The Trip Down that Red Dirt Road

Thursday, 08 July 2010 18:21

My Wal-mart size three kids shoes

I was getting ready to go on my first turkey hunt of the season, today, May 12th 2010, and could not be have been more anxious to get off this airtight plane, and land in Atlanta. This was not just an ordinary hunt though; it was a hunt that was going to be filmed for television. Wesley, Ryan and Chris came to pick me up from the airport on that Wednesday morning. Funny thing is, my bright pink suitcase was catching a connector flight to West Palm Beach, Florida. Luckily, the only real necessity I didn’t have in my carry on were my La Crosse Alpha Burley hunting boots. I thought to myself, “hope my boots are the only things that get away this week.” This was certainly going to be an adventurous and spontaneous trip. Several months earlier I was contacted by Wesley. One of his staffers Ryan Weaver had been following my stories on www.womenhunters.com. He in turn showed Wesley who called to ask if I would be interested in participating in a shoot of a potential show he was working on. That was a silly question; what self-respecting hunter wouldn’t want to take advantage of this amazing opportunity! As I said before no luggage sooo . . . first stop was to Wal-Mart where I had to get the necessities I needed for the weekend. After driving an hour south of Atlanta we arrived at Camp Pioneer in La Grange. How beautiful it was! A new hunting lodge, with turkeys, and deer mounts galore, with what seemed like endless acres of woods with turkey lurking within. I wanted to be able to target practice before heading out on the hunt, so Ryan set up some turkey targets as I readied my Benelli. As Wesley looked on, I took a few shots, and knew I was ready for the weekend. Within the hour, we were all rested, and piled into Wesley’s van. Within minutes we were driving through what I call God’s country; the land flourished with acres of fertile land where cows, donkeys, deer, turkey, rabbits, coyote and many more critters call home.

Arriving at our spot, we were all anxious with that pre-hunt buzz only made stronger by the sight of numerous turkey on our way to the blinds. Wesley, Chris and I went into one blind, and Ryan who is the show’s videographer, set up in full camo next to our blind. It was mid afternoon; many minutes went by and the turkey we had passed on the way in had vanished without a trace. Turkeys get spooked easily, so we hoped if we returned to the same spot the following morning, they would return to their feeding grounds. Meanwhile inside the blind, Wes and I cracked jokes (quietly of course), and just soaked up the fresh Georgia air while we waited for a possible turkey to wander in our view. We spotted a few hens and a tom grazing at the top of a hill a few hundred yards away, but none came within range. It was great to see movement out in the field though. When I looked through the blind, all my eyes could see were red dirt roads, fields of seeds, gardens, woods and blue skies. It sure was nice to be back out in God’s country. I began thinking how much of a blessing it was just to be given the opportunity to meet great new people, who love to do what I love, and who also are filming the hunt. In fifty years, I can look back and see when I was 21 years old, I was filming a turkey hunt for cable television, with three professionals, who are dedicated outdoorsmen, and have the utmost respect for women hunters and nature.

Wesley Jones and I am target practicing as he watches

Ryan’s red Ford truck, I liked to call the “Turkey Taxi”, (most know it’s better to use a red light if you need light in the morning, because it’s harder for turkeys to see the red) was ready and waiting as the second day came. Wesley had prior appointments, so Shayne, the Camp Pioneer’s Director and avid hunter, Ryan and I hopped in the “Turkey Taxi,” in the early morning and set out. We decided to set up outside the blind across the road and hunt what I call “Runnin and Gunnin” style. Decked out head to toe in camo, including my three-dollar pair of size 3 kids’ camo shoes, which I found at Walmart. Every time I looked down at them it gave me a good laugh. They were a bit more uncomfortable and goofy looking than my nice Alpha Burley’s. I set up against a tree a few yards in from an open field. Not too long into the morning, we heard the morning gobbles from a few toms in the woods. What a heart pounding, adrenaline rush that kind of sound gives me! There is nothing better than hearing that gobble, knowing he could be coming your way any minute. I like to think about the various pitches of a turkey’s gobble. When a jake, the “teen turkey,” tends to gobble he sounds like a 12 year-old boy just reaching adolescence, his gobble crackles and sounds all discombobulated. It always makes me have a silent laugh when I hear a jake. The tom’s sound is rough and tough, for the most part, with a deeper tone. The grandfather toms begin to sound rougher and a tad cracklier, like the young ones. It’s very unique how every animal has its own aging sound. In the distance we heard a tom getting closer and closer, and I was closer and closer to having my heart beat out of my chest! Shayne was a tree behind me calling him in, and Ryan had the camera on the field, wishing and waiting. The tom came from the left, and he was about to start coming in just 100 yards shy of us, when he just decided he didn’t want to keep moving. Nothing seemed to spook him; we were all dead still and silent, with my Benelli was in position, but he turned away and slowly walked back in the woods. It was a little shocking knowing that he was moving in closer and closer to us, and didn’t even hustle back to the woods, just turned around and strutted away.

