Georgia Hunting Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:15:00 +0000

Finding Acorn Trees Now

You know the drill. We set up in early bow season on trees we have always hunted in the past, but the acorns just don't seem to be dropping. Been there, done that. I have found that the large mature acorn trees will not produce every year , regardless of the rain that they have received. I love hunting the large gigantic acorn trees in bow season, but I have found that the mid size trees produce more frequently, and for the most part, are easier to find in clusters along the hardwood ridges.

There is a tactic that you can use to get a leg up on the acorn crop for your area. Its really simple. Take a pair of good clear binoculars and glass the trees in your area and find out which trees are loaded with acorns. That can be done now. Granted you may look like an idiot in your scouting party for "stargazing", but I guarantee you will find the best acorn trees to set up on. You may find a tree loaded with acorns and just a few unused trails leading into it from previous years. There will also be trails that are wore down to the dirt on the trees that produced last year. Don't pay as much attention to the trails that are hammered out now if there are no acorns on the trees that the deer are traveling by. The deer will pick right back up on the unused trails from a few years back once the acorns start falling.

Another trick I like to use is to find the first feed trees out of the bedding are where the deer are coming from. Allot of times, the deer will come out of there bed and feed on the first acorn trees from the bedding area. It may even be still a little thick, but get in there with them and hunt the feed trees in the thickets if you have too. It is a great buck tactic if there is a little pressure on the deer you are hunting such as leases and hunting clubs. Also, those bucks will respond a little better to calls since the area is thicker and holds the security a big buck desires.

Find the trees loaded with acorns now, and then pick out the trees closest to the bedding area. It just may be the tactic that leads to you harvesting a trophy buck that has been eluding you.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:37:00 +0000

Fort Walton Peer

There is one thing that I have always wanted to do , but haven't, until this year. In previous years, the kids and I have walked past the peer and thought, "That looks like fun", but we didn't have the right equipment to go out and fish on it. After all, ocean fish don't bite a finesse worm from an All Star Rod and Pinnacle Reel. This year, I was talking to a guy after a walk out to the peer and he told me that they have all you need in the peer "clubhouse" to fish. After checking it out, we rented 3 fishing rods, bought some bait, a couple of Gatorades, and a Got-cha plug. I had $46 in the entire trip. Sounds easy enough, huh?

Now we didn't have very high expectations of the trip, just some well deserved "hang out" time. I baited my oldest son's rod and he dropped it in the water. Bam, a fish was on its way up to the hands of my 12 year old. I baited my 10 year old's rod, and after sliding in to his brother's spot while he wasn't looking, another fish was on its way up the long crank from the water to the peer. Two fish in two minutes.....not too bad. The kids proceeded to absoplutely rip fish from the water and drag them over the rail and down onto the peer deck.

Fort Walton PeerA little later, I decided to tie on the Got-cha plug and see if I could hook up with something on artificial bait. Ater a lesson from a local in liters, I re-rigged the plug with a #30 flouracarbon liter and sailed the plug out into the deep. Immediately, I got a strike and hauled in about a 16" Bluefish. The next 9 casts produced fish. I was amazed to say the least. We ended up catching about 40 fish in a couple of hours.

The cool thing about the rod rental is that the rental is good from midnight until midnight . We turned our rods in at around 3:30PM and went back after dinner at 8:00PM and picked them back up to fish until midnight at no additional charge. I love to take charter boats in Destin, but I tell you, I had more fun on the peer and for a heck of a lot less money. Also, its a great place for kids. You don't have to worry about them falling in or getting sea sick. Its worth the small amount of money and is a great gettaway from a fun filled day of shopping!

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:47:00 +0000

Welcome to My World!

Vacation 2008......Fort Walton Beach, Florida

If any of you have, and I'm sure you have, vacated with a 10 and 12 year old, then you know of the frustrations of attempting to capture the perfect beach family photo of the wife and kids. I would like to be able to say that this trip was an exception, but as it goes, it wasn't. Now everyone wants the family to all have a fun trip and have as great of time as can be had, but there are some exceptions to these times. Picture time is the dreaded time that we all just bare and get through. With a 12 year old, it makes it a little more difficult. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and we had a blast, but my kids thought that picture time was a moment to gather all the crazy antics on camera. As you can see from the picture, this shot was almost perfect.....until my oldest decided that a beach picture needed a little sand in it. Are we the only ones, or have any of you had similar experiences with picture time?

