No Icebergs for this Titanic

   LEBANON, MO - I wouldn't exactly say this trip was a luxury cruise like those on the long running television show "The Love Boat." Nor, would I consider it a complete catastrophie like the one experienced during the famous movie "The Perfect Storm."


   Instead, our day upon the beautiful Niangua River proved to be one filled with adventure, moments of excitement and plenty of laughter.

   Our vessel, the oddly named Niangua Titanic," must have appeared a bit strange to many of the canoeist and kayakers occupying this portion of the river. Fortunately, there were no icebergs floating on the Niangua River this day.

   With two slightly overweight outdoor writers perched in the front half, the relatively short jon boat seemed to be a bit front-heavy as it headed down the river. I can best describe this as trying to carry an otherwise empty and flimsy paper plate with two loaded quarter-pound hamburgers sitting on the outside edge.

   Due to the interesting weight distribution and his location in the back of the boat, a much smaller veteran river guide Chuck Anderson of Lebanon rode considerably higher in the water. To outsiders, it likely appeared he was steering this unusual craft from high above the poop deck.

   "I've never paddled a boat with this much weight in the front," he said in an almost apologetic manner as we spun in circles through the first riffle. "It might take me a little while to get the hang of it."

   Outdoor Guide magazine editor Bobby Whitehead occupied the middle of the boat, while I was precariously perched just inches above the waterline on the bow. I'd like the think that some folks on the river may have confused me with Leonardo DeCaprio and his famous "I'm the King of the World" scene in the "Titanic" movie.

   "One bright point is that you have an excellent view of the river ahead," Whitehead jokingly told our 20-year-old guide. "You are sitting much higher in the boat than either of us."

   Fortunately, the river was clear, relatively calm and running at about normal level. It wasn't long before Captain Chuck regained his composure and had our boat almost fully under control.

   This exceptionally scenic stretch of the river just outside Bennett Spring, the famous Missouri trout park, is loaded with smallmouth bass and goggle-eye, as well as rainbow and brown trout. We were all anxious to test our skill at landing a few of these fish.

   "I always seem to have my best success using a simple marabou jig," said Captain Chuck. "This little lure will catch just about everything in this river."

   Rummaging through my limited tacklebox, I soon discovered a lack of marabou jigs. However, I did have an ample supply of C.W. Wilson's Crappie Rockets (www.crappierocket.com). Though these particular lures were not made from marabou, past experiences have proven the hair and tinsel jigs to be excellent fish producers.

   Soon, I was casting my lure to various likely spots along the river. And, it was almost like these fish had never seen this particular lure. Soon, I was enjoying one of my best float trips ever on a Missouri stream.

   After my third smallmouth in as many casts, Whitehead commented that these lures might also need to be called "Smallmouth Rockets."

   This little lure also produced numerous feisty rainbow trout and several goggle-eye. Nearly every stretch of calm fishing water seemed to produce fish.

   The others in the boat, too, were enjoying excellent fishing. Whitehead was using a small inline spinner and Captain Chuck stuck with his known fish-producing marabou jig.

   Though most of the action came while fishing from the boat, we would occasionally pull over to a gravel bar and fish both ends of a riffle. Here, too, we seemed to enjoy good fishing success.

   Even with the occasional spurt of excitement caused by riding out another riffle, our short day on the water seemed to end too quickly. The best part about ending our float was the One-Eyed Willy's concession stand situated on the gravel bar where we pulled out. Here, we enjoyed some delicious hamburgers, brats and other snacks following our float trip.

   Missouri offers many excellent rivers and streams ideal for floating. However, the Niangua River would certainly rate among the state's finest. Here, anglers and canoe enthusiasts will find plenty of outfitters, lodging and campgrounds to fill their needs.

   This particular float trip was hosted by fine folks from Lebanon Tourism and One-Eyed Willy's Campground and Canoe Rental. Numerous other similar facilities can be found all along this stretch of river.

   Folks wanting to learn more about floating the Niangua River or wishing to arrange for canoes, rafts or other watercraft can contact One-Eyed Willy's at 417-993-2628 or Lebanon Tourism at 866-LEBANON.

   It has been several years since I last floated a Missouri stream. This particular trip was so enjoyable you can be assured I'll be returning soon.

