WEATHERFORD, Tex. – The Lone Star State may never be the same since the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) brought on Charlie Stockstill as Regional Director for Texas. Reminiscent of Captain Woodrow F. Call from the mini-series “Lonesome Dove,” Stockstill is an experienced and driven “man of vision.” Stockstill has a military background, as well as years of experience fundraising, recruiting and motivating volunteers, and working with state wildlife biologists to fund pertinent conservation projects. Stockstill’s life has been an interesting one, full of adventure and service. He has extensive training and experience mountain climbing and skiing. As a young man, Charlie made the Olympic team for biathlon – the infamous year of President Carter’s boycott of the Olympics. Now officially retired from the U.S. Dept. of Defense, Stockstill first joined the Army at age 17. He was a Mountain Infantry Platoon Sergeant for about 14 years, and he was a Civil Servant teaching Outdoor Education through the Air Force for ten years. From 1998 to 2009, Stockstill worked with the National Wild Turkey Federation. During his tenure, he started and maintained over 100 chapters, from Anchorage, Alaska, to Brownsville, Tex. Charlie personally developed and operated more than 300 fundraising banquets, raising in excess of six million gross dollars, for the benefit of wildlife and related outreach programs. On a recent phone conference with other MDF personnel, Stockstill introduced himself saying, “I feel extremely welcomed, but realize that respect must be earned. My goal is to earn my share. I don’t want to rest on my laurels. I’ve done this work for a long time, and I’m extremely excited to join the ranks of MDF. This is going to be spectacular!” He said his first order of business with MDF in Texas was to meet with state wildlife biologists to determine mule deer projects in need of funding. Stockstill said, “I find it’s easier to raise money when you have a target.” He anticipates that initial projects will be on both public and private property in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions. MDF already has a small faction of some 100 members in the state of Texas. A chapter was started in Allen, Tex., several years ago, and Stockstill is already working with folks to start chapters in Brownsville, Brownwood, El Paso, Fredericksburg, Georgetown and Weatherford. MDF’s Chief Operation Officer Eric Tycksen said, “We are extremely excited to be in Texas. I think the Texas chapters are going to give us a run for our money!” Director of Field Operations Marty Holmes added, “We also believe there will be opportunities to organize numerous M.U.L.E.Y. youth events in the state. Texans generally like shooting sports, so MDF is going to have some fantastic opportunities. We believe our Texas members will jump in with both boots on and be able to offer local folks the full menu of what MDF has to offer.”
