TEXAS DOVE HUNTERS MAGAZINE - Spring 2023

DAVID SAMS

PASSING ON TRADITIONS

HUNTING GEESE IN TEXAS FROM THE PANHANDLE TO THE GULF

BIRD JEWELRY

A PRIZE FROM THE SKY

Dove Hunters exas

Magazine

Official Publication of the Texas Hunters Association TexasDoveHuntersMagazine.com

Publisher TEXAS DOVE HUNTERS, LLC

Editor SUSAN THORNTON

Graphic Design STUDIO SYKES

Contributing Photographers

WALKER ALEXANDER

DARETOAIM PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH DOCKERY

MIMI MEYER

KELLY MUNRO

MARK SEAMANS

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Contributors

NATE SKINNER

REIS LADD

HOLLY HEARNE

MEREDITH KAY

JOE AND ANGELICA DRESCHER

GORDON MELTON

Advertising Sales

CINDY JENNINGS

Printing SHWEIKI MEDIA, SAN ANTONIO, TX

Cover Photo By DARETOAIM PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH DOCKERY

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

CALL 210.764.1189

EMAIL info@TexasDoveHuntersMagazine.com

TEXAS DOVE HUNTERS MAGAZINE is published bi-annually by Texas Dove Hunters, LLC (Publisher). Reproduction in any manner in whole or part is prohibited without the express written consent of the Publisher. Material contained herein does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher or its staff. TEXAS DOVE HUNTERS MAGAZINE reserves the right to edit materials for clarity and space and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors or omissions. TEXAS DOVE HUNTERS

MAGAZINE does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertisements or editorial, nor does the Publisher assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. Articles and photographs are welcome and may be submitted to our office to be used subject to the discretion and review of the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. © 2023 Texas Dove Hunters, LLC. 2395 Bulverde Rd., Suite 104 Bulverde, TX 78163 210-764-1189

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A man with a passion for hunting and the outdoors, he has built his family on the core values and experiences he learned from his father.

To say the weather played a big part in the 2023 season’s bird density would be an understatement. The preceding drought had a tremendous effect on farmers and grain crops that birds rely on as they try to maintain their feeding patterns. Commercial farmers and crops were not the only ones to suffer last season. Many outfitters planted for birds, but unless they had irrigation, dryland farms didn’t mature. Water was a huge factor in the maturity of the crops but also in the availability of water in the ponds and creeks. In August, we thought there would be plenty of birds on the irrigated crops, but as luck would have it, we experienced heavy rains at the end of the month and early September that presented flooding in fields and plenty of water for the birds in other areas. Reports of birds returning to the central and south central part of the state started coming in around late October and early November. We were very optimistic about the second season, and some areas proved to be excellent, while others hardly had any birds at all.

The downward trend in huntable populations is becoming a concern, especially in areas that ususally attract large numbers of birds throughout most of the season. Many outfitters have asked for support from our office to push for eliminating the morning hunt for the entire season much like Special White-Winged Days. TDHA will support Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the research they produce as it pertains to studying bird densities. Their biologists can explore current data and build quantitative results from that data.

In this issue of Texas Dove Hunters Magazine is an article on federal bird banding and its importance. The data obtained from bands being turned in is vital to research efforts in understanding bird habits and pattern changes. TDHA’s effort to conduct a field study on Eurasian Collared Dove is no different. The information we collect on these birds helps us understand why these birds move from place to place and the direction they prefer to travel. We can learn more about habits and habitat preferences of these birds by observing their movement over time. Regardless of what fowl you like to hunt, if you are ever one of the lucky ones to harvest a bird with a band on it, keep the band as a trophy, but please report it using the phone number or website printed on the band.

Feeling optimistic about the 2023-2024 season.

Take a kid hunting,

MISSION STATEMENT

Bobby Thornton

Texas Dove Hunters Association promotes strong family unity through hunting and outdoor programs. We are committed to research, education and habitat conservation.

Fax:

Susan Thornton MEMBERSHIP

Myrna Hassfield SOCIAL

Charlotte Schuster

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY

Outdoor Traditions Stand the Test of Time

By Nate Skinner

Photo by DareToAim Photography

Passing on the traditions of hunting and the outdoors is essential. It instills passion and invaluable life skills within others, that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. The core values and experiences gained from outdoor traditions create the perfect foundation on which to build a strong family unit. David Sams and his family are living proof. From the time he and his wife began dating, to when they were married, had kids, and then raised those children to become successful adults, Sams has kept the traditions of hunting and the outdoors at the very core of his tribe.

Sams is the founder of Lone Star Outdoor News and a renowned outdoor photographer. His book, Engulfed, is a staple amongst the coffee tables and bookshelves of many outdoor enthusiasts. Sams’s work has been featured in some of the most popular outdoor publications, as well as within the pages of catalogs produced by some of the top manufacturers and brands in the outdoor industry. With that being said, if you asked him, Sams would tell you that his greatest accomplishments have come from being a husband to his wife, and a father to his two daughters.

Sams spent his childhood in Corpus Christi where he grew up duck hunting and fishing with his dad.

“My dad started taking me duck hunting when I was four years old," Sams said. "He would carry me out to our duck blind at the edge of Corpus Christi Bay, on his shoulders. I remember after Hurricane Celia caused tremendous damage to that portion of the coast, he made us a new duck blind out of scrap wood that we found as remnants in our neighborhood in the wake of the storm's destructive path."

Sams said that they would go fishing between duck hunts and that he shot his first duck with his dad at age 7. When he was 10 years old, he and his family moved to San Antonio, where he continued to grow up hunting and fishing throughout the rest of his childhood and teenage years.

“When we first made the move to San Antonio, I was a little upset, because I thought I wouldn’t be able to duck hunt anymore,” Sams said. “It turns out, that I found all sorts of places where I could hunt ducks successfully. I made friends that had family properties with farm ponds and cattle tanks, and we would beg our dads to take us out there and drop us off so that we could hunt.”

At age 11, Sams harvested his first deer on a property that his Dad bought in the New Braunfels area.

“We had about 76 acres outside of New Braunfels and our method of hunting was pretty primitive compared to today,” Sams said. “I sat on a board in a tree in hopes of seeing a deer. My Dad still owns about 40 acres of that original piece of property where I shot my first whitetail.”

