NOVA finally does it.

Finally getting around to posting about my turkey trip this year (4/1-6/2004). I'll try and do this in sequence.

Here's camp. In-laws' old trailer that now sits on my cousin's place in the Arkansas Ozarks. Notice the mountain bikes. We rode them while on the traveled routes (4-wheeler trails, roads, etc.). They worked out real well. Quiet and you can cover a lot of ground fairly quickly, too.

This is the place that we'd stop to owl hoot in the mornings. Usually heard gobblers in all directions. (Right up until opening day. ) It is looking east into Gulf Mountain WMA.

This is an old rock chimney close to our hunting area. The top stone is one huge stone all the way across the fireplace opening. Thought I'd take some pics while it's still standing.

This is one of our hidey-holes we sat in 3 or 4 hours trying to wait a turkey out. They practically shut up on us and we had to resort to this type hunting. It is definitely NOT our preferred method. But ... this was a really great place to do it though if you have to. We were under a large cedar tree with low hanging branches. Shade from the afternoon sun. There was a rock and log to get behind and prop your feet on. Pretty comfortable, actually.

Here's my turkey. Finally got one to gobble and come in across a large field. Shot him at 31 steps. He was 20lbs - 10¼" beard and 7/8" spurs. He was shot down the hill from the sunrise picture (not from our hidey-hole).

NOVA 24" Camo - factory full choke - Remington HeviShot 1-7/8oz #5 shot

Here I am packing him out. 20lb turkey, 10lb vest, 8lb gun, riding a bike on rocky roads. My shoulders were give out by the time I made it back to camp. But I was glad to do it.

Continued in next post (too many pics for 1 post.)

Conclusion

Here's an old log cabin Bob found a while back near the area we hunted.

Johnnie, Bruce (me), Bob

Front of it and Bob.

Detail of the floor joist and rock foundations.

Nice place to stop and have a bite of lunch. Double waterfall. We all commented how neat that would look when it was about 20 degrees outside. There was a little bird that had a nest up under the rocks under the waterfall. We figured that was a pretty safe place to build one.

And finally ... We found this down the hill from the old cabin. Still moist on the underside with visible footprints.

Crap! I don't know why it's not showing the pictures. It showed one of them in another post.

Jesse got it fixed. Thanks.