Wesley, Ryan and I are walking down the red dirt road...

Later that afternoon, and the three of us were out again; this time to a different spot. We trekked down the red dirt road, to a new field, and Shayne went up in the tree stand; Ryan stayed on the ground with me and we each went to a tree. No sign of turkey here, but a bird that sounded like a flute, and a few others gave us some good entertainment as we sat in the afternoon sun.

Day three arrived, and I was sad it was my last day. I had only one more chance to harvest a turkey. My flight was scheduled for around 4:00 out of Atlanta’s airport. Shayne, Ryan and I met up early, and headed out to a new spot. It was a small dirt road, surrounded by woods, and we heard gobbles in the area. We walked for a few minutes, decided where we wanted to set up then picked a spot on the edge of the one lane road about five or so feet in. There was a bit of a hill going down, about thirty yards to the left of us, and we heard “gobble, gobble, gobble!” Shayne, Ryan and I all glanced at each other with excitement, and I thought to myself, “This is it, he’s only 75 or so yards away and coming closer!” I steadied my gun, perched it on my knee and hoped he would move up the hill. A few more gobbles, and I looked up slowly, and prayed to The Man above. The cameras red record light was on with, the tom getting closer. We were still as statues. He was still out of sight, and at any moment, he could walk up that hill into perfect range. A few more minutes went by. Silence. Then more silence. We heard a gobble, but he was headed the other way. Hens, or the field a few hundred yards away, must have caught his eye; he didn’t want to respond to our hen call anymore. Shayne, Ryan and I said it must have been that he was already henned up. That morning we didn’t have much luck, but we also came here knowing that it was the last weekend of the season, and turkeys are spooked, clever and not wanting to grace us with their presence.

Lunch at famous Varsity Restaurant

No, a hunter does not go out hoping to come back without a harvest, but a good ethical hunter knows, that it’s a possibility; that’s why it’s called hunting. Some may go a whole season and not harvest a turkey. Some even go years. The beauty in it all is that I was not disappointed or let down, but I was appreciative that I have been able to come out here and hunt on land which is pristine and beautiful. Half the fun, half the adrenaline is about hearing nature wake up. Watching animals cross your path just inches away from you, and soaking in the fresh, non-polluted air is what it’s all about. Wesley Jones, Shayne Goddard, Ryan Weaver have made this trip unforgettable. Later in the day, Ryan and I drove to Atlanta, to meet up with Wesley and his family for lunch at the famous Varsity Restaurant. The hustle and bustle was so different than the serene and calm La Grange, Georgia, but it was necessary: I had to catch my flight back home to Ft. Pierce, Florida.

Wesley, Ryan and I have developed a lifetime friendship; they are two great guys who are so positive. This whole experience was such a great one, one that I will cherish forever.

When Wesley Jones was a young boy, he fell out of a tree house, and was paralyzed. It was a very traumatic experience for him and his family, but God saved his life, and he is stronger than ever. He has always been an outdoorsman, and didn’t let a wheelchair get in the way of doing what he loved to do. He loves hunting, and has earned his Turkey Grand Slam; has hunted numerous other animals such as deer and hog; and has started his own television show on the GAC (Great American Country Channel) called Unlimited Outdoors with Wesley Jones. He is a very accomplished man, and still so young witha full career ahead of him. He is certainly a hoot! He is such a great person, full of energy, and is a person everyone would be lucky to meet. Special thanks to Ryan Weaver, our cameraman, who had read some of my turkey hunting stories. He called up his good friend, Wesley, and now here I am writing a story about my amazing hunting trip with Wesley and Ryan. We filmed at Camp Pioneer, which is currently home to twelve boys who didn’t receive the love they needed and now are in a better home at Camp Pioneer. The Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes motto is “Protecting Our Youth, Preserving Our Future” and it sure has had a great impact on these children. These boys have gardens, sports, fishing and many more outdoor hobbies available to them. They have a church to share their faith, a gymnasium to show their athleticism, and hundreds of acres of land to go out and enjoy. They learn to plant gardens, help with the property; go fishing for catfish in the pond and much more. In support of Camp Pioneer, the Goddard’s have built a lodge for visitors and hunters that come. It is a new house with all the amenities you could need to enjoy your stay. There are deer hunts available for purchase in support for Camp Pioneer, which you may sign up for on their website or in person.

Georgia Sheriffs’ Camp Pioneer
P. O. Box 2907
LaGrange, GA 30241
706-845-9771
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Reggie Jones, Wesley’s brother wrote a book called “ Triumph over Tragedy.” It’s a book everyone should read. It is available online for purchase at http://www.unlimitedoutdoors.net .

The trip down that red dirt road was one I’ll never forget.

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