Spring Trip To Steelhead Alley

Recently I had the opportunity to make a trip to Erie with a couple of coworkers/ friends of mine.  We made plans last week and finalized them on Easter.  I would drive separate and meet Scott and Steve at the Elk Creek access.  Before arriving, I made a stop at a local bait store to get some leaders and talk with the owner.  The news was not good. He said the tribs needed water and they haven’t had a fresh run for some time.  Though I didn’t like what I heard at the bait shop, I was still looking forward to fishing with Scott and Steve.  My hope for this trip was to see Steve land his first steelhead.  He had made the trip once before, but unfortunately the tribs were blown out and he didn’t have the opportunity to fish.

Scott and Steve Gearing Up For Steelhead Action

I have fished with Scott several times, and he just flat out knows how to catch fish.  He is one of those outdoorsmen who knows how to get it done whether it’s elk hunting out west, archery hunting for whitetail, turkey hunting, or fishing for any species in PA.  Beyond this, he is just a good guy to be in the outdoors with.

Man, is it cold out!

We met at the access, and decided to fish a section of stream which held many fish earlier this year.  Upon arrival, we were surprised to find we would be the only people fishing this area.  I remember thinking this could either be very good or very bad, and was confused as to why nobody was around.  The weather was bitter cold and windy, but the stream had good color and decent flow.  The first spot we fished was a large slow hole below a train trestle.  It wasn’t long after we got our lines wet, that Steve coaxed a nice hen into hitting his yellow egg sack.  After a relatively short battle, Steve landed his first steelhead!  I took a couple pictures, offered congrats and soon we were back fishing.  Steve no sooner got back into the water and had his second steel in the net.  Things went dead for a while and Scott switched to live minnows.  This proved to be the right move as both Scott and Steve took turns catching fish up until the time we left.  At one point it was a hookup every four casts or less with several doubles.

Steve's First Steelhead

Scott's First Steelhead of the Day

My contribution to the trip included one steelhead and a couple suckers.  I tried everything from egg patterns to minnow imitations but the steelhead (with the exception of one) just weren’t interested in my flies.  Although I didn’t have a great day catching fish on a personal level, it was a great time fishing with friends and sharing a first steelhead experience.  Congrats Steve!

My Big Catch of the Day - Sucker!

As the bait shop owner reported, the fish have been in the streams a while, and most had the cuts, sores, and scars to prove it.  Several of the hens caught were full of eggs and a couple were spawned out.  There were a few clean semi bright fish caught, but no chromers.

Train Crossing the Bridge While We Were Fishing

The cold was getting to me after a few hours, so I decided it was time to call it quits.  I went over to Trout Run to see if I could get a few photos of steelhead in this little stream.  Trout run is nursery water that is off limits to fishermen (except at the mouth of the stream in Lake Erie).  In the fall, Trout Run can literally be black with huge fish and can sometimes draw quite a crowd.  The following are a few pictures of my visit to Trout Run.

Trout Run Nursery Water

Enjoy the outdoors and be safe!

Spring Scouting & Sheds

With March coming in like a lion, my trips to the woods to do some scouting and search for shed antlers had to occur between snow storms. Even so, I was anxious to get out of the house and spend some time in my favorite archery spots from last fall. With snow still on the ground, it wasn’t hard to see where the deer had been spending most of their time.

A well-concealed deer bed beside a thick swamp; This spike was still carrying his antlers in early March.

The majority of the tracks I found were located in thick bedding areas, and it was nice to venture into the swamps and thickets I normally wouldn’t dare disturb. My spring scouting trips always seem to lead me to hiding places that I’ve overlooked during the season. The deer are often using the same areas that allowed them to avoid heavy hunting pressure a few months ago.

A nice sunset after an afternoon of scouting; Not exactly what I was hoping to see on my trail camera

In my opinion, this is the best time of year to do some serious scouting and stack the odds in your favor for next fall. Deer sign really seems to stand out in the spring and it’s easier to put together the pieces you might have missed the year before. I even carry a little notebook with me and keep a log of what I find, because it’s easy to forget the little details when hunting season rolls around. You never know when one of those details might help put the buck that’s been avoiding you into shooting range.

A tall rub that I missed during my fall scouting; Deer trails are very visible during the spring.

One of the benefits of spring scouting is that it’s the best chance you’ll have to find the shed antlers of any surviving bucks in your area. All of the sheds I’ve found so far this year have been pretty small. You’d think that the big ones would be the easiest to find, but somehow, they’ve eluded me. I keep telling myself that the big boys might still be carrying them around on their heads.

