How much do 3D archery shoots cost?

I have no idea – I’ve never shot one.  Contact Mike Walsh at duxmn@austin.rr.com or 512-560-7001 – he’s shot in Hill Country Bowhunters 3D shoots.

Here are our FCS rules – https://fcs-texas.org/category/events/rules-of-conduct/.  FCS doesn’t have any range rules, but here are some from a local range – http://www.shadyoaksgunrange.com/wp-content/uploads/Annual-Waiver-SHADY-OAKS-GUN-ARCHERY-RANGE-03-11-2020.pdf.  Also, here are some rules on sighting in (although they’re really just range rules) – https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/sighting-in-range-rules.pdf.  Lastly, here is information on sighting in procedures – 4 Rules for Effectively Sighting in Your Rifle and Sighting in your rifle.

Where can I sell high-end guns?

The Orvis Gun Room sells high-end guns on consignment.  The person who I contacted was Greg Carpiniellog – the Orvis Gun Department Manager.  His email address is CARPINIELLOG@orvis.com.  At the time of my inquiry, I was selling a Classic Doubles O/U 12 gauge shotgun.  From doing a web search I found two similar 12 gauges – one was selling for $1300 and the other was selling for $1195.  Also, at that time the asking price for the cheapest O/U that was for sale on the Orvis website was $2500.  I asked him if he was interested in selling my shotgun, as it was a lot less cheap than their cheapest gun, and he said no.  But he gave me a lot of good information on Classic Doubles.  Right now their cheapest shotgun is 5K.  A negative is they’re located in Manchester, Vermont, so you’d have to ship your gun(s) to them.

I’ll be happy to put these on the FCS Guns and Accessories for Sale page, at no charge.  Also, check out Texas Gun Trader.  They also don’t charge anything.  I’ve sold nine guns as a result of ads on their website.  All sales were local and none had any issues.  A lot more people look at their website than ours.

I’ve got an old shotgun that may be worth something.  Do you know of any place that deals in antique firearms?

Places that you might try include the Cabela’s Gun Library, McBride’s, and Blackjack Guns.  You also might see if one is selling on www.gunbroker.com or www.gunsamerica.com.

I’ve had good luck with www.gunbroker.com.  I’ve bought six guns and sold three there.  They have bidding and buy it now prices.  Your gun has to be shipped to an FFL dealer.  You do the paperwork with him.  There will be a transfer fee.  I use my son, Ryan, in Liberty Hill.  He only charges $20 to receive a gun.  He is a lot cheaper than the Austin boys.  McBride’s also has good prices on used guns.

I saw your FB post with your boomstick for sale and the follow-up about not including prices.  Is there any other place, besides our FB, to list boomsticks that we no longer need?

1. Sell something popular/not obscure.  For example, if you try to sell a 28 gauge shotgun you probably won’t get any interest because the shells are very hard to find and they’re expensive.
2. A picture is worth a thousand words – the more pictures the better.
3. Provide lots of information.  For example, if your shotgun is back bored list that fact and state how that is beneficial (i.e., back bored to provide tighter, more uniform patterns).  If your shotgun has six chokes list that and what they are (maker, constriction, and whether they’re extended).  If your gun has extras list those (e.g., sling, extra magazine, ammo, fiber optics sights, etc.).  Other important things to include are barrel length (especially true for shotguns), any blemishes on the gun/condition, and any special features (e.g., my Browning Gold Hunter had a speed load feature that loads the gun when the breach is open by stuffing a shell in the magazine – very helpful when you’re wanting to get off a quick fourth shot while dove or duck hunting).

I noticed this disclaimer while logging in on the Texas OA app today.  Basically they are saying that the app is not a “source of truth” in regards to regulations and users should check the info independently.  Given this disclaimer a game warden might refuse taking info from the app in case of an argument – why would they show the disclaimer otherwise?  Sounds like users should call TPWD to verify any questionable items.

May a citizen of Texas, without a CHL or an LTC, carry a concealed handgun at church?

