For me, turkey hunting is an addiction…it is the one season that I look forward to the most. Having only hunted turkeys in my home state, I am partial to what it has to offer….a fairly lengthy season, and a four “bearded turkey” limit.
But, like many of you, I have found myself in the “off season”….although here in Tennessee, hunting season never ends, only the species in which you can hunt changes. There is always something on the menu, just reference the annual hunting guide put out by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. (TWRA)So what is a guy to do when the last day of the season comes and goes and you no longer wake to beat the sunrise, and hear the echo of an old gobbler? My buddy and I recently decided on an evening fishing trip in my canoe…we put in at a boat ramp that would allow us quick and easy access to a rocky bank that followed the edge of the lake channel.
We targeted largemouth bass and used Texas rigged worms, slowly and meticulously casting the apparent structure on the rocky edge…now let me say this…I have never been what anyone would call a great fisherman, but anyone who knows me knows that I love anything outdoors…that being said, if the fish aren’t biting, I can still enjoy the boat ride, the sunset, and the sounds of nature in the background…this night however, the fish were on the bite. In about 3 1/2 hours of fishing, we managed to drag over 30 largemouth bass into my 16ft canoe, as well as 2 surprise flathead catfish that tried to choke down a quick meal. Now, we didn’t set any new lake records for the size fish we caught, but that didn’t matter to us. We set out to take our minds off of work, bills, and other things in life that we all deal with on a daily basis.
We found another outlet to allow our minds the peace and quiet that we find while in a tree stand or a turkey blind, and we call it the “off season”… Some may just want a boat ride, or a quiet place by the lake to take in the sights and sounds of the outdoors. Others want to explore, or paddle on just to see what is around the next bend. Whatever you’re next adventure, enjoy it to the fullest, and share it with someone. And one more thing….there is a reason we call it the “off season”. Mosquitoes the size of small domesticated animals are quite prominent this time of year, and unlike our game animals, there is no bag limit. Pack your ThermoCELL, or your favorite can of bug spray for your next adventure during the “off season”!
