save(texas(parks

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save(texas(parks
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FEBRUARY(2013!
WINNER OF THE 2011 BEST ALL-AROUND
SCI CHAPTER NEWSLETTER AWARD !
( Best in Category for 2003, 2005 and 2009)
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Publication( of( Lions’s( Pride( was( delayed( this( month( as( we( awaited( late( breaking(
items( and( final( details( on( scheduled( events( for( 2013.( You’ll( find( them( all( in( this(
issue,(from(our(new(“Call(of(the(Wild”(Wine(Pairing(Dinner(to(the(Fundraiser(and(
new(Awards(Program(for(2013.((You(are(sure(to(find(it(all(well(worth(the(wait!(
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BEST LAID PLANS … It seemed like a great idea. Support TPWD’s
upkeep, maintenance and management of our treasured Texas State Parks
with sales taxes on sporting goods. But the Texas Legislature has
repeatedly diverted funds we sporting enthusiasts and taxpayers voted
should go to our Parks. In the last two years alone nearly 80% of the
sporting goods sales tax, $98 million, was put aside. And our Parks are
suffering for it just when they need help the most. It’s a disgrace, and this
issue of Lions’ Pride has a number of articles related to our State Parks
funding crises. I hope that after you read them you’ll go online to our web
site Links page at www.scihouston.org/Your_Elected_Officials.html and
give them an earful. It’s just too important, for us and future generations.
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David!Kelly!
SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters!PR!Liaison,!Lions’!Pride!Editor!&!Webmaster!
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In(this(issue(…(
(
Your!SCI!Houston!Board!
President’s!Message!
Calendar!of!Events!
SCI!Houston!Membership!&!Meetings!Report!
SCI!Houston!Membership!Application!
Save!Texas!Parks!
Call!of!the!Wild!Wine!Pairing!Dinner!Tickets!Now!Available!
Tex!Outdoor!Partners!(TOP)!Weighs!In!
Bow!&!Arrrow!Tips!
Budget!Cutter!Hold!Fate!of!Parks!
TPWD!Becoming!an!Outdoor!Woman!
Legislature's!Financial!Resources!Could!Boost!State's!Natural!Resources!
The!Gross!Score:!The!Next!Generation!of!Hunters!
Time!To!Begin!Work!On!Texas!State\Fish!Art!Contest!Entries!
3rd!Annual!Casino!Night!Tickets!Now!on!Sale!
3rd!Annual!Casino!Night!Backwards!Bingo!Prize!Announced!
Texas!State!Parks!Need!Recussitation!
Columbia!Sportswear!Battery!Recall!
An!Interview!With!Nelson!Freeman!About!the!Hunter!Defense!Fund!
Trouble!Growing!Below!Surface!
2013!17th!Annual!Fundraiser!Banquet!Information!
2013!17th!Annual!Fundraiser!Rifle!Raffle!&!Backwards!Bingo!Prizes!
2013!17th!Annual!Chapter!Awards!Program!
Lions’!Pride!Classifieds!
TPWD!Trout!Stocking!Continues!at!Local!Ponds!
Check!Out!SCI!Houston!on!Facebook!and!Flickr!
Become!a!Friend!of!SCI!Houston!
Game!Warden!Field!Notes!
SCI!Houston!Recipe!of!the!Month!
9th!Annual!SCI!Houston!Youth!Hunter!Education!Program!
Archer!Popularity!Grows!
Samsonite!Dual!Wattage!Power!Converter!Recall!
2013!Toyota!Texas!Bass!Classic!Details!Announced!
Texas!Wildlife!Associatoin!Proposes!Changes!to!the!“10\Day!Rule”!
TPWD!Proposing!Changes!to!Fishing!Regulations!!
10!New!Trails!To!Be!Added!To!Texas!Paddling!Trails!Network!
Braggin’!Rights!
Pearls!Before!Swine!
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Your(2013$14(Houston(SCI(
First-for-Hunters-OfficersCommittee(Chairs(and(
pPearls(Before(Swine(
Board(of(Directors(
Braggin’(Rights(
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Bill(Pullen(
President!
president@scihouston.org!
Scott(Garrett(
President@elect/Fundraiser!
President@elect@scihouston.org! !
www.scihouston.org281$353$2771(
When you look around at the world
today, you may be inclined to ask:
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Who’s going to protect our rights?
Who’s going to preserve our
hunting heritage?
Brad(Bull(
Treasurer!
treasurer@scihouston.org!
(
David(Kelly(
( Secretary/PR!
( Liaison/Newsletter!
John(Mathew(
Casino!Night!Chair!
casinonight@scihouston.org!
Editor/Webmaster!
PR@scihouston.org!
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Who’s going to provide for those in
need?
The answer is, “We Are.”
We are SCI Houston
Keith(Townsend(
Membership/Meetings!Chair!
membership@scihouston.org!
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(
(
(
Tommy(Fogle(
Director!
Kirk(Waldron(
Missions/Grants!Chair!
missions@scihouston.org!
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Rob(Neilson(
Youth!Hunter!Education!Chair!
huntereducation@scihouston.org!
Craig(Phillips(
Director!
Tom(Hood*(
Sensory!Safari!Chair!
sensorysafari@scihouston.org!
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(
(
(
Will(Correa(
John(Colglazier(
Sportsmen!Against!Hunger!Chair!
Director!
sportsmenagainsthunger@scihouston.org!
(
Kent(Robinson*(
Shooting!Sports!Chair!
shootingsports@scihouston.org!
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Carl(Godfrey(
Director!
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Keith(Itzel(
Director!
Mike(Jines(
Director!
No other organization does more
locally, nationally and internationally
to protect our 2nd Amendment
rights, preserve our hunting
heritage and conserve wildlife and
natural resources than SCI First for
Hunters.
In addition to efforts on those fronts
we
( donate tens of thousands of
dollars
every year to humanitarian
(
(and educational efforts like the
SCIF
American Wilderness
(
Leadership
School (AWLS), Texas
(
Parks and Wildlife, Zimbabwe’s Rifa
Conservation Camp, Sam Houston
Area Council Boy Scouts,
Houston’s Women Helping Women,
Mozambique’s
Zumbo Water
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Project
and Neonatal Clinic, SCIF’s
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SafariWish,
Sportsmen Against
(
Hunger and SafariCare, Ronald
McDonald House, Lighthouse for
the Blind and more.
Want to get involved, stay informed
and protect our rights and
resources? Volunteer your time or
(
better
yet, join our Board of
(
Directors.
E-mail
(
membership@scihouston.org
Join with your fellow outdoors men
and women in making SCI Houston
First for Hunters the premier
hunting and conservation
organization in Texas!
Kerry(O’Day*(
Director!
!
Who’s going to conserve our wildlife
and natural resources?
Larry(Rider(
Director!
Greg(Rodriquez*(
Director!
2!
*(denotes(Past(President!
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
for FEBRUARY 2013
by Bill Pullen
WELL 2013 IS DEFINITELY IN PLAY and the months will start flying by. Most of the big
wildlife hunting and conservation organizations have had their conventions and banquets. There
are still a couple scheduled for February and March. The one I plan on attending, marked on my
calendar, is the NRA Convention being hosted here in Houston. Mark your calendars for early
May and try to attend. I look at them as the other-side of the coin with Safari Club International.
I was unable to attend the Reno, NV, SCI Convention this year, but your President Elect,
Scott Garrett filled in wonderfully as he represented the Houston Chapter at the Board of
Directors meeting, as well as meeting with our longtime outfitter partners. He also did a fabulous
job meeting with new outfitters and in most cases obtaining a new and exciting donation. Stay
tuned to hear about those once we start our weekly highlights prior to our annual Banquet.
Speaking of the local chapter events; over the next 4 months most of the chapters in Texas and
surrounding states will be having their events. If you have the time, try to attend and help out our
neighboring chapters. I know that I am delighted to see visiting chapter members attend our
events. Your Club Secretary and Public Relations Liaison has a list of the upcoming events in
Texas and surrounding areas.
In closing, I can tell you that our various committees from Missions to Youth Education
are busy putting together their programs for 2013. If anyone is interested in serving on the Board
of Directors or interested in getting involved with one of the committees, please feel free to
contact me.
Hoping everyone has a good February and a great Valentine’s Day. By the way
members, a nice firearm or couples hunt makes for a great Valentine’s Day gift that will last a
lifetime.
Happy and safe hunting for you and yours in 2013!
Bill Pullen
President, SCI Houston First for Hunters
president@scihouston.org
©2013 SCI Houston First for Hunters
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
for FEBRUARY 2013
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LISTEN TO THE CALL OF THE WILD! Join us for a special Wine Pairing Dinner at
Crescent Moon Wine Bar & Restaurant at April 1st, featuring bison, fallow, elk, venison and more
as Chef Patti Burdette literally wines and dines us for the evening with a few surprise guests as
well. Details are elsewhere in this issue of Lions’ Pride. We also have our 3rd Annual Casino
Night coming up, 9th Annual Youth Hunter Education Program and 17th Annual Fundraiser
Banquet. We’ll be sprinkling in a few new events as well, so stay tuned! You can use the “fridge
clipping” below for quick reference to all upcoming CHAPTER EVENTS as well as other area
hunting and outdoors events on the following pages:
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Here’s a detailed listing and links of Chapter as well as other hunting, conservation and outdoors
events coming up around town:
FEBRUARY(2S3:(HIGH(CALIBER(GUN(&(KNIFE(SHOW!at!the(Pasadena(Convention(Center,!7902!
Fairmont!Parkway,!9\5!Saturday!and!10\4!Sunday.!!(Click!HERE!for!a!map).!!Adults!$7!admission,!
kids!12!and!under!FREE!with!FREE!parking.!!Under!21!admitted!with!parents!or!guardians!only,!
law!enforcement!officers!in!uniform!admitted!free.!!Bring!your!gun!and!trade!for!the!gun!you've!
always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!new!and!old!guns,!ammo,!gun!parts,!books,!
knives,! knife! sharpening,! coins,! camouflage! and! related! items! at! discount! prices.! ! For! more!
information!call!(281)!331\5969.!
FEBRUARY(8S9:(Texas(Deer(Association(Superior(Genetics(Deer(Auction(in!Retama!Park,!Selma,!
TX.! ! The! Kickoff! Party! begins! at! 6PM! on! Friday,! with! exhibits! open! Saturday! at! 8:30AM,! a!
workshop!from!9AM!to!Noon.!!The!auction!begins!at!1PM.!!For!more!information!call!210\767\
8300!or!visit!the!TDA!website!at!www.texasdeerassociation.com.!
FEBRUARY( 23S24:( HIGH( CALIBER( GUN( &( KNIFE( SHOW! at! the( Lone( Star( Convention( &( Expo(
Center( in( Conroe,! 9055! Airport! Road,! 9\5! Saturday! and! 10\4! Sunday.! ! (Click! HERE! for! a! map).!!
Adults! $7! admission,! kids! 12! and! under! FREE.! ! Under! 21! admitted! with! parents! or! guardians!
only,!law!enforcement!officers!in!uniform!admitted!free.!!Bring!your!gun!and!trade!for!the!gun!
you've!always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!new!and!old!guns,!ammo,!gun!parts,!
books,! knives,! knife! sharpening,! coins,! camouflage! and! related! items! at! discount! prices.! ! For!
more!information!call!(281)!331\5969.!!See!discount!coupon!below.!
MARCH( 2S3:( HIGH( CALIBER( GUN( &( KNIFE( SHOW! at! the( Pasadena( Convention( Center,! 7902!
Fairmont!Parkway,!9\5!Saturday!and!10\4!Sunday.!!(Click!HERE!for!a!map).!!Adults!$8!admission,!
kids!12!and!under!FREE!with!FREE!parking.!!Under!21!admitted!with!parents!or!guardians!only,!
law!enforcement!officers!in!uniform!admitted!free.!!Bring!your!gun!and!trade!for!the!gun!you've!
always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!new!and!old!guns,!ammo,!gun!parts,!books,!
knives,! knife! sharpening,! coins,! camouflage! and! related! items! at! discount! prices.! ! For! more!
information!call!(281)!331\5969.!
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MARCH(23S14:(HIGH(CALIBER(GUN(&(KNIFE(SHOW!at!the(George(R.(Brown(Convention(Center,!
9\5! Saturday! and! 10\4! Sunday.! ! Adults! $8! admission,! kids! 12! and! under! FREE.! ! Under! 21!
admitted! with! parents! or! guardians! only,! law! enforcement! officers! in! uniform! admitted! free.!!
Bring!your!gun!and!trade!for!the!gun!you've!always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!
new! and! old! guns,! ammo,! gun! parts,! books,! knives,! knife! sharpening,! coins,! camouflage! and!
related!items!at!discount!prices.!!For!more!information!call!713\853\8000.!
APRIL( 1ST:( SCI( HOUSTON( “CALL% of% the% WILD”( WINE( PAIRING( DINNER( at! the! Crescent( Moon(
Wine(Bar(&(Restaurant,!440!Rayford!Road!in!Spring!(Northbound!Exit!73!off!I\45!North!about!.4!
of! a! mile! east.! ! (Click! HERE! for! a! map).! ! Cost! is! $50! per! person! (Advance( Reservations( ONLY)!
with!tickets!ordered!online!or!by!mail!using!the!Order!Form!elsewhere!in!Lions’&Pride.!!Further!
details!in!this!Lions’&Pride&“Call&of&the&Wild”!article.!
APRIL( 6S7:( HIGH( CALIBER( GUN( &( KNIFE( SHOW! at! the( Pasadena( Convention( Center,! 7902!
Fairmont!Parkway,!9\5!Saturday!and!10\4!Sunday.!!(Click!HERE!for!a!map).!!Adults!$8!admission,!
kids!12!and!under!FREE!with!FREE!parking.!!Under!21!admitted!with!parents!or!guardians!only,!
law!enforcement!officers!in!uniform!admitted!free.!!Bring!your!gun!and!trade!for!the!gun!you've!
always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!new!and!old!guns,!ammo,!gun!parts,!books,!
knives,! knife! sharpening,! coins,! camouflage! and! related! items! at! discount! prices.! ! For! more!
information!call!(281)!331\5969.!
APRIL( 27TH:( 3RD( ANNUAL( SCI( HOUSTON( CASINO( NIGHT.( ( Join! us! for! a! night! of! fun! at! the!
Houston!Distributing!Stein!Room,!7100!High!Life!Dr.!in!Houston!near!Cutten!Road!and!FM!1960,!
just! off! the! Sam! Houston! Tollway! and! Hwy! 249.! ! (Click! HERE! for! a! map).! Details! and! ticket!
ordering!information!online!as!well!as!in!this!Lions’&Pride!with!auction/raffle!item!listings!posted!
once!available.!
APRIL(27S28:(HIGH(CALIBER(GUN(&(KNIFE(SHOW!at!the(Lone(Star(Convention(&(Expo(Center(in(
Conroe,!9055!Airport!Road,!9\5!Saturday!and!10\4!Sunday.!!(Click!HERE!for!a!map).!!Adults!$7!
admission,! kids! 12! and! under! FREE.! ! Under! 21! admitted! with! parents! or! guardians! only,! law!
enforcement! officers! in! uniform! admitted! free.! ! Bring! your! gun! and! trade! for! the! gun! you've!
always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!new!and!old!guns,!ammo,!gun!parts,!books,!
knives,! knife! sharpening,! coins,! camouflage! and! related! items! at! discount! prices.! ! For! more!
information!call!(281)!331\5969.!
MAY(18S19:(HIGH(CALIBER(GUN(&(KNIFE(SHOW!at!the(George(R.(Brown(Convention(Center,!9\5!
Saturday!and!10\4!Sunday.!!Adults!$8!admission,!kids!12!and!under!FREE.!!Under!21!admitted!
with!parents!or!guardians!only,!law!enforcement!officers!in!uniform!admitted!free.!!Bring!your!
gun!and!trade!for!the!gun!you've!always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!new!and!
old!guns,!ammo,!gun!parts,!books,!knives,!knife!sharpening,!coins,!camouflage!and!related!items!
at!discount!prices.!!For!more!information!call!713\853\8000.!
JUNE( 1S2:( HIGH( CALIBER( GUN( &( KNIFE( SHOW! at! the( Pasadena( Convention( Center,! 7902!
Fairmont!Parkway,!9\5!Saturday!and!10\4!Sunday.!!(Click!HERE!for!a!map).!!Adults!$8!admission,!
kids!12!and!under!FREE!with!FREE!parking.!!Under!21!admitted!with!parents!or!guardians!only,!
law!enforcement!officers!in!uniform!admitted!free.!!Bring!your!gun!and!trade!for!the!gun!you've!
always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!new!and!old!guns,!ammo,!gun!parts,!books,!
knives,! knife! sharpening,! coins,! camouflage! and! related! items! at! discount! prices.! ! For! more!
information!call!(281)!331\5969.!
JUNE( 8S9:( HIGH( CALIBER( GUN( &( KNIFE( SHOW! at! the( Lone( Star( Convention( &( Expo( Center( in(
Conroe,!9055!Airport!Road,!9\5!Saturday!and!10\4!Sunday.!!(Click!HERE!for!a!map).!!Adults!$7!
admission,! kids! 12! and! under! FREE.! ! Under! 21! admitted! with! parents! or! guardians! only,! law!
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enforcement! officers! in! uniform! admitted! free.! ! Bring! your! gun! and! trade! for! the! gun! you've!
always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!new!and!old!guns,!ammo,!gun!parts,!books,!
knives,! knife! sharpening,! coins,! camouflage! and! related! items! at! discount! prices.! ! For! more!
information!call!(281)!331\5969.!
AUGUST(10S11:(9TH(ANNUAL(SCI(HOUSTON(YOUTH(HUNTER(EDUCATION(PROGRAM(at!at!the!
Good!Shepard!Methodist!Church,!20155!Cypresswood!Drive!in!Cypress,!TX.! Get! Texas! Hunters!
Certification!with!a!weekend!of!TPWD!classes!at!no!charge.!!Details!and!registration!information!
elsewhere!in!this!Lions’&Pride!and!online.!
AUGUST(22S23:(HIGH(CALIBER(GUN(&(KNIFE(SHOW!at!the(George(R.(Brown(Convention(Center,!
9\5! Saturday! and! 10\4! Sunday.! ! Adults! $8! admission,! kids! 12! and! under! FREE.! ! Under! 21!
admitted! with! parents! or! guardians! only,! law! enforcement! officers! in! uniform! admitted! free.!!
Bring!your!gun!and!trade!for!the!gun!you've!always!wanted,!and!see!the!hundreds!of!displays!of!
new! and! old! guns,! ammo,! gun! parts,! books,! knives,! knife! sharpening,! coins,! camouflage! and!
related!items!at!discount!prices.!!For!more!information!call!713\853\8000.!
AUGUST( 24TH:( 17TH( ANNUAL( SCI( HOUSTON( FUNDRAISER( &( BANQUET! at! the! Kwik! Kopy! NW!
Forest! Conference! Center! in! Cypress.! ! Further! details! and! ticket! ordering! information! in! this!
Lions’!Pride!and!online!with!auction/raffle!item!listings!posted!once!available.!
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©2013!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters&
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MEMBERSHIP(UPDATE(
FEBRUARY(2013(
by(Keith(Townsend(
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IF YOU ARE ANYTHING LIKE ME, I am already in the midst of “culling” my New Year’s
resolution list! Every year I start out with a fairly lengthy list of “resolutions.” By the time it rolls
around to February, I have culled it down to a more manageable list of one. For years,
programming the clock on the VHS was at the top of that list, but technology advancements have
rendered that task done!!!
So I have embarked on a very manageable New Year’s resolution. “Get 5 friends
involved in SCI Houston”! I was thinking that if more of my fellow members took up this task, we
could strengthen our base and expand our core missions. What a concept!!
And we have a great way coming up to introduce new friends to the Chapter. Our April
1st “Call of the Wild” Wine Pairing Dinner at Crescent Moon should to be a really nice way to
showcase our club. Final details are being worked out, but I can tell you that it will only be $50
per person for a wonderful 4 to 6 course wine pairing dinner, meal and wines included. You can
also order beer and additional drinks at their full service bar throughout the evening, and there
are a few surprises in store as well. So I hope you will join us for great food and great drink!!
Both of which I hope were not curtailed by your New Year’s resolution list!!
Thank you to Larry W. Altman, Ken Beaman, David Kalich, Robert Melley, Richard
Pickard, John Colglazier, Frank J. Hamtack, R. Christopher Melley, Brook Minx, Craig E. Power,
Marcel Robichaux (3 years), Darrell Slaton and Madison Townsend. We appreciate your
commitment!!
Hunters first,
Keith Townsend
HGC-SCI First for Hunters Membership Chair
membership@scihouston.org
Editor’s Note: Remember, if your membership is about to expire or already has, you can renew online simply and safely
with our PayPal system. Why not click HERE and renew or extend your membership today?
©2013 SCI Houston First for Hunters!
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SAVE(TEXAS(PARKS(
from(Environment(Texas(Online(
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OUR( STATE( PARKS! let! us! experience! nature! and! preserve! Texas! history.! They! protect! the!
clean! water! we! depend! on! and! provide! a! critical! home! for! wildlife.! These! treasured! places!
should!never!be!closed.!They!should!be!kept!open!and!safe!now!and!for!future!generations.!
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PARKS(MAKE(LIFE(BETTER(HERE(IN(TEXAS(
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From!camping!under!the!stars!at!Big!Bend!Ranch!to!exploring!the!cypress!swamps!of!Caddo!
Lake,!our!state!parks!make!life!better!here!in!Texas.!They!protect!the!clean!water!we!depend!on!
and! provide! a! home! for! some! of! Texas’! most! wondrous! wildlife,! like! the! black! bear! and! the!
leatherback!sea!turtle.!
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AT(LEAST(20(PARKS(MAY(CLOSE(
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But!our!parks!are!in!trouble.!Due!to!budget!cuts,!
at! least! 20! state! parks! may! close! this! year! and! state!
grants! for! local! parks! and! playgrounds! have! been!
eliminated.!
After! more! than! 96! percent! of! its! majestic! pines!
were!lost!to!wildfires,!Bastrop!State!Park!desperately!
needs!funds!to!restore!the!park!to!its!former!beauty.!
Many! parks,! like! Devils! Sinkhole,! had! to! reduce!
operations! to! just! a! few! days! a! week,! repairs! to! Out@of@state!visitors!to!our!parks!spent!$283!million!in!
critical! infrastructure! like! wastewater! systems! have! the!local!community!in!2008.!!
been!put!off,!and!state!grants!to!local!parks!were!eliminated.!Operations!at!the!Parrie!Haynes!
Youth!Ranch—a!4,525\acre!park!on!the!Lampasas!River!with!miles!of!horseback!riding!trails!and!
ropes!courses—ended.!!
!
WE(HAVE(THE(MONEY(TO(SAVE(
THEM(
!
In!the!last!two!years,!the!82nd!Legislature!cut!21.5%!of!the!Texas!Parks!and!Wildlife!
Department!funding.!Approximately!111!employees!were!laid!off,!leaving!23!parks!
with!fewer!staff.!
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We! can! do! more! to! keep!
our! parks! safe! and! open.! In!
fact,! our! parks! already! have! a!
dedicated! funding! stream—
sales!taxes!on!sporting!goods—
but! for! too! long,! the!
Legislature! has! raided! the!
fund,! diverting! the! money! for!
other!purposes!and!leaving!just!
the! bones! for! our! cash\
strapped!parks!system.!
That’s! why! Environment!
Texas! is! calling! on! our!
lawmakers! and! local! elected!
officials! to! stop! pillaging! this!
fund!and!give!our!parks!the!money!and!protection!they!deserve!and!need!to!stay!open.!
!
TOGETHER,(WE(CAN(SAVE(OUR(PARKS(
!
Our! staff! has! been! knocking! on! doors!
across! the! state! to! educate! Texans! about!
what’s! at! stake.! We’re! also! testifying! in! the!
Legislature,! building! a! coalition! of!
environmental! groups! and! recreation!
businesses,! and! shining! the! spotlight! in! the!
media!on!the!need!to!protect!our!state!parks.!
But! the! real! key! to! winning! the! fight! is! you.!
With! your! support,! we! can! force! the!
Legislature!to!keep!our!parks!open.!If!enough!
of!us!speak!out,!we!can!save!Texas!parks.!
(
Editor’s%Note:%If&you&agree&that&our&state’s&sporting&goods&tax&
should&be&used&as&we,&the&voters,&overwhelmingly&supported&at&
the&ballot&box,&let&your&voice&be&heard&by&joining&the&Save&Our&
Parks& initiatve& and& sending& your& message& to& our& elected&
officials&
at:&
http://www.environmenttexas.org/programs/txe/saveJtexasJ
parksJ1&
©2013 Environment Texas
!
11!
ANSWER THE CALL OF THE WILD
Wine Pairing Dinner Set for April
by David Kelly
JOIN(US(MONDAY,(APRIL(1ST!for!the!“Call&of&the&Wild”!Wine!Pairing!Wild!Game!Dinner!from!
6\10PM! (dinner! at! 7)! at! Crescent( Moon( Wine( Bar,! as! we! are! joined! by! Mark( Sullivan! of! Nitro!
Express!Outfitters!and!Vickie(McMillan,!Wildlife!Conservation!Artist.!!Crescent!Moon!Executive!
Chef!Patti(Burdette!and!renowned!Houston!Chef!Randy(Rucker!have!teamed!up!to!create!a!six\
course! meal! especially! for! this! event,! prepared! with! game! harvested! by! our! own! members!
including!a!yearling!bison,!fallow!deer,!elk!and!whitetail.!!Special!thanks!to!Phil(Koehn(of(KDF!for!
donating!the!bison,!and!members!Scott(Garrett,!Tommy(Fogle,!Rob(Neilson!and!Craig(Tanner!