Sams became best friends with a classmate in grade school whose dad did a lot of hunting in south Texas.

“They started taking me along with them, and introduced me to quail hunting and dove hunting,” Sams said. “Some of my best memories are when we would get picked up from school early to go dove hunting in the afternoons near Pleasanton. When we turned 16, we were allowed to drive on our own down to a deer lease that we hunted near Tilden.”

By the time he had graduated high school, Sams had made more memories with his dad and friends in the outdoors than he could count, and he knew that creating memories in the outdoors was something that he wanted to carry with him into his adult life, and eventually pass on to his own family.

Sams met his wife, Adrienne, in San Antonio where they started dating before going their separate ways for college. They continued their relationship from afar, throughout their college careers.

“We saw each other as much as we could during the holidays and breaks from school, and made it work,” Sams said.

After college, Sams and his wife married and moved to Dallas where he started working for a small newspaper, before taking an opportunity as a freelance news photographer for the Associated Press. Meanwhile, he went to the coast to go fishing or down to south Texas to go hunting every chance he could get.

“I can remember shooting photos at Dallas Cowboys games and then driving all night to south Texas and getting there at the wee hours of the morning so that I could go hunting,” Sams said. “I started taking photos on every hunting trip.”

Sams saw an opportunity to incorporate the style of photography that he was using for his news job in the outdoors.

“There weren't many folks taking photos of people hunting or fishing,” Sams said. “Most photographers were capturing fish or wildlife, but not the people. I shot photos of people for my news job all the time, so it just came naturally for me to do the same thing in the outdoors.”

Sams shifted his news photography career from the Associated Press to Newsweek when an opportunity came knocking. All the while he was continuing to shoot photos while pursuing his passions in the outdoors.

“Soon after both of my girls were born, my career began to make a switch towards the outdoor industry,” Sams said. “Outdoor magazines became interested in my hunting and fishing photos, and prominent manufacturers and brands in

the industry started hiring me to shoot photos for their catalogs.”

Sams said that the shift to working in the outdoor industry just made sense.

“It was something that I loved to do, and the schedule was much better for having two kids at home," he said. "Rather than having to travel spontaneously for news-related things, I could plan when I would travel around the outdoor photography jobs that I was booking."

As his daughters grew older, Sams began taking them hunting and fishing with him and shooting photos of them in the outdoors.

“My kids literally grew up amongst the pages of several well-known outdoor publications," Sams said. "I started taking them along hunting with me as soon as each of them turned 5 years old, just like my dad took me with him. And that's where our traditions in the outdoors as a family began."

One of the first outdoor traditions that Sams established with his family was taking his daughters duck hunting on Thanksgiving Day. Later, their Thanksgiving Day hunt tradition switched to deer hunting, and now it has become a pheasant hunt that involves Sams's wife, both daughters, and his two sons-in-law.

“It’s a way for us all to spend the holiday together doing something that we love, and we look forward to it every year,” Sams said.

Another family outdoor tradition that the Sams family looks forward to every year is their annual sausage-making festival when they make sausage together out of the deer that they harvested during hunting season.

“We have also enjoyed going on new and exciting hunting adventures together,” Sams said. “When each of my daughters graduated from high school, I took them to Africa to go hunting. After they each graduated from college, I also took them to new hunting destinations.”

Sams founded Lone Star Outdoor News in 2004, and that quickly became a family affair, as both of his daughters helped to promote the paper at outdoor shows and conventions at a young age.

Sams’s daughter, Lili Keys, is now the Managing Editor for Lone Star Outdoor News. She has fond memories of growing up in the outdoor industry.

“My sister and I didn’t just grow up hunting and fishing,” Keys said. “We grew up in the outdoor industry. I can't tell you how many people I collaborate with in the industry nowadays, remember when I would help pass out newspapers at the Texas Trophy Hunters show, or when I was a greeter at the Dallas Safari Club (DSC) gala. And who would have thought, that years later, I would meet my husband, Carson, at the DSC gala?”

Even at a young age, Keys understood the importance of the special times she spent hunting with her Dad and family.

“Yes, the unlimited amount of hot cocoa and candy helped bribe me to wake up early to go hunting, but it was the time

spent together that I will always be thankful for,” Keys said. “I didn't actually shoot anything until I was 13 years old. I just enjoyed tagging along with my dad and being outside.”

Keys said that what she enjoys most about hunting is spending time with loved ones in the outdoors, and passing on outdoor traditions.

“My list of dream hunts is long, and I can’t wait to continue to keep crossing them off the list with my dad, husband, and future kids,” she said.

Sams's daughter, Mimi Meyer, is also successful in the outdoor industry. She is the Executive Director of the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation, and also runs her own business, and provides a variety of services for her clients, many of which are in the outdoor industry. She said that hunting and the outdoors have had a meaningful impact on her life.

“Starting at five years old, my sister and I got to go to the duck club with our dad, or as we call him, ‘Papa,’ to go hunting,” Meyer said. “We would wake up at the crack of dawn, bundle up, and tote our wooden shotguns out to the blind. Papa always made sure it was special. We would get to leave school early and he would have plenty of snacks for us. When birds would come in, I would pull my gun up and “shoot” with him.

I didn’t actually shoot a duck until I was 13. It took me several years to muster up the courage. I just liked going, watching, and spending time with Papa. Hunting was our bonding time.”

Meyer said that as a teenager, she began to recognize the passion she was developing for the outdoors.

“The outdoors brought us closer to our parents, and helped us experience nature,” she said. “I loved to go fishing with my family and would forgo spring break plans with friends to be down at the coast on the water. The reason my husband, Dean, and I connected so quickly was because of our love of fishing in Rockport, which is something that was originally instilled in me by my dad.”

Meyer has many memories of being in the outdoors with her family, and she is looking forward to making more.

“When I graduated from high school, Papa took me to Namibia,” she said. “It was the trip of a lifetime. We hunted plains game for seven days, and nothing will ever compare to the memories we made together. After college, we took a trip to the Australian Outback in search of water buffalo. Those trips allowed me to experience the world from a different perspective. It was only fitting that for our honeymoon my husband, Dean, and I got to go to Argentina to hunt. This year we plan to go to South Africa to hunt plains game, and I will get to share the magic of Africa with Dean for his first time.”

