In just about every sport, there are participants who set personal goals. For example, a baseball player aspires to hit .400; basketball players hope for a triple-double. For golfers, it’s a hole-in-one.

It is no different in the world of the hunter/angler. Bass fishermen look for a lunker
weighing in double-digits while deer hunters long for a buck with a rack impressive enough to “make the book”. For turkey hunters, there’s the Grand Slam.

Although I would love to have a 10 pound bass on my wall and my name in the Boone and Crockett records for trophy bucks, this is not what makes my motor run. What lights my fire is to hear the thunderous gobble of a long-beard wild turkey gobbler on a spring morning.

The thoughts of my completing a Grand Slam in turkey hunting was about as remote as me making a hole-in-one. That was before I had the chance to hunt turkeys in South Dakota.

To pull off a wild turkey Grand Slam, it is necessary to take one of each of the four sub-species of wild turkeys found in the U.S. These include Easterns, which inhabit much of the south, east and northeast; Rio Grande turkeys, residents of arid mesquite and cactus country of the southwest; Osceolas which are residents only of the southern half of Florida, and Merriams of the mountains and plains of the mid-west.

To accomplish such a task, it would be necessary for a lot of things to fall into place, and there would be an abundance of traveling involved. Frankly, I just didn’t see that happening.

One spring afternoon as the sun slipped behind a hill in the Badlands of South Dakota, I completed my Grand Slam. First, a little history of what brought me to this point I never thought I’d reach.

My first turkey hunt was a half-hearted effort when a writer friend invited me to his home state of Alabama to hunt. On April 13, 1992, my guide, Skinny Hallmark, called in a gobbling longbeard off a hillside to my gun and in that moment, something happened that would forever change the way I look at spring mornings. It was love at first GOBBLE…..BOOM, and I’ve chased these wary birds every spring since.

The Alabama gobbler was an Eastern sub-species and I gradually learned what turkey hunting was all about.

In 2000, I jumped at the opportunity to hunt another of the sub-species, the Rio Grande. While hunting with Al Brasuel and sons in south Texas I downed my first Rio Grande. The thought of a Grand Slam only teased the margins of my mind; I saw no way that I’d ever travel to south Florida or to the Great Plains to turkey hunt. That was before Keith Brasuell called me one day inviting me to ride with him to Naples, Florida for an Osceola hunt. Good fortune accompanied me when a mature Osceola gobbler strutted in front of my shotgun.

Like a bolt from the blue, it hit me. All of a sudden, I found myself only one bird away from a coveted Grand Slam. Could I do it? Could I figure out a way to head somewhere up north where Merriams live?

Soon after returning from Florida, I found a press release from the South Dakota
Department of Game, Fish and Parks making a pitch for their great hunting and fishing opportunities. The release talked about the great trout fishing; super walleye angling; wonderful deer and elk hunting….and here is what caught my eye….an abundance of Merriams gobblers. On a hunch, I called the South Dakota agency, got the go ahead and flew into Rapid City.

In addition to securing a Black Hills gobbler tag, I was one of the fortunate few who also snagged a Prairie tag. This would double my chances for a Merriams, and if things worked out right, I might even get two gobblers which, incidentally I did.

On the last minute of the last hour of the last day of my Prairie hunt, I bagged a big 21 pound Merriams.

There’s no 10 pound bass hanging on my wall nor is my name in the Boone and Crockett book but, by George, there’s a wild turkey Grand Slam hanging on my wall and I couldn’t be more proud..

FISHING REPORT

CANEY LAKE – Big chinquapins are on the beds and some real good fish are being caught on small crawfish, worms and crickets. Best bass catches are made fairly shallow on Wacky Worms, Sinko, Bandits and spinners with some moving out to deeper water. Crappie are mostly done with the spawn and are best fishing jigs or shiners around submerged tops in 12 foot water. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BLACK BAYOU –Bream are starting to bite crickets and worms around the trees. No report on crappie or bass. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Bass fishing is good on jigs and spinners. The frog bite is about to take off. Some big crappie are being caught on the flats on shiners and jigs. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – The water is still high. Bream are beginning to bed in the backwaters; no report on bass or crappie. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323- 8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Crappie are good with most having completed the spawn and they have moved out of the shallows on the flats and are hitting shiners and jigs. Some bass are still spawning in the shallows with soft plastics and creature baits picking up some nice fish. Bream are starting to turn on around the beds and taking crickets or worms. Catfishing is improving fishing cold worms off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE –Crappie are starting to move out to 12 foot water and are hitting mostly shiners. Bass are best fishing Carolina rigs, spinners and jerk baits around the docks. Stripers are beginning to school and hitting shad imitation lures. Bream are on the beds and worms and crickets are working on them. Catfishing has been good on night crawlers. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfishing is good and the bream are moving to the beds and hitting worms and crickets. Crappie have moved off the banks and are fair. No report on bass. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is high but slowly falling. Some barfish are being caught off the banks. Lots of catfish and buffalo are being taken in nets and on trotlines.. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.