Birds of feather flock together, and the Sam Houston State University chapter of Ducks Unlimited is hosting its second annual Fun Shoot on Saturday at the Possum Walk Shooting Reserve.
The Fun Shoot was started by SHSU’s chapter organization in cooperation with the Ducks Unlimited national headquarters in an effort to raise money for wetland conservation in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
SHSU Ducks Unlimited Chairman Josh Robbins said anyone wanting to attend is guaranteed not to have a fowl time.
“The actual shoot consists of one round of skeet and one round of sporting clays,” Robbins said. “The shoot is open to male and female shooters, and scoring is done on the Lewis class system. That means that you can finish 20th and still get a prize.”
The shoot, which starts at 9 a.m., will break for lunch and include a raffle and a silent auction.
“The silent auction will last all day,” he said. “We will have a raffle, gun raffle, and give out prizes for shooters.”
Robbins said some of the items being auctioned off are nothing to quack about.
“There will be some really nice stuff there for women,” Robbins said. “We will have art, a sculpture of a Lab and a Canvas-Back duck.”
Robbins said that besides being fun, the shoot’s main focus is raising money for a very worthy cause.
“It’s about raising money, but when it is all said and done we only get about 3 percent. The rest goes to national headquarters. They spend the money of conservation,” he said.
Anyone wanting to migrate out to the shoot can take FM 1374 and go just five miles west of Huntsville. Participants and supporters will enjoy barbequed chicken, beef brisket, potato salad and unlimited drinks.
Robbins said even though they are not allowed to distribute alcohol, people shouldn’t get down about it.
“You can bring your own beer,” he said. “This is a big fundraising event. Think of it as a co-ed fraternity.”
Robbins said those wanting to attend should not feel obligated to be an avid hunter.
“I would say that about half of the people are hunters. A lot just shoot skeet, and there are a lot of women who come out just for the merchandise,” he said.
Anyone wanting to attend meetings or events can e-mail Ducks Unlimited at shsu_du@hatmail.com or visit its Web site at http://www.shsu.edu~org_ducks
SHSU’s Ducks Unlimited fact sheet indicated that it is a non-profit organization that concentrates on fundraising, education and the conservation of endangered wetlands of North America. The organization also works to instill leadership characteristics in its members.
The organization has plumed since its infancy in 2001. Starting out with just 10 founding members, the organization now boasts a 70-member role call.
Robbins said being a member has a lot of perks.
“We take numerous hunting trips,” Robbins said. “We went on a dove hunt, teal hunt and duck hunt. The dove hunt had a $200 value, we got to go for $40.”
Robbins dispelled any beliefs that both hunting and supporting wildlife conservation is a contradiction.
“Ducks Unlimited is not a hunting organization. It is a chance for hunters to give back,” he said.
Robbins said Ducks Unlimited hires biologists and other scientists in an effort to conserve waterfowl and their inhabitants.
Those interested in more information concerning Ducks Unlimited can visit its Web site at http://www.ducks.org.