Southern Hospitality.

[Paulmyr]

 I wanted to take the time to share with you people my recent experience during my trip to Ga. The plan before leaving was to sleep in the suburban and get a motel room when I felt the need for a shower.
I haven't been on this trip for nearly 20 years when I used to spend a couple weeks or more staying at a state park and hunting public land. During my excursions I became acquainted with the senior park ranger, an avid turkey hunter himself. I must have been a reel pain the 1st couple years staying there as he was the only person I knew who hunted turkey's. I would chase him around the park asking all sorts of questions trying to pry out the information it took him years gather.
After the 16 hour drive I wheeled into a spot I used to hunt around 1am. Think I got barely an hour sleep after winding down and being woke up by the 1st truck driving through at 4:45. I figured I better get a move on.
Dressed but not out of the truck yet a second truck pulls up, stops, and turns around. I hurry off the my mourning hunt. After the hunt I try to locate the park ranger from the past. I stop by the state park and as I expected the old ranger had retired from the GDNR. Luck was in my favor as they had a contact number. I dialed the number with high hopes of reconnecting with and old friend. He answered and I began explaining who I was. He remembered and after chatting for a bit he invited me over to catch up and reminisce.
We sat and talked for hours about hunting, fishing, even politics came up. Apparently we have many of the same views. It was getting late and I needed some sleep. Before leaving my found again friend asked me if I was staying at the park. After hearing my plans he didn't hesitate to offer a spare bedroom and a shower for whenever I needed it. This was no small deal to me. Not for the shower and bed but because after all these years he's still only person I know who is a serious turkey hunter. I took him up on the offer about every third day. Before the trip was over he was offering to leave his house unlocked and give me free access to it until they would return.

Back to the second truck that pulled in and turned around. Turns out it was a young man who seen me post on this site about hearing the 1st gobbles of the season. He seen my Mn plates and sent me a PM asking if I was in the area. I asked him if he was planning to hunt the area that week. If so I would steer clear. There were plenty of places for me to hunt and I thought it would be fair as he let me have the area on opening day. After a couple Pm's back and forth we agreed to meet up the following weekend as he was working out of town.
  That Friday I hooked up with the him and we conversed for a while. He actually shot a Gobbler by my truck while waiting for me to get out of the woods. He needed to take care of his bird but before leaving asked if I wanted to hunt with him in the mourning.  He had permission for most of the private land in the valley adjacent to the public. I was a little hesitant at 1st as I'm a woods hunter and the private was mostly pasture. I started to think it might not be a bad idea with it being the weekend just to get away from the warriors. I quickly called him on the way out of the hunting area and asked if the offer was still available. It was. We hunted together the next day. We even pulled a couple longbeards close but couldn't connect. It was a good hunt. I even learned something from him about my preference in calling that helped me tag a gobbler the following Thurs. He offered to freeze my birds for me while I was there. He was very respectful and polite. I had to tell him to stop calling me Mr. Paul because it made me feel old. Not used to that kind of respect from young men. Up here in the north your lucky to get a " hey pops". It's nice to see some parents are still doing it right.

Sorry for the long winded story. I just wanted to let you southern boys know I had a great time while in your neck of the woods. When I get really old this will be one of the memories I will fall back on. Not just for the hunting but for the good people as well.

[Chordeiles]

Nice.
I've traveled a fair amount myself, and I'll say that the friendliest people I have met, call Georgia home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gooserbat]

Sounds like a good time

[Happy]

About two years ago while down near the SC/Georgia border i met and worked around a fellow turkey hunter. Nicest fellow you ever met. He and I keep in touch now. He doesnt kill many anymore but still loves calling them up just for the fun of it. He has repeatedly offered for me to hunt with him on his land. Just spoke with him Wed and he pulled the trigger for the 1st time in 3 years on a gobbler. I have to say that most of the Southern people I have met have been a breed all their own and I mean that in a good way. Hope it never changes.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[JeffC]

Thanks for posting such a great heart felt story. Hopefully there are more "Good" people out there then ignorant  self centered brats. Glad you were able to make old connection and new. Great reading after all the negative stuff that has been going on, have a great, safe and successful season.

[jgard]

This experience is what it is all about. We need to hear more of the positive stories like this considering the state of our country right now

[762hunter]

That's great right there!

You miss out on a lot if you're only worried with the destination/kill, there is a whole journey to experience along the way!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Meleagris gallopavo]

He actually shot a Gobbler by my truck while waiting for me to get out of the woods.

I'm interested in the type of truck you drive if it attracts gobblers!

Great story.  I lived in Georgia for 16 years and have experienced the same.  It's hard for some young southerners not to address someone formally and I had never been called "Mr. David" much before moving down there.  That's really the only way the kids or younger people addressed me.  I was used to it being raised in rural NC where I was taught "yes sir" and "no sir" and "yes maam" and "no maam" and that's how I address people to this day.  My kids have been taught that as well and sometimes people that aren't used to it are taken aback. 

[Sir-diealot]

Glad to hear you had a good time. I was going to be hunting OK this Spring but with all the covid and the guy that was going to guide me running into trouble that cost him his license for 3 years that got changed to 2023 I know when I did my calls and stuff out there looking for information they were all very polite to me on the phone and wish me luck. If it were not so hot there I might moves to the South.

[jordanz7935]

Great story!!! Me and a buddy hunted North Ga about 10 years back only a stonethrow from unicoi. He had some family down there we stayed with. His family was great and pointed us in the direction of some hunting spots but they were strictly deer hunters... I was amazed with the hospitality of the locals. More than one good ole georgia boy put us yankees on birds. They didnt know us from adam. Matter of fact the guy who worked at the hardware store that sold us our hunting licenses literally brought us to a piece of public that bordered a well known WMA. It took us a few days but i finally found a dumb one on that little piece of public that hangs on my wall to this day!! I can remember when we first got there realizing how in over our heads we were, if it wasnt for the southern hospitality the trip wouldnt have been nearly as memorable! Different world down there, seems like life slows down and goes back about 30 years, would love to go back.

[goblr77]

Great to hear that. There are still some good folks in this world.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Paulmyr]

A little to add to my story. The park ranger invited me to hunt with him one mourning on some private land. The weather was not good and we didn't hear anything. I heard him quietly say to himself "man I forgot how much fun turkey hunting is" even though nothing was going on. I took that as he hadn't been turkey hunting in a while. He is getting older and having some hip problems. I'm guessing it turned him off because he couldn't get after them like he used to.
Well when I got home after the trip a started looking for a gift to show my appreciation for his hospitality. I believe I found the perfect one. An advertiser on this site Woodhaven Custom Calls makes a NCAA series of calls. This guy is a die hard Bama fan. I sent him the Alabama version of this series.  Wasn't sure if he'd use it but figured it would look good on his mantle next to his other Bama memorabilia. He used the call yesterday with great success. He was able to pull 2 gobblers to 15yds. They handcuffed him and he couldn't get a shot. About that time a distant siren sounded off and the birds began to gobbleing like crazy. He said it was incredible hearing them ripping it up so close.
He couldn't wait to get back after them this mourn but was rained out. Sounds like the fire may have been rekindled

[JeffC]

Great gesture on your part, both the gift and getting your friend back into the woods. Thanks for sharing, your original post made a crappy Friday at work kind of bearable... was a great read.

[ddturkeyhunter]

Very Nice story, and there are alot of them out there i think. We all just don't take the time to say anything when things are to our liking, just when we need to bitch. My southern hospitality came from Florida, and thats why I go back there every two years. Can't beat them stories around a camp fire.

[Crghss]

Great story, with all the BS in world there are really good people out there.