(who!appeared!as!“Larry!the!Cable!Guy”!at!our!Fundraiser).!!The!cost!is!only!$50!per!person!for!
this! six\course! wine! pairing! meal.! ! You! can! also! purchase! additional! wine,! beer,! soda! and! iced!
tea!at!the!bar,!with!appetizers!provided!before!the!meal.!!THIS(IS(A(RESERVATION(ONLY(EVENT(
S(NO(EXCEPTIONS,(and(YOU(MUST(ORDER(BY(MONDAY,(MARCH(18TH!to!reserve!your!spot.!!(All!
tickets!will!be!held!at!the!door).!!But!don’t!delay,!seating!is!limited!and!once!we!sell!out,!we!sell!
out!! ! Click! HERE! to! order! online! (recommended! to! assure! your! seat)! or! mail! in! your! payment!
using!the!order!form!available!either!online!or!in!this!newsletter.!!Thanks!to!our!partners!below!
for!helping!make!this!event!happen!!!(Click!any!of!the!active!red(links!to!visit!them!on!the!web).!
While!other!wine!bars!popping!up!all!over!are!trying!hard!to!be!trendy!and!hip,!at!Crescent%
Moon% Wine% Bar% &% Restaurant! owners! Rodney! Anderson! and! Amy! Botwinis! literally! wine! and!
dine!you!with!an!aplomb!that!seems!effortless!by!comparison.!!You!will!notice!the!difference!as!
soon! as! you! enter! their! establishment.! ! Crescent! Moon! is! a! true! oasis! in! North! Spring! just!
minutes! from! The! Woodlands.! ! The!
moment! you! walk! in! the! door! you!
will! feel! the! relaxing! ambience! of!
Tuscany! featuring! high! arches! and!
comfy! seating;! as! well! as! a! beautiful!
private! room! tucked! away! from! the!
rest!of!the!world.!!Crescent!Moon!has!been!designed!to!be!the!unique!combination!of!classy!and!
casual! where! you! can! come! to! "Wine! Down"! after! a! long! day.! ! You! will! find! more! than! three!
hundred! wines! on! hand! to! suit! anyone! from! the! beginner! to! the! most! discerning! palate.! ! The!
knowledgeable!and!friendly!staff!will!guide!you!to!the!perfect!wine!whether!it!is!by!the!glass,!a!
flight!or!a!bottle.!!You!will!also!find!a!well!thought!out!eclectic!menu!created!especially!to!pair!
beautifully! with! any! wine.! ! Extensive! cheese! selections,! unique! pizzas,! hearty! paninis,! entrées!
rivaling!the!best!of!Houston’s!restaurant!scene!and!sinful!desserts!are!sure!to!tantalize!the!taste!
buds! all! while! soaking! in! the! relaxing! atmosphere.! ! Crescent! Moon! hosts! live! music,! fantastic!
bands,! an! open! mic! night,! food! and! wine! specials! throughout! the! week,! tasting! parties! and!
more.!!Check!out!their!website!for!complete!information!and!sign!up!for!their!eNewsletter!to!be!
kept!up!to!date!on!all!the!events!going!on!at!Crescent!Moon.!
Executive! Chef! Patricia% Burdette! is! the! master! behind! all! the! wonderful!
menu! creations! at! Crescent! Moon,! ensuring! a! one\of\a\kind! experience! for!
you! and! your! guests.! ! Patti! grew! up! in! the! Houston! area! (graduated! from!
Hastings!High!School)!but!combines!her!Louisiana!Cajun!roots!and!training!at!
Houston’s!Culinary!Institute!LeNotre!with!unparalleled!food!instincts!that!can!
just!as!easily!deliver!a!new!twist!to!the!familiar!as!surprise!you!with!something!
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completely!different.!!You!never!know!what!new!entrée!or!appetizer!may!show!up!on!the!menu.!
Randy%Rucker!is!passionate!about!food!&!wine!and!all!that!it!inhabits.!!His!drive!to!find!the!
freshest! ingredients! and! to! uphold! them! so! that! their! natural! integrity! is! not! lost! is! only! one!
example!of!his!dedication!to!his!career!and!his!craft.!!His!respect!for!classic!techniques!and!his!
quest!to!find!new!and!exciting!ways!to!re\introduce!food!is!a!story!that!can!only!be!experienced!
through!his!cuisine.!!
His!style!is!unique!to!Houston,!upholding!southern!classics!and!integrating!new!and!exciting!
techniques!have!made!him!one!of!the!most!exciting!chefs!to!watch!in!the!state!of!Texas.!!Randy!
credits! is! mom! for! getting! him! interested! in! the! art! of! food! and! celebration! and! he! knows!
without! her! he! would! not! be! the! cook! he! is! today.! ! "Food! is! simply! an! interpretation! of! the!
moment!or!the!season!and!should!be!taken!seriously!but!having!fun!with!your!food!is!something!
everyone! enjoys.! ! I! run! my! kitchens! with! the! highest! level! of! integrity! and! passion! because!
without! those! two! factors! you! have! nothing!”! ! Randy! sources! out! the! best! and! only! the! best!
from! local! and! nationwide! farmers! and! ranchers! ensuring! the! guest! the! best! possible!
experience.!
Randy! gained! his! respect! for! raw! ingredients! at! fairly! young! stage! in! his! career.! ! Being!
exposed!to!some!of!the!world's!best!products!and!surrounding!him!with!people!who!have!the!
same!mentality!that!he!believes!in!have!shaped!his!philosophy!about!food!and!culture!that!he!
continues! to! share! with! others.! ! Using! modern! techniques! such! as! sous\vide! (cooking! under!
second!closure)!cooking,!liquid!nitrogen!applications!and!the!use!of!hydro\colloids!has!created!a!
new!avenue!for!discovery!and!exploration.!!Randy!uses!techniques!that!are!unique!to!Houston!
and!strives!to!expose!new!techniques!to!others!because!he!believes!that!the!more!we!know!the!
more!we!can!accomplish.!
Randy's! professional! experience! begin! in! Rhode! Island! where! he!
attended! Johnson! &! Wales! University! and! then! migrated! west! to!
what! he! says! was! the! most! defining! moment! in! his! career.! ! Randy!
spent! time! in! Big! Sur! and! Napa! working! with! chefs! like! Matt! Millea,!
Thomas! Keller! and! Craig! Von! Forester! which! developed! his! passion!
for! raw! ingredients! such! as! artichokes,! sea! urchin! and! wild!
mushrooms,! which! would! be! delivered! to! the! back! door! of! the!
restaurants! by! the! farmer! or! the! forager.! ! After! a! couple! of! years! in!
California! he! returned! to! Houston! and! excepted! a! job! as! chef! de!
cuisine!for!John!Sheely!at!Riviera!Grill!in!the!Sam!Houston!Hotel!(now!
the! Alden)! and! spent! time! with! Mark! Cox! as! his! sous! chef! at! Mark's!
American!Cuisine.!
Randy!then!made!the!trip!to!the!capital!of!Texas,!Austin,!to!work!
as! sous! chef! at! Zoot! Restaurant! before! making! the! move! back! to! Houston! to! work! with! Tim!
Keating!at!Quattro!at!the!Four!Seasons!Hotel.!!Randy!has!also!been!lucky!enough!to!spend!some!
time! in! some! of! the! nation's! best! culinary! kitchens! such! as! Tru! Restaurant! in! Chicago,! Oceana!
Restaurant! and! Per! Se! in! NYC! and! the! Fat! Duck! in! the! United! Kingdom.! ! In! December! of! 2005!
Randy!opened,!laidback!manor,!with!his!hero!and!mother,!Bootsie.!!At!laidback!manor,!Randy!
acquired!numerous!awards!and!accolades!from!national!press!including!Food!Arts!Magazine!and!
the!Wall!Street!Journal,!and!he!was!awarded!best!new!chef,!best!chef!and!best!new!restaurant!
from!many!publications.!
He! joined! the! Cordua! Group! as! corporate! R&D! chef! in! June! of! 2006! and! recently! started!
private!supper!club!coined!"tenacity.”!!He!is!also!acting!as!executive!chef!on!a!next!new!project,!
yet! to! be! named,! in! the! roaring! midtown! area! of! Houston! focusing! on! local! products! from!
ranchers!and!farmers.!!He!will!be!growing!micro!herbs!and!greens,!radishes,!tomatoes,!chilis!and!
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various!seasonal!produce!on!site!for!his!kitchen.!!The!menu!will!boast!a!wide!range!of!seafood!
applications! such! as! ceviche! and! tiradito! and! will! constantly! evolve! to! ensure! freshness! and!
creativity.!
Mark% Sullivan! has! been! a! licensed! professional! hunter! in! Tanzania,! East! Africa! since! 1990,!
the!year!he!made!my!first!documentary!safari!film,!Africa's&Black&Death.!!Since!its!introduction!
to! the! world,! Black& Death! has! become! the! largest! selling! dangerous! game! hunting! film! of! all!
time.!
In! addition! to! Africa's! Black! Death,! he! has! produced! eleven! (11)! other! action\packed!
documentary!films!with!his!newest!film!"Use&Enough&Death"!having!just!been!released!!
To! complement! his! movie! collection,! he! recently! published! his!
second!book,!Fear&No&Death.!!The!purpose!of!this!book!was!to!delve!
deeper!into!what!lies!behind!his!dangerous!game!hunting!philosophy.!!
Using! striking! and! vivid! photographic! images,! he! explains! how! he!
gives! wounded! buffalo! and! rogue! bull! hippo! the! choice! of! how! they!
are! to! die! in! battle,! in! full! charge.! ! It! is! a! must\read! for! anyone! who!
has! ever! hunted! in! Africa! or! has! ever! dreamed! of! one! day! following!
the!safari!trail.!
A! word! of! caution.! ! Do! not! attempt! to! mirror! his! technique! and!
method! unless! you! are! willing! to! pay! the! ultimate! price,! because! in!
order! to! do! what! he! does,! you! must! be! willing! to! die.! ! This! is! a!
personal! choice;! his! personal! beliefs! in! hunting! dangerous! game! are!
his! and! his! alone.! ! His! experiences! are! offered! for! entertainment!
purposes! only! and! are! not! intended! to! be! duplicated! by! experienced! or! inexperienced!
professional!hunters!or!clients.!
Mark!is!proud!to!say!that!his!hunting!seasons!year!after!year!are!filled!with!returning!clients.!!
The! friendships! he! has! made! along! the! way! will! last! a! lifetime.! ! Mark! looks! forward! to! his!
hunting!trips!each!season,!as!he!is!soon!to!meet!up!with!old!friends!and!of!course!create!fond!
beginnings!with!new!ones.!!In!many!ways,!Mark!considers!himself!to!be!the!luckiest!man!on!the!
face!of!the!earth.!
You! can! order! all! of! Mark! Sullivan’s! products! directly! on! his! web! site,! and! he! will! have!
product!available!on!the!night!of!our!event!as!well.!!One!thing!for!certain,!you!will!experience!
the!most!exciting!dangerous!game!hunting!that!you!have!ever!dreamed!of!in!your!life.!!But!be!
careful,!what!you!see!may!be!contagious!!!You!may!even!like!it!so!much!that!one!day!you!may!
choose!to!venture!into!the!bush!with!Mark.!
Vickie( McMillan,! Houston( Safari( Club’s( 2011( Artist( of( the(
Year,!is!best!known!for!her!technique!and!capturing!the!subject!
in!its!true!habitat.!!She!is!donating!a!10!x!8!inch!original!acrylic!
of! her! work,! “Lone& Ranger”! at! the! event,! shown! here.! ! As! a!
wildlife! conservation! artist,! these! elements! are! crucial! to! the!
authenticity!of!the!artwork!she!is!creating.!!All!of!her!artwork!is!
available!as!originals!as!well!as!giclées.!!Anyone!interested!in!a!
specific!piece!may!see!the!work!by!visiting!the!gallery!or!Vickie!
can! bring! the! piece! to! your! home! or! place! of! business! for!
viewing.! ! She! is! also! available! for! commissioned! projects! such! as! murals.! ! Currently,! Vickie! is!
working!on!paintings!for!2013!that!are!inspired!by!the!images!other!wildlife!photographers.!
Vickie!is!a!native!Texas!artist!unlike!any!other,!masterfully!creating!breathtaking!wildlife!and!
nature! paintings! that! advance! global! conservation! causes,! envisions! and! executes! elaborate!
collaborative! community! art! projects,! and! passionately! conducts! art\based! global! outreach!
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initiatives! that! equip,! encourage,! and! motivate! disadvantaged,! disabled,! and! impoverished!
people.!!This!native!Texan!is!changing!the!world.!
As! a! master! acrylic! and! watercolor! artist,! Vickie! captures! the! resplendent! beauty! of! fauna!
and! flora! by! creating! stunning! works! of! art,! especially! of! African! wildlife.! ! Drawing! upon! her!
extensive! field! study! and! award\! winning! photography! of! these! magnificent! animals! in! their!
natural!settings,!her!accurate!yet!stylistic!paintings!are!in\
demand! among! discriminating! collectors! of! fine! art.!!
Because! of! her! commitment! to! protect! endangered!
wildlife! and! habitats,! McMillan! generously! donates!
paintings! to! raise! funds! for! important! conservation!
causes!in!Texas!and!around!the!world.!!She!often!displays!
her! works! in! public! areas! such! as! shopping! malls! and!
schools! in! order! to! “bring! Africa! back! to! Texas”;! thus!
motivating!young!people!and!adults!to!appreciate,!enjoy,!
and! care! for! precious! natural! resources.! ! Because! of! her! significant! success! as! a! wildlife! artist!
and! her! eager! concern! for! the! environment,! Vickie! McMillan! received! the! esteemed! honor! of!
being! named! the! 2011! Houston! Safari! Club! Artist! of! the! Year.! ! This! prestigious! designation! is!
reserved! for! only! a! handful! of! premier! artists! that! win! the! respect! of! a! sophisticated!
constituency!of!wildlife!enthusiasts!and!conservationists.!
In!addition!to!her!work!as!a!fine!artist,!Vickie!McMillan!uses!her!platform!as!an!art!teacher,!
ARTReach!Director,!Roster!Artist!for!the!Woodlands!Arts!Council,!and!member!of!the!Houston!
Livestock!Show!and!Rodeo!Art!Committee!to!produce!collaborative!community!enrichment!art!
projects! that! have! been! created! and! installed! in! places! such! as! Texas! Children’s! Hospital,! The!
Houston! Symphony,! The! Harris! County! Juvenile! Detention! Center,! The! AIDS! Foundation! of!
Houston,! and! numerous! schools,! nursing! homes,! rehabilitation! and! treatment! centers,!
detentions! facilities,! shelters! for! the! abused,! and! places! of! worship.! ! McMillan! designs! these!
powerful!projects!to!address!important!social!issues!and!bring!joy!and!hope!to!hurting!people!
through! the! universal! language! of! art.! ! Not! only! has! she! trained! and! impacted! thousands! of!
Texans,! Vickie! McMillan! has! conducted! international! art! outreach! campaigns! stimulating!
economic! development! and! uplifting! and! inspiring! many! tens! of! thousands! of! students! and!
adults!in!Mexico,!Hong!Kong,!China,!the!Philippines,!South!Africa,!Uganda!and!Zimbabwe.!
Phil!Koehn!and!KDF%Incorporated!donated!the!yearling!bison!for!
the!Crescent!Moon!Wire!Pairing!dinner!(which!was!harvested!by!our!
Chapter! President\elect! Scott! Garrett).! ! Based! in! Seguin,! TX,! the!
name! "KDF"! has! been! synonymous! with! high! grade! German! rifles!
for!more!than!40!years.!!During!the!70's!and!80's,!they!imported!the!
Kleingunther!model!K14,!K15,!and!K22!rifles!made!by!Voere!GmbH!
in!Voehrenbach,!Germany.!!In!1986!KDF!became!the!sole!importer!
for! J.P.! Sauer! &! Sons! rifles! until! that! company! was! bought! by! SIG,!
and!SIGARMS!took!over!that!responsibility.!!In!1990,!Mauser!bought!
Voere,!and!KDF!became!the!sole!US!importer!for!Mauser.!
In! 1999,! KDF! became! a! SIGARMS! dealer,! selling! the! SIG! SHR! 970! rifles! and! the! full! line! of!
Blaser!rifles.!!They!have!been!a!Blaser!Trophy!Dealer!since!that!program!was!initiated!and!have!
remained!among!the!top!five!dealers!in!sales!volumes!in!the!United!States.!
KDF! also! provided! gunsmithing! services! such! as! stock! making,! reblueing,! stock! refinishing!
and! accurizing! as! well! as! custom! gun! making! (their! custom! Presidents! Rifle! for! the! Houston!
Safari!Club!2009!fundraiser!went!for!a!record\breaking!$30,000!at!auction).!
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©2013!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters&
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The best place to hunt an East African Sitatunga!
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Nile Buffalo
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Sitatunga Special
for Bowhunters:
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!
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TEXAS(OUTDOOR(PARTNERS((TOP)(WEIGHS(IN(
by(David(Kelly(
(
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AS(TEXAS(STATE(BUDGET(PLANS(LOOM!in!the!coming!session,!you!may!not!even!have!even!
heard!of!the!work!Texas!Outdoor!Partners!(TOP)!is!doing!on!behalf!of!all!us!Texans!who!love!and!
use! the! great! Texas! outdoors.! ! Since! its! inception! over! seven! years! ago,! your! SCI! Houston!
Chapter!has!been!working!in!concert!with!diverse!fish!and!wildlife!organizations!such!as!those!
listed! on! the! letter! recently! sent! to! the! Honorable! Tommy! Williams,! Chairman! of! the! Senate!
Finance! Committee! in! Austin.! ! We! share! a! common! interest! in! conserving! and! enhancing! fish,!
wildlife!and!wildlife!habitat,!and!in!preserving!angling,!hunting!and!trapping,!and!are!committed!
to! identifying! specific! needs! and! working! together! toward! fulfilling! those! needs.! ! As! the! letter!
states,!“The&Texas&Outdoor&Partners&is&a&growing&coalition&of&60&organizations&representing&over&
3& million& hunters,& anglers,& landowners,& conservationists,& natural& resource& professionals& and&
others& who& share& a& strong& interest& in& sustaining& our& conservation& heritage& and& Texas’& fish& and&
wildlife&resources.”!!
We!signed!on!to!the!letter!on!the!following!page!(along!with!the!other!organizations!listed!b!
elow)!and!you!can!make!your!voice!heard!as!well!by!contacting!your!legislators!to!let!them!know!
you! vote,! and! the! Texas! outdoors! is! important! to! you!! ! Visit! Your! Elected! Officials!
(http://www.scihouston.org/Your_Elected_Officials.html)!on!our!website!and!ask!that!they!put!
a!stop!to!diverting!94%!of!the!Texas!sporting!goods!sales!taxes!we!pay!and!are!supposed!to!be!
supporting!our!Texas!parks,!county!and!municipal!parks!and!Texas’!beaches!NOW!!
(
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Anglers(Club(of(San(Antonio(*(Audubon(Texas(*(Austin(Woods(and(Waters(Club((
Coastal(Bend(Bays(and(Estuaries(Program((
Coastal(Conservation(Association(Texas((
Dallas(Safari(Club(*(Ducks(Unlimited(*(Exotic(Wildlife(Association(
SCI(Houston(First(for(Hunters(*(Houston(Safari(Club((
LBJ(Fish(and(Habitat(*(Lone(Star(Bowhunters(Association(
Plateau(Land(and(Wildlife(*(Pheasants(Forever(*(Quail(Forever(*(Quail(Coalition(
Quality(Deer(Management(Association(*(Rocky(Mountain(Elk(Foundation(
Saltwater$fisheries(Enhancement(Association(
San(Antonio(Metro(League(of(Bass(Clubs((
Sensible(Management(of(Aquatic(Resources(Team(
Texas(Association(of(Bass(Clubs(*(Texas(BASS(Federation(Nation((
Texas(Bighorn(Society*(Texas(Black(Bass(Unlimited(*(Texas(Brigades(
Texas(Chapter,(National(Wild(Turkey(Federation((
Texas(Chapter(of(The(Wildlife(Society(*(Texas(Dog(Hunters(Association((
Texas(Deer(Association(*(Texas((Forestry(Association((
Texas(Gulf(Coast(Stewards(*(Texas(Hawking(Association(
Texas(Mining(and(Reclamation(Association(
Texas(Organization(of(Wildlife(Management(Associations((
Texas(Recreational(Fishing(Alliance(*(Texas(Sportsman’s(Association(
Texas(Teaming(with(Wildlife(Coalition(*(Texas(Taxidermy(Association(
Texas(Wildlife(Association(*(Texas(Wildlife(Unlimited(LLC((
The(Nature(Conservancy(of(Texas(*(Wildlife(Habitat(Federation(
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February!14,!2013!!
Tommy!Williams!!!
Chairman!Senate!Finance!Committee!!
P.O.!Box!12068!–!Capitol!Station!
Austin,!Texas!78711
Dear!Chairman!Williams!and!Members;!
The!Texas!Outdoor!Partners!is!a!growing!coalition!of!60!organizations!representing!over!3!million!
hunters,!anglers,!landowners,!conservationists,!natural!resource!professionals!and!others!who!share!
a!strong!interest!in!sustaining!our!conservation!heritage!and!Texas’!fish!and!wildlife!resources.!For!
over!7!years!the!member!groups!have!discussed!overarching!issues!affecting!conservation!in!Texas.!
We(would(like(to(ensure(that(the(following(points(are(taken(into(consideration(during(the(
committee’s(deliberations(
• State!General!Revenue!(GR)!dollars!do!not!fund!fish!and!wildlife!conservation!through!
TPWD.!!Hunters!and!anglers!fund!TPWD!fish,!wildlife!conservation!and!(most)!law!
enforcement!through!the!purchase!of!licenses!and!stamp!fees;!
•
These!dedicated!license!and!stamp!funds!cannot!be!allocated!for!any!other!purpose!
anywhere!else,!or!the!state!and!TPWD!will!lose!critical!¾!matching!Federal!Aid!funds!under!
the!Sport!Fish!and!Wildlife!Restoration!Act!and!under!federal!law!the!state!will!have!to!pay!
back!significant!past!federal!dollars!if!found!in!diversion;!
•
We continue to support Rider 27 type of language that allows the Department to spend monies
collected above what was initially anticipated.
•
We enthusiastically support the full allocation of the Sporting Goods Sales Tax as per SB 175 and
SJR 17 by Senator Craig Estes and HB 162 and HJR 40 by Representative Lyle Larson to stop
diverting the 94% of proceeds from the sporting goods sales tax intended for Texas parks, county
and municipal parks and Texas’ beaches.
The Game, Fish and Water Safety Account (fund 9) is estimated to carry over a balance of $65 million at
the end of fiscal year 2013. This is an increase of $40 million of sportsman’s license and stamp fees over
the FY10/11 biennium ending balance. This money was collected from license sales and stamp fees and is
not being appropriated for the purposes in which it was intended, but being held back to balance the budget.
There are many needs at TPWD each and every year. Necessary programs remain idle and equipment is
carried beyond its projected life across the department, while millions of our sportsman’s dollars sit in the
bank to certify our state’s budget.
Sportsmen and women recognize the difficult financial circumstances of the state, but TOP members
strongly recommend that all annually collected license and stamp fees from Sportsmen as well as a
significant portion of these fund balances be returned to the department so the programs that they
administer for the hunters, fisherman, landowners and outdoor enthusiast can see their investment returned.
These annual fees and fund balances in Fund 9 license and stamp dollars should be appropriated to the
department to salvage programs critical to sportsmen who are paying those licenses and fees. During this
session, the legislature should strive to reduce overall fund balances to financially sound and appropriate
levels while allowing these specifically dedicated dollars and agreed portion of the fund balance to be
appropriated per sportsmen’s purposes as mutually requested by sportsmen and the department.
Respectfully submitted,
Warren Bluntzer
Chairman
Texas Outdoor Partners
Thebluntzers@yahoo.com
(512) 752-3841
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CC:!Lt.!Governor!David!Dewhurst,!Senator!Juan!Hinojosa,!Vice!Chairman,!Senator!Bob!Deuell,!Senator!Robert!Duncan,!Senator!
Kevin!Eltife,!Senator!Craig!Estes,!Senator!Glenn!Hegar,!Senator!Joan!Huffman,!Senator!Eddie!Lucio,!Jr.,!Senator!Jane!Nelson,!
Senator!Dan!Patrick,!Senator!Kel!Seliger,!Senator!Royce!West,!Senator!John!Whitmire,!Senator!Judith!Zaffirini!
©2013!SCI!Houston!First!for!Hunters!and!Texas!Outdoor!Partners!
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BOW & ARROW TIPS
Cutting Surface
by Rob Neilson
A(HOT(TOPIC(for!the!marketing!of!broadheads!is!to!promote!it!has!“X”!cutting!diameter!and!
leaves!blood!trails!blind!men!could!follow.!!There!is!no!mention!of!total!cutting!surface!that!is!
simply! the! cumulative! measurement! of! all! blades! that! cut,! no! matter! what.! ! I’ve! taken! four!
heads,! the! Rage,! the! Montec,! the! Silver! Flame,! and! the! Silver! Flame! XXL! and! compared! the!
cumulative!cutting!surface.!!
The!Rage!2!blade!mechanical!has!a!2”!diameter,!but!you!only!have!1.25”!of!cutting!surface!
per!blade!for!a!cumulative!2.5”!of!cutting!surface!on!the!leading!edge.!!A!major!negative!of!this!
mechanical!design!is!if!the!arrow!does!not!drive!the!head!completely!through!an!animal!and!it!
starts!to!back!out,!the!blades!shift!forward!losing!all!cutting!ability!and!it!becomes!useless.!!
