Love is in the Air

We turkey hunters head to the woods, set out a variety of decoys and commence to trying to lure a Tom turkey within gun range by imitating the sounds of a hen turkey. Yes, basically we try our best to deceive a love sick gobbler so we can put an end to his life. I love it! Although the season has been tough for some of us, a few of our huntin’ buddies have been successful at giving one of these big birds a “dirt nap.”

Top Picture: Hunter Norman
Second Picture: Scott Isley
Third Picture: David Hinceman
Bottom Picture: Jason Cruise







If you think about it, Satan likes to work the same way. He lures us in with all kinds of things of the world that call to us and tell us that it’s ok, it will feel good, that everybody’s doing it, and nobody will know. He is a great deceiver.
If we continue to answer his calls, we eventually find ourselves within gun range of the evil one who wants to ruin our lives. It pays to be diligent at what we put into our minds. The great deceiver will tell us all kinds of lies. In fact, the Bible tells us in John 8:44 that Satan is a liar and the “father of lies” and the truth is not in him. Examine what you are putting into your minds. Ask God to help you put into your mind what is good and pure. Read God’s word and pray. Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:8, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

Love is in the air in the turkey woods this spring. And because it is – we turkey hunt-a-holics will continue to hunt; because after all turkey hunting is lovely...and we should think about such things.

Do you have the "Heart of a Sportsman"

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Turkey Huntin' Youngans

The NC Youth Turkey hunting day on April 4th kicked off the 2009 spring turkey season. On that special day adults can take a kid hunting and they have the woods to themselves (before we adults mess everything up). It was a great way to start off the turkey season. Many great memories were made this year - a few even involved the killing of a bird.

Top Picture: Cade Harrill
Second Picture: Jack Borders with his dad, Brad
Third Picture: Mathew Hefner who harvested a big Tom with huntin' buddy John Isenhour
Bottom Picture: Zack Ridenhour who harvested his first turkey




Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6 ESV)

Big Oak Archery Shoot

Today, some of the fellas headed to the Big Oak Archery Club to participate in a 3D archery shoot. For most of us, it was our first time. We shot at a total of 28 targets which included: bears, wild hogs, antelope, turkeys, a raccoon, a mountain lion, an elk, several deer, coyotes, a wolf and even an alligator. The distances we shot from ranged from 15 yards to around 40 yards. We had to shoot in all kinds of environments and in all kinds of terrain: through small openings in bushes and trees, while standing on sticks and logs, from elevated platforms, and even a few while kneeling on the ground and sitting on stumps. I wanted to shoot a perfect score. For one, as a hunter, I want to be highly proficient with my hunting equipment that I take into the woods during the season. And second, (if I must be perfectly honest) I wanted to beat my buddies so I’d have bragging rights! It didn’t take long...well, actually the truth be known, after the first target my hopes for the perfect score were ruined. However, if you can say anything about me or my arching cohorts, it would be that we’re consistent. I consistently missed the mark. In fact we all did. Even our best archer of the day, Allen Kerley scored a 271 out of a possible 336 points, coming up well short of perfect scorecard.

Archery is a lot like life. I think every archer knows what it is to miss the mark (or the entire target). Nobody ever gets a perfect score in these events. Just like in archery, none of us are perfect in life. I think we would all admit that we miss the mark (for me, many more times than I care to admit). God’s word tells us in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and come short of glory of God.” We miss the target of righteousness. It’s interesting to note that the word used for sin in the Scriptures is an archery term meaning to miss the mark. God’s word also tells us that the penalty for that sin is death (Romans 6:23), which actually means eternal separation from God in a terrible place. If you just read that part of the story you’ve missed the best part. His word goes on to tell us that He (God) loves us. He loves us so much that he actually made a provision for us by sending His son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross to take our punishment upon himself. Jesus actually paid our sin debt. When we realize that we are sinners and humbly come to God seeking his forgiveness, He has promised to forgive all of our sins (I John 1:9). If you look at your life’s scorecard, what does it say? As much as we love to catch fish, kill deer and bust turkeys in the head we know that the most important thing in the world is our relationship with God and with all our hearts pray that you also have that saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

If you are a bow hunter you know that often times you only have one chance to make the shot on that deer you’ve been waiting on. Wait too long and you miss out, never to get another chance. One of the worst things that I could ever imagine would be for someone to hear about Jesus and how to come to him, but wait and then miss out only to spend eternity separated from God. We should all be ready to take the shot when we have it. We are not promised tomorrow. One day, there will be no more archery shoots or opening days for each of us – so take the shot of a lifetime today.