This white antler was an easy find, standing out against the dark leaves.

This year, my best luck finding sheds has been on trails between feeding and bedding areas. I also check fields, stream crossings, and any other places I think deer might spend a lot of time. It’s even better if these areas are located on a south-facing slope, as deer naturally spend more time in these areas to soak up what little sun we get during the winter.

This shed was partially covered with some ground ivy that had sprung up among the dead leaves.

I’ve found that overcast days are much better for shed hunting than sunny days. It also helps to hit the woods after a good rain, because the light-colored sheds stand out against the dark color of a wet forest floor. But the bottom line is that you just have to get out there and cover as much ground as you can. Don’t get discouraged, because shed hunting in PA is tough. Remember, this isn’t Iowa or Wisconsin, so don’t expect to find a dozen sheds in an afternoon. If you find one or two, you’re doing really well!

The Bruiser and I strike a pose in my front ‘yard’

I also thought I’d share some photos of my ’07 archery buck that I just got back from the taxidermist. If you’ve been following my field journals, this was the buck I nicknamed “The Bruiser” because his body was so huge and he came running to my rattling horns looking for a fight. The mount was created by Ron Wenner of Emlenton (814-797-5133), and I think he did an excellent job. I highly recommend his work if any of you are thinking about getting something mounted.

This angle shows the size of the buck’s body

Taxidermist Ron Wenner with the mount in his studio

As you can see, the bruiser had quite a few scars on his hide from doing battle with the local bucks. I have every intention of meeting up with some of his opponents this fall. I figure if they’re willing to square off with this guy, they’re probably sporting headgear worthy of a trip back to Ron’s taxidermy shop. And that’s a trip I’m quite willing to take.

March Snows

Being an avid waterfowl hunter I had anxiously been awaiting for March snows. Snow geese that is! Although, unable to connect in PA with any hunting this year, I decided the next best thing to being able to hunt them would be at least to view them, capture some photo opportunities and experience one of the wonders of our natural world. There is no better place to view this phenomena than right here in Pennsylvania at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area located on the Lebanon/Lancaster border.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission owns Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. It is a 6,254-acre facility created in 1973. A 756-acre wildlife propagation area has been set aside as a sanctuary for waterfowl and other animals.

Snow geese breed in the Arctic Tundra and winter in farmlands, lakes and coastal areas in the American Southwest, South and East Coast. They are only located in North America and make a round trip annual journey of sometimes more than 5000 miles at speeds of 50 mph or more. When seen in flight the adults are all white with jet-black wing tips. The juvenile birds have gray markings. There are also a different color phase of snow goose called the blue phase. The blue phase has a white face and very dark body.

Blue phase snow goose

Snows are smaller than the Canada goose weighing from 4 –7 pounds and have about a five-foot wing span. Snow geese winter in largely immense flocks numbering in the thousands. We were fortunate to see thousands of snow geese at Middle Creek. Approximately 80,000 snows!

We arrived at Middle Creek around 10 AM. On our way to the destination we saw a small flock (about 1000 birds) in a field. We parked the vehicle and got out to take pictures a true spectacle.... They flushed. Just like that, they lifted instantaneously and provided a little of what was to come. Upon reaching the impoundment we were able to view a few hundred Tundra Swans on the lake. These birds are quite large compared to a Canada goose and make a cooing noise while at rest. A group lifted and took flight. Even in the air they look larger as you can see by my picture.

Tundra Swans In Flight

We approached a field where the geese were feeding ravenously to prepare for the northern migration and breeding. Jimmy was totally mesmerized. He just kept saying, “I have never seen this many geese in all my life!” It is in one word AWESOME! We video taped and I snapped a few hundred pictures. Well more like 962, but who’s counting? It was like the geese were playing leapfrog in the field. A few of the flock would lift and fly in front of the feeding frenzy and proceed to feed. Then they would continue to engage themselves to new ground to optimize intake.

We parked and went inside the Visitor’s Center. The Center houses many waterfowl exhibits along with other Pennsylvania wildlife. There is an observation room of the impoundment and learning displays. Such as the migration map for snow geese and a simulated goose blind and hunt. Which of course Don Jimmy and I made a point to try out.

Visitor Center Observation Deck.

