I started blogging several years ago (not going to admit how long ago it was) under the handle of "HuntsLikeAGirl". It was a fun way to share my initial hunting experiences, as they were numerous, hilarious and sometimes unbelievable, therefore I felt they needed to be shared with world. The outlet I chose was a blog named, "Scent Free Lip Gloss." After reading through the archives, some of these are worth sharing again. You're welcome. 

Today's Throwback Thursday blog post.... Hunt Farting!
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​I'm not sure I have a point to all of this other than the fact that if you ARE a hunt farter, quit the denial.  Hunt farting is farting.  We hunt.  We fart.  Hunt farting. ​

Are you not sure HOW or WHEN to get your kids involved in your hunting adventures? Here are a few of our tips and what we've done so far with our now almost 2 year old daughter. We aren't experts by any means, but thought we'd share what has worked for us!

TALK ABOUT IT!
Leading up to our trips, I made sure to talk to Lindsey about all the animals we would see and what we are going to do outside. Granted, she was only 15 months old when we took our first big hunting trip, but I think it did really help to get her excited when I told her what we were about to do. Plus I let her help me clean and pack the camper. By the time we set up our home on the mountain, she was used to the camper and excited about living in it for a couple weeks.

BRING THEM WITH YOU!
When we found out that we were pregnant almost 3 years ago, Troy and I knew that our hunting lifestyle was about to change, but we also knew that it didn't mean we would stop hunting. We spend the majority of September hunting elk in Colorado, so what was this going to look like with a baby / toddler?

It was a lot of work planning and preparing to take along a one-year old hunting, but trust me, it was worth it.  Take your kids with you, if you can! Here is what we did to make it possible...

1. "New" camper. We purchased a newer (used) camper that had a bunk room which would provide extra space for a pack-n-play and plenty of toys! 
2. Take turns hunting or just hunt less. Troy and I used to hunt together all the time. We've now learned to adjust and do more solo hunting. Honestly, this is more true during whitetail season. Elk hunting is a little more tricky to solo hunt for us. So, we learned to relax and not hunt ALL THE TIME while on the mountain. We took the time to enjoy being together as a family. This was hard for me to adjust to at first, because I'm used to going full force and taking advantage of every daylight hour while hunting. Trust me, when my mindset changed, I was able to truly enjoy sitting in camp, drinking a cup of coffee and watching my daughter pick flowers while my dog ran along beside her. 
3. Invite Grandparents. Having our parents up on the mountain allowed us to hunt together for several days and Lindsey got great quality time with her grandparents. It was a win-win! The bigger camper allowed us to have room for grandparents too!

MAKE IT FUN!
Whether you are just bringing kids to hunting camp or letting them actually go on a hunt with you, remember to keep it FUN! You want to make sure that the first impressions are good ones, so adjust your hunting expectations and focus on introducing the hunt in a positive way. That means not expecting that a 2 year old will be able to be still or quiet for long periods of time. Remember that young kiddos have short attention spans! Here are a few ideas for a first hunt...

1. Bring snacks! Lots of snacks.
2. Have them search for different bugs. 
3. Bring quiet toys or small books.
4. Play "I spy with my little eye"
5. Let them attempt to use the call, e.g., turkey slate, elk call, etc. (Remember that this is a fun hunt and if they don't call perfectly, who cares! Also... be ready because sometimes those imperfect calls actually work! LOL)
6. Talk quietly about what you are doing, explain the how and why of the hunt and why it is important to TRY and be quiet.
7. Bubbles!! Lindsey loves bubbles right now and it kept her busy at the truck while we were scouting, setting up blinds, etc.  

​These are all just suggestions. I haven't had the chance to use all of them yet, as Lindsey is only 2 and we have only taken her on a turkey "hunt" and for not that long... it was more like setting up the blind and playing at the truck while one of us hunted. We'll get there eventually, but I think the important thing is to simply let Lindsey be a part of the process early on and see how fun it is. She was definitely excited to see the turkey this spring after I shot mine and wanted to be in the picture. Small steps! 

We want to know.... What have you done to introduce your kids to your hunting lifestyle? What tips do you have to share?

~Emily

Elk hunters understand the significance of the last load out.