The! Montec! 3! blade! has! a! 1.125”! diameter,! with! 1.25”! of! cutting! surface! per! blade! for! a!
cumulative!3.75”!of!cutting!surface!on!the!leading!edge.!!With!the!fixed!blade,!if!it!does!not!pass!
through!and!starts!to!back!out,!you!still!have!3.75”!of!cutting!surface!in!the!animal.!!The!Montec,!
while!not!as!wide!in!diameter,!contains!50%!more!cutting!surface!than!the!Rage.!!
The!Silver!Flame!2!blade!also!has!a!1.125”!diameter,!with!1.625”!of!cutting!surface!on!the!
leading! edge! per! blade,! and! the! trailing! edge! is! also! razor! sharp! adding! an! additional! .5”! per!
blade.!!This!gives!you!a!cumulative!4.25”!of!cutting!surface!with!3.25”!on!the!leading!edge!and!
an!additional!1”!on!the!trailing!edge.!!The!Silver!Flame!contains!70%!more!cutting!surface!than!
the!Rage.!!
A! Silver! Flame! XXL! 2! blade! has! a! 1.875”! diameter,! with! 1.9375”! of! cutting! surface! on! the!
leading! edge! per! blade,! and! the! trailing! edge! is! .75”! per! blade.! ! This! gives! you! a! cumulative!
5.375”! of! cutting! surface! with! 3.875”! on! the! leading! edge! and! 1.5”! on! the! trailing! edge.! ! This!
blade!contains!115%!more!cutting!surface!than!the!Rage.!!
While!this!is!only!a!small!part!of!the!overall!equation!I!consider!when!choosing!an!arrow!and!
head!set!up,!this!is!the!only!topic!I’m!mentioning!for!this!article.!
Good!hunting!and!as!always,!have!a!nice!day.!
Rob Neilson has recently volunteered to chair our Youth Hunter Education Program, and has been involved in archery since 1978,
and considers himself just your average Joe Bowhunter that has been lucky enough to hunt from Alaska to Florida over the years and
taken a good many animals from turkeys to bears. He’s taught a few bow hunter ed classes, is an Archery Merit Badge Counselor for
the Boy Scouts of America and absolutely enjoys being in the SCI to be around people that share his same hunting passion. If you
have comments or questions you’d like to send to Rob you can send them c/o huntereducation@scihouston.org.
©2013!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters&
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BUDGET(CUTTERS(HOLD(FATE(OF(PARKS(
Legislature( Looks( at( Plan( That( Could( Close( As( Many( As( 9( State(
Recreation(Area(
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by(Cindy(Horswell,(Houston(Chronicle(
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IN( THE( PAST( FIVE( YEARS,! Hurricane! Ike!
nearly! wiped! two! popular! beachfront! parks!
from! the! map! in! Galveston! and! Sabine! Pass.!!
Record\setting! wildfires! incinerated! thousands!
more! acres! of! state! parkland.! ! The! historic!
drought!killed!countless!trees!and!continues!to!
punish! West! Texas! parks! such! as! San! Angelo,!
which!banned!all!recreation!on!its!nearly!bone\
dry! lake.! ! And! then! there's! the! repairs! needed!
for! aging! historic! sites! such! as! the! Battleship!
Sebastopol, an antebellum home constructed largely of
Texas.!
concrete, is a former state park that has been transferred to the
With! such! a! troubling! backdrop,! park! city of Seguin to operate.
supporters!have!now!banded!together!for!their!
newest! battle:! budget! cuts! that! could! force! the! closure! of! as! many! as! nine! state! parks.! ! The!
thought! of! shutting! down! parks! in! a! state! that! prides! itself! for! diverse! and! majestic! outdoors!
does!not!set!well!with!many.!!
"We!need!to!turn!up!the!volume!and!let!people!know!that!our!state!parks!are!threatened,"!
said! Ian! Davis,! director! of! the! Keep! Texas! Parks! Open! campaign.! ! "We're! in! a! time! of! budget!
surplus,!and!it!seems!backwards!to!be!closing!parks."!
Texas! Comptroller! Susan! Combs! has! predicted! a! 12.4! percent! or! $11.2! billion! increase! in!
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general!revenue!funds!for!the!2014\15!biennium.!
But!the!initial!proposed!park!budget!being!considered!by!the!Texas!House!and!Senate!now!is!
$4.1! million! short! of! the! bare! minimum! necessary! to! keep! the! state's! 91! parks! open,! park!
officials!say.!!The!Legislative!Budget!Board,!which!develops!budget!and!policy!recommendations!
for!the!Legislature,!last!week!estimated!such!a!cut!could!close!as!many!as!nine!parks!but!did!not!
identify!any!particular!ones.!
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MORE(DATA(WANTED(
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Despite! the! potentially! dire! outlook,! Texas! Parks! and! Wildlife! Executive! Director! Carter!
Smith!remains!optimistic:!"This!is!only!a!beginning!point!of!a!long!budget!process!that!will!take!
place!over!the!next!couple!of!months."!
After!a!hearing!before!the!Senate!Finance!Committee!on!
Feb.! 6,! the! committee's! chairman,! Tommy! Williams,! R\The!
Woodlands,! asked! parks! and! wildlife! for! a! more! detailed!
accounting!of!its!needs.!
"I'm! not! personally! interested! in! seeing! any! state! parks!
closed.!!But!there's!some!confusion!on!what!we!need!to!do!to!
help,"!he!stated.!
Beside! being! short! on! operation! expenses,! the! proposed!
budget! includes! nothing! for! capital! improvements! for! aging!
facilities.!
While! costs! for! everything! from! gas! to! weather\related!
damage! have! soared,! the! proposed! 2014\15! park! budget! of!
$140.7! million! is! some! $19! million! less! than! what! was!
appropriated!for!the!department!in!the!2008\2009!biennium,!records!show.!
State! Rep.! Lyle! Larson,! R\San! Antonio,! is! disgusted! by! the! Legislature's! neglect! of! the! park!
system.! ! He! has! proposed! legislation! that! would! prohibit! lawmakers! from! raiding! sales! tax!
revenue!on!sporting!goods,!which!originally!was!supposed!to!be!dedicated!to!Parks!and!Wildlife,!
but!is!often!used!for!other!purposes.!
This!tactic!has!resulted!in!less!than!a!fourth!of!the!$248!million!in!this!sales!tax!money!being!
used!on!state!parks!during!2012\13,!records!show.!
"It's!an!embarrassment,"!said!George!Bristol,!a!longtime!conservationist!and!park!supporter.!
Because! of! past! budget! crunches,! Parks! and! Wildlife! has! postponed! $700! million! plus! in!
maintenance!and!forced!park!rangers!to!drive!vehicles!that!sometimes!are!14!years!old.!
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Balmorhea State Park
OLD(CONSTRUCTION(
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"Parks! are! like! small! cities! with! infrastructure! from!
utilities! to! buildings.! ! A! lot! of! it! has! exceeded! its! shelf! life,"!
said! the! executive! director,! Smith,! noting! a! number! of!
buildings!in!the!park!system!were!constructed!by!the!Civilian!
Conservation!Corps!in!the!1930s!and!'40s.!
To! compensate! for! cuts! in! the! last! budget,! Parks! and!
Wildlife!mounted!a!campaign!that!raised!$2!million!in!private!
donations,! eliminated! nearly! 100! positions! and! shortened!
some! park! hours.! ! Park! officials! also! looked! for! other!
benefactors!who!could!assume!the!financial!responsibility!for!
some!state!parks.!
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Brazos Bend State Park
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Sebastopol,!a!historic!home!on!a!two\acre!park!site,!was!transferred!to!the!city!of!Seguin!to!
operate;! while! the! lease! on! Lake! Texana! State! Park! was! terminated! and! will! now! be! run! by! a!
local!river!authority.!
Smith!said!neither!of!those!moves!can!sustain!the!agency!long!term.!
Although! the! department! must! compete! with! everything! from! schools! to! transportation,!
Williams!believes!lawmakers!want!to!find!the!necessary!funding.!
©2013 Houston Chronicle
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TPWD’s(BECOMING(an(
OUTDOOR(WOMAN(
PROGRAM(COMING(IN(MARCH(
from(Heidi(Rao(and(TPWD(Online(Hunting(and(Fishing(News(
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GLANCING( AROUND( THE( CAMPFIRE! more! often! than! not! you'll! see! more! males! than!
females! sharing! each! other's! company! and! love! of! the! outdoors.! ! Why?! ! A! variety! of! barriers!
prevent! women! from! participating! in! outdoor! recreation,! but! typically! they! were! not! given! an!
opportunity! to! learn! outdoor! skills! as! girls! or! young! adults.! ! The! "Becoming! an! Outdoors\
Woman"!program!wants!to!change!that.!
Their! goal! is! to! provide! an! atmosphere! where! women! feel! comfortable! learning! new! skills!
associated! with! hunting,! fishing,! and! other! outdoor! activities,! in! a! supportive! and! non\
threatening!environment.!
Becoming!an!Outdoors\Woman!is!a!three\day!weekend!workshop!designed!for!women.!!It!is!
an! opportunity! for! any! female! 18! years! or! older! to! learn! new! outdoor! skills! \! skills! not! only!
associated! with! hunting! and! fishing,! but! also! useful! for! many! other! outdoor! pursuits.! ! This!
workshop!is!for!you!if...!
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you!have!never!tried!these!activities!but!have!hoped!for!an!opportunity!to!learn!
you!are!a!beginner!who!hopes!to!improve!your!skills!
you!already!do!some!of!these!activities!but!would!like!to!try!your!hand!at!some!new!
ones!
you!are!just!looking!for!the!camaraderie!of!like\minded!individuals!!
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Workshops! are! scheduled! across! the! state! depending! on! scheduling! and! availability! of!
hosting!facilities.!!BOW!workshops!may!occur!in!South,!West,!North,!or!East!Texas!and!include!
the!Hill!Country!too.!
Workshops!span!a!weekend,!usually!beginning!on!Friday!around!noon!and!lasting!through!
Sunday!noon.!!The!weekend!is!divided!into!four!sessions!and!you!pick!the!classes!in!which!you'd!
like!to!participate.!Typically,!6\8!classes!per!session!are!offered.!
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"I came away from the course with the confidence that hey, I can do this! Not to mention the
opportunity to meet folks who share similar interests."!!\!!Karen!E.,!Copperas!Cove!
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Class! topics! are! diverse! but! can! be! divided! into! three! areas:! shooting! sports,! fishing,! and!
non\harvest!activities!(like!camping,!kayaking,!and!plant!identification).!As!much!as!possible!the!
classes!are!taught!with!the!"hands\on"!approach!and!equipment!is!provided.!
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!!!!"BOW really taught me what I needed to know."!!\!!Mary!J.,!Euless!
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Usually,! workshops! are! held! at! summer! camps! and! outdoor! learning! facilities.! The!
atmosphere! is! "outdoorsy"! but! comfortable.! Participants! are! housed! in! bunkhouses,! cabins! or!
dormitory!like!rooms!with!modern!conveniences!like!AC,!toilets,!hot!showers,!etc.!
The! next( program( takes( place( March( 22S24,( 2013( in( Brownwood,( TX.! ! For! a! ! registration!
packet! visit:! http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/bow/schedule.phtml.! ! Remember! –! your!
payment!confirms!your!spot!(and!the!fall!2012!BOW!filled!in!only!3!days!)!!Hope!to!see!everyone!
again!soon!!!
For! more! information! contact! Heidi! Rao! (fax! 281\534\0126! or! e\mail!
baow@tpwd.state.tx.us).!!
©2012 TPWD
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LEGISLATURE'S(FINANCIAL(RESOURCES(COULD(
BOOST(STATE'S(NATURAL(RESOURCES(
by(Shannon(Tompkins,(Houston(Chronicle(
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THE(TEXAS(LEGISLATURE'S(DECISIONS(on!money!and!water!promise!to!be!the!two!largest!
issues!affecting!outdoors\related!recreation!and!associated!natural!resources!during!the!body's!
83rd!regular!session,!which!began!Tuesday.!
How! the! Legislature! handles,! or! doesn't! handle,! funding! and! prioritizing! portions! of! the!
Texas! Water! Plan,! which! aims! to! begin! addressing! the! state's! increasingly! pressing! problems!
with!water!availability,!distribution!and!use!in!the!face!of!surging!populations,!stands!to!affect!
large!swaths!of!wildlife!and!fisheries!habitat.!
Freshwater! drives! fish! and! wildlife! habitat,! whether! it's! bottomland! forest! supporting! Rio!
Grande! turkeys! and! swallow\tailed! kites! or! bay! systems'! shrimp,! speckled! trout! and! oyster!
populations.! The! Texas! Water! Plan,! approved! by! the! Legislature! more! than! a! decade! ago! but!
never!funded,!identifies!around!20!sites!to!be!considered!for!construction!of!large!reservoirs,!as!
well!as!outlines!hundreds!of!other!projects!that!would!impact!hydrology!across!the!state.!And!
while! the! plan! includes! protecting! some! waterways! and! minimizing! natural! resource! impacts,!
some!of!the!projects!inevitably!would!result!in!changes!negatively!affecting!wildlife!and!fisheries!
\!from!drowning!bottomland!hardwood!forests!to!reducing!freshwater!inflows!into!the!bays.!
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WATER(PLAN(
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Legislative!leaders!have!said!they!will!work!this!session!to!find!money!to!begin!funding!the!
state! water! plan,! the! cost! of! which! is! currently! estimated! at! more! than! $50! billion.! There's! a!
proposal! to! kick\start! the! water! plan! with! as! much! as! $1! billion! in! appropriations! from! the!
Texas'!wildlife!and!fisheries!management!programs,!including!the!successful!bighorn!sheep!reintroduction!in!the!Trans@Pecos,!are!
funded! almost! wholly! by! hunting! and! fishing! licenses! fees! and! could! get! a! boost! if! the! Texas! Legislature! frees! up! more! money.!!
Photo(by(Earl(Nottingham,(Chief(Photographer.(
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state's! emergency! reserve! account,! coincidentally! termed! the! "Rainy! Day! Fund."! And! state!
leaders! are! considering! proposing! ongoing! funding! mechanisms! such! as! a! fee! on! new! water!
connections.!
But! even! if! the! 2013! Texas! Legislature! comes! up!
with! a! way! to! begin! eating! the! elephant! that! is! the!
Texas! Water! Plan,! the! plan's! impact! on! wildlife! and!
fisheries! habitat! and! outdoor! recreation! will! not! be!
immediate.! It! will! take! years! for! those! effects! to!
manifest.!
The! Legislature's! handling! of! another! issue! \!
funding! of! Texas! Parks! and! Wildlife! Department,!
especially! TPWD's! state! parks! division! \! will! have! a!
much!more!immediate!impact!on!Texans!who!camp,!
hike,! hunt,! fish,! boat! or! otherwise! enjoy! outdoor!
recreation.!
TPWD,! like! almost! all! other! Texas! state! agencies!
and!programs,!saw!appropriations!dramatically!cut!by!
the! 2011! Texas! Legislature.! The! agency! took! a! 20!
percent! cut! in! appropriations! beginning! with! the!
2011\12!fiscal!year.!
TPWD's! state! parks! division,! chronically!
underfunded!and!already!running!on!fumes,!took!the!
biggest! hit,! with! its! biennial! budget! cut! about! 13!
percent.! The! appropriations! cuts,! less\than\
anticipated! visitor\generated! revenue! because! of!
2011's!record!drought!and!heat,!millions!of!dollars!in! Texas'! chronically! underfunded! state! parks! could! get!
damage! and! lost! visitation! revenue! because! of! a! much@need! injection! of! funding! from! proposals! in!
Texas! Legislature! to! increase! appropriations! of!
wildfires,! and! the! Legislature's! overly! optimistic! the!
money! generated! by! the! state's! sales! tax! on! sporting!
projections! for! revenue! produced! by! volunteer! goods.( ( Photo( by( Chase( A.( fountain,( Lost( Maples( State( Natural(
Ares.(
donations! to! parks! when! Texans! renew! vehicle!
registrations!left!the!parks!deep!in!a!financial!hole.!
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PARK(FUNDING(
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Without! an! increase! in! appropriations! over! the! coming! biennium,! TPWD! faces! having! to!
temporarily!suspend!operations!at!some!of!its!90!or!so!state!park!units;!as!many!as!20!or!more!
parks!could!be!affected.!
With! the! state's! financial! situation! considerably! better! today! than! it! was! two! years! ago,!
some!legislators!are!pushing!to!increase!funding!for!parks.!
Texas! state! parks! are! funded! through! a! combination! of! park\produced! revenue! (entry! and!
use! fees)! and! appropriation! of! revenue! generated! through! the! general! sales! tax! paid! on!
purchases!of!items!defined!as!"sporting!goods."!
Texas!annually!collects!about!$125!million!in!sales!tax!on!purchases!of!sporting!goods.!Texas!
law! dedicates! 94! percent! of! that! sporting! good! sales! tax! revenue! to! TPWD! to! fund! state! park!
operations! and! local! parks! grants.! But! for! TPWD! to! use! that! money,! the! Legislature! has! to!
appropriate!it.!And!the!Legislature!has!always!appropriated!less!\!far!less!\!than!the!full!amount.!
Over!each!of!the!past!two!fiscal!years,!the!Legislature!appropriated!to!TPWD!only!about!$27!
million!of!the!$125\plus!million!in!sales!tax!Texans!paid!when!they!bought!sporting!goods.!Most!
of!the!remaining!money!\!the!unappropriated!balance!\!went!toward!balancing!the!overall!state!
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budget.!
Two!bipartisan!pieces!of!legislation!have!been!filed!that!would!greatly!increase!the!portion!
of!the!sporting!goods!sales!tax!appropriated!to!fund!state!parks.!
House! Bill! 105,! authored! by! Rep.! Lyle! Larson,! R\San! Antonio,! Rep.! Ryan! Guillen,! D\Rio!
Grande!City!and!Rep.!John!Kuempel,!R\Seguin,!would!incrementally!increase!the!portion!of!the!
sporting!goods!sales!tax!revenue!going!to!state!park!appropriations,!beginning!with!50!percent!
of!the!revenue!going!to!TPWD!in!FY!2014,!75!percent!in!FY!2015!and!94!percent!in!FY!2016!and!
beyond.!
House! Joint! Resolution! 40,! authored! by! the! same! three! representatives,! proposes! an!
amendment! to! the! Texas! Constitution! that! would! automatically! appropriate! 94! percent! of! the!
annual!sporting!goods!sales!tax!revenue!to!TPWD's!state!parks!account.!
Should! the! Legislature! approve! the! resolution,! Texas! voters! would! have! final! say! on! the!
proposal!this!November.!
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BUDGET(TRICKS(
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Odds!of!the!Legislature!passing!either!of!the!proposals!to!statutorily!mandate!appropriation!
of!the!sporting!good!sales!tax!to!the!state!parks!account!are,!frankly,!pretty!small.!
There!may!be!a!better!chance!that!the!Legislature!will!turn!loose!some!of!the!more!than!$60!
million! in! "unappropriated! balances"! sitting! in! Fund! 9,! the! TPWD! account! holding! revenue!
generated!through!sale!of!hunting!and!fishing!licenses,!boat!registrations!and!other!fees!paid!by!
Texas! hunters,! anglers! and! boaters! and! used! to! fund! the!
agency's!wildlife,!fisheries!and!law!enforcement!programs.!
As! it! has! done! with! the! sporting! goods! tax! revenue,!
the!Legislature!in!past!sessions!has!appropriated!to!TPWD!
only! a! portion! of! the! revenue! generated! by! hunters,!
anglers!and!boaters.!The!rest!of!the!money!remains!in!the!
account!where!it!is!used!to!help!balance!the!overall!state!
budget,!as!Texas!law!requires!of!the!Legislature.!
The! practice! of! using! unappropriated! balances! of!
dedicated! revenue! such! as! Fund! 9! to! produce! a!
constitutionally\mandated! balanced! budget! while!
shortchanging! the! citizens! who! provided! those! funds!
believing! the! money! would! be! used! for! its! intended!
purposes! has! drawn! fire.! And! some! state! leaders,!
including! Gov.! Rick! Perry! and! House! Speaker! Joe! Straus,!
recently!suggested!the!legislature!should!end!the!practice.!
If! that! happens,! TPWD's! wildlife,! fisheries! and! law!
enforcement! programs,! which! have! struggled! under!
recent!budget!cuts,!could!see!some!help!this!session.!
And!that,!along!with!a!significant!increase!in!state!park!funding,!would!greatly!benefit!Texas'!
natural!resources!and!the!millions!of!Texans!\!anglers,!campers,!hunters,!birders!\!whose!quality!
of!life!is!enhanced!by!wild!things!and!wild!places.!
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Editor’s%Note:%If&you&agree&that&our&state’s&sporting&goods&tax&should&be&used&as&we,&the&voters,&overwhelmingly&supported&at&the&
ballot& box,& let& your& voice& be& heard& by& joining& the& Save& Our& Parks& initiatve& and& sending& your& message& to& our& elected& officials& at:&
http://www.environmenttexas.org/programs/txe/saveJtexasJparksJ1&
©2013 Houston Chronicle
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THE(GROSS(SCORE(
The(Next(Generation(of(Hunters(
by(Jackie(Gross(
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I( WAS( AT( CABELAS! last! summer! for! their! Kidz! Festival,! and! grinning! ear! to! ear! when! they!
advertised!on!their!website!that!local!“celeb”!Jackie!Gross!would!be!there.!It!made!me!smile!big.!!
I!love!working!with!kids.!!
Tj!and!I!set!up!our!booth!for!BowKrazy!then!quickly!the!kids!poured!into!the!archery!range!
wanting! to! shoot!! ! We! had! lil! girls,! lil! boys,! middle! aged! kids,! all! the! way! to! Moms! that! were!
shooting! with! their! kids!!! ! It! was! so! awesome! seeing! the! kid’s! big! smiles! on! their! faces! when!
they! would! hit! a! balloon,! more! so! seeing! their! parent’s! big! smiles! of! being! so! proud! of! their!
children!! ! One! lil! girl! was! so! precious! she! told! her! big! brother,! “Hahahah! you! missed! and! I!
didn’t”!! ! It! reminded! me! when! I! was! growing! up! and! wanting! to! beat! my! big! brother! at!
everything!! ! It! was! such! a! great! experience! seeing! each! child’s! face! after! they! shot! their! first!
bow,!it!touched!my!heart!being!able!to!see!the!kids!smile!so!big!!!This!one!lil!boy!who!could!have!
only! be! a! smear! over! 6! years! old! shot! 2! balloons! and! told! Mr.! TJ,! “Mr.! TJ! this! is! how! you’re!
supposed!to!do!it!”!!His!Mom!was!smiling!so!big!and!we!were!laughing!!
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It!was!an!amazing!weekend!with!family,!friends,!l’il!kidz!and!being!able!to!give!back!to!the!
community! and! working! with! each! kid.! ! I! am! honored! to! be! able! to! help! children! become!
involved!in!the!outdoors.!!It!sparks!my!heart!knowing!that!I!had!the!pleasure!of!teaching!each!
child! the! first! steps! of! shooting! a! bow! into! a! target.! ! We! had! the! pleasure! of! showing! 75\plus!
kids!how!to!shoot!their!first!bow!and!that!made!us!proud!!!What!more!can!you!say?!!Only!we!
can!make!the!difference!for!the!next!generation!of!hunters,!and!I!will!continue!to!help!them!as!
they! become! more! involved! in! the! outdoors! and! being! the! best! they! can! be!! ! ! You! can! view!
more!kids!photos!at!http://www.bowkrazy.com/bowkrazyJkidz.!
Not! only! did! the! event! turn! out! to! be! great! but! I! was! also! able! to! test! my! Crooked! Horn!
Outfitter! Backpack! Bow! Hook! while! teaching!! ! Being! able! to! rest! the! bow! on! my! side! while! I!
showed!the!kids!how!to!shoot!made!it!simple!and!made!my!bow!handy!when!needed!!!Check!
out!Crooked!Horn's!American!Made!Prouducts!at!http://crookedhorn.com/cms_ver_03/.!
!I!will!keep!you!posted!on!my!next!adventures!and!again!thank!you!for!the!support!!
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Jackie Gross is a Chapter member, but lives in Colorado. She was named the 2012 First Runner Up in the TahoeFilms.com Extreme
Huntress Contest. For Jackie’s latest exploits and the work she does to spread the joy of hunting to all, especially the future of
hunting, our youngsters, check out her website, Bow Krazy with Jackie (http://www.bowkrazy.com/). It’s a fascinating read.
©2013 SCI Houston
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TIME(TO(BEGIN(WORK(ON(
TEXAS(STATESFISH(ART(CONTEST(ENTRIES(
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ATHENS - Student artists across Texas in grades K-12 take notice: It’s time to start preparing
your entries for the 2013 Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest. The contest is open to all
students in public, private or home schools. Entry deadline is March 31 each year.
Contest rules, guidelines, entry information and details about the contest can be found at
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishart. Shown here are local Houston-area winners in 2012, and all the
winning designs from past contests can be viewed on the official State-Fish Art website.
3rd Place, Grades 7-9
Josue Montemayor,Pasadena
Guadalupe bass, watercolor & ink
1st Place Grades 4-6
Erin Werner, Santa Fe
Atlantic sailfish, pastels
1st Place Grades 7-9
Nasa Xu, Katy
Guadalupe bass, Prismacolor pencil
Educators who wish to have their students enter the contest can download the free “StateFish Art Contest Lesson Plan” at www.statefishart.com. The interdisciplinary curriculum includes
lessons and activities, a species identification section profiling each state fish, a glossary and
student worksheets. Students in grades 4 through 12 in public, private or home schools are
invited to submit a drawing of an officially recognized state fish and a one-page essay on its
behavior, habitat or conservation. Students in K-3 may also submit a drawing; the essay is not
required for this age group. The Texas first-place winner in grades 10-12 wins $1,000; second
place $750; third place $500. Prizes in the K-3, 4–- and 7-9 grade levels are $100 for first; $75
for second; $50 for third.