Waterfowl Migration Map

After leaving there we proceeded to bundle up, grab our cameras and walk back on Willow Point Trail. This is an easy ten-minute hike that takes you back to an observation point and overlooks a large portion of the 400-acre lake. This is when the best part of the day occurred. While we were back snapping photos and video taping the thousands of geese and swans, a single engine plane flew over. For whatever reason, the geese didn’t like it and they flushed. Not a few ALL of them. The sky actually darkened above us and the sound was almost deafening. Although I feared looking up... I couldn’t resist the photo opportunity! Believe me no photos could do that justice. This exodus was unforgettable! After the plane flew over, literally within seconds the thousands of geese that took refuge on the water flew right back to the fields to begin feeding again.

The number of Snow Geese has caused great concern for many. Ongoing research has confirmed that the carrying capacity of the habitat in some areas has been exceeded to the point that "permanent damage to tundra vegetation" is occurring. In addition, and because of the amount of vegetation removed by snow geese, the salt content of remaining soils has increased, killing all vegetation. The effect is so widespread and significant that it is easily observed in data collected by satellites.

As a result of over-population on some portions of the breeding ground, snow goose goslings in some areas are smaller than gosling’s 15 years ago. Gosling mortality is high and diseases are killing many of goslings. Survivors remain small as adults and may be less able to withstand the stress of migration. Adults are surviving at a high rate thus shifting the age structure of the population toward older geese - a dangerous situation. Old birds may be more susceptible to disease and a disease outbreak might spread quickly. If a population crash occurs, there will be few young, strong geese to begin the rebuilding process. That is why hunting these geese is so important not only for the Tundra region but for their mere survival.

The day went by so fast and the sights were truly remarkable. We took a ride through an interior road through the compound only to view more Snow Geese, Canada Geese and Swans. We did see a few flyway ducks. Some Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, Buffle heads, Scaups, Ring Necks and Black Ducks. Not as many as I was hoping for but the show the Snow Geese provided well made up for any lack of ducks! If you haven’t ever gone and visited Middle Creek it is well worth the trip. It is one of nature’s true wonders!

Ice Fishing and the Outdoor Show

The winter months outdoors have been slow for me.  I am now ready for spring and the turkey hunting and fishing that comes with it.  The highlight this last month has been an ice fishing outing on Lake Wilhelm for crappie and bluegill.  I don’t consider myself a hardcore ice fisherman, however, I do enjoy getting out in the dead of winter and possibly catching a few fish.  Though I typically ice fish alone, the area I usually go has no shortage of anglers searching for the winter panfish.  The atmosphere is typically social and friendly.

All the equipment, packed up and ready to go.

My shelter and all the equipment

This entry actually began the day before my trip to the lake.  My first trip of the year on the ice usually involves trying to gather all my equipment scattered from one end of the garage to the other… heater, ice fishing rods, tackle, auger, lantern, ice scoop, fold up chairs, and finally the ice fishing shelter.  After re-spooling my rods, spending a couple hours gathering my equipment, and making sure everything is in working order, I was finally ready to hit the hard water.

The next afternoon I arrived at the lake ready to lay full assault on the panfish.  My spot would be a trench along an island, in the stumps on Lake Wilhelm.  After drilling a couple trial holes to find the right depth (9 – 10 foot), I was settled in, optimistic for an evening of action.  Within the first hour, a couple of gentlemen came to my shanty to chat.  They had been at the lake all day and their report of so far had been that the action was slow.  This didn’t bother me as my best luck on this lake, usually came within the last two hours of the day.  We talked for about ½ hr about hunting and past ice fishing trips.  During that time, I did not have a bite.  As “prime time” rolled around, I had only caught 1 tiny perch.  As day light was fading the bite started, but unfortunately the fish were small and the bites were few.  As the last light faded, I decided to throw the white flag up and call it a day.  The final tally was 5 small bluegill and 2 baby perch.  It was time to break down and make the long trek back to my truck.

As I arrived back at the parking area, I had the chance to talk with three other fishermen out that night.  It turns out they didn’t do very well either, so I checked the trip up as a slow days fishing.  I would love all of my entry’s to contain big fish, bucks and turkeys, but this is not reality in my outdoors.  Any trip outdoors is a rewarding experience and worth sharing.

The interior of my ice shelter

The first time out on the ice is a special day every year.  The experience is different than any other outdoor venture I take part in.  It is a time to slow down, relax, and enjoy the outdoors… anything else (fish) is an added bonus.  Though I didn’t catch many fish, I got the opportunity to get out and enjoy the outdoors when many people are cooped up inside.  Because of this, there is no such thing as a bad day on the ice.

