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I got back a little after midnight Sunday morning from Texas chasing turkeys. Last week’s journey started a little over a year ago. I was chatting with a guy that served with dad in Vietnam about his Texas ranch and I asked about Rio Grande turkeys. He has plenty of them and invited me over to hunt. He barely knew dad in Vietnam, but that was because of the circumstances of combat and being in different platoons in a company of 150ish men. I honestly don’t recall dad ever talking about Chuck, but that doesn’t mean anything. I was Opie’s son, and I was family. This is exactly why I love my Charlie Company (C/1/503/173d ABN SEP) family. The drive there took us through Ft. Sumner, NM, so of course we took the side trip to see Billy the Kid's grave. My lovely wife let me start making plans for turkey hunting in Texas this spring and a friend went with me. This trip was even more special because I planned it to be down turkey hunting during the anniversaries that haunt me the most. I’d be turkey hunting on the anniversary of the day that I last spoke to my dad and it was a conversation that didn’t end well. I’d be driving home on the 18th anniversary of the day dad died. Turkey hunting was one of the two things that always brought me and dad together during our frequent rough patches growing up. It’s a big part of why I love turkey hunting so much. I also found out that another one of dad’s Charlie Company buddies and his wife were driving up to see us Friday since they were only two hours away. I’ve been close to John and Evelyn since I first met them in 1995 and I’d be lost without them in my life. Chuck told me stories I’d never heard, and I got to sit and listen to John and Chuck talk about my dad in a way I don’t think I’d ever heard anyone talk before. John kept me close and reminded me who I am and where I came from. My family grew bigger, and I knew dad was smiling down, as was my mom. She’d have loved Chuck and Cheryl and I know she loved John and Evelyn. My buddy and I covered ground and talked turkey all day Thursday, but we came up empty. We did see three live armadillos, though. That was a first for me. Friday morning was different. We finally got into gobblers and worked them for over an hour before finally getting them to commit. At 1045, I finally connected with my first Texas Rio Grande gobbler (after 3 trips to TX) and my first turkey in way too long! It was a surreal feeling and I’m not sure how I held in the tears. I absolutely felt my dad’s presence. I felt completely surrounded by family in that moment. I loved walking back heavy. I loved calling to that other bird for my buddy on the walk back. I wish it would have worked out, but we had to hustle back to meet everyone for lunch. My tom weighed 17 lbs, had 1-inch spurs, and had a 10.5-inch beard. He was a perfect, mature boss tom. One of my favorite parts was that I primarily used a bocote wood pot call that my son, Jacob, made for me, too! My buddy got his tom Friday afternoon, as I was hanging out with my family. Getting my Rio Grande gobbler was having my cake and getting to eat it, too. Being with Chuck, Cheryl, John, and Evelyn was getting to have ice cream with my cake. I found a long-missing piece of my heart and I was able to heal a broken piece of my heart for the first time in 18 years. This journey started as a turkey hunt in Texas, but it ended being so much more than a turkey hunt. It also started what is going to be an epic April turkey season for me this year. I wish I knew why these pics came in sideways. Uggh.

wooden stock guns have so much more soul than the plastic ones. Glad to see so many people wanting to keep the survivors alive

Stanley about to send this to the dungeon.

Spamming food in every thread now. 1 cup rice 250g chicken 4tbs mandarin sauce 1 bell pepper half a pineapple siracha 70p 125c 3f

I can relate. Happens to me but usually before the shot.

Sold

https://azgfd-portal-wordpress-pantheon.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/archive/AZ-Hunt-Recommendations-Fall-2022-and-Spring-2023.pdf Pardon my ignorance, what is the Threshold? if is what i think if you harvest 40 deer in august in unit 23 will be closed in decmeber and january?

Selling my Winchester model 77. Very good condition, has a couple very small imperfections on the stock. The gun is in it’s original configuration. Shoots well with open sights and ran several different kinds of ammo with no problems. Comes with a extra 10 round magazine. $325 face to face in Tucson or surrounding area. feel free to call or txt 520-780-4318 Thanks for looking.

2021 Polaris Ranger XP1000 Northstar Ultimate cab, heat/ac, electric windows, stereo with Bluetooth audio, ride command with navigation, front and rear cameras, winch, brand new BFG KM3 tires, 900 miles excellent condition. $35,000. Rugged outdoor topper additional $2000. Call Mike 480-495-1094

Some roads on the Coconino NF are opening today 4/8/2022. Read the notice in link. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1010976

Good looking meal right there. This week for dinners I did some teriyaki chicken and made fried rice using cauliflower rice.

Found some whole turkeys on closeout @ winco. .89 cents a pound. Cheap lunch's. Not sure why we only eat them once or twice a year.

That actually looks amazing.

Nightforce says C505 is illuminated. I'm confused, and don't trust optics planet. I'll wait to hear from owner.

You are correct. I had sent him a pm and texted the wrong number. I messed his up by 1 digit. That was about 10 minutes after he posted it. But again after texting right number have not heard back and that was last night. He may have already sold it and i missed out. No worries if he did, i had to work last night and couldn't meet until today or tomorrow anyways.

Sure was weird considering I texted my question about about the model number less than an hour after he posted it for sale... The seller hadn't responded before people started trying to jump to the head of the line... It doesn't really matter because I've already got the best Caldwell sled model made... Was just trying to find out which model he had for a friend.....

Terrific story and pix. Thanks for sharing. Eddie

Great story. Those Rio's are fun. My relationship with my father was in many ways like yours. He has been gone 35+ years.

I know you said you were looking for a 20 gauge but I have a really nice Benelli Montefeltro 12 gauge I might trade.

My card did not get hit but I got a call from Epic Outdoors yesterday telling me I won there 2022 Acoma Indian reservation elk hunt in the prime of the rut .Awesome I get to hunt rutting bulls in New Mexico September 26-30

They sent an email out about a month ago stating they would be closed on the weekends now to spend more time with family.

How will they know the number without mandatory reporting??? (I haven't seen a new requirement for it to be mandatory, -am I missing something?)

You’re missing the point about not crapping in ads. Enjoy the rtic. They are great coolers for the $

Two of my boys and one niece drew the general hunt in unit 32 during the first week of November. It was super warm and the bucks were doing there best to stay out of sight. We worked really hard, hiked near and far and the kids kept grinding. These kids work really hard to be proficient with the rifles they are using and we were blessed to fill all three tags, including a first buck for Carson. Below are some pictures from the hunt and a link to a video I put together on youtube. https://youtu.be/PAwnyyqWHc0

Took the kids down the big ditch, funny coincidence Flatlander posts up he just got done rim to rim the same day we went to do ours. This is my 5th trip to the bottom and out and 3 times rim to rim with one rim to rim to rim. Never gets old or easier. Amazing place Rafted from Lee’s to mead years back. Already planning trip 6.