2002 Hunting Trips Reports
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11/8/02 – 11/9/02 Duck/Goose Hunt
The 4th Annual Duck/Goose hunt, held on 11/9/02, was a good hunt for the duck hunters but poor for the goose hunters. We had two groups hunting ducks and one group hunting geese (17 hunters and two sons – 19 total participants). Ron Denison’s duck hunting group shot 29 ducks and Larry Dowden’s duck hunting group shot 24 ducks. The six goose hunters were hurt by a bright sunny day and water everywhere. We shot 14 geese (105 less than last year). Only two snow geese were taken. On the bright side Ryan Rowley shot his first goose.
9/19/02 – 9/22/02 Dove Retreat
Thirty seven participants, including 28 hunters and our first ever members wife at a Dove Retreat (Julie Pollock) had a great time at the 11th Annual Fall Dove Retreat on 9/19/02 – 9/22/02 on Lee Ewald’s ranches. The weather was cooler than what we usually experience, and the property was heavy with green vegetation from 30 inches of rain over the past year. Several men limited out on Friday. Saturday was tougher hunting, but some limits were taken. Sunday saw more birds flying in flocks, but they were high and fast for the most part. A few birds were taken. Ryan Rowley is noted for bagging more birds than his father, me (Randy Rowley), for the first time ever on Sunday morning. He got fours birds to my one. Mr. Ewald led us in song and Jim McGee led us in a Bible Study on Saturday night. A gift (an eagle sculpture on a wooden plaque with Isaiah 40:31 on it) was presented to Mr. Ewald for allowing us to hunt on his property and the integrity and honesty that he has consistently demonstrated to the Club.
9/2/02 Dove Hunt
Twenty four participants (22 hunters) had a great time of fellowship at a 9/2/02 Dove Hunt near Mason. Unfortunately the hunting was only fair for 20 of the hunters. Warren Hoke managed the only limit. The morning hunt saw the most birds taken but we had some excitement for about an hour during the afternoon hunt when a small storm blew in. David Chalmers and Warren reported that this was the worst hunt that they have had in Mason during the eight years that they have hunted there. The one bright spot was Jack Shelton and Virgil Vargus hunted with a different outfitter and saw hundreds of birds. Virgil reported shooting six boxes during the morning hunt alone.
2/1/02 – 2/3/02 Hog Hunt
Ten participants (nine hunters) had a great time at the 4th Annual Hog Hunt on 2/1/02 to 2/3/02 with Texas Wild near Cross at the El Potrillo Ranch. I, Randy Rowley, led the way with an approximately 120 lb. sow shot about 12:00 PM on the first day as we were touring the ranch. That night I added a 175 lb. boar shot only 15 minutes after I got into my stand. David Chalmers shot a 140 lb. boar and Tim and Jesse Price added approximately 50 lb. sows to the tally also that evening. On Saturday Tim shot a bobcat with his .22 rifle. Guest Eddie Lee Toohey shot a Javelina on Sunday morning. Eddie Lee and guest Jim Bob Cohenour missed a sow on Friday evening, or we would have had a tally of six. Still, with five hogs killed, this was the second best hog hunt that we ever had.
1/11/02 – 1/13/02 Winter Dove Retreat
Six hunters had a great time at the 9th Annual Winter Dove Retreat on 1/11/02 – 1/13/02 Dove Hunt on two properties (one near Pearsall and the other near Pleasanton) with Smith Brothers Ranches. The Pearsall property had spotty birds, although Tim Price managed to kill seven on Saturday. The Sunday morning hunt was poor, so we moved to the Pleasanton property. Ron Denison started the hunt with by shooting two white wings that made the mistake of heading straight at him. Ron ended up with a limit. I, Randy Rowley, started the day hot (four birds with five shots) but fizzled out as the day wore on (seven birds with seventeen shots). Ryan Rowley killed two dove and Kelvin Cheung killed one dove and one quail. The boys also killed a jack rabbit.