An entry in the 2008 PSP Ice Fishing Contest

The 2nd part of my journal entry involves the opportunity to participate in the Eastern Outdoor Show.  One of the highlights of the show was meeting the people who make this site possible.  I had the opportunity to meet Andy and though I didn’t get a chance to talk to him at length, I can tell you he is very passionate about this site and the outdoors.  I’ve grown up with Jason and enjoy every chance I get to spend time with him.  I had a great time putting faces with many of the names on this site and would like to welcome the new members.  I also had the chance to meet John Bulgrin of Wisconsin Outdoor Adventures (check out the outfitter directory in the forums on this site).  He is a good guy, and it was nice to put a face with the name I’ve heard so much about. If you get a chance, look through the archives on this site and check out the PSP coverage on the Outdoor Show.  As always, good luck in your outdoor ventures and most important, be safe.

The Ice is Nice!

Like most of the hardwater anglers in PA, I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of solid ice so I could get out of the house and do some fishing. The reports of two, then three, and finally four inches of clear ice couldn’t come soon enough. Some folks say that two inches is thick enough to hold fishermen, but personally, I’m not comfortable until there’s at least four inches.

The first layer of ice at Kahle Lake in Clarion County; Six inches of clear ice is more than enough to ensure safe angling opportunities.

My hopes were high as I set out with a truck load of gear on my first trip of the year. Lake Arthur in Butler County was my destination, and I’d had good luck there in the past. Ice fishing can be tough, and despite my optimism that day, I got completely skunked. The only fish I took home were the shiners I brought for bait. Still, I was happy for the excursion and my cabin fever was beginning to subside.

Yellow perch are a favorite among ice fishermen; A spring bobber helps with detecting light bites.

My next trip to the lake was a windy day, so I spent most of my time in the shanty with my jigging rod. The fish were pretty tight-lipped, but I still managed to coax a few decent bluegills with some waxworms. I also caught a small crappie on a tip-up baited with a minnow, but the rest of my flags flew low.

A look inside my ice shanty; Trap doors allow easy access to the ice below.

An ice shanty can be a real blessing if the weather is foul, and since I bought mine last year, I’ve been able to spend more hours on the lake than I ever would have without it. Most of the new models can be assembled in a couple of minutes and fold up into compact sleds. If you’re thinking of buying one, check the sporting goods stores for end-of-season sales in March.

A tip-up stands at the ready for what lurks below; Vince Hoover holds up a small northern pike from Lake Arthur.

I hoped the “third time’s a charm” rule would hold for my next trip to the lake, and I wasn’t disappointed. My friend Vince and I arrived at the lake just before sunrise as a storm front approached on the horizon. Shortly after setting out two rows of tip-ups, the flags began to fly. Within the first hour, we landed several bass, including a couple of keepers, as well as a nice perch. The bluegill were also feeding and kept us busy between sprints to waving flags.

A sprung flag will bring anglers running; Hot soup makes a great shanty lunch.

I’ve always found ice fishermen to be some of the friendliest individuals I’ve encountered in the field. One such example was a fellow we met that day named Jeff. He complimented us on our choice of locations and kindly asked if he and his sons could fish nearby. We had no problem sharing our spot and welcomed them to join us. After getting set up, Jeff fired up his grill and cooked us all hot sausage sandwiches. That was the first time I’d ever had a complete stranger bring me breakfast, and it just goes to show the caliber of folks you’re likely to meet on the ice.

Keeping gear organized is easier with a bucket modified with PVC pipe (design credit goes to the Fertigs Ice Team); A nearby angler named Mick landed these two trophies in the shallows of Lake Arthur.

The flags kept flying into the afternoon, and although I wasn’t keeping track, I know we landed over 15 bass and also a small northern pike. Another nearby angler named Mick also had a fantastic day, hauling in 18 bass and a nice northern. His largest bass was 23” long and weighed 6 ½ pounds. He said it was his largest bass to date, and I was happy to snap a few photos for him.

Largemouth bass often fall victim to a tip-up rigged with a shiner; A few keepers taken from Lake Arthur

The current weather forecast is calling for more cold temperatures and most of the local lakes should allow for hardwater opportunities well into March. If you’ve never tried ice fishing, it’s a great way to ward off cabin fever and pass the time until the turkeys start talking. Good luck and stay safe!

