Ray Travis Simpson Kevin Ormston 2020-2022 Ross Melinchuk Trey White Jody Simpson James Lofton
conservation and
HISTORIAN Jerry Henderson
the promotion
HEADQUARTERS STAFF
of our hunting heritage.
6 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
Joe Betar, Executive Director Angi McCarthy, Director of Administrative Services Carla Nielsen, Marketing & Publications Manager Nancy Oka, Director, Events & Membership Nate Silva, Design Consultant
2020 American Graphic Design Award for Publication Design
2020 Communicator Award for Print Distinction
2019 American Graphic Design Award for Publication Design
2018 Communicator Award for Print Distinction
Alliance Printing and Graphics Hunter’s Horn™ is published quarterly byHouston Safari Club Foundation 14811 St. Mary’s Lane, Suite 265 Houston, Texas 77079 713.623.8844 (p) 713.623.8866 (f) info@wehuntwegive.org wehuntwegive.org © Copyright 2020 Houston Safari Club Foundation Houston Safari Club Foundation welcomes contributing articles, photos and research. Houston Safari Club Foundation reserves the right to edit submissions for spelling, grammar, clarity, organization and punctuation and to abridge length. Houston Safari Club Foundation 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 Foundation 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 Foundation, its members, employees or affiliates. Houston Safari Club Foundation reserves the right to refuse any advertisement believed to be incompatible with our mission or deemed competitive or contrary to the best interests of Houston Safari Club Foundation.
U PCOMING EV EN TS OCTOBER 10
FEBRUARY 26-28
Annual Sporting Clays Tournament at Greater Houston Sport Club
2021 HSCF Worldwide Hunting Expo & Convention
DECEMBER 10
APRIL 14
Christmas Party at the House of Blues
JANUARY 23
Pheasant Shoot with WGO
Trophy Room Reception at the home of Stephanie & Will Perry *dates may vary based on social gathering restrictions
HSCF 2021 CONVENTION
Quick Reference Guide • Date change from January 22-24, 2021 to February 26-28, 2021 • 2021 Annual Hunting Awards postponed to 2022.
• Annual Photo Awards will take place at the 2021 Convention. • Expo moved to Hall A3 (third floor, private entrance from escalator on second floor)
FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 7
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE MATT PYLE, HSCF PRESIDENT
A
s I take the reins as the President of the Houston Safari Club Foundation for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, I want to take a minute to thank and recognize the outstanding Board of Directors, Officers, and HSCF staff. Without all of their help, dedication and support, the club would simply not function. Our new Vice Presidents, Will Perry & Jamison Smith are eager to jump in and contribute as well. To help guide us we have the steady hand of returning Officers Mark King (Treasurer) and Monica Mills (Secretary). I’m also eager to work with our President-Elect Jeff Birmingham….knowing the club will be in great hands at the end of my term and help continue the work we undertake this year. I would also like to thank JD Burrows for the great job he did leading us this past year. Under his leadership, we have seen the club grow and expand. As of today, HSCF has over 1,300 members, has awarded over $2.7 million in scholarships to over 600 students, continues to expand our youth outdoor education programs and field experiences, and has provided over $4 million in wildlife, habitat and conservation grants. By focusing on our mission, our club is now one of the premier hunting & conservation organizations. HSCF has been a very influential force in my life over the last 12 years, and I am honored to be your President. I truly believe in the HSCF mission of education, conservation, and the preservation of our ability to hunt. During my tenure, there are a couple of things I want to focus on. First is to get back to “having fun”. I joined HSCF (then HSC) because it was a great group of like-minded individuals that enjoyed getting together, telling stories, helping each other, growing the sport of hunting, and having fun. Second, to continue our dedication to our grants and youth education. I truly believe our organization’s future rests in the hands of these young future hunters. Our legislative branch, HSC, continues to grow. The HSC Political Action Committee (PAC), launched last year, has finally started to grow some roots. August 4, 2020, was a huge day for the outdoor world in Washington DC, with the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act by President Donald J. Trump. HSC was honored to be invited to Washington, D.C. to commemorate the signing of this landmark legislation into law and to celebrate the momentous occasion at a gathering hosted by, friend of the Club, & United States Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt. As we look forward to 2021 and our annual Convention and Expo……many things are still unsure. Our current
8 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
climate has kept us on our toes with ever-changing rules and timelines. Rest assured, we are working diligently behind the scenes to make sure no stone is unturned. Trey White has graciously offered to return for another year as Convention Chairman and I cannot be happier. Trey was instrumental in last year’s success! Our annual convention is the single most important fundraiser we host each year. We are striving to make 2021 a success too. With that said……..be prepared for some potential changes for 2021! And in closing, as I mentioned earlier. My goal for HSCF for this year is to “have fun”. Attend the annual convention (and bring a friend!), go to a monthly meeting, get your team together for the Annual Sporting Clays Tournament, attend one of the trophy room receptions, pheasant shoot, and YO weekend. Let’s get back together, break bread, have a drink, tell some stories, and Make Hunting Great Again!
Matt Pyle HSCF President
FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ 9
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR‘S
MESSAGE
JOE BETAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
B
y the time you receive this issue of Hunters Horn®, it is my sincere hope that everyone’s lives have begun to settle in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The past few months have indeed been challenging. HSCF has had to cancel our schedule of monthly events which we hate because we miss seeing everyone, but our first priority is your safety. The staff has been working from home and from the office, intermittently, depending on the number of reported cases of Covid-19 in Harris County. We continue to work on plans for the 2021 HSCF Worldwide Hunting Expo & Convention February 26-28, 2021. Based on venue availability and gathering requirements, this year’s convention will vary slightly from past events, but we plan on having a great time! The annual Sporting Clays Tournament is still scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2020 at the Greater Houston Sports Club. Be sure to get your teams signed up today! The HSCF “Hunting Matters” radio program and podcast are up and running. Past guests have included Navy SEAL and New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr; Jeff Crane, President, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation; New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize Winner Stephen Hunter; David Bernhardt; U.S. Secretary of the Interior; Ted Nugent; Aurelia Skipwith, Director, U.S. Fish & Wildlife and other great guests. “Hunting Matters” airs each Saturday, 6am-7am CST on KPRC AM 950-Real Texas, Real Talk, a Houston iHeartMedia station, and Houston’s longest running radio station. It is then available immediately following airing and available on the KPRC 950 website and on Apple Podcasts, iHeartMedia, Google Podcasts, Overcast App, Spreaker App and on iTunes! On the legislative front, there are several items that may be of interest to you. HSCF applauds President Trump’s signing of the historic legislation, the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), to promote conservation and increased public land and water access. GAOA will provide $9.5 billion over 5 years to address the decimated infrastructure on America’s public lands and waters. The inclusion of funding specifically for BLM, USFWS, and USFS lands and waters will ensure that Americans have the ability to access critically important hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting opportunities. Additionally, funding to address these agencies’ maintenance backlog will create over 100,000 employment opportunities. The Great American Outdoors Act also provides full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually and ensures $15 million annually is dedicated to increase public access for hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and other forms of outdoor recreation. HSC joined other conservation organizations in providing an opposition letter to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives and Kevin McCarthy, Republican Leader, U.S. House of Representatives regarding H.R. 2245, the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies Act, and the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (H.R. 7612). H.R. 2245 which represents another attempt to substitute uninformed prejudices for
10 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
the management strategies of the wildlife authorities successfully conserving the world’s largest populations of lions, elephants, and other African species in their range countries. Section 436 of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (H.R. 7612) represents a sweeping effort to curtail the importation of legally and sustainably harvested African game species. The Moving Forward Act, including as an amendment in the final package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R.3742) will benefit the nation’s economy by creating as many as 33,500 new jobs annually, supporting future economic growth in the outdoor recreation sector through infrastructure improvements, and increase resiliency and recovery of imperiled species and their habitats. The $1.4 billion annual investment from the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would lead to an additional $3.36 billion of economic output with a multiplier of 2.4 which means every federal dollar spent on species and habitat restoration would generate 2.4 times more money for the national economy, and a net positive gain of $1.96 billion to the Gross Domestic Product. Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF), as a member of The American Wildlife Conservation Partners, is proud to have participated with other conservation partners, in the development of Wildlife for the 21st Century: Volume VI. The document contains recommendations for the next White House Administration and the next two Congresses, as they relate to wildlife, habitat, access, and recreation. Adoption of these recommendations will improve federal agencies’ stewardship of our nation’s fish, wildlife, and habitats and enhance access to federal lands and waters for outdoor and wildlife-associated recreation, which contribute significantly to the quality of life and economic well-being of our citizens and future generations. We have launched several new exclusive HSCF Member Rewards programs. Partners include The Hunter Sight, Everest. com, Jose Valencia Studios, Hunters Blend Coffee, and Joshua Creek Ranch. Visit the HSCF website at hscfdn.org/giving-back/member-rewards/ to take advantage of these new partner discounts. In support of hunting and conservation,
Joe Betar Executive Director HSCF/HSC/HSC-PAC
FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ 11
HSCF LIFE MEMBERS Bob Abernathy John Abraham Charlotte Alexander Richard Alexander Crystal Allison Shannon Alston Michael Ambrose Anne Avara Jacob Avara Skip Avara Paul Babaz Camp Bailey Cope Bailey Freddie Bailey Kenneth Bailey Frank Baird Jo Baird Mike Baird Jack Barksdale L. Irvin Barnhart * Wendy Barnhart-Lamplough James Bell Lyndel Berry Tony Bessette Charlotte Betar Joe Betar James Biggerstaff Jeff Birmingham Craig Boddington Werner Boeer Jay Bonano E. Bond Greg Bond Pete Bonora Jeri Booth Frederick (Tony) Box Luanne Bozeman W. Steven Bozeman James Braus John Bridgwater Jack Brittingham Elizabeth Brueggeman Mark Brueggeman Joe Bruno Aaron Bulkley Matt Burke Robert Burke Byron Burris Grady Burris Quint Burris Prentiss Burt Daniel Butler Turner Butts Don Byrne C. Cagle Dennis Cain Thomas Cain Rick Callison Alex Campbell Bill Carter * Ivan Carter Paul Carter Ben Case Barbara Cavender-Lewis Preston Cavner 12 HUNTER'S HORN™ SPRING FALL 2020 2019
Chris Caywood Tracey Cearley Alan Cegielski Doug Centilli Christopher Clark James Clark Steve Clark Craig Clendenin Michael S. Clifford Stephen Coale Keith Coleman Randall Coleman * Russell Coleman Joe Collett Dwayne Collier Frank Comiskey Hunter Comiskey Kevin Comiskey Alan “Bink” Cooke Dian Cooper Rocky Cooper George Councill Steve L. Crawford Steve Crawford Jr. Kenneth Crockett Gary Crouch Deb Cunningham Ford Cunningham Linda Cunningham Ralph Cunningham Ralph Daigle Joe Davis Laurent Delagrange Armando DeLeon Armando DeLeon Charlie Desautels Elliot Desautels Jen Desautels Perry Dillon Randy Donato Barry Donoho Tim Doucet Megan Doyel James (Red) Duke * Dannine Duncan 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 * Michael Franklin Bobby Frederick Aaron Freeman Nichol Freeman Donald French Warren Gallant
Randal Garrett Scott Garrett Tanya Garrett Zachary Garrett Paul Geiger Frank Giacalone Salvatore Giannetti 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 Vickie Hayes Charles Head Jerry Henderson Mark Herfort Heinert Hertling Robert Hibbert Greg Hill Loren Hill Steven Hill Nicholas Hinze Edward Hoffman William Holder Bill Honza Toby Huerta Gene Human Tanya Hurlburt Terry Hurlburt Harold Inman * Justin Itzel Keith Itzel John Jackson Jack Jensen W.A. “Bill” Jentsch Clay Johnson Todd Johnson Robert Jones Harris Junell Darrell Kainer David Kalich Susan Kalich Kirk Kanady Michelle Kangas Gaye Kelsey John Kelsey Julianne King Mark King Rick Kirk Jim Klentzman Robert Kneppler Philip Koehne George Kollitides Tommy Kolwes Phil Koonce George Kopecky Keith Lake
HSCF LIFE MEMBERS Fred Lamas Wayne LaPierre Joel Latham Kyle Lehne Richard Leibman John Lindholm Tom Lipar Bryant Littlefield Mark Livesay Ricardo Longoria Cody Loverin Doug Luger David Mafrige Shane Mahoney Paige Manard D Martin John Martin James Masten Chad Matherne Wyatt McBride Mitzy McCorvey Tony McCorvey Ed McCrory Travis McWilliams Gerald Meinecke Lewis Metzger Greg Mills Brook Minx Howard Monsour Forrest Montealegre Paul 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 Carol O’Day Kerry O’Day Charles Onstead Kevin Ormston Neal Overstreet John Painter Michael Park Michael Parr Steve Pate Trevor Penny John Pepper Melanie Pepper Stephanie Perry Will Perry Timothy Peter Bryce Phillips Carson Phillips Dusty Phillips Wilson (Woody) Phillips Thomas Powell Kevin Poynter
Andrew Pratt Kymberly Pratt Charles Prince Sharon Propes Matt Pyle Carlos Ramirez Bryan Ray Christina Ray Lawrence Rearick William Reed Gayle Rettig Keith Riggs Theresa Riggs John Robberson Eric Robinson 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 Michael Sandeen Joseph Sayers Corey Schaefer Scott Scheinin Robert Scherer Wade Schindewolf Adam Schindler George Severence Wayne Sheets John Shelby Richard Shepherd Jason Shrieve William Simmons Austin Simpson Autumn Simpson Barret Simpson Becky Simpson Dawn Simpson Jacob Simpson Jody Simpson Michael Simpson Mike Simpson Travis Simpson Tristan Simpson Weston Simpson Sam Skipper Aurelia Skipwith Carter Smith Jason Smith Mandy Smith Steve Smith * Tom Snyder Norman Speer
James Stacy Kaylee Stacy Mary Edith Stacy Larry Stifflemire Mark Stouse Randy Strickland H. Stuart Greg Stube David Swan Dr. Lloyd Swiedom Sally Swiedom Leah Symens Tyler Symens Peter Tam Stephen Tam Larry Tatom Terry Taylor Mark Terpstra Robert Thomas Heidi Thomas-Kersh J.B. Tinney John Tobin Pete Trammell Ted Trout * Hal Tryon Don Turner Aart Van Den Brink Phillip Veale Thom Venus Amanda Vick William Vick Juan Villaveces Glenn Vincent Jeffery Vinson 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 * Ron Willenborg Steve Willenborg Gregory Williamson Alan Winslette Robby Winstead Kurt Wiseman John Wood Bill Woodall J.D. Woods Patricia Woods Debi Young Preston Young Brian Zaitz * Deceased SPRING FALL 2020 2019 HUNTER'S HORN™ 13
OFFIC E RS
HOUS T ON S A FA R I C L U B F OU N DAT ION
Matt Pyle, President
JD Burrows, Immediate Past President
Jeff Birmingham, President-Elect
Will Perry, Vice President
Mark King, Treasurer
14 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ FALL 2020
Jamison Smith, Vice President
Monica Mills, Secretary
DI R E C T O R S HOUS T ON S A FA R I C L U B F OU N DAT ION
Jeff Birmingham, 2019-2021
Hunter Comiskey, 2019-2021
Bryan Ray, 2019-2021
Travis Simpson, 2019-2021
Kevin Ormston, 2019-2021
Ross Melinchuk, 2020-2022
Trey White, 2020-2022
Jody Simpson, 2020-2022
James Lofton, 2020-2022
FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ 15
OFFIC E RS HOUS T ON S A FA R I C L U B
Matt Pyle, President
Jeff Birmingham, President-Elect
Mark King, Treasurer
Monica Mills, Secretary
DI R E C T O R S HOUS T ON S A FA R I C L U B
Doug Centilli, 2019-2021
16 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ FALL 2020
Gib Surles, 2020-2021
FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ 17
FROM THE CONVENTION CHAIR TREY WHITE, 2021 HSCF CONVENTION CHAIRMAN
I
hope that this finds all of you and your family healthy and well. The impact of Covid-19 has been felt all over the globe and in all walks of life, including the hunting industry. Our friends in New Zealand and Argentina have lost the majority of their hunting seasons while our those in Africa have in many cases lost all of theirs. I am sure that you are asking are we having a convention this year? YES! We are absolutely having a Convention this year. The dates of our 2021 Convention have changed. Our new dates are February 26-28, 2021 at the George R Brown Convention Center. We will be in a different hall this year, A3, which we feel gives us quite a few advantages over the space we have occupied the last few years. This space should be perfect for our needs while at the same time allowing the move in and move out procedures to be smoother. We will be sending out a call for donations email to members soon. As I am sure you are aware, donations for our auctions are a lifeblood of our Convention every year. We are hoping that our members will help HSCF by donating items like a hunt, art, or experience such as time at a beach house, mountain retreat, etc.. I know that the members of our organization have access and contacts that could be of great benefit to the club in this strange year. I am also confident that all of you will be as generous to the club as you have always been.
18 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
All three banquets will be held at the Hilton Americas-Houston! Be sure to join us for our Friday night casual dinner, presentations, music and live auction. Pull out your boots and join us for the Gazelles Luncheon on Saturday. Themed as “Texas Traditions” for 2021, this event is always filled with food, fun, a fantastic silent auction and a great live auction! We wrap up our banquets with the Saturday night blacktie gala and live auction. This year’s featured Saturday night entertainment will be the great Houston comedian Son Tran and our live auction will have plenty of great items, so come ready to bid! Due to travel restrictions, most of you have not been able to participate in your usual hunting adventures, so we made the difficult decision not to hold our hunting awards. Don’t worry, entries for the 2022 hunting awards will be accepted from both the 2020 & 2021 hunting seasons. As time goes on, we will keep you updated on any changes that might occur. We are all working hard to ensure that the 2021 HSCF Convention is a great one! Stay safe and if you have any questions feel free to call me (713) 444-3977 or email me treywhite77@gmail.com. Trey White 2021 Convention Chair
FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ 19
HOUS T ON S A FA R I C L U B F OU N DAT ION
COR POR ATE MEMBER S TH A NK YOU F OR SU PPORTING HSCF
Alaska Skookum Guides alaskaskookumguides.com
Champion Ranch huntchampionranch.com
Brush Country Studios / Prairie Mountain Wildlife Studios brushcountrystudios.com
Capital Farm Credit capitalfarmcredit.com
Clay Time claytimebaycity.com
Hawkeye Hunting Club hawkeyehunting.com
Gsell’s Whitetails gsellswhitetails.com
Milton Lake Lodge HuntersInc.com LLC
miltonlakelodge.com
Republic Boot Co. republicbootcompany.com
Royal Outfitters royaloutfittersuk.com
Ruple Properties southtexasranches.com
Soele Texas Best Ranches texasbestranches.com
Tech-Mark Sales tech-marksales.com
.
