If you look at our Calendar and Information on Frequently-hosted FCS Events you’ll see that we include abundant details.  Probably 99% of the inquiries that we receive on upcoming events pertain to information that has already been posted (such as “where are we meeting?” and “when are we meeting?”).  Please read the event details before you contact the event coordinator.

If we will be hunting under the jurisdiction of a particular entity (such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – USACE) we’ll include a link to their website.  From there you can go to their Recreation page then their hunting page to see what their rules are (for example).  Please do not ask the event coordinator to look up a USACE rule (for example) for you that you can look up just as easily as he can.

Contact Randy at randy@followinghistrail.org (his preference) or 512-922-2484.  He’ll mail one to you for $14 (including shipping and the mailer; that’s 2/3 of the Amazon price).  His Venmo is @Randy-W-Rowley, and his PayPal is @randywrowley.  He’ll also bring books to FCS meetings, so members can save from paying the $4 shipping fee, and will sign them there.

FCS guided upland bird hunts require up to four hours of walking while carrying a shotgun, ammo, drinks, dead birds (if the guide’s bag is full), etc.  Hunters quickly getting to a dog on point is essential for success, as upland game birds sometimes run when they detect the dog.  It is also essential for safety, as it’s unwise for a hunter to walk up behind the other hunters when dogs are flushing birds.  Consequently, these hunts are not recommended for hunters who can’t get to a dog on point quickly or keep up with the other hunters.

FCS duck hunts usually require wading in bays/lakes/rivers/ponds at night, with only a cap light or headlamp for illumination, while carrying a shotgun, ammo, stool, drinks, etc.  Self-guided hunts also require putting out and picking up decoys and retrieving dead ducks.  Hunters sometimes get stuck in the mud while wading and trip over stumps and logs/branches.  Being able to get yourself unstuck if stuck in the mud and back on your feet if you’ve fallen is essential.  Consequently, these hunts are not recommended for hunters who can’t do that quickly.

Randy Rowley highly recommends that you pay for FCS events in full that require it and Airbnb lodging and some other lodging providers via PayPal.  He’s made over 200 eBay PayPal transactions along with easily that many from other vendors without any problems.  This is not true of checks, which can become lost in the mail or stolen out of someone’s mailbox, which is what happened to some of our 2017 Guided Upland Bird Hunt deposit checks (they were stolen from Mike Schumann’s mailbox).  PayPal is an option for people to join FCS, renew their memberships, or donate on our website.

PayPal: You can pay online on the right side of any page on the FCS website.  Click the “Donate” button below “Donate to FCS (Via PayPal, Or Credit/Debit Card If You Check Out AS A GUEST).”  Enter The Amount Of Your Payment.  There are no transaction fees within the US when you send money from your linked bank account or pay via your PayPal balance.  If you pay via PayPal credit or via a credit or debit card, there is a PayPal fee of 2.9% plus 0.30 (that they take out automatically).

It’s very easy to open a PayPal account.  Just go to www.paypal.com.  Click “Sign Up” on the top right.  Click “Personal Account” (unless you want to make it a business account).  Fill in the information requested (legal first name, last name, email address, and create a password and confirm it).  Then add the bank account or credit card that you want PayPal to debit purchases from and you’re done.

When paying with PayPal you can choose the “PayPal Credit” option which allows you to pay out purchases over six months at 0% interest (and charges you like a credit card if you don’t pay it out over six months).  Randy uses this option a lot for bigger purchases such as his duck mounts.

You can get a PayPal app for your smartphone that’s even faster than using their website.  Randy guarantees you that once you’ve paid via PayPal a couple of times it will be a lot faster than writing out a check, stuffing it in an envelope, addressing the envelope, putting a stamp on it, and mailing it.  Plus, you’ll save a lot of money by not having to buy stamps.  Because of PayPal and his debit card, Randy now only has to mail one to two checks per year.

Unfortunately, Venmo does not currently offer peer-to-peer donations for non-profits (even though we’re not a non-profit, they still consider us as one).

Check: You can also mail a payment in full check to Randy at 1007 Oak Hollow Dr., Leander, TX 78641.  Make your check out to FCS.  He’ll deposit it and pay the landowner/outfitter/guide or lodge provider via PayPal.  If you make it out to the landowner/outfitter/guide or lodge provider, Randy will notify you so you can send him a corrected check.  You can also give Randy a check whenever you see him.

Randy does not accept cash for deposits and lodging, as he can’t deposit cash remotely like he can checks.

I, Randy Rowley, host several self-guided duck/teal hunts on central Texas lakes, within 110 miles of Austin.

Do not expect limits on these hunts, as I have a full-time job, am not a guide, hunt on Saturdays or state of Texas holidays (usually), and hunt on highly pressured lakes in an area of Texas that is not known for great duck hunting.  Our results have usually been far from great on the lakes, especially since the 2016/2017 season.  Here is our scorecard to date:

Some of our successes include:

I can take up to three adult hunters (four including me) on my 2019 20-foot 3-inch camo Excel Bay Pro 203 with a 115 HP Yamaha motor, which has a camo blind that sits on top of it (see below).

Here is my first motor boat, Bob, all brushed out (below the hunter’s head).  However, as we usually don’t want to leave an hour earlier than we normally do (2:00 – 3:00 AM), we rarely brush out my boat.

Note that these hunts usually require wading in water at night, with only a cap light or head lamp for illumination, while carrying a shotgun, ammo, drinks, etc.  They also require putting out and picking up decoys and retrieving dead ducks.  Hunters sometimes get stuck in muddy lake/river/pond bottoms and trip over stumps and logs.  Being able to get yourself unstuck if stuck in the mud and back on your feet if you’ve fallen is essential.  Consequently, these hunts are not recommended for hunters who have difficulty freeing themselves from the mud or getting back up if they’ve fallen.

We will hunt either Lakes Granger, Stillhouse Hollow (aka Stillhouse), Somerville, or Waco in their Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).  Lake Belton is our last choice as we’ve hunted it seven times (three times in the Owl Creek WMA, twice in the Iron Bridge WMA, once in the White Flint WMA, and once from the shores of Fort Hood) and only fired shots on the Fort Hood hunt.  We also didn’t see hardly any ducks within range from the WMAs.  In order to hunt Lake Belton successfully you need a flat bottom boat, which I don’t have, to get up the shallow Leon River.

All five lakes are administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).  We will hunt until 8:30 – 10:30 AM, depending on how the ducks are flying and the weather conditions (ducks often fly longer when it is overcast).

We will not hunt Lake Georgetown.  The USACE requires a Small Game Permit to hunt waterfowl.  The Lake Georgetown Project Office will only issue 50 small game permits each season.  Small game permits will be administered through an application and a random drawing process and there is a $25 application fee.

We have had our best hunts on Granger and Stillhouse Hollow, so they’re tied for my first choice.  Somerville is my third choice.

Granger does not require a USACE lake hunting permit.  However, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) leases Granger’s WMA’s; consequently, a TPWD annual public hunting permit is required.  The cost is $48/year.  If we decide to hunt Granger we will hunt in the San Gabriel, Willis Creek, or Sore Finger WMA’s.  Friendship Park on Granger is 47 miles from my house.

Stillhouse and Waco do not require a TPWD annual Public hunting permit nor a USACE lake hunting permit (see http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/stillhouse/Recreation/Hunting.asp).

