Event scheduled for next weekend
The Karnes City Lonesome Dove Fest will happen Sept. 14-15. The largest family oriented event of its kind, it heralds this year’s dove season opener for the South Zone. The new South Zone opening date, the earliest in state history, resulted from more than 10 years of collecting data and negotiating with federal officials. “This permanent early opening day is something we’ve been waiting on for quite some time,” said Benny Lyssy, event co-chairman. This year’s celebration, which typically attracts about 5,000 to 8,000 hunters and their families to the Karnes County Youth Show Barn grounds each year, raises tens of thousands of dollars for youth scholarships. This year’s Lonesome Dove Fest marks its 25th anniversary. It began as a brainchild of a group of hunters shooting doves in a hay field near Coy City who were looking for a way to support their local community. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists and officials will participate in a Youth Day on Sept. 14. About 250 area high school students will be provided with hunting and shooting instruction; educational displays; and other seminars on outdoor skills. In addition, Gov. Greg Abbott and TPWD Executive Director Carter Smith have been invited to compete in the annual Celebrity Five-Stand event, held on Sept. 15. Find more information at www.lonesomedovefest.com.—Ralph Winingham