WW
TEMPER A S E M P E R A T U R E C O N TA T U RO E XW . T E X A S T L. C
R EO M
T
HomeLand Properties homelandprop.com
NC
CO
NT
RO
L SERVICES
, I
Texas Temperature Control texastemperaturecontrol.com
20 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
WildLife Partners wildlifepartners.com
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Giles Allcock Trey Barker Tucker Chapman Kristi Heuring
Brian Isham Andrew Latshaw Shane Mukherjee Eric Robinson
Chris Rugg Andres Torrico Bill Voss Vernon (Rick) Wheeler
FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ 21
SCT CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE JEFF BIRMINGHAM, SPORTING CLAYS TOURNAMENT CHAIRMAN
H
opefully everyone is ready to get back into the outdoors and will join me in breaking a few clays, telling a few stories and enjoying each other company again. HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB FOUNDATION The tournament is a 501©(3) event Please mark it on your calendars, HSCF Sporting Clays Tournament and the proceeds support HSCF’s to be held on Saturday, October mission of preserving the sport of 10th. Once again we will be at the hunting through education, conserGreater Houston Sports Club with hopefully much coolvation, and the promotion of our hunting heritage. Funds er weather and hunting on our minds. This tournament raised go towards programs benefiting habitat and species has become one of the largest and most fun-filled charity preservation, youth education programs, veterans huntsporting clays tournaments in the Houston area, and we ing programs, and more. We still have many sponsorship are hoping to keep that tradition alive this year. The touropportunities and would greatly appreciate your support. nament provides numerous sponsorship, marketing, and Please mark your calendars and register for the event. We networking opportunities for individuals and companies guarantee you will have a great time of shooting, fellowalike, as well as prizes, games, raffles, great food, and fun. ship, and fundraising for a worthy cause. We look forward The tournament will kick off at 8:30 a.m. and conclude to seeing you there! around 2:00 p.m. Food trucks will be available for breakfast and coffee, and we will finish up with BBQ, beer, and bevSincerely, erages. There will also be an opportunity at the end of the tournament for the top shooters to participate in an Annie Jeff Birmingham Oakley Shootout for the 2020 HSCF World Champion! 2020 Sporting Clays Tournament Chairman TM
SPORTING CLAYS TOURNAMENT
22 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ 23
Stewarding Wildlife Conservation for the Next Four Years and Beyond BY JEFF CRANE, PRESIDENT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL SPORTSMEN’S FOUNDATION
T
he American Wildlife Conservation Partners publication series that was given to presidential cam(AWCP) – a coalition of the nation’s top paigns and to members of Congress. Overall, Wildlife sporting-conservation organizations, includfor the 21st Century: Volume VI includes 10 recoming the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and mendations made by AWCP that focus on a variety Houston Safari Club – recently released the sixth of topics. These include conservation funding from edition of a publication known as Wildlife for the 21st public and private sources; enhancing access for huntCentury (W21). The report outlines key actions on ers; collaboration on big game migration corridors; wildlife and habitat conservation issues identified by wildlife goals in energy planning; conservation and the partners and serves as a directional roadmap for access on private land; managing wildlife disease; cliAmerica’s policymakers for the next four years. mate policy on habitat conservation; and recreational Formed in 2000, AWCP is a coalition of America’s shooting, hunting, and conservation on federal public top 50 sporting-conservation organizations that land; among others. The report delves into the intrirepresent the millions of sporting-conservationists, cacies of each of these recommendations, providing professional wildlife managers, and other outdoor specific actions political leaders could take that would enthusiasts across America. AWCP members work benefit wildlife conservation and our nation’s sportsin a cooperative manner to provide recommendations men and women. and advice to Congress and the presidential adminImplementing the recommendations included in istration to advance the interests of W21 v. VI will increase opportunisportsmen and women. ties for sporting-related activities on Formed in 2000, The participants are a network of federal lands and waters, while also wildlife management experts who incentivizing willing private landAWCP is a coalition share common interests to ensure owners to conserve wildlife habitat of America’s top that science-based wildlife manageand to increase access for sportsmen 50 sportingment practices thrive in our great and women. These issues are critical conservation nation by working with our political to ensuring the future of our timeorganizations leaders. Each of the individual memhonored sporting traditions, along ber organizations have missions of with supporting conservation fundthat represent the their own, but collectively, all meming and the associated economic millions of sportingbers of the coalition are dedicated activity that hunting, trapping, conservationists, to the same thing – stewardship and recreational shooting provide professional wildlife through the science-based managethe nation. managers, and other ment of wildlife and its habitat, and As a part of this leadership from sustaining the benefits that hunting, AWCP and its W21 publications, outdoor enthusiasts trapping, and recreational shooting our country has already seen landacross America. bring to communities and the econmark legislation become permanent omy. AWCP works to ensure that federal law. The Great American wildlife conservation, including public use and the Outdoors Act, that was signed by President Trump enjoyment of our nation’s natural resources, remain in early August, is the single greatest commitment today and for generations to come. to increasing access for sportsmen and women and Beginning in 2001, and occurring every four years advancing conservation in a generation. The new since, AWCP develops Wildlife for the 21st Century law provides permanent funding at $900 million anreports that articulate the sporting community’s priorinually for land conservation through the Land and ties for the upcoming presidential term and the next Water Conservation Fund, including specific directwo Congresses (a new Congress occurs every two tion to improve recreational access. In addition, the years). The recommendations provided by AWCP in law allocates $9.5 billion over the next five years to W21 seek to advance innovative conservation practackle the deferred maintenance backlog on federal tices, public access opportunities, and sustainable use public lands. The sporting-conservation community of public lands and waters. played a key role in ensuring that these maintenance In July, AWCP released the sixth volume of this funds could also be used for national forests, national
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wildlife refuges, and Bureau of Land Management lands. Dedicated funding for habitat conservation, recreational access, and federal lands maintenance were key priorities included within W21 v. VI. The role of AWCP and the recommendations outlined every four years by the partners in the W21 publications chart a course for conservation policies that will benefit the nation’s sportsmen and women.
The leadership that AWCP provides through W21 v. VI will help define wildlife and habitat conservation for the next four years and beyond, by providing a robust list of meaningful policy recommendations to maintain our natural resources, our economy, and the future of our hunting heritage. To view the W21 v. VI publication, visit wildife-partners.org. ★ FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 25
A SPORTING CLUB LIKE NO OTHER!
Conveniently located between Houston and Austin lies Big Easy Ranch, a premier destination for hunting and sporting enthusiasts. Whether it’s hunting, golf, corporate entertaining or pure relaxation in the great outdoors, Big Easy Ranch offers something for everyone. • 2,000 acres of hill country terrain • Upland Field Hunts and European Pheasant Drives • Trophy whitetail and exotic hunting • Twelve-station sporting clays course • Fishing lakes range from Trophy 26 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020 bass to seasonal rainbow trout
• • • •
Nine-hole par three golf course Luxurious overnight lodging Infinity pool with poolside cabana World-class cuisine and Wine Spectator™ awarded wine program • Private memberships available
979.733.8635 BigEasyRanch.com 2400 Brunes Mill Road Columbus, Texas 78934
Character forged... A COLLEGE-PREP BOARDING SCHOOL FOR BOYS GRADES 7-12 IN HARLINGEN,
...empowered for life. www.MMA-TX.org
TEXAS 956-423-6006
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Top Ten
GIFT IDEAS for 2020
By Ashley Burgess Gall
VP of Marketing and Events, Laura Burgess Marketing
American Warrior Society.
One morning you wake up and the air feels a little crisper, you spy that first tinge of gold upon a leaf, and you realize…the holidays are almost upon us and you have not even begun to think about what to get for that special hunter or firearms enthusiast in your life. And why would you have? 2020 has been crazy! Between COVID-19, stay at home orders, riots, Murder Hornets, and yes, even flying snakes, who has time to think about gifts? That’s where we swoop in like that dreaded Murder Hornet armed with not venom, but our Top Ten List of Gift Ideas. If there is one thing that quarantine has prepared us for, it’s online shopping, and we’ve scoured the internet to find the perfect gift ideas for that beloved hunter or shooting sports enthusiast in your life. So, go ahead, take a gander at what we think your loved one would be happy to find under the tree this year.
10. Cimarron Firearms’ Bad Boy .44 Mag.
EAA Corps.’ Regard MC Deluxe.
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With the way 2020 has gone so far, it’s not a bad idea to sharpen your defensive shooting skill set by signing up for The American Warrior Society. From the comfort of your own home or range, you can learn and grow every aspect of your defensive training in easy to swallow parts with actionable steps for you to practice so that you can have the confidence to protect yourself and your loved ones. By becoming a member, you receive complete access to all current and future Shooting-Performance defensive training programs (over 250+ videos and growing), monthly new exclusive training videos, a members-only private Facebook group, and up to 50 percent off all training books and DVDs. BONUS: this program comes with a FREE 14-day trial. Find out more: americanwarriorsociety.com
9.
Whether you’re shopping for a handgun hunter, target shooter, or someone who is just looking for some grizzly protection, look no further than Cimarron Firearms’ Bad Boy .44 Mag. This revolver has a modern classic design with its Single Action Pre-War frame with an 1860 Army-style, one-piece walnut grip. The 8-inch barrel is octagonal and is outfitted with adjustable sights. Sporting a classic blued
Tasmanian Tiger TAC Modular SW Pack 25.
Tasmanian Tiger Modular Rifle Bag.
finish on a high-performance carbon alloy steel frame, cylinder, and barrel, the Bad Boy .44 Mag single-action revolver is sure to become a classic, modern, every-day in the field carry. Find out more: cimarron-firearms.com
Steinel Ammunition 44 Magnum 225gr. SCHP Ultimate Deer Load.
8.
Any gun collector would be happy to find EAA Corps.’ Regard MC Deluxe, a gold plated, hand-engraved pistol based on the Beretta 92 design, under the tree this year. Truly a work of art, this highly collectible and beautifully finished pistol is more at home putting 9mm rounds downrange. The gold-plated semi-auto features a hand-engraved design with matte black controls and beautifully figured laminated grips. Additionally, this unique pistol features an ambi-safety, a drift adjustable sight, decocker, and an accessory rail in front of the trigger guard on the frame. Find out more: eaacorp.com
7.
Any good rifle needs a good bag, and if your loved one doesn’t have one yet, then seriously consider the Tasmanian Tiger Modular Rifle Bag. Designed to carry a fully-outfitted rifle up to 40 inches (101 cm) in length with scope, the TT Modular Rifle Bag features reinforced padding on the sides and secures the firearm inside with wide hook and loop tape. This extremely robust and colorfast bag is made to withstand extreme environments and years of use, featuring a PU-coating for a weatherproof finish. It also provides multiple carrying options with a detachable carrying strap and two carrying handles, both horizontal and vertical. Find out more: tasmaniantigerusa.com
6.
For the days your hunter or firearms enthusiast isn’t out in the field, he can rely on the Tasmanian Tiger TAC Modular SW Pack 25 to carry all his items.
Loaded with compartments for the most versatile carry, this pack is designed for covert or undercover deployment of civilian use. It is built upon Tasmanian Tiger’s famed padded back carrying system which allows for a secure, customizable fit that is all-day comfortable. Find out more: tasmaniantigerusa.com
5.
Every good hunter needs reliable ammo. For quick, ethical kills on deer-sized game look no further than the Steinel Ammunition 44 Magnum 225gr. SCHP Ultimate Deer Load. It has proven its ability to effectively penetrate shoulders and ribs without impeding expansion, often exceeding 1.1 inches. Recovered bullets on mature bucks over 200 pounds prove that this bullet consistently outperforms both hard cast and jacketed bullets. Made from all premium components, the Ultimate Deer Load is available in boxes of 20 rounds. Find out more: steinelammo.com
4.
If power and accuracy are what your hunter is looking for out of his ammo, then be sure to slip some Steinel Ammunition 45/70 Government 300gr. Hornady JHP (High Power) into his stocking. This very potent 45/70 load can achieve 2,054 FPS with the mere 18.5” of the venerable Marlin Guide Guns. This round offers your hunter the ability to take FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 29
Churchill 220 Field semi-auto shotgun.
MasterPiece Arm’s Bolt Action Ultra Lite Hunter Rifle – SS (Stainless Barrel).
full advantage of his modern rifle’s performance potential and is optimal for deer at distances beyond 50 yards if meat damage is a concern. Find out more: steinelammo.com
3.
For the long-range hunter in your life, check out MasterPiece Arm’s Bolt Action Ultra Lite Hunter Rifle – SS (Stainless Barrel), which is purpose-designed for lightweight hunting applications. From the ultra-lightweight construction to the technically superior chassis design, and the accuracy capabilities, this rifle is providing long-range precision hunters an unprecedented level of performance. This model of the Ultra Lite Hunter Rifle utilizes a stainless barrel and comes in at a lower price point than its carbon fiber barrel brothers. MPA’s bolt action precision rifles, designed with the hunter in mind, provide long-range precision hunters an entirely new level of performance. Find out more: masterpiecearms.com
Steinel Ammunition 45/70 Government 300gr. Hornady JHP (High Power).v
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Big Horn Armory’s Model 89 in .500 S&W Magnum
2.
For the hunter or firearm enthusiast who loves the rich legacy of American firearms design and development, look no further than Big Horn Armory’s Model 89 in .500 S&W Magnum. Honoring the long tradition of great American sporting rifles, it provides hunters with pride in ownership and a powerful advantage. Built from the ground up, it is manufactured with 17-4 stainless steel precision machined and properly hardened to deliver consistent downrange performance and rugged in-the-field dependability. The Model 89’s large, hunter-friendly curved-lever enables ease of operation, especially with gloved hands. Find out more: bighornarmory.com
1.
If you have a young hunter in your family and are hoping to pass the tradition on to the next generation, then look no further than the Churchill 220 Field semi-auto shotgun. The Churchill 220 Field shotgun is designed by EAA Corp. and produced by Akkar to provide years of dependable use in the field and on the range. The 20GA Field’s excellent balance offers smooth follow-through shots with an excellent and controlled swing. The Youth model features a 24” barrel and stock inserts to adjust the fit to your young hunter and allow them to grow with the shotgun. Find out more: eaacorp.com ★
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LOOKING
BACK
1: Kathy & Butch King - Wildman Lake Lodge. 2: Jeri Booth - The Detail Company & Dick Teel (deceased). 3: Tony Bessette and Karen Noack. 4: Will Ellis. 5: Ted Trout deceased and Past President Mark Herfort. 6: Past President Tommy Morrison and guide. 7: Jerry Rubenstein.
By Tommy Morrison 3
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Your Guide to
Outdoor Recreation During Social Distancing
There is less risk of COVID-19 contagion during outdoor recreation, but you should still be prepared to maintain social distancing. The experts at Global Rescue share how. Contributed by www.globalrescue.com/hscf
Outdoor recreation has been the saving grace during the coronavirus pandemic. With stay-at-home orders and workfrom-home adjustments, there’s nothing like spending time with Mother Nature to lift your spirits and lower stress. And if you’re outside getting exercise, your health benefits just doubled. Although there is less risk of COVID-19 contagion during outdoor recreation, there are still health, safety and planning considerations for you and others in your small group. Dr. Diana Cervantes, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the Health Science Center at the University of North Texas, suggests considering three factors before venturing outdoors: • How many people will be there? • How close is the contact? • How long will you be exposed to other people? “Outdoor activities have a lower risk of coronavirus exposure than indoor activities,” said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue. “By avoiding the three Cs — confined spaces, crowds and close contact — you dramatically reduce the likelihood of contracting the virus.” 34 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
Low-risk activities are anything outdoors and alone (or with immediate family). Even then, Global Rescue experts suggest using the same rules and safety guidelines for travel and applying them to outdoor recreation. “Don’t relax your safety precautions just because you are outside,” said Jeffrey Weinstein, medical operations supervisor at Global Rescue. To ensure you stay healthy during your time outdoors, Global Rescue has compiled safety suggestions for swimmers, anglers, runners, hunters and motorcyclists.
SWIMMING IN RECREATIONAL WATERS
If you want to go into the water — pool, lake or ocean — the good news is there is no evidence COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of recreational waters, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a June New York Times interview, Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a Columbia University virologist, said being in water outdoors is a likely good place to be these days. “In my opinion, pool water, freshwater in a lake or river, or
seawater exposure would be extremely low transmission risk even without dilution (which would reduce risk further),” Rasmussen said. “Probably the biggest risk for water recreation is crowds — a crowded pool locker room, dock or beach, especially if coupled with limited physical distancing or prolonged proximity to others. The most concentrated sources of virus in such an environment will be the people hanging out at the pool, not the pool itself.” It’s a good reminder: Although you may be keeping yourself safe, not everyone is abiding by the rules. “Travelers should expect other travelers to not follow the appropriate precautions,” Weinstein said. “Do your due diligence and plan your safety strategies for communal areas.”
THE WELL-BEING OF WATER SPORTS
Want to be near the water but not necessarily in it? Boating, sailing and fishing are all great outdoor activities during the pandemic but again, you’ll want to avoid crowded recreational areas. If you’re launching or fishing from a public dock, you will want to sidestep high-touch surfaces, such as ladders, mooring poles and handrails. “Be wary of frequently touched surfaces,” said Jacqueline Sioson, operations supervisor at Global Rescue. Social distancing guidelines will still be important, even in
the great outdoors. Maintain distance at boat ramps and fuel docks — and avoid using either if other people are there. You should also only boat with those in your immediate household. Planning to fish on land? Use your fishing rod as a natural social distancer. Fishing rods measure anywhere from two to eight feet and fly rods are typically a bit longer, between six and 10 feet. Bring your own tackle boxes and coolers to limit communal contact.
SOCIAL DISTANCING WHILE RUNNING, BIKING AND WALKING
If you are running, walking or biking with someone, maintain six feet of distance. Maintaining appropriate social distance might be easy to do in a rural area but it’s not as simple on a metropolitan bike path. Penn State’s Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics has the following guidelines for how to share outdoor space responsibly: “If you’re behind someone who is walking, running or biking, the guidelines are a little different. A preliminary study by aerodynamicists using simulations of micro droplets in saliva left behind by a walker, runner and cyclist shows that your best bet is to stay out of the slipstream, also known as their draft.” To do so, you’ll need to keep a distance of about five yards FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 35
between you and someone walking ahead of you, about 10 yards between you and someone running ahead of you and 20 yards between you and someone cycling ahead of you. If you don’t have that much space, consider staggering your position and following diagonally instead of directly. If you need to pass them (or they need to pass you), you should still offset your position and increase the distance between you as much as space allows.
PREPPING FOR THE FALL HUNTING SEASON
Every state’s game agency reacted to the pandemic differently. Some changes include travel and camping restrictions, shooting range closures, canceled seasons and closed public lands. The state of Montana required hunters and anglers traveling from out of state to quarantine for 14 days, but lifted that rule on June 1. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reopening shooting ranges in a phased approach. The state of Michigan allowed licensed individuals to hunt if they followed social distancing guidelines by remaining at least six feet from people outside an individual’s household. What hasn’t changed is the need for a fish and game license. State hunting, fishing and OHRV rules and regulations remain in effect during the pandemic and will be enforced. You may, however, have to go online to get it. The fall hunting season is expected to be a busy one, with many states reporting an increase in licenses. You may find your favorite hunting spot is more crowded than usual so be flexible with your plans. Online resource Hunting Season HQ offers a map of hunting seasons by state, but you should also confirm dates with your state’s fish and game department.
MAPPING A MOTORCYCLE SAFETY PLAN
The call of the open road lures motorcyclists out of their homes and on their bikes. With little to no traffic on the roads and highways, now is a great time to enjoy an adventure ride. Even American Motorcycle Association sanctioned-events have returned, albeit without spectators. On your motorcycle, most likely, it will be just you following the rules. 36 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
• Bikers should keep their helmet and gloves on during the ride and on any stops. Wipe them down after gassing up and at the end of the day. • If you wear a bandana or balaclava while riding, continue to do so. It will save you the stress of putting on and taking off a face mask during stops/breaks. • Don’t wear a helmet if it has been cracked or shows signs of wear. Helmets should be Department of Transportation approved (usually with a DOT sticker on the back) and not older than five years. • Countries have varying rules and regulations. In England, motorcyclists should not ride in groups or congregate at single spots, always maintaining social distancing. It’s also advised not to ride across Scottish and Welsh borders if you don’t know the rules. • The same social distancing guidelines and location restriction research hold true for domestic travel. American Motorcyclist updates a monthly list of state and local bills, grants, openings and closings.
