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Listen to this Texas Outdoor News interview of 9-5-24 with Bill Olson and Harold Gunn.

Texas Outdoor News Ryan Gardner 24 Outfitters.mp3

Ryan Gardner

Last Year Report and Upcoming 2024 & 2025 Season

Wed, 29 May 2024 05:00:00 +0000

The following is a report from last year’s hunting and expected hunting this year.

2023 and Early 2024 Hunting:

Last year was THE BEST dove hunting we have had around Abilene, Texas in many years. The first weekend of dove season in September was pretty good with limits by many people. Then, surprisingly, EVERY WEEK AFTER THE FIRST WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER FOR ALL OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, the hunting kept getting better. In December (i.e., the second dove season) we were still killing limits of dove.

Thankfully, the dove hunting was still really good around Winters, Texas in December as the sandhill crane did not come down in their normal numbers to Runnels County. I cancelled all sandhill crane hunts and sent hunters to about 1 hour north of Abilene (Crane Creek Outfitters – Grayson Black, Blayze Walker and Blaine Kasberg) and also to south of Lubbock (West Texas Safari – Nathan Williams and/or Dust Devil Outfitters – Austin and Hunter Daughtry). I want happy hunters, and we did not have the numbers of sandhill crane last year to chase crane around Winters, but boy did we have OUTSTANDING dove hunts.

2024 and Early 2025 Hunting:

I am speculating that the milo I planted will be good for dove and sandhill crane hunts. See picture below for winter wheat, then milo then wild sunflowers (behind power lines) in the fields below the hill. I will be planting winter wheat in early December, which the sandhill crane will hammer. The sandhill crane know where a freshly planted winter wheat field is located and will hit it the day of planting or the next day, for a few days. You have to be in the field where the sandhill crane are going (i.e., freshly planted winter wheat, left over hay grazer, milo, and sometimes cotton) to have a real chance of limits, not next to the field they are going.

Based on the abundant rain this spring, I expect very large and massive amounts of wild sunflowers, left over winter wheat (hard to harvest in mud), hay grazer fields and a few really good milo fields. Thus, I fully expect another great dove season with ample food and water all around Abilene. I pray we have good numbers of sandhill crane return to Runnels County.

We have access to around 15,000 acres of fields, and several stock tanks, around Winters, Wingate, Clyde, Abilene, Eula, and Potosi for dove, sandhill crane and duck hunts.

Bookings:

Don’t think because you came hunting with us last year that I have you down for this year. I say the same thing every year and still people get upset with me on bookings from year to year. Book with us now if you are wanting to go. We already have some bookings for the first four weeks in September.

Hope to see you this year.

Report and In Honor of Charlie Tobler

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We received 1.3 inches of rain this week, after 2 months of high heat and no rain. The rain was wonderful and sent from God. I spit-shined (mowed etc.) the home place this past Friday through Sunday to make the place comfortable for our guests this upcoming hunting season. The grass looked like carpet, but I am sure we will deal with a little taller grass pursuant to the rain.

We have some dove and a few fields that will produce. We have some other fields that should produce, but when I was in West Texas last weekend it looked like a desert (hot, miserable and burning up). I have told most of you many times, the time to hunt dove around Abilene is:

first, second and third weekend of September,
the last two weekends of October, and
THE SECOND SEASON (LAST TWO WEEKS IN DECEMBER AND FIRST TWO WEEKS IN JANUARY).

Very few people come dove hunting in December / January and that is when I see the largest number of dove in West Texas. Dove hunts in evening, sandhill crane and duck hunts in the morning is a great time.

In honor of my friend Charlie Tobler:

I had to say “see you soon” to my good friend Charlie Tobler this past week. As sure as I am typing this to each of you, I am 100% confident: An angel descended down, took Charlie by the hand around 11:18 a.m. on Friday, August 11, 2023, and took him HOME. Charlie did not go home to Jacksonville, Texas, Charlie went Home to his Heavenly Father and had a reunion with his Christian relatives and friends including Reta, Ted Bunn, and other family and friends who knew Christ as their Lord and Savior.

About 3 weeks before Charlie went Home, we were talking about what heaven must be like. We both knew of the verse “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9. Charlie and I concluded that when we are on top of the mountain in Chama, New Mexico, hunting and looking down on the lake or stream, elk in front of us, golden trees, orange and red bushes, slight snow, breathing smoke via the cool air, that must be a glimpse of what heaven must be like. Take that image of peacefulness, joy, happiness and contentment and multiply by 1,000,000 to get to heaven.

In May 2023, I started to complete the Chama, New Mexico elk hunting contracts for Charlie and me, but I will not be sending in those contracts. I know Charlie is experiencing Chama x 1,000,000. I know Charlie is experiencing complete peacefulness, joy, happiness and contentment and has no desire for a trip to the farm (i.e., Winters) or Chama. I selfishly long to hear his voice, laughter, smile, and have him at the farm, in Chama and around East Texas. Charlie will be missed helping us guide hunts and flipping the bacon over and over when the hunters come in. I will miss Charlie, but I do not say goodbye, I simply say, “see you soon.” I will join Charlie when Christ is ready for me to leave this earth, and man what a reunion. Thank you, Christ, for doing what none of us could do so that we can have a reunion with You and with other Christians. As Christians, we all know the upcoming reunion is not from anything we have done but solely through accepting Jesus as our Savior and allowing Him to daily be our Lord and all of this is solely through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Ryan Gardner

Dove / Crane / Fish Report

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dove Hunting:

We are seeing good numbers of dove in West Texas right now. West Texas has been wet for most of February through now, so the hay grazer, winter wheat, wild sunflowers, milo (if planted – dang pigs) etc. are abundant EVERYWHERE. There will be dove, but EVERYONE will have grain and water so the dove can easily spread all over the place. I expect longer than the first three weeks of dove season to have decent dove hunting as the pressure will not be as concentrated (nor will the birds), and late arriving dove will have food to stop and eat. I also expect the last two weekends in October to have good hunting, and probably with all the hay grazer EXCELLENT dove hunting in the second dove season (last two weeks in December / first two weeks in January, which ties to the duck / sandhill crane season). In September, the house is taken for the first three weekends, cabin is almost all taken for first and second weekend, but have day hunting and other weekends, including most of October, for the house / cabin.

As you might know, Snowmageddon in February 2021 killed many thousands, millions or more dove in West Texas (here that means around Abilene – okay so it is Central Texas, love that sign 30 miles west of Weatherford on I20 – “El Paso 545 miles”, 238 miles from Texarkana, Texas to Weatherford, Texas). We followed up Snowmageddon with maybe one to three inches of rain in West Texas from September 2021 to September 2022, then on the weekend of September 1, 2022 we received four or five inches of rain. Needless to say, the above conditions (Snowmageddon, then lack of rain for any grain including wild sunflowers, then four to five inches of rain on opening weekend of September 2022) have severely curtailed the take home on dove in West Texas. Thank God, we are seeing good numbers of dove in West Texas, but as stated above, everyone with winter wheat, wild sunflowers and/or hay grazer should have dove which means the dove are not concentrated right now.