If a person would have been eligible to get a LTC when they were required, he or she can carry now without a permit.  They can also carry in any place where they were allowed to carry before constitutional carry was passed.  The only exception for churches would be ones with 30.05, 30.06, and/or 30.07 signs posted in accordance with the requirements of the law (e.g. one-inch high letters).  I still advise people to get a LTC anyway as trusting an officer to figure out whether you were eligible before might not be wise.  They may take the position of ticketing you and confiscating your handgun and letting a judge figure out if you were carrying legally.

Try one of these:

What is the best shot is for 3-inch and 2 3/4-inch 20 gauges, and their effective range for turkey hunting?  What is the best low cost\easy decoy and call for beginners?  I have used the foam decoys and they seem easy and functional, and slate call and box call.  Likely good enough?

2 or 4 shot should be fine with 20 gauges.  Go with 3″.  As you’ll be using lead shot, the effective range will be around 50 yards.  If using steel shot (not recommended) it will be around 40 yards.  Foam decoys and slate/box calls are adequate.

Do you know of any used feeders for sale?  I’m looking for easy set-up and filling.  I may need to get it above cows.

There are none presently on the FCS website.  I’ve seen some on Facebook Marketplace.

What 5-gallon deer feeder and feeder battery charger should I get?

I want to buy a mid-range hunting camp tent.  Do you know of any used ones, or can you suggest a couple options and sellers?  Will Amazon or Bass Pro Shops suffice?

Cabela’s sells hunting outfitter/base camp tents that are designed to stay up for weeks.  They’re typically designed for the Alaskan bush and are very expensive – starting at around $1,400.

A cheaper alternative is an army surplus tent (available at Army Surplus Stores – there’s one by McBride’s).  They’re made of heavy canvas and can be left erected for weeks.  Their downsides are their weight and they need to have waterproofing spray applied after rain.  They start at around $800.  Here’s one for $785 – https://www.usmilitarytents.com/Products/MODULAR-COMMAND-POST-SYSTEM-TENT-(MCPS)__MODULAR-spc-COMMAND-spc-POST-spc-SYSTEM-spc-TENT-spc-(MCPS).aspx

For camping tents, we have a Coleman Montana and like it.  Amazon sells 8-person and 6-person versions.  Bass Pro also has a good selection of tents.

I wouldn’t buy a used tent, unless I knew the person well and they’d let me return it if it leaks or is missing parts.

Do you have any recommendations for hunting blind tents?

The doghouse blinds have always been good enough for me.  I used to leave them up but don’t any longer.  I did once and the wind or cows flattened it.  They’re easy to erect, but harder to roll back up so they fits back into the bags – there’s a knack to it.

Here’s a good deal on a see-through tent – https://www.tidewe.com/collections/holiday-sale2/products/50-off-hunting-blind-see-through-with-carrying-bag-2-3-person-pop-up-ground-blinds-270-degree.  Tidewe waders have a good reputation in the waterfowl community, so I think their blinds would be good to.

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.

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 a 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.

Note that this is not a shopping trip. Killed birds will be distributed proportionally. For example, if you pay for a six pheasants package and the other two hunters in your group pay for a mixed bird package (that includes two pheasants) and your group kills six pheasants that doesn’t mean that you get to keep six (100% of yours) and they get to keep none (0% of theirs). For such a scenario, you’d get to keep four and they’d get to keep one each. If you can’t share a harvest don’t go!

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, a 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.

24-Hour Sporting Clays Shoots

Capital Clays Sporting Clays Tournaments

Chartered/self-chartered Bay Fishing Trips

Chartered Bass Fishing Trips

Family Celebration Banquets

FCS Meetings

FCS Officers Meetings

FCS Sporting Clays Shoots

Guided Upland Bird Hunts

Guided Waterfowl Hunts

Ministry Events

National Sporting Clays Championship (Tournaments)

Self-chartered Freshwater Fishing Trips

Self-guided/chartered Blasts and Casts (Duck or Dove Hunts and Fishing Trips)

Self-guided Hog Hunts (note that we do not currently have a place to hunt on, so these events are on hold)

Self-guided Inland Duck/Teal Hunts

Semi-guided Dove Hunts

Semi-guided Deer/Hog Hunts

Semi-guided Hog Hunts

Student Instructor/Student Sporting Clays Shoots

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.