THE PLUS OF TRAVEL PROTECTION SERVICES
No matter where you enjoy your outdoor recreation — at home, close to home or far away — be sure to do your research. Check conditions along your route and at your destination to ensure you’re not traveling through or to a hot spot. Global Rescue’s free Coronavirus Report includes a map with hot spots, details on state-by-state restrictions and stay-at-home orders, updated on weekdays. If you are planning a trip 100 miles away from home or perhaps overseas, a travel protection services membership will increase your safety on the front end, such as providing a risk assessment for a particular destination and assist you on the back end, in case you run into coronavirus restrictions or need an emergency medical evacuation. ★ Houston Safari Club Foundation highly recommends purchasing a Global Rescue membership before your next trip. Single trip, annual and family options are available. For more information, visit info. globalrescue.com/hscf or call 617-459-4200 and tell them you’re a Houston Safari Club, Foundation member.
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HUNTING WITH A SUPPRESSOR and the benefits of buying from Silencer Central
Over the past 15 years a relatively old shooting accessory has been making a big comeback for hunters and shooters alike: The silencer. Long derisively objectified with the same disdain reserved for poisoned daggers, brass knuckles and garrotes as the tool of a hit man or an assassin; the silencer is literally none of that and if you are serious about hunting you owe it to yourself to improve your hunts by going suppressed. Silencer Central can help you with that goal.
SUPPRESSOR LEGALITY AND MISINFORMATION
Since the National Firearms Act of 1934 was passed, silencers have been regulated by the federal government along the same lines as short barreled rifles and machineguns. This means that the prospective buyer must submit a passport-sized photograph, fingerprints, and a check in the sum of $200 to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF) while undergoing a background check by the FBI. The background check is the equivalent of somewhere between a NICS check and the background check for a concealed weapon permit; it just takes a bit longer. You may have heard myths about mountains of paperwork to purchase a silencer and giving the ATF the right to search your home anytime, day or night without a warrant for simply owning an NFA item. Both myths are patently false. 38 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
Beyond submitting the photos, prints and $200 check; the actual paperwork required by the buyer is simply signing the application for the Form 4 transfer. Everything else is completed by the dealer. As for giving up your fourth and fifth amendment rights, we have been hearing that one for almost 40 years and it probably was not new when we first heard it, either. Whether a mass of people misread the laws pertaining to NFA items or confused laws pertaining to FFL (Federal Firearm License) holders with laws pertaining to non-FFLs or they simply made up things; we don’t know and don’t care. All we know is that it is not true. For decades, many states enacted their own bans on silencers or restricted them for hunting. However, in the past 15 years these Draconian laws have mostly been repealed and silencer ownership is perfectly legal in 42 states and it is legal to hunt with a suppressed firearm in 40 states as of this writing. As a matter of fact, it is perfectly legal to take your silencer across state lines. Unlike other NFA items, there is no interstate travel form to be filled out with the ATF. You can even fly with a silencer if you declare it to TSA and lock it in the case with your firearm. Just make sure you do not travel through one of the 8 states that prohibit silencer ownership. So, if you are leaving Texas for an elk or antelope hunt in the Western United States or even heading up to Alaska, your silencer can go with you safely and legally.
THE BENEFITS OF HUNTING SUPPRESSED
The most obvious benefit of hunting with a suppressor is one of safety, particularly with regards to protecting your
Above: Hunter with the BANISH 223 multi-caliber suppressor wearing the 7” BANISH Suppressor Cover in FDE. Below: Silencer Central’s Machinist, Justin Englund, preps rifles for threading in the HAAS II commercial lathe.
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Above: Brandon Maddox, Founder and CEO of Silencer Central. Below: CNC barrel threading in action.
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hearing. Noise induced hearing loss is the most common affliction for hunters. A lot of this comes from hunters forgoing hearing protection so that they can hear their surroundings. Hunting with a silencer tames the sound of most gunshots by anywhere from 25 to 35 decibels, depending on the silencer and caliber in question. This is below the threshold for most hearing protection commonly worn in or over the ears. If you hunt with dogs, it protects their hearing as well. In addition to protecting your hearing, the silencer allows you to use your unencumbered ears to listen for game, other hunters, livestock, or predators. Allowing you to be fully aware of your surroundings from a hearing perspective. We found this best put forth in a 2015 letter from Governor Steve Bullock of Montana to the Montana Speaker of the House, stating: “Suppressors mitigate the sound of a shot, but do not silence it. The use of suppressors for hunting, when hunters cannot wear ear protection because they need to be aware of their surroundings, can help protect against hearing loss. This is especially true for our younger hunters, even those who are not actually hunting but are accompanying their parent in the field.” Another benefit of suppressed hunting is that the suppressed shots do not disturb game. We have seen this firsthand with ground squirrels going into hiding for hours after the sound of the first shot and on other occasions not changing a thing because we were shooting suppressed. Along with not disturbing game is gunshots not disturbing local residents or livestock. It may be small in the grand scheme of things, but a decrease in noise complaints is a good thing for everyone.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE: SILENCER VS. SUPPRESSOR
You might be wondering about the term silencer vs. suppressor. While it is true that the action by the silencer merely suppresses the noise from a gunshot rather than truly eliminating it; there is a two-fold reason for silencer being the more commonly used name whereas suppressor is actually a slang term like can, muffler or moderator. When Hiram Maxim invented the first commercial silencer in 1902 and patented it in 1909, he named his wondrous invention the Maxim Silencer. Furthermore, when speaking from a legal standpoint the ATF calls them silencers and every piece of legislation and federal form dedicated to them uses this term as well. Although suppressor is not incorrect from a descriptive standpoint, it is not proper terminology.
BUYING A SILENCER WITH SILENCER CENTRAL
At Silencer Central we make the entire process of buying a silencer extremely simple. We started selling silencers on the show circuit and talked face to face with hunters and shooters for real world feedback on products, so we can help you make a more informed buying decision. We take all the formalities out of the paperwork with our digital process. All we need is your personal data submitted via a secure web form, and we email you final forms to review and sign using DocuSign. To make it even easier, we offer a 4-month, eZ-Pay option so you can pay for your silencer in installments. Our free NRA Gun Trust is set up for you to better protect the ownership of what is really a lifetime investment. Once approved, we ship the silencer directly to your doorstep. Additionally, we realize that not all hunting rifles ship from the
Hunter with modular BANISH 30 suppressor in the 9” configuration.
factory with threaded barrels for silencer attachment. We offer a CNC barrel threading service to help with this issue as well. In addition to stocking popular brands, we also offer the BANISH Multi-Caliber Suppressors, a 100% titanium and userserviceable line exclusively built to our demanding specifications. Most manufacturers of rifle silencers offer their products as sealed units. Our BANISH 30, for example, was built based on input from varmint hunters who shoot hundreds of rounds in a day and needed to take their silencer apart for cleaning. The key to having a great hunt is to do your research, hire experts and guides. Let Silencer Central be your suppressor “hunting guide” to make all your hunting adventures the hunt of a lifetime. ★ FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 41
GOOD BOURBON GOOD CAUSE BY BLAKE BAUSERMAN
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IN
a tucked-away corner of the Texas Hill Country, near the tiny town of Hye, you might come across a ranch gate that stands out a bit from the rest. Unlike most others, there aren’t too many cows or horses to be seen, and the standard work entrance is overshadowed by a much larger visitor’s entrance. Once you pass through the gate, you’ll find a group of Texans working hard in the summer heat. Rather than raising cattle like most other ranches in the area, they’re doing something that nobody else in Texas had done before them: they’re making straight bourbon whiskey, and lots of it. This is Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas. When Dan Garrison decided to bring bourbon whiskey to Texas fifteen years ago, he was doing so in a much different era than the one we’re in today. Then, “craft whiskey” wasn’t a concept on anyone’s radar, and “bourbon” was synonymous with “Kentucky”. So, like many Texans before him, Garrison set out to blaze a trail and carve his own path into the world of premium whiskey. For Garrison, bourbon was a lot more than a way to take the edge off after a hard day. In his mind, good bourbon is an art form. It’s culture, friendships, stories
and history. It’s a combination of the highest possible quality of ingredients with the work of a handful of exceptionally talented distillers doing everything by hand. So, when Garrison set out to make bourbon, he set out to make the best – the finest tasting, highest quality straight bourbon ever made. Over the past decade and a half, he and his team at Garrison Brothers have put together an ultra-premium bourbon stable that has quickly become a favorite of enthusiasts across the country. But making good bourbon that his team could be proud of was only half the equation. He didn’t simply want to make a bourbon that was a reflection of quality, he wanted to make one that was a reflection of the people who made it. Bourbon that was bold, honest, and dedicated to making a difference. He wanted to make bourbon that could change the world. Over the past two decades, various circumstances and twists of fate have given him the chance to do exactly that. In 2017, the Texas coast was ravaged by Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 hurricane that’s ranked as one of the costliest natural disasters of all time. With over $125 billion in damages, hundreds of thousands of Texans were left without food, water, or shelter as they struggled to rebuild their lives. Eighty-eight Texans lost theirs.
Above: Glass of Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey. | Left: Inside the Garrison Brothers aging shed.
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Above: Garrison Brothers Founder, Dan Garrison. | Left: Barrel to glass.
To provide relief for those dealing with the aftermath of this devastating storm, Garrison Brothers partnered with Team Rubicon, the veteran-lead disaster relief organization that aided in the rebuilding efforts across Texas. Since their formation in 2010, Team Rubicon and its 120,000 volunteers have engaged in hundreds of disaster responses across the globe, providing muchneeded resources and manpower in the spots that needed it most. In order to raise money in support of Team Rubicon, Garrison and the rest of his crew did what they do best: they made good bourbon whiskey. Using a set of barrels that had managed to weather the storm, Garrison Brothers created a special release known as “Hurricane Tough, Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey.” The first 1,000 people who donated $100 to Team Rubicon were guaranteed a bottle of bourbon from this exclusive release. All those who donated did so knowing that the bourbon still needed to sit in the Texas sun for several years, and would not be ready for pickup until 2021. Even with the full knowledge that they wouldn’t be able to taste their bourbon for a half-decade, these generous donors contributed more than $146,000 for Team Rubicon in just 72 hours. Based on this success with Hurricane Tough, and a stubborn drive to help out Texans wherever he could, Garrison, his family, and his staff formed a public charity and named it Good Bourbon For A Good Cause. Good Bourbon For A Good Cause (GBGC) is a 501c3 charity created as a vehicle to provide support for causes affecting the Texas Hill Country and beyond. Whether it’s providing support for local charities and support efforts in the surrounding Blanco or Gillespie counties, or aiding in relief efforts for much larger
organizations across the great state of Texas, the mission for Good Bourbon For A Good Cause is to bring all of the resources of the spirits industry to bear on the causes that need them most. The next project, however, was a bit closer to home. In the heart of west Texas, roasting in the summertime heat, sits a modern-day oasis in the middle of the desert. Nestled in a valley with gorgeous mountain views all around, a massive pool of crystal-clear water sits waiting for all those who need it. In a pre-quarantine world, the pool would be filled with hundreds of guests, families enjoying a barbecue with their kids, United States Air Force trainees participating in their underwater scuba training. This isn’t just a regular swimming hole. It’s Balmorhea State Park. Originally built over the San Solomon Springs by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, Balmorhea State Park has long been a favorite spot for tourists to get away from the big cities and enjoy a swim. This park was also a favorite spot of Garrison’s, who would often stop by when he and his family found themselves in West Texas. He liked it so much, in fact, that he named a bourbon after it. Created as an experiment by Garrison and master distiller Donnis Todd, Garrison Brothers Balmorhea is a limited-edition bottle encased in a bright blue wax reminiscent of the waters of the pool. This little batch of joy spends four long years baking in the Texas heat in a process identical to GB’s other offerings. After the initial maturation period, the liquid is transferred to an entirely new barrel for another year, allowing it to soak up completely different sugars and flavors from the sap in the crevices of the wood. The end result is pure bourbon candy. It brings FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 45
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Top Left: Outside of the distillery. Bottom Left: Distillery tour. Right: Bottle of Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
to mind melting chocolate bars, fresh-spun cotton candy, and all of the other treats that generations of kids have enjoyed while playing at Balmorhea pool. It’s a summer day in a bottle, and it took home the coveted DoubleGold Medal at the legendary San Francisco World Spirits Competition in early 2020. As Balmorhea bourbon was just getting off the ground, a routine maintenance check of its namesake Balmorhea Pool ran into trouble. An erosion mess of structural damage was discovered under the pool’s diving board, with multiple fissures and cracks in the concrete apron that provided support for the pool. The pool was promptly closed, and with no clear source of funding for the repairs in sight, many feared that the park would be closed forever. However, the folks at Good Bourbon For A Good Cause weren’t prepared to take that lying down, and brought their efforts to bear once again through a partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Good Bourbon for a Good Cause went into action. For every bottle of Balmorhea that was sold, five dollars was donated to Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation in support of Balmorhea State Park. With thousands of bottles sold in just a few months, the money added up quickly. And with help from other groups, such as an amazing challenge grant from Apache Energy Corporation, the proceeds raised to help with the repairs totaled more than $2 million. Less than a year after the pool closed, it opened again in March of 2019, and the subsequent year saw thousands of guests visiting the park. Most recently, as the entire world is still reeling from the effects of the global pandemic, members of the GBGC team were looking for ways to provide support for Team Rubicon as they provided supplies and testing facilities for those affected by the disease. Once again, the answer was found in good bourbon: Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Laguna Madre is, as of this writing, the oldest bourbon produced by Garrison Brothers, clocking in at over 8 years baking in the searing Texas heat. Finished in French Limousin Oak barrels --legendary for their high vanillin content—Laguna Madre evokes an unparalleled sweetness that sets it apart from any other offering in the Garrison Brothers lineup. And while it was originally planned to be released and sold in liquor stores, bars and restaurants, only 2008 bottles were produced. With this limited number of bottles in hand, the team landed on a plan to use it to make a difference. Rather than charging a standard retail price, Garrison made the decision to give away every bottle of Laguna Madre in
exchange for donations to Operation Crush Covid-19. Funds raised were split between Team Rubicon, which was operating mobile testing centers around the country, The Texas Restaurant Association Worker Relief Fund, and Southern Smoke, a charity that offers no fee grants to furloughed restaurant workers. So far, these donations have totaled more than $360,000, and the gifts just keep on coming. After the massive initial success, the Operation Crush Covid-19 program was expanded to support the bartending community as well. With hundreds of bars and restaurant closures leaving thousands of talented staff members out of work, Good Bourbon for a Good cause also distributed checks to bartenders who had participated in its annual Bourbon Brawl, a state-wide bartender contest. Now, looking back on the impact of three different bourbons on the various struggles that Texas has faced over the past few years, the question remains: what good can good bourbon do? For some, it can provide a way to relax at the end of the day, or a way to celebrate life’s milestones with the people we love. For Garrison and the rest of his team of misfits at Garrison Brothers, it can provide a bit of extra relief after a devastating hurricane, offer the funding needed to repair a beloved state park, or even join in the fight against a global pandemic. And while that might not solve everything overnight, it’s not a bad place to start, and it’s as good a reason as any to raise a glass and enjoy Good Bourbon For A Good Cause. ★ FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 47
AL & JOYCE MORHART Box 344, Elbow, SK, S0H 1J0 1-306-313-1151 Email: aj@hartlanddeer.com www.hartlanddeer.com
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SO, DO YOU KNOW? By Rob Neilson
Above Left: Above Left: A popular arrow shaft constructed with linear carbon and aluminum displaying a lack of structural integrity on impact. Above Right: An Ashby Bowhunting Foundation approved forged broadhead named after Dr. Ed Ashby.
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T
he Ashby Bowhunting Foundation was contacted by an archery manufacturer in South Africa that builds a very high-tech archery sight for compound bows to determine if his sight would be legal to utilize in Texas on game animals. This particular compound bow sight has a laser rangefinder built in so you can confirm the distance of the target or animal while holding at full draw, and then a halo type dot appears for an aiming point. It is a fancy sight and while that type of technology is too much for an old timer like me to use, I studied his sight from the online videos he had posted in an attempt to answer their question. Once I had looked over the sight, I responded I didn’t think it would be illegal, but would confirm with my contacts at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. My initial contacts at Texas Parks and Wildlife also responded they didn’t think the sight would be illegal to use but would send the inquiry through the law enforcement division for confirmation. The law enforcement division responded that the sight would in fact be illegal to use on game animals in Texas as it projected a visible laser beam of light down range. Having just seen a very similar type compound bow sight utilized by a couple here in Texas that I was building arrows, I reached out to them to make sure they were aware their sight fell into this category, and they were quite surprised. A simple and non-assuming regulation that many people had During his years in Africa Dr. Ashby worked as a PH when not off doing his own hunting not noticed or overlooked could result in an expensive or doing testing on arrow setups. Rifle is his back-up gun, a .500 Nitro Express 3.25”. hunting award from a game warden. So, before going afield, make sure you take time to review in detail the rules and regulations and all your equipment is legal to use. The Ashby Bowhunting Foundation officers, all co-founders, The concept of the Ashby Bowhunting Foundation was initially each have over forty years of bowhunting experience with the exhatched during convention season in early 2017. Later that year, ception of Jake, and that is only because he isn’t forty years old, so we formed Ashby Bowhunting Foundation here in Texas and he is by default the future of the foundation. Our Directors also subsequently secured our 501(c)(3) status based on science and have deep bowhunting experience and assist in various capacities education. The Ashby Bowhunting Foundation is based on nearly to further the foundation goals. While we might be a young orgathirty years of research of Dr. Ed Ashby and an additional fifteen nization, our experience is not. The average bowhunting experience years of data utilizing penetration enhanced arrow systems that for the all officers and directors is thirty-five years and spans six follow his research in real hunting situations all over the world. continents. It is very important to note no salaries are paid by the The fifteen years of data from bowhunters hunting the globe has foundation, nor do we accept any funds from archery manufacturaccounted for clean kills on multitudes of Whitetail Deer, Mule ers, keeping our work completely unbiased. One hundred percent Deer, Elk, Wild Hogs, Nilgai, Bear, over 2000 Cape and Asiatic (100%) of the donated funds are used to further the research and Buffalo, Hippopotamus, Elephant, and countless other large game education. We are everyday working people just like you with the across North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and highest passion for bowhunting and volunteering our time for the Australia. With this science-based outcome driven research and betterment of bowhunting worldwide. the worldwide results to strongly validate the empirical findings, One of our goals is to provide bowhunters worldwide with inthis makes the Ashby Bowhunting Foundation the leading global formation based upon the empirical findings to achieve the highest authority on arrow and broadhead lethality. possible success rate and reduce the wound/non-recovery rate of For those that don’t know Dr. Ed Ashby, in 1981, he assisted big game to the lowest possible level. In 2018 we commenced disin a bowhunting research study commissioned by the government cussions with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to see how we of South Africa to determine if African game could be ethically could best assist them, and it was determined the best direction taken with a bow and arrow. Four years later, Dr. Ashby and his for us was to assist them through education. In 2019, we officially team published what has become to be known as the “Natal partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and have Study”. In 1986, based upon the findings of the Natal Study, the conducted several workshops across Texas for Hunter Education South African government legalized bowhunting. Subsequent to and Bowhunter Education Instructors, so they can in turn teach South Africa, other sub-Saharan countries followed suit. Upon the students coming into their classrooms. We have seen many completion of the Natal Study, Dr. Ashby continued his arrow in Texas Parks and Wildlife convert to utilizing more efficient, and broadhead penetration research for nearly three decades in lethal equipment for their hunting and they have been able to Australia. Never has anyone tested arrows and broadheads on acexperience first-hand what happens when you follow the science. tual game animals on this scale. 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Department, an introduction was made to the National Bowhunter Education Foundation. In 2020, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department inserted a blow-in of the twelve penetration enhancing factors into the International Bowhunter Education Program books destined for Texas classrooms. This will give the students a quick reference guide on the twelve penetration enhancing factors that we dive into detail in our workshops for hunter ed instructors. Additionally, the National Bowhunter Education Foundation also listed Ashby Bowhunting Foundation in their Bowhunter’s Resource Directory in the back of the student manual used in all fifty states, all Canadian Provinces, and twenty-seven other countries for the International Bowhunter Education Program class. The Ashby Bowhunting Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will continue to work together with the National Bowhunter Education Foundation in an effort to constantly improve the overall bowhunter education curriculum. If you enjoy technical reading, you can read the reports on our website, or if you prefer YouTube you can watch Dr Ashby give a shorter high-level discussion for each of the factors. A very condensed version of the twelve penetration enhancing factors are as follows: • Structural Integrity: The durability of the entire arrow and broadhead. This applies to every aspect of the arrow from the broadhead’s tip and edge strength to the nock. • Perfect Arrow Flight: Is necessary for maximum energy retention and penetration. It is the enabler for other factors. • Highest Possible Forward of Center: Flies better, retains energy for maximum penetration.