If we decide to hunt Stillhouse we’ll launch at Riversbend Park (51 miles from my house) and hunt in the Union Grove WMA on the island (the side depends on the direction of the wind) or in a small cove.  Or we’ll launch at Cedar Gap Park and hunt in the Gravel Crossing or Twin Creek WMA’s, up the Lampasas River, but that area is very stumpy so I usually don’t hunt it.

If we decide to hunt Waco (which we never have) we’ll hunt either in the Flat Rock hunting area or in the Hog Creek or Middle Bosque hunting areas.  Depending on where we hunt, Waco is 58 – 65 miles further than Granger (99 – 106 miles from my house), so we’ll have to leave an hour earlier than we would if we were going to hunt Granger.  Note that all hunters who hunt on Lake Waco must sign a Disclaimer and Waiver of Liability and have it in their possession while hunting.  Also, duck hunters on Lake Waco must wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange material (144 square inches on both chest and back) and some type of orange headwear when leaving their hunting destinations.  In addition, no hunting is permitted around Waco Wetlands.  We’ve yet to hunt Waco, so the jury is still out on it.

Somerville does not require a USACE lake hunting permit.  You’ll need a TPWD annual public hunting permit if we hunt in the TPWD day hunt area (the undeveloped area designated by the yellow line on the below map).  We must hunt from my boat, be far enough from the shoreline that our shot will not fall on dry land, and must not set up so that we’re shooting in the direction of the shoreline.  If we hunt in the “developed” area of Nails Creek Park (the area designated by the orange line on the below map) we must hunt from my boat at least 200 yards from shore.  We cannot hunt in the area designated by the red line on the below map.  The USACE day hunt area does not require a TPWD annual public hunting permit, although we can only hunt from the shore in that area (we can’t hunt from my boat), so it’s my last choice.  Somerville is 54 miles further than Granger (95 miles from my house), so we’ll have to leave an hour earlier than we would if we were going to hunt Granger.  We’ve only had one good hunt on Somerville, so it’s my next to last choice.

Costs:

• The participants (excluding me, if my boat is being used) will split the vehicle and boat gas (the amount depends on the distance traveled and the number of people sharing the gas), boat launch fees (if applicable; no more than $5 each), and toll road fees (if we take any).  I have to replace my boat’s starter battery, trailer tires and wheel bearings, etc. more quickly due to taking FCS members and guest on such trips than I would if I didn’t take FCS members and guests on such trips, and pay boat and trailer insurance; therefore, I am exempt from the above expenses.
• If we’re not using my boat then I’ll join the other participants on splitting the vehicle gas and toll road feeds (if we take any).
• We’ll stop at Whataburger on the way to the lake and might stop for second breakfast or brunch on the way home.

We typically launch at free ramps so there isn’t a boat launch or state or county park fee.

What to Bring:

• Texas hunting license and migratory bird endorsement and federal duck stamp.  If you bought a super combo license it includes your hunting license and migratory bird endorsement but does not include a federal duck stamp.
• Shotgun.  A 12 gauge piston-operated semi-automatic is recommended (but keep them clean, as if they get gunked up they’ll stop working).  A recoil (aka inertia)-operated semi-automatic takes second place (as they kick more than piston-operated semi-automatics), followed by a pump (or slide)-action.  A plug is required for semi-automatics and pumps capable of holding more than two shells in the magazine (almost all of them are) while hunting migratory game birds.
• Camo or dull non-cloth shotgun case.  If we’re hunting from my boat a floating case is recommended.  If your case is bright you’ll need to hide it well if we’re hunting on land.
• Non-lead 3″ (if your gun is also chambered for 3″) shotgun shells (HEVI-Steel, Winchester Xpert, or equivalent) in 2, 3, or 4 shot – the 1550 FPS variant for steel shot and the 1500 FPS variant for HEVI-Steel) are recommended.   Don’t use anything smaller than 4 shot.  10 gauges and 3 1/2 inch shells in 3 1/2 inch-chambered 12 gauges are overkill for all but the biggest ducks.  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.  You’ll not need more than three boxes and will probably shoot less than two boxes.  Several times we’ve not shot at all.
• Camo or dull blind bag, shell bag, vest, or bandoleer.  If we’re hunting from my boat a floating blind bag is recommended.  If we’re hunting from land and your shell bag is bright (e.g., a red HEB shopping bag) you’ll need to hide it well.
• Headlamp or cap light (waterproof is recommended).
• Camo outer hunting clothes, including cap/hat and a face mask or face paint (face coverings are absolutely essential as oily skin glows in a duck’s eyes).  As you never know when it will rain, bring rain gear.
• Waders (absolutely essential).  Uninsulated breathable waders are recommended for warmer hunts.  Neoprene breathable waders are recommended for colder hunts (if you wear 5mm thick neoprene waders on an early season hunt you might cook yourself).  We don’t put our waders on until we reach the lake (unless you have uninsulated breathable waders).
• If we hunt from my boat you’ll not need a bucket, stool, or chair, as my boat has fishing chairs and benches.  However, if we have to hunt from shore (because the cover is too far from shore and my boat will stick out like a sore thumb) we’ll use my boat to ferry us to where we’ll hunt, park it 100 or so yards away, and sit in the cover.  In which case you’ll need a bucket, stool, or chair.
• Ear plugs or muffs (electronic ones allow you to hold normal conversations).
• Non-mirrored shooting glasses or sunglasses (optional).
• Drinks and snacks (optional; drinks are highly recommended).  There are storage compartments in my boat to put your drinks and snacks in.
• Bug repellent (optional, but recommended).
• Game shears (optional), small fillet knife, a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, and a small hard or soft ice chest to take your ducks home in, if you get any.

I have five life jackets in my boat so you won’t need one.  I also have three ponchos in my boat.  However, you can bring your own if you want to.

I have extras of many of the items that are listed above (such as waders, floating shotgun cases, stools, small and medium-sized ice chests, cap lights, etc.) and will happily loan things if you let me know that you would like to borrow something before we leave.  Of course, if you borrow something and break or lose it I will expect reimbursement.  I’ll also expect reimbursement if folks shoot my decoys or if my motorized duck is submerged while in their care (water will fry its motor).

Here are four examples of sitting in cover (all but the top left picture include a mesh blind):

I usually start out with an improved cylinder waterfowl choke if the ducks are coming into the decoys.  If all I’m getting are shots as they fly past (pass shooting), I’ll switch to a modified or full waterfowl choke.  Clay target chokes often shoot tighter with non-lead shot (e.g., an improved cylinder clay target choke will often perform as a modified choke with non-lead shot).  A choke that delivers that performance should say that on the choke.

I have 110 decoys (38 mallards (including 33 decoys, two motorized ducks, two quiver ducks, a swim duck, and a wind-activated duck that I only use when it’s windy enough to spin the wings and when it’s too windy to use my motorized ducks), 28 pintails, 17 redheads, 14 gadwalls, six canvasbacks, six buffleheads, and a widgeon.  However, I’ll only bring decoys for the types of ducks found on the lake that we’re going to.  For example, I’ve never seen canvasbacks or buffleheads on Somerville or Granger, so those decoys will stay in my garage when we go there.  I usually only bring around 48 decoys on the big lakes, due to boat space limitations.  For ponds, when there is a pond that we can hunt on, I’ll usually just bring a dozen.

