Anybody going? The event is in San Antonio July 15-18 and the deadline to book a room for the discounted rate is tomorrow. You can still sign up for the Convention on the day of.
Some of yall like Steven Rinella and he is the speaker at the Friday luncheon. TWA is a great organization and its a great opportunity to support it. Lots is going on and too much to list, but for me, besides the socializing and networking with like minded folks, its the TGBA thats real special. Friday night they will recognize the top 3 big game animals killed this past season in every category including WT, MD and Pronghorn. It includes Typical, Non typical and High Fence and Low Fence are separated. It also includes any Texas Slams that were killed. Most of those mounts will be on display. Most years that would be about 20 to 40 of the biggest Texas heads you have ever seen. Because covid last year cancelled the event, then I believe they are inviting the heads from last year as well. So maybe 40 to 80 big heads(my estimate.) If anybody goes, look me up, Ill be the one standing around all the heads.

I know a hunter that killed a buck in a one buck county and tagged it. A couple of weeks later he killed a bigger buck but he had no tag. So he called his son and had him bring his wife's tag to tag it. What I didn't know at the time was he turned it into the Big Game Awards in her name and she won for the region.

Looking back I wished I'd called the warden, but what I did do is tell the land owner and he was kicked off the ranch. In fact we were all kicked off the ranch. The poacher was the lease boss.

But, you did the right thing.


I'll be there some.

My 8 point WT ended up 4th biggest overall low fence in the state....missed it by that much


Hope to be there at least for part.

Im gonna see that 8 pt one day. I wish he would of made it. Im trying to lobby TWA to invite more of the top heads. They wouldnt have time to recognize that many heads during the ceremony and there wouldnt be enough room to display them in the main room but ive got an idea. Call it the TexasTen and invite the top ten in each category but know that all would not be recognized. The second tier could be set up outside the main room with all the vendors and such. The event is already a monstrous affair for them to handle so it may just be too much, but Im trying.

I’ll be there. Taxidermist is doing everything possible to have my Mule deer floor pedestal done in time. My buck was the number 1 scoring buck in the state.

You better tell that taxi to hurry!!!!
Tomorrow last day to get the rooms at the discounted event price. That place is really pricey so some may not even want to stay there. The place is basically a "resort" I guess and a lot of entire families will go as a vacation. They have golf and stuff and a great mini water park. They event has events for the kids almost all day long that are outdoor/hunting/fishing related so you can basically have a free baby sitter the whole time. Dont quote me on all this or the free but i think it used to be.
Also, you can pick and chose how much of the event you want to go to. Pretty sure you can just sign up for the Friday night TBGA show and dinner.
The Auction is Sat night and its amazing the type of hunts they auction off. Lots of it is high dollar but a lot of the Ranches offer hunts that normally are never offered to the public. Silent auction also has lots of lower priced stuff. Their website has all details. I dont actually have a dog in the fight but Ive been going most years for 30+ years and really enjoy it.

Had to bribe her with wine just so she would pretend to be looking at the deer. She needs a shopping buddy, gets tired of all the “stupid deer talk.”



She’s actually smiling, must be on her second glass.


She’s looking a little tipsy here. I think she’s outa here!!

This sounds like an awesome event to celebrate the passion we're all interested in discussing daily on this very forum! And, by the looks, a nice way to offer the wife some r&r poolside at the JW Marriott while attending some great hunting events rather than leaving her at home during the season. Thanks for sharing freerange.

For the rest of y'all, here's the website for more information: https://www.wildlife2021.com/

Lots of great sessions in addition to the Rinella talk.

It's a month earlier than normal this year. We typically have a vacation planned that coincides with it and we always stay at the JW. Ironically, we moved our vacation up this year but we will miss the convention by a week. Usually a good time, but be careful around the crooked branch at night -- there hasn't been a year yet that a fight hasn't broken out.

Never seen a fight in there. Neither the Convention crowd nor the rest of the Hotel crowd seems like the type. Almost all seem like families.

Sapper going, right? he will be the man!

Lots of really big heads there, but his will get a lot of attention. If they dont have a red carpet for him Ill roll one out. Buck of a lifetime for sure.

'Sounds like the South Africans and the Zimbos at the bar at DSC.

I’m praying the taxidermist Jerry Huffaker can get it done in time. He had to bump me way up to try and have it done in time and when I talked to him last week he said the cape was currently being tanned.

Sapper, tell me how you find out your buck is the biggest in the state? Does every scored buck get entered into a database and then the org invites the tip three? Or did you have to enter the score into the database and yours was tops? Just curious how that process works.


Also, i really hope for your sake the mount is done but i really hope it is done perfectly, would hare to have a
Subpar mount for a buck like yours! Awesome mulie!

#1 entry in title of thread. Great and superb honor. Sapper be fierce.

Ok, so the organization is entered into….texas big game awards. So people have to enter and then they are told they are number 1 thru 3…gotcha. I didnt know if this was a thing the score entered into a statewide database and then the results were told or if the person entered IF they wanted to.


All i know is sappers MD is a beast and DStroud’s WT is as equal a beast. Both lifetime bucks and would love to have each on my wall, but only if i shot them.

Go to tbga website

It’s gonna be an awesome mount. I told him if he gets to a point he knows he can’t make it happen I’ll just come get the antlers and take them and have the mount done afterwards. I’m having a floor pedestal done using barnwood and having the Pitchfork brand burned into the wood base. It’s gonna be a mount of a lifetime for a buck of a lifetime.

Also he is picking the form up tomorrow so I think I’m gonna be good to go. Me the wife and my son will be there fri-sun and PitchforkPredator and his wife will be there with me as well. Look forward to meeting anyone who is going from the forum.

Click on the 2020-2021 Standings tab and it will take you to a PDF file that list WT, MD, Antelope, Javelina, Bighorn Sheep and First Time hunters by Region in the state. There are 8 regions in the state. The menu tab will have a photo section from this year and previous seasons. Not all the animals will have a photo listed.
http://www.texasbiggameawards.org/standings/

Glad y’all enjoyed it!!

A few more pics from previous years. Just trying to keep y’all reminded. A great event and don’t want anyone missing it cause they didn’t know about it. The TBGA presentation/celebration is popular to hunters but there are lots of seminars and information about lots of wildlife management, conservation and private property owner issues, as well as entertainment for the whole family.
It’s understandable it’s not for everyone but anyone living close to San Antonio is really missing out to not at least go to the Friday night TBGA.
Always a crowd mingling around the heads.


Texas Slams are rare, so they invite all that are killed.




From another year, a 192 gross typical low fence. I think this year there were two that “netted” right at 192.

Damn STX and I where 6 miles from a Texas slam in 19. Lol, O’well

wish i had known about a texas slam this time last year i would have been trying to book a last min antelope hunt, I had a shooter muley and whitetail already coming in like clockwork.