The other day, I visited Hogville to catch up on the goings-on back in the Natural State. My old friend in the Village, Lanny, runs Hogville and it is an excellent source for all things Arkansas, especially Razorback related.
The discussion in one of the threads on the board was directed toward native Arkansans who'd left their homestate and asked, "What do you miss most about not living in Arkansas?"
For the first time since leaving Arkansas for Texas, homesickness washed all over me as I read the detailed response of how one native Arkansan so missed being in the mountains on a cool, crisp spring morning, listening to the vociferous gobble of a wild turkey boom through the hills and hollers.
Spring turkey season begins in Arkansas on Saturday, April 8. For the last seven springs, I was blessed to live on the backdoor of our hunting lease. Many March mornings in the last seven years were devoted to rolling out of bed before dawn for the sheer thrill of hearing the Toms awaken, leaving their slumber of a Ouachita Mountain roost tree with a booming gobble.
Tonight, my dad and I talked and began making our plans for the opening week of Arkansas spring turkey season. I can't wait!
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Why is turkey season so special to me? If you have never tried it, there is nothing more exhilirating for your faith than watching dawn break over the Ouachita Mountains. As darkness gives way to daylight, the crisp air, the singing of cardinals, and the awakening of God's creation to greet another day is a solemn testimony to the sustaining power of God.
Turkey hunting for me is part of my heritage. Three of the most treasured pictures in my office were given me by my parents two years ago. They are the pictures of my grandfather's first turkey, my dad's first turkey and my first turkey.
But what makes spring turkey hunting so much fun for me is the simple pleasure of spending quality time with my dad. Since becoming an adult, some of my most treasured memories with my dad have been made in the woods, hunting and sharing together.
What more could a guy want? To be known and loved by two fathers, one visible and one invisible -- though the invisible Father leaves ample evidence splashed all over creation of His majestic greatness. Both of my fathers help to form my identity. And in just three weeks, I will be fortunate to meet up with both of them again in a most treasured way.