Sandhill Crane / Duck Hunting:

If you do not know, we finished our sandhill crane / duck hunts in December 2022 and January 2023. Thousands and thousands of sandhill crane and ducks in and around Winters, Texas. Video has been uploaded to 24 Outfitters website from a field just north of Winters (turn up your volume on your computer and go to https://24outfitters.com/ , then Sandhill Crane Hunting click Learn More, then scroll down and click on video titled Sandhill Crane Hunting / 24 Outfitters, LLC, which is below last season’s schedule for Sandhill Crane hunting). Just so you will know, cranes are hunted from their summer nesting grounds (Canada and Alaska) to their winter grounds (around Winters and Lubbock etc.). The following are observations from our sandhill crane hunts:

the cranes are very very very very very smart, or they do not reach us in December / January;
the Lucky Duck or laydown camo blinds must be covered with duck grass then the duck grass covered with bamboo, brush, mesquite limbs, and tumbleweed so that the entire outer layer of the blinds is “natural camo”, any holes, which must be small holes, in such natural camo are duck grass camo, with different height layers to the blind to prevent the blind from looking like a new wall just entered the field;
if you peek at the birds and don’t keep your head down, you might as well be out there for a bird watching event, and not a bird killing event;
any skin showing, eye movement or even a clear view by the birds of your eyes, will result in the birds flaring, so wear facemask covers and keep your head down;
you really need to be in the field the birds are going as passing shots on the field beside where the birds are going are very limited;
I enjoy being on the side of the blind or layout where the birds are approaching (i.e., wind blowing in right ear, birds approach from left ear), as I can hopefully control some head / eye movement of the hunters;
the 100 SX decoys need to provide a landing strip into the wind and within shooting distance of the blind, each decoy needs to be about 4 to 5 yards apart (e.g., if 5 rows of 20 decoys, 80 to 100 yards long spread, 20 to 25 yards wide), layout needs to look relaxed and not at alert, generally most of the decoys facing into the wind (some not directly into the wind as they look more relaxed);
the birds love headed out hay grazer (one particular person had thousands of acres of such fields and would not allow anyone to hunt his fields); and
sheet water or ice will allow thousands or more crane (as well as thousands of ducks) to roost in such field.

Coming on my land: 15 acres of “sheet water / ice” below my hill with winter wheat or headed out hay grazer on remaining 80 acres and maybe 10 acres of duck mixture with Osceola duck pits, culverts and flashboard risers. Thereafter, hopefully 15 acres of “sheet water / ice” coming to my north field with winter wheat or headed out hay grazer on the remaining 90 acres north field, maybe 5 or 10 acres of duck mixture with Osceola duck pits, culverts and flashboard risers. The hay grazer will be cut for the hay and/or grazed by cattle. Hopefully, the aforementioned 30 acres of sheet water / ice does not include sheet water / ice from the new terraces coming to all my 200 plus acres of plowed fields, some of the terraces with culverts and flashboard risers. Leasing up hunting land (sometimes coordinating with one other outfitter as they are good guys) on land around Winters. I might be plowing more of my land for the real farmer via my terraces.

Fishing:

7,000 copper nose blue gill brim added to the tank. 2,000 redear sunfish added to the tank. Three fish feeders added to the tank. 150 to 200 cedar trees added to the tank. Should be pushing the current bass in the tank up from 1 – 4 pounds to 3 – 8 pounds. For the copper nose blue gill brim that make it, they can grow to 2.7 pounds, where the redear sunfish can grow to a little over 2 pounds, both are really good to eat. Spillway now covered with large rocks to allow the water to escape but hopefully keep bait fish from washing out of the tank. Stocking with “bait fish” noted above for two years, then adding Florida bass for a F1 cross (Florida / Northern bass). Cleared land behind current 7 acres tank for future 6 acres, potentially 60 feet deep, tank.

Other Activities / Amenities:

The other activities / amenities for the full packages include:

rifle range, with shooting house, shooting benches, 100, 200 and 300 all with paper, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1,000 and 1,200 each with 2 sets of 5 different sizes of AR 500 plates and 800 yards and 1,200 yards with additional 3 feet diameter AR 500 plates;
pistol range, with Double Texas star, Texas Propeller, 3 3d dummies, many AR 500 plates;
skeet thrower, but hopefully upgrading to Promatic Huntsman XP Wobble this year or next;
hunting and fishing noted above;
games / other: cornhole, ladder toss, washers, horseshoes, ping-pong, darts, poker, cards, dominos, 3 large TVs with satellites, lawn bowling, spikeball, fire pit, camp fire, “redneck pools” which are clean cattle troughs cleaned and new water after each use, 2 hammocks, 10 rocking chairs under pecan trees, etc.;
lasagna or brisket and/or ribs Friday night, full breakfast (eggs, bacon, sausage, wop biscuits) Saturday and Sunday morning, smoked dogs and burgers Saturday lunch, ribeye steaks Saturday night; and
house and cabin, bedding, towels and washcloths (I turn the AC down low, so bring extra blanket in September).

Get with me as soon as possible if you are wanting to hunt this Fall or Winter.

Ryan

24 Outfitters LLC Rules

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Unfortunately, there has been some confusion on the rules while hunting, fishing, shooting and/or visiting with 24 Outfitters LLC (“24 OF”). To make sure everyone is on the same page, the following rules will require your reading, accepting and signature before hunting, fishing, shooting and/or visiting with 24 OF. Your inability to follow these rules, will result in your removal from property owned, leased and/or used by 24 OF (“24 Property”), all without a refund of any money.

Rules:

1. NEVER ENTER A 24 PROPERTY’S FIELD WITHOUT A 24 OF’S GUIDE ALLOWING YOU INTO THE FIELD (I.E., SUCH GUIDE MUST BE THE FIRST ONE INTO THE FIELD BOTH IN THE MORNING AND EVENING);

2. MORNING HUNTS NORMALLY END AT 10:30 A.M., UNLESS A 24 OF’S GUIDE SAYS OTHERWISE;

3. DO NOT CLEAN YOUR BIRDS ON 24 PROPERTY (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FARMERS’ FIELDS OR CLOSE TO FARMERS’ FIELDS), EXCEPT IN AREAS DESIGNATED BY 24 OF;

4. PICK UP YOUR HULLS, DO NOT LEAVE HULLS ON ANY 24 PROPERTY; PICK UP YOUR HULLS, DO NOT LEAVE HULLS ON ANY 24 PROPERTY;

5. PICK UP YOUR TRASH ON ALL 24 PROPERTY, INCLUDING CIGARETTE BUTTS AND ALCOHOL CANS/BOTTLES;

6. PICK UP OTHER PEOPLE’S HULLS AND/OR TRASH ON ALL 24 PROPERTY;

7. DO NOT OPEN ANY GATE ON ANY 24 PROPERTY UNLESS YOU HAVE 24 OF’S PERMISSION TO OPEN SUCH GATE;

8. IF YOU HAVE 24 OF’S PERMISSION TO OPEN A GATE (OR GATES) ON 24 PROPERTY, CLOSE ALL SUCH GATE (OR GATES) THAT YOU OPEN; (THIS FAILURE COST 24 OF SIGNIFICANT MONEY THIS YEAR, AND MORE THAN LIKELY THE RIGHT TO USE A FARMER’S FIELDS, WHICH FIELDS HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDING IN THE PAST, AS WELL AS, POTENTIALLY A FRIENDSHIP WITH AN EXCELLENT MAN);

