TWA Annual Convention and Statewide Texas Big Game Awards

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.

Can you imagine being the first man ever to earn the Texas Slam? #1 forever.

Does the texas slam require book deer and antelope? Or just both species and antelope? I have to imagine the scores gotta be right....

IIRC it takes a TBGA qualifying minimum score for the region of harvest.

Looks like it's 70 for pronghorns. I forgot our goat scores.

Couple ranches in the North West panhandle you can do it pretty easy

gotcha gotcha....might need to look up the minimum scores for my area....oh wait, does southern OK count as north texas region

In all seriousness, I appreciate everyone's patience with me on this thread, I am not knowledgeable about the TBGA nor its system so I learned from this for sure!

My pronghorn that year was on my place in panhandle. He was about 6 miles north of TX border. I don't think he will net 70 though.

Yes

Still not sure if my buck will be ready to pick up before the banquet but my fingers are crossed.

That's not imagining . . .

Technically number one in a book, not ever popcorn:

It's a Very cool historical record though, more power to whom holds it, and everyone that makes it.

The evolution of record books in hunting, haven't been kind to us IMO. But cool nonetheless

I finished fourth outta 921 across the nation in something last year. Was caught off guard with the announcement, but proud of what I did. Mine was an an annual thingie, likely not to be replicated. I'd trade it for that there #1 forever in the Record book. Pretty cool Free, pretty cool.

If you made 4th then you can make 1st. You got this.

If you start a gofundme to hurry up your taxi Ill contribute. Really want to see that buck.

I offered to pay extra to expedite getting the cape back from the tannery he said he is at the tannerys mercy.

Talked to taxidermist today and he said he still hasn’t got the cape and if it did come in, in the next couple days he would have to rush the mount and doesn’t want to do that with such a special buck. So I’m gonna pick up the antlers and bring those along with some nice pics of the deer that will be better than nothing.

Who'll be at the Friday night cocktail hour? (4 to 6pm)

He should have taken a cape he had and mounted the deer last week.

Jerry's gotta be in the top 3 in the state, if not the best. I'm sure he's doing everything he can.

He did everything he could do without the cape. He has the form and the base. He called the tannery 3 times trying to get it rushed through and the tannery didn’t get it done. Jerry isn’t happy and he let me know he really wanted to have it done for me but it is what it is.

Sapper, be sure to go to TBGA website an post pics. I’m not sure how else they get pics but they always have multiple huge screens showing your pic as you go up for your award. They cycle all pics through during program I think.

I’ve already sent TBGA a bunch of photos

I don’t want some other deers cape

That's too bad. I probably have a tanned cape from big mule deer that I haven't mounted yet.

He can remount it later with the original cape. Been done before.

Shame this low fence beaut will never get to a banquet. Covid killed it's opportunity last year.

I give up

This yrs banquet is for 2020 and 2021

Correct. Both this past season and the covid season bucks should of been invited for this year. 2019 and 2020 hunting seasons. Year before lasts #1 Typical was brought to this past seasons Regional BQ is the #5 All Time and he was huge. He would be invited this year but I talked to the guy and he was unsure he would make it.

I know and he knows. Life gets complicated.

My better half and I will be there.

On sight now. Gonna be good. Had lunch at Gristmill with 3 forum members I hadn’t met(it was great) and now dinner on sight. Not even hungry after lunch, but eat and drink is just what we do on vacation.

Me, Pitchfork and our families will be there tomorrow around 4 PM

Beautiful buck. 'Dam shame.

Thank you for lunch and the hospitality sir. It was fantastic and very meeting you, your better half, and 68rustbucket. Really good time!

Holy mainbeams batman! What a great deer.

110 down 75 up....185?

I think right at 190, I'll ask.

That is one very nice buck!

anybody have pictures of this years trophy wall

Hard to get em all in pic but I’ve got some. Give me a bit. Very impressive this year. All time Texas records for WT and MD.

I didn’t really take much time for good pics. Pics don’t really do justice to these type deer.
This is half the wall and I didn’t get any of the other.

All time Texas record MD from Culberson and Alltime Texas record WT off King.

Texas Slam, all off same Panhandle ranch.

Thanks for posting!

Creek, are you still here? I missed you last night.

Nope. Left in the afternoon. I try to keep a low profile. You know how it is.

I was there last night, talking to, unbeknownst to me, the incoming president's husband at the table we were having supper at. Great young man.

Wow! Impressive, and thanks for posting it.

JG, you probably know the ranch. I think it’s THE biggest in Panhandle.
The WT field dressed over 200#. He only netted 155 Typ but his entire huge right brow was broke off. Would of been 187 gross counting 5” NT.
The skull mount to left you can only see half of is hard to grasp it’s huge size. It netted over 190 Typ as a ten with 2” kicker.

Great pics freerange
Sounds like you and Mrs freerange had a great weekend!

I 100% agree that she is your better half! - if she goes with you (even if she is not into it) then she is a keeper - same with my lady of 44 years (I will add that I have tagged along on many a shopping trip - sit outside on the bench while she does her thing) -

Mine does a LOT of shopping. I asked her a long time ago why she enjoys shopping without buying anything. She asked me why I enjoy hunting without killing anything. Kind of tongue tied on my reply to that one. As usual, she is smarter than me, and much quicker.

At least yours realizes you hunt and decide not to shoot most of the time....my lady of 25 years says I have a hex on my hunting and she laughs every time I tell her some story about my hunting experiences.

I have set myself up for some of the laughter though....

here's a better photo of the WT. An absolutely amazing specimen.

I can’t remember if it’s same deer, but I think body weight was really light also

That can happen in those parts. When "The Bull" took his monstrous & previously unknown WT down there on a "Kinenos" hunt, it dressed somewhere near 105 pounds.

Mine is the same way free. In fact she is coming up to NB today to go to lunch with me before school starts back up again. She plans on shopping after lunch at Willies and I'd almost bet she doesn't buy much. lol

Thanks for posting the wall group photo, I didnt have a picture like that taken. The stand up 7x7 whitetail on the top right is mine.

I took a pic of him alone on the wall. You want me to post it? Wont take but a second. I THINK my very good friend was there at same time as you on that hunt. He killed the LF book typical that the lion found first.
edit. Friend just confirmed but evidently yours was 2019. He hunted both years. Rackem-up.

Post it!

yeah that would be fine. Chris and his son are great people, and I'm glad he got him a booner. But I shot the buck above 2 seasons ago when he got his "almost booner", back to back net book typicals would really be something. The deer he shot this season, I was hunting only about 1/4 mile from him. He was after another monster typical when the one he shot stepped out for the first time all season. Right there beside him the day before I shot a 25" wide buck with 27" beams and a 7" drop tine. The one he was after didnt get killed, so he might have a chance at another one this year.

MAP, he is probably my best hunting friend. He hunted with me a long time but he got that South Texas itch back.

I took this pic from a little low so somewhat distorted but he really really did go way up in an unusual way. Very impressive buck.

[quote]MAP, he is probably my best hunting friend. He hunted with me a long time but he got that South Texas itch back.[/quote

Tell him I said hello and thanks for posting that photo. Thats actually a replica, the original set is still on the original skull on a mesquite base so I can pick it up and really appreciate it up close. That his is original cape though

Sounds like he is going to spend alot of time down there this season, its really such a special place

Deer of a lifetime! What was the gross score?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Unbelievable deer with tremendous character. Very, very unique

I think it was 183. You can go to the TBGA website and get info on every animal ever entered(or most all I believe.) It will show gross, net, hunter, county, what category, what weapon and the Ranch if it was submitted.

Thanks free!