H20 Fowl Farms

Andy Howard and his daughter Holly at H20 Fowls Farms in Harnett County.

On a cold January morning, snow fell gently as young Brandon and his sister, clad in full camouflage, sat in two layout blinds side-by-side in the middle of a large pond surrounded by bare trees. They focused on aiming at the next duck to take flight and spending time together, and you could see how much they enjoyed it. It was the first time Brandon had been hunting since the loss of his favorite hunting buddy, his father, who had been a utility lineman.

This hunt was made possible through Hunters Helping Kids and a network of electric utility workers. The pond is located just outside of Dunn, Harnett County, on H2O Fowl Farms.

H2O Fowl Farms is a 118-acre hunting preserve and shooting range owned by Andy Howard, supervisor of purchasing and fleet for South River EMC. Howard and his family run H2O Fowl Farms as a pastime, born as a Future Farmers of America project.

"When my son (Drew) was 16 years old," Howard said, "he had to complete a SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) project for FFA, and together we brainstormed the idea. We started small with a limited amount of wildlife. Soon we saw how what we did could impact others and provide a positive service for our community. Seeing the positives that came from the business encouraged us to grow and expand."

Today, H2O Fowl Farms offers guided hunts for upland game and waterfowl, clay target shooting, and International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) shooting matches. Pistol and rifle pits are open for recreational shooting and practice. They schedule concealed-carry handgun training classes and host several local law enforcement agencies for weapons qualifications. The range also allocates space and time to 4H clubs in Harnett and Johnston counties, as well as the Triton High School shooting team.

There is even a little bit of star power on site. Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical, a South River EMC member, films footage here for his website, TacTV and YouTube. Vickers is nationally recognized for his knowledge and testing of defensive firearms.

Although H2O Fowl Farms pays for itself, Howard is adamant that he dedicates his time because of his love for the sports of shooting and hunting and a deep commitment to community.

"Being of service to our community is one of our primary goals," said Howard. "We hold several shooting matches where proceeds are donated to various charities, to families of fallen soldiers from the military's Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) teams, and toward the effort to stop child trafficking — a much more pervasive problem than many people realize."

All duck blinds are wheelchair-accessible. With advance notice, H2O Farms will make reasonable accommodations requested by a hunter.

Howard has found a niche for helping single mothers' open the world of hunting to their children by teaching the fundamentals of gun safety.

"My daughter is here every Saturday and she has been a real help because she thinks of the little things that really make a difference for these kids," he said. "We enjoy these hunts just as much as the hunters do."

Howard says that the success of H2O Fowl Farms wouldn't be possible without the support of his family and a wide circle of friends. Help comes from his wife, Shari, son Drew, 27, and daughter Holly, 22, as well as four guides, 15 volunteer range safety officers and numerous friends.

"I am blessed with a family who shares my interests in the business," he says. "It is truly a family affair and each member plays a key role in keeping the operation running. I have great friends who graciously volunteer their time to help us succeed and who truly enjoy being a part of the action and giving back (to the community). Yes, I am blessed.