Heart Attack
By Travis Berger

Shortness of breath. Elevated heart rate. Uncontrollable nerves.

These are the symptoms of heart attack victims. Sometimes in life, there are moments that can produce these same symptoms. These symptoms are most often duplicated in a hunter seeing a buck of a lifetime, be it a 10-year-old’s first spike, a weekend hunter’s first 140-class buck, or even a seasoned veteran with many Boone and Crockett trophies under his belt viewing any quality buck. Here’s my deer hunting “heart attack” story.

As I sat down to write this, I pondered when it had actually begun, and I decided its start really happened the first moment I laid eyes on a beautiful 3½-year-old eight-point that I estimated would score in the high 140s. The buck was very determined at an early age to fight to be a dominant herd buck; I’d watched him take on every mature buck around the rut, and almost every year of his short life he’d break off at least one, if not several, of his tines.

Click here for full story!

The Journal—The Whole Kit and Caboodle Online!

Texas Trophy Hunters is proud to announce the launch of The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters as a completely digital magazine. 

The digital version of The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters is loaded with features. Readers have the ability to read the entire Journal online or download an issue directly to their computers. Readers can click on the titles in the table of contents and go directly to an article, highlight a section of an article, make reader notes on screen, perform keyword searches, and even print pages. Online subscribers can also click on hyperlinks within the body of articles and be directed to referenced websites or download PDFs for additional content. Even advertising gets a new and exciting twist, as our advertisers now have the opportunity to add hyperlinks and animation to their advertisements and direct readers to their websites.

To preview your new, digital Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters, simply go to the TTHA home page at www.ttha.com and click on the icon near the top. From there you’ll be taken to the subscription page, where you can view a sample of the on-line magazine and sign up for a full year’s subscription.

Read the full story about The Journal going digital.

Texas Trophy Hunters and AT&T Join Forces to Give Back!

TTHA is proud to announce they are a participant in the “Revenue for You” AT&T National Affiliate Program. When you order AT&T Advanced TV, Local Phone Service, or High Speed Internet service through this program, you’ll be helping TTHA raise money to support various community outreach programs.

Read the full story here.

CHL Classes Coming To TTHA

Concealed handgun classes now being offered at Texas Trophy Hunters on two dates, January 31 and February 21. These are one day, one stop workshops! Classes include your passport photos, fingerprinting, notarization of documents, state paperwork, range qualification, and assistance in filling out the paperwork. LoneStar Handgun is providing the classes, and to sign up for either course, all you need to do is log on to www.lonestarhandgun.com, or call Josh at 210-745-2956.

The Sunset Review of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

The mission and performance of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are currently being reviewed by the Legislature as required under the Texas Sunset Act. The Act provides that the Sunset Commission, composed of legislators and public members, periodically evaluate a state agency to determine if the agency is still needed, and what improvements are needed to ensure that state funds are well spent. Based on the recommendations of the Sunset Commission, the Texas Legislature ultimately decides whether an agency continues to operate into the future.

The Sunset review involves three steps. First, Sunset Commission staff will evaluate the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and issue a report recommending solutions to problems found. The Sunset Commission will then meet to hear public testimony on the agency and the recommendations of the Sunset staff. Based on public input and the Sunset staff report, the Sunset Commission will adopt recommendations for the full Legislature to consider when it convenes in January 2009.

Through the Sunset review, every Texan has the opportunity to suggest ways in which the mission and operations of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department can be strengthened. If you would like to share your ideas about the agency, please contact Steve Hopson, Sunset Advisory Commission, P.O. Box 13066, Austin, Texas 78711; 512-463-1300; sunset@sunset.state.tx.us. Information about the Sunset process, including information on Sunset Commission meetings, can be found at www.sunset.state.tx.us.

TPWD Sets Panhandle Pheasant Scoping Meetings

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is asking for public input on possible changes to the traditional first weekend in December opening date for pheasant season in the Panhandle. A series of scoping meetings is set for January to give the public additional opportunities to comment.

“The purpose of this discussion is to gain feedback from hunters and landowners regarding the possibility of opening future pheasant seasons the Friday after Thanksgiving to afford hunters a three-day holiday weekend to enjoy pheasant hunting,” said Vernon Bevill, TPWD game bird program director.

The current pheasant season framework calls for opening the first Saturday in December for 30 consecutive days.