Expectations

These hunts are a service to FCS members and guests, but I will enforce the below expectations:

• Follow my instructions and abide by the FCS Bylaws Regarding Conduct.
• Pay for your share of truck and boat gas and and park entrance fees/boat launch fees.
• Pay for items (that are not yours) that you broke or lost (including decoys that you shot and sank).
• Help (including helping get the boat back on the trailer).
• Control your dog (a dog that wants to go play with the decoys or charge the ducks as they are coming in will ruin the hunt).
• Talk quietly, especially when ducks are coming into the decoys (ducks can hear you and will veer away).
• Show up.
• Be on time.
• Don’t have a pattern of canceling at the last minute.
• Read my emails and don’t ask questions that have already been answered in the emails (and you would have known the answers for if you had read the emails).
• Return my phone calls and/or emails, if I ask a question or ask you to acknowledge something.

Let me know at randywrowley@gmail.com (my preference) or 512-922-2484 if you have any questions.

FCS hosts chartered/self-chartered bay fishing trips, primarily to Port O’Connor (POC).

We’ve had many successful fishing trips but only one of our boat captains is a guide and three of them have full-time jobs and only fish on weekends, so don’t expect to always catch limits on these trips.

We primarily target redfish, black drum, and speckled trout but can also catch sheepshead, flounder, jack crevalle, sharks, rays, and a variety of non-game fish such as hardheads and lady fish, so be prepared.  For lure and line recommendations see the bottom of this page.

Here are pictures of some of our successes:

Boats can include Kevin McConnell’s, Randy Rowley’s, Daryl Shipper’s, and Wayne Weilnau’s bay boats, and possibly others.  Kevin, Randy, Daryl, and Wayne can take three hunters or fishermen on their boats in addition to them.  We fish from the boats, unless fishermen want to wade fish and the captain agrees.  In which case the captain’s will take the fishermen to the desired wade fishing spot(s), if possible (factoring in water level, the tide, etc.).

Costs:

• The participants (excluding the captain) will split the vehicle and boat gas (the amount depends on the distance traveled and the number of people sharing the gas), a boat wash after the event (to wash the salt and mud off), state or county park fees (if applicable), boat slip fees (if applicable), boat launch fees (if applicable), and toll road fees (if applicable).  The captains have to replace their boat batteries, trailer tires, wheel bearings, etc., and repair things like their trolling motors more quickly due to taking FCS members and guests on such trips than they would if they didn’t take FCS members and guests on such trips; therefore, they are exempt from the above expenses.
• For Corpus Christi, we’ll stay in an Airbnb house or townhouse.  For Port O’Connor, Wayne Weilnau’s house can hold up to eight participants.  If we have more participants going than that, some will have to stay at The Inn at Clark’s (a waterfront inn on the Intercoastal), an Airbnb house, etc.  We’ll take the maid cleaning fee to clean Wayne’s house, the The Inn at Clark’s cost (including an extra boat slip fee (if applicable)) and divide it by the participants (not counting Wayne).  If Wayne’s house is not available, all participants will stay at The Inn at Clarks, an Airbnb house, etc.
• We’ll eat out or get drive-through food.
• Fishermen can buy live and/or dead bait (and/or use artificial lures).  Everyone in the boat must agree how we will fish before we go out as people who want to fish with lures will become frustrated if the boat isn’t moving often, people who want to fish with live bait will become frustrated if the boat is moving (as movement will drown the bait), and people who want to fish with dead bait will also become frustrated if the boat is moving.

What to Bring

• Saltwater fishing license.
• Rod & Reel combos (at least two in case you break one; ask your captain what the maximum number is that you can bring – it’s usually no more than four).
• Lures and/or terminal tackle for live and/or dead bait.
• Tackle box, bag, or backpack.
• Headlamp or cap light (waterproof is recommended).
• Clothing appropriate for the season (including a cap).  You never know when it will rain, so bring rain gear.
• Drinks and snacks (optional; drinks are highly recommended).  There are storage compartments in the boats to put your drinks and snacks in.
• Sunglasses (optional, but highly recommended).
• Bug repellent (optional).
• Waders (if you plan to do wade fishing; except during late spring, summer, and early fall trips; ask your captain if he plans to do any wade fishing).
• A fillet knife, fillet board (recommended), and knife sharpener (recommended), four gallon-sized Ziploc bags (to be legal, you’ll need to have your fish in separate bags for separate days), and a medium-sized hard or soft ice chest to take your fish home in (if you get any; leave it in your vehicle or where we’re staying).

The captains are required to have a life jacket for every passenger, so you won’t need one.  However, you can bring your own if you want to.

Randy has extras of many of the items that are listed above (e.g., cap lights, rods and reels, lures, etc.) and will happily loan them if you let him know before we leave.  Of course, if you borrow something and break or lose it he will expect reimbursement.

Expectations

These fishing trips are a service to FCS members and guests, but the Event Coordinators/leaders will enforce the following expectations:

• Follow the captain’s instructions and abide by the FCS Bylaws Regarding Conduct.
• Pay for your share of the truck and boat gas, motel rooms, boat launch, and bait (if used) fees.
• Pay for items (that are not yours) that you broke or lost (including lures that you borrowed and broke or lost).
• Help (including helping get the boats back on the trailers).
• Be prepared to fish (if others have to help you rig properly on the boat, it takes away from their fishing time).  This does not apply to new fishermen.
• Talk quietly – fish can hear you also and will swim away.
• Don’t be rude.  Examples of rude behavior include deciding to go get coffee after the boat has already launched and your partners are ready to fish, throwing a cast net from the boat while your partners are actively fishing, and fishing with too many rods out – which prevents your partners from fishing at all.  All of these examples have happened on FCS Chartered/Self-chartered Bay Fishing Trips.
• Show up.
• Be on time.
• Don’t have a pattern of canceling at the last minute.
• Don’t ask questions regarding information that has already been conveyed in the Event Coordinator’s/leaders emails (and you would have known the answers if you had read the emails).
• Return the Event Coordinator’s/leader’s emails, phone calls, and/or texts, if he or she asks a question or asks you to acknowledge something.

Let Wayne Weilnau know if you have any questions at txfalcon59@gmail.com or 512-589-4120.

Lure recommendations

Soft plastics – Egret Baits’ VuDu Shrimp and VuDu Vixen, Z-Man’s EZ Shrimpz, scented Jerk Shad, Paddler, and Pogy, Berkley’s Gulp Alive Shrimp, Ghost Shrimp, Shrimp, Swimming Mullet, Pogy, Ripple Mullets, Mud Minnow/coakers, Salt Strong’s Slam Shaddy, and Saltwater Jerk Shad, Zoom’s Salty Super Fluke, Norton Lures’ Sand Shad, Sand Eel, and Bull Minnow, and Bass Assassin’s BANG Die Dapper, Sea Shad, Saltwater Shad Assassin, and Saltwater Curly Tail Shad.

Soft plastics colors – salt and pepper (Bass Assassin calls it Salt and Pepper Silver Phantom), white/red, red/white, and Bass Assassin’s Chicken on a Chain (light green and white with black specks and a chartreuse tail).

Jig heads – H&H Lure Double-Eye, Pro Shad, Rattilize, Arrow Head, Cocahoe, Strike King Trokar, Bass Assassin, and Z-Man Redfish Eye and Trout Eye.  1/8, 3/16, 1/4, or 3/8 oz. in red, white, or lead.

