What Good People Are Made Of

It’s the spring season, and a cool time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. This spring, turkey season was in full strut, and it was a turkey hunter’s prime time of the year.

Gus Stacy

Gus Stacy and hunting compadre Charles Gaspard packed up and headed due west to Uvalde, Texas. After several favorable breeding seasons and moderate weather conditions, expectations were high for a good shot at a Texas tom turkey. Gus and Charles arrived a day early just to scope things out and make a plan.

Opening morning featured cool, comfortable weather and a beautiful Uvalde sunrise. It didn’t take long for Gus to score not one, but two mature Rio Grande gobblers on opening morning. It does not get much better.

Actually it did get even better, as Gus settled in for his afternoon stand. Just like clockwork, two more big toms approached; and just like that, Gus was limited out with turkey meat in the pot. He was in the turkey zone and loving it.

Charles, on the other hand, didn’t lay eyes on one turkey after a full day of sitting tight. But perseverance is often the key to a successful hunt. The pendulum of change was in full swing.

Charles Gaspard

Charles was up at first light, and Gus got the privilege of sleeping in. But what a difference a day can make. Back at camp, Gus was visibly shaken from a turkey-induced stupor as Charles commenced fire. Gus distinctly counted four shots and began to hyper-ventilate. Charles was in his own turkey zone, as four Rio Grande beauties approached. After the smoke cleared, Charles had his legal limit of four gobblers — incredibly scored in one hunt!

When you’re hot, you’re hot, and both these dedicated hunters were smoking. Not one morsel of wild turkey would be wasted between these two certified chow hounds.

A friend in need is a true friend indeed. Josh LeBlanc and his family recently survived the tragedy of a devastating house fire. He was wide awake, dreaming of a big bowl of ice cream and a plan to score one when he smelled smoke. He awoke his family and pets and got everyone out of harm’s way. Everyone was fine, yet shaken, as they watched their home and belongings go up in smoke.

Faced with the huge task of tearing out and rebuilding, Josh was naturally overwhelmed. Help was on the way in the form of military veteran, and true friend, Mike Schexnider. With a little help from his friend, Josh is in the long process of starting over from scratch. Throughout this process, Mike has shown up to help in any way he can serve.

Josh has offered to compensate his good friend, but Mike wouldn’t even consider it. We happened to have a mounted bull redfish Mike was in the process of diligently paying for. Josh got wind of the redfish bill and sprang into action. He paid the balance of Mike’s trophy red as a token of real appreciation. This is what good people are made of, and exactly why we live in the good old USA. Friends helping friends in their time of need. God bless America!