Sams's wife, Adrienne said that although she did not grow up hunting and fishing, her husband helped her catch on pretty quickly.

“I'll still never forget the first time David came over to my parent's house,” she said. “He had a deer that he had just shot, and I didn't even want to look at it. My mother let him show it to her and she walked away with a tear in her eye. It's funny to laugh about that memory now. I've come a long way since then!”

Adrienne said that one of her favorite hunting memories occurred on one of the first dove hunts Sams took her on.

“We shot a lot of birds, and then we grilled them for dinner later that night,” she said. “I loved the camaraderie with everyone in the field and then back at camp, eating the birds that we had harvested. That type of atmosphere is what I have enjoyed recreating with our family. It’s just so wonderful to spend time with everyone together in the outdoors, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Adrienne said that it has been rewarding to see both of her daughters start to make their own outdoor traditions and memories with their husbands.

“Both of our girls married men who love the outdoors, and it’s great to see them carrying on the family traditions,” she said.

It’s safe to say that the traditions of hunting and the outdoors have molded each member of Sams’s family into the people that they are today. And without a doubt, the world could use a lot more folks like them.

By Reis Ladd

Acrisp January north wind ran its way down the back of my neck as my shoulders shuttered in an attempt to ward off the building chills. I and three others are lying in half-dug holes in the middle of a plowed under crop field, wearing a sort of jet white pea coat and surrounded by a few hundred jet white goose decoys. This is my first goose hunt and my skepticism is at a threshold where I have so many questions that instead of asking I simply let it be and settle in. Moments later a noise began building to our east, accompanied by the orange glow of the night losing its battle to the coming day. It was as if the sun was rising with the sound of a jet engine fixing to propel it across the sky. The sound grew to such a roar it was difficult to speak to my dad who was 5 yards to my left. Just about the time I went to turn and investigate a hurried shout came from our guide, “Heads down! Here they come!!” A few thousand snow geese had just lifted off of their roost and were headed right for us.

REGULATIONS

My hunt took place in a field somewhere within the Katy Prairie southwest of Houston, TX. For many it comes as a surprise that Texas harbors some of the best goose hunting in the country, consistently harvesting among the highest numbers of total geese when compared to other states in the nation. One of the unique aspects of Texas goose hunting is the variety of different species that winter all across our state and are thus hunted in the fall and winter before beginning their return migration. The state is divided

Photo by Walker Alexander

into two hunting zones with varying limits and hunting seasons per species. In general, geese are divided into two identification groups, light geese and dark geese. The light geese category comprises snow geese, blue geese, and Ross’s geese. While the dark geese category consists of Canada geese, whitefronted geese (commonly referred to as specklebellies), and Brant.

One season of particular interest is the Light Goose Conservation Order. Due to an unprecedented increase in the overall light goose population and the subsequent destruction of their arctic breeding grounds, the Conservation Order was implemented in 1999 to help manage light goose numbers. During this season alone bag limits and possession limits are removed, as well as several other typical regulations.

REGIONS

While Texas is notoriously large, goose hunting is concentrated in two main regions, the prairies near the Gulf Coast and the vast expanses of the Panhandle. In the early 1950s hunters along the Gulf Coast began experimenting with

SEASON DATES

methods for decoying the hundreds of thousands of light geese that wintered in the crop fields. Methods included using white sheets, newspapers, and even cloth diapers to emulate the massive flocks, and thus the “white spread” was born. In the coming decades, this region of the state would grow in popularity and become one of the best places in the nation to goose hunt and the men that specialized in hunting them became legends.

Unfortunately, since the turn of the century, the wintering light goose population has not been the same along the coast. Plenty of hunters still make the most of goose hunting here, especially during the conservation season, but about the time the coastal region began declining the Panhandle began taking off.

“The geese started showing up in 1995-1996. In just one county alone there were over one million wintering dark geese,” Derek McDaniels of Blackfoot Outdoors out of Lubbock stated.

Today dark geese are prevalent in the Texas Panhandle and soon after their arrival came those that hunted them. The tactics used on these dark geese mimic in part the same tactics used on the gulf coast some 60+ years ago, although newspapers and cloth diapers have in large been replaced with highly technical silhouettes and full body decoys. A common goose hunting setup has the hunters lying hidden in a spread ranging from 10 to 100 dozen decoys, with the exact number likely to vary day to day based on the birds’ behavior. Not only do these birds arrive in droves of thousands, but their behavior also sets them apart from other waterfowl.

“Hunting dark geese is like a big chess game. Big groups of birds that decoy well and really play while spinning make for a fast paced exciting hunt. If you do your job, they do it right!” said Will Riddle with Crooked Wing Outfitters.

Ask any bird hunter, thousands of highly impressionable, intensely vocal birds all vying for a seat at the table you set a mere 10 feet from your toes. That is the dream.

The legends of the coastal prairie and the young cowboys of the Texas Panhandle knew of the same roar I experienced on my first morning in the goose field. The Texas goose built a culture within this state and will continue to do so, and for as long as they are around so will be the individuals chasing them.

2022 TEXAS BANDED BIRD CHALLENGE

The 2022 Texas BB Challenge ended on December 31 and did so with a record number of entries and a continued increase the quality of prizes from our dedicated sponsors. The 2022 dove season presented all hunters with the challenge of “finding birds” and not just Eurasian Collared Dove. Mourning dove and white-winged dove numbers were down all over the state which kept many hunters from going to the field. Opening weekend rains kept the many the usual influx of hunters at home and many never made it back out to the field for the rest of the season. It’s hard to win if you don’t throw some lead in the air.