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Had a good day with some great friends – Ron, Matt and Mark Ridenhour, Chris and Kevin Simon, Allen Kerley, Brandon Brothers and Butch Chapman. Also special thanks to my buddy David Hinceman for helping me with my archery skills this week...you’re the man, David!

He's Gone!

ApriI 11th. I’ve had it marked on my calendar since last year. Warmer days. The trees budding out. The not so long ago bare fields are turning green. It only means one thing to the hunter…turkey season. Turkey hunting fanatics are already doing some preseason scouting and making their opening morning plans in hopes of harvesting one of these magnificent “thunder chickens.” Myself included.

A few days ago, a friend of mine, Joe Finney and I went to a place just before daylight to listen for turkeys. He’d seen a large group of turkeys several times at that location and we were there to hopefully catch a glimpse (and maybe get some video footage) of them while on the roost. Joe had pin-pointed where a big gobbler had been roosting and we quietly made our way into his roosting area. As the sky started to lighten and we could see into the trees, we soon realized he was not there. He was gone! Then, just as quickly as we wondered where he had gone, he announced his presence from a tall hardwood tree down the ridge from us with a loud “gobble.” I could see him standing in all his glory, in a half-strut out on the limb. He gobbled a few more times then flew down off his roosting spot to the ground where he went about doing the things that turkeys do.

We were surprised that the old tom turkey was not where we expected it. Can you imagine how it must have been to go to the tomb where Jesus was buried after his horrible crucifixion on the cross and find that he was gone? He was not there! He had been placed there in that tomb and three days later, several ladies who went to the tomb where he was buried found that Jesus was not there. It was clearly not what they had expected. They were carrying burial spices. It was obvious that what they expected was a body laying there in that tomb. What they did find was an empty tomb and two angels that spoke to them and said, “Why do you search for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen.” Jesus had done exactly what he had predicted, yet his followers were in disbelief.
This empty tomb, the very resurrection of Jesus is everything on which Christianity is built around. If the resurrection did not happen, then Christianity is nothing but a big joke. The resurrection is not a joke at all and nor is it a secret, but a historical fact. There are many historical records found in the scriptures of Jesus meeting with, touching, eating with and talking with people after he rose from the dead. On one occasion a crowd of over 500 people saw him after the resurrection. In fact, a 1990 Gallup Survey revealed that 84% of people surveyed believed in the resurrection of Jesus.
What does it mean? It means Jesus is who he says he is. He never claimed to be a religious leader or great prophet, but He said that he was the Son of God. It means he has the power that he claims to have. He was killed by the Romans, made sure he was dead, placed in a tomb that was sealed with a stone and guarded 24 hours a day. Yet, Jesus claimed that he had the power to lay down his life and the power to take it up again (John 10:18). He had the power to rise from the dead and he did. It also means that Jesus will do what he says he will do. So then, what does it really matter to us? It means our sins can be forgiven, we can have a purpose for living, and that we can have a home in heaven. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die-ever!” (John 11:25-26).
Where is it that you look for things to fill your life, or better yet, fill you with life? We should ask ourselves the question that was asked to those who found the empty tomb. “Why do you search for the living among the dead?” We often times look for the living among the dead. We want to feel alive, to feel love, to feel energy and the exuberance of life, but we look in the wrong places; places with no life in them. I recommend looking to the one that is life. Jesus in fact, says that he is the way, the truth and the life.

So the next time you’re out hunting or fishing and the turkeys, ducks, deer or largemouth are not where you expect to find them, let it remind you that Jesus is alive... “ He has risen.” He’s like the turkey I saw out on the limb, gobbling and announcing to the woods that he is alive. Jesus does the same thing. He calls to us letting us know he is alive, coming to seek and to save the lost and doing the things that only He does: giving peace to the restless, giving hope to the hopeless, joy to the unhappy, and offering mercy and grace to all that believe in Him. Happy Easter and good turkey hunting!