2009 Spring Turkey Season

2009 Turkey Season

Sham

“WOW”

Well here we go!  I am sorry I am a little late with this letter but I have been struggling to get in the writing mood. I think I am there now, so let’s see what happens. I know one thing, here I am thinking about the upcoming deer season and trying to write a turkey letter about a season that seems like it was forever ago. I thought there would be more things happening in May to write about, so I waited. Unlike last season when I wrote a little one week and then a little more the next and then by the time it was over I had written a small book. Probably more than I ever wrote during school all put together. Can you tell? Anyway I can’t even remember for sure what I did the first part of May, probably just set around and watched it rain some more. But when it finally did dry out around the 15th, farming took precedence over everything. Boy we were busy and still are. It was nearly a two month span of not being in the fields and now it has been catching up time. Oh, I remember, I did manage to get my very good friend, Big Johnny G., out that first weekend in May, but maybe we better not talk about that. Then again, that’s about all there is to write about during May, except for Bob T.  I can say this that this was probably one of the best times I ever had with my buddy John, but that don’t mean we came out the winners. Nope, the turkeys won, 3 – zip, but many great memories were made and some I can only tell you guys in private. I sure wish I would have had the camera rolling, it was great.  And man, that last afternoon I don’t think I have ever been as close and face to face with a big ol’ tom before in my life. Four feet, eyeball to eyeball. All I can vision in my mind is, “turkey in the head lights”. I bet you think a turkey can’t make his eyes get any bigger, but his did. And how big do you think Johnny’s and my eyes were at that moment? I was saying, “kill him, kill him, right there, kill him”. So he shot, and I bet his pattern at four feet wasn’t any bigger than my eyes were at that point, but it was a case of now or never, “BOOM.” Now the second best part of this is when Big Johnny flew to his feet in a flash (unbelievably fast) after that first shot. Ran out from behind the cedar tree we were hiding in. I guess that means all 3 of us were hiding in. But when he went to plant his feet for that great running away shot, (desperation shot) they both went sliding in the wet grass and mud in two different directions. He looked like someone on snow skis for the first time. Finally getting his footing and taking careful aim, not, but too late, the bird turns and disappears into the woods. Afterwards thinking back, we both swear as that bird ran up the hill and through the woods we could hear a funny little giggle, t-he-he, t-he-he! It must have been Doc, we both agreed, it just had to be. Well that was pretty much my last encounter with a big ol’ tom for the year.

Bob T was actually my last client of the season and he was also my first client of the season, but that hunt I am sure we don’t want to talk about. But we can talk about the last hunt of the year, but actually I didn’t have much to do with the hunt itself. You see, when Bob and his darling wife (how he got her I’ll never know) arrived I was still on the tractor trying to finish up a field. It was on the 28th of May. Bob gave me a shout on the phone and I gave him a heads up on a possible location of a couple birds.  Well sure enough he came back a few hours later with our 50th bird of the year. It was a real nice 3 year old, taken by the spot and stalk method using the ol’ shotgun, which Bob loves. He wasn’t getting away this time, huh Bob? That poor bird didn’t stand a chance once Bob T spotted that bright red head across the field. The rest is history.

  Okay enough of the silliness, although it was all true. Well, almost all of it. I better get down to the business. First of all I want to thank God for another safe, fun and exciting season. Twenty-four years plus he has kept all of my clients and all of the PA staff safe and I truly do thank Him for that. I also want to thank all of my faithful workers for being here. This business would not be here without them. Thanks everyone. Now I want to thank all of you that came and hunted the great wild turkey with us and yes, most definitely, none of the rest of us would even matter without you. Thank you for sacrificing your hard earned money and trusting us to show you a good time and we hope that all of you did just that.

  Well the Walker family is all turkey hunters except Mom and Dad, due to us. Yep, Lindsay Walker was our essay winner this year following in the footsteps of her two older brothers, Ethan and Ely. But Lindsay has one up on them with her beautiful bird. Nope, it wasn’t because we got her on film and not them, because we got both of her brothers on film too. It was because her bird had three beards totaling up to 18 and 3/8 inches. Way to go Lindsay and a big high five to Mike E. and Denton my guides/cameramen. They did an outstanding job as well making it all click together. The kids were all great and we sure had fun with them and I am sure they are going to be great hunters in the future. Keep it up guys and always remember that if you want to have a good time, I mean really good time, go to the woods. It’s always there waiting for you and a guaranteed good time will be had by all who open their minds and hearts to God’s Great Outdoors. It’s not just the kill, that’s the extra bonus He gives us all in due time, its how His creation all works together out there. It all still amazes me every time I go.

I also want to thank Bob and Julie Tonneson and Larry Tilton for sponsoring two youth hunts again this year. This is truly a great thing and I know it has meant a lot to these kids. We have chosen the recipients carefully, hoping for nothing but positive effects on their lives and at the same time introducing them to hunting in the great outdoors. Both hunts went great. We should all know that little things like this do make a difference in their lives. Plus, it shows them that people who have no connections with them can and do care. All hats go off to you three. Thanks! Although good works won’t get you to Heaven, I am sure God is pleased with this.

Well, I know there is much, much more I would like to write about, such as our father-son team from CT, the little boy from NY that dropped a double and made his dad tear up with joy, making I’m sure, another dream come true.  And my scolding a client for not listening to me and then 15 minutes later high fiving and saying were sorry to each other after I call in two separate toms and he hammered both of them. Also I never got to take my dear friend Kevin. He is healed up now and we are sure looking forward to deer season. Look out Bucky! Oh, and the weather, I could write a page or two about that alone, but can sum it up in a couple words, “mostly terrible”.  This list could go on and on, but this year I won’t do that. I will keep it short and sweet and wait for your comments. I don’t know, maybe you like the long ones better?

Please pray for our country’s leaders, our troops and third most important, that we will have a great hatch this year and our birds will start a comeback in our area. Also thanks so much for all the kind words many of you expressed while here about our guides and our operation. My prayer is: I will have the same guides for many years to come. I am sure of this, after hearing about many unsuccessful hunting stories from different residents and many other turkey hunters that hunted in this part of the state, that we have some of the top turkey hunters in the nation working for us. I tell you if a man can go out in the extreme weather conditions with bird numbers down, sometimes 3 to 4 people sneaking through the woods, day after day, and continually bring back birds, in my book you are top notch, bad-to-the-bone, turkey-killing machines. I am proud to say that we have 4 of them working for us we call our friends and our guides. Thanks Denton, Nate, Shane and Mike E. (Evangelista). Mike did an exceptional job for it being his first year with us. I also want to thank my wonderful cooks Rhonda and Debbie Walker; they are also two of the best. God has been faithful to me and blessed me with good people, workers and clients. My wish for you is that… God will bless you all,

kn

Written by: Kurt Nunnenkamp during the second and now third week of June.

 Someday I will see ya in Heaven Doc. I believe, Do you?