One Awesome Picture!

Not many people around North Texas doing any good hunting these day so I thought I would post this picture I found on Facebook that really caught my eye...

Weekend Fun!

Sunday morning, bright and early, I got up and went hog doggin' with some friends.  I have been one other time, but didn't catch a hog!  This time was different, we caught 3 hogs, 2 of which were caught 20 yards from each other.  It was an experience and I will be going again soon.  I video'd every bit of it, so be expecting a video in the near future!

Kyle Parker of Bridgeport, Texas

"The Fang Gang"

OUTLAWS

Jeff Pinkerton & Kory Chapman

TOTAL - 11.69

The Outlaws brought this turkey to m early last week and I forgot to post the pictures... better late than never (Mas vale tarde que nunca)!

Joseph Krebbs and Phillip Daugherty (Team No Name) went turkey hunting and shot a coyote!  Score! 

Snake Bit?

I saw this story on Facebook and thought I would share with my fellow hunters!

Chad just got out of the hospital today, this happen Sunday in Montgomery County Alabama:

To all my friends who hunt, camp, or spend time in the woods:

The pic below is of my left leg after being struck by a 6ft timber rattler today while turkey hunting. The snake bit through my hunting pants and Muck Boots (I usually wear snake boots when turkey hunting, but could not locate them this morning). The initial bite felt like being hit in the calf by a baseball bat at full swing followed by excruciating pain radiating out from the bite wounds. Fortunately, I carry a snake bite extractor kit in my turkey vest, and was able to remove the majority (I guestimated 3-4 cups) of the venom contaminated blood. Following the instructions from the kit, I kept my heart rate down as best I could, and slowly limped the 200 yds to my vehicle, and was able to drive myself to the hospital which, thank the good Lord, was about 20 min away. Once there, I was administered the anti-venom, antibiotics, ect. The ER Doc told me that, based on the distance between the two fang punctures and their diameter and depth, if I had not used the venom extractor kit, I would have died before I ever made it to my truck. So, if you do not already own one, I want you to go to a sporting goods store and purchase a venom extractor kit ASAP. I bought mine at academy and it was around $10.00. I would urge you to buy a couple. Put one in each vehicle in your household, in your hunting or hiking pack, and especially your B.O.B. ect,,,,they are about the size of a bar of soap and can literally save your life or someone you love. Please don't blow this off. Do it tomorrow!!!!
I am spending one night (hopefully) in the hospital, and may require some minor surgery to remove any damaged tissue from the poison, but that is a far cry from losing my leg or passing through the pearly gates!!!!

Respectfully, Your Friend,
Chad Cross

Things On My Mind!

• I don't think anyone can understand how excited I am that Whataburger Ketchup will be available at the grocery store... only 1 problem, they are only selling it at HEB grocery stores!
• Did anyone make it to the World Predator & Wild Hog Expo?  Glen Guess, of Wise County, was a guest speaker at he convention for an hour.  Right after he spoke, Brian "Pig Man" Quaca delivered his message.  
• The Expo also raised over $10,000 for The Red Cross to help West, Texas.
• Not getting many Turkey in to score... and the season ends on May 12! I haven't even killed one yet, which is not like me to be skunked, especially this far into the season.
• It's pretty sad when your web designer doesn't e-mail you back after you send him 3 e-mails... very frustrating!  
• You can not find a dog camera mount anywhere on the internet... I've looked almost every day and they are sold out everywhere!  I ordered one a while back for my GoPro, but am thinking about cancelling since it won't be here for Sunday, the day we need it for Hog Doggin'!
• I'm fascinated with this homemade mosquito trap... I'm going to give it a try this next week!
• I will kill a turkey this weekend!
• They say the alligators never get into Eagle Mountain Lake, in North Texas, and stay just on the other side of the dam, the Lake Worth side... but I have a feeling it won't be long till one makes it's way to the other side and we get to watch the people panic!
• That's it, I'm done... now go hunting and get off the computer!

The Kind Hunter!

I just couldn't pull the trigger!

I love to hunt.

On my last outing I had a bull tag.

As I was coming over a little rise he

suddenly appeared right before me!

I had him in my cross-hairs.

But I just couldn't pull the trigger.

Some would call it sportsmanship.

I like to think of it as:

PROFESSIONAL COURTESY!

Barter For Ammo?

This morning I lucked out and was able to buy several cases of ammo. On the way home I stopped at the gas station where a drop-dead gorgeous blonde was filling up her car at the next pump.

She looked at the ammo in the back of my pickup and said in a very sexy voice, "I'm a big believer in barter, big boy". "Would you be interested in trading sex for ammo?"

I thought a few seconds and asked, "what kinda ammo Ya got?"

Weekly Motivation!

I had to add another poster for some of you out there...

Good Turkey Video!

Weekend Hunts

Andy Wood of Boonsville, TX took his nephew to claim a gobbler.

And it has a better beard then some I've measured lately!

10 inch Beard and each spur was 1&5/16

Wanda Dixon of Bridgeport, TX got her a nice one!

9 inch beard and a little over 3/4 on each spur!

Nice Gobblers!

Harlon Johnson, of Decatur, with his mom Terri posing for a picture after harvesting his first turkey!

And this is Terri's double bearded gobbler, 

and she is in the Turkey Contest.

Luckily for some of you, this was her gobbler from last year!

Things On My Mind!