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:58:00 +0000

NOAA SETS ASSESSMENT ON 909 RED SNAPPER CASE

Need I say more?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States Department of Commerce, General Council for Enforcement and Litigation, Southeast Region, handed down a Notice of Violation Assessment (NOVA) on a red snapper case made on April 28, 2008.
The NOVA stemmed from the case made on the vessel Captain Charlie which was captained by David T. Harrelson, 52, of Lockport, Louisiana. The boat was chartered by one Florida and 17 Georgia fishermen.
The vessel Captain Charlie was found to have a total of 909 red snapper which were taken during closed season on board the vessel when boarded by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Agents working under a Joint Enforcement Agreement between NOAA and the State of Louisiana. The recreational red snapper season was not set to open until June 1, 2008, and the recreational limit during open season is two red snapper per person per day. In addition, 287 of the red snapper were under the minimum 16 inch size limit. None of the 18 non-resident fishermen possessed a Louisiana basic or saltwater license.
The NOVA issued was in the amount of $80,000, and a 210-day Notice of Permit Sanction (NOPS) for the violation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act regulations was issued to the owner and operator David T. Harrelson of Rebel Charter Services, LLC.
Also, a joint and several NOVAs in the amount of $45,450 was given to all of the fishermen aboard the vessel Captain Charlie. In addition, the owner, operator and all fishermen were issued a Notice of Proposed Forfeiture for the red snapper.

“We would like to commend our agents for doing an outstanding job in protecting our state and federal fisheries resources,” said Colonel Winton Vidrine, Chief Law Enforcement Office for the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
A response from the respondents is anticipated within the next 30 to 40 days.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:02:00 +0000

Buckmasters News Release:

New Seasons of "The Jackie Bushman Show," "Buckmasters" Hit Air Waves Next Week Put down the bass rod, stop the lawn mower and tune in to the 2008 season of "The Jackie Bushman Show" and "Buckmasters." "We are certainly excited about this year's shows," said Jackie Bushman, Buckmasters founder and CEO. "Look for a lot of great hunts, humorous footage and top guests that will make for pure entertainment. Plus, we're back at it again with the 2008 Big Bucks Sweepstakes and our hunting trip giveaways. Viewers can get all of the details when they tune into our shows." All show times listed are Eastern Standard Time (EST). This season of "The Jackie Bushman Show" begins Monday, June 30, at 2:30 a.m. Additional air times are Thursdays at midnight and Sundays at 10 p.m. Join Jackie as he takes you on exciting hunts across North America and hosts studio interviews with outdoor personalities like Bill and Tyler Jordan, the Buckmasters camera crew, Lee and Tiffany Lakosky, Michael Waddell, David and Harman Blanton, radio talk show personalities Rick and Bubba and more special guests. "Viewers of 'The Jackie Bushman Show' will get to see some of the country's top names in the outdoor world share their exclusive hunting footage with us," Bushman said. "Plus, our audience will see huge bucks in the 'Rack Magazine Big Buck of the Week' segment. These giants will make us all wish it is deer season right now. Then we switch gears and I head to Tennessee to go catfish grabbling. The fun ends up being a battle of the guys against girls called the 'Golden Catfish World Championship.'" "Buckmasters" kicks off Wednesday, July 2 at 1 p.m. with the Buckmasters annual Life Hunt for seriously ill and disabled hunters at Sedgefield Plantation in Alabama. Just in time for the Fourth of July weekend, you can catch the action again on Saturday at 9 a.m. or at 12:30 p.m., while you're celebrating the long weekend with a hot grill and all your family and friends. Airing exclusively on Outdoor Channel, both programs are sure to get your heart pumping just a bit faster knowing that deer season is just around the corner. With a variety of dates and times there are no excuses to not put down that rod, turn off that mower or close the lid on the grill this summer.

July 2008 "The Jackie Bushman Show"
Schedule:
Monday, June 30, 2:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 3, midnight
Sunday, July 6, 10 p.m.
Monday, July 7, 2:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 10, midnight
Sunday, July 13, 10 p.m.
Monday, July 14, 2:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 17, midnight
Sunday, July 20, 10 p.m.
Monday, July 21, 2:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 24, midnight
Sunday, July 27, 10 p.m.
Monday, July 28, 2:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 31, midnight

July 2008 "Buckmasters"
Schedule:
Wednesday, July 2, 1 p.m.
Saturday, July 5, 9 a.m.
Saturday, July 5, 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 9, 1 p.m.
Saturday, July 12, 9 a.m.
Saturday, July 12, 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 16, 1 p.m.
Saturday, July 19, 9 a.m.
Saturday, July 19, 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 23, 1 p.m.
Saturday, July 26, 9 a.m.
Saturday, July 26, 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 30, 1 p.m.

All show times listed are Eastern Standard Time (EST).

