Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: huskyarcher on March 29, 2016, 07:50:00 PM
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Figured i'd start a thread for us to keep updated on how the birds are doing throughout the season. I seem to not be able to think about anything else and it seems like this last week and a half until opening day are never going to be over!
Last year was my best year ever as i got my first 2 ever bow birds. I am looking to duplicate the luck this year! I got out my calls and camo painted the camera tripod yesterday, its about that time! What about ya'll? About to go crazy? or is it just me?
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/CB8B842E-32DB-4AAE-90BF-F58E2DAB9E50_zpshfrq8cgu.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/CB8B842E-32DB-4AAE-90BF-F58E2DAB9E50_zpshfrq8cgu.jpg.html)
:campfire:
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I have a place in Robbinsville, and there are always a ton of them in Graham county. :D
Unfortunately, I never seem to be there during turkey season. I hope to change that for a weekend this year.
Hey Dalton - I saw an Australian Pine tree over a feeder in Ft. Pierce, Florida with the intials DL carved in it. What are the chances of that ? :bigsmyl:
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I plead the 5th!!!!
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/20140730_194832_zpsncrjn4de.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/20140730_194832_zpsncrjn4de.jpg.html)
:D
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I'm pumped to get my first with a bow...been painfully close two years in a row. Beyond excited, nothing like turkey hunting.
Jake
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Lead the way, Dalton! I saw tons of birds last year..right up to opening day. Then nothing but hens. So far this year the toms are few and far between.
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Good luck Dalton. Naturally, the grandson has Little League opening ceremonies that morning...I just can't seem to catch a break! Seems like last year you told me you had the Hidden Hunter blind and it had plenty of vertical clearance to shoot out of. Do you recall which model it is?
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As you know Dalton,um still looking for my first archery Turkey. Remember our conversation from last week? :goldtooth:
Jeff
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No i dont have the hidden hunter but a buddy of mine does and he says it has plenty of room. I had an ameristep last year, plenty of room but i had trouble shooting at birds real close because the windows dont go low enough. This year i an trying a barronett big cat, the windows extend down as well as the blind is just huge in general.
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Looking forward to the stories. Good luck to all!
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I will go opening day, most likely. Seems to be lucky in my same spot.
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I will go opening day, most likely. Seems to be lucky in my same spot.
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I havent hunted them in yrs but getting after them this yr, just busy!
Been scouting them pretty hard and going back scouting them Saturday on the whiteoak river. I am going to try and shoot one from my kayak - I can fish and call at the same time.
Look forward to yalls pics, hopefully I can add one too.
J
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They were lighting the woods up when I got home from work this morning.I been hearing them fussing good for about a week
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Had a great youth hunt this morning! It had everything, birds strutting by theblind at 4 steps, bird beating up my decoy and finally a young man laying down his first bird! It was awesome.
If you head over to my facebook (dalton lewis) you can see the video and hero shots. It was taken with a gun so i wont post pics here but the video truly shows the value of good dekes!
Come on Saturday!!
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Good deal. That's what it's all about.
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Seeing a few down here too in the Shelby and kings mountain area. Seems to be more this year than in the past.
Got a Wing Bone call from an elderly fellow (87) who us in our traditional archery club. I am hoping to take one using it to bring a big ole one in.
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Dalton,
Congrats. At least the NCWRC had enough sense not to put Youth Turkey day in the middle of archery deer season...I'm still not over that. I'll be taking my grandson in another year or two. Gotta find a blind though, did you keep that Ameristep when you upgraded?
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I did keep it, my dad is actually going to try it with a longbow this year and hes going to take that one. I wasn't impressed with the Barronett Saturday, too much movement in the wind..Although the bird walked by it at 4 yards im not sure that will happen every time.
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The weather forecast for the mountains Saturday leaves a lot to be desired. High of 37 and snow. Maybe they will totally miss it. I am sure hoping anyway.
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Calling for 25-35mph winds also. Not going to be good.
Jeff
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I think I am going to punt. Opening day has always been good to me but 15-25 with gust to 50 is not the ideal opening day.
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i am in a blind at the moment and it is 30 degrees and pouring the snow. What an opener!
On the plus side ive had several jakes around me but none have wanted to play...yet.
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One might walk bye Dalton, but I do not think they will hear you calling in this wind,. Couple inches of snow here and I have been chasing calves after midnight and this morning. The joy of haveing cattle. I will not hear any gobbling today on the farm. I wish I was as enthusiastic as you Dalton.