A Day of Tools, Tips and Tactics

Last Friday I stopped by to see my Friend Shirley Grenoble to talk a little “turkey”. Shirley has been hunting turkey for over 40 years now. She is an avid outdoors woman and outdoor writer for the Altoona Mirror and contributor writer to the Pennsylvania Outdoor Times. Shirley has written for various magazines and newspapers over the years. Her knowledge and experience are impressive to say the least. Shirley was one of the first members of the NWTF in Pennsylvania and helped establish the PA NWTF as one of the most influential conservation organizations in the Country.

While we were sharing hunting stories she invited me to her Seminar over the weekend at the Blair County Convention Center and Outdoor Times Sports Show. I was also looking forward to going, being that I had various friends and acquaintances who would be working at the show. Plus Shirley wanted me to meet an absolutely extraordinary woman in the outdoors, Joanie Heidel. I was eager to finally hear Shirley talk some more about her strategies in hunting turkeys.

Just some of the many magazines Shirley has written for over the years.

Saturday, Don and I headed out for the show and our first stop was with the owners, Jim and Debbie Faith of East Coast Gun Sales. East Coast was holding a Taser seminar that I wanted to attend. We had some time before the Seminar started so we headed over in hopes of possibly getting a chance to meet or speak with Bob Foulkrod.

East Coast Gun Sales, (LtoR)Scott Henck, Jim Faith, Owner, myself, Debbie Faith Owner.

Bob was at the show holding various seminars over the weekend. Let me say that getting a chance to speak with him was no difficult feat. Bob was very approachable and welcomed the opportunity to talk to fellow Pennsylvanians about whatever it was you wanted to speak about. He was more than happy to snap a few photos with me and was very professional and personable.

Foulkrod is a PA native and still has property up in Troy, Bradford County, PA. There he said he operates a ranch where he holds a bow school and archery camp. This man is one of the most accomplished hunters of all time. Bob started his personal hunting dream. His “Obsession Quest” 5 years ago. This quest includes all 50 big game animals in North America, the African big 5 and the Grand Quest on wild turkey. If you don’t think that is hard enough…he is doing each hunt in front of a camera. Bob has one animal left on his Quest to complete his dream mission. The muskox. He is heading out the end of March to complete the task. Each of the animals Bob has taken will be mounted life size and placed on display at various Bass Pro shops for the public to enjoy.

While sitting in Bob’s seminar later that afternoon, I found while listening to him not only was he inspiring and knowledgeable but his opening was like déjà vu’. He stated some of my exact thoughts that I too tried to portray in a previous journal entry I submitted, “Why I (we) hunt!” Bob said that hunting was more about the memories and reminiscing than the actual kills. Yes, Bob Foulkrod kills animals and a lot of them, but his most memorable times of hunting weren’t of actual kills or world records he took. They were of fun times, practical jokes at deer and bear camps. Bob smallest caribou ever taken is even more memorable than his world record because, as he stated, “Someone will ALWAYS come along that will kill more animals than you, kill a bigger buck or break your record.”

His mission in speaking to people is to spread his knowledge so that others can become better hunters. So what does Bob think we need to do to become better hunters? Well for starters, be more respectful of other hunters. Bob said if you see a guy sitting down near where you want to be and they were there first, move to a different spot and don’t sit 50 yards from them. Just because you find a tree stand in the woods and no one is in it doesn’t mean you can just sit in it. Next, Bob stated “Do I think PA has a problem with the hunting situation? Yes I do.” Bob feels that we are losing both the younger generation and the older generation of hunters. With the younger generation he feels it is hard to expect them to go out and sit in the woods all day long and for a “MAYBE" they will see a deer. They get cold, can’t go as far and it’s hard for them to sit very long. With the competition of sports, video games, and other activities it’s hard for kids to get excited about hunting deer if they don’t see any deer to hunt. Again, it’s not about the kill, but about the excitement of hearing the rustle of leaves and seeing a deer approaching.

The older generation….well, Bob says, “They get cold, can’t go as far, and it’s hard for them to sit as long too.” What is happening is that they aren’t going hunting. Why? Because they, like the children need our help. We as hunters sometimes don’t want to be bothered and they don’t want to BE a bother. Like Bob said, “What we need to remember was that when we were that kid, the now older generation, didn’t give up on us when we maybe couldn’t walk as far. We need to be patient and considerate to their needs.” We as hunters need to stick together and continue the sport with both the younger generation and the older generation who passed that tradition on to us. For that is what hunting is… memories and reminiscing, sharing dreams with family and friends.

