I love a good turkey hunt when there is a lot of activity and fun stories to share. Last week I had a chance to get together with good friends Dan Benedetti of Clover/Stornetta (who is now semi-retired) and Gary VanBrocklin of Colonial Saddle.

I remember the day Dan and his dad bought the Stornetta Dairy and I met Dan for the first time. He was fresh out of college and ready to take on the dairy. We ended up becoming good friends and spent wonderful times fishing and hunting together. We put on a number of fund-raisers for the Napa River Steelhead Organization so we could build the hatchery at Conn Dam. It has been a few years since Dan and I hunted together so this was a nice opportunity. Gary and I went hunting recently, but he was still turkeyless.

We arrived at the ranch just in time to get into place before the birds started to call. I put Gary under a big oak tree next to the vineyard and set up his decoy. Dan and I went around the hill to another spot where we had heard and seen birds a week ago. It didn’t take long to hear some distant calls from morning toms; they were back where I had Gary sitting. Our spot turned out to be a bust; only one smart hen came by who didn’t like my hen call or decoy.

Then we thought we heard a shot and later when we walked back, there was Gary with a big smile. On the way back, we heard a dog calling and barking. I mentioned to Dan that I have never seen a dog on this ranch. As we got closer, it barked and howled; we both thought it was a coyote.

Gary had three nice toms come by, and he took one. It jumped two rows into the vineyard and died.

Little did Gary know that the coyote was also watching these birds; when that bird flopped in the vineyard, the coyote was there and very unhappy when he saw Gary. I have never heard a coyote bark that much.

Sorry, but that dinner belongs to Gary. We saw some other birds, but we had to settle for Gary’s bird and some good memories.

 

New marine sanctuaries

After years of study and meetings, it is now official. One of the nation’s most ambitious plans to protect marine life was approved last week. This will mean a ban on fishing over more than 200 square miles of ocean off the Central Coast of California. There will be 29 marine preserves, and 13 will be totally closed to all fishing. This will mean many of the coastal maps for fishermen will have to be redone to show those areas.

 

Earth Day

Saturday is Earth Day at the Napa Valley College soccer fields. The Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County, in conjunction with Napa Valley College’s Solar Celebration, is putting on a party.

There will be food, live music, and activities for the whole community. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be everything from bird box building demonstrations to learning how to recycle garbage, compost, use solar energy, and work with clay. There is even a puppet show for the kids.

 

Next trips

• We are planning more turkey hunting next week, along with a trip with Rich Devita and Bill Burgland to go bass fishing on Clear Lake. Then my son and I will go bass fishing at Lake Pillsbury.

We are also getting ready for a trip to Oregon in mid-May. Life is good.

• The Knoxville clean up day is this Sunday, April 22. For more information, log on to mwarring@co.napa.ca.us, or just show up with gloves and tools at 8 a.m. at the Knoxville Wildlife area at the Hunting Creek Campground off Devil’s Head Road.

A barbecue lunch will be provided.

• Don’t forget the trout opener on April 28, and the 20/30 Club’s free kids fishing derby at Conn Dam on Sunday, May 6.

Outdoors columnist George Carl can be reached at gcarl@sbcglobal.net.