2003 was a fantastic year for FCS, particularly the last six months (two quarters). We had our second best year of attendance ever with 291 participants. This was an increase of 104 participants over 2002, an average of 26 more per quarter! This was our third yearly participation increase in a row. The October through December quarter was our best ever (by far) and the July through September quarter was our third best ever. Below is our attendance to date since 1988.
Year |
January - March |
April - June |
July - September |
October - December |
Total |
Quarter Average |
| 2003 | 45 | 16 | 117 | 113 | 291 | 73 |
| 2002 | 30 | 30 | 81 | 50 | 191 | 48 |
| 2001 | 34 | 13 | 59 | 40 | 146 | 37 |
| 2000 | 30 | 27 | 14 | 52 | 123 | 31 |
| 1999 | 27 | 48 | 95 | 31 | 201 | 50 |
| 1998 | 73 | 29 | 70 | 9 | 181 | 45 |
| 1997 | 43 | 53 | 130 | 54 | 280 | 70 |
| 1996 | 96 | 111 | 135 | 53 | 395 | 99 |
| 1995 | 96 | 59 | 104 | 20 | 279 | 70 |
| 1994 | 113 | 62 | 56 | 39 | 270 | 67 |
| 1993 | 74 | 45 | 41 | 69 | 229 | 57 |
| 1992 | 76 | 59 | 75 | 23 | 233 | 56 |
| 1991 | 54 | 21 | 42 | 27 | 144 | 36 |
| 1990 | 0 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 21 | 5 |
| 1989 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 36 | 9 |
| 1988 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Total | 892 | 587 | 1037 | 599 | 3189 | |
| Averages | 56 | 39 | 69 | 37 | 201 | 50 |
We also had our highest Sporting Clays Shoot attendance ever (28 participants on 12/20/03) and our highest Sporting Clays Shoot yearly total attendance ever (70 participants). We had 24 more Sporting Clay Shoot attendees in 2003 than we did in 2002 (up 50%)! We also had our highest attendance at a Club Meeting (23 participants on 12/4/03). Our total meeting attendance (78 participants) was the highest since 1999. We had 29 more meeting attendees in 2003 than we did in 2002 (up 30%)! We also broke the 3000 mark in total attendance with 3024 attendees through 12/20/03!
We also had our highest number of active members ever - 48 by the end of 2003. In addition we had 24 men join the Club during 2003, exceeding my goal of 20. Regarding my other 2003 goals we had our Deep Sea Fishing Trip on 10/25/03 and our First Ever Pheasant Hunt on 12/13/04 - 12/14/03.
In looking at how we do memberships and membership renewals ($12.00 a year; pro-rated $1.00 a month from each September (if you join in March the due would be $6.00 for example) I noted that about 95% of members always pay the full $12.00. From my standpoint a non-pro-rated membership is much easier to keep up with. I, therefore, proposed that we eliminate the "each September" system and the "pro-rated" system. The following changes to the Bylaws were approved via e-mail and letter vote and became final on 12/17/03.
A. Members shall consist of those men (and each man’s wife and female relatives) who have:
1. Expressed a desire to be a member by completing a membership application.
2. Have paid an annual club membership due. Current dues are $12.00 a year.
On 12/17/03, via e-mail and letter vote, we approved our 2004 Calendar. We continued our Annual Fall Dove Retreat, Annual Fall Dove Hunt (central zone), Annual Winter Dove Retreat, Annual Goose/Duck Hunt, Annual Hog Hunt, and Quarterly Sporting Clays Shoots. We made the Pheasant Hunt and Fall Dove Hunt (north zone) annual events. We added a Conservation Season Goose Hunt, a 24 Hour Sporting Clays Shoot, and a Striped Bass Fishing Trip.
On 12/23/03, via e-mail and letter vote, the majority of FCS members (who voted) voted (11 - 7) to change the dates of the Winter Dove Retreat to Wednesday, 12/31/03 through Saturday, 1/3/04 and change the dates of the Fall Dove Retreat to Wednesday, 9/22/04 through Saturday, 9/25/04. These changes have been reflected on the 2004 Calendar. As I noted on the 12/31/03 - 1/3/04 Winter Dove Retreat page you can arrive earlier than 12/31/03 and hunt and stay later than 1/3/04 and hunt. You'll just have to pay Mr. Ewald directly for extra days.
On 12/16/03 we had an e-mail and letter vote on membership dues. I presented four options. Option 1 - Keep everything exactly as it is ($12.00/year membership due, a cap or shirt as a membership benefit, and mandatory membership for Dove Retreats) received 14 votes. Option 2 - Keep the cap/shirt benefit and reduce the membership due to $10/year (48 members - our present number - times $10/member = $480.00, which would meet our above expenditures) received one vote. Option 3 - Eliminate the cap/shirt benefit (which would get our expenditures down to $269.00) and reduce the membership due to $6.00 year (48 members times $6.00/member = $288.00, which would meet expenditures) received no votes. Option 4 - Eliminate the mandatory membership for Dove Retreats and eliminate the cap/shirt benefit (the voluntary due/renewal recommendation would be $12.00) received no votes. Therefore Option 1 passed. We will keep everything regarding membership dues exactly as it was. Voting was finalized on 12/23/03.