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:28:00 +0000

Let the Games Begin

The Georgia 10 year old All Star tournament kicks off today. We have been really busy with that over the past three weeks. For the most part, we practiced five days a week. For those of you with young kids, you understand where I'm coming from when I say that time hasn't been on my side. My blog will pick back up next week when we finish all these extra carriculars. For those of you who come in looking for more of my work, keep checking in. I have allot of new material that will be posted over the next few months. I appreciate the faithfuls and you know who you are, especially if you are reading this post. Any comments? Shoot me an email or just post a comment on the blog.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:27:00 +0000

Summer Spots

It is hard anticipating where the fish will be for the early morning topwater bite, and if thats not enough, try and locate where they go from top water down to 20 feet of water. It's no easy task. We fished this morning and didn't get a bite until 9:30. Now take into account that the high today in north Georgia was 97. After 9:30, the blistering sun on the lake is the last place I care to be. However, I do like to catch fish and also have a hard time leaving the fish when they start to bite. We didn't have a fish early and then landed 6 keepers in 45 minutes on the same rock wall. We finally figured out why.

These fish were on top early and it takes until about 10 AM before they move back down deep which is suitable for a finesse worm. When the sun gets up and heats the surface temperature up enough, the fish will go back deep on the bottom. We noticed on the graph that the fish were consistantly showing up deeper and deeper until finally they were holding to the bottom. People throw crank baits at these fish all morning long, and we did also, but with no consistancy. It's random at best. We fish allot of rock so it works really well for the worm bite.

Here is a trick I learned for fishing rock with a Texas Rig worm. Take a toothpick and slide it inside your bullet weight to make it tight on your line. This will help with hang ups. It won't allow your weight to fall into the crevices of the rock as you jig the worm along the bottom. Also, use trick worms or floating worms on the Texas Rig. This is the first year we have done this and what it does is cause the worm to float up with the bullet weight on the bottom. It makes the worm stand up so to speak. It works well when fish are finicky in the summertime. I know several fishermen that avoid the big chunk rock and slag rock due to getting hung up so much. If you fish rock walls, give this method a try. It works.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 01:55:00 +0000

Horses, Money, and Mystery

For those of us who enjoys a good horse race, this day was for us....or was it? Big Brown, the strapping chistled speciman was set to carve and cut his way into history, ran 3 furlongs and called it a day. Was it the heat? Maybe. The sweltering humidity? Maybe. Was it the fact that he missed 3 days of practice? Probably not. OR, was it the fact that he missed his mid May steroid shot that all the field of horses received as a booster to the race just like they always do? I think so. Now I'm all for the steroid ban with athletes on a professional level. This, however, was a mound of muscle that had a diet perfected to his size and a training regimen taylor made to fit his abilities. I hardly see the inhumanity in that.

This would have not even crossed my mind until the announcers gave it mention that Big Brown's trainers said, "He don't need his steroid shot to win this race." There was a steroid ban coming after the race for the future horses, but it was set for AFTER the race. Zito was clearly bringing the only challenger to the race in Da' Tara, who led from start to finish. The bizarre part of this was that he was the one who brought the horse that knocked Smarty Jones out of the Triple Crown. Coincidence? Maybe. I really hope so. With 5.2 million being placed in the hands of the bookeys on race day, its hard to tell. Who wouldn't throw $100 down on Da' Tara? It's worth a gamble right? I believe so and I also believe that I wasn't the only one who would think such an unthinkable thought in the midst of the media sharks looking for the next press puppy to get their hands on and set the odds for the fate of a horse and the sport as a whole in the public eye.

A story that was supposed to be about sentement and comeback left us with the feeling of being robbed. Was the jockey riding for his son? Probably. Was he riding to shock the world with a harnessed lightning bolt under his hips? Absolutely. It was just another chapter of the book of horses, money, and mystery. I suppose we will soon read this chapter again, just as we have in the past.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:45:00 +0000

Braden,

Quick question, how long is still worth my while to track and call turkeys? I've been out a few times now calling and tracking and learning the lay of the land. I've had numerous responses and have called in a tom and a jake since my first hunt. I took my kids out the other weekend and got a gobbler to respond and later found a pile of tail feathers of two birds who apparently had a fight about my calling!

Sheffield and Paulding WMA are in my backyard and I'm planning this summer to camp and backpack the land to get a good feel of the land before the seasons begin to start up. I'm just wondering about how much longer calling would be worth my while or if I just need to practice my basic woodsmanship.

Thanks for your advice and feedback.

Loving Life!