9. DO NOT CROSS ANY FENCE ON ANY 24 PROPERTY UNLESS YOU HAVE 24 OF’S PERMISSION TO CROSS SUCH FENCE;

10. DO NOT GO TO THE RIFLE RANGE ON 24 PROPERTY OR USE SUCH RANGE WITHOUT A 24 OF’S REPRESENTATIVE WITH YOU;

11. DO NOT GO TO THE PISTOL RANGE ON 24 PROPERTY OR USE SUCH RANGE WITHOUT A 24 OF’S REPRESENTATIVE WITH YOU;

12. DO NOT GO TO THE SKEET RANGE OR USE SUCH RANGE WITHOUT A 24 OF’S REPRESENTATIVE WITH YOU;

13. IF IT IS ABOUT TO RAIN, GET YOUR VEHICLE OUT OF 24 PROPERTY’S FIELDS;

14. OBEY ALL GAME LIMITS AND LAWS VIA THE STATE AND/OR FEDERAL AUTHORITIES;

15. TREAT PEOPLE RUNNING 24 OF WITH RESPECT;

16. CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL PRIOR TO, OR DURING, A HUNT WILL FORFEIT YOUR RIGHT TO HUNT WITH 24 OF;

17. ILLEGAL DRUGS WILL RESULT IN YOUR IMMEDIATE REMOVAL FROM 24 PROPERTY FOREVER;

18. ALCOHOL IN ANY REFRIGERATOR OR FREEZER AT 24 PROPERTY OR ON TOP OF THE REFRIGERATOR AT 24 PROPERTY IS NOT FOR YOUR CONSUMPTION;

19. BRING YOUR OWN COOLER FOR YOUR OWN ALCOHOL;

20. DO NOT TAKE ASSETS OF 24 OF OR ANY ASSETS OF ANY LANDOWNER ASSOCIATED WITH 24 OF;

21. I HAVE READ MY 24 OF’S INVOICE AND KNOW WHEN I HAVE RIGHTS TO HUNT, SLEEP, FISH, SHOOT AND/OR EAT WITH, OR ON BEHALF OF, 24 OF;

22. AMMUNITION IS NOT ALLOWED IN 24 OF’S HOUSE OR CABIN (ONLY UNLOADED GUNS); AND

23. DO NOT ASK OR TAKE THE CANAM, MOTORCYCLES, 4-WHEELER, TRACTOR OR OTHER PROPERTY OF 24 OF, AS THEY ARE FOR 24 OF’S GUIDES AND PERSONNEL USE ONLY.

I, ____________ ___ _________:

have read the above rules of 24 Outfitters LLC;
understand my right to be on any and all 24 Property is subject to my compliance with the above rules; and
hereby agree to be bound by, I am hereby bound by, and I fully adopt the above rules.

(THEN THERE WILL BE A DATE AND SIGNATURE LINE)

Sincerely,

Ryan

Dove Report / Availability / History / Additions to Other Stuff

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dove Report:

Last week I was in West Texas working on law projects. However, in the morning and evening I was out scouting for doves. During last week it was 102 to 105 outside, so during the middle of the day I escaped inside and played lawyer.

The number of doves flying into my tank was really encouraging. There were several hundred doves in groups of 10 to 20 flying into my tank (aka pond). I believe the doves currently like my tank since it has about 7 feet of bare surface all around the tank to the water. The winter wheat fields (220 acres) on my property have doves in them. The trees are NOT hot, heavy and loaded with doves yet. I love to see 10 to 20 doves in every tree in the evenings, but we are not there yet. However, I am seeing way way more doves this year than last year (which is not a high hurdle as last year there was nominal, if any, local doves – see freeze February 2021). Last week I went to several different locations (aka leased properties) every morning and evening looking for doves. I found certain fields with water holding doves. The grain fields look pitiful pursuant to the drought, but the watering holes look promising.

The number of doves is not yet to the stage where I say “get your mule out here, it is hot and heavy”, but is way better than the “don’t come here, we have no dove” (see my last year’s September 13, 2021 report on 24 Outfitters LLC website). Needless to say, I take it personally when you do not get your limits of doves and it drives me NUTS. Unfortunately, I have not figured out how to control weather, doves, and migration habits of birds. I do know who does control such items, so I pray to the Living God, for favorable results. Thank God, we have some doves right now.

Availability:

I have openings for dove hunts consisting of:

Wednesday, August 31^st to early Saturday, September 3^rd:

Cabin for up to 9 people, and day hunts available;

Saturday, September 3^rd to early Monday, September 5^th:

Cabin for up to 10 people, and day hunts available;

Friday, September 9^th to Sunday, September 11^th:

Completely full – no openings, except day hunts;

Friday, September 16^th to Sunday, September 18^th:

House open, cabin open, and day hunts available;

Friday, September 23^rd to Sunday, September 25^th:

Cabin open, and day hunts available;

Friday, September 30^th to Sunday, October 2^nd:

House open, cabin open, and day hunts available;

Friday, October 7^th to Sunday, October 9^th:

House open, cabin open, and day hunts available;

Friday, October 14^th to Sunday, October 16^th:

Completely full – no openings;

Friday, October 21^st to Sunday, October 23^rd:

House open, cabin open, and day hunts available; and

Friday, October 28^th to Sunday, October 31^st:

House open, cabin open, and day hunts available.

History Provides:

Now going on my 7^th year of doing this business, please read the following.

The first three weekends of dove season we are normally killing the local doves.

Last year we were not killing many, if any, local doves because of the freeze.

A few years ago, we had black oil sunflowers all over my fields and no dove.

We hunt several thousand acres of leased land, in 60 to 100 acres fields, but sometimes the doves are just not in our area.

Other years, we have absolutely slaughtered the doves the first three weekends.

Then a front will come through with rain, and a field with 5,000 doves in it prior to the front will have 10 doves in it the next day.

After the first three weekends, we are relying on cold fronts to push down Northern doves.

No cold fronts, well you get the idea.

Cold fronts, come now come all.

Book accordingly.

