It is the spring season, when a hunter’s fancy turns toward turkeys. It was a family affair and a nice road trip out west to Kansas for a great hunting adventure.
Troy Tate was designated caller, and wife Jill and son Trey would handle the shotguns. The birds were responsive to Troy’s
Trey Tate and his mature Kansas gobbler
calling and came strutting in, looking for love. Jill put a no-nonsense fold shot on a big Tom that came gliding in and it was looking good! Trey wasn’t far behind with a double stone-cold shot on a mature Kansas gobbler. The male birds were hot to trot and were on full display for the hens.
Justin and John Rudd headed east to Mississippi for an encounter with an Eastern variety turkey. There was no shortage of birds, and it didn’t take Justin long to score a big and beautiful Mississippi long beard.
Closer to home, the Louisiana variety of turkeys wasn’t liking the calling. Hunters weren’t having much luck with conventional calling techniques. Sometimes you have to be ready to go with the flow.
With his boot, John Stacy cleared a spot on the ground where he could sit down. When he scratched the dirt, a bird close by gobbled. Each time he scuffed the leaves, the Tom gobbled loudly and got closer. The big bird popped up, close and alert. With one smooth swing of the gun, John rolled this smart old bird, and he was a dandy.
Michael Warshaw with his monster cypress trout
They are known locally as “choupiques.” They are prehistoric fish properly known as “bowfin.” Known to most bass fishermen as “cypress trout,” they are in the trash fish category. They can survive in shallow, low-oxygen water, so they’re perfectly suited for fresh water marshes.
Jamie Warshaw watched from the back of the boat as a giant wake followed his son Michael’s red worm shad. Jamie broke in to a decent rendition of the theme song of Jaws as the giant fish closed the distance.
Michael was patient and timed his hook-set just right. All hell broke loose, as the big, trashy choupique turned it on. Michael went toe-to-toe with the giant and outlasted the tackle-destroying fish with only minimal damage. The monster cypress trout easily topped out in double digits and never saw a paddle he could like.
He was the mike (middle) linebacker of some of coach Ernie Duplichin’s era of good McNeese football teams. Any coach can tell you you better have a stud in the middle if you’re going to line up in a 4-3 defense.
Daryl Burckel, from New Orleans, was an undersized but very effective competitor who was the glue to the defense of some very successful McNeese teams. You can call him president now and say the future for McNeese State is bright. After prevailing over several other worthy candidates in the lengthy selection process, he will now lead the Cowboys off the field. We’re in good hands!
The Lake Charles community lost a great one of its own recently. Daniel Ieyoub will be missed by all those mentored through his many successful years as a teacher and friend.
He was a very special person who put great effort and dedication into educating young minds. His legacy exists in the many successful people he taught who had the positive experience of occupying a desk in his classroom. His many former students and friends will never forget his kind and caring way. The Lake Charles High School Kilties showed up to perform and pay a fitting tribute to Mr. Ieyoub. May he rest in peace.
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