Ken L. Hagler, Assoc. PastorDue West UMC

Ken,

Woodsmanship is the name of the game for any animal you hunt. There are some great turkey callers who are horrible turkey hunters. Hiking and camping are a great way to get your feet wet. Take it in stride. There is allot to learn. You won't learn it all in one season. However, you don't have to be an expert at it all to be successful. If so, I wouldn't be able to have a career in writing about it. I have spent 22 years in the woods and still make rookie mistakes and bad judgements. Fact is, every animal is different. What works today may not work tomorrow.

If your able to spend some time in the woods, learn the area you are hunting. Start learning where the birds are and WHY they are there. Is it food? Is it a roosting place? Is it a strut zone? Go ahead and find the deep woods food plots that the WMA plants. Also, look for the long ridges that lead up to a roosting area that will be a good place for birds to strut in mid morning.

Now, to calling. This is what I do. When I get a new call that has a new sound, I will take it in the woods and set up a hand held recorder about 20 yards away and go through a sequence of calls and then play them back. Watch some videos and compare. Remember, you sound better in the open woods than you will in the car. With that being said, practice practice, practice! As far as going in the woods and calling turkeys, they need to be left alone I suppose in the areas you are hunting. It is a good time to get out and find a food plot where the birds frequent and sit and just listen. Learn the sounds they make and pay close attention to the cadence and learn to mimick those cadences. Its not necessarily "what" you say, but "how" you say it.

Hope this helps. Let me know how it is going for you. Look up Yellow Yelper and purchase one of their 3 Reed Double Diamonds. Good call to learn on and it doesn't take a mouth full of air to play it. Learn to use a diaphram. The advantages are endless.

Full Force Outdoors
Braden Arp

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:26:00 +0000

The weekend is coming, and again, have no clue as to which way to go. I think I shall fish this weekend. It has slowed a good bit where we are due to the weather. It has already broke into the 90's in the south and only will get worse. I know up north the bite is now picking up, but here it is slowing down........but baseball is in full force.

With all star baseball getting started, my time has been limited. I have coached baseball for several years, and this year is no different I suppose. The travel ball scene is really picking up, but I must say, I have to pass on putting a 10 year old through a 65 game summer schedule. It just doesn't make any sense why people would burn their kids out before their bodies even develope enough to really begin to develope the mechanics for the game. My opinion I guess. I am of the theory that if a kid has the talent and the desire, he or she will do what it takes to compete in high school and then if there is enough talent,emphasis on talent. they will get a chance to go to college. I tell you what you end up with. I see it every day. Moms and dads will send their child all across the country playing ball and what they are doing is causing their child to peak before they make it into college which, in turn, means that they send their child to college that has no ability to get any better. That is one of the reasons you see high school phenoms and never hear from them again when they get to college.

Just my opinion! There are so many more options now than there used to be. Baseball was seasonal when I played. Now kids are playing year round. Is year round baseball good for our kids? It's a crap shoot really. Its a big gamble on their bodies. You never know until after the fact I guess. Can you learn to be a competitor, or are they simply born that way. Who knows what the best way is? Baseball is a great game, but take it in stride. Never have I heard the game summed up as it was in Bull Durham, and I borrow the line...... "Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. But sometimes......it rains!

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:10:00 +0000

KEEP SENDING YOUR TROPHY PHOTOS

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:08:00 +0000

Viewer Photo

Ashley Parker

Catfish
4 lbs.

Oostanala River

Caught on cut bait.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Sun, 25 May 2008 19:24:00 +0000

Beagles: A Year Long Affair

The season on small game hunting in the south is around 4 months, give or take a few days. If you plan to hunt behind a pack a beagles, and have in the past, then you probably already know the frustrations that come with getting your dogs in shape while season is in progress. There is an alternative. We have a pack of registered beagles that we try and run about 10 months out of the year. I prefer for our beagles to be in good shape before the season begins. This is no easy task due to the efforts it takes to get them where they need to be.

We like to run early mornings, and if your pack allows, late at night when the temperature cools down. Now I'm sure you are hanging on the "if your pack allows" part. If you have beagles you will follow what is coming. If you are just getting into rabbit hunting, listen carefully. After dark is a great time to train dogs, as far as beagles are concerned. There is little "training" done outside of putting them with a clean pack and turning them loose in a rabbit infested thicket.

There is, however, a downfall. If you are training young puppies, you may want to reconsider the night training in the beginning. Beagles will slow down a bit in the dark which makes it difficult to tell if they are running trash or are actually pushing a rabbit across the cutovers. It all sounds great when you don't know what is the culprit to the race. I have heard some great rabbit races by a pack of mature beagles after dark, but have also heard some great races by a pack of young dogs that are full bore into running a deer. Same sound. Same pace.

