Turkee Kamp 2020 – Review
Posted on Apr 28, 2020
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Right 2 Left: Shane, Justin W, Mike D, Lauren M, Scott M, Nolan M, Sam B, Doug F, Ronnie M, Rusty W, Daren H, Levi M, Roger W
Not shown (who would want to be seen with this group of guys): Jessie M, Trina M, Lauren B
Rain, rain, rain
We wouldn't know it was Turkee Kamp without it.
It was another windy and wet Turkey Camp. Here, you can us sitting out another few hours of showers. But no matter the weather, rain or shine, turkey camp is going to happen. However, if it is too hot or too cold or even too windy, this group of die hard hunters will make excuses to not be there the opening day through the following weekend of turkey season.
If need be, we can put the sides on my 10'x20' EZ-Up canopy and supplement it with either the tank-top propane heaters of mine or the salamander heater of my brother Rusty's. We can do cold, and often do, but usually we can at last be very comfortable of not downright beat it.
Those or my sexy feet as I do some reading/studying while I await a break in the showers so that we can continue the festivities. Rusty, Scott, Daren, Tony Z, Levi and Lauren are among those seeking shelter in the EZ-Up.
Road Huntin'
We figured we would do a little Road Hunting as knew our Mom's would be mad at us for going out in the rain and hunting for turkeys. Although there were no little ones with us at this time, it would have been a good opportunity to explain to them that Road Huntin' is a way to scout vast distances and narrow down where one might want to actually hunt. Plus, it may be the only way to actually see a turkey (and pretty much was).
**We wouldn't stoop so low as to actually shoot at a turkey from the road (unless one was real close to the road that is).
Turkey Camp isn't just for guys
After all, who will we get to pull our stickers out, put our bandages on and kiss our boo-boos? Camp is for family and friends, so long as they can put up with the smell (or we can put up with their smell).
Camp Skills
Men always want to show up the other men (and women). And we like to pass our Woodsman-ship Skills off to the younger generation.
(ABOVE) Daren demonstrated how to repair waterproof boots that became leaky earlier that day. Thankfully, Roger had the hair dryer and generator to run it, the shoe goo glue and the utility clamps to make the repair possible. Daren, contributed the faulty footwear. The smelly sock award was given out upon successful completion of the task.
(RIGHT) Here we demonstrated to the children how to get a wet fire going without becoming dizzy. We modified the portion of the fire starting technique by using a blower, which Roger again just happen to have, to fan the flames. Upon successful completion of this task, the 'Empty Fire Extinguisher' trophy was given out.
Of course scary animals and bugs have to be shown to children to compliment the evenings ghost stories around the camp fire. Unfortunately, Levi was the only one who got scared and ran off, screaming all the way. I thought another girl had shown up at camp.
Lauren and Nolan held their hand by the 'Gorosaurus' (A Godzilla reference if you want to look it up) for size comparison purposes.
The 'Gorosaurus' award was a tie so I threw it into their camper to show thier parents and to have for later. I wonder if they noticed it?
Daren came across this little gem while out hunting.
The owl came out of a hole in the tree a short distance away from him. How lucky.
Kamps = Food
There is always plenty of food at our camps. This year, due to the virus scare, we toned down the communal meals and left most of them up to the individual. However, we did do a Maple Syrup tribute to Ronnie (thanks cousin Ronnie for making the home made Maple Syrup) and Roger contributed his famous 'Big Ol' Fluffy Pancakes'.
Levi tries his hand at cooking. Let's hope after he works on his story telling that he'll work on his culinary skills.
Lauren showing Scott how to cook eggs.
This gadget made the rest of us a quivering mass of green envy.
Roger's "Big Ol' Fluffy Pancakes'.
Kamp Time = Sleepy Time
We like to live off the land when we do our Kamps. So we hit the woods, lakes and refrigerators hard so that we don;t miss a meal. We only bring with us our shooting irons, bows, whatever we can sneak out of the pantry's at home and the most of what $200 in groceries can purchase. Sometimes we have to skip a meal to make it last. So that's we we hunt kinda hard, if the weather is good.
It's hard getting up before day light (or in my case, the crack of noon) to go into the woods looking for Turkey. And without out Mommies to tell us to go to bed at night, we stay up a little later than we should and this end up being tired and if we don;t nap in the woods, try to do so, at our own pearl, at camp. I personally don;t trust the guys at camp, so if I just absolutely have to nap there, I do so ion the outhouse. No, it isn't please]ant but it is safe from most particle jokers.
You can tell Justin and Levi didn't get their 12 hours of beauty sleep.
I think Sam needs the whole rest of the weekend for beauty sleep.
Kamps = Personal Improvement
Like most of our Kamps, we try to exercise our minds as well as our bodies (and jaw muscles) to improve ourselves and to be better husbands, fathers and citizens of the community. Self Bible devotions and Patrick F McManus short humor stories are one way to do this, as well as relative hunting and Mad Magazines from the outhouse.
Rusty is practicing his word he got from the word of the day calendar.
"Dumbfounded"
Taking a break to take a selfie, I am contemplating the alleged origins of the universe and how it differs from the Bible. Besides the Inflationary Period, Catastrophic Plate Tectonics and the DNA/RNA/Protein quadrivium, I have to worry about ticks falling on my head. Fortunately I have my brain power food, Beef Jerky and a copious supply of Mountain Dew.
Kamps = Social Time
Although I believe Turkey Hunting to be for the birds, I enjoy Turkee Kamp and Dear Kamp quite a bit. It isn't the hunting per-see, but the being out in the woods enjoying nature and being at Kamp enjoying the company of my family and friends. We don't have to worry about any virus for us to keep a social distance, usually the meals of chili and ham and beans keeps us all at bay.
Kamps = Play time with Kids
And of course, we all enjoy kids, so we spend a lot of time playing games with the kids at camp.
Nolan taking it easy on Lauren.
Nolan schools Roger in Checkers.
That's OK though, Lil' Lauren and I enjoyed making bead bracelets more.
Beads is something that LeeAnne used to enjoy playing with; now Lauren is making jewelry with them.
And of course, us big kids have to have our fun also.
In the video to the right, we are shooting Plastic Pop Bottles with Pellet Guns. To do this, you need special caps (I purchased mine from Tractor Supply) and a compressor that can pump these up to at least 100PSI (for purposes of this post, we'll just say that you should follow the 100PSI recommendation for safety reasons). Technically, anything that can puncture the inflated plastic bottle when aired up will work. A bean flipper, bow and arrow, knives, etc.
Kamp = Relaxing and Enjoying Yourself
It doesn't matter whether you hunt or not, our camps are just for relaxing, enjoying yourself and recharging; so that you can take on the world world until the next camp.
Come join us sometime.
I'm still not back up to full picture taking mode like I used to be (hold the applause folks). Lot's of stuff isn't much fun anymore now that LeeAnne doesn't want anything to do with me or my family. I have only taken two sets of pictures since since before Thanksgiving 2019, which is the last time I saw her. This Turkey Camp and the weekend I spent at the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter. Hopefully, I'll find more joy in other things and start taking pictures again.
I hope you the viewer, as well as my family and friends that were at Turkee Kamp 2020 enjoyed these pictures as much as I enjoyed being at camp. I am looking forwards to next years as well as Dear Kamp this fall.
(Picture on Right) Camps over. Once the weather stays good, I'll give the TimberHawk Mobile Command Unit 2 (my camper) a through exterior washing. Lil' Red (my truck) could use a little manicure as well.
No turkeys were harmed during Turkee Kamp 2020 by any of the attendees.
Have a blessed day with Peace, Prayers and Toilet Paper to you and your family.