By Mimi Meyer, For Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation
The Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation teamed up with Texas Dove Hunters Association to take Texas Sen. Donna Campbell, M.D. and fellow staff members on their first dove hunt. The group met at Red Sand Ranch, in Batesville, for a debrief and quick clay target practice to get everyone familiar and comfortable with a shotgun.
Those present from Sen. Campbell’s staff included Joyce Yannuzzi, Rob Gowan, Sonya Chapa-Weber and her son Nathan, as well as US Army LTC retired veteran, Steve Cornelius and Chris Byrd. The senator asked volunteers and landowners their thoughts about existing and proposed gun laws, saying she has always fought for Second Amendment rights, but had never held a shotgun or fired a shot. It was an eye-opening experience for her, hearing everyone’s stories of growing up with parents that closely watched and educated their children on gun safety and the value of hunting.
Then the group headed to the field guided by Poco Loco Paloma Outfitters, just west of La Pryor. Sonya’s son has hunted before and handled a shotgun well. Sonya, has gone out with him from time to time, but she usually just sits back to support him and reads a magazine. This time, she was on deck and harvested her first dove.
Rob Gowan, who handles veteran affairs for the senator, frequently hunts and has been asked many times by his coworkers to get them out in the field. That’s when he reached out to Bobby Thornton with TDHA to see what their options were.
Cornelius was outfitted in his old army gear and was also lucky enough to harvest his first dove. He joked, “I went from M16s to shotguns. It’s a big jump.”
After the hunt, the crew headed back to the lodge where they learned how to clean their birds and then gathered around the kitchen for their first taste at dove poppers prepared by Poco Loco Paloma staff.
Now, Sen. Campbell plans to get her daughter shooting lessons and plans to purchase a shotgun of her own to practice.
Cornelius was excited about trying something new. He plans to purchase a shotgun and shells to practice and hopefully go out again next season. Everyone donated their dove meat to Chapa-Weber and her son for them to cook up a special meal at home to celebrate their harvests.
Thanks goes to Bobby and Susan Thorton of Texas Dove Hunters Association, Madison Wilkerson of Wilkerson’s Gun Shop and A Place to Shoot for her assistance, and Red Sand Ranch/ Poco Loco Paloma.
LSONF strives to continue bringing more people out into the field, “recruiting hunters and anglers for a lifetime.” For more information on LSONF and TDHA visit www. lsonews.com/foundation and www.texasdovehunters.com.