What was unusual was that even though we had more entries this year than ever before, fewer bands were turned in than any other season in five years. With the lack of hunters in the field, there were only 27 bands reported compared to last year. Of those 27 reported, only 10 were

2022 TEXAS BB CHALLENGE WINNERS

BRITTEN SHOEMAKER

Scimitar Horned Oryx Hunt

Donated by Record Buck Ranch

Game Washer donated by Cowboys Wild Gamewasher

NOE BENAVIDEZ

Hybrid Sheep Hunt

Donated by G2 Ranch

Dog Waterer donated by Cowboys Game Washer

MICHAEL SHAVLAN

Trophy Trout Fishing Trip

Donated by Baffin Bay Rod and Gun

Fish Washer by Cowboys Game Washer

PAUL EDE

Bird Down Brand

Shooting Package

Donated by Bird Down Brand

Game Washer donated by Cowboys Wild Gamewasher

SCOTT MOORE

Blake Jones Leather

Hunting Package

Donated by Blake Jones Designs

Game Totes by Chambless Game Totes

CASH CRAWFORD

First Flight Youth Division

Overnight dove hunt for two at Record Buck Ranch

Game Washer donated by Cowboys Wild Gamewasher

AIDEN MULHOLLAND

First Flight High School Division

$1,000 Scholarship

Crawfish Washer by Cowboys Game Washer

EARNEST LEE

Early Bird Prize; Shotgun Provided by TDHA

JAKE SCOTT Polaris Ranger Donated by Hoffpauir Outdoor Superstore

entered in the contest this year. This means that there will be even more birds still in the field before the next 800 birds are released in August of 2023. With over 3,700 birds having been banded and released since 2018 the odds of harvesting one of these birds continues to improve annually.

Each year we gather more data about the Eurasian Collared Dove and their habits. We are more inclined now than ever before to say these birds have more of a homing instinct that drives them rather than a migratory trait, though that is scientifically yet to be determined. We deliberately trap in one primary area of the state and distribute them in many different areas with different habitats within the state of Texas. Interestingly enough, 57% of the birds that are reported are headed back in the direction where they were trapped. There were three birds recaptured this year in the exact same location as they were trapped once before. One bird was originally released in 2020 in Coleman and one in 2021 in Gonzales. One very interesting note that continues to hold true to this date is that of all the birds reported, not one of them has been harvested or found from outside the state of Texas. Our release team volunteers have released birds in many areas near our state borders, yet we still don’t have any reported outside the Texas border.. The bands are very generic and only say “TBBC winner,” with a phone number and band ID number with nothing that would say Texas only. We did have one observer however, claim to have seen a bird with a band in New Mexico, but it was in a tree and not harvested.

One bird harvested travelled 647 miles over a 1,163-day period, while another one stayed within one mile from where it was released 227 days prior. Originally, we were focused on what habitats might be driving their movements whether it be commercial or native grains. But with the number of birds that have moved from heavy farming areas and found headed back towards the place they were trapped, we now

have seen what we would call more of a homing behavior. Some birds released in the valley have been found in central and western parts of Texas. Another interesting find has been the number of birds found in a given area. Seven birds that were released in 2019, six harvested in 2020 and one in 2021 were all trapped in the same area and released in different places throughout the state, but were harvested within two square miles of each other. They would appear to be returning to the area they call home. One thing we don’t know in this ongoing study of the Eurasian Collared Dove is where they go in between being released and harvested. Hopefully one day we will be able to have beacons small enough to attach to the birds with prolonged battery life so we can study their true travels whether they be migrating or homing.

To start off the 2022 season for TBBC entries, TDHA offered an Early Bird contest period of two months where if entered within that time would receive TWO entries in the Early Bird contest for a new gun.

The contest itself is a four-month event from opening day of September 1 to December 31. It is open to anyone hunting dove in Texas with a Texas hunting license. You must be entered by August 31 and willing to submit a polygraph when/if asked. There are three different divisions in the contest, the prize division, the First Flight high school division and the First Flight youth division.

All 27 hunters that reported bands, receive a one-year membership to Texas Dove Hunters Association and a certificate with the history on the bird with the band that they had harvested giving details on that particular bird.

Each year more birds will be trapped, banded, and released in Texas. Bands do not expire from one year to the next, increasing the odds of winning. Hunters must enter annually in order to be eligible to win. The entry fee is $20. The 2023 Texas BB Challenge entries will go on sale April 1, 2023 and can be purchased online at bandedbirdchallenge.com or by calling the office at 210-764-1189. Don’t go to the field without your entry in the Texas BB Challenge!

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Hoffpauir Outdoor Superstore

BRIAN THOMPSON

$500 McKenna Quinn Gift Card

Donated by McKenna Quinn

Bird Belt by Bird Down Brand

100 lb. Road Feeder: Donated by Aluminum Outfitters

TDHA Frio Cedar Picnic Cooler: Donated by Frio

Each prize winner will also receive a Dove Cord

Donated by Dove Cord

Record Buck Ranch

G2 Ranch

Aluminum Outfitters

McKenna Quinn

Baffin Bay Rod & Gun Club

Frio Ice Chests

Bird Down Brand Negrini

Blake Jones Designs

Chambless Game Totes

Cowboys Wild Game Washer

Dove Cord

WE APPRECIATE OUR SPONSORS

REPEAT BUSINESS

What Keeps Clients Coming Back

DOVE HUNTING

has changed so much in the last thirty years. It has become big business with outfitters working hard to select good fields, planting the right crops, and making sure that the fields are attracting and holding dove. After months of scouting, prepping, planning, and watching thousands of dove fly into and out of their fields and tanks, dove can change on a whim. One day there may be hundreds and the next day, none. At that point, the outfitters are scrambling to find other fields with dove or they’re calling to tell you the dove have flown elsewhere, and you may not want to come after all.

Finding an outfitter you know, and trust is a benefit in dove hunting. There are so many good ones out there with many different amenities. Some outfitters have been around for decades and have established an amazing rapport with their clients. Whether they’ve been around for thirty years or are just starting out, there are many good outfitters to choose from. Hunters who find an outfitter they like remain loyal clients for many years.

From California to George West

90-year-old Phil Gangwer and his wife Carol have driven from Clearlake Oaks, California for the past ten years to hunt most of the second season in George West at Katzfey Ranches. They traveled to Mexico to hunt every year, and one day Gangwer’s wife “found Katzfey Ranches on the internet,” and they decided to give it a try.

“From the first day we met Mark Katzfey, we liked him”, said Gangwer. “He treated us with respect and treated us like family; me, my wife, and even our yellow lab, Sprig.”