We like to stick to the early mornings so that we can tell what is actually going on. This will leave no doubt to whether a young dog is running trash, or simply running around barking at the other dogs. This can be valuble information to a handler, especially if the handler knows this when it happens. When this happens on a consistant basis, you can split your pack up and put the younger pups with a slower lead dog so that the pups will have time to understand what is happening. If its an older dog, you still have time to find a replacement.

At any rate, your pack will be stronger the more they run. I have found that most all beagles, if they are legitimate hounds, can run a rabbit with moisture on the ground and if there is thick cover that they are running through. Where you see the benefits of running year round is the downtime your pack has when they cross a dry track or you have a rabbit that insists on crossing dirt roads and such where the scent is light to say the least. Believe it or not, your lead dogs will pick up on the tendencies that the rabbits have in the area you hunt. If this isn't enough reason, its just plain fun and beats the heck out of working!

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Thu, 22 May 2008 10:08:00 +0000

I am having trouble uploading pictures again. I will get the Wednesday Viewer Photo up as soon as I can. If you came in looking for it, I appologize. I should have it posted soon.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:26:00 +0000

Viewer Photos

Jarrod and T.J. Bunch

Brown Trout (April)

Nantahala Gorge in North Carolina

Caught on crawfish Power Bait

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:17:00 +0000

"Just Beyond the Treeline"

By: Braden Arp

Part 2

“Is this where you had your stand”, one asked?
I turned back and replied in true honesty as bad as it hurt.
“No, I was on the other side of the tree line”.
He stood with a look of confusion as he sized up the area I told him where I was as it related to where we were standing.
“But how could you see this area from the other side of the tree line?”
I just let it go at that and chalked this one up to experience.
A common practice regarding scouting is finding a “highway” trail that looks really good and setting up camp immediately. Most of these types of trails are night trails and will be very unproductive. The area looks really good, but doesn’t produce the numbers of deer that is usually expected. Bucks rarely travel these trails, but nine times out of ten, there will be other smaller trails crossing these night trails. These are the ones to set up on. Just as I found out, a little more searching could uncover several details that are useful in determining the patterns that will produce a mature buck.
Hunters get too hung up on the fact that the deer population will pick up and move daily as if to be nomads looking for their stay. Obviously, setting up under feed trees is seasonal at best, but a very productive way to take an approach at harvesting a deer. I prefer to distance myself from the feed trees and hunt the travel ways. What I have found over the years is that deer very rarely change patterns in travel ways. Granted it is a little thicker in these spots, but it makes for a consistent stand location. It doesn’t matter what the food source if you set up to intersect the deer on their way to it.
In order to find these types of areas, you have to get off the beaten path. Depending on the terrain and geographical location, it can be a little intimidating barreling off into the pine cutovers or dense hardwood forests. There is nothing worse than being lost. I have been lost before, but had an idea of the general vicinity to my whereabouts. I have also been lost before, and after five hours of walking, finally came across civilization and had to ask someone to help me with my whereabouts. Technology has come too far now to be getting too far away without some sort of GPS devise. Like everyone else I suppose, it doesn’t bother me to get a little turned around in the daylight, but is quite the contrary in the dark. On one occasion while hunting in southern Georgia, I made my way into the edge of a swampy bottom. I never saw water on the way in, but was over my boots on the way out. Luckily a train passed by and gave me a sense of where I was. I was walking directly in the wrong direction. GPS units can also be incorporated into scouting as a tool used for marking those hidden sanctuaries that are stumbled across and never found again. Take advantage of the technology, especially when it makes your adventures safer.
Scouting can be a methodical endeavor to say the least. There is one key factor that has helped me more times than not. You have to get away from the hunting pressure. It can be done, but it is going to take some leg work to do it. We hunted an area during a management hunt when I was younger. We stopped in a few weeks prior to the hunt and a ranger gave us a tip on an unhunted tract of land. We inquired about a map and he turned and said, “Well, it’s the track behind the check in station.” That year, the track of land produced a really nice eight pointer and a missed opportunity on a massive twelve pointer, but we had to cross a very deep creek to get to it. Look for the things that might turn other hunters away. Be smart with your scouting. Be aggressive in your scouting. Last but not least, be safe with your scouting.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:07:00 +0000

"Just Beyond the Treeline"