Spoons – Nacho Daddy Loaded Nachos, Johnson’s Silver Minnow and Gold Minnow, H&H Lure’s Secret Weedless Redfish Spoon, Strike King’s Sexy Spoon, and Nichols Lures’ Mojo Flutter Spoon.  1/2 – 1 ounce in gold or silver.  These are particularly good for redfish and speckled trout.  Redfish seem to prefer gold and trout seem to prefer silver.

Topwaters – walk the dog lures like Bomber’s Badonk-A-Donk, Heddon’s Zara Spook, Zara Spook Jr., and Chug’n Spook Jr., Rapala’s Saltwater Skitter Walk and Skitter V, MirrOlure’s Series III, Pro Dog Jr., or Top Dog Jr., and Yo-Zuri 3DB Topwater Pencil and 3-D Inshore Pencil; poppers like MirrOlure’s C-Eye Poppa Mullet Surface Popper and Heddon’s Chuggar Spook; and torpedo lures like River2Sea’s Whopper Plopper.  The last two lures don’t come with saltwater hooks, so be sure to rinse the hooks with freshwater after use in saltwater.  1/2 – 1 ounce.

Lipless crankbaits/twitch baits – Bill Lewis’s Magnum Force, Mag-Trap, Knock-N-Trap, and Rat-L-Trap, MirrOlure’s MirrODine, MirrODine XL, Paul Brown’s Fat Boy, MirrOMinnow, MirrOMullett, Series III Catch 2000, 52 MR, She Dog, She Pup, Glad Shad, and XXL, and Rapala’s X-Rap Twitchin’ Minnow and Twitchin’ Mullet.  1/2 – 1 ounce.

Crankbaits – Bill Lewis’s Echo and MirrOlure’s MirrOLip 1/2 oz Suspending Crankbait.  1/2 – 1 ounce.

Hard jerk baits/swim baits – Yo-Zuri’s Pin’s Minnow Floating Swim Bait, Crystal 3-D Minnow, Crystal Minnow, 3DS 2-3/4? Suspending Minnow, Mag Minnow, and 3-D Inshore, Bomber’s Jointed Long A, Saltwater Grade Heavy Duty Long A, and Magnum Long A, and Cotton Cordell’s Red-Fin.  1/2 – 1 ounce.

Hard bait lure colors – white with red heads, silver with red heads, silver with black backs, silver with blue backs, silver with pink backs, gold with pink backs, bone, and chartreuse.

Line Recommendations for baitcasting and spinning reels (you can use lighter line with spinning reels)

For topwater lures use mono in 12 – 15 lb. test or braid in 30 lb. test.

For diving lures use fluorocarbon in 14 – 17 lb. test or mono in 12 – 15 lb. test.

Leader Recommendations

20 or 25 lb. test fluorocarbon or mono.

Tipping is not a requirement and is a personal choice.  However, poorly tipping or not tipping outfitters/guides can influence them on which group they book in the future.  For example, if Group A and Group B both want to go on a fishing charter on the same morning and Group A has always tipped the guide well and Group B has never tipped him well, the guide will naturally select Group A.  So people who poorly or don’t tip an outfitter/guide can cause the entire group to not get the date that they want, or not be booked by that outfitter/guide at all.  Therefore, we encourage people who go on FCS events to tip the outfitters/guides at the going rate for a good effort (15 – 20%).

Hunting and fishing are not called killing and catching, respectively.  For example, if there were dozens of ducks on a pond the day before we arrive and then they left in the late afternoon before our hunt, that’s not the guide’s fault and he shouldn’t be penalized on his tip, if he made a good effort.  If the fish were biting on a lake at several spots the day before we arrive and then the day of our trip they get lockjaw because of the weather, barometric pressure, etc., that’s not the guide’s fault and he shouldn’t be penalized on his tip, if he made a good effort.

We draw the line at semi-guided hunts – where all they do is show you where the blinds, cleaning station, and gut dump are.  For semi-guided hunts we don’t encourage anyone to tip.

This is reflected in the What is the Difference Between a Self-chartered/guided, Semi-guided, and a Chartered/Guided Event and FAQs (the Why do some FCS events cost so much/cost so little? question) web pages.

The National Shooting Complex in San Antonio occasionally hosts student sporting clays instructor training.  When they hold such trainings they will be in need of students!

During their last training in September 2020, they had a three-hour time slot on Saturday, 9/26/20 (1:00 – 4:30 PM) and two three-hour time slots on Sunday, 9/27/20 (8:30 AM – 12:00 PM and 1:00 – 4:30 PM).  The cost was $20 per time slot.  Bring 200 shells (8 boxes) per time slot, but you probably won’t shoot nearly that many.

We have done this event 10 times and, with the exception of the September 2020 training (due to not having an experienced onsite leader), have always had a great time.  The cost includes FREE instruction from a student instructor(s) and sometimes a master level instructor(s).  The instructor/student ratio is usually not greater than 1:4.

If you consider that four rounds of sporting clays would cost you $108 at Capitol City Clays (where we have our bi-monthly shoots) and a lesson from an instructor would cost you at least $60/hour then this is an exceedingly good deal!

Historically, we have carpooled and caravanned to the complex.

What to bring:

• A shotgun (of course).  Most shooters use a 12 gauge, but a 20 gauge is also good.  Most of the targets are close enough for skeet chokes, but IC works fine.  If you don’t have a shotgun some of us will be happy to share our gun with you but let Bruce Crockett know before you arrive.
• At most eight boxes of shells.  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, Bass Pro Shops, Walmart, etc.  1-1/8 oz. or 1 oz. loads, 1200-1300 FPS, and 7-1/2 shot is preferred (although 8 shot also works).  They sell for $10 – $11.00/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 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.
• A shooting vest, shell pouch, or shooting bag.
• A cap, shooting glasses or sunglasses, and ear muffs or plugs.
• Drinks and Snacks are recommended.

RSVP’s are required to Bruce at bmc55@att.net or 512-970-7797.  Also, contact Bruce if you have any questions.

FCS is not interested in buying any email lists.

FCS President Randy Rowley is offering his first book “Pursuing God’s Way: Meeting God In His Creation” at a discount to FCS members.  If you’d like a signed book, contact him at randywrowley@gmail.com.  He’ll mail one to you for $10 (1/3 off the Amazon price; shipping and the mailer are $4.09; the total is $14.09).  Many of the 40 devotionals in the book include stories from FCS hunting, fishing, and sport shooting events.  A Kindle edition is in the works.

Writing a book was quite the process.  There’s quite a lot of work involved in addition to the work of writing.  But Randy is looking forward to his next one!

Randy would like to thank Andy Spencer especially – without his guidance and work he’d still be wallowing in the mud!

Randy asks buyers of his book on Amazon to please write an Amazon review after reading it.

Mike Walsh, Dove Czar, met with Brett Harbers on 7/6/22 on his land near Bartlett.  Brett showed him around the lease and he was pleasantly surprised to see the number of sunflowers that were there.  The middle hay field, that borders the fence line behind the three-stall shed tree line and the big sunflower field, is now covered in sunflowers, making 150 acres of sunflowers to hunt.  See the below pictures.  Brett will cut strips with his tractor through all the sunflower fields so we can hunt in them if we want and also will be able to recover our birds.  The lease cost is still $250/hunter.

