Sunday was a tough day, but not for a lack of birds. We did experience some lines of geese and groups of birds move through. A few pealing off and circling us or hovering over us. Mostly staying just out of range. The bright warm day, little wind that did not always do what was forcasted, a known lack of Juvi geese this year, as well as hunting late season educated birds, and the field we intended to hunt having been burned and turned before our arrival all did not help, but we still had just enough activity to keep it fun.

Stopped off on the way to my Young County lease to pick up a used tripod stand I had purchased online. Got it set up same day and even trimmed some trees out of the shooting lane. All ready for bow season. But all work and no play makes John a dull boy, so it was time to play.

Started off with some Hog stalking with Blaze the wonder dog. Blaze was telling me she was on something during a particular patch of woods, but I saw nothing and dismissed it as a rabbit or squirrel. We hit the end of the woods with nothing, but on the stroll back Blaze bumped the hog she smelled earlier. Really thick brush so I could not get a shot, but dog and hog were on a standoff so it allowed me to circle around. I was presented a 20 yard shot to the head on and took it.

Despite leaving a heavy blood trail and after several minutes of tracking through briars getting thicker and thicker I called it off when the briars got too difficult to navigate. It was clearly a mortal wound and I was not going to utilize this one anyway. My freezer was already full, so this was just pest control at this point. We gave it a good try though. My arms were looking like I had been in a fight with a wildcat. I could see the scratches along Blaze's coat through her fur. Just too many briars, so not worth it for just a picture.

I did roost a gobbler at sunset for the morning hunt. The Turkey was just off the property over a creek. Saturday morning we gobbled back and forth, but it eventually faded in the distance. The creek was still up from last weeks flooding and that bird was just not going to cross.

I noticed that the creek was just plumb-full of fish. Lots of Bluegills and Bass. So naturally I went fishing. I lost one Bass that must have been 4 or 5 pounds. Don't know if they all came up from the Brazos or washed down from someone's lake. Never seen so many. This creek is dry in most parts. I did catch a few channel cat that became dinner that week, but the picture I have is of a monster of a Bullhead. Biggest one of these I have ever caught.



The creek had been up several feet during the flooding. Most of my stuff was safe, but I did loose a Brush Duck blind unfortunately. It was right about where Blaze is standing. Completely gone.



Mid day I crossed to the part of our lease that is over the creek to see if I could find my Turkey. I found three of them in the distance across a field. I sat Blaze a few feet behind me in a low spot and I started calling to try and draw them to my side of the field. I was ignored at first, so I stepped it up with some loud aggressive calling. The birds were finally working towards me, but suddenly stopped and looked agitated. I was well hidden so my first thought was that Blaze was being a bad girl and had run off into the field. Now this is as I used to say when I rode bulls and things got wild "things got western!". I turned to see if Blaze was still there. She was, but there was a Coyote running full out towards her. No hint of stopping and closing fast. Shocked to see this I spin on around with the shotgun and stop it with a load of #5 hevi shot. It cartwheels but turns to the field despite a broken leg. Blaze knowing her job this day as a Turkey catch dog, does what she thinks she is supposed to do and charges the Coyote. Me yelling Whoa of course. The Coyote with teeth showing turns to make a stand, but I finish things with another shot before Blaze has a chance to connect. All I can figure is the Yote thought Blaze had a Turkey or just did not want to share the kill opportunity with another predator. Will never know, but I did notice the Coyote was a little mangy and unhealthy looking. To attack in the middle of the day like that, it must have been really hungry.





So back at camp I put Blaze up and decide after that excitement, it would be fun to go back out predator calling. I grab my vintage Johnny Stewart tape call and an AR15 and move on alone to my first chosen spot to make a stand and call. But instead I find three Turkeys in the Mesquites. Well this next picture is how not to kill a Turkey. A deflecting tree not visualized in my scope. Oh well. It happens.



I move on and set up again. I put on a yellow hammer woodpecker sapsucker something or other in distress tape and crank it up. A few minutes pass and all of a sudden cows show up on me from all directions. By show up on me I mean they all Ran towards me. Then they all just stood there looking and waiting for something to happen. Turns out it is just a little too close in sound to the siren the Rancher uses to call his Cows. With that note, I decided it best to just call it a day.

Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine

2010 July/August Photography Issue