• High Mechanical Advantage Broadheads: For maximum penetration long, narrow blades are the most effective. Higher Mechanical Advantage broadheads increase the work your arrow can do with whatever useful force is available. • Shaft Diameter: Shafts should be smaller in diameter than the broadhead ferrule, and no larger than equal to the broadhead ferrule. • Arrow Mass Weight: The greater the arrow mass weight the better the penetration. Use the heaviest arrow possible that has a trajectory that you find acceptable. • Blade Edge Finish: Smooth, honed, stropped razor-sharp edges slice tissues with the greatest efficiency. • Shaft Profile: Tapered arrows are the best choice for maximum penetration. • Broadhead Profile: Broadheads should have smooth transitions from main blade to ferrule. • Edge Bevel Type: The rotational force of single bevel broadheads works best on bone hits. • Tip Design: Tanto tips provide the best, non-skip performance from angled hits and penetration when impacting bone. • Heavy Bone Threshold: Arrows of 650 grains or more break heavy bones most reliably. Annually, the Ashby Bowhunting Foundation recognizes select individuals in the bowhunting community through the Dr. Ed Ashby Bowhunting Award. This lifetime achievement award is for the select bowhunter that best completes the four criteria on a cumulative basis, each weighed equally. This is open to bowhunters
Arrow testing was backed up with results from hunts. Dr. Ashby with Asian buffalo taken while testing Ultra-EFOC arrow setups.
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Above Left: A solid performing head on a not so solid performing arrow. Above Center: A mechanical broadhead with no mechanical advantage. Note the Ashby Bowhunting Foundation does not recommend the use of mechanical heads for hunting any game animal. Above Right: A deflection test performed by the Ashby Bowhunting Foundation on an arrow to test the front end structural integrity.
worldwide. The nominees will be judged on four categories of i) personal history of ethical hunting practices and use of appropriate equipment, ii) participation in bowhunter education and/ or efforts to forward ethical bowhunting practices and equipment through government agencies, iii) active participation in hunting related conservation organizations and iv) the animals hunted with any type of bow. While there are many excellent bowhunters around the world that can easily cover one or two of the categories, it will be difficult to find those that have taken the extra steps through their bowhunting career to cover all four criteria. The four criteria alone would be very difficult to achieve, but then limiting to bow hunters really makes this a challenge. Applications for 2020 are currently being accepted and the winners of this award will become a designated voter for subsequent entries alongside Dr. Ashby. We have a few other things we have touched since our inception in 2017. In early 2019, I received an interesting email that I almost deleted as spam until I saw the reference to a friend that recommended this person contact me. I called my friend to confirm this was a legitimate email and person and he confirmed I should respond. Instead of me trying to spell out his entire name and long title, I’ll just refer to him as “Alex”. Alex was searching for non-biased outcome driven research for his country as they were looking to legalize bowhunting and needed something additional to get them over the top that was not marketing hype. I provided the information Alex was seeking as the Ashby Bowhunting Foundation website was under construction at that time. We corresponded back and forth several times and once going live with our website in August 2019, I provided Alex with the link to our website with the repository of the reports. Alex excitedly informed me that bowhunting went through their Parliament in record pace and was signed into law by President Putin. With the current travel restrictions due to the pandemic, I personally do not know of anyone that has attempted to bowhunt in Russia since they made this announcement. For big brother that always watches, please note we influenced them, not vice versa. While on the international scene, earlier in 2020, ABF signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa (PHASA). We had initially planned to attend PHASA’s AGM meeting slated in November to do an arrow/broadhead lethality seminar, but with our current pandemic that is not going to happen in person. Additionally, Namibia Professional Hunters Association (NAPHA) contacted us as they were looking into legalizing the use of crossbows in Namibia. We provided NAPHA with the requested information and per our last communication with them, that information was submitted to their Ministry of Environment and Tourism for review and they will update us when they know more. Additionally, we have been contacted by bowhunters in Sweden asking if we would assist them on bowhunting issues there. We have told them we would and directed them to the appropriate Ashby Reports on our website to get a better understanding of how an arrow and broadhead work. Back home in North America, in addition to partnering with Texas Parks and Wildlife, we have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dallas Safari Club, where we hold a condensed one-hour arrow and broadhead lethality seminar at their convention. Also, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Houston Safari Club Foundation “HSCF”. With Texas being our home base and ease of access to each other, we look forward to working with these organizations on bowhunting issues in Texas and elsewhere along with being a source of information for their members. These partnerships align the Ashby Bowhunting Foundation with the most aggressive, premier and highly respected wildlife department and conservation organizations in the world that embrace the science-based outcome driven research and we are very excited to be working alongside them. Currently, conversations are in progress with additional professional hunter organizations that are highly respected in the hunting community and we are moving forward with plans for more arrow and broadhead testing. For additional information about Ashby Bowhunting Foundation, please feel free to visit our website at www.ashbybowhunting.org. ★ FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 53
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Big Batch Cooking BY SCOTT LEYSATH
COMING FROM SOMEONE WHO MAKES HIS LIVING cooking fish and game, this might seem strange, but I would much rather hunt and fish than cook. I have a passion for cooking, but my passion for following bird dogs or catching big fish is greater. During the hunting seasons, I can get a little worn out getting up early, chasing critters and spending more time outdoors than indoors. I am no spring chicken, so a little nap between hunts is a big help, but that does not leave much time for meal preparation. Duck Gumbo
When time allows, usually well before hunting season, I make large batches of game that is then cooled, vacuumsealed and frozen for later use. If I am in the mood for venison tacos, I will thaw out a package of precooked, shredded venison shoulder and, in short order, it’s dinner time. If I am in the mood for duck gumbo, all that is required is to grab a bag out of the freezer and heat it up while I’m enjoying a day’s end beverage. Not only does this make meal preparation easier, it also saves space in the freezer. Pulled meat from a deer shoulder takes up much less room than an intact shoulder and saves space for the upcoming season. Although cooking game has become a big deal for many, I still think that most of us would prefer that someone else do the cooking. Yes, I know you are proud of your barbecue, but everyday meal planning for a family when the breadwinners are both working can be a bit tiresome. I often joke that my wife cooks quarterly, but that really is not much of an exaggeration. Fortunately, she rarely reads my columns, so I am in little danger of that statement starting an argument at home. Preparing large batches of game meats saves time, freezer space and often will get a better yield from the parts of the animals. If you have frozen roasts, shoulders, goose breasts, whole wild turkeys and other bulky game meats in the freezer, consider transforming them into something tasty for a later date. Once vacuum-sealed, the prepared meats can be dropped into boiling water and brought to serving temperature in about 10 minutes or simply thawed under cold, running water.
Seasoned Deer Shoulder
BONE-IN SHOULDER ROAST
Most antlered game shoulders get boned out and ground into burger or used for stew meat. It’s a fair amount of work and often much of the smaller sections of usable meat are discarded. There is an easier way to remove all the bone, gristle and silver skin. Let the heat from your oven, grill or smoker do work for you. Once done, the shoulder blade can be cleanly removed and all that is left is a pile of moist, tender meat ready to be turned into barbecue, soups, stews, tacos and enchiladas. It eliminates the need for butchering the shoulder and, best of all, you can cook several shoulders at once and save for several meals down the road. Note that the directions specify heavy-duty foil. Cheap, standard-grade foil tears easily and has no place in a kitchen.
Pulled Venison Shoulder Sandwich
Oven Method 1. Rub the shoulder liberally with olive oil salt and pepper (or your favorite rub). If you have got time, wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. If not, start cooking. Place it in a lightly greased baking pan. You can add celery, carrot and onion to the pan if you want to make sauce or gravy out of the pan drippings later. 2. Place the uncovered baking pan in a preheated 350 – 375-degree oven and turn shoulder occasionally until evenly browned. Now add some liquid to the pan. You can use beer, wine, chicken or beef broth. The idea is to start with an inch or so of liquid and don’t let it get below about 1/2-inch of liquid or the meat won’t braise and the pan
Elk Shoulder Taco
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Corned Goose Sandwich
Corned Venison Hash
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will burn. Cover tightly with a lid or heavy-duty foil, lower the temperature to 325 degrees. Depending on the size of the shoulders or number of shoulders in the pan, the next step can take up to 8 hours. 3. After a couple of hours, check the pan and add liquid if needed. Keep checking in another 2 hours, then every hour until the meat starts to pull away from the bone easily. It’s not done until the bone can be easily removed. Smoker 1. Rub with olive oil salt, pepper as per Oven Method Step 1 above. 2. Place in a 200-degree smoker for 6 – 8 hours. 3. Place shoulder on two layers of heavy-duty foil. Pour some barbecue sauce over and wrap snugly. Place back in the smoker for another 2 to 4 hours or until meat falls off the bone. Grill 1. Rub with olive oil salt, pepper as per Oven Method Step 1 above. 2. Place in a medium hot grill, about 300 degrees, as far away from the heat source as possible. Close lid on grill. 3. Grill until internal temperature reaches 155 – 160 degrees. Wrap with foil as per Smoker Step 3 above, lower heat to low and cook for another 2 – 3 hours or until meat falls off the bone.
CORNED GAME MEAT
Corning refers to the process of curing meat with salt and sugar. And while we usually think of corned beef as something to go with our green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, you can corn anything from antelope to zebra and it all tastes about the same as corned beef, some even better. There is no way to “fast-cure” meat. A 2-pound venison roast will take about a week for the brine to reach the center of the roast. If, after 7 days, the roast is not pink in the center, keep brining. To illustrate the process, this recipe includes goose breast fillets, but any game meat can be corned. I like to corn a large batch of game meat, vacuumseal and freeze for later. When the mood hits me, I can thaw out a 1 or 2-pound package for sandwiches, hash or to serve in March with cabbage and carrots. • 4 to 5 pounds skinless goose breast fillets (about 1 gallon, tightly packed) • 1 gallon water • 2 cups Kosher salt • 1 cup brown sugar • 5 teaspoons pink curing salt (or 7 1/2 teaspoons Morton Tender Quick) • 1/4 cup pickling spices 1. Combine all ingredients except meat in a large pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and refrigerate until cold. 2. Place goose breasts in in a non-metallic container (glass, plastic or zipper lock bag) and pour brine over to cover. 3. Refrigerate 5 - 7 days. Remove goose from brine and rinse under cold water. Cut into the center of the meat to make certain that the brine has penetrated properly. The color of the meat should be a bright pink throughout. If not, return to the brine for another day or more.
Venison Chili Colorado
4. Put rinsed goose in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 - 4 hours or until meat is very tender.
VENISON CHILI COLORADO (8 to 10 servings)
This recipe calls for cubed venison, but it works equally well with waterfowl, wild turkey and feral swine. Rehydrating dried chiles makes a big difference on the flavor of the finished dish. Although some folks save a step or two by using chili powder, take a little extra time for a better batch. • • • • • • • • • • •
6 -8 New Mexico dried chiles washed and stems removed 2 pounds venison, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 large onion, chopped 4 Anaheim peppers, chopped 6 garlic cloves finely minced 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 2 cups beef broth salt and pepper to taste shredded cheese flour tortillas, warm
1. Place dried chiles in a small saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and steep chiles for 30 minutes. Place softened chiles and about 1/2 cup of the liquid in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of additional liquid as needed to puree. Pass mixture through a strainer to remove seeds and any bits of skin. 2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add meat and brown evenly. Add onion, peppers and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. 3. Add tomatoes, oregano, beef broth and processed New Mexico chiles. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours or until meat is tender. While cooking, make sure that there is always enough liquid to barely cover meat. When done, season to taste with salt and pepper. 4. To serve, ladle chile into bowls, top with cheese and serve with warm flour tortillas. ★ FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 59
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Above: Jack Carr: Navy SEAL, New York Times Best Selling Author, hunter, and conservationist.
ONE ON ONE WITH JACK CARR By Gayne C. Young
Jack Carr is a former Navy SEAL, avid outdoorsman, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Terminal List, True Believer, and Savage Son. I was lucky enough to talk to Carr about all this and more. 62 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
Above Left: A handprint of Carr’s son next to a lion paw print. Above Right: Carr putting a microchip in a white rhino.
How did you get into hunting?
I was naturally drawn to it from a very early age. Just like serving my country in the military I was drawn to hunting, to shooting, to learning how to survive in the wilderness. I was just drawn to things that were primal and I answered that call. My family didn’t hunt growing up. We went to the range and we shot, but we didn’t hunt. My first real hunt, finally happened as a sniper sustainment trip in the SEAL teams in the fall of 2000. And it was up at a place in Washington state…We went up there and got my first deer, and man it was such an amazing experience. And hung it in a tree, you’re slicing off pieces of meat, searing it on the grill, and it was incredible. And we did a couple other sniper sustainment trips over the years, doing some pig hunting in South Carolina and deer hunting on Catalina Island off the coast of California. My daughter expressed interest [in hunting] as I was getting back from my last deployment. She’s 14 now, but she got her first deer at seven. I think she has like 16 deer, two elk, ducks. She went to Africa this last summer with the family. So anyway, we’re [my family] all in.
What does hunting mean to you?
So for me, I love being in the wilderness procuring food for the family but these days it’s being out there with the kids, where they’re learning that self-reliance, they’re learning to be safe with firearms, learning that they’re tools, learning how to field dress these animals and bring them back, treat that meat with respect and then get it in the freezer, and then remember the experience when we take it out and eat it as a family.
Did you read any outdoor literature growing up?
I read, Field & Stream and Boy’s Life. So those were the ones that I was like, ‘Oh wow! Look at this. How do I do this?’ For me it was always like, how do I do these things that I’m seeing here in these pages. Growing up my family was more into the backpacking and mountaineering, and rock climbing and sailing, and kayaking, and that side of the outdoor space but all of that provided me a solid foundation for traveling in the wilderness.
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Hunting is featured prominently in all three of your books. Have you had any problem with non-hunters in regard to your writing?
Not as much as I thought I was going to get. And I don’t know why that is. Maybe because my readership or audience is more geared toward self-reliance. Or they think it’s all fiction. So maybe there’s a difference between writing about hunting in a fictional sense, rather than posting a picture kneeling next to an elk. So maybe there’s a difference in that, but I’m not sure. But I’ve gotten a couple of things here and there. But not as much as I thought.
Let’s talk about some things I’ve heard you speak on before, things I take it that are very important to you. The first one is being prepared. What does that mean for you in life, and how do you relate that to hunting as well?
It means something different to everyone, and everyone’s level of comfort, as far as preparedness, is going to be different. Based on where they live, how many family members they have, their past experience, what they envision the future is going to be like. Everybody’s comfort level is going to be different there. So there’s not one answer. For us, it’s just natural to be prepared and it had
to be for people for the vast majority of our existence as human beings. Only very recently, as you know, did we not have to be prepared and still be able to survive as a species. [I think] it’s my responsibility as a citizen, as a father, as a husband. It’s my responsibility to make sure that I am prepared, and my family is prepared to be self-reliant, and to have this foundation of preparedness. So that when something happens, we can allocate bandwidth where it needs to go. To adapt to whatever that changing situation is. Whether it’s a terrorist attack, a stock market crash, a pandemic, or a natural disaster or some sort of civil disturbance. Or maybe two of those things, three of those things, four of those things.
I’ve also heard you discuss the importance of learning from past mistakes. What does that mean to you?
Oh yeah, hopefully this is what everyone is doing in life. You should always be learning. Not just from your mistakes but [from] other people’s mistakes. And not just their mistakes, but their successes. You can always learn. In the SEAL Teams I would talk about us being a learning organization. And I think we have to be as individuals, as families, communities as well. We have to be learning organizations so that we can evolve, we can move forward, we can be good examples for our kids. And we can hopefully, with the experiences that we have over time,
Below: Carr training an anti-poaching unit in Africa.
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apply more wisdom to future decisions, going forward. I mean that’s life. Getting knocked down, getting back up, moving forward, learning from what happened to us. Learning from those experiences and charging forward in a positive way, that has a positive impact on the people around us.
Tell us about how you got into anti-poaching?
Yeah, so it’s always something I was always fascinated with. Especially the tracking side of things, with the Selous Scouts and Grey’s Scouts, and that part of Africa’s history. Really from the mid ‘60s up to the early ‘90s, all that transition taking place. It’s just always fascinated me. So, when an opportunity popped up to help train up an anti-poaching unit in South Africa, I jumped at the chance. This unit was specifically focused on protecting some of the last rhino on Earth. I went over there and got to teach this anti-poaching unit a little bit about how to use M4s and Glocks because they were switching over to those weapon systems, and those were ones that I have some significant experience with. But I definitely learned a ton more from them than they learned from me, that’s for sure. I got to go through a tracking course, and just being out there on the range with them, in the bush with them, cooking up lunches, cooking up dinners, having some drinks. Just getting to talk to them, getting to know them, getting to know their backgrounds. And in this particular case, a lot of them were older. And they had come up tracking animals, hunting animals for food for their families, for their communities. And then they caught tail end of the Bush Wars. So they took those animal tracking skills and applied them to man tracking, tactical man tracking. So not just tracking somebody down but tracking someone down who is intent on killing you. It’s a different deal than just tracking a lost kid in the woods or something. So then those wars came to an end, and now you have this whole group of people coming back from war that are unemployed. And so the government decided, hey why don’t we get some of these guys and bring them into the national police force and train them up as what we would look at as CSI - crime scene investigators. So they took those skills from the bush and they started applying them to an urban environment. Really get into the psychology of tracking. They had done that in the bush as well, both with animals and humans. They took that psychology of tracking and applied it to an urban environment. So now you have these guys with this skill set of being able to track animals, track humans, tactically, then the urban side of the house. Then they kind of aged out of that so private and then some government sponsored anti-poaching units snatched them up and have given them new jobs focused on protecting these animals in, in my case, South Africa. It was fascinating to ask them about those life stories, absolutely incredible. It was such an honor to be there talking with them and training with them. I was able to weave that experience into the pages of both the second and the third novels. It was amazing. I also went to Mozambique for the second novel. Did some research out there, and that was fascinating as well. Learning about poaching in that area, about the Chinese influence with mining operations, both legal and illegal. How meat poaching plays into feeding all the people that are working in those mines. It was a fascinating experience. I know you’re probably short on time but I think we can settle this. The characters in your books seem to enjoy arguing which is
Carr during his time in the Navy SEALS.
better; a Land Rover Defender or Toyota Land Cruiser. Wouldn’t it be best if Land Rover Defenders just had Toyota parts inside them? Because I think Defenders are far better looking than the Toyota but… I know. I think you may be right. Yeah, I think you may be right on that one. They do look fantastic. It’s tough that it’s just such an iconic look to that Defender 90, Defender 110, and the series one, series two, series three Defenders. Yeah, they look beautiful. But I think part of having them is that they’re going to break down on you. And you’re going to swear, and you’re going to learn how to fix things and all that. I think that’s part of it. I think that’s probably part of the draw for people. But yeah, I have my FJ62 Toyota Land Cruiser in the garage right now. So yeah, big Land Cruiser fan. If we move to a bigger place with a warehouse attached I’ll be growing the Land Cruiser collection and I’ll for sure throw a Defender 110 in there as well. Because, you’re right, they do look so good. ★ Visit Jack Carr at his Website officialjackcarr.com. You can also listen to the podcast episode of Hunting Matters featuring Jack Carr here: hscfdn.org/huntingmatters FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 65
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Discover REMOTE NATURAL BEAUTY in South America with Esplanade Travel BY JACKY KEITH, PRESIDENT
S
JKEITH@ESPLANADETRAVEL.COM
We realize that everyone’s travel is impacted right now, but use this time to learn more about the world and identify important places you want to see next. When international travel resumes in earnest, it will be more important than ever to work with a reliable travel agency – not only for insider knowledge and someone to advocate for you, but also to ensure that when you arrive in country you will be traveling with suppliers who take health and safety seriously. Esplanade Travel has been in business for over 60 years and only works with partners that have a proven track record of traveler satisfaction. Please note that many countries still have closed borders and entry requirements may change daily. This guide is for dreaming – check with a travel professional before you book anything and stay well! 68 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
UNSPLASH.COM / PHOTO BY DIEGO JIMENEZ
outh America offers something for everyone – culture, history, cuisine, cities, natural beauty, and more. However, in the coming months and years, the Esplanade Travel team suggests finding opportunities to go beyond cities and explore parts of the continent that are remote, sparsely populated, and completely unique to this continent. There is no end to these opportunities in South America for intrepid explorers and below we highlight our favorites.