   But, float trips are not the only reason to visit this fabulous community. Here, there are more still great sites and attractions. For one, Lebanon is considered the gateway to fabulous Bennett Spring State Park. This is one of the most scenic and popular trout fishing areas in the entire state.

   Along with great trout fishing, the park offers fine dining, exceptional lodging as well as a modern campground with all the amenities.

   Lebanon also offers numerous fine restaurants including Dowd's Catfish and BBQ Restaurant, Napoli's Italian Restaurant, Andy's 417 Restaurant and Ollie's Ozark BBQ. Among the countless other attractions in Lebanon include the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, the Shepard of the Hills Outlet (world's largest Case Knifes outlet), the Heartland Antique Mall, the Route 66 Museum and Research Center.

   With all this and much more, it should come as no surprise that Lebanon was named to Outdoor Life's "Top 200 Towns for Sportsmen" for the third consecutive year.

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Perseverance is Key for Mossy Oak Turkey Pro

Mossy Oak turkey hunting pro Darrin Campbell of West Virginia displays the mature gobbler he harvested during his 2011 spring hunt in western Kentucky.

PROVIDENCE, Ky - Mention western Kentucky to most outdoor folks and their thoughts automatically turn to the terrific fishing found in the famous Barkley and Kentucky lakes.
   Bring up this same topic to Mossy Oak hunting expert Darrin Campbell of West Virginia and his thoughts begin to focus on the world-class turkey hunting found in this area.
   And, this is not without reason. Unlike Illinois where turkey numbers have struggled in recent years, Kentucky's turkey population is thriving.
   "We have a high percentage of adult birds in our flocks and they are coming into breeding season in excellent condition because of last fall's big mast (nut) crop," said Steven Dobey, wild turkey biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "The big harvest of two-year-old birds last season may have buffered (lessened) the number of three-to-four year-olds taken."
   As is typical in Kentucky, the 2011 spring wild turkey season opened April 23 anc continued through May 8. According to Dobey, hunters were looking at prospects of another excellent spring season.
   "I think we'll see some carryover from that reproductive boom in 2008," he said. "It was such a massive hatch."
   It was this exciting turkey outlook that lured Campbell and the 20-or-so other hunting celebrities and outdoor media to western Kentucky's lovely Winghaven Hunting Lodge. Not only was the Kentucky turkey population thriving, the lodge was situated in Crittenden County - one of the state's finest turkey hunting locations.
   "I'm sure we'll see good hunting tomorrow," Campbell said the night before the hunt. "We traveled some of the back roads today and spotted birds all over the place. This is going to be some world-class hunting."
   Of course, the sun was shining at that time and temperatures were hovering near the 80-degree mark. No one really anticipated the torrential rains and pounding hail that were to arrive later that night.
   The storms that came were unlike those many of the hunters had ever witnessed before. Along with the occasional bouts of heavy hail, rain poured from the sky most of the night. In fact, the water came so quickly that it flooded a large portion of the beautiful Winghaven Lodge.
   The hunters began to rise the next morning just as lodge personnel were wiping the final remnants of water interior of the building. The previous night's powerful storms had now passed out of the area and most of the hunters were wondering what challenges the unusual overnight weather would present.
   In it's wake, the storm left strong northerly winds, cloudy skies and temperatures nearly 40-degrees lower than the previous day.
   In most turkey hunting situations, the hunters would have merely climbed back into bed and await better weather. In Kentucky's Crittenden County, however, everyone was still looking forward to their time in the woods. No one wanted to waste a moment of hunting time in this turkey-rich area.
   Campbell and his hunting partner Outdoor Guide Magazine editor Bob Whitehead of St. Louis were assigned a somewhat isolated location some 15 miles from the lodge. Others were heading to hunting spots located within a few miles of the lodge.
   Though the previous night's weather delivered hunting conditions that were far from ideal, each hunter anticipated an exciting day in the turkey woods. Campbell said perseverance, even during less than ideal hunting weather, is often the key to succcess.
   "Unlike hunters, wild turkeys do not have the luxury of crawling back into bed and waiting for nicer weather," he explained. "No matter what kind of weather we have, each day in the wild turkey's life focuses around the effort for survival."
   Despite the conditions, success came rather quickly for Campbell and Whitehead. Locating a gobbling bird before daylight, Campbell concentrated on calling it into shooting range. By 6:30 a.m., his daily turkey tag was already filled.
   Success for Whitehead was only slightly slower in coming. His first opportunity to fill a tag came when two young male turkeys (known as Jakes) stepped into shooting range. Whitehead, however, opted to continue hunting in search of an adult gobbler.
   That opportunity came about 10:30 a.m. when a 24-pound longbeard walked into shooting range.
   Campbell and Whitehead's success proved to be a true lesson in turkey hunting. Rain or shine, hunters who really want to harvest a bird should dedicate every available hour to the turkey woods.
   "The best tip I can provide hunters is to spend as much time in the woods as possible" Campbell said. "It's a fact that you can't harvest a bird if you're not in the woods."
   He said that turkeys are in the woods every day and that is where the hunters need to be if they intend to fill their tag.
   Anyone seeking more information about the excellent turkey hunting opportunities found in western Kentucky should contact Russell Edwards at Winghaven Lodge at (270)836-7988. Additional information is also available on the website http://www.winghavenlodge.com.

