September 1, 2000

TFB co-sponsors youth
shooting sports event

“We support research, law enforcement and educational activities designed to improve hunting and fishing for this and future generations.”—Texas Farm Bureau State Policies Handbook

By Jim Gardner

Once again, the Texas Farm Bureau Wildlife Commodities Division showed its support for youth education activities designed to improve hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. This time it was a youth shooting sports event, conducted by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD). The two-day event was held recently at Pecan Creek Ranch in Hamilton County.

It all started with a telephone call that TFB Associate Director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities Don Petty received from Texas Parks & Wildlife Biologist Misty Sumner, who also serves as a TPWD activities coordinator. Knowing Texas Farm Bureau’s interest in supporting youth outdoor activities, she turned to Petty for any help she could get.

Farm Bureau agreed to support the project, making available some financial assistance. Through Farm Bureau’s efforts, needed supplies—ranging from shooting accessories and ammunition to soft drinks—were made available for the event. Other business and organizations were also involved.

Students came from several different high schools in Central Texas including Evant, Hillsboro, Jonesboro and others. Each day the group would first assemble in one of the large meeting rooms at the ranch, made available by hosts Mike and Lana Freeman. Here Dr. Freeman, the owner and host of Pecan Creek Ranch, gave the kids a short history of the ranch and its facilities, and discussed his future plans to make it a top-rated Bed & Breakfast, as well as a game-managed hunting resort.

The students were then given a presentation on Texas wildlife conservation and farm and ranch wildlife management by Mike Krueger, a TPWD biologist from Lampasas. The kids then received a briefing on firearm safety and procedures from Charlie Wilson, Sporting Clays Coordinator for TPWD. After this briefing, the students were divided into smaller groups or “squads,” and each squad was assigned to a shooting discipline, including shotgun (sporting clays), .22 rifle (and sometimes pistol), black powder (muzzleloader) rifle and archery equipment. Each squad member participated in all disciplines.

Later in the day students were allowed the opportunity to go back and participate again in at whichever discipline they wanted.

Critiques from the 100-plus students were, for the most part, very positive. Almost all enjoyed their time at Pecan Creek Ranch.

Negative critiques were generally directed toward the weather—it was hot and humid! Some also complained they didn’t have enough time to shoot more, at one station or another.

Overall, these high school students expressed open appreciation to the Freemans, and to the Parks & Wildlife personnel who made the event possible. It was easily seen that if the majority could have stayed longer, they would have.

Jim Gardner is a Texas Farm Bureau pilot. He is also a TPWD Hunter Safety Education instructor.