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.

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).

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

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

1. Mike Smith
2. Steve Fusco
3. Isaac Lieb (Isaac, Ted and Blake Lieb prefer to go on hunts together)
4. Jim McGee
5. Robert Ochoa
6. Monalisa Almanza and one of her minor sons
7. Larry Mitchell
8. Jose Primera
9. Jonathan Fleming
10. Greg Moerbe
11. Dan Ahlfield
12. Edwin Zamora
13. Mike Pozhenko
14. Don Hebert and his minor son
15. Patrick Kelley
16. Steven Babin
17. Randy Rowley
18. Ken Miller
19. Ted Lieb (Ted, Blake, and Isaac Lieb prefer to go on hunts together)
20. Blake Lieb (Blake, Ted, and Isaac Lieb prefer to go on hunts together)
21. Burl Fulenwider
22. Christian Bana
23. Barry Brown

The following people are on the Guided Waterfowl Hunt Rotation (the Event Hierarchy also applies):

1. Don Hebert and his minor son
2. Jonathan Fleming
3. Clayton Carrier
4. Chris Campbell
5. Raul Pena
6. Zack Tumlinson
7. Mike Smith
8. Jeff Cates
9. Mark Kelton
10. Mike Pozhenko and his minor son
11. Ian Daniels
12. Ryan Rowley (Ryan and Randy Rowley prefer to go on hunts together)
13. Ted Lieb (Ted, Blake, and Isaac Lieb prefer to go on hunts together)
14. Isaac Lieb (Isaac, Ted, and Blake Lieb prefer to go on hunts together)
15. Patrick Kelley
16. Roy Zengerle
17. James Carney
18. Barry Brown
19. Kevin McConnell
20. Burl Fulenwider
21. Jim McGee
22. Wayne Weilnau
23. Randy Rowley (Randy and Ryan Rowley prefer to go on hunts together)
24. Blake Lieb (Blake, Ted, and Isaac Lieb prefer to go on hunts together)
25. Daryl Shipper
26. Mike Curran

Details on events that will soon take place have dark blue hyperlinks.  We will not post details for events that are several months away, as many things can change for such events.

We require partial or full payments for most landowner, outfitter, and guide fees and for Airbnb lodging and some other lodging providers in advance by a due date.  RSVPed Hunters or fishermen who don’t make their payment to the Event Coordinator by the due date will be removed from the list of people who RSVPed for the trip and another person on the waiting list (if applicable) will be given an opportunity to take their place and make an immediate payment the day after the due date.  On that day, the Event Coordinator will tell the landowner, outfitter, or guide exactly how many have paid and send a combined payment via the landowner’s, outfitter’s, or guide’s preferred method (e.g., PayPal, Venmo, check, etc.).  The Event Coordinator will also make adjustments to the number of rooms that he reserved, if needed.

If something happens to change a participant’s status, the president will be willing to email the Club to let everyone know that a hunter or fisherman wants to sell his spot and that payment will be made to him (as he did twice in August 2021 for hunters on the Bartlett dove lease who changed their minds after paying for their spots) but he’ll be the mailman and not the middleman.  If he receives complaints from potential buyers of a spot that the seller isn’t responding to them, he’ll try to contact the seller and find out why they aren’t responding.  If their reason for not responding isn’t a good one or they don’t respond to him, he’ll email the Club to let everyone know that the spot is no longer available.

Refunds are not guaranteed once an event’s event coordinator has made a group’s payment to the landowner, outfitter, or guide for an event and for Airbnb and some other lodging providers’ lodging.  If a refund is possible the event coordinator or president will convey the contact information of the landowner, outfitter, or guide so the person who changed his mind can attempt to get fees back.  The event coordinator or president will just convey the contact information – they will not be the middleman.

