As season begins, It’s time to talk turkey
Phil Taunton
Friday, April 3, 2009
A special Pass it On youth turkey season opens this weekend and the regular 2009 spring turkey season opens Wednesday.
An estimated 135 out of a pre-registered 161 veteran and novice turkey hunters alike, including grandparents, parents and children (some barely waist-high) braved last Saturday’s foreboding weather forecast to attend the 8th Annual Spring Turkey Hunting Clinic held at Camp Alexander just northeast of Emporia. This event was hosted by the Flint Hills Gobblers of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
An Outdoor Adventures tip of the hat to the many sponsors, instructors and volunteers who made possible this outstanding warm-up to the youth spring turkey season that opens this weekend. Special thanks to Bruce Burenheide, Bluestem Farm and Ranch Supply; the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation’s Green Team and to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Hunter Education Program for continuing to make this such a successful, educational and enjoyable activity year after year.
This year’s turkey hunting clinic consisted of a series of interesting and informative presentations. Because of the rain, wind, ice and snow, the more enjoyable “hands-on” activities, using all the great outdoor resources Camp Alexander has to offer, had to be moved inside. Topics covered throughout the day were enjoyed by everyone. Their attentiveness and enthusiasm weren’t dampened the least little bit due to Mother Nature wanting to kick up her heels.
Martin Eichelberger, a H.S. Strutt Pro Staff presenter, was on hand to give tips and demonstrations on turkey and locator calling. Goodness gracious can this man talk turkey! Adam Rottler and Kyle Neilson provided an interesting presentation concerning methods for scouting and hunting this magnificent bird. Mark Osmundson of Madison and Dale Berry of Burlington teamed up to do a wild turkey hunting safety clinic in its own right, and worked with Bluestem to provide a display of the latest turkey hunting equipment for all to see, admire, envy, ask questions about and to become familiar with.
Other topics of discussion and demonstration were wild turkey biology and management presented by Daniel Haines, a wildlife biologist associated with the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation’s Green Team. The team is very active in Pass It On programs and will also provide three youth hunts for clinic participants this weekend. Bowhunting for wild turkey was presented by Kansas Wildlife and Parks bowhunting instructor Johnny Drake and Tim Sparks, a volunteer from the Flint Hills Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
A “patterning your shotgun” presentation and another firearm “hands-on” demonstration were given by yours truly, in which I learned it isn’t proper to call a very athletic young lady who can shoulder a heavy firearm a stout woman. I thought being stout was a compliment. Perhaps I should stick to writing where word-check is at my fingertips! My apologies, but my point was well-taken. Women getting into the shooting sports, or golfing for that matter, should get advice from a professional as to what equipment is best suited for their stature and ability, whether it be golf clubs or a shotgun. I learned many years ago to quit giving Wifeus advice except when it comes to cooking!
Free hats, T-shirts, a grab bag full of turkey hunting-related goodies, plus lunch consisting of grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, were provided to all the participants. What a day!
And to top it all off, for the seventh year in a row, the Flint Hills Gobblers, the Conrad Carlson Charitable Youth Foundation, Julie Carlson and Bluestem also sponsored a young hunter’s essay contest. This year’s contest theme was “If you could introduce one person to hunting, who would it be and why?” Dalton Meyer provided the winning essay and was awarded a new turkey gun, a turkey vest loaded with turkey hunting calls and other equipment, along with a mentored spring turkey hunt with Gib Rhodes.
Legacy lives on
Camp Alexander is a unique and special parcel of land and what an asset it is to our community. The grounds were willed to the poor and indigent children of Lyon County and the state of Kansas in 1923 by E.J. Alexander, a freed slave and outdoor-minded individual who came to Kansas from North Carolina after the Civil War.
Mr. Alexander’s two most prized possessions were a gold clock and a shotgun he called “Old Tom.” He was fond of hunting and was well thought of by all the kids he came into contact with. On several occasions he would simply lay down his tools and accompany young hunters in their quest for game when they asked permission to hunt his property. He would not carry a firearm, but he thrilled at watching the kids and sharing his knowledge of this great land and all God’s creatures. Today, he would be thought of as an outdoor mentor, willing to help kids enrich their lives through quality outdoor experiences.
Thank you, Flint Hills Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, for once again working with the youth of our community and keeping Mr. Alexander’s legacy alive during a time when kids lead such active, challenging lives. Thank you for helping them keep in tune with their families, with nature and helping them keep their feet on the ground. And congratulations to Gib Rhodes, who was recently elected to the Kansas State Board of the National Wild Turkey Foundation. Last Saturday’s clinic provided 100 area youngsters with free enrollment in the NWTF’s JAKES program. JAKES stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship. Its mission is dedicated to informing, educating and involving North America’s youth in wildlife conservation and the wise stewardship of our natural resources. For more information concerning the Flint Hills Chapter of NWTF and its activities, please contact Gib at (620) 437-2012.
The good Lord gives each and every one of us just so many brilliant and beautiful sunrises. Each one should be cherished. Sharing them with a child in the great outdoors, in the woods and on the waters, makes each sunrise that much more special.