Additions to “Other” Stuff:

In addition to the: (1) fishing in the 7-acre tank; (2) wobbler skeet thrower for knockout; (3) cornhole; (4) ladder toss; (5) washers; (6) horseshoes; (7) ping pong; (8) darts; (9) football; (10) poker; (11) 3 55-inch TVs and satellites; as well as other stuff, we have the following additions this year:

Additions to the pistol range (22 up to below 44 allowed):

Double Texas Star: https://www.challengetargets.com/product/CT-DBL-TEXAS-STAR.html;
Propeller Texas Star: https://www.challengetargets.com/product/CT-PROPELLER-R8.html;
We have added the above additions to the three-rubber human shaped dummies, dueling tree and several AR 500 plates;

Additions to the rifle range:

Additional shooting house (6 shooting benches spaced out with partitions between shooters);
Berms and 10 AR 500 plates at 1,000 yards and 1,200 yards;
So pursuant to the above additions, we are now shooting:

100 yards (paper);
200 yards (paper);
300 yards (paper);
400 yards (10 AR 500 plates, 2 sets of 8 inches, 6 inches, 4 inches, 3 inches, and 2 inches);
500 yards (10 AR 500 plates, 2 sets of 10 inches, 8 inches, 6 inches, 4 inches, and 3 inches);
600 yards (10 AR 500 plates, 2 sets of 10 inches, 8 inches, 6 inches, 4 inches, and 3 inches);
800 yards (10 AR 500 plates, 2 sets of 12 inches, 10 inches, 8 inches, 6 inches, and 4 inches);

Also at 800 yards, sighting in plate 32 inches x 56 inches;

1,000 yards (10 AR 500 plates, 2 sets of 18 inches, 14 inches, 10 inches, 8 inches, and 5 inches);

Also at 1,000 yards, sighting in plate round 42 inches;

1,200 yards (10 AR 500 plates, 2 sets of 22 inches, 18 inches, 14 inches, 10 inches, and 6 inches)

Also at 1,200 yards, sighting in plate round 52 inches.

Considering for the future (let me know your thoughts):

5 Stand:

Promatic Matrix 8NT – 6 machines + Claymate 6 Trap Sporting Kit Wireless;

Game Simulator:

Huntsman XP Wobbler.

Ryan

Dove Report

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am in West Texas working on law projects. However, in the morning and evening I am out scouting for dove. Since it is 102 to 105 outside, during the middle of the day I escape inside and play lawyer.

The number of doves flying into my tank this morning was really encouraging. There were several hundred doves in groups of 10 to 20 flying into my tank (aka pond). I believe the dove currently like my tank since it has about 7 feet of bare surface all around the tank to the water (drought – 7 inches of rain in the last year). The winter wheat fields (220 acres) on my place have doves in them. The trees are NOT hot, heavy and loaded with dove yet. I love to see ten to twenty dove in every tree in the evenings, but we are not there yet. However, I am seeing way way more dove this year than last year (which is not high hurdle as last year there was nominal, if any, local dove – see freeze February 2021). I will be going to different locations every morning and evening for the next four to five days scouting.

The number of doves is not yet to the stage where I say “get your mule out here, it is hot and heavy”, but is way better than the “don’t come here, we have no dove” (see my last year’s September 13, 2021 report on 24 Outfitters LLC website). Needless to say, I take it personally when you do not get your limits of dove and it drives me NUTS. Unfortunately, I have not figured out how to control weather, dove, and migration habits of birds. I do know who does control such items, so I pray to the Living God, for favorable results. Thank God, we have some dove right now.

Regardless of number of dove, please pray for these farmers and ranchers, they need rain NOW and good amount of it thereto (slow steady rain for about one month at about 10 inches over such period – maybe a tropical storm will come up out of South Texas and stall over West Texas). Many tanks are dry. Many farmers are selling their cattle. You want to talk about a profession relying on God, talk to a farmer (I have the ultimate respect for these men and women).

I have some availability for day hunters most all the weekends in dove season (on some weekends, to the extent large enough groups coming thereto).

In addition, I have openings for the full package:

House and cabin to some extent, opening weekend (September 3^rd to 5^th - Saturday afternoon to Monday afternoon),

But full August 31 to September 3 (Saturday morning);

Cabin, second weekend (September 9 to 11);

Cabin, third weekend (September 16 to 18);

Open rest of weekends, except October 14^th to 16^th and October 21^st to 23^rd.

Now going on my 7^th year of doing this business, please read the following.

The first three weekends of dove season we are normally killing the local dove.

Last year we were not killing many, if any, local dove because of the freeze.

A few years ago, we had black oil sunflowers all over my fields and no dove.

Other years, we have absolutely slaughtered the dove the first three weekends.

Then a front will come through with rain, and a field with 5,000 doves in it prior

to the front will have 10 doves in it the next day.

After the first three weekends, we are relying on cold fronts to push down Northern dove.

No cold fronts, well you get the idea.

Cold fronts, come now come all.

Book accordingly.

Ryan

Upcoming Hunting Season - Dove & Sandhill Crane

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Dove Hunting:

I am seeing a bunch of local dove around the farm and on winter wheat fields (unlike last year after the February 2021 freeze). This year’s drought is a double-edge sword:

(1) farmers planted little to nothing in the form of grain all over West Texas (drought, double the price of seed, triple the price of fertilizer, and double plus the price of diesel; all with the same selling price for their product – how are each one of you doing on your garden?); and

(2) the thousands (or millions) of acres of last fall’s / winter’s wheat laying on the ground via cattle grazing and/or the head was only 4 inches off the ground and has not been touched.

The number (2) above, produces some really good dove hunting fields. Now couple number (2) with a concentration of birds hitting watering holes.

I am pushing approximately 1,500 acres (max normally is 100 acre field) spread from Clyde to Abilene to Winters to Bronte to Ballinger to chase dove. I expect to pick up another 180 acres (in 60 acre fields) 2 hours north of Abilene shortly. We have several tanks to hunt, but many are completely dry as I type this email. As noted above, I am looking for last year’s winter wheat fields, wild sunflowers (about 3 to 4 inches tall right now), and any fields that have milo or other grain (none as of right now via calls to 12 farmers).

We have openings, but are receiving calls (2 to 10 a week). Here are our current openings for dove hunting:

1. September 1^st, 2^nd and out the 3^rd (Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning):

a. Some in cabin;

b. Some openings on day hunts;

2. September 3^rd, 4^th and out the 5^th(Saturday evening, Sunday and Monday morning):

a. Some in cabin;

b. Some openings on day hunts;

3. September 9^th through the 11^th;

a. Cabin open;

b. Day hunts open;

4. September 16^th to the 18^th:

September 23^rd to the 25^th:

September 30^th to October 2^nd:

October 7^th to October 9^th:

a. All such dates open (house, cabin, day);

5. October 14^th to October 16^th:

October 21^st to October 23^rd

a. All such dates completely booked;

6. October 28^th to October 30^th:

a. Open (house, cabin, day).

Sandhill Crane:

In addition to dove hunts, we are now offering sandhill crane hunts.

On the east side of Highway 83, we hunt December and January, and on the west side of Highway 83, we hunt November, December and January. My property is on the east side of Highway 83, but I have thousands of acres on both sides of Highway 83 to hunt.

We will be hunting out of:

Four Lucky Duck 4 man w/flip top-Optifade A frame blinds (can handle 5 people, but I limit to 4 people per blind);
All four A frame blinds completely covered (i.e., all the sides and flip top) with hunting blind raffia grass, grass duck blind roll, bamboo, mesquite and other natural products;
Sitting in 16 very comfortable chairs (Alps Outdoorz Stealth Hunter Blind Chairs with armrest – the best in my opinion, Guide Gear Big Boy Comfort Swivel Hunting Blind Chair with Armrests – can handle my weight (290) times 1.7, Millennium Treestands G100 Shooting Chair – very good chair);
SX Decoys - 100 full body painted Sandhill crane decoys;
Traveling around in 18 foot long, 8 foot wide, 8 foot tall W-W steel box trailer;
Several thousands of acres from about 50 miles north of Winters to 30 miles south of Winters; and
Each guide with Sandhill Steakhouse Crane Call and DRC Call Co. Sandhill crane call.

