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LoneOStar Outdoor News
Women experience the outdoors together
February 14, 2020
Page 5
More pronghorn moving south Borderlands Research Institute scientists and students assisted Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with pronghorn restoration efforts, translocating pronghorn to the Rocker b Ranch, near Barnhart in Irion County. The effort is designed to restore populations to historical numbers. The ranch, owned by Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, has improved habitat through restoration, creating adequate habitat for pronghorn. So far, 45 pronghorn have been captured and translocated. The goal is to move 100-125 animals. The second day of captures was canceled due to snow and weather conditions. —BRI
Photo from BRI
Houston Safari Club convention highlights Young women, all guided by women, participated in a javelina hunt in South Texas, as part of the Texas Youth Hunting Program. Retired game warden and ranch manager Scott Krueger oversaw the hunt at the Paloma Ranch. Photo by Briana Nicklow.
Mother/daughter javelina hunt By Kristin Parma
For Lone Star Outdoor News “Look, there they are!” Ana Ronquillo, 15, exclaimed on a chilly 28-degree South Texas morning. The group had barely gotten comfortable in the blind before they shuffled Ronquillo’s position to give her an optimal view. One by one, the javelina appeared from the brush line 120 yards away. Ronquillo shouldered the rifle like a seasoned pro and peered down the scope. She had practiced with the rifle at the range the day before, and her guide was confident in her ability to make a perfect shot. “Are you ready?” her guide asked and Ronquillo nodded before looking down the scope again. One round was loaded into the chamber and Ana’s mom, Lucero, watched through her binocu-
lars. The group of javelina kept coming closer to the blind, weaving in and out from one another, making a clear shot difficult. A tree limb in the way, or a whitetail crossing behind, they were surrounded by all kinds of distractions. Ronquillo was reminded to exhale. Finally, a clear opportunity arrived. Ronquillo clicked the rifle off safety and squeezed the trigger. She made a quick shot on her first javelina of the weekend and her second would follow that evening. Lucero, who had never been hunting with her daughter before, seemed astounded by the whole experience. “My husband told me to let her (Ana) do her thing but I want to go hunting now too,” Lucero said. Lucero received her first lesson in hunting that day by looking through the unloaded rifle and practiced aiming at a target. She had the hunting bug Please turn to page 7
Houston Safari Club Foundation concluded its 2020 Worldwide Hunting Expo and Convention, held January 24-26 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Aurelia Skipwith, director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, was the keynote speaker, providing an inspirational message of the agency’s commitment to hunting, habitat and wildlife. HSCF presented its 2020 Hunting Awards at its annual banquets. Outstanding Professional Hunter of the Year: Pierre C. Vorster of Pierre Vorster Safaris Outstanding Hunters of the Year: Gary Glesby and Jerry Rubenstein Conservationist of the Year: Tim Richardson Frank Green Award: Julianne King President’s Award: Kevin Ormston Tommy Kolwes and Dixon Ashorn, of Capital Farm Credit, also were recognized for their long-term commitment to hunting, farming, ranching and conservation. Funds raised at the convention support HSCF’s scholarship, youth education and grants programs. —HSCF