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rumor has it one of the Lewis boys connected this morning.
Jeff
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Rumor was correct!
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I'm glad somebody connected. I couldn't figure out where rare snatches of turkey sounds were coming from in the crazy wind.
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Originally posted by huskyarcher:
Rumor was correct!
Well........... ?
:coffee:
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I hit one today, I was leaving the farm to get some barb wire to fix fence. Two long beards were strutting with a hen close to the road and did not want anyone to notice so I stopped the truck and threw a rock. Bullseye, back in the woods they went.
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That will keep them confused, Tim!
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Had plenty of action so far and have called in several for some friends including a sweet double last night. Hopefully il get my turn here soon. My dad killed his first ever bow bird saturday in the snow and wind. He saw how much fun i had with it last year and just had to try it, those avian dekes make it easy! He said it came in and fought his decoy for 2-3 minutes before he shot him, he had a blast! He shoots a #45 Omega Imperial with Heritage arrows and Zwickey Delta heads.
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/43D4EE42-E09C-4645-896D-A76B4C810E4E_zpsfk39jwsc.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/43D4EE42-E09C-4645-896D-A76B4C810E4E_zpsfk39jwsc.jpg.html)
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Congrats to your Dad!
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Yesterday, I was again amazed at the uncanny ability of an impatient gobbler over 200 yds away on the opposite side of a ridge to launch, sight unseen, fly across a river and land in your lap. If turkey had a sense of smell to match their hearing and sight you'd never kill one.
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Well i started the morning with 4 arrows all fletched with chartreuse fletching. By 10:17 i had 3 arrows with chartruese feathers and 1 arrow that was wet and red.
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I've seen the pics.....
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Oh boy!!! Let's see!!!
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Seen the pictures but he want post the video!
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Very very cool!
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Dalton is making us proud in NC mountains! :thumbsup:
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Here is a pic of the bird from yesterday. The full story is under, "I Sure Do Love Turkey Hunting."
Keep after em guys! This is going to be a great season!
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/7B9BE1BA-E4DF-4216-BEAA-D5A7576AEEFF_zpsrhrc4xkc.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/7B9BE1BA-E4DF-4216-BEAA-D5A7576AEEFF_zpsrhrc4xkc.jpg.html)
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So i got a hole in my last tag slot...
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/8B9A2D2E-5CD0-42A6-8A8E-DD178F97CC1B_zpsjirszivl.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/8B9A2D2E-5CD0-42A6-8A8E-DD178F97CC1B_zpsjirszivl.jpg.html)
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Bitter sweat morning in the turkey woods. I climbed out of bed at 5am this morning and walked up on the mountain behind my house. I didn't have much confidence in the area. Turkeys occasionally pass through. As I was setting in my blind I was surprised with a gobble not 100 yards out. With a little sweet talking talking oh worked his way to my location. My avian decoys done their job. He walked to 5 yards of the blind and struted around. I started to draw my bow and he spooked. I released the arrow as he ran off. It hit him high in the back with a clean pass through. He flew up about 15 than hit the ground. I'm not sure if he just couldn't get through the trees or he was hurt. I searched and searched and was unable to find him. It would have been my first tradional and archery Turkey.
Jeff
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Keep after them Jeff it'll happen.
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Jeff, they are tough and will go a long ways if you don't take their head off, take their wings off and/or don't take their legs out. Stay after 'em.
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I placed an order for a string tracker today. Hopefully next time will go differently.
Jeff
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All the pieces finally fell into place. I managed to tag my first traditional archery Turkey. The icing on the cakes was my son managed to take a bird also. No pictures of his because it was taken with a shotgun. Full story on dream come true thread
Jeff
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Way to go, Jeff!
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Tim A has a story to tell
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(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/5D951F68-0650-4ED3-B1F4-BFC32AF684A6_zpsjgu4jzdg.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/5D951F68-0650-4ED3-B1F4-BFC32AF684A6_zpsjgu4jzdg.jpg.html)
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This old bird had been around for a few years. For the last two weeks, my time has been hectic around the farm so I have not had a chance to turkey hunt as I would have liked. I bought some calves just before the season opened. My dad who is 84 years old had been wanting some cattle and despite my better judgement, I took dad to the cattle sale. Well, calves always want to test the fence so I spent that weekend starting at 2AM chasing calves. I decided to convert two pastures from horse fence to cattle proof. Every evening I fenced with barb wire while watching turkeys do their usual traveling between woods and pastures. I also bought 300 Green Thuja giant trees to plant around my hay field. I was planting a barrier from my neibors to invite the deer into food plots I had planned to plant in the future. The trees arrived last Wednesday and I got the field covered last night. Opening day of turkey season was cold with 30 mile wind gust. The next day it snowed but despite the weather, there was several turkeys arrowed that first weekend.
