PARTICIPANTS IN A SPRING meeting of Freestone County Game Management Association load up for a wildlife tour at Caney Creek Lodge. (Photo by Billy Patterson) Anticipation of the next hunting season in Freestone County was enhanced as hunters from around the area enjoyed a presentation by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at the Freestone County Game Management Association’s Spring Meeting and Wildlife tour held recently.

Jay Whiteside, a game biologist with TPWD, presented a program entitled “Antler Restrictions-What Have We Learned?”

Research and collection data from the original nine Texas counties, where the first antler restrictions were implemented, were presented as well as information from the past deer season in Freestone county.

What impressed Whiteside the most about the data collected from measurements taken from deer harvested in Freestone County was the fact that “hunters actually seemed to begin the antler restrictions during the 2008-2009 season.”

A COMPOUND BOW door prize went to Dalton Dodge of Fairfield, congratulated by Freestone County Game Management Association director Ben Capps. (Photo by Billy Patterson) Whiteside says: “We actually saw a rise in the quality of bucks being harvested the year before the restrictions were implemented. This tells us the hunters in this county were being more selective on their own. It’s all about letting the young bucks grow to more maturity before harvesting the animal. You should be commended for your efforts.”

The TPWD biologist presented detailed data which, in the eyes of TPWD, indicates the pro- gram has been a tremendous success.

“Nearly all previous 1- buck counties are now 2- buck counties with only a handful remaining with single animal restrictions,” Whiteside reports. “We will continue to collect data in Freestone county for the next several years in order to monitor how the program is progressing.”

WINNER OF A REMINGTON deer rifle Ben Capps, left, is congratulated by Freestone County Game Management Association president William Dodge. Photo by Billy Patterson) Billy Patterson of Fairfield presented a program on the National Archery In The Schools Program (NASP) which is being implemented in the Fairfield high school this year. The program will be part of the wildlife class being taught by high school FFA teacher Daniel Phillips. Students will be required to have passing grades, good behavior and meet other requirements to participate in competition meets which also include a national contest to compete for scholarships.

“This program has already been implemented in other schools in the county and we’re excited to begin it in Fairfield. It is now in all 50 states in the country and the success of the program has been well documented,” Phillips says. “NASP provides an avenue for those students who may not be interested in normal sports activities. It has proven to increase student achievements in their academic classes as well as reduce discipline issues in the schools.”

Instructors were scheduled to be trained in June and FCGMA is sponsoring the equipment for this new class at Fairfield High School.

Participants at the spring meeting and wildlife tour event were eligible for two door prize drawings. Ben Capps of Fairfield won the Remington 700 SPS bolt action rifle while Dalton Dodge won the youth drawing for a Genesis compound bow outfit.

Participants were also treated to free food and drinks.

Following the meeting, children and adults were guided on a trip through Caney Creek’s wildlife reserve where numerous types of wildlife were viewed.