TWA Convention Celebrates 22 Years of Habitat Conservation & Hunting 

SAN ANTONIO – The Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) is celebrating 22 years of promoting effective habitat conservation and responsible hunting through private land stewardship at its annual convention “WildLife 2007” on June 29-30, 2007. The convention, touted as one of the “family-friendliest parties in Texas,” will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio. 

Wildlife enthusiasts from across Texas will come together for two days of fun, education and top-notch networking. Each year more than 1,500 people attend this premier event – and attendance just keeps growing. To encourage the participation of the entire family, there is no registration fee for children under 18.  Gold Sponsor of this year’s convention is Capital Farm Credit.

 Convention highlights include:

·         The Grand and Silent Auctions: On Saturday night, TWA hosts two rip-roaring auctions that generate about 25 percent of the organization’s annual budget. The Grand Auction features hunting opportunities donated by TWA members. These private ranch hunts, for the most part, are unavailable through any other venue. The Silent Auction features all kinds of great and unique items ranging from feeders, blinds, firearms, clothing, jewelry, optics, and so many more. The Silent Auction also features a Not-So-Silent component which includes hunts, fishing trips, and vacation packages!  Some items thus far in the Grand Auction include:

Ø       2000 Jeep 4x4 Custom Camo Hunting Rig - This jeep is custom-equipped with running boards, gun scabbards, rear game rack, safari top, road feeder and a custom wet bar!  It is sure to impress all your hunting buddies. Donated by South Texas Outfitters, Wachovia Bank, Dynamic Systems, Richard Hill,  and Gary S. Farmer.

Ø       2007 4-DOOR Jeep Wrangler 4x4 Unlimited - This is the Jeep everyone’s wanting: the new 4-door Jeep!  Enjoy 5 passenger seating and almost 47 feet of cargo space! Thanks to Bluebonnet Jeep in New Braunfels and North Park Lincoln Mercury in San Antonio for this great donation. 

Ø       Other Grand Auction items include: A Three Night Guided Trophy Mule Deer & Quail Hunt in the Sierra Diablo Mountains, Two Day Guided Trophy Buck Hunt on King Ranch, 4 Day Trans-Pecos Trophy Pronghorn Antelope Hunt, Bad Boy Buggy, custom guns, youth hunts, and much more! Most Grand Auction hunts and trips are one-of-a-kind and not available elsewhere, so even if you can’t make it, call in a proxy bid, or fill out a proxy form available on-line on TWA’s website: www.texas-wildlife.org.

• The Statewide Texas Big Game Awards Banquet, sponsored by Budweiser: Some of the most spectacular specimens of white-tailed deer, mule deer and pronghorn antelope taken during the 2006-2007 hunting season will be on display at the Statewide Texas Big Game Awards Banquet at noon on Saturday. The program recognizes both the hunter who took the outstanding animal and the land manager whose efforts produced the habitat necessary to sustain the animal. The Honorable Todd Staples, Texas Agriculture Commissioner, will keynote the event. In addition, Commissioner Staples, along with TPWD Executive Director Robert Cook, will help present the TBGA awards. 

• The Wildlife Education Seminars, sponsored by Jefferson Bank: Even the most experienced resource managers will learn something new at the Wildlife Education Seminars held throughout the day on Saturday. The first session is: “What’s New in Wildlife Management,” and the second session is: “A View of the Horizon – New Values on the Landscape.” In addition, Texas Ag Finance will sponsor the Sportsman’s Skills Series – a section of seminars on such topics as “Scoring Deer Antlers,” “Aging on the Hoof,” “Predator Calling,” “Wildlife Opportunities for Youth,” and much more. And H-E-B will sponsor the Wildcrafting 101 seminars.

• The Academy Sports & Outdoors Little Lonestars Program, sponsored by Academy Sports & Outdoors: On Friday and Saturday, children can participate in a wide variety of outdoor-related fun and games. There will be art- and wildlife-contests, Camp Hyatt, goodie bags and a ton of outdoor fun.  

• The Fun: Throughout the two-day event, attendees will have the chance to have a whole lot of fun in the many other activities and water venues at the fabulous Hyatt Regency Hill Country resort and Spa, including the “rambling river.” 

• The TWA Family Reunion Dinner: Mexican food and the boot-scooting sounds of Texas Country Music’s new rising artist Rich O’Toole, set the tone for Friday night’s opening gala where long-time and first-time friends meet, greet and catch-up. For those who prefer to just sit and listen to good western music, the Rough Riders, will appear in Charlie’s Long Bar. Saturday morning, TWA families gather for the TWA Annual Family Breakfast sponsored by C.H. Guenther and Son, Inc.  Also, family portraits will be taken during WildLife 2007 as well!  

• The Chasco-Sendero Invitational Golf Tournament, sponsored by Chasco Constructors: Teams hit the greens at noon on Friday to compete for a variety of prizes – and annual bragging rights.  

• The Trade Show: More than 50 exhibitors will show and sell their wares throughout the two-day event. Here, one can find the latest in wildlife management tools, ranch equipment, handcrafted knives, jewelry, accessories and eye-catching fashion. There definitely will be something for everyone. Refreshments throughout the two-day convention are sponsored by Crockett National Bank.

For more information on WildLife 2007, registration information, sponsorship information, updated schedule of events, and regularly updated list of the Silent and Grand Auction items, please visit the TWA website at: www.texas-wildlife.org