This morning I listened from my porch for a gobble at daybreak, one faint gobble told me they were on the mountain across the road. I knew they would eventually work there way down to the pasture. Hurriedly, I went to the edge of the woods by the road and set up my blind and avian flock. I called with an elk mouth call, nothing. I found out that you can call turkeys with elk calls if you were wondering. After several calling sessions, I was beginning to think they saw me from the mountain while I set up. After about a half hour, I heard something walking behind me, I turned to see a huge gobbler walking up to one of my hen decoys. I reached up and turned the GoPro on record. I grabbed the Wolfer and leaned back in the blind while drawing, came to full draw and leaned to the right then shot. Turkey are hard to judge for me but again I managed to hit the spot. I knew he was hit hard and as he walked off then I seen another gobbler and about 5-6 hens following in his direction. I lost track of all of them as they went up the mountain and eventually turned and crossed the road into the pasture. I waited a while then walked in the direction. I heard him flopping and knocked another arrow while walking over a little hump and I found him expired on an old logging trail. I used the same arrow topped with a singled beveled grizzly that I used on two hogs at the PBS hunt and my Wolfer pulling about 53lbs at my draw. I will get Dalton or Jeff to post some pics.
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Congrats Tim on a nice Tom.
Jeff
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Anyone still hunting? Seems to me all the birds around are henned up real bad, making killing them real tough. Ethan has been after his first archery bird for a few hunts now...or maybe hes just cursed?
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Not hit the woods and it looks like I won't. Headin' to New York in a few days on a there-and-back pick-up trip. Too much going on here.
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Life happens sometimes! Bright side is its only a few short months until we can chase whitetails again!
What would yall NC guys think of a public land weekend hunt in the mountains? Ive recently found some real good public ground. Just a thought? Would anyone be interested?
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Dalton, I doubt I can do it this year because of work commitments, but definitely put me down for next year!!!
Jake
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Dalton,
I been thinking the same thing. We have SO much public ground we can camp and hunt in. Wheres the GL you were thinking? I might be in depending on date. I think it would be cool during small game so we have a shot at deer and maybe cook a few tree rats over the fire.
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Dalton, I'd definitely be interested. It all depends on the dates - I am never in NC enough to suit me, but my vacation days are limited.
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I'd be interested in fall deer up your way. Last time I hunted up there was Carson Woods back in the 80s. I think it is a private lease now.
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I was thinking early season. Mainly because i start heading to OH and focusing on studs at the end of Oct, early Nov.
Im talking about a GL in Ashe. (there are 3) I hate to put out the name somewhere that can be searched, i have learned that can really screw a man up.
Not going to lie though, it will be physical. Everything is steep, but tons of game. People are too lazy to get to them. Also camping isnt allowed at this one, so a hotel room might be in order?
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I probably know of where you speak.
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I would be interested, as I don't mind rough country and need a new area to hunt here in NC.
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What dates would you guys be most interested in? Weekends in September are as follows, 2/3, 9/10, 16/17, 23/24, 30/Oct.1.
I was thinking maybe a friday evening through sunday morning maybe? What do you guys think?
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I would be interested, as I don't mind rough country and need a new area to hunt here in NC.
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I will be chasing elk in early September.
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Does the season start 2/3? Seems like it's always the second weekend. If opening weekend, I'll be hitting my old reliable spots close to home.
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No i didnt put that together that quick Bud i just looked at weekends in Sept. It is the 2nd weekend like always i think. So weve narrowed it down to the last weekend or two in september?
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Dalton, I'm interested. Plenty of steep in my neck of the woods, just not as many deer :D per foot of elevation.
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Originally posted by huskyarcher:
What dates would you guys be most interested in? Weekends in September are as follows, 2/3, 9/10, 16/17, 23/24, 30/Oct.1.
I was thinking maybe a friday evening through sunday morning maybe? What do you guys think?
Late in the month works best for me, but I'm open to almost anything if I can swing the time off.
