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Hi all, got out yesterday with my neighbour and we got a good feed of crappie, hoping to get out one last time tomorrow.

So my very first season trying my hand at Turkey's. I've read a ton, watched a few tons of videos, bought myself a pot call and a few of those mouth calls.....more on those later, and some super duper special turkey load 12G shells, purchased 1 tag & away I go. I've been scoping out areas everywhere in my spare time because hunters are some very tight lipped folks, if you though Brook Trout guy's were bad...nothing on hunters. So putting in the leg work I've found quite a few places where at least a few turkey roam on huntable public land. Gained access to some private land too, which was easier than I thought it'd be. Travelled a huge distanced on Monday as I was out chasing Steel in the morning/afternoon then slept in my car overnight for opener in the morning. Got to my spot around 5:30am and played the wait game. (just noticed I didn't even take the tag off the chair) Started calling around 6am, rain and snow started not to long after that. Now being a newbie I never gave it a second thought but you know what doesn't work all to well in wet conditions, the pot call. That stick gets wet or the surface....nope! Either or I just don't know how to get it going. Tucked it away till it dried out then zero problems. I didn't hear a single gobble that day. Now I didn't call often, maybe once every 15 or so minutes & I varied up the chirps and purr's but I am new so maybe I screwed up somehow but around 7:30 or so a Hen & 2 Jakes appear out of nowhere about 50-60 yards from me. They were responding to my chirps 100%. It was raining so it was hard to hear them move across the leave litter but once I spied them my breathing changed, heart started pumping! The hen walked past but the Jakes kept coming closer. I could clearly see a bread on one and he looked to be older than the other. Was the younger one a male....not 100% sure so didn't pay too much attention to "him". The young male got into good range, about 25 yards or so & I.... let him go. Was it foolish, perhaps but I was there for a big Tom and on this day, that wasn't happening. I didn't spook them so I spent the next hour or so just watching them, studying them, fascinating creatures. Anyway I'll be back at it before closer for sure (sorry about the crappy photo, I had it zoomed in on my phone, the male I gave a pass to, guesstimate 10-15lbs) Edit, I forgot about those mouth calls, they are not for me. I have a serious gag reflex and where those things need to go....nope!!!!!

This is Chiquita which we inherited from Maribeth's dying sister who could no longer care for her... The family figured we should be the ones to take her as we were home all day and have lots of room for her to run to lose weight... She was madly in love with the Burmese Mountain dogs across the road and every time she wandered off, sure enough that was where we would find her... Not too sure how long we had her but at about 12 years old we had to have her put down😪 I wanted to call her "Footstool" but didn't... (Maribeth wouldn't let me LOL) She loved to go for a ride in my old truck "To the dump, to the dump, to the dump dump dump "

Cripes !...All I need to do is sit on my front deck but I believe there is some kind of bi-law against discharging firearms in the village...Oh well ☹️! I get some of these creatures also but the same bi-law applies...

Here's our 3, from left to right, Hope (8yrs) boxer, Cooper (3mths old) Mastif, Chewie (1 1/2yrs) Aus Sheppard/Mastif cross

Not a very good pic but this was my best buddy Rosco. He was a Basset and a Bloodhound mix. Never had a dog that was so relaxed (Lazy) in all my life. Take him for a walk there was no pulling or tugging at the leash. He'd just walk at whatever pace you were at. He loved going for rides in my 50 Chevy, not sure why other then he could sit in the front passenger seat and could easily see out the windows. He had to go for the big sleep last year. He was full of what the vet told us was cancer. Sure do miss him he loved everyone; unless they went to touch his old Chevy. Pretty sure he thought the car was his and me his chauffeur. Dan...

Barry's post of his dog got me thinkin that many of us have man's best friend and it would be neat to see some of your dogs. Here's a pic of "Maggie", Great Pyrenees we rescued in September after our 15 year old white Lab passed away. Maggie is very affectionate, but also quite nuts! Pic is of Maggie sitting on my son's girl friend. Yah, shes a big dog! HH

Me as well,and love the slate call. Just do not get it wet. LOL Great write up bud.

2 special friends no longer around. No more for us. Losing them is just to much. Tink Gizmo Edit to add Both were my best friends, until mom got home . Used and abused I was. LOL

The lawn mower references make me curious. Why is it that I can leave my mower literally outside beneath the snow all winter, never stabilize the fuel which is probably already old by summers end, and it still starts reliably in the spring? Granted a few extra pulls initially but then good to go for the season. Boat motors have finer jets or something? Obviously the outrageous cost of an outboard is incentive enough to have one take every precaution, just curious why they are so finicky/sensitive.

My old bear cash is 15 years old, at the begining of the pandemic my parents moved permanently to cashes obvious favourite place in the world, the lake. Me living in a condo at the time thought it would be best for him to spend some time up there while we were locked down down here…cash has never come “home” he’s my mom’s daily bush walk companion (gets her up every morning to make sure they both walk), bear deterrent (treed a bear last year) both of our neighbors also had bear break ins last summer, we haven’t seen a single sign of a bear on our property and all around class clown. cash loves the boat, and loves swimming with anyone who will go with him. More importantly though, cash loves when my niece comes up to visit him, he follows the kids around all day and will not leave Ashley’s side. been a few weeks since I’ve been up north but I can’t wait to go for a walk and a boat ride with him when I get up there!

I'm telling you... Zoe knows where to find them...and her intentions aren't completely selfless...she loves a little leftover Walleye mixed in with her kibble.. Before Zoe, I had Winston...same breed, Vizsla, but a boy. Sadly passed at 12 years old. He was the same...a real "nose" for finding fish. I call the breed a "Fins & Feathers Pointer". Both Winston and Zoe were/are unbelievable Grouse dogs too... Nothing like "Cast & Blast" with my furry best buddy..

That's hilarious, good girl Zoe. FYI....some damn fine fish there too CM.

My dog Zoe is an absolute photo bomb ham. She has a "thing" for one of my fishing buddies...and just him, no one else. Whenever he catches a fish, and he asks me to snap a photo, she has to jump in and make sure she's included in the shot. To be fair to Zoe, she does feel that she's partly responsible for the catch. When my buddy sits up on the front deck of my boat, she has to be right there watching every cast...and will even growl disapprovingly if she feels it wasn't in the right spot. In her mind, it's like she's teaching him to fish. He's fairly new to fishing, so she's sees me helping him out, and feels that she has to do the same. Mind you, she has lots of experience...she's been my fishing companion for 8 years now.

Gordie came to my attention as a 10 month old pup in need of a new home by way of OFC member and friend John's wife Barbara ( thank you Barbara 🥰 ). After our first meeting I knew he was the right dog for me and a few days later I brought him into his new forever home, which will have been two years already in mid May. He hates the van but boy he sure does love the boat.