Here’s a birds-eye picture of the lease – https://www.google.com/maps/place/30%C2%B050’54.7%22N+97%C2%B025’58.7%22W/@30.8475476,-97.4378252,929m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d30.848524!4d-97.432965?hl=en.  Another group has the area in the bottom right marked with an “X” (we can’t hunt there).  You’ll see the barn (to the right of the center), the fields, the tanks, the creek, and the wooded areas.  If you’re a Facebook Friend of Ken Miller he has a lot of pictures of the lease on his Facebook page.

Here is the original property:

There will be an additional property that has 60 acres of sunflowers.  The property is about a 1/4 mile south on Harber Rd., just past the sharp turn to the left at the House and past the harvested corn field at the western boundary fence line at the sunflowers.  The X designates the two entry points, double gates, to the new property.  Brett mentioned all the gates will remain open and we can park along the side of the road at the north gates and walk into the sunflower field if we want to or we can drive into the field to hunt.  We can hunt everywhere inside the yellow outlines.  There are fences at yellow outlines that we will be hunting inside of.

Here are the properties zoomed out.  The main entrance to the original property is at the shed on Harber Rd. (1/4 mile north on the left from Lindemann Rd.).

There is also a double entry gate on Lindemann Rd. on the south end of the property.  The tree line and fence to the west are the western boundaries.  Harber Rd. is the eastern boundary and across the bridge where Harber Rd. turns hard to the right at the fence line to the left is the Northern boundary.  There is a gate to the creek pasture across the bridge, turning left on Harber Rd.

We can also hunt across the road from the sunflower fields from the first bend on Harber Rd. past the new property on the east and west side of Harber Rd., to where Harber Rd bends to the left past the old homestead after opening weekend.

Important note: Brett has shredded the thirteen acres on the southeast corner of the original property.  The four hunters who leased the thirteen acres will now be hunting on our property at the west side of the tree line from the green columbine machine to the outside fence line of the thirteen acres.  They have up to the tree line behind the shed.  We can hunt inside the fence behind the shed at the tree line and in the pasture with the sunflowers across the road from the tank and along inside of the fence line to the west in the hay field, which is now sunflowers.  Brett says they are only there for the first week.  After that, if no one is hunting there it’s ours.  If anyone says they are from that group during the first week and asks you to move please oblige them.

RSVP to Mike if you want to be on this lease to duxmn@austin.rr.com or 512-560-7001.  Also contact Mike if you have any questions.  Payment in full is due with your RSVP to Mike (make your check out to Brett Harbers) at 106 San Saba St., Round Rock, TX 78664. 

FCS has annual officer meetings (for officers and potential officers), usually on a work week evening at Dos Salsas restaurant (1600 E Whitestone Blvd., Cedar Park, 512-260-7494).

Schedule: per the Agenda.

RSVPs are requested to Randy Rowley to ensure we’ll get a large enough table at randywrowley@gmail.com (his preference) or 512-922-2484.  Also, let him know if you have any questions.

FCS shooters participate in the National Sporting Clays Championship (tournament) at the National Shooting Complex every October.

Here are pictures from their 10/21/17 – 10/29/17 NSCA National Sporting Clays Championship (tournament):

Bruce Crockett

Steve Baker

The most difficult station – a true pair quartering at 60 yards; only 32 of 1,570 shooters hit all 8 targets

There is an online registration form and there are multiple games in which you can choose from.

The National Shooting Complex is located at 5931 Roft Road, San Antonio, TX 78253.  Their phone numbers are 210-688-3371 or 800-877-5338 (Sporting Clays Department: Ext. 961).

Contact Bruce Crockett at bmc55@att.net or 512-970-7797 if you have any questions.

FCS occasionally goes on semi-guided deer and hog hunts.  We have hunted all over the state and presently hunt near Rocksprings with Ricky Ethridge.  We have had many successful duck hunts with Ricky and know that he’s a stand-up guy.

Here are a few pictures from our most successful hunts:

Costs:

• Landowner, outfitter, or guide fee (varies per ranch). Landowner, outfitter, guide fees will be required in full by a due date.  Hunters who do not pay the guide fee by the due date will be removed from the list of people who RSVPed for the trip.  We typically don’t tip for semi-guided hunts where they only show you where the stands and cleaning station are and where to dump the guts.  However, if they provide more services than that (e.g., clean your deer and hogs for you), then a tip would be warranted.
• Most ranches have bunk houses, trailers, etc.; however, if they don’t we’ll secure lodging and spit the fee.
• For out-of-the-Austin-area hunts, we’ll carpool and split the vehicle gas.  If we take a toll road, because we’re running late, we’ll split that fee.
• We’ll stop for drive-through food on the way to the hunt and will stop for drive-through food on the way home.

What to bring:

• Hunting license if hunting public land.
• Weapon of choice and ammo (note that some ranches limit what weapon and/or ammo you can use and how many shells you can have in your gun).  For example, some ranches do not allow buckshot, calibers smaller than .243/6mm, or more than three shells in your gun.  Deer rifles and bullets work fine on hogs.  But if you have a .243 and a .30-06, take the latter.  If you have 125 and 180-grain bullets, take the latter.  I do not recommend hunting hogs with a caliber smaller than .243 or 6mm.  A scoped rifle is better than one with iron sights, a red dot scope, or reflex scope.  Aim at the hog’s head or neck if it’s decent sized.  Don’t aim behind the shoulder of a big hog.  A hog’s heart and lungs are between his shoulders.  If you shoot behind his shoulder you’re going to hit his liver or gut and you could be in for a very long track.  Bring a lot of bullets.  Randy Rowley once fired 10 shots during one hog hunt.  For most hunts, you’ll be fortunately to fire one or two, but you just never know when you’ll run into an entire herd!  If we’re able to do a group stalk (we only do them if it is safe) you’re welcome to bring a shotgun with either rifled slugs and/or buckshot.  Fifteen 00 Buck pellets per shot at a running hog means a much better chance of a hit than one slug or rifle bullet per shot.  Most manufacturers recommend using a full choke for buckshot.  The next best choice is a modified choke, then improved cylinder.  However, this may not be true for your gun so the only way that you can find out what it prefers is to pattern it.  Do not shoot buckshot out of a turkey choke!  It will ruin it, and maybe you too (turkey chokes are too constricted to handle anything larger than 4 shot.  The best shotgun choice is a fast shooting (semi-automatic, pump, or double barrel) 12 gauge with 3-inch shells (or 2 ¾-inch if so chambered) filled with 000, 00, or 0 Buckshot.  Some guys alternate rifled slugs and buckshot in their magazines.  The idea is the first shot (slug) will be at a standing still hog.  If you don’t kill it, you’re follow up shots will be at a running hog, which is where buckshot excels.  The best choke to use if you put both buckshot and slugs in your gun (at the same time) is modified.  If you are only going to use slugs the best choke is cylinder, then skeet, then improved cylinder and tighter chokes.  For recommendations on guns and ammo see Hog Hunting Basics.
• Standard deer hunting gear (knife, binoculars, laser range finder, headlamp or cap light, shooting sticks, etc.).
• A comfy portable (folding) chair for your blind.
• A rechargeable spotlight for night hunting with a green (recommended) lens, 1/2 to two million candlepower (two hunters can share a light and take turns being the light man and the shooter) or a constant-on light if there is a feeder.  See Hog Hunting Basics for recommendations.
• Rubber boots and camo outer hunting clothes (including a face mask or face paint – absolutely essential, unless you’re hunting from an elevated stand).  If rain is predicted bring rain gear.  A hunter (blaze) orange cap and/or vest for ranches that allow group stalks.
• A Thermacell is highly recommended to repel bugs.  Bug sprays are not recommended (deer amd hogs will smell bug spray on you and won’t come anywhere near you).
• Food (if more than a day hunt).  The Event Coordinator/leader will often buy food for everyone (he also might buy sodas if he can get everyone to agree to which ones to buy).  Participants will divide the costs.
• Drinks and snacks (optional; drinks are highly recommended).
• Sleeping bag, pillow, towels, etc. (depending on the accommodations).
• Game cleaning tools (knives, sharpeners, saw, loppers, gambrel, and rope) if the ranch doesn’t have them.
• A large ice chest to take your deer and hog(s) home in.  It’s better to have one that is too big than one that is too small.
• Hog bait and corn.  Here’s a hog bait recipe.
• Rods and reels and lures (for ranches that have stocked tanks and allow fishing).