Sandhill cranes have amazing eyes, and you really don’t call them much. You really want a large spread of decoys, each hunter and blind completely camouflaged, no skin showing, no eyes visible, and blinds in a natural land break / spot.

My goal: Coffee, orange juice, breakfast burritos, breakfast sausage biscuit, 4 friends in each blind telling the HONEST TRUTH (??) flipping the top back on the blind and killing their limits on every morning hunt. Normally we do not hunt the sandhill crane in the evening to allow the birds to go back to water / rest and prepare for the next day’s hunt. We have other hunting opportunities in the evenings for full package hunts (duck pond hopping, pigs, dove second season, and/or see immediately below for other stuff).

We have the rifle range (now out to 1,200 yards, and berms / targets at 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1,000 and 1,200), pistol range (3 rubber dummies, dueling tree etc.), skeet shooting, fishing, ping-pong, darts, washers, horseshoes, corn hole, ladder toss, TV and satellite for college football, etc. . . .

Let me know if you are coming as we are starting to receive a bunch of calls.

Hunting & Land Update - Book NOW!

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Hope this email finds you doing well. This email provides you a few updates on upcoming hunts and land for hunting:

Spring turkey season (April and ½ of May):

Starts April 2 and runs through May 15 (best time is early April);
Seeing around 30 or more turkeys on the property;
Working with other landowners for additional property;

See below for more landowners coming on board;

Starting to book up for early hunts (i.e., CALL ME NOW);

Dove season (September and October):

Normally starts September 1 and runs through the end of October;
Thank God last year’s dove season is over (horrible bird numbers);

Dove numbers appear to be rebounding from February 2021 freeze;
To help combat a repeat of 2021, we are now pursuing land 116 miles north and 70 miles south of Winters;

See below for more landowners coming on board;

September 1, 2 and 3 morning hunt (house taken, cabin open);
September 3 afternoon, 4 and 5 hunt (open);
Rest of the Friday, Saturday and Sundays in September / October currently open;

Currently only one party of twelve is booked;
All bookings (for turkey, dove, and/or sandhill crane) require contacting us, sending deposit and reserving;
Some people believe I go every year on xyz date, so I am booked (that is an incorrect assumption);
If you know when you want to go (specifically in early September, CALL ME NOW);

Sandhill crane season (November, December and January):

Normally starts November 1 and runs through January 31 (on west side of 83);
100 SX sandhill crane decoys, 16 top quality chairs, 4 Lucky Duck A frame blinds, and new 18 foot trailer;
Guides being added;
We will be doing full package hunts and day hunts;
4 landowners around Winters on board now;
See below for more landowners coming on board;

Rifle Range:

Powerlines being moved up;
Should be shooting at 1,000 and 1,200 in the next month;
Berms and targets at 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1,000 and 1,200;
When power lines are moved up, we will analyze the 1,500 and 1,800 potential;

Fishing:

Cedar trees going in tank and pig paneling by spillway in April;
Pending a few variables:

3 fish feeders in April / May;
Grass carp in May;
Bait fish in Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023 and Spring 2024;
Florida bass in Spring 2024;

More landowners coming on board:

Calling landowners daily in target area in West Texas;
I expect many more properties this year, and I expect more below par farmland to be left open:

Why?

Diesel prices are going out of sight and fertilizer prices are up 143% over last year prices and will probably double from today’s prices in the near future;
Think about that: Food prices WILL GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
“Somebody” decided to shut down the Keystone XL Pipeline;
“Somebody” decided to “punish” Russia with oil ban (672,000 barrels a day gone, from last year’s imports);
China (37m metric tons, largest in world) and Russia (10m metric tons, 4th largest in world) are massive fertilizer producers, and I believe they both think it is time to “get” the USA because of “somebody”;
Green new deal being shoved down our throat, hook, line and sinker by “somebody”;

Currently sending out letters, then calling up to 1,601 farmers from a list generated from the following counties:

300 in Haskell County (Munday, 116 miles north of Winters);
300 in Jones County (just south of Haskell County);
160 in Taylor County (just south of Jones County and includes Abilene);
300 in Runnels County (where the primary property is located and includes Winters);
140 in Concho County (Melvin, 70 miles south east of Winters);
61 in Callahan County (Putnam, east of Taylor County and 70 miles north east of Winters)
40 in Coke County (just west of Runnels County, includes Robert Lee);
300 in Tom Green County (just south of Coke County, includes San Angelo).

Come Now Come All - Dove Arrived

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

John Joeris earlier today was driving out to my farm in Winters to work on my pellet smoker.

He pulled into the gate and approximately 50 dove came flying out of the north field (i.e., 110 acre black oil sunflower field) towards the tank.

Then he was driving down the road to my house and more and more dove started flying out of the trees on the fence line.

So the dove appear to have arrived in Winters.

Come now, come all.

I will be out of pocket for a few days next week, but telling you “IT APPEARS THE DOVE FINALLY ARRIVED.”

I hopefully can accommodate you, if you are wanting to shoot some dove.

Sure hope the dove do not go to San Antonio tomorrow.

903-787-2889

Ryan

Dove Hunting Around Abilene, Covid and Bring Your Fishing Poles

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends That Saved My Butt:

I have had John Hargis, John Joeris, Charlie Tobler and Craig Goodroe running the dove hunting in West Texas the last thirteen days as I was playing with Covid, then Covid pneumonia for 3 ½ weeks. As most of you know, Vickie Williams handles most, if not all, of the booking, returning calls, and internal work for this business. Needless to say, since I could not get my head off a pillow for 3 weeks, these people saved my butt.

Thank you:

John Hargis,

John Joeris,

Charlie Tobler,

Craig Goodroe, and

Vickie Williams.

This entire operation would have shut down without your work. Thank you, again for covering for me as I played with Covid, then Covid pneumonia.

Now on whether the entire operation should shut down?

The dove hunting simply “STINKS” right now around Abilene. We have black oil sunflower fields, wild sunflower fields, milo fields, maize fields, and hay grazer fields spread up to 70 miles around my farm. Problem: NO (OR NOMINAL) BIRDS. I am not remotely close to a biologist, but it could have been the fact that we lost thousands (or more) of local dove in the freeze in February and apparently, the dove have migrated to Lubbock and not further south.

Where to go right now for dove?

I am not in the business of sending business away, but I will tell you (as I have now told several people calling me) that Nathan Williams, West Texas Safaris Guide Service, 903-539-8389 is a good person and guide for Lubbock dove, duck and sandhill crane hunting. I believe Nathan had 250 dove killed in one morning hunt this past weekend (just shy of 20 hunters). I am telling you right now, I don’t think we have had 250 dove killed this season. I would love to tell you something different, but those are the facts.

