It is time to go fishing.

When I am not fishing , hunting, going to sport shows or scouting out a new area or lake, I like to review websites posted by the various states. My three favorites are Iowa, as I am a native and fish and hunt along the Missouri River bottoms. I review South Dakota because I fish the glacial lakes. Nebraska is referenced a lot as I hunt waterfowl, upland game, and deer in the state. Living in southwest Iowa along the Missouri River provides me with ample areas to hunt and fish. I should also add, I have no favorite as the sites are all outstanding. It just depends on where I go and spend my time.

Iowa has an excellent article about aquatic hitchhikers.  I always follow their suggestion in keeping my boat and livewells clean. The article below is reprinted from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Website. www.iowadnr.gov.

Zebra mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil are two aquatic invasive species that have spread across Iowa by hitchhiking on boats, in bait buckets, and on other equipment used in the water. Bighead and silver carp are two other aquatic invasive species that have been spreading on their own throughout Iowa rivers. With recent flooding, these nuisance species have been able to swim around dams that otherwise blocked their movement.

"Public action is the key to preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species," said Kim Bogenschutz, DNR aquatic invasive species program coordinator. "Boaters and anglers can unintentionally transport aquatic hitchhikers if they do not take the proper precautions to prevent their spread - inspect, clean, drain."

• Inspect your boat, trailer, and equipment and clean them of any visible plants, animals or mud before leaving a water body.

• Drain water from the live well, bilge, transom, motor and bait buckets before leaving a water body.

• Clean and dry boats, trailers and equipment. Before transporting to another water body.

• Spray/wash your boat, trailer and equipment with high-pressure and/or hot water; or dry your boat and equipment for at least 5 days.

• Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash. Never release plants, fish, or animals into a water body unless they came out of that water body.

It is illegal to possess or transport prohibited aquatic invasive species in Iowa. The fine for violating the law is $500. Signs are posted at public accesses to remind boaters to stop aquatic hitchhikers and to identify infested waters. More information about aquatic invasive species and a list of infested waters can be found in the 2010 Iowa Fishing Regulations booklet.

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Good fishing, good hunting and good luck. Hank

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Turkey on the Platter

Early in the morning the phone rang and it was the landowner north of Fort Calhoun.  "I have found you a trophy to mount or hang on the wall."  I do not do either, but he was so excited I played along.  A group of hens had been hanging around a piece of pasture right next to a field he was planting.  Right behind them had come a big tom and several smaller birds.  He recommended that I get there at least by 8 AM to get set up as the birds came out of the woods around 9 AM. 

Deciding not to make a mistake, I went that evening and set up a tent blind in front of a pile of timber.   The forecast for the evening was no wind and no rain.  All I had to do was show up, get in the blind and wait for the birds to show themselves.  Turkeys are somewhat  creatures of habit.  I have found on the farms I hunt, they seem to run in about the same areas.

Next morning I was in the blind by 8 AM and started the waiting game.  Just as predicted, out of the timber to the east the hens appeared and started their pecking and scratching.  They stayed right along the edge of the timber and initially did not work my way.  The tent blind was about 50 yards from the tree line.  My concern was the direction they would go.  If they came straight toward me, I was going to have a good shot when the big guy appeared.  Moving either right or left would take me out of the picture as the distance would increase.   Fifteen minutes went by and off to my right he appeared.  It was 9:45 almost like it was predicted. He was outstanding, and showed himself off by strutting and puffing himself up for the hens.  Of course they paid no attention to him and seemed more interested in eating.  Strutting turkeys are really into themselves and fun to watch.  This big boy was no exception.

Slowly, the hens worked their way toward the tent blind.  The big boy stayed just off to their left, my right.  A close friend who has shot a lot of turkeys told me when the toms are chasing hens, they have no sense at all.  That sounded familiar. The blind faced straight east.  It was overcast, but it was starting to break up.  I did not want the sun to shine into the tent blind.  If that happened, they could possibly see movement.  I put on some ear protection because gunfire  would be extra loud in the blind. 

At about 25 yards and with a 30 degree angle to the blind, I eased the barrell to the open window.  My tent blind is low, so I was down on one knee after moving off my folding chair at the back.  When he was just in the right area, bang was all it took.  Meat was on the table.  The hens took off like a scalded dog, yelping, running and flying back to the safety of the timber.  The landowner heard the shot and came down to take the picture. 

This was the longest season I have ever had.  I have never spent so much time in the field without results.  It was worth every minute. 

Now it is time to get serious about fishing.

If you have a good story with some pictures e-mail them to me.  When we publish it, you will receive a $25.00 gift card to Bass Pro.

