The last weekend of the turkey season here in WI got here much faster than I thought! My parents were right when they said that time moves much faster as you get older, I can’t believe another spring of chasing gobbling birds is over.
The weather was tough this year, as many turkey hunters in the Midwest can attest. Snow, rain, wind, freezing temps were all present through much of our seasons this year. As a matter of fact, I can probably count on one hand the number of nice days we had to actually hunt birds over the last six weeks. I took feathers off a bird the first season with my Hoyt, and had to wait until the last season (six weeks later) to have another chance at a bird.
Since we were planning an intense bowfishing weekend (which was hampered by muddy water, but we still managed to get quite a few in the boat) I knew turkey hunting time would be limited. This being the case, I was toting the ole 870 Flamethrower instead of the Hoyt. To be honest, it felt really odd as I haven’t had a gun in my hand chasing turkeys in over five years. Despite the odd feeling, I couldn’t help but feel I had a leg up. As somebody once told me, “There is nothing deadlier than a bow hunter with a gun in their hands”!
We woke up at noon on Saturday, May 21st after getting home at 6 AM from bowfishing. Of course, like the previous 6 weeks it was raining cats and dogs. Around 3 PM it quit raining and we went to one of our old standby spots where spotting turkeys is almost a given. However, this farm gets a ton of pressure and calling them into range is often an exercise in futility. Lo and behold, there was a bird exactly where many had met their demise in the past out walking around to get out of the dripping wet woods.
A quick plan was devised, and I started walking in his direction hoping to get in position to call him up a small, brushy hill into a waiting load of 3 1/2″ #5′s. It was now hot and humid, and I was sweating like crazy on my short hike. After hustling up the hill to a certain spot, I slowed down and entered hunting mode. Hearing a soft putt to my left, I looked and there was the bird beginning to bust out of the woods. In the short amount of time he was out of site, he walked right to where I wanted to call him too (my hunch was right).
A quick blast from the Remington and it was over, 5 minutes after it started. Having spent over 45 hours in a blind this year bow hunting birds, and 5 minutes with a shotgun in my hand got it done. Bittersweet? A little bit I guess. But the crockpot barbecued turkey breast tonight made me forget all about it…
On a recent hike in the Grand Canyon with Wilderness Athlete, I was able to use my GoPro video camera to get up close and personal with some resident wildlife!
Since all the other guys on Back 40 have shot birds this spring, it is leaving me the odd man out! I’ve got a couple more tries yet, but of course when this time of year rolls around I start forgetting about turkeys real fast and see my thoughts on shooting things with my bow turn towards fish! Yes, bow fishing is extremely addictive and just so much damn fun. You get to combine so many things we live to do (hunt, fish, shoot bows, etc.) as well as the always present competition aspect of out shooting your buddies that a night out bowfishing is the best thing going this time of year.
This picture shows about 75 gallons of carp we shot on Friday night. An average night for sure, with about 60-65 fish total. Once June rolls around and brings warmer water temps, 150 fish night are not uncommon. Sorry for the pic, there is not many ways to make this many bloody, stinking fish look good for photos!
So, instead of shooting foam or targets this spring/summer, find a buddy with a bowfishing boat (or build one yourself) and get out there! Be warned, it might only take you one experience before you are sinking thousands of dollars and hundreds of ours of time into this sport! Right Kevin??????
I have recently joined the “Barefoot” Revolution!! OK, so it’s not that big of deal. However, how could you not be intrigued after reading “Born To Run” as well as see all the minimalist footwear hitting the market these days. I dove in whole hog about a month ago, and went straight for the vaunted Vibram FiveFingers shoes to begin my journey. They are like a glove for your feet, and definitely give the sensation of running barefoot, without having to worry about those pesky sharp rocks and chunks of glass in the ditches. The funny looks you receive while wearing them are a small price to pay…
A bit of disclosure: The “minimal” footwear movement is not that new to me. Participating in wrestling for 25 years of my life, and hence wearing wrestling shoes, gives a pretty good grasp of using the muscles of your feet and lower legs to grip, push, and pull during activity. Even when I was much younger, I could never quite understand why people wore clunky “cross” training shoes or even large heeled workboots when lifting weights. All that ever did was give me a back ache!
So, over the last month I have wore the FiveFingers exclusively when CrossFitting, Kettlebelling, C2 rowing, and running intervals on the treadmill. Results were great, and the weird looks kept to a minimum! Today was the first day of spring around here it seems, with most of the snow gone and 45 degrees it was a perfect day for a run outside. Having left my actual “running” shoes a couple hours away recently, I had no choice but to “lace up” the Vibrams and hit the road.
Following the CrossFit Endurance protocol, today called for an hour run. Having not run longer than 20 minutes, and that being on the treadmill, in the Vibrams had me a bit worried how my legs would react. My fears were put aside quickly once I began. I was feeling great after sucking down a “Focused Recovery” shake from Wilderness Athlete, and sticking to the soft margins of the road kept the asphalt pounding to a minimum. My pace was slower than normal, only knocking out 6.5 miles in 60 minutes, but I am definitely looking forward to hitting the trails soon with the FiveFingers!
Can’t wait to get this in my grubby hands and start filming some cool action. The chest harness add on should really add to the footage capable with this camera.
The last weekend of the turkey season here in WI got here much faster than I thought! My parents were right when they said that time moves much faster as you get older, I can’t believe another spring of chasing gobbling birds is over.