Randy Rowley has extras of many of the items that are listed above and will happily loan things if you let him know that you would like to borrow something before you leave.  Of course, if you borrow something and break or lose it he will expect reimbursement.

Here is a simplified, and more printer-friendly, Hog Hunting Checklist.

These hunts are a service to FCS members and guests, but the Event Coordinators/leaders will enforce the following expectations:

• Follow the Event Coordinator’s/leader’s instructions, the land owner’s rules, and abide by the FCS Bylaws Regarding Conduct.
• Pay for your share of gas, food (if applicable), and motel rooms (if applicable).
• Pay for items (that are not yours) that you broke or lost.
• Help.
• Show up.
• Be on time.
• Don’t have a pattern of canceling at the last minute.
• Read the Event Coordinator’s/leaders emails and don’t ask questions that have already been answered in the emails (and you would have known the answers for if you had read the emails).
• Return the Event Coordinator’s/leader’s phone calls, emails, and/or texts, if he or she asks a question or asks you to acknowledge something.

RSVP’s are required to Randy Rowley at randywrowley@gmail.com (his preference) or 512-922-2484.  Also, contact Randy if you have any questions.

FCS goes on at least one semi-guided hog hunt per year. We have hunted all over the state and presently hunt near Rocksprings with Ricky Ethridge.

Here are a few pictures from our most successful hunts:

Costs:

• Landowner, outfitter, or guide fee (varies per ranch). Landowner, outfitter, guide fees will be required in full by a due date.  Hunters who do not pay the guide fee by the due date will be removed from the list of people who RSVPed for the trip.  We typically don’t tip for semi-guided hunts where they only show you where the stands and cleaning station are and where to dump the guts.  However, if they provide more services than that (e.g., clean your pig for you), then a tip would be warranted.
• Most ranches have bunk houses, trailers, etc.; however, if they don’t we’ll secure lodging and spit the fee.
• For out-of-the-Austin-area hunts, we’ll carpool and split the vehicle gas.  If we take a toll road, because we’re running late, we’ll split that fee.
• We’ll stop for drive-through food on the way to the hunt and will stop for drive-through food on the way home.

What to bring:

• Hunting license if hunting public land.
• Weapon of choice and ammo (note that some ranches limit what weapon and/or ammo you can use and how many shells you can have in your gun).  For example, some ranches do not allow buckshot, calibers smaller than .243/6mm, or more than three shells in your gun.  Deer rifles and bullets work fine on hogs.  But if you have a .243 and a .30-06, take the latter.  If you have 125 and 180-grain bullets, take the latter.  I do not recommend hunting hogs with a caliber smaller than .243 or 6mm.  A scoped rifle is better than one with iron sights, a red dot scope, or reflex scope.  Aim at the hog’s head or neck if it’s decent sized.  Don’t aim behind the shoulder of a big hog.  A hog’s heart and lungs are between his shoulders.  If you shoot behind his shoulder you’re going to hit his liver or gut and you could be in for a very long track.  Bring a lot of bullets.  Randy Rowley once fired 10 shots during one hog hunt.  For most hunts, you’ll be fortunately to fire one or two, but you just never know when you’ll run into an entire herd!  If we’re able to do a group stalk (we only do them if it is safe) you’re welcome to bring a shotgun with either rifled slugs and/or buckshot.  Fifteen 00 Buck pellets per shot at a running hog means a much better chance of a hit than one slug or rifle bullet per shot.  Most manufacturers recommend using a full choke for buckshot.  The next best choice is a modified choke, then improved cylinder.  However, this may not be true for your gun so the only way that you can find out what it prefers is to pattern it.  Do not shoot buckshot out of a turkey choke!  It will ruin it, and maybe you too (turkey chokes are too constricted to handle anything larger than 4 shot.  The best shotgun choice is a fast shooting (semi-automatic, pump, or double barrel) 12 gauge with 3-inch shells (or 2 ¾-inch if so chambered) filled with 000, 00, or 0 Buckshot.  Some guys alternate rifled slugs and buckshot in their magazines.  The idea is the first shot (slug) will be at a standing still pig.  If you don’t kill it, you’re follow up shots will be at a running pig, which is where buckshot excels.  The best choke to use if you put both buckshot and slugs in your gun (at the same time) is modified.  If you are only going to use slugs the best choke is cylinder, then skeet, then improved cylinder and tighter chokes.  For recommendations on guns and ammo see Hog Hunting Basics.
• Standard deer hunting gear (knife, binoculars, laser range finder, headlamp or cap light, shooting sticks, etc.).
• A comfy portable (folding) chair for your blind.
• A rechargeable spotlight for night hunting with a green (recommended) lens, 1/2 to two million candlepower (two hunters can share a light and take turns being the light man and the shooter) or a constant-on light if there is a feeder.  See Hog Hunting Basics for recommendations.
• Rubber boots and camo outer hunting clothes (including a face mask or face paint – absolutely essential, unless you’re hunting from an elevated stand).  If rain is predicted bring rain gear.  A hunter (blaze) orange cap and/or vest for ranches that allow group stalks.
• A Thermacell is highly recommended to repel bugs.  Bug sprays are not recommended (hogs will smell bug spray on you and won’t come anywhere near you).
• Food (if more than a day hunt).  The Event Coordinator/leader will often buy food for everyone (he also might buy sodas if he can get everyone to agree to which ones to buy).  Participants will divide the costs.
• Drinks and snacks (optional; drinks are highly recommended).
• Sleeping bag, pillow, towels, etc. (depending on the accommodations).
• Game cleaning tools (knives, sharpeners, saw, loppers, gambrel, and rope) if the ranch doesn’t have them.
• A large ice chest to take your hog(s) home in.  It’s better to have one that is too big than one that is too small.
• Hog bait and corn.  Here’s a hog bait recipe.
• Rods and reels and lures (for ranches that have stocked tanks and allow fishing).

Randy Rowley has extras of many of the items that are listed above and will happily loan things if you let him know that you would like to borrow something before you leave.  Of course, if you borrow something and break or lose it he will expect reimbursement.

Here is a simplified, and more printer-friendly, Hog Hunting Checklist.

