Bad Decision Averted at Last Minute
It almost didn’t happen. A real close call if ever there was one.
It was mid-April in 1992. My plans had been carefully laid out and the level of excitement was starting to build as I contemplated what was about to take place.
The weather was warm, purple martins were twittering overhead and the woods had already turned a bright green. For me, that meant only one thing; the bluegills were moving to the beds to spawn and I already had my ultra-light spin-cast rigs loaded with tasty looking little jigs on some and hooks, sinkers and floats on others. All I needed was to load up, grab a bucket of crickets and head for the pond where I knew the fun was about to begin.
Then, the phone rang. It was my outdoor writer friend from Alabama, John Phillips, offering me a turkey hunting trip to Alabama. I had begun to plan how to thank him for thinking of me but declining his invitation because the bluegills were calling me.
What he said next gave me pause. “I have a guide ready for you, I’ll send you a pre-paid plane ticket, a nice place to stay. Oh by the way, I have a shotgun, turkey calls and plenty of camo pants and shirts waiting for you.”
It didn’t take long for me to realize that the bluegills could wait a little longer and a trip like this should trump for a few days what the bluegills could offer. Plus, I could be back on the bream beds in a couple of weeks anyhow. So, I said let’s do it.
After receiving my plane ticket, I headed for the airport and my mind started working on the thought of doing something I had never ever done, and that was to hunt wild turkeys. I didn’t have a clue about how to hunt turkeys but all the nice stuff Phillips had dangled out before me gave me reason to decide I’d give it my best shot.
Arriving at the airport, I stepped off the plane and was met by a jovial fellow and when he introduced himself, I had to stifle a grin. He said, “Hi; I’m Skinny”. He was anything but skinny as he had to weigh 300 pounds. He was my guide, Dennis “Skinny” Hallmark.
We drove to his camp far back in the woods near the hamlet of Rockford, Alabama, got our gear stowed as he talked about turkey hunting and giving me information about something I knew nothing about.
The next morning, we were up early, I got dressed in my new camo, fingered my new shotgun and turkey calls and Skinny led us down a dim road long before daylight where we stopped and waited for dawn.
As soon as it was light enough to see, Skinny shocked me when he cupped his hand around his mouth, leaned his head back and hooted like an owl. I thought we were hunting turkeys; not owls. Immediately, I heard the first gobble I had ever heard as I realized the hoot of the owl caused a gobbler to sound off.
Skinny pointed to a big tree, whispered for me to sit down, put my shotgun on my knee as he settled in behind me and began yelping like a turkey hen. The gobbler in the tree out front responded and within minutes, I saw something confusing. I looked like a softball sitting atop a dark lump coming through the woods and the form of a strutting gobbler took shape.
The bird stopped 25 yards from us, Skinny whispered “shoot”. Although I was shaking like a leaf, I did and my first wild turkey gobbler hit the ground.
That date, April 13, 1992, is affixed to the plaque hanging on my office wall that holds the fan, beard and spurs of the first of 40-plus gobblers I have taken. It was that first one, though, that created a lifetime of passion for chasing and messing with these majestic birds that not even a bed of bluegills could match.
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE – Bass have moved up to spawning areas with some good fish caught on creature baits, spinners and jigs. Crappie have moved in around shallow brush to spawn and jigs and shiners are taking some good ones. 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.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Crappie are being caught shallow for the spawners and a bit deeper for those not quite ready to spawn Bass are on shallow structure and are hitting a variety of lures. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – The water is still quite low because of lock and dam problems down stream. Fishing overall is slow. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass are in the shallows as well as around the secondary points and are hitting jigs, spinners, Rat-L-Traps and soft plastics. Crappie are doing well in the shallows as the spawn is going on. No bream reports yet. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie have moved up the creeks and have started spawning in the back of the creeks with jigs and shiners picking up some nice ones. Bass are moving shallow and are hitting crank baits, spinners and soft plastics around brush. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Fishing has improved with crappie starting to spawn in the shallows hitting jigs and shiners. No report on bass or bream. Catfishing is good. For information, call the marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is on a slow fall but water temperature is too cold for bass and crappie. However, lots of buffalo and catfish are being caught in nets. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.