Musings of A 6 Year Old Turkey Hunter

A running dialogue between myself and a 6 year old turkey hunter, out on his very first turkey hunt.

"When do I get to gobble dad?"

Please be quite son, they'll hear us.

"Can a turkey hear us from 100 ft away?"

Yes, they have incredible hearing.  "200 ft?  A mile?  In another country?"

Yes, yes they can...

"Dad, I need a rest.  My legs are telling me I need to play my Nintendo Switch"

Ok bud, when we're walking through the woods, please try to avoid stepping on pine cones, branches and other stuff that can be loud when it breaks.  We're trying to be quiet....

The next six steps ....snaap, snap, crack, boom, snap, crack ....and snaaaaap

It's ok bud, just try to be as quiet as  you can.

(in a freaked out kid scream)..."Dad, dad, dad...red ants!!!!!! I'm sitting in red ants!!!"

Nope that's just one ant.  You're fine

Here's the shock call, give it a rip

(blows on the peacock call, turkey gobbles). "Wow, I did that, lets get the decoy out.  Why hasnt the turkey come yet"

Dude, look, there's 5 deer, see them running?

"Where?"  THERE.  "Where?"  Never mind bud.....

Can you guess what made this poop? (obvious turkey scat)

"Ahhhh, coyote?"

"Dad, does this stick look like a gun?  How about this one, nunchucks?"

(blows on the shock call hanging around his neck for the 15th time in 5 minutes). Hey bud, turkeys dont come to that sound....

Blows call again "Why not dad". "Can we go to McDonalds?"

Sure, keep a good attitude and we'll make it happen..."I'm ready to go to McDonalds!"

--

5 hours in the woods away from electronics and his brother.   Time for just him and I and while no gobblers came home with us, I'll call it a major success

Back In That Saddle...

Lets say I've been a bit busy lately

Between running a couple charity programs for Hurricane Dorian victims and Australian wildfire relief.....and a public land acquisition campaign on the Grande Ronde in SE Washington state, my writing  time has been a bit limited. 

Oh, there's been a few fishing and hunting trips mixed in here and there as well.

I've been doggedly writing this outpost for the better part of 12 years and it's been an amazing tool to connect me to some amazing people and organizations.  Honestly my life wouldn't be the same as it is now without the opportunities that it has brought my way. 

The guys an gals who continue to write on this platform know it's not the cool kid on the block anymore.  It's far easier to drop a post on the "gram" and be done with it.  I'm as guilty of that as anyone

Still I've had the feeling that I'm missing the depth of expression I can pursue here and with that, it's time to get back to it.  Looking back at old posts I can see the changes in my style that allow me to have the voice I'm looking for.   Without the hours I spent banging away on the keyboard over the years on this blog, I never would have gotten there.

And so with that, it's time to get back in the saddle.  May the first couple miles be rough, but we'll be back in shape in no time at all.

#Dozenfordownunder is LIVE!

In the summer of 2003, fresh out of college I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to live in Australia for 3 months while extending my baseball career in the land down under.

What an experience it was, as I fell in love with the country, the people and just about everything about Australia.  The people were so giving, so helpful and accepting of this big, goofy and loud American boy on an extended international walkabout.  To this day I have close friends there and cant wait to go back someday.

With the knowledge that the Australian continent was under duress from unprecedented fires, it was time to step up and help raise funds to help those in need in my former host country.

Taking the template of the highly successful #dozenfordorian campaign that raised over $42,000 in little over a month for victims of hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas,   anglers and fly tiers have banded together to launch #DOZENFORDOWNUNDER.

With 2 days in the books, we're going to break $4000 raised and it's only going to go up from there.  Close to 60 contributors have reached out to pledge there fly creations, guided trips, artwork, photography and so much more.  I can only anticipate it's going to grow exponentially in the weeks to come.

The program is mostly Instagram based, and while there simply search the tag #dozenfordownunder and you'll find all the offerings available to bid on.

If you want to contribute, host your own mini auction on your instagram page, set a starting bid, and end date and away you go.

All funds will initially go to the Yellow Dog Community and Conservation Fund to start as we'll find the appropriate channels in Australia with input from trusted sources in the fishing community in country that can help the greater good as well as individuals who have had their lives effected and  work in the fishing/guiding industry.

Thanks so much in advance, I hope you can be a part of this amazing community experience!