These hunts are a service to FCS members and guests, but the Event Coordinators/leaders will enforce the following expectations:

• Follow the Event Coordinator’s/leader’s instructions, the land owner’s rules, and abide by the FCS Bylaws Regarding Conduct.
• Pay for your share of gas, food (if applicable), and motel rooms (if applicable).
• Pay for items (that are not yours) that you broke or lost.
• Help.
• Show up.
• Be on time.
• Don’t have a pattern of canceling at the last minute.
• Read the Event Coordinator’s/leaders emails and don’t ask questions that have already been answered in the emails (and you would have known the answers for if you had read the emails).
• Return the Event Coordinator’s/leader’s phone calls, emails, and/or texts, if he or she asks a question or asks you to acknowledge something.

RVSP’s are required to Raul Pena by email (his preference) or 210-364-0720.  Also, contact Raul if you have any questions.

FCS has an annual chartered bay fishing trip usually usually in the spring of summer and usually our of Port O’Connor.  The most that we have taken is 15 participants, which required three guides/boats.  We have caught speckled trout, redfish, black drum, and several non-game fish.

Here are pictures from some of our chartered bay fishing trips:

If we have four fishermen on a boat the cost is $138 – $150 per person.  The guide(s) will supply the boat, rod and reel combos, landing nets, and a fish box.  They’ll clean the fish and bag them.  The price does not include bait (for some guides), shared gas, eating out on the way home, and an optional but highly recommended tip.  A 20% tip would be $28 – $30.

What to Bring

• Saltwater fishing license.
• Clothing appropriate for the season (including a cap).  You never know when it will rain, so bring rain gear.
• A medium-sized ice chest or bag to take your fish home in (if you get any; leave it in your vehicle).
• Drinks and snacks (optional; drinks are highly recommended).  There are storage compartments in the boats to put your drinks and snacks in.
• Sunglasses (optional, but highly recommended).
• Bug repellent (optional).
• Headlamp or cap light (optional)

The captains are required to have a life jacket for every passenger, so you won’t need one.

Expectations

These fishing trips are a service to FCS members and guests, but the Event Coordinators/leaders will enforce the following expectations:

• Follow the captain’s instructions and abide by the FCS Bylaws Regarding Conduct.
• Pay for your share of vehicle gas.
• Help when the captain asks you to.
• Talk quietly – fish can hear you also and will swim away.
• Show up.
• Be on time.
• Don’t have a pattern of canceling at the last minute.
• Don’t ask questions regarding information that has already been conveyed in the Event Coordinator’s/leaders emails (and you would have known the answers if you had read the emails).
• Return the Event Coordinator’s/leader’s emails, phone calls, and/or texts, if he or she asks a question or asks you to acknowledge something.

An RSVP and payment in full is required to Wayne Weilnau at txfalcon59@gmail.com or 512-589-4120.  Also contact Wayne if you have any questions.

There is no need or benefit to becoming a registered user on this website.  The Registered Users section is for website administrators/managers to create, revise, or delete posts.  Contact info@fcs-texas.org if you wish to have something posted or to reply to a post.  Only posts and replies from FCS members will be added or revised.

We’ve received several requests from non-FCS members to submit ‘guest articles’ to be posted on our website on topics ranging from air mattresses to wedding dresses.  We’ve also received several requests from non-FCS members to post links on our Links page that have nothing to do with what we do – hunt, fish, sports shoot, and speak to Christianity.  Web experts say that most such requests are SEO scams or sponsored posts (designed to bring revenue to the requester’s host/client by using other people’s websites to do it).

Our Bylaws state:

III.  Membership:

1. A prospective FCS member will receive FCS emails at his or her request or the request of an FCS member on the prospective member’s behalf.  Submissions from prospective FCS members (men and women who are not FCS members) will not be posted on the FCS website.

So unless you’re an FCS member, the answer is “No,” automatically.  And if you were an FCS member, it wouldn’t be a ‘guest article,’ it would be a ‘member article.’  Articles and links submitted by members must be consistent with what we do – hunt, fish, or sports shoot, and speak to Christianity, as our Bylaws state:

II.  Statement of Purpose:

FCS is a non-denominational, non-political, family-friendly sportsmen’s club founded in Austin, Texas in 1988 by a group of Christian sportsmen.

Here is Membership Information and How to Join.

We’re a small hunting, fishing, and sport shooting club with a very tight budget that focuses largely on Central Texas.  We don’t generate revenue, except through membership dues.  We aren’t interested in beating our competitors – on the contrary, we hope they succeed in bringing more sportsmen into their ranks, as that makes us all stronger.  We aren’t interested in generating much more web traffic than we presently have.  Our website mainly exists to convey upcoming events to our members – it does that very well and we have no need for apps, website enhancements (a new website, bug fixes, enhancements, website redesign), promotions, website optimization campaigns (SEO), etc.

For all FCS events, harvests are not guaranteed.

After guided events, the guides usually will clean the fish or game and divide the total number of fish caught or the total number of ducks or upland birds killed by the number of participants to arrive at an equal share.

For example, if on a guided striped bass fishing trip 20 striped bass were caught and there were five fishermen, then each fisherman will receive four bass each (20 bass divided by five fishermen = four bass each). It doesn’t matter if you caught five and another fisherman caught three, you’ll both receive the same amount of fish. It also doesn’t matter if your party of two thinks you should go home with 10 bass (as the limit is five each), which would leave the other three fishermen with only 3.33 each (10 divided by three = 3.33).

Also, guided upland bird hunts are not grocery shopping trips – preferences are not ‘orders’ and are not guaranteed. We’ll provide each hunter’s preference to the upland bird hunt outfitter. For example, if there are four hunters who want to hunt together and one prefers a pheasant package (six pheasants) and the other three prefer a mixed bird package (two pheasants each) that is a preference of 12 pheasants (six + two + two + two = 12).

However, how many pheasants the outfitter puts out will depend on bird availability, and how many pheasants are split among the hunters will depend on how many the hunters killed. If the outfitter only has seven pheasants in his inventory that’s all he’ll be able to put out. Given the above scenario, if the hunters killed all seven pheasants the outfitter would probably divide those seven pheasants proportionally as four + one + one +one, which would give each hunter about half the number of birds he preferred. It doesn’t matter that one hunter preferred six pheasants – he won’t get six pheasants and leave the other three hunters with one pheasant to split among themselves.

Hunters and fishermen who take more than their share of birds or fish at guided and chartered FCS events will not be allowed to participate in future FCS hunting and fishing events.

At the 3/7/22 FCS Officers Meeting, the officers discussed our annual ministry event, which has been cooking and serving a wild game (and other meats) dinner to people in need for the past several years.

Wayne Weilnau proposed we give an incentive to those who participate in ministry events – being first in line for Self-chartered Bay Fishing Trips (after the captains) and other FCS events.

The officers agreed with this proposal and defined ‘participation’ as working before (doing food prep) or at an event(s) and/or donating to the event (e.g., wild game and monetary).

FCS usually goes on a central zone and a south zone hunt each season.  We have hunted all over the state and presently hunt on a ranch near Holland and with Texas Wild near Jourdanton.