When you hear from me come now, come all, then it will be hot and heavy around Abilene. Right now, based on my friends above, discussion with three other outfitters, it is REALLY REALLY SLOW (AKA DEAD) DOVE HUNTING AROUND ABILENE.

Not trying to hurt my own operation, but I am telling you the dove appear to be in Lubbock and NOT AROUND ABILENE.

Hope this helps you.

Ryan Gardner

Update on Fields / Book Now

Fri, 21 May 2021 05:00:00 +0000

The following is an update on the fields / property being prepared now for dove hunts:

May 10, 2021 - at my farm the 200 to 220 acres of plowed fields were planted with black oil sunflowers;
- The May 10 planting was right before the farm received 1.6 inches of rain on May 11, 2021 and 2.5 inches on May 17-18, 2021;
In May 2021 – at other farmers’ property that we have hunting rights, such farmers have planted milo on about 500 to 600 acres;
Wild sunflowers growing on around 600 to 700 acres which we have hunting rights;
Total from above of 1,300 to 1,520 acres of fields – some black oil, some milo and some wild sunflower fields; and
Hopefully, we have 3 to 5 stock tanks that are full of water.

Please pray for continued rain (1 inch of rain every couple of weeks, or 2 to 3 inches a month and not the normal 6 inches in one weekend and no rain thereafter for 3 months) for the next 90 days (growing to harvest time for the black oil sunflowers and milo is 90 to 100 days). The rain prayer is selfish on my part, but such prayer is also for my farming friends who prefer to collect market return on their work on thousands of acres (i.e., most individual farmers must farm 2,000 to 3,000 acres today based on the yields thereto) and not try to recover planting costs through crop insurance and pay other bills via subsidies.

Book now:

We have openings for the full package and day hunts for hunting September 1 and September 2.

We are fully booked for opening weekend for the full package and still booking for day hunts.

We are partially booked for the second weekend for the full package and still booking for day hunts.

We have a group looking at taking most of the full package on the third weekend and another group for the fourth weekend, but until we have applicable deposits the third weekend and fourth weekend full packages are open and all day hunts are open.

We are sending out around 3,800 flyers all over Texas in advertisement this next week. Thereafter, we should send another 2,000 plus flyers in July.

If you have not made your reservation (hotel and outfitter for day hunts, or outfitter for full package) and want to dove hunt the first weekend to fourth weekend of dove season, DO IT NOW.

Help Me, Help You:

Pick up your hulls (hulls do kill cows).

Pick up your trash.

Don’t clean birds and leave remains in the field.

Don’t press down on fences to cross (go under or to a clearing) as farmer has to pull fence back up and potentially rework the fence.

Close gates and lock up.

If you were out of town and had friends coming over to use your backyard pool and outdoor kitchen, would you want the fence that keeps your dog in pushed down where the dog can escape, the fence left open where the dog can get out, the friends pool toys left in your pool, trash left on the concrete around the pool, and soft drink cans and food wrappers left in your outdoor kitchen? Obviously, the answer is no, if you love your dog and take pride in your property.

Take that same idea and apply it to the farmers’ backyard. Farmers take pride in their land, just as I do, so please likewise take pride in that land with them.

If you cannot take pride in the farmers’ land, please don’t book with me, because I am going to protect my farmers at all costs.

Turkey Hunts

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are seeing good numbers of turkeys (approximately 40 to 60 in one flock observed this past week).

We have started to lease other land for turkey hunts.

We will hunt until I see that hunting is not productive.

We have some openings left, but bookings are happening fast.

This morning, the Turkeys started gobbling.

Call me.

Dove Hunting Report - Winter Season Around The Corner (Dove, Sandhill Crane, Duck, Pig)

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The fall dove season came to an end this past weekend and we are still waiting on the northern dove to come down.

This past weekend, we had dove numbers but the dove were really spread all over the place (not enough hunters and dove spread to many milo and hay grazer fields – several hundred dove in my north field but 6 hunters on 110 acres??).

In 2019, the northern dove started to appear the second to last weekend and the last weekend of the fall dove season. Also in 2019, the first seven weeks of dove season were absolutely horrible in numbers of dove.

In 2018, the first few weekends were really good, then 20 inches of rain decided to come to West Texas.

In 2017, the first three or four weekends were good (limited hunts thereafter).

WINTER DOVE SEASON (December 18, 2020 to January 14, 2021):

My 110 acre north field is starting to fill up with dove.

Trying to hunt 110 acres with 6 hunters is like using a slingshot to kill dove.

In January 2021, we will more than likely be heading to Lubbock for morning sandhill crane hunts for one morning of each hunt,

then dove hunting in the afternoons and “pond hopping” the ducks on the other mornings.

We have sandhill crane in Winters, so I might have the “sandhill crane guides” from Lubbock come to Winters.

In addition, the pigs should be hungry in January and destroying winter wheat fields.

The following is a recap of the Fall 2020 dove season:

First two days of dove season (1^st and 2^nd) – limits by all (slaughtered the dove);
Opening weekend (4^th, 5^th and 6^th) – limits by all (slaughtered the dove);
Second weekend (11^th, 12^th and 13^th) – limits by most, many others shot hundreds of rounds (dang good hunting);
Third weekend (18^th, 19^th and 20^th) – COVID took out hunters via being sick, no hunters;
Fourth weekend (25^th, 26^th and 27^th) – few outstanding shooters with limits on milo, otherwise slow (slow hunting);
Fifth weekend (2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th) – few with limits on milo, otherwise pretty slow (slow hunting);
Sixth weekend (9^th, 10^th and 11^th) – no hunting;
Seventh weekend (16^th, 17^th and 18^th) – decent hunts on Saturday (okay hunt);
Eighth weekend (23^rd, 24^th and 25^th) – one decent afternoon hunt, otherwise pretty slow (slow hunt); and
Sleet and ice on Tuesday and Wednesday this past week:
Ninth weekend (30^th, 31^st and 1^st) – pretty slow weekend and birds scattered (slow hunt).

In September and October 2021, based on discussions with current landowners / farmers, 24 Outfitters LLC will have:

700 acres of black oil (new this coming year - 2021);

600 to 1,000 acres of milo (hopefully, one landowner coming back into the mix

(used in 2019, was out for various reasons in 2020) for 400 extra milo acres);

1,000 acres of wild sunflowers.

2,300 acres to 2,700 acres of fields, several stock tanks etc.

Hopefully, the election tomorrow will not destroy our right to hunt / bear arms.

In 2021, we will attempt to have the following:

Large numbers of hunters (many day hunters) on:

Opening days - September 1 (Wednesday), 2 (Thursday) and 3 (Friday);

First weekend - September 4 (Saturday), 5 (Sunday) and 6 (Monday);

Second weekend - September 10 (Friday), 11 (Saturday) and 12 (Sunday); and

Third weekend - September 17 (Friday), 18 (Saturday) and 19 (Sunday).

Other weekends – call me to discuss.

Full packages will be available, but there will be considerable more day hunters this next year (2021).