The Gangwers hunt in the second season because it’s cooler for Sprig. When they arrive, Katzfey has a special place for them to hook up their RV that he set up when they first started coming ten years ago. “Mark feeds his hunters and it’s damn good,” says Gwanger. They also enjoy the camaraderie of sitting around the fire at night and sharing stories with other hunters.

When asked why they come so far to hunt at Katzfey Ranches, Gwanger responded, “We like Mark because he’s honest and always tells it like it is. We get our limit on most every hunt. He works hard to get his clients on dove. One of our favorite things to do with Mark besides dove hunting is to go to his sausage-making party at the end of the season. This year we made 2,600 pounds of sausage.”

“Mark has become a good friend through the years. He even calls and checks on us to make sure we make it back to California ok. Every year has been a good experience. I’m already looking forward to next year,” said Gwanger.

Nearly a Twenty Hour Drive

Retired Army Col. Jeff Young, Christian movie actor Ray Wood and six of their buddies drive nearly twenty hours one-way from Georgia to hunt with Mark Roberts in Uvalde. Ray’s son-in-law found Mark online and they decided to give him a try. The group hunts for five days at the end of the first season. We’ve been to South America and out west, but we just are so happy that we found Mark. He is a good, solid Christian guy and we just like hunting with him,” says Wood. “He always takes such good care of us.”

When asked why they come all the way from Georgia to Uvalde to hunt with Mark Roberts, Young replied, “we’ve shot our limits every time we’ve been with Mark. He knows everybody in the area and he works hard to find birds and has access to lots of great properties. And, we like Uvalde because it’s less commercial and more personal. We like eating at Oasis Outback too.”

“I remember the first time we hunted with Mark. There were a couple of hunters we didn’t know on the same field who weren’t hunting very safely. We told Mark we wanted to hunt on a field by ourselves and he provided it for us the next day,” Young recalls. “Once he took us to a ranch with a big lake that had multiple sunflower fields and mesquite flats. I shot my limit in 25 minutes. Mark puts us on pristine Texas flatland for every hunt. Why would we go anywhere else?”

Fifteen Years and Counting

Bryan Rymer met Joe Elder through a business associate. “It was pure happenstance that I ended up at Elderado in Uvalde. I had a corporate hunting trip with another outfitter that didn’t turn out like it was supposed to and a business associate referred me to Joe. He has always been very accommodating and tailors our trips to the needs of our group,” recalls Rymer.

He booked three corporate hunts at Elderado in 2009 before the lodge was built. “Joe’s wife, Laura Jane, and his mom did all of the cooking and we ate in the Elder’s family dining room. We always enjoyed that it was a family affair,” said Rymer. “After getting to know Joe, my wife and I became really good friends with him and Laura Jane.”

“Joe is a great guy. He’s honest and very customer oriented. He makes you feel like you’re the most important customer he has,” Rymer said. “As with all dove hunting, birds are fickle and don’t always stick around, but Joe has great connections in the area, and he scouts hard to find the best birds. Once he took us to an exotic game ranch to hunt dove. There were lots of exotics running around. The funniest thing was that we looked up and saw a camel walking across the field! We felt like we were at Dr. Doolittle’s petting zoo. The birds were great though.” Rymer says the food, quality of lodging, and camaraderie are amazing and EldeRio, Elder’s River house on the Nueces is a peaceful and serene place to stay as well.”

“I retired three years ago, so I’m not doing the corporate hunts anymore. But we still have a father/son hunt at Elderado every year. I plan to hunt at Elderado as long as Joe is in business or until I die,” states Rymer.

Thirty-Three Years Later

Gary Lawless first went to Cochina Hunting Club for a father/son hunt with a friend of a friend back in 1989. He and most of his friends have gone every year since then. “Cochina is a 30,000-acre ranch, but because dove are migratory birds they don’t always stay there says Lawless. Cochina owner, John Austin, “has leases all over in Dilley, Pearsall, and Carrizo Springs and sends his spotters out to find birds for us.”

“We always enjoy our time in the cantina at night. The food is good and it’s lots of fun. In thirty-three years, we’ve pulled lots of pranks and have stories too numerous to tell. I’ve known John for a long time, and we have developed a friendship through the years,” reminisces Lawless.

Another Cochina client, Brandon Operman recalls, “My dad, was in the group with Gary Lawless back in ’89. He brought out some of his old high school buddies that first year. Now they’re all in their 70s and bringing their sons and grandsons back.” Operman remembers going to Cochina for the first time with his dad in 1990 when he was 14. He hasn’t missed a year since then and is looking forward to taking his 6-year-old son in a few years making him the 4th generation in their family to hunt at Cochina.

“Our group got so big we had to split it. Some of the guys who started in ’89 aren’t living anymore, but a lot are still going back each year on opening weekend. We enjoy sitting around the cantina at night telling stories from past hunts. The hunting is phenomenal; John always puts us on birds. He is friendly, fun, and very accommodating. He’s good at what he does,” says Operman. “We always get our limit. Sometimes it takes longer than others, but we always get them.”

The common theme in all the comments from the clients is that they keep going back because the outfitters put them on birds, and are very accommodating and friendly. Many strong friendships have been developed through the years. If you have an outfitter that you like, stick with him. If not try some different ones until you find the one that is best for you. Going back to the same place with the same people each year is almost like going to a family reunion.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that dove are migratory birds and are unpredictable. Even the best outfitters can’t promise a full bag.

OUTFITTERS IN TEXAS

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Jokreedoutdoors.com

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Bonnie 956-551-9960

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White Winged and Mourning Dove Hunts

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By Reis Ladd

When the topic of highly sentimental jewelry comes about, few people in the general public would argue that an engagement ring, class ring, or even family heirloom would reign supreme, except for maybe the bird hunter. One afternoon in the Ladd family dove field on the outskirts of San Antonio, my uncle’s golden retriever Max delivered to hand a white-winged dove, like so many he had before, or so we thought. As my attention turned back to the birds in the air excited laughter rang out across the field as my Uncle Mike could not help his elation. That particular whitewinged dove had a greyish/silver band around its leg with a phone number etched in the metal. At the time none of us were very interested in waterfowl hunting but knew of the alleged bands that duck and goose hunters hailed of, but admittedly never knew the doves we so often hunted could be decorated with the same jewels.