By: Braden Arp

Part 1

Our stands have been stowed and the stories have all been told. The what weres and the what should have beens lay fresh on our minds in the midst of the reflections of another season that has come and gone. For some, the season brought success. For others, I suppose some regrets. No matter what the case, our daily countdown has begun to the coming fall where we can get back to square one, just mano y mano with that trophy that eluded us for some three months this season. Some of us spend nine months of the year preparing, scouting, and getting ready for the upcoming season.
Some of my greatest finds have come shortly after season had ended during stints of small game hunting with my children. Some of my finds have been helpful, while others were a painful reminder of how I hard headedly stuck with a bad stand location. After a month or so, the what could have been woes are gone and preparation begins for next season.
At least in my case, the single most factor that keeps me from the woods in summer is the fact that we have forty seven different types of poisonous snakes crawling around. There is nothing that spoils my day more than having to dodge a snake. I have a friend that was struck by a copperhead while scouting in mid July. Luckily for him, he was wearing chaps and snake boots. Of course, I know another fellow patron, while coon hunting, was struck in the forehead while walking along a trail at the base of a rock embankment. I haven’t found a snake proof hat yet, but if someone makes it I am sure to have one. Needless to say, I am a huge fan of clean trails going in and out of the areas I hunt, which in turn, allows me to visit several areas without leaving the ATV. I am far better at dodging snakes with 350cc under me. This is just another reason that I prefer to do my scouting in the colder weather.
Small game hunting is an excellent time to explore new terrain. Deer season in north Georgia ends on the first day of the year, which means the second day of the year, we can be found trailing behind packs of hounds chasing rabbits in and out of the briar thickets. Small game hunters are rarely denied a right of passage from anything that grows from the ground, which with a few Band-Aids can provide useful information for later.
This January 2nd was no different. We planned a hunt over on the lease where I had been deer hunting for most of the fall. We started in at the head of the swamp and moved in to my proverbial “honey hole” that I had been hunting. I told the crew that we would have to turn in shortly due to the fact that the scrubby trees were just too dense to pass through. Without giving too much information to which tree I had perched from, a friend of mine walked over to the scrubby trees and attempted to plow his way through.
I had been answering the questions about the deer I had seen from this area, and I had to say that the numbers were rather modest from what I was expecting. Shortly through the conversation, our buddy had disappeared in the mangled madness and began to call back to us.
“Are you coming?” he asked.
“No, I think we will go around and meet you on the other side. I really don’t want to tromp into the middle of a brush pile.”
“What brush pile are you talking about? Once you step through those few trees, it opens back up into a meadow of green grass in the corner of this swamp bed for a couple of hundred yards,” he replied.
My heart sank. As I moved over and through the trees, I noticed it was just as he said. Tender green grass grew as lush as any food plot on the lease. The saw grass was about waist high with trails coming from every direction. Trails were on top of trails and tracks were inside of tracks. The edges opened up into a mature pine meadow with grasses growing like a pine wood pasture.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Fri, 16 May 2008 21:36:00 +0000

Diaphram Calls.....Before the Hunt

I have heard countless hunters explain the reasoning for not being able to use a diaphram call. I have heard everything from the calls choke them to the calls sound like a dying chicken. We're going to lay some of those hindrances to rest once and for all so that you can learn to be effective with a mouth call.

First, straight out of the gate, the call has to fit your mouth. There are different calls for different pallet shapes, however, most all of them can be bent to fit the roof of your mouth. Also, the key to making a call fit your mouth is to cut the tape so that it doesn't choke you when you seat it in your pallet. A common mistake is to cut the tape too short causing the call to be pushed around and come unseated. The diaphram needs to be as long as your reflex will tolerate.

After you have customized your mouth call to fit your mouth, you will then need to concentrate on the sound that is coming from the call. This is the part that you will have to get the hang of yourself. There are several different methods for achieving the right sound out of a diaphram.

The main problem that turkey hunters have is using a diaphram with the reeds stuck together. This alone will cause any call to have a high pitch sound and eliminate the ability to rip off sharp clucks and cuts. This also has a big part in the "squeaky" sound that comes out of a diaphram. The bottom picture shows you what a used diaphram will look like after being in your vest for a while. The top picture shows what the reeds are supposed to look like. They should be a latex white color.

To achieve this is simple. Let your diaphrams soak for about 30 minutes prior to the hunt to loosen the reeds up. When you put the calls back in their case, leave the water dripping from the call. Avoid stretching the reeds to loosen them up, especially if its warm and they have been stored in a vest that is hidden behind the seat of your vehicle. With just a small amount of preparation, you will get the intended sound from the call. The rest is up to you.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:58:00 +0000

For All the Football Fans

Spring practice is here for most of the middle and high schools in the south. Some of those same sounds and feelings are being heard and felt all across the country. I heard a man at the little league baseball game Tuesday night say, "It's only 117 days until kick-off." Football in the south is as traditional as fried chicken for Sunday dinner. Last year, the booster club held an informational class for all the parents who wanted to learn a little more about the rules and tendencies of the game. Practice goes for months with conditioning and running through offenses and defense schemes just waiting for the day to strap up and buckle in for the full scale collision course of middle school sports.