New Products for the Turkey Hunter

   A Call for All Occasions – Is there really one turkey call that works in every hunting scenario?

   No, but HS Strut’s Starfire Crystal call comes really close to accomplishing this feat. Part of a new line of  “Ring Zone” friction calls, the Starfire Crystal brings turkey calling to a new level.

   This line of calls is designed using the latest in modern technology and scientific research to create a call that matches the pitch and frequency of a live hen turkey as tested by an oscilloscope.

   The outer ring on the call keeps the hunter’s fingers off the calling surface to eliminate dampening the sound. The Starfire Crystal's resonating surface is doubled compared to most pan calls.

   For more details, see the website http://www.hunterspec.com.

   No Tree Required – Quickly finding a good tree after locating a hot gobbler can be a nearly impossible task.

   However, Cabela's Tactical Tat'r Kickstand Turkey Vest has eliminated this problem.

   The built-in kickstand feature allows comfortable sitting anywhere while the innovative “Speed Seat” technology features a rapid stow and deploy seat that quietly flips up and down in without fumbling.

   A three-inch memory tech seat offers comfortable seating and is supported via a cushion back that utilizes raised, closed-cell, foam-padded mesh panels on pressure points to support your back.

   The Tat'r features multiple pockets for calls, ammo, water, and everything else you'd stow away in your vest. An enlarged attached, lined bloodproof game bag with adjustable capacity is large enough to carry decoys and bearded trophies. The game bag has two quick-release buckles at the top for easy access.

   For more details see the website http://www.cabelas.com

   Put an End to Mosquito Woes - Few turkey hunters will argue the fact that their number one problem is mosquitoes. Let's face facts, it is difficult to remain motionless with dozens of hungry mosquitoes hovering around one's head.   To celebrate ten years in the outdoor industry, ThermaCELL has introduced a newly designed hand-held appliance with many upgrades for the outdoor enthusiast. Taking into consideration customer feedback, ThermaCELL has redesigned the appliance to be more user-friendly.
   An ergonomically designed casing and matte finish ensure outdoorsmen will be able to hold the unit in comfort and stay concealed. The smoother functioning and quieter on/off button will also be desirable to hunters who want to remain unnoticed in the field.
   The ThermaCELL system creates a 15 by 15 feet zone of protection that is up to 98 percent effective against mosquitoes and other biting insects. The unit operates on a single butane cartridge that heats a mat releasing allethrin, a synthetic copy of a naturally occurring insect repellent found in chrysanthemum flowers. Each mat contains enough repellent for four hours of protection and each butane cartridge will operate the unit for 12 hours.
   For more information on ThermaCELL's complete line of products or for retail locations, please visit their website at www.thermacell.com.

   Lost No More - Few dedicated turkey hunters can deny becoming at least a bit disorientated in the woods. I can personally state that getting temporarily lost is something that occurs quite regularly.
   The fine folks from Bushnell have solved that problem with their Backtrack Point 5 navigation device. It's the perfect tool for spring turkey hunting when you are covering a great deal of unfamiliar territory. Simply mark the the location of your vehicle and it will lead you back.
   Hunters roosting birds in the evening can also find their way back to the exact location the next morning.
   Retailing for less than $100, the Backtrack Point 5 is an ideal tool for hunting, fishing or hiking. In fact, it will also guide back to your parked vehicle at the mall. For more details, see the website http://bushnellbacktrack.com.

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