Muscles strained to the point of exhaustion, testify to the work leading up to the last step out of the woods. Carrying pounds of pure protein upon your back while traveling over downed timber and making elevation gains, is the result of filling a tag. Sometimes, this means several loads from the kill site. The thought of future meals, steaks on the grill, evenings with friends milling around a BBQ grill where elk burger smells fill the air, drives us to continue the journey, the motivation needed to take the next step. Back and forth we journey until the last edible piece of meat is removed. If you've never experienced the feeling of exhaustion from carrying out a years worth of meat out of the woods on your back, then you may never fully understand and appreciate where your meal comes from. It is a far cry from the normalcy of the nice, clean and easy trip to the grocery store. 

Hunting is messy, bloody and will test you to the core. It is a lifestyle in direct contrast to the current age of convenience where a burger can be located and consumed around nearly any fast food joint around the next corner in town. It is almost amazing that anyone would still willingly choose to take on the daunting task of hunting, killing and bringing meat out of the forests. Almost. I am still hopeful that future generations don't loose the understanding and love for the hunt. In this day and age I believe it is a toughness that needs to be cultivated. As I watch the cultural trends and mindset of this current generation, I am a little fearful that this way of life may be lost if we aren't intentional about passing it on. But then I look at the hunting community and am hopeful because of the many passionate individuals who understand the importance of valuing and teaching others why we hunt.

Troy and I are committed to teaching Lindsey the importance of understanding where her food comes from, respecting the animals we pursue, and appreciating the outdoor lifestyle that we live. Hopefully, she will grow up loving the outdoors. Kids naturally love the outdoors and I've already seen her light up as she discovers new things in the world around her. I don't think the lifestyle of hunting and enjoying the outdoors will be a hard sell. Thank goodness!

I was reminiscing recently about how I once carried out almost an entire an elk on my back (3 trips to take out the front shoulders and a hind quarter.) As I was making my way back to meet the guys on the mountain slope for the last load, I stumbled upon a doe bedded in the aspen. The beauty of the scene stopped me in my tracks. The straps from a bloody, empty packframe, strapped to my back, slowly swayed in the mountain breeze. The contrast of life and death swirled around me. There is a thankfulness for a pile of meat which will feed a family for a year, yet a reality of the cost it took to obtain it that washes over the hunter. She sat there unaware of my presence for several minutes. We shared the peacefulness of those few moments, while I let thankfulness for the opportunity to be there and simply let the beauty of it all fill me up. My muscles began to remind me that if I stopped too long, I may not want to or even be able to get that last load out. I had to keep moving. When I reached the guys for the last load, I was met with puzzled looks and the question of, "What took so long this time?" Joke was on me... they were slowly gutting and cutting up the meat, in the hopes that if they took long enough, I would end up carrying the entire elk off the mountain. I didn't tell them right away that I took a break on the way down the mountain that last time (thank you, doe, for the distraction!). We had a good laugh around the campfire that night. 

All this to say.... as hunters, we work hard to get every last bit of meat off the mountain, and when the last load is finally strapped to your back and hauled out, there is a sense of satisfaction that is hard to explain. I remember each elk shot on the mountain, each time we hauled out all the meat and each time we finally reached the truck with all the meat. 

I wonder if that is truly why elk tastes so good. It is a labor of love.

Some times the unexpected happens. Actually when hunting, you can almost guarantee that things won't go as planned!

When I filled my first tag on Wednesday morning, I had no expectations of filling a second tag. I knew I would only hunt one or maybe two more times before our week of hunting Kansas was over. I'd let Troy hunt the remainder of the time so he could fill a tag. I was happy to just get one and was planning on playing at the pool, sleeping in and exploring the town parks with our almost 2 year old daughter. So when the weather didn't look optimal on Thursday evening, I volunteered to take that hunting slot and let Troy have the following morning hunt.

The wind was HOWLING and at times my blind threatened to lift off the ground and take to the sky. Luckily the huge trees along the creek acted as a wind break and took the brunt of the forceful wind gusts. Not sure if the turkeys would even hear any calls, I thought, "well at least I can practice my calling." I made several LOUD calls on my box call, hoping that if anything was close it would catch their attention. After about an hour of the wind fest, things calmed down and I began to wonder if I actually had a chance of catching a turkey heading to their roost. I reached for my Colorado custom glass call and began to make some sweet hen calls. 

