10/19/19 – 10/27/19 National Sporting Clays Championship Tournament

FCS will participate in the National Sporting Clays Championship Tournament at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio on Saturday, 10/19/19 – Sunday, 10/27/19.   Note that if you are not a National Association (NSCA) member you will be shooting Hunter (or Shooter) Class, which means that you will not be eligible to win any prize money, nor will your score be posted on their website.  Membership with the NSCA is $40 per year.  Contact Bruce Crockett at bmc55@att.net or 512-970-7797 if you have any questions.

11/9/19 ‘Give ’em the Bird’ NSCA Sporting Clays Tournament

FCS will participate in the next Capital Clays sporting clays tournament on Saturday, 11/9/19.  There is an online registration form (pre-registration is requested, not required). The main event (100 targets) price is $70. We can have groups of up to five but must have a group of at least three (not all have to be FCS members). We may have time to shoot a practice round of skeet. Note that if you are not a National Association (NSCA) member you will be shooting Hunter (or Shooter) Class, which means that you will not be eligible to win any prize money, nor will your score be posted on their website. Membership with the NSCA is $40 per year. There will also be a 50 Target 5-Stand Event, 50 Target Side Event, and Concurrent options. Capital Clays is located at 8707 Lindell Lane.  Their phone number is 512-272-4707. Contact Bruce Crockett at bmc55@att.net or 512-970-7797 if you have any questions.

11/16/19 ‘Copperhead Creek Tournament’ NSCA Sporting Clays Tournament

FCS will participate in the next Copperhead Creek Shooting Club in Marble Falls Sporting Clays Tournament on Saturday, 11/16/19.  There is an online registration form (pre-registration is requested, not required).  The main event (100 targets) price is $70.  We can have groups of up to five but must have a group of at least three (not all have to be FCS members).  We may have time to shoot a practice round of skeet.  Note that if you are not a National Association (NSCA) member you will be shooting Hunter (or Shooter) Class, which means that you will not be eligible to win any prize money, nor will your score be posted on their website.  Membership with the NSCA is $40 per year.  There will also be a 50 Target Side Event and Concurrent options.  Contact Bruce Crockett at bmc55@att.net or 512-970-7797 if you have any questions.

11/23/19 FCS Monthly Sporting Clays Shoot

FCS will host our next monthly Sporting Clays shoot on Saturday, 11/23/19, from 9:00 – 11:15 AM at Capital Clays.  We’ll shoot one round of 50 sporting clays.  We’ll probably shoot their red course (formerly called the corporate/hunter course).

You can shoot singles, report pairs or true pairs… or you can follow the menu at each station which is a mix of true pairs and report pairs.  We keep score just for fun and keep a history log on the web site so you can see how you have improved over time.

• 9:05 AM – Sporting clays
• 10:45 AM – Scores and announcements
• 11:15 AM – Depart

Who should come: Members and guests, including ladies and youth, both new shooters and experienced.  We usually have around 10 participants, and we break up into groups of 4 – 5.  Note that the larger the group, the longer it will take to shoot.  We recommend all shooters be at least 10 years old.  For youths, we suggest a 20 gauge that fits the child (if a youth shoots a .410 he or she will probably miss a lot and may get discouraged).  We often have new shooters and delight in teaching others what we have learned.

Cost and what to bring: Each 50 round course costs $23.27/person (includes tax).  If you don’t have a shotgun you can use one of ours.  Most of us shoot 12 gauge, but 20 gauge is good also. Capital Clays requires eye and ear protection (available free of charge at Capitol Clays).  They sell shotgun shells if you need them (but you can get them cheaper at Academy, Walmart, etc.).  You’ll need to bring two boxes of shells per round of sporting clays.  Randy Rowley recommends Winchester Game Loads /Federal Game and Target Loads / Estate Dove Loads / Rio Game Loads / Remington Sure Shot Heavy Dove Loads / Estate Dove and Target Loads. All of which are sometimes available at Academy.  1 oz or 1-1/8 oz loads and 1250-1300 FPS and 7-1/2 or 8 shot work well. They all sell for $5.50 – $7.00/box.  All six are great dove/quail loads in addition to being good clay target loads. If you’re a dove/quail hunter, Randy recommends that for you shoot sporting clays with the same load that you use to hunt dove/quail.  This enables you to develop consistent leads for similarly sized targets.  Most of the targets on their Red course are close enough for skeet chokes, but IC works just fine.

