7/4/04

 

 

The April - June quarter of 2004 was another great one for FCS.  We had 74 total participants, which blows away last year (16) and was our second best for this quarter ever and our best since 1996!  It also blew away what was our average for this quarter (38).  We also had six events for this quarter, which was tied for the third most that we have had for this quarter (the most that we have had since 1999).  For the first time ever we had four Sporting Clays and Skeet Shoots in one quarter (our previous best was four in one year)!

Year

January - March

April - June

July - September

October - December

Total

Quarter Average

2004 86 74     160 80
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 892 661 1037 599 3189  
Averages 56 41 69 37 203 51

We had six e-mail votes/polls during the second quarter of 2004.

On 4/9/04, via an e-mail vote concerning Goose/Duck hunt options, the members voted as follows: Option 2 - A Goose/Duck Hunt in the Eagle Lake/Altair area received four votes, Option 1 - Blast and Cast (Duck Hunt/Bay Fishing Trip) received two votes, and Option 3 - Hunt with Bill Sherrill again received 1 vote.  As the votes for Options 1 and 3 together could not defeat the votes for Option 2 there was no need for a runoff and Option 2 passed.

On 4/11/04, via an e-mail poll concerning the website links, the members opinions were as follows: Eight preferred to keep the main page links in alphabetical order.  Four preferred to keep the main page links in alphabetical order but put the most frequent links at the top of the scroll down list, and one preferred to go back to the "most frequent used" order.  As the votes for the second and third options together could not defeat the first option there was no need for a runoff and the first option (alphabetical order) passed.  An idea by Mark Dillow was presented to consolidate the main page links.  His idea was implemented (thanks Mark).  The thirty eight links were consolidated down to six.

On 4/17/04, via an e-mail vote concerning Goose/Duck hunt outfitter options, the members voted as follows: Four members voted for Waterfowl Outfitter Unlimited, Four members voted for the Blue Goose Hunting Club, and three members voted for Tailfeathers Guide Service.

On 4/25/04, via an e-mail run off vote, Waterfowl Outfitter Unlimited received six votes and the Blue Goose Hunting Club received four votes.  What was abundantly clear, however, is the hunters who want to hunt with Waterfowl Outfitters Unlimited are interested in Duck Hunting.  The hunters who want to hunt with Blue Goose are interested in Goose Hunting.  Seeing that Blue Goose and Waterfowl Outfitters Unlimited are only eight miles apart we have an opportunity to do both, providing we can have the minimum four hunters for Blue Goose.  Right now Tom Geary and his wife Delia, Derrich Pollock, Jeff Keorner, and myself have expressed interest in hunting with Blue Goose which exceeds their minimum requirement.  The Officers made an Executive Decision to hold the 2004 Annual Duck Hunt with Waterfowl Outfitters Unlimited and, if we get enough hunters, to hold the 2004 Annual Goose Hunt with the Blue Goose Hunting Club.  We could stay in either Eagle Lake (where Waterfowl Outfitters Unlimited) is located or Altair (where Blue Goose is located).  Waterfowl Outfitters Unlimited will be the first priority.  Doing both will not hurt participation and could enhance it.  It will also give us two outfitters to compare with W.S. Sherrill (our previous outfitter) instead of one.

On 5/31/04, via an e-mail poll concerning the consolidated main page links, the members opinions were as follows: Nine members liked the new system (only six links on the main page) and three members indicated they would prefer something in between the old system (38 links) and the new system.  Larry Dowden suggested to add a link to the Prayer Requests and Praises page on the main page.  Ryan Rowley suggested to add a link to the Photo Gallery page on the main page.  Thank you Larry and Ryan for your suggestions.  I also added links to the Applications and Directories.

On 6/3/04, via an FCS meeting poll and e-mail poll concerning when to have our June Sporting Clays and Skeet Shoot, the members opinions were as follows: six members wanted to shoot on 6/12/04 and five members wanted to shoot on 6/26/04.  The Club Officers made an Executive Decision to hold shoots on both dates.

We cooked spaghetti with wild hog sausage at the 6/3/04 Club Meeting at Larry Dowden's home on our new FCS Cooker.  I thanked Mr. Charlie Batts and Larry Dowden for their $50.00 and $10.00 donations (respectively) towards the cooker and propane tank in my 4/1/04 Word from the President and I would like to also thank Derrich Pollock who donated $20.00 towards the cookers shelves.  We are planning to use the cooker again at a crawdad boil at the 8/5/04 Club Meeting at Derrich Pollock's home.

We only have three 2002 "Logo" camo T-shirts, one 2002 "Logo" khaki T-shirt, and three "Bass" T-shirts left.  We will use the khaki T-shirt and Bass T-shirts as membership benefits until we run out of them then.  We will order our 2004 membership benefits when we run out of our current inventory or by August, whichever comes first.  We will order both caps and T-shirts.  Members will have a choice of either for their membership benefit.

Dove season is less than two months away.  There is a wonderful hunting opportunity in North Texas on the Larry Sullivan lease near Woodson.  We are going to have our Annual Fall Dove Hunts there at least on 8/31/04 - 9/2/04 and 9/9/04 - 9/11/04.  You need to get your lease fee in to Larry before 7/15/04 in order to get the discount.  We will also have Annual Fall Dove Hunts in Central Texas near Mason on 8/31/04 - 9/3/04 and 9/9/04 - 9/11/04 if the first hunt is good.  Our Annual Fall Dove Retreat is scheduled for 9/22/04 - 9/25/04 at Lee Ewald's lease near Dilley in South Texas.  Another good idea is to make plans to join us at the next Sporting Clays and Skeet Shoot for a tune up shoot.  Right now our options are 7/24/04 and 7/31/04.  I put 7/24/04 down just so we'll have something "on paper."  I'll take another e-mail poll today of the membership.  The date can change depending on the results.

I hope to see you at an FCS event soon.

Serving the Lord and you,

 

Randy Rowley

FCS President and Webmaster