After a short time, I wondered if anything was down below across the creek, curiosity got the best of me as I peeked through the small slit in the back of my blind. Another round of hen calls were made and the feeling you get when someone is staring at you washed over me. I turned my head and caught two red heads just beyond a small pine tree. I ALMOST got busted but froze and hoped for the best. Legs in the squatting position began to burn as I did my best to  S L O W L Y turn my body around and sit down in my blind. Now out of sight of the eyeballs piercing through the grass, I reached for my gun and sat motionless, hoping the toms would make their way up the hill to my decoys. Finally, I could see them making their way across the top of the hill, but not trusting my naked eye, I made a clumsy effort to look through binoculars to check for beards through the grass. Yep! The one leading the group was a tom! They were now about 50 yards out and making a bee line towards the roost tree, skirting my decoys and in a matter of seconds would be out of range. As the lead tom crested the top of the hill, it was now or never! I took aim and thought, "it's going to be either miss or kill on this one!" BOOM! I dumped him and sat in shock at what just happened.

After gathering my wits and realizing I just filled both of my tags, I smiled and sent my husband a quick text that simply said, "I'm done." I hunted a grand total of two times that week... a morning hunt and an evening hunt and ended up with a turkey on each hunt. I'm still kind of shocked about it because that NEVER happens for me. We laughed later because Troy was right in the middle of changing an extremely dirty diaper when I texted him that night. He kinda got the short end of the stick. That wasn't the plan.

The soft red beam from a headlamp clicks off, replaced now only by faint moonlight, I slow my steps until my eyes adjust to the darkness. Quiet blankets the earth in the pre-dawn hours. The sound of footsteps cutting through the prairie grass are carried off behind me as a gentle breeze kisses my face. A modest cut in the prairie snakes its way down toward the lower ditch lined with tall cottonwoods, paralleling a stream, marking my destination. 

Nestled against a small pine, a dark form is now barely visible in the blackness. Climbing into my blind, the silence is disturbed only by a slow and steady unzipping of the windows, cutting the darkness, revealing only a glimmer of moonlight into the pitch black hideout. I have enough light to pull decoys out and get everything situated, as I prop my 20 gauge beretta against the wall of the blind, a quick check with the red headlight beam is done which reveals no spiders, snakes or other intruders in my home for the morning. A girl hunting solo is now confident, comfortable and ready for the world to wake up around her.

Midway into the hour before sun-up, an owl swoops down landing on a branch visible from my blind window and makes his presence known. The sound that answers his soft "Hoo..h'HOO-hoo-hoo" would make even a non-turkey hunter's heart explode with excitement and wonder. The tree towering above the blind, not even 50 yards away, erupts with gobbles. I can now hardly contain my excitement, waiting on shooting light, listening to turkeys gobble from the limb right above me. I sit listening to the gobbles, just taking it all in.  Another owl in the not so far distance joins in the fun, prompting even more gobbles from the towering trees above me. 

Holding my new Colorado custom glass call, I recall a conversation prior to our hunting trip. It was mentioned that I would have a tough time hunting by myself this trip since I wasn't as good a caller as others. Words that were absorbed, not denied but not taken to heart either. I was just happy to have the opportunity to hunt, regardless if it I had to do it solo. Honestly, I was up for the challenge! Listening closely to what was happening in the trees above me, I wait for the first hen to wake up. At the sound of the first cluck, I try my best to match her call. A few more strikes on the call and the Toms know there is a "hen" up by me. The waiting game begins.

There is no mistaking the sound of turkeys flying down from their roosts. The first one pitches down into the field on the other side of the creek bed, as branches unburden their load, and flapping of wings reveal the next round of the game is about to begin. One, two, three, four, and I begin loosing count as the sequence continues. Then silence. 

It doesn't take long to spot them. Peeking through the slit in the back window of my blind, I can now see several toms fanned up, showing off for the ladies. Letting out a few calls, I try my best to convince them to cross back over the creek and compete for the hen decoy in front of my strutting jake. No luck. 