No immediate changes to the pheasant season framework are being considered in order to ensure the public has ample opportunity to weigh in on the discussion.

TPWD will present all rule change proposals to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission for consideration in January. The Commission will determine which rule change proposals will be published in the Texas Register for public comment and only after additional public comment is received next spring will the Commission decide whether or not to take final action.

Any change to pheasant season could take effect November 27, 2009 or be delayed until November 26, 2010 to give hunters and outfitters ample time to make travel plans. In addition to the following scoping meetings, the public is encouraged to participate in an informal online scoping survey available on the TPWD home page http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ by clicking on the Public Comments link. Public input can also be made in writing to Vernon Bevill, TPWD Game Bird Program Director, 4200 Smith School Rd., Austin, TX 78744 or at one of the upcoming scoping meetings; locations and dates to be determined.

Pheasant Scoping Meetings

• January12, 2009—Dimmitt—Dimmitt City Hall, 201 East Jones
• January 13, 2009—Dalhart—First National Bank, 302 Denrock Ave.
• January 14, 2009—Amarillo—Texas A&M University Agricultural Research & Extension Center, 6500 Amarillo Blvd. West
• January 15, 2009—Spearman—Hansford County Courthouse, County Courtroom, 2nd Floor, 12 NW Court

Get Your Slam On With Nikon

In a new twist on taking a “slam,” or a collection of game animals, Nikon is excited to introduce the challenge of the “BDC Slam,” a slam of any four game animals of your choice, including varmints and predators, taken within a 12-month period, all with the aid of Nikon riflescopes housing the patented BDC reticle. Qualifying scopes include either the rifle BDC, the muzzleloader BDC 250, the SlugHunter BDC 200, the Encore handgun BDC reticle, or a combination of any of the four.

To enter the challenge, simply register here and set your goal of the animals that you’re hunting for your BDC Slam. As you take your trophies, get a photo of them showing you and your Nikon scope and upload them together with information on the hunt.

By registering, you’ll receive a free gift from Nikon—and once you complete the slam, you’ll receive an award gift commemorating your BDC Slam achievement! All participants will also be entered into random drawings throughout 2008/2009 for chances to win a “Slam” of four Nikon hunting optics. So what are you waiting for? Enter now!

Can You Arrest A Beaver?

Green campaigners called in police after discovering an illegal logging site in a nature reserve—and rounded up a gang of beavers.

Environmentalists found 20 neatly stacked tree trunks and others marked for felling with notches at the beauty-spot at Subkowy in northern Poland.

But police followed a trail left where one tree had been dragged away—and found a beaver dam right in the middle of the river. A police spokesman said, “The campaigners are feeling pretty stupid. There's nothing more natural than a beaver.”—Courtesy Austrian Times

Ranch Rigs
Reinvent The Way You Hunt!

Ranch Rigs is a full in-house fabrication center. We have the finest equipment and fabricators whose experience in the hunting industry is like no one else. Our staff are not only artists in metal fabrication, but are hunters as well. We know what works and what you will need to make your hunting experience the most enjoyable and successful that you have ever had. From the simplest of racks to the most complex rig, Ranch Rigs can build it for you. Call us today and let Ranch Rigs help you “Reinvent The Way You Hunt!” Phone: 512-990-8818, email: info@ranchrigs.com.

Note: This is a paid advertisement. Texas Trophy Hunters Association does not warrant or make representations or endorsements as to the quality, content, or accuracy of sponsorship ads.

First Take Media Creating Videos to View
“New Videos to View!”

First Take Media, the TV production arm of TTHA, is creating more fresh videos for you to watch on our website. Check out the latest two-minute promos for our upcoming shows on Outdoor Channel. While you’re on the website, send in your suggestions to us of what you’d like to see and we’ll do our best to find it and put it up on the site. Thanks for watching!

Click the link to watch the video! www.ttha.com

TTHA—Now On YouTube!

Need a TTHA fix during your coffee break? Than hop online and check us out on YouTube! It’s hip, it’s fresh, and it’s just the thing you need to keep you entertained when you can’t be in the deer stand!

http://www.youtube.com/AmericanTrophyHunter

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Introducing our new Fast 50 program!
The first 50 people to purchase this TTHA scoring kit will get it for the amazingly low price of $5.99! (Retail value $12.99)

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