McManus Camp
2009 Spring Turkey Hunting
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Hunt 1 April 4-7, 2009
Back during the spring season last year, Dan Minalga from Jefferson, NY had such a great time hunting turkeys with Beaver McManus, he vowed to bring his son and father-in-law to experience the delights of hunting Rios in Texas in the spring.
So that's what he did. Brought the whole "fam-damly" so to speak. And don't let anyone tell you they aren't all turkey hunters. Truly, all three are infected with an incurable strain of the disease.
Here's proof: Bud Gray (the father-in-law) has hunted turkeys for many years and has collected a score or more of the birds. All hens. Nothing but hens. Year after year. Hunting the fall season back home in upstate New York, he's become accomplished in calling fall turkeys. Although he has called many a tom in for a buddy, Bud had never taken a gobbler for himself. Not ever, in all those years.
On this hunt at the McManus Camp, Bud gained his stripes. He harvested three long-beards in one sitting. As things happen, Bud thought he'd missed his shot at his first-ever gobbler. He watched the startled bird disappear up a sendero. Understandably disgusted with himself, Bud vowed to do better if given the opportunity. Later on in the morning, two more strutters happened by, and Bud put them on the ground with that long-barreled 12 gauge of his. Happily shouldering his pair of toms, he meandered up the road only to find that first bird he thought he'd missed. Talk about a quantum leap for a turkey hunter. After all these year. Finally. He had not one, not two, but THREE gobblers of his very own. All in one morning.
Meanwhile, Dan Minalga and son Hunter were elsewhere on the McManus Ranch hoping to put their tags on turkeys. Young Hunter is no rookie. He has already collected a few birds back home and has the makings of a true professional someday. Dan, having missed a shot back in 2008, was up to his old tricks and missed another shot in 2009. What's worse, his malady afflicted his son. Hunter missed a bird, too. By the half-way point in the hunt, Grandpa was clearly ahead with three birds to his credit.
Thankfully, and finally, Dan did put his tag on a nice gobbler. And Hunter came mighty close to doing it as well. On the final afternoon, he "drew feathers" out of a tom at 25 yards. When the bird ran, he fired another round and drew another batch of feathers at forty yards. Despite an extensive search of the area by Beaver, Dan and Hunter - alas the effort was called off. Hunter had missed again. Experienced turkey hunters will sympathize with the boy. Missed shots are as much a part of the sport as are missed field goals in football. You can't let such setbacks get you down. Remember Grandpa -he thought he'd missed, too, but went on to collect two fine birds later that same morning.
So the three hunters wound up with a total of four birds. Missed shots would have accounted for a full limit of two each. So how do you want to measure the success of the hunt? With Dan already talking about returning once again in 2010, we think the success of a hunting adventure simply cannot be measured by sheer numbers of birds taken. It is the entire adventure that counts. Here's hoping we see these three again next year.
The following photos chronicle the hunt. The turkey photos were taken by Beaver as he made his way to town to pick up the group. Just happened to have his camera with him. What a good set of wildlife photos they are.
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