I spent yesterday filming some special segments for a new site that will launch soon. Realtree has partnered with Field & Stream to help launch a website dedicated to the next generation of hunters out there. I'm really excited about this opportunity and can't wait to show you the final product.

Generation Wild is set to launch next month, so I'll make sure and let you know when you can check it out. This is a great way for parents, grandparents and mentors to show young people the ropes of hunting.

To help out, what are some of the key aspects that you as parents and mentors would like to see available as teaching tools?

Memorial Day 2008 is just about here and I want to take a moment to remember why we have our precious Freedom. I take for granted the special privileges my family and friends enjoy every day.
Going to church.
Playing basketball in the driveway.
Fishing for bluegills.
Attending Harman’s high school graduation.
Praying to God.
Watching CMT.
Going to lunch with friends.
Cutting the grass.
Filling my truck with gas.
Fixing a bowl of cereal at night.
Cleaning my turkey gun.

You get the point.
Our great country is free! And it came with a price tag. A very expensive price tag.
Lives.
Fighting soldiers’ lives.
And innocent civilians’ lives.

REMEMBER THIS AND BE THANKFUL.

That Monday afternoon, I met Michael and Phillip in the big town of Powderville, MT. They had made the three hour drive up from Sundance, WY after slamming 3 birds on camera that morning. I don’t think anybody actually lives IN Powderville. If they do it is inside the post office which is unlike any post office you’ve ever seen. Also, it’s the only building where two dirt roads meet.

We had just enough time to get their gear unloaded and hook them up with Kenny Boschee, one of Bill Perkins’ guides, who had seen some turkeys the day before just downstream. Meanwhile, Dan, Hugh and I returned to the big cottonwoods where we’d gotten on turkeys that morning. While our afternoon was fairly slow, the sound of Michael’s Benelli waking up down river gave us hope that we’d be watching free turkey hunting video on the camp television later that night!

Sure enough, Waddell and Culpepper weighed in with an awesome hunt! I accused Phillip of breaking out the paint and brushes. His footage of the kill looked like a masterpiece. Absolutely beautiful!

Sure enough, Michael hadn’t been in camp more than two hours and his first Big Sky bird is being skinned out back.

That night I had a hunch. There was talk of weather moving in on Wednesday and from experience I knew that weather fronts bring lots of wind. Something I don’t like. So anyway, I talked Bill into driving us all the way around to the other side where Harman and I had hunted the year before. I loved that place and there were definitely turkeys there.

It wasn’t as simple as it sounds. As a crow flies, the other property was probably only 10-12 miles away, but you had to drive North to the closest river crossing and back down to the other place. It would take close to an hour to get there!

That was OK, I knew it would be worth it.

We left camp at 3:30 the next morning. Phillip only lasted to the end of the driveway before he was zonked out, the result of too many turkey hunting mornings. Michael and I talked for about 10 minutes before he checked out, leaving only me and Bill to converse about many topics but mainly Harman, what stage of the rut he was in and his college choice (Georgia Tech). I’m glad Bill didn’t doze off on me.

We pull into the property, shut off the engine, step out of the truck and . . . they they are!
Multiple gobblers sounding off 300 yards away! Now ol’ Culpepper can wake up as quick as he can doze off!

This was the most PERFECT morning! Clear skies, NO WIND, 48 degrees with an expected high of 70. Looking back it was the best morning of the entire season.

Michael, Phillip and I eased up through the cottonwoods and settled in as the toms commenced to gobbling. Soon, Phillip could see strutters at the back end of a narrow field. Michael crawled several yards to our left and put out the Montana Decoy Strutter so if a bird worked his way around the slight bend in the field he’d see the decoy. It worked like a charm!

A big longbeard had broken off from the other turkeys just slightly (probably with no intention of coming all the way in) but when he saw the strutting decoy it was on!

Here he comes. Running! In full strut! I think Michael and I were actually gigglin’ as I shot the bird at 6 steps in self defense!