If a refund is not possible, the event coordinator or president will email the Club to let everyone know that a hunter or fisherman wants to sell his spot and lodging (if applicable) and that payment will be made to him (as the president did twice in August 2021 for hunters on the Bartlett dove lease who changed their minds after paying for their spots) but they’ll be the mailman and not the middleman.  If the event coordinator or president receives complaints from potential buyers of a spot that the seller isn’t responding to them (as has happened), he’ll try to contact the seller and find out why they aren’t responding.  If the seller’s reason for not responding isn’t a good one or they don’t respond to him, he’ll email the Club to let everyone know that the spot and lodging (if applicable) is no longer available.

RSVP for events to the event’s Event Coordinator – don’t RSVP to the landowner, outfitter, guide, or another member of the hunting or fishing party!

The event coordinators are usually told dozens of things each day at work.  They also are frequently told numerous things pertaining to FCS.  With the amount of information they receive they will inevitably forget some of it.  Therefore, it’s much better for you to RSVP via email than to text them, call them, or tell them in person (if you do so please follow up with an email).  If you text them be sure to let them know who you are.  Email is still preferred, as they’ll just have to forward your text to their email address, which causes double work for them.

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

An event participant is expected to sign a FCS Release of Liability Waiver for events that involve risks, if he or she has not already done so, and follow the FCS Bylaws Regarding Conduct, while on FCS events.

We require full payments for all landowner, outfitter, and guide fees in advance by a due date.  RSVPed Hunters or fishermen who don’t make their payment to the Event Coordinator by the due date will be removed from the list of people who RSVPed for the trip and another person on the waiting list (if applicable) will be given an opportunity to take their place and make an immediate payment the day after the due date.

We also have a no refunds policy once the Event Coordinator has made the group’s payment to the landowner, outfitter, or guide.  If something happens to change a participant’s status, the president will be willing to email the Club to let everyone know that a hunter or fisherman wants to sell his spot and that payment will be made to him (as he did twice in August 2021 for hunters on the Bartlett dove lease who changed their minds after paying for their spots) but he’ll be the mailman and not the middleman.  If he receives complaints from potential buyers of a spot that the seller isn’t responding to them, he’ll try to contact the seller and find out why they aren’t responding.  If their reason for not responding isn’t a good one or they don’t respond to him, he’ll email the Club to let everyone know that the spot is no longer available.

We will hunt either Lakes Granger, Stillhouse Hollow (aka Stillhouse), Somerville, Belton, or Waco in their Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) or a local pond.

We also might hunt a pond just east of Austin.  If so, there is a $20/hunter charge and we won’t be using my boat.  We’ll walk a short distance and hunt behind a blind or camo netting or use natural cover.  If we hunt the pond we can take up to five hunters, counting Chris Campbell, the host.

If we’re hunting a pond bring boots that you don’t mind getting muddy, but waders will not be required.

NOTE: Do not attempt to arrange a hunt with Chris on your own.  To be fair to everyone the pond hunts need to go through me.  If I decide that it won’t over-pressure the ponds, I will first contact Chris.  If he is agreeable to it, I’ll let everyone on the rotation know so the other people on the rotation will have an opportunity to go.  If guys are trying to arrange their own hunts it is bypassing the other guys on the rotation and that’s not fair to them.  It would also contribute to over-pressuring the pond.  If we over-pressure it then it will ultimately result in poor future hunts, as ducks will start to shun the pond.  That’s why good guides have a half dozen or more ponds that they rotate their hunters among.  I have asked Chris to refer any requests to hunt the pond from guys on the FCS Duck Hunt Rotation to me.

In addition, Chris is concerned about guys letting their friends know about the pond and then them starting to contact his family directly.  If you have friends who might want to hunt have them contact me and I’ll add them to the rotation.  If we have people start knocking on his family’s door asking to hunt it will shut the door on this pond and ruin it for everyone.

Not complying with either of the above will result in removal from the rotation.

Costs:

If we hunt the pond east of Austin, there is a $20/hunter charge.

We’ll stop at Whataburger on the way to the lake/pond and might stop for second breakfast or brunch on the way home.