1st Place, Grades K-3
Allister Huang, Sugar Land
Humuhumunukunukuapua'a, water color
2nd Place, Grades 7-9
Sebastian Beil, Houston
Guadalupe bass, pencil & colored pencil
2nd Place, Grades K-3
Nancy Shao, Sugar Land
Humuhumunukunukuapua'a, colored pencil
Major support for the Texas division of the contest is provided by the Toyota Texas Bass
Classic, which makes it possible for the top three Texas entries in each grade level to win cash
prizes. Additional support for the contest is provided by the William E. Armentrout Foundation,
Friends of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center and Fish Flops®. The Texas Freshwater
Fisheries Center in Athens, Texas, is the official host for the Texas State-Fish Art Contest, and
Texas entries are judged there. Winning Texas entries are forwarded to Wildlife Forever's
headquarters in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, to compete for national awards.
Funding from the Toyota Texas Bass Classic also provides a travel allowance for first-place
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Texas winners and their families to attend the national State-Fish Art Expo, which will be held
July 12, 2013, at the Go Fish Education Center in Perry, Georgia. Texas winners will compete
with winners from other states for national awards at the Expo. All Texas entrants receive a
Strike King fishing lure and a certificate of participation.
One outstanding piece of artwork each year is selected for the Art of Conservation Award,
and a commemorative stamp featuring the artwork is produced for sale. Proceeds from sales of
the stamp are used to fund conservation projects.
The State-Fish Art Contest is part of a conservation
education program designed to spark the imaginations of
students while providing valuable lessons about fish and the
importance of conserving Texas' aquatic resources. This is a
nationwide art contest sponsored by Wildlife Forever, a
conservation organization whose mission is to conserve
America's wildlife heritage through conservation education,
preservation of habitat and management of fish and wildlife.
Located in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and working at the
grassroots level, Wildlife Forever has funded conservation
3rd Place, Grades 4-6
projects in all 50 states, committing millions of dollars to “on-theCandice Ma, Sugar Land
Longear sunfish, colored pencil
ground” efforts. Learn more at www.wildlifeforever.org.
Other contest sponsors include Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, Rapala, The Art Institutes International Minnesota, Mall of America, North American
Fishing Club, Minnesota Twins, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bass Pro
Shops, Wonders of Wildlife and Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
Editor’s Note: See the SCI Houston web site Contests Page at http://www.scihouston.org/Contests.html for more information on this
and other contests.
©2013 TPWD
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COMING TO HOUSTON SOON!
CALL TODAY FOR YOUR
FREE INSECT INSPECTION
206-547-1376 or
425-785-0032
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3RD(ANNUAL(CASINO(NIGHT(TICKETS(NOW(ON(SALE(
by(David(Kelly(
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TICKETS(ARE(NOW(ON(SALE(FOR(OUR(THIRD(ANNUAL(CASINO(NIGHT!coming!back!to!the!
Houston!Distributing!Stein!Room,!7100!High!Life!Drive,!Houston,!on!Saturday,!April!27th!from!6\
9PM.! ! Enjoy! blackjack,! craps,! roulette,! Texas! Hold! ‘em! poker,! backwards! bingo,! and! new! this!
year:!SLOTS!!!And!you!can!enjoy!it!all!while!raising!funds!to!support!Chapter!efforts!to!preserve!
our! hunting! heritage,! conserve! our! natural! resources,! educate! the! public! and! support!
humanitarian! needs.! ! Your! $20! donation! gains! admission! and! includes! snacks! &! refreshments!
plus!your!choice!of!$3000!in!game!or!poker!chips.!
At!the!end!of!the!night!cash!in!your!winnings!for!Bucket!Raffle!Tickets!and!a!chance!to!win!
items!including!firearms,!hunts,!art,!hunting!gear!and!other!prizes!we!are!working!on.!!Bucket!
Raffle!Tickets!(and!additional!chips)!will!be!available!for!purchase!throughout!the!night.!
The! top! Casino! Game! and! Texas! Hold! ‘Em! player! chip! holders! at! the! end! of! the! night! will!
receive!a!$150!Gift!Card.!Second!place!Casino!Game!and!Texas!Hold!‘Em!players!get!a!$100!Gift!
Card! and! third! place,! a! $50! Gift! Card.! ! In! addition,! the! top! three! Texas! Hold! ‘Em! players! will!
receive!ten!(10),!seven!(7)!and!three!(3)!bonus!Bucket!Raffle!Tickets!respectively.!
And! now! ALL! PRE\ORDERS! RECEIVED! BY! WEDNESDAY,! APRIL! 24th! either! online,! by! phone!
(call! 281\353\2771! and! leave! a! message)! or! by! mailing! your! check/credit! card! information!
qualify!for!these!Early!Bird!Specials:!
!
 Pre\Order!your!Admission!Tickets!for!a!$20!donation!and!GET($1000(Casino(Game(
or(Texas(Hold(‘Em(BONUS(Chips(FREE!(!
 Pre\Order! $3000! of! Casino! Game! or! Texas! Hold! ‘Em! Chips! and! also! GET( $1000( IN(
BONUS(CHIPS.!
 Pre\Order!six!(6)!Bucket!Raffle!Tickets!for!a!$100!donation!and!GET(ONE((1)(CASINO(
NIGHT(BUCKET(RAFFLE(TICKET(WORTH($20(FREE!
 Pre\Order!three!(3)!Backwards!Bingo!Cards!for!a!$60!donation!and!GET(ONE((1)(
CASINO(NIGHT(BUCKET(RAFFLE(TICKET(WORTH($20(FREE!
 Pre\Order!five!(5)!Fundraiser!Rifle!Raffle!Tickets!for!$100!and!GET(ONE((1)(CASINO(
NIGHT(BUCKET(RAFFLE(TICKET(WORTH($20(FREE!
!!
IMPORTANT:!When&ordering&online&please&make&sure&to&choose&the&option&for&whether&you&
prefer&Casino&Game&Chips&or&Texas&Hold&‘Em&Poker&Chips&(or&note&when&mailing).&!Also!if!mailing!
credit! card! information,! please! fill! our! completely! including! your! name! as! it! appears! on! the!
credit!card,!billing!addresss,!CC#,!expiration!date!and!CCV!(3\digit!number!on!the!back!of!your!
card,!or!four!digit!number!on!the!front!of!an!American!Express!card),!and!whether!you!would!
like!a!receipt,!which!can!be!mailed!or!e\mailed.!
All!admission!tickets,!Bucket!Raffle!Tickets!and!certificates!for!bonus!chips!will!be!held!for!
pickup!at!Will!Call!that!night.!!You!will!receive!a!certificate!for!your!chips!when!you!check!in!that!
night!Purchase!tickets!online!today!or!just!go!to!www.scihouston.org!and!click!on!the!TICKETS!
icon!on!our!home!page!to!be(directed(to(the(Casino(Night(pages(for(game(details,(instructions(
on(ordering(tickets(and(more.((See(you(there!(
©2013 SCI Houston First for Hunters
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WIN THIS CHARTER ARMS .327 MAG TARGET
PATRIOT PISTOL at the 2013 CASINO NIGHT
BACKWARDS BINGO GAME
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DON’T( THINK( A( .32( CAN( HANG! with! the! big! dogs?! ! Take! a! look! at! Charter’s! .327! Patriot!!!
Built!on!the!same!frame!as!the!popular!“Bulldog,”!the!Target!Patriot!is!an!excellent!choice!for!
shooters!who!are!looking!for!a!revolver!for!target!shooting!and!maintaining!proficiency.!!This!all\
stainless!production!comes!with!Pachmyer\style!grips,!a!front!target!sight!and!square\notch!rear!
sight!providing!a!crisp,!clean,!sight!picture!for!improving!accuracy.!!Specifications:!4\inch!barrel!
length,! .327! Federal! Mag! chambering,! stainless! steel! finishing,! rubber! grips! and! 23\ounce!
weight.!!Also!includes!a!hard!case,!trigger!lock!and!a!FREE!Kershaw!Scallion!folding!knife.!!The!
MSRP!is!$395!but!this!pistol!could!be!yours!if!you!are!the!winner!in!our!3rd!Annual!Casino!Night!
Backwards!Bingo!game!!
Backwards! Bingo! is! a! fast! and! exciting! game! where! if! a! number! is! called! on! one! of! your!
cards,!that!card!is!out!of!the!game;!run!out!of!Backwards!Bingo!cards!and!you’re!out!!!Numbers!
continued!to!be!called!until!one!player!is!left!standing.!!Only!100!cards!will!be!sold!for!a!chance!
to!win!this!pistol.!!You’ll!receive!one!(1)!Backwards!Bingo!game!card!with!each!$20!donation,!but!
if! you! pre\order! 3! cards! for! $60! you’ll! get! bonus! Bucket! Raffle! tickets! for! use! at! Casino! Night!
FREE!for!a!chance!at!other!great!prizes!!!Order!online!at!www.scihouston.org!today!!!Or!mail!in!
your!order!with!the!order!form!found!elsewhere!in!this!newsletter.!!(All!cards!will!be!held!at!Will!
Call).!
©2013 SCI Houston First for Hunters
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TEXAS(STATE(PARKS(NEED(RESUSCITATION(
by(Luke(Metzger(and(David(Teel(
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FROM(CAMPING(UNDER(THE(STARS!at!Big!Bend!Ranch!to!exploring!the!cypress!swamps!of!
Caddo!Lake,!our!state!parks!are!more!than!just!part!of!our!natural!heritage.!!They!simply!make!
life!better!here!in!Texas.!
But!our!parks!are!in!trouble.!!Two!years!ago,!the!Texas!Legislature!cut!the!budget!of!the!
Texas!Parks!and!Wildlife!Department!(TPWD)!by!$113!million.!!More!than!100!rangers!and!other!
parks!and!wildlife!staff!were!laid!off.!!Critical!repairs!to!aging!bathrooms,!campsites!and!sewage!
treatment!facilities!were!put!off.!!Twenty\three!parks!had!services!reduced!and!some!are!now!
only!open!on!the!weekend.!!Grants!to!cities!to!build!new!parks!and!playgrounds!were!mostly!
eliminated.!
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Then!came!the!heat,!drought!and!wildfires.!!Visitation!to!parks!and!the!associated!revenue!
dropped!amid!record\high!temperatures!and!empty!lakes.!!Wildfires!destroyed!much!of!Possum!
Kingdom!and!Bastrop!state!parks,!including!96!percent!of!Bastrop's!majestic!pines.!
With!less!revenue!and!new!challenges,!TPWD!had!to!scale!back!even!further,!suspending!
operations!at!the!Parrie!Haynes!Youth!Ranch!\!4,525\acre!park!on!the!Lampasas!River!with!miles!
of!horseback!riding!trails!and!ropes!courses.!
Now,!despite!admirable!efforts!to!keep!the!system!afloat!given!a!tight!budget,!the!parks!
department!is!at!the!breaking!point.!!If!the!Legislature!doesn't!act!to!restore!funding,!some!state!
parks!may!need!to!be!closed.!
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But!none!of!this!had!to!happen.!!Sales!taxes!on!sporting!goods!such!as!bicycles!and!camping!
gear!bring!in!$128!million!a!year.!!These!funds!were!established!to!keep!our!parks!open!and!well!
maintained.!!However,!the!Legislature!has!not!allocated!the!vast!majority!of!these!funds!to!our!
parks,!using!them!instead!for!unrelated!projects!and!agencies.!
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We!shouldn't!have!to!wonder!if!we're!allowed!into!nature.!!Our!parks!should!be!open!now!
and!in!the!future.!!Our!state!parks!let!us!get!a!breath!of!fresh!air!and!preserve!Texas!history.!!
They!protect!the!clean!water!we!depend!on!and!provide!a!critical!home!for!wildlife,!such!as!the!
black!bear!and!the!leatherback!sea!turtle.!!Tourists!from!other!states!are!among!the!7.7!million!
people!who!visited!our!parks!last!year,!and!they!spend!money!in!our!communities.!!A!study!by!
Texas!A&M!researchers!found!that!people!spend!almost!$1!billion!every!year!when!they!visit!the!
state!parks.!
There!are!signs!the!Legislature!is!starting!to!get!the!message.!!The!base!budget!introduced!
last!week!increases!parks!funding,!but!not!by!enough!to!prevent!parks!closures.!!Sen.!Craig!Estes!
of!Wichita!Falls!and!Rep.!Lyle!Larson!of!San!Antonio!have!filed!legislation!to!end!the!raids!of!the!
sporting!goods!sales!tax.!!And!Speaker!Joe!Straus!has!called!for!an!end!to!these!kind!of!fund!
diversions.!
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It!would!be!terrible!to!close!our!state!parks!and!leave!us!with!fewer!places!to!get!outside!
and!hike,!spy!on!herons,!egrets!and!turtles!and!take!fishing!and!camping!trips!with!our!families.!
Through!two!world!wars!and!the!Great!Depression,!we've!found!a!way!to!protect!our!parks.!!
We!know!that!open!space!is!too!important!to!sacrifice!and!that!nature!isn't!a!luxury!to!dispose!
of!when!times!get!tough.!!We!hope!the!Legislature!gets!that!and!does!right!by!our!parks!this!
session.!
Luke Metzger is the director of Environment Texas, a statewide, citizen-funded advocate for clean air, clean water and open spaces.
David Teel is the president and CEO of the Texas Travel Industry Association, a nonprofit organization made up of businesses,
organizations, associations and individuals with an interest in developing tourism in Texas.
©2013 Houston Chronicle
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COLUMBIA(SPORTSWEAR(REANNOUNCES(ITS(RECALL(OF(BATTERIES(SOLD(
WITH(JACKETS(DUE(TO(FIRE(HAZARD(
from(the(US(Consumer(Product(Safety(Commission(
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WASHINGTON,( D.C.! \! The! U.S.! Consumer! Product! Safety! Commission,! in! cooperation! with!
the!firm!named!below,!today!announced!a!voluntary!recall!of!the!following!consumer!product.!
Consumers! should! stop! using! recalled! products! immediately! unless! otherwise! instructed.! It! is!
illegal!to!resell!or!attempt!to!resell!a!recalled!consumer!product.!
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Name( of( Product:! Omni\Heat™! Lithium\Polymer!
Rechargeable!Batteries!
Units:!About!66!batteries!(33!jackets!with!two!battery!
packs!each)!
Importer:! Columbia! Sportswear! Company,! of!
Portland,!Ore.!
Hazard:! The! batteries! have! a! cell! defect! which! can!
cause!overheating,!posing!a!fire!hazard.!
Incidents/Injuries:!The!firm!received!one!report!of!an!
overheating! battery! in! Europe.! No! incidents! or!
injuries!were!reported!in!the!U.S.!
Description:! This! recall! involves! battery! packs! that!
power! heating! systems! in! jackets.! The! black! battery!
packs!are!3.25!inches!long!by!2.3!inches!wide!by!0.7!
inches!deep!and!marked!with!"Columbia"!on!the!top!
and!"OMNI\HEAT™"!on!the!bottom!of!the!pack.!Part!
number! 054978\001! is! printed! on! the! side! of! the!
battery!label.!
Columbia Jackets
!
Two(battery(packs(were(included(with(styles(from:(
Fall!2011!Mens:!Electro!Amp™!Jacket!(SM7864)!and!Circuit!Breaker™!Softshell!(SM7855)!
Fall!2011!Womens:!Circuit!Breaker™!Softshell!(SL7856);!Snow!Hottie™!Jacket!(SL7866),!
and!Snow!Hottie™!Parka!(SL7853).!
Sold( at:! The! recalled! battery! packs! were! sold! with! Columbia! electric! jackets! sold! by!
Columbia! online! and! at! Columbia! Sportswear! stores! in! the! cities! and! states! listed! below!
between!September!and!November!2012!for!about!$260.!
The! nine! Columbia! Sportswear! outlets! that! carried! the! jackets! with! battery! packs! are!
located!in:!
!
Sunrise,!Fla.!33304!
Wrentham,!Mass.!02093!
Birch!Run,!Mich.!48415\9496!
Albertville,!Minn.!55301!
Central!Valley,!N.Y.!10917!
Las!Vegas,!Nev.!89106!
Grove!City,!Penn.!16127!
Park!City,!Utah!84098!
Pleasant!Prairie,!Wis.!53158\1705!
!
38!
!
Manufactured(in:!China!
Remedy:!Consumers!should!immediately!check!the!battery!packs!included!with!the!electric!
jacket! to! determine! if! they! are! part! of! the! recall.! Those! with! affected! batteries! should!
immediately! remove! the! affected! battery! pack(s)! from! the! jacket! and! contact! Columbia!
Sportswear!for!a!free!replacement.!
Consumer(Contact:!Columbia!Sportswear!Company!at!(800)!622\6953!from!6!a.m.!to!6!p.m.!
PT,! by! email! at! Columbia@custhelp.com,! or! visit! the! firm's! website! at!
www.Columbia.com/Recall!
!
To!see!this!recall!on!CPSC's!web!site,!including!pictures!of!the!recalled!products,!please!go!
to:!www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml13/13089.html!
©2012 US Consumer Product Safety Commission
!
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40!
AN INTERVIEW WITH NELSON FREEMAN, SCI'S
HUNTER DEFENSE FUND
by(Kevin(Howard,(The(Outdoor(Wire(
(
(
(
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Editor’s- Note:- Thanks! to! our! SCI! Field! Representative! Kim! Rappeleye! for! passing! this! on! to! us,! ask! Kim! emailed:! “With! all! the!
hoopla!going!on!right!now!about!guns!I!thought!I’d!like!to!share!an!interview!Nelson!Freeman!had!with!the!Outdoor!Wire!this!
week.!!Nelson!is!in!the!DC!office!and!is!a!real!pro!!!!Click!the!“for!more”!button!below!to!read!his!interview.!!Good!stuff!!
!
I( RECENTLY( HAD( THE( OPPORTUNITY! to! interview! Nelson! Freeman! of! Safari! Club!
International! (SCI)! about! the! organizations! dedication! to! protecting! the! freedom! to! hunt,!
lobbying!and!advocacy!work,!and!the!new!Super\PAC,!Hunter!Defense!Fund!(HDF).!He!was!kind!
enough!to!answer!questions!on!the!subject.!
!
Question:!With!hunting!increasingly!under!attack,!what!is!Safari!Club!International!doing!to!
help!keep!hunters!in!the!field?!
Answer:!Safari!Club!is!the!only!pro\hunting!organization!with!an!office!in!Washington,!D.C.!
On!a!day!to!day!basis,!we!speak!with!members!of!Congress!and!their!staff!to!outline!the!threats!
we! see! to! hunting! in! North! America! and! internationally.! Anti\hunting! organizations! like! the!
"League!of!Conservation!Voters,"!the!Humane!Society!of!the!United!States!have!a!well\greased!
political!operation!where!they!work!to!influence!policy!makers.!We!see!it!often!in!the!current!
executive!administration!where!back\room!deals!are!cut!with!the!anti\hunting!special!interests.!
What! sets! SCI! apart! from! every! other! hunter\conservation! NGO! is! the! organization's! full!
time!staff!of!policy!experts,!in\house!legal!counsel!and!certified!wildlife!biologists!dedicated!to!
the!protection!of!hunting!both!in!the!U.S.!and!abroad.!SCI's!staff!of!professionals!and!lobbyists!
works! with! members! of! the! Congressional! Sportsmen's! Caucus! and! the! International!
Conservation!Caucus!to!protect!the!millions!of!U.S.!and!international!hunters.!SCI!advocates!for!
necessary! legislation! to! guarantee! hunting! on! U.S.! public! lands,! to! reform! the! Endangered!
Species!Act,!and!to!protect!all!sporting!firearms.!
!
Question:!SCI!is!taking!an!unprecedented!step!to!form!a!Super\PAC.!For!many!in!the!hunting!
community,!we!will!have!only!heard!of!Super\PACs!on!T.V.!What!are!the!advantages!of!a!Super\
PAC?!
Answer:! The! newly! formed! Super\PAC! is! called! the! Hunter! Defense! Fund.! Many! in! the!
hunting! community! will! recognize! this! name! because! it! has! been! a! singular! message! of! SCI's!
advocacy!and!lobbying!mission!for!the!past!10!years.!The!Hunter!Defense!Fund!Super\PAC,!does!
more! than! a! traditional! PAC,! and! does! more! for! the! individual! hunter! than! most! traditional!
NGO's!can!provide.!
Every! two! years! in! Washington! there! are! elections,! and! each! year! environmentalist!
organizations!like!Sierra!Club,!the!League!of!Conservation!Voters!and!others,!attack!many!of!the!
pro\hunting! legislators,! Republican! and! Democrat.! These! organizations! attack! the! legislators!
who!are!one!of!us,!sportsmen!and!women!who!stand!up!each!Congress!to!protect!our!hunting!
freedoms.! To! date,! no! hunting! organization! has! had! the! financial! backing! to! do! direct! media!
campaigns!to!protect!the!legislators!who!protect!us.!
The! Hunter! Defense! Fund! is! going! to! be! the! voice! of! all! hunters,! standing! up! for! the!
legislators!who!support!hunting,!calling!out!anti\hunting!organizations!for!what!they!really!are.!
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We!hope!that!every!hunter,!business!that!supports!hunters,!and!other!NGO's!recognize!that!the!
Hunter!Defense!Fund!is!theFirst!Line!of!Defense!for!Hunting.!
!
Question:! With! the! 113th! Congress!
beginning! this! January,! what! plans! does! SCI!
have! for! the! leaders! of! the! Congressional!
Sportsmen's!Caucus?!
Answer:! The! Congressional! Sportsmen's!
Caucus! (CSC)! is! a! bi\partisan! and! bi\cameral!
group! of! legislators,! over! 300! members! in!
fact,! last! congress.! We! are! sure! this! number!
will!be!achieved!again!in!the!113th!Congress.!
SCI! will! work! with! the! leadership! of! the!
Caucus! which! consists! of! two! members! of!
each!party,!from!both!the!Senate!and!House!
of! Representatives.! Without! both! parties!
working!together,!the!average!hunter!will!be!left!unrepresented.!
SCI's!policy!goals!remain!consistent!from!last!year.!The!House!of!Representatives!passed!a!
bi\partisan!bill!that!among!many!things!guaranteed!hunting,!fishing,!trapping,!and!sport\target!
shooting!were!required!recreational!activities!on!Forest!Service!and!BLM!lands.!This!was!a!major!
win! for! all! hunters.! It! demonstrated! that! hunting! should! be! a! protected! heritage! for! all!
Americans.!Though!the!U.S.!Senate!never!took!action!on!this!legislation,!SCI!and!our!colleague!
will!continue!to!the!fight!to!protect!our!hunting!heritage!for!the!next!generation!of!public!land!
hunters.!
!
Question:!Besides!the!halls!of!Congress,!where!else!has!SCI's!lobbying!and!advocacy!helped!
to!improve!hunting!opportunities?!
Answer:!As!recently!as!November,!SCI!pressured!U.S.!Airways!to!reverse!very!anti\hunting!
policies.! U.S.! Airways! had! arbitrarily! decided! to! not! allow! firearms! to! be! transported! to! Spain.!
Though!this!may!seem!to!be!an!organization!specific!problem,!once!one!airline!makes!an!anti\
hunting! decision,! it! is! only! a! matter! of! time! until! the! next! one! does! too.! Since! 2008,! SCI! has!
pressured! American! Airlines,! United! Airlines,! and! Hawaiian! Airlines! to! all! reverse! luggage!
restrictions!that!were!negatively!affecting!hunters.!
!
Question:! It! sounds! like! the! SCI! is! deeply! involved! on! all! levels! protecting! hunters'! rights.!
How!can!people!support!the!Hunter!Defense!Fund?!
Answer:!The!Hunter!Defense!Fund!is!the!strongest!way!for!the!average!hunter!to!influence!
legislators! who! support! hunting.! The! campaign! efforts! that! the! Hunter! Defense! Fund! will!
undertake! ensure! that! anti\hunting! organizations! like! the! League! of! Conservation! Voters,! the!
Humane! Society! of! the! United! States! and! others! are! effectively! defeated.! These! organizations!
and!others!are!active!in!limiting!hunting!opportunities!at!every!juncture.!
As! long! as! there! are! threats! to! hunting,! no! matter! where! they! are! based,! the! SCI! Hunter!
Defense!Fund!will!continue!to!fight!for!hunter's!rights.!Anyone!interested!in!the!Hunter!Defense!
Fund!should!attend!the!inaugural!luncheon!at!the!41st!Annual!SCI!Hunters'!Convention!in!Reno,!
Nev.!on!Jan.!26!at!11!a.m.!The!event's!special!guest!is!world!renowned!hunter!Jim!Shockey!and!
you!can!purchase!tickets!to!hear!him!speak!atwww.ShowSCI.org.!
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©2013!The!Outdoor!Wire!
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TROUBLE(GROWING(BELOW(SURFACE(
TPWD(Officials(Aren’t(Getting(Resources(to(Combat(Invasive(Species%
Story(and(Photos(by(Shannon(Tompkins,(Houston(Chronicle(
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BILL(JOHNSON(NUDGED(THE(NOSE(OF(THE(
AIRBOAT! through! an! opening! in! the! 30\yards\
or\so\deep!picket!of!moss\draped!cypress!trees!
rimming!Lake!Charlotte,!cut!the!engine!and!we!
drifted! silently! into! the! shadowy,! shallow\
water! world! along! the! edge! of! the! sprawling!
natural!lake!along!the!lower!Trinity!River.!