Bob said that our legacy as hunters will not be determined by the amount of racks we have hanging on the wall or records we have had. But by the memories we leave behind to our hunting companions of good times shared with us during those hunts. Will they remember a laugh or joke? Perhaps a memory shared of a difficult hunt that took longer than normal to harvest an animal, and the victory being shared with a loved one. That is our legacy as hunters. That is what makes you a successful hunter. After speaking, Bob took questions and signed pictures. There is not enough to be said about this man’s passion and love of the sport. It was obvious his roots were from Pennsylvania and he is a fine representative of our State.

Next we stopped to see my friends at Barnes Puppy Love Kennels.

Denise and Dave are great people and produce AWESOME retrievers. This is where my dog, Drake, who I am sure you all saw maybe once or twice on the site, came from. I always welcome the chance to talk to Denise and Dave and see their new puppies and resident dogs work their hunting skill magic.

Dave working “Gauge” their chocolate lab during a dog retrieving seminar.

Above C2 personal Taser

The East Coast Gun Sale Taser seminar began with Scott Henck, Sales Consultant, Law Enforcement Division and Taser Instructor introducing East Coast Gun Sales for those that were not familiar with the Company. East Coast Gun Sales is a full service gun shop that believes in 3 things; Give the Customer what they want, at the right price and provide new and innovative products. East Coast carries a full range of firearms and products for both hunters and law enforcement. After only 2 years in existence they will be opening a new 40,000 square foot gun shop, distribution center with an underground shooting range. Scott then began talking about the C2 Personal Taser from Taser International. The C2 shoots 50,000 volts from up to 15 feet away through 2 inches of clothing. The C2 will incapacitate an assailant for at least 30 seconds. More activation can be used if needed. The Taser once activated can help the victim to either run to get away from the assailant or call the police. If the assailant isn’t completely incapacitated you can reactivate the unit by depressing the trigger. The Taser has an anti-felon id system. Tiny coded discs are emitted once the cartridge is activated.

Taser prongs that are shot into the assailant.

Coded discs.

These discs are individually coded for each cartridge and allows the police to identify where the cartridge was purchased and by whom. Taser International will replace the cartridges if utilized and an official police report is filed. The C2 is an excellent personal defense weapon that can end a frightful or dangerous situation without deadly force. It is very lightweight and compact. I was volunteered to demonstrate the ease of operation of the C2. The ease and operation would be perfect for those who are not comfortable or familiar in carrying a firearm.

Above, me shooting the C2 at the Taser target.

Scott Henck, East Coast Gun Sales explaining in detail how the C2 works on an assailant.

The end of the day was spent listening and learning from a very knowledgeable, accomplished yet humble woman, Shirley Grenoble. Shirley introduced me to her good friend, and in Shirley’s words, another “powerful woman the great outdoors”, Joanie Heidel. Joanie is from Dayton, Pennsylvania and not only is she a skillful woman in the outdoors, she also makes her own turkey calls called Joanie’s Beard Bustin’ Turkey Calls. This girl can call a turkey like I have never heard before. She is amazing. I was in awe! Matter of fact the whole audience was in awe!

Joanie Heidel demonstrating various turkey sounds with one of her Beard Bustin calls. Shirley is watching on.

Shirley as always, captivated her audience with her casual humble self. This is a woman whom I admire for her courage that got her where she is today. Shirley has been hunting for about 55 years.

Just a few of the gobbler remnants that have fallen to Shirley’s hunting skills.

She hunted when it was “forbidden” or taboo for woman to hunt. Not that it bothered her, she was hooked the day her husband took her along rabbit hunting. And it’s been a blessing to all of us that she has remain so dedicated to hunting. Shirley was able to help with some tough turkey scenarios and strategies she has used over the years in bagging those challenging gobblers in PA. She can recall stories from many years ago like it was yesterday and all those there agreed, Shirley knew what she was talking about. I was grateful to have learned some of her tricks of the trade. In Shirley’s words, “It never hurts to have a few tricks in your hat to pull out on those smart old birds." Any time I have spent with Shirley I leave with a smile on my face for she is truly a mentor to all of us outdoors women. I look forward to keeping in touch with her and sharing our stories of the upcoming spring gobbler season.

Joanie Heidel, Shirley Grenoble and myself after the Seminar.

Dad and I at he United Bowhunter’s booth talking with the Singer’s of Hollidaysburg.

“Bob” one of the Barnes’ puppies, is the new mascot for the Altoona Curve this year.