TTHA Attends 2016 Texas Big Game Awards
Texas Trophy Hunters Association showed its support at the annual Texas Big Game Awards banquet held July 15 in San Antonio. TTHA staff, along with staff from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Wildlife Association gathered together to promote hunting and habitat management through recognizing hunters and land owners. TWA held their annual statewide convention along with the TBGA banquet.
At this year’s banquet, Kelton Mote received TBGA’s statewide scholarship. The organization awards annual scholarships to deserving students entering into agriculture or natural science related majors. This year the TBGA touted a total of 1,656 awardees with 815 scored entries, 501 landowner entries, and 340 first harvest entries. There were also 13 Texas Slam awardees who last season successfully took a whitetail, mule deer, and pronghorn, surpassing the minimum entry requirements.
Established in 1991, TBGA now celebrates 25 years. The program is sponsored through a joint effort of the Texas Wildlife Association and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Over the years the program has experienced tremendous growth and a great deal of success. The promotion of sound habitat management along with the celebration of the hunt are equally important to ensure its presence for future generations. The TBGA Program has done a great service to help increase the level of public awareness and continues to strive to achieve these goals.
When we think of the future of the hunting industry, many things come to mind, but the encouragement of youth participation through recognition of hunting achievements and scholarships is at the top of the list. Simply put, youth hunters are the future.—Jason Shipman
PHOTO: Texas Wildlife Association CEO David Yeates (right), presents Kelton Mote with the TBGA Statewide Scholarship. Photo by David Smith.