Apparently my calling wasn't too bad though because shortly after the toms made their way up the creek bed, I heard another gobble coming my way. Another quick check through the back window and three turkeys were coming in FAST! I had enough time to pull up my binoculars, determine they were jakes and make the decision that I would still fill a tag if presented with a shot. With my gun at the ready, I made one last call and sat down with my back to the creek, watching my decoys on the hill, straining to listen for their next move. A distinct flap of turkey wings told me they made the commitment, crossing the creek behind me. It was only a matter of seconds before they were at the decoys. Game over. They may have hung around and tried to beat up on my decoy, which would be fun to watch, but I didn't waste any time finding out. My first turkey was down and I'm a little proud that I made it happen hunting solo, calling them in and putting my tag on a bird!

We joked about my turkey calling afterwards and I received a couple apologies. In all fairness, I surprised myself a little and will admit that I didn't practice calling like I should have and don't know how to use a mouth reed for turkey calling. That's okay... gives me something to strive for next time! 

-Emily

I ended up with a second turkey this trip also! Two solo hunts.. one morning and one evening set and two tags punched (more on the second hunt later). WOW! That never happens for me.  Don't mess around with this momma! 

Have you introduced your kids to hunting?  

Are you not sure how or when to get your kids involved in hunting? We weren't sure either at first, but knew that we wanted to introduce our daughter, Lindsey Jo, at an early age and take her with us as soon as possible. Here are a few tips and what we've done so far with our now almost 2 year old baby girl. We aren't experts by any means, but thought it would be fun to share what has worked for us. It isn't always easy, but the extra effort is worth it!

TALK ABOUT IT!
Leading up to our hunting trips, I made sure to talk to Lindsey about all the animals we would see and what we are going to do outside. Granted, she was only 15 months old when we took our first big hunting trip, but I think it did really help to get her excited when I told her what we were about to do. Plus I let her help me clean and pack the camper. By the time we set up our home on the mountain, she was used to the camper and excited about living in it for a couple weeks.

BRING THEM WITH YOU!
When we found out that we were pregnant almost 3 years ago, Troy and I knew that our hunting lifestyle was about to change, but we also knew that it didn't mean we would stop hunting. We spend the majority of September hunting elk in Colorado, so what was this going to look like now with a baby / toddler?

It was a lot of working planning and preparing to take along a one-year old on a hunting trip, but trust me, I'm glad we did it.  Take your kids with you if you can! Here is what we did to make it possible...

1. "New" camper. We purchased a newer (used) camper that had a bunk room which would provide extra space for a pack-n-play and plenty of toys! We've since learned that we probably could have gotten by with a little smaller camper and are considering down-grading from the fifth-wheel we purchased last year. I may do a whole post on this, because we learned a lot over this last year regarding campers. More on that later!
2. Take turns hunting or just hunt less. Troy and I used to hunt together all the time. We've now learned to do more solo hunting so that we can take turns watching Lindsey while the other person hunts. Honestly, this is more true during whitetail season. Elk hunting is a little more tricky to solo hunt for us. So, we learned to relax and not hunt ALL THE TIME while on the mountain. We took the time to enjoy being together as a family. This was a little hard for me to adjust to at first, because I'm used to going full force and taking advantage of every daylight hour while hunting. Trust me, when my mindset changed, I was able to truly enjoy sitting in camp, drinking a cup of coffee and watching my daughter pick flowers while my dog ran along beside her. There will be a time when she will want to come with us on an actual hunt, but for now, we will cherish these moments while she is little. 
3. Invite Grandparents. Having our parents up on the mountain allowed us to hunt together for several days and Lindsey got great quality time with her grandparents. It was a win-win! The bigger camper also allowed us to have room for grandparents.

MAKE IT FUN!
Whether you are just bringing kids to hunting camp or letting them actually go on a hunt with you, remember to keep it FUN! Young kiddos have short attention spans, so be prepared with fun activities to keep them occupied. This may be simple things such as "washing" rocks, making daisy chains, catching grasshoppers, drawing in the dirt with a stick, etc., or just sit back, watch them explore the outdoors (within your vantage point) and let their imaginations soar! Lindsey and I took many walks around camp just exploring, which was one of my favorite memories from last September.

If you are actually taking a young kiddo on a hunt, remember to adjust your expectations of the hunt to match your child's age. Asking a 2 year old to remain quiet for an hour, much less 5 minutes may be asking too much. WAY. TOO. MUCH. We are hoping to take Lindsey turkey hunting this Spring... we may not even see a turkey, much less shoot one, but we know that. It is all about the experience. 
​

LET THEM SEE IT!
I wasn't sure how Lindsey would react when the first deer was brought back to camp last fall, but I wasn't going to shield it from her. I want her to understand the whole process, within reason of course. So when everyone was gathered around the truck admiring a buck that someone in our group shot, you can guarantee that Lindsey was there also. 

