EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I could write a book on all that went on this weekend but I will keep it short and say that we had GREAT time!  I want to tell Chris and Mandi that they do one hell of a job organizing events and following through with all the details that make the difference between a good time and a great time.  I also want to thank all the veterans that were there for their UNBELIEVABLE sacrifice to this country.  It is humbling to be around such positive people and it is great to know that we have such good people serving in our military.  Hog hunting, good food, and floating the river, old friends-new friends....doesn't get alot better than that!
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Matt, I agree, couldn't have been better. I get back to the office in 8 or 9 days I'll get all my pics uploaded and posted.
This was certainly a great group of warriors and it was an honor to give just a fraction back to them.

X2 on everything Matt said!!!    

It was great to see, visit, and hunt with old friends and the same goes for all the new ones we met and made this weekend!!  Congrats to all the warriors on all their hogs!!    

Can't wait to be able to do it again!!

Talk about a fun filled weekend! What started out as a thought that we needed to do another Wounded Warrior Hunt a couple months ago, ended today with lots of good memories for all involved.  Friday morning friends from all over Texas pointed their vehicles in the direction of the Texas Hill County, for our 2010 Wounded Warrior Hunt - Texas Hill Country.

Before I tell any stories about the weekend, I need to thank many, for without their help, none of this could have happened.

The wounded vets that fought for our freedom, and paid a price... Thank You!

My best friend, Mandi - Aladatrot

Volunteers -
Jesse Paul - LionandBoarHunter and his cousin Gavin
Matt and Mandy Goodson
Mike and Angel Bolen
Chance and Pistol Ward
Thomas and Krystal Rohan
Cody and JoLynne Stark
Mora family
Katherine Hollan
Garcia Family
Buddy and Bernice
Larry Branecky


Donors-
Shin Oak Ranch
J-K Enterprises
Mejia Industrial Supply
S&S Investigations
Walmart
HEB
Gerland's Food Fair
Integrated Power Services
Intercoastal Sales Company
Gulf Manufacturing
Choice Meat Market
Ben Besch
Donnie Hill
Ray Kaufhold
Buck Crate
Moore & Moore Lumber

 As people arrived at the beautiful Shin Oak Ranch, they got settled into their rooms, and met under some shade trees for introductions.  Once the introductions were over, it was time for dinner, a full spread of fajitas, home made tortillas, peach cobbler, and JoLynne's famous buttermilk pies Shocked  Once dinner was over, we headed out to a couple of neighboring ranches, to let the soldiers try to shoot some hogs over feeders. A few of the soldiers were successful, so they headed back to the main ranch were Cody and Thomas got their hogs cleaned and on ice. After that, everyone hung out around the campfire, sipped on some cold ones, and told big lies.

  Saturday morning three groups of dog hunters headed out with soldiers. While they were out hunting, there was a crew of many in the kitchen preparing breakfast. When the soldiers came back from the morning hunt, each group had been successful(some more than others Grin), they filled up on breakfast tacos, and again had their hogs cleaned and put on ice.  Once the chores were done, everyone loaded up and headed south to the Frio river for some tubing and beer drinking. We did a 3-4 hour float, and had a heck of a time on the river.  Headed back to the main ranch, and we were greeted to ribeyes on the grill, baked potatoes in the oven, and boiled shrimp and roostertail sauce appetizers.  After dinner, we made a quick run at one of the neighboring ranches and after dropping out at a few different feeders, we ended up with a couple pigs. One sow about 75# and a little boar that scaled at 106# and had better than 2" of teeth Shocked  We called it a night, and made plans for another round in the morning.

  Sunday morning, some of us decided to go soft and sleep in, and the hardcore ones headed out at about 6:00 am, and ended up with 2 more pigs. Breakfast of pancakes, biscuits, sausage, bacon, and cereal was served, then everyone loaded up and headed home.

All in all, it was a great weekend, with good friends, some American heroes, and some good dogs.  

I look forward to doing this again, and hope that everyone in attendance this weekend can be there at the next one.

I know some of y'all in attendance took plenty of photos, so please post them up here.

