Tomme
11-16-2006, 08:18 PM
I'm proposing that we sponsor a statewide bowhunting weekend to shoot feral hogs. All hogs harvested would be donated to help feed the hungry. Alternatively, all hogs harvested (backstraps removed :) would be donated to feed the hungry.
Ultimately I see giving this idea away to Parks and Wildlife and to rifle organizations for hunts the same weekend (it's for a good cause and they would generate more meat), but initally it would be us.
I think we could easily set up and do this on several APH lands around the state and thus get wide coverage (Granger comes to mind). In addition, if we could bring Parks and Wildlife to come on board with us, they might be able to put us on to some larger ranches with hog problems, who would allow us to hunt free, in return for some help with the hog population. A third alternative might be the local farmer in your own area, with couple hundred acres, a hog problem, but who doesn't want people with guns on his place. I don't see the hunters as being charged to do this, or at most a nominal fee of $20 or so. I would. however, like to see some minimal fee of say $10 charged. This fee could go to food processing costs, and also to help give a serious count of how many are coming.
Advantages to the rancher, getting some of his hogs killed off and right before antler development begins. The rancher could also (I believe) deduct the fair market value of the donated hunts and if he had a lot of hunters, this could be impressive.
Advantage to Parks and Wildlife would be increased hunter opportunities and some help with the hog population.
Advantages to the bowhunter are obvious. Though one additional one is also true. If you come on this hunt, I think you could donate expenses from your income tax as a charitable contiribution. After all you are helping a charitable organization feed the hungry (chekc with your accountant).
First and foremost, if we could kill a lot of hogs, we could help out a lot of hungry people and the soup kitchens and food pantries that serve them, at a hard time of year.
Advantages to LSBA would be good PR, and one more worthwhile activity we do to promote bowhunting. I think it also would give us one more thing to point to when we are recruiting. If we do this I think we should really hit the newspapers hard with press releases, follow ups of the hunt and the meat delivery. Of course we could also tuck in there contact information as to how they could join LSBA or come on the hunt.
I don't know how many soup kitchens there are around the state, but there is one in Temple who will accept "quarters". This would be the cheapest way to do it and if we do a Feb hunt we should have several of these lined up (Anyone know of a soup kitchen in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas)?
If the meat goes to food "pantires" it would be more expensive in that there are processing costs, even if a low price is donated, but perhaps we could use the $10 fee above, or donate it out of the treasury.
I think we could come up with some version of the TBH express to get the meat moved. Alternatively, we could use the actual TBH express. This would have to be lined out in advance.
It wouldn't take much to get this going. I see
1. EC approval
2. Selection of "Pork for the Poor" hunt date. Again probably 2nd or third weekend in February. Since my anniversary is around the 2nd, I'm picking the third.
3. Selection of initial site or sites.
4. Public Announcement
Ultimately I see giving this idea away to Parks and Wildlife and to rifle organizations for hunts the same weekend (it's for a good cause and they would generate more meat), but initally it would be us.
I think we could easily set up and do this on several APH lands around the state and thus get wide coverage (Granger comes to mind). In addition, if we could bring Parks and Wildlife to come on board with us, they might be able to put us on to some larger ranches with hog problems, who would allow us to hunt free, in return for some help with the hog population. A third alternative might be the local farmer in your own area, with couple hundred acres, a hog problem, but who doesn't want people with guns on his place. I don't see the hunters as being charged to do this, or at most a nominal fee of $20 or so. I would. however, like to see some minimal fee of say $10 charged. This fee could go to food processing costs, and also to help give a serious count of how many are coming.
Advantages to the rancher, getting some of his hogs killed off and right before antler development begins. The rancher could also (I believe) deduct the fair market value of the donated hunts and if he had a lot of hunters, this could be impressive.
Advantage to Parks and Wildlife would be increased hunter opportunities and some help with the hog population.
Advantages to the bowhunter are obvious. Though one additional one is also true. If you come on this hunt, I think you could donate expenses from your income tax as a charitable contiribution. After all you are helping a charitable organization feed the hungry (chekc with your accountant).
First and foremost, if we could kill a lot of hogs, we could help out a lot of hungry people and the soup kitchens and food pantries that serve them, at a hard time of year.
Advantages to LSBA would be good PR, and one more worthwhile activity we do to promote bowhunting. I think it also would give us one more thing to point to when we are recruiting. If we do this I think we should really hit the newspapers hard with press releases, follow ups of the hunt and the meat delivery. Of course we could also tuck in there contact information as to how they could join LSBA or come on the hunt.
I don't know how many soup kitchens there are around the state, but there is one in Temple who will accept "quarters". This would be the cheapest way to do it and if we do a Feb hunt we should have several of these lined up (Anyone know of a soup kitchen in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas)?
If the meat goes to food "pantires" it would be more expensive in that there are processing costs, even if a low price is donated, but perhaps we could use the $10 fee above, or donate it out of the treasury.
I think we could come up with some version of the TBH express to get the meat moved. Alternatively, we could use the actual TBH express. This would have to be lined out in advance.
It wouldn't take much to get this going. I see
1. EC approval
2. Selection of "Pork for the Poor" hunt date. Again probably 2nd or third weekend in February. Since my anniversary is around the 2nd, I'm picking the third.
3. Selection of initial site or sites.
4. Public Announcement