What to Bring:

Camo or dull non-cloth shotgun case.  If we’re hunting from a boat a floating case is recommended.  Cloth cases during duck hunts at ponds tend to get muddy, so I recommend that they be left in the vehicles.

Camo or dull blind bag, shell bag, vest, or bandoleer.  If we’re hunting from my boat a floating blind bag is recommended.  If your shell bag is bright (e.g., a red HEB shopping bag) you’ll need to hide it well during duck hunts at ponds.

Waders (absolutely essential except on the pond hunts).  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 pond, lake, or river (unless you have uninsulated breathable waders).  If we’re hunting a pond bring boots that you don’t mind getting muddy, but waders will not be required.

Bucket, stool, or folding chair for pond hunts.  We’ll hunt from behind a mesh blind, so you won’t be able to see if you sit on the ground.  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.

Expectations

• Don’t contact Chris Campbell directly and attempt to arrange your own hunts at his family’s pond, which is effectively bypassing others on the rotation.
• Don’t let your friends know about Chris’s family pond.

FCS will hunt ducks with MF (Mallicote Family) Waterfowl on Saturday, 12/4/21 – Monday, 12/6/21 (the opening weekend of the split season) near Paris.  MF Waterfowl is featured on the Outdoor Channel.  Their FB page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Sports—Recreation/Mfwaterfowl-1928680590584853/.

The cost is $300 per day per hunter.  Three days of hunting and a 5-hunter group are required for private group privileges.  Hunting includes the guide and dog.  Lodging is $250 per night divided by 5 hunters or $50 a night per hunter.

RSVP is required to Mike Walsh at duxmn@austin.rr.com or 512-560-7001.  1/2 of the fee ($525 each) is required for a deposit to hold the dates.  Mike will Venmo one deposit for everyone, as the outfitter prefers.

Self-guided hunting trips and self-chartered fishing trips don’t involve an outfitter or guide, so there is no guide or charter fees or tips.

For self-guided duck hunts and self-chartered fishing trips, the participants (excluding the boat captains) 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 (if applicable) or mud off, park entrance/boat launch fees (if applicable), boat slip fees (if applicable), and toll road fees (if applicable).  The boat captains have to replace their boat batteries, trailer tires and wheel bearings, etc., and repair things like their trolling motors more quickly due to taking people on self-guided duck hunts and self-chartered fishing trips than they would if they didn’t take members and guests on such trips; therefore, they are exempt from the above expenses.  Lodging and bait (if applicable) fees will be split among all the participants.  If we stay at Wayne Weilnau’s house in Port O’Connor, we’ll divide the maid cleaning fee by the participants (not counting Wayne).

Semi-guided hunts involve an outfitter, guide, or landowner and a hunt fee.  Usually, they just show the hunters were the blinds and cleaning station are and where to dump the guts or which fields they can hunt, for example.  Fees for semi-guided hunts will be required by a due date.  Hunters who do not pay the 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.

Guided hunting trips or chartered fishing trips involve an outfitter and guide who hunts or fishes (as applicable) with his clients and a guide or charter fee.  The guide/captain often cleans the game/catch for you, but sometimes they charge an additional fee.  Guide and charter fees will be required by a due date.  Hunters and fishermen who do not pay guide and charter fees by the due date will be removed from the list of people who RSVPed for the trip.  We recommend a 15 – 20% tip for guided and chartered trips, based on the effort, not the results.

For guided or chartered and semi-guided events, we split the vehicle gas (the amount depends on the distance traveled and the number of people sharing the gas), toll road fees (if applicable), park entrance/boat launch fees (if applicable), and lodging fees (if applicable).

Most of our events have food (eating out and drive through) costs for everyone.

Some trips require an Airbnb home and some other lodging providers to be paid in advance by a due date.  RSVPed Hunters or fishermen who don’t make their lodging payment to the Event Coordinator by the due date will be removed from the list of people who RSVPed for the trip.

If a person is removed from the list of people who RSVPed for a trip due to cancellation or non-payment, another person on the waiting list (if applicable) will be given an opportunity to take their place and make an immediate payment of the outfitter, guide, or landowner fee and lodging fee (if applicable).

