Still an Adrenalin Rush

I saw a longbeard in strut on Friday afternoon and had a friend call me that evening saying he saw him in the same area right before roosting time. He called me yesterday evening and again told me he saw him in the same spot with two girlfriends. (I call that Eastern Shore Roosting). That was all I needed to find myself there early this morning with bow and decoys in hand. I used a little two sided, teepee blind and set out a Smith hen and a jake in semi strut 20 yards from me in good view of any approaching turkey.

A good gobble sounded about 125 yards back in the woods when I was making final prep. I moved about 20 yards to my right and called on the slate; he cut me off with another gobble. I moved back to the set up and picked up the bow and crossed my fingers...my expectations were high. No more gobbles, but in about 5 mins. he walked out of the woods (typical 2 year old, about 8" beard), by himself catching sight of the decoys. As soon as he saw them he gobbled and dropped into strut. He moved out about 35 yards, gobbled and strutted his stuff slowly across in front of me heading towards the DSD. No drumming but an occassional gobble. A hen unknowingly helped me out by yelping as she came out within 10 yards of the decoys.

Then a longbeard came out from the opposite direction making a beeline for the first gobbler (could mess things up); which promptly ran him off. The first tom went back into strut and started moving slowly towards the decoys again. I came to full draw as he went behind two huge pines and estimated an 18 - 20 yard shot. He finally strutted out broadside, I settled the pin at the top of the drumstick and squeezed...the arrow hitting the mark. He couldn't run and flapped to a stop about 7 yards. Hands on him, heart still pounding; the end of another great bow hunt. Time 6:05 AM.

The Slick Trick broke both legs and tore up part of his breast...what a mess. Things happened so fast that it wasn't until then that I realized I hadn't hooked the arrow up to the string tracker. The arrow went completely through and laid next to him. What a hunt; still as exciting as the first bird forty eight years ago.

April 27 Gobbler

   After 48 years of not missing an opening week of turkey season, this time it was different as my dad passed a way that week....it really didn't feel important as family comes first. I needed to make sure my mom was settled and okay.
So, Wednesday morning, I finally decided to venture out into MD's turkey woods. It felt good to be there to greet the sunrise and hear the chorus of spring birds again. I got set up on a gobbler first thing but watched him fly down and follow a squad of hens making a racket. This time, my calls were in vain.
I quickly moved to another area where I heard a bird gobbling. I couldn't raise him...probably a mess of hens with him as well.
Through mosquito whines and a strengthening wind I thought I heard a distant gobble. I thought I knew his approximate location. Closing the distance to half I laid on the Gibson trumpet call and he gobbled...but only once. I traveled about 150 yds. through a pine plantation and dared to get within 4 rows of an old woods road...he should be close.
I purred on one of the Cypress Swamp glass calls and caught movement as a hen appeared on the road. Patience. I purred and clucked again. As another hen appeared 25 yards away I thought I heard the familiar drumming sound made by the gobbler. Patience, drumming then a fan and a good beard. I mouth clucked, the head went up and a load of 7's put him on his back. I paused, raised my eyes and said "that ones for you dad".
Moving towards the bird I noticed the beard but my eyes naturally gravitated to the legs...my gaze was greeted with a huge set of spurs. They were both over 1 1/2 inches with the beard at 11 inches. I was blessed once again. Thanks for being there dad.

I'll be spending time in the afternoons hunting with my grandson and attempting another longbeard with the bow.

Gone for a While

Its been a while since I've posted....haven't felt like it. The last time I was getting ready to launch into my favorite type of excitment filled hunting - spring gobbler. But life sure changes quickly. I went to Hagerstown on Monday to take my dad to a regular doctor's check up. I go to make sure mom and dad hear and understand what the doctor tells them. Dad had some really bad health issues that resulted from a heart attack 1 1/2 years ago. 

His blood pressure and heart rate was taken and they were very concerned about low pressure...enough so that the doc admitted him to the hospital immediately.  It went downhill quickly from there. On Tuesday the family was called in surrounding dad with love and support. After exhausting methods to right the problems the doctors told us there wasn't anything else that could be done.

I'll never ever forget how on a Wednesday afternoon his room was filled with love, stories, jokes, laughter, tears, family times, vacations, shooting matches, serving in WWII in N. Africa, one on ones, prayer and some singing of his favorite hymns.

With that dad went home to be with the Lord on Thursday morning. He was surrounded by the whole family and passed peacefully with no pain and with a whole bunch of love. The family collected many photos of dad through his entire life and his granddaughters Dana and Erin put them into a wonderful slide show. My wife and I put together posters of pictures and items from his life: police badge, uniform, hole in one club and ball, a letter from the White House thanking him for serving our country well, shooting trophies and team pics and his graduation pics from the FBI Academy etc, etc. It was a real tribute to dad's accomplishments. I had the pleasure of greeting many neighbors, acquaintences, policemen, and pistol team members who came to the viewing.

The service and burial was held with full military honors on Tuesday at the Rest Haven Chapel and Cemetary in Hagerstown. It was a beautiful service with my daughters and my wife and I singing two of his favorite hymns and my wife singing the Lord's Prayer. I had the extreme pleasure of delivering the eulogy. We heard the 21 gun salute and a wonderful melody from a bagpiper. My mom and sister knew dad would be pleased at the whole affair.

Dad and I were close. Although he didn't hunt, he was a top competition handgun shooter all his life. He introduced me to target shooting and guns at an early age. I started shooting as soon as I was old enough to hold a handgun with two hands. We shot together in the William Penn Pistol League for years. He continued until he couldn't hold compete in an entire match. He beamed each time I called and told him I killed a deer with the Python that he won so many trophies with. He was my hero as a policeman.

I will truly miss you dad.

Still Enjoying Deer Hunting Chores

Spent time with a landowner and another friend yesterday still laboring with the focus on next deer season ie. taking old stands down, puting new stands up, investigating and identifying stand sights and the "right tree" and with all that finding a shed or two. We all had a good time for sure.

We found a few sheds in that process. One that I lucked upon happened to be a monster LOL. There may be some history with the deer that carried it. Pouring over some pics will confirm that. Following are some pics of the "drops" and that "monster" shed.

Gobbler Season Fast Approaching

I'm still thinking deer but my favorite season is fast appraoching. DE will open first and I'm locating birds now. Joshua is getting ready for youth day in Maryland and turkeys are out and about in my favorite haunts. Someone asked on MWC about "first turkeys" so I posted and will place what I posted on here as well. I'll see if I can cut and paste it...here goes:

Fall 1963  -   Yes there were cameras then LOL.
                      My first one was a Fall bird taken at Piney Ridge, Sleepy Creek Mountain in West Virginia. That was the start of my first "obsession" ... turkey hunting. My mentor, Howard Beard of Hagerstown, had me over to practice calling and learn the art of turkey hunting once a week during the summer. I learned on a homemade diaphram call and proudly graduated turkey hunting school in September. Howard said, "now you are on your own boy (thats what he called me).    I remember the hunt like it was yeaterday....at o dark thirty on that October morn I made my way up the mountain and slipped 1/4 of the way down Danny's Ridge and stopped to listen, hoping I could hear where a flock of birds had roosted. At first light I heard some clucks, then some tree yelps, more clucks.......why how lucky could a kid be as I realized I was standing under a whole flock of roosted turkeys. What should I do as I thought back to all the sage advice, lessons and scenarios taught during the summer. I didn't dare move as I could see birds and branches moving among all the yelping and clucking. I remembered a key saying Howard taught me, "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"... it was given in the "don't wait for a trophy longbeard on your first turkey hunt boy" lecture. I would heed that bit of advice. The first bird that pitched off a branch and hit the ground came to a standstill about 30 yards from me. The bead on my double barrel 12 settled on its head and I slapped the trigger. At the sound of my shot the balance of the roosted birds erupted and scattered in all directions. I skidded to a stop at the turkey as the last few wingbeats subsided...looking down at my first wild turkey. I can still feel the weight of the bird on my shoulder and the wet spot where the blood from its head soaked into the back of my pant leg. I was busting with excitement only to walk into an empty cabin yard...why..my mentor and the other men were still out hunting. How could I contain my excitement? The hour spent waiting there, glancing at my turkey every few minutes, seemed like three. Finally I caught a glimpse of my Howard coming down the path to the cabin (actually he came in early to see if it was me that shot). He saw the excitement on my face as he followed my gaze to that bird laying on the bench. I probably told him the story of that hunt three times.  

Now, as I recall that moment 48 years ago, the most vivid thing that stands out to me now is Howard's hand on my shoulder and his assurring words to me, "I'm proud of ya, you did good, boy"..... Don't miss the chance to take a kid turkey hunting this spring..it will make good memories that truly last a lifetime.    

March Roars In

Its been a while since I've been on here. This is the time of putting away stuff used during hunting season and cleaning up equipment. I've also been selling unused equipment and clothing that has, magically, shrunk if you know what I mean. I am going to purchase some new camo from Day One. I, along with some other friends, have been scouting and preparing for next year; all the while keeping our eyes peeled for sheds...no luck in that department yet. Also doing some maintenance on treestands...can't overlook safety.

Spring gobbler season is fast approaching. Danny Pusey made me two of his fantastic slate calls as "winnings" from last springs MWC Turkey Contest. My partner and I racked up the most points for our gobblers and were receipients of these great prizes. My calls are slate over glass pots and they do sound good. I asked Danny for a medium pitched, raspy call and he delivered nicely. I'll see if I can post a pic here.

Last Years Model



Interesting Sight Yesterday Morning

I was heading out to do some scouting this morning in the deer woods. While driving I noticed what appeared to be a deer (strange looking from a distance) on the edge of a field about 80 yards from the road. As I got closer I realized I was looking at a mature 8 point breeding a doe. I pulled off the road, turned my camera on , hit the zoom feature and pointed towards the breeders but too late; they were both running into the woods. The doe was most likely a fawn born in May that came into estrus and was bred on February 11....almost Valentines Day. I know this happens but always interesting to see. She will produce a late fawn thats for sure. Wish I had the photo to attach. I'll just have to file this one away in the memory bank.