If you have been to my place, you know I can accommodate about 25 people in sleeping arrangements in the house / cabin.

We will make off grid accommodations for tents / RVs this next year to accommodate more hunters in early September.

Based on current returning clients and a large amount of ongoing advertising, we are anticipating way more hunters per each of the above hunts (i.e., several hundred hunters per hunt) in the early part of September.

Therefore, contact me ASAP or I would book your hotel rooms at the latest by the first of May 2021.

Hotels: Abilene, Ballinger, Winters, etc.

Mama said there'll be days like this

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Mama said there’ll be days like this (Song by the Shirelles).

The good of this past weekend:

Thank God for rifle range, pig hunting, fishing, good food, good friends / clients and college football.

The bad of this past weekend:

Birds went missing.

Why are the birds missing?

Good question, but I believe it has something to do with 4.0 plus inches of rain in 10 days, a cool front and a tropical waive that came out of the gulf.

I know many of my fields still have good amount of sunflowers, some winter wheat, water and trees.

I also know some of my fields have only been hunted 1 to 1 ½ days since September 1.

Finally, I know when I left after opening weekend we had a good amount (several hundred) dove in my south winter wheat field and several birds in fields around Abilene.

Gentlemen, the bottom line is the hunting was flat out not good around Abilene or Winters.

I have taken care of, and will take care of, my clients who have “Mama said” dove hunting weekends.

No hunts this weekend.

I am going back out to Winters early to verify if the birds are down from the north, or back in the fields before the next group leaves to come to Winters.

Those are the facts, although I would prefer to not report the “difficult” hunting weekends.

Texas Dove Hunters Association Banded Bird Challenge

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Gentlemen,

I have been alerted to the fact that several banded Eurasian Collared Doves with a TDHA band on one of each of their legs were released around Winters, Texas.

Please go to Texas Dove Hunters Association website and check out the contest / prizes.

I suggest you looking into TDHA contest at https://www.texasdovehunters.com/tbbc.

Ryan

Opening Weekend

Mon, 03 Sep 2018 05:00:00 +0000

We had 10 guys in the cabin and 11 guys in the house (excluding me). On Saturday we hunted Potosi. We had approximately 11 limits and many others right at the limit. On Sunday we hunted my fields below the hill. We had approximately 15 limits, and several others right at the limit. Sunday night we picked up 9/10ths of an inch of rain and Monday morning hunt on my property was below average. We were limited somewhat to fields based on reports I was receiving on other fields (normally great fields were struggling on numbers) and then rain on Sunday night.

Had several guys shoot at the rifle range and had a good time. Had a few fishermen and those fishermen caught several bass. Had 3 or 4 people do the skeet shooting. Don't think we had anyone play on the pistol range. College football (Longhorns tick me off) was on Saturday, and several games of 42 broke out Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday night was lasagna with amazing coconut pie and chocolate pie (thank you Rhonda Joeris). Sunday we broke out the ribeye steaks on the fire pit (thank you Jeff Carnes for some outstanding ribeye steaks - Jeff's place is between Whitehouse and Troup on 110), baked potato and apple pie and cherry pie (thank you Rhonda Joeris, Winters). Breakfast was egg, sausage, cheese and picante burrito and sausage biscuits. For lunch both days we had 24 dogs and 24 hamburgers smoked on the pellet smoker (again thank you Jeff Carnes for the good dogs/burgers).

Several people all over West Texas were really struggling with numbers on birds. Some of the normal mainstays were getting 6 to 10 on day one and less on day 2. Why? Drought and lack of grain. Thankfully, we were hunting winter wheat / wild sunflowers fields with plenty of grain. I will always have the above combination (winter wheat / wild sunflowers) with some strips of spring dove mix (see Turner Seed in Breckenridge, Texas). Why will I have this mixture? Well lack of rain from April to August in Winters did not allow the Spring Dove Mix to fully develop. Combining the winter wheat and wild sunflowers (winter wheat planted in October or November / light tilling in January for sunflowers) normally yields good amount of grazing and then dove hunts. The "Dove Cocaine" which is the Spring Dove Mix I believe will be outstanding, but that crop is completely dependent on April / May / June rains. I will always plant some Spring Dove Mix, but will plant strips of it within the winter wheat / wild sunflowers.

Rain in West Texas for the next 6 days? Really? I have a hard time believing it will rain every day for 6 days in Winters, but if it does we will reschedule this weekend's hunts.

Ryan Gardner

Rifle range / Birds in Potosi

Fri, 24 Aug 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Short and sweet. Birds in Potosi, hot and heavy. Should be an OUTSTANDING opening weekend. Should be a great second weekend. Rifle house / range (100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600) almost completed. House in Winters done (pending paint in utility room). Roads on property completed. Outside HardiPlank siding coming soon on house. Fishing (tequilla sunrise berkley power pack worm, yellow magic, or something else on top of the water). Pistol range (up to 50 yards) is done. Not sure right now on bow range. Checking on skeet thrower to make sure it is working on Wednesday. College football on TVs. Leave guns / ammo in autos, just bring in clothes to house.

Food: Opening weekend is currently planned as following:

Saturday and Sunday morning: breakfast burritos, sausage biscuits, milk, OJ, coffee.

Saturday and Sunday lunch: smoked hamburgers / hotdogs, chips, water, tea and homemade pies.

Saturday supper: lasagna, bread, salad (possibly dove if so desire and you clean / wrap) and homemade pies.

Sunday supper: Ribeye, potato, salad, water, tea (possibly dove if so desire and you clean / wrap) and homemade pies.

If you have any questions on how to get to the property (MapQuest is completely screwed up, we are 5 miles NORTH of 153 / 83, on east side of 83, NOT south of 153/83) call me.

Ryan

TTHA, Rain and Booking

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen,

Houses completed:

We have completed (excluding the new Lopi fire insert, flooring in utility room, new hardiplank on all eaves / garage) the entire overhaul

(wire (partial), AC, plumbing, septic, painting, carpets, kitchen, bathroom, appliances etc) of my house in Winters (6 miles north of Winters).

The house in Denton Valley, Texas (604 and 36) is almost completely overhauled.

The cabin below the hill in Winters is ready to roll.

Other fun events:

The rifle range to 1,000 yards (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800 and 1000 (pending what you are shooting for low hanging electrical wire

for 800 / 1000)) is completed, and targets / table / bench are being made as I type.

The pistol range is almost complete.

The fishing should be the normal good “tank” fishing (top waters – yellow magic; buzz bait; and then going below and in moss with Berkley

power pack worms) for 1 pound to 4 pounds bass (occasionally something bigger).

Skeet knockout via skeet throwers.

I might have 6 or so bow targets for walking around and practicing with your bow (bow range).

The obvious will be happening – 42, dominos, Texas hold em, Big 12 and SEC football.

Dove:

The dove fields are looking really good (after 2 inches (Winters) to 4 inches (Potosi) of rain) with birds thereto.

Some of the black oil sunflower / milo / millet did not get enough rain earlier this year and did not make,

but the winter wheat / wild sunflowers look very hot with large number of birds.