FCS will host a Semi-guided Hog Hunt on 4/10/21 at the 200 acre Pena family ranch near Mexia.  The ranch has a large stock tank (pond), a creek that runs to it, and lots of trees that line the creek.

The cost of the hunt is $50 per hog.  Hunters will need to bring their own pop-up or stick blinds and a sack of corn each.  Presently, there are no feeders or accommodations on the property.

The maximum number of hunters that we can bring is four, counting Raul Pena.  We are full.

Contact Raul be placed on his waiting list in case someone drops out or if you have any questions at his email address or 210-364-0720.

FCS will host a Semi-guided Hog Hunt on 4/23/21 – 4/25/21 with Ricky Ethridge on a 2,000 acre ranch near Rocksprings.  We have had many successful duck hunts with Ricky and know that he’s a stand-up guy.

The cost of the hunt is $250 for the weekend for unlimited hogs.  The ranch is primarily a whitetail, axis, and turkey hunting ranch, and has seven box blinds and feeders.  It doesn’t have feeder lights, but you’re welcome to bring your own. They hunt the blinds in the mornings and evenings and stalks are allowed between those times.  It has a cleaning station with ropes and gambrels – you can clean your own hogs.

Lodging is a trailer that sleeps five, with a kitchen.  If we have more than five hunters the excess hunters will have to camp.  If that happens, we’ll look for camper volunteers.  If we don’t get any volunteers then we’ll use a computer number generator to determine who will camp.

The maximum number of hunters that we can bring is seven.  We have five deposits.  Two spots are open.

In the event that more than seven hunters want to go, the Rotation and the Event Hierarchy will apply and/or we’ll try to book a second weekend.

RSVP is required to Raul Pena at his email address or 210-364-0720.

A $50 deposit will be required immediately.

Contact Raul if you have any questions.

FCS hosts an annual family celebration banquet.  We have had them at a variety of locations.  Presently we have them at La Margarita Restaurante, which has typical Tex-Mex fare at the typical prices.  You’ll have your choice from their menu and we’ll have separate checks.  The banquets usually last from 6:30 – 8:30 PM.  Dress is casual

The banquets feature a guest speaker.  Here are pictures from some of our banquets:

RSVP’s are required.  We need to spend $200 (about 15 people) in order to keep the room reserved.  If diners don’t RSVP we won’t know if we’re going to have enough diners to keep the room.

RSVP to Binh Chu.  Also contact Binh if you have any questions.

FCS will have a Guided Inland Duck Hunt with Blue Roan Outfitters near Elm Bend on Saturday, 12/19/20.  The cost is $225/hunter, not including a highly recommended tip.  They have a 280-acre lake.  From their pictures, they get a lot more variety of ducks than Rayce Jenkins typically gets.

They are 132 miles from Randy Rowley’s house, so going down the night before and staying in a motel or their lodge may be the wisest course of action.  Sealy (19 miles away) and Wharton (26 miles away) have cheap motels.  Their lodge is expensive ($750/night for the group).  Expedia has several deals.

They can handle up to five hunters.

An RSVP is required to Ian Daniels at idaniels@austin.rr.com or 512-633-2221.  The Guided Inland Duck Hunt Rotation and the Event Hierarchy will apply.

FCS will hunt teal with guide Rayce Jenkins near El Campo on Saturday, 9/26/20.  We have had successful teal hunts with Rayce in the past.  We are verifying the time.

The price is $200.  That includes bird cleaning.  We highly recommend a 15 – 20% tip, based on effort.

El Campo is 130 miles from downtown Austin, so give consideration to staying in a motel the night before.  If not, you’ll have to probably leave around 2:00 AM to get there on time.

Rayce can handle five hunters and we’re full.  Contact Ian Daniels at idaniels@austin.rr.com or 512-633-2221 to be added to his ‘will-call’ list in case someone drops out.  Also, contact Ian if you have any questions.

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Randy,

I enjoy the  club and all the great members.

Earl P.