Thanks again,

Chris

Thinks again Chris and Mandi!!
You don't think about what the people do for this country until you sit with the guys that have suffered the fight!!These guys were 100% positive and have learn to deal with there loss of a normal life!!These guy's told us thanks a million time but we should all take the time to say thinks to all of them for putting there lives on the line for us!!

Me and Crystal was very glad to be a part of the whole thing it was a experence we will never forget!!
When you are down in the dump and whinning about life call one of these wounded soiders!!You will learn you don't have much to whinn about!! If these guys can think positive than we can too!!
Thinks again to all that was on the hunt!!

thats awesome congrats to all!!

x2

Anyone that wants to set up a hunt for some soldiers, and does not know how or who to contact, PM me and I can get you some contact information. these guys are just happy to get out in the woods, and don't ask for a thing. If it's just one or two guys, or 15, it does not matter. Luxory accomodations, or a camp house, deer, hogs, varmints, they'll appreciate any hunt that you can take them on.

Chris and Mandi thanks again i had a great time being around the warriors listening and sharing storys i had a great time being there and glad i was apart of it and being able to help out.

A big thanks to everyone involved, especially Chris and Mandi for putting this together. I don't think it could have been a more perfect weekend.

I know Krystal has hundreds of pics... her camera never stopped. ;D

Here's a couple I took in the field...

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Jesse Paul,

   I did not get a chance to say thanks to Gavin, but will you tell them that we really appreciated all of his help. He is a helpful, respectful young man that was a pleasure to be around. Mandi sure appreciated him helping her with Tater in the woods today.  

Group photo at the river.
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AWESOME job guys & gals!!

Sweet.

Chris, I am assuming this was the function that you were trying to get a list of food together for?  If so, what was your totals?  What did the total food bill run? 

Again, thank you to all our veterans!!!!!!!! ;D

Yes, this is the event that I was planning. I overshot on a handful of items, I bought 1# of fajita per person, should have done 1/2#. Planned 1/4# of lunch meat per sandwich, should have done 1/8#. And I ended up with 15 ribeyes left over. Other than that, I would only make minor changes in regards to side items, salads, and condiments. Total food bill was just north of $2,000. or about $50.00 per person for the weekend. I have the grocery list in Excel if anyone should need it in the future for general ideas.

Good deal.  I'm glad it worked out for you.  That is a lot of groceries.   :o

Sounds like ya'll ate like it was your last.  That is always good.  Nothing like hunting hard, and eating great.

Awesome hunt guys!!! Great PR and helping out the wounded warriors is something we should all look to do in some form or function

Yall did all the good! Looks like a good time and a good group of people. Thanks for giving back to the soldiers and shining a positive light on our sport.

That frio really looks good. Think I'll have to make a trip down there before long.

Great job ladies and gentlemen! As an Army 3rd infantry vet. I really apreciate the jobs and sacrafices  made by the veterans of all branches and my hat off to them and their families. Thank GOD for them and you ethd's that went the extra mile to make their life more enjoyable.

Our hunts with our Heroes are hands down some of my favorites. It is so humbling being with these guys who are the reason we are able to enjoy the freedom we have. They are great guys and we always have a great time. I never fail to be so impressed with how they have dealt with their would be disabilities. I say would be disabilities because they may be missing a limb, but these guys get there and get it all done in a hurry!  I certainly don't want to downplay the huge sacrifices they have made in the name of our freedom, but I seriously have trouble keeping up with them in the woods.

These hunts could not happen without the help of our friends. Thanks to everyone who helped make this another wonderful weekend with our WWP heroes and friends. You all worked so hard to help make sure we ate like kings and caught some great hogs. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Cheers
M

 Chris and Mandi, I am in awe of everything that yall have done to put these Hunts for the Wounded Warriors together. What a great way to say thank you to our soldiers. Yall have hearts the size of Texas.

Looks like yall had one heck of a good time and for a good cause!

Okay I know I am a little late in adding pics, but I had such a good time, that I waas worn when I got home and spent most of the day recovering and doctoring and catching up on animals that needed tending too.
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The facilities are aweswome, Chris could not have foun d a better location to have a hunt of this magnatude, where everybody could relax and prepare food and have so much to do for everyone involved, I
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quite a deal y'all put on there, and much appreciated.