The practice of banding birds has been around for a large part of human history and dates back to as early as 218 BC when Roman officers tied thread to the legs of birds as a message to troops. An ancient version of the modern day DM. Although not used quite as much on the battlefield today it is common practice for federal agencies and even private entities to band birds of all species for informative purposes. Two species of particular interest to the wing shooter are the mourning dove and the white-winged dove.

At the turn of the 21st century concern arose in the dove world as industry professionals realized there was no true harvest data for North America’s most hunted game bird, the mourning dove. In 2003 the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) initiated a nationwide banding program to get a better idea of mourning dove populations and help potentially track mourning dove harvest rates.

Photo by TPWD

In short, wild mourning doves are captured and issued a malleable metal band that is placed around the leg of the dove. Each band is uniquely numbered and the birds are set free to go on about their life. The intention is that down the road the bird will be recaptured, found dead, or harvested by a hunter. The band is then reported to reportband.gov where biologists with the US Fish and Wildlife Service collect data such as distribution, and migratory routes, and in the case of game birds are able to extrapolate harvest rate and eventually down the line establish bag limits. In exchange, the reporting individual is returned the band as well as an official certificate to serve as mementos of the event. These bands take on a reverend mystique, similar to that of buried treasure, and hold a special place in the hearts of bird hunters.

One of the most unique and crucial aspects of dove banding information is that nearly all dove bands recovered are recovered by hunters. Hunter participation in the banding program as well as the Harvest Information Program (HIP) combine to help biologists and state agencies establish bag limits year to year. The importance and significance of citizen science for dove hunters nationwide is critical and does not go unnoticed by USFWS, “Without hunters, we wouldn’t have the information we do. The citizen science aspect of the programs is critical.” said Mark Seamans with USFWS.

While dove hunting is common across the nation, Texas ranks supreme taking nearly of the total national harvest of mourning doves and almost 90% of white-wings. The state bands nearly 2,800 mourning doves per year and is also the only state that regularly bands white-wings. Along with these Federally

sanctioned programs are private dove banding programs such as the Texas Dove Hunters Association’s Banded Bird Challenge field study on Eurasian Collared doves. It follows the same premise in that these birds are banded with the intent of learning more about their habits, habitat preferences, and migration patterns. Birds harvested with TDHA bands are reported directly to Texas Dove Hunters Association and just like the Federal program, hunters can keep the band and receive a certificate with information on the bird they harvested.

As important as reporting bands is, there are unfortunately a few common misnomers within the hunting community. Relatively prevalent is the notion that individuals may not want to disclose any information to “The Feds” or even the idea that “The Feds” are going to use the information to restrict harvest in a particular area. Hearsay as it may be, I figured the best course of action was to ask Mark Seamans, wildlife biologist for USFWS and head of the Webless Migratory Game Bird Program, these questions. “I am a hunter and want it to be there for my son in the future,” said Seamans. Additionally, I asked Owen Fitzsimmons, Webless Migratory Game Bird Program Leader at Texas Parks and Wildlife the same question and his response was “At the end of the day we are almost all hunters ourselves and are trying to provide more hunting opportunity and sustain the resource for the future.”

I am still waiting for the day to add a dove band to my game strap. The true jewel being the pride of knowing my actions assisted in the conservation of the doves we so love to hunt, ensuring they will be around for future generations.

FROM THE FIELD TO THE TABLE

By Holly Hearn Game Girl Gourmet

I’ll never forget shooting my first dove. It is one of those experiences that is impossible to forget. The excitement that leads to the faint rise in your pulse makes you forget about the sweat falling from your face. It is the typical beginning scene of an early season dove hunt in Texas.

I started bird hunting with my dad when I was around 14, and it was no secret that it quickly became a passion. However, it wasn’t until a bit later in life that I started hunting doves. Dove hunting holds a special place in my heart mainly because the camaraderie surrounding dove hunting is unmatched. We gather around the dove field and set up in groups. We laugh, joke, and listen to music. All of this creates incredible moments that become etched in our minds as memories. There are few things that give you such an easy and deep connection to those around you. However, I’ve found that the feelings conjured up by an incredible dove hunt with your closest friends are strikingly similar to the feelings aroused by sharing an incredible meal following the hunt. The camaraderie around the grill is just as electric as it is in the field. It’s my favorite way to keep the fun going long after the hunt is over.

Doves are migratory birds with meat that is much darker and richer compared to other species of game birds, excluding duck. Consequently, dove has a much stronger flavor. Although, the flavor is milder and more consistent among the different species of doves in comparison to the flavor of ducks. The lean nature of the dove meat can make it a bit tricky to cook. When doves are overcooked, they tend to take on the taste of liver, like most overcooked wild game. They can also develop a poor flavor profile from improper handling techniques in the field.

Field care is the first place to start when thinking about cooking and preparing doves.

We have all been guilty of letting our birds get a little too warm in the field, especially those early September dove hunts where the Texas heat just won’t quit! As major contributing factor to the flavor of dove is how the meat is handled in the field. As a general rule, with all wild game, the faster it’s cooled and the dryer it’s kept, the better the end result on the plate. I highly suggest taking a small cooler with ice and some plastic Ziploc bags with you to the field. Once your bird has been retrieved, place it in the plastic bag and put it on ice.

This will keep your birds clean and dry for photos but will also ensure that the birds are cooling down.

After you have taken your photos, it’s time to clean your birds. Even if they are cool and dry, I would not store them with the feathers on them for too long. When it comes to cleaning birds, there are two options, breasting and plucking. Many people prefer to breast their birds in the field to avoid the mess of plucking at home. There is an excellent article on how to properly breast a dove on the Orvis website if you need more advice. When breasting your birds, be sure to save the hearts for the field-totable recipe following this article.

While breasting your birds out is a quick way to get the most prized meat from the doves, plucking can produce a great product as well. Doves are fairly easy to pluck. The feathers typically release from the skin rather nicely. YouTube has a plethora of videos with more information on how to properly pluck a dove. I find these to be a bit more user friendly than written instructions. Deciding whether to pluck or breast your birds is a personal preference and depends on how you intend to prepare them after the hunt.