I noticed as I watched the warm ups yesterday, that there was a brief pause in the stretching routine and all the players took a knee on the whistle for a moment and then popped right back up. I was amazed that a set of coaches were not only interested in teaching my son the intriqusies of the game, but was also concerned about their well being as a person as well. Now I know they took prayer out of school and there are groups that would fight against even this act of outward aknowledgement, but I have said it and I will continue to say it. They can take everything they want to take away from our children that is pure and honest, and given the chance, even our children will rise up above the circumstances and be thankful for the opportunities that they have been given. OK, so it's not really about football at all. It's about raising your children to have a voice and a conviction about who they are and striving to be better for the good of society. That doesn't start on the football field. It starts at home. I look at this picture, and by statistics alone, this is the only aknowledgement that most of these kids will ever know. BUT, if given the chance......

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:56:00 +0000

Viewer Photo

Ken Hagler

Eastern Wild Turkey

Acworth, Georgia

"Runnin' and gunnin' technique"

"We came back up to the road and started walking back to the truck. Jim stepped over to a small road to the right and called. A tom echoed back from the ravine. We went down the road about 30 yards and called again. Our tom called back. We then crawled to a high spot in the road to set up and where we had some a slight lip in front of us. Jim slid me his gun and called again. The tom indicated he was still coming. "

"I saw the tom come into view to our left. He was about 50 yards out but there was too much underbrush to take the shot. The tom crossed over behind a large pine. Jim could see the tom coming forward behind the tree. At about 25-30 yards, the tom came back out on my side of the tree. It seemed like everything was in perfect focus for that one second. The tom looked at me and indicated he was ready to run, I looked at him, the target lined up right at his neck and I pulled the trigger. Score."

Great bird Ken! This was Ken's first turkey hunt as well as his first hunt for any species of animal. Welcome to the hunting society my friend. My advice to you is every time you step in the woods, pay attention......to everything. Try not to start out focusing on hundreds of dollars of equipment, though it will take it. Focus on woodsmanship. That will keep those big toms coming in for you. Thanks for the picture and the story.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:09:00 +0000

"Scent, or the Lack Thereof"

By: Braden Arp

Part 2

Now I had two problems. The wind was carrying me straight to a nice shooter buck and he knew something was there from the sound, but I had no choice but to go after him. I grunted again. He dropped his head and walked another twenty yards this time getting considerably closer to a bad situation. The buck was sixty yards and closing, adamantly trying to pick up a scent. By now he is within range, long range but in range. I knew I had to shoot quickly or I would lose my chance, but I wasn’t quick enough. He took one step in the cane break and walked another ten or so yards leaving me with nothing. It would take one step to get an opening that I felt comfortable with, so I drew my bow. I held my draw for what seemed like minutes. I can still remember my muscles tingling from exhaustion as well as being tapped into a livewire of excitement. All of a sudden, I saw a nose protrude from behind the tree and I saw the buck start to move. He made three more steps and stopped, leaving me with a perfect broadside shot. I took it, and it was a good one. The buck ran maybe forty yards before giving up, a nice middle Georgia nine point.
Stories and memories like these always savor a little sweeter when you know that you have defied the odds for success. It’s a great feeling to know that you have done all you can do and your equipment is doing what it is supposed to. I’ve hunted on countless occasions leaving straight from work, only to have an hour or so in the woods. I can put my Scentblocker® suit straight over my work clothes and not have to worry about it. When I’m done, it goes straight back into a scent proof bag and is ready to go for the next trip. It is just that simple! I remember the days of trying to harness a satellite feed for the latest in wind directions, but it has been so much more enjoyable to forget the wind and just hunt.
There is always excessive hype over new products and designs that are not really tested in the field. I’m always leery to jump in with both feet without seeing some results for myself. On this particular hunt, I got the results. However, the name of the game is to add equipment and accessories that will enhance how you already do things. It would be foolish of me to ignore all the personal field tests that I have already conducted on things that work for me and things that don’t. I still take a downwind approach and I still use a lot of Scent Shield®, just as you all do I’m sure. In all my experiences, scent control has always been my top priority. A lot of us don’t need to know how to pattern deer and how to find where they are feeding. When you have a lock on your buck, Scentblocker® can help you get the advantage.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:22:00 +0000

"Scent, or the Lack Thereof"

By: Braden Arp

Part 1

One of my favorite commercials to date was a Scentblocker® commercial whose slogan was, “Forget the wind, just hunt”. I was so intrigued by this slogan that I simply knew I must have one. I think everyone has had a crisp morning’s hunt spoiled by the sounds of stomps and snorts of winding deer, only to see a glimpse of a monstrous backside that leaves you wondering with every spare minute of what could have been. I definitely had my share of those mornings and also had come to the realization that I had had my fill of missed chances due to scent. I was tired of being smelled and I was tired of worrying about the wind. I was ready to forget the wind and just hunt, just as the manufacturer suggested so I made my Scentblocker® purchase and was ready to get back in the game.

