TERRE HAUTE —
About the time you think you have seen it all, you better look again.
I received word that a devoted turkey hunter had harvested a rare colored eastern turkey. Not doubting the claim, I decided I needed to be educated so I called a young man who is an expert in the wildlife field after being taught by his late father Larry Schmeltz.
I called Josh Schmeltz and woke him up from a short night of competing in a catfish tournament that he won — and yes you are going to hear more about him in the future. He is an oustanding taxidermist.
There are three different colors of birds in this area: red, black and smoke colored. If he sees one or two red-colored birds out of 100 that’s a good average, Schmeltz said.
Doug Falls, who lives near Mecca, lives turkey hunting. Doug is in the national guard and devoted to his country as well as his family.
Between being a carrier counselor in the national guard and a full-time job, he has three days off per month. Some of you folks out there step up and try that and still find time for turkey hunting.
Parke County has been his home most of his life, and Falls started turkey hunting in 1986. He makes his own box calls using the wood from a cedar tree. Falls says it gives the call a higher pitch, and after all, turkeys don’t have the same exact voice. Who knows? That high pitch may sound more sexy to those old gobblers.
Two hens with this red color had been seen before.
Doug says he likes the basics, getting away from decoys because they draw in boss hens and make the gobblers cautious. We try to reverse nature, trying to get a gobbler to come to hens instead of a hen going to the gobbler.
This old bird had two hens and a jake with him, which makes it even more hard to get him to travel to you. This gobblereven crossed a stream, which tells you how well the calling was done. A gobbler is extremely hard to cross a barrier of any kind, all the way from a small stream to a brush pile or a deep ravine.
This bird had two white feathers in the center of his fan, which is very rare. He sported a 10-inch beard, and was three years old, weighing in at 20 pounds. This old boy fell from a model-120 pump Winchester 12-gauge shotgun from 48 yards. What a shot!
With little time to hunt, it has proven for Falls to spot and stalk, he doesn’t have the luxury of time to sit in a blind. A weeknight in the second week of the season during late evening worked well for Falls. He also cautions about your movement because you never know when a satelite bird may popup while that gobbler is in front of you.
Josh Schmeltz is going to do a rug-type mount to hang on the wall. It will bring out the color of the beautiful red bird.
Kenny Bayless can be reached by e-mail at kwbayless@aol.com.
Valley Hunter
REDNECK QUAKER: Dedicated hunter harvests rare red-colored turkey
- Valley Hunter
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Redneck Quaker: Mascari gets thrills from turkey hunting
Annie Mascari is a beautiful, vibrant, 26-year-old lady that loves the outdoors.
She comes from a large family of four brothers and a sister and lives the teachings of good family values.
Olivia Rightly let me know that I “should talk to my teacher at St. Pats School, Ms. Mascari, because she’s taken a turkey.”
As I shook Annie’s hand, I could feel the energy she has for life. As proof, the first time she went up in an airplane, she jumped out of it!
She’s also quite the hunter. Mascari picked up a used PSE bow for $30, one for a left-hander because her left eye is dominate for shooting. The Page Arrows are her choice for broadheads. -
REDNECK QUAKER: Valley hunters to be featured on Outdoor Channel show
Little did a buck in his prime at 41⁄2 years old realize he would become famous on not only trail cameras, but a television show as well.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Veteran hunter bursting with pride as son gets first harvest
When Langdon Pounds said “Dad, I want to go deer hunting with you,” Jonathan Pounds took him seriously.
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REDNECK QUAKER: USA Shooting unveils 2012 Junior Olympic shotgun team
Tom Berg, executive director of Hoosier Outdoor Writers, says there’s another impressive press release. Member of H.O.W., James Keldsen from Walkerton, Ind., has informed him of his son, Jakob, being named to the 2012 USA Junior Olympic shotgun team.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Here’s one big, but true, fish tail
Here it is a hot overcast summer’s day on the banks of the Wabash River. With no rain in sight it is a lazy old river practically stalled on its way to the big waters on south.
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Redneck quaker: Successful South African adventure
As two rednecks were telling hunting stories one evening, a little lady named Allison Winchell crawled up on her daddy’s lap while pointing at the other gray-haired and bearded man asking if he was Santa Clause, with him replying “Yes, I am honey and you can have anything you want.”
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REDNECK QUAKER: Wabash Valley duo gets hooked on bow fishing
I would like to introduce you to a couple of fine, very polite young men, Eric Taylor and Craig O’Neal.
