STAG & DOVE SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT: CIDNEY CARDENAS
How long have you been a member of HSCF?
I received my membership as a Christmas Present in December 2016.
Why did you become involved in SDS?
I had the opportunity to be involved in HSCF, threw out my college experience, and had founded a sportsman organization along with my schoolmates at Texas A&M Galveston, that was centered around conservation and outdoor education. A natural progression for me was to join Stag & Dove after graduating and moving to Houston full-time. It has the same comradery we cultivated in Aggieland but now we have longhorns, razorbacks, and tigers in the mix as well making for spirited game days.
What is your favorite part about being an HSCF and/or SDS member?
My favorite part is helping with the youth outreach program that HSCF holds every convention as well as their outdoor excursions. I have had the pleasure of meeting Susan and David Kalich back in 2017, going along with them to a youth hunting trip at The Patio Ranch. It was a fantastic experience to see the development of the young men and women we took out there start quiet and unsure. Would they succeed on the hunt? To the most ecstatic kids you had ever seen riding back to camp victorious that they achieved a successful hunt, what they thought impossible.
What is your goal as an SDS leader?
As a leader in SDS I hope to inform as many people as I can about our organization because it is a fantastic resource for young professionals to grow within the city. It is difficult to find like minded individuals in the outdoor community because usually we are all out at the ranch or surf fishing the jetties.
What is your career field?
Environmental Science. I am degreed in Marine biology with a master’s in environmental and energy law, currently working as an Environmental Chemist for Schlumberger.
Preferred hunting weapon-rifle, shotgun, or bow?
I personally prefer hunting with a shotgun, even though I didn’t do too hot at the clay shoot but I excel at rifle shooting.
What is the one item you would have if you were shipwrecked on an island?
Garmin inReach, I can not leave on a backwoods trip without it.
What was your most challenging hunting experience?
The most challenging hunting experience I have been on so far was a sea duck hunt on the border of Washington State and Canada in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I was on a lay out sea blind for the better part of the day, in the bitter cold with heavy chop on the water and northern sea lions constantly bumping the blind with curiosity. Thankfully, it was a fruitful hunt and got the sea ducks needed for the Ultimate Waterfowl Challenge that I have been working towards completing.
What has been your favorite hunt trip so far and why?
My favorite trip by far was going to The Flying B Ranch Upland Guide School in Northern Idaho with my nine-month-old Drathaar, Vogue. Both of us learned so much from the boundless experience our guides possessed, giving me so much more confidence a field. Starting with the never-ending landscape of Lawyer Canyon to seeing Vogue retrieve her first pheasant across a snow-dusted river and back up the gully to me. The canyon will hold a very special place for both of us and we will be going back to visit often.
Do you have a bucket list hunt you are working towards?
Yes, I am currently planning a King Eider trip to St. Paul Island, Alaska for December of 2023 now that the Covid restriction has been lifted.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Speak Duck. It has been an interesting challenge getting into duck hunting and calling is not my specialty, yet.
Why should young professionals join the Stag and Dove Society?
I believe it is a great opportunity to grow as a person and as a sportsman. There is a good mix of people across the board at SDS with similar and opposing interests as you. So challenge yourself to come and see what we have to offer as an organization as well as a resource for your development in the outdoor community.
ABOUT THE STAG & DOVE SOCIETY
Stag & Dove Society (SDS) is a leadership group made up of young professionals, between the ages of 21 and 39 years old, who are rising leaders across a range of industries. Members, through their time, talent and resources, help expand the capacity and advance the mission of HSCF. Stag & Dove Society helps cultivate the next generation of leaders and supporters of HSCF.
Stag & Dove Society is a gateway to engage talented volunteers, connect with other young professionals and other HSCF members, and raise awareness among a younger generation to ensure the longevity and support of our organization.
Learn More HERE