On the first morning, I reached my stand after a short walk and brief scuffle with the gnat clouds, which I think were victorious, to find my stand on the edge of a swampy mucky mess. Being a fan of what other hunters skip over, I headed up the tree. As I reached my post, I unpacked my jacket and put it on along with my pants. The sweat instantly came rushing from every pore of my body but soon calmed back to a steady stream. I mean it was downright hot. I pulled my bow from the ground and put my head net loosely around my head trying to avoid the reflecting warm breath that I was now channeling down my neck. I settled in and got ready. Daylight was fast approaching.

I remember thinking several times that if anything came within miles of me that I was sure to be busted. I was thinking of how to orchestrate the morning sounds of sniffs and snorts that would surely come. However, I did have an advantage which was the wind was carrying my scent, or lack thereof, directly away from where the deer would filter in from. It was hot, but I was set up right. I still wasn’t feeling too warm and fuzzy inside, but hey, forget the wind and just hunt right? It was around 8:00 AM when I took a long look down the creek as I heard some squirrels barking. To my surprise, I caught movement just on the edge of a cane break by the creek. It was a deer, and a large bodied deer at that. I zoned in and the deer weaved back out of the cane break and also to my surprise, it was a buck and a nice buck as well. The buck was a hundred or so yards away and coming straight at me, slowly but surely. Just when I thought I had defied the odds, you guessed it, the wind shifted. I had a nice buck to my left and a hard breeze from my right. It was horrific. The wind carried me straight to my trophy as if to serve my scent up on a silver platter saying “run, run for your life”. At that moment, the deer raised his head directly into the wind and gathered every particle of scent into his nostrils that he could.
“I’m had”, I said to myself and myself was agreeing with me. To my surprise, the buck never spooked. He made about three more steps and repeated the process of winding and smelling.

Every time that I thought he was surely pinning me down, the buck just kept coming. By now he was within eighty yards and not feeling it. One turn into the cane break and the buck was gone. I let out a few soft social grunts and hoped for the best. He popped right back out and stood for what seemed like an eternity.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:11:00 +0000

Happy Mother's Day

To all my viewers who are mothers, I extend to you a Happy Mother's Day. You deserve it.

My wife is also the mother of my 12 and 10 year old sons. It is no easy task doing the daily 9 to 5 and then coming home to a house full of boys. So honey, if you stumble in on my blog, I hope you had a great day. I hope we were able to make it special for you.

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:58:00 +0000

Rain Rain Rain

The weekend is finally here, and for those of us who hunt only a mile from the house, and can afford the gas to get there, we're getting geared up to get out and talk turkey for a few days. I was greeted this morning to rain and thunderstorms. Don't get me wrong, I love to deer hunt in the rain, but something about turkey hunting in the rain just doesn't do it for me. To start with it's HOT, especially in the south. To add rain drenched clothes to the equation of heat and bugs is no fun at all. Reminds me of a line from a favorite movie, "Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes......it rains!"

I don't think it's the animals that have the issue with the rain, I'm pretty sure it's just me. There is nothing better than throwing a buzz bait on some choppy water with a light drizzle. Also, it's a great day to be sitting in a duck swamp with the cold northerly wind hammering and spitting rain and snow. There is a time and place to hunt in the rain, but turkey hunting isn't it for me. If you have had some success in the rain turkey hunting, let me know and sooth my toubled mind over the situation.

We only have a couple of weeks left of turkey season, so we all feel obligated to give it that one last try. Lord knows, I need all the chances I can get this season with the birds acting how they have been acting. We just haven't been able to make friends quite yet. I suppose everyone is different, but it simply is no fun to me to call for hours and have a bird slip in silent. I like to hear the thunder roll with a good hard gobble cutting me off in mid call.

If the rain lets up, I will be back out gunning in the morning for that last chance tom. If not, I will be back here complaining probably yet again that I am in a severe slump with the turkeys. You know a slump always hits when you feel like you sound the best, set ups are perfect, and the weather is perfect. That's why they call it hunting. Gotta love it!

noreply@blogger.com (Braden Arp) — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:20:00 +0000

Viewer Photo

Ronald Dunn

Largemouth Bass

8.6lb.

Antioch Lake

Rocky Mountain Project

Rome, Georgia

Caught on a Bomber crankbait.