Outdoor Enthusiasts Invited to Support Quail Research at Inaugural Clay Shoot
The Ted and Donna Lyon Center for Gamebird Research at East Texas A&M University invites outdoor enthusiasts, alumni and community members to enjoy a day of friendly competition while helping advance gamebird conservation at its inaugural Lyon Center Clay Shoot.
The event will be held on Friday, Aug. 21, at Texas Gun Ranch in Terrell. Participants of all experience levels are welcome for a morning of sporting clays followed by lunch and an opportunity to learn more about the university’s nationally recognized gamebird research program. Proceeds will support research to reverse the decline of the northern bobwhite quail and advance conservation and education efforts through the Lyon Center.
For Dr. Kelly Reyna, director of the Lyon Center, the event is about more than marksmanship. It celebrates a tradition that has long connected people through the outdoors.
“What quail hunting brings that other hunting doesn’t is camaraderie,” Reyna said. “You can walk through the woods or the grassland with your buddies and colleagues, and you have the shared passion of bird dogs and the love and relaxation of open space that brings you together.”
Held just before dove season opens, the clay shoot offers participants a chance to dust off their shotguns, sharpen their shooting skills and reconnect with friends before hunting season begins. Newcomers are encouraged to attend as well, with safety briefings, a course designed for varying skill levels, shotgun rentals available through Texas Gun Ranch and ammunition for participants.
Beyond the competition, proceeds from the event support the work taking place at East Texas A&M to address one of North America’s most significant wildlife conservation challenges: restoring quail populations. Researchers at the Lyon Center are studying ways to restore sustainable wild northern bobwhite quail, a species that has experienced a dramatic decline in Texas and across the U.S. (?) over the past several decades.
The inaugural event has attracted strong support from businesses and community partners, including:
- Title Sponsor: Sandow Lakes
- Premier Sponsors:
- Golf Cart Sponsor: Lone Star Neurology
- Ammunition Sponsor: Lyons & Simmons, LLP
- Luncheon Sponsor: Sage Settlement Consulting
- Cup Sponsor: Active Computer Technologies
Individuals and teams are encouraged to register. Whether participants attend to support conservation, enjoy the challenge of sporting clays or experience a unique East Texas A&M event, organizers hope the inaugural fundraiser will become a tradition that benefits gamebird research for years to come.
Learn more about sponsorship and participant opportunities: