Live for the season...

Juvy Hunt 2011

Wow!  What a weekend!  Everyone at the Barnes house is still cellebrating after the kids went 3 for 3 on the juvenile deer hunt!

Elizabeth and Molly have been looking forward to the hunt for quite some time.  Luckily we didn't have any fights over who was going to shoot first since my dear friend Jeff graciously invited Elizabeth to hunt with him on his farm.  He's got a great place to hunt so I wasn't surprised when I got the message around 8 Satursday morning.  Elizabeth had scored on this great spike!

  About that same time, Molly and I were watching 2 bucks in the field where we were hunting.  It was extremely foggy that morning plus the bucks were nearly 100 yards away, so I really didn't think that we would get a shot.  I was afraid that they were too far and the fog was really bad.  I finally gave in to Molly's "can I PLEASE try to shoot one?!" and told her to just see if she could find the biggest one in the scope.  A few seconds later she said "I've got it right on him!  Can I shoot him?!!!"  I gave in again "if you're sure you've got it on his shoulder..."  BANG!  She didn't waste any time!  I knew that she had nailed him by the way he acted at the shot then he dropped after only about 10 steps!

9 points - her biggest buck ever!

I had been telling Stewart that we would go hunting Sunday afternoon.  I told him that we would probably just sit and watch, but we might try to shoot one if it came close enough.  He had been doing really well at shooting on paper, but I just wasn't sure that he was ready to kill a deer at age 6.  

We finished up with Church and lunch plenty early on Sunday, so we decided to do a little more target practice.  He did great - the best he'd ever shot, so I was feeling much better about our hunt.  We finally got to the stand around 3.  He played his DS for a few minutes, ate a snack, and was asleep by 4.

It actually worked out for the best since I'm not sure he could have stayed quiet for the entire time.  I woke him up about 5:30, just before I expected the first deer to come out.  They were a little late, but we finally had a spike come out about 6.  We tried off and on for 10 minutes to get a shot at that spike.  He just wouldn't cooperate!  But, I was SO proud of the way Stewart acted!  He didn't rush and make a bad shot and he didn't get frustrated.  FINALLY, the buck walked out in the open and turned broadside.  Stewart took his time and squeezed off a shot but missed.  By this time a couple of does had come out into the field as well.  Luckily, they didn't spook at the sound of his shot.  So we got reloaded and he quickly found a big doe in the scope.  I told him he could shoot whenver the crosshairs were steady on her shoulder.  BANG!  She jumped straight up in the air, ran about 10 yards, and collapsed.  I grabbed Stewart, hugged him, and stared screaming "you got her!  You just killed a deer!  I can't believe it!!!"  

I have never seen him so excited!  He kept saying "Mommy is gonna freak!"  and "let's make some jerky to celebrate!"  I hope I'm blessed enough to share MANY more hunts with all 3 of my kids, but I think no matter what, this weekend will be hard to top!

Tribute to a Great Man

I lost my Grandfather earlier this year at the age of 96.  The greatest honor of my life was being able to eulogize him at his funeral.  In honor of him, I'd like to share the words that I spoke:

I don’t particularly like funerals.  Aside from the obvious reason, I think that all too often we get so caught up in our own grief that we sometimes forget to celebrate the life.  The life that we have been blessed to know for too short a time.  I think that funerals should be a celebration of the life of our loved one.  If you will bear with me for the next few minutes, that is what I intend to do. 

If you are sitting here today, you were blessed to have known Pangle Stewart.  If you were lucky enough to have known him well, you know that he was a Great man.  Someone once said “No really great man ever thought himself so.”  No truer words have ever been said about Pangle Stewart.  He was a simple man, an unassuming man, but he was the Greatest man that I have ever known.

 
Pangle Stewart was born on April 14th, 1915 to James Alonza and Mary Lou Alexander Stewart.  He had 2 brothers, J.A. and Knox, who preceded him in death.  He married Evelyn Orman Chest (Nanny to the Grandkids) on December 4th, 1937.  He had 2 daughters - Mary Evelyn and Wanda, 5 Grandchildren to whom he was affectionately known as “Tata” – Angie, Amy, Jennifer, Christy, and myself.  He also had 9 Great Grandchildren – Kermit, Keesha, Marissa, Anna, Sam, Andy, Elizabeth, Molly, and Stewart.

Tata came from humble beginnings.  He was born in the Family farmhouse on what is now the Shelbyville Hwy, here in the County.  He often told stories of riding to the grade-school at Belleville in the back of a horse drawn wagon.  A ride where the older boys would often throw the younger ones off the back of the wagon – and the younger ones ended up having to walk to school.  He never told us which group he was a part of  - the throwers or the walkers.  This was also a ride that, in Wintertime, ended with the school children having to gather their own fire-wood to burn in a stove to warm the 1 room school house.  

As a boy, he helped his father gather rock from the fields to be sold by the wagon-load to a crew building the new Highway.  I guess that’s where one of his favorite sayings came from – “if limestone rock is ever worth anything, we’ll all be millionaires!”  As a teenager, he graduated from Central High School in 1934 as President of his Class.  He was also the Captain of his football team and a member of the all-district Basketball team.  Tata attended Middle TN State University (know as Middle Tennessee State Teachers Collage back then) from 1934 – 1936.  He was inducted to the US Naval Reserve as an Apprentice Seaman in 1943 and proudly served his Country until he retired as a Lieutenant Jr Grade on January 1st 1955.  Tata often joked that there was never any danger of him seeing any “action” in the war after his Senior Officers found out that he could type – apparently typing was a skill that not many sailors possessed.

If you ever heard Tata speak publicly, you know that he often talked about the 3 days in his life that he considered most important.  One was the day that he married Nanny, another was the day that he went to work for the Elk Cotton Mill.  Tata worked for the Cotton Mill for over 47 years.  He was hired in 1946 as a payroll clerk and had advanced to the position of Treasurer by 1951.  He semi-retired in 1989 while serving as Sr. Vice President and Treasurer.  He then did consulting work for them until he left in 1993. 

Number 1 on his list of the 3 most important days was the day he became a Christian.  Tata was baptized in 1930, at the age of 15, and has been a member of the First Baptist Church ever since.  He was first elected Deacon in the early 50s and was given the honor of being designated Deacon Emeritus in 1998.  Tata also spear-headed the efforts to Incorporate and to write the Constitution and By-laws for First Baptist Church.

Although not in his “top 3”, Tata was extremely proud of his Lions Club service.  He joined the Lions club in 1952.  During his Lions service, he served as District Governor for 1968/69, and was the recipient of many awards at the club, State, and International levels.  Tata also helped organize the Fay – Lincoln County United Givers Fund, The Lincoln Co. Livestock Assoc., was Director of The Lincoln County Fair for over 40 years, was President of Central High School PTA, and served as County Commissioner for 2 terms.  While serving as Commissioner, he was especially proud to have been a part of forming the County Water System and the Lincoln County High School.   

So – these are some of the great things that he did, but they alone did not make him a Great man.  His honestly, integrity and wisdom made him a Great man. His dedication and respect for his Savior and his Country made him a Great man.  His knowledge and love of the land made him a Great man.   But most of all, his love and concern for his family made him a Great man.

If you knew Tata, you knew of his love for my Grandmother.  Tata’s love for Nanny was as close to a picture of unconditional love that you will ever see on this Earth.  Everyone has their faults, but his love and devotion for my Grandmother was as strong on the day that we laid her to rest as it was on the day that they married.  He wrote to her just a few years before her death “I look upon you as a gift from heaven”.  She was… as was he.  When I think of my role as a husband and my relationship with my wife, it is Tata that I try to model myself after.

For as long as I can remember, Tata has talked about saving and accumulating for his family. In reading through some of his papers, I have discovered that, he and my Grandmother often would forgo giving each other gifts on special occasions – opting instead to save some extra money for “the family”.  Tata and I have walked property lines around the farm together countless times, talking about boundaries, land marks, and possible ways to divide tracts.  We have had talk after talk about his estate and his concern that “the family” be taken care of.  Looking back now, I think he has been preparing me my whole life to carry out his last wishes – something that I am honored to do.

If you knew Tata well, you know that his biggest fear was an extended nursing home stay – not because he thought it would be particularly miserable, but because of what it would cost “the family”.  When one of his many investments performed poorly, he worried incessantly about what he had lost – not for himself, but for “the family”.  He reminded me less than 2 weeks ago that he had a CD coming due and we need to decide what best to do with the money for “the family”.   

Tata’s life was not without sorrow, disappointment, or pain.  Our family is like most in that we have our share of all 3.  In another letter, he spoke of “disappointing retirement years” and he accurately predicted “headaches, heartaches, and pain” for the future.  But in the very next paragraph, he reaffirmed his Faith in the Lord, his love for my Grandmother, and his commitment to “the family”.

If anything can make this easier, it is knowing that Tata was SO ready to receive his eternal reward. After Nanny died, he wasn’t shy about letting anyone know that he had lived long enough.  He yearned to be united with his Heavenly Father and his loving wife.  Tuesday night after Tata passed away, my son Stewart (who is named after Tata) prayed “please let Tata have a good time in heaven”.  I have no doubt that he will.  

Ecclesiastes 2:26 starts “to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness…”.  Well, I think it is pretty obvious that he was pleased with Tata.  Tata was definitely a wise man – he was a man who was knowledgeable about so many things - and for most of his life he was a happy man.  But most of all, Tata – Pangle Stewart – was a Great man!   

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Molly's Turn!

Soon after Elizabeth killed her first deer, Molly decided that she wasn't so scared of the deer rifle after all. Nothing like having your big sister show you up to get you motivated!  We started practicing her shooting & I was really surprised at how well she did!  She was apprehensive at first, but she quickly warmed up & got excited after seeing how well she could shoot.

Finally everything fell into place & we got to go hunting late one afternoon about a week before Christmas.  Not sure who was more excited - me or Molly!

Well things started out a little slow and soon got slower.  So whats a deer hunter to do when there are no deer around?

I must confess that I took a little nap that afternoon too, but we were both wide awake by the time the first deer made their appearance.  Unfortunately, the spike and handful of does never presented Molly with a shot that she was comfortable with.  We were able to hunt 1 or 2 more times before Christmas, but never did get a shot.  I was afraid that Molly would start to get frustrated, especially since Elizabeth had killed a buck on her very first hunt, but she was a real trooper.  At the end of every unsuccessful hunt, we'd both say "we'll just get one next time!"

Dec. 28th was very cold with the remnants of our Christmas Eve snow still on the ground.  I hurried home from work early so that Molly & I could go hunt the Grove that afternoon.  We put on all the clothes that we could stand (and still be able to walk), put extra clothes + a blanket + a Nintendo DSi in the backpack, packed a cooler full of snacks, and headed to the farm.  About 30 minutes later, we were settled into the shooting house.

We did pretty good for the first hour or so, but then we started getting cold.

Got all warmed up in the blanket and then.... yep, you guessed it!  :)

I woke her up when the first deer stepped out about 4:30.  She got really excited when I told her it was a spike.  We watched him feed around for 5 or 10 minutes, but he never came close enough for a shot.  I could see the disappointment on Molly's face when he left the field, but I could also tell that she was getting cold - real cold.  She finally asked "Daddy, can we leave now?  I'm cold!"  I told her that it wasn't much longer until dark & I really thought that the spike might come back.  I said "come sit in my lap & let's see if we can get you warm."  I pulled her boots off and stuck her feet in a toboggan, wrapped her up in the blanket, and hugged her tight.  Pretty soon she told me that she was getting warmer and thought that she could make it.

Finally, about 15 minutes later, I looked over my shoulder and saw the same spike step out into the field behind us.  I whispered to Molly that we needed to get ready.  The way we were seated, we both had to stand up and turn completely around.  Luckily, the buck was concentrating on eating and never even looked up.  I finally got the window open, the curtain pulled up, and Molly's gun pointed the right direction.

Somewhere about now, we had managed to make enough noise to alert the deer.  Molly had just found him in her scope then he threw his head up took a couple of steps toward us.  Not only was he staring a hole through us, but there was also a tree blocking most of his body.  "Daddy I can't see him now" Molly whispered.  "OK sweetie, here let's try a trick" I said as I tried to sound calm.  I slid her gun about 2 feet to the right.  That was just enough to allow her to see around the tree and get his chest in her scope.  

2 things suddenly occurred to me at this point.  1) in all of our practice and talk about shooting deer, we had only discussed broadside shots.  Molly knew to aim 1/2 way up the body, right behind the shoulder but we had not talked about a frontal shot.  2) Molly had never shot the rifle without me helping to support it.  We practiced with the gun on a shooting stick, with her aiming and pulling the trigger, but with me helping to hold it sturdy.

So with the buck about to flee and me having to hold the curtain up to keep it out of her face, I told her "Just put the cross-hairs in the center of his chest and squeeze the trigger sweetie".  "OK I see him.  I'm gonna shoot..."  BANG!  The buck jumped straight up in the air and then bolted through a fence and into the woods.  I knew immediately that he was hit hard by the way he reacted.  I screamed "you got him baby!"  as I grabbed her for a huge hug. 

What happened next is my favorite memory of the deer season and maybe one of my all time favorite memories as Molly's Daddy.  She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and a surprised look on her face and said "I did?!  I can't believe it!  I finally got one!  I've waited for so long!!!" :))  It almost brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it now.  She was so sweet and so excited!  And honestly, I really had no idea until that moment just how bad she really wanted to get a deer.

So we got our stuff together and hurried to get down before dark.  We found the spot where the buck had gone through the fence,but I was just a little concerned when we didn't find much blood.  I told Molly that he would probably run straight down the hill since he was hurt and that we'd just take our time and look really good.  I was concentrating on the ground, trying to find any trace of blood when Molly started yelling "Daddy I see him!  There he is!  See him - he's laying right there!"  Sure enough, he was!

Once again, I'm not sure who was more excited, Molly or me!  But I am sure of one thing - I have never seen a hunter more proud of their first deer!  

 

The BEST 2 days in the History of Deer Hunting!!!

Elizabeth's first deer!

Molly's first deer!

Details to follow...  :))

Reflections on a blessed life...

Isn't it sad that it often takes a tragedy in someone else's life to make us realize just how blessed that we truly are?

A member of our community died last Thursday night at the young age of 34. While we were only acquaintances rather than close friends, I have been extremely touched by his passing. Perhaps because we had so much in common: business owners, fathers of small children, devoted husbands, and fellow hunters. Seeing the pain on his wife's and parent's faces at the funeral home was almost unbearable, most especially when I let myself think those "what if?" thoughts. To paraphrase our Preacher in this week's Church newsletter - "life is but a vapor here today and gone tomorrow" and "death is an appointment that we all must keep".

While I am certainly no moral pillar that anyone should strive to be like, I have always tried to live my adult life with a "no regrets" attitude. I've told Brandi before that if I were to die tomorrow, I hope that she would find comfort in the fact that I absolutely love my life. I have been, and continue to be so blessed in every aspect of it. I am married to my soul-mate and best friend, I have 3 perfect children, a successful business, and I have the opportunity to pursue my passion of hunting on an almost daily basis.

One of my favorite sayings is "no one ever proclaimed 'I wish I only would have worked more' from their deathbed". If you take nothing else away from my blog, consider this: there is always another job or another day to work, but if you missed seeing the sunrise this morning, it is gone forever. Think of your life like a giant white-board with tally-marks standing for exactly how many important events are left to occur in your lifetime. Only so many mornings to kiss your wife goodbye, only so many evenings to have your kids meet you at the door, only so many ballgames, birthdays, and school programs. Only so many sunrises, sunsets, turkey gobbles, Opening Days, and frosty November mornings. And then, think of someone erasing these marks with each day's passing. Live every day, every season like it's your last because none of us know how many marks we have left on our board.

Why do we hunt?

Funny - I've had almost identical conversations with 2 of my hunting buddies over the last few weeks about this subject. Hope they'll both forgive me as I summarize our conversations in this post...

Do we hunt for relaxation, for sport, for trophies, for meat, for tradition, or just because we need to hunt in order to be the ultimate predator that God designed us to be? Well, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury I submit to you that the answer is... yes. We hunt for all of these reasons - that is, each one of us hunts for his / her own reasons which most certainly fall under the above categories.

One of my biggest pet-peeves is hunters arguing among themselves about the "right" way or the "right" reasons for hunting. Traditional vs compounds vs crossbows - flintlocks vs caplocks vs inlines vs smokeless muzzleloaders - treestands vs ground blinds vs spot & stalk - turkey calling vs ambush - trophy hunting vs any legal deer. Give me a break! We hunters are truly our own worst enemies! If you don't believe me, just take the time to read the message boards on some of the popular hunting forums. I say to each his own, as long as it's legal - even though I may not personally choose to hunt the same way that you do.

Remember hunting is like religion (heck it is a religion to some), we all hope to get to the same place, but many have their own opinions about the best way to get there. Hunting, and the reasons behind it are some of the most personal things that many of us do. And in a time where our "sport" is threatened everyday, the last thing that we as hunters need to be doing is arguing among ourselves. Telling someone that they are hunting for the wrong reason is like telling an athlete that he is wrong for trying to win - that he should only be competing for the love of the game.

In my case, these reasons have changed as I have gotten older. At this stage in my life, its all about the hunt - not the kill. The tag line on my blog summarizes it best - I no longer hunt to get an opportunity to kill, I kill because it is a necessary part of the hunt. Like the cougar who who keeps hunting even though his stomach is full from his last kill - I hunt because it is in my blood - it is what I was made to do. One of the best compliments I ever received (as a hunter) was when someone said "if Chris killed the biggest deer in the Country, he'd still get up the next morning and go hunting again". Yep, that pretty much summarizes it!

These days, as far as deer hunting goes, I only wish to hunt and harvest mature bucks - even then, I don't really care for "the kill". Actually it is my least favorite part of deer hunting (guess I've gotten soft in my old age). Oh don't get me wrong, I long for the day when a close encounter with a doe nearly made me fall from the tree or when my heart nearly exploded from the site of a spike much less the chance to kill one - some of my best memories come from back then. But now a days I'd much rather sit and watch a bunch of does and small bucks for the entire season than to actually kill one of them. While I do try to harvest 1 or 2 does every year, it is simply because I feel that it is the right thing to do for the herd, not because I necessarily enjoy it. And yes, even though it may not be politically correct among some of the deer hunting purists, I DO care about antlers - big antlers. Mostly just because that is the type of deer I choose to hunt. Its not about points or inches, its about choosing to target mature bucks. While I'm sometimes guilty of the "what will he score?!?!" syndrome, I mostly just reference inches because its the benchmark in our "sport" that fellow hunters understand. And while it isn't perfect, the size of the rack is an indicator of maturity in many cases. Age would work too but probably less than 1 % of hunters (me included) could accurately tell you the difference between a 3 1/2 and a 5 1/2 year old buck on the hoof.

To anyone who looks down at "trophy" hunting, I would challenge - take on the most elusive animal in North America - the Mature whitetail buck. Try finding a 4 1/2 year old or older buck, hunt him fair-chase, and kill him on his terms. Hunt this type of deer exclusively and be prepared to go an entire season without taking a deer if all you see are younger animals.

But that is me - I hunt for me and my reasons only. I actually don't care what anyone thinks about the way I hunt or the reasons behind it. Like I said, to each his own. I have been on some leases in the past that tried to implement antler restrictions & have fought them every time. It is not my place to tell anyone what kind of deer that they should be happy with. I am tickled to death to see Joe Hunter next door take a doe, spike, or basket rack if that is what pleases him. That is what's great about our "sport", we only have to accomplish 1 thing to "win", that is please ourselves.

Here's to wishing each of you a successful season, no matter how you define "success"!

My Rant of the Month

Disclaimer: be prepared, watch carefully - the following rant may contain a rare form of thinking called common-sense. Although once prevalent in the thought process of all mankind, common-sense has been threatened for decades, is now on the endangered list, and rarely presents itself in printed media. :))

Is it just me or has a very large (seemingly) segment of our population just lost their ever-loving minds? Maybe it's worse because of the election year, or maybe my already low tolerance of stupidity has slipped even lower - I don't know, but it has become alarmingly apparent to me that those with radical, Liberal environmental agendas may pose the greatest threat to our (normal Americans) beliefs and ways of life...

I guess what finally set me off was reading last night that Hanna Montana (the idol of every 5 - 14 year old girl in America) is including a "Global Warming Anthem" on her new album. Just what I want - my impressionable young daughters being taught that we are destroying Mother Earth by an ignorant over-publicized teeny-bopper. Obviously she is just being used to further the cause of her "handlers", but I have a real problem with my children being indoctrinated into ANY cause by ANYone other than their mother or me. And it isn't just Hanna, you can hardly turn on a kids TV show or movie these days without picking up some social-cause in the storyline. Please don't get me wrong - I am no whacked-out far Right conspiracy theorist. I am as normal, everyday, hard-working, God-fearing, married, 30-something, father of 3 as you will ever meet. But I am convinced that there are very real reasons that: Hanna sings about Global Warming, my sons favorite cartoon characters speak Spanish, popular movies like Happy Feet portray evil mankind endangering animals by damaging the environment, and that my 5 year old can tell you why we MUST recycle. It is no coincidence that those in charge of media outlets are also the same ones pushing these causes. They are actually quite brilliant in their marketing plans - convince a child and you have a follower for life. "Kiddy branding" - it it the same reason that credit card companies pay millions of dollars to have their products included in children's toys and games.

If you are reading this, you know me - I am a Hunter - I am a TRUE conversationalist and environmentalist. The environmentalists that you see and hear so much about have no clue as to what is actually happening in regard to our environment. Sadly, these extremists value their causes over human life and well-being. One of the most disturbing things I've ever read was on a animal rights forum - these "brave", anonymous, wackos were giddy over the death of a 12 year old cancer victim who had gone on a bear hunt as his last wish. Sadly, the young man had died on his way home from the successful hunt. Of course, the only concern that members of the forum had was the death of the bear.

Do you know that there are more trees and whitetail deer alive and growing in America today than when Columbus landed? In fact, out of every big game species in the country, the mule deer is the only one that I know of who's numbers are not on the increase. You may thank hunters for the true conservation and restoration of so many species. What happens when you outlaw hunting? How many joggers have been attacked by cougars in CA since dog hunting was outlawed? How many suburbs that allow no hunting are plagued by an overpopulation of deer, coyotes, or Canada geese? How many automobiles are damaged every year in animal collisions? How many animals die every year due to EHD, CWD, and other diseases related directly to overpopulation?

Global warming? How can anyone determine that our average temps are on a dangerous path to increase when we have only been keeping accurate temperature readings for less than 200 years? Let me get this strait - the Earth is MILLIONS of years old and you want to determine a warming trend based on 200 years worth of data? Is anyone aware of the concept of naturally occurring patterns in ALL things nature, including weather? Do you have any idea how much money it is costing you for the companies that you do business with and the governments that govern you to "go green", all in an effort to fight a myth? Anybody remember scientists in the early 70's warning us about the danger of another ice age? Anybody remember the "hole in the ozone layer" scare back in the 80's and all the money spent to eliminate freon and CFC's? Anybody other than me notice how many Global Warming rallies were in the news last Winter and Spring because they had to be canceled due to in-climate (ice and snow) weather? Oh, and sorry Mr. Gore but the Bible says that God will destroy the Earth, not the internal combustion engine.

How 'bout DDT? Granted it was some nasty stuff - proven to cause birth defects if pregnant women came in contact with sufficient levels. Do some research and see for yourself how many MILLIONS of people have died of malaria since American environmentalists forced a worldwide ban on it.

Ethanol? Do you know how much grain word wide is now being dedicated to the production of Ethanol? Do you know how much corn it takes to produce 1 gallon of Ethanol? Have you seen the news stories about rioting in third world countries due to a shortage of grain? Again, do you have any idea how much of the increased gas price is due to oil companies being forced by the environmentalists to produce Ethanol and other custom blends of gasoline? Do you have any idea how many different recipes for gasoline that the oil companies must produce nationwide to meet certain regional environmental guidelines? Google it. Can you imagine how much cheaper gas would be if we could all use the same stuff? Does 2 + 2 still equal 4?

Save the Polar bears? Polar bear hunting is once again in danger of being outlawed. Environmentalists say that Global Warming is responsible for less ice in the Arctic which means less bears. Hears a little fact for you - residents of Arctic villages (mostly Native Americans) have little or no means of outside income. Polar bear hunts go for a minimum of $25000 each. When hunting is allowed, residents and local governments do everything possible to protect this valuable resource. When hunting is outlawed, Native Americans are exempt from the ban and bears are killed indiscriminately as nuisances and for food. So actually, a ban on hunting equals an exponential increase on the number of bears killed. Same could be said for elephants in Africa, Jaguars in Central America, etc.

There comes a time when we, the "normal", everyday, grass-roots kind of people just have to say "stop the insanity". Yea, its not that big of deal if I have to pay $1 more here or $1 more there, or if some city way out there on the West coast voted to have Global Warming included in their text books, or if one show Elizabeth watches talks about how hunters are endangering animals, or if I can no longer get a paper shopping bag, or if some city somewhere else fines residents who do not recycle. BUT pretty soon all these "no big deals" will add up "TO ONE HUGE FREAKING DEAL!". It's like taxes - if the income tax had of been introduced at the rates we pay today way back when it first started, there would have been a revolution! Or gun control - pass one little ban at a time and most people will absorb it. I'm afraid that if we keep overlooking this persistent ignorance and giving up little freedoms to these causes and special interests (albeit one small one at a time), we will soon wake up and find that we given away our way of life and all things that are important to us as well.

My Bucket List

I originally posted this a few weeks ago and then took it down out of respect for a friend who passed away just 3 days later.  I have said it so many times before  - I think one of the most important aspects of life is the memories we make.  For me, aside from time spent with Brandi, Elizabeth, Molly, and Stewart, my fondest memories come from the field.  This post is just about a few more memories I hope to make in the years to come. 

I must admit, I've been working on this list in my head for years now, it just never had a name before the movie came out.  The concept is quite simple really - a list of hunting goals, trips, and conquests I hope to master before I "kick the bucket".  I'm sure that I will continue to make revisions to this list over time as my priorities change and hopefully a few items will get checked off as COMPLETE. :)  So without further ado (and in no particular order), my bucket list:

 

Alaskan Do-it-yourself Wilderness Hunt

I've been dreaming about this one since I was 10 years old, lying in my bed reading Peterson's Hunting. This hunt will probably be for moose, but on this trip the quarry is not nearly as important as the experience. This hunt will be the ultimate adventure!  The kind of hunt where you are flown in to some remote lake and dropped off for a week or 10 days & are TOTALLY on your own. Where your only link to civilization is the plane that flies over every 2 or 3 days to see if you're still alive. The kind of hunt you just have to do, if only to see if you can.

 

Elk with a Bow

The destination isn't all that important, but I see lush, green mountain meadows and steep, dark timber in my daydreams.  I want to be there in September and hunt them when they are screaming & bugleing.  I want to call him in close, just like a turkey - except 800 lbs bigger! :))

 

Turkey Grand Slam

To kill all 4 U.S. species of wild turkey in a single season.  I've killed both Rio's & Eastern's for the past 3 or 4 years, so I know it would be possible.  Craig says we're doing it in 2010 to celebrate our 40th birthdays - we'll see...

Bear with a Bow

I was almost was able to mark this one off a few weeks ago but couldn't quite close the deal.  Maybe now that I've got a bear with a gun under my belt, the bowkill might come just a little easier. Stay tuned...

Pope & Young Deer

When it comes to scoring deer, my favorite line is "nets are for fish".  To me, the gross score gives a much more accurate picture of the rack.  But 1 net score I'd love to achieve is the 125" Pope & Young minimum for a bow-killed whitetail. This is probably my # 1 priority on this list right now &, in my opinion, a very doable goal.

170" Whitetail

Ok - a guy can dream, can't he?? Seriously, I truly believe that this is a realistic goal as long as I am able to continue to hunt deer as hard as I do now. That is 170" gross. I'm not too worried about getting that mythical 170" net Boone & Crockett deer - that, on the other hand, would be about as likely as hitting the powerball!

Spring Gobbler with a Bow

One of my proudest hunting accomplishments was the Jake I killed with my bow last Fall.   Now, it's time to step up and complete the quest for a mature gobbler.  All I need is a green field, a decoy, a pop-up blind, and a lonely Tom!

Remember, it's called turkey HUNTING

Now that I have somewhat of a public forum to describe and confess my exploits, I really feel the need to explain (defend) my philosophy when it comes to turkey hunting.  Yes, it is called turkey HUNTING, not turkey CALLING!  Now don't get me wrong, no one enjoys calling in a big strutter through the pristine open hardwoods more than me.  But, get real, how often (other than hunting videos) does everything go right in the turkey woods?  And I don't know about you, but when I'm getting up at 4am for weeks on end, I am a little more concerned with killing a turkey than I am with just sitting in the woods and blowing or scratching on a turkey call.  Anyone who has hunted with me will attest to the fact that I do "whatever it takes", as long as it's legal & ethical, to bring home a bird.

