WE'VE HAD ALOT OF STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN TO US, BUT ONE THE FUNNIEST IS WHEN ALL OUR NIECES & NEPHEWS WANTED TO GO COON HUNTING TOGETHER. WOW IT WAS THE LOUDEST NIGHT OF HUNTING WE EVER DID, THEY NEVER STOPPED TALKING. WE HAD FLASH LIGHTS ALL OVER THE PLACE, IT LOOKED LIKE A DANCE FLOOR. AS WE WERE WALKING OUR DAUGHTER RAYNIE, 7 AT THE TIME SAYS SHES COLD. RAYNIE NEVER COMPLAINED ON A HUNT. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW SHE COULD BE COLD,CUZ THE GIRLS HAD ON THIER NEW INSULATED BIBS THEY GOT FOR CHRISTMAS. SO I ASKED BROOKE IF SHE WAS COLD, SHE SAID NO. THEN RAYNIE SAID MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE WORN SOME PANTS. HUH?.... SHE DIDNT PUT ANY PANTS ON UNDER HER BIBS CUZ THEY WERE INSULATED, SHE DIDNT THINK SHE WAS SUPPOSE TO. WE ALL  LAUGHED SO HARD.........TO TOP THAT KURMIT STARTED RUNNING A BOBCAT, THE KIDS THOUGHT THAT WAS COOL, UNTIL KURMIT CIRCLED IT AROUND BEHIND US. ALL THE TALKING STOPPED, FLASHLIGHTS WENT OFF, & THEY MADE A CIRCLE WITH THEIR BACKS TO EACH OTHER. NO ONE SAID A WORD FOR A LONG TIME. THEY WERE HOOKED AFTER THAT. WE'VE ENJOYED HUNTING WITH OUR KIDS, THEY MAKE IT ALOT OF FUN.
     
Raynie will be featured in the NWTF  Jakes magazine at the end of Jan. 08 Look for her article.  

RAYNIE & MOMS 1ST TURKEY
                                                                                        4-21-07 
    Raynie shot her first turkey today, when we went out on youth weekend we called in a hen on Sat & on Sun we found a bunch of birds. We made our way down the ridge to the creek, we were within 30 ft of them & got set up. They made there way around the bend so I told Raynie when she's ready shoot. We'll she shot and missed, she got up and asked if she got him. I had to tell her no, she said your kidding and went to look. She was very disappointed, I think she pulled up. Raynie went home and told her dad to set up a target, she wasn't missing again. First shot dead on, she said "won't miss again".
    So its Sat the 21st and we head to the field again, I hunted all week and all I could call in was hens. For some reason they just weren't gobbling so it was a waiting game. We sat down and set up, within hour and half, we called a hen in. Then here they came, 3 jakes headed right to us. I told Raynie these she could shoot, they got within 10 to 15 feet of us. They came in around a breyer bush beside us and I told Raynie when you're ready shoot. They were right their and I kept whispering"shoot, shoot, shoot" I waited and I figured she wasn't going to shoot so I shot mine. Then I turned to her and said are you gonna shoot, then BOOM. She got her bird! Raynie stood up and said "yes I got him" she was jumping up and down. We high fived and then the turkey fever hit. Her hands over her mouth with excitement, just shaking. She was so pumped up. I asked her why she waited so long,she said"I did't want to scare them because they were so close". It was really special for me because we both harvested our first turkeys together. Raynie you did a great job, we are very proud of you. 

Both of our girls have a great respect for conservation, even though they hunt they find ways to give back what they've taken. Raynie and Brooke have done an excellent job of learning safety, both in the field and out. We've spent alot of time making sure that safety comes first. We believe that education is important when dealing with firearms. We told our girls they weren't allowed to hunt until they could hit very close to the bullseye several times. They've put alot of practice in and they can tell me what I'm going to say before I get it out. I've went over the safety rules so many times it drives them crazy. I also believe that they should understand life and death, before harvesting anything from nature. Hunting is a privlige and we should help preserve and manage all wildlife. What we we teach a child today determines their future.     
    
                

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