Our!arrival!violated!the!slumber!of!a!barred!
owl! that,! with! much! flapping! and! fluttering,!
abandoned!its!perch!in!the!hollow!of!an!ancient! Efforts to educate boaters are aimed at staunching the spread of
cypress!and!silently!sailed!into!the!surrounding! the invasive species by boaters who inadvertently transfer the
vegetation on boats and trailers.
woods,!disappearing!as!if!swallowed!in!flight.!
Behind!us,!over!the!lake!and!visible!through!the!leafless!trees,!an!osprey!wheeled!in!a!blue!
sky,!searching!for!an!unwary!catfish!or!buffalo!on!which!to!dive!and!dine.!
From!somewhere!in!the!water!surrounding!the!cypresses!came!a!slap!and!splash!\!maybe!a!
gator! rolling! off! a! log! where! it! was! catching! a! little! February! sun,! or! a! largemouth! bass!
ambushing!a!redhorse!minnow.!
The!cypress\lined!sloughs!and!natural!lakes!along!the!lower!reaches!of!the!Trinity!River!are!a!
wonderland!of!life!\!a!place!where!the!soupy,!nutrient\rich!water!is!filled!with!fish!and!alligators!
and! otters;! sky! and! the! Spanish! moss\bearded! trees! shimmer! with! a! rainbow! of! feathered!
ornaments;! while! bobcats! and! deer! and! other! terrestrial! creatures! drift! like! ghosts! among! the!
shadowy!palmetto!thickets!growing!on!what!passes!for!high!ground.!
!
'A(REAL(PROBLEM'(
!
These!wetlands!and!waters!are!more!than!just!a!place!to!recreate,!hunt!or!gather.!!They!are!
a!part!of!who!we,!as!Texans,!are.!
Texas'!waters!\!its!wetlands!and!rivers!and!streams!and!reservoirs!\!are!the!water!of!life!for!
all! Texans,! and! for! the! fish! and! other! wildlife! resources! that! depend! on! them.! ! And! spending!
time! on! those! waters! has! benefits! that! far! outstrip! the! obvious.! ! They! are! vital! parts! of! our!
natural,!cultural!and!social!heritage.!
But! the! visit! to! Lake! Charlotte! and! the! surrounding! wetlands! and! adjacent! Trinity! River!
earlier! this! week! wasn't! a! pleasure! trip.! ! It! was! anything! but.! ! And! it! points! to! the! challenge!
Texas! resource! managers! face! from! invasive! aquatic! vegetation! and! what's! at! stake! for! Texas!
and!Texans.!
A!recently!discovered!infestation!of!giant!salvinia!in!Lake!Charlotte!threatens!the!future!of!
this!vibrant!ecosystem.!
As! we! drifted! among! the! cypresses! rimming! Lake! Charlotte,! Johnson! and! Mike! Homer,!
staffers!with!Texas!Parks!and!Wildlife!Department's!inland!fisheries!division,!looked!around!and!
shook! their! heads! at! the! mat! of! floating! vegetation! carpeting! much! of! the! water! beneath! the!
trees.!
Homer,! a! natural! resource! specialist! with! the! agency,! reached! over! the! side! of! the! boat,!
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Giant salvinia is a free-floating plant that in its native South America is simply
another component of the ecosystem. But outside of its native range and away from
the weevils and other factors that keep it in check, giant salvinia turns into a monster.!
plucked!a!clump!of!the!plants!and!held!it!in!his!hand.!
"Giant!salvinia,"!Homer!said.!!"This!is!not!good.!!This!is!going!to!be!a!real!problem."!
!
CHOKING(OUT(OTHER(LIFE(
!
Johnson!and!Homer!had!come!to!the!lower!Trinity!to!confirm!and!survey!the!most!recently!
reported! infestation! of! giant! salvinia! in! Texas! public! water.! ! What! they! found! added! Lake!
Charlotte!and!its!surrounding!water!in!Liberty!and!Chambers!counties,!including!several!miles!of!
the!Trinity!River,!to!Texas'!growing!list!of!waters!threatened!by!the!stunningly!aggressive!aquatic!
plant.!
First! documented! in! Texas! in! the! late! 1990s,! giant!
salvinia! is! a! free\floating! plant! that! in! its! native! South!
America! is! simply! another! component! of! the!
ecosystem.! ! But! outside! of! its! native! range! and! away!
from! the! weevils! and! other! factors! that! keep! it! in!
check,! giant! salvinia! turns! into! a! monster.! ! Under!
warm,!sunny!conditions,!the!plant,!which!can!multiply!
from!fragments!of!whole!plants,!can!double!its!size!and!
coverage!in!less!than!a!week.!
Mike! Homer! of! Texas! Parks! and! Wildlife!
Department!holds!a!clump!of!giant!salvinia,!one!of!the!
nation's! most! aggressive! and! destructive! invasive!
aquatic! plants,! found! in! Lake! Charlotte! off! the! Trinity!
River.!
Giant! salvinia! thrives! in! shallow! water! and! can!
completely! carpet! tens! or! even! hundreds! or! acres! of!
water.!!These!mats!of!vegetation!prevent!sunlight!from!
reaching! through! the! water,! killing! the! submerged!
native! plants! that! oxygenate! the! water! and! provide!
cover! and! foraging! habitat! for! fish! and! other! aquatic!
wildlife.!
Water!beneath!a!carpet!of!salvinia!is!lifeless.!!And!
A recently discovered infestation of giant salvinia in
Lake Charlotte threatens the future of this vibrant
when! the! water! dies,! so! too! go! the! fish! and! wildlife,!
ecosystem.
insects! and! plants! that! depend! on! that! water.! ! The!
system!collapses.!
Since!it!was!first!discovered!in!Texas!in!1998,!when!it!was!found!in!a!small!pond!in!Houston,!
giant!salvinia!has!spread!to!almost!two\dozen!public!waters!in!the!state.!!And!the!plant's!spread!
to!other!waters!seems!to!be!accelerating.!
Since!this!past!October,!infestations!of!giant!salvinia!have!been!found!in!a!half\dozen!new!
waters! in! the! state,! said! Earl! Chilton,! program! leader! of! TPWD's! aquatic! habitat! enhancement!
program.! ! They! include! the! lower! Trinity,! Lake! O'! the! Pines,! Lake! Gilmer,! Wright! Patman!
Reservoir,!Lake!Welch!and!Lake!Murvaul.!
TPWD,!which!shoulders!the!challenge!of!battling!salvinia,!has!struggled!to!keep!abreast!of!
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the!plague,!much!less!staunch!it.!
!
THOUSANDS(OF(ACRES(AFFECTED(
!
Giant!salvinia!is!only!one!of!several!invasive!aquatic!species!threatening!the!state's!waters,!
costing!the!state!untold!millions!of!dollars!in!economic,!recreational!and!environmental!losses.!
More!than!100,000!acres!\!150\plus!square!miles!\!of!Texas!waters!are!infested!with!invasive!
aquatics,!Chilton!told!the!Texas!Parks!and!Wildlife!Commission!in!a!recent!briefing!on!the!issue.!!
Hydrilla!is!in!more!than!110!Texas!public!waters,!and!clogs,!depending!on!the!year!and!season,!
45,000\80,000! acres.! ! Water! hyacinth! is! a! problem! in! 35! public! waters,! covering! about! 14,000!
acres.!!Salvinia!carpets!as!much!as!13,000!acres.!
The!agency!does!the!best!it!can!to!fight!the!invasives,!Chilton!said.!
Over the past several years, the Legislature has appropriated little money to battle
aquatic invasives, and in 2011 it left the program unfunded for two years.
TPWD! has! ongoing! efforts! to! educate! boaters! who! appear!
to! be! the! main! source! of! the! spread! of! salvinia! and! other!
invasive!plants.!!Boaters!on!invasive\infested!waters!often!trap!
plants! on! their! boat! trailers! when! loading! their! vessels! and!
infect!new!waters!when!they!launch!at!a!different!lake!or!river.!
And!the!agency!has!programs!aimed!at!reducing!and!even!
eliminating! invasives! from! public! waters! through! direct!
treatment!of!the!plants.!
But! Texas'! control! efforts! have! been! much! less! aggressive,!
and! much! less! effective,! than! those! of! other! states! suffering!
similar!problems.!
The!problem,!not!surprisingly,!is!money.!
Other! than! limited! money! for! aquatic! invasives!
management! the! agency! receives! from! federal! programs! and!
funding! from! a! handful! of! river! authorities! whose! waters! are!
infested! with! invasives,! TPWD's! programs! to! attack! invasives!
depend! on! the! Texas! Legislature's! appropriations! of! TPWD\
generated!funds!to!the!programs.!
Over! the! past! several! years,! the! Legislature! has! Mike Homer of Texas Parks and Wildlife
holds a clump of giant
appropriated! little! money! to! battle! aquatic! invasives,! and! in! Department
salvinia, one of the nation's most
2011!it!left!the!program!unfunded!for!two!years.!
aggressive and destructive invasive
plants, found in Lake Charlotte
Florida,! where! invasives! cover! about! 100,000! acres! of! the! aquatic
off the Trinity River.
state's! waters,! spends! about! $19! million! a! year! on! invasive!
control!programs,!treating!more!than!60!percent!of!the!infected!
areas.!
Louisiana,! which! has! about! 300,000! acres! of! its! public! water! infected! with! invasives,!
annually! spends! about! $8! million! on! controlling! the! problem! and! treats! about! 25! percent! of!
infested!areas.!
!
FALLING(BEHIND(
!
For! the! past! several! years,! Texas! ha! averaged! spending! less! than! $1! million! on! controlling!
invasive!aquatic!vegetation,!treating!barely!3!percent!of!the!infestations,!Chilton!said.!
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45!
Unless! the! state! becomes! more! aggressive! in! attacking! invasives,! it! will! continue! falling!
farther!behind!\!more!waters!will!fall!under!the!damaging!influence!of!plants!such!as!salvinia.!
Texas'! political! leadership! has! said! it! wants! the! state! to! get! away! from! holding! back!
dedicated! funds! such! as! fishing! license! fees! and! boat! registrations,! and! appropriate! those!
monies!to!the!use!for!which!Texans!paid!those!fees.!
Perhaps! this! year! it! will! do! that,! and! the! state's! invasives! control! programs! will! get! the!
funding!they!should.!
There's!a!lot!more!than!fish!at!stake!here.!!All!it!takes!to!see!that!is!spending!a!day!in!the!
cypress!swamp!around!Lake!Charlotte.!
©2013 TPWD
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2013(SCI(HOUSTON(FUNDRAISER(TICKETS(NOW(AVAILABLE(
Purchase( Banquet,( Backwards( Bingo( Cards,( Bucket( &( Rifle( Raffle(
Tickets(Now(with(Early(Bird(Pricing(
by(David(Kelly(
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(
(
OUR( 2013( 17TH( ANNUAL( FUNDRAISER( and( BANQUET( will! be! held! on! Saturday,! August(
24th,! at! the! Kwik! Kopy! Northwest! Forest! Convention! Center,! 12715! Telge! Road! in! Cypress.!
Remember,!this!is!our!main!source!of!raising!revenue!to!support!the!many!hunting,!education!
and! humanitarian! endeavors! we! sponsor! each! and! every! year.! ! Order( online,( by( mail( (order(
form( online( and( in( Lions’( Pride)( or( by( phone( (call( 281S353S2771( and( leave( a( message)( by(
Thursday,(August(1st,(for(the(following(EARLY(BIRD(SPECIALS:!
2013(FUNDRAISER(EARLY(BIRD(SPECIALS(
(
✯ DISCOUNTED(ADMISSION(of($100(per(person(($125(at(the(door)(
✯ DISCOUNTED(YOUTH(ADMISSION((under(18)(of($60(per(person(($75(at(the(door)(
✯ A(CHANCE(FOR($1000(AUCTION(CREDIT(w/Table(Sponsorship(of($800(for(eight(
AND($100(Worth(of(Bucket(Raffle(Tickets(FREE(
✯ BONUS(STRIP(OF(FIVE((5)(BUCKET(RAFFLE(TICKETS((a($20(VALUE)(
w/Every($100(Raffle(Ticket(Book((35(tickets(total)(
✯ BONUS(STRIP(OF(FIVE((5)(BUCKET(RAFFLE(TICKETS((a($20(VALUE)(
w/Purchase(of(Five((5)(Backwards(Bingo(Cards(for($100(
(
We’ll!have!your!tickets!waiting!at!Will!Call.!Following!is!the!tentative!agenda!for!the!night:!
(
((
5:00(PM(—(Door(Open,(Meet(&(Greet,(Auctions/Raffle(Previewing,(
Raffle(Ticket(Sales,(Start(of(Silent(Auctions,(Cash(Bar(Opens(
6:30(PM(—(Opening(Remarks(from(Bill(Pullen,(PresidentSelect,(
Start(of(Door(Prize(Drawings,(Buffet(Line(Opens(
7:00(PM(—(Dinner(w/President’s(Address(from(Bill(Pullen,(
President’s(Award(Presentation(
7:15(PM(—(Missions(Statement(from(Kirk(Waldron,(Missions(Chair(
7:30(PM(—(Awards(Program(w/Scott(Garrett:(
Photography(Awards(for(Indigenous(People,(Scenic(Splendor(&(Wildlife(
Irvin(Barnhart(Award(for(Top(Trophies(of(the(Year((Platinum,(Gold,(Palladium,(Silver,(Bronze)(
Youth(Hunter(of(the(Year(
Sables(Huntress(of(the(Year(
Mike(Simpson(Legends(of(Hunting(Award(
8:00(–(11:00(PM(—(Live(Auction(
9:00(PM(—(Silent(Auction(Bidding(Ends(
11:00(—(Good(Night(and(Thank(You!(
We’ll!be!posting!donations!up!for!grabs!on!our!Donations!to!Date!page,!as!well!as!sending!
you!periodic!eNews!updates.!!Most!will!have!a!link!to!the!donor’s!web!site,!and,!as!always,!this!
great!selection!of!hunting!equipment,!firearms!&!bows,!camping!gear,!wildlife!art!and!fashion!is!
subject!to!additions,!deletions!and/or!revisions.!!We’d!have!you!bidding!into!the!wee!hours!or!
the!morning!if!we!accepted!each!and!every!item!offered!to!the!Chapter,!so!we’ll!be!picking!the!
best!of!the!best!for!your!consideration.!!The!final!lineup!will!be!in!the!Program!the!night!of!the!
Banquet.!!And(if(you’d(like(to(make(a(donation,(see(the(donor(forms(on(the(following(pages.!
We!hope!to!see!you!there!for!all!the!excitement,!good!food,!fun!and!companionship.!!And!
remember,!only!you!can!ensure!continuation!of!our!Chapter’s!efforts!in!protecting!our!hunting!
heritage,!preserving!wildlife,!conserving!natural!resources!and!donations!to!many!humanitarian!
and!education!projects.!!We!can’t!do!it!without!you,!so!bid!early,!bid!high!and!bid!often!!
!
©2013!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters&
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47!
!
!
!
!
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
!
!
HUNT/TRIP DONOR FORM
!
! Your Name:______________________________________ Business Name: _________________________________________
! Contact Address: _________________________________________________________________________________________
! City:____________________________ State/Province:__________________________ ZIP/Country: ____________________
Home Phone:_____________________________________ Work Phone: __________________________________________
!
Cell Phone:________________________________________ FAX: _________________________________________________
! E-mail:_________________________________________ Website: ________________________________________________
!
! DESCRIPTION (Please fill out completely; if not applicable indicate n/a):
! Number of Hunters:_______ Number of Observers:_______ Hunter:Guide ratio:_______ Hunting Year(s): ____________
! Location of Hunt/Trip: ______________________ Number of Days: ____ Actual Hunting Days: ____ Number of Nights: ___
! Game to be Hunted: _______________________________________________________________________________________
! Upgraded Game Availability, if any: __________________________________________________________________________
Are Trophy Fees Included?  Yes  No If a Fee Credit, Total Credit/Hunter: $ ______ Total Cost/Hunter (if any): $ _____
!
Alternate Hunting Year(s)? – if so, when?____________________________________ Can Hunt Be Upgraded?  Yes  No
! Upgraded Game Availability, if any: __________________________________________________________________________
! Cost of Extra Hunter (ea): $_______ Cost of Extra Observers (ea): $________ Hunt Transportation Included?  Yes  No
! Trophy Prep Included?  Yes  No
Field Prep Included?  Yes  No
Transportation to Shipper?  Yes  No
! Are License or Permit Fees required?  Yes  No
Are CITES permits required?  Yes  No
if so, Application Deadline: _______________
! Is there a Permit Drawing or Lottery?  Yes  No
Arrival
Date:_____________
Departure
Date:
_____________
Are meals included?  Yes  No
!
Is any other necessary transportation included?  Yes  No
If not, please describe type and estimated cost:
!
! _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
! Type of accommodations: ____________________ Any extra accommodations required, but not included?  Yes  No
! If so, please describe type and estimated cost: _________________________________________________________________
! Weapon(s) allowed: ________________________________________________________________________________________
Ammunition needed: _______________________________________________________________________________________
!
Restrictions, if any: ________________________________________________________________________________________
! Weapon(s) Permits required?  Yes  No
If so, are Permits provided in the donation?  Yes  No
!
! Value $___________ This is a: 100% Donation  ___/___ Chapter/Donor Split* $______ Minimum Bid/Reserve*
!
*PREFERED METHOD OF PAYMENT INFORMATION (THIS IINFORMATION WILL GREATLY EXPIDATE PAYMENT SHOULD YOUR DONATION BE ACCEPTED!)
!
 BANK WIRE TRANSFER: Receiver’s Name: _________________________ Acc’t Number: __________________________
! Bank Name:_________________ Bank Location: ____________________ Swift Code: ____________________________
!  MAIL A CHECK to (please fill in if different from above contact info): NAME ____________________________________
! STREET:_______________________ CITY:___________________ STATE/PROVINCE/COUNTRY: ____________________
!
!
Additional Notes: __________________________________________________________________________________________
!
! Donor Signature: ____________________________ Printed Name: ____________________________ Date: ______________
!
DONOR COPY
!
!
E-mail to fundraiser@scihouston.org,
Mail to SCI Houston First for Hunters, c/o Bill Pullen, 9226 FM 1488, Magnolia, TX 77364-4795
!
!
!
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
!
MERCHANDISE DONOR FORM
!
! Your name: __________________________________________________________________________
!
! Business Name (if applicable): __________________________________________________________
!
Home Address:_______________________________________________________________________
!
! City:_________________ State/Province:_________________ ZIP/Country: ____________________
!
Business Address:____________________________________________________________________
!
! City:_________________ State/Province:_________________ ZIP/Country: ____________________
!
! Home Phone:___________________________ Business Phone:______________________________
! Cell Phone:_____________________________ FAX: ________________________________________
!
! E-mail:____________________________________ Website:__________________________________
! Item(s) you wish to donate:
!
! 1. _________________________________________________________________________________
!
! Value $___________ This is a: □ 100% Donation □ ___/___ Chapter/Donor Split* □$______ Minimum Bid/Reserve*
! 2. ________________________________________________________ Value: $ __________________
!
! Value $___________ This is a: □ 100% Donation □ ___/___ Chapter/Donor Split* □$______ Minimum Bid/Reserve*
! 3. ________________________________________________________ Value: $ __________________
!
! Value $___________ This is a: □ 100% Donation □ ___/___ Chapter/Donor Split* □$______ Minimum Bid/Reserve*
! Item(s) description:
!
! 1. __________________________________________________________________________________
! __________________________________________________________________________________
!
! 2. __________________________________________________________________________________
!
__________________________________________________________________________________
!
! 3. __________________________________________________________________________________
!
! __________________________________________________________________________________
! Signature of donor:__________________________________ Date: ___________________________
!
DONOR COPY
!
E-mail to fundraiser@scihouston.org,
!
mail to SCI Houston First for Hunters, c/o Bill Pullen, 9226 FM 1488, Magnolia, TX 77364-4795
!
!
49!
2013(SCI(HOUSTON(FUNDRAISER(
RIFLE(RAFFLE(
by(David(Kelly(
(
(
(
(
TICKETS( ARE( NOW( ON( SALE( FOR( THE( 2013( FUNDRAISER( RIFLE( RAFFLE,( and! you! cal! order!
online!or!by!using!the!mail\in!form!in!this!newsletter.!!Tickets!are!$20!each,!and!only!250!will!be!
sold,!giving!you!very!good!odds!for!the!primo!hunting!rifle!package.!!Here’s!what!you!could!win:!
a!Remington(700(CDL(SF(Rifle(w/Leica(ER35S14x42(Scope,!including!an!Ammo(Workup(Package(
from(MGArms,(Inc.!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
With!Custom!Ammo!Package!by!
!
!
The!Remington(Model(700™!is!a!rifle!with!no!equal,!and!a!superior!performer!in!every!way,!
and! is! known! as! one! of! the! most! accurate! out\of\the\box! rifles! made.! ! For! more! information!
visit:!http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/modelJ700/modelJ700Jcdl.aspx.!
The! LEICA( ER( 3.5( S( 14x42! is! the! longer! range! shooter's! ideal! riflescope,! more! info! at!
http://en.leicaJcamera.com/sport_optics/rifle_scopes/ER_3.5J14x42/.!
MGArms,( Inc.,! owned! and! operated! by! past! Chapter! President! Kerry! O’Day! and! his! wife!
Carol!(former!Chatper!Sables!President),!delivers!personalized!creations!in!the!highest!standards!
of!the!gun!maker’s!art.!!
!
©2012!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters&
(
(
WIN THIS SPRINGFIELD ARMORY XD SEMI
AUTOMATIC 9MM PISTOL at the 2013
FUNDRAISER BACKWARDS BINGO GAME
(
(
(
(
SPRINGFIELD( ARMORY’S( NEW( XD( SERVICE( MODEL! Semi! Automatic! in! bitone! color! comes!
chambered!in!9MM,!and!includes!a!hard!case!and!trigger.!!The!4\inch!XD!combines!safety!with!
quality! and! ease! of! use.! ! With! the! new! Ultra! Safety! Assurance™! Action! Trigger! System,! this!
polymer!framed!pistol!is!as!comfortable!as!it!is!safe.!Specifications:(comes!with!two,!16\round!
stainless!steel!magazines,!4.05\inch!barrel!length!(total!length!of!7.3!inches,!height!5.5!inches),!
5.5\7.7!lb.!adjustable!trigger!pull,!black!polymer!frame,!forged!stainless!steel!slide!in!satin!finish,!
dual!spring!recoil!system!with!full!length!guide!rod,!weighing!in!at!28!ounces.!This!pistol!has!a!
MSRP!of!$789!but!can!be!yours!at!the!2013!Fundraiser!Banquet!Backwards!Bingo!Game.!
©2013 SCI Houston First for Hunters
!
50!
2013(SCI(HOUSTON(AWARDS(PROGRAM(
by(David(Kelly(
(
(
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(
(
OUR(2013(AWARDS(PROGRAM!has!a!few!new!wrinkle!this!year!that!we!hope!will!encourage!
more!of!you!to!enter!you!trophies!for!consideration.!!While!we!will!once!again!have!the!Mike&
Simpson& “Legends& of& Hunting”& Award,! Youth& Hunter& of& the& and! awards! in! Photography! for!
“Indigenous&People”,!“Wildlife&in&the&Field”!and!"Scenic&Splendor,”!!a!new!award!called!the!Irvin%
L.% Barnhart% Award! is! being! introduced! in! honor! of! one! of! our! truly! great! SCI! members! and!
international!hunter.!This!award!will!be!given!for!the!most!outstanding!free\range!trophy!of!the!
year!regardless!of!where!taken.!!For!2013,!the!first!year,!we!will!present!awards!to!the!top!five!
entries,!and!not!only!can!your!trophy!be!from!any!continent,!it!can!be!taken!in!any!year!as!long!
as!it!was!not!a!previous!SCI!Houston!award!winner.!!And,!as!with!all!other!awards,!you!must!be!a!
member!of!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters!as!of!July!31,!2013.!!Complete!rules!for!this!and!other!
awards!are!on!the!following!pages.!
The! Mike% Simpson% "Legends% of% Hunting"% Award! is! a! tribute! to! a! living! legend! and! co\
founder! of! the! SCI! Houston! SCI! First& for& Hunters! Chapter:! Forest! (Mike)! Simpson.! ! Mike,! past!
President! of! SCI! First& for& Hunters,! is! the! only! modern\day! hunter! to! have! won! the! Weatherby!
Award,! SCI! First! for! Hunters! International! Hunting! Award,! the! Conklin! Award,! and! be! an!
inductee! into! the! SCI! Hunting! Hall! of! Fame.! ! To! be! considered! for! this! award! nominees! are!
judged! on! the! following! criteria:! 1)! Number! and! quantity! of! species! hunted,! 2)! number! of!
countries!and!states!hunted,!3)!service!work!in!the!hunting!community!both!locally,!nationally!
and!in!the!international!arena,!4)!Service!work!for!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters!and!5)!being!a!
good! ambassador! for! the! hunting! community! and! well! respected! by! the! hunting! and! shooting!
community.!
The!Youth%Hunter%of%the%Year(Award!recognizes!the!youth!hunter!under!eighteen!years!of!
age!who!has!excelled!in!hunting,!shown!exemplary!ethics!in!the!field,!remained!committed!to!
SCI,! and! has! personally! given! of! her! time! and! energies! to! enhance! wildlife! conservation! and!
education.!!Again!details!are!on!the!forms!following!this!article.!
Nominations! for! the! Photographic% Awards! will! be! accepted! in! three! categories:! Scenic!
Splendor,!Wildlife!at!Home!(NOT!trophy!shots)!and!Indigenous!People.!!Consider!the!following!
when!choosing!a!potential!award\winning!photo!for!submission:!
Impact:! the! sense! one! gets! upon! viewing! an! image! for! the! first! time.! ! Compelling! images!
evoke!laughter,!sadness,!anger,!pride,!wonder!or!another!intense!emotion.!!
