NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) – An East Texas safari club is inviting the community to a Whitetail Deer Showcase and evening banquet to raise money for conservation.
The Dallas Safari Club East Texas chapter has worked to raise funds in support of various conservation projects for over 15 years.
Brent Ivy, the president of the club, said although the concepts of hunting and preservation sound controversial, the ideas go hand in hand.
“What we do is we manage wildlife populations to keep them sustainable for generations for future, for everybody,” Ivy said. “When you completely outlaw something, it really, really hurts, right? And so, with conservation, you have regulations in place.”
He said the results have been tangible.
“If you think back to like when our parents were kids growing up in East Texas, there weren’t many deer around. Right? It was really hard to hunt deer,” Ivy said.
“Turkeys just came back to East Texas in the last 20 years… All of those efforts are from conservationists who donate money to reestablish populations or protect endangered species,” he explained.
The Whitetail Deer showcase will exhibit shoulder and full body mounts of both deer and other East Texas animals.
The mounts, as well as other items will be auctioned and raffled off.
After the event concludes, the Sportsman’s night out will take place later that evening, with the showcase still visible and other vendor present.
A steak and shrimp dinner will be provided.
The event takes place Saturday, June 6 at the Nacogdoches County Expo Center.
The showcase starts at 9 a.m. and continues until 4 p.m. Tickets cost $6 for adults and are free for children 17 and under.
Doors open for Sportsman’s night out at 6 p.m. and ticket prices vary by package. More information can be found here.
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