​She then became very curious about the deer hanging in the shed. I watched closely to see how she would react, since she didn't shy away from it, I allowed her to watch the skinning process. As appropriate, Troy and I will continue to explain the process so she understands where her meat comes from. At this young age, I don't think she needs to see the entire process from killing, gutting, skinning and preparing the meat. However, we will slowly introduce this to her, involving her in the process as she gets older and expresses interest. I am hopeful that she too will love and appreciate all that is involved with hunting. 


What about YOU? We want to know when and how you introduced your kids to hunting. Do you have any tips or advice to share? What has or hasn't worked for you?

-Emily A

Kids and the outdoors go together like peanut butter and jelly, cotton candy and county fairs, horses and rodeos, the list goes on. As you think of memories from your childhood, does a common theme emerge? The ones easily recalled for me center around one thing... being outside. 

The wild grape vines growing along the side of mom's garden made for a grand entrance to a young child's hideaway. Our imaginations soared as we stepped into the wilds of our backyard, carefree and full of energy, hours were spent dreaming up and embarking on the next adventure. With instruction to be home before dinner, we were off to explore the corn field just north of the house, playing, dreaming and simply being in the "wild" outdoors.

I can still smell the Mississippi riverbank as I let the water and mud squish beneath my toes. A school of tadpoles swim by quickly, as I call for my mom to bring a bucket down to the riverbank. We would spend hours catching tadpoles, skipping rocks and walking along the river's edge. A young girl's heart learns to love the outdoors a little more as tadpoles swim around in a handful of water. Balancing on a downed tree limb, I cross over and something on the island catches my attention. I'm off to explore. A quick swim across the swift flowing channel, and adventure awaits on the other side.

Swimming lessons were a high priority for my mom since the river ran right through our back yard. With a daughter of my own, I understand why we were required to be excellent swimmers. Looking back at my childhood through the eyes of motherhood, I now appreciate even more all my mom did for me growing up. It was a loving mixture of setting us free, making sure that we were equipped to stay alive, and setting boundaries. I want the best for my daughter. I too want her to experience the wonder of the outdoors and all the beauty of God's creation. 

Yesterday, as my daughter reached down to pick up an antler in the woods, she told me that she is learning to love the outdoors. Her nearly two-year old vocabulary of "Daddy," "stuck," "no," "aw (straw)," "baby" and "a-o (Bravo)," didn't provide her with the words she needed in order to tell me. But words aren't always necessary. She simply told me with the twinkle in her eyes. I knew that I was sharing in a memory with my own daughter, that would be a stepping stone to her love for the outdoors. It is something that electronics, video games or the hum of a tv can never replace. I saw it on her face, in the irremovable smile spread across her tiny cheeks and in her outstretched arms that asked me to carry her across the muddy creek, while clinging to her antler shed.  As my muck boots squished down into the muddy water, the smell brought a memory flooding back. I was somehow brought back to a Mississippi riverbank with my own mom, time frozen in the mud, captured then released with a splash, leaving only the memory.

I think my mom was smiling down on us as we walked along a small muddy Kansas creek bed, cheering us on as we instill the love of the outdoors in our daughter. 

What are some of your favorite memories spent in the outdoors? How do you encourage your kids to love the outdoors? Be intentional. Get outside!

Did you know that if you are unsuccessful in filling your archery either sex deer tag in Kansas there is a week in January where you can fill it with a firearm? It's true! The catch - it becomes an antlerless only tag. I'm okay with that because as the saying goes... you can't eat the antlers!

In addition to being able to fill your doe and buck tag that week (antler less only!), you can purchase additional doe tags. Troy had the extra tags in his pocket. I only had my buck and doe tag to fill.

We took advantage of knowing where the deer were bedded on a property that we barely hunted that season and as they made their way out to the corn field, we made quick work of filling tags. In a matter of minutes, we had FIVE deer on the ground. It was actually a little comical, as Troy was on one side of a hay bale and I was leaned against the other. I heard the first shot go off as Troy took down the lead doe. When they all turned around to head towards my side of the hay bale, I heard Troy whisper loudly, "Shoot" as he took down another one. I was trying to find the biggest doe and make sure I didn't shoot a buck. It was a little chaotic and I was surprised how they didn't take off running after the first shot. There were probably 30+ deer! 