ATACAMA, CHILE
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While an overnight in Buenos Aires, Argentina, may be required based on flight schedules, look beyond the capital city and get in touch with nature.
BARILOCHE
Bariloche, in Argentina’s Lake District, borders Nahuel Huapi National Park. Here you’ll find breathtaking views, lakes, streams, rivers, and mountains. Every season offers something different with plenty to do and see. Activities include trekking, sailing, fishing, kayaking, skiing, horseback riding and anything else you can dream of doing outdoors. After a long day of activities enjoy the finest cuisine with specialties of the region that include wild game, smoked meat, and fish. Indulge in chocolate fondue or sip on hot chocolate for dessert as this is where you’ll find Argentina’s best chocolate!
Andean Lakes Crossing
For a truly unique experience, travel across the Andes Mountains – via boat! There are a series of ferries that can take you across lakes settled within the mountain range for some of the most majestic scenery on earth. At a time when traveling by plane should be limited, this is the perfect way to travel between Argentina and Chile.
Seven Lakes Route
For the ultimate one-day road trip, hop into a rental car and drive along the Seven Lakes Route, one of the most scenic routes in Argentina. Self-driving gives you the freedom to explore on your own time, but you have the option to join a small group or private guided tour as well. Take Ruta 40 from Bariloche to Villa
La Angostura and continue to San Martin de los Andes, basking in stunning lake scenery, mountains, lush valleys, rivers, and waterfalls at every turn.
MENDOZA
Mendoza is Argentina’s wine capital and on every oenophile’s bucket list. October through April are considered the best months for visiting, and we recommend being adventurous and self-driving through the region so you can go at your own pace and still see it all. From Uco Valley to Maipu, go vineyard hopping to find your favorite Malbec and enjoy every meal at a different highly rated and innovative restaurant. In the mornings before wine tasting, there is plenty of outdoor adventure to participate in, including fishing, horseback riding, and biking through vineyards.
PATAGONIA
And now for Argentina’s pièce de résistance – Patagonia. This 400,000+ square mile region includes Chile as well, with the Andes Mountains as the marker between the two countries. On the Argentine side, you’ll find grasslands, deserts, and glaciers. Esplanade’s favorite sites are noted below. Plan your trip to Patagonia sometime from October to April, with October and April being the two best months for fewer crowds. During their winter months (remember, we’re in the southern hemisphere!) many lodges close and it’s more difficult to ensure you see all the sites on your wish list.
El Calafate
El Calafate is a hub in Patagonia, offering access to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, various activities, and day trips to other
RIGHT: UNSPLASH.COM / PHOTO BY JOHN WEINHARDT
ARGENTINA
PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA – MOUNT FITZ ROY
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PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA – PERITO MORENO GLACIER
parts of the region. We’ll arrange a private guide to take you to see Upsala, Spegazzini, and other glaciers, but the highlight here is Perito Moreno. The Perito Moreno Glacier spans 121 miles and is still growing! This UNESCO world heritage site offers viewing platforms for you to take in the beauty – and maybe even witness ice falling off into the water below. If viewing the glacier is not enough, there are opportunities to trek around the glacier on a path or take a boat ride around the base.
LEFT: UNSPLASH.COM / PHOTO BY MARC THUNIS
El Chalten
It’s worthwhile to spend two nights in the village of El Chalten, a 3-hour drive north from El Calafate. This village overlooks the northern boundary of the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and offers access to the peaks of Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy. Hiking and boat tours are the recommended activities here, and accommodations may be a bit simpler and rustic. Our recommended hike here is the one to Capri Lagoon, which takes from 4-6 hours. You’ll end up in a clear blue lagoon, surrounded by forest, with a stunning view of the Fitz Roy Massif.
CHILE
Chile is one of the most intriguing countries in South America. From a true desert experience in Atacama to wine tasting; from trekking in Patagonia to exploring ancient mysteries on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), this country is ready to become your next favorite vacation. We highlight a few of our favorite Chilean experiences below.
ATACAMA DESERT
Moving from north to south of this long, skinny country, we start in the Atacama Desert. We recommend planning your trip either from September to November or March to May. This is considered the “shoulder season” so you’ll have fewer crowds while also avoiding any extreme weather. Make sure to avoid February – that’s when you’ll have the highest chance of rain. As anyone who has traveled in the American Southwest knows, the desert is full of beauty and surprises if you’re willing to look a bit closer. Included in every trip to Atacama should be a visit to the Tatio Geysers at sunrise. You’ll be able to drink coffee as you watch the geysers come alive in the morning sunlight at one of the world’s most impressive geothermal sites. You also don’t want to miss the other-worldly Altiplano Lagoon or Salar de Atacama (salt flats). At night, grab a class of local carmenère and stargaze in a land completely unpolluted by light, or lace up and go on a guided moonlit hike. All these excursions offer the chance to see local wildlife like flamingos, foxes, and ostriches. There are a few 4- and 5-star lodges in the area that Esplanade recommends. Contact us today to get paired with the perfect place for exploration and restoration – Atacama is a region that greatly benefits from working with an experienced planner.
PATAGONIA
Patagonia stretches across Argentina and Chile, and Esplanade recommends including the Chilean side – from stunning Torres del Paine to delicious lamb barbecues, Chile has it all. Plan your trip between October and April, with October being especially FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 71
We recommend starting your venture into Chilean Patagonia via Puerto Varas. In fact, take ferry boats across the lakes of the Andes from Bariloche, Argentina, and here is where you’ll end up! This quaint lakeside town offers stunning views of distant volcanoes reflecting into the waters of Lake Llanquihue. If you have the time to spend two or three nights here, there’s plenty to see and do. Osorno Volcano is the most well-known and offers access to the top for panoramic views of this gorgeous region. Make sure to visit Petrohue Falls and Alerce Andino National Park. Hiking, kayaking, and biking are all available here, and this is a great destination for fishing as well.
Punta Arenas
Due to Chile’s length, you’ll likely need to fly from Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas. This city is located on the Strait of Magellan connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. While many fly in here just to transit out to more remote lodges for trekking, we suggest venturing to Magdalena Island - known for its penguin population – before heading out to camp.
Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine National Park is a world UNESCO biosphere reserve and the highlight of any trip to Chilean Patagonia. It’s the type of region that continually takes your breath away – around every corner is a bright teal glacial lake, a stunning vignette of endless mountains, or dramatic weather systems passing through. This park is the ultimate place for hardcore trekkers and hikers, from the full day hike to Torres del Paine to the multi-day “W Trek” through the park. That being said, you don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy this region. The day-long hike to the base of Torres del Paine is difficult but do-able and is 100% worth the next-day aches and pains. Other touring can be done on various vehicles – whether you are driving to different viewpoints for shorter hikes, taking a boat trip on one of the many lakes, or horseback riding along a shoreline. Your options for where to stay in this region are vast, from the campsites and hostels that trekkers use to the well-known luxurious Explora Lodge. Patagonia Camp is a nice compromise with deluxe yurts, fully furnished, with plenty of privacy and seclusion overlooking the water. Esplanade highly recommends Hotel Las Torres, a rustic lodge located right within the National Park. Every room has an outstanding view, the cocktails and ambience are to die for, and you’ll save hours of time by staying at this location instead of staying farther out of the park’s main sites. Chile holds a special place in the hearts of many, including members of the Esplanade team. Don’t chance ruining a trip to this region with lackluster touring and uninspiring accommodations – work with us to make your trip more than you could have ever expected.
BOLIVIA
Although Bolivia’s borders are currently closed, it’s worth doing the research now and being ready to jump when the time is right! This country is somewhat off-the-beaten-path for luxury travelers, but with new eco-friendly lodges popping up it’s possible to see the remote Uyuni Salt Flats without sacrificing comfort. 72 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
Uyuni Salt Flats are the world’s largest and offer unique perspectives whether you visit in the wet or dry season. Accessible from both Bolivia and Chile, buckle up for a bit of a trek to this remote locale that will be worth the many miles traveled once you experience their majesty. Considering the effort you’ll put in to getting there, it’s worth staying a few nights to soak in the surrounding areas and really enjoy yourself exploring. For a long time, the Salt Flats had only the most basic of accommodation, but recently an eco-friendly luxury lodge has opened right within the Flats themselves. Kachi Lodge has only six geo-domes, making your experience there extremely customized and private – perfect for post-COVID travel. In addition to the stunning landscape and design of the lodge, Kachi focuses on sustainability of both the environment and local cultures as well as providing meals by a top Bolivian chef and daily bespoke excursions by trained local guides. There is so much adventure to be had on the salt flats. Mountain bikes and 4x4 vehicles are a great way to venture around the flats and look for one of the small pools that hold impressive salt crystals. If you prefer to stay on foot, try a sunrise hike or stargazing at night. Other excursions include trips to the Jirira village to see the quinoa fields and Tunupa Volcano to view the flats from up above. The flats themselves offer hours of fun taking photographs
RIGHT: COURTESY OF ANDANDO TOURS AND S/S MARY ANNE
Puerto Varas
UYUNI SALT FLATS
RIGHT: UNSPLASH.COM / PHOTO BY KURT COTOAGA
ideal for fewer crowds if you don’t mind bundling up when on excursions and hikes.
THE GALAPAGOS, ECUADOR – S/S MARYANNE
ATACAMA, CHILE – TATIO GEYSERS FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 73
PERU
While most people immediately think of Machu Picchu when they think of Peru, considering our world’s transition into more social distancing we’d like to showcase a less-visited region of the country: The Amazon!
THE AMAZON RAINFOREST
While a hardy explorer can handle many conditions, most travelers would benefit from heading into the jungle from September to November. The first half of the year is a bit tricky as you can expect more rain. The Amazon is one of the world’s largest and nature-densest areas, covering almost 2.5 million square miles. This area is home to 2,500 fish species, 1,500 bird species, and 50,000 species of plants. The Tambopata Research Center is the only lodge that lies within The Tambopata National Reserve, making it one of the most remote lodges in South America. To get to the Tambopata
THE GALAPAGOS, ECUADOR 74 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
Research Center, fly into Puerto Maldonado, then take a scenic road trip and a serene boat ride to reach the secluded, intimate accommodation. Awake with the sounds of the jungle as rooms have an open wall facing the rainforest. Endless activities are offered to immerse you within the wildlife of the Amazon from bird watching to trail hiking. If the thought of a room open to the wildness of the rainforest doesn’t appeal to you, never fear! There are many small river cruising options out of Iquitos. Each day you’ll cruise along the river, go on excursions, and retreat to your stateroom with floorto-ceiling window views of the passing rainforest.
SALKANTAY TREK
If you can’t imagine visiting Peru without hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, let us introduce you to an alternate trekking route to the ruins where you will encounter fewer other travelers: the Salkantay Trek. This trekking experience lasts a full week and takes you on a back route to Machu Picchu, hopping from lodge to lodge. On the way you’ll traverse 15 different eco-systems, a 15,000 ft mountain pass, ancient villages where locals still practice their traditions, and have a lot of fun en-route! Each day ends at a lodge that maintains unique rusticity while providing creature comforts like hot showers, outdoor jacuzzis, and great food and wine. This unique experience lets you explore the ancient history of the Incas and exotic flora and fauna, all while working toward the ultimate goal: Machu Picchu.
BELOW: COURTESY OF ANDANDO TOURS AND S/S MARY ANNE
and playing with perspective and reflection. The Uyuni Salt Flats are a destination that requires working with a travel professional to ensure that you arrive as efficiently and comfortably as possible. A bonus to working with Esplanade is afterward we can get you across to the Atacama Desert in Chile, adding to the remoteness, uniqueness, and other worldliness of your itinerary.
RIGHT: COURTESY OF MOUNTAIN LODGES OF PERU
MACHU PICCHU, PERU
ECUADOR GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
Ecuador’s claim to fame is the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos are famous for their wildlife – since there are no natural predators, the wildlife is not scared of humans and tourists can watch them up close. While there are many ways to see the Galapagos, we recommend one of our small ship sailing and cruising partners. Small ship sailing is a great way to see the Galapagos Islands and to witness all the amazing marine life. A smaller vessel means more personalized attention, more space to spread out on board, and an overall more intimate, customized experience. The S/S Mary Anne, a true sailing vessel, offers a nautical experience with full sails - so no sounds of engines, just the ocean! The Mary Anne can accommodate single or group travelers, even boasting 6 single cabins with no single supplement. This is a great option for travelers who are wary of being in close quarters with other passengers.
THE MASHPI RAINFOREST RESERVE
To get to the Galapagos, you will have to overnight in either Quito or Guayaquil. As a nice add-on to your trip without the risks associated with staying in a busy, crowded city, we encourage you to transit via Quito and add a few nights in the rainforest. Mashpi Lodge is a remote, award-winning rainforest lodge outside of Quito. As a member of National Geographic’s Unique Lodges of the World, it’s truly one of a kind! The lodge is built sustainably and designed to blend in with the surrounding environment. Each room has floor to ceiling windows displaying captivating panoramas of the surrounding forest. On arrival, you’ll be assigned to a naturalist guide who will help plan each day to your interests and specifications. See the rainforest
as you’ve never seen it before on “The Dragonfly” and soar high above the treetops in a gondola. Perhaps you prefer to stay on foot by making your way up to the observation tower for a bird’s eye view over the entire reserve. There are numerous trails available for guests to hike as well as waterfalls for when you need to cool off.
TIME TO GO!
Well – it might not be time to go at this exact moment, but soon travel will be an attainable goal. Our world may see major changes in travel and tourism, so Esplanade is here to support you and show you ways that travel can happen while remaining healthy and safe. So, as you dream and plan and research, don’t stop at Buenos Aires or Cusco. Look beyond the cities for the beauty our natural world has to offer and make your next trip out of the country to one of the natural beauties we’ve mentioned above. Esplanade Travel focuses on international luxury travel, and unique custom-designed trips have been our trademark for 60 years. Our staff has collectively traveled to over 150 countries around the world, and we sell the destinations we know the best and love the most! Our primary destinations are Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, Italy, France, South America, India, United Arab Emirates, and the islands of the South Pacific. ★
ESPLANADE TRAVEL 800-628-4893 | esplanadetravel.com info@esplanadetravel.com Instagram: @esplanadetravel FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 75
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MARK HALDANE PROFESSIONAL HUNTER AND CONSERVATIONIST
STORY BY M. ARNOLD • PHOTOS BY MARK HALDANE
Left: Mark Haldane with some of the lions brought in for the 24-Lion reintroduction. Above & Right: “Less than 1500 Buffalo and less than 50 Sable were here when we started hunting. Twenty-six years later, we have over 25,000 Buffalo and over 3000 Sable.”
“The question, then, must be: ‘What do they get out of it?’ They don’t shoot unless they have to, and mostly take no delight in killing, but rather regard it regretfully as the logical end point of an exciting adventure. They are the greatest game conservationists—the strictest abiders by the rules…I believe I already knew what they get out of it. There is a simple love of outdoors and creatures, as against a hatred for the contrived living of cities, for the claustrophobic contrivances of civilization…” —ROBERT RUARK, HORN OF THE HUNTER Mark Haldane’s South African diction came across clearly through the WhatsApp link. “I avoid cities as much as possible” was his answer to my query of whether the months he spends in his Coutada 11 concession in Mozambique ever made him miss civilization. Following on, I asked about what he liked the most about any natural area and, specifically, Coutada 11? “My greatest enjoyment comes from knowing all the bits of the environment” was his immediate answer. He went on, “I know all the animals in my concession. I know all of the plants, except for the trees. I’m working on learning the tree species right now.” I realized as I listened to Mark that I was hearing Robert Ruark’s assessment of the African Professional Hunter’s motivation. Mark Haldane did indeed give voice to “a simple love of
outdoors and creatures, as against a hatred for the contrived living of cities, for the claustrophobic contrivances of civilization”. This was also reflected in his explanation of the success rate of the Professional Hunter apprentice program he runs in Coutada 11. There are generally 1-2 apprentices at any given time and it takes three years to graduate from this apprenticeship and thus qualify to be a PH. That only 25% of the apprentices successfully complete the program is not surprising to Mark. “The apprentices and PHs spend a minimum of four consecutive months in the Coutada before they get leave.” Mark chuckled before stating the obvious, “This does not work for those who want a social life in town!” But, where did Mark’s passion for untamed wilderness, and against human contrivances, originate? In other words, what FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 79
Helicopter on anti-poaching patrol.
was the beginning point for the evolution of this particular PH? Intriguingly, it began just as Ivan Carter’s sojourn had (see “Ivan Carter: Conservation is not Theoretical”, Hunter’s Horn, Summer 2020 Issue) with limitless freedom as a child to wander through the African bush. Also, like Ivan, there was often a firearm in Mark’s hands. Though raised by a “Step-Father who was as good a Dad as you could want”, his Step-Dad did not hunt, so Mark learned by trial-and-error. To all those ‘lawnmower parents’ (parents who must mow down all obstacles that confront their children), this likely sounds like a horrible upbringing. To those of us who experienced such freedom, it makes us reminisce about our own halcyon days of childhood spent wandering in the ‘bush’. My next questions to Mark concerned his first and last animals he had taken. The first, as a young boy, was a Grey Duiker. Mark hesitated before he gave his answer about the last animal he had shot. His reply revealed a willingness to poke fun at himself. It seems that Mark was guiding a client on a Cape Buffalo hunt in the swamp area of his concession. This particular client had made Mark promise that, if the buffalo did not go down after the first shot, he would put in an insurance shot. Mark related, “at the Client’s shot, the herd bolted for the tall grass and we lost sight of their buffalo. Fortunately, as the dust cleared, we spotted their buffalo, limping at the back of the herd. So, I stood and hit him with the promised insurance shot that dropped him in his tracks.” As the client climbed to their feet, they thanked Mark for fulfilling his part of the bargain. With that, Mark and the client headed to the downed buffalo. However, before they reached it, they came across the body of the, very dead, buffalo shot by the client. Mark’s assessment was “I had killed a poor, old, rheumatic bull that was unable to keep up with the herd.”