Good hunting, good fishing, and good luck.  Hank   Great sales at each of these sporting goods stores. Shop online.




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The Long Road to Success

"It's not over till its over," Yogi Bera.  The weather turned to summer with a couple of days of 90 degrees.  The land owner at Fort Calhoun called me with a new spot where he had seen birds.  At the top of a hill that led down to timber, they came out in the evening.  The recommendation was to go into the timber a short distance and wait.  I did it.

The late afternoon was beautiful.  Large white puffy clouds, a light breeze, and the sky had a deep blue.  I pushed myself into a pile of dead fall and waited.  It was easy to look down into the woods.  With a bright sunny day, the ground cover was just a few inches high.  The trees had leafed out and formed a canopy of cover for whatever wanted to scurry around.  It was easy to look down and into the timber.  As the clouds moved across the sky, the shadows formed and moved about on the ground and the large standing oaks.  These pictures caused a constant shifting of focus as they appeared as movement.  Each time it happened, I was reached for my shotgun. The only animals I saw were deer and they did not see me.

It was not long before hens came by.  All were within shooting distance.  Trailing at a distance came three nice size jakes.  I waited.  The shot was a little long and they were weaving around in the timber.  The gun was already up.  I laid it across  two dead branches so there would be little movement when the time was right  The jakes acted spooky.  They had either caught me or something else was wrong. I have seen this before.  Their necks stretch out and they have a tendency to move around in a circle.  I have also seen them scurry off and come back to the starting point.  I continued to be patient, but they hurried out of range.  I should have shot.  It began to get dark, and it was time to leave.  This will be a good spot in the future.

When I got home, I called the landowner down by the river.  He told me the mushroom pickers were not around anymore, and headed me to a spot in his pasture.  He had seen birds in the morning when watering the cattle.  I was experienceing a lot of frustration.  This should have been completed over a week ago.  I also have an obligation to feed some friends that come to our home for fresh game.  They have been asking a lot of questions, like "When do we get our invitation for wild turkey dinner?' I am not getting the job done this season.

Early the next morning I headed into the woods.  The weather had changed again, and it was very cool.  I found a spot on the edge of the pasture.  I did not put out any decoys.  It did not take long.  Out came a group of hens about 50 yards from me and they walked in my direction.  Behind them came four nice size jakes.  I decided not to wait for a big tom.  Meat is meat and the young jakes eat just as well if not better.  When they moved to within thirty yards, I popped the biggest of the four.

I still have one tag to fill in Nebraska and there is some time left to get it done.

If you have a great hunting or fishing story, send it to us and if it is published we will send you a $25.00 gift card to Bass Pro.

Good hunting, good fishing, and good luck.

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Where Have all the Turkeys Gone

If I did not know better, I would say the turkeys have left eastern Nebraska.   For the last ten days, the weather in eastern Nebraska has been cold and windy.  I have seen no birds.  The toms should be out strutting and showing off, but they were not to be seen. (It is obvious male turkeys are affected by the weather.  Human males are not)  Deep in the timber there were signs, but I rarely saw one.  It was time for some consultation.                                                                                                                                     

I called my good friend Ernie.  This gentleman is a hunter's hunter, and he has probably harvested more game than any man alive.  Ernie owns the land and operates the duck and goose club I belong to.  He and his wife enjoy the game they harvest.  That is what makes it really fun to be with him.  His wife is an outstanding cook, and I can always learn a new recipe.   I always look forward to duck season.  Right now it is turkeys, and I am stumped.

We met for coffee and he took me to his farm.  This piece of ground is dedicated to hunting and there is a small lake available for fishing.  The farm is hilly and covered with pasture and timber.  It is land locked, and there is an easement you have to use to acess the ground.  This just makes it that much better. No one can see it or access it from any road.  I have always had so much good turkey and deer hunting close to home, I have never ventured to new ground.  This will be exciting.

We drove around to three spots he recommended and we saw toms everywhere.  These were really big, and I am told the ground is blessed with a lot of big birds.  What we didn't see were any of the birds out strutting, fanned out and showing off to a flock of hens. In fact, I saw no hens at all.  Ernie believed the cold weather had shut down the breeding season, and coupled with the high winds we have had, the birds are not active in the open.  Our temps were running in the low 30s at night, and only 40 to 50 in the day.  I decided to give it a try.




Timber is behind me and across from me.  I have pushed myself back into a cedar tree.  This is a beautiful spot.