Luckily, Craig has the same hunting style as me.  That is one reason why we work so well together.  I believe that there are 3 main reasons why Strut'n Tom Outfitters is so successful:  1) we do our homework.  I don't believe anyone puts more effort into preseason & in-season scouting than us.  2) we are VERY aggressive in the woods.  If the turkeys aren't coming, we go to them.  3)  we have learned to adapt to the situation.  If calling isn't working, we try crawling. 

In my opinion, those hunters who go to the woods - listen for a gobble - pick out a nice big comfortable tree - and then just sit, call, and hope for the best had better develop a taste for Kroger Butterball.  There are very few days when the "classic" turkey hunt scenario works out.

This time of year, I really enjoy reading the message boards and discussion groups on some of the popular hunting sites.  Some of my regulars are: tndeer.com, oldgobbler.com, tnturkey.com, nwtw.org, primos.com, and archerytalk.com.  I guess I'm a "lurker", because I rarely post, but I do enjoy reading the mindless banter that goes back and forth between the faceless names. I was reading a rather long argument the other day that started under the innocent topic of "calling tips", when it occurred to me that the majority of these guys just don't realize how little the sound of their call has to do with the success of their hunt!  While it does help if you sound a little better than a rusty door hinge, you'll be surprised at what will actually bring in a Tom provided that you've done everything else right. 

The #1, first and most important aspect of any turkey hunt is the "set-up".  I don't care if your call sounds like Ben Rogers Lee reincarnate, if you don't set up correctly, you WILL NOT kill a turkey - period.  I have lost count of the number of turkeys I have killed immediately after fly-down without ever having touched a call - all because of a good set-up.

When you do call, the timing, cadence, and volume of your call is MUCH more important than the tone.  Some of the worst sounding yelps I have ever heard have been made by real hens.  I can remember more than 1 occasion when I almost blew a hunt because I was convinced that another hunter had moved in on me.  Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a hen who apparently didn't know how to use a turkey call!  :)  On another memorable hunt, I was working 3 Toms in some very thick underbrush.  They were hot!  They would cut me off gobbling every time I called.  The only problem was that this was back before I mastered the mouth call.  So I was having to lay my gun down to use my slate then pick it back up & point it in their direction.  But the underbrush was so thick, I couldn't see them even after they were well in range.  What to do??  Too close to risk laying the gun down again...  Brainstorm! - YELP - YELP - YELP - YELP with my mouth.  No call - just my voice.  I have never had 3 Toms run in so fast!  Not that my natural-voice yelps sounded good (they were quite bad actually), it was just close enough to the real thing in that situation for the Toms to think they heard what they wanted to hear.  Right timing - right cadence - right decision!

Probably one of the most influential things that ever happened to me as a young turkey hunter was my Uncle giving me a book by Dwain Bland.  Not surprised if you haven't heard of him.  He was before the days of the Outdoor Channel.  But what Mr. Bland was, was a real turkey HUNTER.  He hunted to kill a turkey, not to commune with nature by way of the turkey call.  His stories were informative, yet often comical.  But mostly, they were candid and they were real.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in turkey hunting.  Then you might understand where some of my seemingly wild tactics & crazy (like a fox) ideas come from.  :))  Come to think of it, I believe I'll knock the dust off mine & reread it soon. 

2007 Season in Review

Wow, is it really over?  My 2007 deer season ended much as it began - hunting a food plot at the Grove in warmer than normal temps, with VERY slow deer movement.  Got to the shooting house at 2 today, saw a doe & a spike at 2:20, then nothing else.  Pretty slow afternoon, but I did enjoy being in the woods with a deer rifle in hand, one last time this year.

While this may not have been my most successful deer season ever in terms of inches, score, or total number of animals killed, I cannot remember a hunting season that I enjoyed more!  Maybe I'm finally figuring this stuff out... nope, that' not it.  Maybe it's my new "hunt smarter, not harder" credo.... nope, probably not it either.  I'd say more than anything, it's just that I am finally learning to enjoy, and make the most of every moment I get to spend in the woods, regardless of whether or not I kill anything. 