CONSERVATION THROUGH TROPHY HUNTING
My next query brought into focus again Mark’s “simple love of outdoors and creatures”. “So, what do you like most about your job as a PH/Outfitter?” Mark didn’t hesitate in his response “When I get to hunt with a like-minded client who, for example, wants 80 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
me to stop the truck so that they can take a photo of a dung beetle.” His response also illuminated the overarching motivation for Mark’s being in Coutada 11 since 1994. His motivation is the reason this Mozambique concession has become a model for African ecosystem conservation. It also provided insight into why Mark’s model system plays such an essential role in the Ivan Carter Wildlife Conservation Alliance (ICWCA). “So, you like clients who like dung beetles, but you also love seeing your clients achieve their dreams of getting, say, a trophy Cape Buffalo?” Mark was unfazed by this question that sounded a bit left-wing. “Yep, I do. In terms of supporting the conservation of Coutada 11 and the surrounding concessions, Buffalo hunts pay the bills and Plains Game hunting is the cream.” Here, then, was a prime example from which Ivan Carter has drawn his ‘Responsible Resource Use’ through trophy hunting. “Alright”, I continued, “if you would, walk me through some statistics. For example, when you took over Coutada 11 in 1994, how many Buffalo and Sable were present?” Mark knew his area well, and answered immediately. “Less than 1500 Buffalo and less than 50 Sable were here when we started hunting. Twenty-six years later, we have over 25,000 Buffalo and over 3000 Sable. In fact, the Sable are now at maximum carrying capacity in Coutada 11 and are spreading into the adjoining concessions.” The fact that all those associated with Coutada 11 have been witnesses to such astronomical increases in game animals begs the obvious questions: “What has caused this complete turnaround for these species, and has this gain been reflected in the Coutada 11 ecosystem as a whole?” So, I put this to Mark. But, I prefaced my question by reminding Mark that I was a scientist who sometimes worked in Conservation Biology, and that as a scientist I was trained to think that we would rarely be able to identify the real cause of anything we observed. My posture towards Mark smacks of Ivan Carter’s, appropriately-named ‘Analysis Paralysis’ during which scientists can sit and study their navels while Rome burns. To answer my question, Mark outlined the [practical] activities
Above: The weekly meatdrop for the villagers. Left: The normal response for the meat provided.
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needed to help any area like Coutada 11 recover, particularly those areas affected by locals harvesting the fauna to feed their families and to sell as bushmeat. The activities undertaken in Coutada 11 reflect why it was so natural for the ICWCA to partner with Mark Haldane’s Zambeze Delta Safaris. It should be pointed out that the individual activities are not independent of one another, nor does one finish before another commences. If you remove one, all of the others will be affected in a negative manner. Also, this is not an exhaustive list – for example, Mark is particularly proud of the community bee-keeping project that is now nearing self-sufficiency. Mark began his description of their work by mentioning that the limited number of game animals in his concession in 1994 meant limited income from trophy hunting In any spare moments, Mark Haldane, the Professional Hunter can be found in the bush resulting initially in a restricted anti-poachpursuing his favorite pastime, birdwatching. ing effort. However, Mark understood what scientists might miss with all their theorizing. The harvest of a small percentage of trophy Buffalo, Sable, etc would generate the income needed to ACTIVITY 3 fund antipoaching efforts. It would also generate protein and This might have been the one of the most daunting of the jobs for the local human populations. In 1994, Mark had a vision activities undertaken to facilitate Coutada 11’s recovery. Mark for Coutada 11; he was determined to rebuild the entire ecosyshad to convince shareholders of his vision. He needed to not tem to its original, pre-human-impact state. It was quite a goal, only generate capital from the trophy hunting enterprise, but he especially with the humble beginnings of little money, limited also needed others to buy into the ecosystem recovery program. infrastructure and relatively few game animals. Partnerships thus developed with organizations like the Dallas Safari Club, ICWCA and Cabela Family Foundation. One pracACTIVITY 1 tical outcome of such partnerships has been the organization Mark’s remediation scheme began by removing all of the of a highly mobile and effective antipoaching unit (or APU), poachers’ Gin Traps and Snares from the concession, and then consisting of both helicopter and motorcycle patrols. Another continuously searching for the replacement traps and snares. Yet, outcome – this one generated by funds from the Cabela Family Mark understood that as key as ongoing trap and snare removal Foundation – has been the establishment of extensive research in Coutada 11 was (and is) for the recovery of game animal programs aimed at understanding the behavior of a number of populations, suppression of poaching would never work simply species in Coutada 11. Spearheaded by Willem Briers-Louw, through this ‘stick’. Rather, the stick had to be carried in one hand the research has included 1) GPS Tracking Collars placed on while the other hand held an enormous ‘carrot.’ The local villagers common reedbuck, warthog, hartebeest, sable antelope, eland, were harvesting the game animals in order to feed themselves, zebra, elephant, buffalo and leopard, 2) camera traps that moniand generate money from the trade in bushmeat. Mark had to tor the movements of non-collared animals throughout the offer them a substitute for the benefits of their game harvesting. concession, and 3) repeated aerial surveys of game to obtain accurate counts of population numbers. Each of these detailed ACTIVITY 2 research programs is helping to define the complex behaviors The second measure would thus have to include supplying food of the wide array of Coutada 11 species in order to advance and livelihoods to the local villagers so that they would be able, their conservation. and willing, to forgo poaching. As importantly though, Mark had to imbue the villagers in and around Coutada 11 with the ACTIVITY 4 understanding that an intact ecosystem would continue to susOf all Mark Haldane’s and Zambeze Delta Safaris’ conservatain them in a way that a degraded one would not. If he could tion efforts, the most iconic to-date has been their ’24-Lions’ accomplish this, then the locals would self-police Coutada 11 in program. In an email interview, Willem Briers-Louw outlined order to protect ‘their’ source of food and livelihood. That protecthe collaborative nature of the work, as well as the major successtion would reflect ownership by the local villagers, and like the es from this unique conservation exercise. Willem’s description ecosystem itself, the protective measures would themselves be illuminated the combination of excellent science and practical self-sustaining. In terms of the provision of protein, Zambeze conservation upon which 24-Lions began. Willem explained Delta Safaris supplies every family in the local villages with 10 that “In 2018, 24 lions were brought into the Zambezi Delta. pounds of meat per week. This works out to more than 50,000 These lions were sourced from six different reserves within South pounds of meat distributed annually. With this surfeit of protein, Africa to obtain as diverse a genetic pool as possible. From a comes the support of the local villagers in the antipoaching efforts. conservation perspective, it is always better to take lions from 82 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
The success of the 24 Lion effort can be seen in the cubs that now have nearly doubled the number of lions in the original reintroduction.
small, fenced areas, where lions are typically in over-abundance than to remove lions directly from source populations such as Kruger National Park. South Africa is the natural choice as there are many such reserves. To date, this was the largest ever reintroduction of lions into any area.” As with the other portions of the scientific enterprises, 24Lions is also funded through the Cabela Family Foundation. But, the reintroduction of lions into this area was not taken lightly, reflecting years of collaborative work between Zambeze Delta Safaris, the Cabela Family Foundation and the ICWCA. Each of these partners played pivotal roles in the release of this apex predator as a means to reestablish a major component of the ecosystem. The reintroduction has not been without its pitfalls, with two lions lost to poachers’ snares, one lion dying of natural causes, and another lioness that had to be euthanized after being badly hammered by a Cape Buffalo. However, the population has more than doubled to 54 individuals. Excitingly, all but two of the cubs have been sired by a local, Mozambican male, thus reflecting the natural addition of some of the rare, local lions into the gene pool. Continual monitoring of the lions is once again possible due to the collaboration of the three entities that planned and implemented the reintroduction. Thus, funding and manpower for monitoring with land vehicles and helicopter is provided by Zambeze Delta Safaris, the Cabela Family Foundation and the ICWCA.
CONCLUSIONS
Mark Haldane reflects well, Robert Ruark’s depiction of a Professional Hunter. However, Mark has invested a tremendous amount of time, energy and funds into the conservation aspect of his chosen profession. Such investment was not necessary to maintain a viable hunting concession. The desire and ability to reassemble, as much as possible, the ecosystem of the Zambeze Delta Safaris area and beyond demonstrates Mark’s passion for the flora and fauna. Yet, at a more fundamental level, it is motivated by a deep love for areas in which he and others can enjoy the freedom of living close to nature. Mark, like Ivan Carter, nurtured this passion while wandering the African bush as a child. Ruark, again, provides us with a description of the results: “He is happy in the dawn and in the tiny-gleaming fires of the camp… He builds his own bridges, makes his own roads. He still has the thrill of providing his own food and the food of his friends.” ★ For more information: Zambeze Delta Safaris: zambezedeltasafaris.com Zambeze Delta Safaris Anti-Poaching: zambezedeltaantipoaching.com Ivan Carter Wildlife Conservation Alliance: ivancarterwca.org Cabela Family Foundation: abelafamilyfoundation.org 24Lions: 24lions.org FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 83
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HSCFMEMBERSPOTLIGHT
Get To Know Me!
ER
LIFE MEM
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5 Minutes With HSCF Life Member Susan Kalich
1.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A MEMBER OF HSCF?
I have been a member since 2009.
2.
WHY DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED IN HSCF?
Initially, I became involved with the purpose of getting the best information about African hunting safaris. Then I began meeting members, making great friends, and developing a passion for the HSCF mission. In particular, the passion for a sport that extends into wildlife and habitat conservation, hunter education, and the desire to pass on our hunting and fishing heritage.
3. 4.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING AN HSCF MEMBER? Serving with the HSCF Youth Programs. WHAT IS OR WAS YOUR CAREER FIELD?
Office Administration.
5. 6.
PREFERRED HUNTING WEAPON — RIFLE, SHOTGUN OR BOW? Without a doubt – rifle. WHAT IS THE ONE ITEM YOU WOULD HAVE IF YOU WERE SHIPWRECKED ON AN ISLAND?
A book about surviving on an island.
7.
WHAT WAS YOUR MOST CHALLENGING HUNTING EXPERIENCE?
Hunting Mountain Lion in New Mexico, on horseback, in the snow. The challenges of this hunt turned me in to a hunting adrenaline junky. Hunting on horseback,
86 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
jumping the horses from rock to rock, holding he horses tail for the pull up a rocky ridge, sleeping in the snow under the stars.
8.
OF ALL THE SPECIES YOU HAVE HUNTED, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AND WHY?
Himalayan Tar in New Zealand. Being in an environment so incredibly beautiful, flying to the mountains by helicopter, jumping out onto a small rocky ridge, the chase, glassing and sharing a hiding place with fussy endangered mountain parrots. No trophy for me that day, but that experience was unforgettable.
9.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?
That’s easy! King Crab. And, for dessert, South African Malva Pudding.
10.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF? Finish your undergrad at Texas A&M. Don’t miss out on one of the best college experiences possible.
FE
HSCFPHSPOTLIGHT L
Meet Aaron Bulkley of Texas Hunt Lodge
IF
1.
6.
WHAT IS THE PRIMARY AREA AND GAME FOR WHICH YOU GUIDE?
Texas Hunt Lodge is located near Kerrville, TX…this is the Exotic Capital of the World. We hunt for over 80 species year-round in our county from Elk, Red Stag, Axis, Blackbuck to Red River Hogs.
2.
HOW DID YOU CHOOSE A CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL HUNTER?
In 2008, I tired of the corporate world, the economy wasn’t great, so I finally decided to follow my dream to the outdoors full-time, and created Texas Hunt Lodge.
3.
WHAT WAS YOUR MOST DANGEROUS HUNT?
Chasing big Wild Boar with knives…I’ve been nicked and knocked down a few times by those nasty cutters. I’ve had to knock a few off of clients as well with nothing but my shoulder.
4.
WHAT DO YOU WANT A FIRSTTIME CLIENT TO KNOW BEFORE HUNTING WITH YOU?
Take a look at our website, watch our videos online, and don’t stress about the hunt too much. If you didn’t bring it with you, we’ve got you covered. We will make sure you have a great time!
5.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING HUNTING AND HUNTERS TODAY?
I see Federal Regulations being a barrier to both Conservation and Hunting. Texan’s have proven they can bring an animal back from near extinction through ranch management/commerce/hunting. See examples: Arabian Oryx, Scimitar Horned Oryx, Dama Gazelle, Addax Antelope
E M EMBER
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HUNTING WEAPON AND/OR CALIBER?
Though I enjoy Archery, my favorite hunting weapon is my custom .300 RUM. It will stop anything and will reach out to 600 yards.
7.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE NOT HUNTING?
I’m typically booking hunts… we also have Africa Hunt Lodge overseas, and we book for New Zealand, Australia, Alaska, Russia, and more destinations. I’m also very active in my family life with a wife and 2 young daughters.
8. 9.
FAVORITE MEAL? Anything Venison, or wrapped in Bacon! We have a great chef at the lodge, and I love it all. WHY DO YOU HUNT?
This is the best job in the world! I enjoy watching the sun come up while being in nature. We meet hundreds of new clients each year, and friendships made through hunting are some of the best.
10.
WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU COULD NOT DO YOUR JOB WITHOUT?
Our Staff. From the guys whom skin, the office to book hunts, ranch foremen, our staff of PH’s, cook and cleaning staff…it’s important to surround yourself with good people whom you can trust.
Aaron Bulkley TEXAS HUNT LODGE
TexasHuntLodge.com +1 830 367-7611
FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 87
88 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ FALL 2020
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89
LIONMOON BY TYLER SHARP
90 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ FALL 2020
DEEP IN THE HEART OF SOUTHERN TANZANIA’S Kilombero Valley lies a vast marshland covered by twelve-foottall “elephant grass,” aptly named for its ability to hide full size pachyderms. I was stationed at a camp there for several months, filming and photographing a group of adventure seekers and Cape buffalo hunters. On the outskirts of the camp, near the Kilombero River, I shared a safari tent with my good friend, and professional hunter Georgie Ferreira. It was deathly hot even at night, which made it impossible to sleep with the canvas door closed, and since the zipper on the mesh door was broken, we left it wide open to salvage what breeze we could. I lobbied to get the zipper fixed, given the number of lions in the area, but George chuckled in the way that Africa PHs do when you stoop below their standard of toughness, and told me to not be a wuss. So I dropped the matter, despite my bed being first inside the door. Zipper repair new being out of the question, I opted to shave my head, in hopes of cooling off at night. George suggested a mohawk, and being that I was several months away from any job interviews, decided to try it out for a bit. Every morning before sunrise, we set out in search for signs of buffalo and plains game, treeless marsh habitat as far as the eye could see. We mostly hunted by river, using a double decker boat with a Massai watchman perched atop, who would keenly scan for white oxpecker birds on the backs of dark, indistinct shapes. We’d stalk in blindly, hoping to find a mature buffalo bull, but mostly found disorienting stampedes, snorting and crashing through the grass. When we returned in the evenings, a campfire and cold beers awaited us, as dinner was prepared from the days’ hunt. But on that particular evening, something much more dangerous awaited our return. Around 4 AM that morning, I was awoken by the unmistakable, haunting sound of a male lion’s call, less than 10 yards behind our tent. I sat up, and my heart quickened in pace as I remembered that the canvas door had been left wide open for the breeze to come in. As I lay listening and thinking, frozen with indecision, the lion let out a much louder call, even closer this time. I breathed a whisper to Georgie, whose 470 double rifle lay loaded under his bed, but his only reply was a light snore. As the breeze died, and the silence grew, I knew the lion was very close. Closing the doors would require me to run outside the tent, untie both canvas flaps, unroll them, jump back inside, and zip the 8-foot fastener closed. But as my muscles twitched in anticipation of action, the lion called again, just outside the mesh window, about 6 inches from my head. Apart from the deafening sound of blood pumping in my ears, all I could hear were his guttural breaths and lowly grunts only inches away. I waited, and anxiously peered into the deathly still scene illuminated in detail by the mystically bright light of an African full moon. Not ten seconds later, the beast strode silently out of the shadows and into the ghostly moonlight. As he halted in front of the tent, about eight yards away, I was in disbelief at his gargantuan size. A lion of seemingly mythic proportions, he looked like a centaur, and is to this day the largest I’ve ever seen. Strangely, he had a distinct mohawk mane, but despite our likeness in hairstyle, and the only gun bearer being fast asleep, I was still in considerable danger. If the lion attacked, my only realistic option was to grab the bed, in hopes of flipping the mattress on top of myself. But as I leaned down to grab the frame, the bed creaked, and the lion turned around sharply. He stared me directly in the eyes through the open door of the tent, not 5 yards away, his tail flicking like a house cat as he
crouched to pounce, and dug his paws into the soft sand. I froze, overtaken by the power of his piercing stare, and awaited my fate. After what seemed a lifetime, but was probably 15 seconds, the lion turned around and walked towards the river, pausing briefly to scratch his massive head on the reed fence. He jumped in the water, swam across to the other bank, and vanished. As I attempted to drift back to sleep, his distant calls could be heard until just before sunrise, lingering on the edges of my dreams, reminding me of the magical, but terrible image of a crouched lion in full moonlight sizing me up. It was simultaneously the most beautiful and frightening scene I have ever witnessed, and still gives me chills to this day. Exactly one month later, on the next full moon, that same lion returned to my tent, but this time the door was closed. As if to protest, he sprawled out on the front porch, his body sagging the tent wall inward as he breathed and panted. I stood within inches of the bulging canvas, and as I lightly touched what was likely his back, felt that he had become some sort of spirit animal for me. I like to think that he imparted some strength and bravery to me in that encounter, and his return was testing that. To this day, I still draw from that experience in moments of doubt or fear, recalling the power of that vision, and how truly close to death I may have been. The term “strong like a lion” has a relevant meaning for me, which translates in Swahili as “Imara Kama Simba,” and I hold those words closely in all that I do. The King of Beasts, truly. ★ FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 91
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A breeder of Nyala in Texas could expect the following: Retail Price per Animal Herd Size
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Tax Savings
$54,000
Original Herd Wholesale Value
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Total Return Before Supplemental Feed
$490,000
Cost of Initial Investment
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Annual Offspring to Sell
$355,000 Return - 262% Annual Income 41%
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FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORNâ„¢ 93
A VERY PLEASANT CONCEIT
MEM
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By John Wootters
Originally published in Gray’s Sporting Journal, Winter 1976
A
“Horse,” I grunt, “you and I are going to come to an understanding!” I’m using the polite mode of address, having just been introduced to this horse; later in the day I’ll switch to the familiar form: “you knotheaded sonofabitch!”
