NWTF JAKES Kansas Hunt Winner

[hoghntr]

Awesome stuff Brian.

[IA Born]

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!

[Little Creek Calls]

Looks like some nice spurs on that bird. Lighter tips on the tail, my guess would be a Rio.

[TRKHNTR]

thats not good enough for Syd I only see one beard and two spurs hold out for a multi-bearded and multi-spurred bird, to top it of it looks like a hybrid to me. 27 DAYS AND COUNTING.

[AzDiamondHeat]

This whole thing is very cool. Congrats on being a great family.

[IA Born]

The post regarding Sydney is now up on the KS Governor's One Shot Facebook page. Flood it!!

 

Looks like some nice spurs on that bird. Lighter tips on the tail, my guess would be a Rio.

 

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.

 

 

thats not good enough for Syd I only see one beard and two spurs hold out for a multi-bearded and multi-spurred bird, to top it of it looks like a hybrid to me. 27 DAYS AND COUNTING.

 

 

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!

[IA Born]

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!

[Little Creek Calls]

Last year when we went to Kansas we were also told to treat our clothes with permethrin. Gators around our boots and pants were also recommended to keep them from crawling up your boots and onto your legs. In the three days we hunted my dad and I never found a tick on us. My guide didn’t use gators and was finding ticks on his legs every day we hunted. Also the turkey will have lots of ticks on them so no over the shoulder photos, Also let the guide carry the birds back in there vest so you don’t get ticks from the birds in your vest. One more thing, when climbing into a blind in the afternoon let the guide get in first, about half of the blinds we got into in the afternoon had wasp or hornets that had taken up residence in them and my guide was stung several times in different blinds before I got in. After the first person is in they usually leave quick and had no more issues after the initial sting. We never had problems in the morning with blinds. It is defiantly a different style hunt than public land here in AZ but still a great and fun hunt.

[TRKHNTR]

Hickory Chicken season should be in full swing while your out there especially if it rains not quite as big as a turkey but taste much better. What is it now 23 days?

[IA Born]

Last year when we went to Kansas we were also told to treat our clothes with permethrin. Gators around our boots and pants were also recommended to keep them from crawling up your boots and onto your legs. In the three days we hunted my dad and I never found a tick on us. My guide didn’t use gators and was finding ticks on his legs every day we hunted. Also the turkey will have lots of ticks on them so no over the shoulder photos, Also let the guide carry the birds back in there vest so you don’t get ticks from the birds in your vest. One more thing, when climbing into a blind in the afternoon let the guide get in first, about half of the blinds we got into in the afternoon had wasp or hornets that had taken up residence in them and my guide was stung several times in different blinds before I got in. After the first person is in they usually leave quick and had no more issues after the initial sting. We never had problems in the morning with blinds. It is defiantly a different style hunt than public land here in AZ but still a great and fun hunt.

 

Thanks for the tip on the gaiters! I'm definitely going to look into those! And I've definitely hunted enough blinds in south Texas to know to look first, but I've had a couple where the last 2-3 just wouldn't leave.

 

 

Hickory Chicken season should be in full swing while your out there especially if it rains not quite as big as a turkey but taste much better. What is it now 23 days?

 

I had to look up what a hickory chicken was. Growing up, we just called them morels. They are the only mushroom I'll eat, but I doubt I'll be searching too much for them with everything else going on those few days we're there. 3 weeks from tomorrow, we drive down to Phoenix to spend the night before our 0520 flight!

[cramerhunts]

Such an incredible opportunity and what a great hunt to look forward to. I can't wait to see the pictures!

[hoghntr]

Liked and shared on F.B.

[IA Born]

We are packed, checked in to our flight, and ready to head to our hotel near the airport after school/work.

 

I've been getting regular texts/FB messages from both the property manager and Syd's guide for the last week and a half. Yesterday morning, there were 17 mature toms and 17 jakes in one field in front of a blind she'll be in and 7 jakes in another field up close and personal with another blind she'll be using.

 

The forecast is for 40% chance of thunderstorms Thursday and 50% Friday, but the mornings are currently looking favorable. We joked at dinner last night that Syd might get to experience a real Midwestern tornado! I told her we wouldn't sit and watch like we used to do when I was a kid. We'd be smarter this time around!

 

Excited doesn't even describe our emotions right now!

[cramerhunts]

We are packed, checked in to our flight, and ready to head to our hotel near the airport after school/work.

 

I've been getting regular texts/FB messages from both the property manager and Syd's guide for the last week and a half. Yesterday morning, there were 17 mature toms and 17 jakes in one field in front of a blind she'll be in and 7 jakes in another field up close and personal with another blind she'll be using.

 

The forecast is for 40% chance of thunderstorms Thursday and 50% Friday, but the mornings are currently looking favorable. We joked at dinner last night that Syd might get to experience a real Midwestern tornado! I told her we wouldn't sit and watch like we used to do when I was a kid. We'd be smarter this time around!

 

Excited doesn't even describe our emotions right now!

I'm super excited for you both. Travel safe, enjoy every minute, and Syd shoot straight. Opportunity and experience of a lifetime right here. Go get em you guys. Praying for good weather.

[IA Born]

Thanks, Phil!

 

I'm sitting on a conference call right now and have been getting more texts from Syd's guide. I have to scramble to repack things when I get home. The clothing package includes shirt, pants, gloves, and boots (known), but it also includes a "fancy turkey vest" and the boots are knee-high rubber boots. I've got to take her vest out of the suitcase, now! We may take her current boots out since I'm not as worried about blisters with rubber boots. She can throw in some liner socks to wear under her Smartwools.

Also, what Sydney doesn't know, is that her guide has made her a custom slate call made from a turtle shell and a pair of earrings from turkey feathers. She also wants to make Syd a pair of feather earrings out of her own bird! I can say this here, because Syd won't read it until after the hunt! I'm just amazed at, and thank God every day for, the treatment she's getting!