A Texas hunting tradition

Peter Garza, a hunter from Missouri City, TX, holds two of the many guns that he owns. Garza has been hunting since he was 9 years old. Sydney Stavinoha

By Sydney Stavinoha

Hunting has been a significant part of Texas gun culture for decades. Peter Garza, from Missouri City, Texas, comes from a large hunting family and has hunted since he was 9 years old.

“My dad always hunted, and my uncles, and I would always go hunting with them. That’s what got me into it. They’ve always hunted as long as I can remember,” Garza said.

He joked he had “buck fever” when he shot a gun for the first time.

Continuing on the family tradition, Garza taught his son and daughters how to hunt and safely handle firearms.

“To me it’s kind of just a family bonding thing, when you go out and go hunt. It’s the unity of hunting,” he said.

Garza hunts white tail deer, mule deer and his favorite, elk.

“I think everybody should have the right to have a gun, to protect their family or themselves,” Garza said.

When asked about the topic of gun control and what he would do if he wasn’t allowed to own guns anymore, Garza said, “I guess I’d have to be a bad guy and still have one, just like the rest of them.”

Sydney Stavinoha is an Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation News21 Fellow.