When I was getting out of my truck last Tuesday to lock up the cabin, I had hundreds of doves take off from the trees around the cabin.

We are getting some good dove reports out of Potosi.

Fields:

The 610 acres in 13 fields are comprised of:

3 adjacent fields that total 100 acres in Winters (sunflowers and winter wheat);

5 fields that total 285 acres in Potosi (sunflowers and some winter wheat);

2 adjacent fields that total 90 acres between Potosi and Clyde (heavy in wild sunflowers - new fields just obtained);

1 field south of Clyde of 45 acres (heavy in wild sunflowers);

1 field on I20 in Clyde of 40 acres (milo and black oil sunflowers); and

1 field in Baird of 50 plus acres (water and close to feed store).

Several stock tanks if dry in September / October.

Texas Trophy Hunters Association:

I just finished 3 days in a booth F953 at Texas Trophy Hunters Association in Fort Worth.

The event lasted 22 hours consisting of Friday 3 to 8; Saturday 9 to 7 and Sunday 10 to 5.

I am guessing, but I believe I talked to between 300 to 500 hunters looking for dove hunting, and there was around 15,000 or more people visit the event.

I know I was on go and on my feet for about 98% of the entire event, normally with 3 or more people at the booth.

Not really sure what that means, other than a few more bookings currently, and a bunch of people saying we are coming with groups of ____ people.

What that means to you, is if you are wanting to go and have a weekend picked out, let me know as soon as possible.

Ryan

Grandparent's House Being Updated

Tue, 24 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have almost completed updating the inside of what I call my Grandparent's house (see pictures of house across lake in lodging photos). The inside (including a good amount of the electrical, all water, all plumbing, all septic, all AC etc) of the house has been, or is currently, being updated. Next year the eaves and garage will receive hardiplank, and a new roof will go on the house. So I have (or will have soon) a 1934 house for 2x4s, hardwood floors and wood rafters, and 2018 / 2019 for rest of the house. I will be going to the house outside Clyde to observe the updates on it this weekend. Pictures of both houses / locations will be coming next week in photos / lodging.

The rifle range up to 400 yards should be done in the next couple of weeks, and maybe up to 1,100 yards by September 1. Next year, I hope to have a five stand station / skeet & trap station. We have a skeet thrower (wobbler etc or 2), but hoping to increase that capacity next year.

The wild sunflowers / headed out winter wheat looks like it will provide ample food for the birds and we have several fields with that mixture. What might not be so "hot" this year is the black oil sunflowers, milo and millet due to the lack of rain (2 inches since April in Winters). Thankfully, Clyde, Abilene, Baird etc has received at least 4 more inches of rain than Winters.

I will be at the Fort Worth Hunters Extravaganza show in Fort Worth August 10 to 12 (main entrance, go far right and up against the wall 953-F), so come see us. In my opinion, if you are interested in going dove hunting with 24 Outfitters LLC, you might want to book that trip before August 10 to 12.

Hope you have a great week. Pray for rain in / around Winters, Texas.

Ryan Gardner

1/2 inch of rain and pigs going down

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 05:00:00 +0000

This past Saturday, JB and Pierce took out a few pigs on the ranch (THANK YOU). Pictures of the 375 pound boar are in the duck and pig photos.

Please note in the website, to see all 100 or so pictures:

Go to Photos;

Click on applicable category (farming, dove, lodging, turkey, duck & pig, fishing);

Series of pictures will come up and you can scroll through that "category" of pictures.

Certain people want to save and protect the pigs. I think those people are absolutely nuts. After having around 150 pigs trapped off our place this past December, I thought we were done with them for a little while. Well, I was wrong. I have approximately 50 or so pigs back on my creek (actually all over the property moving around for water). Did you know 1 male and 1 female can have up to 3 litters of 10 (total of 30 pigs) a year. Did you know a piglet will have a litter before it is 1 years old. Do the math, assume 50 pigs and 1/2 are female. 25 females averaging 6 piglets 3 times a year results in 450 pigs in one year (25 x 6 x 3). That math does not take into account the piglets having their first litter in year one. Guess I need to call Lone Star Trapping (Wyatt Walton), or go ahead and purchase the Jager Pro MINE trapping system. These animals are very destructive and require constant "attention".

Thank God for the rain. I love it when God comes through, although man "says 0% chance of rain." 0.00% chance of rain on Saturday afternoon (6-23-18) in Winters, Texas. 1/2 inch of rain on Saturday afternoon (6-23-18) on my farm in Winters. Guess God did not check in with the weatherman or weatherwoman to figure out the forecast. Again, thank you God for the rain.

Booking dove hunts for September / October right now. Currently have room for groups up to 24 on my farm 5 miles north of Winters and have another place 15 miles outside of Clyde that will accommodate 20 people. We will be hunting the same fields (see dove tab).

New septic, 5 new AC window units (3500 sq feet coverage area, house is 1600 sq feet), 24 new beds, 4 isolating fans in cabin, 8 isolating fans in house, new ceilng fans, new TV / satellite, repainted inside of house, cleaned house, new toilet, new blinds, and new microwaves (not to mention fields with some or all of the following: milo, millet, black oil sunflowers, headed out winter wheat, wild sunflowers). Again, thank you God for the rain.

Ryan Gardner

June 4, 2018

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 05:00:00 +0000

We went to Winters this past weekend and made a list of work for "Granny's house". The work starts Wednesday. Needless to say, the house will be outstanding come late August.

You want to see one of the best chocolate cream pies on earth (well gone now), see the pictures (I went back up to 278 pounds).

If you look at the crops and they look dry, you will see what 109 degrees and no rain for a month or so will do to crops. Thank GOD for the 1 inch of rain in Winters this morning (3:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.). Again, thank God for the rain.

Crops are growing, dove are eating, fish are eating, cabin clutter is being removed and "Granny's house" is being worked over in detail. Home outside of Clyde is currently being worked over, along with pole barn thereto.

Ready for you to come see us this fall. If you know the weekend you want to come see us, book now.

The rain this morning is life given from God. Ryan Gardner

May 2018 Report

Wed, 09 May 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Dove Hunters, we are now signing up hunters for dove season. Our goal is to hunt each field one time a week (unless we determine a field can handle more) to allow each hunt on that field to be like opening weekend every time the field is hunted. The one time a field is hunted a week is hopefully for a maximum 3 to 4 hours (if you shoot like me), then let the field rest for a week. The owner of 24 Outfitters has been on many hunts where you have 80 people on 100 acre field, and then that field is hunted all day Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thereafter, the dove on that "destroyed" field are about 0.5% of what they were the weekend thousands of birds were killed on such field. The owner of 24 Outfitters wants to try to manage the birds and pressure thereto, all the time realizing a good cold front, a rain shower, or something else completely unknown to man, might cause all the birds to leave a field and/or area. Hopefully, if this occurs northern birds will enjoy the trees, food and water on the different locations to replace the birds that went south.

I will be providing monthly updates to you up to the beginning of dove season, then hopefully weekly reports during dove season. The fields are planted and with all planted crops, rain is always welcome. If you want more information on the fields, see the "dove" tab.