On 12/23/03 we had an e-mail and letter vote on logos and membership benefits. I presented two options. Option 1 would keep the FCS Logo as it was initially developed and alternate the benefit each year (a green camo cap with the logo on it one year, a green camo shirt with the logo on it the next year, a brown camo cap with the logo on it the next year, a brown camo shirt with the logo on it the next year, a coffee mug with the logo on it the next year, etc.). It has received 12 votes to date. Option 2 would change the FCS Logo every other year (new FCS logo with a cap one year and new FCS logo with a shirt the next year followed by another new FCS logo with the same cap the next year, etc.). It has received three votes to date (12/31/03). E-mail voting was finalized on 12/30/03. Even if all four members who vote by mail vote in favor of Option 2 it will not win. Therefore Option 1 passed. We will keep the logo the same and alternate the benefit each year.
Our 2004 Hog Hunt with Kevin Kirby had to be rescheduled because Kevin is no longer hosting hog hunts. We have reserved our Annual Hog Hunt instead with Jim Reed of the Reed Ranch for 2/20/04 - 2/22/04.
We had a great Club Meeting on 12/4/03 with a record 23 participants. We had 16 participants at the 2/6/03 Club Meeting. What set these two meetings apart in regards to attendance, in my opinion, was both involved home cooking. We had our Annual Chili Supper on 12/4/03 and a shrimp boil on 2/6/03. I plan on having a catfish fry at the 2/5/04 Club Meeting at my home. We will grill dove at the 4/1/04 Club Meeting at Ron Denison's home. I would like to experiment this year and try as many home cooked meals at meetings as possible (I'll be happy to do the cooking). If it results in higher attendance we will continue it. If not we'll regroup.
For 2004 I have four goals:
The new FCS "What You're Hunting For" caps and patches are available. They are a membership benefit with either a membership due or renewal. Additional caps can be purchased for $5.00 each.
Lately I have had several conversations with FCS members regarding my attending various FCS events. Members have expressed disappointment to learn that I will not be attending all 2004 events. I would like to take this opportunity to explain. At the 10/4/01 North Austin Chapter Meeting we accepted Job Descriptions for FCS officers. The General Expectation section for all officer positions states "All officers are expected to set the example for the FCS membership by following the bylaws and through attendance in FCS meetings and outings." The Club President's Job Description states "The President is expected to attend at least one half of all Club Chapter meetings." I have always made FCS meetings top priority and will continue to do so. However, I want to make it clear that I will not be able to attend all FCS outings due to lack of funds.
Over the past two years we have scheduled more FCS events than ever before. None of these events are free. We make it a practice to not get on the cheapest leases because we have got what we paid for usually in the past. We also don't get on the most expensive leases because they are out of the reach of most FCS members. We usually take a middle of the road approach, going with leases that have a good reputation and offer a reasonable chance of success. The Dove Retreats for example are $25.00 - $50.00/day cheaper than the going rate for south Texas. We could do cheaper hunts, with TP&W for example, but our chances of having a good hunt would diminish. Members have made very clear through evaluations and other feedback that they don't want to go the cheapest route. 88% of respondents to the 1997 Club Evaluation felt that the cost of the average FCS outing was appropriate. 100 % of respondents to the 2001 Club Evaluation felt that FCS outings generally cost the right amount.
Here's just the lease/event cost of all our 2004 events:
200.00 - 24 Hour Sporting Clays Shoot
190.00 - Annual Hog Hunt
165.00 - Conservation Season Goose Hunt
165.00 - Annual Duck/Goose Hunt
150.00 - Fall and Winter Dove Retreats (three days each)
150.00 - Annual Pheasant Hunt
130.00 - Dove Hunts (north zone season lease). Central zone hunts are $50.00/day
86.60 - Four Quarterly Sporting Clays Shoots
80.00 - Striped Bass Fishing Trip
1316.60
Of course that figure does not include gas, food, lodging, shells, licenses, meat processing, etc. Add in all that and you'll spend a grand and a half easy if you attend all events. I'm thrilled that we're offering more events than ever before. Having a large variety is good because guys who aren't interested in chasing hogs might be happy to go on a duck hunt. Members who could care less about chasing pheasants might be turned on by clay shoots. I believe that offering a lot of diverse activities is part of the reason why our attendance is up so significantly.
When we were only offering eight events a year it was a lot easier to make them all, both economically and time wise. I wish I still could make them all but financial reality forces me to plan on only attending both Dove Retreats, the north zone Dove Hunts, the Hog Hunt, the Striped Bass Fishing Trip, the Sporting Clays Shoots, and either the Pheasant Hunt or the Annual Duck/Goose Hunt (11 of the 14 events) during 2004. For the events that I will not attend I have ensured that an officer or dependable member leads them. Ken Hamilton will be heading up the 1/23/04 - 1/24/04 Conservation Season Goose Hunt and Derrich Pollock will be heading up the 4/23/04 - 4/24/04 Twenty Four Hour Sporting Clays Shoot. I hope to see you at many FCS events during 2004.
Serving Him and you,
Randy Rowley
FCS President and Webmaster