Both my 2007 hunting seasons (turkey & deer) had many "firsts" and "bests", and even more highlights.  I'm going to try to briefly touch on each here, but I'm sure I will have to re-edit this post many time as I think of things I have forgotten.  :))

Strut'n Tom - 2007 definitely was my best turkey season ever.  Craig & I officially started a guided turkey hunt service - Strut'n Tom Outfitters.  While we both have been guiding friends, family, and a few others for many years now, we decided to make it official & begin offering fully guided turkey hunts for hire.  Our first year in business saw  6 paying clients from 4 states and 2 countries, who killed 9 birds & missed 2.  Included in these, I guided my first bow hunter who killed his first turkey ever with a bow.  And, I managed to get it (or most of it) on video!  In addition to these, I called in birds for my nephew & brother-in-law (unfortunately both ended as misses).  Craig & I managed to whack 2 Rios on our annual Spring trip to Kansas, plus I managed to get my own 4 TN birds.  All 4 of my turkeys were special hunts.  The first was on opening day with my nephew, Keith.  I was able to call this bird in from several hundred yards away and across the river (something that just can't be done if you listen to the experts, Ha!).  I shot the 2nd bird in my dress clothes.  Stopped by my Grandfather's mid-afternoon one day to glass some fields for the next morning's hunt & spotted this big 'ole Tom scratching in some loose hay with a couple of hens.  Let's just say he wasn't smart enough to remain in the gene pool :))  Bird number 3 was my best turkey in over 20 years of hunting.  I had been hunting 2 Toms that hung out together off and on for most of the season, usually when calling for somebody else.  Then, I finally got a chance at them by myself toward the end of season.  I played cat and mouse with the 2 for a couple of hours before finally calling in the smaller Tom.  He topped a rise about 20 yards in front of me & then got nervous before presenting a shot.  At this point, I knew I had nothing to lose, so I put the "Tennessee belly crawl" (as my buddy Bruce from PA learned to call it!) on them.  Boom / flop! :))  Long, thick beard, very heavy, and over 1 1/4" needle sharp spurs.  Yep, he will soon have a spot on the wall of my den!   Hunt for bird number 4 was shared with a new hunting buddy, Lee Tadlock from Murfreesboro.  In addition to a love of hunting, Lee has a real passion for videoing wildlife & hunts.  He graciously offered to try to get a hunt on video for me, with me behind the gun for a change!  All I had to do was find 1 more workable Tom.  I finally managed to find a willing participant the last weekend of season, and was able to kill him right after he flew down to the decoys.  Lee got the entire hunt on video - some really neat footage even though the hunt itself was VERY short!

Tale of the Trail Cam - I set out my trail cams & started putting out corn around the first of August.  I was amazed at not only the number of different bucks I caught on camera, but mainly at the number of quality deer that visited my buffet line of free corn!  The best of which soon earned their own names.

 

 

"Hook", "Kicker", "Slick 8", and "Longhorn" soon became permanent fixtures in my daydreams!   I managed to meet up with the Slick 8 in October and a neighbor killed Longhorn, but Hook & Kicker were never seen again.  Hopefully, that means that they will just be a little bigger when I see them next year!

 

 

 

New Toy - After I started getting some of the trail cam pics, I really started hankering for a bow.  I hadn't bow hunted in almost 10 years & was really missing it.  Ended up with a Hoyt Vectrex & could not be happier with it.  This bow is so much faster & quieter than my old Jennings, it almost doesn't seem fair for the deer!

Bow Season - 2007's bow season started hot & dry, and ended hot & dry.  Hunting was tough, but I did manage to get my best bow-buck ever!  The slick 8 that I had soooo many trail cam pics of.  Not a monster, but a good buck and a really sweet kill after watching him all summer long!

 

 

 

 

Juvenile Hunt - I was pleased to have Chase & his Dad back up from MS to hunt with me again.  This was the 2nd year in a row I have been able to escort a young hunter on our Juvenile deer hunt.  There is nothing like helping to secure the future of our sport by getting these kids into a deer stand.  It is something I really feel strongly about.  Chase had a great hunt!  He was able to kill a doe & got a couple of shots at some really nice bucks.

 

 

Fall Turkey - I managed to mark yet another of my long-term hunting goals off my list this year.  I killed my first turkey with a bow!  Shot this young Jake from a pop-up blind on the original food plot at our lease at the Grove.  I think Stewart was as proud of him as I was!  

 

 

 

 

 

Early Gun Season - Again, hot, dry, and pretty uneventful for me other than this big 'ole tom Bobcat.  Shot him with my .44mag Carbine on my Grandfather's place right at daylight one morning.  No antlers, but still an awesome trophy! 

Also got to accompany my buddy Jason from AZ on a couple of hunts & got to witness him killing his first deer ever!  Once again, Stewart was as excited as we were! 

 

Iowa - What can I say???  It went from a trip I really wasn't that excited about to one of the best hunting trips I've ever been on.  Cold, snow, and lots of big, big deer!

 

 

Late Gun Season - Killed this 22" wide 8 pt - not a Booner, but my best by rifle.  Definitely a sweet hunt in that I had seen him the afternoon before & went back to specifically hunt this deer, & then managed to kill him the very next morning!

 

Also got to accompany my best friend & hunting partner, Craig on a late season hunt & witnessed him laying the "smack down" on this 7pt at about 200 yards - awesome shot!

Whooo!  That took awhile - sorry for the long post, but I told you it was an eventful season!  As I write this, I realize once again just how fortunate I am to be able to hunt the way I do.  I am very thankful to have a loving wife and a supportive family, a good business, access to some of the best hunting land in Tennessee, and great friends with whom to share these experiences!  Bring on 2008.....