Ed H. Edwards joined SCI in 1983. He enjoys the friendships and the hunter advocacy aspects of the organization the most.

Ed is an experienced deer, turkey, and waterfowl hunter. He also typically hunts a feral hog every year in Texas and an international trip.  Ed fishes locally for bass, panfish, and occasionally pike. During his annual visit to relatives in Orange Beach, AL every June he fishes for red snapper and king mackerel.

Ed’s favorites are:

Rifle: Ruger model 77 in .270 I purchased new in 1980. The first ten years of ownership it had a hard life. In 1990 it was rebuilt with a Shilen match grade barrel, pillar bedded Bell & Carlson stock, and Timney trigger.

Shotguns:  SKB model 500 O/U 12 gauge 3” magnum with 30” barrels choked improved modified/full and a loaded weight of 9 pounds.  I picked it up “as new” in 1978. Use it for waterfowl & turkey, and deer hunting with 00 buckshot and “walk a little shoot a lot of hunts” such as tower pheasant shoots and dove hunting. Restocked in 1997 with American walnut, Packmayr pad, and barrel band.

FIAS O/U 12 gauge with 26” barrels choked improved cylinder / modified and a loaded weight of 6 pounds. Purchased “as new” in 1972 and is my oldest possession purchased with money I earned. $175.00 which was two weeks take home at that time! Great for upland “walk a lot shoot a little” hunting. Restocked in 1991 with American walnut and Packmyr pad.

Hunting Destination: My next trip. Nowadays I care more about companionship than the destination. North & South America, Europe, and Africa have all been great in many different ways.

Fishing Destination: Anywhere I can but have always been fascinated by saltwater angling, Great memories fishing the Sea of Cortez, Pacific Ocean (San Francisco & Alaska), and the Gulf of Mexico. Hard to beat the sound of a big fish pulling drag on one of my Penn Internationals!

What advice do you or would you give to someone new to hunting?

Develop basic outdoor skills. Study about the game and fish you pursue. In today’s world, the emphasis on “sizzle” is making everything more complicated than it needs to be. In our internet world if there is no new breaking technology to use many people feel like we’re not making progress. The best skill an outdoors person can possess is patience. Success will not occur if you are not out in the field or on the water. Staying still and using natural terrain and shadows to hide is more important than the newest camo pattern. Upgrading from a $150.00 reel to an $800.00 one will not help you land more fish if you do not learn to properly rig and tie knots.

Learn to pack good snacks!

Support local shops, they have the greatest wealth of local knowledge in our sport. Sadly this business is dying because so many milk them for information then buy gear on-line or from a big box store. Give them the first right of refusal to get you what you need. They will remember and probably pay back the favor many times over.

Know and follow all fishing and hunting laws. Ignorance and forgetfulness will not fly with conservation officers!