WOW!  2026 is already moving quickly, with the first quarter complete. Here’s a quick look at what’s kept me busy. 

                                                                      JANUARY

Wild Quail Hunt 

Trippett and I had the incredible privilege to hunt wild quail at Little Hobcaw, a 3,680-acre, privately owned plantation in Nesmith, South Carolina, not to be confused with Hobcaw Barony, its sister property, located in Georgetown, SC. Yes, you read that correctly: wild quail! We chose to do a more traditional quail hunt in the morning so we could warm up for the intense wild quail hunt in the afternoon. And that it was! We will hold the experience as one of the most exciting hunts we have been on! After a wonderful Southern luncheon with the Thompson family, we were thrilled beyond measure at the opportunity to tour Roosevelt Cottage, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt spent many days hunting the grounds of Little Hobcaw, along with many famous and distinguished guests, including Robert Ruark and Sir Winston Churchill. There is so much history to appreciate here, and the current owners are carrying on the sporting tradition and undertaking extensive land management to benefit the quail.

Crow Hunt

Why am I hunting crows, you ask? If you are a turkey hunter or farmer, you already know… but here goes. Crows raid nests and eat not only turkey eggs, but also quail and duck eggs. Farmers have to deal with the crows uprooting young sprouts and damaging crops. If you’re interested in learning more about hunting crows, here’s an article I wrote years ago. It’s full of tips and strategies, as well as fun facts and trivia about crows! Hunting them is not only a lot of fun but very challenging!           https://www.camo365.com/what-am-i-crowing-about-now/

                                                                      FEBRUARY

Annual Hobcaw Barony Hunt Breakfast

If you have never attended the Hobcaw Barony Hunt Breakfast, put it on your calendar for February 6, 2027! The delightful aromas of quail, duck, and venison sausage hot off the grill, along with so many other beautifully prepared breakfast items [I’d name a few items], was amazing. An array of spirits to keep everyone warm, along with the live music and roaring fire, made for the perfect backdrop to mingle with old and new friends. The excitement of the live auction, with incredible opportunities to bid on hunts, art, and private events within the gracious grounds of Hobcaw Barony, is why we gather. This annual fundraising event supports the mission of conserving this magical land and the important role it plays in history. If you have not visited Hobcaw Barony, you need to check it out! https://hobcawbarony.org

                                                                      MARCH

Scouting Turkeys

Part of turkey season prep is scouting the woods for turkey signs, and it is a great excuse to get out and enjoy the spring temps. 

 

Snake in the shed fell by my head!

I finally took a day at my hunt club to do some maintenance and do some scouting. In the check-in shed, I startled a mouse and tried to remove it, breaking the broom handle. Suddenly, a large green Eastern rat snake dropped, missing my head by an inch. Thankfully, it was a good snake, and only wanted its dinner. Wasps, mice, snakes, and more: hunting always has surprises! Now to go home and do a tick check.

 

Turkey Season

Driving home. It’s always sad to go back after a long and wonderful vacation, especially a grueling 10-hour ride from Rosemary Beach to Murrells Inlet late the night before Opening Day. I put my mind to it, determined to hunt. I woke up feeling completely exhausted and decided that it would not be a good idea to go hunting. My first hunt for 2026 would have to wait a day. I arrived at my hunt around 9:30 AM, and to my surprise, no other hunters were on-site, but several had hunted on Opening Day. We had four new turkey hunters this year, so we decided to hunt specific locations to keep everyone

APRIL

The Hunt

I sat for about two hours at a location where I have had luck in years past, but no gobbles. So I drove to a second location I had set up, and it was approaching noon. I was not feeling very optimistic as I made some soft purrs and clucks with my slate, and after about 25 minutes, I saw a huge gobbler out of the corner of my eye—he looked angry, his head bright red. He was searching for me. 

I waited, 20-gauge Super Black Eagle shotgun raised and ready, as he moved through the dense woods, and once I had a clear lethal shot at 25 yards, I took it. He dropped like a stone with one side of its head completely gone. What a heavy bird, and I wished I could have weighed him. I had to find a way to prop him up on a large dead limb so that I could get a photo.

I rushed through taking a photo with my tripod and was on a mission to get the bird home, since field dressing him on-site without running water wasn’t ideal. The photos weren’t great, unfortunately. His beard was 10 inches, and his spurs were 1½ inches. 

Given the decline in the turkey population at our club, I decided not to fill two turkey tags again this year. I was the only one at our club to get a gobbler. Turkey season for me was over in three hours!

Passing on the Hunting Traditions

It’s never too early to introduce your grands to the outdoor world! Loved having my two youngest grands, Lola and Walker, get into turkey hunting and exploring in their Jeep, just like their Gaga. Sweetness overload!

Cast Net Fun

There’s not much more satisfying than catching your own bait with a cast net. At first, I thought I would never be good at it, let alone be consistent! With a lot of practice, I’ve finally worked out a method that works most of the time. This summer, my six-year-old grandson, Bodie, will be spending some time with me and learning to throw the cast net too. Practice is a lot of fun using our pool and some pool octopus for bait!

Time for Kayaking

There is so much to love about kayaking, from the sheer beauty of being on the water to the joy of seeing the marsh grasses and bird life up close. The amount exercise you get is incredible, especially when you’re fighting the tide and the wind. If you savor a challenge, add in some fishing to the mix, and then you have a real adventure navigating the Inlet, especially around the oyster beds. I have had some success catching a couple of sheepshead, a nice spotted seatrout, and a large red drum, which I released after capturing a photo! Shrimp is the best bait, but keeping them on the hook isn’t easy. But then, nothing is easy about kayak fishing for me!

                                           Happy May to everyone! Enjoy your summer!