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FCS Webmaster:

Thanks for all your work in putting together FCS’s current, past & on-going clays score cards. Your spread sheet is easy to get around & 1st class as is the rest of our FCS website.

Thanks again,

Harold T.

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Randy,

Really nice work on the FCS website page.

James W.

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Randy,

Harrison and I went hunting yesterday am at friends place north of Walburg. Excellent morning and I limited and Harrison got 11 – our shooting much better and lots of dove until about 8:30. Great fun – I even hit 2 birds with one shot!

I got invitation to go back out in afternoon and seriously considered it – I already had the birds in the freezer. But then I thought about one of your talks about this very thing and what influence I might have on Harrison and compromise my values – so, I didn’t go.

Just wanted you to know we do hear some of what you say!

Flint D.

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Randy,

You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!

Ryan

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Randy,

I was at GHBC for a Tres Dias meeting 2 or 3 years ago when I signed up on your email list. I have enjoyed following you guys and if I ever move to your area count me in. I live in Ft. Worth now. God bless your ministry!

Luke

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Hi Randy,

Glad to know who did the cooking. Just want to say how much I enjoyed it. You guys did a great job. Glad to hear that you’ll be cooking next time, too.

Jo Ann O.

President’s note: this is in reference to the 3/31/11 Wild Game Dinner.

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Hi Randy!

Thanks again for keeping me on the FCS email list. I really do enjoy it and appreciate your dedication and hard work.

Keep up the good work!

Rod W.

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Thank you Randy for all your hard work with this ministry, FCS needs to have a booth at Global Impact Celebration next year.

Larry D.

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Dear Randy,

You have no idea what the corn & meat & butter means to residents of St. George’s.  Recently the food bank has been cut out.  In the past once a month the Social Worker would go to the Food Pantry & bring food in.

Last month it was hot dogs & buns.

I have been bringing bread home from Mission Possible.

You have no idea of the excitement.  Two ladies regrouped the corn so all could receive.

Bless you!

Patsy M.

President’s note: we donated the left-overs from the 3/31/11 Wild Game Dinner to the residents of St. George’s Court, a low-income housing project for elderly and the handicapped.  One of the residents wrote the following note.

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Sirs,

Becky and I had a great time shooting with you all!

Thank you, Randy for setting it up for us to participate in this event!

WHAT A DEAL – all the instruction and clays we could ask for!

The instructors were great. I heard basically the same advice form different instructors in sometimes different ways – which to us reinforced the instruction.

Becky and I got good results.

That was a great end to a near perfect day. Perfect as a close miss followed by breaking many more in a row!

That you all for including us in this event, being fellow sports people, trying to follow His trail.

Harold T.

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Hey Randy,

I had a great time last night! What fun! What a great group of guys that showed up.. I think i may have made some new buddies.. I appreciate you running the club and leading from the front to see things happen and get done! Thank you for your dedication to the kingdom and have a great weekend!

Phil N.

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Hey Randy,

I had a great time getting to know everyone that made it out to Cutchen’s place! I appreciate you helping me feel welcome with the group and look forward to the shooting range… Also thanks for the shot gun cleaning kit… Have a great week and look forward to being apart of the club more and we’ll see you sooner than later!

Phil N.

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Had a great time last nite and some good eats. Appreciate the word given.

Mark M.

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Randy,

Thanks for a wonderful and fun day. It was good to be out there and meet some of the members, not to mention great shooting among us. I can’t wait till the next round to do this again.

Robby W.

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I had a good time visiting too!

Good Bible study, sent the link to some friends.

Thomas P.

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Hi Randy – I have been meaning to send you a message since Thursday, and I suppose I forgot. I just wanted to say thank you for having me out, I really enjoyed the group. I look forward to getting to know you all better, and I am really looking forward to meeting up with you all at the shooting range as soon as possible. I know I will have a little bit of a struggle on some Saturdays getting someone to watch the kids, but it is definitely possible. At any rate, thanks again, and we will see you soon!

Paul I.

See https://fishgame.com/2016/05/basics-trout-fishing/.