The methods for cooking doves are virtually endless. Due to their lean nature, however, it tends to cook rather quickly. Hot and fast is my preferred method. You’ll notice that the overarching theme in the recipes I write for Texas Dove Hunters Magazine is a quick sear on a super-hot pan. One of the biggest mistakes people make when cooking dove, or any wild game is overcooking them. Overcooking your birds will produce a very chewy texture and iron-like flavor 100% of the time. With a bit of preparation though, you can easily enjoy a great meal in the field. Dove poppers are by far the most popular way of cooking dove in the field and at home. It is a little more labor intensive in the field because of the jalapenos, bacon and cream cheese, but delicious nonetheless.

One of my favorite field snacks is marinated and grilled dove hearts. They require almost no prep and can be made on the tailgate with a mini charcoal grill or can be pan-seared in your kitchen. What I like about this recipe is that it isa true field-to-table recipe. While I wouldn’t say... in the field. While I wouldn’t say it constitutes a meal it’s a fun snack to make after a great day in the field.

Field Grilled Dove Hearts

30-40 dove hearts

1-½ cup Soy sauce

1-tbsp Honey *optional

Wood skewers

1. Marinate dove hearts in honey and soy sauce for 20-30 minutes. Place hearts on a wood skewer. Or if you’re feeling really rustic a thin stick from the field

2. Grill over a hot fire or on the hottest sitting on your propane grill for 1-2 minutes

a. If preparing in your home kitcheheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heatand sear for one minute on each.

b. Enjoy!

PAM YOUNG From Paralegal to Shooting Sports

By Meredith Kay

Sometimes life takes us down a path so surprising that it takes years to realize that it was meant to be all along. This perfectly describes the life trajectory of South Texas business owner, Pam Young.

Pam was born and raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, a suburban community located an hour north of Philadelphia. She began her career as a paralegal working for a law firm in Philadelphia. Her family wasn’t into guns or hunting growing up, but when she met and fell in love with Michael Young, her life’s path took an unexpected turn toward a lucrative and fulfilling future working in the sporting arms industry.

Mike and Pam are the proud and ambitious owners of Alamo Sporting Arms, located in Boerne, just outside of San Antonio. When Pam met Mike, he was working for a renowned sporting arms manufacturer, Krieghoff International. He was an accomplished gunsmith and had even trained extensively with the company in Ulm, Germany honing his skills to the bespoke gun manufacturer’s strict artisan specifications. Shortly after getting married the couple had an opportunity to work for the Krieghoff dealership in Vero Beach, Florida, and Pam became hooked on the industry sparking her love for sport shooting. She even began to accompany her husband on shooting expeditions with clients of high-end rifles and sporting arms.

After 14 years in Florida, the couple then decided to branch out on their own, when the opportunity to own their own authorized dealership in San Antonio San Antonio was presented in 2008. Mike and Pam have earned much respect in the sporting arms community, and their knowledge and honesty have earned them a reputation as one of the most creative and reliable sporting arms dealers in the U.S. Pam oversees client relations and inventory, while Mike helps clients come up with unique concepts and component combinations that will ultimately produce a sporting rifle or shotgun that is destined to become a family heirloom.

As Pam’s love for shooting has grown through the years, she has been able to connect with other women passionate about the sport as well. She has participated in shooting expeditions around the world and had the opportunity to meet people, and experience a life, that others can only dream about. The world of sport shooting is still predominantly led by men, but ladies are beginning to make their mark, as sports enthusiasts are passing on this passion to the younger generations, raising confident and competent shooters educated in the finer points of the sport. It was her love of the sport, and the desire to connect with more women passionate about shooting, that led Pam and her friend, Amber Haynes, to create a Texas Hill Country Chapter of G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Really into Shooting). Amber owns McKenna Quinn, a company that designs and manufactures high-end clothing specifically designed for women who hunt and shoot. Amber, who grew up hunting with her father, is passionate about helping other women foster their love for hunting and shooting, and is proud to work with Pam, bringing G.R.I.T.S. to the Hill Country.

“I think G.R.I.T.S. is a great organization. It gives us a chance to encourage more women in shooting sports, and it creates a pathway to introducing new lady shooters to the sport, and this is very important to me,” says Amber.

G.R.I.T.S. is a national organization dedicated to encouraging and mentoring women in shooting sports, and Pam and Amber lead events and expeditions that allow Texas women interested in shooting to come together in a welcoming, non-competitive, social atmosphere that fosters sisterhood and community. The group welcomes women and girls of all ages and experience levels, and they are always looking for new members. Membership dues are only $50 per year, and members receive exclusive access to gun clubs, discounts with trusted vendors, and invitations to shooting events both locally and around the country.

Pam says, “Women who are just learning to shoot can feel intimidated in such a male-dominated environment, so G.R.I.T.S. tries to create a place where all women can find mentors to help them fine-tune their skills while gaining confidence in the field that will take them to that next level.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON G.R.I.T.S., GO TO GRITSGOBANG.ORG

“Life’s Path is not Always a Straight Shot”

-Pam Young

FIRST DOVE HUNT Teaming Up with First-Time Hunters

Last fall, Texas Dove Hunters Association (TDHA) member Rob Gowan, who handled veteran affairs for Texas Senator Donna Campbell, M.D., reached out to Bobby Thornton, the founder of TDHA asking about any opportunities to take Senator Campbell and her staff on a dove hunt. They knew that Gowan was an avid hunter and expressed an interest in experiencing some time in the field on a dove hunt.

Thornton spoke with Mimi Sams from Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation (LSONF), whose mission is to “provide opportunities for people to go out into the field recruiting hunters and anglers for a lifetime.” Together they teamed up with Poco Loco Paloma Outfitters to introduce Senator Campbell and her staff to the sport of dove hunting. The day began at Red Sand Ranch in Batesville with the Senator, members of her staff, representatives from Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation, Texas Dove Hunters Association, and Wilkerson’s Gun Shop.

The first thing on the agenda following introductions was a safety meeting followed by practice shooting clays for everyone to get comfortable handling a shotgun. Before heading out to the field near La Pryor, Senator Campbell told the group that she has always fought for Second Amendment rights but had never held a shotgun. She asked everyone to share their thoughts on existing and proposed gun laws. People had their own stories about how they were introduced to hunting and firearms, who taught them gun safety, and all the valuable lessons they learned growing up hunting.