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Redneck Quaker: Young couple makes outdoors part of recreation, careers
I had the honor of meeting an outstanding “Lady of the Outdoors”, 24 year old Krysten McDaniels. She has been hunting for seven years and she has a resume of animals she has taken only most men dream about with either a bow and arrow or a muzzleloader.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Hoosiers try their hunting skills down under
How would you practice with a bow and arrow to harvest a kangaroo? Jump up and down while shooting or mount a set of springs to your shoes?
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REDNECK QUAKER: Excited turkey hunters report birds gobbling their heads off already
It’s “Turkey Time”. Didn’t spring come fast this year? Yes, a month early.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Release the coonhounds — it’s time to compete
We are going on a UKC (United Kennel Club) coon hound night hunt or field trial.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Moose hunt in Quebec is sucessful
Bob Lynch was looking for a reason to spend more time with his dad. So after convincing his wife it was a bonding thing, the hunt was on.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Bobcats prowling woods of Parke County
If you find a big spotted cat with a short tail and pointy ears eating out of the dog food bowl on the back porch — leave it alone and don’t try to pet it! Yes, it could be a bobcat!
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REDNECK QUAKER: Young hunters experience thrill of their first deer
Get this picture in your mind: A beautiful young lady, sitting at the dining room table overlooking the meadow below her home, and a large buck steps into the glen.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Valley hunter recounts tale of a special turkey season
Joe is at the top of my list for he is outstanding in all ways of life. A devoted sportsman true to his word. I hope my son grows up with his qualities!
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REDNECK QUAKER: Stacy Kueber travels the country to bag a turkey grand slam in one year
Guys, if you like to turkey hunt listen up, for I am going to tell you about a man that accomplished the grand slam in one year.
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Waterfowl hunting season opens across Indiana
Dust off the calls and decoys, Indiana’s waterfowl hunting season began Oct. 15 in the North Zone; Oct. 22 in the South Zone; and will begin Saturday in the Ohio River Zone.
Waterfowl hunting season in Indiana is divided into three zones: North, South and Ohio River. Each zone has different a season for ducks and Canada geese. Light (snow/Ross) geese, brant and white-fronted geese are regulated statewide. -
REDNECK QUAKER: Young lady has enthusiasm for the outdoors
I don’t know who is glowing with the most pride, Lily or PaPaw Mike Burch. You be the judge from that picture.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Lost Creek shoots great way to hone skills, take home prizes
The last spot shoot at the Lost Creek Township Conservation Club was about a month ago and was sponsored by the Sycamore Ridge Strutters Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
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REDNECK QUAKER: African trip makes for lasting memories
South Africa, a land that will never be tamed or civilized by man. It is a hard place to live for it is very unforgiving.
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REDNECK QUAKER: National Archery School Program a winning situation for all
Kenny Kays has nerves of steel for he has waited for me very patiently for over a month to get together and tell me about a wonderful program the Graysville school in Sullivan County is starting for the kids. From me working over time and weather laden with tornadoes, along with no electricity at home.
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REDNECK QUAKER: The Breitweiser family loves the outdoors
Hannah just got woke up from a sound sleep at 5:30 this evening; no she didn’t sleep in that late, the senior prom took place last night, need I say anymore.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Newport prairie an area worth saving
I can stand on my soap box for a long time when it comes to debating habitat.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Dedicated hunter harvests rare red-colored turkey
About the time you think you have seen it all, you better look again.
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REDNECK QUAKER: It didn’t get away: Father, son haul in 48-pound catfish
The men in the photo could have won about any tournament with this 48-pound flathead catfish.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Shaw follows family outdoors tradition
I recently spoke to a young man — Brody Shaw — about all the year’s and animals he has taken, along with fish.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Parke County men have technique to coyote huntin’
You talk about rednecks, nobody can hold a candle to these boys. When I pulled into Roger Dale’s house, there are stock cars everywhere, a pile of coyotes in the yard and the wood burner going in the house and garage.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Hunting memories to remember
I have a girlfriend of the old age of four years old and she stole my heart with her big brown eyes while we were waiting at swim practice.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Examining morel issues with passionate hunters
Here I sit with Alan Reed at Starbucks Coffee about to figure out how and where mushrooms grow.
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REDNECK QUAKER: The Theory of Mushrooms: Spores, tree roots and wood
Here we sat at a Terre Haute Torpedo’s swim meet and an avid mushroom hunter sat down next to me, so “here goes” on his theories on mushrooms. Jim Mattick lives for mushroom season.
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