Little Creek Calls

Well the Turkey Banquets are coming to an end for the year. I sent my last donation call yesterday to the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter for the Banquet Saturday night in Sierra Vista. I will not be able to attend this year but I hope my name is called when they draw for the state Turkey tag. The call is an Arizona Walnut pot with a black anodized aluminum calling surface. The striker has a Pecan head with Bacote dowel.

Here are a couple calls I just dropped off for the Valley Longbeard’s Banquet this Saturday night in Phoenix. The first is a Glass call in an Claro Walnut pot with an Apple Bubinga striker. The box Call is Mesquite body with Ash lid and base plate. I will be attending and hope to see some of you there.

I was told that there are still tickets available. Come and celebrate the 20th annual banquet for the Valley Longbeard's and help support the NWTF and wild turkey. Saturday July 25th doors open at 5PM dinner starts at 6PM LOCATION: Hilton Phoenix Airport Hotel 2435 S. 47th Street Phoenix, AZ 85034 For Information & Reservations contact: Rich Williams 602-881-7292, Howard Frampton 602-692-2911, or Scott Snarey 602-996-4679

lower blue river

Looks good. Who did the mount for you?

I have a $30 off a $150 purchase at sportsman's warehouse coupon if you want it (no expiration).

What size are the neoprene feet in the Simms waders?

I have never encountered them in Arizona but have in Missouri and they are not fun. In looking around on the internet about chiggers found some interesting things about them. A common myth about chiggers is that they burrow into and remain inside the skin. This is not true. Chiggers insert their feeding structures into the skin and inject enzymes that cause destruction of host tissue. Hardening of the surrounding skin results in the formation of a feeding tube called a stylostome. Chigger larvae then feed upon the destroyed tissue. If they are not disturbed (which is rarely the case because they cause substantial itching) they may feed through the stylostome for a few days. The itch is due to the presence of the stylostome and usually is most intense within 1-2 days after the bite. Many home remedies for chigger bites are based upon the incorrect belief that chiggers burrow into and remain in the skin. Nail polish, alcohol, and bleach have been applied to the bites to attempt to get rid of the chiggers by "suffocating" or killing the chiggers. But because the chiggers are not present in the skin, these methods are not effective. Chiggers do not bite at colder temperatures below 60 F. Chiggers also are not found in areas hotter than 99 F.

They are like ticks and DEET products work to repel them.

I will be coming this evening. I look forward to talking with you again TJ and Mark. Hopefully meet some other CW members. Here is one of the calls I am donating. It is a Arizona Walnut call body with a Brazilian Cherry lid and base plate. It should be in the live or silent auction. I will also be donating a pot call.

With 1 point you will not make the bonus pass and have a chance at drawing 1st or 2nd choice.

Depends on the unit you applied for.

Just putting the finishing touches on the calls I made for this banquet. I look forward to attending, last year was a lot of fun.

One other thing to remember is the bonus pass for Bighorn Sheep is done with all applicants and hunts combined and not hunt by hunt because you can’t have 20% if only 1 or 2 permits are offered for a hunt. What this means is if you applied for unit 22 you just as well have just bought a bonus point because there are no tags offered in the 1-2 lottery drawing. All 4 permits are going to the 20% with the most bonus points. Some other of the most popular units fall into this same problem.

I applied for a late Dec. whitetail tag first choice and wanted to apply for the end of Nov tag in the same unit as second choice but couldn't because with only 2 points I would make the bonus pass and not have a chance to draw the December tag. It is not a unit with leftovers so I had to decide before applying if I wanted a chance at drawing the December tag. I gambled and picked a different second choice.

If those were your choices you would make the bonus pass on your second choice 23 October hunt and your first choice wouldn’t matter. If you had a non-bonus pass hunt for second choice your first choice 13B would be just over 1%.

I will be attending with my wife and two boys. I am also donating a call or two that will be auctioned or raffled off at the banquet.

I just finished up a couple of wingbone calls for Couestracker and I thought I would share a few pictures with you. If any of you kill a turkey and would like to have a call like this made from his wing bones keep at least one of your turkeys wings and let me know. The three bones you need are the same bones you throw away when you eat chicken wings.They are a fun way to remember your past hunts and also can work as a good locator call.

Here is my take on this. If you have a lot of points hold out for 13B or 13A. The bonus pass on these hunts are currently sitting at 15 points. The late 12s are also great hunts but will still take around 13 points to make the bonus pass, wait an extra 2 years and hunt in the 13s. 3A3C requires less points but is also earlier before the rut and not the same experience in my opinion. 23 and 27 have rut hunts and would take 8 to 10 points to make the pass. I would say save your points for 13s and archery & leftover hunt until you get the best tag. Just so you know, it took 15 points last year to make the max points pass in unit 27 late mule deer....a couple were drawn with 10 as applicants with 11, 12, 13 points drew their 1st choices. There are 5 bonus pass tags for 27 late hunt. Last year 2 tags went to 15 point holders who hadn't been applying for this hunt in prior years. No one with 14, 13, 12, or 11 points even applied for this hunt last year. The three other bonus tags went to those with 10 points last year. This year the bonus pass will be 11 and 10 bonus point holders for this hunt unless some one who doesn't usually put in for this hunt changes there mind like last years two 15 point holders (probably a group app). On last years 15 point holders maybe they had special deer they were watching and after but they could have had a chance at 13A or 13B bonus tag with some bonus tags given to 15 point holders in both units last year. They would have also been guaranteed late hunt permit tag in 12A East or West or 12B.

I like slicing the breast against the grain of the meat and using Louisiana chicken fry batter or if you like it a little spicier Louisiana Cajun fish fry batter and making fried turkey strips. I also usually soak the cut strips in water with a little of batter mixed in for flavor. Takes a little more work to make it this way but has always been a big hit when I have made it. I also like to do jalapeno poppers with turkey strips with a little cream cheese all wrapped with bacon.

If any of you knew Marvin Robbins or attended any of his seminars you might remember that he wore allot of after shave. It was the same smelly brand that my grandfather used Aqua Velva. In one or two of his seminars that I had attended he told us it was a good way to keep predators from coming in to close to your calling setups. He also taught that turkeys have a great sense of smell but just use it to find food and water and are not smart enough to use it in defense. I have not yet tried his practice of using after shave. I have called in multiple coyotes and 1 bear while trying to call in turkeys.

Here is my take on this. If you have a lot of points hold out for 13B or 13A. The bonus pass on these hunts are currently sitting at 15 points. The late 12’s are also great hunts but will still take around 13 points to make the bonus pass, wait an extra 2 years and hunt in the 13’s. 3A3C requires less points but is also earlier before the rut and not the same experience in my opinion. 23 and 27 have rut hunts and would take 8 to 10 points to make the pass. I would say save your points for 13’s and archery & leftover hunt until you get the best tag.

With all the tough conditions we have had on most weekends I am glad things worked out for you. Congratulations to you and your daughter.

Nice looking bird. I am glad things worked out for you and your daughter. Congratulations.

Here is a picture before the joints were tapered and wrapped. On one call the webbing inside the end of the bone was cleaned out and the other was left in. Both sound the same and the webbing doesn't lessen the volume, it is just for looks. The bones were cleaned out by Cole and his beetles at CMC Skulworks so there is no leftover meat or marrow inside the webbing and bones.