The dove were not overly plentiful that day, but all of the hunters managed to harvest their first dove, with some harvesting more. After the hunt, the crew returned to Red Sand Ranch where they learned how to clean their birds and gathered around the kitchen for an amazing spread of appetizers including dove poppers with a secret glaze. It was a day to remember, thanks to the great folks from Poco Paloma and Red San Ranch.

The stories she heard along with the hunting experience provided Senator Campbell with firsthand experience with firearms used for recreation. We are thankful for those in office who continue to fight for our second amendment rights.

By Staff Writer

PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD

7TH ANNUAL HUNT WITH HEART HUNT

By Joe and Angelica Drescher

TDHA

and Hunt with Heart (HwH) teamed up again this past October for our 7th annual dove hunt. The hunt, weather, and field provided were all top-notch, but the best part was that the twelve Hunt with Heart members who participated harvested a record number of dove (176). Some of the members have been on previous dove hunts with us, while there were also several new ones this year.

Danny and Valerie Hernandez and Double H Outfitters have always been gracious, allowing our members to utilize their premium hunting spots and providing meals. Bird Down Brand has been an event sponsor and second to none in support of TDHA and HwH for many years. We are so thankful for the generosity and partnerships with both of them.

TDHA and HwH volunteers show up annually to guide our kids and families on these featured hunts providing one guide per family. Without the continued support of these volunteers, days like this in the field would not be possible. We owe our deepest gratitude to everyone who works so hard to make everything run smoothly.

The partnership between Texas Dove Hunters Association and Hunt with Heart with each year’s dove hunt has provided a positive dove hunting experience for our kids and families year after year. The folks at TDHA have stated that this is their “favorite” and most anticipated hunt each year.

Each year our families ask, “when is the dove hunt taking place? How many can go this year? Will the hunt be in the same place this year? Will this be the only hunt this year?” All these questions show the mutual feeling and anticipation from both organizations.

Without a doubt, the annual dove hunts have provided many memories to our kids and families that will last a lifetime. We love the TDHA volunteers and what they represent to the hunting community and our organization. Without the efforts of

TDHA, our organization would be short of watching our kids and families enjoy God’s beauty and splendor.

The hunts are coordinated months before they take place to ensure that every detail and possible issue is covered and that the best possible hunt and adventure are provided.

Hunt with Heart is a non-profit organization founded in 2012. It all began when Nick, a young child battling congenital heart disease, dreamed of one day having an opportunity to hunt and enjoy the great outdoors once he was released from the hospital. Thanks to Nick’s

dream, we now proudly serve over 100 children battling severe, life-threatening illnesses, most with congenital heart defects, through camps outdoor activities, and family assistance. These adventures provide a perfect opportunity for our families to enjoy the outdoors while forming life-long friendships, especially during times of crisis. Hunt with Heart is devoted to assisting them as they encounter life’s challenges of ongoing medical visits. We also aid with lodging, parking, and food during extended medical visits. For more information, go to huntwithheart.org

They are truly the heart of the organization.

Joe and Angelica Drescher serve as the head guide and family liaison, respectively, for Hunt with Heart.

Steel Mug –with Texas Dove Hunters logo

DOVE BREAST BULGOGI

Holly

Holly Hearn

Game Girl Gourmet

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Brown Sugar

3 cloves grated Garlic

1 tsp ground Ginger

1 tsp Gochujang

1 tsp Toasted Sesame

Green Onion

Jasmine Rice

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Mix Together soy sauce, brown sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger 1 tsp of gochujang, and toasted sesame in a small bowl. Marinate the dove breast for 2-3 hours in the fridge

2 Heat 1 -2 tbsp of a high temp oil over medium high heat and quickly sear the breast to rare. Remove from heat

3 Serve over cooked jasmine rice with green onion and sesame seeds

HUNTING WITH SOLDIERS

By Gordon Melton, Founder and President

HHunting with Soldiers is a non-profit organization that provides hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities to combat veterans of all wars, and all branches of the military with the sole purpose of getting them into the great outdoors to give them the healing from PTSD that only Mother Nature can provide.The only requirement is that they must have been in combat in order to qualify for the program.

Many injuries are not seen. Many combat Veterans come back and suffer from PTSD. They are sent to doctors to discuss their situations as well as given many medications. Oftentimes, due to the fact the soldiers say is written down or recorded, many do not discuss everything. When these men and women get outdoors and sit around the campfire, they can talk with like-minded individuals and share stories. What they say is never repeated, thus allowing much of their nightmares to disappear with the smoke of the campfire. They refer to this as outdoor medication.

Everything including food and accommodations are provided for these outdoor experiences. The only responsibility the soldiers have is to get to the location, relax, have a good time and heal. Another thing Hunting with Soldiers provides hunting adventures for the children of combat Veterans. Since the goal is for the healing of PTSD, what better way to heal than for the combat Veteran to get out into the outdoors with their

son or daughter. Our only rule is that the child must be 16 or under.

Hunting with Soldiers hosted their third annual dove hunt weekend just outside of Olney, TX this past September. The Veterans met at a local church that provided an early dinner, then headed to the ranch for the evening dove hunt followed by lots of time for talking and camaraderie. There were morning and evening hunts as well as fishing on Saturday and more fantastic food. Everyone had a great time, and a lot of good conversations were had just sitting around and enjoying the outdoors. Aside from dove hunts other recent events have included whitetail deer, hog, axis and pheasant hunts throughout the state as well as fishing trips.

With the high rate of combat Veterans committing suicide, Hunting with Soldiers strives to provide opportunities to assist soldiers in the healing process through a relaxing outdoor atmosphere with others who have walked a similar path. In this effort to give back to those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, since its inception in 2007, this organization has prided itself on has being operated by an all-volunteer staff allowing 100% of the donated funds to go directly to the mission. It is the belief of the organization that the great outdoors is a far better approach to mental healing than any medication.

For more information or to apply for an outdoor adventure, go to huntingwithsoldiers.org.

The Founder and President of Hunting with Soldiers, Gordon Melton, is a disabled Veteran and knows firsthand the trials and tribulations that soldiers endure on a daily basis.