 By midmorning, I was planted.  I pushed myself back into a stand of cedar trees in the shadows.  Putting out a couple of decoys in the sun, I waited for some action.  It did not take long.  I heard a gobble.  I used my friction call to give him some location.  He gobbled away and started toward me. But he failed to finish and didn't step out of the woods.  This scenerio repeated itself several times, but I did not get a shot.  I was confident I could not be seen.  Two deer come down the valley where I was hiding.  Twenty yards away they bedded down and just laid there.  I was not winded and was well camoflauged so I wasn't seen.  This was an amazing scene to watch.

In the afternoon I moved to another spot, but by now the wind came up and it was stormy.  I folded my tent and headed for the barn. (Went home, in other words)

The next morning I was up before 4 AM and drove to the farm.  I wanted to be there when the birds came off the roost as this would be the best opportunity.  The toms gobbled and the hens yelped as it got light.  Off they came.  I heard the wings flap and they sank to the ground.  Lots of noise, lots of calling, but they didn't show themselves.  It was cold and it started to get windy.  I sat in this location for about three hours, but nothing gave me a shot.

I moved up to the top of a hill and sat among some cedar trees.  I was told this has always been a good spot. The top of the hill dropped steeply into a narrow wooded valley.  Here I waited, called and had little response.  The wind began to pick up so I moved down into the valley and sat down against a tree.  The wind really picked up but the valley was not affected. 




I am back up against a tree with my gun against my shoulder and resting on top of my knees. 

 A gobbler worked me for a short period, but he failed to finish.  What showed a lot of promise was the fact I had hens walking by me.  Now to wait and be patient. Toms again gobbled but they failed to finish.  They were not running with the hens, and I found that fact very unusual this time of year.

Ernie was right.  The mating season has been delayed by the cold weather.  The birds were staying hidden in the timber because of all the wind and rain.  It was not over yet.

Good Hunting, Good Fishing, and Good Luck.  Hank.

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The Fort Calhoun Turkey Shoot or (I finally got one)

This has turned into nothing but work.  Hunting hard for two days and only getting one shot, and a poor one at that, has left me a little discouraged.  It all had to do with the preparation.  I was convinced I would harvest a nice Tom early on the first day.  It was not to be.

Heading back to Fort Calhoun, the plan was to skip the erosion dams completely and go to the ridges that ran east and west in the timber.  The landowner's neighbor had been hunting close to the stream on the west side of the ground.  Hunting with friends and family, he had only gotten one tom. This is the area he likes best and spends most of his time.




Late one evening, I hunted the area near the stream.  I saw no tracks or droppings, and decided this was not the place to invest a lot of time. 

Rather than drive to the edge of the woods on the farm, I parked at the landowner's home.  This would make a longer walk into the area I wanted to hunt.  No mistakes was the watchword.  Keep the vehicle away from the woods.  Walk quietly. A friend told me, the deer tell the turkey when we are in the woods.  I don't believe that.  I do believe if you spook a group of deer and they take off running through the woods, it alerts the other game.  For this reason, I focused on walking quietly and slowly.  Deeper into the woods I went.  Deeper than I normally go.

It was still dark, but making out spots to hide was fairly easy and I wanted to be as stealthy as possible.  The decoy combination was in place.  (Click on this link for information about the decoy set I used.
Carry-Lite Pretty Boy Turkey Decoy Set)

The morning started to show a little light.  I could see that I was hiding in a good spot with good visibility, but a narrow range to shoot. The woods began to come alive.  The hens began to yelp and the toms began to gobble.  I could visualize the toms all puffed up and strutting around.  Showing off is what they do best.  Don't we all.

As soon as they came off the roost, I could hear their wings.  The toms began to gobble more and the hens began to yelp and perform more.  My confidence was high.  I gripped the gun and parked it at my shoulder.  Using a shooting stick, I parked the barrel on it and kept the gun shouldered.  I used the friction call and got some response.  It was still dark enough and I shook the gobbler call.  This produced some results, and here they came.  There were more than one tom and several jakes.  They did not like the pretty boy decoy, and strutted around and generally acted up. 

I was ready.  I could feel my heart beating in my chest.  I sat on the edge of the folding chair which I lugged down into the woods.  With my back against a large oak tree, and dressed in a leaf suit, I was ready.  This was it.  I did not focus on the biggest tom.  He was marching around acting like a fool and was not really close. The daylight was upon the woods.  Unfortunately, a good size jake was the closest.  Meat is meat.  Kaboom!  It was over in one shot.  I gathered up the gear and the bird.  Dinner was served. This was quite a morning.

One tag down, and two more to go.  I want to hunt Iowa, and come back after giving this ground a rest and hit it again.




If you have a great story and pictures of a hunt, send it to me and if we publish it we will send you at $25.00 gift card from Bass Pro

Good hunting good fishing, and good luck

Hank

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