Creativity:!the!external!expression!of!the!imagination!of!the!maker!by!using!the!medium!to!
convey!an!idea,!message!or!thought.!
Style!might!be!defined!by!a!specific!genre!or!simply!be!recognizable!as!the!characteristics!of!
how!a!specific!artist!applies!light!to!a!subject.!!It!can!impact!an!image!in!a!positive!manner!when!
the!subject!matter!and!the!style!are!appropriate!for!each!other,!or!it!can!have!a!negative!effect!
when!they!are!at!odds.!
Composition! is! important! to! the! design! of! an! image,! bringing! all! of! the! visual! elements!
together!in!concert!to!express!the!purpose!of!the!image.!!Proper!composition!holds!the!viewer!
in!the!image!and!prompts!the!viewer!to!look!where!the!creator!intends.!!Effective!composition!
can!be!pleasing!or!disturbing,!depending!on!the!intent!of!the!image!maker.!
Center( of( Interest:! the! point! or! points! on! the! image! where! the! image! maker! wants! the!
viewer!to!stop!as!they!view!the!image.!!There!can!be!primary!and!secondary!centers!of!interest.!
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51!
Occasionally!there!will!be!no!specific!center!of!interest!and!the!entire!scene!collectively!serves!
as!the!center!of!interest.!
Lighting!refers!to!how!dimension,!shape!and!roundness!are!defined!in!an!image.!!Whether!
the!light!applied!to!an!image!is!manmade!or!natural,!proper!use!of!lighting!should!enhance!an!
image.!
Color(Balance!supplies!harmony!to!an!image.!!An!image!in!which!the!tones!work!together!
effectively!supporting!the!image,!can!enhance!its!emotional!appeal.!!Color!balance!is!not!always!
harmonious!and!can!be!used!to!evoke!diverse!feelings!for!effect.!
Technical( Excellence:! the! print! quality! of! the! image! itself! as! it! is! presented! for! viewing.!
Sharpness,!exposure,!printing!and!correct!color!all!speak!to!the!qualities!of!the!physical!print.!
Technique:!the!approach!used!to!create!the!image.!Printing,!lighting,!posing,!paper!selection!
and!other!elements!are!part!of!the!technique!applied!to!an!image.!
Storytelling:the!ability!of!the!image!to!evoke!imagination.!One!beautiful!thing!about!art!is!
that!each!viewer!might!collect!his!own!message!or!read!her!own!story!in!an!image.!
The!total!number!of!awards!depends!on!the!number!of!entries!received,!and!all!categories!
may!not!have!an!award!presented.!!Awards!presented!are!done!so!at!the!sole!discretion!of!SCI!
Houston!and!the!Chapter!Awards!Committee;!all!decisions!final.!!Winners!agree!to!use!of!their!
likeness,!photos!and!entries!in!SCI!Houston!publications!and!the!SCI!Houston!web!site.!
Entry!forms!for!all! entries!are! available!for!download!on!our! Fundraiser!Awards!web!page!
and!in!this!publication.!!Simply!mail!or!e\mail!your!entry!by!so!it!is!received!by!Someone's!going!
to!win,!why!not!you?!!But!you!gotta!enter!to!win!!
Questions?! ! E\mail! or! call! 281\353\2771! and! leave! a! message;! we! will! call! you! back! ASAP.!!
And!if!you,!your!company!or!anyone!you!know!might!be!interested!in!sponsoring!one!of!these!
awards,!please!call!or!email.!!Once!again,!the!deadline!for!all!entries!is!August!01,!2012.!!Good!
luck!!
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©2013!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters&
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2012 Simpson Legends of Hunting Award Winner
Craig Phillips (l) with Awards Chair Scott
Garrett (c) and President Kent Robinson
Best of Show
“Mother’s Pride &
Joy” by Margit Axelrad
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52!
Youth Hunting Award Winner
Connor Nickell (r)!
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2013 HUNTING & PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS ENTRY FORM
(one entry per form, please)
Your name:
__________________________________________________________________________
Home Address:
_______________________________________________________________________
City:_________________ State/Province:_________________ ZIP/Country:
Home Phone:___________________________ Business Phone:
Cell Phone:
_____________________________ FAX:
____________________
______________________________
________________________________________
Home E-mail:___________________________ Bus. E-mail:
__________________________________
Entry Award Category for Consideration (one only, use additional forms for more entries;
(for the Mike Simpson “Legends of Hunting” Award, see entry form on the next page):

Irvin Barnhart Award

Youth Hunter of the Year Award

Photography Award:
1
Entry description:
Where taken:

indigenous people

wildlife in the field

scenic splendor
_______________________________________ SCI score, if applicable: _______
___________________________________________ Date: ______________________
1- For Youth Hunter, list any special conservation, education and/or hunting achievements here:
____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
ATTACH ANY AND ALL PHOTOS, SCORESHEETS & RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
I hereby verify that all information submitted for SCI Houston Award consideration is true & accurate to the best of my ability.
Signature of Entrant:
2
__________________________________ Date:
Sponsor Signature (for Youth Award, letter attached):
___________________________
_____________________________________
Rules for the Year 2013: (1) Men and women both will compete for all awards. There will be four (4) award categories: the Irvin Barnhart Awards, Youth Hunter of the Year Award, Photography
Awards and Mike Simpson Legends of Hunting Award. The Irvin Barnhart Awards will be given for the top five (5) free-range trophies taken anywhere in the world, for men, women and youth alike,
whether by rifle, muzzle loader, pistol or bow. For this first year, the trophy may have been taken any time up until the submission deadline, as long as the proper paperwork is submitted (see rules
Number 3 and 4). The Youth Hunter of the Year Award will be given for the best youth hunter trophy submitted, anywhere in the world, male or female and subject to rules 2 thru 6. The Photography
category will have one winner in each of the following categories: Indigenous People, Wildlife (NOT trophy pictures) and Scenic Splendor. (2) With the exception of the Irvin Barnhart Awards as noted
above, trophies may be entered if taken between January 01, 2012 and July 31, 2013. Hunter must be a member of SCI Houston by July 31, 2013. (3) A SCI score sheet must be completed and
signed by a registered measurer for each trophy entry. (4) A photo of hunter and trophy in the field must accompany SCI score sheet. (5) To qualify for the Youth award, the candidate must have been
16 years of age or younger as of July 31, 2013. (6) Requirements for Youth Hunter of the Year consideration include special achievements, such as a conservation project undertaken and
photos of the project, in addition to hunting achievements with photos of youth and trophies taken. All candidates must be sponsored by an adult, with a letter sent requesting the youth
be considered for this award. (7) Consideration for the Mike Simpson Legends of Hunting Award will include not only trophies taken, but competition shooting and involvement in
conservation and/or education projects. Hunting and project activity photos should be submitted with entry. (8) All nominations and entries, including applicable score sheets and photos,
must be received by Friday, August 9, 2013. (9) All awards may not be presented at the sole discretion of the SCI Houston Awards Committee.
Mail HUNTING AWARD entries to: SCI Houston Hunting Awards, c/o Scott Garrett, 15418 Tutbury Circle, Houston TX 77044-4922 or E-mail To: awards@scihouston.org
Mail PHOTO AWARD entries to: SCI Houston Photo Awards, c/o David Kelly, 19711 Enchanted Oaks Dr., Spring, TX 77388-6112 or E-mail To: awards@scihouston.org
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53!
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2013 MIKE SIMPSON “LEGENDS of HUNTING” NOMINATION
The!Mike%Simpson%“Legends-of-Hunting”%Award!is!the!most!prestigious!hunting!award!offered!by!SCI!Houston!First!for!Hunters.!!This!award!is!a!lifetime!
achievement!award!given!to!one!recipient!each!year!that!has!gone!above!and!beyond!in!both!hunting!and!service!to!the!hunting!community.!!it!is!a!tribute!
to!a!living!legend!and!coffounder!of!the!SCI!Houston!First!for!Hunters!chapter,!Forest!(Mike)!Simpson.!!Mike,!past!President!of!SCI!First!for!Hunters,!is!the!
only!modern!day!hunter!to!have!won!the!Weatherby!Award,!SCI!International!Hunter!Award,!the!Conklin!Award,!AND!be!a!member!of!the!SCI!Hunting!Hall!
of!Fame.!!To%be%considered%for%this%award,%nominees%will%be%judged%on%the%following%criteria:%(1)%the%number%and%quality%of%animals%hunted,%(2)%
the%number%of%countries%and%states%hunted,%(3)%service%work%to%the%hunting%community%in%the%local,%national%and%international%arena,%(4)%service%
work%for%the%SCI%Houston%First-for-Hunters,%and%(5)%being%a%good%ambassador%for%the%hunting%community%and%well%respected%by%the%hunting%and%
shooting%community.!!For!nominees!to!be!eligible!for!consideration,!they!must!have!been!a!member!of!SCI!Houston!First!for!Hunters!as!of!July!31,!2013.!!
This!form,!FILLED%OUT%IN%ITS%ENTIRETY,!must!be!received!by!July!31,!2013!at!the!address!below.!
%
Nominee:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Home Address:
_______________________________________________________________________________
City:___________________________ State/Province:_________________ ZIP/Country:
Home Phone:
_________________________________ Business Phone: _______________________________
Cell Phone:
Home E-mail:
____________________
_____________________________ FAX: ____________________________________________
________________________________ Bus. E-mail:
______________________________________
Date joined SCI Houston:_____________ Date joined SCI:______________ Years of hunting:
Countries hunted, number of trophies & dates:
______________
____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Best trophy taken in each country:
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
When and where is the next planned hunt?
_________________________________________________________
Membership in other hunting organizations (please note years):
_______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Involvement in conservation organizations/activities (please note years):
_______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Other awards have won:
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Reason(s) nominee should be considered for the Simpson Award:
_____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
I hereby verify that all information submitted for SCI Houston Mike Simpson Legends of Hunting Award consideration is true & accurate to the best of my ability.
Signature of Nominee/Nominator:________________________________________ Date:
___________________
(Use more pages if needed) Mail To: SCI Houston Simpson Award, c/o Scott Garrett, 15418 Tutbury Circle, Houston TX 77044-4922 or E-mail To: awards@scihouston.org
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54!
LIONS’(PRIDE(
CLASSIFIEDS(
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THIS(MONTH’S(LISTINGS:!!Ron!Kingery!is!offering!a!number!of!wildlife!and!western!art!for!sale!
that!just!might!be!the!perfect!gift!for!the!hunter/outdoorsman!on!your!list.!!See!below!for!
details,!call!281\443\8529!or!e\mail:!rsafari@earthlink.net!
John!Mathew’s!3SGun(Carrier!would!also!make!a!
fine!Christmas!present!.!!He!has!taken!to!Africa!a!few!
times.! ! He! wants! to! sell! it! for! around! $300.! ! It! has!
high\density!foam!inserts!to!accommodate!any!type!
of!gun!and!any!length.!!It!holds!3!scoped!rifles!and!is!
in! excellent! condition.! ! Call! 281\369\2177! if!
interested.!
And!lastly!Rob!Neilson!informs!us!that!a!friend!in!
San! Antonio! purchased! a! safari! from! longtime!
Chapter!supporter!Numzaan!Safaris!at!the!local!CCA!
Fundraiser.!!!!He!is!asking!$9500!for!this!2!hunter/8!
plains!game!safari!valued!at!$13,000!\!$14,000.!!If!interested!or!you!have!any!questions!contact!
Marshall!E.!Lochausen!at!!(210)!418\9912!or!marshall_lochausen@eogresources.com.!
(
UNFRAMED(ART(COLLECTION,(LIMITED(EDITION(PRINTS(from(Ron(Kingery:(
(
Artwork(by(John(P.(“Jack”(Cowan((1920S2008)(
The&Texas&coast&served&as&canvas&and&inspiration&for&Jack%Cowan.&He&died&in&a&hospital&near&his&home&in&Bristol,&
TN&at&the&age&of&87,&but&if&there&was&any&justice&about&these&things,&Cowan&would&have&died&of&a&massive&heart&attack&
while&standing&in&knee&deep&water&near&Rockport,&Texas,&his&plugJcasting&rod&bent&into&an&arc&by&the&power&of&a&
copperJcolored&redfish.&
The&early&morning&sky&would&have&formed&a&palette&of&puffy&clouds&and&threatening&thunderheads,&stray&rays&of&
sunlight&penetrating&the&clouds&to&fix&a&spotlight&on&the&diminutive&figure&of&the&man&who&cast&a&long&shadow&in&Texas&
sporting&art&and&coastal&conservation.&
The&waters&of&the&shallow&flats&where&Cowan&waded&would&have&been&crystal&clear&over&a&firm&bottom&of&turtle&
grass,&the&surface&broken&irregularly&by&the&subtle&tails&of&redfish&feeding,&heads&down&as&they&rooted&for&crabs.&Tailing&
reds&were&a&repetitive&theme&in&Cowan's&work,&and&he&deserves&credit&for&preserving&those&fine&game&fish&for&the&
current&generation.&
He&likewise&deserves&credit&for&creating&a&genre&of&sporting&art&that&subsequent&generations&of&artists&strove&to&
emulate.&Several&came&close,&but&nobody&has&yet&equaled&Cowan's&ability&to&recreate&the&thrills&that&he&found&in&the&
duck&blinds,&the&back&bays&and&the&brush&of&the&Texas&coast.&
Cowan,&a&Tennessee&native,&wound&up&in&Texas&during&World&War&II.&He&worked&as&an&illustrator&for&an&Air&Force&
publication&in&Houston,&became&infatuated&with&the&local&fishing&and&hunting&scene&and&returned&to&Houston&in&1949.&
He&worked&as&a&commercial&illustrator&until&the&1960s&when&his&true&talent&was&discovered&by&Houston&art&dealer&
Meredith&Long.&
Long&hooked&Cowan&up&with&the&who's&who&of&the&Houston&sporting&scene,&and&the&artist&painted&these&people&
doing&the&things&they&loved.&His&most&common&subjects&were&waterfowl&hunting,&quail&hunting,&dove&hunting&and&
saltwater&fishing.&
He&had&an&incredible&knack&for&painting&recognizable&people&into&his&scenes,&but&everything&about&the&art&was&true&
to&form.&
"If&a&person&is&really&into&the&nuances&of&hunting&and&fishing,&the&subtle&gestures&that&Jack&captured&in&his&
paintings&were&just&flawless,"&said&Dallas&art&publisher&M.F.&"Bubba"&Wood.&"Nobody&has&even&remotely&approached&
the&authenticity&depicted&in&Jack's&work.&It's&really&special&stuff."&
!
55!
In&Houston&and&later&in&Rockport,&Cowan&fell&in&love&with&coastal&fishing,&but&the&trout&and&redfish&were&in&trouble.&
By&the&1970s,&their&numbers&had&declined&drastically&as&the&fish&were&victimized&by&gill&nets&strung&through&the&bays.&
Cowan&was&fishing&on&San&Jose&Island&in&1976&with&Fort&Worth&billionaire&Perry&R.&Bass.&Cowan&remembered&
standing&there&in&a&light&rain&when&Bass&suddenly&turned&to&him.&
"We've&got&to&do&something&about&these&redfish,"&Bass&said.&
Years&later,&Cowan&recalls&how&encouraged&he&felt&that&a&man&of&Bass'&stature&was&concerned&about&redfish.&Bass&
had&heard&about&a&group&of&similarJminded&sportsmen&organizing&in&Houston.&He&and&Cowan&attended&the&second&
meeting&of&what&would&become&the&Gulf&Coast&Conservation&Association.&
A&long&and&bitter&fight&ensued&to&protect&redfish&and&speckled&trout&from&commercial&fishing.&Cowan's&sonJinJlaw,&
Joe&Allen,&was&the&Texas&legislator&who&introduced&the&Red&Drum&Conservation&Act&and&nursed&it&through&the&
legislative&process.&
GCCA&later&evolved&into&the&Coastal&Conservation&Association&with&chapters&along&the&east&and&west&coasts,&as&
well&as&the&Gulf&of&Mexico.&The&GCCA&conservation&stamp&and&print&was&created&in&1983&and&Cowan&painted&the&first&
one.&He&contributed&unselfishly&to&every&conservation&fundraiser.&His&art&has&raised&over&$2&million&for&Texas&
conservation.&
In&June,&Cowan&received&a&lifetime&achievement&award&from&the&Recreational&Fishing&Alliance.&In&October,&he&will&
be&inducted&into&the&Texas&Conservation&Hall&of&Fame.&For&those&familiar&with&his&work,&a&classic&coastal&dawn&will&
forever&be&known&as&a&Jack&Cowan&sunrise&
(
(
(
“THE(FLATS”(JOHN(P.(COWAN,(519/600(S/N(($825.00(
Size:(19.5"h(x(26.5"w(unframed.(
(
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(
(
(
(
(
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(
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(
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“IN(THE(BROOMWEED”(JOHN(P.(COWAN,(Signed(&(Remarqued(CBF(($550.00(
"This!is!the!Kingstree,!South!Carolina,!area.!
The!pines,!burnt\orange!broomweed,!tobacco\
curing!barn,!and!scraggly!cornfield!are!typical.!
The!land!we!hunted!had,!at!one!time,!been!
part!of!Bernard!Baruch's!Little!Hobcaw!plantation,!
now!broken!down!into!smaller!farms.!
It!was!exciting!to!hunt!birds!on!horseback,!
which!is!not!typical!of!Texas.!Not!typical,!either,!is!
the!intelligence!level!of!the!Carolina!birds.!They!
have!learned!the!hard!way!that!salvation!lies!in!
the!numerous!bays!or!small!swamps!of!the!area,!
which!are!practically!impenetrable,!even!on!
horseback.!
The!typically!small!coveys!held!fairly!well,!but!going!for!singles!was!usually!an!exercise!in!futility."!\!
John!P.!Cowan!
Size:(19"h(x(25.5"w(unframed.(
!
56!
“LONGLEAF(BOBS”(JOHN(P.(COWAN,(360/600(S/N((
$425.00(
"Mississippi!takes!its!quail!hunting!seriously.!The!
big!quail!spreads!in!the!longleaf!pine!belt!do!a!lot!of!
seasonal!burning!to!improve!the!habitat,!a!practice!
common!throughout!the!South.!
Managers!also!plant!big!patches!of!tricolor!
lespedeza!in!strategic!spots.!These!hardy!plants!serve!
two!purposes!for!the!quail!\!food!and!shelter.!
The!lavender!streak!in!the!background!is!
lespedeza.!Dogs!experienced!in!hunting!this!country!
will!head!straight!for!a!lespedeza!patch.!I!guess!the!
dogs!are!almost!as!smart!as!the!birds."!\!John!P.!Cowan!
Size:(19.5"h(x(27"w(unframed.(
(
Artwork(by(Guy(Coheleach(
Along&with&over&a&hundred&oneJman&commercial&shows&in&various&cities,&Guy%Coheleach's&work&has&been&exhibited&
in&the&National&Collection&of&Fine&Art,&The&White&House,&The&Corcoran&Gallery,&and&the&Royal&Ontario&Museum.&Visiting&
heads&of&State&have&received&his&American&Eagle&print,&and&he&was&the&first&Western&artist&to&exhibit&in&Peking&after&
World&War&II.In&1995&his&exhibition&was&hosted&by&The&Carnegie&Museum&in&Pittsburgh&and&in&1996&by&the&Newark&
Museum.&&
Guy&Coheleach's&paintings&have&received&the&Society&of&Animal&Artists'&Award&of&Excellence&an&unprecedented&
eight&times.&This&most&prestigious&honor&is&awarded&by&the&curators&and&professors&of&fine&art&from&museums&and&
universities&across&America.&He&received&the&celebrated&Master&Artist&Medal&from&the&Leigh&Yawkey&Woodson&Art&
Museum&in&1983,&one&of&only&nine&artists&both&living&and&dead&so&honored&at&the&time.&
PBS&did&two&films&on&Coheleach&in&2006&and&he&has&been&the&subject&of&two&other&films,&"Guy&Coheleach&and&the&
Bald&Eagle"&and&"Quest:&An&Artist&and&His&Prey,"&both&of&these&have&been&shown&on&all&three&national&television&
networks&in&the&1970s.&He&has&been&the&focus&of&Articles&in&Reader's&Digest,&Saturday&Evening&Post,&National&Wildlife&
and&Wildlife&Art&News&as&well&as&numerous&regional&art&and&wildlife&magazines.&
The&Big&Cats:&The&Paintings&of&Guy&Coheleach&by&Abrams&was&a&Book&of&the&Month&Club&selection&in&1982.&Both&it&
and&his&Coheleach:Master&of&the&Wild&book&are&outJofJprint.&However,&Guy&Coheleach's&Animal&Art&by&DDR&Publishing&
and&The&African&Lion&as&ManJEater&by&Panther&Press&are&still&in&print.&
Gathering&visual&reference&for&his&paintings,&he&is&a&frequent&traveler&to&our&national&parks,&Alaska,&Europe,&South&
America&and&Africa,&having&been&to&the&Dark&Continent&as&much&as&four&times&in&one&year&since&the&late&sixties.&&
In&1972,&he&was&run&down&by&an&elephant&in&Zambia.&This&hairJraising&film&has&been&on&all&three&major&networks.&
"This&is&exactly&that&kind&of&knowledge&that&has&made&him&one&of&the&best&wild&animal&painters&in&the&world&admired&by&
both&scientists&and&art&critics,"&says&Pat&Robertson&in&Sporting&Classics.&
His&donations&to&worthy&causes&are&limited&only&by&time&and&availability&of&work.&At&the&University&of&Tennessee,&
his&endowment&provides&about&six&full&scholarships&to&the&School&of&Wildlife&Management&for&needy&Students&each&
year.&
Guy's&recent&work&reflects&his&years&of&experience&observing&animals&in&the&wild.&Eye&To&Eye,&a&painting&of&a&
leopard&in&a&tree&looking&directly&at&the&observer&is&typical&of&the&experiences&that&Coheleach&has&witnessed&many&
times.&
(
(
“WILD(TURKEY”(GUY(COHELEACH,(310/1000(S/N($200.00(
Wild!turkeys!at!Connequot!State!Park!on!Long!Island!are!often!the!models!
Coheleach,!and!he!enjoys!working!large.!Like!so!many!of!his!big!paintings,!this!
nearly!three!by!two!foot!print!appears!quite!detailed,!yet!the!original!is!
somewhat!loose!and!painterly.!"I!love!painting!turkeys.!In!fact,!someday!I!
would!like!to!do!one!in!real!detail,!Audubonesque,!just!the!turkey!against!a!
white!background!with!every!shade!on!every!little!feather."!\!Guy!Coheleach!
Size:(34"h(x(25"w(unframed.(
(
(
!
57!
“BICENTENNIAL(EAGLE”(GUY(COHELEACH,(310/1000(S/N(
$225.00(
Image(Size:(26"h(x(33"w(unframed.(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
“YOUNG(GREAT(HORNED(OWLS”(GUY(COHELEACH.(H.(23.75”(X(W.(18”,(
SIGNED($125.00(
Image(Size:(23.75"h(x(18"w(unframed.(
(
(
Artwork(by(Frank(C.(McCarthy((1924S2002)(
Internationally&known&artist,&Frank%C.%McCarthy&was&born&in&New&York&City&in&1924&and&died&on&Sunday,&
November&17,&2002&at&his&home&of&30&years&in&the&beautiful&red&rocks&of&Sedona,&Arizona.&&
&&He&studied&at&the&Art&Students&League&in&New&York&City&during&the&summers&starting&at&the&age&of&14.&He&was&a&
graduate&of&Pratt&Institute,&Brooklyn,&New&York.&&
&&Frank&McCarthy&began&his&art&career&as&a&commercial&illustrator.&He&painted&illustrations&for&most&of&the&
paperback&book&publishers,&magazines,&movie&companies,&and&advertisements.&He&created&works&that&became&posters&
for&such&movies&as&the&James&Bond&series.&Frank&McCarthy's&talents&were&highly&sought&after&by&art&directors&enabling&
him&to&work&as&a&free&lance&illustrator&for&many&years.&His&art&career&spanned&over&50&years,&beginning&with&a&request&
for&a&western&cover&for&a&magazine&by&an&art&director.&He&left&the&world&of&commercial&art&in&1968,&and&began&his&fine&
art&career&after&moving&to&Sedona,&Arizona.&&
&&Frank&McCarthy's&dynamic&paintings&frequently&featured&the&people&of&the&west&with&a&special&emphasis&on&the&
Plains&Indian,&mountain&men,&and&cavalry&that&made&up&the&lore&and&lure&of&the&old&west.&Appropriately&entitled&"The&
Dean&of&Western&Action&Painters",&Frank&McCarthy's&art&was&unsurpassed&for&its&motion,&drama,&and&absolute&
attention&to&accuracy&and&detail.&Highly&collected,&and&frequently&imitated,&Frank&McCarthy's&works&were&treasured&
throughout&the&world&as&classic&examples&of&contemporary&Western&Art.&&
&&Retrospective&showings&of&Frank&McCarthy's&paintings&have&been&held&at&the&Museum&of&the&Southwest,&
Midland,&Texas;&the&R.W.&Norton&Museum&in&Shreveport,&La.;&the&Thomas&Gilcrease&Museum&in&Tulsa,&Ok.;&and&in&1992,&
at&the&Cowboy&Artist&of&America&Museum&in&Kerrville,&Texas.&Frank&McCarthy&was&invited&to&join&the&prestigious&
Cowboy&Artists&of&America&organizaton&in&1975&and&was&an&active&member&in&the&CAA&group&for&23&years.&He&was&
inducted&into&the&Society&of&Illustrators&Hall&of&Fame&in&1997.&&
&&Five&books&of&his&paintings&have&been&publishedJ1&hardbound,&3&softbound,&and&1&leather&limited&edition&book.&
Over&100&limited&edition&art&prints&of&his&paintings&have&been&published&since&1974&by&Greenwich&Workshop,&Shelton,&
Ct.&&
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
“UNDER(ATTACK”(FRANK(McCARTHY(
3405/5676(S/N($850.00(
“HEADED(NORTH”(FRANK(McCARTHY(
293/1000(S/N($350.00(
Image(Size:(16"h(x(29.5"w(unframed.(
Image(Size:(14.25"h(x(32"w(unframed.(
!
