IA Born

So you can still put him in for all hunts! Congrats! My son and I are going to start working with our bows again soon so I can get him that OTC metro pig down down south and head out after he turns 10 at Christmas this year. I don't care if we get one or not, I just want to get him the experience. Then he'll (hopefully) have the youth javelina tag for January 2018!

It just gets better! Last Thursday, the property manager contacted me via Facebook. Syd is going to have about 400 acres mostly to herself to hunt. He said the landowner is "...a gruff, grouchy old buy...but has a heart of gold. Sydney will own him within 10 minutes." Knowing her, that's probably true! He sent me the following picture of two big toms from last year that weren't harvested. The birds are, in fact, Rio/Eastern intergrades, but are heavy on Rio in looks the past few years, which makes sense from the pics I've seen. The big thing that caught our attention is the mention of lots of ticks on the property. That is probably Sydney's kryptonite. She HATES ticks and I don't blame her. Everyone is excited to have Sydney out there! Yesterday, her assigned guide called me to touch base, get to know each other a little, and answer any questions. Her guide is a woman and she's excited to take Sydney out. We'll be mostly hunting out of blinds, if not entirely. I'll get a seat in the back of the blind, which I can live with. I'm just thankful to be there for the ride! Apparently, there is another hunter who has access to this property, but Sydney has top priority for all spots. All I can do is shake my head in wonderment. Melinda told me that she'll be giving Sydney a homemade turtle shell slate call when she gets there. Syd doesn't know this and won't know it until we get there! Melinda brought up the tick issue again and will be getting her custom camo clothes that are waiting for her and will spray them down with permethrin a couple days before we get there. I'll be finding some locally this week or ordering it quickly for my clothes. We started talking about weather conditions up there and how it can all change. I have "El Dorado, KS" bookmarked on my NOAA Weather App, so I can track the weather as it gets closer to time and know how to pack. That conversation with Melinda lead to another question for the Director of the Kansas Governor's One Shot Turkey Hunt, so I fired off an email last night before bed. The response this morning had me shaking my head again. I thought the custom camo clothes would be pants, shirt, and a hat. No, she's getting a pair of boots and a jacket, too! We're still planning to take her weather appropriate boots to Kansas with us to avoid blisters from boots not broken in, but I'm amazed at what all she's getting outfitted with on this hunt. We still don't have any word on what the gun she gets is, but a friend in the know told me "You'll be jealous!" Three weeks from tomorrow, we drive down to Phoenix and catch our plane three weeks from Wednesday!

Correct. I got it backwards recently in planning for my son turning 10 in December. Youth have to be 10 on the day the hunt starts in order to apply for the hunt. I certainly don't like it, but I don't see it ever changing.

The post regarding Sydney is now up on the KS Governor's One Shot Facebook page. Flood it!! I noticed those spurs, too. Hooks! The long legs suggested Rio to me, but this area is full of both eastern and Rios and most birds, I'm told, are an intergrade between the two. Syd has already made it clear that she's not picky. As soon as I show her this bird, I know she's going to be even more excited. If she passes on this for a first bird, even I will have a talk with her about standards!

We realized that 4 weeks from yesterday, we fly to Kansas and 4 weeks from today, we'll (she'll) be out hunting turkeys! There is all kinds of excitement in the house right now. Her shotgun has been reconfigured from upland bird hunting back to turkey hunting and, knowing me, I'll start organizing gear shortly. I sent an email to the director of the Kansas Governor's One Shot Turkey Hunt asking if she knew which particular Federal turkey load Syd would be using or have access to so we could pick some up and pattern it before the hunt. Federal is a sponsor, so she has to use their ammo that is supplied. Her shotgun is patterned and sighted in with HeviShot Magnum Blend (5,6,7) and that's my preferred load, but, as was explained to me in Nashville, it looks kind of bad when we're not using the sponsor's supplied ammo. To be fair, Janet completely understood me being a Federal wildlife agent and why I use the non-lead ammo, but I can put that aside for this hunt. On that note, two other things happened during this email exchange. She told me that they will be announcing Sydney's accomplishment on their Facebook page after lunch and she asked me to share it with my friends. Her goal is to have over 700 likes for Syd's post before the hunt. For those of you on FB, please check it out and help spread the love (likes)! Here is the FB link to the KS Governor's One Shot Turkey Hunt: https://www.facebook.com/KSOneShot/?fref=ts The other thing that happened was Janet sending me a text that was forwarded to her. Its a pic of a big tom on the private property Sydney will be hunting. The texts said "This is one of the birds on the property where Syd is hunting." and "There are several like him. The landowners are so excited to have her hunting there." I can't wait to show Syd these texts and this picture when I get home from work! The bird!

My wife and I are discussing our options on this. No promises, but stay tuned.

Yep. Waterfowl/migratory bird regs are Federal. No limit for turkeys or other upland birds in Arizona.

Very nice, Phil! Congrats!!

I've known about them for quite a while, but forgot about them. They were on my list for a few years, butvi never got motivated enough to go. And, they're real Rios, too! are you trying to say the turkey's Syd will be hunting in Kansas aren't real Rio's maybe they aren't real turkey's. The turkeys Syd will be hunting are an intergrade between Rios and eastern. But then, how do you have hybrids with subspecies?

I'm definitely digging that little javelina skull in those pics! He's done an awesome job!

I've known about them for quite a while, but forgot about them. They were on my list for a few years, butvi never got motivated enough to go. And, they're real Rios, too!

Goonies? what scenes. didn't know this. No kidding!?!? One of my all-time favorite movies. What part was filmed in Arizona?

Got myself a couple of raffle tickets for the coolers and a couple for the range finder!

First time fly fishing was on a backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains near Cortez in late September. Guy at the local shop had a close-out deal on a 7'6" 2 piece Orvis combo. I didn't catch anything, but it stuck with me. First trout on a fly rod was on the San Juan in February 2006. Was going to take the family over there this spring break now that they are finally all into fly fishing, but we couldn't get it worked out. We're talking about a trip in early June. I've never had a problem with mosquitoes over there in June. I miss that place!

Sometimes you just have to jump on the good deals when they happen. I was planning to sell my mom's truck after she passed away until I got in it. Its a 2002 Dodge Dakota quad cab sport 4x4 with (then) only 98,000 miles on it and the 4.7 v8. That's when it hit me that our daughter turns 16 in three years and its a perfect first vehicle for her. My wife agreed and we drove it back from Iowa after we cleaned out mom's house. Taylor's a lucky young woman, but I think her parents are, too!

Got it and replied

Haven't seen the PM yet, but I'll mark you down!

Got it!

Ok, I didn't expect the 22 cards to go this fast! You guys are awesome! I'm having another deck sent to me. In a couple of days, I'll have another full deck of 52 cards available. 'Twas Yotebuster that put me over the edge. Thanks for that one!

I'm getting a whole other deck from our Tucson chapter. I'll set five aside for you from that! Do you have my info from last year, still? Thanks!

You got it, Steve! If you want more, I can arrange for more from another chapter.

Aso of right now, there are 4 cards left. I'm emailing back and forth with TRKHNTR, so you have to beat him to the draw!

15 of the 22 cards are SPF already! Thanks to those of you who have PMd me! 7 left to grab!

Weren't you in one of the first talking movie filmed in Arizona, too, Tim? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Sorry, friend. I'll go to time out now!

Others I can't believe you've missed so far: The Outlaw Josey Wales The Postman National Lampoon's Vacation (can't go to the Grand Canyon without thinking of that) Sasquatch Mountain Mars Attacks! Piranha 3D 3:10 to Yuma (original)