April has been a very busy month. I bought a new Chevy truck and Peanut got a new electric-gas hybrid auto. My old 2000 truck was still running good, but it was time and I sure hated to see him go. But I love my new four-door truck--a smooth ride, indeed. And the electric car sure is something--wonderful gas mileage--we averaged about 47-50 mpg on a recent trip north. Important in this day of oil company abuse and price gouging.
I returned a few days ago from Missouri where I spent several days with my buddies on a turkey hunt. The woods and rolling hills are so enticing, up there in the Mark Twain National Forest near West Plains. We stop at WP and buy our groceries after traveling thru nearby Mammoth Spring, Ark. where the spring river begins, the big spring pouring out of the ground, millions of gallons per minute. Quite a scene.
The first day is spent grocery shopping and setting up the camp, which is very nice, complete with electricity thanks to a wonderful Honda generator. Nice campfire and great food. We're all good cooks and one night I served up ribs, fish and tenderloin medallions, complete with mashed potatoes and garlic bread. We're known for our cooking as much as our hunting prowess--no pork and beans for these cats.
I heard several gobblers and narrowed my hunting spot for opening morning Monday. I got close to a gobbler and had three gobblers answering me as I "set up" on a mountain ridge. But no luck.
Second morning (you can't hunt in the afternoons there...have to be out of the woods by 1 p.m.), my friend John joined me as I encouraged him to go with me since I had heard more than one gobbler the morning before. We heard one about a half-mile below our campsite and trekked toward him as first morn light broke over the mountain ridge in the east. But he quit gobbling. Two more opened up about a mile away and we took off, climbing another large ridge. We finally got pretty close to one of them and set up, our backs against a large black oak tree. John started his yelp calls and the gobbler started inching closer after flying down from his roost. After about 45 minutes still no sight of him. John continued to call and I whispered that I was going to "hit" my call. I did and immediately, and I do mean immediately, the gobbler appeared straight away from me, running wide open, as fast as a race horse, right at me. I whispered to John, "I see him and he's coming right at me." In less than 10 seconds, the turkey was 25 steps in front of me, staring a hole thru me, I assume wondering where his hen girlfriend was. As he walked behind a tree, I raised my Browning Gold Trigger 12-gauge, 3and1/2 shell, and boom! He hit the ground. We picked up the turkey and started the long, very, very long, hike back toward the camp. Using his compass, John steered an eastward course and we trudged up one mountain ridge and then another. Finally, we saw the gravel road. Back at camp, I rested and John returned to the woods to go after another one. Buddy G.E. returned and unloaded a gobbler of his own and we rested after a good morning, a hearty breakfast and a brief hail storm. A great Missouri morning and a great Missouri trip. Two big gobblers and me in good health. A year earlier, I was laid up at home with a $100,000 metal knee. It felt fine after the mountain climb, too.
Back home, I rested and caught up on family business, including a wedding shower, and returned to one of my fishing spots this morning, rising at 5 a.m. and making my first cast by 7:15. It was cold and windy and the fish didn't co-operate much, but I brought home six which is plenty for me and Peanut's next fishfry.
I like this retirement life. My next big adventure is a golf tourney in June at Batesville with my buddy Seve and my partner Rocky. Hunting, fishing and golf--keeps a feller busy.
Oh yeah, the best part of it all was working in a trip to Sherwood where grandson Luke Bo Duke and all of his classmates put on a big show at school for grandparents day. What a great kid. They sang and did other things and he was honored as one of five kids in the entire school...and it's a big ole school...as outstanding Christian leader. The hunting and fishing won't make me cry, but seeing my grandson..well, a little tear or two is okay for a grandfather, I think. I sure do love that boy and you should have seen his "science" project...snakes and a weird "combination" animal.
That's all for this time, til next time, thanks for your time.
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