"Well it’s all over but the crying for the 2006-2007 season"
This was a good season all in all but a bit off from the previous "season of a lifetime". In some parts of the prairie it was better than we expected. But in other parts, the high hopes just did not materialize. The heavy rains in September and October actually ended up hurting us more than it helped. Given that we made payments for guaranteed water that we have on almost all of our properties. The increased water brought the grass which we never seemed to recover from in some parts. The water and grass seemed to help in other parts. So as always the season was a learning experience.
For 2007, we have already started to work on the property acquisitions and the tweaking of the existing properties to maximize the hunting potential for the next year. We try to get an early start which has already paid off with some new acquisitions. We have high hopes for others that will come through in the next few months. We expect our rice acreage to be back up this year. We have a number of properties that were without rice in 2006 that will be returning to their regular rotation in 2007.
One change that is already apparent for this upcoming season is the price of all of our properties appears to be headed upward. More hunters are being forced onto fewer acres with rice acreage dwindling along the Texas gulf coast. Landowners and farmers are recognizing this and lease prices are going up. The other inputs to our program, diesel and water, have been getting costlier. We will most likely combat the increase with the addition of a select member or two to the existing mix. This may be coupled with a slight increase in lease prices this year. But in any event, just remember this whole operation has been, and will continue to be, run in the red. We do not seek a profit, just good hunting and camaraderie.
Our membership roster is healthy and appears to be increasing for next season. That is why we need to acquire new properties. If you are a prospective member or if you are an existing member with a prospect; you need to get the information to me ASAP. I am compiling the "draft" list now. We are already in the process of mixing and matching the 20+ names we have on the list. That is even after knocking out a few not meeting our membership criteria. Growth is good but we are sticking to the criteria that has worked for us to date. Please submit the names and we will get them worked in if they fit.
Dove Hunting, September 1, 2007: The program at the 290 property is intact and everything is a go for this fall. We are continuing the development of the Waller County property on the dove front. Do not be surprised to see a few hunts out that way this year.
Scouting/Lease Services: We plan to expand our scout program in 2007. John Persha graduates (he hopes) in August. He plans to immediately enter the workforce. We are still looking for the right spot for the guy so let me know if you have a permanent job in mind. Persha will stay in the program. He will assist us in managing the scouts and related lease services. We can provide a stellar reference for him. We plan multiple replacements for Persha. One spot has already been filled but we need some younger blood from the college ranks. If you have suggestions please forward them along. Their role in our program is becoming crucial to our success. College students who like to hunt, have a decent vehicle, and live or go to school either in Houston or College Station are the ideal types. We pay for their gas and incidentals during the scouting and on work days. We also pay them a competitive wage on the work days.
Keep an eye out here over the next few weeks for updates which may include some website changes. We plan to post more pictures from previous years. You should plan on that initial lease deposit being made in May with the balance due in late July. We will get emails out here in early May with the latest on each programs lease situation and membership. Please let me extend the best to you in the off-season.
