Fin and Feather

Found this info from a poster named Gibbs. Anyone know anymore about this place or have any photographs? A 130 year old continual private hunting club in the Great Trinity Forest is fascinating. I've seen this on maps for many years but assumed it was long gone with only the names of the lakes left behind.

"The official name of the place is Dallas Hunting and Fishing Club. It was founded in 1885 by Captain W.H. Gaston and other families. Five or so of the original families still have an active roll in the ownership and management of the place. It is the oldest continuous hunting camp in Texas. There are 15 shareholders who as long as the dues are paid have perpetual rights to said interest. There are 35 associate members as was I for seven years who can stay as long as there dues are paid. They way I understand it, there are no shareholder opportunities. It will always stay with the original families. The President came in a few years back and revitalized the place. She rules with an iron fist but that is necessary to keep things on an even keel. The cool thing is her father was a shareholder and a former pro baseball player. Ray Wylie Hubbard also was a member. At one time before the advent of all the area watershed lakes, 300 plus ducks were killed there a week. They still have all the old records. The sleeping cottages are over 100 years old. The Bear's Den or club is new since the old one burned down. There are approximately 11 spots or blinds on the lake that must be called in for or bid for on the board by 5:00PM on the day before. If there is more than one request for a spot, coins are flipped.

It is a wonderful place and something I am thankful I was able to participate in for a while. I met a guy and essentially called for him---great guy-----very, very wise and one of the best shots I have ever seen with a shotgun. In 2011, I was stressed about my job and the economy and let my associate membership go. 2011 turned out to be one of the best years of my career but this year has been terrible so I know I made the right decision.

I can tell you know there is a waiting list as long as Jason Garrett's excuses list----maybe longer. When I started there, there only about 5 to 7 actual hunters and it was neat. Man we had ducks working on a sting. Now there are probably about 15 actual hunters so it's crowded. The upper rest lake is incredible. I caught 19 bass up there one morning and 13 of them were 5 lbs or better. The crappie fishing is phenomenal but I left that alone. There were two types out there----duck hunters and fishermen. I let the fisherman do their thing and I concentrated on duck hunting.

That lake held water all summer at pool depth. I was last there in August. The homes around it would be considered ancient and historic in anyone's book. Very special place.

In the last couple months, I have been out at the Dallas Hunting and Fishing Club a handful of times. It is a wonderful place with so much history. It was recently sold to a member who is doing a lot of needed repairs to the levee, dams and infrastructure. A lot of Dallas history among the old buildings and woods there. Some of the largest trees in the county are back in the wooded areas. Old growth. Quite a few deer back in the heavily treed areas. Feels like East Texas.

Same construction company working on Camp Wisdom's buildings for the Boy Scouts are undertaking the work out at Dallas Hunting and Fishing Club.

In 3 or 4 visits there I have chronicled 120 bird species there. Very neat place.