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Lets get a ballpark on how many are interested, and maybe what dates you like the idea of? This sounds like it would ne a fun hunt id like to get tbe ball rolling on it
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Dalton - this sounds like fun. I'm interested but would like to wait for more details before I commit....
Some thoughts on the hunt:
- camping would be a lot more fun and better fellowship if we could camp...Any campgrounds nearby we might camp at?
- scouting - rough terrain to me says I can't go in blind and expect much of a hunt....Any thoughts on that? Maybe a scouting trip before the hunt to get us all up to speed on the area?
Great idea so more of us NC trad guys can meet.....
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My conclusion is that all the Blue Ridge gobblers in Ashe Co., N.C. were afflicted with the "lock-jaw" this past Friday. Don't know if they were all "henned up" or just getting wise to it all. My personal theory is that they bred early this year. I think the Youth Hunt week is ground zero. Since one's own "personal truth" is the new PC mantra, maybe I'll just "identify" as a 12 year old next year, lol!
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Campgrounds are an interesting idea, when i get home to my computer i will see what i can find.
Scouting would also be a great idea! It will definitely be a big advantage for the fall if nothing else just to save time and legs.
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Dalton,
I'd be interested if I could get off work. Most of the campgrounds near me on the N&S river are open well into bow season, but you may want something closer to W. Jefferson depending on which GL you're looking at. In Sept. they might give a special group discount provided we promise not to erect a meat-pole and traumatize the genteel!
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I know there is one in Glendale Springs, but thats a bit of a drive in the mornings. I will see what i can find out. The more i think about camping the better it sounds.
Who would be up for a scouting trip? We could do that on a saturday here pretty soon that way work might not be as involved? Bring water and good hiking shoes as it would be a workout for sure.
If we can get some steam rolling on it il make a seperate thread especially for this hunt, i think we have a great idea. I know we can get on deer, but just the hunt itself will be a blast blood or not.
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Looks like the best option for campground would be Greenfield Campground in West Jefferson, it would be a about a 15min drive to the GL, looking like thats the best option though. I really hate we cant camp on the actual GL that seems silly to me that they wont allow it.
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This sounds like an awesome hunt. Ive been wanting to do something like this. Even if we have to drive 15 minutes to the GL it will be great to camp out. We can camp wherever down here but we just dont have the deer numbers as up north.
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Were going to ask around and see if we cant camp closer, maybe somebody wont mind a few stick slinging rednecks sleeping in their yard a night or two :readit:
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Gents,
If there is room, I would love to be a part of this. But I feel it is only right that I give more info about myself, as I am rather new here at Trad Gang.
I live in the Triad, and I haven't hunted whitetails in over 20 years. Nothing more than squirrels, rabbits & a few birds. But now my kids are grown, and I have picked up the archery bug again. I used to hunt in WV - backpack into a place called the Cranberry Back Country - and that spawned my screen name.
I have recently been computer searching for public lands to hunt in NC, because my family lands and the national forest I used to hunt are simply too far away for a weekend, or 3-day, trip.
I stumbled across this thread today, and just had to speak up. I apologize if this is an intrusion, that is not my intent - just a request.
Many thanks -
Jeff
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I think a 15 minute drive from campground to GL is not bad….But if you can get us closer even better :) ….
I'm not sure where in Ashe county we would be hunting, but to Jefferson is about a 3.5 hour drive from my house….I could possibly do a day trip for scouting but thats a fair amount of driving for one day - especially if we do a lot of walking that day….
Another scouting option might be for a couple of us to get there a day or 2 early and scout for the group…Then come up with a plan on getting everybody in a good spot to hunt...It's highly likely I could do that as my schedule is very flexible….
I thought I had seen something about hunting Sunday in one of the earlier posts…I don't think you can hunt GL on Sundays? I might be wrong about that but we would need to check that out too….
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I find myself fantasizing about a float down the New River in a canoe looking for smallmouth as a subterfuge for doing some mid-summer scouting in Ashe County...
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Haha, i did that yesterday i get my flat bottom out as much as possible!
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Better hurry, the smallie "feed" will peak this month! The trick is catching it when the daily afternoon thunderstorms that are so common this time of year don't have the water all clouded up... but that's always a roll of the dice if you don't live up in God's Country. I made a "minnow motel" out of an old washing machine tub, it's sitting in the creek full of bait just waiting for things to get right!