Turkey hunting, bass fishing and trick-or-treating

Right now until Nov. 2 and Dec. 1-7, you can hunt turkeys with your shotgun. Now hunting turkeys during this fall season is a different story from the spring season.
In the spring we use locator calls then take advantage of the turkeys desire to reproduce. We make seductive calls to bring the Tom's to us for a shot.
However, in the fall the birds aren't interested in making little turkeys so we have to use a different tactic.
Here's the kicker: All the "experts" say to "locate a group of turkeys..." Like that's easy! Anyway, you "locate a group of turkeys" then make a mad dash right at them to bust up the group. You then sit down and "kee kee" call. That's a vocalization turkeys use to locate each other and get back together.
Watch closely 'cause a turkey can/will come from any direction. Don't worry about the bird being male or female (whether it has a beard or not) cause during the fall seasons, Oct. 27-Nov. 2 and Dec. 1-7 for shotgun, Sept. 1-Jan. 21, 2013 for archery, and Nov. 10-Dec. 31, 2012 for crossbow, you can take either sex bird.
Remember, Marion County is Zone 3 this season. So our "modern gun" season is Nov. 10-19, 2012.
What's in and out of season, dates and species, can get really complicated so do yourselves a favor and pick up a couple of copies of the "Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide," which is valid till February 2013.
I say to pick up a "couple." That way you can study one at home and take one when you go hunting just in case you "forget" something.

We held our Mid-KY Bass Anglers end of season awards banquet at the Sportsman Club Saturday night.
The individual tournament winners all received plaques and Stacey Benningfield and Joe Hickey were really impressive. Not only did they get their share of individual tournament plaques, they also took our "classic" honors.
Now it's said that the true test of an angler(s) is "who takes the Angler of the Year" award.
The AOY has to finish high enough in each tournament - maybe not win but finish high - to accumulate enough points to win.
Well, Stacey and Joe did just that. In the tournaments they didn't win they placed really high. High enough to earn the points necessary to capture the "Angler of the Year" honors.
I actually won the most coveted award of the night. Now I don't mean to brag but throught my efforts in a tournament on Fagan Branch I won the "Smallest Legal Bass" award for a 6.56 ounce largemouth!
Sadly, there was one other award given. Tommy Mattingly had earlier announced his retirement from competitive fishing. So, in recognition of his service to the club - pretty much from its inception - he was awarded a plaque.
We'll really miss his competitive spirit, easy smile and ability to catch bass. Well, we'll miss his easy smile! A fitting award for a good friend who will in all honesty be missed!
I have decided that we're going to take a hiatus with our 4-H fishing. I spent all summer with only two anglers who are now involved with the scouts.
In September we had no one and our October "Punkin Carvin" yielded the same results.
So I think we'll take a timeout for a couple of months then re-evaluate everything in the spring.
We have Halloween in the Park this evening. It runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and should be a blast. So, come on out to the park and share Halloween with us!
See ya at the park!
Guess that's it for now. Get out, enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer, stay safe and I'll see ya next week!