58!
(
“UNDER(HOSTILE(FIRE”(FRANK(McCARTHY(
135/1000(S/N($250.00(
Image(Size:(18"h(x(27"w(unframed.(
(
(
(
(
,(
(
(
(
(
Artwork(by(Charles(Frace(
Charles%Frace,&a&wildlife&artist&whose&work&was&featured&in&more&than&450&exhibitions,&was&born&in&1926&in&a&small&
town&in&eastern&Pennsylvania.&He&began&drawing&at&five&and&taught&himself&to&paint&when&he&was&fifteen.&Frace&
remembers&wanting&to&be&an&artist&from&an&early&age.&His&selfJinstructed&talent&earned&him&a&scholarship&to&
Philadelphia’s&Museum&School&of&Art,&where&he&graduated&with&honors.&&In&1955,&Frace&began&a&professional&career&as&
a&freelance&illustrator&in&New&York&City.&Eventually,&he&became&one&of&the&nation’s&most&soughtJafter&illustrators&of&
wildlife.&However&Frace&soon&grew&frustrated&by&the&restrictions&of&illustrating&ideas&conceived&by&others&and&longed&to&
paint&some&of&his&own.&He&finished&only&one,&which&his&wife&Elke&took&to&a&nearby&art&gallery.&They&insisted&on&
displaying&the&painting&in&the&gallery,&and&it&sold&that&same&afternoon.&In&1973,&with&the&issue&of&Frace’s&first&limited&
edition&print,&he&had&finally&made&the&permanent&change&to&fine&art.&Frace&brings&to&his&art&over&three&decades&of&
personal&research&and&a&close&kinship&with&animals.&Frace&and&his&art&has&been&the&subject&of&two&books.&Perhaps&the&
greatest&honor&of&his&career&came&in&October&1992,&when&Frace&as&recognized&with&a&oneJman&exhibit&of&thirtyJsix&of&
his&paintings&at&the&National&Museum&of&Natural&History&of&the&Smithsonian&Institution&in&Washington,&D.C.&
(
(
“ZEBRA(FOAL”(CHARLES(FRACE,(SIGNED($125.00(
Image(Size:(16"h(x(20"w(unframed.(
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!
Sell!your! outdoor! hunting! and! camping!gear(with! Lions’! Pride! Classifieds!! ! The! cost! is! only!
$10/month/per! category! (firearms,! hunting! books,! videos,! camping! gear,! etc.)! for! either! the!
monthly! eNews! or! our! online! web! site! Classifieds! page.! ! Or! advertise! in! both! for!
$15/month/category.! ! And! you! can! list! as! many! items! as! you! wish! in! each! category!! ! List! five!
firearms!for!one!low!price!!!Got!a!bookshelf!full!of!videos!or!DVDs?!!That’s!one!category!!!Empty!
out!the!study!or!garage!now!!
You’ll!get!a!brief!description!in!our!monthly!eNewsletter!and/or!web!page,!with!a&photo&of&
one& item& for& each& category& chosen,! and! a! link! to! a! more! detailed! listing! in! a! Word! document!
with!pictures!for!every!item!along!with!your!contact!information.!!Reach!those!most!likely!to!be!
interested!in!what!you!have!to!offer,!and!support!HGC\SCI!First&for&Hunters!at!the!same!time.!!E\
mail!your!items!and!pictures!today,!and!you!could!be!collecting!cash!tomorrow!!
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!
59!
THE(TROUT(ARE(HERE!(
THE(TROUT(ARE(HERE!(
from(TPWD(Online(
(
(
(
(
ATHENS—Ponds! and! streams! at! the! Texas! Freshwater! Fisheries! Center! received! their! first!
stocking!of!rainbow!trout!on!Tuesday.!
About!1,100!rainbows!were!stocked!in!total.!Most!were!put!into!the!TFFC!casting!pond!and!
the!pond!next!to!the!Conservation!Center,!but!
other!streams!and!ponds!received!fish!as!well.!
Trout! were! also! placed! in! the! Hill! Country!
Stream!exhibit!in!the!Visitor!Center!for!viewing!
only.!
From!now!through!March,!TPWD!will!stock!
upwards! of! 250,000! hatchery\reared! rainbow!
trout! at! more! than! 100! sites! across! the! state.!
TPWD!has!been!stocking!rainbow!trout!in!small!
urban!lakes,!state!park!lakes!and!popular!river!
tailraces!each!winter!since!the!1970s,!providing!
Texans!a!simple!and!economical!opportunity!to!
go!fishing.!
Catching! these! hungry! fish! can! be! easy,!
making! the! experience! ideal! for! both! novice!
anglers! and! kids.! The! fish! will! bite! almost!
immediately! after! stocking! and! typically! will!
take! a! variety! of! baits,! from! whole! kernel!
canned!corn!or!commercial!soft!bait!to!artificial!
flies!and!even!small!spinnerbaits.!
For! more! information! about! the! winter!
trout! fishing! program,! including! tips! and! the!
2012\2013! trout! stocking! schedule! listed! by!
city! or! county,! visit! the! TPWD! Trout! Stocking!
web!
page!
at:!
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/man A happy angler shows off a rainbow trout caught in a
Dallas-area community fishing lake stocked annually by
agement/stocking/trout_stocking.phtml.!
TPWD. Photo by Larry D. Hodge, © Texas Parks and
A! video! of! trout! being! stocked! into! the! Wildlife Department
ponds! at! TFFC! can! be! viewed! on! TPWD’s!
Facebook!page.!
!
©2012!TPWD!
(
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(
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60!
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format.! Braggin’! Rights! are! organized! by! hunt! location.! ! Each! Missions! project! gets! its! own!
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WHAT(IF(YOU(COULD(REACH(AN(AUDIENCE!already!pre\disposed!to!use!your!products!and!services,!
and! do! it! for! less! money! than! any! other! media?!! That's! exactly! what! you! get! when! participating! in! our!
“Friends%of%SCI%Houston”%First&for&Hunters!sponsorship!program.!!There's!no!better!or!cost!efficient!way!to!
reach! a! very! select! audience,! YOUR! audience.! ! In! addition,! you! show! your! support! of! the! Number& One!
organization! in! the! world! dedicated! to! the! preservation! of! our! hunting! heritage! and! conservation! of!
wildlife.!!We!offer!numerous!opportunities!to!reach!over!1000!SCI!members!in!the!Houston!metropolitan!
area! as! well! as! others! in! the! hunting! and! conservation! community.!! Sponsorships! in! our! award\winning!
Lions'& Pride! eNews! and! traveling! Sensory! Safari! exhibit! are! very! affordable! and! offer! great! exposure,!
reaching!Houston!area!residents!who!love!and!use!the!great!outdoors,!people!of!all!ages!and!walks!of!life!
united!in!a!common!cause:!protecting!our!rights!and!resources.!!And!of!course!we!are!happy!to!entertain!
any!offers!to!donate!and!participate!in!our!annual!Fundraisers!in!support!of!those!goals,!in!addition!to!our!
many!humanitarian!efforts.!
You! can! support! SCI! Houston! for! less! than! the! amount! spent! of! coffee! each! month,! so! why! not! do!
what!companies!and!individuals!on!the!next!page!have!done!and!become!an!SCI!Houston!Sponsor!today?!!
The!red!links!above!offer!all!the!details,!but!if!you!have!any!questions!feel!free!to!e\mail,!and!thanks!in!
advance!for!your!support!!
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©2011!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters!
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Sensory Safari trailer and trophies.
Sample of the Lions Pride eNews with business card and large (¼ page) sized ads.
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GAME(WARDEN(FIELD(NOTES(
or(“Did%They%REALLY%Think%They%Could%Get%Away%With%That?”%
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AUSTIN! —! THE( FOLLOWING( ITEMS! are! compiled! from! recent! Texas! Parks! and! Wildlife!
Department!law!enforcement!reports.!
!!!!DEER(IN(THE(HEADLIGHTS!\!Two!Tom!Green!County!game!wardens!saw!a!vehicle!attempt!
to! run! down! deer! in! an! open! field.! ! The! game! wardens! stopped! the! vehicle! and! could! smell! a!
strong! odor! of! alcohol! on! the! lone! subject.! ! Sobriety! tests! were! administered! and! the! subject!
was! arrested! for! DWI,! driving! with! a! suspended! license,! two! local! warrants! and! hunting! with!
illegal!means!and!methods.!
!!!!HUNTERS( ED( WOULD( HAVE( HELPED! \! A! Presidio! County! game! warden! responded! to! a!
nonfatal! hunting! accident! at! Penitas! Ranch.! ! When! he! arrived,! the! game! warden! learned! that!
the! hunter! was! trying! to! cross! over! a! fence! when! his! loaded! shotgun! fell! from! its! rest! and!
discharged,! resulting! in! the! injury.! ! Upon! further! investigation,! the! Game! Warden! discovered!
that! the! 21\year\old! victim! had! not! taken! a! hunter’s! education! course,! and! would! have!
benefited!from!the!course!because!this!very!scenario!is!covered.!
!!!!VODKA,(YOU(ARE(MY(ONLY(FRIEND!\!During!routine!Sandhill!Crane!patrol!on!Christmas!
Eve!morning,!a!Hockley/Terry/Yoakum!County!game!warden!happened!across!a!pickup!parked!
in! the! paved! shoulder! of! a! main! highway! just! inside! the! Lynn! County! line.! ! After! passing! the!
vehicle,!the!warden!noticed!a!man!slumped!over!asleep!in!the!driver’s!seat.!!Turning!around!to!
make!a!welfare!check,!the!warden!approached!the!driver!side!door!and!attempted!to!knock!on!
the!window!to!get!the!man’s!attention.!!After!several!attempts!of!hard!knocking!on!the!window!
and! saying,! “Game! Warden”! even! louder,! the! man! remained! passed! out.! ! Fearing! for! the!
individual’s! safety,! the! game! warden! began! rocking! the! truck! side! to! side.! ! After! several! more!
efforts,!the!man!finally!came!to.!!He!admitted!to!driving!all!night!from!New!Mexico!with!a!cup!of!
vodka!and!soda!to!keep!him!company.!!With!the!assistance!of!the!Department!of!Public!Safety,!
a!sobriety!test!was!given,!and!the!subject,!who!had!one!previous!DWI!conviction,!was!booked!
into!the!Lynn!County!Jail.!
!!!!DID(I(DO(THAT?((\!A!Garza/Lynn!County!game!warden!seized!two!mule!deer!does!that!had!
been! harvested! the! previous! day! in! Scurry! County! by! a! Lubbock! area! man.! ! Mule! deer! season!
had! ended! in! Scurry! County,! and! even! then,! mule! deer! does! could! have! only! been! harvested!
under! permit.! ! The! warden! met! with! the! hunter! who! admitted! not! knowing! that! mule! deer!
inhabited!Scurry!County.!
!!!!OVERKILL! \! A! Taylor! County! game! warden! received! a! call! from! a! landowner! who! said! a!
neighbor!contacted!him!and!said!he!saw!someone!with!a!flashlight!on!his!property.!!When!the!
warden!arrived,!two!other!landowners!had!the!suspect!blocked!on!a!county!road.!!The!25\year\
old!suspect!had!shot!a!deer!on!property!that!bordered!the!landowner’s!property,!and!the!deer!
ran! onto! the! landowner’s! land.! ! The! suspect! then! proceeded! to! track! the! deer! approximately!
400!yards!into!the!landowner’s!property,!where!he!found!the!wounded!deer!and!again!shot!it.!
!!!!VENISON( VIOLATOR! \! A! Garza/Lynn! County! game! warden! was! called! by! a! Garza! County!
ranch!foreman!regarding!a!headless!white\tailed!buck!that!had!been!dumped!alongside!a!two\
track! road! inside! the! ranch.! ! As! the! warden! was! responding! to! the! area,! the! foreman! called!
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again!and!said!that!he!believed!it!to!have!been!shot!by!one!of!the!hunting!lease!holders!and!that!
the!carcass!was!no!longer!at!the!initial!site.!!The!warden!arrived!on!the!ranch,!and!after!a!short!
search,!found!the!initial!dumpsite!and!carcass!at!a!second!location.!!After!loading!the!deer,!the!
warden!drove!the!ranch!in!search!of!the!hunter,!and!later!found!him.!!The!warden!spoke!with!
the!man,!a!previous!wildlife!violator,!at!the!back!of!the!man’s!truck.!!A!severed!deer!head!was!in!
the!bed!of!the!truck!with!an!incompletely\filled!out!tag!on!its!antlers.!!The!man!was!then!led!to!
the!back!of!the!truck,!lowered!his!tailgate,!and!revealed!a!wasted!carcass.!!Without!provocation,!
“Unless! you’re! making! hamburger,! do! you! realize! how! hard! it! is! to! cut! up! all! that! meat,”! the!
man!asked.!
!!!!BLOODY( MESS! \! A! Garza/Lynn! County! game! warden! was! refueling! at! a! Post! gas! station!
when! he! saw! a! pickup! with! a! large! white\tailed! deer! rack! sticking! out! of! the! bed,! bathed! in!
blood!across!the!hood!and!down!the!fenders!and!bed!rails,!pass!by!and!immediately!turn!into!a!
residential! area.! ! The! warden! quickly! stopped! the! pump! and! followed.! ! The! truck! eventually!
circled!the!block,!giving!the!warden!the!impression!that!they!wanted!to!parade!the!deer!back!by!
him.! ! The! warden! saw! the! men! act! disappointed! when! they! returned! to! not! find! the! game!
warden,! but! surprised! when! they! saw! him! in! their! rear! view! mirror.! ! After! checking! the! two!
men’s!licenses,!deer!and!tag,!multiple!citations!were!issued.!!Afterwards,!the!warden!asked!the!
men! why! they! had! splattered! and! poured! blood! all! over! their! truck.! ! The! men! said! that! they!
thought!it!would!look!cool.!!The!men!also!got!a!lesson!in!hunting!ethics.!
!!!!WASTED!\!The!Roscoe!chief!of!police!contacted!a!Nolan!County!game!warden!after!a!dead!
deer!had!been!propped!up!against!the!doors!at!the!Roscoe!High!School.!!The!warden!located!the!
deer! and! observed! a! clean,! pass\through! bullet! wound! on! the! 9\point! buck.! ! The! Roscoe!
elementary!school!principal!had!found!the!deer!earlier!that!morning!and!provided!the!warden!
with!pictures!of!the!deer!when!he!found!it.!!The!deer!had!numerous!beer!bottles!outlining!it,!a!
can! of! Copenhagen! on! its! shoulder,! and! a! cigarette! in! its! mouth.! ! The! next! day,! the! warden!
received! information! about! three! subjects! involved.! ! During! the! interview,! the! suspects! said!
another!man!on!a!ranch!had!killed!the!deer!and!given!it!to!the!uncle!of!the!one!of!the!subjects.!!
The!uncle!then!gave!it!to!his!nephew!to!process.!!The!nephew!had!then!tried!to!give!the!deer!to!
his!peers!at!work.!!No!one!had!wanted!the!deer,!so!the!subjects!decided!to!play!a!prank,!and!put!
it!at!the!high!school.!!The!subject!who!originally!ended!up!with!the!deer!still!had!the!tag!with!
him.! ! After! advising! the! subject! who! had! killed! the! deer! of! what! happened,! he! was! extremely!
upset!that!the!subjects!had!wasted!the!meat.!
!!!!DUCK,(DUCK(…(CORMORANT!\!A!Titus!County!game!warden!responded!to!a!trespass!call!
on!a!large!ranch!in!northern!Titus!County.!!When!the!two!hunters!from!the!neighboring!ranch!
were!located,!they!admitted!to!trespassing!and!said!that!they!were!jumping!ducks!on!the!area!
ponds.!!One!hunter!said!that!they!had!only!shot!one!duck!while!trespassing.!!When!the!warden!
asked!for!the!duck,!he!was!told!that!they!did!not!get!the!duck!because!it!fell!over!the!high!fence!
inside! the! deer! breeder! pens.! ! The! bird! was! recovered! from! the! pens! and! discovered! to! be! a!
cormorant.! ! Citations! were! issued! for! hunting! a! protected! waterfowl–cormorant,! criminal!
trespass,!shooting!across!property!lines,!and!no!hunter!safety!course.!
!!!!CAN( WE( PRETEND( THAT( IT( NEVER( HAPPENED?! ! \! A! Rockwall! County! game! warden!
checked!two!duck!hunters!on!their!way!out!of!their!blind.!!When!asked!to!provide!three!shells!to!
check!the!plug,!one!of!the!hunters!produced!two!shells!and!a!marijuana!pipe!from!his!pocket.!!
The!hunter!quickly!tried!to!take!the!pipe!back,!but!the!warden!took!possession!of!it.!!The!hunter!
was!cited!for!possession!of!drug!paraphernalia,!and!the!other!hunter!was!cited!for!an!unplugged!
shotgun.!
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!!!!HONESTY(IS(THE(BEST(POLICY!\!Two!Houston!County!game!wardens!received!a!call!about!
a! subject! who! had! shot! at! a! deer! from! a! county! road.! ! The! wardens! drove! to! the! subject’s!
residence!where!they!were!greeted!by!a!young!man!walking!down!the!road!who!said!to!them,!
"I’m!the!person!you!are!looking!for."!
!!!!WIRED(UP!\!Two!Polk!County!game!wardens!were!patrolling!for!night!hunting!violations!
when!they!heard!a!vehicle!roll!to!a!stop!up!the!road.!!The!wardens!could!hear!the!subjects!kill!
the!truck!and!then!one!subject!walked!by!their!location.!!Earlier!in!the!evening,!the!wardens!had!
received! a! call! of! spotlighting! in! a! field! near! their! set.! ! Due! to! rattling! and! different! noises!
coming! from! the! subjects’! location,! wardens! were! concerned! that! the! subjects! had! loaded! a!
deer.! ! After! a! while,! the! vehicle! started! up! and! the! wardens! stopped! the! vehicle! up! the! road!
only! to! find! the! subject! was! not! road! hunting! but! stealing! ground! wires! on! utility! poles.! ! In!
addition,!the!subject!had!a!bag!of!what!appeared!to!be!synthetic!marijuana.!!One!subject!was!
apprehended,!and!wardens!turned!the!subject!over!to!the!Polk!County!Sheriff’s!Office.!
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©2013!TPWD!
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SCI(HOUSTON(RECIPES(
VENISON(TENDERLOIN(WITH(TEXAS(HUNT(LODGE’S(SIGNATURE(DEMI(GLACE((((
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STILL( LOOKING( FOR( SOMETHING( DIFFERENT( to! do! with! all! that! venison! in! your! freezer?!!
Here’s!another!recipe!courtesy!of!Texas!Hunt!Lodge!Online!and!Brad!Bull:!
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Venison(Tenderloin(with(Texas(Hunt(Lodge’s(Signature(Demi(glace(
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1(venison(tenderloin(
salt(and(freshly(ground(black(pepper(
3(tbsp(butter(
½(cup(port(wine(
¼(cup(red(wine(
2(tbsp(strawberry(jam(or(jelly(
dried(cherry's((10S12)(
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Take! the! tenderloin! from! the! fridge! and! salt! it! well.! ! Set! it! aside! to! come! to! room!
temperature!for!about!20!minutes.!
Heat!2!tablespoons!butter!in!a!saute!pan!over!medium\high!heat.!!When!it!stops!frothing,!
saute! the! tenderloin! about! 3\5! minutes! per! side,! depending! on! how! you! like! your! meat.! ! Set!
aside!under!foil!when!done.!
To!make!the!sauce,!deglaze!the!pan!with!the!port.!!Scrape!up!any!brown!bits!with!a!wooden!
spoon.!!When!the!port!is!reduced!to!a!little!more!than!a!glaze,!add!the!red!wine,!strawberry!jelly!
and!dried!cherries!and!bring!to!a!boil.!!Reduce!this!to!the!point!where!when!you!run!a!spoon!
through!it,!the!sauce!takes!a!moment!to!close!the!trail!you!left!in!the!pan!with!the!spoon.!!Turn!
off!the!heat!and!add!the!final!tablespoon!of!butter.!!Swirl!to!combine.!
!!!!To!serve,!pour!some!sauce!down!on!a!plate,!then!slice!the!tenderloin.!!Drizzle!remaining!
sauce!on!top!of!venison.!!!
Serves!2!hunters!!
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©2012!Texas!Hunt!Lodge!
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2013 9th ANNUAL YOUTH HUNTER EDUCATION
PROGRAM REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
by David Kelly
THIS(YEAR(WE(WILL(HOLD(OUR(9TH(ANNUAL(YOUTH(HUNTER(EDUCATION(PROGRAM!on!
August!10\11,! 2013! at!Good! Shepard!Methodist!Church,!20155!Cypresswood!Drive!in!Cypress,!
TX.! ! As! we! approach! ten! years! with! our! Chapter’s! signature! event,! we! are! proud! to! have!
provided!Texas!Parks!and!Wildlife!Hunter!Education!classes!to!nearly!two!thousand!(yes!2000)!
youths! from! thirteen! (13)! counties! surrounding! the! greater! Houston! area.! ! Not! only! is!
attendance! free! of! charge! each! year,! but! we! provide! lunch! to! all! comers.! ! And! thanks! to! our!
sponsors! we! are! able! to! offer! prizes! like! sporting! goods! store! certificates,! a! Carter’s! Country!
certificate!good!toward!a!youth!hunting!rifle,!scope!and!scores!of!other!prizes.!!It!all!culminates!
with!a!Bronze!Medal!Whitetail!Hunt!for!one!of!our!under\18!youths!and!their!parent!or!guardian!
to!be!taken!at!one!of!Bill! Carter’s!famed!South!Texas!ranches.!! And!to!cap!it!off!they!get!free!
taxidermy!services!from!Rowdy!Woodson!at!Woods!and!Water!Taxidermy.!
The! future! of! our! hunting! heritage! lies! with! our! youth,! the! next! generation! of! hunters.!!
Through!this!initiative,!the!largest!single!hunter!education!course!of!its!kind!in!Texas,!we!provide!
them!with!hunter!education!certification!that!lasts!a!lifetime!and!is!recognized!by!all!states!and!
provinces!requiring!hunter!education.!
In!Texas,!every!hunter!(including!out\of\state!hunters)!born!on!or!after!Sept.!2,!1971,!must!
successfully! complete! a! Hunter! Education! Training! Course.! ! Minimum! age! of! certification! is! 9!
years! of! age.! Hunter! Education! subjects! include! modern! and! primitive! firearms,! safety,! ethics!
and! responsible! hunting,! conservation! and! wildlife! management,! wildlife! identification,! Texas!
hunting! regulations,! survival! and! outdoor! skills.! This! course! is! designed! for! novice! or! young!
hunters.!All!materials!are!provided!and!subjects!are!covered!in!depth!to!enable!the!student!to!
successfully! complete! the! Hunter! Education! certification! process.! ! You! must! attend! both! days,!
completing!a!minimum!of!10!hours!and!pass!the!final!test!to!be!certified.!!
SCI!Houston!would!like!to!thank!all!our!sponsors:!
!!
Safari!Club!International:!www.scifirstforhunters.org!
Houston!Safari!Club:!www.houstonsafariclub.org/!
Rocky!Mountain!Elk!Foundation:!www.rmef.org!
Texas!Parks!and!Wildlife!Department:!www.tpwd.state.tx.us/!
Texas!Hunter!Education!Instructors!Association:!www.theiatexas.org/!
Carter’s!Country:!www.carterscountry.net/!
Woods!&!Water!Taxidermy:!www.woodsandwatertaxidermy.com/!
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We’d!also!all!of!the!SCI!Houston!volunteers!that!make!this!program!such!a!success!each!and!
every! year.! ! Register! online! and! find! more! information! at! scihouston.org! or! by! e\mailing! the!
information!requested!on!the!form!appearing!on!the!next!page.!!See!you!in!August.!
©2013!SCI!Houston!First&for&Hunters&
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Youth Hunter Education Program,
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ARCHERS(POPULARITY(GROWS(
by(Lindsay(Peyton,(Houston(Chronicle(
Freelance(Photos(by(David(Hopper(
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THE( GIRL( SCOUTS( WERE( INTO( ARCHERY! before! archery! was! cool.! ! Now! Princess! Merida!
from! Pixar's! "Brave"! and! Katniss! Everdeen! from! the! "Hunger! Games"! have! brought! the! sport!
back!into!the!limelight.!!Archery!is!helping!movies!sell,!books!fly!off!the!shelf!and!girls!fall!in!love!
with!a!bow!and!arrow.!
The! Girl! Scouts! of! San! Jacinto! Council! has! been! teaching! girls! how! to! hit! the! bull's\eye! for!
the!past!15!years!with!its!Archers!in!Motion!program,!but!staff!members!do!not!deny!that!media!
attention!is!making!the!sport!more!popular.!
Margaret! Carrell,! coordinator! of! Archers! in! Motion,! said! she! has! seen! an! increase! in! girls!
participating! in! archery! through! the! years.! ! Recent! archery! events! have! boasted! the! highest!
numbers!of!participants!the!San!Jacinto!Council!has!ever!seen,!Carrell!said.!
"After! 'The! Hunger! Games'! came! out,! our! numbers! started! to! increase,"! she! added.! ! "We!
just!had!girls!lining!up.!!It's!been!booming!since!the!movies!came!out."!