• I have only had one other turkey measured since the double bearded monster was harvested about a week ago... don't give up guys!
• Lot of speculation going on with the recent sad events in Boston. I hate to see things like this happen in our country!  Here are some quotes from people off Facebook:  "Shootings are followed by support for more strict gun laws, so why aren't bombings followed by support to outlaw bombs... Oh wait, they are outlawed." or "Blame the bomber not the bomb, what about blame the shooter, not the gun?"... either way, it's an all around bad week for our country! 
• Turkey hunting can be a whole lot of fun, but when you've been skunked 3 times... it can really start to get under your skin!
• Well, they said I could have my web address displayed on my exploding goat video when it aired on the Outdoor Channel, but they lied! Luckily, I wore my thehuntinggame.us hat!
• A nice little letter from Michael Bane, an Executive Producer of the Outdoor Channel, to Senator Steve King of Colorado, informing they are pulling production from the state due to Colorado's betraying of the 2nd Amendment.
• Some of the strangest things I've seen seem to occur in Alaska, especially since I've started watching Alaska State Troopers... but this tops them all!

Now This is a Hog Problem

A Lot of Bacon...

All Things Outdoors

I met Bo Finley when he brought me his double bearded gobbling beast to be scored one afternoon.  He was a very nice guy and super excited to be on the top of the leaderboard after shooting the big guy.  As we began talking he handed me this pamphlet and he let me know he had a non-profit organization that provided first class hunting to honor disadvantaged children and adults.  Below is what the pamphlet read:

"We at All Things Outdoors are dedicated to sharing an outdoor experience with children and adults that need a time of refreshing away from a tough of challenging time in life.
     Some may be battling a life threatening illness, some trying to adapt to a life altering situation, and others needing time in the outdoors after a heart-breaking experience.  
     We can't avoid life's challenges, but for a few days while hunting or fishing, hearts and minds can be encouraged.  The joy of a smile renewed and the passion we have for God's great outdoors will be contagious to all involved."

"To bless and honor disadvantaged children and adults by providing first class hunting or outdoor adventures in a Christian ranch environment."

"Our desire is to provide an experience where a journey can begin, hope can be found, and a life can be changed."

Bo Finley

4329 FM 920

Weatherford, TX 76088

Bo@AllThingsOutdoors.org

www.AllThingsOutdoors.org

For the Ladies

Adrenaline Bear Hunt!

One amazing video... I will always take toilet paper with me whenever I go bear hunting just in case this ever happens!  They kept their cool better than I would have.

Weekly Motivation!

Ocellated Turkey?

I have never heard of the Ocellated Turkey of Mexico till now.  This is one beautiful bird and Scott Haugen, the man who shot it, has a great story to go behind the picture as well as a couple other pics.  

"These birds rarely respond to a call, never gobble, have no beard and the males are called males…not toms.  The noises they make resemble nothing most turkey hunters are familiar with; but their beauty is second to none."

The one he killed also has spurs longer than any turkey I have personally ever seen!

Weekend Hunts!

Layton Huddleston of Decatur, Texas

"First Turkey"

Shot at 10 yards with a youth 20 gauge!

Trey Hawkins of Decatur, Texas (that's me)

Went turkey hunting, killed a baby hog!

Gave about 10 more lead poisoning!

Bo Finley of Peaster, Texas

Bobcat crept up on a turkey decoy... never again!

Then Bo shot this one with a bow a couple of days later!

It was his first bobcat with a bow, too!

Matt Kasner of Bridgeport, Texas

Bow Fishin'

Tyler Chapman of Decatur, Texas

A nice big gobbler!

Spur #1 - 12/16   Spur #2 - 7/16 (broken)

Beard - 10.88

TOTAL - 12.06

South Texas Javelina Hunt

Here's a few pics from last weekend when my father-in-law (Daren Fitzgerald) and I went down South for a Javelina hunt.  Daren shot two with a pistol and I jigged two with a bow.  We got most of the trip on film and will be uploaded here soon! 

Double Bearded Thunder Chicken

These guys are in a big lead....

1st Place

Gobbler Hobblers

Mark Anderson & Bo Finley

Spur #1 - 14/16        Spur #2 - 15/16

Beard #1 - 10.00         Beard #2 - 6.13

TOTAL - 17.95

Harvested by Bo Finley

I also had another turkey brought in Friday evening from team No Name (I had to name them that because they wouldn't give me a team name... it works and probably should be claimed by them in all future contests) and this gobbler had one of the longest spurs I had seen this year. One was pretty sharp, it got me, billy...

No Name

Phillip Daugherty & Joseph Krebbs

Spur #1 - 1.00    Spur #2 - 1 2/16

Beard - 9.75

TOTAL - 11.88

Harvested by Phillip Daugherty

A Lot of $$$ in Mounts!

© Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

TEMPLE — Texas Game Wardens and Williamson County sheriff’s deputies serving a search warrant at a Williamson County residence over the weekend seized a collection of illegally taken wildlife mounts, a quantity of marijuana and $4,000 in cash.

    The search began about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. A 55-year-old man was taken into custody.

During the search, game wardens recovered 52 mounts of wildlife believed to have been illegally taken in several states, more than 2 pounds of marijuana, and the cash.  The taxidermy items are believed to have been hunted illegally in multiple states and Canada. Species include fish, white-tailed deer, Aoudad, assorted sheep, bear, boar, fox, bobcat, and many other exotics.

    The search and subsequent arrest was the culmination of a six-month investigation that began after a hunting outfitter in Iowa became suspicious of a man driving a truck with Texas license plates. The investigation revealed identity theft and numerous documents forged under a false name.

The investigation continues and more charges are expected be filed at a later date.

Happy Endings!

I love happy endings!

Turkey Bow Kill!

Cason Caraway of Decatur had his first turkey kill with a bow this morning....seemed intense!

Bad Taxidermy!

While I was browsing Facebook last night I noticed someone posting a picture of bad taxidermy so I decided to google "bad taxidermy". Here are a couple of honest ones I found, but if you get the chance to google it, it will haunt you for the rest of your life!
I kind of like the squirrel though!