Thank goodness for friends to help us carry out, gut and skin all these deer. My daughter's sled also came in handy that day. Days like this we remember for years to come.

How many tags have you filled in ONE day?

Here we go! I'm toeing what feels like the starting line of this blog again, and getting ready to document all our "From the Draw" moments!

It's hard to believe that it has been over TWO years since I've really shared any of my hunting stories. A lot has happened and I'm finally getting the itch to write again. It feels good. 

To catch you up, here's a quick whirlwind of my last two years...

I ran Pikes Peak marathon while I was pregnant. I didn't know I was pregnant. After 17 years of wearing the title of infertile, I had no idea I was carrying my sweet little Lindsey Jo when I took on this challenging race. Everything turned out fine and I didn't actually find out I was pregnant until after helping to carry two elk off the mountain durning elk season. (More here - Eclipsed Hallelujahs ).

After Lindsey was born, I took on being a full-time mom while working from home full-time. It was amazing and challenging at the same time. After a little over a year, Troy and I decided it was time for me to quit my social media job at the Outdoor Sportsman Group (Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, etc.) and dedicate my time to the more fulfilling job of being a mom. Best decision I've made! This last year, I've had time to invest in my little gal and watch her learn to love the world around her. With Troy's job on the Colorado Springs Fire Dept, his hours allow us to take little trips and adventures during the week. It also allows us to spend more time hunting and exploring outside. 

That brings us to now... we are starting to bring Lindsey with us more and more as we continue our hunting adventures. She spent several weeks with us up on the mountain during elk season last year. This year we will be there a FULL month. We look forward to sharing our stories with you again. This time, as a party of 3!

Jeff and his boys will be tagging along also and sharing their hunting stories. We are planning on bringing you once again all our stories, advice on how to hunt with kids, keep them active in the outdoors, etc. So if that interests you, please follow along!

​-Emily

P.s., I've signed up for a couple races this year to help stay in shape for elk season (Hey, I'm getting old and need some motivation to keep me going.) I'll be writing a bit on that also.

 Fall of 2016 was fast approaching as the leaves were changing here in Colorado. I was dreaming of a fall turkey hunt with all three of my young sons, Trent and Tristen (my five year old twins), and my youngest son Riley (now 4 year old). When the twins turned four I took each of them on their first turkey hunt. For Tristan, it was fall 2015 in Colorado, where the two of us put a great deal of time looking for a flock that I know winter in a valley. It took two weekends and we put down a respectable jenny, making Tristan's first time turkey hunt a success. A month later found Trent and dad in Kansas fall turkey hunting. With great success, my tag was filled the first evening with a Jake. 

On Oct 21, 2016, it was time for Riley's first fall turkey hunt, now that he was four years old. This time all the Petersen tribe headed East to Kansas on my wife's family farm. Our minivan was loaded with bow, shotgun, decoys, ground blind, enough camo to look like were were a rep for a camo dealer, and a back pack with things each boy packed for themselves. It was a nice quiet drive dreaming of all three boys seeing dad kill a turkey and showing them skills I have acquired over the years. Little did I know what was to follow that evening... 

We arrived around 4:00 pm at the farm and quickly unpacked the van, said hello to my wife's uncle, then got all the camo ready for the boys to quickly put on so we could pull off an evening hunt. Getting three young boys ready who are full of excitement is quite a challenge all by itself. After breaking up fights, several times telling them to hurry, and figuring out whose boots were whose, we were driving North to Steve and Cindy's farm where I have killed several nice turkeys over the years. 

The boys and I headed to the north pasture, where I knew there is a roost tree for the Rio Grande we were hunting that evening. This pasture has trees to the south, west to the north, with a creek to the west, forming a horse shoe of trees and a cow pasture in the middle. It's perfect to see turkey coming from the corn field to the East for a night of resting in a familiar tree, except this time the Petersen tribe would be waiting in a ground blind for them to arrive.

