ICF at the TWA 2012 Expo

Catch the Buzz With ICF Executive Director David Elliott…John and I are back from the 2012 Texas Wildlife Association annual Expo and it was a wonderful event. This is a “must do” for every wildlife enthusiast in Texas and ICF makes an effort to attend every year. This years’ Expo was held June 28th through July 1st at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country.

The Marriott is a beautiful facility, and ICF occupied 4 booths on the main exhibit floor thanks to the support of the TWA and Purina, and the assistance of the Valley Land Fund. Wildlife photography has been increasingly featured by the TWA as a way for Texans to enjoy wildlife and as an income source for Texas landowners, and ICF is pleased to see this. One of the events’ breakout sessions this year focused on wildlife photography and was presented by ICF Pro Tour photographer and Pro-Am coach Sean Fitzgerald.

We were pleased to see soo many of our friends from across the state and to have met soo many new ones. We spent our time at the Expo sharing the story of how wildlife photography on private lands brings economic value and a future to all wildlife just as hunting has done for the white-tailed deer.

We also recounted the history of our Pro Tours and how they are helping to develop the private lands nature photography industry just as the PGA tour has done for golf. Everyone was excited to learn about our latest series of Pro-Am tournaments and youth events that are now bringing the weekend photographer to private ranches.

Over the course of the Expo we had several hundred visitors to our booth, and many of them registered for a chance to win a complete set of our Pro-Tour coffee table books. There are fewer than 2 dozen copies of books one and three remaining before they will be retired, so these complete sets are becoming very rare. We held a completely random (and unscientific) drawing to see who would get the books and we are pleased to tell you that George Garza of San Antonio was the lucky winner, congratulations George!

In 2013, ICF will return to the TWA convention to tell how wildlife photography has grown over the coming year, we hope you will be a part of that story. Join us for a Pro-Am, become a member of ICF,add photography to your ranch operations, buy one of our books and share it with family and friends. Let this year be the one that you took your first steps with us in providing real and sustainable wildlife conservation. You can start now by visiting us, all we need for wildlife to win isyou.