ctually, it’s as good a place as any for a private rodeo, on a lonesome yellow road snaking across the velvety, gray-green Wyoming prairie, with neither tree nor fence between the vast horizons. I’m at home in the saddle and don’t mind riding a snuffy horse, but on this particular October morning I’ve got other things on my mind. My mount dances and tosses his head against the hard held bit, circling, challenging me for his freedom; I feel the power and eagerness of him surging up through my thighs. He wants to run, to drink the morning wind, but I want to go hunting. The black horse has never before carried a hunter, and I’ve never hunted pronghorn antelope from horseback before, so we’re about even. After a few minutes of tense testing of wills, the horse and I do indeed arrive at the promised “understanding’. He yields, grudgingly, deciding not to buck, and the expedition gets underway. My three companions mount and we strike out up a dry wash, the horses puffing frosty clouds from their nostrils and 94 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
lathering quickly despite the cold. The sun is just over the eastern hills, slanting up into the coppery blue bowl of the Wyoming sky. Shortly, we turn out of the wash and begin to climb into broken hills. Penetrating a badlands area where vehicle-borne hunters cannot go, our strategy is to probe into terrain where pronghorns are less plentiful but rarely disturbed, hoping to find trophy bucks bossing herds which haven’t heard a rifle shot. The strategy will succeed, but we have no way of being sure; not even our guides, Al Baier and Bobby McKee, have ever hunted antelope from horseback before. For the moment, I hardly care, so intoxicating is the pungence of sage and the feel of a fresh, strong horse between my knees. It’s enough simply to be there with all my senses in good working order. I grin across at Jack Carter, an old and well-tried companion on many kinds of hunts, from an African safari to ‘Texas whitetails. His answering grin is perhaps just a shade less joyous than mine; Jack is not so accustomed to riding and already entertains doubts about a whole day, or several days,
Downed at only 17 paces, the old buck missed the Boone & Crockett lists by just three points.
in the saddle. But I know him much too well to worry about his reaction if and when the going turns tough. We are here because it seemed to both of us that this would be a good way, an honest way to hunt, and not because we imagined that it might be easy. The tactics are similar to those used against mountain sheep, but without the mountains. We plan to ride the ridges of the rough country, pausing to glass the basins for antelope. The animals are accustomed to riders on the skyline in this country where the mounted cowboy is still the only way to work cattle. When we locate pronghorns, we will dismount and use spotting scopes to sort out potential trophy bucks. When one is spotted, we will make the final stalk on foot. The guides have scouted the country thoroughly, and it’s obvious they know where to look. Occasionally they dismount under the crest of a hill and walk up to check the other side while Jack and I sit on our puffing horses and wait for a signal. From our elevation, we can look out across the badlands to the north, where the prairie breaks off into rough, sandy, scrubbrush terrain that doesn’t look like pronghorn country. It looks like outlaw country, and it is just that; we are only a few miles
from the site of the original Hole-in-the-Wall, where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid hid themselves and their gang. Gazing at the badlands, it’s easy to understand why the hideout was never discovered; combing out that country on horseback would require a posse’s lifetime. Presently, after several reconnaissances, Al waves us down from our saddles, we scramble up the pitch of the ridge to where Al is bellied down behind his spotting scope. We follow his finger with our binoculars and pick out a group of tan-andwhite dots about two miles away. I feel the ancient twist in my guts that the first glimpse of game always triggers. The herd is a big one, and we can make out several black-horned bucks as the animals move about in the brilliant sunlight. Once more, the old white-tail hunter in me wonders at the boldness of pronghorns. They don’t give a damn if you can see them, just as long as they can see you; I’m not used to animals which are so casually conspicuous in their habitat. While Al squints through his 40% telescope, Jack and I pick out other pronghorns in the basin, a single buck only a few hundred yards below us, and another pair near a windmill in the distance, The single has seen us and is steadily walking FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 95
toward us, staring. I remember the stories about “flagging up” pronghorns in the old days, taking advantage of their curiosity. It doesn’t work very many places nowadays, I’m told, and this buck’s actions convince me that we really are into some undisturbed country. Our lenses make it clear, however, that he isn’t what we came for. Finally, Baier grunts and rolls over. “Too far to be certain,” he says, “but I think we’ll have to go and take a closer look at the boss buck in that bunch,’’ We mount and wind our way around a knob and down into the flat. As always, in the presence of game, my pulse has accelerated, but the feeling is too familiar to surprise or worry me. We ride silently, each with his own thoughts. Leaving the horses in a sandy blow-out, out of sight of the herd, we make a preliminary stalk. About 500 yards from the animals we run out of cover, but Al now seems excited about the biggest buck in the group. Very excited, I find it contagious. Al surveys the ground before us and the aimless, steady drift of the animals. They are north of a subtle roll of hills separated by shallow saddles. We can swing south and make a big circle, approaching through one of the draws for a close shot. It doesn’t look too difficult to me, provided the herd is still there when we get into position. We scuttle backwards, crabwise, over the knob, to reach a point where we can stand up without showing ourselves, and swing off to the southwest at a fast walk. Al, in the lead, drops back to say, ‘That’s a hell of a buck, John! A hell of a buck, maybe in the record book!” He shouldn’t have said that. It won’t make it any easier to shoot well when the time comes. On hands and knees, they wait for the perfect shot.
96 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
IN
20 minutes, we are on hands and knees, creeping the last few yards to the saddle from which we expect to shoot. I’m concentrating on advancing the rifle without gouging the muzzle into the earth, on trying to stay out of the omnipresent, low-scrub cactus, and, mostly, fighting for calmness. Suddenly, Al frantically gestures for me to stop and get down. I flop face down in the dust and wait for him to crawl back to me. “They put out a sentinel doe,” he says, “and we almost blundered right over her. We’ll have to go back and around and up the next draw. It’ll be a much longer shot.” I nod, too dry-mouthed to reply, and we begin the retreat. Another 15 minutes of walking puts us under the lip of the next saddle, and it’s hands-and-knees time again. It’s along crawl, staring at the soles of Al’s boots, stopping to watch him cautiously lift his head and then duck down and scramble a little farther. The old familiar pressure is building; within minutes, Al will have done his job, and it will be my turn to perform. I hope the shot will not be too long, and, for that matter, that it’s broadside, in the clear, and at a standing animal. Mostly, I hope I won’t blow the shot. Then I can see pronghorns between the stunted clumps of sage, and my fears melt away in the intensity of the search for the right animal, the searing effort to appraise the situation. On knees and elbows, rifle cradled across my arms, I scuttle ahead a bit to find a sagebrush bush over which I can rest the rifle. The herd is 200 yards out, maybe a bit more, and milling. There are five mature bucks. One stands out. “Do vou see him?,” Al hisses, ‘“He’s the one whose horns almost touch. When he looks this way, they’re almost a perfect
heart shape. Make sure you’ve got the right one. Don’t shoot ’til you’re sure!” His voice sounds very far away now. Suddenly, I’m calm, as I knew I would be but feared I wouldn’t be. This is my moment; my judgement must rule. Al can only wait and watch, as can Bobby and Jack on their distant knoll. I pick up the buck in the scope’s field, making trial fittings of the crosshairs against his shoulder as he moves in and out of the herd, Al is saying something else, but the words don’t get through. My whole being is focussed through that telescopic sight, riveted on the burly shoulder of the pronghorn. Suddenly he breaks clear of the other animals, broadside, trotting. My automatic sequences take over: the crosshairs grab the buck rigidly, the rifle rams back against my shoulder, silently, and the sound of the bullet striking floats back. Baier is all over me, pounding me on the back and hollering, yelling something about “Good shot!”. The bullet had cut the buck down like a scythe, but I’ve racked the bolt back and slammed it home behind a fresh round, and it’s a good thing. The buck is struggling to his feet, obviously unable to move far, but a second bullet is needed to end the thing. The shot is always the climax. After that, the mixed emotions take over, the satisfaction of having taken this buck honestly and finding that his horns are very good, mingled with the inevitable instant of regret that he no longer lives on this prairie, under this sky. The stalk has required 45 minutes. The shot measures 230 yards. He is by far the finest pronghorn I’ve taken. Riding back to the horse trailer, leading the packhorse carrying my buck, I am full. The hunt, of course, is only half-done. Jack’s buck is to come next day, miles back into the badlands and very close to the old Hole-in-the-Wall. This one is a real outlaw, old and heavy-horned and completely by himself. In fact, he is the only pronghorn we are to see all that day, and we see him only because we have stopped on a low ridge to glass a herd of wild horses about a mile away. Jack thinks he has seen another animal, off to one side, but none of the rest of us can make out anything at all. Jack insists, and we keep looking, until we are finally able to locate the one tiny white speck which resolves itself into a pronghorn, and a buck, as he turns with the sun. Because Carter has insisted, we have now spotted a buck which will miss the record lists by less than three points. The situation seems almost impossible, as we stretch out on the ridge behind spotting scopes and binoculars. The animal appears to be nervous, alerted. He paces back and forth indecisively, looking this way and that, and chances are slim that he’ll stay put long enough to complete the laborious stalk which will be required. Even so, we resolve to try for him, and the hunters set off into the malpais, leaving me alone on the ridge to watch. It’s a long and exciting show. The antelope’s marvelous eyes pick up a movement almost as soon as the stalk begins, and his restlessness increases. He remains in sight for perhaps 20 minutes, and then disappears. I cannot relocate him, and assume, as the minutes drag out, that the cause is lost.
Hunting on horseback, the author pursued pronghorn according to his own personal code of ethics. The results were dramatic.
‘Then comes a muffled shot, and a moment later a figure appears on a sandhill, waving me in. I discover that Jack has shot a buck, obviously the same one we’d been watching, under circumstances which might be termed exceptional for pronghorns. With a little backtracking, we piece the story together and realize that while the hunters were stalking the buck, the buck was stalking them. When Jack lifted his eyeballs over the crest of a sandhill, expecting to see the antelope maybe 300 yards away, he discovered the animal walking broadside only ten steps away on the other side of the hill. The buck hit fourth gear in about three strides as Jack swung the rifle to cover him, led him like a crossing quail, and flattened him at precisely 17 yards from the muzzle! That’s the shortest shot I’ve ever heard of on pronghorns, and it occurs to me as I gaze down at the beautiful old outlaw that it likely will be the shortest I will ever hear of, much less see. Those 17 footprints in the sand of southwestern Wyoming seem to me to sum up this whole excursion. It has been a hunt, and not merely a shoot. [t has been done fairly, done honestly, with all dues paid and all benefits duly earned. It has been done somewhat after the fashion of the early plainsmen. Not really, of course; they had no 7mm Magnum rifles with telescopic sights, no horse trailers to shorten the ride, no jets to set them down in antelope country a couple of hours away from a home more than 1,000 miles away. Surely it’s vanity to imagine that we have taken the two fine trophies exactly as the pioneers might have. But, on winter nights when flames make pictures in the fireplace and I can smell Wyoming’s dusty, sagebrush smell when I close my eyes, it’s a very pleasant conceit.
The shot is always the climax. After that, the mixed emotions take over, the satisfaction of having taken this buck honestly and finding that his horns are very good, mingled with the inevitable instant of regret that he no longer lives on this prairie, under this sky.
Mr. Wootters, a former HSC President, passed away in January of 2013. HSCF greatly appreciates his wife, Jeanne McRae Wootters, for sharing his legacy and wisdom. johnwootters.com FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 97
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HIGHER CALLING GUADALUPE BASS, NATIVE TROUT, AND TEEN CONSERVATIONISTS BY CHESTER MOORE
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Above: The author and co-founder of Higher Calling Wild Wishes Expeditions and Jaxon Slone grin for the camera with a nice Guadalupe after a long day of fishing. Left: Amos Spell tries flyfishing for the first time in the Nueces River. He said the expedition was the “best time of his life” and he’s “hooked” on flyfishing. Photo by Chester Moore.
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he Nueces River flows out of some of Texas’s most beautiful landscapes in Real County. From 2,400 feet elevations of rugged mountains to open valleys, the area is a treat for the eyes. And in the crystal-clear waters that flow through here lives the state’s most unique freshwater fish-the Guadalupe bass. Dwelling in only a handful of river drainages in the Edwards Plateau, they are a small, ornately-patterned bass with the state record weighing just 3.71 pounds. Facing myriad issues ranging from hybridization with introduced smallmouth to decreased streamflow, the Guadalupe bass is a species of concern.
A HIGHER CALLING
Cousins Amos and Jaxon, both of Deweyville, TX got a chance to go on a special Guadalupe Bass catch-and-release conservation mission to raise awareness to the species and Texas stream health. The boys are part of the Wild Wishes program founded by me and my wife Lisa in 2014. It grants wildlife encounters to children who have a critical illness or have lost a parent or sibling. We have expanded this program into special conservationbased trips called Higher Calling Wild Wishes Expeditions. The goal is to train teens that come through Wild Wishes to become wildlife conservationists through photography, video, and social media awareness-raising. They learn the North American model of the hunter and angler-based conservation and the power of sharing images and words that educate and inspire
about wildlife and fisheries. We realized no one can better understand wildlife that is threatened, endangered, or in need of attention than children who have faced great struggles themselves. They take to wildlife causes with great enthusiasm when given the opportunity. This year’s expedition was aided by a grant from the Houston Safari Club Foundation, which aided in lodging, transportation, and gear for the boys. Our first stop was in a roadside stream near Camp Wood where I located large schools of Rio Grande cichlids last year. This species is a member of the cichlid family, which includes the food favorite tilapia. According to officials with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) Rio Grande cichlids are distinctive in that they exhibit cream and turquoise colored spots, giving them a speckled look. “Background color varies from very dark to light olive. Lighter colored specimens usually exhibit five dark vertical bars. Adult males may also develop a pronounced ‘hump’ on the head which is not present in similar tilapia.” It did not take long to get hooked up with big cichlids. Fighting far harder than the average bream, these panfish took the boys ultralight spinning combos to the limit. “These might be the prettiest fish I have ever seen and they fight like a champ,” Jaxon said. “Are they good to eat?” We released all but two of the gorgeous fish and Jaxon’s father FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 101
This Guadalupe bass caught on the trip shows the gorgeous ornate design typical of the species. Photo by Chester Moore.
Josh grilled them at our cabin at the Lodges of Lost Maples. The meat was delicate and flavorful and all in attendance agreed it was some of the best panfish we have ever tasted.
FINDING GUADALUPES
The next day we hit a wide stretch of the Nueces River just outside Barksdale. This section of the river had plenty of flow which is the preferred haunt of the Guadalupe bass and within 10 minutes Josh caught a Guadalupe. Jaxon followed suit five minutes later and within two hours we all had caught multiple Guadalupe bass. Throwing a small, watermelon-colored creature bait from Eurotackle, we targeted a small dam area where the bass gathered in the heavy flow below and a couple of small sets of rapids. The challenge there was getting the lure to the bottom but when it did, we had bass on almost every cast. Most were Guadalupes but we also caught several largemouths. Interestingly, the largemouths did not fight as hard as their smaller cousins. These Texas natives are probably closer akin to smallmouths than largemouths and the former is notorious for being super scrappy on a pound for pound basis.
THE NATIVE FISH ISSUE SINKS IN
While standing next to Amos in the gorgeous river, the 16-year-old reflected on the day. “This is such a beautiful place, Mr. Chester. I thank God we got to fish it,” he said. “Indeed, my friend. Me too,” I replied pointing upward. 102 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
The boys were surprised to learn introduced smallmouth bass have caused hybridization problems with Guadalupes. “So, I guess, putting the smallmouth in these Texas streams was good for fishermen but not necessarily for the fish,” Amos said. “You could say that. There is a fine balance between enhancing a fishery with non-indigenous fish and managing natives. It’s a question being posed by fisheries managers throughout trout country in the west right now,” I said. At this point, Jaxon chimed in. “How so?” I recalled to the boys a recent conversation I had with Therese Thompson of the Western Native Trout Initiative. When I told her I wish we had native trout in Texas, Therese dropped a bombshell. “Well, Texas used to have the Rio Grande cutthroat.” The only Texas trout I was aware of was the Gulf Coast’s speckled, sand, and Gulf trout, but they are not true trout. They are members of Sciaenidae, not the Salmonidae family. Then it hit me. In the early years of my career as a wildlife journalist, I remembered coming across a study on this issue, but focusing heavily on coastal fishing at the time, stream trout were not so much on my radar. The boys were fascinated with the idea of a true Texas trout as both have dreamed of fly-fishing in Yellowstone, so I told them of a little-known study. Released by TPWD biologists Gary C. Barrett and Gary C. Matlock in 1991, this paper, called Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout In Texas, provides conclusive evidence this species of trout once
dwelled in certain areas in western Texas. This information includes railroad survey reports and several accounts in a major sporting publication of the late 1800s, including a drawing with a color description. Published accounts continued through the mid-1900s, after which man’s activities made these streams unsuitable for trout survival. The study notes that because of the locations of the populations, the trout would have to have lived and reproduced in Texas, which would make them true natives. These locations, including the Devil’s River, Lampia Creek, and San Felipe Creek, were spring-fed streams of relatively high flow before human settlement. Rio Grande cutthroat are stunningly beautiful fish that currently live in New Mexico and southern Colorado. “So, is it possible we could bring them back to Texas? I know the eastern turkey was eliminated, and we’ve brought them back,” Amos said. Besides being glad Amos had obviously been listening to our teachings about Texas wildlife conservation, I was glad for the opportunity to further address the trout issue. “The species was part of a discussion on native stream species restoration at a TPWD hearing in 2014, and there is support for recovery among fly fishers who are aware of the species’ Texas past,” I said. “Wow, it would be so cool to have those trout back in Texas. Maybe we can help make that happen one day,” Amos said. It was great to see the wheels of conservation turning with these boys.
BACK TO BASS
According to TPWD officials, the economic impact from fishing in Hill Country streams has been estimated at over $50 million a year, and 42 percent of anglers fishing the area target Guadalupe bass. After spending time in those very streams, the boys were concerned about water quality, pollution, and the impact of dams and drought. Young people can ask big questions about nature if you give them the opportunity and that is what these Higher Calling Wild Wishes Expeditions are all about. As they recounted their experiences on social media, these two boys’ hearts for fishing and wildlife impacted thousands who learned about the Guadalupe bass, the Texas State Fish. This species deserves to not only survive but thrive. And so do children. When they go through tragedies or face health trials, spending quality time in the great outdoors can do wonders. I am grateful for the opportunity to spend time with this wonderful family and pursue a fish that has always intrigued me. When Jaxon released his last Guadalupe bass of the trip back into the clear waters of the Nueces he looked up and said, “This is awesome!” Yes, it is little buddy. Yes, it is.
NEW CHALLENGES
The original plan was to take five boys on the trip, but COVID19 concerns changed that. Taking one family instead of three different ones seemed like a better idea so I reached out to my friend Derek York of Spot Stalker Guide Service to help. He took Kadyn Beaumont, his mom Arlissa and me into Galveston Bay where we caught numerous redfish and lots of sand trout. Kadyn is quite a bit younger than the other boys, so this probably worked better than wading in cool streams all day. It was a perfect opportunity to learn about conservation as Derek also works for TPWD’s coastal fisheries division and helps run scientific longline
surveys for sharks in the nearshore Gulf of Mexico. Kadyn was excited to fight the redfish but equally excited seeing Derek’s photos of big bull sharks caught, tagged, and released during the longlining trips. He was intrigued to learn sharks have many conservation challenges facing them including “finning” where foreign vessels run miles of longlines and only cut the fins from the sharks to satisfy Asian demand for shark fin soup. “We have only kept one deep-hooked blacktip on my guide trips since I have been doing them. It’s best to catch-and-release those sharks,” he said. Kadyn nodded in agreement. It was too rough to take Kadyn into the Gulf that day, but we plan on bringing him back and letting him realize his dream of catching a shark. At the time of this writing, we booked two other boys to go on a trout and smallmouth fishing expedition into southeastern Oklahoma. These two 18-year-olds are experienced anglers and we will focus on fly-fishing and the conservation emphasis on stream health in this beautiful part of the country. If there’s one thing the COVID-19 issue and the social chaos that followed has taught me is that outdoors lovers need to stay outdoors more where there are no agendas and where peace flows like a river. The boys involved in these trips have all had incredibly traumatic experiences in their young lives, yet when offered an opportunity to learn about wildlife and fisheries and do so with a rod and reel in hand, they excelled. As someone who works with children and teens on a weekly basis, I can tell you the challenges they face are far greater than most can imagine. Just the Pandora’s box of illicit ideas, allegiances, and temptations the internet and social media offers brings on challenges of epic proportions. But when they have a rod and reel in their hands or get to participate in eastern turkey releases or desert bighorn captures like other youth in our program, they can see what life truly has to offer. We appreciate the Houston Safari Club Foundation and all of our donors for helping make these three fishing expeditions happen in 2020. In the 1960s, the father of modern bowhunting Fred Bear said, “If some of our teenage thrill seekers really want to go out and get a thrill, let them go up into the Northwest and tangle with the grizzly bear, the polar bear, and the brown bear. They will get their thrills, and it will cleanse their souls.” I’m not sure if the teens of today are so much looking for thrills as much as struggling for purpose but I know Fred Bear was right about one thing. Challenging oneself in the outdoors does cleanse the soul and for teens who face trauma, critical illness, abandonment, and other issues, some outdoor soul cleansing might just save their lives. ★
“If there’s one thing the COVID-19 issue and the social chaos that followed has taught me is that outdoors lovers need to stay outdoors more where there are no agendas and where peace flows like a river.”
To connect kids with Higher Calling Wild Wishes Expeditions or to support the program visit highercalling.net. FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 103
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Hunters Dollars paying for conservation and anti-poaching in the region | MARK HALDANE
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SO, WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN? In 1994, on short notice, I took a good friend and client to hunt Mozambique. Filip de Jonge from Belgium loved an adventure and was quick to agree on an exploratory safari to Coutada 11 in the Zambeze Delta. We arrived in August to a truly stunning safari block. Having just come out of a long civil war, the area was pristine in habitat, but devoid of the larger game species. We did, however, find a wonderful old dagga boy and the safari was a success. I fell in love with the area and soon negotiated to buy into the company that owned it. Pictured: The Cape Buffalo herds of the Zambeze Delta are amongst the largest found in Africa today.
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The first wildlife survey of the entire Zambeze Delta in 1994 found only 1200 buffalo, with sable in Coutada 11 numbering only 44. Most of the other larger species had been decimated as well. The smaller forest species – Livingston’s Suni, blue duiker and red duiker – were still relatively plentiful. I guess they weren’t of any interest to the poachers. Twenty-five years later the delta is a changing ecosystem. The buffalo now number over 25,000, within Coutada 11, sable exceeds 3000 (making this the highest concentration of wild, free-range sable in Africa today). In a single 100,000 acres of Coutada 11 flood plain, there were over 12,000 animals. Virtually all of our game is now at carrying capacity; the richness of the delta habitat has a very high carrying capacity. Coutada 11’s, half a million acres forms part of the Zambeze Delta. This area has an incredibly diverse habitat from swamp, flood plain, tropical savanna, miombo woodland and sand forest. This diversity is the explanation of why such a diverse variety of game from the tiny Livingston’s suni all the way through to the African elephant exist in this single region. We started off from humble beginnings. Initially, Coutada 11 could only support a few safaris each year. We invested all we could afford back into the restoration of the area. So, what steps were taken to bring back this incredible ecosystem: The most important, first step, was anti-poaching. We began with a very small anti-poaching unit. The game responded, bringing more safaris, and slowly we grew the unit to what it is today
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– twenty-two full-time rangers, a fast reaction motorcycle unit and a Robinson R22 Helicopter for aerial patrols. Under the dedicated eye of head ranger Mfana Xaba, this well-disciplined team receives regular training from the South Africa Wildlife College. This training has resulted in a highly-motivated and professional anti-poaching team. The team uses a mixture of foot and motorcycle patrols along with interdiction to keep the concession of roughly 500,000 acres safe for the wildlife. The Robinson helicopter is in the air an average of 30 hours a month, keeping a watchful eye over all the hard to get to places, especially the islands in the delta and the flood plain during the rainy season. We have found the combination of approaches to be ideal for our area. Poaching continues to evolve and so does our Zambeze Delta Safaris anti-poaching unit. We have suppressed the poaching by at least 90%, with most poaching now only occurring along our borders. Long term anti-poaching alone could not keep this area intact. It was crucial that we gain local communities in these efforts; it was of first importance to show them the direct benefits of living alongside wildlife. We have achieved this in a number of ways. Each season we distribute roughly 30 tons of fresh meat from the game that is hunted.
AGRICULTURAL INITIATIVES
We have established a community farm where our staff assists with plowing, planting and fertilizing; the goal of the
Left: Sable are one of the most striking antelope. Right: One of the HSCF Yamaha bush bikes used by the ZDS APU. These bikes level the playing field!
community farm is to eventually stop completely, slash and burn agricultural practices. One of our key initiatives has been our community beekeeping project. Interested members of our local community are given hives that they take care of. Our team carries out an annual harvest, and the member is paid per kg of honey collected. We currently have approximately 200 hives in the field and would like to increase that number to 1000. The exciting outlook is that once we have the hives and processing room, this project will fund itself and the community, with the profit being designated for anti-poaching. Because of its origin, we can market the honey as an organic, conservation-based product. We maintain a mobile corn mill that travels to each village during the harvest season assisting the locals with milling their corn and cassava.
EDUCATIONAL AND MEDICAL INITIATIVES
From hunters’ dollars, we have constructed 1) a 3 classroom schoolhouse and three houses for our teachers and 2) a clinic that services the local residents. Our outreach projects have resulted in the local communities becoming shareholders in our conservation efforts.
SCIENTIFIC INITIATIVES AND 24 LIONS
Having a full-time resident scientist on board in Coutada 11 is a privilege for which we are truly grateful. Multiple aspects of the ecosystem are being monitored. The data generated from their work has enabled us to make conservation and restoration decisions based on rigorous science. In 2018, having gained sufficient information from the scientific studies in the Delta, we embarked on a well-founded, but bold, project. Due to human disturbance, the apex predator, the African lion, was largely missing from the Zambeze Delta. We realized that the ecosystem could not be in balance without its apex predator. With that knowledge, 24 wild lions were translocated to the delta. From bomas in which they were acclimated for six weeks, the lions were allowed to naturally disperse across the landscape. To date, the 24Lions project was the largest reintroduction of wild lions ever undertaken across an international boundary. With
the enormous and rich prey source, the lions have settled and thrived. Two years past reintroduction, the lions number nearly 60. Today, when you stand on the edge of the flood plain, it’s hard to believe where this all started. The observer is seldom out of sight of at least 1000 animals made up of an array of species. What makes this virtually unprecedented restoration of wildlife so unique is that it was solely financed and supported by hunters, hunting revenues, hunting organizations and huntingrelated industries. The Houston Safari Club Foundation is one of these key hunting organizations. You have invested in conservation so that our children and our children’s children will have the wilderness of Africa to enjoy. HSCF’s gift of two Yamaha TW 200 motorcycles was ideal for our work. Their large tires allow our anti-poaching team to negotiate sand, and their quiet motors provide swift and undetected apprehension of poachers. The Zambeze Delta Safaris’ rapid reaction motorcycle unit has been a game changer in our fight against poaching. Your grant provides our team with the needed advantage over poachers. ★ For more information: Zambeze Delta Conservation and Anti Poaching: zambezedeltaantipoaching.com ZambezeDeltasafaris.com office@zambezedeltasafaris.com FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 109
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Divine Providence A Trinity Oaks Hunt with One of Texas’ Finest By Derek Ham
Top left: Kelley, Kolton, Kutter and Kody Pirkle with the trophy Aoudad shot by Kelley at Darryl Burns ranch near Del Rio. Photo by Darryl Burns. Top right: Kolton, Kelley, Kutter and Kody Pirkle at Darryl Burns ranch near Del Rio during the hunt for Aoudad at ranch near Del Rio Photo by Darryl Burns. On right: Kelly and Kody Pirkle. Kody pointing out the location of an Aoudad at Darryl Burns ranch near Del Rio. Photo by Derek Ham.
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he outdoors - and especially hunting for me – is where I’m at peace. I think more clearly, my senses open up and it’s where my soul is recharged. For those that have and get to experience all that nature can provide, they yearn to get back almost as soon as they leave. But what’s more satisfying to me now is to share this with others. It’s but one of the reasons I go back and one of the many reasons why I like to share nature’s curative powers with others. It’s also why I stay a part of the Trinity Oaks charity. To be sure, there are several other charities that do some of what the San Antonio based Trinity Oaks does. But, in my opinion, Trinity Oaks has a tremendous fire to help others that perhaps no other charity has. That fire starts at the top, with Tom Snyder, and his passion to help literally pulls others to want to give. As much as he doesn’t like the limelight and won’t be happy he’s mentioned in this article, it’s his commitment to the cause of Trinity Oaks that is unsurpassed. What I hope to achieve here, every quarter, is to bring to light some of the extraordinary things Trinity Oaks accomplishes one story at a time. Sure, I can (and will) name all the programs, events and organizations Trinity Oaks touches on a weekly and oftentimes daily basis. But to have a specific hunt or event shared and to allow others to know that Trinity Oaks is not just talking about giving: Trinity Oaks makes it happen. Deeds, not words, as has been said. And this article is about one of those hunts, one of those deeds to help another in need that Trinity Oaks achieves on a regular basis. Trinity Oaks calls it a Dream Trip. The Dream Trip Program was designed to help those who may be terminally ill get away to the outdoors for a hunting trip, fishing trip or other outdoor activity. The participant chooses what she or he would most like to do and Trinity Oaks does its’ best to make it happen. Since it’s inception, Trinity Oaks has made more than 150 Dream Trips become more than just a dream. I was lucky enough to be invited on a Dream Trip this past February. When I received the call from Tom Snyder, he told me the man that was going on this trip – Kelley Pirkle - was a current Lubbock Police and SWAT member. Having been born in Lubbock, I knew we’d have plenty to talk about besides hunting stories – which are always good – and guns – also good. Lubbock is unique. Some would say it’s just uniquely flat and uniquely windy but I’m proud to say it’s my birthplace. Kelley Pirkle has had to deal with a great many “surprises” and tough situations in his 20 plus years of service to his fellow women and men. He’s trained for it and he’s a natural at it. In fact, he’s such a natural that he’s an instructor at the TTPOA (Texas Tactical Police Officers Association). The TTPOA offers courses for SWAT accreditation. So essentially he’s so good at being an elite officer he gets to teach others how to become elite. Kelly’s natural gifts and training will now serve him in another type of battle – and a battle it is – of fighting stage 4 lung cancer. Kelley’s Dream Trip request was to hunt an Aoudad. Trinity Oaks prevailed by finding a donor with a ranch near Del Rio to grant an Aoudad hunt, guide, lodging and food for a planned Thursday through Sunday morning hunt. Like all the Dream Trips, a lot of work goes into the planning and logistics for a hunt like this to make sure that the only thing the participant - Kelly in this case - has to do is show up and hunt. I had a pretty busy week that week as did James Hauke, Trinity Oaks Volunteer Coordinator, but we made sure to meet near the ranch in Del Rio to pick up extra supplies that may be needed for the weekend. Even though the hunt was donated, we still didn’t
Kolton and Kelley Pirkle geared up for SWAT Competition.
want to show up without some provisions. And so, after grabbing a quick lunch, talking some about what our hunt might look like given the sheer size of the ranch, we followed each other to the ranch entrance. As luck would have it, Kelley and two of his three sons pulled up at very nearly the same time we did. Quick introductions were had at the gate and we headed up the ranch road to meet our host and make ready for an undoubtedly eventful hunt with a man who couldn’t possibly deserve it more. Two of Kelly’s sons – Kolton and Kutter – drove in with Kelly from Lubbock while the eldest son – Kody – drove in later from New Braunsfels. Kody served in the military while Kolton serves currently, with his father, as a Lubbock Law Enforcement officer and SWAT Team member. Like most families, you have three kids and you get three flavors and each one of Kelly’s boys are certainly quite different. And, like most families, siblings argue. However, during my time with them, it was very apparent both the love they have for each and for their father. As we approached the main ranch lodge, an ever-alert Belgian Malinois, our host Darryl Burns, and our guide, Mark Bohac, greeted us. I’ve not been on a charity hunt yet where the host wasn’t a person of good character and well intentioned and this was no different. Darryl owns some 18K acres of ruggedly beautiful land filled with Aoudad, Axis, deer, hogs and just about every varmint you can think of. The land he owns is for him, his family and friends. It’s not a ranch that sells hunts. He gives the hunts away and more enjoys the satisfaction of seeing a successful hunt than even shooting himself. Another example of someone that allows the outdoors to feed the soul, quite the mind and take stress away to even help heal the body. I asked if he wanted to be mentioned in this article and, it came as no surprise that he wanted the focus to be entirely on Kelly and his family. He also made sure to tell me that he truly hoped there would be a moment of Divine Providence had during the hunt in which to write. No one has ever mentioned that term of Divine Providence to me at a hunt. But the idea, the thought of Divine Providence is the most apt description for virtually every charitable hunt I’ve been involved FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 111
Above: The Guide Mike and Kolton Pirkle glassing for Aoudad on a hillside at Darryl Burns ranch near Del Rio. Photo by Derek Ham. Right: Kolton and Kelley Pirkle with First Place Award at Texas Tactical Peace Officers Association Sniper Spotter Competition in Conroe at FBI Range in 2017. Far right: Kelley (climbing) and Kolton Pirkle in SWAT competition.
112 HUNTER'S HORN™ FALL 2020
with. There are always, without exception, moments where the Divine the anger was moving behind the large hill in front of us so we’d be is involved, where there is a Divine presence, that truly reinforces for able to stalk up the other side and maybe get Kelley a shot on a good me that sharing the outdoors is, in its’ purpose and result, Divine. sized mature male. A mature male has long flowing hair on their Our first day at the ranch involved getting gear ready, talking chest and forelegs called “chaps.” Walking through this country I strategy of when and where we would go and, of course, making was certainly glad to have chaps of my own (actually, I had gaiters) sure Kelley’s rifle was still sighted in after their drive from Lubbock to protect me from the cactus and perhaps occasional snake. to the ranch. Our guide Mark was a good friend of Darryl’s and he A free-range Aoudad hunt gives you immense respect for this aniand Kelley set up a few time to shoot the rifle. It was just a formality mal. We hiked through some steep, rocky terrain to get to where we considering Kelly’s past experience with a rifle throughout his career. wanted to be set up where we thought they’d be. There was Aoudad In fact, Kelley and his son, Kolton, received first place at the Texas sign all the way up the hill so there was no way we wouldn’t be sucTactical Peace Officers Association Sniper Spotter Competition held cessful. Forgetting my water was a bad idea but I knew I wouldn’t at the FBI range in Conroe in 2017. More than once did I hear a care once Kelly got his animal, which I was sure, was to be any minute. metal gong hit at 400 yards out. With shooting like that, I was sure All our near silent work up the hill certainly paid off – for a beautiwe would have our Aoudad within the first two days or maybe even ful view of the canyon. This anger was clever. They gave us the slip. the first two hours. Darryl was none too pleased we didn’t have an Aoudad down yet. The decision was made to try and get in a hunt before nightfall And by the looks of the trophies in the lodge, I suspected more than so we headed out from the lodge, stopping every so often to glass a two-day hunt was considered unusual. The plan the next morning the rocky hillsides on either side of the road we traveled, looking was to break up into two groups and hopefully increase our chances for signs of Aoudad. More than once did we have of spotting a trophy Aoudad. to get out of the truck and move rocks for the And so, the next morning, our host Darryl and truck to pass. It didn’t take long to spot a couple Hauke went in one direction and Kelley, Mark, If you’d like to help Kelley Pirkle and of Aoudads and we tried getting closer to one in Kelley’s three sons, and myself went another. his family directly, there is a Go Fund particular that looked promising but it moved Unfortunately, lots of glassing got us nothing Me account created under his name: quickly out of sight before we could get a clear but more time in the outdoors, which is never gofundme.com/f/1wxpp40ytc look even using our spotting scope. a bad thing. If you’d like to help Trinity Oaks help That night at dinner the conversation came easy In the afternoon, Kelley’s group and I went to others like Kelley Pirkle experience getting to know each other better and sharing yet another area of this vast, beautiful ranch. As all the power that being in the about family and work. Perhaps more than one hard a county as we drove in, it still amazes me outdoors can provide, please donate embellished hunting story may have been told. how any vehicle doesn’t need weekly maintenance to Trinity Oaks at: trinityoaks.org Through a few of Kelley’s and his sons stories, it of some kind. While we didn’t find an Aoudad on was also easy to be reminded of what a sometimes this leg of the hunt, we did find an unsuspecting Upcoming events for Trinity Oaks: difficult life it can be serving as a law enforcement hog at one of the feeders, which Kelley dispatched Dec. 5: The 8th Annual Under the officer. There are very tight bonds between law quickly at a range of about 75 yards. Oaks Gala in San Antonio enforcement officers that I feel those that don’t or Sunday was to be the last day of the hunt and Sept. 12: Back the Brave Fort Worth Gala haven’t served can’t completely understand. And also a day I had to leave early. I had already heard For more information: I’m not just talking about the bonds created from from discussions with our host that Kelley was welEmail Marisa Poole: being in tense situations or having to trust imcome to stay another day or two should the need marisa@trinityoaks.org plicitly your fellow officer in the field to have your arise if they had no luck on Sunday. Having dinback and you have theirs. I’m also talking about ner that Sunday night, it was bittersweet knowing the bureaucracy and potentially career-damning I had to leave early the next day and wouldn’t be backlash from the public and the legal system they are sworn to prothere in person when I just knew Kelley would get his Aoudad. I tect. More than one story told during our stay revealed to me that a was, however, happy to get to know Kelley better by spending more perceived miss-step (and I stress the word perceived) or complaint time talking with him that night. We talked late into the evening filed by a criminal can turn into unnecessary stress that adds to an about his life in law enforcement, his family and time with each already stressful vocation. son and wife. I have friends who are in or were in the military or Our second day began early and full of promise. 18,000 acres law enforcement and all of them are wonderful people. But, to me, is a lot of land but the possibilities are not always there for a good Kelley Pirkle is everything you’d want a law enforcement officer to Aoudad even in this area of Texas where they thrive. We drove in be. Quiet, confident and doesn’t speak much unless he has sometrucks again to get to some choice areas and stopped to glass when thing to say. His calm demeanor no doubt is a great influence on his anyone hollered out they saw movement. Some sightings were fellow officers around him. We parted that evening with an earnest Aoudad that, upon closer inspection, mysteriously turned into rocks. handshake and I left knowing I had the pleasure of meeting and It seems that happens a lot out there. As the day got longer and into now know Sgt. Kelley Pirkle. His quiet confidence an inspiration the afternoon I thought we might take a break because of the heat. for me to be the same in my every day life. But then we saw them. An anger (the term for a herd of Aoudad) Kelley did get his Aoudad trophy not on Sunday but on Monday. with several potential shooters mixed in appeared as quickly as if a A 150-yard shot with a round of his 7mm Rogue. The bullet placed curtain had been lifted from the rocks and they had been there all where it needed to go. His Dream Trip was fulfilled not just with along. Finally, it was the other way around: the rocks became the the work and determination to accomplish that goal of the harvest Aoudad, not the Aoudad became the rocks. of a strong willed Aoudad. Kelley’s Dream Trip was also fulfilled We were several hundred yards away and knew we would need to with the knowledge that people like those involved with Trinity be clever about our stalk. Aoudads have fairly keen eyes and can pick Oaks want Kelley to know he is respected, he is appreciated, he is off an approaching hunter from 500 yards away or more. Luckily, loved and, the world is a better place with him and because of him. ★ FALL 2020 HUNTER'S HORN™ 113
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