This is how Matt got sunburned
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106#2.5 cutters(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_mFSDOgRZVlo/TE3c8YhgVyI/AAAAAAAANFM/ksL-YFpsc1s/s640/P7240719.JPG)

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Man... yall know how to do it right!.... Nuff said!!!!   ;D

it was a fun deal; it was a honer to hunt weth those warriors and i hope i can do it agin with all the hunters that came ;D

Gavin ,
Thank you for all of your help this weekend. You sure made an impression on several people, as we were talking about how nice it was to be around a respectable young man such as yourself. We will have another hunt after I recoup from this one , and I hope to see you there.

Thank you so much for having Chance and me along on this hunt. It was by far one of the best hunts I have had in a while. The food was spectacular and the company was even better. I hope that we are back on the list for next year's hunt! Everyone that was on the hunt is ace's in my book!
My camera batteries were low so I only managed to sanp a few pictures but here is what I have.
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thank for every thang guys please let me come bak next year it was a blast ;D

Gavin, buddy, I think you're gonna get promoted to a head guide position, maybe then you'll get to ride in the truck instead of that spare tire on top of the dog box. It was certainly a pleasure to ride the box with you.

haha thanks i hope i get to ride in the truck but i got to say i geting use to the tire . hek it could be a seat with a pilow and some bailing wire :angel:

wow i think everyone has already said it all!! chris, ur summary of the weekend pretty much sums it up.. it was an amazing trip! :D  i was so glad to be a part of it and get hang out with, and meet, some of matts favorite hunting buddies (yes i do exist!).. my fav new couple is chance & crystal who had us laughing the whole time!.. haha.. but more importantly it was such an honor to meet the wounded veterans & hear some of their stories.. its incredible what a positive outlook they still have on life... makes u think differently about ur own and be grateful for whatcha got! they were thanking everyone for the good time but how can we ever thank them enough for their service and the good they have done for us and our country?.. hope i can be involved in the next wounded warrior project and im interested in seeing what can be done to continue that program in houston?.. thanks everyone for sharing their pics, i love 'em! (u could probably tell, but i never go anywhere without my camera!) one of my fav pics up there is larry with the doggy, love it!!.. well thanks again everyone and to chris, the hostess with the mostess!!!  :P
"cathy boy"s wife, mandy!

A perfect Texas weekend in every way! The pictures are great!
Great job for putting together such remarkable and memorable weekend for our wounded warriors!!! Look me up for donations next year! That is a lot of money to spend on food!  :o

Sure will. I have a "pool" of donors that I try not to use more than once a year, so that I don't wear out my welcome. Any amount of money helps, $5.00 or $500.00, it all adds up.

Same deal with the ranches, I try to rotate them so that we only use the same ranch once per year.

Glad the soldiers had such a great time!
Longshot

Good thing and looks like every one had a good time.
Thanks too all the men and women that serve our Country.

Chris
Should have called me for I could have helped in some way since your just off my north fence.  We could have hunted me and a couple other ranches close by for some good hill country rock flippers.... keep me in mind next time.  Shineoak ranch is a beautiful ranch and some great people so I can only inmagine the good times to be had.  Glad to see you are still a part of this....

Will,

   I appreciate the offer for help. I spent some time with the owner of the Shin Oak today, and he indicated that he would like to make this an annual or bi-annual hunt, so as long as I can get volunteers and donors, I will continue to put together these hunts.

   Something I would really like to do on the next hunt,is have a drawing for a couple of the guys to be able to shoot some exotic doe (axis, fallow, blackbuck,aoudad). Maybe I can get enough funds donated for the next hunt, that we can do some rifle hunting on your place. With regards to the rock flippers.... Knowing that  a friend is already hog hunting your place, I did not feel that it was appropriate to ask you to run your place for hogs. We did manage to pick up another ranch in the area this weekend, so counting Jesse Paul's place, that gives 4 ranches within a couple miles to hunt.

Well Mandy, you are so nice. I knew there was a reason I liked Matt and I think I found out what it was... he's married to you! ;) I look forward to you making a hunt down here with me, I believe the two of us together could give Kathy boy and Chance a run for their money! ;D See you soon and I had a great time cutting up with you and Matt and everyone else this weekend.