Trying to keep all three boys quiet was no small feat. Fruit snack packaging rumbled as the boys tried to open them, then a conversation would spark up and I would have to remind them to be quiet. As the sun began falling quickly to the West, I knew we should be seeing turkey soon coming to roost. Anticipation ate at me, as I scan the field looking for any movement. It was now 5:50 -- much to my surprise NOTHING!!! What? Then I begin to second guess myself. Did they hear the wrappers? The boys talking? Or dad saying "SHHHHH!" loudly for the 300th time spook them off? Just as I was thinking this to myself I heard a loud and very distinctive sound behind the blind. Every turkey hunter knows the sound of a bird flying off the limb in the early morning that compares to it. Well another sound of a bird flying in the tree.. are you kidding me!! The turkey have back doored the tribe. I tell the boys to sit still and be quiet as the turkey are behind us and are flying in the roost tree. I sneak out of the ground blind and start looking up in the cotton woods for those sneaky turkeys. I know they are very close and take my time hoping I can see a couple on the ground. I tell myself, take your time they are in here. Then BUSTED! I spooked two toms off the limb, and watch them fly south down the creek into another tree. 

All hell breaks loose as the two gobblers take flight, the sounds of turkey cables and clucks in front of me across the creek. A group of gobblers take off running up the creek bank, I raise up my 12 gauge shotgun and single out a red head about 30 yards away. 5:57 BANG echoes on the farm as the gobbler drops and starts the death flop down the creek bank. I watch eleven more gobblers run, now sky lighted on the horizon, as I debate filling my second tag. I choose not to take the second shot because my first turkey is looking like Michael Phelps in the creek below. 

Soon the water head turkey expires. Great! He's right in the middle of a 20 foot across creek, possibly deep creek! I run up to the blind to grab the boys. The boys are now out of the blind and meet me. "Dad, did you get one?" I chuckle and tell them, "YES I did, let's go see him boys." We walk to the creek edge and I tell the boys, "you see that black spot in the middle of the creek?" That is our turkey, boys!" They turn and look at me with a look on each of their faces that I will always remember. I know the question that is coming next. Soon Trent asks, "well, daddy,  how are we going to get our turkey?" As I look around for a long tree branch, the retrieval plan is hatched. "Well boys, let's get a long branch and we will pull him out of the creek." The boys help me carry the long branch to the creek's edge. We look down the creek bank and it's 8-to-9 feet straight down. The 9 foot branch is no good at this point. I know what I must do, but dread the thought of it. I take a deep breath and start stripping clothes off.
​

​The next morning, we all got up before dawn to try and fill my second Kansas tag. We saw turkey fly south so we headed west out of the south pasture to see if we could get a good spot and maybe get a shot off. As we were walking, we heard a gobble to our left. We are now walking right in the middle of this pasture where there is nothing to hide behind. We all stop in our tracks. Trent loudly whispers, "Dad, did you hear that?" I reply, "I sure did! Quick get to those trees" as I point to the tree line. We duck for cover and sit at the first trees we come to. As the woods start waking up for the day, we hear hens soft cluck behind us.

"Daddy, do you hear that?" asks Trent.

"Yes, I do bud, that is why daddy tells you to keep quiet and listen."

Then a gobbler clucks in front of us down the tree line. We are in the right spot to fill our 2nd tag! We sit and listen to the turkey wake up and talk to each other for a minute, before I put in my mouth call and start gobble yelping and clucking. With each cluck I make, I get a response. I lift my gun into position, do a fly down cackle and wait. I tell the boys to watch out in front of us. Soon after that, two toms come soaring down and land 45 yards away from us.

A small voice asks, "Did you see that?"

I whisper "Yes - okay boys watch that turkey!"

At 6:41 am a BANG fills the morning air and the tom starts the death flop. I announce, "Okay boys let's go see our second turkey" and the boys run to the flopping tom with me in tow, while the tree to the left EXPLODES with turkey. As each one flies from the limb, I can see their silhouettes again in the morning light and start counting 1, 2, 3, 4... 12 gobblers total make an escape to safety.

In the end, we filled two fall turkey tags in under 12 hours it was a pleasure to share these experiences with my young sons. Some very important lessons were learned this fall that I am sure they will never forget. 

As for me, I might have to add chest waders to my turkey vest, or a fishing pole! Skinny Dipper is now mounted right above the front door of our house. I am sure for years to come it will  bring  many more laughs and always be a lesson for my sons as they continue to grow a passion for hunting. 

-Jeff Peterson