Most hunters have gotten their limits several times.  Here are pictures of a couple of our successes:

Costs:

• The hunt fee is between $40 (for a half day) and $60 (for a full day) at Holland and $125 for .  Hunt fees will be required in full by a due date.  Hunters who do not pay the hunt fee by the due date will be removed from the list of people who RSVPed for the trip.  We usually do not tip for semi-guided dove hunts.
• We’ll split the vehicle gas.  If we take a toll road, because we’re running late, we’ll split that fee.
• We’ll eat out or get drive-through food.
• Depending on how far we have to travel, we might stay in a motel.  If so, we’ll split the fee.

What to Bring:

• Texas Hunting license and migratory bird endorsement (formerly called a “stamp”).  If you bought a super combo license it includes your hunting license and migratory bird endorsement.
• Shotgun.  A 12 gauge piston-operated or recoil (aka inertia)-operated semi-automatic is recommended (keep piston-operated semi-automatics clean, as if they get gunked up they’ll stop working).  A pump (or slide)-action takes second place.  A plug is required for semi-automatics and pumps capable of holding more than two shells in the magazine (almost all of them are) while hunting migratory game birds.
• Three – four boxes per hunt of Remington Shur Shot Heavy Dove Load or equivalent in 8, 7 1/2, or 6 shot.  2 3/4-inch shells are recommended.  You won’t need 3-inch or 2 3/4-inch magnum shells for dove.
• Bucket, stool, or folding chair.
• Camo or khaki outer hunting clothes, including cap, appropriate for the season.  You never know when it will rain, so bring rain gear.
• Ear plugs or muffs (electronic allow you to hold normal conversations).
• Non-mirrored shooting glasses or sunglasses (optional but highly recommended).
• Drinks and snacks (optional; drinks are highly recommended).
• Bug repellent (optional).
• Sunscreen (optional).
• Game shears, a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, and a medium-sized ice chest or bag to take your birds home in (if you get any).

Expectations:

These hunts are a service to FCS members and guests, but the Event Coordinators/leaders will enforce the following expectations:

• Follow the Event Coordinator’s/leader’s instructions, the land owner’s rules, and abide by the FCS Bylaws Regarding Conduct.
• Pay for your share of vehicle gas.
• Control your dog (if you brought one).
• Talk quietly (dove can hear you and will veer away from the noise).
• Show up.
• Be on time.
• Don’t have a pattern of canceling at the last minute.
• Read the Event Coordinator’s/leaders emails and don’t ask questions that have already been answered in the emails (and you would have known the answers for if you had read the emails).
• Return the Event Coordinator’s/leader’s phone calls, emails, and/or texts, if he or she asks a question or asks you to acknowledge something.

RSVP’s are required to Mike Walsh at duxmn@austin.rr.com or 512-560-7001.  Also contact Mike if you have any questions.

The following people are on the Self-guided/chartered Blast and Cast (Duck Hunt and Bay Fishing Trip) Rotation (the Event Hierarchy also applies; Kevin, Randy, Daryl, and Wayne will always have Spot #’s 1 – 4, as they are the boat captains):

1. Kevin McConnell
2. Randy Rowley
3. Daryl Shipper
4. Wayne Weilnau
5. Ryan and Claire Rowley (Claire will not go without Ryan)
6. Steve Fusco
7. Raul Pena
8. Ken Miller
9. Harold Terry (Harold and Edward Terry prefer to go on trips together)
10. Edward Terry (Edward and Harold Terry prefer to go on trips together)
11. Steve Ritter
12. Zack Elmer
13. Mark Kelton
14. Mike Pozhenko and his minor son
15. Ted Lieb (Ted, Blake, and Isaac Lieb prefer to go on trips together)
16. Isaac Lieb (Isaac, Ted, and Blake Lieb prefer to go on trips together)
17. Jonathan Fleming
18. Patrick Kelley (bay fishing only)
19. Christian Bana (bay fishing only)
20. Steven Babin (bay fishing only)
21. Binh Chu and his minor son
22. Larry Mitchell
23. Roy Zengerle
24. Darvin Borgfeld
25. Chris Rowley (Chris will not go without Randy)
26. Zack and Yuri Tumlinson (Yuri will not go without Zack)
27. Ron Campbell
28. Barry Brown
29. Blake Lieb (Blake, Ted, and Isaac Lieb prefer to go on trips together)
30. Jim McGee
31. Burl Fulenwider
32. Mike Curran

The following people who are on the Self-guided Hog Hunt Rotation (the Event Hierarchy also applies):

1. Ted Lieb (Ted, Blake, and Isaac prefer to go on hunts together)
2. Blake Lieb (Ted, Blake, and Isaac prefer to go on hunts together)
3. Isaac Lieb (Ted, Blake, and Isaac prefer to go on hunts together)
4. Ian Daniels
5. Mike Pozhenko
6. Jonathan Fleming
7. Don Hebert and his minor son
8. Jim McGee
9. Steve Fusco
10. Dan Ahlfield
11. Larry Mitchell
12. Ken Miller
13. Zack Elmer
14. Patrick Kelley
15. Christian Bana
16. Steven Babin
17. Randy Rowley
18. Burl Fulenwider
19. Barry Brown

The following people are on the Freshwater Fishing Trip Rotation (the Event Hierarchy also applies):

1. Randy Rowley (I will always have Spot #1, as I’m the boat captain)
2. Kevin McConnell
3. Harold Terry (Harold and Edward Terry prefer to go on fishing trips together)
4. Edward Terry (Edward and Harold Terry prefer to go on fishing trips together)
5. Zack and Yuri Tumlinson (Yuri will not go without Zack)
6. Jonathan Fleming
7. Tim Cadena
8. Mark Kelton
9. Patrick Kelley
10. Steve Fusco
11. Steven Babin
12. Ryan and Claire Rowley (Claire will not go without Ryan)
13. Roy Zengerle
14. Darvin Borgfeld
15. Mike Walsh
16. Ron Campbell
17. Dustin Rhodes
18. Christian Bana
19. Burl and Daniel Fulenwider (Daniel will not go without Burl)
20. Jim McGee
21. Chris Harden
22. David Atkins
23. Jacob Bonugli
24. Burtis and Dee Shedd
25. Chris Rowley
26. Barry Brown

The following people are on the Self-guided Inland Duck and Teal Hunt Rotation (the Event Hierarchy also applies):

1. Randy Rowley (I always will have Spot # 1 for hunts from my boat, as I am the boat captain)
2. Raul Pena
3. Dion Moore
4. Daryl Moczygemba
5. Binh Chu
6. Steve Fusco
7. Edwin Zamora and his minor son
8. Mike Pozhenko and his minor son
9. Rob Peterson
10. Ragan Brock
11. Wayne Weilnau
12. Jeff Cates
13. Mario Garza
14. Ian Daniels
15. Blake Brosig
16. Jim McGee
17. Chris Rowley (Chris and Ryan Rowley prefer to go on hunts together)
18. Ryan Rowley (Ryan and Chris Rowley prefer to go on hunts together)
19. Chris Campbell
20. Zack Elmer
21. Kevin McConnell
22. Zack Tumlinson
23. Jonathan Fleming
24. Ken Miller
25. Mark Kelton
26. Jeremy Franks
27. Colin Jackson
28. Patrick Kelley
29. Roy Zengerle
30. James Carney
31. Will Voges
32. Barry Brown
33. Don Hebert and his minor son
34. Clayton Carrier
35. Burl Fulenwider