In! the! AIM! program,! girls! ages! 8! and! older! learn!
how!to!safely!shoot!a!bow!and!take!score.!!They!work!
toward! earning! distance! medals! \! beginning! at! 10!
meters! and! working! their! way! to! 60! meters.!!
Members! of! the! program! also! teach! archery! at!
different! events! during! the! year.! ! The! group! meets!
every!third!Sunday!of!the!month!at!one!of!the!camps.!!
They! shoot! from! September! until! April,! earning!
points!at!each!meeting.!!In!May,!participants!receive!
their!pins.!
Carrell,! a! Girl! Scout! alumna,! said! she! does! not! Girl!Scout!Sarah!Stilwell!takes!aim!during!an!archery!
remember! archery! being! part! of! the! courses! offered! class.! ! Her! father! James! Stilwell! is! an! archery! coach!
when!she!was!in!grade!school.!!She!first!picked!up!her! for!the!Girl!Scouts.!!Photo:!David!Hopper,!Freelance!/!
freelance!
bow! when! she! invited! her! husband! and! daughter! to!
an!Archers!in!Motion!event!as!a!bonding!experience.!
"I!ended!up!taking!an!instructor's!course,"!she!said.!
Carrell! worked! with! Debbie! Erikson,! who! brought! the! program! to! the! San! Jacinto! Council,!
seven! years! ago.! ! Together,! they! helped! archery! become! a! more! prominent! sport! in! the! Girl!
Scouts! \! through! AIM! and! Junior! Olympic! Archery! Development,! its! complement! program!
through!USA!Archery.!!When!Erikson!died!last!year,!Carrell!stepped!up!to!the!plate.!
"I!was!Debbie's!right!hand!person,"!Carrell!said.!!"She!worked!very!hard!on!this!program.!!I!
couldn't!stand!to!see!her!dream!dying."!
Carrell!said!Erikson!was!a!woman!with!a!vision.!!"It!was!her!passion,!and!she!wanted!to!pass!
it!down!to!the!next!generation,"!she!said.!
Last! year,! 8,000! girls! participated! in! Archers! in! Motion! in! the! San! Jacinto! Council,! which!
serves!scouts!in!26!counties!in!southeast!Texas.!
"This!year,!there!will!be!even!more,"!Carrell!said.!
Participating!in!the!program!teaches!girls!valuable!life!lessons,!Carrell!said.!
"Archery! takes! patience,"! she! said.! ! "It! boosts! self\esteem.! ! It's! not! a! competition! against!
anyone!but!themselves."!
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Sarah!Stilwell!experienced!this!first!hand.!!This!14!
year\old! from! The! Woodlands! discovered! archery!
through! the! Girl! Scouts! and! was! inspired! to! try! the!
sport! after! reading! books! whose! main! characters!
were! archers,! including! "The! Hunger! Games.”! ! She!
liked!it!instantly.!
"The!feeling!of!being!able!to!shoot!an!arrow!and!
watch! it! land,! sometimes! on! the! target! and!
sometimes!on!the!ground,!I'll!admit!is!something!I!will!
never!be!able!to!fully!describe,!even!if!I!were!to!write!
Woodlands!resident!and!archery!instructor!James!
Stilwell!instructs!Girl!Scouts!Sarah!Lane,!left,!Hannah! three! pages! on! it,"! she! said.! ! "There's! just! nothing!
Lane!and!Maggie!Stilwell,!during!an!archery!class.!!
quite!like!it."!
Photo:!David!Hopper,!Freelance!/!freelance!
Her! father,! James! Stilwell,! is! a! registered! Girl!
Scout,!a!"Do\Dad.”!!He!also!is!a!registered!archery!instructor!with!the!Scouts.!
"My! daughter! Sarah! became! very! interested! in!
archery! activities,! and! because! she! was! interested,! I!
wanted!to!get!involved!too,"!he!said.!
When! Sarah! joined! Archers! In! Motion,! he! would!
drive!her!there!and!watch!the!practice.!
"For! the! first! half! of! the! year,! I! was! her!
chauffeur,"! he! said.! ! "They! always! need! additional!
volunteers."!
Stilwell! eventually! signed! up! in! the! instructor's!
course.! ! He! said! the! first! lesson! he! teachers! is! on!
Archery!instructor!James!Stilwell!of!The!Woodlands!
safety.!
gives!aiming!tips!to!Girl!Scout!Sarah!Lane.!!Stilwell!
"We!initially!speak!with!the!girls!about!equipment! has!been!coaching!The!Woodlands!Girl!Scout!troop!in!
and! how! to! use! it,"! he! said.! ! "Then! we! teach! them! archery!for!several!years.!!The!Girl!Scouts!of!San!
Jacinto!Council!has!been!teaching!girls!how!to!hit!the!
how!to!stand!and!shoot!arrows."!
bulls@eye!for!the!past!13!years!with!its!Archers!in!
The!Scouts!start!with!a!10\meter!range,!and!then! Motion!Program.!!Photo:!David!Hopper,!Freelance!/!
work! their! way! to! further! distances.! ! The! more! freelance!
advanced!girls!are!shooting!50!meters.!
"If! you! think! about! NFL,! they're! shooting! 50! yards! at! giant! uprights,"! Stilwell! said.! ! "50!
meters!is!a!bit!longer,!and!these!girls!are!shooting!at!a!3\inch!bull's\eye."!
He!said!the!girls!also!learn!about!leadership.!
"Our!program!is!for!girls!and!by!girls,"!he!said.!!"They!set!up!targets,!they!get!the!equipment!
and!they!take!responsibility."!
They!also!learn!teamwork.!
"Archery! really! is! an! individual! sport,! but! there! is! a! level! of! teamwork! out! on! the! range,"!
Stilwell!said.!!"They!ask!each!other!for!advice,!and!they!help!each!other!out."!
Sarah!said!the!sport!was!difficult!at!first,!but!after!some!practice,!she!caught!on.!!After!she!
hit!her!first!bull's\eye,!she!decided!to!stick!with!the!program.!!In!addition!to!AIM,!Girl!Scouts!of!
all!ages!can!learn!the!skill!of!archery!during!the!Girl!Scouts!San!Jacinto!Council!resident,!daylight!
and!twilight!camps.!
Carrell!said!the!Girl!Scouts!offer!residents!a!chance!to!try!a!sport!that!can!often!be!difficult!
to!do!on!one's!own.!
"Unless! you! can! set! it! up! in! your! backyard,! this! is! the! only! time! you! can! do! archery,"! she!
said.!!"There!are!not!a!lot!of!places!to!shoot."!
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©2012!Houston!Chronicle/Photos!by!David!Hopper!
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SAMSONITE RECALLS DUAL-WATTAGE TRAVEL
CONVERTER KITS DUE TO FIRE, BURN HAZARDS
from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with
the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product.
Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is
illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Recall Date: February 12, 2013
Recall Number: 13-119
Name of Product: Dual-Wattage Travel Converter Kits
Hazard: The converter can overheat if a load in excess of 50 watts is applied to the converter
while in the 50-watt setting. This poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled travel converters and
contact Samsonite to return the product for a full refund.
Consumer Contact: Samsonite; toll-free at (800) 382-7259 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday
through Friday; at e-mail recall@samsonite.com or online at www.samsonite.com/recall
Photos Are Available At: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2013/Samsonite-Recalls-DualWattage-Travel-Converter-Kits/
Units: About 20,000
Description: This recall involves the Samsonite DualThe Samsonite DualWattage Travel Converter
Wattage Travel Converter Kits used to make standard
Kits has six parts
U.S. and Canadian appliances usable abroad. The kit
includes one black converter to change 220-volt AC
electricity to 110-volt AC, two adapter plugs with round
prongs, two with flat prongs and one grounded adapter
plug with three flat prongs. The converter has a red switch
to adjust the wattage of the appliance from 50 to 1600
watts. The words "Dual-Wattage Converter" and "Do Not
Use 50W on Hair Dryer" appear on the front of the converter. The Samsonite logo appears on
each piece in the set.
Incidents/Injuries: Samsonite is aware of three converters overheating. No injuries or
property damage have been reported.
Sold at: Retail stores nationwide and at the Samsonite on-line store from January 2011
through December 2012 for approximately $35.
Importer: Samsonite LLC, of Mansfield, MA.
Manufactured in: China
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving
incident or injury reports that are either directly related to a product recall or involve a different
hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on
SaferProducts.gov.
Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall: 800-638-2772 (TTY
301-595-7054). Times: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET. Messages can be left anytime. Call to get product
safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.
©2013 US Consumer Product Safety Commission
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TOYOTA( TEXAS( BASS( CLASSIC( ANNOUNCES( 2013( DATE( S(
FUTURE(CHANGES(
Contest(to(return(to(Lake(Fork(in(2014(
from(TPWD(Online(
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ATHENS!\!Toyota!Texas!Bass!Classic!(TTBC)!officials!have!announced!that!this!year’s!World!
Championship!of!Bass!Fishing!is!scheduled!for!Oct.!4\6,!2013!at!Lake!Conroe.!
After!five!years!at!Conroe,!the!2014!TTBC!will!return!to!Lake!Fork,!the!inaugural!host!site,!on!
May!9\11,!2014.!
In! another! major! change,! anglers! will! qualify! for! both! the! 2013! and! 2014! TTBC! during! the!
2013! Angler! of! the! Year! races! in! the! Bassmaster! Elite! Series,! Walmart! FLW! Tour! and! Bass! Pro!
Shops! PAA! Tournament! Series.! ! Four! sponsor! exemptions! and! the! prior! year! champion! will!
complete!the!field.!
Failing! to! qualify! for! the! 2013! TTBC! would! eliminate! an! angler! from! the! tournament! until!
2015.!
!“With! having! double! event! qualification,! it! makes! each! and! every! point! available! on! each!
respective!Tour!that!much!more!valuable,”!Tournament!Director!Lenny!Francoeur!said.!!“Anglers!
who! compete! at! TTBC! are! the! best! of! the! best,! and! to! come! here! and! win! is! truly! something!
special.!!Earning!the!chance!to!compete!in!the!event!twice!in!one!season!is!something!we!know!
will!give!the!anglers!extra!motivation!for!this!year.”!
TTBC!officials!are!also!pleased!to!announce!the!return!of!the!TTBC!BBQ!Cook\Off.!!The!BBQ!
Cook\Off,! daily! tournament! weigh\ins,! outdoor! expo! and! concerts! will! take! place! at! the! Lone!
Star! Convention! and! Expo! Center,! making! the! Toyota! Texas! Bass! Classic! a! destination! for!
families,! fishing! enthusiasts! and! country! music! fans! to! enjoy.! ! The! 2013! concert! lineup! will! be!
released! later! in! the! year.! ! Tickets! to! TTBC! will! be! free! and! available! at!
www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com!later!this!year.!
Anglers! will! compete! on! Lake! Conroe! over! three! days,! October! 4\6,! 2013,! with! the! field!
being! reduced! to! the! top! 10! for! the! final! round! on! Sunday,! October! 6.! ! The! tournament! will!
remain! a! non\entry\fee! event,! and! all! 50! competing! anglers! will! receive! guaranteed! prize!
money.! ! Through! a! continued! partnership! with! the! Texas! Parks! and! Wildlife! Department!
(TPWD),!TTBC!will!continue!to!focus!on!conservation!efforts!and!adhere!to!a!strict!catch,!weigh!
and! immediate! release! format.! ! Over! the! last! six! years,! the! Toyota! Texas! Bass! Classic! has!
donated!over!$1.5!million!to!the!TPWD,!an!effort!that!will!continue!again!this!year.!
!“The! City! of! Conroe! has! been! an! incredible! host! over! the! past! four! years,”! Tournament!
Director!Lenny!Francoeur!said.!!“We!have!an!amazing!partnership!and!we’re!excited!to!return!to!
Conroe! again! in! October.! ! We! are! also! excited! to! return! to! Lake! Fork,! an! historic! Texas! bass!
fishery!where!the!community!was!so!welcoming!the!first!time!around.!
The! Lone! Star! Convention! &! Expo! Center! is! a! state\of\the\art! facility! conveniently! located!
minutes! from! Lake! Conroe! and! The! Woodlands! and! only! 40! minutes! north! of! Houston.! ! The!
location! offers! easy! access! to! event! activities,! local! shops! and! restaurants.! ! For! more!
information!visit!http://www.thelonestar.org.!!
The! Toyota! Texas! Bass! Classic! tournament! functions! are! operated! by! the! Professional!
Anglers! Association! with! technical! assistance! and! support! from! Texas! Parks! and! Wildlife!
Department’s! Inland! Fisheries! Division.! ! Title! sponsor! for! the! event! is! Toyota.! ! For! additional!
information,!visit!http://toyotatexasbassclassic.com!or!call!(866)!907\0143.
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©2013!TPWD!
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TWA(PROPOSES(CHANGES(to(the(“10SDAY(RULE”(
From(the(Texas(Deer(Association(Online(and(Karl(Kinsel(
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Editor’s Note: The following column came from an email sent to us by Texas Deer Association’s Executive Director Karl Kinsel.
In it he noted “The Texas Wildlife Association's Executive Committee met on (January 15) to discuss topics, one of which was the ‘10Day Rule.’ This resolution is provided for TDA Members' interest. (The) TDA Board of Directors had previously (sic) discussed the
initial TWA proposal for changing breeder deer release dates and found that there was no evidence at this time requiring any change
to the existing statue, which has been the law for approximately 75 years.” TWA's proposed changes to the "10-day rule" appear
below in a letter sent to the TDA on January 16. For more about the Texas Wildlife Association and Texas Deer Association visit
http://www.texas-wildlife.org or http://www.texasdeerassociation.com/.
January 16, 2013
Dear Texas Deer Association,
The Texas Wildlife Association wanted to make your organization aware, as soon as
possible, of the outcome of our organization’s discussion and policy decision regarding
the “10-Day Rule.”
The Texas Wildlife Association is seeking to improve certain aspects surrounding the
“10- Day Rule” by amending state’s Deer Breeder Program and/or Deer Breeder
Program Transfer Permit (DBPTP) by adding four new components to the program.
The statutory language associated with the "10-Day Rule" specifically requires that
any buck breeder deer released during any open season or 10 days prior to any open
season must have its antlers reduced by cutting off the antler between the pedicel and
G3 (effectively eliminating any trophy value). Practically speaking, the effect of this
statute is that it permits the harvest of buck deer that have been released just 10 days
prior.
The TWA Executive Committee, based on a recommendation from the TWA Whitetailed Deer Management Committee, approved on January 15 a set of policy directives
to accomplish these overriding goals:
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Protecting our Hunting Heritage in Texas and those industries that serve it,
Allowing deer time to become acclimated in the wild before being subjected to
hunting, and
Promoting that public safety should always be paramount when drugs are used in
deer management.
The TWA White-tailed Deer Management Committee actively discussed and debated
possible solutions to concerns regarding the “10-Day Rule” (TPWD Code, Subchapter L,
Sec. 43.363) since August 2012. Three committee meetings and nearly 100 hours of
committee outreach to 13 stakeholder organizations were completed as part its process
of discussion and recommendation to the TWA Executive Committee, including outreach
to your organization and leadership.
A. TWA Policy Directives
1. For improved deer acclimation in the wild and for better promotion of our state’s
Hunting Heritage, the “10-Day Rule” should be changed (via phase-in period outlined
below) to a “60-Day Rule.” The progressive phase-in period of 60 days is calculated from
the first day of the earliest legal hunting season in Texas. For example, if the MLDP
season theoretically began on October 1, the progressive phase-in dates would be
September 1 in 2014, August 15 in 2015, and August 1 in 2016.
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2. Deer that have been injected directly with drugs or exposed to drugs through their
feed or otherwise must have the veterinarian that prescribed those drugs recommend
any further time beyond the 60 days to refrain from shooting or consuming these deer.
All deer managed with drugs should be under the direction of a veterinarian.
3. A box on the DBPTP for the BREEDER, or its agent, to state that either the deer
being sold and/or released have had no exposure to drugs or if they have been exposed.
If exposed, the Breeder or its agent will disclose the drug name(s) & the date(s) of last
exposure.
4. A box on the DBPTP for the RECIPIENT, or its agent, to check that they have
read and understand that these deer must not be harvested or consumed for a minimum
of 60 days, and possibly longer, if the prescribing veterinarian so recommends.
B. Implementation of Above Rules
Phase-in A.1. over a three-year period:
1. Change A.1.in 2014 to 30 days*
2. Change A.1.in 2015 to 45 days*
3. Change A.1.in 2016 and every year thereafter to 60 days*
*Subject to any additional days that the prescribing veterinarian feels is adequate
time for drug withdrawal in subject deer.
C. In Conclusion
This policy directive reflects TWA’s long-standing defense and promotion of the
heritage and traditions of hunting and TWA’s support of legal, fair chase hunting. It is a
practical solution to the never-ending discussions surrounding the release of deer into a
hunting environment. The policy directive not only meets the three above stated goals,
but it also allows the Breeder Industry time to adjust to these release date changes in
their business models.
Thank you for your interest. Please let me know if you have any questions about this
information and the TWA policy directives described above.
Sincerely,
Gary Joiner
Chief Executive Officer
©2013 TWA & TDA
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TPWD(PROPOSING(CHANGES(TO(FISHING(REGULATIONS(
from(TPWD(Online(
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AUSTIN!\!The!Texas!Parks!and!Wildlife!Department!is!proposing!fishing!regulation!changes!
on!two!largemouth!bass!fisheries!in!East!Texas,!a!clarification!of!fish!harassment!rules!and!new!
possession!rules!in!state!waters!for!aquatic!resources!taken!in!violation!of!federal!regulations!in!
the!EEZ!(Exclusive!Economic!Zone).!
TPWD!staff!presented!on!Wednesday!proposed!amendments!to!the!2013\14!Statewide!
Recreational!and!Commercial!Fishing!Proclamation!to!the!Texas!Parks!and!Wildlife!Commission.!
The!recommended!changes!include:!
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Modifying!existing!regulations!for!largemouth!bass!on!two!East!Texas!reservoirs,!Lake(
Jacksonville!and!Lake(Kurth.!
On!Lake(Jacksonville,!the!proposed!change!would!remove!the!18\inch!minimum!length!
limit!for!largemouth!bass.!The!five!fish!daily!bag!for!bass!would!be!retained,!but!anglers!
would!be!allowed!to!retain!two!largemouth!bass!less!than!18!inches!in!length!as!part!of!
that!five!fish!bag.!
For!Lake(Kurth,!the!proposed!change!would!establish!a!16\inch!maximum!length!limit!
on!largemouth!bass,!with!a!temporary!retention!of!bass!24!inches!or!greater!for!
weighing!purposes!and/or!submission!to!the!ShareLunker!program.!Anglers!would!be!
allowed!to!harvest!five!largemouth!bass!less!than!16!inches!in!length.!
Defining!parameters!of!handfishing!for!catfish!and!listing!restrictions!to!aid!in!public!
understanding!and!enforceability,!specifically!regarding!prohibition!of!the!use!of!
devices,!such!as!poles,!sticks,!boxes,!and!pipes!to!aid!in!handfishing.!
Adding!Canyon(Lake!Project!#6!in!Lubbock!to!special!regulations!for!catfish!and!devices!
restrictions.!
Clarifying!the!definition!regarding!possession!of!fish!to!indicate!possession!limits!do!not!
apply!once!the!resource!has!been!processed!and!reached!final!destination.!
Clarifying!the!definition!of!fish!harassment!to!note!It!would!be!unlawful!to!use!any!
vessel!to!harry,!herd,!or!drive!fish!by!any!means!including!but!not!limited!to!operating!
any!vessel!in!a!repeated!circular!course,!for!the!purpose!of!or!resulting!in!the!
concentration!of!fish!for!the!purpose!of!taking!or!attempting!to!take!fish.!
Removing!prohibitions!concerning!possession!of!red!drum!and!bonus!red!drum!tags.!
Adding!provisions!regarding!enforcement!of!federal!regulations!in!state!waters.!The!
proposed!change!would!make!it!a!violation!for!a!person!to!possess!an!aquatic!wildlife!
resource!taken!in!the!Exclusive!Economic!Zone!(federal!waters!9\200!miles!out)!during!a!
closed!season!provided!by!federal!law;!within!a!protected!length!limit!or!in!excess!of!the!
daily!bag!limit!established!by!federal!law;!or!with!any!gear!or!device!prohibited!by!
federal!law;!or!without!a!required!license!or!permit!required!by!federal!law.!
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Comments!on!the!proposed!rules!may!be!submitted!by!mail!or!e\mail!to!Robert!Macdonald:!
robert.macdonald@tpwd.state.tx.us,!Texas!Parks!and!Wildlife!Department,!4200!Smith!School!
Road,!Austin,!Texas!78744.!!Comments!may!also!be!submitted!through!the!department’s!
Internet!web!site!and!at!upcoming!public!meetings!to!be!scheduled!around!the!state.
©2013 TPWD
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10(NEW(TRAILS(TO(BE(ADDED(TO(TEXAS(PADDLING(TRAILS(
NETWORK(
from(TPWD(Online(
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TEN(NEW(CANOE(AND(KAYAK(TRAILS!at!Caddo!Lake!and!Big!Cypress!Bayou!will!be!joining!
the! Texas! Paddling! Trails! family! on! Feb.! 2! (World! Wetlands! Day).! ! More! than! 50! miles! of! new!
trails! range! in! length! from! 2.4! to! 8.8! miles! and! eliminate! the! need! for! trailering.! ! The! new!
paddling!trails!feature!six!put\in!and!take\out!points!at!Caddo!Lake!State!Park,!the!Caddo!Lake!
Wildlife! Management! Area! and! Backwater! Jack’s! RV! Park.! ! The! Caddo! area! trails! increase! the!
total! number! of! state! paddling! trails! to! 48.! ! The! well\marked! trails! through! the! bald! cypress!
swamps! make! it! possible! for! visitors! to!
explore! this! vast! and! mysterious! area!
without! getting! lost.! ! A! ribbon\cutting! for!
the! new! trails! will! take! place! at! 1! p.m.! at!
Caddo! Lake! State! Park.! ! Park! entry! fees! will!
be! waived! for! the! event.! ! For! more!
information,!call!(512)!389\4500.!
The!Texas!Paddling!Trails!is!a!program!to!
develop! public! inland! and! coastal! paddling!
trails! throughout! the! state! and! support!
these! trails! with! maps,! signage,! fishing! and!
wildlife\viewing! information,! and! more!!!
These! trails! provide! well\mapped! accessible!
day! trips! in! a! variety! of! settings! and! for! all!
levels!of!paddling!experience.!!The!paddling!
trails! team! is! continually! working! with! new!
community!partners,!so!check!back!often!for!
new!trails!to!paddle,!fish,!and!explore.!
With! more! than! 3,700! named! streams,!
15! major! rivers! and! some! 3,300! miles! of!
tidal! shoreline! along! the! Gulf! Coast,! Texas!
offers! myriad! possibilities! for! paddling!
adventures! and! angling! opportunities! of! all!
types.! ! According! to! the! Outdoor! Industry!
Association,!
kayaking!
participation!
nationwide! doubled! between! 1998! and!
2004,! with! recreational! and! sit\on\top! kayaking! the! fastest! growing! segment! of! the! sport.!!
Participation!in!canoeing!also!remains!very!strong.!
TPWD!continues!to!seek!partnerships!with!communities!interested!in!developing!a!paddling!
trail! in! their! area.! ! For! more! information! on! Texas! Parks! and! Wildlife! Paddling! Trails! visit!
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/paddlingtrails/?utm_campaign=jan2013&utm_medi
um=email&utm_source=getaways.!
©2013 TPWD
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BRAGGIN’(RIGHTS(
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for(FEBRUARY(2013(
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CRAIG(PHILLIPS(SENT(IN(SOME(TROPHY(SHOTS!from!his!trip!to!Tanzania!a!while!back!as!we!
were!going!to!press,!but!no!other!pictures!came!in!this!month!other!than!the!photo!below!taken!
by! Kent! Robinson! at! last! month’s! 2013! Houston! Safari! Club! fundraiser,! which! was! attend! by!
many!from!our!BOD.!!At!the!SCI!Houston!table!were!(l\r)!Tanya!Garrett,!Scott!Garrett,!(unkown),!
Tina!Lohrke,!Carl!Godfrey,!Dary!Itzel,!Keith!Itzel,!Shirley!Horan,!Craig!Phillips!and!(unkown).!
(Remember,!you!could!be!a!winner!in!the!2013!Chapter!Awards!Contest!!!But!you!have!to!
enter! to! win!! ! If! you’ve! got! photos/trophies! you’d! like! to! put! up! for! one! of! our! 2013! awards,!
details! on! how! to! enter,! eligibility,! judging! criteria! and! deadlines!are! posted! on! our! web! site’s!
Awards! Page! this! month.! ! There! is! also! information! and! a! form! in! this! newsletter.! ! So! get!
crackin’,!it’s!never!too!early!to!start!for!this!year’s!awards!consideration!!!
And!don’t!forget,!you!can!see!all!of!the!latest!Chapter!Braggin’%Rights,!Missions!Projects!and!
other! photos! (as! well! as! ones! you! may! have! missed! in! the! past)! in! our! Flickr.com! albums! by!
clicking! on! the! link! below.! ! Send! your! photos! to! lionspride@scihouston.org! and! we’ll! add! YOU!
and!your!pictures!to!the!next!issue!and!online,!then!it!will!be!your!turn!at!Braggin’!Rights!!
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Craig Phillip’s Tanzanian East African impala
(shown with fellow Chapter member Mike Ambrose)
Craig’s Grant's gazelle
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Craig’s Thomson's gazelle
And lastly, Craig’s white bearded wildebeest
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To see your trophy shots here and online in our new Flickr Photo Albums, send your pictures to lionspride@scihouston.org.
©2013 SCI Houston First for Hunters
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