2nd Place at Delaware Trout Stamp Competition!!

I've got some good news for those who were wondering how I placed in the 2011 Delaware Trout Stamp

Competition. The brown trout above got 2nd place and the brook trout I did made it to the second round! I know, if you ain't first your last...but I was merely hoping to get a top 5 finish, and that in itself is tough considering the amazing works from very accomplished artists that enter each year. I want to thank Charles Craumer again, owner of 307 Outfitters in WY, for the reference photo. If you want to catch one of these big browns give him a shout http://www.307outfitters.com/ . I really wished I could have been there to see all the incredible artwork. I am really honored that my artwork was thought good enough to receive second place and the first place piece by Jeffrey Kleinfelter was just awesome. I have alot of respect for these great artists and I'm honored just to be thrown in the mix with them.  Now I must begin my ideas for the 2012 competition! I would like to enter the duck competitions, but I really enjoy getting reference material for fish.............if mallards start taking a clouser on the swing, then we will see.

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

Here has been my spring in a nutshell soo far......the white bass run was good, turkeys have been better, and the best is yet to come-Roanoke river stripers. I got me a good bird on opening day and went the following Saturday with my ole buddy Walker. We didn't here any birds at daylight, so we proceeded to get that knot in our calves that all serious turkey hunters know about.  If you've never had it then you've either gave up too quick or your one of the lucky ones that live in the "flat country". I'm glad I had Walker with me this morning because I usually go solo and find myself rambling out loud about how I wished these turkeys were easier to get to, or how nice it would be to hunt down east on some flat ground. But there we were, barely able to talk after a rushed and long "ascent" to the top of the ridge chasing a faint gobble, when Walker stopped and made me aware of the amazing view that awarded us. Sure, I've been on that ridge before but I have always been soo focused on looking for unturned leaves, black football shaped moving bodies, and anything with the color red, blue, or white. So there I was this morning, soo thankful to be chasing turkeys in the mountains. I almost feel sorry now for those that have to walk miles on flat ground with no view to ponder and no mountain spring to quench your thirst. So here I am now, vowing to have a different perspective on mountain turkeys and taking more time to stop and smell the umm............... ramps!