My 9-year-old boy Mason knows hunting isn’t always a slam-dunk. Baggin’ his first deer in AL (a state record spike) and then shooting a few does in GA, he has seen first hand how aggravating hunting bucks in the southeast can be. Around Thanksgiving Mason and I hunted for 5 days straight on my lease in GA and never even saw a deer, making his earned trip to TX a certain treat.

TX is a lot of fun to hunt for adults and especially kids, as a matter of fact; starting last year I use an annual trip to TX, as a hunt to work for. Mason has to get straight A’s and good conduct in order to go.

Well this year Mason rocked out on the A’s in school so off to TX with went with the Flextone Game Calls crew.

After 3 days of hunting, Mason connected with an old 130 inch 11 pointer, and his first Javelina with his Remington 7mm-08! He also smoked him a big doe with a crossbow!
We had a blast hunting together and the whole experience was captured on tape for a Bone Collector show episode. It was funny seeing how hard it was for me to keep Mason’s safety on, because he was ready to shoot everything that came out into the food plots.

I just hope now he will still find the fun in hunting GA, he says he wants to now more than ever since he scratched his finger in the lone star state.

The National Wild Turkey Federation’s 34th annual Convention and Sport Show is approaching quickly,

Forget about winter weather — bring the family to the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention and Sport Show at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center Feb. 18 to 21 in Nashville.

For only $12, you can visit 545 booths with the latest hunting gear and see the work of master taxidermists and callmakers. You can also meet and get autographs from some of the biggest names in hunting.

Welcoming guests to Nashville will be Brenda Valentine, NWTF spokeswoman, “First Lady of Hunting (TM) and host of the federation’s “Turkey Call” TV show, airing on Pursuit Channel in January 2010, along with Michael Waddell, NWTF spokesman and host of “Realtree Roadtrips” and “Bone Collector” TV shows.

Three-day passes are $25. Children 10 and under are admitted free.

For more information, call (800) THE-NWTF or visit www.nwtf.org.

The Convention hall will be filled with over 550 booths from industry reps., and loaded with the latest in hunting gear.

The Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National calling, gobbling and owl hooting championships will be held and the NWTF’s new Open live and silent auctions can be attended throughout the weekend featuring incredible hunting and fishing trips, trucks, boats, furs, NWTF exclusive guns, knives, art, jewelry and much more.

TV personalities and experts during hunting seminars and autograph signing sessions are available.

There will be White-tailed deer and wild turkey taxidermy displays and contests.

Custom call makers and callmaking competitions, Bass Pro Shops King of Bucks Collection, Celebrity Autograph signing sessions and fun, hands-on activities for the kids are sure to delight all.

Live entertainment from country music’s finest stars including Little Big Town, Colt Ford, funnymen Paul Harris and the Cleverly’s, Jeff Foxworthy and inspirational music from Music by Nashville’s Premier A Cappella Gospel Singing Group Vocal Union are scheduled.

Register now to make sure you reserve the best seats at the shows (which have additional registration fees) and get your hotel room locked in. Don’t wait another minute to call the Gaylord Opryland Hotel to make your reservations now.