My Friend Nick

[allaboutshooting]

On Monday evening I had a call from my friend Nick who lives in Vermont. Nick wanted to talk about 20 gauge guns, chokes and loads.

Last fall while hunting in Canada, he slipped and fell, badly damaging his hip and his left shoulder. That did not prevent him from completing his hunt but after that, he had to have hip surgery.

When his doctor told him he needed shoulder surgery and that it would take 6 months of rehab, he decided to put it off until after turkey season.

So, he's switching to a 20 this spring to try to keep the pain down in his shoulder. We discussed several options that would help and then just talked about hunting, shooting and some of life's twists and turns.

What struck me was just how tough this man is and how much the spring turkey season means to him. Nick is a combat veteran of the Korean war, a very successful businessman and an accomplished writer. Nothing within his power was going to prevent him from a spring turkey hunt in Vermont.

When I reflect on several decades of hunting turkeys, I'm reminded of just how much this sport means to so many of us and the things we'll do to hunt another season.

May Nick and all of us have many more seasons and enjoy this wonderful, crazy sport.

Thanks,
Clark

[archery1]

hope he gets his tags filled
thanks 4 sharin

[redarrow]

Go git em Nick. God bless ya buddy.

[mikejd]

Pretty funny when you think about it. The time, money and effort put into a sport were the end prize is 10 lbs of meat. Unless you do it you can't understand. If its in your blood its in your blood. Every year I have to explain to someone that I'm taking off a week ( no pay ) to go hopefully get a turkey. I hear they give them away free every November at the super market.
Anyway Clark thanks for making me think a little. And best to your friend.

[Nick_The_Tinkerer]

  for a second there I thought you were talking about me 

[allaboutshooting]

Thank you all for the well wishes for Nick. He's one tough guy!

Our conversation really started me thinking as well about this sport and all of the wonderful folks I've met over the years because of it. I would never have met or become friends with many people over the years except for our mutual "obsession" with turkey hunting. It's a great sport.

Thanks,
Calrk

[heathwesley]

Amen brother! When you love it and its part of you its so hard to miss.  It will be two years this September 15th that I fell a long way putting up a hangon deer stand.  I had internal bleeding and broke several bones and both my radius and ulna so badly it took several pins, screws and a plate to put me back together.  Everyone counted me out for bow season and felt pretty bad for me.  ( I had other plans).  I had surgery around the first week of October that year and on the 21st of that month I arrowed a doe.  That night it took me almost ten minutes to get up in to my stand.  My fearless attitude about treestands and how high had been altered.  I was able to hunt a lot that season and enjoy what I loved.  I didnt ask for a Dr's advise.  I was not going to miss what I loved doing for a year.  By the way I now hunt with a harness and do the same while putting stands up.  Glad to hear you friend is not going to miss the season.  All the look to both of you and god bless!!

[allaboutshooting]

Amen brother! When you love it and its part of you its so hard to miss.  It will be two years this September 15th that I fell a long way putting up a hangon deer stand.  I had internal bleeding and broke several bones and both my radius and ulna so badly it took several pins, screws and a plate to put me back together.  Everyone counted me out for bow season and felt pretty bad for me.  ( I had other plans).  I had surgery around the first week of October that year and on the 21st of that month I arrowed a doe.  That night it took me almost ten minutes to get up in to my stand.  My fearless attitude about treestands and how high had been altered.  I was able to hunt a lot that season and enjoy what I loved.  I didnt ask for a Dr's advise.  I was not going to miss what I loved doing for a year.  By the way I now hunt with a harness and do the same while putting stands up.  Glad to hear you friend is not going to miss the season.  All the look to both of you and god bless!!

It's hard to keep a good man down! That's a story of real determination. I appreciate your sharing it.

Thanks for the well wishes and the very same to you.

Thanks,
Clark

[captin_hook]

Thanks for sharing fellas.

[1iagobblergetter]

Thanks to God for turkey hunting ,old gobbler.com and all the great people that go with it!!!!

[tomstopper]

This just shows how great and addicting turkey hunting is. Good luck this season and God Bless.

[allaboutshooting]

I could not agree more with all that's been said. I spoke with Nick again this evening and he's excited about the season. He'll be trying the 20 with some different shells to see what works best for him.

I hope it's his best season ever.

Thanks,
Clark