Liberte Austin’s Hunting Digest

I nearly choked on my popcorn this weekend. While the trailer is hunt-free, Daddy’s Home 2 included a full turkey hunting scene! Not only is Mark Wahlberg wearing full hunting camo (swoon), Mel Gibson takes his eight-year-old granddaughter to a gun shop to buy her a shotgun (double swoon). Needless to say, best Christmas movie ever. Ralphie who? Joe Judd calls turkeys with Hollywood stars . . .

SHELBURNE — If you want to know anything about turkey hunting, who do you call but Joe Judd, three-time president of the National Wild Turkey Federation, a sportsman since age 10, and a nationally renown wild turkey caller.

When the filmmakers of the Paramount Pictures holiday movie, “Daddy’s Home 2,” wanted a realistic turkey hunting scene, Director of Photography Julio Macat asked Judd to spend a day with movie co-stars Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell, showing the actors how to call a turkey, and viewing the filmed scenes, to see if they looked credible. And Judd also showed young Scarlett Estevez, portraying a 9-year-old girl, how to hold a shotgun.

The Christmas comedy opens in theaters across the country on Nov. 10, but the filming for a turkey-hunting scene took place six months ago, on April 13 at the Nashoba Valley Ski Area. Snow-blowers worked overnight to create a wintry background.

“In our story, we needed someone to be an adviser on how a kid would go turkey hunting,” Macat explained. “Joe spoke with the property master about the props, guns and ammunition. He came out to make sure (Estevez) was holding the gun properly.”

Speaking of good dads, this dad takes his four-year-old on her first hunt and bags a beast. – 4-year-old’s first ‘hunt’: Dad bags a 15-point buck . . .

“I was always hesitant,” admitted her mom, Kendra Wilder of Bradley. “This was her first hunting trip.”

When the opening day for Maine residents rolled around on Oct. 28, Wilder said Braylynn, now 4 years old, wasted no time getting ready.

“She had a late night the night prior, Friday night. We got to bed late, so I thought she would sleep through [hunting],” Wilder said. “[Jason] went in and asked her if she wanted to go deer hunting, 5:30 in the morning, and she jumped right up. She was ready to go, so excited, almost like it was Christmas morning.”

That excitement eventually waned a bit, and Braylynn actually took a little nap on Jason’s lap when they were out in the woods waiting for a deer to pass by.

“She woke up and he put Mickey Mouse on his phone. She was watching that and he saw the deer [at about 10:30 a.m.]” Wilder said. “He tapped her on the head so she’d pay attention and she could see the whole experience.”

Jason Mitchell shot the buck, and when he and Braylynn went out to find the deer, the 4-year-old was hard to keep up with.

“She ran toward the deer and she ran past Jason to get to it,” said Wilder, who is engaged to Jason Mitchell. “He had to get her to slow down. But she was there for the whole experience, cleaning it out and everything. She was so excited that they got a deer.”

This sounds like something I would do: take up something new just to get even with a loved one. – Daughter takes up hunting ‘to beat dad!’. . .

Becky, 25, a dental technician and waitress, said she has been out hunting with her bow many times since archery deer season started in September, although so far without any luck.

This is the first year she has hunted, after taking safety classes and getting her license, although for years she has accompanied Larry, 52, a retired butcher and self-described jack-of-all-trades.

Larry has hunted since he was a teenager, seeking deer, bear and other game – but no longer pheasant or ducks, he added: “My legs don’t take all that running anymore.”

What led Becky to decide to finally join in with the hunting? Family togetherness, of a sort.

“I’m trying to beat dad! It’s competition,” she said, laughing. Then she grimaced, because this made her morning miss all the more annoying.

The Haskinses have a deer stand — a platform up in a tree, higher up than deer usually notice — near the rail trail on the east side of the Merrimack River, but they also hunt throughout the Concord region, including in Loudon and Canterbury.

Wow this sucks, why didn’t he drop some bread crumbs or tie a piece of yarn on every other tree? Apparently, this is pretty common. – Hunter reunited with family after getting lost in woods for 4 days . . .

(KPTV) – Nicholas Benim survived in the woods alone for four days. Benim’s family said he got turned around while hunting in Oregon’s Clackamas County Sunday night and separated from his hunting group.

The hunter reunited with his family Wednesday afternoon at a ranger station in Estacada.

The family says Benim is exhausted, with cuts on his hands and bad blisters on his feet. Besides that, he’s doing OK.

“What a blessing, two hours ago they said they got him and we were so happy,” said father Daniel Benim.

“Things could have gone either way, because we had no idea where he was,” said brother Bobby Benim.

Daniel Benim said, “I’m a proud dad right now. He can barely talk right now, he’s tired, his feet are blistered.”

Nick Benim was all smiles after a very lucky run-in with an off-duty U.S. Forest Service employee.

“It was the first sign of human life he’d seen in ages, and all he was thinking was, ‘Oh my gosh, please stop and help me,’” said Bobby Benim.

Afraid of getting lost in the wilderness?  Here is what you need. – Spot™ Gen3 Satellite GPS Messenger Personal Tracker . . .

With Spot Gen3 GPS Messenger Personal Tracker, help is only the push of a button away. SOS button alerts GEOS International Response Coordination Center of emergency situations and initiates your rescue. Help-assist button allows you to ask for help from your friends and family and send them your location. Check-in button lets your contacts know where you are and that you are OK. Track button allows your contacts to track your progress using Google Maps™. Custom-message button sends a pre-programmed message with your GPS location.

GPS uses satellites to communicate where cell phones can’t. Custom track rates refresh your location every 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes. Vibration sensor tells Spot to send your location when you start and stop moving. With the enhanced tracking plan you can track your progress continuously. Rated to handle fog and humidity. Operates in temperatures from -22°F to 140°F and at altitudes ranging from -328 ft. to 21,325 ft. Includes batteries, USB cable, carabiner, quick reference guide and carrying strap.

I have to disagree with this. Not that the cops are choosing an AR-15, but that this is the most accurate and humane option. Perhaps if they plan on missing it’s the most humane because of the ability to keep shooting. Nothing beats a good old traditional rifle for deer in my opinion. One shot, one kill. – Residents Concerned About Fairfax County’s Use of AR-15s to Control Deer Population . . .

Fairfax County Police Department’s sharp shooting team plans to use AR-15 rifles to kill deer in Loftridge Park and Clermont Park in the Alexandria area of the county from mid November to mid March.

“Even though the police say they shoot down as it’s supposed to be safe, we just feel that you can’t ever rule out weapons malfunction or human error,” Alexandria resident Nancy Schoenig told News4. “Would you want somebody firing an AR-15 near your house? I mean think about it.” . . .

Police said the deer management program is necessary to control the deer population and officers have used AR-15s over the past 4 years because it’s the most accurate and humane option.

Police said they do not shoot in the direction of homes.

GUNSPORT EARPLUGS