6/3/04 Club Meeting minutes

Fifteen participants (two officers, eight members, one guest, and four youth members) had a great time at the 6/3/04 Club Meeting at Larry Dowden's home.  We enjoyed Spaghetti with wild hog Italian sausage (supplied by me, Randy Rowley, and cooked on our new FCS Cooker), salad, garlic bread, and Queso and chips.  Thanks to Larry for the use of his home, Derrich Pollock for leading us in a devotional and in prayer, Ken Farmer for sharing his story of his recent bear hunt to Alberta Canada where he killed two potential record book bears with his bow, and to Eddy Chance for sharing his awesome home video of the 4/24/04 - 4/25/04 Twenty Four Hour Clay Target Shoot.  The minutes from the Business Meeting are as follows:

• A discussion was held on Upcoming Event Details.
• A discussion was held on our 2004 annual Goose/Duck hunt.  Our duck hunters will hunt with Waterfowl Outfitters Unlimited which is located near Eagle Lake (20 miles south east of Columbus).  Duck hunts take place on flooded ponds or flats.  They charge $145 for a duck hunt.  If we get enough goose hunters (at least four) they will hunt with The Blue Goose Hunting Club which is located near Altair (12 miles south of Columbus and eight miles west of Eagle Lake).  Blue Goose has been in the business for more than 45 years.  They offer more than 100,000 acres of land to provide a wide range of hunting options.  We can hunt rice fields, soybeans, oats, wheat, corn, and milo, along with plowed grounds and laid out plots.  They claim that they have the largest goose concentration in North America and that hundreds of thousands of Snows, Blues, Canada Whitefront, and Cacklers winter in the area.  They also state that Sandhill Crane and numerous species of ducks, including Mallards, Pintails, and Teals flock there to feed.   Hunting costs $160.00 per day.  They serve breakfast for $5.00 per person.  They have ammo for sale and state that their ammo prices are competitive with Walmart.  We could stay in an inexpensive motel in either Eagle Lake or Altair. 
• A discussion was held on the Larry Sullivan Dove Lease near Woodson, which is in north Texas.  It is close to Breckenridge just north of IH 20 and about 50 miles from Seymour. It is 230 miles from Austin.  Eleven members hunted this lease last year and did very well in September and not very well in October.  Opening weekend was, of course, the best.   Larry and his wife Betty have four properties to choose from.  You must let Larry know which property that you will hunt on for the opening weekend.   We hunted the Allen Farm last year (a very large sunflower field spread out over hundreds of acres) and Ken Hamilton has hunted it over the past two years.  There were over 100 hunters at opening weekend during the past two years but there was plenty of room for all.  After the opening weekend leasees can go to any of the four properties.  Also after the opening weekend leasees can bring one guest at no charge each time they hunt.  The dove season lease goes for $130.00 if paid before 7/15/04 and $150.00 if paid on or after 7/15/04.  Larry also offers a first weekend pass for September 4 - 5, 2004 for $100.00.  They are going to have an optional barbecue dinner on 9/4/04.  If you would like to partake of the dinner enclose an additional $10.00.  Check in is at the barn beginning August 31 on his property at 899 FM 209 W, Woodson, Texas 76491.  If you are interested in this lease contact Larry at 940-345-6788. You must complete an agreement/ release of liability form and mail it to the above address. On the form he lists the properties and you can select the one you prefer.  Contact Ken for more information at 972-966-8775 or 214-673-8308 (Cell).
• A discussion was held on reminding Mr. Ewald to plant grain in the near future to attract doves for the upcoming Annual Dove Retreat (south zone) which is scheduled for Wednesday, 9/22/04 through Saturday, 9/25/04 at his ranches near Dilley.
• A discussion was held on the membership benefit of a cap or a T-shirt.  About half of the members present stated that they would prefer a cap.  The other half stated that they would prefer a T-shirt.  Eddy Chance suggested that the T-shirt have a pocket.  We'll order half and half.