Texas Wildlife Association Annual Convention and Statewide Texas Big Game Awards in San Antonio is coming up. I always go and Im curious if anyone else is going. Not this weekend but the next, July 15/16. Its a little pricey and especially at this late date I assume the early bird discounts for rooms and Convention are gone. The Big Game Awards is Saturday lunch this year, so at minimum, a person that lived close could just pay for the day(I think). They have seminars and vendors and a huge auction(Sat night). Very family friendly, if you can afford it. For me, its a big social event and chance to reconnect with lots of friends involved in hunting. I also really love seeing the mounts of all the newly killed huge Whitetail, Mule, Pronghorn and maybe Bighorns. Im not sure how many Texas Slams were killed this year but they are usually all on display as well. Wyman Meinzer is giving a talk at lunch on Friday and will probably hang around some.

I simply can't handle the back and forth of Loop1604, now under construction, again, between my house and there. Life's too short. And I didn't think the seminars looked too interesting. 'Wasn't impressed with the vendors last year at all. I do think Wyman Meinzer will be interesting. I am a member of the TWA and will continue to be. Have fun.

I will admit the vendors are not great. The seminars are going to appeal to some and not others.
A deal like this is not for everyone, especially if you dont know a lot of people there. Besides supporting a cause, the main draws would likely be the Big Game Awards and the live and silent auction. The live auction Sat night is very unique. There are a lot of real large Ranch owners that support TWA and many of the auction items are for hunts that would never be offered to the public at all. Normally just family and friends hunt them. Lots of big animals killed from these auctions and lots of unique offerings like hunts and fishing in other countries.

I used to love going to TWA and TDA, but the last several years it has been reduced to almost nothing of its former glory. It used to be a gigantic party with fantastic vendors that took up the entire ballroom now its just so watered down.


I may attend, but not promising anything.

TxTro, Im not very familiar with TDA but I have gone to most of the TWA Conventions for 35 years. The number of vendors is not huge like TTHA but they NEVER were. In the early days the area for vendors was very small and it has changed over the years and has gotten bigger. Still not huge but I dont feel at all that its gotten smaller. The entire event has certainly not gotten smaller. They have out grown more than one venue.
Anyway, I dont have a dog in the fight except to be a supporter of a great organization.

Dang, not gonna be here (again).

Going to the coast (again)?

Yes, in Alaska.

Bring back some cooler weather!

And Halibut. I'll be expecting a call...

Pretty sure these are State record Mule and WT that were there last year. One killed two years before but covid had cancelled that show.

I remember seeing it. Massive muley.

I remember that and the $12 mixed drinks…

TxTro, are you sure we are talking about the same event? Some of the happy hours and meals have free drinks. Besides that the pricing was less than $12.
The event pricing and the room pricing I said was pricey but I dont remember the drinks being an issue.

I say that in jest. I used to live 5 miles from the JW Marriot and for many years attended the event religiously. Had some great evenings there at the auction.

Went last yr when I killed the number 1 MD in my region. Family loved the water park especially the lazy river. Parking was terrible and trying to use their valet parking was a train wreck. I think it was partly due to employee shortages during covid not sure. All in all it was a good time and food was great as well.

What seminars are you most excited for free?

I haven’t even looked at the seminars but always some I go to. Also enjoy going to the committee meetings. I mainly go to support a great organization and network with like minded people and socialize with same.
I have met people more than once at these events that led me to good leases. 3 years ago I accidentally sat down at dinner table with my now current Ranch owner. One thing led to another and it’s now the greatest lease I ever imagined. The organization started out as mostly landowners but it quickly morphed into much much more.

I hope they have on on how to pick the best binoculars.

Thats another reason Im going...... Arent you in Alaska?

Soon

A few more pics from other years.
Its worth going just to see the taxidermy.

yowzers

Some awesome animals for sure!

If it weren’t so far away and in the middle of me being out of state i might consider it for the auctions. Enjoy those esp when there is hunting and fishing related items.

TB, go online and you can look at all the auction items. Always extremely interesting stuff. There’s a way to bid without being there and the silent auction has real good stuff too and I could help you with the bid process.