Location: 8707 Lindell Lane (near the Travis County Exposition Center and Lake Decker)

Capital Clay’s phone number: 512-272-4707

Weather – In the event of rain: Light rain – we shoot.  Heavy rain – we stay home and Bruce Crockett or Randy will send out a notice of cancellation.

Questions:  Contact Bruce at bmc55@att.net or 512-970-7797 or Randy at randywrowley@gmail.com or 512-922-2484.

11/30/19 Guided Duck Hunt

FCS will go on a guided duck hunt with The Drake Plantation on 11/30/19 near Winnie, which is around 248 miles from Austin, so you probably will want to go down and spend the night in a motel the day before.  The best deal right now is a Motel Six in Winnie that runs $53 per night for two double beds.

FCS has not hunted with the Drake Plantation before, but they have an excellent reputation.  Mike Walsh has hunted with them and says that they are top knotch.

The cost is $200.  We also usually give a 20% ($40) tip.  You’ll need at least rubber hip boots (waders would be better – Neoprene/insulated are recommended when it’s cold) and a face cover.  Steel shot (2 shot is recommended), your hunting license with a migratory bird stamp and a federal duck stamp, and a shotgun plugged for a three shell limit are required.  The super combo license does not include the federal duck stamp.

They will set out the decoys, call the birds in, retrieve them, and clean the birds after the hunt.  The limit is four hunters.  RSVP required to Ian Daniels at Idaniels@austin.rr.com (his preference) or 512-633-2221.  Also contact Ian if you have any questions.

12/12/19 FCS Meeting and Wild Game (Probably Venison) Stew

Our next FCS Meeting (social activity) and wild game (probably venison) stew will be on Thursday, 12/12/19, 7:00 – 9:30 PM at Wayne Weilnau’s home (16100 Fritsch Cove, Austin, 512-388-3340 – Home, 512-589-4120 – Cell).  The cost should be approximately $5/person.  RSVP is required to Randy Rowley to ensure that we’ll have enough food at randywrowley@gmail.com (his preference) or 512-922-2484 before 12/11/19.  Let Randy know if you have a recent hunting, fishing, or shooting experience or tip that you would like to share.  In addition, contact Randy if you have any questions.

Schedule:

7:00 PM – fellowship, cook, and eat dinner

8:30 PM – president’s report, upcoming events, and short devotional

9:00 PM – DVD

9:30 PM – depart

12/28/19 Guided Duck Hunt

FCS will go on a guided duck hunt with Ricky Ethridge on 12/28/19.  Ricky has properties near Marquez, Donie, Cameron, Bastrop, and south of DFW.  We most often hunt near Marquez, which is around 110 miles from Austin, so you might want to go down and spend the night in a motel the day before.  The best deal right now is an American Inn & Suites in Jewett that runs $64 per night for two double beds.

We have had several successful hunts with Ricky in the past, including getting a limit of 39 ducks on the 12/8/18 Guided Duck Hunt with Ricky near Donie (see the below picture).

The cost is $125.  We also usually give a 20% ($25) tip.  You’ll probably not need waders, but bring at least mud boots.  A face cover is needed.  Steel shot, your hunting license with a migratory bird stamp and a federal duck stamp, and a shotgun plugged for a three shell limit are required.  The super combo license does not include the federal duck stamp.

Ricky will set out the decoys, call the birds in, retrieve them, and clean the birds after the hunt.  The limit is six hunters and is full.  Contact Ian Daniels to be added to his ‘will-call list’ in case someone drops out at Idaniels@austin.rr.com or 512-633-2221).  Also contact Ian if you have any questions.

1/9/20 – 1/12/20 Self-guided/chartered Coastal Blast and Cast (Duck Hunt and Bay Fishing Trip)

FCS will host a self-guided/chartered Coastal Blast and Cast on 1/9/19 – 1/12/19 at Port O’Connor.  Eight of us will stay at Wayne Weilnau’s house in Port O’Connor and four of us will stay at the Captain’s Quarters.  This trip is limited to twelve people (four per boat) counting Wayne, Daryl Shipper, and me (the boat captains) and we are full.  Wayne will go down there on 1/9/19.  Daryl and Randy will go down there on 1/10/19.  We will hunt in the afternoons and fish in the mornings.

Cost:  We’ll eat out and share the vehicle gas and boat gas.  There will be a $150 house cleaning fee and the Captain’s Quarters fee that will be divided by everyone except Wayne.  Everyone will buy his or her own bait, if we fish with bait.  Wayne typically does not fish with bait.  Daryl and Randy often do.

