Story Behind the Smirk!

I think it is safe to say that every hunter has a "bucket list" of game animals that they would like to successfully harvest in their lifetime. Maybe its a beautiful black bear, a perfect limit of green heads, a trophy class mule deer buck or a combination of many. I personally dream of the day that I can successfully take a tom turkey with my bow. I have been blessed enough to kill many nice trophy animals, but for some reason I think that a successful take of a tom turkey is the ultimate challenge for an archer. 

Each season I work diligently to hone in my shooting skills, I spend hours patterning several flocks in our area and even more time in the blind or propped up against a tree in full camo. I'll even admit that the hour I spend driving to work and home each day makes for a great opportunity to slip a diaphragm call in my mouth and practice my clucks, purrs and cackles, without an audience of any kind (now you know what I'm doing if you ever pass me on the road). Regardless, I have yet to check this task off my bucket list. I've come painfully close a time or two, but haven't been able to seal the deal quite yet.

Now that you have a little bit of background on my ultimate pursuit, I will also let you know that I am extremely competitive (I wish I wasn't, life would be a cake walk) and a tad bit ornery, which is not always an ideal combination. My Dad has fallen victim to this almost-lethal combination once before when we he shot a mule deer buck from across a canyon right underneath me. He, regretfully didn't 1. know that I was there and 2. realize that I had watched that buck bed down almost 2 hours before that and was waiting patiently to capitalize on a shot! My own Dad shot a buck right out from under me!!!

-that story has become somewhat of our hunting group's main inside joke. They all love to tease my Dad and I about that particular hunt.

Even more recent, however, my Husband became a victim as well. After a long weekend vacation, I offered to drive the two hours to my parents house alone to pick up the kids when we returned home. I knew he had a lot of work to do and plus he hates the drive, so I headed over the hill by myself. After a quick visit with my Mom, I loaded up the kids, and began the drive back home, calling Casey to let him know we were on our way. I was tired and had been fighting a flu bug (plus the competitiveness and orneriness mentioned above) and was not thrilled at all when he proudly told me, as soon as he answered the phone, "Man Babe! Your gonna wish you were checking water with me today! I bagged myself a beautiful Tom right out of the rice field!" At first I thought about just hanging up on him, but I had to know why he thought it would be cool to kill a bird that he has not one ounce of desire to kill! I calmly explained to him that my thoughts were either 1. He killed it out of spite. A Haha type moment to show me just how easy it was or 2. He killed it just because he could without any regard to his Wife's feelings!!! No difference either one, he was sleeping on the couch for sure! Of course my reaction was comical to Casey and completely laughable, which also didn't win him any points. So before I lost my wits, I calmly told him that he would be eating every last bit of that bird for dinner every night for the next week!!

So now you know the story behind the smirk! Hey at least I was nice enough to take a picture for him!

I've also included a recipe for one of the "Wild Turkey Dinners" we had that week!

-Regina

Easy Crock Pot Turkey Burritos

Breast Out and Wash thoroughly the Breast Meat from Your Gobbler

Cut Into Quarters

Place Cuts into Crock Pot

Pour in 3 Cans of Rotel Canned Tomatoes, 1 small can Diced Jalapeños and a half of a packet of Taco Seasoning.

Cook on Low for 8-10 hours. Until Turkey Meat is tender enough to spoon shred.

Spoon Meat into Warm Tortillas, Roll into Burritos, Top with Shredded Cheese and Sour Cream

Yum!