Well, we carried him back to the farmhouse, had some coffee, retold the story to Bill, rested a little and walked outside to hear more gobblers between the house and the river.

Here we go.

This time Michael’s up. We hit the river, circled around using the high bank to our advantage, peeked over into the flat and spotted 3 longbeards.

Slowly, we set up and begin calling. Before long the dominant bird was headed our way and the Benelli couldn’t stand it any longer. Michael had his second Powder River tom in less than 24 hours!

What a way to end the trip! A absolutely awesome trip with Bill Perkins. If you want to experience the Powder River spring fling give Bill a call at (406) 232-1194.

I started turkey hunting in 1981 and I’ve learned a lot of things in the 27 years of chasing these birds, but I don’t think there has been anything etched in my brain like the little bit of wisdom I’m about to give you. And it’s free!

THERE IS NO BETTER REMEDY FOR A SORE BUTT THAT’S BEEN KICKED BY EASTERN LONGBEARDS THAN A TRIP OUT WEST TO NURSE THE WOUNDS WITH A LIL’ MERRIAM's BEAK BUSTIN’!

Man! It was Awesome!

Michael Waddell and I headed west April 25 with our buddies and cameramen Dan Johnson and Phillip Culpepper, along with Coach Hugh Nall, a new member of the Realtree Turkey Patrol!

Hugh, a rabid turkey hunter, is the Offensive Line Coach at Auburn University and the only reason we allowed him to join us was the fact that he played football at THE University of Georgia and, in fact, was the center on the 1980 National Championship team.

We landed in Rapid City, SD, rented vehicles and headed straight to Sundance, WY to hook up with Jeff and Deb Smith of Seven J Outfitters for the first part of our trip.

The first morning we were greeted with freezing temperatures, wind and SNOW! It snowed off and on all day and the conditions were tough but true to their reputation, the Merriam's gobblers cooperated for Hugh as Phillip videoed him taking a great bird that morning. The next day, the morning temperature was 21 degrees, but clear and no wind! And boy did the birds gobble!

Hugh had a front row seat as Dan Johnson videoed a strutter working his way into close range as he followed two hens into my calling. It was an awesome hunt! With Michael left to fill his WY tag, Hugh, Dan and I split the scene and headed up the road a few hours to the Powder River in southeast Montana where we joined my buddy Bill Perkins of Perkins Outfitters.

My son Harman and I had the privilege of hanging out with Bill last spring for a day and saw real quick that he had turkeys and lots of them! And the best part about hunting gobblers in Montana is you can buy two tags each!

After Dan, Hugh and I roosted about 15 longbeards Sunday night, we couldn’t wait until the next morning! Well, it was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen while turkey hunting. After fly down, I counted, at one time, 20 full fans strutting under the cottonwoods.
Hugh ended up putting the hammer down on a huge bird that morning. Meanwhile back in WY, not only did Michael fill his tag, but Phillip also videoed Jeff and guide Kenny Morga kill turkeys!

We were starting to get even on these birds and and our confidence, which had been severely damaged by the birds back home, began to recover.

Michael and Phillip hit the road to join us at the Powder River and things would get even better!

Hey, if you are looking for the perfect Merriam's turkey hunt, call Jeff and Deb Smith at Seven J Outfitters at 307-283-3443.

On the next blog, we continue the Merriam Madness Tour!

Hey everyone-
I just wanted to post a quick blog saying thanks for your support of Monster Bucks. Realtree has the best fans in the industry and we work really hard to produce a great product for you each year. Please keep the comments coming on your opinion of MB XVI!

I just wanted to let everyone know that Monster Bucks XVI is out! We worked really hard on this DVD and it's one of the best ever! There are three bucks over 200 inches taken, and some really massive mule deer as well.

You can pick up your copy at your local sporting goods dealer or order it from the Realstore.

I'll be posting about my Merriam's trip soon.

And once you get the DVD, please let me know what you think about it.

This is an awesome hunt from Realtree Pro staffer Sam Klement. Sam is a phenomenal bowhunter and that is what he does all spring, at least when he's not at his day job.