Texas Nature Trackers, associated with the Texas Master Naturalist Program, is a citizen science monitoring effort designed to involve volunteers of all ages and interest levels in gathering scientific data on species of concern in Texas through experiential learning. The goal of the program is to enable long-term conservation of these species and appreciation among Texas citizens.

This is a great sequence of photos of a blue indigo in South Texas, eating a rattlesnake for breakfast.

Other than a ranch tour vehicle, when do you need a limo jeep? Maybe quail and dove hunting? Maybe south texas deer hunting on a ranch that has oil field service roads? I guess if you always hunt with your 7 closest friends it is like carpooling.

I called in two gobblers in one hour and two minutes for my wife and me in South Texas. I actually called hers in 7 minutes. We took photos and re-setup and it took me about 25 more minutes to get the 2nd gobbler.
With set up, calling, photos and the finishing touches from our shotguns  it took one hour and two minutes.  She used a Winchester 1300 and I used a Remington 1187. She shoots 2 3/4 and I shoot 3's.  Both birds were taken at 30 yards.
 
BOB LINDER's Gobbler
10 inch beard
1 inch spur
19 lbs

Diana Linder's Gobbler
9 1/2 inch beard 
1 inch spur
19 lbs.
 
Location: Dos Haches Ranch near Encino, Texas
 
I used a Woodhaven mouth diaphragm call designed by Sadler McGraw.

The previous Saturday I called in two gobblers within 30 minutes on the Doug Perry Ranch near Junction, Texas, for Mr. Bob Bound who was on his first turkey hunt ever.

He now thinks turkey hunting is easy - ha - is he in for a rude awakening!
 
For some reason my turkey calls are really working this Spring. ha  Besides I will always take a little luck over skill. ha   

BOB LINDER 
Texas State President NWTF

ENON CEMETERY

Enon Cemetery was established in 1882 in the churchyard of the Old Enon Baptist Church, located on a five acre plot of the R.E. Carr Survey in the eastern part of Houston County, Texas.  It is approximately 4 miles southeast of Ratcliff, off Texas Highway 7.

In those early days, land was “set aside” for schools, churches, and cemeteries, without cost, by the land owners.  Southern Pine Lumber Company bought all the land in 1916 an they honored that grant, by sending a deed for the five acres to two deacons of the Old Enon Church, W.M. Campbell and W. R. McClain.  Southern Pine Lumber Co. later traded this land to the Davy Crockett National Forest, which now surrounds the little cemetery.

In 1890, after the church/school building was destroyed by a forest fire, the school moved to a more central area to land, owned by Bill Hager.  Thus the Hagerville School, a two story building, also became the new church site for some time.

No one knows why Becky Freeman, a young girl, unknown to the local folk, was in the area and became ill and died.  Hers is the first grave that appeared in Enon Cemetery in the terrible winter of 1882.  Her father erected a pagoda of pine poles and hand split boards over her grave.  As far as the residents of the community knew, no one ever returned to tend the grave.  In 1960, when the untreated pine pagoda had totally rotted, a small grave marker was purchased for by Washie Dillon Lenderman, who had a love for the beauty and upkeep of the cemetery.

Volunteers maintained the cemetery for years, until changing times called for the formation of an association.  A committee was elected to collect donations, oversee the grounds upkeep, direct the digging of graves, and remind the kinfolk of the homecoming day.   A chain link fence was put up around the cemetery, shrubs were planted and a Historical Marker has been erected.

The efforts of the committee led to the construction of another building, a pavilion style, in 1956, to be used for funerals and homecoming activities.   Homecoming is always held on the fourth Sunday of June.

Not all are related who come to Enon, but most are either descendants of early Houston County settlers or have married into the families.  Among the family groups found buried here are the names McComb, English, James, Dillon, Jones, Walker, Reeves, Griggs, Lenderman, Anglin, Brunner, Luttrell, Wright, Childers, Parrish, Pearson, Golden, Dean, and Day.

No fees have ever been charged since the cemetery was established.  Donations are received to provide funds for the upkeep of the cemetery and the building.

ANTIOCH CEMETERY

Antioch Cemetery, located between Kennard and Ratcliff in Houston County, near the Coltharp Community.  A sign is erected at the site of the Coltharp-Hagerville road intersection, directing traffic the 3 ½ miles to the cemetery.  Another sign is just east of the Ratcliff business section.  That distance is about 2 miles on the National Forest road, then a short distance off on a small county road.  Either entry is from a graded county road maintained for school bus traffic in all seasons.  It is a scenic detour off  Texas Highway 7.

Antioch Cemetery originated after the Antioch Primitive Baptist Church was established in 1859.  The first engraved marker is dated 1860.  To date the cemetery has more than 300 marked graves and more than 84 unnamed graves.

The Antioch Cemetery association evolved into a caretaker organization, first as a work crew, later contracting paid grounds keepers.  In 1978 an endowment fund was established that now provides funds for the cemetery maintenance.

Eventually the old church became too dilapidated to meet in, so it was replaced with an open pavilion.  Tables and benches were bought and a cyclone fence was erected around the burial grounds.  Dedicated individuals and family groups have established landscape plantings.  Old Cedar trees and crepe myrtle shrubs are landmarks in the old cemetery.

1. A few of our relatives, from the our dad’s side of the family, buried at Antioch Cemetery are:
   
2. My great-grandparents, Lizzie Emma and James Newton Parrish
   Two of their children, John H. and Virgie, who died in childhood
   
3. My great-great grandfather, John Henry Poole, who died with rabies
   
4. My great-great grandmother, Martha Ann Garrison Poole
   
5. Seven siblings of great-grandmother Lizzie are also buried there: Albert Cornelius, Archie, W.H., and unnamed Infant; A.A., John Dudley; and Nora.
6. Great-Uncles of mine, Robert H. Gibson, husband of Lillian Parrish.
   
7. Their son Johnny Gibson
   
8. Great-Uncle Troy Wright, husband of Lillie Belle Parrish and their son Harold
9. I also have many Steed and Petty Relatives buried at Antioch, as well as my great-great-great grandmother, Jane Dillon.

IVIE CEMETERY

Ivie Cemetery is located in southeast Houston County, near the Trinity County line, off FM 327 East, from Kennard (en route to Apple Springs).  Approximately seven miles from Kennard is a marker indicating a turn for the cemetery.  Turn onto the road and travel about three miles and turn left onto a Forest Service Road, the buildings and fences are about ¾ mile south.

The Ivie Cemetery was established when Henry G. Ivie was buried near the Neches River Missionary Baptist Church in 1861.  Eventually, both the church and the cemetery began to be called Ivie. Trustees named in the early deeds were JA Pool, DA Williams and Ben Williams.  Louisiana and Texas Lumber Company executed a deed, but technical difficulties resulted in the need for an additional two deeds, which were drawn by Temple Lumber Company after its acquisition of the forests once held by LTLC.

The current Ivie Cemetery Association collects burial fees, and contributions to add to a growing endowment fund and hire workers to assure the maintenance of the cemetery.  There have been some very substantial bequests given to Ivie Cemetery.

The annual meeting is held the last Sunday in May. A listing of the graves is noted in the Houston County (TEXAS) Cemeteries Book. One historical marker has been erected.

My great-great-great grandfather, James Murph Hager, b 1822; d. 3-11-1879

My great-great-great grandmother Naoma Clark Hager, b. 1824; d.1906 (from the mountains of Kentucky.)  He had the earliest birth date that I found buried at Ivie.  

I have numerous relatives buried here.