What to bring:

• Hunting license, state migratory bird stamp, federal duck stamp, and saltwater fishing license (the super combo license does not include the federal duck stamp)
• Shotgun
• Shotgun case (a floating case is recommended)
• Shotgun shells (Winchester Xpert shells or equivalent in 2 shot (the 1550 FPS variant), chambered for 3 inch (if your gun is also chambered for 3 inch); Randy does not recommend anything smaller than 4 shot. 10 gauges and 3 1/2 inch shells in 3 1/2 inch chambered 12 gauges are overkill for ducks, in my opinion; steel shot (if of adequate size) will kill ducks – there is no need for Hevi-shot, Tungsten, Bismuth, etc. (you’ll pay a lot more for those shells and they aren’t needed))
• Shotgun shells bag, vest, or box (a floating blind bag is recommended)
• Headlamp or cap light
• Camo outer hunting clothes (including a face mask or face paint – absolutely essential)
• Waders (absolutely essential)
• Bucket or stool
• Fishing rods/reels (maximum of two) and tackle
• Snacks (optional)
• Drinks (optional)
• A small to medium sized ice chest to take your ducks and fish home in (there are large ice chests on the boats to put your drinks and snacks in)

Randy has two pairs of waders (one in boot size 11 and one in boot size 10), a floating gun case, a bucket, a headlamp, a hat lamp, around 14 ice chests of various sizes, three filet knives, eight baitcaster rods/reels that he’ll be happy to loan, if you let him know before we leave.

Contact Wayne Weilnau to be added to his ‘will-call’ list in case someone drops out at txfalcon59@gmail.com or 512-589-4120.  Also contact Wayne if you have any questions.

Binh Chu, Michael Armstrong, and Wayne Weilnau at the 1/05/18 – 1/07/18 Blast & Cast near Port O’Connor

Incoming!

Take ’em!

1/12/20 Guided Duck Hunt

FCS will go on a guided duck hunt with Rayce Jenkins on Sunday, 1/12/20 near El Campo, which is 154 miles from Austin, so you might want to go down and spend the night in a motel the day before.  The best deal right now is a Days Inn in El Campo that runs $64 per night for two double beds.

We have had several successful hunts with Rayce, including getting a limit of 23 ducks on the 1/18/16 Guided Duck Hunt  (see the below picture).

The cost is $175.  We also usually give a 20% ($35) tip.  You’ll probably not need waders, but bring at least mud boots.  A face cover is needed.  Steel shot, your hunting license with a migratory bird stamp and a federal duck stamp, and a shotgun plugged for a three shell limit are required.  The super combo license does not include the federal duck stamp.

Rayce will set out the decoys, call the birds in, retrieve them, and clean the birds after the hunt.  The limit is 12 hunters and five spots are open.  RSVP is required to Ian Daniels at Idaniels@austin.rr.com (his preference) or 512-633-2221.  In addition, a $50 deposit is required to Rayce.  Contact Ian if you have any questions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Event participants are expected to follow the FCS Rules of Conduct.

Event participants will be required to sign FCS liability waivers for events that involve risks, if they have not already done so.

FCS membership is not required in order to participate or attend FCS events; however, if you are interested here is how to join.

Members and guests, feel free to bring your spouse, child, and/or a friend (but RSVP for him, her, or them and pay in advance, if required).  However, see the hierarchy preference below.

Be aware that for events where we have a limit on the number of people that we can take that the hierarchy preference is as follows:

1. Supporting members
2. Spouses and minor children of supporting members
3. Members who are not current with their dues
4. Spouses and minor children of members who are not current in their dues
5. Guests
6. Spouses and minor children of guests

To quote the old American Express TV commercial “Membership has its privileges.”

People who are 18 years of age or older are considered to be adults for purposes of figuring out a person’s share of lodging, gas, etc. For dividing up food costs, for example, minors may be treated as adults, depending on their size (e.g., a 12-year-old boy who eats as much as a man will be charged as a man, and not as a child).

The president, vice president, and event coordinators are told dozens of things each work day. They also are told numerous things pertaining to FCS each week. With the amount of information that they receive they will inevitably forget some of it. Therefore, it is much better for you to RSVP via email than to call them. (If you call them, please follow it up with an email.) Some events have space limitations and the event coordinators have to ensure that we do not bring too many people. Please help them to prevent overbooking by emailing your RSVP to them. Also, if you text them be sure to let them know who you are.